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PurposeDiscrimination in the marketplace has recently received increasing attention in marketing discussions, especially related to service encounters. This research explores the effect of receiving lower (vs higher) financial compensation than someone perceived to be from an upper social class (vs lower) on consumer reactions after a service recovery situation.Design/methodology/approachTwo experimental studies with two different populations.FindingsIndividuals who receive less compensation than someone from a higher socioeconomic status tend to attribute differential treatment to discrimination. Both individuals who received less and who received higher compensation are willing to engage in negative word of mouth, however, only consumers who were discriminated against want to take revenge on the company.Originality/valuePrevious literature indicates that consumers' reactions after service problems are mediated by justice perceptions. This research offers a new perspective of social comparison in service recovery situations by considering the role of discrimination perceptions.

Purpose E-commerce has experienced huge growth in emerging countries, but analysis of service failure/recovery for online retailers has been limited in this context. Hence, this study aims to investigate customers’ reactions to service failures in e-commerce and the influence of cultural dimensions on complaint intentions. Design/methodology/approach A survey was conducted with 553 customers from Brazil, India and China. A model was proposed and tested using structural equation modeling. Findings Results indicate that satisfaction with service recovery (SSR) increases repurchase intentions and reduces third-party complaints and negative word-of-mouth. This study also shows that the reactions of consumers to service failures in online situations are influenced by their cultural orientation (i.e. individualism, uncertainty avoidance and power distance) and contingent factors (i.e. relationship level, switching costs and the severity of the failure). Originality/value This study shows that the extent to which consumers from emerging countries complain after a service failure in online purchases will depend on their cultural orientation, previous experiences with the retailer, switching costs and the severity of the failure.

Simão, S. A. V., Rohden, S. F., & Pinto, D. C. (2022). Natural claims and sustainability: The role of perceived efficacy and sensorial expectations. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 34(November), 505-517. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2022.09.026 --- Funding: This work was supported by national funds through FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia), under the project - UIDB/04152/2020 - Centro de Investigação em Gestão de Informação (MagIC)/NOVA IMS. Natural claims have been increasingly used by brands across a variety of product categories to address the growing concerns about sustainable and healthy consumption. To add insights to this body of knowledge, this research aims to investigate the influence of natural claims on consumers' judgments and purchase intentions of personal care products. Findings from two studies suggest that natural claims are broadly used in personal care product packaging to influence consumers' purchase intentions, due to the natural-is-better bias and the health halos evoked by such claims. This research also contributes to the literature by investigating the underlying mechanisms of perceived efficacy, safety, sensorial expectations, and greenwashing perceptions. Moreover, environmental consciousness moderates the effects of natural claims on consumers' judgments of perceived efficacy. The findings thus not only enhance our understanding of the natural-is-better bias but also shed light on the role played by perceived safety and sensorial expectations on intentions to purchase natural-claimed products. Relevant implications for brands and policymakers in terms of sustainable consumption are also discussed. publishersversion published

