Infant Hair Research Articles

Developmental changes in the facial morphology of the Borneo orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus): possible signals in visual communication

Orangutans display remarkable developmental changes and sexual differences in facial morphology, such as the flanges or cheek-pads that develop only on the face of dominant adult males. These changes suggest that facial morphology is an important factor in visual communication. However, developmental changes in facial morphology have not been examined in detail. We studied developmental changes in the facial morphology of the Borneo orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) by observing 79 individuals of various ages living in the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre (SORC) in Malaysia and in Japanese zoos. We also analyzed photographs of one captive male that were taken over a period of more than 16 years. There were clear morphological changes that occurred with growth, and we identified previously unreported sexual and developmental differences in facial morphology. Light-colored skin around the eyes and mouth is most prominent in animals younger than 3 years, and rapidly decreases in area through the age of approximately 7 years. At the same time, the scattered, erect hairs on the head (infant hair) become thick, dense hairs lying on the head (adult hair) in both sexes. The results suggest that these features are infant signals, and that adult signals may include darkened face color, adult hair, whiskers, and a beard, which begin to develop after the age of approximately 7 years in both sexes. In females, the eyelids remain white even after 10 years, and turn black at around the age of 20; in males, the eyelids turn black before the age of 10. The whiskers and beards of adults are thicker in males than in females, and are fully developed before the age of 10 in males, while they begin to develop in females only after approximately 20 years. White eyelids and undeveloped whiskers and beards may be visual signals that are indicative of young adult females. Our results also show that the facial morphology of the unflanged male is similar to that of the adult female, although it has also been pointed out that unflanged males resemble younger individuals.

Determination of trace element concentration in infant head hair of Rawalpindi/Islamabad area using INAA technique

Summary The concentration of 18 minor and trace elements (essential, toxic and nonessential) in infant head hair was determined. The data provide the base-line values of these elements in head hair of infants of low- and medium-income group subjects. The statistical results show that there are significant correlations between some elements such as: Ca-Zn, Ca-Fe, Mg-Ca, Mg-Mn and Mg-Fe. The results obtained have been compared with the data reported in the literature. Our data show compatibility of elemental contents of infant head hair with those from some of the other geological regions but also deviate in some cases.

Scrotal hair in identical twin infants

Scrotal hair in identical twin infants

Disorders of hair in infants and children other than alopecia

Hair disorders in children encompass a wide range of conditions with varied pathology that can be either congenital or acquired. Of the congenital conditions, the hair abnormality may be either an isolated occurrence in an otherwise healthy child or one of the signs composing a clinical syndrome. There is a vast array of such syndromes, of which most are rare. Discussion here is limited to the more common and those syndromes that have a hair abnormality as a prominent feature. When describing any pathological condition, it is essential to have an accurate concept of what constitutes the norm to allow any deviation from this to be easily recognized. This is often difficult when dealing with children’s hair, as there is a great degree of variation in what is accepted as normal. Social and cultural influences also play a part. The amount of scalp hair seen in normal, healthy newborns is one example, and some conditions such as hypotrichosis may not be recognized until after early infancy for this very reason. Hair disorders range from subtle to particularly disfiguring and may have far-reaching consequences. Abnormal hair may be more upsetting to the parents than the younger child, who may not yet have the selfawareness to realize that a problem exists. One parent may blame the other, especially when an inherited or infective cause is found. Siblings may develop unsupported fears that they, too, may be involved. If the condition is disfiguring, the affected child will almost certainly, at some stage, become the victim of ridicule at school, which may result in lifelong psychological problems. In such cases, it is important to ensure that parents take a proactive approach by meeting with teachers at school entry. Management of hair conditions in children requires a holistic approach. Children with head lice, for example, need to be treated personally as well as other close contacts, the school informed, and the child kept at home until treatment has commenced. When there is no known effective medical treatment for a particular condition, such as hereditary hypotrichosis, cosmetic camouflage methods can be used while parents are told of the natural history and offered genetic counseling.

