The primary objective of this article is to present the findings of an experimental study on the use of a human-like “naturalistic” avatar (of both genders) for information presentations. The primary goal is to investigate how users' frame of mind, purchasing behavior, and satisfaction are affected by being presented with information by a naturalistic avatar that lacks expressive capabilities. Two different types of information presentations were developed and empirically tested on 48 participants, namely: (i) two dimensional static graphical and textual information presentation and (ii) non-expressive naturalistic avatar. For this comparative research study, a simplified version of the user experience model that was used in our earlier research (the EUX-DM) was selected to serve as the measurement model. Participants' perceived values of the measured qualities were found to be independent of both their own and the naturalistic avatar's gender, and the non-expressive avatar had a positive effect and a stronger encouragement on participants' intention to purchase, usage attitude, and satisfaction than other types of information presentations.

Since scheduling literature has a wide range of uncertainties, it is crucial to take these into account when solving performance measure problems. Otherwise, the performance may severely be affected in a negative way. In this paper, an algorithm is proposed to minimize the total completion time (TCT) of a two-machine no-wait flowshop with uncertain setup times within lower and upper bounds. The results are compared to the best existing algorithm in scheduling literature: the programming language Python is used to generate random samples with respect to various distributions, and the TCT of the proposed algorithm is compared to that of the best existing one. Results reveal that the proposed one significantly outperforms the best one given in literature for all considered distributions. Specifically, the average percentage improvement of the proposed algorithm over the best existing one is over 90%. A test of hypothesis is conducted to further confirm the results.

This research aims to fill the gap in sustainable insurance product study. The central research question of this research is how to develop a fair pricing framework in order to design a sustainable financial product. Current profit testing method is arguably lack of policyholder considerations. The profitability decision under current method only considers profit margin for company. There is no profitability measurement for policyholder. To improve fairness under current pricing, the proposed study proposes a concept of equity in risk between company and policyholder. In order to establish equity in risk, profitability for policyholder needs to be defined and risk measure Conditional Tail Expectation (CTE) for company and policyholder is proposed as a solution. Fairness is achieved if CTE between company and policyholder falls within certain range. CTE generated under new framework could be used as a reference point to all stakeholders to assess the fairness of Unit Linked price. The target population for the study was any regular premium Unit Link product. This research used simple random sampling. From the population consisting of 34 companies 20 samples were drawn. Data is taken from the Indonesian Financial Service Authority. The data used is from the time period between 1 January 2015 and 30 June 2019. Using the CTE, this study finds that most of the Unit Linked pricing are far from fair. It is recommended that companies could be more efficient in their operating and distribution cost in order to be fairer to policyholder and therefore will make the product more sustainable.

Foam made panels as efficient building elements are becoming a major role player in modular construction with a variety of applications worldwide. However, construction accuracy, technology, and method can have serious effects on the panels’ behavior. In this study, using a unique pneumatic pressure testing rig, bending tests are conducted on the two types of rigid polyurethane panels. The panels are categorized based on the existence of construction cold joints (seams) as S (Seamless) type and TS (Transverse Seams) type. The S type panels are tested under monotonic uniform loading with a maximum nominal pressure of about 1 atm as the witness specimens. The TS panels are tested under both monotonic and cyclic uniform loading, and the deflections-pressure behavior obtained. The results show that S panels could resist up to 0.77 atm under monotonic uniform loading, while the minimum tensile strength of the foam is 13 MPa. In addition, panels with transverse seams collapsed under monotonic and cyclic loads at an average of 0.46 atm and 0.33 atm respectively but at the same position, located on the seamed section, which represent the same failure mode. Based on the results, the seamed section exhibited a maximum tensile strength of about 33.1% of an intact section under monotonic loading; and 27.9% lower results under cyclic loading.

Today, most industrial managers in the world are interested in protecting the environment and biological resources. On the other hand, current technologies are getting momentum towards specialization and globalization. Thus, in order to remain in a highly competitive world market, producers have to respond to the customers' demands under different circumstances. The leading role of distribution centers to deliver products to customers on time and to reduce the costs of stock maintenance has attracted the attention of many supply chain managers in current competitive conditions. Cross docking is a logistic strategy aiming to reduce the stock and increase the level of customer's satisfaction. Products are delivered from the supplier to the customers through cross docking. In this paper, a nonlinear multiproduct vehicle location-routing model is presented with heterogeneous vehicles. Each truck can carry one or more types of products. In other words, compatibility between product and vehicle has been accounted for here. This model aims to find out the possible minimum number of cross dockings among the existing set of discrete locations and minimize the total cost of opening cross docking centers as well as vehicle transportation (distribution and operation cost) costs. In sum, the model aims to find the number of cross docking centers, the number of vehicles and the best route in the distribution network. Since the model is mixed integer programming, to apply the model to medium and large scale problems, meta innovative genetic and particle swarm optimization algorithms are introduced. The results obtained from examining various problems show high efficiency of the proposed methods.

The reaction of lithiation of 2-bromo-4-(1,3-dioxolan-2-yl)-1,3-thiazole with in position 5 of the thiazole ring and double lithiation with t-butyllithium (t-BuLi) in positions 2 and 5 lithium diisopropylamide (LDA) are investigated. When lithiated and dilithiated thiazoles were treated with different electrophiles, a number of trifunctional 1,3-thiazoles were obtained with high yields.

There is a little research about the relationship between risk and technology by using the DEMATEL model in a complex systems such as maritime port. Those studies neither include nor identify the relationships of technological risk generated between a Port Community and all the other actors who interact with it. This study presents the potential advantage of applying the DEMATEL to identify the synergic relationships at strategic and business levels produced by technological risk. The results determine the causes and the effects of decisions made by managers of port engineering community. They also affect the processes of information and communication logistics chains’ export and import.

This study examined the relationship between ICT and Accounting system of SMEs in Nigeria. The study adopted the survey research design, which involves the collection of data from the Accounting department of SMEs in Nigeria. Primary data was employed and copies of ques-tionnaire were administered to respondents for the purpose of this study. Two hypotheses were formulated and tested using Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient at a significant level of 1%. Findings revealed a significant relationship between ICT knowledge (Microsoft tools) and accounting system of SMEs in Nigeria also, the study further reviewed significant re-lationship between ICT adoption (accounting packages) and Accounting system of SMEs in Ni-geria. The study therefore recommended that Management of SMEs must periodically send em-ployees on training in the use of ICT.

This paper provides a review on recent works in the field of competitive facility location models based on the following seven components: 1) Variables, 2) Competition type, 3) Solution space, 4) Customer behavior, 5) Demand type, 6) Number of new facilities and 7) Relocation and redesign possibility. First, the components are introduced and then based on these components; different studies are compared with each other via a proposed taxonomy and finally a review on work of each paper is provided.

The total synthesis of mycophenolic acid (MPA), a potent immunosuppressant, was modified. The obtained mycophenolic acid was suitable for further preparation of new prospective immunosuppressants with improved therapeutic properties.