Society Of Houston Research Articles

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A continuing question about professional societies concerns the extent to which they should take on the roles of guilds or unions — essentially advocacy or lobbying bodies — as opposed to acting purely as scientific associations, facilitating the exchange of knowledge and techniques within their technical purviews. When I was president of the Geophysical Society of Houston (GSH), a suggestion was floated that GSH should consider efforts to support higher employment levels among geophysicists in Houston. No specific proposals were attached to this unemployment-reduction goal, and, of course, GSH was unable to hire geophysicists nor to substantively influence companies to reduce their layoff numbers. Still, no one could quibble with the notion that helping geophysicists advance their careers is a legitimate goal for a professional society, and arguably the central goal.

The 58th Annual Symposium of the Houston Society of Clinical Pathologists.

The 58th Annual Symposium of the Houston Society of Clinical Pathologists.

Recently Described and Clinically Important Entities in Testis Tumors: A Selective Review of Changes Incorporated Into the 2016 Classification of the World Health Organization.

In 2016 the World Health Organization published a revised classification of testicular neoplasms based upon advances in understanding their pathogenesis and molecular biology. The rationale for this revision and additional clinically relevant observations were the topics of a talk given to the Houston Society of Clinical Pathologists in April 2017. This paper summarizes that talk. To summarize and explain the most important changes to the classification of testicular neoplasms in the World Health Organization 2016 revision. Peer-reviewed published literature and contributions by individuals with expertise in this area that were also reviewed by genitourinary pathologists. Most changes occurred in the germ cell tumor classification, including replacement of the terms intratubular germ cell neoplasia unclassified and carcinoma in situ by germ cell neoplasia in situ; subdivision of the tumors into 2 main categories, those derived from germ cell neoplasia in situ and those not derived from germ cell neoplasia in situ; distinction of germ cell neoplasia in situ from germ cells with delayed maturation and pre-germ cell neoplasia in situ; expansion of the trophoblastic tumor category to include epithelioid trophoblastic tumor and cystic trophoblastic tumor; and substitution of spermatocytic tumor for spermatocytic seminoma and its placement in the non-germ cell neoplasia in situ group. Other revisions included eliminating sclerosing Sertoli cell tumor as a distinct entity; the recognition of intratubular hyalinizing Sertoli cell tumor; and acceptance of the role of undifferentiated gonadal tissue in the pathogenesis of gonadoblastoma.

Introduction to this special section: Advancements in 3D seismic processing

Those geophysicists who are involved with and who use seismic data recognize the pivotal role of seismic data processing. The interpretive art also plays a ubiquitous role in many if not most facets related to seismic applications. To ideally discuss recent advances in seismic data processing, we would be well served if experts in broad areas prepared review papers offering insights on the state of the art as they see it and the role and significance of recent developments and directions. Such papers are rare. For that reason we wish to mention a work by Sam Gray that could not be included here because his submission to this special section had mostly been published previously as an expanded abstract for the 2014 SEG Annual Meeting ( Gray, 2014 ) and by the Geophysical Society of Houston in 2015.

GSH-SEG Symposium honors Alistair Brown for career in interpreting 3D seismic data

Each year, the Geophysical Society of Houston (GSH) and SEG hold a spring symposium to highlight innovations in the field and also to honor an outstanding member of the geophysics community. This year's GSH-SEG Symposium, “Interpretation Technology: Inspiring Innovation, Advancing Discoveries,” featured four sessions on interpretation technology and honored Alistair Brown for his contributions to seismic interpretation.

The Houston Society of Clinical Pathologists 55th Annual Spring Symposium, April 2014.

The Houston Society of Clinical Pathologists educational activity culminates in the Spring Symposium, held every year in April in Houston, Texas. The guest faculty is sponsored by the institutions that form the famed Texas Medical Center and the University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston. The articles selected for this special section are based on presentations at the symposium and at sponsoring institutions and will appear in 2 parts: part I is in this issue of the ARCHIVES, and part II will be in the July issue. The special section comprises 8 articles written by distinguished, nationally and internationally recognized experts in gastrointestinal (GI) and liver pathology from the United States and Canada. In this issue, part I of the special section will include 4 articles: ‘‘Esophagitis: Old Histologic Concepts and New Thoughts,’’ ‘‘Molecular and Histologic Considerations in the Assessment of Serrated Polyps,’’ ‘‘IgG4-Related Disease of the Gastrointestinal Tract: A 21st Century Chameleon,’’ and ‘‘Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Luminal Gastrointestinal Tract.’’ In the next issue of the ARCHIVES, part II will also include 4 articles: ‘‘Difficult Diagnostic Problems in Pancreatobiliary Neoplasia,’’ ‘‘Pathophysiology and Diseases of the Terminal Pathways of the Biliary System,’’ ‘‘Hepatic Granulomas: A Review With Emphasis on Infectious Causes,’’ and ‘‘DrugInduced Liver Injury.’’ Each of these topics poses certain challenges to the practicing surgical pathologist. Authors are allowed to express their personal opinions and preferences in these articles. Although some readers may disagree with some of the opinions presented in these reviews, I believe most readers (including myself) will benefit from the personal experiences of these highly regarded and respected authors. I hope you enjoy reading this section and find the information presented useful in your daily practice.

