Abstract Objective: To characterize the behavior of cardiac autonomic modulation in individuals with different times after orthotopic heart transplantation (HTx) using symbolic dynamics analysis. Methods: Sixty patients were evaluated after HTx. We recorded their instantaneous R-R intervals (RRi) by cardiac monitor Polar® RS800CX™ (Polar Electro Oy, Kempele, Finland) for 10 minutes. The same sequence of RRi with 256 consecutive beats was used to perform spectral analysis and symbolic dynamics analysis. We used hierarchical clustering to form groups. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) (with Holm-Sidak method) or one-way Kruskal-Wallis test (with Dunn´s post-hoc test) was used to analyze the difference between groups. Linear correlation analysis between variables was performed using Pearson’s or Spearman’s tests. P-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The 0V% index increased, the 2UV% index and the normalized complexity index decreased with an increase of HTx postoperative time. There were a negative correlation between complexity indexes and 0V% and a positive correlation between complexity indexes and 2UV%. Conclusion: Symbolic dynamics indexes were able to show a specific cardiac autonomic modulation pattern for HTx recipients with different postoperative times.

Abstract: Despite its biogeographic importance, the mammals of Maracaibo lake basin have been poorly studied. The objectives of this study were to: 1) provide a list of the mammal species detected by combining information from camera traps and other sources, and 2) describe diurnal and annual activity patterns for some of the species detected. Camera-trapping was carried out for one year in five localities within the Burro Negro Protection Zone (Spanish acronym ZPBN). Records of terrestrial mammals (excluding Chiroptera) were compiled from: 1) direct and indirect opportunistic records during field visits, 2) informal interviews with local inhabitants, 3) three national natural history collections, and 4) scientific literature. The complementarity between sources, similarity with other localities within the region, and temporal changes in composition were evaluated with the Sørensen Similarity Index (RS), and annual differences in the number of detections per sampling effort were evaluated using a X 2 test. Sampling effort was 1,799 camera days, resulting in 569 events of mammal detection recorded and 20 species from 17 families in 9 orders identified. Four species (Dasypus novemcinctus, Dasyprocta leporina, Cerdocyon thous and Leopardus pardalis) were captured all year round. Camera traps detected half of the non-flying mammal species in the area, including five that had not been previously reported by other sources (Cuniculus paca, Coendou prehensilis, Sylvilagus floridanus, Procyon cancrivorus and Puma yagouaroundi). At least three species (Panthera onca, Odocoileus virginianus, and Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris) had been reported as historically abundant, but were not detected during the year of camera trapping, which could be due to recent declines in their populations. Camera trapping provides reliable records on the presence of four species with data gaps in their distribution ranges (Myrmecophaga tetradactyla, Coendou prehensilis, Cerdocyon thous and Procyon cancrivorus), as well as baseline data for evaluating the distribution overlap between pairs of species, such as Tamandua mexicana and T. tetradactyla, and Dasyprocta leporina and D. punctata. A higher species richness was observed between June and August, in the rainy season.

Resumen: A pesar de su importancia biogeográfica, la mastofauna de la cuenca del Maracaibo sólo se conoce parcialmente. Los objetivos del presente trabajo eran: 1) elaborar una lista de especies de mamíferos terrestres combinando el fototrampeo con otras fuentes de información, y 2) describir patrones de actividad diarios y anuales para algunas de las especies detectadas. Se realizó fototrampeo durante un año en cinco localidades dentro de la Zona Protectora de Burro Negro (ZPBN). Se compilaron registros de presencia de mamíferos terrestres (excluyendo quirópteros) de: 1) muestreos no sistemáticos de indicios indirectos y directos, 2) entrevistas informales a habitantes locales, 3) tres colecciones zoológicas nacionales, y 4) literatura científica. Se evaluó la complementariedad entre fuentes, similitud entre localidades o cambios temporales en composición con el índice de Sørensen (RS) y los cambios en el número de detecciones a lo largo del año según el esfuerzo de muestreo mensual con una prueba χ2. El esfuerzo de muestreo fue de 1,799 días-cámara, se registraron 569 eventos de presencia de mamíferos. Se identificaron 20 especies de 17 familias y 9 órdenes. Cuatro especies (Dasypus novemcinctus, Dasyprocta leporina, Cerdocyon thous, Procyon cancrivorus y Leopardus pardalis) fueron detectadas constantemente durante el año. El fototrampeo detectó la mitad de las especies no voladoras conocidas en la zona, incluyendo cinco no reportadas por otras fuentes (Cuniculus paca, Coendou prehensilis, Sylvilagus floridanus y Puma yagouaroundi). Especies como Panthera onca, Odocoileus virginianus y Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris eran históricamente abundantes, pero no pudieron ser detectadas, lo que podría sugerir disminución en las poblaciones. Se aportan registros de presencia para cuatro especies con información vacíos de (Myrmecophaga tetradactyla, Coendou prehensilis, Cerdocyon thous y Procyon cancrivorus), aún se debe evaluar el solapamiento en la distribución de varias especies, como por ejemplo las dos especies de Tamandua y las dos especies de Dasyprocta. La mayor riqueza se observó entre junio y agosto que correspondió a la fase inicial del periodo de lluvias.

