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Department of Internal Medicine, Ponce Health Sciences University, Ponce, Puerto Rico, USA
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using a metabolomics-based approach to provide a better understanding of the pathophysiology and potentially mine this information for early diagnosis of endometriosis ( Dutta et al. 2012 , Ghazi et al. 2016 , Dutta et al. 2018 , Li et al
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spectroscopy . Metabolomics 12 67. ( https://doi.org/10.1007/s11306-016-0985-x ) 27065760 Ansari A Lee H You YA Jung Y Park S Kim SM Hwang GS Kim YJ 2020 Identification of potential biomarkers in the cervicovaginal fluid by metabolic
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to monitor temporal changes in sperm metabolomes as a result of, for example, capacitation. Furthermore, metabolomics could be used in clinical analysis, where once a metabolomic assessment had been made, the same sperm could be used in assisted
Biological Sciences Department, College of Science, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
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biochemical profile of bovine FF with a particular emphasis on the usefulness of the FF metabolomic profile as a non-invasive predictor of bovine oocyte developmental potential ( Fair 2014 ). The fatty acid and amino acid profiles of bovine FF were reported to
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Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department Reproduction Biology, Berlin, Germany
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Graphical abstract
Abstract
Giant pandas are mono-estrus seasonal breeders, with the breeding season typically occurring in the spring. Successful fertilization is followed by an embryonic diapause, of variable length, with birth in the late summer/autumn. There is a need for additional understanding of giant panda reproductive physiology, and the development of enhanced biomarkers for impending proestrus and peak fertility. We aimed to determine the utility of non-invasive androgen measurements in the detection of both proestrus and estrus. Urine from 20 cycles (−40 days to +10 days from peak estrus) from 5 female giant pandas was analyzed for estrogen, progestogens and androgens (via testosterone and DHEA assays), and hormone concentrations were corrected against urinary specific gravity. Across proestrus, estrogens increased while progestogens and androgens decreased – at the point of entry into proestrus, androgens (as detected by the testosterone assay) decreased prior to progestogens and gave 4 days advanced warning of proestrus. At the time of peak estrus, androgens (as detected by the DHEA assay) were significantly increased at the time of the decrease in estrogen metabolites from the peak, acting as an alternative confirmatory indicator of the fertile window. This novel finding allows for enlargement of the preparative window for captive breeding and facilitates panda management within breeding programmes. Androgens allow an enhanced monitoring of giant panda estrus, not only advancing the warning of impending proestrus, but also prospectively identifying peak fertility.
Lay summary
Giant pandas have one chance at pregnancy per year. The 2-day fertile window timing varies by year and panda. This is monitored by measuring the level of estrogens in the urine, which increase, indicating an upcoming fertile period. After 1–2 weeks of increase, estrogens peak and fall, marking the optimal fertile time. We tested other hormones to see if we can predict the fertile window in advance, and the specific fertile time with more accuracy. In 20 breeding seasons from 5 females, we found androgens, usually thought of as male hormones, had an important role. Testosterone gives 4 days advanced warning of estrogens increasing. DHEA identified peak estrogen and the fertile time before needing to see a confirmed decrease in estrogen itself. Therefore, androgens help improve monitoring of the giant panda breeding season, giving early warning of fertility, key in facilitating captive breeding and giant panda conservation.
Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
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Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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RAMClust: a novel feature clustering method enables spectral-matching-based annotation for metabolomics data . Analytical Chemistry 86 6812 – 6817 . ( https://doi.org/10.1021/ac501530d ) Broeckling CD Ganna A Layer M Brown K Sutton B Ingelsson
APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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animals. The integration of technologies to identify microbes and analyze their functions (including metagenomics, meta-transcriptomics, metabolomics, and mass spectrometry) will advance our understanding of the complex relationships between reproductive
Department of Gynecology, Ms.Clinic MayOne, Kashihara, Japan
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Aska Ladies Clinic, Nara, Japan
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Department of Gynecology, Ms.Clinic MayOne, Kashihara, Japan
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to controls. Metabolomics analysis revealed that citrate, alpha-ketoglutarate (α-KG), and succinate were elevated in endometriosis ( Jana et al. 2013 ) whereas malate was decreased ( Atkins et al. 2019 ). The cause for the elevated citrate, α
Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale Biophotonics, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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SUPA, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife, United Kingdom
School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
Department of Physics, College of Science, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
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Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale Biophotonics, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
Institute for Photonics and Advanced Sensing, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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have a role in analysing data from non-invasive metabolomic and secretory profiles from the embryo during culture. Consequently, this may lead to improved culture media formulations and regimens. Studies using AI to predict embryo developmental
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Centre for Functional Biodiversity, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
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domesticated birds encompass a wide array of species, including those grown for agricultural food production and pets. The domestic chicken has been extensively studied, including genomics, metabolomics, characterization of bacterial populations, effects of
