Emergence of energy-avoiding and energy-seeking behaviors in nonequilibrium dissipative quantum systems

A longstanding challenge in nonequilibrium thermodynamics is to predict the emergence of self-organized behaviors and functionalities typical of living matter. Despite the progress with classical complex systems, it remains far from obvious how to extrapolate these results down to the quantum scale. Here, we employ the paradigmatic master equation framework to establish that some lifelike behaviors and functionalities can indeed emerge in elementary dissipative quantum systems driven out of equilibrium. Specifically, we find both energy-avoiding (low steady dissipation) and energy-seeking behaviors (high steady dissipation), as well as self-adaptive shifts between these modes, in generic few-level systems. We also find emergent functionalities, namely, a self-organized thermal gradient in the system’s environment (in the energy-seeking mode) and an active equilibration against thermal gradients (in the energy-avoiding mode). Finally, we discuss the possibility that our results could be related to the concept of dissipative adaptation.

Palaeohistology reveals a slow pace of life for the dwarfed Sicilian elephant

The 1-m-tall dwarf elephant Palaeoloxodon falconeri from the Pleistocene of Sicily (Italy) is an extreme example of insular dwarfism and epitomizes the Island Rule. Based on scaling of life-history (LH) traits with body mass, P. falconeri is widely considered to be ‘r-selected’ by truncation of the growth period, associated with an early onset of reproduction and an abbreviated lifespan. These conjectures are, however, at odds with predictions from LH models for adaptive shifts in body size on islands. To settle the LH strategy of P. falconeri, we used bone, molar, and tusk histology to infer growth rates, age at first reproduction, and longevity. Our results from all approaches are congruent and provide evidence that the insular dwarf elephant grew at very slow rates over an extended period; attained maturity at the age of 15 years; and had a minimum lifespan of 68 years. This surpasses not only the values predicted from body mass but even those of both its giant sister taxon (P. antiquus) and its large mainland cousin (L. africana). The suite of LH traits of P. falconeri is consistent with the LH data hitherto inferred for other dwarfed insular mammals. P. falconeri, thus, not only epitomizes the Island Rule but it can also be viewed as a paradigm of evolutionary change towards a slow LH that accompanies the process of dwarfing in insular mammals.

Interspecific variation of antennal lobe composition among four hornet species

Olfaction is a crucial sensory modality underlying foraging, social and mating behaviors in many insects. Since the olfactory system is at the interface between the animal and its environment, it receives strong evolutionary pressures that promote neuronal adaptations and phenotypic variations across species. Hornets are large eusocial predatory wasps with a highly developed olfactory system, critical for foraging and intra-specific communication. In their natural range, hornet species display contrasting ecologies and olfactory-based behaviors, which might match to adaptive shifts in their olfactory system. The first olfactory processing center of the insect brain, the antennal lobe, is made of morphological and functional units called glomeruli. Using fluorescent staining, confocal microscopy and 3D reconstructions, we compared antennal lobe structure, glomerular numbers and volumes in four hornet species (Vespa crabro, Vespa velutina, Vespa mandarinia and Vespa orientalis) with marked differences in nesting site preferences and predatory behaviors. Despite a conserved organization of their antennal lobe compartments, glomeruli numbers varied strongly between species, including in a subsystem thought to process intraspecific cuticular signals. Moreover, specific adaptations involving enlarged glomeruli appeared in two species, V. crabro and V. mandarinia, but not in the others. We discuss the possible function of these adaptations based on species-specific behavioral differences.

Adaptive shifts underlie the divergence in wing morphology in bombycoid moths

The evolution of flapping flight is linked to the prolific success of insects. Across Insecta, wing morphology diversified, strongly impacting aerodynamic performance. In the presence of ecological opportunity, discrete adaptive shifts and early bursts are two processes hypothesized to give rise to exceptional morphological diversification. Here, we use the sister-families Sphingidae and Saturniidae to answer how the evolution of aerodynamically important traits is linked to clade divergence and through what process(es) these traits evolve. Many agile Sphingidae evolved hover feeding behaviours, while adult Saturniidae lack functional mouth parts and rely on a fixed energy budget as adults. We find that Sphingidae underwent an adaptive shift in wing morphology coincident with life history and behaviour divergence, evolving small high aspect ratio wings advantageous for power reduction that can be moved at high frequencies, beneficial for flight control. By contrast, Saturniidae, which do not feed as adults, evolved large wings and morphology which surprisingly does not reduce aerodynamic power, but could contribute to their erratic flight behaviour, aiding in predator avoidance. We suggest that after the evolution of flapping flight, diversification of wing morphology can be potentiated by adaptative shifts, shaping the diversity of wing morphology across insects.

