scholarly journals The mechanistic basis of aerobic performance variation in red junglefowl

2000 ◽  
Vol 203 (13) ◽  
pp. 2053-2064 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.A. Hammond ◽  
M.A. Chappell ◽  
R.A. Cardullo ◽  
R. Lin ◽  
T.S. Johnsen

We examined aerobic performance, organ and muscle mass and enzymatic activity in red junglefowl (Gallus gallus). We tested three models of performance limitation (central limits, peripheral limits, symmorphosis) and explored relationships between basal metabolic rate (BMR), aerobic capacity (V (O2max)) and social rank. Males had a lower BMR, a higher V (O2max) and a greater aerobic scope than females. Females possessed larger peritoneal and reproductive organs, while males had larger hearts, lungs and leg muscles. In females, BMR was correlated with spleen mass and V (O2max) was correlated with hematocrit and large intestine mass. Male BMR was correlated with intestinal tract and lung mass, and V (O2max) was correlated with heart and pectoralis mass. Male citrate synthase activity averaged 57 % higher than that of females and was correlated with V (O2max) (this correlation was not significant in females). Female social status was not correlated with any variable, but male dominance was associated with higher aerobic scope, larger heart and lungs, smaller peritoneal organs and greater leg citrate synthase activity. We conclude that aerobic capacity is controlled by system-wide limitations (symmorphosis) in males, while in females it is controlled by central organs. In neither sex is elevated aerobic capacity associated with increased maintenance costs.

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda I Banet ◽  
Stephen J Healy ◽  
Erika J Eliason ◽  
Edward A Roualdes ◽  
David A Patterson ◽  
...  

Abstract Pacific salmon routinely encounter stressors during their upriver spawning migration, which have the potential to influence offspring through hormonally-mediated maternal effects. To disentangle genetic vs. hormonal effects on offspring swimming performance, we collected gametes from three species of Pacific salmon (Chinook, pink and sockeye) at the end of migration and exposed a subset of eggs from each female to cortisol baths to simulate high levels of maternal stress. Fertilised eggs were reared to fry and put through a series of aerobic swim trials. Results show that exposure to cortisol early in development reduces maximum oxygen consumption while swimming, and decreases aerobic scope in all three species. Resting oxygen consumption did not differ between cortisol and control treatment groups. We also examined several metrics that could influence aerobic performance, and found no differences between treatment groups in haematocrit%, haemoglobin concentration, heart mass, citrate synthase activity or lactate dehydrogenase activity. Though it was not the focus of this study, an interesting discovery was that pink salmon had a higher MO2max and aerobic scope relative to the other species, which was supported by a greater haematocrit, haemoglobin, a larger heart and higher CS activity. Some management and conservation practices for Pacific salmon focus efforts primarily on facilitating adult spawning. However, if deleterious effects of maternal stress acquired prior to spawning persist into the next generation, consideration will need to be given to sub-lethal effects that could be imparted onto offspring from maternal stress.


Behaviour ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 141 (3) ◽  
pp. 343-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marta Labocha ◽  
Małgorzata Kruczek ◽  
Jacek Radwan ◽  
Paweł Koteja ◽  
Katarzyna Grabiec

AbstractFamale bank voles prefer dominant males as mates, and it has been suggested that this preference may benefit females genetically, via increased fitness of their progeny. This requires that male ability to win intrasexual contests is associated with their genetic quality. An important aspect of individual quality is metabolic competence. Here, we investigated whether male ability to win contests is correlated with aerobic capacity (the maximum rate of oxygen consumption) or factorial aerobic scope (the ratio of aerobic capacity to basal metabolic rate [BMR]). The ability to win was assessed as proportion of dominant behaviours in staged contests with five other males, and aerobic capacity was measured both during exercise (swimming) and during cold-exposure trials. Contest winning ability was not correlated with the aerobic capacity (p > 0.6), the factorial metabolic scope (p > 0.25) or BMR (p = 0.24; all the traits were corrected for the effect of body mass). Thus, the results indicate that the trait (male dominance) subject to female preference in the bank vole fails to reveal an important aspect of male quality, i.e. his metabolic competence.


Author(s):  
Haochong Liu ◽  
Bo Leng ◽  
Qian Li ◽  
Ye Liu ◽  
Dapeng Bao ◽  
...  

