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Accuracy of pelvic flexion measurements from lateral radiographs.

Variations in pelvic orientation affect preoperative planning decisions, intraoperative navigation, and postoperative measurements. By providing the means to measure pelvic flexion at low cost and reporting pelvic flexion using the standard reference system, a lateral radiograph technique based on the pubic tubercles and anterior superior iliac spines may be useful for studying functional pelvic orientation and functional alignment and for improving accuracy of postoperative measurement. We evaluated the accuracy of this method by synthesizing 50 lateral pelvic radiographs. Six observers performed manual landmark-based pelvic flexion measurements on the resultant radiographs. Pelvic flexion measurement errors were small (0.004 masculine +/- 1.38 masculine). Apart from one outlier with an error of 12.4 masculine, the errors ranged from -4.0 masculine to 3.0 masculine. The data suggest that accurate measurements of pelvic flexion can be made from lateral radiographs with respect to the standard anatomic reference system. However, failure to correctly observe a landmark can introduce large errors. Therefore, the clarity of the relevant landmarks should be considered carefully before applying this technique. Lateral radiographs can be easily acquired and analyzed, making this technique convenient and inexpensive.

Body Weights and Measures↗

Biomechanical comparison of tibial inlay versus transtibial techniques for posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: analysis of knee kinematics and graft in situ forces.

BACKGROUND: The tibial inlay technique for posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction has been proposed to provide a more anatomic reconstruction because it eliminates the sharp turn in the graft as it exits the proximal margin of the tibial tunnel in the transtibial technique. HYPOTHESIS: Reconstruction of the posterior cruciate ligament using the tibial inlay technique would more closely restore intact knee kinematics and in situ forces in the posterior cruciate ligament than would reconstruction using the transtibial technique. METHODS: Ten human cadaveric knees were tested in a controlled laboratory study. A robotic/universal force-moment sensor testing system was used to apply a 134-N posterior tibial load at 5 knee flexion angles: 0 masculine, 30 masculine, 60 masculine, 90 masculine, and 120 masculine. Four knee conditions were tested: intact, posterior cruciate ligament-deficient, and the single-bundle tibial inlay reconstruction and transtibial posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. RESULTS: Both reconstruction techniques restored posterior tibial translations to 1.7 to 2.1 mm of the intact knee, with no statistical differences between the techniques. In response to the posterior tibial load, in situ forces in both grafts were between 7 and 39 N less than those in the intact posterior cruciate ligament, with no significant differences between the grafts. CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The study suggests that either technique may be performed with similar biomechanical results at initial fixation under these loading conditions.

Adult↗

Assessment of sex-role stereotyping among male and female psychologist practitioners.

Seventy-seven female and 86 male psychologist practitioners filled out the Bem Sex Rote Inventory to describe either a healthy adult male, healthy adult female, or healthy adult, sex unspecified. Analyzing the data according to Bem's classification of masculinity, femininity, and androgyny produced a significant Scale X Condition interaction with male and female practitioners ascribing significantly more masculine than feminine traits to healthy adult men, yet displaying no comparable differences when rating healthy adult women. Analyzing the data according to Spence's classification of masculine, feminine, androgynous, and undifferentiated produced a Group X Condition interaction with practitioners ascribing significantly more masculine traits to healthy adult men and significantly more feminine traits to healthy adult women. Reanalyses omitting "masculine" and "feminine" from Bem's fist of sex-typed traits produced nonsignificant results. The relationship of this to recent criticisms of the construct validity of the BSRI and to the validity of earlier results of therapist sex-role bias was discussed.

Journal Article↗

Plasma sex steroids and tissue aromatization in hatchling zebra finches: implications for the sexual differentiation of singing behavior.

One of the best examples for sex hormone regulation of brain development is found in songbirds. In zebra finches, only males sing because of striking sex differences in the neural circuitry that controls songs. Because developing females treated with estradiol (E2) develop a masculine song system, E2 is considered the normal masculinizing hormone. However, questions about the role of E2 in male development persist, because E2 treatments that masculinize song can demasculinize other sexual behaviors, and there exists contradictory evidence for high levels of circulating E2 in developing males. We remeasured plasma steriods in zebra finches during the first 13 days after hatching. E2 circulated at low levels, and there were no sex differences in circulating E2, estrone, testosterone, androstenedione, or dihydrotestosterone. We also measured aromatase activity [( 3H]androstenedione conversion to [3H]estrone and [3H]E2) in gonad, adrenal, brain, and other tissues of hatchlings. Aromatase was abundant in ovary, but was not definitively detected in testes, adrenals, or other nonneural tissues of males. Aromatase was also found in diencephalon and in high amounts in telencephalon, but sex differences were not detected in whole brain or cellular subfractions of telencephalon. Because ovarian steroidogenesis is high, it may be involved in differentiation of the female zebra finch, as in nonpasserine birds. By contrast, the functional estrogen necessary for masculinization of song is most likely derived from brain, supplied with substrate from the adrenals. The puzzle remains why the song system is not masculinized in females, who possess high levels of aromatizable androgens and telencephalic aromatase.

