Brush Hair Research Articles

Transcriptomic inspection revealed a possible pathway regulating the formation of the high-quality brush hair in Chinese Haimen goat (Capra hircus).

The high-quality brush hair, or Type III brush hair, is coarse hair but with a tip and little medulla, which uniquely grows in the cervical carina of Chinese Haimen goat (Capra hircus). To unveil the mechanism of the formation of Type III brush hair in Haimen goats, transcriptomic RNAseq technology was used for screening of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the skin samples of the Type III and the non-Type III hair goats, and these DEGs were analysed by KEGG pathway analysis. The results showed that a total of 295 DEGs were obtained, mainly from three main functional types: cellular component, molecular function and biological process. These DEGs were mainly enriched in three KEGG pathways, such as protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, MAPK, and complement and coagulation cascades. These DEGs gave hints to a possible mechanism, under which heat stress possibly initiated the formation. The study provided some useful biological information, which could give a new view about the roles of certain factors in hair growth and give hints on the mechanism of the formation of the Type III brush hair in Chinese Haimen goat.

A Screen for Key Genes and Pathways Involved in High-Quality Brush Hair in the Yangtze River Delta White Goat.

The Yangtze River Delta White Goat is the only goat breed that produces high-quality brush hair, or type III hair, which is specialized for use in top-grade writing brushes. There has been little research, especially molecular research, on the traits that result in high-quality brush hair in the Yangtze River Delta White Goat. To explore the molecular mechanisms of the formation of high-quality brush hair, High-throughput RNA-Seq technology was used to compare skin samples from Yangtze River Delta White Goats that produce high-quality hair and non high-quality hair for identification of the important genes and related pathways that might influence the hair quality traits. The results showed that 295 genes were expressed differentially between the goats with higher and lower hair quality, respectively. Of those genes, 132 were up-regulated, 62 were down-regulated, and 101 were expressed exclusively in the goats with high-quality brush hair. Gene Ontology and Metabolic Pathway Significant Enrichment analyses of the differentially expressed genes indicated that the MAP3K1, DUSP1, DUSP6 and the MAPK signaling pathway might play important roles in the traits important for high-quality brush hair.

Behaviors on Scalp and Hair Care of College Students

This paper aims to identify the difference in awareness of scalp and hair, interest in hair, dietary habits and hair care behaviors depending on demographic features (gender, sleep habits, diet, daily habits and interest in health) and the difference of scalp features by gender with college students in Gwangju. To this end, the questionnaires were collected from students at 4-year colleges in Gwangju. Four hundred questionnaires were distributed from March 20 to April 15, 2015 and 396 questionnaires were used for analysis; 4 questionnaires with missing values were not included in the data analysis. Data were analyzed using SPSS for Windows 18.0 statistics package. Frequency analysis, factor analysis, Cronbach s Alpha analysis, t-test and F-test were executed. A Duncan test was used for a posterior test. The analysis results are summarized as follows. The scalp and hair care behaviors of college students were classified into 4 factors: awareness of scalp, interest in hair, dietary habits and hair care behaviors, and scalp and hair care behaviors depending on demographic features (gender, sleep habits, diet, daily habits, interest in health) were statistically significant in part. The analysis results indicated the awareness of college students on hair and scalp care and the problems in such cares. For keeping healthy and beautiful hair and improving hair on the basis of the analysis results, it is required to make college students recognize the importance of scalp and hair care and effective care method by education on the proper life style and care and scalp and hair care for enabling them to easily care scalp and hair by themselves. The following is the proposal on the effective scalp and hair care methods for college students. At first, it is necessary to select the products suitable for each one s scalp and hair, use after reading the instructions and cautions on the hair care products and clean hair using proper shampooing method and water at proper temperature. Next, it is required to eliminate dirt and waste from scalp and hair before shampooing and properly brush hair for accelerating blood circulation and eliminating hair in telogen. It is also necessary to massage using the hair care products.

Conserved expression of vertebrate microvillar gene homologs in choanocytes of freshwater sponges.

