The Topography and Gross Anatomy of the Abdominal Gastrointestinal Tract of the Persian Squirrel (Sciurus anomalus)

The Persian Squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) is the only member of the Sciuridae family found in the Middle East. It is herbivorous, feeding mostly on pine acorns and other seeds and fruits. It is a wild animal nesting in forest trees, although it is frequently found close to city gardens and parks. As Persian squirrels are also found in homes as "companion animals", veterinarian assistance may be sometimes required; this is a good reason to gain more specific knowledge of the anatomical features of this animal. Due to the scantiness of relevant literature, we carried out this study with the aim to provide further information on the topography and gross anatomy of its abdominal gastrointestinal tract (GIT). Seven animals of this species were utilized to measure the length, content weight and area surface of the relative segments of the abdominal GIT. The stomach is unilocular, lined with glandular epithelium; the small intestine is divided into duodenum, jejunum and ileum. The cecum is situated on the right side of the abdominal cavity and lacks the vermiform appendix observed in some rodents. The ascending colon is extensive, consisting of two loops and two straight parts forming a unique topographic arrangement, closely resembling the ascending colon of the horse. The transverse colon connects the ascending and the descending colon located on the left side of the abdominal cavity, and shows a distinct sigmoid flexure before entering the pelvic cavity. Overall, the in situ examination and the relative measurements of the various parts of the abdominal GIT suggest that the ascending colon is the main fermentation chamber in the Persian Squirrel. La ardilla es el único miembro de la familia de los Sciuridae que se encuentra en el Medio Oriente. Es un herbívoro, come semillas, principalmente de pino, y fruta. Vive mayormente en el bosque en estado salvaje, aunque a veces se puede encontrar en las ciudades, en parques y jardines. Las ardillas persianas tambien se tienen en casas como mascotas y algunas veces es necesaria la atención del veterinario. Esta es una buena razón para conocer más profundamente sus características anatómicas. Teniendo en cuenta la escasa bibliografía existente a cerca de este animal, el objetivo de este estudio fue aportar nueva información sobre la anatomía topográfica y mascroscópica del tracto abdominal gastrointestinal (GIT) de la ardilla. Siete animales de esta especie han sido utilizados para medir el largo, el peso y el área de la superficie de los segmentos del GIT. El estómago es unilocular, alineado con epitelio glandular; el pequeño intestino está dividido en duodeno, jejuno e ileo. El ciego está localizado en la parte derecha de la cavidad abdominal y le falta el apéndice vermiforme que poseen los roedores. El colon ascendente es extenso, constituido de dos partes curvas y dos rectilíneas que forman una única dispoción topográfica cerrada como el colon ascendente en el caballo. El colon trasverso, que conecta el ascendente y el descendente, está localizado en el lado izquierdo de la cavidad abdominal y muestra una clara flexión sigmoide antes de entrar en la cavidad pélvica. En resumen, el examen in situ y las relativas medidas de las varias partes del GIT sugieren que el colon ascendente es la principal "cámara" de fermentación en la ardilla persiana

The Effects of Vitamin E on Liver and Kidney Damage Induced by Dianabol in Small Laboratory Mice

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Anabolic steroids, especially dianabol, are used by athletes as a performance-enhancing drugs that damage the liver and cause structural changes. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of vitamin E on liver and kidney toxicity caused by dianabol. METHODS: In this experimental study, 72 adult male mice were randomly divided into 8 groups of 9. Four groups of mice received 100 IU / kg vitamin E orally for 42 days through gavage. Three groups of the above groups received 5, 10 and 20 mg / kg oral dianabol four hours after receiving vitamin E, respectively. The control group and the groups receiving only 5, 10 and 20 mg / kg oral dianabol were also considered. 24 hours after the final treatment, serum samples were collected for biochemical evaluations and tissue samples were collected for histological, histomorphometric and histochemical evaluations. FINDINGS: The results showed that dianabol significantly increased the level of AST (158.52±9.76), ALT (113.70±11.02), and ALP (141.30±5.94), and significantly decreased albumin (1.04±0.47) compared to the control group (72.61±7.54, 41.47±7.03, 112.80±4.30, 3.14±0.25, respectively) (p<0.05). Administration of vitamin E significantly increased the level of AST (110.56±9.86), ALT (80.19±4.02) and ALP (120.52±4.94) and improved albumin (2.1±0.28) (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The results of the study showed that vitamin E can reduce the oxidative damage caused by dianabol in the liver and kidney of the mouse

Study Of The Effect Of Heroin Used In Iran, On Spermatogenesis Changes And Their Development In Balb/C Mice

