121 results about "Granular leucocyte" patented technology

The invention provides a strain of lactobacillus plantarum YS-AG23 with high antioxidant activity, and a rhizoma polygonati and radix angelicae sinensis fermented product obtained by fermenting rhizoma polygonati and radix angelicae sinensis with the strain of lactobacillus plantarum YS-AG23. In a D-galactose induced premature ovarian failure mouse model, the fermentation product can regulate up the levels of antioxidant and stress protection genes SOD2 and HO-1 and an anti-aging gene SIRT1 by regulating down the expression of a key gene AGER of an inflammation and oxidative stress pathway, so that the oxidative stress and inflammatory response of model mouse ovarian tissues are remarkably reduced; meanwhile, the serum hormone level can be specifically adjusted, the serum estradiol (E2) level can be increased, the follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels can be reduced to be close to the normal range, the expression of anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) and hormone regulatory gene LHR of ovarian reserve markers can be up-regulated, the proliferative activity and estrogen secretion function of follicular granulosa cells can be improved, and the effect of preventing ovarian reserve is achieved. The wet weight of atrophic uterus and ovary of the model mouse is remarkably increased, uterine and ovary atrophy is effectively reversed, and the ovarian reserve function of the D-galactose induced premature ovarian failure model mouse is recovered. Besides, in an H2O2-induced human dermal fibroblast aging model, the yeast can improve the activity of aging cells in a concentration-dependent manner and reduce the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the cells; in addition, by up-regulating the expression of a collagen synthesis key gene COL1A1 and down-regulating the expression of a cell senescence marker gene p16, skin cell senescence caused by oxidative stress can be effectively improved. In conclusion, the polygonatum sibiricum and angelica sinensis leavening can synchronously improve premature ovarian failure and skin cell senescence caused by oxidative stress by accurately regulating and controlling oxidative stress, inflammatory response and tissue function related genes, and has wide application potential.

The invention belongs to the technical field of biological medicine, and particularly relates to a reagent for improving ovarian development and a preparation method and application thereof. The reagent for improving ovarian development is prepared by mixing the following raw materials in parts by weight: 20-30 parts of N-acetylcysteine; 5 to 10 parts of tranexamic acid; 3 to 8 parts of creatine; and 3000 parts of water. According to the reagent, the mRNA expression of PKD1P6 and follicle stimulating hormone receptors (FSHR) in ovarian tissues is up-regulated, the activity and functions of cumulus granular cells are enhanced, and apoptosis of the cumulus granular cells is inhibited, so that the effects of effectively promoting follicle development and inhibiting the apoptosis of the cumulus granular cells are achieved.

The invention relates to the technical field of animal husbandry, in particular to a synchronous oestrus-timing insemination method suitable for cattle, which comprises the following steps: firstly, performing intramuscular injection of PG (cloprostenol sodium) at different time points after calving to promote uterine recovery and luteolysis and lay a synchronous oestrus foundation; the method comprises the key steps that GnRH (gonadotropin release hormone) is given through intramuscular injection on the 43rd day, the 53rd day, the 60th day and the 69th day, pituitary is promoted to release follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), collection and screening of follicles are guided, follicle maturation is promoted, the oestrus uncovering rate and the oestrus conception rate are increased, a melatonin implant is implanted in a subcutaneous implantation mode on the 63rd day, and the melatonin implant is implanted in a subcutaneous implantation mode on the 63rd day. The synthesis of ovarian hormones is promoted by regulating the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis, the secretion of follicle cell factors and maturation promoting factors is promoted, the development of granular cells is promoted, and the maturation of oocytes is promoted. According to the method, the pregnancy rate of a double-synchronization-timing insemination scheme which is most widely used in a large-scale dairy cow breeding pasture at present can be remarkably increased, and feasible technical support is provided for success of increasing the breeding efficiency of cows.

