ScienceDaily: Mathematical Modeling News

Can math models of gaming strategies be used to detect terrorism networks?

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:26:26 EDT

Mathematicians have developed a mathematical model to disrupt the flow of information in a complex real-world network, such as a terrorist organization, using minimal resources.

Fast and painless way to better mental arithmetic? Yes, there might actually be a way

Thu, 16 May 2013 12:39:39 EDT

In the future, if you want to improve your ability to manipulate numbers in your head, you might just plug yourself in. So say researchers who report on studies of a harmless form of brain stimulation applied to an area known to be important for math ability.

Most math being taught in kindergarten is old news to students

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:51:51 EDT

Kindergarten teachers report spending much of their math instructional time teaching students basic counting skills and how to recognize geometric shapes -— skills the students have already mastered before ever setting foot in the kindergarten classroom, new research finds.

Photonic quantum computers: A brighter future than ever

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:38:38 EDT

Harnessing the unique features of the quantum world promises a dramatic speed-up in information processing as compared to the fastest classical machines. Scientists have succeeded in prototyping a new and highly resource efficient model of a quantum computer -- the boson sampling computer.

New model to recommend media content according to your preferences

Mon, 13 May 2013 08:31:31 EDT

Researchers have developed a model capable to recommend audiovisual content to each user based on their own media consumption and intrinsic features of images and videos.

People organize daily travel efficiently: Population-level study discovers small-scale details about individuals' choices

Wed, 08 May 2013 13:31:31 EDT

Studies of human mobility usually focus on either the small scale -- determining the origins, destinations and travel modes of individuals' daily commutes -- or the very large scale, such as using air-travel patterns to track the spread of epidemics over time. The large-scale studies, most of which are made possible by the vast data generated and collected by new technologies like sensors and cellphones, are very good at describing the big picture, but don't provide much detail at the individual level. Smaller-scale studies have the opposite characteristic: Their findings generally can't be scaled up from the individual to be applied broadly to populations. But a new study bridges that gap.

Early math and reading ability linked to job and income in adulthood

Wed, 08 May 2013 12:31:31 EDT

Math and reading ability at age 7 may be linked with socioeconomic status several decades later, according to new research. The childhood abilities predict socioeconomic status in adulthood over and above associations with intelligence, education, and socioeconomic status in childhood.

Mathematical model measures hidden HIV

Wed, 08 May 2013 09:30:30 EDT

A new mathematical modeling technique reveals HIV virus may be replicating in body even when undetectable in the blood.

Mathematicians help unlock brain function

Fri, 03 May 2013 13:29:29 EDT

Mathematicians will bring researchers one step closer to understanding how the structure of the brain relates to its function in two recently published studies.

New simulation speed record on Sequoia Supercomputer

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 19:40:40 EDT

Computer scientists have set a high performance computing speed record that opens the way to the scientific exploration of complex planetary-scale systems. Scientists have announced a record-breaking simulation speed of 504 billion events per second on LLNL’s Sequoia Blue Gene/Q supercomputer, dwarfing the previous record set in 2009 of 12.2 billion events per second.

How to manage motorway tolls through the Game Theory

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 13:13:13 EDT

Sophisticated mathematical methods could be used to improve traffic management.

Modeling disease spread, including flu

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:46:46 EDT

A collaborative research network that formed nearly 10 years ago has pioneered the use of computational and mathematical models to prepare for, detect and respond to influenza, pertussis, West Nile disease, dengue fever, cholera and other infectious disease threats.

Mathematical models out-perform doctors in predicting cancer patients' responses to treatment

Sat, 20 Apr 2013 11:06:06 EDT

Mathematical prediction models are better than doctors at predicting the outcomes and responses of lung cancer patients to treatment, according to new research. The researcher says she considers it unethical for treatment decisions to be based solely on doctors' opinions, when these models perform so much better.

Child's counting comprehension may depend on objects counted, study shows

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 15:44:44 EDT

Psychologists have found that use of certain objects for counting have mixed results with preschoolers, particularly if those objects are rich in perceptual detail (bright and shiny).

