Genetic Evidence of Authenticity of a Hair Shaft Relic from the Portrait of Tsesarevich Alexei, Son of the Last Russian Emperor

The purpose of this study was to examine the external structure of four human hair shaft samples with the scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and to obtain information regarding the chemical composition of hair by using the attached x ray microanalysis unit.The hair samples were obtained from two female subjects. Sample A was taken from a black female and had not undergone any type of chemical processing. Sample B, C, D were taken from a white female, and were natural, processed, and unpigmented, i.e. “gray”, respectively. Sample C had been bleached, tinted, and chemically altered using a permanent wave technique.

Download Full-text

High-voltage EM description of the types and distribution of sensory endings in the inner conical body of the rat vibrissal follicle-sinus complex

Proceedings, annual meeting, Electron Microscopy Society of America ◽

10.1017/s042482010015959x ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 48 (3) ◽

pp. 410-411

Author(s):

Tony M. Mosconi ◽

Min J. Song ◽

Frank L. Rice

Keyword(s):

Mammalian Species ◽

Dorsal Side ◽

Hair Shaft ◽

Sensory Innervation ◽

Conical Body ◽

Adult Rats ◽

Perpendicular Plane ◽

Ultrastructural Studies ◽

Unmyelinated Axons ◽

Sensory Endings

Whiskers or vibrissal follicle-sinus complexes (F-SCs) on the snouts of many mammalian species are structures that have complex, dense sensory innervation. The innervation of F-SCs is remarkably similar in all species with the exception of one site - the inner conical body (ICB). The ICB is an elongated cylindrical structure that encircles the hair shaft near the neck of the follicle. This site has received only cursory attention in ultrastructural studies of the F-SCAdult rats were perfused after the method of Renehan and Munger2. F-SCs were quartered longitudinally and embedded separately in Epon-Araldite. Serial 0.25 μm sections were cut in either the longitudinal or perpendicular plane through the ICB and examined with an AEI EM7 1.2 MV HVEM (Albany, NY) at 1000 KV. Sensory endings were reconstructed from serial micrographs through at least 20 μm in the longitudinal plane and through 10 μm in the perpendicular plane.From two to six small superficial vibrissal nerves converge upon the neck of the F-SC and descend into the ICB. The nerves branch into smaller bundles of myelinated and unmyelinated axons along the dorsal side of the hair shaft.

Download Full-text

Pulmonary hair embolism in a rescued free-ranging Eurasian otter Lutra lutra in Kinmen, Taiwan

Diseases of Aquatic Organisms ◽

10.3354/dao03532 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 142 ◽

pp. 55-61

Author(s):

WT Li ◽

YL Chiang ◽

TY Chen ◽

CL Lai

Keyword(s):

Foreign Body ◽

Traumatic Injury ◽

Lung Parenchyma ◽

Giant Cells ◽

Hair Shaft ◽

Lutra Lutra ◽

Lung Lobe ◽

Eurasian Otter ◽

Foreign Body Giant Cells ◽

Free Ranging

Eurasian otters Lutra lutra are listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List and are imperiled by habitat loss, water pollution, and poaching. Harassment and attacks by stray animals are also recognized threats to the health of wild Eurasian otters. Pulmonary hair embolism is a possible complication in animals with deep traumatic injury, but to date no cases have been reported in wildlife. A free-ranging, adult male Eurasian otter was rescued due to severe emaciation and multiple bite wounds. The otter died 3 d after rescue and was necropsied. Grossly, a 1.5 × 1.5 × 1.5 cm firm nodule was observed in the left cranial lung lobe. Histologically, a fragment of hair shaft surrounded by multinucleated foreign body giant cells was observed in a medium-sized vein, and extensive eosinophilic infiltration was noted in the adjacent vascular wall and lung parenchyma. Based on the gross and histological findings, the pulmonary lesion was consistent with eosinophilic pneumonia and vasculitis induced by hair embolism. The presence of well-formed multinucleated foreign body giant cells and eosinophils may imply a late stage of foreign body reaction, and thus the presumptive source of hair embolism is an animal bite. This is the first report of pulmonary hair embolism associated with animal bite in a rescued free-ranging Eurasian otter.

Download Full-text