DNA methylation at CpG sites, which is a epigenetic modification, is associated with gene expression without change of DNA sequences. During early mouse embryogenesis, dynamic changes of DNA methylation occur. In this study, DNA methylation patterns of porcine embryos produced in vivo and in vitro were examined at various developmental stages by the immunocytochemical staining method. Interestingly, active demethylation was not observed on the paternal pronucleus of porcine zygotes. However, differences were detected in the passive demethylation process between in vivo and in vitro embryos. There was no change in the DNA methylation state until the blastocyst stage of in vivo embryos, whereas partial demethylation was observed in several blastomeres from a 4 cell stage to a morula stage of in vitro embryos. The whole genome of inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) cells in porcine blastocysts were evenly methylated without de novo methylation. Our findings demonstrate that genome-wide demethylation does not occur in pig embryos during preimplantation development unlike murine and bovine embryos. It indicates that the machinery regulating epigenetic reprogramming may be different between species.

An experimental study of the fire protection performance of water mist spray subjected to thermal radiation was presented. Downward-directed water mist sprays to interact with an under. gasoline pool fire were experimentally investigated in underground environment. The mass mean diameters of water mist droplet were measured by PMAS under various flow conditions. The developed water mist spray nozzle was satisfied to the criteria of NFPA 750. The mechanism of the fire extinguishment by water mist spray was concluded to be cooling of the fire surface which lead to suppressed of' file1 evaporation. It was proved that the water mist spray system under. lower pressures could be applied to underground fire protection system.