A Case For University Credits For Industry\u27s In-house Continuing Education Programs

The minerals industries have long recognized the tangible and intangible returns from continuing education programs for their technical scientific and administrative personnel. These programs originate from the mutual desires of the employer to upgrade the professional competence of the employee and the employee\u27s concurrent desires to keep abreast of new developments to review the state of the art of specialized subjects and to better qualify himself to compete in an every changing technology. In-house training and continuing education programs to provide such review and education for the employee are becoming a recognized function of companies comprising this industry. These company-sponsored seminars workshops and training sessions are augmented by the permitted attendance of employees at commercially and university-presented workshops again under the recognition of the derived benefits accruing to employee and employer and a higher level of performance resulting. An examination of the merits and pitfalls of the awarding of university credits to the participating of competently presented in-company training sessions by that company \u27s personal, in that company\u27s facility. For the company\u27s employees is presented. The case for such university credit to the participants of these sessions is discussed as well as the means of overcoming the difficulties such a concept poses to a university in establishing the criterion for credit value of such offerings

Preface

Because this university, formerly under the well known title of Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy, has contributed so much to the nation’s and world’s mineral supplies through the work of its well trained graduates, it was considered appropriate that a major symposium be held during its Centennial Year on one of the last major mineral frontiers of the United States......Alaska. Preliminary planning for the symposium on “Alaska, Its Mineral Potentials and Environmental Challenges” began in the fall of 1969. In January, 1970, Robert E. Carlile and Paul Dean Proctor visited Alaska to meet with some of the petroleum and mineral industry personnel. The purpose of the journey was to personally invite some of the experts who could directly relate to this Centennial Symposium. The warm hospitality, graciousness, and suggestions of industry and government leaders gave much impetus to the finalization of the program and the plans. Formal invitations were extended to various individuals who had in-depth experience in Alaska or direct interest in the Arctic areas to participate in this Centennial Symposium. Objectives were to give platform presentation and audience discussion to important aspects of the petroleum-solid mineral potential of this frontier state of America and the adjacent arctic lands and continental shelf. Because of the unusual climatic setting other speakers were invited to discuss the challenges of this environment in discovering, recovering, and transporting the potential mineral wealth of Alaska. The state consists mainly of public domain and state lands, hence other speakers were invited to present the government’s views on oil and gas developments on these lands and the Alaskan business communities viewpoint on the possible future progress of Alaska. Special recognition has been given the various authors of the papers, but exceptional efforts were extended by the moderators who so ably assisted in the symposium presentation. Short biographical and alphabetically listed sketches are included for each of the external moderators with our sincere thanks for their considerable help. Similar concise biographical information on each of the authors is included at the end of each of the papers. The paper presentations includes an introductory paper on Arctic Ecology, by Dr. John Schindler, Assistant Director of the Naval Research Laboratory, Point Barrow, Alaska. Regrettably, Dr. Max Brewer, Director, Naval Research Laboratory was unable to include his presentation on “What We Should Know About the Arctic Environment”. Following the ecological paper, George Gryc and A1 Weissenborn of the U.S. Geological Survey present data on the energy fuels and solid mineral potentials of Alaska. Dr. Earl Hayes, Chief Scientist of the U.S. Bureau of Mines then relates to the environmental challenges of Alaskan mineral resources. Co-authors, Drs. R. G. McCrossan and R. Procter, of the Canadian Geological Survey, review the mineral potential of Arctic Canada. Dr. A. J. Eardley’s paper on Oil and Gas Reserves in the Siberian Shelf extends the prognostications on the Arctic basin. The latter author specifically asked that it be indicated he was substituting for Russian authors who had been invited but could not attend. With the good potential for petroleum which exists, consideration was then given to physical exploration by drilling and to the unique problems encountered in the handling of equipment under the rigorous arctic conditions. Robert L. Parker, President of the Parker Drilling Company discusses problems in such an environment. Charles C7 Norris of William Brothers Engineering Company describes the maintenance and operation of facilities and equipment in the Arctic. William Pearn discusses details of “Pipeline Design for Arctic and Subarctic Regions”, and A. V. Cardin, Chief Engineer, TAPS, specifically relates to the environmental challenges facing construction of TAPS. Russell Venn, Vice President, Humble Oil Company, expertly discussed details of the epic voyage of the S. S. Manhattan through the Northwest passage. With the possibility that oil might be transported by ship or submarine from northern Alaska, Robert L. McCollom and William Moore present interesting views on arctic marine terminals and their environmental and engineering considerations. The practicalities and experience of handling petroleum products under conditions varying from arctic conditions to almost temperate conditions and some of the problems related to pipeline construction and pumping of oil products is dynamically presented by Colonel Frederic Johnson, Chief, Petroleum Supply, U.S. Army. Don Simasko gives his views on the place of the independent operator in this developing region with its attendent problems. Thomas R. Marshall, representing the State of Alaska, succinctly and expertly discusses the regulatory controls on oil and gas in the state. Mr. W. H. Scott, President of the Alaskan Chamber of Commerce, concisely describes the Alaskan business communities view on the petroleum mineral resource development of his state. The final paper, by C. O. Banks, representing the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, spells out the optimism of the good people of a great state as it moves into its stride in the 20th century. These thoughts, views and warnings on “Alaska - Its Mineral Potentials - Its Environmental Challenges” are, therefore, presented in the hope that the reader will gain a deeper appreciation and awareness of Alaska - truly one of the last frontiers of today where, most appropriately, the words of J. Robert Oppenheimer apply: “Both the man of science and the man of action live always at the edge of mystery, surrounded by it.” Paul Dean ProctorR. E. Carlil