This study was aimed to: (1) investigate the effects of physiological functions of sprint interval training (SIT) on the aerobic capacity of elite badminton players; and (2) explore the potential mechanisms of oxygen uptake, transport and recovery within the process. Thirty-two elite badminton players volunteered to participate and were randomly divided into experimental (Male-SIT and Female-SIT group) and control groups (Male-CON and Female-CON) within each gender. During a total of eight weeks, SIT group performed three times of SIT training per week, including two power bike trainings and one multi-ball training, while the CON group undertook two Fartlek runs and one regular multi-ball training. The distance of YO-YO IR2 test (which evaluates player’s ability to recover between high intensity intermittent exercises) for Male-SIT and Female-SIT groups increased from 1083.0 ± 205.8 m to 1217.5 ± 190.5 m, and from 725 ± 132.9 m to 840 ± 126.5 m (p < 0.05), respectively, which were significantly higher than both CON groups (p < 0.05). For the Male-SIT group, the ventilatory anaerobic threshold and ventilatory anaerobic threshold in percentage of VO2max significantly increased from 3088.4 ± 450.9 mL/min to 3665.3 ± 263.5 mL/min (p < 0.05),and from 74 ± 10% to 85 ± 3% (p < 0.05) after the intervention, and the increases were significantly higher than the Male-CON group (p < 0.05); for the Female-SIT group, the ventilatory anaerobic threshold and ventilatory anaerobic threshold in percentage of VO2max were significantly elevated from 1940.1 ± 112.8 mL/min to 2176.9 ± 78.6 mL/min, and from 75 ± 4% to 82 ± 4% (p < 0.05) after the intervention, which also were significantly higher than those of the Female-CON group (p < 0.05). Finally, the lactate clearance rate was raised from 13 ± 3% to 21 ± 4% (p < 0.05) and from 21 ± 5% to 27 ± 4% for both Male-SIT and Female-SIT groups when compared to the pre-test, and this increase was significantly higher than the control groups (p < 0.05). As a training method, SIT could substantially improve maximum aerobic capacity and aerobic recovery ability by improving the oxygen uptake and delivery, thus enhancing their rapid repeated sprinting ability.


Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 864 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krzysztof Durkalec-Michalski ◽  
Paulina M. Nowaczyk ◽  
Natalia Główka ◽  
Anna Ziobrowska ◽  
Tomasz Podgórski

This single-arm interventional study examined the effect of a 4-week ketogenic diet (KD) on aerobic capacity and discipline-specific performance in female (n = 11) and male (n = 11) CrossFit-trained athletes. The participants performed incremental cycling (ICT) and Fight Gone Bad (FGB) tests after consuming a customary diet and a KD. Pre- and post-ICT exercise blood samples were also analysed. Consuming a KD had a slight impact on aerobic capacity and no relevant effect on CrossFit-specific performance. In females, consuming a KD led to an 10.4% decrease in peak oxygen uptake during the ICT (p = 0.027) and resulted in certain alterations in haematological parameters (haemoglobin (HGB), mean corpuscular HGB, and mean corpuscular HGB concentration). Furthermore, in males, alanine aminotransferase activity increased with a simultaneous improvement in the post-ICT blood acid–base balance after consuming a KD. The pre-exercise bilirubin concentration was also elevated in the entire group after consuming a KD. In conclusion, female CrossFit-trained athletes seem to be prone to aerobic performance decrements and increased risk of developing haematological disturbances when consuming a KD. In males who consumed a KD, there was an undesirable alanine aminotransferase elevation and a small tendency towards improved acid–base status. Moreover, consuming a KD had no effect on discipline-specific performance in CrossFit-trained athletes.


2011 ◽  
Vol 111 (2) ◽  
pp. 427-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lorenzo K. Love ◽  
Paul J. LeBlanc ◽  
J. Greig Inglis ◽  
Nicolette S. Bradley ◽  
Jon Choptiany ◽  
...  

Pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) is a mitochondrial enzyme responsible for regulating the conversion of pyruvate to acetyl-CoA for use in the tricarboxylic acid cycle. PDH is regulated through phosphorylation and inactivation by PDH kinase (PDK) and dephosphorylation and activation by PDH phosphatase (PDP). The effect of endurance training on PDK in humans has been investigated; however, to date no study has examined the effect of endurance training on PDP in humans. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine differences in PDP activity and PDP1 protein content in human skeletal muscle across a range of muscle aerobic capacities. This association is important as higher PDP activity and protein content will allow for increased activation of PDH, and carbohydrate oxidation. The main findings of this study were that 1) PDP activity ( r2 = 0.399, P = 0.001) and PDP1 protein expression ( r2 = 0.153, P = 0.039) were positively correlated with citrate synthase (CS) activity as a marker for muscle aerobic capacity; 2) E1α ( r2 = 0.310, P = 0.002) and PDK2 protein ( r2 = 0.229, P =0.012) are positively correlated with muscle CS activity; and 3) although it is the most abundant isoform, PDP1 protein content only explained ∼18% of the variance in PDP activity ( r2 = 0.184, P = 0.033). In addition, PDP1 in combination with E1α explained ∼38% of the variance in PDP activity ( r2 = 0.383, P = 0.005), suggesting that there may be alternative regulatory mechanisms of this enzyme other than protein content. These data suggest that with higher muscle aerobic capacity (CS activity) there is a greater capacity for carbohydrate oxidation (E1α), in concert with higher potential for PDH activation (PDP activity).


