Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is associated with systemic complications, including the development of pulmonary injury, characterized mainly by excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix components and

Abstract Objective of this study was to identify the histopathological patterns and their frequency in testicular biopsy specimens from azoospermic patients and to categorize it according to Modified Johnsen scoring system. Methods: Testicular biopsies from male patients with clinical diagnosis of azoospermia were included in this study. All tissue samples were fixed in buffered 10% formalin, routinely processed and stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin. All cases were examined microscopically and categorized according to the histopathological patterns and Modified Johnsen scoring system. Results: Total 219 cases of testicular biopsies from 125 azoospermic male patients were evaluated, with 94 cases of bilateral testicular biopsy. The most prevalent age group was of 30-39 years (66.2%). The most common histological pattern was of Sertoli cell only syndrome (58.4%) while the least represented pattern was germ cell maturation arrest, seen in 4.6% cases. The most common Modified Johnsen score was 2 (66.7%). There was discordance in histologic pattern in both testes in 12.76% of patients who had bilateral testicular biopsy. Conclusion: Our study gives an insight on the most common histopathological patterns of azoospermic patients and emphasizes the need for a better national statistics and epidemiological studies of this entity. It also points out the significance of the bilateral testicular biopsy, as both, diagnostic and therapeutic procedure.

Background: Zearalenone is a widely spread mycotoxin, contaminant of most cereal grains. It has uterotropic, estrogenic and anabolic activity in farm animals. The results are hormonal disbalances as hyperestrogenism, Zearalenone inhibits follicle-stimulating hormone production, thus supressing ovarian follicle development and ovulation. Also, it induces oxidative stress. Melatonin acts as a potent natural antioxidant and regulates the reproductive function by modification of steroidogenesis. Objective: The present study was conducted to provide detailed qualitative histological analysis of uterus of female rats treated with zearalenone and melatonin and contribute to better understanding of the topic. Methods: Forty adult, female Wistar rats were equally divided into five groups: Z group – zearalenone, 0,3 mg/kg, i.g.; M group – melatonin, 10 mg/kg, i.p.; ZM group –concomitant application of zearalenone and melatonin in the same dosing regimen, VZ group–zearalenone vehiculum/sunflower oil, i.g. and MZ group–melatonin vehiculum/5% ethanol in Ringer, i.p. Animals were treated daily for 28 consecutive days. After that period, all animals were sacrificed to obtain samples for qualitative histological analysis using the light microscope. Results: Zearalenone led to the alterations of the uterine structures, predominantly in the endometrium that were characterized by metaplasia and hypertrophy of the epithelial cells and hypercellularity of the stroma. In the myometrium, zearalenone induced hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the myocytes. Conclusion: Melatonin, when applied together with zearalenone, blocked the adverse effects of the zearalenone.

The purpose of this study was to explore possible protective effects of vitamin D3 on serum glucose concentration, body weight and histopathology of pancreas and liver. Animals were divided into 3 groups: Control group (n=6), streptozotocin (STZ) group (n=6) and streptozotocin + vitamin D3 (STZ+D3) group (n=6). Rats in the STZ+D3 group starting from the 7th day of experiment were given vitamin D3 for 14 days. Glucose levels and body weight were measured on the 1, 7, 14 and 21st day of experiment. Qualitative histological analysis of pancreas and liver was done using the light microscope with a digital camera. Differences between the groups were tested by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Dunnett's posttest. Differences in repeated measures were tested using paired t-test. On day 14 and 21, blood glucose level in STZ+D3 group was significantly higher compared to the control group of animals but significantly lower than the glucose level registered in STZ group of rats. On day 14 and day 21, body weight in STZ rats was significantly lower compared to weight in STZ+D3 and control groups of rats. Morphological changes, such as shrinkage of islets, vacuolation of both endocrine and exocrine cells, were observed in pancreas of STZ group of animals but were nearly absent in STZ+D3 rats. Similarly, STZ+D3 group of rats showed preserved liver histoarchitecture. Obtained results suggest that vitamin D3 treatment reduces hyperglycemia, exerts beneficial effects on body weight and alleviates histopathological changes in pancreas and liver in STZ-induced diabetic rats.