BackgroundThe microvillus is a versatile organelle that serves important functions in disparate animal cell types. However, from a molecular perspective, the microvillus has been well studied in only a few, predominantly vertebrate, contexts. Little is known about how differences in microvillar structure contribute to differences in function, and how these differences evolved. We sequenced the transcriptome of the freshwater sponge, Ephydatia muelleri, and examined the expression of vertebrate microvillar gene homologs in choanocytes—the only microvilli-bearing cell type present in sponges. Sponges offer a distant phylogenetic comparison with vertebrates, and choanocytes are central to discussions about early animal evolution due to their similarity with choanoflagellates, the single-celled sister lineage of modern animals.ResultsWe found that, from a genomic perspective, sponges have conserved homologs of most vertebrate microvillar genes, most of which are expressed in choanocytes, and many of which exhibit choanocyte-specific or choanocyte-enriched expression. Possible exceptions include the cadherins that form intermicrovillar links in the enterocyte brush border and hair cell stereocilia of vertebrates and cnidarians. No obvious orthologs of these proteins were detected in sponges, but at least four candidate cadherins were identified as choanocyte-enriched and might serve this function. In contrast to the evidence for conserved microvillar structure in sponges and vertebrates, we found that choanoflagellates and ctenophores lack homologs of many fundamental microvillar genes, suggesting that microvillar structure may diverge significantly in these lineages, warranting further study.ConclusionsThe available evidence suggests that microvilli evolved early in the prehistory of modern animals and have been repurposed to serve myriad functions in different cellular contexts. Detailed understanding of the sequence by which different microvilli-bearing cell/tissue types diversified will require further study of microvillar composition and development in disparate cell types and lineages. Of particular interest are the microvilli of choanoflagellates, ctenophores, and sponges, which collectively bracket the earliest events in animal evolution.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13227-016-0050-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Characterization of wheat varieties (Triticum spp.) through seed morphology

An experiment was carried out at the Department of Seed Science and Technology, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh, to characterize 28 wheat varieties of different species [17 varieties (MP 4010, HI 1500, HI 1531, HI 1544, GW 1, GW 503, DL 788-2, HD 2932, GW 11, GW 173, GW 190, GW 273, LOK 1, GW 322, MP 3288, GW 366 and GW 496) of Triticum aestivum, 9 varieties (HI 8381, HI 8498, HI 8627, HI 8713, A 28, A 206, GDW 1255, GW 1139 and RAJ 1555) of Triticum durum and 2 varieties (DDK 1025, DDK 1029) of Triticum dicoccum)] released for general cultivation in Gujarat at state level as well as at the National level in Central India based on the seed morphological characters. Based on the seed colour, the varieties were grouped into amber (25), white (1) and red (2). On the basis of seed shape, wheat varieties were separated in to round (2) ovate (7), oblong (12) and elliptical (7). On the basis of seed size, varieties were grouped into medium seed size (5), bold seed size (15) and very bold seed size (8). On the basis of seed hardness, varieties were grouped into soft (1), semi-hard (7) and hard (20). Based on the seed germ width, varieties were grouped into medium (15), wide (9) and narrow (4) seed germ width types. The varieties were grouped based on the seed crease into three groups, as medium (11),shallow (12) and deep (5) grain crease types. Based on the brush hair length, wheat varieties were grouped as short (17), medium (7) and long (4) brush hair length types.

Using wintergreen oil for mounting mosquito larvae: a safer alternative to xylene

Permanent mounting of fourth instar mosquito larvae is essential for identifying Aedes spp. This procedure requires extensive exposure to xylene, a clearing agent in the mounting process. We investigated wintergreen oil as a substitute for xylene. Five hundred larvae were mounted on slides to evaluate shrinkage or expansion of specimens after clearing using xylene or wintergreen oil. We examined the ventral brush and siphonal hair tufts for species identification and for preservation of morphological characteristics after clearing specimens in xylene or wintergreen oil. Shrinkage of the length of whole larvae and width of the head, thorax and abdomen after mounting was significantly greater after clearing with xylene than with wintergreen oil. The length of the comb scale nearest the ventral brush was similar for both clearing agents. The clarity of the specimens after mounting was improved by clearing with wintergreen oil, but the integrity of the ventral brush and siphonal hair tufts were similar for both clearing agents.

