The aging mouse partially models the aging human spine: lumbar and coccygeal disc height, composition, mechanical properties, and Wnt signaling in young and old mice.

Murine lumbar and coccygeal (tail) regions of spines are commonly used to study cellular signaling of age-related disc diseases, but the tissue-level changes of aging intervertebral discs and vertebrae of each spinal region remain unclear. Furthermore, the impact of aging lumbar and coccygeal discs on Wnt/β-catenin signaling, which is putatively involved in the catabolism of intervertebral discs, is also unclear. We compared disc/vertebrae morphology and mechanics and biochemical composition of intervertebral discs from lumbar and coccygeal regions between young (4-5 mo) and old (20-22 mo) female C57BL/6 mice.

The 2005 Rose Prize Essay. GP Education in Northern Ireland 1920-1990. A study of the use and misuse of power.

The use and misuse of power has been demonstrated. It has been shown that GP education has changed very significantly between 1920 and 1990. Many excellent improvements have been achieved.