Global urban environmental change drives adaptation in white clover.

Urbanization transforms environments in ways that alter biological evolution. We examined whether urban environmental change drives parallel evolution by sampling 110,019 white clover plants from 6169 populations in 160 cities globally. Plants were assayed for a Mendelian antiherbivore defense that also affects tolerance to abiotic stressors. Urban-rural gradients were associated with the evolution of clines in defense in 47% of cities throughout the world. Variation in the strength of clines was explained by environmental changes in drought stress and vegetation cover that varied among cities. Sequencing 2074 genomes from 26 cities revealed that the evolution of urban-rural clines was best explained by adaptive evolution, but the degree of parallel adaptation varied among cities. Our results demonstrate that urbanization leads to adaptation at a global scale

Trapping in irradiated p-on-n silicon sensors at fluences anticipated at the HL-LHC outer tracker

The degradation of signal in silicon sensors is studied under conditions expected at the CERN High-Luminosity LHC. 200 $\mu$m thick n-type silicon sensors are irradiated with protons of different energies to fluences of up to $3 \cdot 10^{15}$ neq/cm$^2$. Pulsed red laser light with a wavelength of 672 nm is used to generate electron-hole pairs in the sensors. The induced signals are used to determine the charge collection efficiencies separately for electrons and holes drifting through the sensor. The effective trapping rates are extracted by comparing the results to simulation. The electric field is simulated using Synopsys device simulation assuming two effective defects. The generation and drift of charge carriers are simulated in an independent simulation based on PixelAV. The effective trapping rates are determined from the measured charge collection efficiencies and the simulated and measured time-resolved current pulses are compared. The effective trapping rates determined for both electrons and holes are about 50% smaller than those obtained using standard extrapolations of studies at low fluences and suggests an improved tracker performance over initial expectations

Moderate cholecalciferol supplementation depresses intestinal calcium absorption in growing dogs

Hormonal regulation of calcium (Ca) absorption was investigated in a cholecalciferol (vitamin D3)supplemented group (hVitD) vs. a control group (cVitD) of growing Great Danes (100 vs. 12.5 μg vitamin D3/kg diet). Although Ca intakes did not differ, fractional Ca absorption was significantly lower in the hVitD group than in the cVitD group. There were no differences in plasma concentrations of Ca, inorganic phosphate, parathyroid hormone, growth hormone or insulin-like growth factor I between groups. Plasma 25-hydroxycholecalciferol [25(OH)D3] concentrations were maintained in the hVitD dogs at the same levels as in the cVitD dogs due to increased turnover of 25(OH)D3 into 24,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [24,25(OH)2D3] and 1,25-dihydroxycholecalciferol [1,25(OH)2D3]. In hVitD dogs, the greater plasma 24,25(OH)2D3 concentration and the enhanced metabolic clearance rate (MCR) of 1,25(OH)2D3 indicated upregulated 24-hydroxylase activity. The increased MCR of 1,25(OH)2D3 decreased plasma 1,25(OH)2D3 concentrations. In hVitD dogs, the greater production rate of 1,25(OH)2D3 was consistent with the 12.9-fold greater renal 1 α-hydroxylase gene expression compared with cVitD dogs and compensated to a certain extent for the accelerated MCR of 1,25(OH)2D3. The moderately decreased plasma 1,25(OH)2D3 concentration can only partially explain the decreased Ca absorption in the hVitD dogs. Intestinal vitamin D receptor concentrations did not differ between groups and did not account for the decreased Ca absorption. We suggest that 24,25(OH)2D3 may downregulate Ca absorption. Chemicals/CAS: 25-Hydroxyvitamin D3 1-alpha-Hydroxylase, EC 1.14.-; Calcitriol, 32222-06-3; Calcium Radioisotopes; Calcium, 7440-70-2; Calcium, Dietary; Cholecalciferol, 67-97-0; Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System, 9035-51-2; Phosphates; Receptors, Calcitriol; Steroid Hydroxylases, EC 1.14.-; vitamin D 24-hydroxylase, EC 1.14.

Comparison of deposition images obtained by use of an ultrafine 99m-technetium-labeled carbon dry aerosol with ventilation images obtained by use of 81m-krypton gas for evaluation of pulmonary dysfunction in calves.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize the accuracy of an ultrafine 99m-technetium-labeled carbon dry aerosol for use in assessment of regional ventilation in calves with pulmonary dysfunction. ANIMALS: 7 Belgian White and Blue calves. PROCEDURE: The ultrafine aerosol was assessed by comparing deposition (D) images with ventilation (V) images obtained by use of 81 m-krypton (81mKr) gas via D-to-V ratio (D:V) image analysis in calves during spontaneous breathing (SB) and during experimentally induced pulmonary dysfunction (ePD). RESULTS: Mismatching index (LrTot) calculated on the D:V images revealed a good match (LrTot, 0.96 +/- 0.01) between D and V distribution patterns in calves during SB. Calculation of the ultrafine aerosol penetration index relative to 81mKr (PIRel) revealed preferential distribution of the ultrafine aerosol in lung parenchyma (PIRel, 1.13 +/- 0.11). In ePD, heterogeneity in the D:V distribution was observed (LrTot, 0.78 +/- 0.10) as a result of ultrafine aerosol particles impaction in airways as indicated by PIRel (0.66 +/- 0.16) and a proportion of pixels more radioactive in D images, compared with V images, that was located in the central part of the lung (475 +/- 77% in ePD vs 32.8 +/- 5.7% in SB). However, this central deposition did not prevent visual examination of the entire ventilated lung. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The ultrafine aerosol appears suitable for use in examination of ventilated parts of lungs of cattle, even those with impaired pulmonary function. However, airway impaction of ultrafine aerosol particles impedes the quantification of regional ventilation in cattle with abnormal lung function