'Big data’ algorithm used to customize video game difficulty

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:42:42 EDT

Researchers have developed a computational model that can predict video game players’ in-game performance and provide a corresponding challenge they can beat, leading to quicker mastery of new skills. The advance not only could help improve user experiences with video games but also applications beyond the gaming world.

New computational model can predict breast cancer survival

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:48:48 EDT

Researchers have developed a new computational model that is highly predictive of breast cancer survival and, they hope, perhaps all cancers.

New keyboard for touchscreens enables faster thumb-typing

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 09:19:19 EDT

Scientists have created a new keyboard called KALQ that enables faster thumb-typing on touchscreen devices. They used computational optimization techniques in conjunction with a model of thumb movement to search among millions of potential layouts before identifying one that yields superior performance. A user study confirmed that, after a short amount of practice, users could type 34% faster than they could with a QWERTY layout.

Mathematics provides a shortcut to timely, cost-effective interventions for HIV

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:59:59 EDT

Mathematical estimates of treatment outcomes can cut costs and provide faster delivery of preventative measures. South Africa is home to the largest HIV epidemic in the world with a total of 5.6 million people living with HIV. Large-scale clinical trials evaluating combination methods of prevention and treatment are often prohibitively expensive and take years to complete. In the absence of such trials, mathematical models can help assess the effectiveness of different HIV intervention combinations, as demonstrated in a new study.

Mathematical method for simulating the evolution of the solar system improved

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:01:01 EDT

In order to improve a simulation designed to study the evolution of the solar system through time, numerical mathematical methods have been developed. Specifically, the methods proposed enable the simulation calculations to be done faster and more accurately.

Girls and math: Feelings of power can diffuse effects of negative stereotypes

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 13:15:15 EDT

New research from social psychologists suggests that feeling powerful might protect against the debilitating effects of negative stereotypes.

Physicists decipher social cohesion issues

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 07:20:20 EDT

Migrations happen for a reason, not randomly. A new study, based on computer simulation, attempts to explain the effect of so-called directional migration - migration for a reason - on cooperative behaviors and social cohesion. The authors devised a computer simulation of what they refer to as selfish individuals - those who are mainly concerned with their own interests, to the exclusion of the interests of others. In this study, they propose a new migration rule, dubbed directional migration, in existing models referred to as evolutionary game theory.

Seismic hazards: Seismic simulation code speeds up

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 14:45:45 EDT

Scientists have developed a highly scalable computer code that promises to dramatically cut both research times and energy costs in simulating seismic hazards throughout California and elsewhere.

Sorting out Parkinson's protein structure: Computer modeling may offer hints for new drug-design strategies

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 11:16:16 EDT

Clumps of proteins that accumulate in brain cells are a hallmark of neurological diseases such as dementia, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Over the past several years, there has been much controversy over the structure of one of those proteins, known as alpha synuclein. Computational scientists have now modeled the structure of that protein, most commonly associated with Parkinson's, and found that it can take on either of two proposed states -- floppy or rigid.

Mathematician publishes 2013 Major League Baseball projections

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:52:52 EDT

It looks like 2013 will be a thrilling season for baseball fans as four of the six divisions can be expected to deliver tight races, says a baseball guru and mathematician.

Teachers' gestures boost math learning

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 12:51:51 EDT

Students perform better when their instructors use hand gestures -- a simple teaching tool that could yield benefits in higher-level math such as algebra.

How does innovation take hold in a community? Math modeling can provide clues

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:35:35 EDT

Mathematical models can be used to study the spread of technological innovations among individuals connected to each other by a network of peer-to-peer influences, such as in a physical community or neighborhood.

Computer chips: Building upward safely

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 16:23:23 EDT

A computer model provides important clues for the production of tightly packed electronic components.

New lung cancer study takes page from Google's playbook

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 11:11:11 EDT

A new study shows that the same sort of mathematical model that Google uses to predict which websites people want to visit may help researchers predict how lung cancer spreads through the human body.

Prescription for double-dose algebra proves effective

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 20:53:53 EDT

Ninth-graders in Chicago Public Schools have significantly benefited from double-dose algebra (attending two consecutive periods of the subject) in ways that were not easily observable in the program's early years of existence.