Androgens↗

Sex-typed toy play behavior correlates with the degree of prenatal androgen exposure assessed by CYP21 genotype in girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia.

Previous studies have shown that girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH), a syndrome resulting in overproduction of adrenal androgens from early fetal life, are behaviorally masculinized. We studied play with toys in a structured play situation and correlated the results with disease severity, assessed by CYP21 genotyping, and age at diagnosis. Girls with CAH played more with masculine toys than controls when playing alone. In addition, we could demonstrate a dose-response relationship between disease severity (i.e. degree of fetal androgen exposure) and degree of masculinization of behavior. The presence of a parent did not influence the CAH girls to play in a more masculine fashion. Four CAH girls with late diagnosis are also described. Three of the four girls played exclusively with one of the masculine toys, a constructional toy. Our results support the view that prenatal androgen exposure has a direct organizational effect on the human brain to determine certain aspects of sex-typed behavior.

Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital↗

Phenotypic features, androgen receptor binding, and mutational analysis in 278 clinical cases reported as androgen insensitivity syndrome.

Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is the most common single entity that results in male under-masculinization, but large cohort studies of AIS have rarely been performed. Over the last decade, nationwide cooperation between pediatric endocrinologists in the United Kingdom has allowed the creation of a database of cases of intersex and ambiguous genitalia where detailed clinical information on every notified case has been collected via a questionnaire. Among the 816 entries recorded by January 1999, there were 105 clinically diagnosed cases of complete AIS (CAIS) and 173 cases of partial AIS (PAIS). A masculinization score was devised by scoring the external phenotype, and a score of 12 represented normal masculinization. Androgen receptor (AR) binding was determined by studying binding capacity (Bmax) and receptor affinity (K(d)), and cases were classified as either zero, abnormal, or normal binding. Mutation screening of all eight exons of the AR gene was performed by single-strand conformational polymorphism analysis, followed by direct DNA sequencing. All cases of PAIS presented within the first month of birth. The median age at presentation of children with CAIS was 1 yr (P10,P90: 0.1,10.4). The testes were palpable in the labioscrotal folds or the inguinal region in 77% and 41% of cases of CAIS and PAIS, respectively. There was marked overlap between the masculinization score of those children with PAIS reared as girls [2.5(P10,P90:1, 6)] and those reared as boys [3(P10,P90:2, 7.5)]. Gonadectomy was performed prepubertally in 66% and postpubertally in 29% of the cases of CAIS. The median age of the latter group was older at 14 yr (P10,P90:0.1,18). No cases of malignancy or carcinoma in situ were reported in the 121 cases of AIS where histology results were available. Biochemical endocrine investigations were reported to have been performed in a greater number of cases of PAIS than CAIS (98% vs. 48%). AR binding was abnormal in 44 of 51 (86%) and 40 of 113 (35%) cases of CAIS and PAIS, respectively. Zero binding was encountered in 29 of 43 (67%) and 1 of 55 (2%) cases of CAIS and PAIS, respectively. Mutational analysis of the AR gene, performed in 102 index cases was positive in 57 of 69 (83%) cases of CAIS and 12 of 43 (28%) cases of PAIS. In 24 of these cases, the mutation identified was novel. The mutations in PAIS cases were all missense, whereas in CAIS the mutations were more diverse. AR binding was only normal in 3 of 69 mutation-positive cases. In the PAIS group, mutation-positive cases had a significantly higher Kd and Bmax compared to the mutation negative cases. The clinical diagnosis of AIS can be confirmed in a significant number of cases by a combination of androgen-binding studies and mutational analysis. There is some correlation between the phenotypic features and the abnormalities discovered on mutational analysis of the AR gene, but there is a need to improve this further by developing optimal bioassays of AR function. The phenotypic heterogeneity among clinically diagnosed cases of AIS emphasizes the need for appropriate comprehensive evaluation of male under-masculinization.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Secrecy, disclosure, and closet dynamics.

