Add BrightSurf on Google Email

The Ising on the cake

A team of researchers from Kyoto University and international institutions has developed a mathematical solution to the temporal asymmetry of nonequilibrium disordered Ising networks. This breakthrough offers insights into the behavior of biological systems, machine learning, and AI tools.

SourceKyoto University·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJul 4, 2023

Global warming accelerates CO2 emissions from soil microbes

Soil microbes are releasing more CO2 into the atmosphere due to global warming, with a potential increase of 40% by 2100 in polar regions. The emissions vary across climate zones, with cold polar regions being more sensitive to changes in soil moisture.

SourceETH Zurich·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 23, 2023

Geisel study offers new insights into how Medicare fraud has spread across U.S. regions in recent years

A study by Dartmouth's Geisel School of Medicine found that Medicare fraud in home healthcare billing spread rapidly across U.S. regions between 2002 and 2009, driven by characteristics such as shared patients, high expenditures, and rapid growth in the number of home health agencies. The researchers developed a novel network analysis ...

SourceThe Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth·JournalSocial Science & Medicine·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateJun 8, 2023

Little-known microbes could help predict climate tipping points

Researchers at Duke University have identified a climate feedback loop that could accelerate climate change. Monitoring mixotrophs, tiny organisms with dual metabolism modes, may allow us to anticipate the tipping point before it gets there. However, nutrient pollution poses a challenge to detecting early warning signals.

SourceDuke University·JournalFunctional Ecology·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJun 1, 2023

How the military could speed helicopter operations on the battlefield

Researchers developed a mathematical model that accounts for variables such as helicopter resources and operational range to optimize air movement tasks. The model can perform planning functions in under an hour, saving commanders three to five hours compared to traditional methods.

SourceNorth Carolina State University·JournalJournal of Defense Analytics and Logistics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 22, 2023

Extracting the best flavor from coffee

A study published in Physics of Fluids reveals that uneven extraction in coffee brewing can result in weaker espresso and affect its taste. The researchers found that a positive feedback loop between flow and extraction leads to more bitter flavors, making it essential to understand the origin of uneven extraction.

SourceAmerican Institute of Physics·JournalPhysics of Fluids·DateMay 9, 2023

Mathematical model based on psychology predicts who will buy trendy products

A new study developed a mathematical innovation model grounded in psychology to predict adoption trends for new products. The model divides people into four categories: innovator, early adopter, majority, and laggard, and suggests that each group looks for specific properties of adoption trends to inform their purchasing decisions.

SourceFlorida Atlantic University·JournalPhysica A Statistical Mechanics and its Applications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMay 8, 2023

Mixing theory, observation to envision warmer world

Researchers combine theory and observation to understand damselfly responses to warming temperatures, discovering a more realistic predator-prey simulation model. This work provides groundwork for understanding how other species will adapt to a warmer world, particularly species like mosquitoes.

SourceMichigan State University·JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·DateApr 25, 2023

The Mathematics of Cell Boundary 'Ruggedness'

The study, led by Professor Takashi Miura of Kyushu University, has discovered that interdigitated cell boundaries have a mathematically scaling pattern with self-similarity. The team used the Edwards-Wilkinson model to simulate and understand the molecular mechanism responsible for these dynamics.

SourceKyushu University·JournaliScience·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 21, 2023

Want to make better materials? Read between the lines. Or the “grain boundaries,” as they’re known in materials science.

A team of scientists created a mathematical model that accurately describes microstructures by integrating data from highly magnified images taken during experiments. The findings provide insight into how microstructures change at high temperatures and have implications for the development of new materials.

SourceLehigh University·Journalnpj Computational Materials·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateApr 21, 2023

Want better kimchi? Make it like the ancients did

Researchers found that traditional handmade clay jars, called onggi, ferment kimchi faster and produce more beneficial bacteria due to their unique porous structure. The study highlights the connection between the earthenware's material properties and the fermentation process, providing new insights into ancient technology.

SourceGeorgia Institute of Technology·JournalJournal of The Royal Society Interface·TypeExperimental study·DateApr 12, 2023

Hitchhiker plants inspire improved techniques for reattaching tendon to bone

Researchers developed a new approach to suturing based on the mechanics and spacing of a hitchhiker plant's attachment system, promising to balance forces across sutures and reduce failure rates in surgical procedures. The findings were published in Proceedings of the Royal Society A.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalProceedings of the Royal Society A Mathematical Physical and Engineering Sciences·DateMar 14, 2023

News you can use—to better predict food crisis outbreaks

A new machine learning model developed by NYU researchers can predict food crises up to 12 months in advance by analyzing news articles and their frequency. The model shows a high correlation between news coverage and on-the-ground occurrences of risk factors, indicating its potential as an early-warning system.

