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Patterns of covariation between phenotype and environment are presumed to be reflective of local adaptation, and therefore translate to a meaningful influence on an individual’s overall fitness within that specific environment. However, these environmentally driven patterns may be the result of numerous and interacting processes, such as genetic variation, epigenetic variation, or plastic non-heritable variation. Understanding the relative importance of different environmental variables on underlying genetic patterns and resulting phenotypes is fundamental to understanding adaptation. Invasive systems are excellent models for such investigations, given their propensity for rapid evolution. This study uses reduced representation sequencing data paired with phenotypic data to examine whether important phenotypic traits in invasive starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) within Australia appear to be highly heritable (presumably genetic) or appear to vary with environmental gradients despite underlying genetics (presumably non-heritable plasticity). We also sought to determine which environmental variables, if any, play the strongest role shaping genetic and phenotypic patterns. We determined that environmental variables—particularly elevation—play an important role in shaping allelic trends in Australian starlings and may also reinforce neutral genetic patterns resulting from historic introduction regime. We examined a range of phenotypic traits that appear to be heritable (body mass and spleen mass) or negligibly heritable (e.g. beak surface area and wing length) across the starlings’ Australian range. Using SNP variants associated with each of these phenotypes, we identify key environmental variables that correlate with genetic patterns, specifically that temperature and precipitation putatively play important roles shaping phenotype in this species. Finally, we determine that overall phenotypic variation is correlated with underlying genetic variation, and that these interact positively with the level of vegetation variation within a region, suggesting that ground cover plays an important role in shaping selection and plasticity of phenotypic traits within the starlings of Australia.

In metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC),This retrospective review evaluated patients in British Columbia, Canada with mCRC andAge at diagnosis, sex, anatomic location and stage at diagnosis did not differ by

We conduct an experiment with 459 nonprofessional investors to examine whether they evaluate companies differently based on management’s stated purpose for undertaking corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in the presence versus absence of a company-specific negative event. Specifically, we vary whether or not management intends to achieve financial returns from CSR activities in addition to promoting social good. We address investors’ decision processes by investigating whether their judgments are mediated by perceptions of future cash flows and/or the underlying ethical culture of the company. Results show that absent a negative event, investment judgments are stronger when CSR activities are intended to achieve financial returns, through expectations of higher future cash flows. However, when a negative event occurs, we find a moderating effect of independent assurance of CSR disclosures. When disclosures are not assured, investors prefer CSR undertaken only for societal benefit, mediated by perceptions of a stronger ethical culture. However, when disclosures are assured, ethical culture is viewed similarly regardless of management’s intention to achieve financial returns from CSR activities. This suggests that management’s willingness to obtain independent assurance on disclosures is viewed as a positive ethical signal. Thus, assurance complements disclosure of CSR activities by contributing to protection against the impact of negative events.

This study compared protocols for cryopreservation of ejaculated, papain-treated alpaca spermatozoa. This included different concentrations of egg yolk (EY; 5, 10 or 15%) and glycerol (2, 5 or 10%), diluent types (SHOTOR, lactose, skim milk or INRA-96™), freeze rates (2, 4 or 8 cm above liquid nitrogen; LN), thaw rates (37 °C for 1 min or 42 °C for 20 sec) and storage vessels (pellets, 0.25 mL straws or 0.5 mL straws). Spermatozoa were assessed pre-freeze and 0, 30, 60 and 90 min post-thaw. Forty-one hembras were inseminated with either fresh, papain-treated or frozen-thawed spermatozoa. Motility was affected by EY concentration (P

Recently, a linear disruption predictor (Vega et al 2020 Nucl. Fusion 60 026001) was installed in the JET real-time network for disruption mitigation purposes. From a mathematical point of view, the predictor is based on computing centroids of disruptive examples and non-disruptive examples in a two-dimensional space. This is the reason for calling it centroid method (CM). It uses a single signal: the mode lock normalized to the plasma current. The predictor is not based on thresholds to trigger alarms but on the differences of amplitudes between consecutive samples. The article analyses its results for the range of discharges 94 152–97 137 (June 2019–March 2020), including discharges of both baseline scenario and hybrid scenario. The article presents a comparison between the CM predictor and several different disruption detection systems operational in the JET real-time event detection platform named PETRA (Plasma Events Triggering for Alarms). The CM predictor outperforms all the other classifiers implemented in PETRA, according to all the main statistical indicators normally used to qualify these tools.

1.AbstractDuring the Anthropocene, Earth has experienced unprecedented habitat loss, native species decline, and global climate change. Concurrently, greater globalisation is facilitating species movement, increasing the likelihood of alien species establishment and propagation. There is a great need to understand what influences a species’ ability to persist or perish within a new or changing environment. Examining genes that may be associated with a species’ invasion success or persistence informs invasive species management, assists with native species preservation, and sheds light on important evolutionary mechanisms that occur in novel environments. This approach can be aided by coupling spatial and temporal investigations of evolutionary processes. Here we use the common starling,Sturnus vulgaris,to identify parallel and divergent evolutionary change between contemporary native and invasive range samples and their common ancestral population. To do this, we use reduced-representation sequencing of native samples collected recently in north-western Europe and invasive samples from Australia, together with museum specimens sampled in the UK during the mid-19thCentury. We found evidence of parallel selection on both continents, possibly resulting from common global selective forces such as exposure to pollutants (e.g. TCDD) and food carbohydrate content. We also identified divergent selection in these populations, which might be related to adaptive changes in response to the novel environment encountered in the introduced Australian range. Interestingly, signatures of selection are equally as common within both invasive and native range contemporary samples. Our results demonstrate the value of including historical samples in genetic studies of invasion and highlight the ongoing and occasionally parallel role of adaptation in both native and invasive ranges.