Maternal Smoking Effects on Infant Growth

The influence of maternal smoking the nutrient content of breastmilk and impact on infant longitudinal growth rate is unknown. From birth, 23 smoking (S), (7.1 +/- 4.4 cigarettes/day) and 23 non-smoking (NS) mother-infant pairs were followed. The breastmilk volume by deuterium dilution, zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), and iron (Fe) in breastmilk and hair by atomic absorption (AAS) and cotinine levels by radio-immuno-analysis (RIA) were evaluated. Birthweight was similar in contrast to height, and infants grew normally. Height and height-for-age (ZHA) were significantly lower in S infants and weight-for-height (ZWH) was higher in S infants in the third month, caused by slower height growth. Cotinine was 19 times greater in the S mothers and six times higher in their infants, as compared to NS group. Breastmilk volume was 743 +/- 119 g/day (S) and 742 +/- 111 g/day (NS), with no difference in zinc, copper, iron contents, except for cadmium (Cd). In infant's hair, all minerals were higher in the S group. Smoking affected infant's height during breastfeeding, attributed to an eventual impaired bioavailability of essential nutrients.

Linear Regression Models of Methyl Mercury Exposure during Prenatal and Early Postnatal Life among Riverside People along the Upper Madeira River, Amazon

This research is focused on prenatal and early postnatal mercury (Hg) exposure among the riverside people along the Upper Madeira river in the Amazon. Linear regression models were developed to predict the hair Hg concentration in infants. The independent variables included in the model of Group 1 (87 pairs of mothers and their infants) were the average maternal hair Hg concentration and maternal age. Group 2 (31 pairs) included maternal segmental hair Hg concentrations. For the segmental hair Hg analysis over time, it was assumed that hair grows at a rate of 11 cm per month. Thus, information on the timing of the dates of pregnancy and breast feeding from the birth history was used to cut the hair strands into segments, making them correspond to the mother's reproductive stage of life (31 pairs of mothers and their infants). Breast milk Hg concentration results were included with segmental and average maternal hair Hg concentration values (22 and 44 pairs of mothers and their infants, respectively). The models including the breast milk Hg concentration indicated that 61 and 55% of the variability of the infant hair Hg concentrations were due to the independent variables: segmental maternal hair Hg with breast milk Hg and average maternal hair Hg with breast milk Hg, respectively. The regression coefficients were in the range of 0.19 to 0.90, and P values were in the range of 0.0001 to 0.1490. Further recommendations include fish advisories to prevent critical Hg exposures during reproductive life and investigation of neurobehavioral performance of this study population.

Does Human Exposure to Mercury in Fish Cause Neurodevelopmental Problems?