Brush seal low surface speed hard-rub characteristics

The bristles of a 38.1-mm (1.5-in.) diameter brush seal were flexed by a tapered, 40-tooth rotor operating at 2600 rpm that provided sharp leading-edge impact of the bristles with hard rubbing of the rotor lands. Three separate tests were run with the same brush accumulating over 1.3 x 10(exp 9) flexure cycles while deteriorating 0.2 mm (0.008 in.) radially. In each, the test bristle incursion depth varied from 0.130 to 0.025 mm (0.005 to 0.001 in.) or less (start to stop), and in the third test the rotor was set 0.25 mm (0.010 in.) eccentric. Runout varied from 0.025 to 0.076 mm (0.001 to 0.003 in.) radially. The bristles wore but did not pull out, fracture, or fragment. Bristle and rotor wear debris were deposited as very fine, nearly amorphous, highly porous materials at the rotor groove leading edges and within the rotor grooves. The land leading edges showed irregular wear and the beginning of a convergent groove that exhibited sharp, detailed wear at the land trailing edges. Surface grooving, burnishing, 'whipping,' and hot spots and streaks were found. With a smooth-plug rotor, post-test leakage increased 30 percent over pretest leakage

Brush seal leakage performance with gaseous working fluids at static and low rotor speed conditions

The leakage performance of a brush seal with gaseous working fluids at static and low rotor speed conditions was studied. The leakage results are included for air, helium, and carbon dioxide at several bristle/rotor interferences. Also, the effects of packing a lubricant into the bristles and also of reversing the pressure drop across the seal were studied. Results were compared to that of an annular seal at similar operating conditions. In order to generalize the results, they were correlated using corresponding state theory. The brush seal tested had a bore diameter of 3.792 cm (1.4930 in), a fence height of 0.0635 cm (0.025 in), and 1800 bristles/cm circumference (4500 bristles/in circumference). Various bristle/rotor radial interferences were achieved by using a tapered rotor. The brush seal reduced the leakage in comparison to the annular seal, up to 9.5 times. Reversing the pressure drop across the brush seal produced leakage rates approx. the same as that of the annular seal. Addition of a lubricant reduced the leakage by 2.5 times. The air and carbon dioxide data were successfully correlated using corresponding state theory. However, the helium data followed a different curve than the air and carbon dioxide data

