Purpose -The primary purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of information security breaches on hotel guests' perceived service quality, satisfaction, likelihood of recommending a hotel and revisit intentions. Design/methodology/approach -Five-hundred seventy-four US travelers participated in this experimental study. The respondents were exposed to one of three different scenarios: "negative", where an information security breach happened in the hotel where a person stayed last and guest information was compromised; "neutral", where an information security breach happened and guest information remained safe; and "positive", where participants were told that the hotel where they last stayed successfully passed a comprehensive security audit, meaning that their guest information is properly handled and secured. Findings -The results of the study revealed a significant impact of the treatments on three of the four outcome variables: satisfaction, likelihood of recommending a hotel, and revisit intentions. Information security breach scenarios resulted in a negative impact on the outcome variables regardless of whether or not the guest's credit card information was compromised. A positive scenario revealed a significant increase in guest satisfaction and revisit intentions scores. Practical implications -The findings of the study provide clear indication that hotel operators must continually strive to keep the sensitive data that is collected from their guests secure, and that failure to do so can have significant negative ramifications on current and future guests. The results also suggest that hotels should openly publicize their achievements in the field of PCI compliance. Originality/value -The study contributes to the body of knowledge on the importance of credit card information security breaches to hotel guest satisfaction and future behavior. To date, this is the only study that has investigated this topic in the hospitality industry, and it therefore makes a significant improvement towards the understanding of the impact of information security breach on hotel guest perceptions and future intentions.

We have characterized and quantified several pathways which transform aliphatic sulfur radical cations into sulfoxides in aqueous solution. Sulfur radical cations were produced photochemically via one-electron photooxidation through triplet 4-carboxybenzophenone. Sulfur radical cations and superoxide yield sulfoxide, confirmed by oxygen product isotope effects and an inhibitory role of superoxide dismutase. On the basis of competition experiments with superoxide dismutase the rate constant for the reaction between dimethylsulfide radical cations and superoxide was derived as (2.3 ± 1.2) × 1011 M-1 s-1. A demetalated variant of superoxide dismutase did not inhibit superoxide mediated sulfoxide formation, confirming the importance of an active site of the enzyme for inhibition. The stoichiometry of 2 equiv of sulfoxide per reaction of superoxide with a sulfur radical cation suggests a pathway like the singlet oxygen mediated sulfoxide formation, i.e., via a persulfoxide intermediate formed via (i) direct coupling of superoxide with the sulfur radical cation or (ii) electron transfer followed by addition of the product singlet oxygen to a nonoxidized sulfide. In aqueous solution the persulfoxide may add water to yield a hydroperoxy sulfurane prior to its reaction with a second nonoxidized sulfide. At pH values larger than 9, hydroxide ion starts to compete with superoxide for sulfur radical cations and reacts with the persulfoxide or hydroperoxy sulfurane intermediates, initiating less effective pathways of sulfoxide formation. One pathway involves the formation of hydroxysulfuranyl radicals and their reaction with oxygen, supported by product and solvent isotope effects. Besides superoxide and hydroxide-mediated sulfoxide formation there is an additional route involving methylthiomethylperoxyl radicals. Based on oxygen product isotope effects, the latter appear to transfer oxygen onto the sulfide rather than reacting via electron transfer.

