The first version of a software is called beta.
Beta is the second letter of the Greek alphabet , corresponding to B in Latin. Within the International Phonetic Alphabet (a phonetic notation system developed by linguists), beta is the letter that represents the voiced bilabial fricative .
The concept is very common in the field of computing . It is used to name the first displayed version of a program ( software ), which contains the basic elements of the complete idea and allows the developers' objectives to be understood. Beta versions are generally used for analysis, testing, and demonstrations before the program officially reaches the market or public.
Beta launch in computing
Beta launching can be done in different ways. Some developers prefer to present it internally, so that employees (some of them even dedicated exclusively to carrying out these tests) are the ones who use it. In other cases, the beta version reaches a small number of users. Many times companies prefer to present them at a mass level to study the impact on their potential consumers and make changes based on their feedback.
It can be said, therefore, that the beta version is an intermediate stage in the complete development cycle. For example: "I just installed the beta version of the new word processor and it seems to work very well" , "The program is missing some features since it is still in its beta version" .
A beta blocker is a class of medication.
Other uses of the term
Other uses of the term beta take place in the field of statistics (to name a continuous probability distribution), physics (designates a particle that is an electron ejected from a radioactive event) and mathematics (a special function related to the gamma function).
A beta blocker is a class of medication that is primarily used to treat heart rhythm problems and recovery from a heart attack . It is worth mentioning that it receives several possible names, including beta antagonist , beta-adrenergic blocking agent and beta-adrenergic antagonist .
Most beta blockers are pure antagonists, meaning that when they come into contact with a cellular receptor they do not generate a biological response, but instead block or stop reactions mediated by substances called agonists. However, there are some partial antagonist types, which produce a certain activation in the receptor, although much less important than the so-called complete ones.
There are three known classes of beta receptors, which are designated by the numbers one to three: beta1 is mainly found in the kidneys and heart; beta2 , in the heart muscle, gastrointestinal tract, lungs , uterus and liver; beta3 , in fatty tissue.
Beta blockers throughout history
Historically, it can be said that the first beta blocker used for clinical purposes was propanol , whose inventor was Sir James W. Black . It was a revolutionary product that forever changed the treatment of angina pectoris, and marked one of the main contributions to pharmacology and clinical medicine of the 20th century.
Until more efficient drugs appeared, beta-adrenergic antagonists were used as a first resort against hypertension. Another factor that contributed to its loss of popularity was the increasingly certain suspicion that it could cause type 2 diabetes millitus (also known as adult-onset diabetes ). On the other hand, several institutions of great prestige in the field of research worldwide have tried to demonstrate its little or no effectiveness in treating hypertension.
Listed below are some of the diseases most commonly treated with beta blockers: cardiac arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, glaucoma, essential tremor, migraines and migraines. Likewise, although less frequently, they are indicated to combat obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Marfan syndrome and some anxiety disorders.