Researchers have demonstrated a mechanical fatigue process that eventually leads to cracks and breakdown in bulk silicon crystals -- a phenomenon that's particularly interesting because it long has been thought not to exist.
A new study points to yet another reason for people to remain physically active as they age: A link between moderate exercise and decreased inflammation of damaged skin tissue.
Nanowires grown at NIST have a mechanical 'quality factor'at least 10 times higher than reported values for other nanoscale devices such as carbon nanotubes, and comparable to that of commercial quartz crystals. Suggesting possible future uses as oscillators in nanoelectromechanical systems for nanosensors and communications devices.
Researchers have found that difficulty in reading smoothly, or fluently, which occurs in some types of dyslexia, may be caused by disorganized, meandering tracts of nerve fibers in the brain. The findings, which point to organized white matter as the structural basis in the brain for fluent reading, could help specialists find new ways to improve the automatic nature of reading in individuals with dyslexia. Circuitous connections may keep some patients from reading fluently.
The causes of diabetes mellitus in cats remain unknown although there has been a strong debate about whether a dry food diet puts cats at greater risk for diabetes. A new study suggests that weight gain, not the type of diet, is more important when trying to prevent diabetes in cats.
Honey may offer parents an effective and safe alternative than over the counter children's cough medicines. A single dose of buckwheat honey before bedtime provided the greatest relief from cough and sleep difficulty compared with no treatment and an over-the-counter cough medicine in children with upper respiratory tract infections, according to a new article.
Crimson Rocket peach trees look like tall, thin cousins of the more classically-shaped peach trees. These "skinny"trees provide an attractive, space-saving tree that produces full-size peaches that could make their way to consumers in 2008.
Males who have a twin sister appear more likely to develop the eating disorder anorexia nervosa than other males, including those with a twin brother. This finding supports the hypothesis that exposure to female sex hormones in the womb may be related to the risk for anorexia nervosa.
Engineers have used ultraviolet light to sculpt three-dimensional microparticles that could have many applications in medical diagnostics and tissue engineering. For example, they could be designed to act as probes to detect certain molecules, such as DNA, or to release drugs or nutrients.
Vaccinating against the hepatitis B virus does not appear to be associated with the risk of developing multiple sclerosis in childhood, according to a new article. Several studies have evaluated a possible association between the hepatitis B vaccine and the autoimmune neurological disease multiple sclerosis (MS) in adults, according to background information in the article.
A new study examined patients after an average of eight years following hip replacement and found a long-term positive impact on their physical functioning.
During meiosis, the "crossover"gene-swapping process provides the tension needed to properly divide chromosomes. In yeast, double-strand DNA breaks (the precursors to crossovers) have been shown to happen most frequently in a band near the telomeres, which ensures that all chromosomes have sufficient crossovers. In addition, centromeres also experience high levels of double-strand DNA breaks, although these breaks are resealed rather than supporting crossovers.
Immediate relatives (brother, sister, mother, father, son or daughter) of people who have Parkinson's disease are at increased risk for developing depression and anxiety disorders, according to a new study. The risk is particularly increased in families of patients who develop Parkinson's disease before age 75.
A new advanced noninvasive, radiosurgery tool for treating a variety of brain disorders -- including tumors has become available. Called the Leksell Gamma Knife Perfexion, the machine is the latest generation in gamma knife radiosurgery, a noninvasive technology that delivers a finely focused, high dose of radiation to a specific area of the brain.