Molecular geometry, new field in the making

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 08:13:13 EDT

Scientists are working towards creating a new field called Molecular Geometry which provides geometrical solutions within the study of molecules.

'Networked minds' require fundamentally new kind of economics

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:51:51 EDT

In their computer simulations of human evolution, scientists have discovered the emergence of the “homo socialis” with “other-regarding” preferences. The results explain some intriguing findings in experimental economics and call for a new economic theory of “networked minds”. On average, people behave more fairness-oriented and other-regarding than expected. A new theory now explains why.

More career options may explain why fewer women pursue jobs in science and math

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:44:44 EDT

Women may be less likely to pursue careers in science and math because they have more career choices, not because they have less ability, according to a new study.

Model allows engineers to test fuel systems on computers

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:47:47 EDT

Engineers will be able to design better fuel systems for everything from motorcycles to rockets faster and more inexpensively because of a new mathematical fuels model.

Nanoscale spinning magnetic droplets created

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:43:43 EDT

Researchers have successfully created a magnetic soliton -- a nano-sized, spinning droplet that was first theorized 35 years ago.

International gender difference in math and reading scores persists regardless of gender equality

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 11:18:18 EDT

Even in countries with high gender equality, sex differences in math and reading scores persisted in the 75 nations examined by a new study. Girls consistently scored higher in reading, while boys got higher scores in math, but these gaps are linked and vary with overall social and economic conditions of the nation.

What can sports teams learn from the manufacturing industry? Plenty

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:24:24 EDT

What can sports teams learn from the manufacturing industry? Plenty, according to researchers.

Predictive Analysis: New generation of computational intelligence systems

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 09:55:55 EDT

Large parts of our lives are now being monitored and analysed by computers. Log on to Amazon and intelligent data analysis software can recommend a selection of books you might like to read. Far from being a sinister intrusion into people's privacy, the purpose of these systems is to improve our lives, experts say.

Pancakes with a side of math: A physiological model for sap exudation in maple trees

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 11:07:07 EST

The mechanisms behind sap exudation in sugar maple trees -- processes that trigger pressure differences causing sap to flow -- are a topic of much debate. In a new paper, researchers shed light on this subject by proposing a mathematical model for the essential physiological processes that drive sap flow.

Statistical physics offers a new way to look at climate

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 14:58:58 EST

New research suggests that statistical simulations rooted in basic physics could make for new climate models that are more useful and require less brute-force computing power. A new article shows how statistical simulations can be applied to fluid jets like the ones in Earth's atmosphere and oceans.

Molecular coordination in evolution

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 08:07:07 EST

Spanish researchers have published a review on the latest computational methods that, based on evolutionary principles, are revolutionizing the field of analysis and prediction of protein structure, function and protein-protein interactions, as well as the short- and long-term expectations for the field.

Short algorithm, long-range consequences

Sat, 02 Mar 2013 12:54:54 EST

A new technique for solving 'graph Laplacians' is drastically simpler than its predecessors, with implications for a huge range of practical problems.

Deworming important for children's health, has limited impact on infection in wider communities

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 17:14:14 EST

Although they have an important impact on children's health and education, school-based deworming programs have a limited impact on the level of infection in the wider community, according to a mathematical modeling study.

Wars on editing Wikipedia articles, uncovered

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:34:34 EST

An international study, has developed a mathematical model that describes the dynamics of editing conflicts over Wikipedia articles. The results represent a step towards the understanding of mechanisms of collective opinion formation.

First grade math skills set foundation for later math ability

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 15:13:13 EST

Children who failed to acquire a basic math skill in first grade scored far behind their peers by seventh grade on a test of the mathematical abilities needed to function in adult life, according to researchers.

3-D atlas of the human heart drawn using statistics

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 08:10:10 EST

Researchers in Spain have created a high resolution atlas of the heart with 3-D images taken from 138 people. The study demonstrates that an average image of an organ along with its variations can be obtained for the purposes of comparing individual cases and differentiating healthy forms from pathologies.

Gender gap disappears in school math competitions

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 15:30:30 EST

The idea that boys are better at math and in competitions has persisted for a long time - primarily because of the competition format. A new study shows that competitions that extend beyond a single round result in parity between the sexes.

