Histomorphological and Histochemical Observations of the Common Myna (Acridotheres tristis) Tongue

Lingual morphology of domesticated Asian small-clawed otters in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

This study aimed to observe the lingual morphology of the domesticated Asian small-clawed otter, Aonyx cinereus (A. cinereus), from Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Six domesticated A. cinereus adults were obtained from a local otter breeder in Yogyakarta, with no regard to sex. The animals were acclimated to the laboratory for one day, following this, the animals underwent macroscopy identification and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy (LM) analysis. Macroscopically, the tongue of domesticated A. cinereus is divided into three parts: the apex, corpus, and radix. The apex is the shortest part and can move freely. A median groove is bent along the corpus. Typically, the radix contains circumvallate papillae and the epiglottic valleculae. The SEM and LM observations revealed that the lingual morphology of A. cinereus consisted of two types of papillae: mechanical papillae (horny filiform, leaf-like filiform, bifid filiform, trifid filiform, elongated leaf-like filiform, triangular filiform and conical papillae) and gustatory papillae (fungiform and circumvallate papillae). The lingual glands consisted of Weber's glands and von Ebner's glands secreting acid and neutral mucins. Collagen fibres are found in the lamina propria and muscular layer. In conclusion, the papillae of the Asian short-clawed otter have the same structure as those of other Mustelidae family members.

Radiologic features of radiolucent foreign bodies ingestion in common mynah (Acridotheres tristis)

BACKGROUND

In mynahs with foreign body ingestion, delayed diagnosis increases the risk of poor outcomes.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to evaluate various radiologic features on plain and contrast radiographs in mynahs for assessing the presence of ingested foreign bodies.

METHODS

In our cross-sectional study, a total of 41 mynahs were included. The diagnosis was made by history, surgery, excision by forceps or excretion in the faeces. Overall, 21 mynahs were considered not to have a foreign body in their gastrointestinal tract. Plain and post-contrast [oral administration of barium sulphate colloidal suspension of 25% weight/volume (20 mg/kg)] lateral and ventrodorsal radiographs from the cervical and coelomic cavity were taken. Different parameters including oesophageal, proventricular, and small intestinal diameters and opacities were assessed. Image evaluation was performed by two national board-certified radiologists blinded to the final diagnoses.

RESULTS

The inter- and intra-observer reliabilities of the diagnostic features were significant (p < 0.001). The diagnosis of the foreign body was highly accurate [90.2% (95% CI: 76.9%, 92.3%)] with the sensitivity, specificity, and area under the representative characteristic curve of 90.0%, 90.5%, and 0.93%, respectively for plain radiographs. The size and opacity of the oesophagus, proventriculus, and intestinal loops as well as serosal details were significantly different between mynahs with and without foreign body intake (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Lateral and ventrodorsal plain radiographs are highly reliable for diagnosing the presence of non-opaque obstructing objects in the gastrointestinal tract of mynahs. Attention should be paid to the size and opacity of the oesophagus, extension, and opacity of the proventriculus, segmental opacity of intestinal loops, and decrease in serosal details.

Developmental morphological analyses on the preglottal salivary gland in Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica)

To understand the development of the mucous preglottal salivary gland in Coturnix japonica (Japanese quail), morphological and histochemical studies were performed on 20 healthy Japanese quail embryos (aging from 10th to 17th incubation days) and 25 healthy quail chicks (aging from 0th to 60th days). The primordia of preglottal salivary gland were observed as an epithelial bud at the early embryonic stage, which then elongated and differentiated into secretory units by the end of this stage. In Japanese quails, the preglottal salivary gland was a mucous polystomatic tubuloalveolar unpaired gland composed of two lateral portions and a middle one embedded into the submucosa of the lingual root. The gland openings accompanied taste pore (8.17 μm) of taste buds associated salivary glands type; some skeletal muscle fibers embedded among secretory lobules extended from muscle cricohyoideus at 14th day-old quail chick. Also, both herbts corpuscles and secretory motor plexus could be detected among secretory lobules. Based on our investigations, the development of the preglottal salivary gland could clearly be distinguished in the embryonic stage into pre bud and bud stages at 10th day old, cord and branching stages ended by cavitation at 11th day old, canalization stage at 13th day old, lobulation and secretory stages by the 17th day old. The secretory materials showed different histochemical reactions ended with highly alcinophilic mucous indicated highly sialomucin (acidic) content. Myoepithelial cells could be demonstrated at a 17-day old quail embryo and thereafter surrounded the secretory endpieces of the preglottal salivary gland.