The third countrywide survey on imposex and organotin contamination in the rock shell was conducted in 93 locations along the Japan coast between September 1996 and January 1999. The percentage occurrence of imposex was still high in 86 locations whereas no or rare instances of imposex were found in the remaining seven locations. Severe imposex symptoms were observed in the rock shell populatio...

Functioning adrenocortical oncocytomas are extremely rare and most reported patients are 40-60 yr of age. To our knowledge, only 2 cases of functioning adrenocortical oncocytomas have been reported in childhood. We report a case of functioning adrenocortical oncocytoma in a 14-yr-old female child presenting with virilization. She presented with deepening of the voice and excessive hair growth, ...

Four male cousins showed clinical and biochemical features of X-linked recessive congenital adrenocortical hypoplasia. In addition, they showed varying degrees of androgenic precocity. One was virilised at birth. Another showed advanced growth and skeletal maturation. The remaining two had genital measurements greater than normal for age and showed raised testosterone levels, although pituitary...

Tumours of the ovary accompanied by signs of masculinization (or defeminization) such as amenorrhea, hirsutism and enlargement of the clitoris are uncommon and there appears to be a great deal of confusion regarding their histogenesis. As some of these neoplasms histologically resemble testicular tissue, it is believed that they originate from remnants of the primitive sex cords or potentially ...

Children exhibit gender-typical preferences in play, toys, activities and interests, and playmates. Several studies suggest that high concentrations of pre- and postnatal androgens contribute to male-typical behavior development, whereas female-typical behavior develops in the absence of high androgens levels. This study aims to explore the consequences of hypoandrogenization on gender-typical ...

CONTEXT 45,X/46,Xidic(Y) mosaicism demands careful and thorough study because of both its variable clinical features and its potential complications. CASE REPORT The present case relates to a three-year-old girl with the mosaic karyotype 46,X,idic(Y)(q11.2)[23]/45,X[6]. She had no signs of virilization or Turner's syndrome phenotype, but she was referred to our hospital because she presented ...

OBJECTIVE Brain volume of boys is larger than that of girls by approximately 10%. Prenatal exposure to testosterone has been suggested in the masculinization of the brain. For example, in litter-bearing mammals intrauterine position increases prenatal testosterone exposure through adjacent male fetuses, resulting in masculinization of brain morphology. DESIGN The influence of intrauterine pre...

In a search for molecular markers of male tail morphogenesis in C. elegans, we have detected two surface markers that are specifically observed in the copulatory bursa of adult males and the vulva of adult hermaphrodites. These markers are defined by binding of a monoclonal antibody (Ab117) and the lectin wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) to live intact animals. Expression of these markers is depende...

Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a malignant tumour arising from the adrenal cortex, whereas pheochromocytoma is a tumour of the adrenal medulla with occasional presence at extra-adrenal sites. Most of the adrenocortical tumours present clinically with Cushing's syndrome and signs of virilization due to over-production of the respective hormones. It is, however, rare for an adrenocortical tumo...

Hyperandrogenic states in pregnancy are almost always the result of a condition that arises during pregnancy. The onset of virilization symptoms is often very fast. The mother is protected against hyperandrogenism by a high level of SHBG, by placental aromatase and a high level of progesterone. The fetus is protected from the mother's hyperandrogenism partly by the placental aromatase, that tra...