Hair is a sophisticated bio-based material, whether it is on a human head or part of a mammalian coat. In particular, the role of the proteins in the follicle, integral to hair development, are not well understood. This new book seeks to integrate the latest research in proteomic and morphological studies into a coherent description of fibre development from the follicle to its final mature, keratinized form. To achieve this the book has been divided into three sections. The first describes the keratins, their associated proteins and how they assemble into intermediate filaments in the fibre. The second covers the latest information on the morphological changes that occur from the base of the follicle, through the keratinization process to the mature fibre and the role that proteins play in this. The final section delves into fundamental fibre properties such as crosslinking, thermal and oxidative modifications and how these affect the mature fibre. The editors of this book are internationally recognised for their work in the area of mammalian hair, Jeffrey Plowman for his knowledge of the proteomics of the fibre, Santanu Deb-Choudhury for his work in the area of crosslinking in the fibre and Duane Harland for his understanding of the morphological development of the fibre. Together they have collected material from other international experts: Leopold Eckhart and Florian Ehrlich for their knowledge of the evolution of keratins; Dong Dong Wu and David Irwin for their studies on keratin associated protein evolution; David Parry and Bruce Fraser for their work on keratin and keratin associated protein structure and assembly; John McKinnon for his studies on macrofibril formation; Crisan Popescu for the thermodynamics of keratins; and Jolon Dyer for his oxidative modification studies of keratins. This book provides a comprehensive introduction, and useful reference guide to hair biology and will be of interest to both scientists and technologists.

Human hair is the subject of a wide range of scientific investigations. Its chemical and physical properties are of importance to the cosmetics industry, forensic scientists, and to biomedical researchers. This updated and enlarged fourth edition continues the tradition of its predecessor as being the definitive monograph on the subject. It now contains new information on various topics including: chemical hair damage, the cause of dandruff, skin and eye irritation, hair straightening, and others. Chemical and Physical Behavior of Human Hair is a teaching guide and reference volume for cosmetic chemists and other scientists in the hair products industry, academic researchers studying hair and hair growth, textile scientists, and forensic specialists.

Welcome to this ‘novice’s guide’. At last a book that explains the real science behind the cosmetics we use. Taking a gentle approach and a guided journey through the different product types, we discover that they are not as superficial as often thought and learn that there is some amazing science behind them. We shall uncover some of the truths behind the myths and point out some interesting facts on our way. Did you know? Vitamin E is the world’s most used cosmetic active ingredient. At just 1mm thick, your amazing skin keeps out just about everything it’s exposed to – including your products! A ‘chemical soup’ of amino acids, urea, mineral salts and organic acids act as ‘water magnets’ in the skin keeping it naturally moisturised. Discovered centuries ago, iron oxides (yes, the same chemicals as rust) are still commonly used inorganic pigments in foundations. A lipstick is a fine balance of waxes, oils and colourants to keep the stick stable and leave an even gloss on your lips.

The Wool Handbook: Morphology, Structure, Property and Applications explores the fundamental aspects of wool fibers as well as traditional and novel applications of wool in areas including polymer composites and technical textiles. Apart from textiles and garments, wool has long been used for various diversified applications due to its unique material properties. Wool is inherently fire resistant, antimicrobial, flexible and antibacterial, and as a natural material, it can be used to create environmentally sustainable products. This book explains basic and advanced topics related to wool fibers, from shearing to marketing, drawing on academic and industrial research from a range of subjects. Providing statistics, processing methods, and testing and characterization techniques for wool fiber, this book will help readers to use wool fibers to find new applications and solutions. - Provides advanced testing methods to explore the material characteristics of wool - Includes the latest industrial methods for physical and chemical processing of wool - Presents case studies on how wool fibers have been made into successful bio-based composite and textile products

This book comprises the proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Asia-Pacific Microscopy Conference (APMC12) focusing on emerging opportunities and challenges in the field of materials sciences, life sciences and microscopy techniques. The contents of this volume include papers on aberration corrected TEM & STEM, SEM – FIB, ion beam microscopy, electron diffraction & crystallography, microscopy and imaging associated with bio-nanotechnology, medical applications, host-pathogen interaction, etc. This book will be beneficial to researchers, educators, and practitioners alike.

Environmental and Technological Aspects of Redox Processes is a comprehensive guide to understanding the natural process of electrochemical oxidation/reduction and adsorption action in water treatment technology. The book examines the complexities of redox signaling at a cellular level and how it influences a wide range of biological processes, such as immune function, tissue repair, and cell development. With contributions from leading experts in the field, this book provides valuable insights and strategies for preventing the negative effects caused by oxidants, such as damage to living cells, DNA, proteins, and lipids. Through extensive research on electronic structure, thermodynamics, kinetics, and catalysis of the redox reactions, this book is poised to contribute to an extensive body of new knowledge regarding the essence of the redox processes, the revelation and theoretical justification of key mechanisms, and the discovery of new aspects of methods to control the redox reactions. This will have a major impact on the quality of life, human health, food quality, as well as the state of the environment, especially for the sources of clean water, which continue to deplete at a rapid rate. This book is a valuable resource for professionals and researchers in materials science, materials engineering, chemical engineering, ecological chemistry, and water professionals, as well as individuals working in related disciplines such as environment, chemistry, toxicology, administrative sciences and management, education, sociology, and subjects related to public policies and decision support. Moreover, the book provides insights and support to executives concerned with the management of expertise, knowledge, information, and policy development in different types of science and educational communities.

This textbook contains the latest advances and scientific knowledge from the leading experts in hair biology, hair disorders, and clinical trichology. The book consists of ten sections in which hair biology, hair genetics, hair diagnostics, hair loss types, pathogenesis, treatment options, and restoration techniques are discussed. This book also emphasizes on various genetic and nongenetic alopecia types, differential diagnosis, and the measurement of hair loss. One chapter of the book is devoted to natural products for hair care and treatment. We believe that this textbook will serve as a comprehensive guide to many physicians dealing with hair disorders in their clinical practice.

This book provides the readers with an up-to-date review of the design, structure and function of a representative selection of fibrous proteins in both health and disease. The importance of the α-helical coiled coil, a conformational motif based on the heptad repeat in the amino acid sequence of all α-fibrous proteins (and parts of some globular proteins) is underlined by three Chapters devoted to its design, structure, function and topology. Specific proteins covered in the text and which depend on the coiled coil for their structure and function, include the intermediate filament proteins, tropomyosin, myosin, paramyosin, fibrin and members of the spectrin superfamily. Also described are fibrous proteins based on the β-pleated sheet and collagen conformations. Recombinant structural proteins, especially of silk and collagen, are discussed in the context of developing new biomaterials with varied applications. Established researchers and postgraduate students in the fields of protein chemistry, biochemistry and structural biophysics will find Fibrous Proteins: Structures and Mechanisms to be an invaluable collection of topical reviews that describe the basic advances made in the field of fibrous proteins over the past decade. This book, written by recognized authorities in the field, provides a clear account of the current status of fibrous protein research and, in addition, establishes the basis for deciding the most appropriate directions for future activity, including the applications of protein engineering and the commercial exploitation of new biomaterials.