Policy Risk and Private Investment in Ontario’s Wind Power Sector

Even though governments may adopt favourable regulatory policies for renewable power generation, their ability to encourage private sector investment depends also on the presence of regulatory governance institutions that provide credible long-term commitments to potential investors. In the case of Ontario we contend that, despite large market potential and comparatively strong regulatory incentive policies, weak regulatory governance is one factor that has accounted for the challenges in attracting and implementing large scale private investment in power generation at a reasonable cost. We find empirical support for our arguments in a unique survey of 63 wind power firms that assessed private sector opinions about the investment environment for renewable energy in Ontario. Compared to a range of factors, firms rated the stability of regulatory policy among the weakest aspects of Ontario?s business environment. However, policy stability ranked among the most important factors in firms? assessments of the attractiveness of alternative jurisdictions in their location decisions. Subsequent interviews revealed that firms have responded to this risk in Ontario by explicitly pricing it into wind project financial models – implying higher wind power prices for ratepayers – and by directing investment funds to other jurisdictions. We argue that policy stability in Ontario may be improved by devolving greater decision-making authority to regulatory agencies in the energy sector and by strengthening their institutional independence.

Symbiosis in an overlooked microcosm: a systematic review of the bacterial flora of mites

A dataset of bacterial diversity found in mites was compiled from 193 publications (from 1964 to January 2015). A total of 143 mite species belonging to the 3 orders (Mesostigmata, Sarcoptiformes and Trombidiformes) were recorded and found to be associated with approximately 150 bacteria species (in 85 genera, 51 families, 25 orders and 7 phyla). From the literature, the intracellular symbiont Cardinium, the scrub typhus agent Orientia, and Wolbachia (the most prevalent symbiont of arthropods) were the dominant mite-associated bacteria, with approximately 30 mite species infected each. Moreover, a number of bacteria of medical and veterinary importance were also reported from mites, including species from the genera Rickettsia, Anaplasma, Bartonella, Francisella, Coxiella, Borrelia, Salmonella, Erysipelothrix and Serratia. Significant differences in bacterial infection patterns among mite taxa were identified. These data will not only be useful for raising awareness of the potential for mites to transmit disease, but also enable a deeper understanding of the relationship of symbionts with their arthropod hosts, and may facilitate the development of intervention tools for disease vector control. This review provides a comprehensive overview of mite-associated bacteria and is a valuable reference database for future research on mites of agricultural, veterinary and/or medical importance. (Résumé d'auteur

Monotone Methods for Markovian Equilibrium in Dynamic Economies

In this paper, we provide an overview of an emerging class of monotone map methods in analyzing distorted equilibrium in dynamic economies. In particular, we focus on proving the existence and characterization of competitive equilibrium in non-optimal versions of the optimal growth models. We suggest two alternative methods: an Euler equation method for a smooth, strongly concave environment, and a value function method for a non-smooth supermodular environment. We are able to extend this analysis to study models that allow for unbounded growth or a labor-leisure choice

Assessment of the biodistribution of an [ 18 F]FDG‐loaded perfluorocarbon double emulsion using dynamic micro‐PET in rats

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/97497/1/cmmi1532.pd

Electroproduction of ϕ(1020)\phi(1020) mesons at 1.4≤Q2≤1.4\leq Q^2\leq GeV2^2 measured with the CLAS spectrometer

Electroproduction of exclusive $\phi$ vector mesons has been studied with the CLAS detector in the kinematical range $1.4\leq Q^2\leq 3.8$ GeV$^{2}$, $0.0\leq t^{\prime}\leq 3.6$ GeV$^{2}$, and $2.0\leq W\leq 3.0$ GeV. The scaling exponent for the total cross section as $1/(Q^2+M_{\phi}^2)^n$ was determined to be $n=2.49\pm 0.33$. The slope of the four-momentum transfer $t'$ distribution is $b_{\phi}=0.98 \pm 0.17$ GeV$^{-2}$. Under the assumption of s-channel helicity conservation (SCHC), we determine the ratio of longitudinal to transverse cross sections to be $R=0.86 \pm 0.24$. A 2-gluon exchange model is able to reproduce the main features of the data.Comment: Phys Rev C, 15 pages, 18 figure

Exclusive ρ0\rho^0 electroproduction on the proton at CLAS

The $e p\to e^\prime p \rho^0$ reaction has been measured, using the 5.754 GeV electron beam of Jefferson Lab and the CLAS detector. This represents the largest ever set of data for this reaction in the valence region. Integrated and differential cross sections are presented. The $W$, $Q^2$ and $t$ dependences of the cross section are compared to theoretical calculations based on $t$-channel meson-exchange Regge theory on the one hand and on quark handbag diagrams related to Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) on the other hand. The Regge approach can describe at the $\approx$ 30% level most of the features of the present data while the two GPD calculations that are presented in this article which succesfully reproduce the high energy data strongly underestimate the present data. The question is then raised whether this discrepancy originates from an incomplete or inexact way of modelling the GPDs or the associated hard scattering amplitude or whether the GPD formalism is simply inapplicable in this region due to higher-twists contributions, incalculable at present.Comment: 29 pages, 29 figure

Measurement of the Polarized Structure Function σLT′\sigma_{LT^\prime} for p(e⃗,e′π+)np(\vec{e},e'\pi^+)n in the Δ(1232)\Delta(1232) Resonance Region

The polarized longitudinal-transverse structure function $\sigma_{LT^\prime}$ has been measured using the $p(\vec e,e'\pi^+)n$ reaction in the $\Delta(1232)$ resonance region at $Q^2=0.40$ and 0.65 GeV$^2$. No previous $\sigma_{LT^\prime}$ data exist for this reaction channel. The kinematically complete experiment was performed at Jefferson Lab with the CEBAF Large Acceptance Spectrometer (CLAS) using longitudinally polarized electrons at an energy of 1.515 GeV. A partial wave analysis of the data shows generally better agreement with recent phenomenological models of pion electroproduction compared to the previously measured $\pi^0 p$ channel. A fit to both $\pi^0 p$ and $\pi^+ n$ channels using a unitary isobar model suggests the unitarized Born terms provide a consistent description of the non-resonant background. The $t$-channel pion pole term is important in the $\pi^0 p$ channel through a rescattering correction, which could be model-dependent.Comment: 6 pages, LaTex, 5 eps figures: Submitted to PRC/Brief Reports v2: Updated referenc