Purpose: This research aims to explore how the maintenance of customers’ relations with service providers during the Covid-19 pandemic affects customers’ well-being and repurchase intentions for the post-pandemic period. Originality/value: This paper uses empirical data collected during the Covid-19 pandemic to shed light on how individuals can improve their well-being during stressful life events through service provisions and how businesses can increase chances of recovery after stressful situations such as a pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected during the pandemic with Brazilian consumers. Structural equations models (SEM) techniques were used. Findings: Results show that the stronger the customer’s trust in the service provider before the stressful event, the higher the maintenance of the provider’s relationship during this period. More importantly, this relationship maintenance with the service provider during the Covid-19 pandemic (even when the service is not being provided as previously agreed, e.g., online yoga classes) improved the individual’s satisfaction with life and health (i.e., well-being). These positive effects on well-being are explained by perceptions of control and the feeling of helping the service provider during a crisis (i.e., a pandemic). Furthermore, maintaining the relationship with the service provider during this period increased customers’ future repurchase intentions with the business. Resumo Objetivo: O propósito desta pesquisa é explorar como a manutenção do relacionamento com prestadores de serviço durante a pandemia da Covid-19 afeta o bem-estar do consumidor e sua intenção de compra no período pós-pandemia. Originalidade/valor: Este artigo usa dados empíricos coletados durante a pandemia de Covid-19, para compreender como indivíduos podem melhorar seu bem-estar durante eventos estressantes por meio do uso de serviços e também como empresas podem aumentar suas possibilidades de recuperação durante essa situação. Design/metodologia/abordagem: Dados foram coletados através de questionário no Brasil durante o período intermediário da pandemia de Covid-19. Para executar a análise, foram feitas modelagens de equações estruturais. Resultados: Resultados mostram que quanto mais forte era a confiança no prestador de serviço antes do período estressante, maior será a manutenção do relacionamento com ele durante esse período. A manutenção do relacionamento entre consumidor e prestador de serviços durante a pandemia de Covid-19 melhora a satisfação com a vida e a saúde (i.e., bem-estar) do indivíduo (mesmo quando o serviço não é prestado da forma combinada previamente, e.g., aulas on-line de yoga). Os efeitos positivos no bem-estar são explicados por uma maior percepção de controle e sensação de estar ajudando o prestador de serviço durante um período de crise. Adicionalmente, a manutenção do relacionamento com o prestador de serviços durante esse período aumenta a intenção de recompra futura (i.e., após a pandemia) do consumidor junto a esse prestador de serviços.

Purpose: This research aims to explore how the maintenance of customers’ relations with service providers during the Covid-19 pandemic affects customers’ well-being and repurchase intentions for the post-pandemic period. Originality/value: This paper uses empirical data collected during the Covid-19 pandemic to shed light on how individuals can improve their well-being during stressful life events through service provisions and how businesses can increase chances of recovery after stressful situations such as a pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected during the pandemic with Brazilian consumers. Structural equations models (SEM) techniques were used. Findings: Results show that the stronger the customer’s trust in the service provider before the stressful event, the higher the maintenance of the provider’s relationship during this period. More importantly, this relationship maintenance with the service provider during the Covid-19 pandemic (even when the service is not being provided as previously agreed, e.g., online yoga classes) improved the individual’s satisfaction with life and health (i.e., well-being). These positive effects on well-being are explained by perceptions of control and the feeling of helping the service provider during a crisis (i.e., a pandemic). Furthermore, maintaining the relationship with the service provider during this period increased customers’ future repurchase intentions with the business.

