167 research outputs found
Remarkable convergent evolution in specialized parasitic Thecostraca (Crustacea)
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The Thecostraca are arguably the most morphologically and biologically variable group within the Crustacea, including both suspension feeders (Cirripedia: Thoracica and Acrothoracica) and parasitic forms (Cirripedia: Rhizocephala, Ascothoracida and Facetotecta). Similarities between the metamorphosis found in the Facetotecta and Rhizocephala suggests a common evolutionary origin, but until now no comprehensive study has looked at the basic evolution of these thecostracan groups.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>To this end, we collected DNA sequences from three nuclear genes [18S rRNA (2,305), 28S rRNA (2,402), Histone H3 (328)] and 41 larval characters in seven facetotectans, five ascothoracidans, three acrothoracicans, 25 rhizocephalans and 39 thoracicans (ingroup) and 12 Malacostraca and 10 Copepoda (outgroup). Maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood and Bayesian analyses showed the Facetotecta, Ascothoracida and Cirripedia each as monophyletic. The better resolved and highly supported DNA maximum likelihood and morphological-DNA Bayesian analysis trees depicted the main phylogenetic relationships within the Thecostraca as (Facetotecta, (Ascothoracida, (Acrothoracica, (Rhizocephala, Thoracica)))).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our analyses indicate a convergent evolution of the very similar and highly reduced slug-shaped stages found during metamorphosis of both the Rhizocephala and the Facetotecta. This provides a remarkable case of convergent evolution and implies that the advanced endoparasitic mode of life known from the Rhizocephala and strongly indicated for the Facetotecta had no common origin. Future analyses are needed to determine whether the most recent common ancestor of the Thecostraca was free-living or some primitive form of ectoparasite.</p
Chlorpromazine for schizophrenia: a Cochrane systematic review of 50 years of randomised controlled trials
BACKGROUND:
Chlorpromazine (CPZ) remains one of the most common drugs used for people with schizophrenia worldwide, and a benchmark against which other treatments can be evaluated. Quantitative reviews are rare; this one evaluates the effects of chlorpromazine in the treatment of schizophrenia in comparison with placebo.
METHODS:
We sought all relevant randomised controlled trials (RCT) comparing chlorpromazine to placebo by electronic and reference searching, and by contacting trial authors and the pharmaceutical industry. Data were extracted from selected trials and, where possible, synthesised and random effects relative risk (RR), the number needed to treat (NNT) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) calculated.
RESULTS:
Fifty RCTs from 1955–2000 were included with 5276 people randomised to CPZ or placebo. They constitute 2008 person-years spent in trials. Meta-analysis of these trials showed that chlorpromazine promotes a global improvement (n = 1121, 13 RCTs, RR 0.76 CI 0.7 to 0.9, NNT 7 CI 5 to 10), although a considerable placebo response is also seen. People allocated to chlorpromazine tended not to leave trials early in both the short (n = 945, 16 RCTs, RR 0.74 CI 0.5 to 1.1) and medium term (n = 1861, 25 RCTs, RR 0.79 CI 0.6 to 1.1). There were, however, many adverse effects. Chlorpromazine is sedating (n = 1242, 18 RCTs, RR 2.3 CI 1.7 to 3.1, NNH 6 CI 5 to 8), increases a person's chances of experiencing acute movement disorders, Parkinsonism and causes low blood pressure with dizziness and dry mouth.
CONCLUSION:
It is understandable why the World Health Organization (WHO) have endorsed and included chlorpromazine in their list of essential drugs for use in schizophrenia. Low- and middle-income countries may have more complete evidence upon which to base their practice compared with richer nations using recent innovations
Search for B+ -> l+ nu gamma decays with hadronic tagging using the full Belle data sample
We search for the decay B+ -> l+ nu gamma with l+ = e+ or mu+ using the full
Belle data set of 772 x 10^6 BBbar pairs, collected at the Y(4S) resonance with
the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e- collider. We reconstruct
one B meson in a hadronic decay mode and search for the B+ -> l+ nu gamma decay
in the remainder of the event. We observe no significant signal within the
phase space of E_gamma^sig > 1 GeV and obtain upper limits of BR(B+ -> e+ nu
gamma) mu+ nu gamma) l+ nu
gamma) < 3.5 x 10^-6 at 90 % credibility level.Comment: Submitted to Phys. Rev.
Measurement of the branching ratio of relative to decays with hadronic tagging at Belle
We report a measurement of the branching fraction ratios R(D(*)) of Bbar ->
D(*) tau- nubar_tau relative to Bbar -> D()* l- nubar_l (where l = e or mu)
using the full Belle data sample of 772 x 10^6 BBbar pairs collected at the
Y(4S) resonance with the Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy e+e-
collider. The measured values are R(D)= 0.375 +- 0.064(stat.) +- 0.026(syst.)
and R(D*) = 0.293 +- 0.038(stat.) +- 0.015(syst.). The analysis uses hadronic
reconstruction of the tag-side B meson and purely leptonic tau decays. The
results are consistent with earlier measurements and do not show a significant
deviation from the standard model prediction.Comment: Accepted for publication in Phys.Rev.
First Observation of Doubly Cabibbo-Suppressed Decay of a Charmed Baryon:
We report the first observation of the decay using a 980 data sample collected by the
Belle detector at the KEKB asymmetric-energy collider. This is the
first doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decay of a charmed baryon to be observed. We
measure the branching ratio of this decay with respect to its Cabibbo-favored
counterpart to be , where the uncertainties are
statistical and systematic, respectively.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure
Search for decays with semileptonic tagging at Belle
We present the results of a search for the rare decays , where stands for and . The results are
obtained with pairs collected with the Belle
detector at the KEKB collider. We reconstruct one meson in a
semileptonic decay and require a single meson but nothing else on the
signal side. We observe no significant signal and set upper limits on the
branching fractions. The limits set on the , , , ,
, and channels
are the world's most stringent.Comment: Submitted to PR
Measurement of the lepton polarization and in the decay
We report the first measurement of the lepton polarization
in the decay as
well as a new measurement of the ratio of the branching fractions , where
denotes an electron or a muon, and the is reconstructed in the modes
and .
We use the full data sample of pairs recorded
with the Belle detector at the KEKB electron-positron collider. Our results,
and
, are
consistent with the theoretical predictions of the Standard Model.Comment: 7 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Physical Review Letters; one figure
was removed from the first versio
Angular analysis of
We present a measurement of angular observables, , , ,
, in the decay , where
is either or . The analysis is performed on
a data sample corresponding to an integrated luminosity of
containing pairs, collected
at the resonance with the Belle detector at the
asymmetric-energy collider KEKB. Four angular observables,
are extracted in five bins of the invariant mass squared of the
lepton system, . We compare our results for with Standard
Model predictions including the region in which the LHCb collaboration
reported the so-called anomaly.Comment: Conference paper for LHC Ski 2016. SM prediction for
corrected and reference for arXiv:1207.2753 adde
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