• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.79-85
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• 2012

Minipigs are regarded as one of the most important laboratory animal in that anatomical and physiological properties are similar to human and their reproduction efficiency is relatively higher compared to other large animal species. Particularly, several diseases that cannot be mimicked in rodent models are successfully occurred or induced in pig models therefore it has been interested in a valuable model for human diseases. Pigs are also 'standard' species in xenotransplantation research. To maximize experimental outcome using minipigs, establishment and management of proper animal facility, right animal husbandry and control of pathogens are very important. In this review, we summarized several international guidelines related with minipigs published by several companies or governments and discuss optimal conditions for providing informative ideas to the researchers who want to use minipigs in their future studies.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.305-310
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• 2017

Miniature pig (minipig) has been considered as an important laboratory animal in the developmental biotechnology researches with respect to xenotransplantation, stem cell, somatic cell nuclear transfer and embryo transfer. Given that the laboratory minipigs are normally housed at an indoor facility, they pass the time with lying or sleeping unless it is feeding time. Therefore, it is necessary to provide environmental enrichments to satisfy their innate needs and to lessen atypical behaviors caused by stress, on the purpose of welfare. We quantitatively investigated the type of preferable enrichment for the laboratory minipigs as well as its effect on their daily life. They presented a great interest to the pliable pail but a rapid loss of attraction to non-preferable enrichments. When the daily life of the single housed minipigs was quantified based on duration of playing or resting, they were more actively engaged in lively activities in the presence of enrichments. In addition, the provision of enrichments could effectively alleviate the conflicts during group housing when new pen mate was introduced, resulting in reduction of wound cases. We believe the considerations of animal welfare are essential to the conduct of better research because animals in the non-stressful environment will be more physiologically stable and provide more reliable results in the animal experiments.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.146-153
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• 2017

Background: Acute radiation syndrome (ARS) primarily refers to damage to the hematopoietic system, myeloid system, and gastrointestinal (GI) system caused by radiation exposure. Such damage progresses to become life-threatening. In particular, as the syndrome develops very rapidly-within several hours from radiation exposure-prompt and accurate diagnosis and treatment are needed, as is further research into appropriate diagnostic and treatment modalities. Materials and Methods: Minipigs, which display human-like properties, underwent whole-body irradiation at 2 or 4 Gy (doses causing hematopoietic ARS) or at higher doses of 7 or 12 Gy. Changes in the blood cells and clinical symptoms were analyzed and we performed a necropsy when the animals succumbed to ARS. Results and Discussion: The minipig irradiated with 2 Gy showed a decrease in white blood cells, including neutrophils, lymphocytes, and platelets in the early stages. However, the blood cell counts gradually increased and returned to normal values. The minipig irradiated with 4 Gy succumbed due to hematopoietic ARS. In contrast, the minipigs irradiated with 7 or 12 Gy exhibited clinical symptoms of combined GI damage and hematopoietic syndrome. Moreover, a characteristic pattern of platelet changes was observed in the 7 and 12 Gy irradiated minipigs. Conclusion: The changes in the platelet count caused by radiation exposure observed in minipigs, which are hematologically and pathohistologically similar to humans, suggest that they can be used as a novel diagnostic criterion.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.7.1-7.7
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• 2015

To meet the increasing demands of specific pathogen free (SPF) minipigs in biomedical researches, 8 pregnant Chinese Wuzhishan minipigs (WZSP) sows with clear background were chosen to obtain SPF WZSP by hysterectomy. At $111{\pm}days2$ of the pregnancy, piglets were aseptically taken out from the sows and artificially suckled for 40 to 45 days in the positive isolators. Then, the piglets defined as F0 were transferred to barrier environment and fed with standard feeds. The original SPF colony was formed for breeding by selected piglets from F0 group of 6-8 months old. Biological characteristics of SPF WZSP were collected and further compared to those of conventional (CV) WZSP, including growth performance, reproductive performance, hematology and blood biochemistry, and major pathogens detection. As a result, 61 F0 piglets were obtained from 8 candidate sows, and 55 out of them survived. After strictly selection, 35 F0 piglets were used to form the original SPF colony, which produced 14 litters of SPF piglets defined as F1. Piglet survival rates, growth performance, and reproductive performance of SPF WZSP were similar to CV WZSP. Some hematology and blood biochemistry parameters showed significant differences between SPF and CV WZSP. Eighteen kinds of pathogens were identified to be free in F0 and F1 SPF colony by repeated pathogen detections. In conclusion, we established a satisfied SPF WZSP colony maintaining original characteristics, free of controlled diseases, and being proved to be a suitable laboratory animal.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.798-807
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• 2018

