ABSTRACT
Carotenoids are lipid-soluble yellow to orange pigments produced by plants, bacteria, and fungi. They are consumed by animals and metabolized to produce molecules essential for gene regulation, vision, and pigmentation. Cave animals represent an interesting opportunity to understand how carotenoid utilization evolves. Caves are devoid of light, eliminating primary production of energy through photosynthesis and, therefore, limiting carotenoid availability. Moreover, the selective pressures that favor carotenoid-based traits, like pigmentation and vision, are relaxed. Astyanax mexicanus is a species of fish with multiple river-adapted (surface) and cave-adapted populations (i.e., Tinaja, Pachón, Molino). Cavefish exhibit regressive features, such as loss of eyes and melanin pigment, and constructive traits, like increased sensory neuromasts and starvation resistance. Here, we show that, unlike surface fish, Tinaja and Pachón cavefish accumulate carotenoids in the visceral adipose tissue. Carotenoid accumulation is not observed in Molino cavefish, indicating that it is not an obligatory consequence of eye loss. We used quantitative trait loci mapping and RNA sequencing to investigate genetic changes associated with carotenoid accumulation. Our findings suggest that multiple stages of carotenoid processing may be altered in cavefish, including absorption and transport of lipids, cleavage of carotenoids into unpigmented molecules, and differential development of intestinal cell types involved in carotenoid assimilation. Our study establishes A. mexicanus as a model to study the genetic basis of natural variation in carotenoid accumulation and how it impacts physiology.
Subject(s)
Carotenoids/metabolism , Characidae/genetics , Animals , Biological Evolution , Carotenoids/analysis , Caves , Characidae/anatomy & histology , Characidae/metabolism , Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid , Chromosome Mapping , Eye/anatomy & histology , Female , Intra-Abdominal Fat/chemistry , Male , Sequence Analysis, DNA , Sequence Analysis, RNA , TranscriptomeABSTRACT
AIM: The dynamics of Basketball refereeing has changed and more recently the championships started to use the participation of three referees, but there is still a lack of information about the physical characteristics and performance of the referees. The aim of this study was to characterize the neuromuscular and metabolic performances and body composition of Brazilian elite basketball referees, with a level of national and international refereeing. METHODS: Thirty-seven referees participated in the study (international level N.=17 and national level N.=20). We evaluated anthropometric and body composition variables, among them: height, body mass, body mass index (BMI) and body fat (%); metabolic parameters: lactate at rest and post-exercise; and neuromuscular performance: speed, explosive lower limbs strength, flexibility and aerobic capacity. The main results showed a statistically significant difference in age, in which the international referees were older than the national level (41.94±6.71; 37.30±7.23; P=0.036). RESULTS: There were not significant differences between the levels for neuromuscular and metabolic parameters and body composition. Comparing the results with athletes, the referees showed lower neuromuscular and metabolic parameters and the body composition showed higher body fat than basketball players. CONCLUSION: These data may represent physiological parameters to be considered in the prescription of physical training during the preparation and competition period.
Subject(s)
Basketball/physiology , Adult , Body Fat Distribution , Exercise Test , Humans , Lactic Acid/blood , Middle Aged , Oxygen Consumption/physiologyABSTRACT
Os esportes com bola se caracterizam pela alternância de períodos de atividades de curta duraçäo e alta intensidade intercalados com períodos de recuperaçäo. Neste tipo de exercício, o metabolismo anaeróbico é considerado predominante, porém, o seu grau de solicitaçäo depende da distribuiçäo dessas atividades ao longo da partida. Com o propósito de caracterizar o perfil da atividade e a relaçäo com o metabolismo predominante em partida, jogadores de uma equipe de basquetebol foram submetidos a teste de campo para avaliaçäo do condicionamento anaeróbico (5 x 30 m em velocidade máxima com 1 minuto de pausa) e aeróbico (limiar de lactato, 4 mM em 3 x 1200 m progressivos). Em três partidas foram determinados o lactato sangüíneo, e através de videotape, a distribuiçäo da duraçäo de atividades de alta e baixa intensidade. Durante as partidas o lactato sangüíneo atingiu valores de 2,68 ñ 1,30 mM, e foi significativamente correlacionado (p < 0,05) com a duraçäo das atividades de baixa intensidade e longa duraçäo (superior a 3") (63,4 ñ 3,5 por cento, r = -0,451), alta intensidade e curta duraçäo (inferior a 3") (11,2 ñ 1,4 por cento, r + 0,477) e alta intensidade e longa duraçäo (10,4 ñ 1,1 por cento, r = 0,900). Houve correlaçäo significativa também entre o lactato médio em partida com o tempo médio (4,28 ñ 0,24 s, r = 0,758) e lactato (5,15 ñ 1,42 mM, r = 0,645) nos tiros de 30 m. Esses resultados indicam que durante a partida de basquetebol há predominância do metabolismo anaeróbico alático e que nos períodos de interrupçäo do jogo, há possibilidade de remoçäo do lactato circulante