Spermarche

Abstract: The onset of production of spermatozoa (spermarche) is the basis for achievement of reproductive capacity in men We collected 24-h urine samples every 3 months in a 7-yr longitudinal study of 40 normal boys initially a ed 86–117 yr After centrifugation, the urine was analyzed for the presence of spermatozoa by microscopic examination, and spermarche was estimated on the basis of age at first observed spermaturia The results were corrected for the intermittent occurrence of spermatozoa in the urine after first observed spermaturia andthe fact that the urine samples were collected quarterly In addition, physical examination, including determination of testicular size by orchidometer measurement, pubic hair distribution (Tanner stage), and height, was carried out every 6 months Spermarche occurred at a median age of 134 yr (range, 117–153 yr), at a time when testicular size was 47–196 ml (median, 115 ml), and pubic hair distribution was 1–5 (median, 25) In most boys, spermarche preceded the ag

Abstract: We describe current pubertal development in healthy urban Chinese boys. A cross-sectional study of the pubertal development of 18,807 urban Chinese boys aged from 3.50 to 18.49years was conducted between 2003 and 2005. Testicular volume was evaluated with a Prader orchidometer. Pubic hair development was assessed according to the Tanner method. Data on spermarche were collected using the status quo method. Probit analysis was used to calculate the median age and 95% CI at different stages of testicular development, pubic hair development and spermarche. By age 9, 12.99% of the boys had a testicular volume of 4mL or greater. The median age of onset of puberty defined as the age at attainment of testicular volume of 4mL or greater was 10.55 (95% CI 10.27-10.79) years. The median age for onset of pubic hair development (PH(2) ) and spermarche was 12.78 (95%CI 12.67-12.89) years and 14.05 (95%CI 13.80-14.32) years, respectively. Pubertal onset in urban Chinese boys is earlier than currently used clinical norms but their pubic hair development occurs relatively late in comparison with the reported data from numerous other countries. There is also evidence of a secular trend towards an earlier age of spermarche since 1979 in Chinese urban boys.

Abstract: Belsky, Steinberg, and Draper (1991) predicted that early childhood stress or conflict in the family environment would be associated with childhood behavioural symptoms, early puberty, and early, less discriminate reproductive behaviour. A cross-sectional self-report survey of childhood family life and adolescent development was carried out with 357 university students aged 18 to 24 from Toronto, Canada. In women, earlier menarche was associated with more parental marital conflict in early childhood (birth to age 7), more parental marital unhappiness throughout childhood (birth to age 11), more independence from mother or father in late childhood (age 8 to 11), less anxiousness or internalising symptoms (anxiousness/depression) in late childhood (age 8 to 11), earlier age at dating men, and more boyfriends. In men, earlier spermarche was associated with father absence (birth to before spermarche), more stress in quality of family life, parental marital unhappiness, and parental marital conflict in early c...

Abstract: Puberty is a complex transition that involves dramatic changes in several domains of human development including biological, physical, psychological, and social [1]. Individual variations in the timing of puberty may influence the adoption of unhealthy behaviors. Specifically, compare to those who mature on-time or late, adolescents who mature early are at a higher risk of exposure to several psychological, social, and health disadvantages [2]. For instance, girls who experience puberty earlier than their counterparts are more susceptible to adverse health behavior such as earlier alcohol use [3], cigarette smoking [4], and eating disorder [5]. Furthermore, evidence suggests that early timing of puberty among girls is also associated with decline in physical activity (PA) [6], and an increased time spent in sedentary behavior (SB) [7]. Only a few studies have examined the relationship between puberty and body mass index (BMI) among boys by using different measures (e.g., voice break, age at onset of pubertal growth spurt, peak height velocity (PHV), public hair growth, testicular volume, and/or penis length), the results have been inconsistent [8]. However, a recent study examining the trend of age at spermarche and its association with BMI among Chinese school boys found that a higher BMI or BMI-for-age z-score was associated with an increased likelihood of having reached spermarche, indicating the overlapping trend of earlier age at spermarche and increase in BMI over the past 15 years among Chinese boys [9].