Pubertal age based on testicular and epididymal histology in Göttingen minipigs.

Göttingen minipigs are used worldwide as nonrodent animal models for toxicologic and pharmaceutical research. Having knowledge of the age for onset of puberty is an important consideration when designing such biomedical experiments. The present study reports an earlier age for puberty on the basis of changes in testicular spermatogenic development in the Göttingen minipig. Testes and epididymides of 24 Göttingen minipigs ranging 5 to 8 weeks of age were obtained for histologic observation after hematoxylin-eosin staining. Microscopic examination was performed to determine the prevalence of cell types (e.g., spermatogonia, primary and secondary spermatocytes, round spermatids, elongated spermatids, luminal sperm) in seminiferous tubules and for the presence of sperm in the cauda epididymis. Puberty was defined as having a majority cell type presence of elongated spermatids in the seminiferous tubules in conjunction with the presence of spermatozoa in the cauda epididymis. Puberty was identified in two males at 6 weeks of age, two males at 7 weeks of age, and in all 6 males at 8 weeks of age. In conclusion, the age of puberty in male Göttingen minipigs occurs by 8 weeks of age, an earlier age than previously reported.

Sexual abuse in prepubertal children and adolescents.

Medical involvement in the diagnosis and treatment of child sexual abuse (CSA) has a well-defined role within a multidisciplinary concept. Due to the increasingly high rate of normal anogenital findings in victims of CSA, forensic aspects are of limited value in establishing the diagnosis. In selected cases however, medical findings may play an important role in corroborating a child's history. Correct evaluation of normal and abnormal findings, normal variations and several differential diagnoses requires sound knowledge in pediatric gynecology. In some cases, physical consequences of CSA (injuries, infections, and pregnancy) need to be diagnosed and treated (prevented) accordingly. The majority of abused children have an altered and distorted body image. It is of paramount importance to reassure the child that its body is normal, physically undamaged, intact or that it will heal ('primary therapeutic aspect of the medical examination'). Thus, the medical examination has an enormous potential to incorporate a therapeutic message into the diagnostic procedure if performed in a qualified and sensitive manner. By communicating with the psychosocial und jurisdictional systems, physicians may initiate proper child protection and therapy. Therefore, medical evaluation of sexually abused children must always be integrated into a multiprofessional concept of child protection.

[Adenocarcinoma of the kidney with invasion of the inferior vena cava. Apropos of 32 cases]. / L'adénocarcinome du rein avec envahissement de la veine cave inférieure. A propos de trente-deux observations.

The authors present 32 cases of renal cell carcinoma with inferior vena cava involvement. Three sub-groups of patients can be distinguished on the basis of the level of this involvement: A (24 patients) with infra-hepatic involvement, B (6 patients) with retro-hepatic involvement and C (2 patients) with supra-hepatic involvement. The surgical tactics and results are analysed for each of these 3 sub-groups. The prognosis is relatively good in sub-group A, but is increasingly less favourable in groups B and C.