Article| February 01 1999 Does Human Exposure to Mercury in Fish Cause Neurodevelopmental Problems? AAP Grand Rounds (1999) 1 (2): 14–15. https://doi.org/10.1542/gr.1-2-14 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Does Human Exposure to Mercury in Fish Cause Neurodevelopmental Problems?. AAP Grand Rounds February 1999; 1 (2): 14–15. https://doi.org/10.1542/gr.1-2-14 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All PublicationsAll JournalsAAP Grand RoundsPediatricsHospital PediatricsPediatrics In ReviewNeoReviewsAAP NewsAll AAP Sites Search Advanced Search Topics: fishes, fluorescent in situ hybridization, mercury Source: Davidson PW, Myers GJ, Cox C, Axtell C, et al. Effects of prenatal and postnatal methylmercury exposure from fish consumption on neurodevelopment. Outcomes at 66 months of age in the Seychelles Child Development Study. JAMA. 1998;280:701–707. Neurodevelopment up to 66 months of age was evaluated after prenatal and postnatal exposure to methylmercury (MeHg) in 711 mother and child pairs living in the Republic of Seychelles (a westernized archipelago in the Indian Ocean) and ingesting fish almost daily. Inorganic mercury (Hg) discharged into water is converted to MeHg by microorganisms and bioaccumulated up the aquatic food chain. Levels of total Hg (THg) in 350 samples of fish were similar to those in fish sold in US markets. Maternal and infant hair levels of THg were 6.8 and 6.5 parts per million respectively (the lowest toxic level in hair for Hg is 50 ppm in adults). Frequent consumption of ocean fish can lead to MeHg levels as high as 50 ppm in hair samples. Maternal and child levels were not highly associated and were typical of populations that depend on fish as a major source of protein and calories. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in 49 children and found to be absent. Six age-appropriate neurodevelopment tests were administered to the children: Bender Gestalt, Child Behavior Checklist, Woodcock-Johnson Applied Problems and Word Recognition Tests of Achievement, McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities, and the Preschool Language Scale. No adverse outcomes were found. The delivery of heavy metals to the developing brain of the fetus or infant may adversely affect this organ because it is more sensitive than that of the adult brain to neurotoxic effects. Prenatal exposure to very high levels of MeHg in fish is associated with cerebral palsy, deafness, microcephaly, mental retardation, and seizures. Hg toxicity, like lead exposure, probably follows a dose response relationship. The questions that need to be answered are, how much Hg exposure is too much and at what time during development is the exposure most harmful. MeHg, like lead and aluminum, is easily absorbed by the human gut. The increased levels of MeHg in the Seychelles population (10–20 times higher than that in the USA) is not the result of ingesting an excessively high concentration of MeHg in a few fish, but the continued ingestion of more fish. In contrast to the above study, neurodevelopment studies involving children from the Faroe Islands (an archipelago situated between the British Isles, Norway, and Iceland) demonstrate cognitive defects in children tested at 7 years of age after prenatal exposure to Pilot Whales whose meat MeHg content is 10 times higher than that of the ocean fish consumed by the Seychelles and whose blubber concentration of PCBs is elevated.1 Prenatal ingestion of PCBs is also known to be neurotoxic to the developing brain.2 The Faroe Island study utilized more sensitive tests for neurodevelopment and demonstrated subtle deficits in language, attention, and memory. Maternal hair mercury levels in the Faroe Island study were similar... You do not currently have access to this content.

Transplacental pharmacokinetics of cocaine and benzoylecgonine in plasma and hair of rhesus monkeys

There is large variability in the rate and extent of fetal damage from cocaine in humans; however, the sources of such variability are not presently known. In order to study the relationship between maternal cocaine pharmacokinetics at the end of pregnancy and maternal or infant cocaine and benzoylecgonine hair concentrations at birth, ten rhesus monkeys were administered cocaine intramuscularly throughout pregnancy. Cocaine and benzoylecgonine hair concentrations were determined at birth and correlated with maternal pharmacokinetics during pregnancy. There were no correlations between either maternal cocaine C max or AUC 0–∞ and maternal and infant hair cocaine or benzoylecgonine concentrations. There were no significant correlations between maternal hair benzoylecgonine concentrations and either maternal benzoylecgonine AUC 0–120 ( r = 0.60; P = 0.07) or benzoylecgonine C max ( r = 0.60; P = 0.07). No correlations existed between infant hair benzoylecgonine concentrations and either maternal benzoylecgonine AUC 0–120 ( r = 0.30; P = 0.40) or benzoylecgonine C max ( r = 0.30; P = 0.40). Also, no correlation was found between maternal cocaine dose and maternal or infant cocaine and benzoylecgonine hair concentrations. In comparison to toxicants such as nicotine and carbon monoxide for which there is a good correlation between maternal systemic exposure and neonatal concentrations, the lack of a similar relationship for cocaine is consistent with the role of the placenta in contributing to the variability in the amounts of cocaine reaching the fetus and hence, potentially to the risk of adverse fetal outcome.

Correlation of mercury with selenium in human hair at a typical mercury-polluted area in China.