2012 ◽  
Vol 112 (9) ◽  
pp. 1556-1563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bruno T. Roseguini ◽  
Arturo A. Arce-Esquivel ◽  
Sean C. Newcomer ◽  
Hsiao T. Yang ◽  
Ronald Terjung ◽  
...  

Despite the escalating prevalence in the aging population, few therapeutic options exist to treat patients with peripheral arterial disease. Application of intermittent pneumatic leg compressions (IPC) is regarded as a promising noninvasive approach to treat this condition, but the clinical efficacy, as well the mechanistic basis of action of this therapy, remain poorly defined. We tested the hypothesis that 2 wk of daily application of IPC enhances exercise tolerance by improving blood flow and promoting angiogenesis in skeletal muscle in a model of peripheral arterial insufficiency. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to bilateral ligation of the femoral artery and randomly allocated to treatment or sham groups. Animals were anesthetized daily and exposed to 1-h sessions of bilateral IPC or sham treatment for 14–16 consecutive days. A third group of nonligated rats was also studied. Marked increases in treadmill exercise tolerance (∼33%, P < 0.05) and improved muscle performance in situ (∼10%, P < 0.05) were observed in IPC-treated animals. Compared with sham-treated controls, blood flow measured with isotope-labeled microspheres during in situ contractions tended to be higher in IPC-treated animals in muscles composed of predominantly fast-twitch white fibers, such as the plantaris (∼93%, P = 0.02). Capillary contacts per fiber and citrate synthase activity were not significantly altered by IPC treatment. Collectively, these data indicate that IPC improves exercise tolerance in a model of peripheral arterial insufficiency in part by enhancing blood flow to collateral-dependent tissues.


Author(s):  
Natalia Almeida Rodrigues ◽  
Claudio Alexandre Gobatto ◽  
Lucas Dantas Maia Forte ◽  
Filipe Antônio de Barros Sousa ◽  
Adriana Souza Torsoni ◽  
...  

We investigated the effects of the acute and chronic exercise, prescribed in different intensity zones, but with total load-matched on mitochondrial markers (COX-IV, Tfam, and citrate synthase (CS) activity in skeletal muscles, heart, and liver), glycogen stores, aerobic capacity and anaerobic index in swimming rats. For this, two experimental designs were performed (acute and chronic efforts). Load-matched exercises were prescribed below and above and on the anaerobic threshold (AnT), determined by the Lactate Minimum test. In chronic programs, two training prescription strategies were assessed (monotonous and linear periodized model). Results show changes in glycogen stores but no modification in the COX-IV and Tfam contents after acute exercises. In the chronic protocols, COX-IV and Tfam proteins and CS adaptations were intensity and tissue dependents. Monotonous training promoted better adaptations than the periodized model. Training at 80% of the AnT improved both performance variables, emphasizing the anaerobic index, concomitant to CS and COX-IV improvement (soleus muscle). The aerobic capacity and CS activity (gastrocnemius) were increased after 120% AnT training. In conclusion, acute exercise protocol did not promote responses in mitochondrial target proteins. An intensity and tissue dependence are reported in the chronic protocols, highlighting training at 80 and 120% of the AnT. Novelty: • Load-matched acute exercise did not enhance COX-IV and Tfam contents in skeletal muscles, heart, and liver. • In chronic exercise, COX-IV, Tfam, and citrate synthase activity adaptations were intensity and tissue dependents. •Monotonous training was more efficient than the periodized linear model in adaptations of target proteins and enzymatic activity.