From the Other Side

The Geophysical Society of Houston publishes a journal, and I have been involved with that publication since its inception in 2010. There are several interesting items in the GSH Journal. “The Doodlebugger Diary” highlights anecdotes or vignettes from our geophysical history. We periodically publish an interview of a local notable, usually a geophysicist. The note below from Alistair Brown explains why I have given you this information. He refers to an interview with Bob Mitchum. Mitchum and coauthors P. R. Vail and J. B. Sangree are the leading proponents of seismic stratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy. The following is an e-mail conversation between Alistair and me on this subject.

GSH-SEG 2014 Spring Symposium honors Fred Hilterman

In 2007, the Geophysical Society of Houston changed the format of its Spring Symposium, an event cosponsored by SEG, to add recognition of a noteworthy geophysicist to its two-day menu of technical presentations. The official verbiage said honorees would be selected based on “lifetime achievements and contributions to our industry” and would be people who have spent a significant portion of their careers in the Houston area or have influenced industry practice in Houston.

From the other side

The following is a note from Gijs Vermeer whom you may have guessed is in The Netherlands. Note the capitalized “The.”. Is The Netherlands the only “The nation” with a capital T? The Leading Edge! but the Geophysical Society of Houston. Capital versus lower-case “the.” Very strange, but probably has some historical significance. Am I the first to point this out? Gijs takes me on with regard to being first. He references FTOS, January 2014.

An experiment in knowledge sharing

The 277 attendees at the Geophysical Society of Houston's 2013 Spring Symposium were participants in an experiment in knowledge sharing. We often speak of education as being one of the principal objectives shaping the activities of a professional society such as SEG or the Geophysical Society of Houston (GSH), of which I currently serve as first vice president. Education is a laudable objective. After all, we like to learn something new and useful. However, focusing narrowly on it may cause us to miss an important opportunity for learning. The word education calls up the image of an instructional setting, where subject-matter experts provide valuable information that flows directionally toward the audience. Our annual SEG convention is conducted mostly in this manner, in which a series of formal presentations proceeds one after another during the technical sessions.

From the Other Side

In this issue of TLE, you will find an article on the Geophysical Society of Houston (GSH) Symposium, which was held on March 5 and 6. You may recall that I pontificated on the need for the SAS (Sections and Associated Societies) to report on their activities in TLE. This resulted in stimulating me to write a report on the meeting. There was a lot of interest in the subject, which was “Unconventional Geophysics.” I don't want to cover the same ground that is in the report (with photos) but it was “limited” to microseismic applications during the completion on those long horizontally drilled wells in “shale”, mostly in the fracking stages. Read it, you will like it.

From the Other Side

One of the staff of the Geophysical Society of Houston (we have two!) recently read FTOS for the first time. She complimented me on my great writing skills and then asked an embarrassing question: “Why isn't there a feature recognizing the local societies of SEG, one which lists their contact information?” Well, there is. TLE publishes items received from Sections and Associated Societies (SAS) in a feature called “SAS Focus,” but there is no routine reporting or submittals of such news. She followed with the comment, “It would open a world of possibilities to recognize collaborative efforts with SEG, local societies, and the industry.” I, of course, responded with, “What collaborative efforts?” Ooops.

Unconventional Geophysics Spring Symposium to honor Challenge Bowl founder

The 2013 GSH-SEG Spring Symposium, held 5–6 March in Houston, will offer a new format along with its tradition of honoring accomplished geophysicists. For many years, the Geophysical Society of Houston (GSH) has organized a two-day Spring Symposium in collaboration with SEG. It has been our practice to use the Spring Symposium to honor a particularly noteworthy geophysicist, and to build a technical program around the interests and contributions of our special guest. Past honorees have included Tury Taner (2007), John Sherwood (2008), Frank Levin (2009), Sven Treitel and Enders Robinson (2010), Jon Claerbout (2011), and Bob Sheriff (2012). As you can see, we set our standards high when choosing an honoree.

