A comparative study on the morphology, radiography and computed tomography of the skull bones of barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak) and sambar deer (Rusa unicolor)

BACKGROUND

There is scanty information on the skull morphology of barking and sambar deer; thus the present study was designed to provide information on morphology, radiography and computed tomography of the skull bones of both deer species.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study was conducted on twelve skulls of adult barking deer (n = 6) and sambar deer (n = 6) of either sex (n = 3 males and n = 3 females) collected from Aizawl Zoological Park, Aizawl, Mizoram. The skulls of both species were macerated as per the standard maceration techniques.

RESULTS

The skull bones of both deer species were divided into a neurocranium and a viscerocranium. The neurocranium was comprised of occipital, sphenoid, temporal, frontal, parietal, interparietal and ethmoid bones. The viscerocranium consisted of nasal, lacrimal, zygomatic, maxilla, incisive, palatine, pterygoid, vomer, mandible, turbinates and hyoid bones. The cranial cavity was oval and elongated caudally. The orbit was round, complete in barking deer; however, it was oval, complete in sambar deer. The facial tuberosity was present caudal to infraorbital foramen and dorsally at superior third premolar tooth in barking deer whereas dorsally at the superior first molar tooth in sambar deer. The infraorbital foramina were small, elliptical and placed at the level of the superior first premolar tooth. The alveolus for a canine tooth was present rostrally in the maxilla of both species. Turbinates bones were visible and mandibular symphysis remained unossified on radiographs and computed tomography in both species. The radiographs of both species showed that the nasal canal was divided by the nasal septum. The computed tomographic scan demonstrated the paranasal, frontal and maxillary sinuses.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study is important in the comparative anatomy of ruminant species and may help the wildlife forensic officials to identify and differentiate the bones of these two species from those of other domestic and wild small ruminants.

Lymphocyte subsets in the small intestine of piglets fed with probiotic and zinc: a qualitative and quantitative micro-anatomical study

BACKGROUND

Piglet mortality is a real concern to the pig farmers. The major cause is due to the late maturation of the immune system and dietary changes in post-weaned piglets. The potential role of probiotic and zinc in the stimulation of the immune system is well established. Hence, the present study was undertaken to evaluate alterations of T and B cells in the small intestine after dietary inclusion of probiotic and zinc in pre and post-weaned piglets.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 18 healthy LWY piglets, irrespective of sex obtained from 3 litters at the age-group of 20, 30 and 60 days. They were divided into a control group fed with basal diet and a treatment group fed with probiotic and zinc supplement along with the basal diet, consisting of three animals in each group. The piglets were weaned at 28 days of age. After sacrificing the animals at day 20, 30 and 60 from both the groups, the abdominal cavity was opened and small intestinal tissue samples were collected, processed and stained by indirect immunofluorescence technique. The slides were evaluated under the fluorescent light microscope. The data were statistically analyzed.

RESULTS

The different T and B cell subsets were recorded in the lining epithelium, core of villus, crypt area of LP and PP area. The number of CD4+, CD8+, IgA+ and IgM+ cells was higher in the treated piglets than the control group of animals, irrespective of segments of intestine and age-group.

CONCLUSIONS

It can be concluded that the dietary supplementation of probiotic and zinc was found to be good additives as they can stimulate the immune response in piglets, especially during the critical early post-weaning period.

Small intestinal mucosal cells in piglets fed with probiotic and zinc: a qualitative and quantitative microanatomical study

BACKGROUND

Probiotics and zinc are commonly used and beneficial in pig production. This work aimed to assess the effects of probiotic and zinc on the mucosal cells of the small intestine in respect to digestive capacity and immunity in pre- and post-weaned piglets.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighteen Large White Yorkshire piglets were divided equally into control and treatment groups. The piglets were maintained in standard management conditions and were weaned at 28 days of age. The treatment group of piglets fed a mixture of probiotics orally at 1.25 × 109 CFU/day and zinc at 2000 ppm/day from birth to 10 days of age. At three different age-groups viz. day 20 (pre-weaning) and, day 30 and day 60 (post-weaning), the animals were sacrificed. For histomorphology, the tissue samples were processed and stained with Mayer's haematoxylin and eosin for routine study, combined periodic acid-Schiff-Alcian blue for mucopolysaccharides and Masson-Hamperl argentaffin technique for argentaffin cells. The stained slides were observed under the microscope. The samples were processed as per the standard procedure for scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The statistical analysis of the data using the appropriate statistical tests was also conducted.

RESULTS

The mucosal epithelium of villi and crypts were lined by enterocytes, goblet cells, argentaffin cells, microfold (M-cell) cells, tuft cells and intraepithelial lymphocytes. The multipotent stem cells were located at the crypt base. The length of the enterocyte microvilli was significantly longer (p < 0.05) in the treatment group of piglets. The number of different types of goblet cells and argentaffin cells was more in treated piglets irrespective of segments of intestine and age. The intraepithelial lymphocytes were located in apical, nuclear and basal positions in the lining epithelium of both villus tip and base with their significant increase in the treatment group of piglets. The transmission electron microscopy revealed the frequent occurrence of tuft cells in the lining mucosa of the small intestine in treated piglets.

CONCLUSIONS

Dietary supplementation of probiotic and zinc induced the number of different mucosal cells of villi and crypts in the small intestine that might suggest the greater absorptive capacity of nutrients and effective immunity in critical pre and post-weaned piglets.

Applied anatomy and clinical significance of the maxillofacial and mandibular regions of the barking deer (Muntiacus muntjak) and sambar deer (Rusa unicolor)

BACKGROUND

There is no previously reported information on the applied anatomy and clinical significance of the maxillofacial and mandibular regions of the barking deer and sambar deer.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Therefore, the present study was designed to provide some important clinical landmarks related to tracking of the infraorbital, mental and mandibular nerves with its clinical implications in regional anaesthesia in both the species.

RESULTS

In the present study, the distance between the most lateral bulging of the facial tuberosity to the infraorbital foramen and from the latter to the root of the alveolar tooth directly ventral to it was found to be 2.65 ± 0.01 cm and 0.90 ± ± 0.02 cm in males; 2.75 ± 0.01 cm, 1.11 ± 0.01 cm in females of barking deer and 4.57 ± 0.01 cm and 1.83 ± 0.02 cm in males; 4.52 ± 0.02 cm and 1.76 ± 0.02 cm in females of sambar deer. The infraorbital foramen was small, elliptical and was located at the level of first superior premolar teeth in barking deer and sambar deer. The facial tuberosity was located above the third superior premolar teeth in the barking deer but was located at the level of the first superior molar teeth in sambar deer. The distance between the lateral alveolar root of the third inferior incisor tooth to the mental foramen was 2.84 ± 0.01 cm in males, 2.78 ± 0.01 cm in females of barking deer and 3.04 ± 0.02 cm in males, 2.96 ± 0.01 cm in females of sambar deer which is an important landmark for achieving the location of the mental foramen nerve for the regional nerve block in both the species. The mandible of both the species showed oval-shaped mental foramen with unossified mandibular symphysis.

CONCLUSIONS

The present study revealed that most of the parameters showed a statistically significant difference between the sexes in barking deer and sambar deer; however, from the practical point of view, these differences were meager. The results were discussed with regard to their clinical applications in various regional anaesthesia performed in maxillofacial and mandibular regions of both the species.