Reliability of heart rate variability threshold and parasympathetic reactivation after a submaximal exercise test

The objective of this study was to evaluate reproducibility of heart rate variability threshold (HRVT) and parasympathetic reactivation in physically active men (n= 16, 24.3 ± 5.1 years). During the test, HRVT was assessed by SD1 and r-MSSD dynamics. Immediately after exercise, r-MSSD was analyzed in segments of 60 seconds for a period of five minutes. High absolute and relatively reproducible analysis of HRVT were observed, as assessed by SD1 and r-MSSD dynamics (ICC = 0.92, CV = 10.8, SEM = 5.8). During the recovery phase, a moderate to high reproducibility was observed for r-MSSD from the first to the fifth minute (ICC = 0.69-0.95, CV = 7.5-14.2, SEM = 0.07-1.35). We conclude that HRVT and r-MSSD analysis after a submaximal stress test are highly reproducible measures that might be used to assess the acute and chronic effects of exercise training on cardiac autonomic modulation during and/or after a submaximal stress test

Comparison of high ribavirin induction versus standard ribavirin dosing, plus peginterferon-α for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C in HIV-infected patients: the PERICO trial

[Abstract] BACKGROUND: Ribavirin (RBV) exposure seems to be critical to maximize treatment response in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-positive patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. METHODS: HIV/HCV-coinfected individuals naive to interferon were prospectively randomized to receive peginterferon-α-2a (180 μg/d) plus either RBV standard dosing (1000 or 1200 mg/d if <75 or ≥ 75 kg, respectively) or RBV induction (2000 mg/d) along with subcutaneous erythropoietin β (450 IU/kg/wk), both during the first 4 weeks, followed by standard RBV dosing until completion of therapy. Early stopping rules at weeks 12 and 24 were applied in patients with suboptimal virological response. RESULTS: A total of 357 patients received ≥ 1 dose of the study medication. No differences in main baseline characteristics were found when comparing treatment arms. Sustained virological response (SVR) was attained by 160 (45%) patients, with no significant differences between RBV induction and standard treatment arms (SVR in 72 of 169 patients [43%] vs 88 of 188 [47%], respectively). At week 4, undetectable HCV RNA (29% vs 25%) and mean RBV trough concentration (2.48 vs 2.14 μg/mL) were comparable in both arms, whereas mean hemoglobin decay was less pronounced in the RBV induction plus erythropoietin arm than in the RBV standard dosing arm (-1.7 vs -2.3 mg/dL; P < .005). Treatment discontinuation occurred in 91 (25%) patients owing to nonresponse and in 29 (8%) owing to adverse events. HCV relapse occurred in 34 patients (10%). Univariate and multivariate analyses identified HCV genotype 2 or 3 (odds ratio [OR], 10.3; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.08-50.2; P = .004), IL28B CC variants (OR, 2.92; 95% CI, 1.33-6.41; P = .007), nonadvanced liver fibrosis (OR, 2.27; 95% CI, 1.06-5.01; P = .03), and rapid virological response (OR, 40.3; 95% CI, 5.1-314.1; P < .001) as predictors of SVR. CONCLUSIONS: A 4-week course of induction therapy with high RBV dosing along with erythropoietin does not improve SVR rates in HIV/HCV-coinfected patients. Preemptive erythropoietin might blunt the benefit of RBV overdosing by enhancing erythrocyte uptake of plasma RBV

A PERCEPÇÃO DE GESTORES BANCÁRIOS EM UM MUNICÍPIO DA AMAZÔNIA PARAENSE SOBRE O CONTROLE INTERNO NA GESTÃO DO RISCO SOCIOAMBIENTAL

