| 1. |
- Blair, Christopher, et al.
(author)
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Molecular phylogenetics and taxonomy of leaf-toed geckos (Phyllodactylidae: Phyllodactylus) inhabiting the peninsula of Baja California
- 2009
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In: Zootaxa. - 1175-5326 .- 1175-5334. ; :2027, s. 28-42
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Herein we assess the phylogenetic relationships and taxonomy of geckos of the genus Phyllodactylus inhabiting the peninsula of Baja California, Mexico using five mitochondrial and two nuclear genes. Phylogenetic analysis using maximum parsimony (MP) and Bayesian inference (BI) recovered three distinct peninsular clades with high statistical support. Sequence divergence estimates between peninsular taxa approached 13%. Two of the species, P. unctus and P. xanti are Cape Region endemics, whereas P. nocticolus is widespread throughout much of the peninsula and extreme southern California. Monophyly of the peninsular taxa was strongly supported. In the MP analysis, P. unctus rooted at the base of the peninsular clade, resolving P. xanti and P. nocticolus as sister taxa. Conversely, BI placed P. nocticolus and P. unctus as sister taxa. These data provide further evidence for a trans-peninsular seaway near the Isthmus of La Paz, severing the Cape Region from the rest of the peninsula. The analysis also supports the validity of P. nocticolus as a distinct species and suggests a single invasion to the peninsula from mainland Mexico, presumably during tectonic activity during the Miocene.
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| 2. |
- O'Donoghue, Michelle, et al.
(author)
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Early invasive vs conservative treatment strategies in women and men with unstable angina and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction : a meta-analysis
- 2008
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In: Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). - : American Medical Association (AMA). - 0098-7484 .- 1538-3598. ; 300:1, s. 71-80
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Research review (peer-reviewed)abstract
- CONTEXT: Although an invasive strategy is frequently used in patients with non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE ACS), data from some trials suggest that this strategy may not benefit women. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a meta-analysis of randomized trials to compare the effects of an invasive vs conservative strategy in women and men with NSTE ACS. DATA SOURCES: Trials were identified through a computerized literature search of the MEDLINE and Cochrane databases (1970-April 2008) using the search terms invasive strategy, conservative strategy, selective invasive strategy, acute coronary syndromes, non-ST-elevation myocardial infarction, and unstable angina. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized clinical trials comparing an invasive vs conservative treatment strategy in patients with NSTE ACS. DATA EXTRACTION: The principal investigators for each trial provided the sex-specific incidences of death, myocardial infarction (MI), and rehospitalization with ACS through 12 months of follow-up. DATA SYNTHESIS: Data were combined across 8 trials (3075 women and 7075 men). The odds ratio (OR) for the composite of death, MI, or ACS for invasive vs conservative strategy in women was 0.81 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.65-1.01; 21.1% vs 25.0%) and in men was 0.73 (95% CI, 0.55-0.98; 21.2% vs 26.3%) without significant heterogeneity between sexes (P for interaction = .26). Among biomarker-positive women, an invasive strategy was associated with a 33% lower odds of death, MI, or ACS (OR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.50-0.88) and a nonsignificant 23% lower odds of death or MI (OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.47-1.25). In contrast, an invasive strategy was not associated with a significant reduction in the triple composite end point in biomarker-negative women (OR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.61-1.44; P for interaction = .36) and was associated with a nonsignificant 35% higher odds of death or MI (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 0.78-2.35; P for interaction = .08). Among men, the OR for death, MI, or ACS was 0.56 (95% CI, 0.46-0.67) if biomarker-positive and 0.72 (95% CI, 0.51-1.01) if biomarker-negative (P for interaction = .09). CONCLUSIONS: In NSTE ACS, an invasive strategy has a comparable benefit in men and high-risk women for reducing the composite end point of death, MI, or rehospitalization with ACS. In contrast, our data provide evidence supporting the new guideline recommendation for a conservative strategy in low-risk women.
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| 3. |
- Peacock, Christopher S, et al.
(author)
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Comparative genomic analysis of three Leishmania species that cause diverse human disease.
- 2007
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In: Nature Genetics. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1061-4036 .- 1546-1718. ; 39:7, s. 839-847
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Leishmania parasites cause a broad spectrum of clinical disease. Here we report the sequencing of the genomes of two species of Leishmania: Leishmania infantum and Leishmania braziliensis. The comparison of these sequences with the published genome of Leishmania major reveals marked conservation of synteny and identifies only 200 genes with a differential distribution between the three species. L. braziliensis, contrary to Leishmania species examined so far, possesses components of a putative RNA-mediated interference pathway, telomere-associated transposable elements and spliced leader–associated SLACS retrotransposons. We show that pseudogene formation and gene loss are the principal forces shaping the different genomes. Genes that are differentially distributed between the species encode proteins implicated in host-pathogen interactions and parasite survival in the macrophage.
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| 4. |
- Sohn, Robert A., et al.
(author)
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Explosive volcanism on the ultraslow-spreading Gakkel ridge, Arctic Ocean
- 2008
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In: Nature. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0028-0836 .- 1476-4687. ; 453:7199, s. 1236-1238
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Roughly 60% of the Earth's outer surface is composed of oceanic crust formed by volcanic processes at mid-ocean ridges. Although only a small fraction of this vast volcanic terrain has been visually surveyed or sampled, the available evidence suggests that explosive eruptions are rare on mid-ocean ridges, particularly at depths below the critical point for seawater (3,000 m)1. A pyroclastic deposit has never been observed on the sea floor below 3,000 m, presumably because the volatile content of mid-ocean-ridge basalts is generally too low to produce the gas fractions required for fragmenting a magma at such high hydrostatic pressure. We employed new deep submergence technologies during an International Polar Year expedition to the Gakkel ridge in the Arctic Basin at 85° E, to acquire photographic and video images of 'zero-age' volcanic terrain on this remote, ice-covered ridge. Here we present images revealing that the axial valley at 4,000 m water depth is blanketed with unconsolidated pyroclastic deposits, including bubble wall fragments (limu o Pele)2, covering a large (>10 km2) area. At least 13.5 wt% CO2 is necessary to fragment magma at these depths3, which is about tenfold the highest values previously measured in a mid-ocean-ridge basalt4. These observations raise important questions about the accumulation and discharge of magmatic volatiles at ultraslow spreading rates on the Gakkel ridge5 and demonstrate that large-scale pyroclastic activity is possible along even the deepest portions of the global mid-ocean ridge volcanic system.
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