The levels of mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) and their correlation in human scalp hair of 29 pairs of pregnant women and their newborns living at a high-Hg and low-Se area, the Second Song-Hua-Jiang River System, have been studied by instrumental neutron activation analysis. Our results indicate that the Hg level in infant hair samples are roughly close to that in their mothers, whereas the Se level in infants is much higher. Furthermore, the molar ratios of Se/Hg in newborns are also 40% higher than those in mothers. It demonstrates that infants are able to absorb more selenium from their mothers' bodies to protect against or alleviate the intoxication of Hg. This "autoprotective mechanism" likely plays a critical role during fetal development. The possible chemical species of Hg and Se in hair is also discussed.

Antimony leaching from cot mattresses and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

1. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) cot mattress covers from SIDS cases were investigated as potential sources of soluble (potentially ingestable) antimony in the cot environment. 2. Body fluids (urine, saliva) and proprietary domestic detergents/sterilizing fluids markedly enhanced leaching of antimony from PVC. Release of antimony was also enhanced at both low and high pH and by elevated temperature. The extent of antimony leaching did not correlate well with PVC content of this element. 3. These data do not support the assumption that postmortem analysis of antimony content proves exposure to gaseous antimony trihydride from mattress PVC. 4. Ingestion of antimony released from PVC could account for the high variability associated with reported detectable levels of antimony in liver from both SIDS and other infants. It could also explain suspected additional postnatal exposure to this element, which gives rise to elevated levels of Sb in the hair of some healthy infants.

Concentration of mercury in hair of indigenous mothers and infants from the Amazon basin.

Hair mercury concentration, as an indicator of mercury body load, was studied in 251 samples of indigenous women and children living in selected areas of the Amazonian region. The mothers or women of child-bearing age, either non-Indians or Indians, and their children were sampled along the Madeira River and in the Kayapó reservation (Fresco River), respectively. Among the sampled individuals there were mothers with infants less than 2 years old. Total mercury in hair was determined by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry after alkaline digestion. The distribution of hair mercury concentration greater than 10 microg/g occurred in 67.4% of non-Indian women and 25% of Indian women; overall only 1% of non-Indian women had concentrations of hair mercury above 50 microg/g. In women of child-bearing age, the median and range of hair mercury concentration was 14.08 microg/g, and 0.8-94.7 microg/g for non-Indians, and 8.30 microg/g, and 0.8-13.3 microg/g for Indians. The correlation between maternal hair mercury and mercury in hair of infants (less than 2 years of age) still breast-feeding, was statistically significant only for non-Indians (r = 0.555 p < 0. 001). The correlation between length of breast-feeding and mercury concentration in infant's hair was significant for Indian children (r = 0.512; p = 0.029) but not for non-Indian children (r = 0.025; p = 0.832). A subsampling of 30 mothers had segmented hair analysis that showed a mean decrease of 20% in body burden during pregnancy, thus indicating the extent of placental transference of mercury to fetuses.

Correlation of the antimony concentration of umbilical cord and infant hair measured by hydride generation–atomic fluorescence spectrometry

The concentration of antimony in 96 umbilical cord and matched infant hair samples from a set of mother/baby pairs has been determined by hydride generation–atomic fluorescence spectrometry following closed vessel microwave digestion of the samples. Antimony was detected in 90% of the hair samples (limit of detection 3 ng g −1) and also in 90% of the cord samples (limit of detection, 1 ng g −1). For cord samples the mean (median) value was 27.7 (9.0) ng g −1 ( n=87) with the distribution being heavily skewed towards lower concentrations with 73% of samples having concentrations less than the mean value. An additional three samples revealed concentrations greater than 200 ng g −1 and have been excluded from the mean calculation. For the hair samples ( n=102) the concentration range was much wider (from <3 ng g −1 to >25 000 ng g −1) with a mean (median) of 826 (360) ng g −1 ( n=83). A total of 11 samples (11%) showed no detectable antimony (<3 ng g −1) whereas 8 samples (8%) had concentrations which exceeded the mean by an order of magnitude and were thus excluded from the mean calculation. Again the distribution was asymmetrical with 70% of the samples included in the calculation of the mean falling below this concentration. The hair : cord ratio was approximately 40 : 1 (median/median, wet weight basis). No correlation was established between the hair and cord concentrations in the matched pairs of samples. Although these concentrations are considerably less than those found in various tissue samples after treatment with antimony based drugs or following occupational exposure, nevertheless these results indicate that antimony is usually present in samples of these types with the likely origin being environmental exposure via food, airborne dust and water.