Proteomic analysis identifies differentially expressed proteins participating in forming Type III brush hair in Yangtze River Delta white goat.

The Yangtze River Delta white goat is a goat breed that can produce high quality brush hair (Type III hair) around the world. This study aimed to compare Type III hair and non-Type III hair goat skin tissues using differentially expressed proteins based on 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis technology. The differentially expressed protein spots were analyzed using the PDquest 8.0 software. Ten protein spots were detected as positive for mass spectrometric analysis based on a threshold of 2-fold change. Through matching based on Ultraflex III TOF/TOF and MASCOT database, four differentially expressed proteins were identified. Fibrinogen beta chain isoform 1 and ATP synthase beta subunit were upregulated in Type III hair, while succinyl-CoA:3-ketoacid-coenzyme A transferase 1-mitochondrial-like and actin-cytoplasmic 1 were upregulated in non-Type III hair. The 4 proteins play important roles in different aspects of hair follicle development. These findings could pave a good foundation for explaining the mechanism of forming Type III hair.

Identification of genes influencing formation of the Type III Brush Hair in Yangtze River Delta white goats by differential display of mRNA

Yangtze River Delta white goat is an exclusive indigenous Chinese goat breeds that can produce Brush Hair specialized in making valuable writing brush. The high-grade (Type III) Brush Hair is conical coarse hair but with a tip, which only grows in the cervical carina and back regions of Yangtze River Delta white goats. Screening of genes influencing the formation of Type III Brush Hair was conducted using differential display of mRNA technique in skin including the hair follicles of different goat groups and the differential bands were identified using reverse Northern dot blot, and the positive bands were subsequently cloned and sequenced. The results showed that 20 differentially displayed bands were obtained, seven of which were identified positive as expressed in skin. Three of these seven cDNAs were homologous to certain sequences from GenBank and the other four were respectively homologous to CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain containing 3 (CMTM3), S100 calcium binding protein A4 (S100A4), protein kinase inhibitor gamma (PKIG) and fibulin 1-D. The study would provide a new view to elucidate their roles in hair growth and hair follicle cycle and increase our understanding of the formation of Type III Brush Hair.

Comparison of the effectivity of different snare types for collecting and retaining hair from Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx)

Genetic methods are increasingly being used as noninvasive tools to survey populations of wild animals. One challenge of these methods is the sampling of genetic material from the target species. Genetic material of various predators, such as bears, canids, and felids, has been successfully obtained from both hair trapped in snares and scat. However, there is currently no standard procedure for sampling genetic material from the Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx). We tested established and newly developed hair snares in two near-natural lynx enclosures in the Bavarian Forest National Park. All snares consisted of a wooden post; they differed in the type of material attached to the post for snaring hair: carpet (velour with 40 nails), wildcat (spruce wood with 2–3 mm deep, horizontal and diagonal ridges), wire brush, doormat, or rubber bands (250 g of rubber bands wrapped around the post). We determined the acceptance of the hair snares by the animals by observing their behavior with the aid of video cameras. The number of rubbing events on the different trap types did not significantly differ, but the rubbing duration was longer for the doormat hair snare. The wire brush hair snare collected the highest total amount of hair and — beside the carpet — the highest amount of hair per unit of time. Almost all hair trapped on the wire brush snare were retained during a 2-week exposure to the elements outside of the enclosures. The results of our study may hold for other felid species with hair characteristics similar to those of lynx.

Relation between Washing Efficiency and Variations in Brush Hair

Relation between Washing Efficiency and Variations in Brush Hair

In the name of art

In building a digital library of Chinese calligraphy, it is desirable to preserve the dynamic writing as well as the aesthetic properties of the masterpieces. Compared with the work on computer synthesis of Chinese calligraphy, we are dealing with the reverse problem; it can be achieved by performing image analysis on the archaic Chinese calligraphic images to obtain a model-based parametric representation. In this article, we introduce our methodology to preserve archaic Chinese calligraphic images by automatically estimating the set of three-dimensional (3-D) geometric and ink model parameters such as the properties of the brush hair and the variations of ink deposition along the stroke trajectory. The dynamic brush writing of the archaic Chinese characters can then be reproduced with various brush and ink effects so that the calligraphy generation process can be visualized and the masterpieces can be reproduced with high-quality printing in scalable resolution.

