Multi-criteria decision making for choosing socially responsible investment within a behavioral portfolio theory framework: a new way of investing into a crisis environment

The current economic crisis fuels the financial social responsibility after an epoch of many excesses with damaging effects. This work tackles two emerging streams in the financial literature: the behavioral portfolio theory with mental accounting and the socially responsible investment (SRI). Promoting SRI is regarded by a lot of financial experts, policymakers and researchers from the field of economic and social sciences, as one of the potential solutions in order to avoid future crises. Therefore, new models for this investment approach are necessary. We try to support the class of investors that select their investments under a mental accounting framework and also they want to achieve a certain level of SR quality in their portfolios. In order to reconcile the two choice frames, avoiding unnecessary sacrifices in financial performance, we have designed a model based on goal programming that integrates the two cornerstones of the investor. Furthermore, we propose a fuzzy inference system to determine the amount of money allocated to each mental account as well as the confidence level assigned to each mental account. This tool is based on expert knowledge modeled by fuzzy if–then rules.     

A group decision making model based on goal programming with fuzzy hierarchy: an application to regional forest planning

In this paper a multi-criteria group decision making model is presented in which there is a heterogeneity among the decision makers due to their different expertise and/or their different level of political control. The relative importance of the decision makers in the group is handled in a soft manner using fuzzy relations. We suppose that each decision maker has his/her preferred solution, obtained by applying any of the techniques of distance-based multi-objective programming [compromise, goal programming (GP), goal programming with fuzzy hierarchy, etc.]. These solutions are used as aspiration levels in a group GP model in which the differences between the unwanted deviations are interpreted in terms of the degree of achievement of the relative importance amongst the group members. In this way, a group GP model with fuzzy hierarchy (Group-GPFH) is constructed. The solution for this model is proposed as a collective decision. To show the applicability of our proposal, a regional forest planning problem is addressed. The objective is to determine tree species composition in order to improve the values achieved by Pan-European indicators for sustainable forest management. This problem involves stakeholders with competing interests and different preference schemes for the aforementioned indicators. The application of our proposal to this problem allows us to be able to comfortably address all these issues. The results obtained are consistent with the preferences of each stakeholder and their hierarchy within the group.     

Absolute infrared intensities in some metal carbonyls and the charge flux model of the dipole derivatives

The absolute intensities of the four infrared active modes of certain metal carbonyls, M(CO)₄ or M(CO)₆, are analyzed from the point of view of the equilibrium charge-charge flux model of the dipole derivatives. It is shown that the charges obtained from the bending modes, assuming negligible flux for these modes, are apparently identical with those reported by previous authors. However, such charges are much too sensitive to the choice of L matrix (which transforms the normal coordinates to symmetry coordinates) to permit any conclusions. The carbonyl stretching mode implies values of the dipole derivative three- to sixfold greater than in gaseous CO. It seems most reasonable to attribute most of this enhancement to charge flux between the metal and carbon atoms.     

Diffusion approximation to a queueing system with time-dependent arrival and service rates

A time nonhomogeneous diffusion approximation to a single server-single queue service system is obtained. Under various assumptions on the time-dependent functions appearing in the infinitesimal moments, transient and steady-state behaviour are analyzed. In particular, a diffusion approximation characterized by space-linear and time-varying moments is studied. The density of the busy period and the probability for the busy period to terminate are obtained. Finally, estimates of the goodness of the diffusion approximation are given.     

Chemical characterization of gorse pyrolytic oils by capillary gas chromatography

Thermochemical conversion of biomass produces solid charcoal, gaseous fuels, and condensable oils. Because these oils vary widely in composition depending on the cellulosic feedstock and the operating conditions used, analysis of the oils is necessary in order to determine the best ways of utilizing or disposing of them. The major components of the organic oil from pyrolysis of gorse have been characterized by capillary gas chromatography – mass spectrometry. A qualitative study of the aqueous oil from the same source has also been attempted.     

Exploring the solid-phase synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted beta-lactams: scope and limitations

This work describes a comprehensive study on the solid-phase synthesis of 3,4-disubstituted beta-lactams. In situ generated ketenes react with immobilized aldimines under mild conditions to generate libraries of beta-lactams in good to very good overall isolated yields. Different commercially available solid supports were studied, with the cost-effective Wang resin proving to be the most effective. The utility of the protocol was also demonstrated by the highly efficient asymmetric versions when homochiral ketenes or homochiral aldimines were used. A practical technique for the preparation of manual solid-phase parallel libraries of biologically interesting beta-lactam compounds, using Mukaiyama's salt as dehydrating agent, is also presented. Reactions were easily monitored by FT-IR and gel-phase 13C NMR using conventional equipment.     

Role of the Symmetry of Multipoint Hydrogen Bonding on Chelate Cooperativity in Supramolecular Macrocyclization Processes

Herein, we analyze the intrinsic chelate effect that multipoint H‐bonding patterns exert on the overall energy of dinucleoside cyclic systems. Our results indicate that the chelate effect is regulated by the symmetry of the H‐bonding pattern, and that the effective molarity is reduced by about three orders of magnitude when going from the unsymmetric ADD–DAA or DDA–AAD patterns to the symmetric DAD–ADA pattern.     

Oxazolinethiones and oxazolidinethiones for the first copper-catalyzed desulfurative cross-coupling reaction and first sonogashira applications

Cyclic thionocarbamates, namely chiral oxazolidinethiones (OZT) and aromatic oxazolinethiones (OXT), were involved, for the first time, in Sonogashira cross-coupling. A cooperative effect of two different copper (I) species-CuI and CuTC-accounts for this new copper-catalyzed desulfurative carbon-carbon cross-coupling reaction. This cooperative reactivity could also be extended to other copper (I) catalysts.     

First synthesis of 5-fluoro-(+)-MK7607, its 1-epimer and 6-deoxy derivative

(+)-MK7607 is a patented naturally occurring unsaturated pseudo-carbasugar possessing herbicidal activity. We present herein the first synthesis of the 5-fluorinated analogue (1S, 2S, 3R, 4R)-5-fluoro-6-(hydroxymethyl)cyclohex-5-ene-1,2,3,4-tetrol as well as that of two related compounds, namely its 1-epimer and its 6-deoxy derivative.