• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2009

To search a new pig pheromonal odorant, the $N^1$-allyl-$N^2$-(tetrahydrofuran-Z-ylmethyl)oxalamide molecule predicted by ligand based approach and molecular docking method was synthesized by nucleophilic addition-elimination reaction ($Ad_{NU-E}$) between N-allyloxalamic acid ethylester and tetrahydrofurlmethylamine. According to the evaluation results for efficiency of pig estrus control, the synthesized pig pheromonal $N^1$-allyl-$N^2$-(tetrahydrofuran-2-ylmethyl)oxalamide molecule advanced the estrus by 11.3 days (p<0.05) compared with the non-pheromone group. And from these results, it is predicted that the synthesized pig pheromonal compound will be able to increase the reproduction efficiency of pig.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.765-770
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• 2001

Thirty second parity sows of the synthetic Nepalese Pakhribas genotype were used to investigate factors which might improve the occurrence and expression of estrus. The experiment had two sequential elements. In part 1, a change in suckling pattern was applied during lactation, and in part 2, different estrus detection methods were evaluated after weaning. All sows received the same pattern of weaning, which imitated the progressive weaning system used in Nepalese villages. Piglets from each litter were weaned at three ages (6, 7 and 8 weeks of age) in the proportion of 0.5 at 6 weeks followed by 0.25 at each of the subsequent weanings. In the first lactation treatment, the suckling pattern was left undisturbed, similar to the practice used in the villages in which the remaining piglets after first weaning are allowed continuous suckling. In the other treatment, the remaining piglets after first weaning were allowed to suckle their sows only during the night, whilst in the day time (09:00-16:00) they were excluded from the sow but left free to roam around. After weaning, estrus detection procedures were carried out in the absence or presence of two different boar stimuli: a synthetic boar pheromone spray or fresh boar urine. These were applied sequentially in a sequence of testing that alternated for each sow on a daily basis. The weaning to re-mating interval was significantly longer for the unrestricted suckling treatment. All sows were re-mated within 30 days after first weaning in the restricted suckling treatment groups, whereas only 71% of sows were re-mated within 30 days after weaning in the unrestricted suckling treatment groups ($x^2=3.877$, 1df, p<0.05). Both boar pheromone spray and boar urine increased the estrus detection probability, with no significant differences between the two stimuli treatments.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.15-20
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• 2007

To search of a new porcine pheromonal odorant for biostimulation control system technologies to offer a potentially useful and practical way to improve reproductive efficiency in livestock species, the two dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models between physicochemical parameters as descriptors of 2-cyclohexyloxytetrahydrofurane (A), 2-phenoxytetrahydrofurane (B) analogues and binding affinity constant ($p[Od.]_{50}$) for porcine odorant-binding protein (pOBP) as receptor of pig pheromones were derived and disscused. The statistical quality of the optimized 2D-QSAR model is good ($r^{2}=0.964$) and accounts for 96.4% of the variance in the binding affinity constants. It was found that the binding affinity constants were dependent upon the optimal value, $(SL)_{opt.}=1.418$ of substituent lipole (SL) in molecules. Therefore, the SL constant was very important factor for binding affinity.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2005

To search of a new porcine pheromonal odorants for biostimulation control system technologies to offer a potentially useful and practical way to improve reproductive efficiency in livestock species, the holographic quantitative structure activity relationship (HQSAR) model between odorants, 2-phenoxytetrahydrofurane (A), 2-cyclohexyl-oxytetrahydrofurane (B), derivatives and binding affinity constants (p[Od.]/sub 50/) for porcine odorant-binding protein (pOBP) as receptor of pig pheromones were derivated and disscused. The binding affinity constants of cyclohexyl substituents (A) for pOBP were higher (A>B) than that of phenyl substituents (B). It was revealed that the optimum HQSAR model XI using PLS analyses had a fragment length (5∼8) with chirality at 5 components and hologram length 97 bin, which had a cross-validated q²(predictablities) of 0.916, and a conventional correlation coefficient r² (fitness) of 0.988, respectively. From the atomic contribution, the C3 and C5 atom in 2-oxyfuryl group contributed to binding affinity constants, whereas the central carbon atom in tert-butyl group on the cyclohexyl ring and the C4 atom of furyl group parts showed no contribution.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.259-263
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• 2009

Salivary lipocalin (SAL1) is a member of the lipocalin protein family that has a property to associate with many lipophilic molecules and was identified as pheromone-binding protein in pigs. Our previous study has shown that SAL1 is expressed in the uterine endometrium in a cell type- and implantation stage-specific manner and secreted into the uterine lumen in pigs. However, function of SAL1 in the uterus during pregnancy in pigs is still not known. To understand physiological function of SAL1 in the uterine endometrium during pregnancy in pigs, it needs to elucidate the ligand(s) for SAL1. Thus, to identify the ligand for SAL1 in the porcine uterus, we collected uterine luminal fluid from pigs on day 12 of pregnancy by flushing with PBS. Proteins from the uterine luminal fluid were separated by ion exchange chromatography and gel filtration. Fractions containing SAL1 protein were pooled and concentrated. Immunoblot analysis confirmed successful purification of SAL1. Then, we extracted lipids from the purified SAL1 protein and analyzed the lipids by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and predicted to be steroid hormones and prostaglandins as SAL1 ligands. Results in this study showed that SAL1 protein in the uterine secretions has a small lipophilic molecule as a natural ligand. Further characterization of ligand extracted from purified SAL1 will be useful for understanding physiological function of SAL1 during pregnancy and its application to increase the pregnancy rate in pigs.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2004

To search a new porcine pheromonal odorants, this research for biostimulation and role of pheromone was augmented by means of "control system technologies" to offer a potentially useful and practical way to improve reproductive efficiency in livestock species. Therefore the 13 physicochemical parameters such as similarity indice (S), hydrophobicity (logP) and van der Waals molecule volume (MV) etc. of 54 steroid analogues, which are analogous of substrate molecules, 5$\alpha$-androst-16-en-3-one (P1) and 5$\alpha$-androst-16-en-3-ol (P2) of lipocalin as receptor of pig pheromones were calculated and discussed. The physicochemical properties of these steroid analogues were mainly followed by steric dissimilar of A and D ring in steroid nucleus. And we found that from correlation with S values and MV constants of molecules, the more MV constants are small, the more S values tend to approach 1. Based on this results, the S-values of 4-androsten-3,17-dione (P1-1) and 5 $\alpha$ -androstan-3-one (P2-1) were 1.0, respectively. The two compounds of them were chosen because they showed the same value each other at a side of hydrophobicity, molar refractivity and molecular volume. It is expected that the new two compounds will be able to substitute for P1 and P2, porcine pheromonal odorants.