Trends in labor efficiency among American hospital markets

The health care sector is one of the most labor intensive sectors of the economy. As a major player in health service delivery, hospitals must closely examine their largest cost — labor expenses. This study evaluates trends in the efficiency of health care labor among urban hospital markets. More specifically, it assesses the hypothesis that technological changes and market and regulatory pressures have increased aggregate labor efficiency. Using data envelopment analysis (DEA), this study evaluates labor efficiency in 1989 and 1993 in 298 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) with two or more hospitals. Results of this study suggest that between 1989 and 1993, hospital markets generally demonstrated higher labor inefficiencies. The U.S. health care system could save approximately $16.6 billion in 1993 by eliminating hospitals' excessive use of health care provider labor.     

On Darboux transformations for the derivative nonlinear Schrödinger equation

We consider Darboux transformations for the derivative nonlinear Schrödinger equation. A new theorem for Darboux transformations of operators with no derivative term are presented and proved. The solution is expressed in quasideterminant forms. Additionally, the parabolic and soliton solutions of the derivative nonlinear Schrödinger equation are given as explicit examples.     

Motion of vortices outside a cylinder

The problem of motion of the vortices around an oscillating cylinder in the presence of a uniform flow is considered. The Hamiltonian for vortex motion for the case with no uniform flow and stationary cylinder is constructed, reduced, and constant Hamiltonian (energy) curves are plotted when the system is shown to be integrable according to Liouville. By adding uniform flow to the system and by allowing the cylinder to vibrate, we model the natural vibration of the cylinder in the flow field, which has applications in ocean engineering involving tethers or pipelines in a flow field. We conclude that in the chaotic case forces on the cylinder may be considerably larger than those on the integrable case depending on the initial positions of vortices and that complex phenomena such as chaotic capture and escape occur when the initial positions lie in a certain region.     

Supergravity-induced interactions on thick branes

The gravity coupling of the symmetric space sigma model is studied in the solvable Lie algebra parametrization. The corresponding Einstein equations are derived and the energy-momentum tensor is calculated. The results are used to derive the dynamical equations of the warped five-dimensional （5D） geometry for localized bulk scalar interactions in the framework of thick brane world models. The Einstein and scalar field equations are derived for flat brane geometry in the context of minimal and non-minimal gravity-bulk scalar couplings.     

Light scattering by DNA structure due to phase transition

Modelling and numerical calculations of light scattering by the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) molecule were investigated using the transition matrix method at the phase transition region. In this model for a DNA molecule with helix structure, the electrical field was established and the transition matrix calculated for this field. Numerical computation of a simple cylindrical model, represented by adenine–thymine (A–T) and guanine–cytosine (G–C) formed with a lamellar-like helix, enabled important results to be obtained. These results were generalized for different molecular orientations with dielectric properties at the phase transition, which occurred due to the electric field changing. Finally, these results are associated with improved models for previous geometries.     

Electrical and optical properties of Co doped TlGaS2 crystals

In this study, Co doped TlGaS₂ single crystals which belongs to the class of A^IIIB^IIIX₂^VI have been investigated by means of XRD, temperature dependent dark and illuminated conductivity, Space Charge Limited Currents and absorption measurements. The room temperature conductivity and trap concentration values were about 10^‐8 (Ω‐cm)^‐1 and 7.5 × 10¹³ cm^‐3, respectively. From the temperature dependent conductivity measurements, two activation energies namely 271 and 12 meV have been determined in the high and low temperature regions, respectively. The trap level at 271 meV that was determined by the dark temperature dependent conductivity measurement has also been verified by Space Charge Limited Currents analysis. The absorption measurements have showed that the layered compound had indirect and direct band gaps and the values were determined to be 2.49 and 2.56 eV, respectively. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Effects of mechanical and thermal stresses on electric degradation of polyolefins and related materials

Degradation under the simultaneous effects of mechanical stress and temperature in polyolefins (PE, PP), composites on their basis (PE+PP fibre, PP+PP fibre, PP+glass fibre) and radiation low-density polyethylene (X-LDPE) used in high-voltage cables obeys the thermofluctuation theory of Zhourkov (in certain σ and τ₀ intervals) based on the theory of Arrhenius is presented in the following form: τ_σ = τ₀ exp[(U₀ − γσ)/ RT] (1) where τ is durability. τ₀ is a constant (10⁻¹²-10⁻¹³s) equal to period of vibrations of atoms around equilibrium position, U₀ is the activation energy of the mechanical destruction process (at σ = 0), γ is a structure-sensitive parameter, T is absolute temperature and R is universal gas constant. Electric degradation under the effects of electric field and temperature in the materials mentioned above obeys the equation: τ_E = τ₀ exp[(W₀ − χE)/ RT] (2) Here, τ_E, W₀ and χ are analogous to τ_σ, U₀ and γ, respectively. It is assumed that the following equation is valid under the simultaneous effects of E, σ and T: τ_σ,E = τ₀ exp[(U₀ − (γσ + χE))/ RT]. (3) electric degradation