What are they gabbin about?: A relational realist approach to small stories (re)told on Gab

Informed by Tilly's (2005) and Tilly and Tarrow's (2007) work on the use of storytelling as a tool for the (re)construction of collective identities and boundary formation, Alexander's (2006) work on the civil sphere and its civil/anti-civil symbolic codes and discourses of liberty and repression, and Georgakopoulou's (2013) concept of 'small stories,' I conducted a narrative analysis focused on the 'small stores' that Gab users (re)told to produce an understanding of alt-right pillars of identity. In this paper, I detail many 'small stories' about political correctness, censorship, affirmative action, 'invasions,' and the dissolution of the traditional white, nuclear family that transform into one big story of the so-called '(((communists')))' plot to manufacture a 'white genocide.

Effects of Salinity on Tagetes Growth, Physiology, and Shelf Life of Edible Flowers Stored in Passive Modified Atmosphere Packaging or Treated With Ethanol

Irrigation with saline water causes significant crop yield loss. However, short-term saline application might cause less negative effects on yield yet at the same time improve quality aspects of edible products. Tagetes (Tagetes patula L.) plants were subjected to salinity (0, 50, and 100 mM NaCl) and harvested flowers were stored up to 14 days in passive modified atmosphere packaging (with or without ethanol application). Salinity of 100 mM NaCl decreased plant biomass and plant size (i.e., height) and had a negative effect on physiological processes such as stomatal closure and chlorophylls content decrease. Salinity increased flower polyphenols, antioxidant activities, and total carotenoids but decreased anthocyanins, and greater impacts were found at salinity of 100 mM NaCl, providing higher antioxidant value of the edible flowers. Short-term saline exposure of tagetes plants activated metabolic processes and as a result there was an accumulation of minerals such as N, P, Na, and Zn on edible flowers. During storage, salinity maintained but ethanol application increased the flower CO2 production. Ethanol application decreased the decay of flowers subjected to 100 mM NaCl. Flower weight losses and marketability accelerated at salinity of 100 mM NaCl after 14 days of storage. Tagetes flowers demonstrated induction in both non-enzymatic (i.e., proline content) and enzymatic mechanisms (catalase) to overcome stress caused by salinity during harvest stage and/or ethanol at storage. Our results have shown that short-term exposure to salinity and/or ethanol is able to achieve higher carotenoids and anthocyanins levels and these compounds can be considered as a new source of nutraceuticals

Transitioning toward sustainable consumption at the Swedish local governance level

Municipalities have a prominent role to play in the transition to the sustainable society by governing changes at the local level. Based on a quantitative survey of Swedish municipalities, this study has given us a broad perspective on barriers and enablers in Swedish municipalities' efforts to plan, develop, and implement measures for governing the transition to sustainable consumption. By using a classification of municipalities belonging to certain groups, we find that municipalities characterized by having a city at their cores seem to have progressed further in their work to address sustainable consumption than municipalities characterized as more rural or as commuting municipalities near cities or towns. We also find that, though a large share of municipalities in Sweden report working systematically on sustainable consumption, their potential appears to not be fully realized, limited primarily by a lack of political support and key resources. We identify opportunities to establish more responsive governance structures as important for addressing these issues, where interactions at multiple levels are required to achieve successful governance of Sweden's work on sustainable consumption and address the barriers identified by this study. Higher levels of governance should offer greater support and guidance to municipalities in their work. We also advocate for more robust collaborations between municipalities to prevent them from working in isolation, build capacity, and foster greater knowledge exchange between municipality groups. This would strengthen municipalities' ability to catalyze transformational change, which is crucial if they are to meet their own high ambitions related to sustainable consumption and help institute the changes needed to enable the fulfillment of the long-term sustainability challenges we face, such as those articulated in the Paris Agreement and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Developing a dynamic optimization model for electric bus charging infrastructure

Urban regions account for 64% of global primary energy use and 70% of carbon emissions. For that reason, options to decarbonize urban environments are receiving increasing attention. In this context, public transport shall play a key role in decarbonizing urban road transport. One efficient way to achieve that is shifting towards clean fuels and modern electric buses, an option that is already under implementation in several cities around the world. In this paper, the basis for developing a dynamic optimization model for establishing charging infrastructure for electric buses is presented, using Stockholm, Sweden, as a case study. The model places constraints depending on the bus stop type (end or middle stop) which affects the time available for charging at each particular location. It also identifies the optimal technology type for the buses: conductive or inductive. In addition, the electric buses compete with buses run on biogas or biodiesel. In this paper, we present the results of a cost minimization scenario with constraints placed on the available charging time and power, differentiated between end stops and major public transport hubs. The mean charging time is 7.33 minutes, with a standard deviation of 4.78 minutes for all bus stops. The inner city bus routes require less charging time, which ranges on average at around 3 minutes. The installation of chargers at the locations proposed in the model would require scheduling adjustments and careful planning for the density of charging occasions

