Latest news with #DepartmentofAppliedMathematics
Daily Mirror
27-04-2025
- Health
- Daily Mirror
High blood pressure diet: 16p fruit is 'best way' to avoid horror silent killer
A new study suggests increasing the ratio of dietary potassium to sodium intake may be more effective for avoiding high blood pressure than simply reducing salt in the diet Bananas are the best way to beat high blood pressure, according to new research. The fruit and broccoli are key sources of potassium which helps regulate blood pressure, say scientists. The new study suggests increasing the ratio of dietary potassium to sodium intake may be more effective for lowering blood pressure than simply reducing salt in the diet. High blood pressure - often referred to as the "silent killer"- affects more than three in 10 adults, and is the leading cause of coronary heart disease and stroke. It may also trigger other health issues, including chronic kidney disease, heart failure, irregular heartbeat, and dementia. Professor Anita Layton, of the University of Waterloo, Canada, said: "Usually, when we have high blood pressure, we are advised to eat less salt. Our research suggests that adding more potassium-rich foods to your diet, such as bananas or broccoli, might have a greater positive impact on your blood pressure than just cutting sodium." She explained that potassium and sodium are both electrolytes – substances that help the body send electrical signals to contract muscles. They also affect the amount of water in the body as well as performing other essential functions. Study lead author Melissa Stadt, a doctoral candidate in Waterloo's Department of Applied Mathematics, said: "Early humans ate lots of fruits and vegetables, and as a result, our body's regulatory systems may have evolved to work best with a high potassium, low sodium diet. Today, western diets tend to be much higher in sodium and lower in potassium. "That may explain why high blood pressure is found mainly in industrialised societies, not in isolated societies." While previous research found that increasing potassium intake can help control blood pressure, the Canadian team developed a mathematical model that successfully identifies how the ratio of potassium to sodium impacts the body. The model also identifies how sex differences affect the relationship between potassium and blood pressure. The study, published in the American Journal of Physiology, found that men develop high blood pressure more easily than pre-menopausal women. But men are also more likely to respond positively to an increased ratio of potassium to sodium, according to the findings. The research team say that mathematical models, like the one used in the study, allows experiments to identify how different factors impact the body quickly, cheaply, and ethically.
Associated Press
18-04-2025
- Science
- Associated Press
Navy Applied Math Professor Wei Kang Named 2025 SIAM Fellow
Wei Kang, a Naval Postgraduate School professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics, was honored by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics. MONTEREY, CA, UNITED STATES, April 18, 2025 / / -- Recognized for outstanding research and service to the community, Wei Kang, a Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) professor in the Department of Applied Mathematics, was honored by the Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (SIAM) as a 2025 SIAM Fellow. Applied mathematics provides a foundation for all kinds of leading-edge research into complex science and technology with naval and defense applications. A leading professional society for math whizzes, SIAM selected 25 Fellows from its international community of 14,000 members who represent almost 500 organizations worldwide, including academia, manufacturing, research and development, service and consulting, government, and military. In July, the Fellows will be celebrated during SIAM's annual meeting in Montreal, Canada. SIAM selected Kang for his 'fundamental theoretical and computational contributions to the analysis, control, and estimation of nonlinear dynamical systems and their applications.' With a smile, Kang was quick to simplify this into dynamic systems and controls, a field he says where applied mathematics and engineering overlap. 'There are many things in nature that if you know the current state, then the first principles of physics will tell you what's going to happen next,' Kang said. 'A dynamic system is a mathematical concept where if you have a numerical model and give it the current state, it can predict the future. But telling the future is still hard.' Better understanding of dynamic systems allows them to be better predicted and controlled, Kang added. 'I've been working on control systems. Think about an uncrewed vehicle, for example. It has a feedback control system to allow it to do things autonomously,' he explained. 'But there are many different kinds of control systems. These days, I'm also integrating machine learning, data science and AI techniques into dynamic system applications.' At NPS, Kang and his students collaborated on multiple projects, including data simulation for numerical weather prediction with the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, data assimilation for combustion dynamics of rocket and jet engines with the Air Force Research Laboratory, and power system anomaly detection with the Office of Naval Research's Next Strategic Technology Evaluation Program, known as NextSTEP. Kang is also part of a multi-institutional collaboration with the National Science Foundation that is investigating the mathematical foundations of machine learning. Recognizing his interdisciplinary area of expertise, Kang is also a Fellow with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), the largest science, engineering and technical professional organization in the world, and an adjunct professor at the University of California at Santa Cruz. For more detail on Kang's background and to explore his teaching and research interests, visit his website. At professional societies like SIAM, Fellows are not only recognized for their knowledge of the discipline and innovative research. Kang values his service to the discipline as an invaluable investment in the future, acting as chair of two international systems and controls conferences and as vice chair of the systems and controls activity group. Dr. Ralucca Gera, professor and chair of the NPS Department of Applied Mathematics, acknowledged the importance of Kang's prestigious accomplishment. 'This recognition not only highlights Professor Kang's exceptional contributions to the field of applied mathematics but also underscores the impact of his work on advancing mathematical research,' she said. 'As a SIAM Fellow, Professor Kang joins an elite group of mathematicians whose work drives innovation and excellence, further solidifying the Naval Postgraduate School's reputation as a leader in higher education and research within the Navy and DOD.' LCDR Kristina Wiedemann, USN Naval Postgraduate School +1 831) 656-3567 email us here Visit us on social media: Facebook X LinkedIn Instagram YouTube Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