Model-based analysis of Chinese calligraphy images

A lot of research and development have been done on producing Chinese fonts with smooth outlines and solid colouring for computer displays and printing. Existing Chinese fonts however are not able to reproduce or convey the aesthetic properties of the characters produced by calligraphers. Ip and Wong proposed a parameterised brush model called the Virtual Brush, which enables efficient representation and generation of Chinese calligraphic writings such that the rendering is scalable in resolution and allows high quality publishing. While other researchers always focus on synthesis, we are working as a pioneer on the reverse problem— calligraphic image analysis. Given a static calligraphic image, it is a labour-intensive task to construct a set of 3-D geometric and writing model parameters to obtain a dynamic representation. It is therefore desirable to develop an automated approach to estimate the Virtual Brush parameters from images of Chinese calligraphy. This paper describes a methodology of a statistical-based approach with image processing techniques for the automatic estimation of the set of Virtual Brush writing parameters, such as the properties of brush hair and variations of ink deposition along a stroke trajectory, directly from an image of calligraphic writing. With our proposed approach, raw digitalised images of Chinese calligraphic writings could be analysed automatically for storage and subsequent synthesis for high quality publishing of Chinese characters in different styles and calligraphic artwork.

Cannabis in painful HIV-associated sensory neuropathy

To determine the effect of smoked cannabis on the neuropathic pain of HIV-associated sensory neuropathy and an experimental pain model. Prospective randomized placebo-controlled trial conducted in the inpatient General Clinical Research Center between May 2003 and May 2005 involving adults with painful HIV-associated sensory neuropathy. Patients were randomly assigned to smoke either cannabis (3.56% tetrahydrocannabinol) or identical placebo cigarettes with the cannabinoids extracted three times daily for 5 days. Primary outcome measures included ratings of chronic pain and the percentage achieving >30% reduction in pain intensity. Acute analgesic and anti-hyperalgesic effects of smoked cannabis were assessed using a cutaneous heat stimulation procedure and the heat/capsaicin sensitization model. Fifty patients completed the entire trial. Smoked cannabis reduced daily pain by 34% (median reduction; IQR = -71, -16) vs 17% (IQR = -29, 8) with placebo (p = 0.03). Greater than 30% reduction in pain was reported by 52% in the cannabis group and by 24% in the placebo group (p = 0.04). The first cannabis cigarette reduced chronic pain by a median of 72% vs 15% with placebo (p < 0.001). Cannabis reduced experimentally induced hyperalgesia to both brush and von Frey hair stimuli (p < or = 0.05) but appeared to have little effect on the painfulness of noxious heat stimulation. No serious adverse events were reported. Smoked cannabis was well tolerated and effectively relieved chronic neuropathic pain from HIV-associated sensory neuropathy. The findings are comparable to oral drugs used for chronic neuropathic pain.

Placebo-Controlled Comparison of a Morphine/Dextromethorphan Combination With Morphine on Experimental Pain and Hyperalgesia in Healthy Volunteers

In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study we compared the analgesic effect of a single oral dose of 30-mg dextromethorphan and 30-mg morphine combination (MS/DM) to 30 mg morphine (MS) alone and either placebo or 30 mg dextromethorphan (DM) on cutaneous sensitization induced by heat/capsaicin (topical) sensitization on the forearm and the brief thermal sensitization model on the thigh in 22 healthy volunteers. Outcome measures were areas of secondary hyperalgesia to brush and von Frey hair stimulation in both sensitization models and the painfulness of acute thermal noxious stimulation on the upper arm. Compared with placebo, both MS/DM and morphine had some effect on the secondary hyperalgesia and reduced the painfulness of a noxious thermal stimulus. The analgesic effect of MS/DM was not superior to that of morphine on any outcome measure. These results differ from preclinical studies with animal experimental pain models in which DM markedly potentiated the analgesic effects of opioids, but they are in accordance with recent clinical trials for chronic pain. Perspective Adding dextromethorphan to morphine (1:1 ratio) did not enhance analgesia on measures of experimental cutaneous sensitization and acute noxious thermal stimulation in healthy volunteers. The results differ from preclinical studies but agree with clinical trials. Human experimental models of pain and neuronal sensitization, which are responsive to oral opioids, allow efficient study of opioid combination analgesics and simplify the process for determining the optimal dose and/or dose ratio.