The mechanism of photoinduced electron transfer between sulfur-containing alcohols and the 4-carboxybenzophenone (CB) triplet state in aqueous solution was investigated using laser flash photolysis and steady-state photolysis techniques. Bimolecular rate constants for quenching of the CB triplet state by five hydroxyalkyl sulfides, 2-(methylthio)ethanol (2-MTE), 2,2‘-dihydroxydiethyl sulfide (2,2‘-DHE), 3-(methylthio)propanol (3-MTP), 3,3‘-dihydroxydipropyl sulfide (3,3‘-DHP), and 4-(methylthio)butanol (4-MTB), with varying numbers of OH groups and varying locations with respect to the sulfur atom, were determined to be in the range (3.3−4.8) × 109 M-1 s-1 for neutral solutions. The intermediates identified were the CB ketyl radical anion (CB•-), the CB ketyl radical (CBH•), and intermolecularly (S∴S)-bonded radical cations. An additional absorption band at approximately 400 nm in the transient spectra for some of the hydroxyalkyl sulfides was assigned to the intramolecularly (•S−O)-bonded species (only for hydroxyalkyl sulfides which could adopt a five-membered ring structure). The spectra of appropriate (S∴S)+ and (•S−O) intermediates for the hydroxyalkyl sulfides were determined from complementary pulse radiolysis studies in acid and neutral aqueous solutions of the hydroxyalkyl sulfides, respectively. The observation of ketyl radical anions and intermolecular (S∴S)-bonded radical cations of the hydroxyalkyl sulfides was direct evidence for the participation of electron transfer in the mechanism of quenching. Quantum yields of formation of intermediates from flash photolysis experiments and quantum yields of formaldehyde formation from the steady-state measurements were determined. The values of these quantum yields indicated that the diffusion apart (escape of the radical ions) of the charge-transfer complex, formed as a primary photochemical step, is a minor photochemical pathway (with a contribution of ∼5−25% depending on the numbers of OH groups). Competing processes of proton transfer and back electron transfer within the CT complex gave significant contributions to these yields. Detailed mechanisms for the CB-sensitized photooxidation of sulfur-containing alcohols are proposed, discussed, and compared with that for the •OH-induced oxidation. One striking feature of the mechanisms is that there is a catalytic influence of neighboring groups on the radical reaction pathways during one-electron oxidation of the hydroxyalkyl sulfides in comparison to comparable reactions of nonsubstituted alkyl sulfides. Support for the mechanisms came in part from an analysis of observed solvent isotope effects on radical quantum yields.

We have characterized and quantified pathways by which sulfide radical cation complexes of N-methionyl peptides (Met-Met, Met-Met-Ala, and Met-Leu) transform into various products through the reaction with superoxide or oxygen. Sulfide radical cations were generated photolytically by the reaction of the peptides with either triplet carboxybenzophenone (3CB) or hydroxyl radicals (HO•). Sulfide radical cations of Met-Met and Met-Met-Ala, generated through 3CB, formed intramolecularly sulfur−sulfur three-electron-bonded radical cation complexes, [R2S∴SR2]+, which efficiently reacted with superoxide to yield the respective disulfoxides Met(O)-Met(O) and Met(O)-Met(O)-Ala. Competitively, monomeric sulfide radical cations and [R2S∴SR2]+ converted intramolecularly into sulfur−nitrogen three-electron-bonded complexes, [R2S∴N(R)H2]+, which reacted with both superoxide and molecular oxygen to yield azasulfonium derivatives. Among these azasulfonium derivatives the C(S),S(R) diastereomers (AS II) were generally formed in about 1.5−3.8-fold excess over the C(S),S(S) diastereomers (AS I), indicating some diastereoselectivity in the reaction mechanism. Representative quantum mechanical calculations for the azasulfonium diastereomers of l-Met showed that the energy difference between both diastereomers was small, 1.9 kcal/mol (electronic energy) or 1.3 kcal/mol (gas-phase free energy). In complementary experiments, complex [R2S∴N(R)H2]+ was generated through the reaction of the peptides with HO•. Here, the azasulfonium diastereomers were generated predominantly by the reaction of [R2S∴N(R)H2]+ with molecular oxygen. The diastereomeric ratios [AS II]/[AS I] were generally higher when the azasulfonium products were formed via the reaction of [R2S∴N(R)H2]+ with superoxide instead of with molecular oxygen. The reaction of superoxide with the sulfur radical cation complexes most likely proceeded via an inner-sphere mechanism, i.e. radical−radical combination where the addition of superoxide to [R2S∴SR2]+ yielded an intermediary persulfoxide, R2S(+)−O−O(-), and the addition of superoxide to [R2S∴N(R)H2]+ gave an intermediary hydroperoxysulfurane, R(H)N−S(R2)OOH.

