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The purpose of this paper is to develop a computational model for the simulation of heterojunction organic photovoltaic devices with a specific application to a light harvesting capacitor (LHC) consisting of a double layer of organic materials connected in series with two insulating layers and an external resistive load.

The model is based on a coupled system of nonlinear partial and ordinary differential equations describing current flow throughout the external resistive load as the result of exciton generation in the bulk, exciton dissociation into bonded pairs at the acceptor-donor material interface, and electron/hole charge generation and drift-diffusion transport in the two device materials.

Numerical simulation results are shown to be in good agreement with measured on-off transient currents and allow for novel insight on the microscopical phenomena which affect the external LHC performance, in particular, the widely different time scales at which such phenomena occur and their relation to the overall device dynamics.

The LHC demonstrates the viability of a novel approach for converting light energy into an electric current without a steady state flow of free charge carriers through the semiconducting layers. The new insight about the microscopic working principles that determine the macroscopically observed behavior of the LHC obtained via the model proposed in this paper are expected to serve as a basis for studying techniques for exploiting the full potential of the LHC.

This article contributes to a better theoretical and empiric understanding of mixed results in the literature investigating the relationship between institutional confidence and adherence to recommended measures during a pandemic.

The article relies on structural equation models (SEMs) based on data from ResPOnsE COVID-19, a rolling cross-section (RCS) survey carried out in Italy from April to June 2020.

The authors’ findings show the existence of multiple pathways of confidence at the national and local level. Confidence in the institutions is positively associated with support for the performance of the Prime Minister and that of the regional institutions in the North West, which in turn, raises the likelihood of following the restrictive measures. However, in the same regions, a good appraisal of the regional system's performance also had a direct positive effect on the perception of being safe from the virus, decreasing adherence to the restrictive measures. Finally, the direct effect of confidence in the institutions on compliance is negative.

The result enlightens the crucial role both of national and local institutions in promoting or inhibiting adherence to restrictive measures during a pandemic and suggests that “one size fits all” measures for increasing overall institutional confidence might not be sufficient to reach the desired goal of achieving compliance in pandemic times.

The authors theorize and test three cognitive mechanisms – (1) the “cascade of confidence”; (2) the “paradox of support” and (3) the “paradox of confidence” – to account for both the positive and negative links between measures of political support and public acceptability of COVID-19 containment measures.

The main aims are underlining the role of functional foods (FFs) for population wellbeing, investigating the reasons in the self-consciousness of the different countries' populations and exploring what influences in purchasing decisions to address the management of food-producing businesses. This information will make consumer management easier.

A two-step methodology was adopted: (1) literature review and (2) online interview. The principal component analysis (PCA) was used to facilitate and reduce the data complexity. Software Stata/SE was used for data analysis in both Italy and Georgia.

Customers' attitudes, awareness level and decision-making process are clarified through the comparative analysis between Italian and Georgian populations. They have a number of reasons that incentivize their behavior. These reasons may be used by food-producing businesses to evaluate their performance and develop ad hoc strategies for consumer management.

The key elements that determine the FF and motivate the consumer to buy can constitute a foundation for actions related to the development and management of food-producing businesses. Knowing the factors that consumers consider in the process of choosing FFs will help define the strategies that businesses should use for product improvement, better managing the consumer. This study can support the development of education, prevention and promotion of managerial improvements. The innovative mixed methodology applied to the topic is one of the original factors of the study.