Some problems of the moral and psychological training of medical service personnel

The authors' experience with 45 papillosphincterotomies, performed for diseases of bile passages and chronic pancreatitis, is reported. The details of the operative technic, employed by the authors, are described. The technic of papillosphincterotomy on a conus-shape sound by means of a "laser scalpel" proved to be the most perfect one. Careful observation of the surgical technic made it possible to gain favourable results--only 1 of 45 operated patients died. Papillosphincterotomy is largely advocated in stenoses and concretions in the large duodenal papilla, strictures of choledocho-duodenoanastomoses, care should be taken not to overwiden indications to the operation concerned.     

Application of Diamond in High Technology

This review focuses on the critical issues and future directions in the application of diamond in high technology. Diamond nuclear radiation detectors, photosensors, photoemitters, spectral windows, active and passive microelectronic components, and microelectromechanical systems are discussed in detail. In Russia, high-technology diamond applications have not yet moved toward the manufacturing stage, even though Russia possesses immense resources of natural diamond and a considerable scientific potential in the field of creating unique synthetic diamonds, polycrystalline and single-crystal diamond films, and diamond-like compounds. We hope that the points raised in this review will provide the impetus for the development of diamond technology in Russia.     

Plasmon holographic experiments: theoretical framework

A theoretical framework is described to understand the results of plasmon holography experiments leading to insight in the meaning of the experimental results and pointing out directions for future experiments. The framework is based on the formalism of mutual intensity to describe how coherence is transferred through an optical system. For the inelastic interaction with the object, an expression for the volume plasmon excitations in a free electron gas is used as a model for the behaviour of aluminium. The formalism leads to a clear graphical intuitive tool for understanding the experiments. It becomes evident that the measured coherence is solely related to the angular distribution of the plasmon scattering in the case of bulk plasmons. After describing the framework, the special case of coherence outside a spherical particle is treated and the seemingly controversial idea of a plasmon with a limited coherence length obtained from experiments is clarified.     

Phase–chronometric diagnostics of metal-cutting lathes

An information and measuring system for phase–chronometric lathe diagnostics is described. The system hardware is specified. The results of mathematical modeling are compared with experimental data.     

Experience and prospects of oil shale utilization for power production in Russia

Due to termination of work at the Leningrad Shale Deposit, the Russian shale industry has been liquidated, including not only shale mining and processing but also research and engineering (including design) activities, because this deposit was the only commercially operated complex in Russia. UTT-3000 plants with solid heat carrier, created mainly by the Russian specialists under scientific guidance of members of Krzhizhanovsky Power Engineering Institute, passed under the control of Estonian engineers, who, alongside with their operation in Narva, construct similar plants in Kohtla-Jarve, having renamed the Galoter Process into the Enifit or Petroter. The main idea of this article is to substantiate the expediency of revival of the oil shale industry in Russia. Data on the UTT-3000 plants' advantages, shale oils, and gas properties is provided. Information on investments in an UTT-3000 plant and estimated cost of Leningrad oil shale mining at the Mezhdurechensk Strip Mine is given. For more detailed technical and economic assessment of construction of a complex for oil shale extraction and processing, it is necessary to develop a feasibility study, which should be the first stage of this work. Creation of such a complex will make it possible to produce liquid and gaseous power fuel from oil shale of Leningrad Deposit and provide the opportunity to direct for export the released volumes of oil and gas for the purposes of Russian budget currency replenishment.     

Results of applying the algorithms based on the theory of optimal detection and optimal estimation to analysis of the envelope soliton

The problems on the optimal detection and optimal estimation of envelope soliton parameters have been solved jointly via the quadrature reception method. The expressions for detection characteristics, signal parameter estimates, and relative errors have been derived. It is demonstrated that the false alarm and missing probabilities are usually several percents and the relative errors do not exceed 5–30%. It has been found that the estimated parameters agree well with the real ones if the signal-to-noise ratio is close to unity. The proposed algorithms are shown to have an advantage over the classical and modern spectrum estimation methods when they are employed to reveal the envelope soliton against the background of Gaussian quasiwhite noise.     

Magnetic susceptibility of (Bi2 ? xSbx)Te3 (0 < x < 1) alloys in the temperature range 2 to 50 K

The superconducting quantum interferometer device with Josephson junctions (SQUID magnetometer) is used to study the temperature dependences of the magnetic susceptibility of (Bi_2−x Sb _x )Te₃ (0 < x < 1) alloy crystals in the temperature range 2 to 50 K, at the magnetic field vector H orientations H | C ₃ and H ⊥ C ₃ with respect to the crystal trigonal axis C ₃. It is found that the magnetic susceptibility of the ion core of the samples under study is χ ^G = −0.35 × 10⁻⁶ cm³/g, the contribution of lattice defects to magnetic susceptibility can be disregarded, and the contribution of free carriers is of a diamagnetic nature in the entire studied temperature range. It is shown that the contribution of free carriers to the resulting magnetic susceptibility and its anisotropy can be described within the Pauli and Landau-Peierls approach. In calculating the magnetic susceptibility, taking into account the constant concentration of free carriers in the state of pronounced degeneracy, it is found that the temperature dependence of the anisotropic effective masses varies with crystal chemical composition. This is possibly associated with the complex structure of the valence band and its variation as the Sb₂Te₃ content in the alloy increases.     

On statistical problems in geolocation

We consider the problem of estimating the location of an emitter on the Earth surface based on signals received by a ground terminal from two geostationary satellites. Coordinates of the emitter are computed using differential time-of-arrival and differential Doppler shift of received signals. Our main purpose is mathematical analysis of statistical problems that arise in estimating these parameters.     

Technological possibilities of processing the sublimates of electron-beam remelting of niobium to form ferroniobium

The possibility of melting of ferroniobium from the sublimates of electron-beam remelting of niobium ingots is studied using thermodynamic analysis and a “hot” simulation. The basic requirements for the conditions of processing of sublimates with various (Nb/Al)_met ratios are evaluated and determined. A ferroalloy the contents of controlled impurities in which correspond to certain ferroniobium grades of Russian and foreign standards is produced by melting of charges containing the sublimates, a deoxidizer (Fe₂O₃), and a flux (CaO, CaF₂) in an electroslag furnace.     

The detection of an external acoustic impact on an optical fiber using a scattered-light interferometer

The results of a study of a scattered-light interferometer for detecting external acoustic impacts on optical fiber are presented. A method of scattered field demodulation using the phase diversity technique is proposed. The demodulated signal is shown to contain regions of fading, the causes of which are analyzed.