BACKGROUND: The importance of digestive accessory glands and spleen in human, domestic animals and birds has been studied for many years. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to investigate the structural features of these organs in see-see. METHODS: Regarding the present study, 14 male and female see-see were randomly selected, from which, tissue samples of three males and three females were obtained. After preparation in the usual way, the samples were stained using hematoxylin and eosin methods. RESULTS: Liver involves two lobes, including right and left ones. Posterior border of the left lobe has a short cut which results in division of the left one into two sections. Gallbladder is extended in visceral level of the right lobe, from middle to posterior edge of it. Due to the lack of full penetration of capsule blades into the liver's parenchyma, lobulated tissues are unknown. Epithelium of the gallbladder is of simple cylindrical type; however, some areas there have very few goblet cells. See-see's spleen is red-brownish, pear-shaped, and is located in the posterior part of visceral level of the liver's left lobe. Spleen is embedded by muscle connective capsule. There are no splits of spleen capsule into parenchyma of the gland. Pancreas is an elongated organ in the situation between two arms of duodenum which is divided into three lobes including dorsal, ventral and splenic. Very delicate and short blades of the capsule are penetrated into the gland and it is divided to lobules. The endocrine part of pancreas consists of alpha and beta islets of Langerhans in large and small sizes. CONCLUSIONS: The results show that the structure and tissues of the liver, spleen and pancreas, despite the slight differences in morphological aspects, are similar to other birds.

The oil of Juniperus communis (JC) which is among medicinal plants, has many pharmacological activities. In this study, the effects of JC oil on serum paraoxonase (PON1), pancreatic enzymes levels and lipid levels in experimental diabetic rats were investigated.Thirty-two male Wistar-Albino rats (250-300g) were used. The rats were dividedequally into four groups, control (C), diabetes (D), JC oil (J), and diabetes + JC oil (DJ). D and DJ groups wereintraperitoneally (IP) injected with 45 mg/kg streptozotocin (STZ). JC oil was administered as 200 mg/kg/21days by oral gavage in J and DJ groups.Total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels were significantly decreased in the J and DJgroups when compared to C and D groups (p≤0.001). There was no difference in TG levels between D andcontrol group (p≥0.05). Lipoprotein levels were not statistically significant between any group (p≥0.05).Comparing to the control group in the diabetes and DJ groups; significant decreased amylase levels andincreased lipase levels (p≤0.001) was observed. Paraoxonase activity in D group was statistically lower thanin the other groups (p≤0.05). There is no significant difference between the C group and the Jgroup (p>0.05).PON1 level has a significant elevation in the DJ in comparison with the D group (p≤0.05). As a result, JC oil caused an increase in antioxidant PON1 enzyme level and a decrease in lipidlevels in diabetes. The data obtained are supportive that JC oil may be a potential protective effect againstdiabetes-associated complications.

The objective of this study was to examine the effects of immunosuppressive prednisolone therapy on pancreatic tissue and the concentration of serum canine pancreatic lipase immunoreactivity (cPLI) in healthy dogs. Six healthy beagle dogs were subcutaneously administered an immunosuppressive dose of prednisolone [4 mg/kg body weight (BW)] once daily for either 2 or 3 weeks. Serum cPLI concentration was measured before and after treatment. Ultrasonographic examination of the pancreas and laparoscopic biopsy and histopathological examination of the right pancreatic lobe and the liver were also conducted before and after treatment. The expression of pancreatic lipase messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) in the pancreas and liver was examined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Although the serum cPLI concentration was significantly higher on day 14 and on the day of the second laparoscopy than before treatment, it was classified as normal (≤ 200 μg/L) in 5 dogs and as abnormal (≥ 400 μg/L) in only 1 dog. None of the 6 dogs showed clinical signs of pancreatitis during the study period. After treatment, ultrasonographic examination of the pancreas showed no changes except for a hypoechoic pancreas in 1 dog. Histopathological examination of the right pancreatic lobe in all dogs showed no evidence of pancreatitis after treatment. Pancreatic lipase mRNA expression was detected in the pancreas, but not in the liver, before and after treatment. The administration of 4 mg/kg BW per day of prednisolone for 2 or 3 weeks increased the serum cPLI concentration without clinical signs of pancreatitis, although an abnormal cPLI concentration (≥ 400 μg/L) was observed in only 1 dog. No ultrasonographic or histological evidence of pancreatitis was observed in any of the dogs.

The present study was carried out to identify the morphological description and histological structureof liver and pancreas in mongoose . Six adult males mongoose from Al-Basra province were used inthis study and were transferred to the anatomy branch of veterinary medicine, and were sacrificed forcollecting the livers , pancreas and fixation 10% formalin. The morphological study revealed that theliver in adult mongoose was located in cranial part of abdominal cavity , caudal and ventrally to theheart and was associated with stomach .the mongoose's liver is composed of six chief lobes.Histological examination result revealed that the liver consist of several lobules separated from eachother by trabeculae of connective tissue extend from the basic unit of the parenchyma of liver ishepatocyte which arranged in plates or cords like that radiated around the central vein and betweenthese cords there is sinusoids lined by a layer of fenestrated endothelial cells and Kupffer's cells .in theboundary of each lobule showed portal area which consist of hepatic artery : hepatic vein and bile ductlining by cuboidal cells .The result appeared that the pancreas in adult mongoose is roughly U in shape, it has yellow palecolor and lies rather to the dorsal side of the duodenum, between it and the stomach . it has divided intothree parts, the right lobe, body, and left lobe . the pancreas is composed exocrine and endocrine tissues.The exocrine portion consists of clusters of pyramidal cells, which are mostly organized in acini. thecells have a dark basophilic cytoplasm, distinct basal nuclei, and many large eosinophilic zymogengranules containing enzymes ,Trypsinogen and Chymotrypsinogen responsible for the digestion ofproteins, carbohydrates, fats and nucleotides. The endocrine portion of the pancreas consist of smallclusters of glandular epithelial cells called pancreatic islets (islets of Langerhans). However , the lackof studies in Iraq on this type, so this study came to provide us with information on the major glands ofthe digestive system.