Capacity gaps in land-based mitigation technologies and practices: A first stock take

Land-based mitigation technologies and practices (LMTs) reduce GHG emissions associated with land use and/or enhance terrestrial GHG sinks. This article investigates capacity gaps to successfully facilitate LMT adoption and/or scaling in the regions of Latin America, Europe, North America, sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. We look at LMTs such as agricultural land management, agroforestry, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS), biochar, forest management, and peat/wetland management. We used a triangulation method based on literature review, an online survey, and semi-structured interviews with experts from Academia, Industry, NGOs, Local Communities and Government, to capture and analyze the most prominent capacity gaps by LMT and according to regional contexts. This approach identified ‘understanding’, ‘awareness’ and ‘economic/finance’ as the most important capacity gaps when it comes to LMT adoption and scaling across the aforementioned regions. A recommended first step for increased LMT adoption would be to address the knowledge and understanding capacity gaps, which, in turn, could help make LMTs more attractive to stakeholders. Policymakers in cooper- ation with other stakeholders might reflect on dedicated support policies and regulatory frameworks that level the playing field for LMTs (as compared to mitigation technologies and practices in energy and other sectors). Other good practice examples include market building for LMTs, using emerging carbon markets, designing bottom-up implementation plans in cooperation with local and Indigenous Peoples, increased ecosystems ser- vices payments and taking into consideration local and traditional knowledge for successful LMT adoption and scaling

Impact of bus electrification on carbon emissions: the case of Stockholm

This paper focuses on the potential impact of various options for decarbonization of public bus transport in Stockholm, with particular attention to electrification. An optimization model is used to locate electric bus chargers and to estimate the associated carbon emissions, using a life cycle perspective and various implementation scenarios. Emissions associated with fuels and batteries of electric powertrains are considered to be the two main factors affecting carbon emissions. The results show that, although higher battery capacities could help electrify more routes of the city's bus network, this does not necessarily lead to a reduction of the total emissions. The results show the lowest life cycle emissions occurring when electric buses use batteries with a capacity of 120 kWh. The fuel choices significantly influence the environmental impact of a bus network. For example, the use of electricity is a better choice than first generation biofuels from a carbon emission perspective. However, the use of second-generation biofuels, such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), can directly compete with the Nordic electricity mix. Among all fuel options, certified renewable electricity has the lowest impact. The analysis also shows that electrification could be beneficial for reduction of local pollutants in the Stockholm inner city; however, the local emissions of public transport are much lower than emissions from private transport

Effects on Lettuce Yield Parameters and Toxicological Safety Assessment of a Plant-Derived Formulation Based on Rosemary and Eucalyptus Essential Oils

Essential oils from medicinal and aromatic plants are increasingly recognized as a promising class of green molecules for use in crop production. In many cases, the beneficial aspects of a substance are not supported by sufficient toxicological safety testing, even though recent reports suggest that some compounds may be toxic to terrestrial or aquatic non-target species. It is, therefore, essential to investigate the possibility of adverse effects on non-target animals and humans exposed to these substances through the consumption of fruit and/or vegetables. The present study aims to examine the potential effects on yield and quality parameters and investigate the level of in vitro and in vivo toxicity of an Eco-product (EP) based on rosemary and eucalyptus essential oils, to provide a measure for safe use in the agricultural sector. The product was evaluated in lettuce crop production and indicated that one-time application of the EP formula increases yield, activating various secondary metabolism pathways of the plant to cope with oxidative stress. Cytotoxicity assays and in vivo acute oral and dermal toxicity studies suggest that the tested compound does not pose any significant health hazard, and the dissolved product can be classified in Category 5, according to the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS)

Human Resource Analytics: Implications for Strategy Realization and Organizational Performance

Human resource (HR) analytics continues to attract significant attention from organizations worldwide as the HR profession is being held to a higher standard in terms of data-driven decision making and strategy realization. This paper defines HR analytics based on a thorough review of 71 sources and offers a foreground for understanding the role it plays in strategy formulation and implementation across business. A total of 9 case studies will be integrated throughout the body of the thesis to further contextualize its practicality and impact on US-based firms. The primary objective of this paper is to demonstrate that HR analytics continues to make progression in both the literature and real-life business cases. I recommend that future research address the skills and competencies required for the practice of HR analytics as well as identify the best practices and principles of an effective HR analytics function