ScienceDaily: Computers & Math News

Fractal patterns may uncover new line of attack on cancer Posted: 10 Mar 2015 05:57 PM PDT Studying the intricate fractal patterns on the surface of cells could give researchers a new insight into the physical nature of cancer, and provide new ways of preventing the disease from developing.

Researchers snap-shot fastest observations of superconductivity yet Posted: 10 Mar 2015 01:02 PM PDT An international team of researchers has used infinitely short light pulses to observe ultrafast changes in the electron-level properties of superconductors, setting a new standard for temporal resolution in the field.

New model of cybercrime factors in perishability of stolen data Posted: 10 Mar 2015 10:19 AM PDT A new model examining cybercrimes adds an important way of examining the perishable value of stolen data so policy makers can plan against future hacks like the recent Anthem data breach, according to a new study.

New formula for identifying suitable graphene substrate Posted: 10 Mar 2015 10:19 AM PDT Physicists have developed a criterion with which scientists can seek suitable substrate materials for graphene in a targeted way. Interactions with the substrate material often lead to a loss of the amazing properties that characterize this special form of carbon. Together with partners at other institutions, the scientists were able to demonstrate that the influence exerted by the substrate on the electronic properties of graphene can be estimated by means of a simple structural parameter.

'Digitizing' crosstalk among heart cells may help locate epicenters of heart rhythms Posted: 10 Mar 2015 09:35 AM PDT A mathematical model has been developed to measure and digitally map the beat-sustaining electrical flow between heart cells. "Successful arrhythmia treatment depends on correctly identifying the epicenter of the malfunction," the lead investigator says. "We cannot begin to develop such precision-targeted therapies without understanding the exact nature of the malfunction and its precise location. This new model is a first step toward doing so."

High performance, lightweight supercapacitor electrodes of the future Posted: 10 Mar 2015 09:31 AM PDT Many scientists are working to develop green, lightweight, low-cost supercapacitors with high performance, and now two researchers have developed a novel supercapacitor electrode based on a hybrid nanostructure made from a hybrid nickel oxide-iron oxide exterior shell and a conductive iron-nickel core. Its core/shell structure could mean faster charging time and longer battery life in electric vehicles and portable electronics.

March Madness brackets: Flipping a coin is your best bet Posted: 10 Mar 2015 09:30 AM PDT Each year, millions of people lose billions of dollars in NCAA March Madness basketball pools. Still, most return the following year for another pummeling.

CEO bonuses could cost companies in the long term Posted: 10 Mar 2015 07:53 AM PDT The culture of CEO bonus payments creates a mentality where executives chase quick wins and short term strategies, which are often not in the best interest of companies.

New electronic clinical decision support tool standardizes care for pneumonia patients and save lives, new study finds Posted: 10 Mar 2015 07:47 AM PDT Using advanced clinical decision support tools reduces mortality for the 1.1 million patients in the Unites States who are treated for pneumonia each year.

Detecting deception online is not so easy Posted: 10 Mar 2015 06:13 AM PDT Phishing scams are such a problem that some businesses are sending out fake phishing emails to employees. A professor says the scams work in part because it's harder to detect deception online.

Real estate index examines whether it’s better to buy or rent a home Posted: 10 Mar 2015 06:13 AM PDT A new index attempts to answer one of the toughest questions American consumers face: Is it better to rent or buy a home in today’s housing market?

Optical fibers light the way for brain-like computing Posted: 10 Mar 2015 04:41 AM PDT Computers that function like the human brain could soon become a reality thanks to new research using optical fibers made of speciality glass. The research has the potential to allow faster and smarter optical computers capable of learning and evolving. Researchers have demonstrated how neural networks and synapses in the brain can be reproduced, with optical pulses as information carriers, using special fibers made from glasses that are sensitive to light, known as chalcogenides.

Bio-inspired eye stabilizes robot's flight Posted: 10 Mar 2015 04:41 AM PDT Biorobotics researchers have developed the first aerial robot able to fly over uneven terrain that is stabilized visually without an accelerometer. Called BeeRotor, it adjusts its speed and avoids obstacles thanks to optic flow sensors inspired by insect vision. It can fly along a tunnel with uneven, moving walls without measuring either speed or altitude.

Find out what your apps are really doing Posted: 10 Mar 2015 04:41 AM PDT Apps, these tiny programs on Internet-connected mobile phones are increasingly becoming entryways for surveillance and fraud. Computer scientists have now developed a program that can show users whether the apps on their smartphone are accessing private information, and what they do with that data.

Molecular Lego of knots Posted: 10 Mar 2015 04:40 AM PDT Trefoil, Savoy, or simple ... how do you fashion a "molecular" knot that has one of these shapes? Or better still, what are the most suitable "building blocks" for enabling the knot to assemble itself? A team of scientists has studied and catalogued the shapes that molecular building blocks should have so as to be able to assemble spontaneously into knots having specific forms, each with a possible utility in nanotechnology.

Unregulated web marketing of genetic tests for personalized cancer care raises concerns in new study Posted: 05 Mar 2015 01:05 PM PST Websites that market personalized cancer care services often overemphasize their purported benefits and downplay their limitations, and many sites offer genetic tests whose value for guiding cancer treatment has not been shown to be clinically useful, according to a new study.