This invention provides the application of CTH inhibitors and / or xCT inhibitors in the preparation of drugs for inhibiting mammalian embryo implantation, relating to the field of pharmaceutical technology. This invention verifies the efficacy of cystathionine-γ-lyase (CTH) inhibitors and / or solute carrier family 7 member 11 (xCT) inhibitors in inhibiting mammalian embryo implantation. The results show that xCT inhibitors and / or CTH inhibitors can significantly inhibit the proliferation of luteinized granulosa cells and progesterone secretion in mouse models. Furthermore, in vivo injection of xCT inhibitors and / or CTH inhibitors into mouse models not only significantly inhibits ovulation and the maturation rate of released oocytes, but also significantly reduces the formation of functional corpus luteum and embryo implantation. Therefore, this application provides new ideas and methods for the development of contraceptive drugs.

The application discloses application of NCOA7 circular RNA nanoliposome in preparation of a drug for treating premature ovarian failure or ovarian reserve function decline, and belongs to the technical field of biological medicine.The present application proves that nuclear receptor coactivator 7 (NCOA7) can relieve ovarian aging and significantly improve the ovarian function and fertility of DOR patients.The present application finds that NCOA7 circular RNA nanoliposome treatment can significantly improve the NCOA7 protein expression level of DOR female ovarian granulosa cells, improve the aging phenotype and growth rate of the DOR female ovarian granulosa cells, and has no significant influence on the biological characteristics of the ovarian granulosa cells, thereby providing a new scheme for rescuing the ovarian function and improving the fertility of DOR women.

The invention provides a novel application of a raspberry extract. It is found through tests that any one of isoquercitrin, ellagic acid, vanillic acid, oleanolic acid, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-sophoroside, tiliroside, tormentic acid and raspberry extract can remarkably improve the activity of the human ovarian granular cells or remarkably improve the oxidative stress level, and the activity of the human ovarian granular cells can be remarkably improved. According to the present invention, the ovarian function can be effectively protected by the eight components, the ovarian function can be effectively protected by the eight components, or the mitochondrial membrane potential level can be significantly regulated and controlled, or the estrogen level in the microenvironment can be effectively maintained, such that the ovarian function can be effectively protected by the eight components, and the raspberry extract containing the eight components. The invention provides a new choice for ovarian function protection products, and also provides a new application for the substances.

The invention relates to an isolated culture method of functional Chinese softshell turtle ovarian granular cells. The isolated culture method comprises the following steps: S1, collecting ovarian tissues: collecting Chinese softshell turtle ovarian tissues; s2, separating and collecting a granular cell layer; s3, digesting and collecting granular cells; s4, primary culture of granulosa cells: transferring the collected cells into a cell culture bottle containing 4 ml of a complete culture medium for primary culture, wherein the complete culture medium comprises the following main components: a DMEM culture medium, 15% of fetal calf serum, 1% of penicillin streptomycin and 1% of an insulin-transferrin-selenium additive; and S5, subculturing the granular cells. The isolated culture method and the culture medium system provided by the invention are simpler and more time-saving and labor-saving; according to the method, the aromatase CYP19A1 can be expressed normally, the characteristics of the granular cells are kept, the aromatase CYP19A1 can be expressed normally, it is indicated that the in-vitro cultured cells can keep the functionality of the cells, and the in-vitro proliferation capacity of the granular cells is improved to a great extent.

The present application relates to the field of biological medicine and modernization of traditional Chinese medicine, and particularly relates to a therapeutic target, an inhibitor and a traditional Chinese medicine composition for treating ovarian hypofunction caused by oxidative stress and application thereof. The present application first determines SRC tyrosine kinase as a key drug target for preventing and treating the disease. The application of the SRC tyrosine kinase inhibitor (such as secaitinib) in preparing related drugs is provided, which can alleviate the damage of ovarian granulosa cells by inhibiting the SRC activity, down-regulating the expression of antioxidant enzyme related genes and reducing the level of active oxygen. Meanwhile, the present application provides a traditional Chinese medicine composition composed of mulberry, kudzu root, tuckahoe and medlar. The composition can improve the hormone level, enhance the antioxidant capacity, improve the ovarian function and fertility by inhibiting the SRC tyrosine kinase activity and the SRC-RAF1-MEK-ERK signal pathway. The present application provides a new solution for the targeted treatment of ovarian hypofunction and the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine.

