Questions tagged [mathematical-biology]
Mathematical biology is an interdisciplinary science that uses mathematical methods to study problems arising from biology, the science studying living organisms and ecosystems.
37 questions
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Identifying player strategies in repeated games, based on payoffs
Background
In evolutionary game theory, one can what kinds of different strategies yield the most payoff to players that play the same game repeatedly. Consider, for instance, the iterated Prisoner's ...
3
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2
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145
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What is the expected remaining life duration of a cell in the $t\to\infty$ limit?
Consider the following population model: We start with a population of a single cell at time $t=0$. Each cell divides into $k$ new cells at random times $T$ distributed according to a probability ...
4
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1
answer
200
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The stability of the equilibria of a non-linear ODE system
I have the following coupled non-linear ODE system, which describes a biological system:
$$
\begin{cases}
\dfrac{dp}{dt} = -\gamma p f,\\
\\
\dfrac{df}{dt} = -c f + \gamma p f,\\
\\
\dfrac{dT}{dt} = \...
0
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0
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76
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Texts on coalescent theory/probability methods for DNA evolution
I am starting a PhD on mitochondrial evolution modelling with a focus on probabilistic methods and coalescent theory. For this purpose, I am looking for
advanced textbooks on probability methods for ...
2
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0
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65
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Where can I find resources for a paper "Stability analysis of a novel DDE of HIV CD4+ T-cells"?
I am currently working on a the paper [NND]:
Question:
On page 4, equation 6 introduces a concept related to the infection rate within the context of the HIV model. Unfortunately, the paper does not ...
3
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1
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274
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Epidemic modelling: expectation of time of infection given the distribution of transmission and recovery
Can I express the expected value of
\begin{equation}
\langle \tau\rangle_\text{total}=\int_0^\infty \tau \psi_\text{inf}(\tau)\Psi_\text{rec}(\tau)\mathrm{d}\tau
\end{equation}
in terms of the moment(...
1
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1
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86
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Resources/Reading Materials on PASA (optimal control theory)
I am currently working on my undergraduate thesis, and my adviser suggested that I look into a Polyhedral Active Set Algorithm (PASA) for my paper. I have been trying to find resources/materials on it ...
2
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0
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64
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Turn a growing 1D lattice of size $N(t)$ into a constant size lattice by change of variables
I am studying some stochastic process (a voter model for example) on a finite size lattice of 1 dimension and of size $N_t$. However $N_t$ grows at rate $\lambda$ and can be represented as follows:
\...
19
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4
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2k
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Applications of complex exponential
In calculus we learn about many applications of real exponentials like $e^x$ for bacteria growth, radioactive decay, compound interest, etc. These are very simple and direct applications. My question ...
6
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1
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Current status on Richardson's model (growth model)
A very simple stochastic growth model on a lattice is the Richardson's model (Actually originally defined by Murray Eden in the 60s).
Each point of the lattice can be either occupied or vacant, once ...
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3
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617
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Explain seemingly non-random figures which arise from random Poisson points with normalization
Context Working with some biological datasets it was puzzling to see the patterns like Figure 2 (right) below. The first feeling was, that it corresponds to some biological effects like correlations ...
4
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1
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134
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The mean value of the reconstruction complexity of a random sequence
This problem is motivated by the problem of reconstructing a genome from the family of its short subwords.
Given a word $w$ and a positive integer $k$, let $M_k(w)$ be the family of all subwords of ...
1
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1
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289
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Proving positive invariance
I need to prove that set $D$(A picture for Set $D$) given by
$$D=\{(x,y):0\leq x\leq L_0,~0\leq y\leq X_0,~0\leq x+y \leq R_0\}\subseteq \mathbb{R}_+^2$$ of the system:
$$\dot{x}=k_1(R_0-x-y)(L_0-x)-...
6
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1
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300
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Time of peak of an SIR epidemic
I've learned some classical results on the peak and the attack rate of an idealized epidemic which evolves according to a SIR model
$\dot{s} = -\beta\cdot i \cdot s$
$\dot{i} = +\beta\cdot i \cdot s -...
4
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1
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2k
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How to mathematically characterize a feedback loop in ODEs?
I have a biological system that exhibits a feedback type of behavior. The diagram is a schematic of the system of ODEs. In this system, the total amount of $x_1, x_2, x_3$ is conserved; however, there ...
67
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3
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Should water at the scale of a cell feel more like tar?
The Navier-Stokes equations are as follows,
$$\dot{u}+(u\cdot \nabla ) u +\nu \nabla^2 u =\nabla p$$
where $u$ is the velocity field, $\nu$ is the viscosity, and $p$ is the pressure.
Some elementary ...
4
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2
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270
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Approximated solutions of SEIR models
Numerical solutions of the SEIR equations (describing the spreading of an epidemic disease) – or variations thereof –
$\dot{S} = - N$
$\dot{E} = + N - E/\lambda$
$\dot{I} = + E/\lambda - I/\delta$
...