Background: Heroin is one of the opiates which is used, as the most addictive drugs, in Iran. Considering the damaging effects of these drugs on the health of opiate addicts, investigation on the effects of heroin used in Iran, on male genital indicators including daily sperm production and its development, which has an essential role in fertility, seems to be necessary. Materials and Methods: A total of 70 Bulb/c mature male mice, were divided into 5 groups of control, [intact (n=10), sham I (n=10) sham II (n=10)] and experimental groups [I (n=20), II (n=20], and 50 days after addiction to heroin (50 mg/kg) via intra peritoneal injection (IP), 6 mice from each groups were selected and after euthenizing, the testes and epididymes were removed. The rate of daily sperm production (DSP), epididymic sperm preservation (ESP) and the rate of sperm motility were measured accurately. Results: In the study of the effect of heroin on daily sperm production and sperm preservation between the control and experimental groups, no significant differences were observed. The effect of heroin on sperm motility between control and experimental groups, the difference were significant (P&lt;0/05). Conclusions: In this survey, it was indicated that, the heroin used in Iran, causes a decrease in healthy sperms of mice their motility, and consequently can affect on genital indicators

Effect of nicotine, Ritalin and combined usage of nicotine and Ritalin on daily sperm production and epididymal sperm reserve in BALB/c mice

Background and Objective: Nicotine is an addictive substance and Ritalin is a medicine which has been prescribed for treatment of hyperactivity / attention deficit disorder (ADHD). This study was done to evaluate the effect of Ritalin and nicotine and combination of Ritalin and nicotine on daily sperm production and epididymal sperm reserve in mice. Methods: In this experimental study, 120 adult male BALB/c mice were randomly allocated into one control group and 11 experimental (treatment) groups. Animals, in the first, second and third treated groups were received nicotine at the doses of 100, 200 and 400 microgr/kg/bw, respectively. Mice in fourth and fifth treated groups were received Ritalin at doses of 2 and 10 mg/kg/bw, respectively. Animals in sixth and seventh treatment groups were received nicotine in 400 microgr/kg/bw and Ritalin in 2 and 10 mg/kg/bw and in eighth and ninth groups, nicotine at dose of 200 microgr/kg/bw and Ritalin at doses of 2 and 10 mg/kg/bw, respectively. Animals in tenth and eleventh treated groups were received nicotine as dose of 100 microgr/kg/bw and Ritalin at doses of 2 and 10 mg/kg/bw, respectively. Ritalin and nicotine were administrated orally for 40 days. At the end of study, daily sperm production and epididymal sperm reserve were measeared. Results: The daily sperm production was significantly reduced in the groups with high consumption doses of nicotine and different doses of Ritalin and the majority of groups which used the combination of Ritalin and nicotine (P<0.05). The epididiymal sperm reserve was significantly increased in experimental groups of 8, 9, 10 and 11 which were received the combination of Ritalin and nicotine in different doses (P<0.05). Conclusion: The combination of Ritalin and nicotine reduces daily sperm production and it incereases epididiymal sperm reserve in adult BALB/c mice

Intrinsic Innervation of the Persian Squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) Ileum

none5siMost investigations related to the characterisation of the enteric nervous system (ENS) are pivoted on the intestine of small rodents, but few studies are available on the ENS of wild or 'unconventional' rodents. Anti-PGP 9.5 and anti-Hu antibodies were utilised to recognise the distribution pattern of neuronal cell bodies and fibres of the ileum of the Persian squirrel (Sciurus anomalus) ENS. The percentages of subclasses of enteric neurones in the total neuronal population were investigated by neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), substance P (SP), and calbindin (CALB). Myenteric plexus (MP) and submucosal plexus (SMP) neurones showing nNOS immunoreactivity (IR) were 41 ± 4% and 11 ± 6%, respectively, whereas cells expressing ChAT-IR were 56 ± 9% and 74 ± 16%, respectively. nNOS-IR was co-expressed by 21 ± 2% and 9 ± 4% of the MP and SMP cholinergic neurones, respectively, whereas the nNOS-IR MP and SMP neurones co-expressing ChAT-IR were 86 ± 6% and 89 ± 2%, respectively. CGRP-IR and SP-IR were expressed, respectively, by 13 ± 5% and 6 ± 3% of MP and 18 ± 2% and 2 ± 2% of SMP neurones. CALB-IR was expressed by 22 ± 8% and 56 ± 14% of MP and SMP neurones, respectively. MP and SMP cholinergic neurones co-expressed nNOS-IR (21 ± 2% and 9 ± 4%, respectively) and a very high percentage of nNOS-IR neurones showed ChAT-IR (86 ± 6% and 89 ± 2%, respectively). MP and SMP CALB-IR neurones co-expressed ChAT-IR (100% and 63 ± 11%, respectively) and CGRP-IR (89 ± 5% and 26 ± 7%, respectively). Our data might contribute to the neuroanatomical knowledge of the gastrointestinal tract in exotic mammals and provide a comparison with the available data on other mammals.noneJ. Sadeghinezhad; Z. Tootian; R. Latorre; C. Sorteni; R. ChiocchettiJ. Sadeghinezhad; Z. Tootian; R. Latorre; C. Sorteni; R. Chiocchett