Several studies have reported the effect of absorption of procyanidins and their contribution to the small intestine. However, differences between dietary interventions of procyanidins and interventions via antibiotic feeding in pigs are rarely reported. Following 16S rRNA gene Illumina MiSeq sequencing, we observed that both procyanidin administration for 2 months (procyanidin-1 group) and continuous antibiotic feeding for 1 month followed by procyanidin for 1 month (procyanidin-2 group) increased the number of operational taxonomic units, as well as the Chao 1 and ACE indices, compared to those in pigs undergoing antibiotic administration for 2 months (antibiotic group). The genera Fibrobacter and Spirochaete were more abundant in the antibiotic group than in the procyanidin-1 and procyanidin-2 groups. Principal component analysis revealed clear separations among the three groups. Additionally, using the online Molecular Ecological Network Analyses pipeline, three co-occurrence networks were constructed; Lactobacillus was in a co-occurrence relationship with Trichococcus and Desulfovibrio and a co-exclusion relationship with Bacillus and Spharerochaeta. Furthermore, metabolic function analysis by phylogenetic investigation of communities by reconstruction of unobserved states demonstrated modulation of pathways involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids, energy, and nucleotides. These data suggest that procyanidin influences the gut microbiota and the intestinal metabolic function to produce beneficial effects on metabolic homeostasis.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.258-265
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• 2022

Background Chitosan (CS) is a well-known antimicrobial dressing material. Moreover, widely used amniotic membranes contain growth factors beneficial for wound healing. Herein, we created a novel amnion-conjugated CS-alginate membrane dressing and tested its wound healing potency in a diabetic swine model. Methods The bovine amniotic powder growth factor contents were evaluated by protein assay, and the powder's wound healing effects were assessed in vitro by HaCaT cell scratch closure. In vivo, two minipigs developed streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Serial serum glucose measurements and intravenous glucose tolerance tests were performed to confirm their diabetic status. Twelve square-shaped wounds created on each pig's back were randomly divided into control (n = 4), CS (n = 4), and amnion-CS (AC; n = 4) groups and treated accordingly with different dressings. Wound healing in each group was assessed by measuring wound contraction over time, capturing wound perfusion with indocyanine green (ICG) angiography, and histologically analyzing inflammatory markers. Results Amniotic powder elution promoted HaCaT cell migration in the scratch wound model, suggesting its beneficial in vitro wound healing effects. In vivo, the CS and AC groups showed earlier wound contraction initiation and reepithelialization and earlier wound perfusion improvement by ICG angiography than the control group. Additionally, the wound size of the AC group at week 3 was significantly smaller than those in the control group. There was no significant difference in the numbers of acute and chronic inflammatory cells between the groups. Conclusion The amnion-conjugated CS-alginate membrane, as well as CS dressing alone, could be a favorable dressing option for diabetic wounds.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.9 s.89
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• pp.1211-1216
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• 2007

Excretory urography was performed on eight healthy minipigs to evaluate radiographic anatomical status and excretive function of the urinary tracts and to get an optimal procedure. The right and left kidneys were located in $T13{\sim}L4$and $T12{\sim}L3.5$, respectively. The left kidneys were located more cra-nially than the right. The everage lengths and widths of kidneys were $8.50{\pm}0.58$ $(mean{\pm}SD)$and $4.30{\pm}0.39$ cm on the ventrodorsal projection and $8.70{\pm}0.76$, and $4.10{\pm}0.40$ cm on the lateral projection, respectively. The lengths of kidneys were twice the width. When the lengths of kidneys were com-pared with lengths of the second lumbar vertebras, the ratios of kidney lengths to L2 lengths were $3.62{\pm}0.30$ on the ventrodorsal projection and $3.63{\pm}1.10$ on the lateral projection. The lengths and 쟝손 of renal pelvis including major calices were $4.01{\pm}0.46$, and 2.20{\pm}0.41$ cm, respectively. The lengths and 쟝손 of minor calices were $0.49{\pm}0.06$, and $0.10{\pm}0.01$ cm. The lengths and widths of the ureters were $12.25{\pm}2.05$, and 2.94{\pm}0.86$ cm. The nephrogram stage was reached in 3{\sim}5$ minutes, and the pyelogram phase in $5{\sim}15$ minutes individually after injection of contrast medium. The result of this study shows similar information and procedure of excretory urography for other laboratory ani-mals and leads to the potential use of this method for minipigs.