0
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0
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98
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Genes mirror geography on a torus?
Disclaimer: this is an open-ended, imprecise question, asking for speculation in a topic that I know relatively little about (random matrix theory and principal component analysis). I originally asked ...
12
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6
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1k
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Suggestions for reducing the transmission rate?
What are suggestions for reducing the transmission rate of the current epidemics?
In summary, my best one so far is (once we are down to the stay home rule) to discretize time, i.e., to introduce the ...
14
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6
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3k
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Mathematical physics without partial derivatives
Remark: All the answers so far have been very insightful and on point but after receiving public and private feedback from other mathematicians on the MathOverflow I decided to clarify a few notions ...
0
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1
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155
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Conditions to determine sign of real roots
From a delay system, I obtain the following as part of a characteristic equation:
$$f(\lambda) = \lambda - a + be^{-c\lambda},$$
where $a, b,$ and $c$ are positive number and $a<b, ac<1$. My ...
6
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0
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550
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Status of the Salmon Conjecture
The set-theoretic version of the Salmon Conjecture (that is, finding the equations that cut out the fourth secant variety of the Segre embedding of $\mathbb P^3 \times \mathbb P^3 \times \mathbb P^3$ ...
4
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1
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678
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Proof that dynamical systems with bounded Kolmogorov complexity can't emulate all Turing machines
Motivation:
During a discussion with neuroscientists the question arose as to whether the human brain may emulate any Turing machine. If we assume that animal brains may be modelled as deterministic ...
6
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1
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409
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Sphere packing processes during biological development
Within the context of mathematical biology, a sphere packing problem occurred to me. I must note that unlike the typical sphere packing problems, the variant I consider involves minimising the average ...
31
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7
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6k
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Applications of mathematics in clinical setting
What are some examples of successful mathematical attempts in clinical setting, specifically at the patient-disease-drug level?
To clarify, by patient-disease-drug level, I mean the mathematical work ...
17
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4
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2k
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Differential geometry applied to biology
This was originally a question posted here on MathSE. But I'll ask again here to see if I can get some different answers.
I'm looking for current areas of research which apply techniques from ...
3
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0
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82
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conditions for asymptotic comparison to hold
I have the following simple dynamical system:
\begin{align}
x_1' &= a - f(x_2)x_1\\
x_2' &= bx_1 - cx_2,
\end{align}
where all parameters and initial conditions are positive. $f(x_2)$ is a ...
7
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1
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453
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How to study the global stability for this 3D system?
I am studying a biological system (HIV) and arrived at this simplified dynamical system:
\begin{align}
x_1' &= a_1 + a_2x_2 - a_1x_2 - a_4x_1 - a_5\frac{1+a_6x_3}{1+a_7x_3}x_1\\
x_2' &= a_5\...
10
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Why did Voevodsky abandon his work on "singletons"?
In an interview (I link the Google translation), Voevodsky talks about how, in the late 2000s, he worked on the problem of "restoring the history of populations according to their modern genetic ...
2
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1
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55
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Purpose of using a saturable logistic like term
I would like to know what is the purpose of using the term $P\over (k+P)$ in the following. I found it when reading the article found here but it was commonly used in few other related articles .
Is ...
1
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0
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302
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Life. Intermediate stages
My question is pure mathematics when restricted to the cellular automata theory.
John von Neumann got the grasp of and defined life. Many years later biologists supported von Neumann's definition of ...
27
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4
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3k
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Algebra and cancer research
Let me start by acknowledging the existence of this thread: Mathematics and cancer research
It is well-known that mathematical modeling and computational biology are effective tools in cancer research....
9
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2
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Applications of algebraic geometry/commutative algebra to biology/pharmacology
Are there applications of algebraic geometry/commutative algebra to biology/pharmacology?
It might be that some Gröbner basis technique is used somewhere? I know there are some applications to ...
10
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3
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3k
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Applications of knot theory to biology/pharmacology
What are the applications of knot theory to biology/pharmacology?
I guess there should be some, since proteins are quite long and some of their properties are probably related to whether they are ...
25
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7
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8k
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Applications of group theory to mathematical biology (pharmacology)
Are there applications of group theory — broadly, say, representation theory, Lie algebras, $q$-groups, etc — to mathematical biology?
In particular, I am interested in applications to pharmacology — ...
29
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20
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8k
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Mathematics and cancer research
What are applications of mathematics in cancer research?
Unfortunately, I heard quite little about applications of mathematics, but I heard something about applications of physics, and let me put this ...
40
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17
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10k
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Interesting mathematical topics arising from biology
I've heard that there's a relatively new field of science called mathematical biology.
It will certainly apply well known and less known mathematical techniques to the understanding of some biological ...