Satisfaction and Tourism Expenditure Behaviour

In the literature, the quantification of the effect of satisfaction on tourists’ expenditure behaviour has not been extensively studied. This research aims to fill in this gap, providing additional information about this crucial relation by analysing it from a microdata perspective. In particular, the Fuzzy Double-Hurdle model, a new model which combines the well-known Double-Hurdle model and the fuzzy set theory, is suggested and presented, both technically and by means of a real case study. The proposed model gathers the advantages of the Double-Hurdle model and the fuzzy set theory together producing a suitable model for the analysis of censored observations in presence of imprecise data. Specifically, the Double-Hurdle model allows to efficiently estimate the average values of a non-negative, non-normally distributed variable characterised by high frequency of zero values, as tourists’ expenditure can be, considering the two-stages nature of the decision process. On the other end, the inclusion of the fuzzy set theory in the regression model allows to cope with the imprecision of both collected information (i.e. levels of satisfaction) and kind of measurement used (i.e. Liker-type scale). The results will help tourism managers to more accurately evaluate the efficacy of their policies and marketing strategies in enhancing tourists’ satisfaction and, consequently, in increasing the level of spending at the destination

A Tourist Segmentation Based on Motivation, Satisfaction and Prior Knowledge with a Socio-Economic Profiling: A Clustering Approach with Mixed Information

© 2020, The Author(s). The popularity of the cluster analysis in the tourism field has massively grown in the last decades. However, accordingly to our review, researchers are often not aware of the characteristics and limitations of the clustering algorithms adopted. An important gap in the literature emerged from our review regards the adoption of an adequate clustering algorithm for mixed data. The main purpose of this article is to overcome this gap describing, both theoretically and empirically, a suitable clustering algorithm for mixed data. Furthermore, this article contributes to the literature presenting a method to include the “Don’t know” answers in the cluster analysis. Concluding, the main issues related to cluster analysis are highlighted offering some suggestions and recommendations for future analysis

Optimized Planar Penning Traps for Quantum Information Studies

A one-electron qubit would offer a new option for quantum information science, including the possibility of extremely long coherence times. One-quantum cyclotron transitions and spin flips have been observed for a single electron in a cylindrical Penning trap. However, an electron suspended in a planar Penning trap is a more promising building block for the array of coupled qubits needed for quantum information studies. The optimized design configurations identified here promise to make it possible to realize the elusive goal of one trapped electron in a planar Penning trap for the first time - a substantial step toward a one-electron qubit

Proceedings of the Merck & Elsevier Young Chemists Symposium (MEYCS 2018)

Dear participants, welcome to the 18th edition of the Merck & Elsevier Young Chemists Symposium, formerly SAYCS and MYCS. This conference is an international scientific event organized by the Young Group of the Italian Chemical Society (SCI Giovani) with the financial support of Merck and Elsevier. This symposium is fully devoted to young researchers, such as MSc and PhD students, post-doc fellows and young researchers in companies. All the disciplines of Chemistry are covered: analytical, physical, industrial, organic, inorganic, theoretical, pharmaceutical, biological, environmental, macromolecular and electrochemistry. This year, a special emphasis will be given to chemistry from knowledge to innovation: how chemistry is increasingly present in all of the fields that are essential for human life, and how chemical fundamentals are pushing novel technologies? This year we have the exceptional number of 212 participants; we thank you for the great trust shown towards SCI Giovani, Merck and Elsevier. Enjoy the conference

The contribution of Sensory Processing Sensitivity and internalized attachment representations on emotion regulation competencies in school-age children

IntroductionAs captured by the individual trait of Sensory Processing Sensitivity (SPS), highly sensitive children perceive, process, and responds more strongly to stimuli. This increased sensitivity may make more demanding the process of regulating and managing emotions. Yet, developmental psychology literature also showed that other variables, as those related to the rearing environment, are likely to contribute to the process of regulating emotions. With the current contribution, we aim to bridge two lines of research, that of attachment studies and that of SPS, by investigating the additive and interactive contribution of SPS and internal working models of attachment representations on emotion regulation competencies in school-aged children.MethodParticipants were N = 118 Italian children (mean age: 6.5, SD = 0.58 years, and 51.8% female) with their mothers. Children’s positive attachment representations were rated observationally through the Manchester Child Attachment Story Task procedure during an individual session at school. Mothers reported on children SPS trait and emotion regulation competencies completing the Highly Sensitive Child Scale-parent report and the Emotion Regulation Checklist. We performed and compared a series of main and interaction effect models.ResultsSPS was not directly associated with emotion regulation but it was significantly associated with positive attachment representations in predicting emotion regulation. Highly sensitive children showed poorer emotion regulation when the internalized representations were low in maternal warmth and responsiveness. When driven by sensitive and empathic attachment representation, highly sensitive children showed better emotion regulation than less-sensitive peers, suggesting a for better and for worse effect.DiscussionHighly sensitive children are not only more vulnerable to adversities but also show better emotion regulation competencies when supported by positive internal working models of attachment relationships. Overall, findings shed light on the link between SPS and attachment and suggest that working for promoting secure attachment relationships in parent–child dyads may promote better emotion regulation competences, particularly in highly sensitive children

Measurement of the Depth of Maximum of Extensive Air Showers above 10^18 eV

We describe the measurement of the depth of maximum, Xmax, of the longitudinal development of air showers induced by cosmic rays. Almost four thousand events above 10^18 eV observed by the fluorescence detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory in coincidence with at least one surface detector station are selected for the analysis. The average shower maximum was found to evolve with energy at a rate of (106 +35/-21) g/cm^2/decade below 10^(18.24 +/- 0.05) eV and (24 +/- 3) g/cm^2/decade above this energy. The measured shower-to-shower fluctuations decrease from about 55 to 26 g/cm^2. The interpretation of these results in terms of the cosmic ray mass composition is briefly discussed.Comment: Accepted for publication by PR

Anisotropy and chemical composition of ultra-high energy cosmic rays using arrival directions measured by the Pierre Auger Observatory

The Pierre Auger Collaboration has reported evidence for anisotropy in the distribution of arrival directions of the cosmic rays with energies $E>E_{th}=5.5\times 10^{19}$ eV. These show a correlation with the distribution of nearby extragalactic objects, including an apparent excess around the direction of Centaurus A. If the particles responsible for these excesses at $E>E_{th}$ are heavy nuclei with charge $Z$, the proton component of the sources should lead to excesses in the same regions at energies $E/Z$. We here report the lack of anisotropies in these directions at energies above $E_{th}/Z$ (for illustrative values of $Z=6,\ 13,\ 26$). If the anisotropies above $E_{th}$ are due to nuclei with charge $Z$, and under reasonable assumptions about the acceleration process, these observations imply stringent constraints on the allowed proton fraction at the lower energies

Atmospheric effects on extensive air showers observed with the Surface Detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory

Atmospheric parameters, such as pressure (P), temperature (T) and density, affect the development of extensive air showers initiated by energetic cosmic rays. We have studied the impact of atmospheric variations on extensive air showers by means of the surface detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory. The rate of events shows a ~10% seasonal modulation and ~2% diurnal one. We find that the observed behaviour is explained by a model including the effects associated with the variations of pressure and density. The former affects the longitudinal development of air showers while the latter influences the Moliere radius and hence the lateral distribution of the shower particles. The model is validated with full simulations of extensive air showers using atmospheric profiles measured at the site of the Pierre Auger Observatory.Comment: 24 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Astroparticle Physic