Poincaré like inequalities for semigroups, cosine and sine operator functions

Here we present Poincaré type general L _p inequalities regarding semigroups, cosine and sine operator functions.     

A multicriteria facility location model for municipal solid waste management in North Greece

Up to 2002, Hellenic Solid Waste Management (SWM) policy specified that each of the country’s 54 prefectural governments plan its own SWM system. After 2002, this authority was shifted to the country’s 13 regions entirely. In this paper, we compare and contrast regional and prefectural SWM planning in Central Macedonia. To design the prefectural plan, we assume that each prefecture must be self-sufficient, and we locate waste facilities in each prefecture. In contrast, in the regional plan, we assume cooperation between prefectures and locate waste facilities to serve the entire region. We present a new multicriteria mixed-integer linear programming model to solve the location–allocation problem for municipal SWM at the regional level. We apply the lexicographic minimax approach to obtain a “fair” nondominated solution, a solution with all normalized objectives as equal to one another as possible. A solution to the model consists of locations and technologies for transfer stations, material recovery facilities, incinerators and sanitary landfills, as well as the waste flow between these locations.     

NEUROTOXICITY OF TETRAPHENYLPORPHINESULFONATE TPPS4 and ITS RELATION TO PHOTODYNAMIC THERAPY*

Abstract Tetraphenylporphinesulfonate (TPPS₄) is a synthetic porphyrin that localizes in certain tumors to a higher absolute concentration and with more favorable tumor to other tissue ratios than any other porphyrin yet studied. Its utilization for photodynamic therapy and other applications has been inhibited by reported neurotoxicity. We injected TPPS₄ over a broad dose range of 5-150 mg kg^?1 and observed the effects on peripheral nerve in groups of animals sacrificed 35, 70 and 140 days later. No immediate deaths or phototoxic manifestations were seen. Light and electron microscopy, however, revealed cytoskeletal abnormalities and nerve fiber degeneration affecting both myelinated and unmyelinated fibers in all the time and dose groups. These findings have similarities to those of other experimental toxic neuropathies, and may also be related to the preponderance of autonomic manifestations in patients with porphyric neuropathy. The morphological changes consisted of tangles of fibrillar material in the myelinated fibers and loss of neurotubules in the unmyelinated fibers. Our studies indicate a direct interaction of TPPS₄ with tubulin. This biological mechanism may be involved in the selective distribution of certain parenterally administered porphyrins.     

Cytotoxicity and inflammation in human alveolar epithelial cells following exposure to occupational levels of gold and silver nanoparticles

This study explores the viability of rare earth-doped zirconia nanophosphors as probable candidates for white light emission. Undoped ZrO₂ and single- and double-doped ZrO₂:M (where M?=?Tb³⁺ and Eu³⁺) nanophosphors have been synthesized using a simple sonochemical process. The products were characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and photoluminescence spectrophotometry. The SEM micrographs show that resultant nanoparticles have dendritic shape. TEM and HRTEM studies showed that the size of the majority of the nanoparticles were around 28?±?5?nm. Characteristic blue and green emission from Tb³⁺ ions and red from Eu³⁺ dopant ions were observed. The CIE coordinates of the double-doped ZrO₂:Tb³⁺ (1.2?%):Eu³⁺ (0.8?%) nanophosphor lie in the white light region of the chromaticity diagram and show promise as good phosphor materials for new lighting devices.     

Application of the extended DLVO theory—the stability of alatrofloxacin mesylate solutions

Electrophoretic mobility and contact angle measurements have been made on alatrofloxacin mesylate and its formulations which were protected from or exposed to light, and its degradation product compound (F). In aqueous solution, the light-protected alatrofloxacin mesylate had a zeta-potential of +19 mV, a negligible electron-acceptor (γ_i⁺) surface tension parameter and an electron-donor surface tension parameter γ_i⁻=32.5 mJ m⁻², which was higher than that of water. This caused the particles to be very hydrophilic and to form very stable suspensions in aqueous solution due, mainly, to a net Lewis acid–base (polar) repulsion. After the suspensions were exposed to light, the zeta-potential of the degradation product increassed to +37.8 mV, but the electron-donor surface tension parameter decreased to γ_i⁻=8 mJ m⁻², making the molecules or particles very hydrophobic and causing them to flocculate. The energies of attraction in the latter case were mainly hydrophobic (90%) with about 10% resulting from van der Waals forces.