875 research outputs found

    Sustainable brand communications about value-related scandals

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    Brands (un)knowingly highlight inequalities for their benefit through their marketing efforts that may face unpredictable consumer attitudes. This unethical communication is often a cause of brand scandal. Brand communication mistakes, with related stories and customers’ reactions, leave a digital footprint that can last online for many years. Thus, this study primarily focuses on understanding the phenomenon of ethical brand scandals and uncover corporate actions to reduce inequalities. The article applies multiple case study analysis methodology using archival research design. The findings of the study highlight multiple case themes, sustainable corporate strategies, and the importance of consumer’s pre-scandal attitude about the brand. This study captured the digital presence of brand scandal stories, that showcase the mistakes that should be avoided by managers in the future, hopefully inspiring future researchers to explore the triadic relationship between consumers, brands, and channel members

    Hadronization dynamics from the spectral representation of the gauge invariant quark propagator

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    Using the spectral representation of the quark propagator we study the Dirac decomposition of the gauge invariant quark propagator, whose imaginary part describes the hadronization of a quark as this interacts with the vacuum. We then demonstrate the formal gauge invariance of the so-called jet mass, that is of the coefficient of the chiral-odd part of the gauge invariant propagator, that can be expressed in any gauge as the first moment of the chiral-odd quark spectral function. This is therefore revealed to be a \textit{bona fide} QCD observable encoding aspects of the dynamical mass generation in the QCD vacuum, and is furthermore experimentally measurable in specific twist-3 longitudinal-transverse asymmetries in DIS and in semi-inclusive electron-positron collisions. In light-like axial gauges, we also obtain a new sum rule for the spectral function associated with the gauge fixing vector. We finally present a gauge-dependent formula that connects the second moment of the chiral-even coefficient of the quark spectral function to invariant mass generation and final state rescattering in the hadronization of a quark. Finding twist-4 experimental observables sensitive to this quantity is left for future work.Comment: Contribution to DIS2023: XXX International Workshop on Deep-Inelastic Scattering and Related Subjects, Michigan State University, USA, 27-31 March 202

    Sistema de gerenciamento dos Bancos Ativos de Germoplasma da Embrapa Trigo.

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    bitstream/CNPT-2010/40598/1/p-co233.pd

    CSR and related terms in SME owner-managers' mental models in six European countries: national context matters

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    As a contribution to the emerging field of corporate social responsibility (CSR) cognition, this article reports on the findings of an exploratory study that compares SME owner–managers’ mental models with regard to CSR and related concepts across six European countries (Belgium, Italy, Norway, France, UK, Spain). Utilising Repertory Grid Technique, we found that the SME owner–managers’ mental models show a few commonalities as well as a number of differences across the different country samples. We interpret those differences by linking individual cognition to macro-environmental variables, such as language, national traditions and dissemination mechanisms. The results of our exploratory study show that nationality matters but that classifications of countries as found in the comparative capitalism literature do not exactly mirror national differences in CSR cognition and that these classifications need further differentiation. The findings from our study raise questions on the universality of cognition of academic management concepts and warn that promotion of responsible business practice should not rely on the use of unmediated US American management terminology

    Gluon and Wilson loop TMDs for hadrons of spin ≤ 1

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    In this paper we consider the parametrizations of gluon transverse momentum dependent (TMD) correlators in terms of TMD parton distribution functions (PDFs). These functions, referred to as TMDs, are defined as the Fourier transforms of hadronic matrix elements of nonlocal combinations of gluon fields. The nonlocality is bridged by gauge links, which have characteristic paths (future or past pointing), giving rise to a process dependence that breaks universality. For gluons, the specific correlator with one future and one past pointing gauge link is, in the limit of small x, related to a correlator of a single Wilson loop. We present the parametrization of Wilson loop correlators in terms of Wilson loop TMDs and discuss the relation between these functions and the small-x ‘dipole’ gluon TMDs. This analysis shows which gluon TMDs are leading or suppressed in the small-x limit. We discuss hadronic targets that are unpolarized, vector polarized (relevant for spin-1/2 and spin-1 hadrons), and tensor polarized (relevant for spin-1 hadrons). The latter are of interest for studies with a future Electron-Ion Collider with polarized deuterons

    High Prevalence of Gammaproteobacteria in the Sediments of Admiralty Bay and North Bransfield Basin, Northwestern Antarctic Peninsula

