Premature Decline of Serum Total Testosterone in HIV-Infected Men in the HAART-Era

BackgroundTestosterone (T) deficiency remains a poorly understood issue in men with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). We investigated the gonadal status in HIV-infected men in order to characterize T deficiency and to identify predictive factors for low serum T.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe performed a cross-sectional, observational study on 1325 consecutive HIV male outpatients, most of them having lipodystrophy. Serum total T<300 ng/dL was used as the threshold for biochemical T deficiency. Morning serum total T, luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol, HIV parameters, and body composition parameters by CT-scan and Dual-Energy-X-ray-Absorptiometry were measured in each case. Sexual behavior was evaluated in a subset of 247 patients. T deficiency was found in 212 subjects, especially in the age range 40\u201359, but was frequent even in younger patients. T deficiency occurred mainly in association with low/normal serum LH. Adiposity was higher in subjects with T deficiency (p<0.0001) and both visceral adipose tissue and body mass index were the main negative predictors of serum total T. Osteoporosis and erectile dysfunction were present in a similar percentage in men with or without T deficiency.Conclusions/SignificancePremature decline of serum T is common (16%) among young/middle-aged HIV-infected men and is associated with inappropriately low/normal LH and increased visceral fat. T deficiency occurs at a young age and may be considered an element of the process of premature or accelerated aging known to be associated with HIV infection. The role of HIV and/or HIV infection treatments, as well as the role of the general health state on the gonadal axis, remains, in fact, to be elucidated. Due to the low specificity of signs and symptoms of hypogonadism in the context of HIV, caution is needed in the diagnosis of hypogonadism in HIV-infected men with biochemical low serum T levels

Investigation of heavy metal pollution in eastern Aegean Sea coastal waters by using Cystoseira barbata, Patella caerulea, and Liza aurata as biological indicators

In order to have an extensive contamination profile of heavy metal levels (Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn), seawater, sediment, Patella caerulea, Cystoseira barbata, and Liza aurata were investigated by using inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES). Samples were collected from five coastal stations along the eastern Aegean Sea coast (Turkey) on a monthly basis from July 2002 through May 2003. According to the results of this study, heavy metal levels were arranged in the following sequence: Fe > Pb > Zn > Mn > Ni > Cu > Cd for water, Fe > Cu > Mn > Ni > Zn > Pb > Cd for sediment, Fe > Zn > Mn > Pb > Ni > Cd > Cu for C. barbata, Fe > Zn > Mn > Ni > Pb > Cu > Cd for P. caerulea, and Fe > Zn > Mn > Cu > Ni > Pb > Cd for L. aurata. Moreover, positive relationships between Fe in water and Mn in water, Fe in sediment and Mn in sediment, Fe in C. barbata and Mn in C. barbata, Fe in P. caerulea and Mn in P. caerulea, and Fe in L. aurata and Mn in L. aurata may suggest that these metals could be originated from the same anthropogenic source. C. barbata represented with higher bioconcentration factor (BCF) values, especially for Fe, Mn, and Zn values. This observation may support that C. barbata can be used as an indicator species for the determinations of Fe, Mn, and Zn levels. Regarding Turkish Food Codex Regulation’s residue limits, metal values in L. aurata were found to be lower than the maximum permissible levels issued by Turkish legislation and also the recommended limits set by FAO/WHO guidelines. The results of the investigation indicated that P. caerulea, L. aurata, and especially C. barbata are quantitative water-quality bioindicators and biomonitoring subjects for biologically available metal accumulation for Aegean Sea coastal waters. © 2017, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

The effects of water soluble fractions of crude oil on the intestine and liver of Pelvicachromis pulcher (Boulenger, 1901) (Cichlidae, Teleostei) [Ham petrolün suda çözünebilen ki{dotless}si{dotless}mlari{dotless}ni{dotless}n Pelvicachromis pulcher (Boulenger, 1901) (Cichlidae, Teleostei) bagi{dotless}rsak ve karacigeri üzerindeki etkileri]

In order to make a contribution to displaying of the harmful effects of the petrochemical production processes to our health and environment, it has been investigated the histopathological changes obseved in the intestine and hepatic tissues of Pelvicachromis pulcher, a teleost fish, after a 15-day exposure to 40% sublethal concentrations of the water-soluble fractions of crude oil, by light microscopy. Several histological alterations such as prominent ulceration, desquamation, lymphocyte infiltration and necrosis, were noted for the intestinal tissue of the crude oil exposed animals when compared with controls. The liver was also shown marked deformative changes identified as steatozis, hemorrhage, dilatation of sinusoids and pronounced hepatocellular degeneration which was specially characterized pyknotic and karyorrhetic nuclei. It was concluded that the water soluble fractions of crude oil was drastically effected both of the tissues studied, as expected

The effects of crude oil on skin histology of Poecilia sphenops (Valenciennes, 1846) (Cyprinidae, Teleostei) [Ham petrolün Poecilia sphenops (Valenciennes, 1846) (Cyprinidae, Teleostei) deri histolojisi üzerine etkileri]

As being the main energy source that is needed for all of the industrial processes, crude oil is evaluated as a widely investigated ecotoxicant. In order to identify the effects of crude oil on the skin of teleosts, Poecilia sphenops specimens were exposed to three different concentration of soluble part of crude oil (10%, 20%, 40%) at four different exposure time (24, 48, 72, 96 h); and the histopathological changes were reported. A slight epidermis corrosion and melanophore aggregation in dermis were observed at low concentration and short exposure time. As estimated, the striking effects of the crude oil; such as dermis disintegration, necrotic areas and fibrosis in subcutaneous muscle layer; were extended prominently in parallel with increasing concentrations and exposure time

<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family: Mangal;mso-ansi-language:EN-GB;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language: HI" lang="EN-GB">Impact of environmental conditions on <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">Posidonia oceanica</i> meadows in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea</span>

770-778<span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family: " times="" new="" roman","serif";mso-fareast-font-family:"times="" roman";mso-bidi-font-family:="" mangal;mso-ansi-language:en-gb;mso-fareast-language:en-us;mso-bidi-language:="" hi"="" lang="EN-GB">In the meadow closer to the fish cages, total inorganic nitrogen, ammonium, chlorophyll-a concentrations and organic matter content in sediment were determined. It is relatively higher than those recorded at the control meadow. In order to test significant differences among stations, sampling periods and depths, environmental variables together with morphological characters of the both sites were analyzed by Canoco. Shoot density, adult leaf length, adult leaf surface area, and leaf area index (LAI) showed significant spatial and temporal changes. Additionally, except shoot density, the values obtained other morphological characters showed increasing trend towards deeper stations and further meadow from the cage activities. A coefficient values were relatively higher in the near cages and decreased related with depth.</span