Objetivo: Uma das estratégias adotadas por diversos países (i.e., China, Estados Unidos e Brasil) para contenção da pandemia de Covid-19 consiste na recomendação de distanciamento social para a população. Esse tipo de situação pode gerar emoções negativas, como medo e ansiedade, podendo afetar até mesmo o bem-estar e a esperança dos indivíduos e consequentemente os seus comportamentos de consumo. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo, portanto, o consumo pró-social como ferramenta para auxiliar a diminuição dos efeitos emocionais negativos causados pelo distanciamento social.Método: O estudo constitui-se de uma combinação da revisão sistemática de literatura com o desenvolvimento de um modelo conceitual teórico que identifica lacunas e apresenta proposições de pesquisa que possam direcionar futuros estudos.Originalidade: A literatura existente caracteriza o consumo pró-social como proveniente de emoções positivas. O presente trabalho propõe-se a explicar como o consumo pró-social pode gerar bem-estar mesmo em situações associadas a estados emocionais negativos.Contribuições: O modelo conceitual teórico desenvolvido por este estudo explica o papel do consumo pró-social como comportamento que reduz os efeitos negativos das emoções negativas causadas pelo distanciamento social e promove o bem-estar dos consumidores durante a crise da Covid-19. O entendimento desses mecanismos é benéfico para os consumidores, para o setor público e para o setor privado, estes dois os quais poderão adotar estratégias nesse sentido, estimulando o consumo pró-social e o aumento do bem-estar, bem como impulsionando vendas e aumentando o valor percebido da marca, no caso do último. Objective: One of the strategies adopted by several countries (i.e. China, United States, Brazil) for containing the pandemic is to recommend the adoption of social distancing. This type of situation can generate negative emotions, such as fear and anxiety, which might affect the well-being, hope and consumption behavior of individuals. The present work aims, therefore, to propose that prosocial consumption could help reduce the negative emotional effects caused by social distancing.Method: The study is a combination of a literature review and the development of a theoretical conceptual model that identifies gaps and presents research proposals that can guide future studies.Originality: Existing literature characterizes prosocial consumption as a consequence of positive emotions. This paper aims to explain how prosocial consumption can generate well-being even in situations in which negative emotional states are being experienced.Contributions: The theoretical conceptual model developed by this study explains the role of prosocial consumption as a behavior that reduces the negative effects of the negative emotions caused by social distancing and promotes well-being during the COVID-19 crisis. Understanding these mechanisms is beneficial to consumers, to the public sector and to the private sector, which can adopt strategies for fostering prosocial behavior and increasing well-being, but also for increasing sales and enhancing brand equity.

ENEA Staging Storage Sharing (E3S) is a cloud storage system developed under the ENEA ICT infrastructure using Owncloud as architectural component for file syncing and sharing.

Nas áreas de colheita de cana-de-açúcar sem queima prévia (cana-crua), a presença da palha afeta a germinação de plantas daninhas e a dinâmica dos herbicidas. O presente trabalho foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar os efeitos do sulfentrazone e imazapic, associado à palha de cana-de-açúcar, com chuva após a aplicação dos herbicidas, no controle de Cyperus rotundus. O delineamento experimental adotado foi o de blocos casualizados no esquema fatorial 3 x 3 x 2 x 2, com quatro repetições, totalizando 144 parcelas. Os tratamentos foram conseqüência da combinação fatorial entre três níveis do fator palha de cana-de-açúcar (20, 10 t ha-1 e ausência de cobertura morta sobre o solo); três níveis do fator herbicida (sulfentrazone a 800 g ha-1, imazapic a 147 g ha-1 e ausência de herbicida); dois níveis do fator intensidade de chuva (10 e 20 mm); e dois níveis do fator épocas em que foram simuladas as chuvas após a aplicação dos herbicidas (24 e 168 horas). Avaliou-se o número de plantas por vaso, a massa seca da parte aérea e das estruturas do sistema subterrâneo e o número de tubérculos e bulbos sadios. Constatou-se que, no caso do herbicida sulfentrazone, a presença de 20 t ha-1 de palha de cana-de-açúcar diminuiu-lhe a eficácia. O herbicida imazapic teve bom desempenho tanto na ausência quanto na presença de palha e causou redução das variáveis estudadas, independentemente da intensidade de chuva. A intensidade de chuva de 10 mm não foi suficiente para transpor o herbicida sulfentrazone na quantidade de 20 t ha-1 de palha. Já a intensidade de 20 mm foi suficiente para lixiviar o herbicida até mesmo na maior quantidade de palha. O herbicida sulfentrazone suportou mais a permanência na palha, pois apresentou melhor eficácia em relação ao imazapic, quando a chuva foi simulada 168 horas após a aplicação dos herbicidas. In the raw sugarcane harvest areas, straw affects weed germination and herbicide dynamics. Thus, this work was developed to evaluate the effects of applying sulfentrazone and imazapic, associated with sugarcane straw and simulated rain for Cyperus rotundus control. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design in a 3 x 3 x 2 x 2 factorial scheme with four repetitions, totaling 144 plots. The treatments were the result of a factorial combination of three levels of the factor sugarcane straw (20, 10 t ha-1 and no dead cover on the soil); three levels of the factor herbicide (sulfentrazone at 800 g ha-1, imazapic at 147 g ha-1 and no herbicide); two levels of the factor intensity of rainfall (10 and 20 mm); and two levels of the factor simulated rain after herbicide application (24 and 168 hours). Number of plants per pot, dry mass of the aerial parts and underground system structures, and number of healthy tubers and bulbs were evaluated. Based on the results obtained, it was concluded that the presence of 20 t ha-1 of sugar cane straw reduced the efficacy of the herbicide sulfentrazone while the herbicide imazapic had a good performance with and without straw, causing a reduction in the varieties studied regardless of intensity of the rain. Rain intensity of 10 mm, was not sufficient to surpass the herbicide sulfentrazone in the amount of 20 t ha-1 of straw. However, 20 mm rain intensity was sufficient to cause herbicide leaching even at the largest amount of straw. The herbicide sulfentrazone showed a good resistance to straw since it was more efficacious than imazapic, when rain was simulated 168 hours after the application of the herbicides

