AMH is Higher Across the Menstrual Cycle in Early Postmenarchal Girls than in Ovulatory Women

Context Adolescents have more small, growing follicles and larger ovaries than normal women and are prone to anovulatory cycles (ANOV). It is unknown if a higher antral follicle count (AFC) per se contributes to ANOV in early postmenarchal girls. Objective To determine the relationship between AMH (an AFC biomarker), other reproductive hormones, and ANOV in postmenarchal girls and to compare AMH in girls and regularly cycling adults. Methods A total of 23 girls (1.7 ± 0.2 years postmenarche) and 32 historic adult controls (≤34 years) underwent serial hormone measurements during 1 to 2 menstrual cycles. Girls also had pelvic ultrasounds. AMH was measured 5 times/subject using the Ansh ultrasensitive ELISA. Results Girls had higher AMH than women (5.2 ± 0.3 vs. 3.3 ± 0.4 ng/mL; P < 0.01) and girls with more ovulatory (OV) cycles tended to have lower AMH than those with ANOV (2 OV 4.5 ± 0.2, 1 OV 5.7 ± 1.1, 0 OV 6.8 ± 1.1 ng/mL; P = 0.1). In girls, AMH correlated with natural-log (ln) transformed LH (r = 0.5, P = 0.01), ln_androstenedione (r = 0.6, P = 0.003), ln_testosterone (r = 0.5, P = 0.02), and ovarian volume (r = 0.7, P < 0.01) but not with FSH, estradiol, P4, or body mass index. In women, AMH correlated with estradiol and P4 (both r = -0.4, P ≤ 0.03) but not with ln_LH or body mass index. Conclusions In postmenarchal girls, AMH is higher than in ovulatory women and is associated with LH, androgens, and a propensity for anovulatory cycles. The cause of the transient increase in AMH and AFC during late puberty and the steps underlying the transition to a mature ovary deserve further study.

Creating a Colorful Plate

How do vegetables differ nutritionally? Botanically, vegetables are the edible parts of plants and, thus, technically include fruits (the seed-containing, mature ovary). Vegetables are mainly carbohydrates, including starch, nonstarch polysaccharides, and fibers with varying levels of vitamins C, K, E, B6,...

Fecundity of Nephrops norvegicus from the Irish Sea

Potential fecundity, number of oocytes in the mature ovary, and realized fecundity, number of eggs extruded and attached to the pleopods of female Nephrops, caught at the start of the incubation period were estimated for females from the eastern and western Irish Sea grounds. Potential fecundity was found to differ significantly between eastern and western Irish Sea stocks, while realized fecundity did not differ between areas. Inter-year comparison of realized fecundity, and effective fecundity (the number of mature eggs on the pleopods of females at the end of the incubation period) in the western Irish Sea stocks revealed no significant variation over time. Egg loss during the transition from oocytes in the ovary to mature eggs increased with female size, ranging from 40% at 25 mm carapace length (CL) to 65% at 40 mm CL. No relationship was found between egg diameter or volume and female size.

Morphological and karyotypic characterization of intersex pigs with hernia inguinalis

Three female pigs, one with bilateral and two with unilateral hernia inguinalis, from farms near Río Cuarto, Argentina were studied to assess the hypothesis of intersexuality due to porcine freemartinism. Karyotype analysis of lymphocyte cultures was carried out to look for XX/XY chromosome chimerism. Examination of anatomical and histological characteristics of sexual organs was also performed to describe possible sexual tract abnormalities. The animal with the bilateral hernia inguinalis was shown to be a case of true hermaphroditism. Externally it had female genitalia and inside the abdomen, on the left side, one mature ovary and one testis were located. On the right side of the hernia, a scrotal ovotestis was present. All cytogenetically analysed lymphocytes had the female karyotype. The two animals having unilateral hernia and lymphocyte sexual chromosome chimerism were porcine freemartin.

Note on a new host of Myxobolus aeglefini

Some time ago Mr E. Wilson, of the Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen, brought to notice the abnormal appearance of the cranial cartilage in a plaice (Pleuronectes platessa L.) which had been tagged (in St Andrews Bay) and subsequently recaptured (24 miles south-south-east of Arbroath). The fish was a 44·5 cm. long female, 6 years old, with mature ovary and in good condition generally. The cartilage, exposed by the opening of the cranium to remove the otoliths, seemed hypertrophied and full of whitish splotches giving it a mottled appearance. These ‘splotches’ were formed by irregular, vein-like branching canals, in many places along their length swelling into cyst-like, subspherical cavities up to 3 mm. in diameter. They were filled by a mass of soft substance which was found to be an accumulation of Cnidosporidian spores. Small granules of the substance were also found inside the otic capsules. It is possible, however, that these granules were displaced into the capsules during the opening of the cranium.