Coexistence of pressure-induced structural phases in bulk black phosphorus: a combined x-ray diffraction and Raman study up to 18 GPa

We report a study of the structural phase transitions induced by pressure in bulk black phosphorus by using both synchrotron x-ray diffraction for pressures up to 12.2 GPa and Raman spectroscopy up to 18.2 GPa. Very recently black phosphorus attracted large attention because of the unique properties of fewlayers samples (phosphorene), but some basic questions are still open in the case of the bulk system. As concerning the presence of a Raman spectrum above 10 GPa, which should not be observed in an elemental simple cubic system, we propose a new explanation by attributing a key role to the non-hydrostatic conditions occurring in Raman experiments. Finally, a combined analysis of Raman and XRD data allowed us to obtain quantitative information on presence and extent of coexistences between different structural phases from ~5 up to ~15 GPa. This information can have an important role in theoretical studies on pressure-induced structural and electronic phase transitions in black phosphorus

High-temperature and high-pressure behavior of carbonates in the ternary diagram CaCO3-MgCO3-FeCO3

We report the thermal expansion and the compressibility of carbonates in the ternary compositional diagram CaCO3-MgCO3-FeCO3, determined by in situ X-ray powder and single-crystal diffraction. High-temperature experiments were performed by high-resolution X-ray synchrotron powder diffraction from ambient to decarbonation temperatures (25-850 \ub0C). Single-crystal synchrotron X ray diffraction experiments were performed in a variable pressure range (0-100 GPa), depending on the stability field of the rhombohedral structure at ambient temperature, which is a function of the carbonate composition. The thermal expansion increases from calcite, CaCO3, \u3b10 = 4.10(7) 710-5 K-1, to magnesite, MgCO3, \u3b10 = 7.04(2) 710-5 K-1. In the magnesite-siderite (FeCO3) join, the thermal expansion decreases as iron content increases, with an experimental value of \u3b10 = 6.44(4) 710-5 K-1 for siderite. The compressibility in the ternary join is higher (i.e., lower bulk modulus) in calcite and Mg-calcite [K0 = 77(3) GPa for Ca0.91Mg0.06Fe0.03(CO3)] than in magnesite, K0 = 113(1) GPa, and siderite, K0 = 125(1) GPa. The analysis of thermal expansion and compressibility variation in calcite-magnesite and calcite-iron-magnesite joins clearly shows that the structural changes associated to the order-disorder transitions [i.e., R3c calcite-type structure vs. R3 CaMg(CO3)2 dolomite-type structure] do not affect significantly the thermal expansion and compressibility of carbonate. On the contrary, the chemical compositions of carbonates play a major role on their thermo-elastic properties. Finally, we use our P-V-T equation of state data to calculate the unit-cell volume of a natural ternary carbonate, and we compare the calculated volumes to experimental observations, measured in situ at elevated pressure and temperatures, using a multi-anvil device. The experimental and calculated data are in good agreement demonstrating that the equation of state here reported can describe the volume behavior with the accuracy needed, for example, for a direct chemical estimation of carbonates based on experimental unit-cell volume data of carbonates at high pressures and temperatures

Ecological conditions, flora and vegetation of a large doline in the Mecsek Mountains (South Hungary)

Vegetation-environment relationships were investigated in a large doline of the Mecsek Mts (South Hungary). To reveal the vegetation pattern, we collected vegetation data and environmental variables along a 243 m long transect. Atotal of 144 vascular plant species and 4 vegetation types were identified in the doline.We found that both the species composition and the vegetation pattern are significantly influenced by air temperature, air humidity, soil moisture and altitude. Our results confirm the putative temperature and vegetation inversion in the doline

Does morbid obesity influence perioperative outcomes after video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer? Analysis of the Italian VATS group registry

Objectives: Obesity in Europe, and worldwide, has been an increasing epidemic during the past decades. Moreover, obesity has important implications regarding technical issues and the risks associated with surgical interventions. Nevertheless, there is a lack of evidence assessing the influence of obesity on video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) lobectomy results. Our study aimed to assess the impact of morbid obesity on perioperative clinical and oncological outcomes after VATS lobectomy using a prospectively maintained nationwide registry. Methods: The Italian VATS lobectomy Registry was used to collect all consecutive cases from 55 Institutions. Explored outcome parameters were conversion to thoracotomy rates, complication rates, intra-operative blood loss, surgical time, hospital postoperative length of stay, chest tube duration, number of harvested lymph-node, and surgical margin positivity. Results: From 2016 to 2019, a total of 4412 patients were collected. 74 patients present morbid obesity (1.7%). Multivariable-adjusted analysis showed that morbid obesity was associated with a higher rate of complications (32.8% vs 20.3%), but it was not associated with a higher rate of conversion, and surgical margin positivity rates. Moreover, morbid obesity patients benefit from an equivalent surgical time, lymph-node retrieval, intraoperative blood loss, hospital postoperative length of stay, and chest tube duration than non-morbid obese patients. The most frequent postoperative complications in morbidly obese patients were pulmonary-related (35%). Conclusion: Our results showed that VATS lobectomy could be safely and satisfactorily conducted even in morbidly obese patients, without an increase in conversion rate, blood loss, surgical time, hospital postoperative length of stay, and chest tube duration. Moreover, short-term oncological outcomes were preserved

HESEB The Helmholtz state of the art Soft X Ray Undulator beamline at SESAME

SESAME and a consortium of five Helmholtz Centers are designing and installing a state of the art soft X Ray undulator beamline at the SESAME light source in Amman, Jordan. Funding is provided by the Helmholtz Association over a four year project cycle that started in January 2019. This is an interim report covering the first 36 months of the project where the construction and installation has been almost completed and commissioning and characterization of the beamline is about to start. Additionally, seminars, workshops, and a training program are part of the project aimed at establishing a broad user communit

Mesoporous silica nanoparticles with tunable pore size for tailored gold nanoparticles

The aim of this paper was to verify a possible correlation between the pore-size of meso- porous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) and the sizes of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) obtained by an impreg- nation of gold(III) chloride hydrate solution in the MSNs, followed by a specific thermal treatment. Mesoporous silica nanoparticles with tunable pore diameter were synthesized via a surfactant-assisted method. Tetraethoxysilane as silica precursor, cetyl- trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as surfactant and toluene as swelling agent were used. By varying the CTAB–toluene molar ratio, the average dimension of the pores could be tuned from 2.8 to 5.5 nm. Successively, thiol groups were grafted on the surface of the MSNs. Finally, the thermal evolution of the gold salt, followed by ‘‘in situ’’ X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), revealed an evident correlation among the degradation of the thiol groups, the pore dimension of the MSNs and the size of the AuNPs. The samples were characterized by means of nitrogen adsorption– desorption, transmission electron microscopy, small- angle X-ray scattering, XRPD ‘‘in situ’’ by synchro- tron radiation, and ‘‘ex situ’’ by conventional tech- niques, diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, and TGA