PURPOSE:To evaluate in a long term the morphometric and ultrastructural changes in seminiferous tubules (ST) of normal and diabetic rats, and to correlate any changes with animal age and diabetes duration. METHODS:Sixty male Wistar rats, three months-old, were randomly divided into two groups: 30 non-diabetic controls (N) and 30 alloxan untreated diabetic (D). After one, six and 12 months of follow-up or diabetes induction rats were sacrificed and the testes examined. Morphometric measures of the ST were performed by digital imaging analysis. ST ultrastructure was analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS:Sustained hyperglycemic state was observed in all diabetic rats throughout the study. Serum testosterone was also significantly decreased in these animals. The diameter, total area, epithelium area and epithelium thickness of ST were lower and tubular density was higher in diabetic animals. Diabetic rats also showed ultrastructural changes compromising the whole testis including germ-, Sertoli-, and Leydig cells, and also the mithocondria and cellular nuclei. Most frequent of these consisted of vacuolization and/ or accumulation of lipid droplets and electron dense dark material in cell cytoplasm and/or in membranes, cellular degeneration, and apoptosis. Non-diabetic control rats also showed testicular lesions that resemble to the diabetic lesions, although much less severe and with later onset in life of these animals. CONCLUSION:Histopathological changes observed in testes of normal and diabetic rats are closely related to the animal age and/ or duration of the hyperglycemic state, being progressively more severe in animals sacrificed belatedly. These changes may play an important role in male infertility observed in diabetic subjects.

The aim of this study was to assess the effects of pancreas transplantation on the progression of testicular lesions in diabetic rats. Diabetic rats were subjected to pancreas transplantation and sacrificed after 6, 14, 26 and 50 weeks of follow-up, using non-diabetic and untreated diabetic rats as controls. Successful pancreas transplantation corrected all of the metabolic changes observed in diabetic rats, including low levels of testosterone. The testicular mass was decreased, and the relative weight of the testes was high in diabetic rats. The seminiferous tubules of diabetic rats showed progressive atrophy of the germinal epithelium, with cytoplasmic vacuolization, detachment of germ cells to the tubular lumen and the appearance of giant cells. Leydig cells were abnormally distributed, and hyperplasia of Sertoli cells was observed. Sperm were not detectable within the tubular lumen in late follow-up. The diameter, total area, lumen area, and germinal epithelium area of the seminiferous tubules were low, and tubular density was high in diabetic rats. Ultrastructural changes were also observed in these rats, compromising the cytoplasm, organelles and cellular nuclei of the germ, Sertoli, and Leydig cells. The most frequent changes consisted of accumulation of lipid droplets and electron-dense dark material in the cell cytoplasm, cellular degeneration and apoptosis. Similar to non-diabetic rats, pancreas-transplanted rats showed progressive testicular lesions, but they were much less severe and occurred much later than in the untreated diabetic controls. Diabetes causes morphological and ultrastructural changes in rat testes, but the progression of lesions can be significantly delayed by successful pancreas transplantation, which may have a positive impact on male infertility due to diabetes.

OBJETIVO: Estudar as relações entre a excreção urinária de cálcio, sódio e potássio e a associação sódio/potássio urinários em crianças com hipercalciúria idiopática em dieta habitual, antes e depois da administração de citrato de potássio na dose de 1mEq/kg/dia. MÉTODOS: Foram estudadas prospectivamente 26 crianças: 19 (73%) meninos e sete (27%) meninas com idade entre dois e 13 anos, portadores de hipercalciúria idiopática recém-diagnosticada por dosagem de cálcio em urina de 24 horas >4mg/kg/dia. O citrato de potássio foi administrado na dose de 1mEq/kg/dia. Foram realizadas dosagens séricas e em urina de 24 horas de cálcio (Ca), potássio(K), sódio (Na) e creatinina (Cr), antes e 15 dias depois da administração diária do citrato de potássio. Para comparar os resultados de cálcio/creatinina (Ca/Cr), potássio/creatinina (K/Cr) e sódio/potássio (Na/K) urinários nos dois momentos, aplicou-se o teste não-paramétrico de Wilcoxon. Para a análise das associações entre Ca/Cr e K/Cr e entre Ca/Cr e Na/Cr foi utilizado o coeficiente de correlação de Pearson. Considerou-se significante p<0,05. RESULTADOS: Após o uso de citrato de potássio, ocorreu significativa redução da calciúria e da relação Na/K urinários, bem como elevação na caliúria. Não houve modificação da excreção urinária de sódio. CONCLUSÕES: Em dieta habitual, o citrato de potássio eleva a caliúria e diminui a calciúria em criança hipercalciúricas, sendo um eficaz recurso terapêutico.

y unitermos key words resumoOs autores relatam dois casos de glomerulonefrite difusa aguda pós-infecciosa com evolução clinicomorfológica incomum. As biópsias renais mostraram alterações características de glomerulonefrite difusa aguda associada à extensa necrose fibrinóide e infiltrado inflamatório leucocitário na parede de arteríolas e artérias interlobulares. Foram também observadas crescentes. Ambos os pacientes cursaram com insuficiência renal aguda severa, sendo que um dos pacientes recuperou a função renal e outro evoluiu para insuficiência renal crônica e óbito. Infecção Glomerulonefrite pós-infecciosa Vasculite abstractThe authors report two cases of postinfectious acute diffuse glomerulonephritis with uncommon followup. The kidney biopsies showed characteristic features of postinfectious acute glomerulonephritis with extensive fibrinoid necrosis and polymorphonuclear inflammatory infiltrate in the walls of arterioles and interlobular arteries. Celular crescents were also seen. The patients follow with severe acute renal failure; one patient improved the renal function and one progressed to chronic renal failure and died. Infection Postinfectious glomerulonephritis Vasculitis 1. Professora-ass 2. Professora-assistente-doutora da disciplina . Professora-assistente-doutora do Departamento de Patologia da FMB/Unesp. Estamos relatando dois casos: uma criança e um adulto com GNDA pós-infecciosa que cursaram com J Bras Patol Med Lab • v. 40 • n. 1 • p. 7-10 • fevereiro 2004 RELATO DE CASO CASE REPORT Primeira submissão em 16/01/03 Última submissão em 13/05/03 Aceito para publicação em 11/06/03 Publicado em 15/03/04

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