'Tiger Tail' Pattern on Polarized Hair Microscopic Examination Is Found in Healthy Infants

In the February issue of theArchives, Brusasco et al¹reported a case of trichothiodystrophy in which findings of hair microscopic examinations changed in the first month of life, with the development of the "tiger tail" appearance on polarized light microscopic examination. The authors make several points that would be helpful to put in a more general context. Although the tiger tail appearance may suggest a hair disorder, it is a relatively common finding in the hair of healthy infants and those with no specific disease.²Conversely, it is not seen in neonates, as demonstrated in a recent study³where 20 premature newborns (mean gestational age, 36 weeks) underwent regular and polarized transmitted light microscopic examinations of cut and plucked hair samples from the parietal scalp. These samples revealed markedly homogeneous characteristics on polarized light microscopic examination, with hairs demonstrating a gold, blue, or brown hue, with

White Forelock Could Be Early Sign of Tuberous Sclerosis-Reply

We thank Dr Desch for educating us on the association of a white forelock with tuberous sclerosis. McWilliam and Stephenson¹describe 4 infants with at least 1 tuft of depigmented hair who eventually received a diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis. Although the site of the depigmented hair was indicated in only 2 of the infants and it was not a forelock in either of them, the possibility remains that an infant with tuberous sclerosis might have a white forelock. Dr Desch's case is an example. Patches of gray or white hair in infants, no matter where on the scalp, should, then, attract our attention to the possibility of this diagnosis.

The effect of chronic cocaine exposure during pregnancy on maternal and infant outcomes in the rhesus monkey.

To explore the effects of gestational cocaine exposure in a nonhuman primate model, pregnant rhesus monkeys were treated from about 1 month of gestation until term with either 0 (N = 3), 0.3 (N = 3), 1.0 (N = 3), or escalating doses up to 8.5 (N = 3) mg/kg (IM), three times per day, 5 consecutive days per week. Despite these differences in cocaine exposure, the experimental groups did not differ significantly with respect to maternal outcome, as measured by body weight gain during pregnancy and length of pregnancy. A clear dose-response relationship was observed between the cumulative dose of cocaine administered during gestation and the levels of both cocaine and its major metabolite, benzoylecgonine, in samples of infant hair taken at birth. However, the experimental groups did not differ significantly with respect to infant outcome, as measured at birth by body weight, overall length, crown-to-rump length, rump-to-heel length, biparietal diameter, and crown circumference. Furthermore, the experimental groups did not differ significantly with respect to the integrity of a variety of infant reflexes tested at birth. It was concluded that, in a rhesus monkey model, chronic cocaine exposure during pregnancy had no significant effect on maternal and infant outcomes as assessed in this investigation.

Fetal toxicology of environmental tobacco smoke

During the past decade, new evidence has been collected regarding the fetal risks of environmental tobacco smoke. Throughout gestation, the unborn baby is exposed to increasing concentrations of nicotine through maternal blood and gastrointestinal and skin absorption of the nicotine in the amniotic fluid. Recent research shows measurable concentrations of cotinine in the hair of infants born to passively smoking mothers. This exposure has been recently associated with effects on fetal growth.

