The regioselectivity of the [3+2] cycloaddition reactions between benzonitrile N-oxide as three-atom component and two series of para-substituted β-nitrostyrene analogues was analysed in the framework of
a Molecular Electron Density Theory. All of the considered processes were found to be initiated by the attack of the most nucleophilic oxygen atom in the benzonitrile N-oxide on the most electrophilic carbon atom (C_α) in the nitroalkenes. This type of interaction favours the formation of 4-nitro-substituted
Δ²-isoxazolines.

This research was undertaken to examine the effect of low corporation tax rate on Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow and Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Investors and multinational firms are very rational and therefore prefer to invest in countries where the cost of taxation will be at the barest minimum to maximize their profit. The study aimed to critically analyze the Corporate Income Tax (CIT) rates of the randomly selected countries of the world, and their respective impacts on FDI and GDP. The study is descriptive in nature, based on quantitative data, sourced from various reports of Statutory Corporate Income Tax Rates of Tax Foundation, World Bank and UNCTAD World Investment Report of 2022. Ex-post Facto research design was deployed; while data were analyzed with a General Linear Model of Multivariate Analysis of Variance (MANOVA) with the aid of SPSS version 25. The study found that low rate of corporation tax has a positive and significant effect on FDI as well as on GDP. That is, CIT rate is a dominant determinant for FDI and GDP of countries.

The application of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) is restricted due to limited information about the mechanical properties of printed parts. Therefore, it is required to determine the mechanical properties of the FDM properties to avail the full benefit of the FDM process. In the present study, Classic Laminate Theory (CLT) has been employed at the different configurations of layer thickness and raster width. The required elastic constant of material for CLT has been experimentally obtained through FDM printed Polylactic Acid (PLA) unidirectional specimens at 0°, 45° and 90° for different combinations of layer height and raster width. For these different combinations of layer height and raster width, constitutive models were developed to predict the tensile properties of the PLA parts. Tensile strength of the FDM printed bi-directional specimens has been experimentally obtained to validate the proposed CLT model results. The experimental tensile strength data is in good agreement with the data predicted by the proposed CLT model. Higher tensile strength and modulus were achieved with 0° raster angle compared to 90° raster angle. In the case of a bi-directional printed specimen, higher tensile strength was obtained with 45°/-45° raster angle followed by 30°/-60° and 0°/90° raster angle.

The supply chain has been a major component of competitive strategy to enhance organizational productivity and profitability, and the supply chain is a relatively new and rapidly expanding discipline that is transforming the way that manufacturing and non-manufacturing operations meet the needs of their customers. This study aims to establish the role of management accounting in the development of supply chain performance in logistics manufacturing companies. The study applies a quantitative research methodology and uses a questionnaire method to collect the data. The study sample consists of 181 respondents. This study analyzes the data using the (SPSS) program. The results reveal a statistically significant relationship at the significance level (α≤0.05) between the management accounting, including the “target cost, value chain costing and quality costing” and supply chain performance in logistics manufacturing companies.

Most counterfeit studies engage consumers’ intention to purchase without considering their past experiences. Understanding consumers who have experienced in counterfeit product situations and how this has influenced their actual perceptions, attitudes and behavior on this is-sue is important to understand. Therefore, this study aims to understand the repurchase behavior of experienced consumers in regards to counterfeit products and their demographics, past purchases, materialism, economic and social factors. In addition, this study also investigates the mediating effect of attitude on the relationship between the factors and the repur-chase behavior. The participants are among 200 working adults who have purchased counterfeit products in a six-month period. Multiple regression analysis indicates that gender (female), past purchasing behavior, materialism and social factors had positive relationships with repurchase behavior. Remarkably, the economic factor is found to be significant. However, it has a negative relationship with repurchase behavior indicating that experienced consumers in counterfeit products purchase fake goods to minimize the economic effect. Hierarchical regression analysis indicates the mediating effect of attitude on the relationship between past purchase and materialism on repurchase behavior. The outcome of this study can also be used as a reference and knowledge base for scholars and marketers in understanding the attitude of consumers and their repurchase intention of counterfeit products.