In this article, the thermo-optical properties of polymer dispersed liquid crystals (PDLCs) in confined geometry are experimentally investigated to demonstrate the feasibility of a fiber optic sensing device based on PDLCs. Since an unexpected behavior on PDLCs in confined geometry has been experienced, a systematic study of PDLCs' thermo-optical properties in bulk is presented also to point out principal differences. Finally, bistable all fiber optic temperature sensors, in which a PDLC permits at the same time the opto-mechanical interconnection of two fibers and the modulation of light crossing the device, has been realized and characterized, for the first time. Being the modulation controlled by external temperature, the device has been proven to be suitable for the realization of a heat flow sensor. The sensor presents the typical advantages of both fiber optic sensors and liquid crystal technology.

We analyzed the self-transparency effect of a laser beam travelling in a sample of an unsaturated polyester Polymer Dispersed Liquid Crystal (PDLC). This effect is of thermal nature and occurs when a change of the refractive index of the considered composite material is induced by variations of the local temperature due to the incident light power.

The E2A/PBX1 and the BCR/ABL fusion genes result from the t(1;19)(q23;p13) and the t(9;22)(q34;q11), respectively, and encode oncoproteins which are thought to play an important role in the development of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) subtypes associated with adverse prognosis. The use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the detection of these genetic rearrangements may offer advantages over cytogenetic techniques which are often unsatisfactory in patients with ALL and, furthermore, provide a useful tool for monitoring of residual disease. However, it has not yet been evaluated whether the employment of PCR at the time of diagnosis improves the detection rate of these clinically relevant genetic anomalies. We have developed a multiprimer-PCR protocol which facilitates the detection of each of the four chimeric E2A/PBX1 and BCR/ABL mRNAs in a single reaction. This protocol was used for the evaluation of bone-marrow or blood samples from 251 children with ALL in whom cytogenetic analyses had been performed. Of the 251 patients, 221 had a B-cell precursor immunophenotype. In this group, 21 patients (9.5%) carrying the E2A/PBX1 rearrangement and three patients (1.4%) with BCR/ABL transcripts were detected by PCR. Twelve of these cases had escaped the detection by conventional cytogenetic analysis. In two of 12 patients with a typical t(1;19)(q23;p13), no E2A/PBX1 transcripts were identified by PCR, thus suggesting the presence of different molecular rearrangements. Residual leukemic cells were detected by PCR in five of eight patients who were followed during complete clinical remission. The frontline use of PCR has an important impact on the timely diagnosis, therapeutic decisions, and monitoring of high-risk patients with B-cell precursor leukemia who carry the E2A/PBX1 or BCR/ABL fusion genes.

