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Introduction Solid testis tumors in post‐pubertal males usually represent germ cell malignancies; however, other uncommon or rare histologies must be considered. Case presentation We present a case of an 18‐year‐old male undergoing attempted bilateral partial orchiectomies for suspected germ cell tumors. Tumor pathology, laboratory results, radiographic studies, and post‐surgical elevated adrenocorticotropic hormone levels supported the diagnosis of testicular adrenal rest tumors secondary to previously undiagnosed nonclassical congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Conclusion Testicular adrenal rest tumors are rare in patients with nonclassical congenital adrenal hyperplasia and may be accompanied by adrenal insufficiency and hypogonadism, which can be treated with glucocorticoid therapy and testosterone replacement. Differential diagnosis of tumors is challenging but necessary for proper symptom‐based management.

Global warming causes an increased ambient temperature and prolonged heatwaves during the summer, which represent stressogenic factors affecting the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis in mammals. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of long-term (7-60 days) exposure to moderately elevated ambient temperature (35 ± 1°C) on the histological aspect and secretory ability of pituitary adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) cells, as well as on the corticosterone output, in adult rats. Stereological parameters of ACTH cells were estimated upon immunohistochemistry. The blood concentrations of ACTH and corticosterone were determined by immunoassays. The volume of ACTH cells in rats exposed to moderately high temperature for 7, 14, 21, 30 and 60 days decreased (p<0.05) by 18.1%, 14.5%, 13.5%, 8.6% and 14.2% respectively, compared to the same parameter in the controls. The volume density of ACTH cells in the groups exposed to elevated temperature for 7, 14, 21, 30 and 60 days decreased (p<0.05) by 40.0%, 33.3%, 26.7%, 13.3% and 26.7% respectively, in comparison with control rats. The plasma concentration of ACTH varied differently (p<0.05) with the duration of exposure to the elevated temperature. The serum concentration of corticosterone was decreased (p<0.05) by 54.9%, 24.4%, 29.9%, 21.1% and 24.4% in groups subjected to moderately high temperature for 7, 14, 21, 30 and 60 days respectively, all compared to the control value. Despite some signs of functional recovery of ACTH cells during the treatment, the impression is that the long-term character of this stressor overcomes the capacity of the HPA axis for resistance.

Unpleasant side effects of drugs of abuse often limit their repeated use; however, such effects may be attenuated in adolescents compared to adults. We investigated whether the anxiogenic, aversive, or locomotor effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) differ between adolescent and adult rats. We used the elevated plus maze (EPM) and light-dark tests of anxiety, the conditioned taste aversion and conditioned place aversion (CPA) tests of generalized aversion, and measures of stress hormone levels in serum to examine effects of THC in adolescent and adult rats. Locomotor activity was also recorded in the EPM, light-dark task, and CPA association sessions. In the EPM and light-dark tasks, THC was anxiogenic in both age groups, but the drug was more anxiogenic in adults than in adolescents. In the place and taste aversion tasks, THC was aversive in both ages, and at 1.25 and 5 mg/kg, was more aversive in adults than in adolescents. The locomotor response to THC, as measured in the anxiety tasks and CPA, affected adults more than adolescents. Multiple measures revealed a locomotor-decreasing effect in adults, whereas some measures suggested a small locomotor-increasing effect in adolescent rats. These results suggest that THC can have greater anxiogenic, aversive, and locomotor-reducing effects in adult rats than in adolescent rats. These findings suggest an explanation for reduced marijuana use in adult humans compared to teenagers.

Melanocortins form a class of regulatory peptide currently under active study; these include such biologically active substances as adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and α- β-, and γ-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH). ACTH fragments, like other peptides of the melanocortins family, have marked neurotropic effects, particularly stimulating learning, memory, and attention processes. The active center of ACTH required for activation of all types of melanocortin receptor, is the sequence His-Phe-Arg-Trp and corresponds to fragment ACTH6–9. We report here studies of the synthetic peptide ACTH6–9-PGP, whose structure contains the natural fragment ACTH6–9 stabilized at the C terminal by attachment of the amino acid sequence prolyl-glycyl-proline (PGP) to increase resistance to the actions of carboxypeptidases. The effects of i.p. administration of ACTH6–9-PGP at doses of 0.5, 5, 50, 150, and 450 μg/kg as single does 15 min before assessment of anxiety levels in rats in the Vogel confl ict situation test (punished behavior) and the elevated plus maze (unpunished behavior) were studied. The effects of ACTH6–9-PGP in these tests were compared with those of its structural analog ACTH4–7-PGP at doses of 50, 150, and 450 μg/kg. The results showed that ACTH6–9-PGP in the Vogel conflict situation test increased anxiety levels in rats, which was apparent as decreases in drinking time (at all doses) and reductions in the number of licks (at doses of 0.5 and 150 μg/kg) (p < 0.01). ACTH6–9-PGP had no significant effect on the rats’ behavior in the elevated plus maze. ACTH4–7-PGP had no effects in the models of punished and unpunished behavior. Thus, ACTH6–9-PGP, in contract to ACTH4–7-PGP, was found to affect anxiety levels in rats, depending on the dose of peptide and the behavioral model used.