Putting a Floor on Energy Savings: Comparing State Energy Efficiency Resource Standards

Energy efficiency resource standards (EERS) refer to policies that require utilities and other covered entities to achieve quantitative goals for reducing energy use by a certain year. EERS policies generally apply to electricity and natural gas sales and electricity peak demand, though they also cover other energy sources in Europe. Our study aggregates information about the requirements of existing EERS policies for electricity sales in the United States. We convert quantitative goals into comparable terms to compare the nominal stringency of EERS programs across states. EERS programs also differ in their nonquantitative requirements, including flexibility measures, measurement and verification programs, and penalties and positive incentives. We compare the U.S. policies to similar policies in the European Union and discuss important policy issues, including exogenous changes in fuel prices and issues with utility management of energy efficiency programs.energy efficiency, electricity, energy efficiency resource standards, state regulation

Evaluation of Cotton, Gossypium Hirsutum L., Genotypes for Resistance to the Reniform Nematode, Rotylenchulus Reniformis Linford and Oliveira.

Cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., is a valuable cash crop in Louisiana that is grown primarily for its fiber. The reniform nematode, Rotylenchulus reniformis Linford and Oliveira, is a major pest of cotton in Louisiana, where it was first identified in 1941 and has now been found in 39 of 64 parishes. Nematicides and crop rotation are conventional methods of reniform nematode control, but resistant cultivars offer the most economical and practical method of control. The primary objective of this study was to examine and evaluate new and previously reported sources of reniform nematode resistance in cotton, which could eventually be incorporated into a breeding program. Genotypes were evaluated in the greenhouse and resistance based on reniform nematode egg production per gram of root. La. 434-1031-4 was resistant to reniform nematode whenever tested. Several race stocks and day-neutral converted race stocks expressed resistance. These were TR 19, converted TR 19, TR 26, converted TR 26, converted TR 75, converted TR 78, TR 176, converted TR 176, and Texas 110. Gossypium longicalyx L., which had been reported as having immunity, expressed immunity or near-immunity in these tests. Data from triploids and hexaploids (G. longicalyx x G. hirsutum Acala) suggest strong dominance for the immunity or near-immunity factor(s). G. longicalyx could be used as a resistant parent, once limiting factors in inter-specific hybridization are solved. A field test to determine relative resistance was conducted in 1985. Four of the more resistant genotypes with good agronomic properties, chosen from greenhouse tests, were compared to \u27Deltapine 41\u27 for reniform nematode egg production, green plant weight, white flower production, plant height, reniform nematode population, and boll number. The four genotypes (Auburn 80-180, Auburn 634, La. 434-1031-810909, and La. 434-1031-810910) were resistant based on field evaluations. Auburn 80-180 and Auburn 634, two advanced breeding lines with resistance to root-knot nematode, Meloidogyne incognita acrita (Kofoid and White) Chitwood, La. 434-1031-810909, La. 434-1031-810910, and La. 434-1031-4 would make good resistant parents in a breeding program

Evaluation of Peanut Hybrids for Reaction to Early Leafspot Pathogen (Cercospora Arachidicola)

Agronom

Whole genome landscapes of uveal melanoma show an ultraviolet radiation signature in iris tumours

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common intraocular tumour in adults and despite surgical or radiation treatment of primary tumours, ~50% of patients progress to metastatic disease. Therapeutic options for metastatic UM are limited, with clinical trials having little impact. Here we perform whole-genome sequencing (WGS) of 103 UM from all sites of the uveal tract (choroid, ciliary body, iris). While most UM have low tumour mutation burden (TMB), two subsets with high TMB are seen; one driven by germline MBD4 mutation, and another by ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure, which is restricted to iris UM. All but one tumour have a known UM driver gene mutation (GNAQ, GNA11, BAP1, PLCB4, CYSLTR2, SF3B1, EIF1AX). We identify three other significantly mutated genes (TP53, RPL5 and CENPE)

Stressful conditions reveal decrease in size, modification of shape but relatively stable asymmetry in bumblebee wings

Human activities can generate a wide variety of direct and indirect effects on animals, which can manifest as environmental and genetic stressors. Several phenotypic markers have been proposed as indicators of these stressful conditions but have displayed contrasting results, depending, among others, on the phenotypic trait measured. Knowing the worldwide decline of multiple bumblebee species, it is important to understand these stressors and link them with the drivers of decline. We assessed the impact of several stressors (i.e. natural toxin-, parasite-, thermic- and inbreeding-stress) on both wing shape and size and their variability as well as their directional and fluctuating asymmetries. The total data set includes 650 individuals of Bombus terrestris (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Overall wing size and shape were affected by all the tested stressors. Except for the sinigrin (e.g. glucosinolate) stress, each stress implies a decrease of wing size. Size variance was affected by several stressors, contrary to shape variance that was affected by none of them. Although wing size directional and fluctuating asymmetries were significantly affected by sinigrin, parasites and high temperatures, neither directional nor fluctuating shape asymmetry was significantly affected by any tested stressor. Parasites and high temperatures led to the strongest phenotype modifications. Overall size and shape were the most sensitive morphological traits, which contrasts with the common view that fluctuating asymmetry is the major phenotypic marker of stress

Exotic branes in string theory

. This work of JdB was supported in part by the Foundation of Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM) and by an NWO Spinoza grant. The work of MS was supported in part by Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) 24740159 from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).. This work of JdB was supported in part by the Foundation of Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM) and by an NWO Spinoza grant. The work of MS was supported in part by Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) 24740159 from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).This work of JdB was supported in part by the Foundation of Fundamental Research on Matter (FOM) and by an NWO Spinoza grant. The work of MS was supported in part by Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B) 24740159 from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS