State management of geothermal energy in Hawaii

"Unsolicited research proposal submitted to the National Science Foundation""This proposal is for a State of Hawaii research project for defining the role of State government in the utilization of geothermal energy. The proposed project will conduct a systematic review of the existing and potential functions of State and County government with the aim of developing a methodology for, and undertaking an assessment of, the management options open to the State of Hawaii. The process itself would then be applicable in assessing the State's management options over other natural energy resources such as wind, sun and ocean thermal differentials. The University of Hawaii is presently engaged in a major geothermal energy research project with joint National Science Foundation, State of Hawaii and County of Hawaii support directed toward the utilization of the State's geothermal resources. The proposed State project will complement the University project and explore the processes and actions required to accelerate the transition from University research results to practical applications of geothermal energy to meet the needs of Hawaii. It will explore the public policy implications and consequences of the introduction of geothermal and other new sources of energy in Hawaii. The project also will serve as a focal point for geothermal energy information dissemination and feedback among the State, County and Federal agencies.

Sociology’s missed opportunity: John Stuart-Glennie’s lost theory of the moral revolution, also known as the axial age

In 1873, 75 years before Karl Jaspers published his theory of the Axial Age in 1949, unknown to Jaspers and to contemporary scholars today, Scottish folklorist John Stuart Stuart-Glennie elaborated the first fully developed and nuanced theory of what he termed “the Moral Revolution” to characterize the historical shift emerging roughly around 600 BCE in a variety of civilizations, most notably ancient China, India, Judaism, and Greece, as part of a broader critical philosophy of history. He continued to write on the idea over decades in books and articles and also presented his ideas to the fledgling Sociological Society of London in 1905, which were published the following year in the volume Sociological Papers, Volume 2. This article discusses Stuart-Glennie’s ideas on the moral revolution in the context of his philosophy of history, including what he termed “panzooinism”; ideas with implications for contemporary debates in theory, comparative history, and sociology of religion. It shows why he should be acknowledged as the originator of the theory now known as the axial age, and also now be included as a significant sociologist in the movement toward the establishment of sociology

State policy considerations for geothermal development in Hawaii

Includes bibliographical references.This short paper was prepared in response to a request by Christopher Cobb, the Chairman of the State of Hawaii Board of Land and Natural Resources, and Hideto Kono, the Director of the Department of Planning and Economic Development, and State Energy Resources Coordinator. It is intended to be a short, opening statement on the various policy options which the State government and its Counties have in dealing with the geothermal resource potential now being investigated in Hawaii and therefore does not attempt to spell out in detail any of the policy issues it lists or the several institutional arrangements that are shown by way of example. The Department of Land and Natural Resources, under the Board, has the responsibility for the management of State mineral (including geothermal) resources, while the Department of Planning and Economic Development, the lead State energy agency, is responsible for general planning. Robert Kamins, Professor of Economics, is co-principal investigator for Environmental and Socioeconomic Program of the Hawaii Geothermal Project at the University of Hawaii since its inception in 1973. The University project has also been concerned with geophysics and engineering, and has recently received a major grant from the Energy Research and Development Administration which will include drilling on the Island of Hawaii. Eugene Grabbe of the Department of Planning and Economic Development is Manager of a State Geothermal Energy Policy Project aimed at developing policy and action options in geothermalenergy and is jointly funded by the State of Hawaii and the National Science Foundation. The State has also supplied substantial support for the Hawaii Geothermal Project. It is hoped that the policy and planning options which evolvewill have general application to Hawaii's other energy resources such as ocean thermal energy conversion and wind as well as geothermal energy

Planning for geothermal development in Hawaii

In 1976 the University of Hawaii completed a successful exploratory geothermal well on the Big Island of Hawaii. The well has raised hopes for a viable alternate energy source to reduce the State's high dependence on imported petroleum. A Development Group was organized to install a wellhead generator to demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing geothermal energy from a volcanically active area. The State is also planning for geothermal development through scenario development, identification of constraints and barriers, resource assessment and non-electric applications

State of Hawaii geothermal commercialization plan

"Unsolicited research proposal submitted to the National Science Foundation.""In accordance with the U.S. Department of Energy programs, the State of Hawaii Department of Planning and Economic Development proposes a planning project which will develop realistic scenarios for the development and commercialization of geothermal energy resources in Hawaii. The preliminary electric and direct-use scenarios developed by DOE regional contractors, SAl and SOC, will be used as a foundation for further refinement. These realistic scenarios will be developed in conjunction with other State and County agencies, private industry and community groups to insure that the resulting development program will reflect local aspirations. The scenarios will assist in identifying the barriers and time contraints to the aspired development. Mechanisms will be established to review, update and monitor progress. Support to the Pacific Region Team and its Federal Commercialization Plan will be provided. The results of the proposed project will include lists of recommended State, Federal and local actions to be pursued to realize the goal of early commercialization of geothermal resources in Hawaii. The State Geothermal Advisory Council will provide input in guiding the development of such action plans."Department of Planning and Economic Development, State of Hawai

Distinct molecular signature of human skin Langerhans cells denotes critical differences in cutaneous dendritic cell immune regulation

Langerhans cells (LCs) are professional antigen presenting cells (APCs) residing in the epidermis. Despite their high potential to activate T lymphocytes, current understanding of human LC biology is limited. Genome-wide comparison of the transcriptional profiles of human skin migratory CD1a+ LCs and CD11c+ dermal dendritic cells (DDCs) demonstrated significant differences between these ‘dendritic cell’ types, including preferential expression of 625 genes (P<0.05) in LC and 914 genes (P<0.05) in DDC. Analysis of the temporal regulation of molecular networks activated after stimulation with TNF-? confirmed the unique molecular signature of LCs. Although LCs conformed to the phenotype of professional APC, inflammatory signalling activated primarily genes associated with cellular metabolism and mitochondrial activation (e.g. CYB561, MRPS35), cell membrane re-organisation and antigen acquisition and degradation (CAV1, PSMD14) (P<0.05–P<0.0001). Conversely, TNF-? induced classical activation in DDCs with early down-regulation of surface receptors (MRC1, C-type lectins), and subsequent up-regulation of cytokines, chemokines (IL1a, IL1b, CCL18) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP1, MMP3, MMP9), (P<0.05–P<0.0001). Functional interference of caveolin abrogated LCs superior ability to cross-present antigens to CD8+ T lymphocytes, highlighting the importance of these networks to biological function. Taken together these observations support the idea of distinct biological roles of cutaneous DC types