Adaptive shifts underlie the divergence in wing morphology in bombycoid moths

The evolution of flapping flight is linked to the prolific success of insects. Across Insecta, wing morphology diversified, strongly impacting aerodynamic performance. In the presence of ecological opportunity, discrete adaptive shifts and early bursts are two processes hypothesized to give rise to exceptional morphological diversification. Here, we use the sister-families Sphingidae and Saturniidae to answer how the evolution of aerodynamically important traits is linked to clade divergence and through what process(es) these traits evolve. Many agile Sphingidae evolved hover-feeding behaviors, while adult Saturniidae lack functional mouth parts and rely on a fixed energy budget as adults. We find that Sphingidae underwent an adaptive shift in wing morphology coincident with life history and behavior divergence, evolving small high aspect-ratio wings advantageous for power reduction that can be moved at high frequencies, beneficial for flight control. In contrast, Saturniidae, which do not feed as adults, evolved large wings and morphology which surprisingly does not reduce aerodynamic power, but could contribute to their erratic flight behavior, aiding in predator avoidance. We suggest that after the evolution of flapping flight, diversification of wing morphology can be potentiated by adaptative shifts, shaping the diversity of wing morphology across insects.

A Lacustrine Revolution: Adaptive Shifts in the Late Glacial of South Central Europe

The environmental changes in Europe at the end of the last ice age had profound effects on human populations. One of these changes, the development of numerous lakes in the region north of the Alps, created new habitats and niches that were rapidly exploited, with significant effects on many aspects of behavior. The record of environmental and archaeological changes in southern Germany and Switzerland are examined with an emphasis on some of the implications of the resulting change in settlement patterns.

Host-Parasite Co-Evolution in Real-Time: Changes in Honey Bee Resistance Mechanisms and Mite Reproductive Strategies

Co-evolution is a major driving force shaping the outcome of host-parasite interactions over time. After host shifts, the lack of co-evolution can have a drastic impact on novel host populations. Nevertheless, it is known that Western honey bee (Apismellifera) populations can cope with host-shifted ectoparasitic mites (Varroa destructor) by means of natural selection. However, adaptive phenotypic traits of the parasites and temporal variations in host resistance behavior are poorly understood. Here, we show that mites made adaptive shifts in reproductive strategy when associated with resistant hosts and that host resistance traits can change over time. In a fully-crossed field experiment, worker brood cells of local adapted and non-adapted (control) A.mellifera host colonies were infested with mites originating from both types of host colonies. Then, mite reproduction as well as recapping of cells and removal of infested brood (i.e., Varroa Sensitive Hygiene, VSH) by host workers were investigated and compared to data from the same groups of host colonies three years earlier. The data suggest adaptive shifts in mite reproductive strategies, because mites from adapted hosts have higher probabilities of reproduction, but lower fecundity, when infesting their associated hosts than mites in treated colonies. The results confirm that adapted hosts can reduce mite reproductive success. However, neither recapping of cells nor VSH were significantly expressed, even though the latter was significantly expressed in this adapted population three years earlier. This suggests temporal variation in the expression of adaptive host traits. It also appears as if mechanisms not investigated here were responsible for the reduced mite reproduction in the adapted hosts. In conclusion, a holistic view including mite adaptations and studies of the same parasite/host populations over time appears overdue to finally understand the mechanisms enabling survival of V.destructor-infested honey bee host colonies.