New series of mononuclear octahedral Ru(III) complexes of general formula [RuL^1-3Cl]Cl₂ (1-3) where L = dianion of Schiff bases namely: 2,2'-(((1E,1'E)-thiophene-2,5-diylbis(methaneylylidene))bis(azaneylylidene))diphenol (H₂L¹), 2,2'-(((1E,1'E)-thiophene-2,5-diylbis(methaneylylidene))bis(azaneylylidene))dibenzenethiol (H2L2) and 2,2'-(((1E,1'E)-thiophene-2,5-diylbis(methaneylyli-dene))bis(azaneylyli-dene))-dibenzoic acid (H₂L³), respectively are synthesized and characterized by different physico-chemical techniques. The results of interaction of complexes with CT-DNA supported that, the Ru (III) complexes bind to DNA via an intercalative mode. The interaction has also been investigated by gel electrophoresis. Interestingly, it was found that all Ru(III) complexes cleave super coiled (SC) pUC19 plasmid DNA efficiently in the absence of an external agent. Further, the antiproliferative activity of the complexes on Human Cervical Cancer Cells (HeLa) and Human Breast Cancer Cells (MCF-7) were evaluated by MTT assay, which revealed that, all the complexes showed more intense inhibition against HeLa and MCF-7 cell lines, particularly Ru(III) complex (3) attenuated the strongest proliferation, allowing its use as chemotherapeutic agent for cancer treatment.

Modelling is an effective way of designing, understanding, and analysing bio-refinery supply chain systems. The supply chain is a complex process consisting of many systems interacting with each other. It requires the modelling of the processes in the presence of multiple autonomous entities (i.e. biomass producers, bio-processors and transporters), multiple performance measures and multiple objectives, both local and global, which together constitute very complex interaction effects. In this paper, simulation models for recovering biomass from the field of the biorefinery are developed and validated using some industry data and the minimum biomass recovery cost is established based on different strategies employed for recovering biomass. Energy densification techniques are evaluated for their net present worth and the technologies that offer greater returns for the industry are recommended. In addition, a new scheduling algorithm is also developed to enhance the process flow of the management of resources and the flow of biomass. The primary objective is to investigate different strategies to reach the lowest cost delivery of sugarcane harvest residue to a sugar factory through optimally located bio-refineries. A simulation /optimisation solution approach is also developed to tackle the stochastic variables in the bioenergy production system based on different statistical distributions such as Weibull and Pearson distributions. In this approach, a genetic algorithm is integrated with simulation to improve the initial solution and search the near-optimal solution. A case study is conducted to illustrate the results and to validate the applicability for the real world implementation using ExtendSIM Simulation software using some real data from Australian Mills.

The purpose of this descriptive-explanatory study is to examine the relationship between critical thinking and creativity and the performance of Micro, Small, and Medium-sized businesses (MSMEs) in Indonesia during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this study, a questionnaire instrument was used, which was given online using Online Survey Forms, to collect information from a sample of 108 business managers who were selected at random to participate. Using the SmartPLS software, an analysis was performed once the data had been collected. The results indicate a substantial impact on the performance of MSMEs in Indonesia was found to be associated with critical thinking and innovation, according to the findings.

The introduction of derivatives at the financial market of the United Arab Emirate (UAE) is to enhance liquidity and broadens the range of securities. This is because it brings exciting opportunities for investors to diversify their investment in an efficient and cost-effective way. Evidence from previous studies has shown that financial market derivatives help to reduce risk. Even though trading losses produced by unsuitable derivative activity are frequently big enough to create financial problems and even bankruptcy, there is minimal research on how bank profitability and performance are affected. The study examines the determinants of financial derivatives on the performance of commercial banks in UAE and the financial risk exposure between derivatives financial assets and derivatives financial liabilities. The research employs Pecking order theory, panel ARDL and data from 30 commercial banks’ financial statements in 2020 in UAE. The study found that an increase in the level of return on assets will create an increase in traded financial derivatives that will enhance bank performance by a high level of percentage. Stability of the banking sector in UAE is recommended to enhance better performances of commercial banks on financial derivatives in UAE.

Patient Bed Assignment (PBA) consists of assigning patients to hospital beds according to specific requirements such as patient diagnosis, equipment requirements, age and gender policies, among others. We worked in conjunction with the Hospital Universitario San Ignacio (HUSI) with the goal of designing an application to support decision-making during the bed assignment process. We introduced a mathematical model for the PBA. We used Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to determine the weights attributed to each part of the objective function. Due to the long execution time required, we used a Greedy Algorithm and Tabu Search (TS) to optimize the match between the patient’s requirements and the characteristics of the assigned bed. To test the algorithms, we created 15 test instances of various sizes. The results showed that the gap between the value of the objective function resulting from using the Greedy/TS in comparison with the optimal solution is on average 6.2%. Also, the TS takes 84% less time than the MILP for medium and large instances. We collected data from real life instances and compared the actual method with the designed metaheuristic. On average, the value of the objective function resulting from using the proposed Greedy/Tabu algorithm is 8.6% higher.