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Calibration of Perfluorinated Alkyl Acid Uptake Rates by a Tube Passive Sampler in Water
Get PDFPer- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of 4000+ man-made compounds of great concern due to their environmental ubiquity and adverse effects. Despite general interest, few reliable detection tools for integrative passive sampling of PFAS in water are available. A microporous polyethylene tube with a hydrophilic–lipophilic balance sorbent could serve as a flow-resistant passive sampler for PFAS. The tube’s sampling rate, Rs, was predicted based on either partitioning and diffusion or solely diffusion. At 15 °C, the laboratory-measured Rs for perfluorohexanoic acid of 100 ± 81 mL day–1 was better predicted by a partitioning and diffusion model (48 ± 1.8 mL day–1) across 10–60 cm s–1 water flow speeds (15 ± 4.2 mL day–1 diffusion only). For perfluorohexane sulfonate, Rs at 15 °C were similarly different (110 ± 60 mL day–1 measured, 120 ± 63 versus 12 ± 3.4 mL day–1 in respective models). Rs values from field deployments were in between these estimates (46 ± 40 mL day–1 for perfluorohexanoic acid). PFAS uptake was not different for previously biofouled membranes in the laboratory, suggesting the general applicability of the sampler in environmental conditions. This research demonstrates that the polyethylene tube’s sampling rates are sensitive to the parameterization of the models used here and partitioning-derived values should be used
Increasing voluntary enrollment in time-of-use electricity rates: Findings from a survey experiment
No full textRelative to flat rate pricing, time-of-use (TOU) electricity rates improve alignment of household incentives to reduce electricity consumption during times when the wholesale cost of electricity is expensive. This research seeks to understand factors of the TOU plan that impact voluntary enrollment with the purpose of identifying levers that are at the disposal of a utility to increase voluntary enrollment. We conducted an survey experiment of people living in the United States. The survey randomized the peak to off-peak price ratios, the peak hours, and the number of TOU plans being offered. Our results indicate several policy-relevant findings. On average, when only one TOU plan is offered, the peak to off-peak price ratio has no impact on enrollment decisions. Respondents who are offered more than one TOU plan are 14.2 percentage points more likely to enroll than respondents only offered one TOU plan, which suggests that the ability to compare TOU plans is an important mechanism. Further, when multiple plans are presented, the average respondent is price responsive, preferring TOU plans with a large peak to off-peak price ratio (larger price spread). Lastly, people prefer shorter on-peak period lengths when either one or multiple plans are offered
Marketing, Development, and the Question of Meaning
Get PDFOriginally developed as a sales technique, marketing ended up playing an economic and political role globally. With the advent of globalization and sustainability issues, the importance given to the techniques of marketing in both analyses and in communication limits the possibility of mutual understanding and of social creativity. A profound understanding of what is at stake for society and culture is not what matters when the focus is on the ways to maintain the superficial link to the instrument of power.
The market plays a central role within the fields of marketing, economics and politics. Yet, questions of what the definition of the market is in these disciplines, and which premises can be considered as being the most fundamental ones in the marketing field, are ones that need answering. Attention is needed on why concepts such as legitimacy, desire, and sacred are fundamental ones for an understanding of evolving challenges.