OBJECTIVES Dinuclear ruthenium(II) Schiff base complex was selected for in vivo study among many other novel metal-based compounds, because of its previously proved in vitro anticancer and antibacterial properties. The aim was to investigate the potential toxicity of this compound in animal model through biochemical and histopathological assessment. METHODS Adult Swiss albino mice of both sexes were divided into high-dose and low-dose group that received a single intraperitoneal dose of ruthenium complex (175 mg/kg and 25 mg/kg, respectively) and one control group (vehicle only). After a follow-up period of 14 days, animals were sacrificed to obtain blood samples and organs. RESULTS The test compound was well tolerated in a low-dose group and did not cause any mortality. The histological findings and serum biochemistry suggested a reversible character of alterations found in vital organs of this group. However, in the high-dose group, adverse effects were more severe and indicated dose and gender-related toxicity. CONCLUSION Mild side effects found in a low-dose group together with excellent in vitro properties, made dinuclear ruthenium(II) Schiff base complex a promising candidate for further investigation and development as anticancer and antimicrobial agent (Tab. 4, Fig. 6, Ref. 32).

The mycotoxin zearalenone is often found in cereals and animal feeds. The intake of zearalenone through food can result in the hyperestrogenic syndrome, and is related to ovarian structural and functional alterations in mammals. It competitively binds to estrogen receptors and generates oxidative stress. Melatonin is a hormone produced by the pineal gland with a strong effect on reproduction as it inhibits the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. It has also direct and indirect antioxidative effects in the ovarian tissues. Our aim was to explore the effect of melatonin on the histological changes of the ovary induced by zearalenone. Forty female Wistar rats were divided into five equal groups and treated for 28 days according to the following scheme: 1. Zearalenone vehiculum (sunflower oil)- treated group, 2. Melatonin vehiculum- (5% ethanol in Ringer) treated control group, 3. group treated with zearalenone (0.3 mg/kg b.w), 4. group treated with melatonin (10 mg/kg b.w) and 5. group of rats treated with zearalenone (0.3 mg/kg b.w) and melatonin (10 mg/kg b.w). Zearalenone induced degenerative changes in all developmental forms of ovarian follicles, hypertrophy of stroma with blood vessel dilatation and hyperemia. The concomitant application of melatonin and zearalenone resulted in milder morphological changes of the ovary, especially of preovulative follicles. Melatonin administration prevents the zaeralenone-induced structural alterations on an ovary. Keywords: zearalenone, melatonin, rat, ovary, histology

Objectives The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of pinealectomy and melatonin treatment on the rat thymus gland characteristics, taking into consideration possible gender differences. Materials and methods Thirty adult Wistar rats of both sexes were divided into three groups. Group C and group PX served as control groups and included sham-pinealectomized and pinealectomized animals that were treated with 10% ethanol solution (0,1ml/daily, subcutaneous). Animals from third group (group PXM) underwent pinealectomy and seven days after surgery started receiving melatonin dissolved in 10% ethanol solution (3mg/kg/daily, subcutaneous). All animals were treated for 4 weeks. Results Volume density of the thymus cortex showed statistically significant (p<0,05) decrease while the volume density of the thymus medulla was increased in the pinealectomized compared to the sham-pinealectomized female rats. Numerical density of macrophages as well as the distribution of blood vessels showed no gender differences. The numerical density of lymphocytes was statistically significantly decreased in female in comparison to the male pinealectomized rats. Melatonin treatment was proved to cause reverse effects in the sense that the results from the melatonin treated group corresponded to the results obtained from the control group of animals. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that the pinealectomy causes gender-related changes in the rat thymus. Short-term melatonin treatment showed reverse effect, equally in both sexes.