• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2017

In all mammalian species, progesterone is essential to both the preparation for, and maintenance of, pregnancy. The $20{\alpha}$-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase ($20{\alpha}$-HSD) enzyme predominantly converts progesterone into its biologically inactive form $20{\alpha}$-hydroxyprogesterone, thereby regulating its activity. Thus, to directly assess sexual maturation in the MediKinetics $micropig^{(R)}$, we analyzed the concentration of the steroid hormones progesterone and estradiol during the estrous cycle. Our results show that the progesterone level exhibited by the analyzed $micorpig^{(R)}$ was low at the beginning of the estrous cycle, and then abruptly increased to $30.32{\pm}10.0ng/mL$ and $46.37{\pm}11.0ng/mL$ by days 9 and 11 of the cycle, respectively. It reached the highest level $55.87{\pm}3.5ng/mL$ on day 13 of the estrous cycle, before decreasing to $46.58{\pm}13.1ng/mL$ and $10.0{\pm}7.6ng/mL$ by days 15 and 17 of the cycle, respectively. In contrast, the estradiol level was shown to be highest ($27.13{\pm}11.2ng/mL$) at the initiation of the estrous cycle, after which point it decreased to $13.29{\pm}6.5ng/mL$ and $10.94{\pm}5.9ng/mL$ by days 4 and 5 of the estrous cycle, respectively. By day 17 of the estrous cycle, the estradiol level decreased to $4.13{\pm}7.6ng/mL$. We anticipate that these results will provide useful information to enable the study of human ovulation and reproductive physiology using the MediKinetics $micoripig^{(R)}$ as a model system. We recommend further investigation to elucidate the functional mechanisms underlying the regulation of sexual maturation in the MediKinetics $micropig^{(R)}$.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.142-149
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• 2020

Background and Objectives A picosecond-domain laser treatment using a microlens array (MLA) or a diffractive optical element elicits therapeutic micro-injury zones in the skin. This study examined the patterns of tissue reactions after delivering multiple pulses of 1,064-nm, MLA-type, picosecond neodymium:yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser treatment. Materials and Methods Multiple pulses of picosecond laser treatment were delivered to ex vivo human or brown micropig skin and analyzed histopathologically. A high-speed cinematographic study was performed to visualize the multiple pulses of picosecond laser energy-induced skin reactions in in vivo human skin. Results In the ex vivo human skin, a picosecond laser treatment at a fluence of 0.3 J/cm² over 100 non-stacking passes generated multiple lesions of thermally-initiated laser-induced optical breakdown (TI-LIOB) in the epidermis and dermis. In the ex vivo micropig skin, stacking pulses of 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 at a fluence of 0.3 J/cm² generated distinct round to oval zones of tissue coagulation in the mid to lower dermis. High-speed cinematography captured various patterns of twinkling, micro-spot reactions on the skin surface over 100 stacked pulses of a picosecond laser treatment. Conclusion Multiple pulses of 1,064-nm, MLA-type, picosecond laser treatment elicit marked TI-LIOB reactions in the epidermis and areas of round to oval thermal coagulation in the mid to deep dermis.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.447-453
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• 2018

Acetyl hexapeptide 8 (AH8) is a synthetic peptide for anti-wrinkle cosmetics ingredient. It was developed as a mimetic of botox, patternd after N -terminal end of the protein synatosomal-associated protein 25 (SNAP25), a substrate of botulinum toxin. While AH8 has good efficacy and safety profiles, the permeation through the skin is poor. Therefore, we tried to enhance the transdermal delivery of AH8 by using of hyaluonic acid (HA), a linear polysaccharide of N-acetyl glucosamine and glucuronic acid. To investigate the effect of HA on AH8 penetration, we analyzed paraffin sections of $Micropig^{(R)}$ skin. Fluorescence labeled AH8 was applied to micropig skin with or without HA. The absorption of AH8 was limited to the stratum corneum (SC) without HA. On the other hand, AH8 penetrated to the dermis with HA. Especially, low molecular weight HA (5 kDa) was most efficient compared to 500 kDa HA and 2000 kDa HA. Experiments using fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed that lower molecular weight HA had a tendency to increase the fluidity of the SC lipids more, which means enhancing the skin penetration. Therefore, HA could be expected to enhance the anti-wrinkle effect of AH8.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.576-584
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• 2011

Purpose: The shape and location, the amount of the wound and the characteristics of the remaining tissues are known to influence wound contraction. The previous studies using small animals have not been an appropriate model because the wound healing mechanisms and skin structures are different from those of the human. The purpose of this study is to evaluate wound contraction according to the shape and location of the wound using a $Micropig^{(R)}$. Methods: Four $Micropigs^{(R)}$ (Medikinetics, Pyeongtaek, Korea) that were 10 months of age weighed 25 kg were used. Full thickness skin defects were made by clearing all the tissues above the fascial layer in the shape of square, a regular triangle and a circle of 9 $cm^2$ each on the back around the spine. Eight wounds were created on the back of each pig, 50 mm apart from each other. The randomly chosen wound shapes included 11 squares, 11 regular triangles, and 10 circles. Wound dressing was done every other day with polyurethane foam. The wound size was measured using a Visitrak $Digital^{(R)}$ (Smith & Nephew, Hull, UK) on every other day after surgery from day 2 to day 28. A biopsy was performed on day 3, and 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks to investigate the degree of acute and chronic inflammation, the number of microvesssel and myofibroblast density using H & E stain and immunohistochemistry. The wound contraction rate was calculated to figure out the differences among each of the shapes and the locations. Results: The ultimate shape of the circle wound was oval, and that of the regular triangle and square were stellate. The maximum contraction rate was obtained on 8 to 10 days for all the shapes, which corresponds with the immunohistochemical finding that myofibroblast increases in the earlier 2 weeks whereas it decreases in the later 2 weeks. Epithelialization was seen in the wound margin on day 7 and afterwards. The final wound contraction rates were highest for the regular triangle shapes; however, there were no statistically significant differences. The wound contraction rates by locations showed statistically significant differences. The wound in the cephalic area presented more contractions than that of the wounds in the caudal area. Conclusion: The location of a wound is more important factor than the wound shape in wound contraction.