Coevolution of slow-fast populations: evolutionary sliding, evolutionary pseudo-equilibria and complex Red Queen dynamics.

We study the interplay of ecological and evolutionary dynamics in communities composed of populations with contrasting time-scales. In such communities, genetic variation of individual traits can cause population transitions between stationary and cyclic ecological regimes, hence abrupt variations in fitness. Such abrupt variations raise ridges in the adaptive landscape, where the populations are poised between equilibrium and cyclic coexistence and along which evolutionary trajectories can remain sliding for long times or halt at special points called evolutionary pseudo-equilibria. These novel phenomena should be generic to all systems in which ecological interactions cause fitness to vary discontinuously. They are demonstrated by the analysis of a predator-prey community, with one adaptive trait for each population. The eco-evolutionary dynamics of the system show a number of other distinctive features, including evolutionary extinction and two forms of Red Queen dynamics. One of them is characterized by intermittent bouts of cyclic oscillations of the two populations.

Diffraction tomography: a geometrical distortion free procedure.

Ductal echography (DE) is a recent anatomically-led method of investigation of internal mammary structures that provides direct observation of ductolobular structures in mammary lobes. Indeed, breast cancer initiates from the epithelium (hypoechogenic) and develops first in ductolobular structures. Our research aims at developing an ultrasonic scanner (hemispherical antenna) that will allow three-dimensional measurement of the field diffracted by the gland. The present reconstruction procedure is an alternative solution to the standard elliptic back-projection (EBP) technique based on the Born approximation (weak scattering assumption). The latter implicitly assumes that the sound speed is (almost) constant within the breast. This unrealistic a priori is inconsistent with our heterogeneous media characterization purpose, and leads both to geometrical distortion in the reconstruction and to poor focusing of the backpropagated waves (low contrast imaging). However, the EBP technique retains a two-fold advantage: firstly it does not make any other assumption concerning the distribution of mechanical parameters apart from low gradients. Secondly, it shows great robustness, a high resolving power, and is easy to implement. Thus, in order to account for strong wavefront distortions, we integrate temporal compensation of the scattered signals acquired into the scattering EBP technique. The adjustment relies on a time of flight estimation based on a "layer stripping" approach. Numerical tests based on finite difference time domain simulations of data scattered by a random tissue-like phantom are proposed.

On mutualists and exploiters: plant-insect coevolution in pollinating seed-parasite systems.

We investigate the coevolution of time of flowering and time of pollinator emergence in an obligate association between a plant and an insect that both pollinates and parasitizes flowers. Numerical analysis shows that the system in general evolves towards a time of flowering different from the time favoured by the abiotic environment. The equilibrium towards which the system evolves is a local fitness maximum (an ESS) with respect to mutational variation in flowering time but, for the insect, it can be a local fitness minimum at which selection on mutational variation in the time of insect emergence is disruptive. A consequence of evolutionary convergence to a fitness minimum is that pollinators having an earlier phenology can coexist with pollinators having a later phenology. Since late emerging insects are more likely to encounter and oviposit within previously pollinated flowers, their effect on the plant is more exploitative, leading them to function as cheaters within the system. Thus, in the long term, pollinators and exploiters are likely to be found in stable coexistence in pollinating seed-parasite systems.

Coherence-multiplexed acousto-optic correlator for signal processing: theory and applications.

A method of multichannel processing to compute correlation products simultaneously is introduced. The signals that process are encoded on a single light beam through the use of an electro-optic modulators that induce optical delays greater than the coherence length of light. The coherence-modulated light beam thus obtained is then spatially and temporally modulated through an acousto-optic Bragg cell. The potential number of channels is estimated to be approximately 5-10. The method can be combined with other existing systems, such as time-, space-, or frequency-multiplexed correlators, to increase the channel number. The method also applies to high-resolution spectral analysis.

Invading wave of cooperation in a spatial iterated prisoner's dilemma.