The application discloses a kind of marker for predicting oocyte copy number variation and application thereof, the marker includes the combination of CLEC11A, P4HB, EFEMP2, IL32, FTL, FLNA, COL6A3, ACPP and APOO protein.By the marker of the application, the expression level of granulosa cell secretory protein can be determined by granulosa cell transcriptome sequencing, and the genomic CNV condition of corresponding oocyte can be inferred.The detection object of the technical solution is discarded granulosa cell in assisted reproductive technology, so it will not have any impact on oocyte, and it is non-invasive;The present study is a transcriptome and methylation group detection from single cell level, with high-throughput characteristics, and all granulosa cells and oocytes are one-to-one matched, which can reflect the difference between single cell level COCs.

The present invention relates to a medium composition for in vitro fertilization and / or in vitro culture comprising a compound represented by chemical formula 1 or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and a method using same. The compound or composition suppresses reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation in ovarian granulosa cells to preventing cytotoxicity and mitochondrial dysfunction caused by apoptosis and ferroptosis, leading to an improvement in the quality of aged oocytes, and to increase the developmental rate and blastocyst formation rate of pre-implantation embryos, thereby improving the efficiency of in vitro fertilization. In addition, treatment with the medium composition during the vitrification process of in vitro–fertilized embryos improves re-expansion and survival rates, thereby reducing structural and metabolic damage. Accordingly, the present invention can be advantageously applied to an assisted reproductive technology for treating infertility and subfertility, and in vitro fertilization and / or in vitro culture for improving the propagation efficiency of livestock.

The invention discloses a method for promoting ovulation of sexual maturity zebrafish by using Gap27, and relates to the technical field of artificial breeding of fish, a gap connecting protein inhibitor Gap27 is applied to ovulation induction of zebrafish, an intercellular communication network in follicles is accurately intervened, the problem of asynchronous ovulation is solved, and in the final stage of maturation of oocytes, ovulation of sexual maturity zebrafish is promoted. Close substance and information exchange is carried out among follicular granule cells through a gap connecting channel formed by connecting protein Cx43, and Gap27 is used as a specific peptide fragment, can simulate an extracellular ring structure of Cx43, and competitively binds with Cx43 on an adjacent cell membrane, so that formation and functions of the gap connecting channel are physically blocked, and the follicular granule cells are separated from each other. When ovarian tissues of sexually mature female fish are exposed in a Gap27 solution, the transmission of inhibitory signals from granular cells to oocytes can be effectively interrupted, the rupture of nuclear membranes of the cells is promoted, and the final maturation process is completed.

The application relates to the field of biological medicine, and particularly discloses application of a sophora japonica extract in preparation of a product for improving the reproductive performance of ewes. The sophora japonica extract can effectively inhibit pyroptosis of ovarian granulosa cells by down-regulating expression of cysteine protease B, further reverses follicle atresia and ovulation disorders caused by pyroptosis, and improves the reproductive performance; animal experiments show that the sophora japonica extract can optimize the follicle development structure of ewes, inhibit overdevelopment of large follicles, and significantly improve the ovulation efficiency, thereby providing a new scheme for inhibiting pyroptosis of ovarian granulosa cells and improving the reproductive performance of livestock.

Provided herein are methods and compositions for differentiating induced pluripotent stem cells into granulosa-like cells by overexpressing transcription factors such as NR5A1 and a RUNX family protein (e.g., RUNXI and / or RUNX2).

The application discloses a doxorubicin scavenger for protecting ovarian fertility and a preparation method thereof, comprising a DNA complex wrapped by a red blood cell membrane, wherein the red blood cell membrane is surface-modified by an anti-Mullerian duct antibody alphaAMH; the doxorubicin scavenger is specifically combined with AMH which is highly expressed in ovarian tissues through alphaAMH, is enriched in the ovarian part in a targeted manner, adsorbs doxorubicin through a DNA fragment in the DNA complex, reduces toxic damage of doxorubicin to ovarian cells, and further protects ovarian fertility. The doxorubicin scavenger can adsorb injected doxorubicin Dox, reduce side effects of doxorubicin Dox on ovarian granulosa cells, and further protect ovarian function and fertility.

