Article history: Received 22 August 2007 Accepted 29 February 2008 Available online xxxx

to fracture. However, bones fracture for different reasons, so there are several different biomechanical definitions of bone fragility. One function of bones is to carry loads. Fractures occur when loads exceed the bone strength, so weakened bones should be considered fragile. For example osteoporotic vertebral bodies might fracture during normal daily activities like opening a window or rising...

THE MODERN ERA OF DISEASE EMERGENCE AND REEMERGENCE IS ATTRIBUTED TO ISSUES RANGING from the deterioration of the environment, which brings humans in contact with pathogens that jump species barriers, to globalization, which is expanding the reach of pathogens beyond their former geographic boundaries. The transition from foraging to agriculture about 10,000 years ago accelerated the emergence ...

Bones are an integral part of the human body that exhibit piezoelectric properties, meaning that when stress is applied to the bone, the bone produces a current within itself. This is known as the piezoelectric effect. Material that are piezoelectric can similarly exhibit the reverse piezoelectric effect, meaning that when a current is applied, the material compresses on itself. This property h...