カフェインの母体から胎児への移行について 新生児毛髪分析による検討

カフェインの母体から胎児への移行について 新生児毛髪分析による検討

Trace elements in the hair of new-born infants by INAA

Hair has been used as a bioindicator, as a means to measure environmental and occupational contamination, and a a tool for individualization in the forensic field. Because hair is a product of human metabolic activities, its elemental content is of interest in the examination of normal (healthy) metabolism and abnormal (diseased) metabolism. Employing hair analysis, sources of environmental pollution can be identified. Some recent INAA hair measurements were carried out in our laboratory. Hair samples of six new-born infants and their mothers were collected, washed, and analyzed according to standard procedures. By 5-minute irradiation (flux 2.5×1011 n·cm−2·s−1) and gamma spectrometric analysis of hair and standard samples, elemental concentrations of Mg, Mn, Cu, Na, V, S, Al, Ca, and the halides were determined. Hair analysis of new-born infants should be of special interest, because it most likely represents endogeneous contribution. Hair assays of mothers and babies may prove to be clear mirrors which reflect observations pertaining to environmental metal mobilization and internal metabolic conditions. This work presents, along with a review of the subject, the results of a case study and identifies areas where further research is needed.

Substance abuse in pregnancy

Substance abuse in pregnancy is a major area of interest for clinicians, researchers, and public health officials. Cigarettes have long been associated with poor reproductive outcomes. Smoking increases the relative risk of placenta previa to 2.6 and of sudden infant death syndrome to 2.2 in white infants. The risk-to-benefit ratio of nicotine replacement therapy is discussed. Alcohol use by pregnant women decreased from 32% to 20% between 1985 and 1988. The long-term sequelae of fetal alcohol syndrome in adolescents and adults are presented. Marijuana is probably the most common illicit drug used in pregnancy. Long-term follow-up showed no difference in outcome until 48 months. However, at 48 months, memory and verbal measures were affected by heavy prenatal marijuana use. Self-report of illicit drug use is inaccurate. Routine urine screening for cocaine can show marked variations by locality. Analysis of meconium, urine, and infant and maternal hair along with self-report provides the most accurate information on prenatal cocaine use. The increase in cost of caring for cocaine-exposed infants was estimated. Newborns reveal decreased habituation and increased neonatal stress measures. Long-term sequelae of prenatal cocaine use indicated that smaller head circumference persist and that head size is associated with Bayley mental developmental indexes. However, the Bayley scale measured no difference among the cocaine-exposed, alcohol-exposed, or control groups.

Cocaine in the hair of mother-infant pairs: quantitative analysis and correlations with urine measures and self-report.

A sample of mothers who had used crack cocaine while pregnant was evaluated during the postpartum period before random assignment to drug treatment. Mean infant age was 74 days. Paired hair samples were acquired from 63 mothers and 63 infants. Maternal urine was screened for cocaine and benzoylecgonine; three different drug use self-report measures were also collected. Normalizing transformations of all hair and urine data preceded analyses. The initial correlation of mother and infant hair (r = .41, N = 62, P = .001) was strengthened (r = .62, N = 30, P < .0005) by removing from the dataset maternal hair independently judged to be damaged. Damage to hair is associated with certain types of "hair care" products. The damaged maternal hair bore no quantitative relationship to infant hair (r = -.04, N = 30, P = .41). Poor quality hair samples could have been partly anticipated because self-reported use of hair products had a significant contingent relationship to laboratory-judged damage to hair (Z kappa = 2.28, P = .01). Maternal urine benzoylecgonine correlated with maternal hair (r = .41, N = 60, P = .001) and, of course, with maternal urine cocaine (r = .63, N = 60, P < .0005). None of the three self-report measures (use in past 30 days, duration since first use, average regular use) significantly correlated with any of the hair or urine measures. Factor analysis of drug use variables identified three factors possibly representing long-term use, recent use, and some artifact of self-report. In summary, hair analysis may provide a quantitative index of exposure when the hair is not damaged. The amount of self-reported drug use could not be corroborated with analytic measures of hair or urine. Studies in which self-reported cocaine use is a scalar variable should be interpreted cautiously.