Explaining the emergence of cooperative behaviours in a selfish world remains a major challenge for sociobiology. The iterated prisoner's dilemma offers a well-studied metaphor with which to explore theoretically the evolution of cooperation by reciprocation. Our current understanding is that 'tit-for-tat' should be the very first step (if not the aim) of evolution towards cooperation, but that mobility of the players in space seems to raise a devastating obstacle to the spread of tit-for-tat, by allowing egoists to exploit cooperation and escape retaliation. The second point is based on models that represent mobility only implicitly (in terms of travelling costs) and assume random interactions. Here we develop a more explicit theory of spatial iterated games: individual mobility is represented in terms of a diffusion process and interactions--defined locally--are inherently non-random. Our model reveals the existence of critical levels of individual mobility allowing for the evolution of cooperation. In fact, tit-for-tat can spread and take over among mobile players even when originating from extreme rarity. The dynamics of invasion of tit-for-tat develop as a travelling wave which propagates the cooperative strategy through space. Significant mobility is required to make the pioneering moves of cooperators towards the front of invasion less hazardous; it also contributes to neutralizing those defectors who may intrude the core of a cluster of cooperative players.

Multichannel acousto-optic correlator that uses a low-coherence source.

We describe a time-integrating acousto-optic correlator that allows several channels to be multiplexed optically by means of a coherence-multiplexed superluminescent laser diode. Parallel channels are generated by birefringent electro-optic modulators set in cascade to induce optical path differences greater than the coherence length of the source. The system can be combined with most of the other previously reported multichannel techniques used in acousto-optic processors.

Chaos and evolution.

There is growing interest in applying nonlinear methods to evolutionary biology. With good reason: the living world is full of nonlinearities, responsible for steady states, regular oscillations, and chaos in biological systems. Evolutionists may find nonlinear dynamics important in studying short-term dynamics of changes in genotype frequency, and in understanding selection and its constraints. More speculatively, dynamical systems theory may be important because nonlinear fluctuations in some traits may sometimes be favored by selection, and because some long-run patterns of evolutionary change could be described using these methods.

Chaotic population dynamics can result from natural selection.

The question of whether animal populations display chaotic dynamics has motivated a thriving body of research for two decades. Yet unambiguous evidence for chaos in the wild remains scarce. Accordingly, it has been proposed that evolutionary forces act to preserve populations from chaos as well as oscillations. We have tested for this hypothesis by considering the dynamics associated with evolutionarily stable life histories (including age of maturity, adult survivorship and recruitment to adulthood) in a simple, but general, demographic model. Contrary to expectation, individual selection operating on demographic traits should often lead to oscillatory or chaotic dynamics for species with late feasible ages of maturity and many age classes. Also, the optimality of chaos is more likely whenever trade-offs constrain recruitment to rapidly decrease with increasing adult survival or decreasing age of maturity. Our results bring evolutionary support to the possibility that chaotic population dynamics might be much more widespread than inferred until now from data analyses. Furthermore, these findings provide novel support for the view that chaos could be an optimal regime for several biological systems.

Evolutionarily stable age at first reproduction in a density-dependent model.

We develop a new model of life history evolution to investigate the evolution of age at first reproduction. Density dependence is taken into account. For a given "species", age of maturity, offspring survival, immature survival, adult survival, fecundity, immature age-classes entering in competition with adults and immature competitive ability are traits adjustable by natural selection, and constitute a particular strategy. On the contrary, the type of intraspecific competition (scramble or contest), strength of competition and inherent net reproductive rate Ro(inh) are fixed (specific) characteristics. As a consequence of fixing Ro(inh), the evolution of any trait will affect trade-offs between others. Evolutionarily stable strategies are determined numerically by using the mathematical concept of Lyapunov exponents. Altogether, we consider 960 different hypothetical "species" (i.e. different combinations of fixed traits). Corresponding ESSs are analyzed with respect to their age at first reproduction, adult survival and immature competitive ability components. They appear to be gathered in three groups. One is intuitive and characterized by a reduction of immature competitive ability and a correlation of age of maturity with adult survival; populations reach mainly equilibria. The two other groups respectively include "species" with low age of maturity but high adult survival, and "species" close to semelparity with delayed maturity; immature competitive ability may not be minimized, and populations possibly exhibit complex dynamics. In conclusion, the hypothesis that the evolution of a demographic parameter modifies trade-offs between others turns out to have important consequences. We argue that life history theory cannot ignore the source and mode-of-operation of density dependence and must regard potential short-term instability as essential.

