Applications of Mathematical Modelling Assignment 1

By Pushp Toshniwal (11546)

1. Biology Mathematics has long been recognized as a powerful and convenient tool for elucidating biological and ecological processes. Great advances that have been made during the recent decades in understanding the principles of living matter organization at different levels, ranging from genes and cells to communities and ecosystems, would hardly have ever been possible without extensive use of mathematical modelling and computer experiments. In particular, simulation opens up an extraordinary virtual laboratory, making it possible to bring into focus the many aspects of living systems dynamics which otherwise are very difficult to study in laboratory or field experiments. Examples of mathematical modelling in molecular cell biology - Drug target prediction in Trypanosoma brucei metabolism - Identifying the source of oscillatory behaviour in NF-B signaling - Model-based design of an engineered genetic toggle switch - Establishing the mechanism for neuronal action potential generation 2. Health Service Planning Modelling is important in a range of health related areas such as: - Preparing for flu outbreak - modelling the impact of an epidemic - Predicting health needs in the future such as the long term health service resource requirements - Depicting what could happen with important public health issues if no intervention are undertaken. For example, projecting year on year increase in childhood obesity prevalence has helped to identify this issue as a national priority and allocate resources to tackle it. - Understanding the impact of service redesign on different areas such as general practice waiting times, hospital bed occupancy. - Estimating prevalence when detailed data are not available. - Predicting demand on services from subgroups of the population, such as those at risk of emergency admissions or re-admissions. Example - Diabetes prevalence model This is a spreadsheet model that generates expected total numbers of persons with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes mellitus (diagnosed plus undiagnosed combined) in 2001 for England, Government Office Regions, Strategic Health Authorities, Local Authority Districts, Primary Care Trusts, electoral wards and user-defined populations including GP practices. The model applies age/sex/ethnic group-specific estimates of diabetes prevalence rates, derived from epidemiological population studies, to 2001 Census resident populations. Forecasts of 2010 diabetes prevalence are also presented for sub-national areas based on projected population change and trends in obesity. This model was developed before the Quality and Outcomes Framework of the GP contract. Subsequently it has been possible to compare prevalence measures from both to identify where methods could be improved.

3. Economics (Arts) Modeling provides a logical, abstract template to help organize the analyst's thoughts. It helps the economist logically isolate and sort out complicated chains of cause and effect and influence between the numerous interacting elements in an economy. With a model, the economist can experiment, at least logically, producing different scenarios, attempting to evaluate the effect of alternative policy options, or weighing the logical integrity of arguments presented in prose. Examples The Aggregate Supply Aggregate Demand (AS/AD) Model, the Loanable Funds Model, an HMCMacroSim simulation model, and the IS/LM Model. All but the Loanable Funds model are inclusive models of the national economy. The Loanable Funds Model is a model of the finance markets and is used to discuss interest rate determination theory. 4. Psychology Various mathematical models are being used in psychology. Some of them are a. Stimulus identification a. Accumulator models d. Race models b. Diffusion models e. Random walk models c. Neural network/connectionist models f. Renewal models b. Error response times - Fast guess model c. Memory scanning, visual search - Serial exhaustive search (SES) model d. Sequential effects - Linear operator model 5. Sociology Mathematical sociology is frequently used in what is known as social network analysis, which strives to examine patterns of interaction among the members of a society. Examples include the interactions among citizens of a community, members of a religious group, employees of a business, or even members of a family. Social network analysis is based on the idea that patterns of interaction reveal a great deal about how an individual lives. Theories of social networks are organized and expressed in mathematical terms, such as functional equations or statistical relationships. The appropriate mathematical model to analyze a given social network depends greatly on what the researcher or analyst wishes to learn.

References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_psychology http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathematical_models_in_physics http://rwer.wordpress.com/2013/09/02/mathematical-modelling-in-economics/ http://www.wisdom.weizmann.ac.il/~vered/mathbiology.html http://www.cabdirect.org/abstracts/19651802199.html;jsessionid=25673602455D12D71216E9B7D91AF 9FF;jsessionid=0010DFAC40CF8E968712E064B5BF9C00 http://www.ehow.com/about_5179743_introduction-mathematical-sociology.html http://ijater.com/Files/93f3b896-0d56-4db4-8209-56db0ea0a103_IJATER_10_05.pdf http://web.missouri.edu/~endersbyj/schrodt.pdf http://www.math.uwaterloo.ca/~bingalls/MMSB/Notes.pdf