International audience; The Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey provides the largest 3D map of the Universe ever obtained. We present results from the DR9 data set, which includes 360,000 galaxies distributed over 3200 square degrees. At large physical scales, these data allow measurements of unprecedented precision in the 3D redshift-space correlation function and the spherically-averaged power-spectrum. In order to utilize this map to measure galaxy clustering, we need to fully understand potential sources of systematic fluctuations in galaxy density, caused by observational effects rather than cosmological fluctuations. I will present a careful analysis of these fluctuations, showing how we can robustly recover the cosmological clustering signal. The measurements and their cosmological interpretation will be presented.

Objective To correlate, RSI with SVHI, in a group of singing students, by means of a specific anamnestic questionnaire which analyzes the physical, social, emotional, and economic impacts of voice problems on their lives. This study is a cross-sectional single-center observational study. Methods Forty-two modern singing students (26F/16M; average age: 24.9 ± 5.7; range: 16-46 years old) were recruited. A self-assessment of the singing-voice (SVHI) and of reflux symptom (RSI) was performed. Results Using the validated RSI threshold, 31% of participants were classified as RSI greater than 13 as an indication of suspected LPR. Classifying the SVHI score as proposed in the recent literature (cutoff of 20.35) our sample was a voice disorders prevalence of 71.4%. There was no significant positive or negative relationship between RSI and SVHI total score (rho = 0.238, P = 0.13). Instead, by considering the relationship between the individual items of the two questionnaires, it is highlighted that the item 1 of SVHI was significantly correlated with most of the RSI items ( P = 0.0001-0.006). In the same vein, the item 5 of SVHI was correlated to hoarseness and coughing ( P = 0.005-0.006). The item 20 of SVHI was significantly correlated with hoarseness, excess mucus in the throat or postnasal drip and with the pharyngeal Globus sensation ( P = 0.001-0.005). By aggregating the SVHI item response as a positive response (2-4) versus a negative response (0 or 1) between "RSI pathology classification," a significant association was observed for SVHI item 1 ( P < 0.021), item 5 ( P < 0.006), item 20 ( P < 0.042), item 24 ( P < 0.044) item 25 ( P < 0.047). These associations were confirmed by univariate binary logistic. Multivariate binary logistic regression confirms that SVHI Item 1, Item 5 were more associated with RSI positive. Based on results, we propose a questionnaire that combines the most relevant SVHI items correlated to LPRD (SVHI-10-LPRD questionnaire). Cronbach's alpha coefficient for the 10 items selected was 0.87; item-total correlation coefficients for each item were in the range of 0.461 to 0.670. Conclusions This pilot study shows that, in case of significant RSI for LPR, it is possible to observe a significant association with some symptoms described in SVHI. These results underline that the association of the RSI and SVHI questionnaires administered to singers and singing students, can represent a simple screening to reveal possible alterations of the singing voice correlate to LPR. Moreover, we propose a Singing Voice Handicap Index correlated to LPR (SVHI-10-LPRD). It will be necessary to increase the sample of subjects in the study to confirm these preliminary data.

The efficiency of photomobile polymers (PMP) in the conversion of light into mechanical work plays a fundamental role in achieving cutting-edge innovation in the development of novel applications ranging from energy harvesting to sensor approaches. Because of their photochromic properties, azobenzene monomers have been shown to be an efficient material for the preparation of PMPs with appropriate photoresponsivity. Upon integration of the azobenzene molecules as moieties into a polymer, they act as an engine, allowing fast movements of up to 50 Hz. In this work we show a promising approach for integrating ZnO nanoparticles into a liquid crystalline polymer network. The addition of such nanoparticles allows the trapping of incoming light, which acts as diffusive points in the polymer matrix. We characterized the achieved nanocomposite material in terms of thermomechanical and optical properties and finally demonstrated that the doped PMP was better performing that the undoped PMP film.

