Anthropogenic influence on the distribution, abundance and diversity of sandfly species (Diptera: Phlebotominae: Psychodidae), vectors of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Panama

In Panama, species of the genus Lutzomyia are vectors of American cutaneous leishmaniasis (ACL). There is no recent ecological information that may be used to develop tools for the control of this disease. Thus, the goal of this study was to determine the composition, distribution and diversity of Lutzomyia species that serve as vectors of ACL. Sandfly sampling was conducted in forests, fragmented forests and rural environments, in locations with records of ACL. Lutzomyia gomezi, Lutzomyia panamensis and Lutzomyia trapidoi were the most widely distributed and prevalent species. Analysis of each sampling point showed that the species abundance and diversity were greatest at points located in the fragmented forest landscape. However, when the samples were grouped according to the landscape characteristics of the locations, there was a greater diversity of species in the rural environment locations. The Kruskal Wallis analysis of species abundance found that Lu. gomezi and Lu. trapidoi were associated with fragmented environments, while Lu. panamensis, Lutzomyia olmeca bicolor and Lutzomyia ylephiletor were associated with forested environments. Therefore, we suggest that human activity influences the distribution, composition and diversity of the vector species responsible for leishmaniasis in Panama

Observation of a peaking structure in the J/psi phi mass spectrum from B-+/- -> J/psi phi K-+/- decays

A peaking structure in the J/ψφ mass spectrum near threshold is observed in B ±→J/ψφK± decays, produced in pp collisions at √s=7 TeV collected with the CMS detector at the LHC. The data sample, selected on the basis of the dimuon decay mode of the J/ψ, corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 5.2 fb-1. Fitting the structure to an S-wave relativistic Breit-Wigner lineshape above a three-body phase-space nonresonant component gives a signal statistical significance exceeding five standard deviations. The fitted mass and width values are m = 4148.0 ± 2.4 (stat.) ± 6.3 (syst.)MeV and Γ=28-11 +15(stat.)±19(syst.)MeV, respectively. Evidence for an additional peaking structure at higher J/ψφ mass is also reported. © 2014 The Authors