The Function of Casual Sex Action and Inaction Regret: A Longitudinal Investigation

In several recent papers the sex difference in regret predicted by sexual strategies theory has been supported: men more than women report regret passing up short-term sexual opportunities (inaction regret), while women regret having had sexual encounters (action regret). However, the adaptive function of regret, to improve future behavioral choices, has not been tested. In this first longitudinal test of behavioral change following regret, we consider whether regret actually results in adaptive shifts of behavior: will men who regret passing up sex engage in more short-term sex following regret? Will women who regret short-term encounters either choose better quality partners, reduce number of one-night stands or shift their strategy to long-term relationships? Across two waves (NT1 = 399, 65.4% women and NT2 = 222, 66.2% women) students responded to questions about casual sex action regret and inaction regret, along with possible outcomes, intrapersonal traits, and concurrent contextual predictors. There was no clear evidence for the proposed functional shifts in sexual behavior. Casual sex regret was associated with respondent sex and stable individual differences, such as sociosexual attitudes, regret processing and metacognitions, but the effect of these predictors were not consistent across the two waves. Among the tested concurrent contextual predictors, sexual disgust was the most consistent across waves. Regret is considered a gauge of the value and quality of the short-term sexual encounter. However, tentatively we conclude that after this first test of function using longitudinal data, we find no evidence of a mating strategy shifting effect following sexual regret.

NATURAL COSMETICS IN THE CARE OF YOUNG CHILDREN

The article provides general information about the skin physiology of newborns and infants. Structural features of the skin and main adaptive shifts in newborns, are described. Тhe child has an increase in the skin barrier function of the skin, which prevents transepidermal water loss; active synthesis of natural moisturizing factor (NMF) components that control skin hydration; shift of pH to acidic environment; normalization of thermoregulatory functions; enhancement of the photoprotective function; immune restructuring for antimicrobial protection; formation of a normal microbiome. The article describes the consequences of improper skin care of a newborn, using the example of diaper dermatitis, irritant dermatitis, prickly heat and vesiculopustulosis. The importance of using specialized children's cosmetics in caring for an infant is assessed. The basic recommendations for the choice of these products are presented, where the main emphasis is on the choice of products consisting of natural ingredients. Giving preference to natural cosmetics, everyone should carefully study the composition of these products and trust the manufacturers who can guarantee safety of care products for the youngest children.

Improvement of Physical Preparedness of Athletes in Classic Powerlifting at the Stage of Preparation for Higher Achievements Using Load Components Planning in Exercise Groups

Despite the active development of classical powerlifting in recent decades, the construction of training athletes in this division was based on the scientific achievements of researchers in equipment powerlifting, based on abrupt planning of sports volume and intensity of increasing load in the structural. Taking into account the impossibility of using significant indicators of volume and intensity in classical powerlifting, it is important to study ways to improve the construction of training powerlifters of different qualifications. The purpose of the study was to substantiate the effectiveness of the application of load component planning in groups of exercises in building the training of athletes in classical powerlifting at the stage of preparation for higher achievements. Material and methods. To achieve this goal we used theoretical analysis and generalization of data from scientific and methodological literature and the world information network Internet; documentary method; pedagogical observation; pedagogical experiment; methods of mathematical statistics. Based on the analysis of existing scientific knowledge and best practices, the need to find ways to improve training programs for athletes in classical powerlifting at the stage of preparation for higher achievements as one of the most important structural elements of athletes' athletic potential was substantiated. Results and discussion. As a result of the pedagogical experiment, there were significant differences in the performance of athletes of the control and experimental groups before and after the experiment in two of the four tests. Significant differences between the indicators of physical fitness of athletes in the control and experimental groups after the experiment were found in tests aimed at determining the level of development of strength capabilities. In two tests we found no significant differences between the indicators of the athletes of the experimental and control groups. Conclusion. The results of pedagogical experiment revealed reliable indicators of growth of physical fitness in three tests in athletes of experimental and control group. There were no reliable growth rates in both groups after the pedagogical experiment in the test "Running 30 m from a high start". The indicators of growth of physical fitness in the tests "Pull-up on the crossbar" and "Jumping from a place" in the athletes of the experimental group were higher than in the control group, which confirmed the higher efficiency of the author's powerlifters training program. Conclusion. Thus, planning load components in different groups of exercises in microcycles in accordance with their focus in the training of powerlifters in preparation for higher achievements allowed ensuring a sufficient level of adaptive shifts to increase athletes preparedness on the background of reducing the total annual load