SourceNew York University·JournalScience Advances·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 3, 2023

New mathematical model shows promising results for prostate cancer treatment

A new mathematical model has been developed to optimize treatment for prostate cancer, showing promising results in eliminating cancer cells. The model explores different therapeutic strategies, including single drugs and drug combinations, and suggests that alternating therapies could significantly improve cancer treatment.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalMathematical Biosciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 1, 2023

‘Swarmalators’ better envision synchronized microbots

Researchers at Cornell University developed a new model called swarmalators, which can simulate swarming behaviors and synchronized timing in microrobots. The model mimics diverse emergent phenomena, such as aggregation, dispersion, and vortices, and can be used for precision medicine and drone applications.

SourceCornell University·JournalNature Communications·DateMar 1, 2023

Targeting wealth managers would cripple Russia's oligarchs

A new study by Dartmouth College researchers finds that sanctions on wealth managers would be more effective than asset seizure in crippling Russia's oligarchs. The research uses network science to map the connections between wealthy individuals and their financial experts, revealing a vulnerable network that can be disrupted with targ...

SourceDartmouth College·JournalPNAS Nexus·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 28, 2023

Using sewage to forecast COVID-19 infections

A new mathematical model uses wastewater samples to predict COVID-19 cases five days in advance, detecting SARS-CoV-2 RNA with high sensitivity. The approach could help authorities tailor infection control policies when clinical surveillance is lacking.

SourceHokkaido University·JournalEnvironment International·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 20, 2023

Understanding Japan’s earthquakes: New insight into the relationship between slow slip events and the build-up and release of tectonic strain

Researchers investigated the relationship between slow slip events and tectonic strain in Japan's Bungo Channel, Tokai, and Boso-Oki regions. They found that not all accumulated strain is released during SSEs, but rather builds up in shallower areas before a megathrust earthquake can occur.

SourceKobe University·JournalScientific Reports·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 10, 2023

MU researcher studies childhood obesity prevention programs in rural schools

A recent study by Crystal Lim found that obesity prevention programs combining nutrition and exercise components over an extended period had the most success in changing students' daily behaviors. Successful programs also included evidence-based strategies like goal setting, problem solving, and self-regulation techniques.

SourceUniversity of Missouri-Columbia·JournalJBI Evidence Synthesis·TypeLiterature review·DateFeb 9, 2023

Algorithms for hiring: Bias in, bias out

Researchers tested three common techniques to make algorithms fairer and found that one approach didn't reduce social norm bias at all. They proposed a new technique: a formula to directly measure social norm bias in an algorithm so it can be corrected. This bias can persist even after overt discrimination is removed.

SourceUniversity of Texas at Austin·JournalData Mining and Knowledge Discovery·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateFeb 8, 2023

COVID calculations lead to unexpected solution to long-standing problem in theoretical computer science

A UAB researcher discovered a new definition of Petri nets that reconciles two longstanding mathematical approaches, allowing for the reconciliation of geometric and algebraic semantics. This breakthrough has been used in epidemiological modeling, including COVID-19 research.

SourceUniversitat Autonoma de Barcelona·JournalJournal of the ACM·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 27, 2023

Aston University creates world first computational reconstruction of a virus in its biological entirety

Researchers at Aston University have created the world's first computer reconstruction of a virus, including its complete native genome. This breakthrough could lead to the development of targeted treatments to kill bacteria that are dangerous to humans, reducing the threat of antibiotic resistance.

SourceAston University·JournalFaraday Discussions·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 20, 2023

Researchers propose a more effective method to predict floods

A team of researchers from Xi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University and other institutions has identified a flexible and user-friendly model for predicting flood frequency in a changing environment. The fractional polynomial-based regression method is more effective than existing models, which often fail to account for factors like climate ...

SourceXi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University·JournalJournal of Hydrology·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 9, 2023

Mathematical model predicts long-term effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in different patient populations

A mathematical model predicts the long-term effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses in various patient populations, including those with healthy immune systems and cancer patients. The model suggests that robust antibody-based responses can be achieved through booster doses, but may wane quickly in immunosuppressed individuals.

SourceMassachusetts General Hospital·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 9, 2023

A CNIC study shows that cells possess 2 mechanisms to allow them to respond to different force ranges

The CNIC study reveals two distinct mechanisms by which cells detect and respond to forces of varying strength, one mediated by caveolae and the other by newly discovered dolines. This finding has significant implications for understanding pathological processes such as atherosclerosis and neurodegenerative diseases.

SourceCentro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (F.S.P.)·JournalNature Cell Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 2, 2023

A mathematical model shows a global trend towards mutualism between species

A new mathematical model has found a clear trend towards mutualism in ecological interactions, with most relationships eventually leading to a mutually beneficial partnership. The researchers used adaptive dynamics and classical models of population dynamics to study the transitions between different ecological relationships.

SourceUniversidad Carlos III de Madrid·JournalPhysical Review·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 21, 2022

Study shows how machine learning could predict rare disastrous events, like earthquakes or pandemics

Researchers from Brown and MIT developed a new framework that uses machine learning and sequential sampling to predict rare disasters like earthquakes and pandemics with less data. The framework, called DeepOnet, has been shown to outperform traditional modeling efforts in predicting scenarios, probabilities and timelines of rare events.

SourceBrown University·JournalNature Computational Science·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateDec 19, 2022