ACTA ENDOCRINOLOGICA (BUC)

Earlier reports had shown a profound effect of the below sea level environment of the Jordan Valley (JV) on serum levels of sex hormones in humans including testosterone (T).\r\nThis effect was suggested to be due to the environmental factors of higher temperatures and higher barometric pressure of the JV compared to those factors in areas above sea level such as Irbid City (IC).\r\nMethods. Herein, two groups of eight male Sprague Dawley rats were selected from all litters obtained at our Animal Facility at the Jordan University of Science and\r\nTechnology. The two groups were subdivided between IC and the JV.\r\nResults. Adrenocortical cytochromes P-450 of the steroidogeneic pathways were higher in rats of both sexes growing in the JV compared to those maturing in IC.\r\nIntratesticular T levels were significantly higher in male rats growing in the JV than in those of the IC (638.262?18.2464 ng / mL compared to 434.108?22.3764 ng / mL).\r\nConclusion. The high blood levels of T in rats of the JV compared to those of IC are due not only to the high testicular production of T, but also to the higher activities of the adrenocortical cytochromes P-450 in rats growing at the JV.

Background. Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor (PMT) is a recently described concept\r\nunifying the mesenchymal tumor associated with oncogenic osteomalacia. Most of the cases of\r\nPMT occur in the extremities and appendicular skeleton. PMT occurring in the paranasal\r\nsinuses is extremely rare with only a few cases reported in the available literature.\r\nCase. A 51-year-old man presented with a long history of bone pains. Biochemical\r\nand radiologic investigations, including skeletal survey showed features of osteomalacia.\r\nPositron emission tomography (PET) scan showed a small tumor in the left nasal cavity,\r\nethmoid and sphenoid sinuses. Histopathological examination of the excised tumor showed\r\nfeatures of a phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor- mixed connective tissue variant. Excision\r\nof the tumor was associated with marked improvement in the biochemical parameters and\r\nremarkable clinical relief.\r\nConclusion. Phosphaturic mesenchymal tumor is a rare cause of osteomalacia and is\r\nusually associated with small tumors, which escape detection for long periods. Its occurrence in\r\nthe paranasal sinuses needs to be kept in mind and evaluated to allow for timely detection of the\r\ntumor with subsequent surgical excision and clinico-biochemical relief.