The invention relates to an effect of an REV-ERBalpha agonist SR9009 in the aspect of delaying ovarian senescence, and aims at the problem of fertility decline caused by cliff-type decline of ovarian functions of women over 35 years old, the SR9009 is applied to activate an REV-ERBalpha circadian rhythm signal channel in ovarian tissues, inhibit excessive autophagy of granular cells and maintain a primordial follicle dormancy state, so that the agonist SR9009 can be used for delaying ovarian senescence. Therefore, the original follicle depletion speed is delayed, follicle storage is maintained, and the ovary reproductive function cycle is prolonged. The effect is verified by a mammal model: REV-ERBalpha protein expression in an ovary of an aging individual is reduced, rhythmicity expression is disordered, autophagy of granulosa cells can be effectively inhibited in the ovary of the aging individual intervened by the SR9009, and the number of residual primordial follicles and the number of total follicles are obviously greater than those of an untreated control group. The invention provides an innovative treatment strategy of targeted rhythm regulation and control for clinical intervention of ovarian aging.

The present application relates to a kind of two-dimensional metal polyphenol complex nanomaterials that can be enriched in ovary, preparation method and application thereof, the nanomaterial can be enriched in ovary, including two-dimensional metal polyphenol complex as substrate, and follicle-stimulating hormone polypeptide grafted to the surface of the substrate;Wherein, the surface of the two-dimensional metal polyphenol complex grafts-COOH functional group and forms 2D MPC-COOH intermediate, the follicle-stimulating hormone polypeptide is covalently grafted with the-COOH on the surface of 2D MPC-COOH intermediate and obtains the two-dimensional metal polyphenol complex nanomaterial.The technical effect of the present application is that the preparation method of nanomaterial is simple, and nanoparticle dispersibility is good, and biosafety is high, and nanomaterial can physically absorb BRD7 target protein through its special structure, block BRD7 into cell nucleus, and then realize the safe down-regulation of KAT7 path and the effective reversal of granulosa cell stress aging.

The application discloses a molecular genetic marker affecting pig sexual maturity and application thereof. The application takes RBP1 as a research object, and adopts molecular and cell biology methods to study the correlation between RBP1 and the initial estrus period. It is found that six SNP sites in the RBP1 promoter region are related to the initial estrus period. Further research shows that the promoter activity of the CC genotype of the g.80408109T>C site is significantly higher than that of the TT genotype, the promoter activity of the AA genotype of the g.80409632A>G site is significantly higher than that of the GG genotype, and it is confirmed that RBP1 can inhibit the ferroptosis of granulosa cells. It can be seen that the mutation in the RBP1 promoter region can affect the expression of RBP1, and RBP1 can accelerate the initial estrus start by inhibiting the ferroptosis of pig ovarian granulosa cells. The application has good application value for the research on ovarian follicle development and initial estrus start.

The invention discloses an ergothioneine composition for improving ovarian vitality and a preparation method and application thereof, the composition comprises D-ribose and ergothioneine, the concentration of the D-ribose in the composition is 5-15 mM, and the concentration of the ergothioneine in the composition is 100-300 [mu] M. The pharmaceutical composition is used for regulating the redox balance of ovarian granular cells, inhibiting inflammatory response and up-regulating anti-mullerian hormone secretion so as to improve the ovarian activity.

This invention discloses a Polygonatum sibiricum vesicle preparation for treating premature ovarian failure, its preparation method, and its application. The preparation method includes: cleaning Polygonatum sibiricum, juicing, filtering to remove residue, and collecting the juice; subjecting the juice to gradient centrifugation to remove residual plant tissue, plant cells, and plant cell debris; then using an extraction reagent for stepwise precipitation, collecting the precipitate, and resuspending it to obtain the final product. The Polygonatum sibiricum vesicle preparation prepared by this invention can be efficiently taken up by ovarian granulosa cells. It effectively treats premature ovarian failure by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway, upregulating antioxidant enzyme expression, scavenging reactive oxygen species, restoring mitochondrial membrane potential, inhibiting apoptosis, and restoring the expression levels of estrogen, follicle-stimulating hormone, and anti-Müllerian hormone. The preparation method of this invention is standardized, biocompatible, and safe, and has broad clinical application prospects.

