# Past Junior Applied Mathematics Seminar

17 June 2014
13:15
Marya Bazzi
Abstract

Networks provide a convenient way to represent complex systems of interacting entities. Many networks contain "communities" of nodes that are more strongly connected to each other than to nodes in the rest of the network. Most methods for detecting communities are designed for static networks. However, in many applications, entities and/or interactions between entities evolve in time. To incorporate temporal variation into the detection of a network's community structure, two main approaches have been adopted. The first approach entails aggregating different snapshots of a network over time to form a static network and then using static techniques on the resulting network. The second approach entails using static techniques on a sequence of snapshots or aggregations over time, and then tracking the temporal evolution of communities across the sequence in some ad hoc manner. We represent a temporal network as a multilayer network (a sequence of coupled snapshots), and discuss  a method that can find communities that extend across time.

• Junior Applied Mathematics Seminar
3 June 2014
13:00
Paul Taylor and Mark Gilbert
Abstract
Position jump models of diffusion are a valuable tool in biology, but stochastic simulations can be very computationally intensive, especially when the number of particles involved grows large. It will be seen that time-savings can be made by allowing particles to jump with a range of distances and rates, rather than being restricted to moving to adjacent boxes on the lattice. Since diffusive systems can often be described with a PDE in the diffusive limit when particle numbers are large, we also discuss the derivation of equivalent boundary conditions for the discrete, non-local system, as well as variations on the basic scheme such as biased jumping and hybrid systems.
• Junior Applied Mathematics Seminar
13 May 2014
13:00
to
14 May 2014
14:00
Yves-Lauren Kom Samo
Abstract

Cox processes arise as a natural extension of inhomogeneous Poisson Processes, when the intensity function itself is taken to be stochastic. In multiple applications one is often concerned with characterizing the posterior distribution over the intensity process (given some observed data). Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods have historically been successful at such tasks. However, direct methods are doubly intractable, especially when the intensity process takes values in a space of continuous functions.

In this talk I'll be presenting a method to overcome this intractability that is based on the idea of "thinning" and that does not resort to approximations.

• Junior Applied Mathematics Seminar
11 March 2014
13:15
Stanley Strawbridge
Abstract
Pluripotency is a key feature of embryonic stem cells (ESCs), and is defined as the ability to give rise to all cell lineages in the adult body. Currently, there is a good understanding of the signals required to maintain ESCs in the pluripotent state and the transcription factors that comprise their gene regulatory network. However, little is known about how ESCs exit the pluripotent state and begin the process of differentiation. We aim to understand the molecular events associated with this process via an experiment-model cycle.
• Junior Applied Mathematics Seminar
25 February 2014
13:15
Doireann O'Kiely
Abstract
A solid object placed at a liquid-gas interface causes the formation of a meniscus around it. In the case of a vertical circular cylinder, the final state of the static meniscus is well understood, from both experimental and theoretical viewpoints. Experimental investigations suggest the presence of two different power laws in the growth of the meniscus. In this talk I will introduce a theoretical model for the dynamics and show that the early-time growth of the meniscus is self-similar, in agreement with one of the experimental predictions. I will also discuss the use of a numerical solution to investigate the validity of the second power law.
• Junior Applied Mathematics Seminar
18 February 2014
13:15
Pedro Vitoria (Stochastic Analysis group) and Galen Sher (Economics)
Abstract
A non-parametric test for dependence between sets of random variables based on the entropy rate is proposed. The test has correct size, unit asymptotic power, and can be applied to test setwise cross sectional and serial dependence. Using Monte Carlo experiments, we show that the test has favourable small-sample properties when compared to other tests for dependence. The ‘trick’ of the test relies on using universal codes to estimate the entropy rate of the stochastic process generating the data, and simulating the null distribution of the estimator through subsampling. This approach avoids having to estimate joint densities and therefore allows for large classes of dependence relationships to be tested. Potential economic applications include model specification, variable and lag selection, data mining, goodness-of-fit testing and measuring predictability.
• Junior Applied Mathematics Seminar
3 December 2013
13:15
Lloyd Chapman
Abstract
It is often difficult to include sufficient biological detail when modelling cell population growth to make models with real predictive power. Continuum models often fail to capture physical and chemical processes happening at the level of individual cells and discrete cell-based models are often very computationally expensive to solve. In the first part of this talk, I will describe a phenomenological continuum model of cell aggregate growth in a specific perfusion bioreactor cell culture system, and the results of numerical simulations of the model to determine the effects of the bioreactor operating conditions and cell seeding on the growth. In the second part of the talk, I will introduce a modelling approach used to derive continuum models for cell population growth from discrete cell-based models, and consider possible extensions to this framework.
• Junior Applied Mathematics Seminar
19 November 2013
13:15
James Herterich and Ingrid von Glehn
Abstract
JH: Water filtration systems typically involve flow along a channel with permeable walls and suction applied across the wall. In this cross-flow'' arrangement, clean water leaves the channel while impurities remain within it. A limiting factor for the operation of cross-flow devices is the build-up of a high concentration of particles near the wall due to the induced flow. Termed concentration polarization (CP), this effect ultimately leads to the blocking of pores within the permeable wall and the deposition of a cake'' on the wall surface. Here we show that, through strategic choices in the spatial variations of the channel-wall permeability, we may reduce the effects of CP by allowing diffusion to smear out any build up of particles that may occur. We demonstrate that, for certain classes of variable permeability, there exist optimal choices that maximize the flux of clean water out of a device. \\ IvG: TBC
• Junior Applied Mathematics Seminar
5 November 2013
13:15
Partick Raanes
Abstract
Data assimilation is a particular form of state estimation. That's partly the "what". We'll also look at the how's, the why's, some who's and some where's.
• Junior Applied Mathematics Seminar