X-Ray Emission Microanalysis of the Density of Hair Proteins in Kwashiorkor

Abstract

Hair samples were obtained from the scalps of 5 infants with kwashiorkor and 5 matched control infants on a balanced diet.The greatest diameters of the hairs were measured in their natural state, ethanol, xylol, water and air. The diameters of the kwashiorkor hairs were 8 to 22% larger in water than in air while the diameters of the control hairs were 5 to 8% larger. This indicates that the stability of the cross links between the polypeptide chains of hair proteins is reduced in kwashiorkor.The mass per unit area of cryostat sections of hair was estimated by electron probe x-ray emission microanalysis. No difference was demonstrable between the density of proteins in kwashiorkor and control hair. It is concluded that the soft texture of kwashiorkor hair is not associated with a reduction in the density of its proteins.

Hair Research

“…Sims (1967Sims ( ,1968 pointed out that a decrease in hair shaft diameter usually preceded the other symptoms of kwashiorkor and that the tensile strength was also lowered. The atrophied bulb, plucked at the end of this period, manifests distal constriction extending for a short distance along the shaft, and these changes are reversible to some extent when protein is added to the diet.…”

“…The quantitative diameter is considered as an useful index of protein synthesis in the management of cases of malnutrition (Sims 1968). The quantitative diameter is considered as an useful index of protein synthesis in the management of cases of malnutrition (Sims 1968).…”

Multiriate Normal Frequency Distributions for the Analysis of Scalp Hair Measurements

“…from the hair root.It was concluded that measurements of hair shaft diameters can be described Dy a multivariate normal distribution for an uncountably infinite number of variables.EVIDENCE is accumulating which implies that malnutrition and other illnesses effect a reduction of hair shaft diameter (Sims, 1968). The greatest diameters of the hairs were measured proximally just above the hair root and distally 40 mm.…”

“…EVIDENCE is accumulating which implies that malnutrition and other illnesses effect a reduction of hair shaft diameter (Sims, 1968). Biophysical experiments on protein synthesis in the cortical cells of rat anagen follicles have shown that cortical cells synthesize and accumulate proteins at a very rapid rate (Sims, 1964(Sims, , 1966.…”

“…EVIDENCE is accumulating which implies that malnutrition and other illnesses effect a reduction of hair shaft diameter (Sims, 1968). EVIDENCE is accumulating which implies that malnutrition and other illnesses effect a reduction of hair shaft diameter (Sims, 1968).…”