Contribution of skeletal muscle to the regulatory non-shivering thermogenesis in small mammals.

Energy dissipation (E) was measured by direct microcalorimetry in perifused resting soleus muscles from cold adapted, euthyroid, hypothyroid and hyperthyroid mice, before and during exposure to noradrenaline (NA), lipid substrates or ouabain. The thermogenic effect of NA on the muscle was transitory and it did not exceed 5% of basal E, in all groups of preparations. The substrate effects were larger than that of NA and were sustained. They were the largest in hypothyroid animals and were not potentiated by NA. Basal E and the thermogenic effects of NA and the lipid substrates were identical in preparations from mice adapted to 23 degrees C and to 8 degrees C. The inhibitory effect of ouabain in resting muscles was very small, but it was increased by adaptation to the lower temperature. Experiments performed on rat muscles perfused in situ showed much larger thermogenic effects of NA than that observed in perifused mouse muscles. It is suggested that the NA thermogenic effect in resting muscles from small mammals is essentially mediated by hemodynamic changes which tend to suppress a hypoxic and acidotic restriction of the metabolic rate, rather than by any direct effect of NA on skeletal muscle cells.

Thyroid hormones and the energetics of active sodium-potassium transport in mammalian skeletal muscles.

1. The steady-state heat production rate (E) of soleus muscles obtained from adult mice in various thyroid states was measured in a perfused microcalorimeter. The ouabain-suppressible fractions of E and 42K influx were compared and the energetic efficiency of active Na-K transport assessed. 2. Hypothyroidism with plasma thyroxine concentrations below 1 microgram/100 ml. was induced by pretreatment with 131I or perchlorate. In soleus muscles isolated from treated animals, mean E values were 25.1 +/- 0.7 and 24.2 +/- 0.5 mcal.g wet wt.-1.min-1 for the 131I and the perchlorate series respectively, i.e. about 30% lower than the control level (36.3 +/- 1.5 mcal.g wet wt.-1.min-1). Following triiodothyronine treatment, E was increased by about 45%. 3. In muscles from hypothyroid (131I and perchlorate series), euthyroid and hyperthyroid mice ouabain (10(-3) M) induced a rapid decrease in E of 1.6 +/- 0.1 and 1.4 +/- 0.1, 2.5 +/- 0.2, and 4.3 +/- 0.6 mcal.g wet wt.-1.min-1 respectively, i.e. between 6 and 8% of E. 4. In muscles obtained from hypothyroid, euthyroid and hyperthyroid mice, the ouabain-suppressible component of 42K influx was 0.17 +/- 0.04, 0.31 +/- 0.02 and 0.45 +/- 0.02 micromole. g wet wt.-1.min-1 respectively. Whereas the total number of ouabain binding sites varied appreciably with the thyroid status, the Na-K contents of soleus or diaphragm muscles showed no significant changes. 5. Notwithstanding the parallelism between the changes in basal E and ouabain-sensitive components of E and K influx with the thyroid status, it is concluded that active NA-K transport cannot be considered a primary effector of thyroid thermogenesis in intact mammalian skeletal muscle. The direct contribution of active NA-K transport to this thermogenesis was indeed small compared with the over-all cellular energy dissipation. 6. The minimum over-all energetic efficiency of the transport process in the intact muscles (30--35%) was not dependent on the thyroid status.