• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.215-219
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to examine the reproductive characteristics of cloned miniature piglets produced from surrogate domestic pigs. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) miniature pig embryos were transferred into domestic pigs. As controls, domestic pigs of the same breed with surrogates for SCNT embryos and miniature pigs of the same breed with the somatic cell donor were bred by artificial insemination and natural mating, respectively. Surrogate domestic pigs that farrowed cloned miniature piglets had a significantly longer gestation length (118.1 days) than conventionally bred domestic (115.4 days) and miniature (115.5 days) pigs. Furthermore, the birth weight of cloned miniature piglets produced from domestic pigs (743 g) was significantly greater than that of miniature piglets produced by natural breeding (623 g). Also, cloned miniature piglets had a significantly lower weaning rate (49.7%) than conventionally produced domestic (91.5%) and miniature (100%) piglets. No differences were observed between female and male cloned piglets in gestation length, litter size, birth weight, or weaning rate. Our results demonstrate that gestation length is extended in domestic pigs that are transferred with SCNT miniature pig embryos and that cloned miniature piglets have increased birth weight and high pre-weaning mortality.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.57-64
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• 2010

This study was conducted to compare the aspects of behavior between miniature pigs and conventional sows during gestation and lactation periods. Miniature pigs and conventional sows at 3 parity were used in this experiment with 4 pigs per treatment. The behavioral patterns and stereotyped behaviors were observed on day 60 and 90 of gestation, at farrowing, and on day 10 of lactation before and after the feeding. On 60 and 90 days of pregnancy, both treatments showed the tendency of frequent lateral lying rather than other postures. On ventral lying, eating and drinking, miniature pigs spent more time than conventional pigs at day 90 of gestation (P<0.01, P=0.0539, P<0.05, respectively). The occurrence of stereotyped behaviors included bar biting and bar mouth chewing. At 90 day of pregnancy was observed, conventional pigs was higher than miniature pigs (P<0.05). At farrowing, miniature pigs spent more time on ventral lying, standing and walking than conventional sows (P<0.05), however, there were more frequency of drinking and eating. And on day 10 of lactation, there was no significant difference in stereotyped behaviors between miniature pigs and conventional sows. In conclusion, miniature pigs were generally more sensitive than conventional sows although sows were reared in stall during gestation and lactation period and the behavioral pattern during lactating period showed the similarity between miniature pigs and conventional sows for protection of nursing pigs. In consideration of the general reproductive performance of conventional sows, the high sensitivity and stress of miniature pigs did not affect the reproductive performance of miniature pigs.

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.15 no.4 s.85
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• pp.304-310
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• 2006

Due to a recent growth of the area of MEMS and a trend moving toward smaller scale, a micro manufacturing that is usually related with lithography is now emerging. Differently from traditional manufacturing processes, the micro or miniature manufacturing usually requires expensive sophisticated equipments and its characteristics are of high cost and of low productivity. However, a miniature stamping, which makes small sized product with a thin metal usually in the range of meso-scale, can be realized in a low cost and in a high productivity with relatively inexpensive equipments. For a successful development of miniature stamping, lots of obstacles, including material properties related with formability, have to be overcome. Since the thin metal shows distinctive characteristics, e.g., size effect and statistically scattered material properties, the formability of miniature stamping is not good in general and the possible shape with the miniature stamping is limited relatively simple shapes. Since the optimal blank improves formability and the improved formability can make up for problems of material properties, the possibility of success can be increased. This study is carried out to show the possibility of miniature stamping and to verify the effect of optimal blank for the miniature stamping.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1637-1644
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• 2003

Stereoscopic particle image velocimetry is a measurement technique to acquire three dimensional velocity field by two cameras. With a laser sheet illumination, the third velocity component can be deduced from out-of$.$plane velocity components using a stereoscopic matching method. Most industrial fluid flows are three dimensional turbulent flows, so it is necessary to use the stereoscopic PIV measurement method. However the existing stereoscopic PIV system seems hard to use since it is very expensive and complex. In this study we have developed a Miniature Stereo-PIV(MSPIV) system based on the concept of the Miniature PIV system which we have already developed. In this paper, we address the design and some primitive experimental results of the Miniature Stereo-PIV system. The Miniature Stereo-PIV system features relatively modest performances, but is considerably smaller, cheaper and easy to handle. The proposed Miniature Stereo-PIV system uses two one-chip-only CMOS cameras with digital output. Only two other chips are needed, one for a buffer memory and one for an interfacing logic that controls the system. Images are transferred to a personal computer (PC) via its standard parallel port. No extra hardware is required (in particular, no frame grabber board is needed).