This paper examines the assumption that male homosexuality has a natural affinity with femininity and that male heterosexuality has a natural affinity with masculinity. An analysis of the relationship between people's disclosure or concealment of their homosexual practice or identity, particularly as it relates to notions of hegemonic masculinity and femininity provides the focus of this paper. It is argued that everyday understandings of homosexuality tend to be resolved in such as way as to press homosexuality into the service of privileging a male, masculine, and heterosexual subjectivity. This privileging is achieved, in part, as a result of the everyday social practices of homosexually active men's witting and unwitting deference to the hegemonic presumption that masculine men are naturally heterosexual, and its inverse, that feminine men are homosexual and are a perturbation of the natural order. We argue that this correlation is manufactured in everyday life in the world of appearances, but that the appearance of things is not reflected at a level of practice, which is to say, male homosexual practice is not necessarily feminine, just as male heterosexual practice is not necessarily masculine. Realities that conflict with the hegemonic realities are masked in the public world, for a variety of reasons. What we have called closet dynamics are the various discourses through which homosexuality is concealed and disclosed, and the various subject positions people take up in relation to those discourses.

Gender Identity↗

Death and football: an analysis of men's talk about emotions.

This study is concerned with men's talk about emotions and with how emotion discourses function in the construction and negotiation of masculine ways of doing emotions and of consonant masculine subject positions. A sample group of 16 men, who were recruited from two social contexts in England, participated in focus groups on 'men and emotions'. Group discussions were transcribed and analysed using discourse analysis. Participants drew upon a range of discursive resources in constructing masculine emotional behaviour and negotiating masculine subject positions. They constructed men as emotional beings, but only within specific, rule-governed contexts, and cited death, a football match and a nightclub scenario as prototypical contexts for the permissible/understandable expression of grief, joy and anger, respectively. However, in the nightclub scenario, the men distanced themselves from the expression of anger as violence, whilst maintaining a masculine subject position. These discursive practices are discussed in terms of the possibilities for effecting change in men's emotional lives.

Adolescent↗

Gender role across development in adult women with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency.

This study evaluated the degree of femininity and masculinity at different developmental stages in a group of adult women, some of whom were exposed to elevated prenatal adrenal androgens as a result of congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to 21 hydroxylase (21-OH) deficiency. Women who had presented to the Johns Hopkins Hospital Pediatric Endocrine Clinic for treatment of CAH due to 21-OH deficiency were included. The control group consisted of sisters of CAH participants and women referred for evaluation of polycystic ovary syndrome. Study participants were given a questionnaire asking them to indicate their degree of masculinity and femininity during childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. In addition, participants were asked questions related to their play behavior during childhood, including playmate preferences, toy preferences, and admiration of male or female characters during fantasy play. Across participant groups, self-reported femininity decreased in a dose response manner, according to prenatal androgen exposure. For all groups, femininity increased through developmental stages. Women with salt-losing CAH remained less feminine than controls into adulthood. Conversely, self-reported masculinity increased in a dose-response manner, according to prenatal androgen exposure, across participant groups. Women with CAH showed a decrease in masculinity across developmental stages, such that by adulthood, there were no significant differences in masculinity between controls and the women with CAH. Women with salt-losing CAH were more likely to recall preferences for boy playmates, male-typical toys, and admiration for male characters during childhood than other study participants. Our data support the effect of both prenatal androgen exposure and socialization on gender role behavior in adult women with CAH due to 21-OH deficiency.

Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital↗

Gender role and personality disorders.

Many researchers have hypothesized relationships between personality disorders and gender role (i.e., masculinity and femininity). However, research has not addressed if people who are masculine or feminine more often meet the criteria for personality disorders. The present study examined whether college students (N = 665, 60% women) higher in masculinity or femininity more often exhibited features of the 10 DSM-IV personality disorders. Feminine men exhibited more features of all the personality disorders except antisocial. Dependent traits were associated with higher femininity and lower masculinity. Antisocial traits were associated with masculinity. Both men and women who typically behaved consistent with their gender had more narcissistic and histrionic features, whereas participants who typically behaved unlike their gender had more features of the Cluster A personality disorders.

Adolescent↗

Synergism of testosterone propionate with growth hormone in promoting growth of hypophysectomized rats: effect of sexual differentiation.

