Recent molecular and morphological systematic investigations revealed that the cacti are most closely related to Anacampseroteae, Portulaca and Talinum of the family Portulacaceae (ACPT clade of suborder Portulacineae). A combined analysis of ndhF, matK, and nad1 sequence data from the chloroplast and the mitochondrial genomes indicates that the tribe Anacampseroteae is the sister group of the family Cactaceae. This clade, together with Portulaca, is well characterized by the presence of axillary hairs or scales. Relationships within Anacampseroteae are characterized by a grade of five species of Grahamia s.l. from North and South America, and Grahamia australiana is found to be sister to the genera Anacampseros and Avonia. A comparison of vegetative characteristics indicates an evolutionary transition from woody subshrubs to dwarf perennial and highly succulent herbs during the diversification of Anacampseroteae. Available evidence from the present investigation as well as from previously published studies suggests that a revised classification of Portulacineae on the basis of inferred phylogenetic relationships might consist of a superfamily that includes Cactaceae and the three genera Anacampseros s.l.(including Avonia and Grahamia s.l.), Portulaca, and Talinum (including Talinella), either referred to three monogeneric families or to a paraphyletic family Portulacaceae*.

Normal probability plots were used to assess the homogeneity of a population of 327 luteal phases from apparently ovulatory menstrual cycles. The length of the luteal phase was defined as the interval (in days) following but not including, the luteinizing hormone peak, up to and including the day before onset of menstruation. A small sub-set of the population consisted of cycles with abnormally short luteal phases but the majority of the data followed a normal frequency distribution which gave a mean (+ SD) for normal luteal phase length of 14.13 (k 1.41) days. It was estimated that all cycles with a luteal phase < 9 days were abnormal, and that 74%, 22% and 2% respectively of cycles with luteal phases of 10, 11 and 12 days were also abnormal. The total incidence of short luteal phases defined as above was 5.2%.

SummaryThe intraindividual variability in terms of coagulation analyses was explored in 10-16 samples collected from each of 15 women during one menstrual cycle. For comparison, six men were sampled six times during a period of 30 days. The following variables were analysed: FVII, FVIII, FX, vWF:Ag, vWF: ristocetin cofactor, fibrinogen, antithrombin, plasminogen and antiplasmin.The results demonstrated mean coefficients of variation ranging between 4.5 (plasminogen) and 20.7 (vWF:Ag). In certain individuals, the intraindividual variability amounted to nearly 40%, in particular in the assays of FVIII and vWF: Ag. No direct relation between these two factors and oestradiol, progesterone or testosterone levels could be observed in our individuals.The implications of these variations are discussed in terms of disease prediction and diagnosis of coagulation disorders.

Ten women with cystic fibrosis (CF) were evaluated with regard to hormonal profiles during a natural and a clomiphene citrate (CC) stimulated cycle. Five of the women were found to be anovulatory during a natural cycle. All women except one did respond with ovulation to CC stimulation indicating adequate ovarian response. Neither did they show increased follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) concentrations on day 10 after CC treatment confirming normal ovarian reserve. Clinically the anovulatory women differed from the ovulating in two aspects: more profound essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD) and higher peak/basal insulin response during an oral glucose tolerance test. The anovulatory women had significantly lower luteal oestradiol and progesterone but higher total testosterone concentrations when compared to healthy controls and the ovulatory CF women. The pathological insulin response and high testosterone concentrations resemble those seen in women with polycystic ovarian (PCO) syndrome. However, the CF patients in our study had normal ovaries, as deduced from ultrasound examination and normal luteinizing hormone (LH)/FSH ratio. It is suggested that EFAD as well as hypersecretion of insulin may be of importance for the observed ovarian dysfunction. Further studies are needed to evaluate the relation between ovulatory mechanisms and EFAD in CF women as well as studies to compare anovulatory CF women with women with PCO syndrome.

In an attempt to analyze the multiple changes and interactions in cir¬ culating steroid levels in the peri-ovulatory and peri-menstrual periods, the plasma levels of immunoreactive luteinizing hormone (LH), pro¬ gesterone and unconjugated pregnenolone, dehydroepiandrosterone, testo¬ sterone, oestradiol and oestrone were assayed daily during a complete cycle in 17 normally menstruating women. In 14 of the 17 subjects studied androstenedione and unconjugated dihydrotestosterone were also esti¬ mated. The day of the LH-peak and the first day of menstruation, re¬ spectively, were used to synchronize the peri-ovulatory and peri-menstrual plasma levels of the various steroids.