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Large animal experiments are important for preclinical studies of regenerative stem cell transplantation therapy. Therefore, we investigated the differentiation capacity of pig skeletal muscle-derived stem cells (Sk-MSCs) as an intermediate model between mice and humans for nerve muscle regenerative therapy. Enzymatically extracted cells were obtained from green-fluorescence transgenic micro-mini pigs (GFP-Tg MMP) and sorted as CD34+/45− (Sk-34) and CD34−/45−/29+ (Sk-DN) fractions. The ability to differentiate into skeletal muscle, peripheral nerve, and vascular cell lineages was examined via in vitro cell culture and in vivo cell transplantation into the damaged tibialis anterior muscle and sciatic nerves of nude mice and rats. Protein and mRNA levels were analyzed using RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, and immunoelectron microscopy. The myogenic potential, which was tested by Pax7 and MyoD expression and the formation of muscle fibers, was higher in Sk-DN cells than in Sk-34 cells but remained weak in the latter. In contrast, the capacity to differentiate into peripheral nerve and vascular cell lineages was significantly stronger in Sk-34 cells. In particular, Sk-DN cells did not engraft to the damaged nerve, whereas Sk-34 cells showed active engraftment and differentiation into perineurial/endoneurial cells, endothelial cells, and vascular smooth muscle cells, similar to the human case, as previously reported. Therefore, we concluded that Sk-34 and Sk-DN cells in pigs are closer to those in humans than to those in mice.

Flow boiling experiments were conducted in this work to investigate the effect of gravitational orientation on flow boiling performance in channels with different hydraulic diameters (D h ) ranging from minichannels to microchannels. Four different channel sizes (D h ~ 100 μm, 300 μm, 500 μm and 1000 μm) were experimented through four different orientations such as horizontal upward facing (HU), horizontal downward facing (HD), vertical up flow (VUF) and vertical down flow (VDF) with mass flux ranging from 100 to 900 kg/m 2  s. Critical heat flux (CHF), heat transfer coefficient, pressure drop and flow patterns data were determined for different channel sizes with different orientations and mass fluxes. The experimental results were also compared with the different criteria reported in the literature regarding the existence of gravity force in minichannels and microchannels. From the experimental analysis it was clear that for channel sizes (D h ) of 100 and 300 μm, the gravity force was not so dominant, but in the case of 300 μm channel, VDF reported degraded heat transfer performance. For channel sizes (D h ) of 500 and 1000 μm, the gravity force was dominant. Reversed bubble flow was observed for these channel sizes in VDF orientation trial. The HD orientation also shows a reduction in critical heat flux and heat transfer coefficient for these channel sizes. VUF orientation was found to be the best for all channel specimens irrespective of channel size. The buoyancy assisted bubble movement along the length of the channel will help in easy bubble removal and flushing. The comparison with different criteria shows that only Bond number (Bo) can able to predict the existence of gravity force in different channel size ranges.

Pig skeletal muscle-derived stem cells (SK-MSCs) were transplanted onto the common peroneal nerve with a collagen tube as a preclinical large animal experiment designed to address long nerve gaps. In terms of therapeutic usefulness, a human family case was simulated by adjusting the major histocompatibility complex to 50% and 100% correspondences. Swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) class I haplotypes were analyzed and clarified, as well as cell transplantation. Skeletal muscle-derived CD34+/45− (Sk-34) cells were injected into bridged tubes in two groups (50% and 100%) and with non-cell groups. Therapeutic effects were evaluated using sedentary/general behavior-based functional recovery score, muscle atrophy ratio, and immunohistochemistry. The results indicated that a two-Sk-34-cell-transplantation group showed clearly and significantly favorable functional recovery compared to a non-cell bridging-only group. Supporting functional recovery, the morphological reconstitution of the axons, endoneurium, and perineurium was predominantly evident in the transplanted groups. Thus, Sk-34 cell transplantation is effective for the regeneration of peripheral nerve gap injury. Additionally, 50% and 100% SLA correspondences were therapeutically similar and not problematic, and no adverse reaction was found in the 50% group. Therefore, the immunological response to Sk-MSCs is considered relatively low. The possibility of the Sk-MSC transplantation therapy may extend to the family members beyond the autologous transplantation.

In this paper, we will study the flow of two immiscible fluids (air/water) through a sudden expansion in a horizontal channel. The first part of the paper will be a detailed bibliography study of sudden expansion problems followed by a mathematical and numerical study where detailed equations and numerical methods used for the numerical simulation are presented. The second part of the paper represents the numerical results obtained. First, we will validate our numerical model with the experimental results obtained by Chalfi and Ghiaasiaan (Int J Multiph Flow 34(1):2–12, 2008. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijmultiphaseflow.2007.09.004 ). The validation will be for the pressure distribution in the channel and the pressure jump over the sudden expansion. A comparison will be also done with the experimental results from Chalfi and Ghiaasiaan (2008) and the theoretical model from Armand-type void-quality expression for the pressure with different Reynolds numbers. After that, a numerical study will be done with a different ratio of the same geometry, pressure and velocity parameter will be studied and the jump over these variables is captured at the sudden expansion. The numerical part is done with the FEniCS platform which is a powerful finite-element computational open-source scientific platform.

The effects of swine leukocyte antigen (SLA) molecules on numerous production and reproduction performance traits have been mainly reported as associations with specific SLA haplotypes that were assigned using serological typing methods. In this study, we intended to clarify the association between SLA class II genes and reproductive traits in a highly inbred population of 187 Microminipigs (MMP), that have eight different types of SLA class II haplotypes. In doing so, we compared the reproductive performances, such as fertility index, gestation period, litter size, and number of stillbirth among SLA class II low resolution haplotypes (Lrs) that were assigned by a polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP) typing method. Only low resolution haplotypes were used in this study because the eight SLA class II high-resolution haplotypes had been assigned to the 14 parents or the progenitors of the highly inbred MMP herd in a previous publication. The fertility index of dams with Lr-0.13 was significantly lower than that of dams with Lr-0.16, Lr-0.17, Lr-0.18, or Lr-0.37. Dams with Lr-0.23 had significantly smaller litter size at birth than those with Lr-0.17, Lr-0.18, or Lr-0.37. Furthermore, litter size at weaning of dams with Lr-0.23 was also significantly smaller than those dams with Lr-0.16, Lr-0.17, Lr-0.18, or Lr-0.37. The small litter size of dams with Lr-0.23 correlated with the smaller body sizes of these MMPs. These results suggest that SLA class II haplotypes are useful differential genetic markers for further haplotypic and epistatic studies of reproductive traits, selective breeding programs, and improvements in the production and reproduction performances of MMPs.

FUR IS EXPERIENCING A YOUTHQUAKE THIS FALL KEEPING THE TRADEMARK GLAMOUR-BUT SHEDDING SOME OF THE BULKIT'S REINVENTING ITSELF IN STYLES CUT AS SLIM AS DINNER JACKETS OR AS LUXURIOUS AS FLOORSWEEPING COATS

Where to go when you've seen the world twice over? Intrepid traveler Karolina Kurkova takes a Barbarella-inspired fantasy escape to the moon.

They didn't get their rebel reputations by following the pack. Fashion's favorite bad boys, John Galliano and Jean Paul Gaultier, continue to use cultural references and eclectic inspirations to create collections that defy the trends and, in doing so inevitably start their own.

It's the other big story besides color. It comes from silver, gold, kid, or sixties-inspired patent leather. It turns up here in metallics and in different degrees of brightness for night