The effect of testosterone propionate (TP), alone and in combination with porcine GH, on the growth of hypophysectomized rats was investigated. An initial study determined doses of TP and GH which would result in a synergistic response. Hypophysectomized male rats, approximately 40 days of age, received GH at doses of 5, 25 and 62.5 micrograms/day administered in two injections/day at 08.00 and 16.00 h. At all doses of GH, administration of TP at 100 micrograms/day significantly enhanced the GH-stimulated rate of growth. This growth enhancement by TP was greatest in combination with GH at 25 micrograms/day. In a subsequent study, growth responses to 25 micrograms GH/day and 100 micrograms TP/day were examined in animals with differing degrees of sexual differentiation. Sex groups were: intact males, males castrated at 11 days of age and females administered 100 micrograms TP at 3 days of age (masculinized rats), and males castrated at 2 days of age and normal females (non-masculinized rats). In all sex groups, growth of hypophysectomized rats was stimulated by GH. Genetic sex and masculinization did not influence the response to GH. Masculinized hypophysectomized rats exhibited significantly greater rates of growth and final live, empty body, liver and kidney weights than non-masculinized hypophysectomized rats. All sex groups other than normal females responded synergistically to the combination treatment of GH plus TP. Rats that experienced neonatal exposure to testosterone became programmed to respond to testosterone and demonstrated greater rates of growth and body and organ weights when administered the combination of GH plus TP. These data indicate that TP synergizes with GH to promote growth of hypophysectomized rats appropriately programmed to respond.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗

Sex differences and personality factors in responsivity to pain.

This study investigated the relationship between measured levels of masculinity-femininity, social desirability, and responsivity to pain in men and women. The literature suggests that the two personality variables might provide an explanation for the common findings of higher pain thresholds and tolerances in men than in women. A significant interaction was found between masculinity-femininity and sex for pain thresholds. Analysis of this interaction indicated that for men, but not women, there was a significant correlation between masculinity-femininity and pain, where higher masculinity was associated with higher pain thresholds. However, this finding did not account for the sex difference in pain threshold. The sex of the subject remained a significant predictor of both pain thresholds and tolerances after allowing for the influence of masculinity-femininity, social desirability, and their associated interactions.

Adolescent↗

Characteristics attributed to individuals on the basis of their first names.

Characteristics connoted by first names were explored in 7 studies. Four factors were identified: Ethical Caring, Popular Fun, Successful, and Masculine-Feminine (Study 1, N = 165). Men's names connoted more masculine characteristics, less ethical caring, and more successful characteristics than did women's names (Study 2, N = 274). Nicknames connoted less successful characteristics, more popular fun, and less ethical caring characteristics than did given names (Study 3, N = 289). Androgynous names connoted more popular fun and less masculine characteristics for men and more popular fun, less ethical caring, and more masculine characteristics for women than did gender-specific names (Study 4, N = 378). Less conventionally spelled names connoted uniformly less attractive characteristics (Study 5, N = 145). For men only, longer names connoted more ethical caring, less popular fun, more successful, and less masculine characteristics (Study 6, N = 620). More anxiety and neuroticism were attributed to those with less common names and more exuberance was attributed to those with more attractive names (Study 7, N = 137).

Adult↗

The development of gender stereotype components.

Developmental research has been limited by a narrow concept of stereotypes. A more complex model is presented, and developmental changes in gender stereotypes were investigated using the new model. In 2 studies, children were told about several sex-unspecified children, each described as having 1 masculine or 1 feminine characteristic. The children then predicted the likelihood of each story child having other masculine and feminine characteristics. In Study 1, 56 children (4-6 years) were told about target children who liked either a masculine or feminine toy, and then children predicted the targets' interests in other toys. In Study 2, 76 older children (6, 8, 10 years) were told about target children with a masculine or feminine characteristic from 1 of 4 categories (appearance, personality, occupations, toys), and then they predicted the likelihood of targets having other masculine and feminine characteristics from the same and from different categories as the cue. 2 developmental trends emerged: (a) children appear first to learn associations among characteristics relevant to their own sex and, later, to learn them for the other sex, and (b) older children's stereotypic judgments are more extreme than those of younger children. The implications of these results for the development of stereotypes, assessing gender knowledge, and understanding social judgments are discussed.

Child↗

[Factor analysis of 2 sex role inventories: a sample of Mexican workers].

Separate factor analyses of a Spanish version of the Bem Sex Role Inventory and of New Sex Role Scales (Positive and Negative Masculinity and Femininity), for 82 Mexican workers, yielded four interpretable factors for the BSRI, two related to feminine aspects and two to masculine ones. For the New Scales, three factors could be interpreted: a negative masculine, a negative feminine and a positive masculine-feminine. These results provide evidence which gives substantial support to the construct validity of both instruments. The present results are further compared with previous findings related to Mexican, and foreign samples as well, and discussed in relation to the concepts of masculinity and femininity.

Commerce↗

[The role of hormones in the sex differentiation of the central nervous system in animal and man. Critical study].