Brush seal bristle flexure and hard-rub characteristics

The bristles of a 38.1-mm (1.5-in) diameter brush seal were flexed by a tapered, 40-tooth rotor operating at 2600 rpm that provided sharp leading-edge impact of the bristles with hard rubbing of the rotor lands. Three separate tests were run with the same brush accumulating over 1.3 x 10(exp 9) flexure cycles while deteriorating 0.2 mm (0.008 in) radially. In each, the test bristle incursion depth varied from 0.130 to 0.025 mm (0.005 to 0.001 in) or less (start to stop), and in the third test the rotor was set 0.25 mm (0.010 in) eccentric. Runout varied from 0.025 to 0.076 mm (0.001 to 0.003 in) radially. The bristles wore but did not pull out, fracture, or fragment. Bristle and rotor wear debris were deposited as very fine, nearly amorphous, highly porous materials at the rotor groove leading edges and within the rotor grooves. The land leading edges showed irregular wear and the beginning of a convergent groove that exhibited sharp, detailed wear at the land trailing edges. Surface grooving, burnishing, 'whipping,' and hot spots and streaks were found. With a smooth-plug rotor post-test leakage increased 30 percent over pretest leakage

Brush seal bristle flexure and hard-rub characteristics

The bristles of a 38.1-mm (1.5-in.) diameter brush seal were flexed by a tapered, 40-tooth rotor operating at 2600 rpm that provided sharp leading-edge impact of the bristles with hard rubbing of the rotor lands. Three separate tests were run with the same brush accumulating over 1.3 x 10(exp 9) flexure cycles while deteriorating 0.2 mm (0.008 in.) radially. In each, the test bristle incursion depth varied from 0.130 to 0.025 mm (0.005 to 0.001 in.) or less (start to stop), and in the third test the rotor was set 0.25 mm (0.010 in.) eccentric. Runout varied from 0.025 to 0.076 mm (0.001 to 0.003 in.) radially. The bristles wore but did not pull out, fracture, or fragment. Bristle and rotor wear debris were deposited as very fine, nearly amorphous, highly porous materials at the rotor groove leading edges and within the rotor grooves. The land leading edges showed irregular wear and the beginning of a convergent groove that exhibited sharp, detailed wear at the land trailing edges. Surface grooving, burnishing, 'whipping', and hot spots and streaks were found. With a smooth-plug rotor, post-test leakage increased 30 percent over pretest leakage

Report of the third Asian Prostate Cancer study meeting.

The Asian Prostate Cancer (A-CaP) study is an Asia-wide initiative that was launched in December 2015 in Tokyo, Japan, with the objective of surveying information about patients who have received a histopathological diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa) and are undergoing treatment and clarifying distribution of staging, the actual status of treatment choices, and treatment outcomes. The study aims to clarify the clinical situation for PCa in Asia and use the outcomes for the purposes of international comparison. Following the first meeting in Tokyo in December 2015, the second A-CaP meeting was held in Seoul, Korea, in September 2016. This, the third A-CaP meeting, was held on October 14, 2017, in Chiang Mai, Thailand, with the participation of members and collaborators from 12 countries and regions. In the meeting, participating countries and regions presented the current status of data collection, and the A-CaP office presented a preliminary analysis of the registered cases received from each country and region. Participants discussed ongoing challenges relating to data input and collection, institutional, and legislative issues that may present barriers to data sharing, and the outlook for further patient registrations through to the end of the registration period in December 2018. In addition to A-CaP-specific discussions, a series of special lectures were also delivered on the situation for health insurance in the United States, the correlation between insurance coverage and PCa outcomes, and the outlook for robotic surgery in the Asia-Pacific region. Members also confirmed the principles of authorship in collaborative studies, with a view to publishing original articles based on A-CaP data in the future

