%0 Journal Article
%T Using Multicore Technologies to Speed Up Complex Simulations of Population Evolution
%A Mauricio Guevara-Souza
%A Edgar E. Vallejo
%J Applied Computational Intelligence and Soft Computing
%D 2013
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2013/345297
%X We explore with the use of multicore processing technologies for conducting simulations on population replacement of disease vectors. In our model, a native population of simulated vectors is inoculated with a small exogenous population of vectors that have been infected with the Wolbachia bacteria, which confers immunity to the disease. We conducted a series of computational simulations to study the conditions required by the invading population to take over the native population. Given the computational burden of this study, we decided to take advantage of modern multicore processor technologies for reducing the time required for the simulations. Overall, the results seem promising both in terms of the application and the use of multicore technologies. 1. Introduction We are part of a research program whose main purpose is to develop computational tools and models that are useful to gain insights on population dynamics of disease vectors and its potential application to develop new strategies to control vector borne diseases such as malaria and dengue [1]. The introduction of transgenic vectors that are refractory to the disease into wild native populations to achieve the replacement of disease carrying populations is a promising strategy for disease control but so far has only been explored to a limited extent [2, 3]. One possible alternative that seems promising is the introduction of mosquitoes infected with the Wolbachia bacteria into wild populations for dengue or malaria disease control. The bacteria produces a variety of fitness and reproduction altering mechanisms that contribute to the establishment of immune populations [4]. Wolbachia pipientis is a bacteria that infects a wide variety of invertebrate taxa. It is estimated that approximately 20% of the insects are all infected with this bacteria [5]. The bacteria can spread rapidly over an uninfected population due to the cytoplasmic incompatibility that it induces in its hosts [6, 7]. This mechanisms cause the progeny of a female that is not infected with Wolbachia and a male that is infected to die. If the female is infected, the offspring will survive and will be infected with Wolbachia no matter the infection status of the male (see Figure 1). Figure 1: Cytoplasmatic incompatibility induced by Wolbachia infection. Moreover, it has been shown that Wolbachia provides some virus resistance to their hosts and thus contribute to overcoming loss of fitness. For all this, this mechanism results in the rapid invasion of the host population. Theoretical models on the dynamics of Wolbachia
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/acisc/2013/345297/