The invention discloses a sheep female stem cell separation and in-vitro culture method, and relates to the technical field of biologication.According to the technical scheme, the sheep female stem cell separation and in-vitro culture method is characterized in that 0.25% pancreatin is adopted for digestion for 1 hour at the room temperature, mechanical cutting operation is combined, intercellular connexin can be effectively decomposed, and the survival rate of the sheep female stem cells is increased; the ovarian granular cells are quickly released. Medical alcohol and a culture medium containing double antibodies are used for cleaning ovaries for many times, so that the probability of bacterial and fungal contamination is remarkably reduced. A DPBS buffer solution preheated at 37 DEG C and a DMEM / F12 culture medium containing 10% of FBS are used in the whole process, and stress damage to cells caused by temperature shock is avoided. Complete granular cells and tissue fragments are efficiently separated through filtration and centrifugation, and the purity of a cell suspension is improved. The method is developed on the basis of ovaries of sheep, does not depend on feeder layer cells or a complex three-dimensional culture system, can be operated only by conventional laboratory equipment, and is suitable for research scenes with limited resources.

The present invention provides the application of miR-151-5p as a target in the preparation of products for regulating follicular development, which belongs to the field of molecular biotechnology. The present invention provides the application of miR-151-5p in the preparation of reagents for regulating the process of follicular development. The miR-151-5p can inhibit cell proliferation, block the cell cycle, and inhibit the expression of genes related to the proliferation of goat ovarian granulosa cells, but can promote the secretion of steroid hormones in goat ovarian granulosa cells, promote the expression of genes related to steroid hormone secretion, and promote the expression of key proteins for the secretion of steroid hormones in ovarian granulosa cells. The present invention also screened the target gene of the miR-151-5p. PGAM1 The miR-151-5p inhibits the target gene by degrading mRNA PGAM1 Therefore, by regulating the miR-151-5p and / or PGAM1 Regulate to control the development of follicles.

The invention belongs to the technical field of biological medicines, and particularly relates to application of an SIRT5 inhibitor MC3482 in preparation of a medicine for treating premature ovarian failure. According to the invention, a mouse POI model is constructed through the induction of cyclophosphamide (CTX), and the MC3482 is proved to be capable of inhibiting the activity of SIRT5, reducing excessive macrophage infiltration of ovary caused by CTX, reducing M1 type macrophage activation and proinflammatory factor release, further inhibiting the apoptosis of ovarian granular cells, protecting follicular reserve and recovering ovarian functions. The invention clarifies the action effect and application scheme of MC3482 for preventing and treating POI, provides a new treatment strategy for chemotherapy-induced iatrogenic POI, and has important clinical transformation value.

The invention belongs to the technical field of medicines for treating polycystic ovarian syndrome, and particularly relates to application of astragaloside IV and a compound thereof in preparation of a medicine for treating polycystic ovarian syndrome and the medicine. The compound is prepared from the following raw materials: mannitol, vitamin B3 and vitamin B9, wherein the mass ratio of the mannitol to the vitamin B3 to the vitamin B9 is (0.5-1): (0.5-1): 1; the mass ratio of the astragaloside IV to the compound is 1: (2-4). The mannitol, the vitamin B3 and the vitamin B9 are used for activating a PPAR gamma channel, increasing the relative expression quantity of PPAR gamma and inhibiting proliferation of human ovarian granular cells. And the mannitol, the vitamin B3, the vitamin B9 and the astragaloside IV are mixed for use, so that the effect is optimal.

Featured are methods, compositions, and apparatuses for the in vitro maturation of oocytes. In particular, the disclosure features methods of inducing oocyte maturation in vitro, by co-culturing a female subject's oocytes with an ex vivo composition containing a plurality of ovarian support cells (e.g., granulosa cells). Additional methods for administering follicular triggering agents and retrieving oocytes from the female subject are provided. Such methods, compositions, and apparatuses are particularly useful for assisted reproduction technology (ART) procedures.

The invention belongs to the technical field of medicines, and particularly relates to application of a licorice extract in preparation of a medicine for treating premature ovarian failure. On the basis of network pharmacology prediction and animal experiment verification, through experimental exploration, it is clear that diammonium glycyrrhizinate can treat premature ovarian failure by improving ovarian tissue energy metabolism, reducing the oxidative stress level and inhibiting ovarian cell apoptosis, and also can treat premature ovarian failure by improving the ovarian growth and development microenvironment. According to the present invention, the growth and development rate of ovarian granular cells and membrane cells is improved, the sufficient quantity of granular cells and membrane cells are ensured to secrete female progestational hormone, the damaged ovarian tissue is further protected, the new strategy and hope are provided for the treatment of premature ovarian failure, and the pharmaceutical composition is expected to become the safe and effective treatment drug.