Pelagic distribution of Gould’s Petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera): linking shipboard and onshore observations with remote-tracking data

This study describes and compares the pelagic distribution and migratory patterns of the two subspecies of Gould’s Petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera), and contrasts data obtained from tracking birds at sea using geolocators with observational data (shipboard sightings, by-catch records and beachcast specimens). While breeding, tracked individuals of both subspecies (P. l. leucoptera and P. l. caledonica) foraged within the Tasman Sea and south of the Australian continent, with forays west into the Indian Ocean before laying. After breeding, both subspecies migrated to distinct non-breeding ranges within the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Observational data identified the general pattern of migration and foraging areas of the species, whereas data from geolocators provided details of routes and timing of migration, core foraging ranges, and marked spatial and temporal segregation between the two subspecies. However, by attaching geolocators only to established breeders, as is typical of studies of small and medium-sized seabirds, these devices failed to identify that non-breeding birds (pre-breeders and adults that are deferring breeding) may not follow the same migratory schedules or have the same at-sea distribution. We conclude that integrating data from electronic tracking with observational data substantially improves our understanding of the pelagic distribution of seabird populations

Targeted control of pneumolysin production by a mobile genetic element in Streptococcus pneumoniae

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a major human pathogen that can cause severe invasive diseases such as pneumonia, septicaemia and meningitis. Young children are at a particularly high risk, with an estimated 3–4 million cases of severe disease and between 300 000 and 500 000 deaths attributable to pneumococcal disease each year. The haemolytic toxin pneumolysin (Ply) is a primary virulence factor for this bacterium, yet despite its key role in pathogenesis, immune evasion and transmission, the regulation of Ply production is not well defined. Using a genome-wide association approach, we identified a large number of potential affectors of Ply activity, including a gene acquired horizontally on the antibiotic resistance-conferring Integrative and Conjugative Element (ICE) ICESp23FST81. This gene encodes a novel modular protein, ZomB, which has an N-terminal UvrD-like helicase domain followed by two Cas4-like domains with potent ATP-dependent nuclease activity. We found the regulatory effect of ZomB to be specific for the ply operon, potentially mediated by its high affinity for the BOX repeats encoded therein. Using a murine model of pneumococcal colonization, we further demonstrate that a ZomB mutant strain colonizes both the upper respiratory tract and lungs at higher levels when compared to the wild-type strain. While the antibiotic resistance-conferring aspects of ICESp23FST81 are often credited with contributing to the success of the S. pneumoniae lineages that acquire it, its ability to control the expression of a major virulence factor implicated in bacterial transmission is also likely to have played an important role

Airships: A New Horizon for Science

The "Airships: A New Horizon for Science" study at the Keck Institute for Space Studies investigated the potential of a variety of airships currently operable or under development to serve as observatories and science instrumentation platforms for a range of space, atmospheric, and Earth science. The participants represent a diverse cross-section of the aerospace sector, NASA, and academia. Over the last two decades, there has been wide interest in developing a high altitude, stratospheric lighter-than-air (LTA) airship that could maneuver and remain in a desired geographic position (i.e., "station-keeping") for weeks, months or even years. Our study found considerable scientific value in both low altitude (< 40 kft) and high altitude (> 60 kft) airships across a wide spectrum of space, atmospheric, and Earth science programs. Over the course of the study period, we identified stratospheric tethered aerostats as a viable alternative to airships where station-keeping was valued over maneuverability. By opening up the sky and Earth's stratospheric horizon in affordable ways with long-term flexibility, airships allow us to push technology and science forward in a project-rich environment that complements existing space observatories as well as aircraft and high-altitude balloon missions.Comment: This low resolution version of the report is 8.6 MB. For the high resolution version see: http://kiss.caltech.edu/study/airship