According with experiments, it appears that hormonal environment plays a major role on anatomical, neuroendocrinological and behavioral sexual differentiation in animals. This environment occurs at a critical period, which is specific for each specie, either during fetal life or soon after birth. Sexually dimorphic behavior appears to be influenced by androgens who act either directly or after chemical modification on specific central receptors. In the absence of androgens during the critical specific period, these central structures and consequent behavior differentiate in a feminine pattern. In the presence of androgens during this period, structures and behavior differentiate in a masculine pattern. But this influence of androgens require a double component, defeminization and masculinization, variable among species, as it is observed in rats and mice when defeminization can not be obtained in primates. In human beings, "nature experiments" such as congenital adrenal hyperplasia in feminine foetuses and abnormalities in testosterone metabolism in masculine foetuses are more difficult to study. Fetal hyperandrogenization is responsible of an anatomical and perhaps behavioral masculinization. Neuroendocrine and behavioral defeminization seems not to occur as ovulatory menstrual cycles are possible with a regular treatment, and as sexual identity is feminine when sex of rearing is feminine even if some aspects of sexual roles are unusual. Moreover, these peculiar behavioral traits and changes in sexual orientation in a masculine way at puberty are difficult to explain : fetal hyperandrogenization seems to play a role, as it is observed in animals and as seem to demonstrate Dr J. Imperato-Mc Ginley's observations, but other factors seem to predominate, such as parental attitude in regard with sexual ambiguity and psychological consequences of the acknowledgment of ambiguous genitalia.

Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital↗

Phenotypic classification of male pseudohermaphroditism due to steroid 5 alpha-reductase 2 deficiency.

Conversion of testosterone (T) to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) in genital tissue is catalysed by the enzyme 5 alpha-reductase 2, which is encoded by the SRD5A2 gene. The potent androgen DHT is required for full masculinization of the external genitalia. Mutations of the SRD5A2 gene inhibit enzyme activity, diminish DHT formation, and hence cause masculinization defects of varying degree. The classical syndrome, formerly described as pseudovaginal perineoscrotal hypospadias, is characterized by a predominantly female phenotype at birth and significant virilization without gynecomastia at puberty. We investigated nine patients with steroid 5 alpha-reductase 2 deficiency (SRD). Phenotypes, which were classified according to the severity of the masculinization defect, varied between completely female (SRD type 5), predominantly female (SRD type 4), ambiguous (SRD type 3), predominantly male with micropenis and hypospadias (SRD type 2), and completely male without overt signs of undermasculinization (SRD type 1). T/DHT-ratios were highly increased ( > 50) in the classical syndrome (SRD type 5), but variable in the less severe affected patients (SRD types 1-4) (14-35). Mutations in the SRD5A2 gene had been characterized using PCR-SSCP analysis and direct DNA sequencing. A small deletion was encountered in two patients, while all other patients had single base mutations which result in amino acid substitutions. We conclude that phenotypes may vary widely in patients with SRD5A2 gene mutations spanning the whole range from completely female to normal male without distinctive clinical signs of the disease. Hence, steroid 5 alpha-reductase deficiency should be considered not only in sex reversed patients with female or ambiguous phenotypes, but also in those with mild symptoms of undermasculinization as encountered in patients with hypospadias and/or micropenis. A classification based on the severity of the masculinization defect may be used for correlation of phenotypes with enzyme activities and genotypes, and for comparisons of phenotypes between different patients as the basis for clinical decisions to be made in patients with pseudohermaphroditism due to steroid 5 alpha-reductase 2 deficiency.

3-Oxo-5-alpha-Steroid 4-Dehydrogenase↗

Personality correlates of the sex role types.

Tested three hypotheses with regard to the differences among four sex-role types. Ss were 423 girls and 225 boys in five private high schools in grades 9 to 12. Each volunteer S completed the Berm Sex Role Inventory, the Interpersonal Style Inventory, and Loevinger's Sentence Completion Test. Ss were categorized or typed as Masculine, Feminine, Androgynous and Undifferentiated on the basis of their masculine and feminine BSRI scores. A discriminant function was applied to compare the groups with respect to the ISI scores. The first dimension of difference for both sexes was defined by the Masculine typed group and the second dimension by the Feminine typed group. The Androgynous typed group scored high on both axes, while the Undifferentiated scored low on both axes. The Masculine typed group was most directive, achieving, and independent. The Feminine group was highest on nurturance, tolerance and sensitivity. The Androgynous members were balanced with respect to the above characteristics. Comparison of the groups, separated by sex, as to ego development score, indicated that the male undifferentiated were significantly lower.

Adolescent↗