• Transactions of Materials Processing
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• v.15 no.3 s.84
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• pp.247-254
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• 2006

Rather than traditional manufacturing processes, miniature manufacturing processes usually require sophisticated equipments and characteristics of the processes of high cost and of low productivity. Contrarily, miniature stamping process can be realized in a low cost high productivity with relatively inexpensive equipments. In the meso scale, mechanical properties, especially work hardening characteristics, are discovered to be statically scattered and size dependent by intensive experimental and numerical investigations, which make the stamping process hard to apply to the miniature manufacturing. In this study, dual purpose experimental device that can be used for both miniature scale tensile test and miniature scale stamping by simple change of attachment has been developed. For the tensile test, the elongation has been measured with a combined use of a CCD camera and a linear encoder in order to account for the possibility of slippage between specimen and the grip and to ensure the accuracy of the measurement, while load has been measured with a load cell. To satisfy the required material properties for stamping, optimal annealing condition has been found by examining the microstructure of annealed specimen.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.261-265
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• 2004

The present study was conducted to assess sperm characteristics in miniature-pig. The semen samples were transported to the laboratory at 17℃ within 3 hours after collection. The extended semen was stored at 17℃, and sperm quality was evaluated at 0, 1, 3, 5 and 7 days after storage. The semen volume of miniature-pig (62±22㎖) was significantly (p<0.05) lower than that of Duroc (155±25㎖) and Yorkshire (154±23㎖). Significant differences were also observed in sperm concentrations. During 3 days of storage, sperm viability did not differ among miniature-pig, Duroc and Yorkshire. However, the viability was significantly (p<0.05) lower in miniature-pig than in Duroc and Yorkshire semen after Day 3 of storage. In abnormality, acrosome intactness and intensity, there were no differences among miniature-pig, Duroc and Yorkshire semen. On the other hand, the viability of frozen-thawed sperm in miniature-pig was significantly (p<0.05) lower than in that of Duroc and Yorkshire. This study also examined CTC patterns in frozen-thawed spermatozoa. The rates of AR pattern were higher in miniature-pig than in Duroc and Yorkshire. However, no difference was found in F, B and AR patterns. The results of present study suggest that further research is necessary to develop of semen extender and freezing methods to improve sperm quality in miniature-pig.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.189-198
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• 1993

The present study was undertaken to provide basic data on endochondral ossification for the axis in developing Miniature Schnauzers. This study was determined to the morphological features and development of growth plast in the axis of this experimental animals by histological and histochemical methods. The axis from 2 healthy Miniature Schnauzers(postnatal 6hr, 5week) was used. The obtained results were as follows : 1. In 5-week-old Miniature Schnauzer, the axis consisted of 4 separate ossification centers : centrum l, intercentrum 2, centrum 2 and epiphysis. Intercentrum 2 was intercalated between centrum 1 cranially, centrum 2 caudally. 2. The space of centrum 1 was more broader than the other ossification centers. 3. The zone of reserved chondrocytes was more extensive than the zone of proliferative chondrocytes, trabeculation was weakly observed, however, the proximal epiphyseal plate of axis was actively trabeculation observed in the zone of calcified chondrocytes. 4. Eighteen columns of chondrocytes were observed in the centrum 1 and five to seven columns of chondrocytes were observed in the centrum 2 of Miniature Schnauzer(postnatal 5 week) 5. A positive reaction to alcianophility was observed in all the territorial matrix at the zone of hypertrophic chondrocytes in this experimental animals.

• International Journal of Fluid Machinery and Systems
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.191-198
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• 2011

Based on the consideration that the cavitation would affect the operation stability of miniature pumps, the 3-D turbulent cavitating flow in a test pump was simulated by using a mixed cavitation model and k-${\omega}$ SST turbulence model. In order to investigate the influence of inlet geometry parameters on the cavitation performance of the miniature pump, two more impellers are designed for comparison. Based on the results, the following conclusions are drawn: 1) Cavitation performance of the double suction shaft-less miniature pump having different impeller is equivalent to the centrifugal pump having ordinary size, though the flow passage at impeller inlet is small; 2) The miniature pump having radial impeller can produce much higher pump head, but lower cavitation performance than that having the impeller based on the conventional design method; 3) It is believed that by applying the double suction design, the miniature pump achieved relatively uniform flow pattern upstream the impeller inlet, which is favorable for improving cavitation performance.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1725-1728
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• 2010

Miniature pigs are widely used in experiments related to pulmonary disease because of their similarities with humans. However, there are not enough data about normal lung function in miniature pigs. Thus, in this study, we investigated normal lung function in miniature pigs with lung ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy and evaluated the availability of this method. Three male miniature pigs weighing 30-35 kg were used. After general anesthesia, ventilation scintigraphy was performed with 100 MBq of $^{99m}Tc$-pertechnetate (${O_4}^-$), after which perfusion scintigraphy was performed with intravenous injection of $^{99m}Tc$-macro aggregated albumin (MAA). The functional contribution of the right lung was about 55%, and left lung was about 45%, similar to humans. Lung ventilation/perfusion scintigraphy was very useful in evaluating the normal lung function of miniature pigs because it was a non-invasive procedure (no tissue damage was involved), took a short time and was easy to perform. In conclusion, miniature pigs are similar to humans in functional contributions of the lung, and this method will be helpful in future pulmonary disease studies involving miniature pigs.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.272-281
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• 2015

Miniature smart-bullet is a human-carrying guided missile designed to hit a target easily while having a miniature size. Contrary to the normal missiles, miniature smart-bullet is highly expected to enhance the military strength and survival rate of troops by its compact size readily carriable to a single soldier. In this paper, previously developed techniques, activities and patents of miniature smart-bullet, particularly its structural shape and actuators are surveyed. Furthermore, analysis of required techniques to develop a miniature smart-bullet are also discussed for upcoming conceptual design.