March of the pathogens: Parasite metabolism can foretell disease ranges under climate change

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 11:25:25 EST

Researchers developed a model that can help determine the future range of nearly any disease-causing parasite under climate change, even if little is known about the organism. Their method calculates how the projected temperature change for an area would alter the creature's metabolism and life cycle.

Taking the gamble out of DNA sequencing: How much can be learned in a large-scale experiment

Sun, 24 Feb 2013 14:28:28 EST

Scientists have developed an algorithm to predict how much can be learned in a large-scale DNA sequencing experiment -- with potential applications in every field of science.

Journey to the limits of space-time: Black hole simulations on supercomputers present new view of jets and accretion disks

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:16:16 EST

Black holes shape the growth and death of the stars around them through their powerful gravitational pull and explosive ejections of energy. In a recent article, researchers predicted the formation of accretion disks and relativistic jets that warp and bend more than previously thought, shaped by the extreme gravity of the black hole and by powerful magnetic forces generated by its spin.

Factoring in the deadly math of cancer

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:11:11 EST

Researchers are building complex mathematical models to understand cancer's evolution and how to treat it.

Rock-paper-scissors a parable for cycles in finance, fashion, politics and more

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 16:12:12 EST

Using a grown-up version of the rock-paper-scissors game, cognitive scientists offer a new theory of the group dynamics that arise in situations as varied as cycles of fashion, fluctuations of financial markets, eBay bidding wars and political campaign strategies. "People playing this kind of game subtly influence each other, converging on similar ways of reasoning over time. The natural analogy for the process is to a flock of birds veering in concert."

Breakthrough architecture for quantum computers proposed

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 08:49:49 EST

Scientists have proposed a new computational model that may become the architecture for a scalable quantum computer.

Math helps detect gang-related crime and better allocate police resources

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 13:40:40 EST

Social groups in a population can lend important cues to law enforcement officials, consumer-based services and risk assessors. Social and geographical patterns that provide information about such communities or gangs have been a popular subject for mathematical modeling. Scientists used police department records about individuals' social and geographical information to determine gang memberships.

Scientists create automated 'time machine' to reconstruct ancient languages

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 11:20:20 EST

Ancient languages hold a treasure trove of information about the culture, politics and commerce of millennia past. Yet, reconstructing them to reveal clues into human history can require decades of painstaking work. Now, scientists have created an automated "time machine," of sorts, that will greatly accelerate and improve the process of reconstructing hundreds of ancestral languages.

Model aims to help companies make products we actually want

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 11:19:19 EST

Researchers have developed a model that will, hopefully, help companies develop innovative products that people actually want to use. The model is a first step towards capturing the behavior of both companies and consumers, so that we end up with more iPods and fewer Edsels.

Virtual vehicle vibrations: Predicting role of posture in traffic collision injuries

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 16:24:24 EST

A researcher has designed a computer program that allows engineers to accurately predict the role posture plays in transferring the stress of vehicle motion to bone and muscle in the head and neck.

Protein origami: Quick folders are the best

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 08:44:44 EST

The evolutionary history of proteins shows that protein folding is an important factor. Especially the speed of protein folding plays a key role. This was the result of computer analysis. For almost four billions of years, there has been a trend towards faster folding.

Reconcilable differences: Study uncovers the common ground of scientific opposites

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:24:24 EST

Researchers have developed a mathematical framework that strips away the differences between scientific laws and theories to reveal how the ideas are compatible. They have explained how the mathematical model finds common ground between the famously at-odds physics equations that govern classical and quantum mechanics.

Program to overcome early U.S. math deficiencies could improve workforce

Wed, 30 Jan 2013 08:30:30 EST

Researchers identified how a lack of a specific math skill in first grade correlated to lower scores on a seventh grade math test used to determine employability and wages in adults.

Researchers break million-core supercomputer barrier

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 10:46:46 EST

A new record in computational science has been set by using a supercomputer with more than one million computing cores to solve a complex fluid dynamics problem -- the prediction of noise generated by a supersonic jet engine.