Objective(s): This study aims to analyze the perception of managers from financial institutions in the municipality of Tomé-Açu, in the State of Pará, regarding the interaction between internal control and social and environmental risk as a variable in the credit grant analysis process via descriptive research, with qualitative and quantitative approach. Method: Semi-structured questionnaires were applied to bank branch managers located in the municipality of Tomé-Açu, with close- and open-ended questions to collect data that were then tabulated and analyzed using the software SPSS, Excel, and IRAMUTEQ. Results: We concluded that internal control acts as a tool to help the managers of the institutions with risk analysis process, evidencing the social and environmental risk, influencing cultural changes in the organization and evaluation of the social and environmental responsibility policies. The positive perception of managers on the benefits of adopting good internal control in the management of social and environmental risks, acting as an institutional filter, stands out, so that existing risks can be minimized and controlled with the consistent use of internal control procedures. Contributions: We suggest for future surveys to be conducted with a larger number of respondents, with the possibility of extending to borrowers and all internal employees of the financial institution.Objetivo(s): Este estudio tiene como objetivo analizar la percepción de los gestores de instituciones financieras del municipio de Tomé-Açu, en el Estado de Pará, sobre la interacción entre el control interno y el riesgo socioambiental como variable en el proceso de análisis de concesión de crédito. Método: Se trata de una investigación descriptiva, con enfoque cualitativo y cuantitativo. Se aplicaron cuestionarios semiestructurados que contenían preguntas cerradas y abiertas a gerentes de sucursales bancarias ubicadas en el municipio de Tomé-Açu. Los datos recolectados fueron tabulados y analizados con los programas SPSS, Excel e IRAMUTEQ. Resultados: Se concluyó que el control interno actúa como una herramienta para ayudar a los administradores de la institución en el proceso de análisis de riesgos, con énfasis en el riesgo socioambiental, induciendo cambios culturales en la organización y en la evaluación de políticas de responsabilidad socioambiental. Destacamos la percepción positiva de los gestores sobre los beneficios de un buen control interno en la gestión de riesgos socioambientales, actuando como filtro institucional, de modo que los riesgos existentes puedan ser minimizados y controlados con el uso consistente de procedimientos de control interno. Aportes: Se sugiere que futuras encuestas se realicen con un mayor número de encuestados, con posibilidad de extenderse a prestatarios y todos los empleados internos de la entidad financiera.Objetivo(s): Este estudo objetiva analisar a percepção dos gestores das instituições financeiras no município de Tomé-Açu, no Estado do Pará, sobre a interação existente entre o controle interno e o risco socioambiental como uma variável no processo de análise de concessão de crédito. Método: Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritiva, com abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa. Foram aplicados aos gestores das agências bancárias localizadas no município de Tomé-Açu questionários semiestruturados contendo perguntas fechadas e abertas. Os dados coletados foram tabulados e analisados com a utilização dos softwares SPSS, Excel e IRAMUTEQ. Resultados: Concluiu-se que o controle interno atua como ferramenta de auxílio aos gestores das instituições quanto ao processo de análise de riscos, com destaque para o risco socioambiental, induzindo a mudanças culturais na organização e na avaliação das políticas de responsabilidade socioambiental. Destaca-se a positiva percepção dos gestores sobre os benefícios de um bom controle interno na gestão de riscos socioambientais atuando como filtro institucional, de modo que os riscos existentes podem ser minimizados e controlados com a utilização consistente dos procedimentos de controle interno. Contribuições: Sugere-se que pesquisas futuras sejam realizadas com quantitativo maior de respondentes, com possibilidade de estenderem-se aos tomadores de crédito e a todos os colaboradores internos da instituição financeira

Search for dark matter in events with heavy quarks and missing transverse momentum in pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

This article reports on a search for dark matterpair production in association with bottom or top quarks in20.3fb−1ofppcollisions collected at√s=8TeVbytheATLAS detector at the LHC. Events with large missing trans-verse momentum are selected when produced in associationwith high-momentum jets of which one or more are identifiedas jets containingb-quarks. Final states with top quarks areselected by requiring a high jet multiplicity and in some casesa single lepton. The data are found to be consistent with theStandard Model expectations and limits are set on the massscale of effective field theories that describe scalar and tensorinteractions between dark matter and Standard Model par-ticles. Limits on the dark-matter–nucleon cross-section forspin-independent and spin-dependent interactions are alsoprovided. These limits are particularly strong for low-massdark matter. Using a simplified model, constraints are set onthe mass of dark matter and of a coloured mediator suitableto explain a possible signal of annihilating dark matter