The present invention provides the use of miR-424-3p as a target in the preparation of a product that promotes the proliferation of goat ovarian granulosa cells, belonging to the technical field of ovarian granulosa cell proliferation. The present invention proposes for the first time that overexpression of miR-424-3p can significantly inhibit the proliferation of goat ovarian granulosa cells and promote apoptosis of goat ovarian granulosa cells, while inhibiting the expression of miR-424-3p promotes the proliferation of goat ovarian granulosa cells and inhibits apoptosis of goat ovarian granulosa cells. The present invention also proposes for the first time that inhibiting the expression of miR-424-3p can promote the transition of goat ovarian granulosa cells from the G1 phase to the S phase.

Featured are methods, compositions, and apparatuses for the in vitro maturation of oocytes. In particular, the disclosure features methods of inducing oocyte maturation in vitro, by co-culturing a female subject's oocytes with an ex vivo composition containing a plurality of ovarian support cells (e.g., granulosa cells). Additional methods for administering follicular triggering agents and retrieving oocytes from the female subject are provided. Such methods, compositions, and apparatuses are particularly useful for assisted reproduction technology (ART) procedures.

The invention discloses an application of butyric acid or a derivative thereof in preparation of a zearalenone reproductive toxicity resisting preparation. Also disclosed is an antitoxic feed composition comprising a specific base ration and a butyric acid derivative. In-vivo and in-vitro tests and molecular mechanism researches prove that butyric acid and derivatives thereof (such as tributyrin and sodium butyrate) can effectively relieve zearalenone (ZEN)-induced animal ovary injury. The action mechanism of the traditional Chinese medicine composition is that follicular atresia is reduced, the balance of reproductive hormones (such as GnRH, E2, AMH and P4) is recovered, and clinical symptoms caused by ZEN poisoning such as vulva swelling and the like are relieved by activating a BMPs / SMAD signal channel, especially up-regulating SMAD4 protein expression and inhibiting oxidative stress (ROS) and Caspase-3 mediated granular cell apoptosis.

The application discloses application of an IRS1 gene promoter region SNP site as a pig sexual maturity molecular genetic marker. The present application takes the IRS1 gene promoter region as a research object, and studies the correlation between the IRS1 gene promoter region and sow sexual maturity by using molecular and cell biology methods: it is found that g.128307611C>A and g.128307308C>T are significantly correlated with the age of sexual maturity of Duhei pig populations; then, the influence of different genotypes of the above sites on the activity of the IRS1 gene promoter is studied by transfecting different vectors. Further, the sow ovarian granulosa cells are taken as experimental materials, and experimental techniques such as transcriptome sequencing, total iron colorimetry and malondialdehyde colorimetry are used to study the influence of the IRS1 gene on the transcription level and ferroptosis of the sow ovarian granulosa cells, and it is found that the IRS1 gene influences the different genes of the cell transcriptome, and is mainly enriched in signal pathways such as iron ion homeostasis, and inhibits the ferroptosis of the cells.

The invention relates to the technical field of animal nutrition and reproduction, and discloses application of arginine in luteinization of replacement gilts. The arginine is used as a nutritional supplement for regulating and controlling the hormone level of the replacement gilts, the progesterone content can be effectively increased, and corpus luteum generation is promoted. Meanwhile, after the porcine ovarian granular cells are cultured, arginine can up-regulate expression of genes related to synthesis of progesterone and down-regulate expression of genes related to synthesis of estrogen, so that the progesterone is increased, the estrogen is reduced, and the effects of increasing the generation quantity of corpus luteum and maintaining a good pregnancy environment are achieved. According to the invention, 0.5% of arginine is directly added into the pig daily ration, so that the progesterone content in follicular fluid and serum can be remarkably increased, the estrogen content can be reduced, the quantity of small corpus luteum can be increased, and the pregnancy quality and success rate of the replacement gilts after mating can be improved. According to the invention, the problem of hormone level regulation can be solved, and a new nutrition regulation target is provided for increasing the luteum generation of the replacement gilts and improving the reproductive performance of the gilts.