A lesson from our institute; Why do veterinary schools need an anatomy museum?

Anatomy has always been a key discipline in the field of veterinary medicine, as this fundamental scientific discipline offers vital foundational knowledge on how the structure of an organ relates to its function and health. It demonstrates how the three-dimensional structure of an organism relates to the physical diagnosis of a disease, as well as to help shed light on how surgical and medical approaches can be employed to treat various diseases. This review provides supportive evidence on the importance and usefulness of the anatomy museum located within our veterinary institute. Furthermore, our outcomes will encourage all veterinary schools to consider having their own on-site anatomy museum. From our experience, the practical usefulness of an anatomy museum can be divided into 4 categories that include the study of anatomy, the study of histology, elemental study, and social education. The samples housed in an anatomy museum can increase the publishing potential of all staff members of the parent institute, as well as to elevate the reputation and general recognition of the institute. Moreover, an anatomy museum can facilitate out-of-class learning opportunities for non-university educational facilities such as kindergartens, and primary or secondary schools

HRM species identification of bone samples collected from snake feces

Species identification is essential and necessary in the forensic sciences. This case study aims to identify animal species using unidentified bone samples found in snake feces with the use of inter-simple sequence repeat markers coupled with high resolution melting analysis (ISSR-HRM). In this case study, six ISSR primers were used and compared with lemur blood. The results of this study indicate that the derivative melting curve established from two bones and the lemur blood sample displayed a similar melting temperature. Additionally, D-loop sequencing of the bones and blood samples were checked against the GenBank database. We found that the samples belonged to a black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata) with percent identity values of 99.54 and 99.85, respectively. Thus, ISSR-HRM has been effectively used for species identification, particularly when results can be compared with the target species

Histological study of seventeen organs from dugong (Dugong dugon)

Background Dugongs are marine mammals with a crescent-shaped tail fluke and a concave trailing margin that belong to the family Dugongidae., They are distributed widely in the warm coastal waters of the Indo-Pacific region. Importantly, the population of dugongs has decreased over the past decades as they have been classified as rare marine mammals. Previous studies have investigated the habitat and genetic diversity of dugongs. However, a comprehensive histological investigation of their tissue has not yet been conducted. This study provides unique insight into the organs of dugongs and compares them with other mammal species. Methods Tissue sections were stained with Harris’s hematoxylin and eosin Y. The histological structure of 17 organ tissues obtained from eight systems was included in this study. Tissue sections were obtained from the urinary system (kidney), muscular system (striated skeletal muscle and smooth muscle), cardiovascular system (cardiac muscle (ventricle), coronary artery, and coronary vein), respiratory system (trachea and lung), gastrointestinal system (esophagus, stomach, small intestine, liver, and pancreas), reproductive system (testis), lymphatic system (spleen and thymus), and endocrine system (pancreas). Results While most structures were similar to those of other mammal species, there were some differences in the tissue sections of dugongs when compared with other mammalian species and manatees. These include the kidneys of dugongs, which were non-lobular and had a smooth, elongated exterior resulting in a long medullary crest, whereas the dugong pyloric epithelium did not have overlying stratified squamous cells and was noticably different from the Florida manatee. Discussion Histological information obtained from various organs of the dugong can serve as an essential foundation of basal data for future microanatomical studies. This information can also be used as high-value data in the diagnosis and pathogenesis of sick dugongs or those with an unknown cause of death

Erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities and leucocyte profiles of Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) exposed to polluted seawater

Close to industrial activity and a major seaport in the Gulf of Thailand, Sichang Island has frequently suffered from pollution and oil spills. However, the environmental health status of the surrounding waters is relatively unknown. Between December 2017 and January 2018, we reared ninety Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer) in cage nets off the island and sampled blood to investigate nuclear abnormalities in erythrocytes and build leucocyte profiles. The fish were purchased locally and reared in locations where oil spills have been recorded. Environmental parameters were within the range of standard values. Erythrocyte nuclei had segmented, reniform and notched abnormalities; however, they dramatically varied after exposure. At the end of the three-month field experiment, very few micronuclei had been observed. Observed leucocytes were neutrophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes. The percentage of lymphocytes increased considerably, reaching a post-exposure peak at three months. Our data suggest that erythrocytic nuclear abnormalities of Asian seabass could be used as an early warning of toxic pollutants in the marine environment, and as a baseline environmental health indicator for Sichang Island and the surrounding area