2021 ◽  
Vol 224 (16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Graham R. Scott ◽  
Anne C. Dalziel

ABSTRACT Evolutionary physiology strives to understand how the function and integration of physiological systems influence the way in which organisms evolve. Studies of the O2 transport pathway – the integrated physiological system that transports O2 from the environment to mitochondria – are well suited to this endeavour. We consider the mechanistic underpinnings across the O2 pathway for the evolution of aerobic capacity, focusing on studies of artificial selection and naturally selected divergence among wild populations of mammals and fish. We show that evolved changes in aerobic capacity do not require concerted changes across the O2 pathway and can arise quickly from changes in one or a subset of pathway steps. Population divergence in aerobic capacity can be associated with the evolution of plasticity in response to environmental variation or activity. In some cases, initial evolutionary divergence of aerobic capacity arose exclusively from increased capacities for O2 diffusion and/or utilization in active O2-consuming tissues (muscle), which may often constitute first steps in adaptation. However, continued selection leading to greater divergence in aerobic capacity is often associated with increased capacities for circulatory and pulmonary O2 transport. Increases in tissue O2 diffusing capacity may augment the adaptive benefit of increasing circulatory O2 transport owing to their interactive influence on tissue O2 extraction. Theoretical modelling of the O2 pathway suggests that O2 pathway steps with a disproportionately large influence over aerobic capacity have been more likely to evolve, but more work is needed to appreciate the extent to which such physiological principles can predict evolutionary outcomes.


Behaviour ◽  
1966 ◽  
Vol 26 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 228-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Lill

Abstract1. Non-random mating was observed in captive Burmese Red Junglefowl (Gallus gallus spadiceus) in three experimental situations. 2. When eight cocks were released singly for short periods (one hour) with each of two female flocks it was found that, in one flock, crouching and the coition incidence were non-random; the distribution of female crouching exerted only a limited effect on the distribution of copulations. 3. A quantitative analysis of the courtship of these males revealed that the correlation between differences in male courtship and the distribution of crouching was of an incomplete nature. The cock which elicited most crouches, R, also performed more crouch-evoking displays than other males. Other factors were also important in effecting non-random crouching by females. 4. In a heterosexual flock with four resident males there was a strong correlation between male dominance status and sexual activity. Only the top ranking cock interfered with other males' matings, his own matings being undisturbed. The result was non-random mating, in which only the alpha cock copulated. 5. When the number of males was increased to six, interference was not restricted to the alpha cock and several of his attempted matings were disturbed. This was due to increased sexual excitement through social facilitation, and the net result was a reduction in copulatory activity, effecting random-mating. It was further found that non-random female crouching occurred, the second ranking cock eliciting significantly more sexual crouches than any other male. 6. In two female flocks with single resident males, some elements of male courtship activity were non-randomly distributed amongst the females. In flock II female crouching behaviour exerted a strong affect on male courtship activity, but this was not the case in flock 1. The difference was attributable to a different level of sexual vigour between the two males. 7. The basis of non-random courtship by the males is obscure but is probably based on differences in female behaviour. It is misleading to regard this phenomenon as male "preference" for individual females, it is better categorised as a response to signals irrespective of the identity of the 'signaller'. 8. The occurrence of non-random mating in wild gallinaceous species, particularly those exhibiting a 'lek' courtship, is discussed briefly. Some tentative parallels are drawn with the present work. 9. The present results are very similar to those obtained by several authors for the domestic fowl, which has a very similar social behaviour repertoire.


PeerJ ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. e5079 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ammie K. Kalan ◽  
Christophe Boesch

Loud calls are used by many species as long-distance signals for group defense, mate attraction, and inter- and intragroup spacing. Chimpanzee loud calls, or pant hoots, are used in a variety of contexts including group coordination and during male contests. Here, we observed an alpha male takeover in wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) during which the leaf clipping gesture re-emerged after disappearing for almost two years in this community. Leaf clipping only occurred in males and was observed almost exclusively prior to pant hoot vocalizations, as has been observed in other chimpanzee communities of the Taï forest in Côte d’Ivoire. Consequently, we hypothesized that leaf clipping may be important for male-male competition by affecting variation in the acoustic properties of male chimpanzee loud calls. We therefore investigated whether pant hoots preceded by leaf clipping differed acoustically from those without, while also testing the influence of social context on pant hoot variation, namely male dominance rank and hierarchy instability, i.e., before, during and after the alpha takeover. We found that pant hoots preceded by leaf clipping were longer, contained more call elements and drum beats, and lower fundamental and peak frequencies. Moreover, during the alpha takeover pant hoots were shorter, contained fewer drum beats and higher fundamental frequencies. Additionally, pant hoot and aggression rates were also highest during the alpha takeover with leaf clipping more likely to occur on days when pant hooting rates were high. Overall social rank had limited effects on pant hoot variation. We suggest that elevated arousal and aggression during the alpha takeover triggered the re-emergence of leaf clipping and the associated acoustic changes in pant hoots. Further research should focus on the potential mechanisms by which leaf clipping is connected to variation in pant hoots and cross-population comparisons of the behaviour.


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