An interdisciplinary approach can help reconstruct the outdated economic foundation of marketing, thereby ensuring that marketing does not undermine and counteract democracy. This the paper intends to help us to not only understand the historical legacy but also to be more attentive to market changes and social challenges of our times
Woman, Life, Freedom : A Movement in Progress in Iran
Get PDFOn September 16, 2022, a new movement began in Iran. It shows the potential to be a serious uprising. The death of an Iranian woman in the street in Tehran, the capital of Iran, due to being beaten by morality police because she was wearing an unappropriated hijab sparked the uprising. Her death was a result of wearing an “inappropriate” hijab. This was an excuse that turned on people’s anger not only because of hijab but also because there are many other combinations of causes to bring out people for protest. This movement was started because people were dissatisfied with how the government managed the whole system and the use of pressure to control people, especially women, in different aspects of their lives. The slogan “Woman, Life, Freedom,” which has been used in all of the demonstrations that have taken place both inside and outside of Iran, shows what the Iranian people exact need, woman’s rights, the ability to provide at least essential living requirements, and the possibility to talk against dissatisfactions. Now “Woman, Life, Freedom” has become a movement
Perianth Interior Design
Get PDFInterior design combines art and creativity with running a business. Hilary Unger, a 1987 URI Graduate, gained experience in New York City design firms before launching her own business, Perianth, in 2001. Hilary discussed the concepts of design, communication, and business. She gave an example of the design process using a current client\u27s apartment
Anglers\u27 support for an offshore wind farm: Fishing effects or clean energy symbolism
No full textRapid expansion of offshore wind energy will have impacts on existing users of marine space, including recreational angling. Because angling has significant economic and cultural significance in ocean and coastal areas, and managers increasingly employ new approaches to manage conflicts between fishing and other uses, it is critical to understand the perspectives of this interest group regarding development of offshore wind energy. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study examines the attitudes of anglers towards the Block Island Wind Farm, the first offshore wind energy development constructed in the United States. Supported by qualitative interviews, a quantitative survey of 199 anglers from Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts reveals moderate support for the wind farm. Experience fishing at the wind farm is associated with more positive beliefs regarding the development\u27s effects on catch-related aspects of fishing; however, beliefs about catch-related effects are not as strong predictors of support as non-catch factors (specifically, visual impacts). Moreover, belief that the wind farm is “symbolic of progress towards clean energy” has the greatest total impact on support and effects of the wind farm, indicating that underlying values and ideologies may have greater influence on angler\u27s attitudes towards offshore wind projects than effects on the fishing experience. Greater research is needed to understand how general characteristics of anglers affect their attitudes towards offshore renewable energy and other marine governance decisions. Managers must also facilitate greater participation of anglers in offshore wind energy decision-making
Laura Burkett Designs
Get PDFLaura Burkett designs and produces high-quality leather products in Rhode Island. She got the idea for her fist backpack while living in Italy. She now offers a line that includes totes, handbags, lumbar pillows, and wallets. She sells on her own website and through juried craft shows and outdoor fairs
Monitoring persistent organic chemicals in Antarctica in support of global chemical policy: a horizon scan of priority actions and challenges
Get PDFGlobal production and emission of chemicals exceeds societal capacities for assessment and monitoring. This situation calls for improved chemical regulatory policy frameworks and increased support for expedited decision making within existing frameworks. The polar regions of the Earth represent unique sentinel areas for the study of global chemical behaviour, and data arising from these areas can strengthen existing policy frameworks. However, chemical pollution research and monitoring in the Antarctic is underdeveloped, with geopolitical complexities and the absence of legal recognition of international chemical policy serving to neutralise progress made in other global regions. This Personal View represents a horizon scan by the action group Input Pathways of Persistent Organic Pollutants to Antarctica, of the Scientific Committee for Antarctic Research. Four priority research and research facilitation gaps are outlined, with recommendations for Antarctica Treaty parties for strategic action against these priorities
Modeling the impact of local environmental variables on tree-related power outages along distribution powerlines
No full textAccurate vegetation risk modeling requires detailed and timely information on the physical structure of roadside trees in conjunction with local environmental and management factors. This study aims to understand the contribution of multiple environmental and management variables on tree-related power outages during storm events at a fine scale. We developed and compared five candidate vegetation risk models (VRMs) comprising 19 predictor variables falling into four categories: (1) forest characteristics, (2) soil and terrain, (3) vegetation management, and (4) utility infrastructure using Random Forest (RF) algorithm. The VRM model consisting of all four categories of predictor variables demonstrated the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC-ROC) value of 0.8320. The VRM that excluded tree-related variables exhibited the lowest AUC-ROC value of 0.7760. Two VRMs excluding soil/terrain and vegetation management variables performed marginally worse than the model with all variables. According to Shapley Additive Explanation analysis, the LiDAR-derived tree variables (proximity tree pixels), length of primary distribution overhead, median tree height, and wire properties (i.e., covered or bare) reported the highest importance-variables. This study\u27s findings can guide vegetation risk at fine scales, which will help improve electrical grid resilience and hardening