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    Microorganisms dominate most Antarctic marine ecosystems, in terms of biomass and taxonomic diversity, and play crucial role in ecosystem functioning due to their high metabolic plasticity. Admiralty Bay is the largest bay on King George Island (South Shetland Islands, Antarctic Peninsula) and a combination of hydro-oceanographic characteristics (bathymetry, sea ice and glacier melting, seasonal entrance of water masses, turbidity, vertical fluxes) create conditions favoring organic carbon deposition on the seafloor and microbial activities. We sampled surface sediments from 15 sites across Admiralty Bay (100502 m total depth) and the adjacent North Bransfield Basin (6931147 m), and used the amplicon 454-sequencing of 16S rRNA gene tags to compare the bacterial composition, diversity, and microbial community structure across environmental parameters (sediment grain size, pigments and organic nutrients) between the two areas. Marine sediments had a high abundance of heterotrophic Gammaproteobacteria (92.4% and 83.8% inside and outside the bay, respectively), followed by Alphaproteobacteria (2.5 and 5.5%), Firmicutes (1.5 and 1.6%), Bacteroidetes (1.1 and 1.7%), Deltaproteobacteria (0.8 and 2.5%) and Actinobacteria (0.7 and 1.3%). Differences in alpha-diversity and bacterial community structure were found between the two areas, reflecting the physical and chemical differences in the sediments, and the organic matter input.Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development - CNPq (MABIREH/IPY/CAML)CAPES-Master's fellowshipUniv Sao Paulo, Inst Oceanog, Dept Oceanog Biol, Sao Paulo, BrazilUniv Fed Santa Catarina, Ctr Ciencias Biol, Florianopolis, SC, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Inst Ciencias Ambientais Quim & Farmaceut, Dept Ciencias Ambientais, Diadema, BrazilUniv Fed Rio de Janeiro, Inst Biol, Dept Zool, Rio De Janeiro, BrazilUniv Fed Sao Paulo, Inst Ciencias Ambientais Quim & Farmaceut, Dept Ciencias Ambientais, Diadema, BrazilCNPq (MABIREH/IPY/CAML): 520293/2006-1Web of Scienc

    Gap-filling carbon dioxide, water, energy, and methane fluxes in challenging ecosystems - Comparing between methods, drivers, and gap-lengths

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    Eddy covariance serves as one the most effective techniques for long-term monitoring of ecosystem fluxes, however long-term data integrations rely on complete timeseries, meaning that any gaps due to missing data must be reliably filled. To date, many gap-filling approaches have been proposed and extensively evaluated for mature and/or less actively managed ecosystems. Random forest regression (RFR) has been shown to be stable and perform better in these systems than alternative approaches, particularly when filling longer gaps. However, the performance of RFR gap filling remains less certain in more challenging ecosystems, e.g., actively managed agri-ecosystems and following recent land-use change due to management disturbances, ecosystems with relatively low fluxes due to low signal to noise ratios, or for trace gases other than carbon dioxide (e.g., methane). In an extension to earlier work on gap filling global carbon dioxide, water, and energy fluxes, we assess the RFR approach for gap filling methane fluxes globally. We then investigate a range of gap-filling methodologies for carbon dioxide, water, energy, and methane fluxes in challenging ecosystems, including European managed pastures, Southeast Asian converted peatlands, and North American drylands. Our findings indicate that RFR is a competent alternative to existing research standard gap-filling algorithms. The marginal distribution sampling (MDS) is still suggested for filling short ( 30 days) gaps in carbon dioxide fluxes and also for gap filling other fluxes (e.g. sensible heat, latent energy and methane). In addition, using RFR with globally available reanalysis environmental drivers is effective when measured drivers are unavailable. Crucially, RFR was able to reliably fill cumulative fluxes for gaps > 3 moths and, unlike other common approaches, key environment-flux responses were preserved in the gap-filled data

    Immune evasion in cancer: mechanistic basis and therapeutic strategies

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    Cancer immune evasion is a major stumbling block in designing effective anticancer therapeutic strategies. Although considerable progress has been made in understanding how cancers evade destructive immunity, measures to counteract tumor escape have not kept pace. There are a number of factors that contribute to tumor persistence despite having a normal host immune system. Immune editing is one of the key aspects why tumors evade surveillance causing the tumors to lie dormant in patients for years through “equilibrium” and “senescence” before re- emerging. In addition, tumors exploit several immunological processes such as targeting the regulatory T cell function or their secretions, antigen presentation, modifying the production of immune suppressive mediators, tolerance and immune deviation. Besides these, tumor heterogeneity and metastasis also play a critical role in tumor growth. A number of potential targets like promoting Th1, NK cell, γδ T cell responses, inhibiting Treg functionality, induction of IL-12, use of drugs including phytochemicals have been designed to counter tumor progression with much success. Some natural agents and phytochemicals merit further study. For example, use of certain key polysaccharide components from mushrooms and plants have shown possess therapeutic impact on tumor-imposed genetic instability, anti-growth signaling, replicative immortality, deregulated metabolism etc. In this review, we will discuss the advances made towards understanding the basis of cancer immune evasion and summarize the efficacy of various therapeutic measures and targets that have been developed or are being investigated to enhance tumor rejection
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