ABSTRACT Background A joint symbolic analysis (JSA) is applied to assess the strength of the cardiovascular coupling from spontaneous beat-to-beat variability of the heart period (HP) and the systolic arterial pressure (SAP) during an experimental protocol inducing a gradual baroreflex unloading evoked by postural change (i.e. graded head-up tilt). Method: The adopted JSA can quantify the degree of association between the HP and SAP variabilities as a function of the time scale of the HP and SAP patterns. Traditional linear tools assessing the HP-SAP coupling strength, such as squared correlation coefficient, squared coherence function, and percentage of baroreflex sequences, were computed as well for comparison. Results: We found that: i) JSA indicated that the strength of the cardiovascular coupling at slow temporal scales gradually increased with the magnitude of the orthostatic challenge, while that at fast temporal scales gradually decreased; ii) the squared correlation coefficient and percentage of baroreflex sequences did not detect this behavior; iii) even though squared coherence function could measure the magnitude of the HP-SAP coupling as a function of the time scale, it was less powerful than JSA owing to the larger dispersion of the frequency domain indexes. Conclusion: Due to its peculiar features and high statistical power, JSA deserves applications to pathological groups in which the link between HP and SAP variabilities is lost or decreased due to the overall depression or impairment of the cardiovascular control.

OBJETIVO: Ava+liar a associação entre os índices da variabilidade da frequência cardíaca (VFC) e a aptidão cardiorrespiratória.MÉTODOS: Sessenta e duas mulheres (idade 22,1 ± 3,3 anos) foram divididas em quatro grupos: treinamento aeróbio (AER, n = 15), treinamento de força (FOR, n = 13), treinamento combinado (aeróbio e força) (AER+FOR, n = 15) e controle (C, n = 19). O teste cardiopulmonar foi realizado para avaliar a aptidão cardiorrespiratória a partir do consumo de oxigênio pico (VO2pico). A FC foi coletada em repouso na postura supina. A VFC foi analisada a partir de métodos lineares e não lineares.RESULTADOS: Os grupos AER e AER+FOR apresentaram maiores índices da VFC (lineares e não lineares) indicadores da modulação vagal e menores índices da VFC indicadores da modulação simpática, em relação ao grupo C. Os grupos AER e AER+FOR apresentaram maior complexidade e menor regularidade dos intervalos RR e maior VO2pico em relação aos grupos FOR e C. O VO2picoapresentou correlação com os índices da VFC.CONCLUSÃO: Este estudo mostrou que o treinamento físico aeróbio e combinado contribuíram significativamente para maior modulação autônoma da FC e aptidão cardiorrespiratória. A modulação autônoma da FC, avaliada a partir de métodos lineares e não lineares, está associada ao maior consumo de oxigênio.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the associations between heart rate variability (HRV) with cardiorespiratory fitness.METHODS: Sixty-two women (aged 22.1 ± 3.3) were divided into four groups: aerobic training (AER, n = 15), strength training (STR, n = 13), combined aerobic and strength training (AER+STR, n = 15) and controls (C, n = 19). Cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed to measure cardiorespiratory fitness by assessing peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak). The HR was recorded at rest in the supine position. The HRV was analyzed by linear and nonlinear methods.RESULTS: The AER and AER+STR groups had higher vagal HRV (linear and nonlinear) indicators of vagal modulation and lower indices of HRV indicators of sympathetic modulation, compared to group C. The AER and AER+STR groups showed greater complexity and lower regularity of R-R intervals and higher peak compared to STR and C groups. The VO2peak was correlated with HRV indices.CONCLUSION: This study showed that aerobic and combined exercise significantly contributed to greater autonomic modulation of HR and cardiorespiratory fitness. The autonomic HR modulation, assessed by linear and nonlinear methods, was associated with a greater oxygen consumption.

OBJETIVO: Evaluar la asociación entre los índices de variabilidad de la frecuencia cardíaca (VFC) y la aptitud cardiorrespiratoria.MÉTODOS: Sesenta y dos mujeres (edad 22,1 ± 3,3 años) fueron divididas en cuatro grupos: entrenamiento aeróbico (AER, n = 15), entrenamiento de fuerza (FOR, n = 13), entrenamiento combinado (aeróbico y fuerza) (AER+FOR, n = 15) y control (C, n = 19). El test cardiopulmonar fue realizado para evaluar la aptitud cardiorrespiratoria a partir del consumo de oxígeno pico (VO2pico). La FC fue colectada en reposo en la postura supina. La VFC fue analizada a partir de métodos lineales y no lineales.RESULTADOS: Los grupos AER y AER+FOR presentaron mayores índices de VFC (lineales y no lineales) indicadores de la modulación vagal y menores índices de VFC indicadores de la modulación simpática, en relación al grupo C. Los grupos AER y AER+FOR presentaron mayor complejidad y menor regularidad de los intervalos RR y mayor VO2pico en relación a los grupos FOR y C. O VO2picopresentó correlación con los índices de VFC.CONCLUSIÓN: Este estudio mostró que el entrenamiento físico aeróbico y combinado contribuyeron significativamente para mayor modulación autónoma de FC y aptitud cardiorrespiratoria. La modulación autónoma de FC, evaluada a partir de métodos lineales y no lineales, está asociada al mayor consumo de oxígeno.