Laparoscopy is superior to ultrasound in the management of impalpable testes when high-resolution ultrasound is not available during the diagnostic process, with respect to both the sensitivity of localizing the testis and being more time and cost effective.

BACKGROUND Hirschsprung-associated enterocolitis (HAEC) is a life-threatening complication of Hirschsprung’s disease. Studies using animal models on the pathogenesis of HAEC are limited. Thus, this study aimed to establish a rat model of HAEC using topical application of 0.1% benzalkonium chloride (BAC) in the sigmoid colon. METHODS 55 male Sprague Dawley rats aged 10−12 weeks old were separated into 11 groups. The control group (n = 5) was euthanized on day-7, and the other 10 groups (n = 5 in each group) treated with 0.1% BAC in the sigmoid colon for 15 min to induce Hirschsprung’s disease were euthanized on day-7, -10, -12, -14, -17, -19, -21, -23, -25, and -28. The sigmoid colon was excised, fixed in formalin, and sectioned for histological examinations with hematoxylin and eosin staining. The degree of HAEC was compared within all groups. RESULTS Rats that were sacrificed on day-7 to -12 showed the 1st degree or early HAEC, which was most likely caused by BAC application. The 2nd degree of HAEC occurred in rats that were sacrificed on day-14 that showed a macrophage infiltration in the sigmoid colon, thus fulfilled the initial criteria for HAEC (p = 0.0025 versus control). The degree of enterocolitis increased with time, and the highest degree was found in rats that were sacrificed on day-28 (p<0.001 versus control). CONCLUSIONS Topical application of 0.1% BAC for 15 min was successfully produced HAEC model in rats, which was occurred on day-14 after the application. This model provides a useful resource for further research on the pathogenesis of HAEC.

BACKGROUND: Many hypotheses regarding the pathophysiology of enterocolitis in aganglionic megacolon or Hirschsprung disease (HSCR) has been proposed. Paneth cells are columnar intestinal epithelial cells that have an important role in maintaining of intestinal homeostasis as a bactericide. Since enterocolitis in HSCR may have association with Paneth cells metaplasia and hyperplasia, current study investigated Paneth cells metaplasia and hyperplasia in the sigmoid colon of HSCR rat model and its products, namely a-defensins and IL-1b, in the sigmoid colon tissues.METHODS: Aganglionosis-induced and control Sprague-Dawley rats were euthanized on Day (D)-7, -14, -17, -19, -21, -23, -25, and -28. Sigmoid colon tissue was isolated at each time point, and degree of enterocolitis as well as Paneth cells metaplasia and hyperplasia were analyzed by Hematoxylin-eosin staining, then protein levels of a-defensins and interleukin (IL)-1b were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).RESULTS: Enterocolitis scores increased with time. The Paneth cells metaplasia and hyperplasia were observed on D14 until D28 (p<0.01 vs. control group) followed by an increased in the levels of IL-1b. The levels of a-defensins protein expression were initially increased (D7-D14; p<0.01 vs. control group) but then undergo reciprocal changes on D19 until D28 (p<0.01 vs. D7 and D14). Positive correlations between the degree of enterocolitis and Paneth cells number were detected in the sigmoid colon (r=0.42).CONCLUSION: Paneth cells underwent metaplasia and hyperplasia in the sigmoid colon of HSCR rats corresponding to an increase in the degree of enterocolitis, but not followed by an increase in the level of a-defensins as well as IL-1b, suggesting that there is an involvement of Paneth cells in the pathophysiology of enterocolitis due to HSCR.KEYWORDS: Hirschsprung, enterocolitis, defensins; metaplasia, Paneth cell, animal model

Smoking is known to have bad effects on health. People start using e-cigarettes with the assumption that e-cigarettes are safer, but the safety of e-cigarettes is still in doubt. Harmful substances from cigarettes can trigger an increase in free radicals and induce inflammatory process. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare the increase of serum Interleukin-1? due to exposure to conventional cigarette smoke and e-cigarette vapor based on exposure time. This study was conducted experimentally on 30 male white rats Sprague Dawley strain. The rats were divided into five treatment groups (control group, two and four weeks of exposure to conventional cigarette smoke, and two and four weeks of exposure to electronic cigarette vapor). Smoking session was given once a day. The rats were sacrificed then necropsied and Interleukin-? levels were calculated using the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) Kit. The data obtained were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) statistical test. Exposure to conventional cigarette smoke and e-cigarette vapor did not give any significant changes to Interleukin-1? level in rats, both at two weeks and four weeks of exposure. However, there was a tendency of increased Interleukin-1? levels with increasing time. This tendency is more obvious in groups with exposure to conventional cigarette.

Background: Cigarettes contained addictive substances that may have adverse effects on health, such as memory impairment. The hippocampus is a part of the brain that plays a role in regulating memory. This study aimed to compare the effects of conventional cigarette smoke and e-cigarette vapor on hippocampal pyramidal cells in animal models. Method: Experimental study used 30 male Sprague Dawley white rats aged 10-12 weeks. Rats were divided into 5 groups consisting of 1 control group and 4 treatment groups and exposed to conventional cigarette smoke and electronic cigarette vapor for 2 weeks and 4 weeks. The amount of exposure given was 12 times each day. After two weeks and four weeks of exposure, rats were necropsied, the Hippocampus was processed and stained using Hematoxylin and eosin. Pyramidal cell nuclei were viewed with a biological microscope CX-33 microcamera DP2 with 400x magnification in 3 fields of view. The average number of pyknotic nucleus pyramidal cells collected was statistically analyzed using the Mann-Whitney test. Result: The hippocampal pyknotic pyramidal cells number in each treatment group was higher compared to the control group. A correlation was found between 2 weeks groups and 4 weeks groups of treatment. Conventional cigarette smoke groups showed higher means of pyknotic pyramidal cells than electronic cigarette vapor and were statistically significant in both 2 weeks groups and 4 weeks groups of treatment (p<0.05). Conclusion: The type of cigarette and the duration of cigarettes exposure affects the number of pyknotic pyramidal cells. Conventional cigarette causes more significant changes than electronic cigarettes, and the exposure duration of conventional cigarettes affects pyramidal cells in the hippocampus.