Evolving Frontlines in the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pulmonary Diseases

In this issue of Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, we present the second installment of proceedings and complementary articles from the Houston Lung Symposium, which took place on April 28 and 29, 2012, at The Methodist Hospital Research Institute in Houston, Texas. The symposium combined the Spring Seminar of the Houston Society of Clinical Pathologists with the Advances in Lung Cancer Seminar of the Department of Pathology and Genomic Medicine of The Methodist Hospital. Twenty internationally renowned experts from North America, Europe, and Asia participated, and in this issue of the ARCHIVES, we continue the series of articles based on their lectures, augmented by supplementary articles on topics relevant to the symposium. The pace and breadth of developments in the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary diseases, both neoplastic and nonneoplastic, are exhilarating and provide a template for understanding the revolutionary changes impacting all areas of pathology and medicine. I wish to recognize the following supporters and special guests who participated in the symposium:

From the Other Side

Now that I am eschewing obfuscation, I hardly know what to write. I hesitate to tell you about the two-day symposium I recently attended in Houston. It was sponsored by the Geophysical Society of Houston. We always honor an outstanding person (usually a geophysicist) during the meeting. This year the honoree was Bob Sheriff who is probably best known for his encyclopedia of geophysical terms. That is not the correct name but you know what I mean. I didn't have a copy with me but I could have used it at the symposium. But I don't need the printed copy. I could have logged on to the SEG Wiki because the first set of “stuff” placed in the Wiki (or is it on the Wiki?) was Bob's encyclopedia. It is almost a Wikipedia but there will be other material allowed in. Only SEG members can contribute new words or items. Little-known information: Wiki is Hawaiian for “quick.” Actually, I haven't confirmed that. There is a tepee that is called a wickiup, which in Hawaiian must mean “quick tepee.” Tepee and wickiup are names for temporary dwellings of American Indians (some time ago).

Preserving our heritage

Thanks primarily to the efforts of Bob Wyckoff, chairman of SEG's Historical Preservation Committee, exhibits of vintage geophysical equipment and photographs have recently been installed at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University. In addition, thanks in large measure to the efforts of Guy Flanagan, SEG Gravity/Magnetics Committee, and Bill Gafford, chairman of the Museum Committee of the Geophysical Society of Houston, many items of gravity and magnetic instrumentation that were part of the Robert Iverson collection are now on display in Fugro's Houston offices.

A column by Lee Lawyer with stories about geophysics and geophysicists

In this year's GSH Honors and Awards meeting, the Geophysical Society of Houston gave Vern Herbert posthumous Honorary Membership. The citation was a composite of several contributors but the one that follows struck me as an excellent description of the “routine” work in geophysics that seldom gets acknowledged. It was written by Charlie Chernoff, a long-time Chevron geophysicist. Caution, this needs to be read with a geophysical eye.

A column by Lee Lawyer with stories about geophysics and geophysicists

The Geophysical Society of Houston had its Spring Seminar a few weeks ago. It is customary to select a geophysicist to honor during the meeting: Taner, Levin, Sherwood and this year Sven Treitel and Enders Robinson. All participants received a signed copy of Digital Imaging and Deconvolution: The ABCs of Seismic Exploration and Processing by Robinson and Treitel (No. 15 in the SEG Geophysical References series).

A column by Lee Lawyer with stories about geophysics and geophysicists

Sometimes it is interesting to review the very interesting history of some of our service companies. I started looking for current practices regarding the large 3D visualization rooms. I entered one of them a number of years ago but have little recall of that occasion. I noticed that one of the Geophysical Society of Houston's Special Interest groups was going to be held in the visualization center of CGGVeritas. While I was mulling over how to approach this topic, I searched for CGGVeritas and found a thumbnail sketch of their history, which I will summarize here.

A column by Lee Lawyer with stories about geophysics and geophysicists

For the first time, the Geophysical Society of Houston has gotten a slot on the Committee on Nominations, which previously had consisted of the three most recent past presidents. Back in about 1997, it was decided to get the Sections involved to prevent the “good old boys” from only nominating their friends. Initially, the motion to change procedures included a provision barring past presidents. I objected to this in the Council and the provision was removed. It is ironic that I now have been selected by the GSH to serve on this committee. One must be careful what one asks for, so to speak, even 12 years later.