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to determine the relative efficacy of an e-tablet menu over the traditional paper-based menu across the parameters of order information quality, menu usability, and ordering satisfaction using customer perceptions. Design/methodology/approach – Two types of data were collected: customer perceptions using an instrument comprising academically underpinned constructs and observational data that involved ordering times, logs of any customization requests, and notes gathered from interactions with restaurant staff. Findings – Findings indicate that e-tablet menus are significantly superior to the traditional paper-based menu across all parameters. Restaurateurs should be cognizant of customization options to significantly enhance order information quality, improve customer service and boost sales. Research limitations/implications – The findings support the idea that the use of technology does help to enhance the service experience, specifically the ordering experience for the customer. Practical implications – Electronic tablets have the ability to transfer greater levels of information in an interactive manner thereby enhancing the role of the menu in the merchandising of a restaurant's offerings. Originality/value – Although there is evidence of the importance of restaurant menus to the success of restaurants, little is known about the influence of the use of electronic menus on the ordering experience. This study provides findings that focus on the usability of menus and their impact on the ordering experience.

N-chlorotaurine (NCT), an essential weak oxidative N-chloro compound produced by stimulated human leukocytes, shows bactericidal, fungicidal, virucidal and vermicidal efficacy. A double-blind, randomized and placebo controlled study was done to evaluate the tolerance of the aqueous NCT solution by application to rabbit and human conjunctiva. In six rabbits treated with 1% and 3% NCT regimen for nine days no ocular and behaviour changes could be observed. In a pilot study with two volunteers, treatment with 2.8% NCT for five days caused a self-limited conjunctival injection of one subject, while 1% NCT was well tolerated. Subsequently, eight healthy volunteers participated in a phase I clinical study. One percent NCT was applied for five days and was well tolerated by all subjects except for minimal eye burning after the application. Because of these positive results, usage of the antimicrobial agent NCT in ophthalmology is suggested.

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Peroxynitrite can modify methionine by one-and two-electron oxidation pathways. Here, we have quantified the extent of one-electron oxidation of threonylmethionine (Thr-Met) by peroxynitrite using a characteristic reaction according to which Thr-Met sulfur radical cations decompose via fragmentation of the Thr side chain, yielding acetaldehyde. The efficiencies, f acet,photo , for the formation of acetaldehyde from Thr-Met sulfur radical cations were obtained by means of one-electron photooxidation using triplet 4-carboxybenzophenone. Exact quantum yields for the formation of Thr-Met sulfur radical cations by triplet 4-carboxybenzophenone were obtained by laser flash photolysis and time-resolved UV spectroscopy. Acetaldehyde yields were measured for the reaction of peroxynitrite with Thr-Met, and division of these acetaldehyde yields by f acet,photo yielded the extents to which peroxynitrite reacted with Thr-Met via the one-electron transfer pathway. There was little one-electron oxidation of Thr-Met by peroxynitrite at pH 7.4, i.e., 1.5%, 1.8%, and 5.3% based on the total chemical conversion of Thr-Met for Thr-Met concentrations of 1 × 10 -3 , 5 × 10 -4 , and 1.75 × 10 -4 M, respectively. In all cases the major reaction product was the twoelectron oxidation product threonylmethionine sulfoxide. However, at pH 6.0, one-electron oxidation of Thr-Met showed a significantly higher efficiency of 14% for [Thr-Met] ) 1.75 × 10 -4 M. Under all experimental conditions the extent of one-electron oxidation increased with decreasing peptide concentration in agreement with a recently established mechanism according to which the one-electron oxidation of Met by peroxynitrite requires a unimolecular transformation of peroxynitrous acid to an excited species which is the ultimate one-electron oxidant.