Comments on: Ask Jeeves about science

By: David Bradley

David Bradley — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 07:34:55 +0000

Not as far as I know, but you’re physician would be able to advise you professionally.

By: DONNA

DONNA — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 23:19:03 +0000

Do you ever give chemotherapy for hepatitis?

By: David Bradley

David Bradley — Thu, 08 Jul 2010 07:36:46 +0000

The usual explanation is about cells on the surface of the skin absorbing water through osmosis, swelling and causing the underlying layer to buckle. This is now known not to be true. As long ago as 1935, scientists knew that the fingers of people with median nerve palsy do not wrinkle and go “pruney”, which suggests that a mechanism associated with vasoconstriction (blood vessel narrowing) is to root cause.

From Wikipedia: Water probably initiates the wrinkling process by altering epidermal electrolyte homeostasis as it diffuses into the porous skin of the hands and soles via their many sweat ducts. Altered epidermal electrolyte homeostasis would lead to a change in membrane stability of the surrounding dense network of nerve fibers and trigger increased vasomotor firing with subsequent vasoconstriction. Vasoconstriction, through loss of volume, leads to negative digit pulp pressure resulting in a downward pull on the overlying skin, which wrinkles as it is distorted.

Finger wrinkling is now used as a simple test for nerve damage and vasoconstriction.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wrinkle_(skin)#Pruney_fingers

By: Adeel Iqbal

Adeel Iqbal — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 11:52:40 +0000

why does our skin go soft and wrinkly after soaking in water a while?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 02 May 2010 12:41:17 +0000

please can you tell me about how the insulating properties of fabric are linked to thermoregulation

By: David Bradley

David Bradley — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:41:16 +0000

Friction in your car’s engine isn’t useful…friction that causes foot blisters when walking isn’t useful…lots of examples around like that.

By: Amy

Amy — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:04:05 +0000

When and where is friction not useful ?

By: David Bradley

David Bradley — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:45:17 +0000

Try here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancreas

By: souljagirlx00x

souljagirlx00x — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 06:40:31 +0000

hiya,
could you please tell me what a pancreas is and dose exactley.also ow it helps digest our food.
i no what it is but still need this information confirmed.( a body part just under your stomach)
because every website i go on just tells me facts and about pancreas cancers.
this is for a science project at school and i need to know alot of information before tomorrow.

thankyou

By: David Bradley

David Bradley — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 19:57:00 +0000

Sara – interesting question. To find an answer you need to know the area of the US mainland, the diameter of the marbles you want to work with, the value of Avogadro’s constant, and an idea of how spherical objects can pack together. That will give you the information you need to answer your question.