Structural, Thermal, Optical, and Photoacoustic Study of Mechanically Alloyed Nanocrystalline SnTe

<div><p>A nanostructured SnTe phase was produced by mechanical alloying after 2 h of milling. Part of the as-milled powder was annealed and its X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern was recorded. The XRD patterns of the as-milled and annealed samples were refined using the Rietveld method. After annealing, partial decomposition of the SnTe phase was observed and corroborated by estimating the mean crystallite size using a Willianson-Hall plot. The Cowley-Warren parameter α SnTe CWfor the first coordination shell was calculated, showing a preference for homopolar pairs. This preference is consistent with the partial decomposition observed. According to the optical absorbance spectra, the band gap energy is inversely proportional to crystallite size, following a decaying exponential function. From the photoacoustic absorption spectroscopy measurements, the thermal diffusivity parameter and the transport properties of as-milled and annealed SnTe powder were determined.</p></div

Multiscale variability of amphipod assemblages in Posidonia oceanica meadows

The study of spatial patterns is of ecological importance in order to understand the causes of the distribution and abundance of organisms, and it also provides valuable basis for management and conservation. Amphipod crustaceans are key organisms in seagrass ecosystems. However, little attention has been paid to the spatial scales at which amphipod assemblages may vary. We examined variability patterns of amphipod populations inhabiting Posidonia oceanica meadows, over spatial scales spanning four orders of magnitude (1 to 1000 metres) and for two consecutive years. This study reports the scales that contributed most to spatial variation of amphipod assemblages and explores the potential processes of the observed patterns, with particular emphasis on habitat features. The number of species, the diversity and the density of some species, exhibited high variation across years. Most species showed the highest spatial variation in density and biomass at small scales (~1 and 10 m). Based on density data, the structure of amphipod assemblages did not differ at any scales investigated. The patchiness that occurred at small scales may have been only weakly related to habitat features. Instead, we postulated that behavioural processes of amphipods were likely good explanatory factors. Although, the small scale spatial variability can be an important feature of amphipod assemblages in P. oceanica meadows, many patterns probably remained undetected as they may occur at scales smaller than those investigated

The "Woundosome" Concept and Its Impact on Procedural Outcomes in Patients With Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia

This editorial assembles endovascular specialists from diverse clinical backgrounds and nationalities with a global call to address key challenges to enhance revascularization in chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI) patients.- Dedicated below-the-ankle (BTA) angiography and revascularization is underutilized in ischemic foot treatment. Existing guidelines do not address comprehensive BTA vessel analysis. CLTI trials also often lack data on in-line arterial flow to the ischemic lesion and BTA vessel evaluation, hindering outcome assessment.- Dedicated multi-planar angiographic evaluation of the distal microcirculation is key: Direct arterial flow or good-quality collaterals are crucial in influencing wound healing and need to be assessed diligently to the level of the distal ischemic wound territory, termed “woundosome.”- An important primary emphasis of future trials should be on validating technologies and strategies for assessing tissue perfusion before, during, and after revascularization undertaken to heal tissue loss in CLTI patients. This will allow determination of a potentially significant delta in tissue perfusion prior to and following intervention at the “woundosome” level. Once changes in arterial perfusion have been identified as positively correlated to wound healing, these could serve as a much-needed novel primary technical outcome measure for patients with tissue loss undergoing surgical, hybrid, or endovascular revascularization