Infinitely Many Critical Points of Non-Differentiable Functions and Applications to a Neumann-Type Problem Involving the p-Laplacian

For a family of functionals in a Banach space, which are possibly non-smooth and depend also on a positive real parameter, the existence of a sequence of critical points (according to Motreanu and Panagiotopoulos (“Minimax Theorems and Qualitative Properties of the Solutions of Hemivariational Inequalities,” Nonconvex Optimization Applications, Vol. 29, Kluwer, Dordrecht, 1998, Chap. 3)) is established by mainly adapting a new technique due to Ricceri (2000, J. Comput. Appl. Math.113, 401-410). Two applications are then presented. Both of them treat the Neumann problem for an elliptic variational-hemivariational inequality with p-Laplacian.     

Binding models of reversible inhibitors to type-B monoamine oxidase

Interest in the inhibitors of type-B monoamine oxidase has grown in recent years, due to the evidence for multiple roles of one such agent (selegiline) in the pharmacological management of neurodegenerative disorders. A set of 130 reversible and selective inhibitors of MAO-B (including tetrazole, oxadiazolone, and oxadiazinone derivatives) were taken from the literature and subjected to a three-dimensional quantitative structure–activity relationship (3D-QSAR) study, using CoMFA and GOLPE procedures. The steric and lipophilic fields, alone and in combination, provided us with informative models and satisfactory predictions (q²=0.73). The validity of these models was checked against the 3D X-ray structure of human MAO-B. Flexible docking calculations, performed by using a new approach which took advantage from QXP and GRID computational tools, showed the diverse inhibitors to interact with MAO-B in a similar binding mode, irrespective of the heterocycle characterizing them. A significant trend of correlation was observed between estimated energies of the complexes and the experimental inhibition data.     

Vehicle emissions,urban air quality and current Italian legislation: the case of Messina. V

In the current program for the preparation of an urban air map, this paper reports data obtained by the five base stations in the period 1997-2000 regarding traditional pollutants and gives the first results obtained in determining continuously benzene, toulene and PM10. Additional measurements have been carried out by a mobile station at the falcate zone, never tested before, which has very low traffic but with the presence of some small metal industries and, under favourable meteorological conditions, the effects of the harbour. A statistical study on the hourly-trend of particulate suspended matter in two zones of the city which have different traffic volume for the period 1995-1997 is also reported. The ozone characteristic peak at 15.00 is fully confirmed in all stations and over all the period contrarily to most Italian cities, which present the peak about three hours earlier. PM10 annual mean value during 1999 was a little higher than the legal one. Base stations "Archimede" and "Minissale" still present some risk of a stop or limitation of traffic even with respect to traditional or "new" pollutants. Statistical analysis of particulate suspended matter confirm the very different characteristics of the base stations under consideration.     

Pendant arm pyrrolic amide cleft anion receptors

The propensity of amine, ammonium and amide pendant arm 2,5-diamidopyrrole derivatives to act as anion receptors has been investigated; the anion-coordination ability of these species has been determined by 1H NMR titration techniques revealing a marked selectivity of the amine functionalised receptor for hydrogen sulfate anions.     

A highly water-soluble 2:1 beta-cyclodextrin-fullerene conjugate

A novel 2:1 (permethylated-beta-cyclodextrin)-fullerene conjugate has been synthesised; highly soluble in cold water with formation of aggregates, it displays a negative solubility coefficient and has a partition coefficient between octanol and water (Log P = 1.58) in the suitable range for biological studies.     

Cooperative origin of low-density domains in liquid water

We study clusters formed by water molecules possessing large enough tetrahedrality with respect to their nearest neighbors. Using Monte Carlo simulation of SPC/E water and Voronoi tessellation, we find that regions of lower density than the bulk are formed by accretion of molecules into clusters exceeding a minimum size. Clusters are predominantly linear objects and become less compact as they grow until they reach a size beyond which further accretion is not accompanied by a density decrease. The results suggest that the formation of "icelike" regions in liquid water is cooperative.     

On fuzzy subgroups and fuzzy ideals under triangular norms

In this communication, we explicitly point out that the principal results of Liu 1982 basically deduced from the definition of binary operation ° on the set F(X) of all fuzzy subsets of X, also hold if one uses the weaker definition of product under triangular norm °_t. Fuzzy ideals with respect to the triangular norms are also defined.     

A simulation model for aircraft sequencing in the near terminal area

The objective of this study is the development of a simulation model to assist in aircraft sequencing operations in the terminal area. After the definition of the main characteristics of the model, a general structure of a terminal area is considered with a variable number of feeder fixes and alternative paths from the fixes to the runways. The model is designed so as to evaluate different operating policies. A discrete events simulation philosophy, using Fortran as simulation language, is employed. Finally a model application to the Rome terminal area is illustrated. The results obtained show that the model, here presented, is general enough to simulate the terminal area behaviour of any airport.