Hospital Waiting List Management Models

This paper describes work carried out with hospital consultants in Lancaster District Health Authority to develop and use computerized waiting list management models. The ‘what if?’ models produced have been found to be a very useful tool in the constructive debate about problems faced by consultants and managers, and of the options available to them.     

Engel Values in Residually Finite Groups

The following theorem is proved. Let n be a positive integer and q a power of a prime p. There exists a number m = m(n, q) depending only on n and q such that if G is any residually finite group satisfying the identity ([x _1,n y ₁] ⋯ [x _m,n y _m ])^q ≡ 1, then the verbal subgroup of G corresponding to the nth Engel word is locally finite.     

Construct non-graded bi-Frobenius algebras via quivers

Using the quiver technique we construct a class of non-graded bi-Frobenius algebras. We also classify a class of graded bi-Frobenius algebras via certain equations of structure coefficients.     

Refraction of light in media

The roles of the magnetic field and electric field of the light are investigated when the light is refracted in the medium. The model of the electron cloud conductor is presented. Electron cloud in a molecule is treated as a conductor and the Faraday’s Law is applied to this conductor that is in the alternating magnetic field of the light. dB _M/dt of the light gives rise to an alternating induced current on the electron cloud conductor, and the light exchanges energy, i.e. the refractive energy, with the electron cloud conductor. Formulas of refractive index, which is the ratio of light speed in vacuum to that in the medium, are derived with this model. These formulas are tested with several mediums and Langevin’s diamagnetic susceptibility of helium gas, and the results are in good agreement with the measured data. The anisotropy and the nonlinearity of the refractive index are explained with the theory described in this work. Supported by Beijing Science and Technology New Star Program (Grant No. 952870400), the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education and the Excellent Young Teachers Program of Ministry of Education of China     

Systems of generalized quasivariational inclusions problems with applications to variational analysis and optimization problems

In this paper, we study an existence theorem of systems of generalized quasivariational inclusions problem. By this result, we establish the existence theorems of solutions of systems of generalized equations, systems of generalized vector quasiequilibrium problem, collective variational fixed point, systems of generalized quasiloose saddle point, systems of minimax theorem, mathematical program with systems of variational inclusions constraints, mathematical program with systems of equilibrium constraints and systems of bilevel problem and semi-infinite problem with systems of equilibrium problem constraints. This research was supported by the National Science Council of the Republic of China.     

Maximum Principles for Infinite Dimensional Diffusion Equations

In this paper we prove the validity of the Maximum Principle for some class of elliptic and parabolic equations of diffusion type in infinite dimension. The main tools are Asplund’s theorem and Preiss’ theorem on differentiability of Lipschitz functions in Banach space.      

Numerical simulation of soft palate movement and airflow in human upper airway by fluid-structure interaction method

In this paper, the authors present airflow field characteristics of human upper airway and soft palate movement attitude during breathing. On the basis of the data taken from the spiral computerized tomography images of a healthy person and a patient with Obstructive Sleep Apnea-Hypopnea Syndrome (OSAHS), three-dimensional models of upper airway cavity and soft palate are reconstructed by the method of surface rendering. Numerical simulation is performed for airflow in the upper airway and displacement of soft palate by fluid-structure interaction analysis. The reconstructed three-dimensional models precisely preserve the original configuration of upper airways and soft palate. The results of the pressure and velocity distributions in the airflow field are quantitatively determined, and the displacement of soft palate is presented. Pressure gradients of airway are lower for the healthy person and the airflow distribution is quite uniform in the case of free breathing. However, the OSAHS patient remarkably escalates both the pressure and velocity in the upper airway, and causes higher displacement of the soft palate. The present study is useful in revealing pathogenesis and quantitative mutual relationship between configuration and function of the upper airway as well as in diagnosing diseases related to anatomical structure and function of the upper airway. The project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (10672036, 10472025 and 10421002), the Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province (20032109). English text was polished by Yunming Chen.