Gender Differences in Pain and Secondary Hyperalgesia After Heat/Capsaicin Sensitization in Healthy Volunteers

In most published studies women are more sensitive to experimental pain than men. Enhanced central pain processing in women has been suggested, but psychosocial factors might also have affected the findings. Data from five completed healthy volunteer studies were analyzed to investigate gender differences in development of secondary hyperalgesia. Cutaneous hyperalgesia was induced with the heat/capsaicin sensitization model. Outcome measures were areas of secondary hyperalgesia to brush and von Frey hair stimulation after heat and capsaicin sensitization, rating of pain during heat/capsaicin sensitization, and heat pain detection thresholds. There was a trend toward smaller areas of secondary hyperalgesia in women. After adjusting for estimated gender differences in forearm surface area, areas to brush but not von Frey hair stimulation after capsaicin sensitization were larger in women. Peak pain, but not total pain, during prolonged noxious thermal stimulation was higher in women. There was no gender difference in pain ratings during capsaicin sensitization or in heat pain detection thresholds. The results provided only limited support to the hypothesis that gender differences in clinical pain syndromes can be explained by enhanced central sensitization in women. Perspective Our findings suggest that gender differences in nociceptive transmission and neuronal sensitization are small and provide only limited support to the hypothesis that gender differences in acute and chronic pain syndromes can be explained by enhanced central sensitization in women.

A randomized study of the effect of oral lamotrigine and hydromorphone on pain and hyperalgesia following heat/capsaicin sensitization

In this randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study, the analgesic effect of oral lamotrigine (400 mg) on cutaneous sensitization induced with the heat/capsaicin sensitization model was compared with the effect of oral hydromorphone (8 mg) in healthy volunteers. In a separate session, intravenous remifentanil (0.10 μg · kg −1 · min −1) and placebo were administered. This session was used as an additional reference comparator. Outcome measures were the areas of secondary hyperalgesia to brush and von Frey hair stimulation and the painfulness of noxious thermal stimulation in nonsensitized skin. Compared with placebo, both intravenous remifentanil and oral hydromorphone significantly suppressed secondary hyperalgesia and acute thermal nociception. Oral lamotrigine did not reduce secondary hyperalgesia or acute thermal nociception but produced side effects of severity comparable with that of oral hydromorphone. Although lamotrigine is efficacious in the management of some types of chronic neuropathic pain, the lack of effect of this agent on human experimental pain suggests that its analgesic effects depend on nerve injury–associated abnormalities, which cannot be simulated in healthy human volunteers.

Virtual brush: a model-based synthesis of Chinese calligraphy

This paper describes the Virtual Brush, a model-based approach to synthesizing realistically Chinese calligraphic writings. This approach simulates the physical process of brush stroke creation using a parameterized model which captures (a) the writing brush 3D geometric parameters, (b) the brush hair properties and (c) the variations of ink deposition along a stroke trajectory. An analysis of some well-known Chinese brush writing styles is given, with a view to establishing the relationship of these writing styles and the modeling process of simulating these different writing styles. We present here our model formulation and the implementation of a software which is capable of simulating some typical calligraphic writing styles on a PC platform. This parameterized model allows a compact representation for brush-written characters which can be used to synthesize characters at different levels of detail, with various brush effects. The result is applicable for very high-quality publishing purpose. Additionally, by appropriately transforming and scaling the stroke trajectories which define a virtual brush character, this technique can be used as a novel approach for scalable font design and generation, in comparison with traditional vector fonts or imaging techniques. More interestingly, with suitable interfacing techniques Virtual Brush would allow users to “practice” calligraphy electronically.