Whenever a problem is difficult from the topological, algebraic or functional analytical points of view, a “qualitative theory” arises. The example of choice is the qualitative theory of dynamical systems, founded by Henri Poincar ́e in 1881–1882. In the context of electromagnetics and optics there exist comprehensive accounts on group theoretical methods [1] and on symmetries [2, 3]. This work aims at contributing results in two directions, limited to fixed wavenumber k. 1 - Symmetries and ε-false symmetries in scalar potential scattering at fixed wavenumber. 2 - Approximate propagators in scalar diffraction at fixed wavenumber and related symmetries. The second part of the presentation will focus on group properties and related symmetries of the Helmholtz equation and of its approximations. Aperture diffraction in the halfspace of a scalar wave at fixed k is described by a propagator. A suitable asymptotic approximation yields the Fresnel (≡ paraxial) propagator. Further approximation leads to the Fourier propagator. The related group properties and information contents of both approximation stages will be compared by taking some available results [4–8] into account. REFERENCES 1. Sanchez-Mondragon, J. and K. B. Wolf, Eds., Lie Methods in Optics, Springer, Berlin, 1985. 2. Ramm, A. G., “Symmetry properties of scattering amplitudes and applications to inverse problems,” J. Math. Anal. Appl., Vol. 156, No. 2, 333–340, 1991. 3. Baum, C. E. and H. N. Kritikos, Eds., Electromagnetic Symmetry, Taylor & Francis, Washington, DC, 1995. 4. Grella, R., “Fresnel propagation, diffraction and paraxial wave equation,” J. Optics (Paris), Vol. 13, No. 6, 367–374, 1982. 5. Sudarshan, E. C. G., R. Simon, and N. Mukunda, “Paraxial-wave optics and relativistic front description. I. The scalar theory,” Phys. Rev. A, Vol. 28, 2921–2932, 1983. 6. Crosta, G. F., “On approximations of Helmholtz equation in the halfspace: Their relevance to inverse diffraction,” Wave Motion, Vol. 6, No. 3, 237–246, 1984. 7. Bandres, M. A. and M. Guizar-Sicairos, “Paraxial group,” Opt. Lett., Vol. 34, No. 1, 13–15, 2009. 8. Rodr ́ıguez-Lara, B. M., R. El-Ganainy, and J. Guerrero, “Symmetry in optics and photonics: A group theory approach,” Science Bulletin, Vol. 63, 244–251, 2018, arXiv:1803.00121.

In this work, we introduce the approaches currently followed to realize photomobile polymer films and remark on the main features of the system based on a biphasic structure recently proposed. We describe a method of making a plasmonic nanostructure on the surface of photomobile films. The characterization of the photomobile film is performed by means of Dark Field Microscopy (DFM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Preliminary observations of the light-induced effects on the Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance are also reported.

Medium size HPC clusters play an important role in the HPC landscape in that they provide both the training environment for system scalability and a flexible production field for a large class of numerical problems. In this poster we present CRESCO4, the latest medium size HPC cluster purchased by ENEA, in operation since few months. CRESCO4 is part of a family of HPC systems, all integrated within ENEAGRID, a large infrastructure for cloud computing, which includes all the computational facilities installed at several ENEA sites in Italy.

Soliton induced waveguides can be all-optically readdressed in planar cells by modifying the molecular anchoring with an external light source. Using an elliptically shaped control beam we demonstrate refraction and total internal reflection of spatial solitons in dye-doped nematic liquid crystals. (C) 2008 American Institute of Physics. [DOI: 10.1063/1.3009658]

We have experimentally studied the electro-optic response of two different. classes of systems consisting of a nematic liquid crystal either dispersed into a solid polymer matrix or mixed with aggregated silica particles forming a random gel network. By monitoring the time evolution of the optical transparency of the system under che action of electric field pulses, we have found that the response times depend in an intriguing and non-monotonic fashion on the field strength. We show that the observed nonlinear behavior can be interpreted by a simple visco-elastic model of the liquid crystal domains combined with an accurate description of their light scattering cross-section.