Objective: To obtain ultrasonographic reference values for the thickness of the pancreas and the diameter of the pancreatic duct in clinically normal dogs. Animals: 242 adult dogs with no clinical signs of gastrointestinal tract disease. Procedures: The maximum pancreatic thickness and the diameter of the pancreatic duct were recorded ultrasonographically at the level of the left lobe, body, and right lobe of the pancreas. Results: Mean ± SD pancreatic thickness measurements were as follows: left lobe, 6.5 ± 1.7 mm (n = 214); body, 6.3 ± 1.6 mm (155); and right lobe, 8.1 ± 1.8 mm (239). The mean pancreatic duct diameter was 0.6 ± 0.2 mm (n = 42) in the left lobe and 0.7 ± 0.2 mm (213) in the right lobe. The right pancreatic duct was visible in 213/242 (88.0%) dogs, and the left pancreatic duct was visible in 41/242 (16.9%) dogs. However, the body was visible in only 16/242 (6.6%) dogs. Pancreatic thickness and diameter of the pancreatic duct significantly increased with body weight in all lobes, but age was not correlated with the measurements. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Ultrasonographic reference values for the pancreas and pancreatic duct of dogs were determined. Results of this study indicated that the pancreatic duct was visible, especially in the right lobe of the pancreas. These values may be useful for the assessment of pancreatic abnormalities, such as chronic pancreatitis and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency.

Objective: To investigate contrast-enhanced ultrasonography as a minimally invasive method for the subjective and quantitative assessment of pancreatic and duodenal perfusion in healthy adult dogs, with reference to perfusion in adjacent liver tissue. Animals: 8 clinically normal adult dogs. Procedures: Contrast-enhanced ultrasonograms of the right pancreatic limb, proximal portion of the descending duodenum, and adjacent liver were acquired after IV administration of a microbubble contrast medium. Following subjective evaluation, quantitative time-intensity curves were generated from regions of interest in the pancreas, duodenum, and liver. Five contrast medium characteristics representing perfusion parameters were determined for each organ and used for statistical analysis: interval to arrival, inflow rate, peak intensity (PI), time of peak intensity (TPI), and outflow rate. Results: Significant associations between pancreatic and duodenal values were found for interval to contrast medium arrival, PI, TPI, and outflow rate. Pancreatic and duodenal inflow rates were not correlated. Inflow and outflow rates were significantly faster and TPI significantly shorter for the pancreas and duodenum, compared with values for the liver. There was no significant difference among all 3 organs for interval to arrival and PI of contrast medium. Subjective evaluation findings corresponded to quantitative analysis results. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance: Results suggested that contrast-enhanced ultrasonography may be a useful, minimally invasive method for evaluating pancreatic and duodenal perfusion in dogs. The data from healthy dogs reported here could aid in the assessment of pancreatic and duodenal conditions and their response to medical treatment.

Objective—To determine whether canine tumor cell lines express functional tissue factor and shed tissue factor-containing microparticles. Sample—Cell lines derived from tumors of the canine mammary gland (CMT12 and CMT25), pancreas (P404), lung (BACA), prostate gland (Ace-1), bone (HMPOS, D-17, and OS2.4), and soft tissue (A72); from normal canine renal epithelium (MDCK); and from a malignant human mammary tumor (MDA-MB-231). Procedures—Tissue factor mRNA and antigen expression were evaluated in cells by use of canine-specific primers in a reverse transcriptase PCR assay and a rabbit polyclonal anti-human tissue factor antibody in flow cytometric and immunofluorescent microscopic assays, respectively. Tissue factor procoagulant activity on cell surfaces, in whole cell lysates, and in microparticle pellets was measured by use of an activated factor X-dependent chromogenic assay. Results—Canine tissue factor mRNA was identified in all canine tumor cells. All canine tumor cells expressed intracellular tissue factor; however, the HMPOS and D-17 osteosarcoma cells lacked surface tissue factor expression and activity. The highest tissue factor expression and activity were observed in canine mammary tumor cells and pulmonary carcinoma cells (BACA). These 3 tumors also shed tissue factor-bearing microparticles into tissue culture supernatants. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Tissue factor was constitutively highly expressed in canine tumor cell lines, particularly those derived from epithelial tumors. Because tumor-associated tissue factor can promote tumor growth and metastasis in human patients, high tissue factor expression could affect the in vivo biological behavior of these tumors in dogs.

Barium suspension, oral iodine contrast medium and water were applied in eight dogs to evaluate (1) distension of gastrointestinal tract, (2) the effect of the oral contrast media on the identification of the pancreas from surrounding organs, and (3) image quality and the presence of artifacts in canine pancreas computed tomography (CT) images. Oral iodine contrast medium, gastrografin, produced significant artifacts that deteriorated the CT images of the pancreas. The use of water did not provide the fullness of the gastrointestinal lumens. Barium suspension was effective for the identification of the pancreas from the surrounding gastrointestinal tract, without significantly increasing image noise. Barium suspension can be used as an optimal contrast medium that will not cause an adverse effect on the pancreatic density and image quality.