The integrated method to select drilling muds for abnormally high pressure formations

The article describes the method for choosing a drilling mud for drilling abnormally high pressure formations. A carefully selected drilling mud formulation would not only enhance an array of interrelated fluid properties, but also minimize the impact on the pay zones when the drill bit first penetrates the pay. To ensure a better assessment of drilling mud impact on the pay zone, it is reasonable to carry out the study focused on the analysis of technological parameters, involving filtration, acid and drilling mud tests, as well as formation damage analysis. This would enable evaluating the degree of mudding off, reservoirs acid fracturing effect and the risks of pipe sticking at significant depth. The article presents the results of the above-described study with regard to the currently used drilling mud and new experimental formulations developed at National Research Tomsk Polytechnic University (Drilling Mud and Cement Slurry Laboratory)

2-Hydroxy­amino-2-oxoacetohydrazide

In the title compound, C2H5N3O3, the hydroxamic group adopts an anti orientation with respect to the hydrazide group. In the crystal, mol­ecules are connected by N—H⋯O and O—H⋯N hydrogen bonds into zigzag chains along the c axis

Extended defects in natural diamonds: Atomic Force Microscopy investigation

Surfaces of natural diamonds etched in high-pressure experiments in H2O, CO2 and H2O-NaCl fluids were investigated using Atomic Force Microscopy. Partial dissolution of the crystals produced several types of surface features including the well-known trigons and hillocks and revealed several new types of defects. Besides well-known trigons and dissolution hillocks several new types of defects are observed. The most remarkable ones are assigned to anelastic twins of several types. The observation of abundant microtwins, ordering of hillocks and presence of defects presumably related to knots of branched dislocations suggests importance of post-growth deformation events on formation of diamond microstructure. This work confirms previous reports of ordering of extended defects in some deformed diamonds. In addition, the current work shows that natural diamonds deform not only by dislocation mechanism and slip, but also but mechanical twinning. The dominant mechanism should depend on pressure-temperature-stress conditions during diamond transport from the formation domain to the Earth surface.Comment: Submitted to special issue (1st European Mineralogical congress, Frankfurt, Germany, September 2012) of European Journal of Mineralogy. 21 page, 9 figure

Anomalous far infrared monochromatic transmission through a film of type-II superconductor in magnetic field

Anomalous far infrared monochromatic transmission through a lattice of Abrikosov vortices in a type-II superconducting film is found and reported. The transmitted frequency corresponds to the photonic mode localized by the defects of the Abrokosov lattice. These defects are formed by extra vortices placed out of the nodes of the ideal Abrokosov lattice. The extra vortices can be pinned by crystal lattice defects of a superconductor. The corresponding frequency is studied as a function of magnetic field and temperature in the framework of the Dirac-type two-band model. While our approach is valid for all type-II superconductors, the specific calculations have been performed for the YBa$_{2}$Cu$_{3}$O$_{7-\delta}$ (YBCO). The control of the transmitted frequency by varying magnetic field and/or temperature is analyzed. It is suggested that found anomalously transmitted localized mode can be utilized in the far infrared monochromatic filters.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figure

Graphene-based photonic crystal

A novel type of photonic crystal formed by embedding a periodic array of constituent stacks of alternating graphene and dielectric discs into a background dielectric medium is proposed. The photonic band structure and transmittance of such photonic crystal are calculated. The graphene-based photonic crystals can be used effectively as the frequency filters and waveguides for the far infrared region of electromagnetic spectrum. Due to substantial suppression of absorption of low-frequency radiation in doped graphene the damping and skin effect in the photonic crystal are also suppressed. The advantages of the graphene-based photonic crystal are discussed.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figure

It is time to define an organizational model for the prevention and management of infections along the surgical pathway : a worldwide cross-sectional survey

Background The objectives of the study were to investigate the organizational characteristics of acute care facilities worldwide in preventing and managing infections in surgery; assess participants' perception regarding infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, antibiotic prescribing practices, and source control; describe awareness about the global burden of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and IPC measures; and determine the role of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 pandemic on said awareness. Methods A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted contacting 1432 health care workers (HCWs) belonging to a mailing list provided by the Global Alliance for Infections in Surgery. The self-administered questionnaire was developed by a multidisciplinary team. The survey was open from May 22, 2021, and June 22, 2021. Three reminders were sent, after 7, 14, and 21 days. Results Three hundred four respondents from 72 countries returned a questionnaire, with an overall response rate of 21.2%. Respectively, 90.4% and 68.8% of participants stated their hospital had a multidisciplinary IPC team or a multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship team. Local protocols for antimicrobial therapy of surgical infections and protocols for surgical antibiotic prophylaxis were present in 76.6% and 90.8% of hospitals, respectively. In 23.4% and 24.0% of hospitals no surveillance systems for surgical site infections and no monitoring systems of used antimicrobials were implemented. Patient and family involvement in IPC management was considered to be slightly or not important in their hospital by the majority of respondents (65.1%). Awareness of the global burden of AMR among HCWs was considered very important or important by 54.6% of participants. The COVID-19 pandemic was considered by 80.3% of respondents as a very important or important factor in raising HCWs awareness of the IPC programs in their hospital. Based on the survey results, the authors developed 15 statements for several questions regarding the prevention and management of infections in surgery. The statements may be the starting point for designing future evidence-based recommendations. Conclusion Adequacy of prevention and management of infections in acute care facilities depends on HCWs behaviours and on the organizational characteristics of acute health care facilities to support best practices and promote behavioural change. Patient involvement in the implementation of IPC is still little considered. A debate on how operationalising a fundamental change to IPC, from being solely the HCWs responsibility to one that involves a collaborative relationship between HCWs and patients, should be opened.Peer reviewe