Horizon entanglement area law from regular black hole thermodynamics

We investigate the thermodynamics of regular black hole configurations via quantum analogs of entropy and energy—namely, the entanglement entropy and entanglement energy—near the event horizon of Bardeen and Hayward black holes. Following standard approaches, we introduce a quantum scalar field propagating in such black hole spacetimes and discretize the field degrees of freedom on a lattice of spherical shells.We observe that, at leading order, the entanglement entropy associated with the scalar field is proportional to Bekenstein-Hawking entropy, while the corresponding entanglement energy scales proportionally to Komar energy.We then compute the heat capacity in both scenarios, discussing the black hole stability conditions and the possible appearance of second-order phase transitions. Finally, we extend our analysis to the black hole core, showing that in this sector entanglement energy serves as a valuable tool towards discriminating between singular and regular solutions

Cafestol and kahweol content in different specialty coffee brews: Exploration by NMR analysis and evaluation of brewing parameters

Cafestol and kahweol, two coffee diterpenes known for their health effects, were quantified in cups of Kenya specialty coffee prepared using eight different brewing methods: AeroPress, Chemex, Clever, V60, Moka, Ibrik, Pure Brew, and French press. High-resolution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was employed for this analysis, involving a straightforward sample preparation procedure with only an extraction step for lipid compounds. Statistical tools were utilized to examine the correlation between diterpene concentrations and each extraction feature, with a focus on the impact of brewing parameters. The results indicate that unfiltered brewing methods produce coffee with high concentrations of diterpenes, whereas paper-filtered methods result in significantly lower concentrations. The findings suggest that these compounds are present in the coffee cup as part of the suspended solids, and that filtration, pressurization, and coffee powder particle size are crucial parameters influencing their concentration

30 Years of Forest Soil Monitoring: Results from the Italian ICP-Forests Network

Forests support a broad range of ecosystem services. These services cannot simply be traced back to the individual biotic and abiotic components of the forest ecosystems. Rather, they stem from complex interactions between these components. CON.ECO.FOR, the Italian branch of the ICP-Forests (International Co-operative Program on Assessment and Monitoring of Air Pollution Effects on Forests) network, established in 1994, has shown to be a unique data source for understanding forest interactions and processes. This contribution aims to draw a comprehensive picture of the Italian forest soil conditions by reviewing the main issues that have arisen and the results obtained over the last 30 years of forest soil monitoring. Forest health is often controlled by soil-mediated processes. Thus, we have evidenced how including soil parameters in environmental studies has proven to be of high value for a better understanding of forest ecosystem conditions and trends. Here, we are reviewing all of the results obtained concerning soils from the analyses of the impacts of atmospheric deposition on forest soils to the study of the relationships between organism diversity and the soil

Tryptophan and/or canthaxanthin in quail diets: effects on performance, carcass traits, hematology, blood chemistry and hepatic antioxidant capacity

To enhance the health and performance of poultry, novel approaches have to be created. Using appropriate nutritional interventions to enhance body physiology and thus enhance productivity is one of these approaches. The purpose of the present investigation intended to examine how growing quail physiology and growth is affected by supplementing diets with tryptophan (Trp) and/or canthaxanthin (CX). The sum of 200 unsexed, 1-week-age Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica), with a nearly similar body weight (BW) of 33.50 ± 1.20 g, were assigned, in random, to four experimental groups. Each group consisted of five replicates, with 10 birds per replicate. Chicks in group 1 (T1) served as the control and were fed a basal diet without any supplementation from week 1 to week 5. The second (T2) and third (T3) groups received feed supplemented with 0.01% Trp and 0.005% CX, respectively. The fourth group (T4) was given a diet containing a combination of 0.01% Trp and 0.005% CX. Results indicated that supplementation with Trp, CX, or their combination significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced live BW and body weight gain (BWG) at 5 weeks. No noticeable variations in carcass characteristics were found across all treatments over the whole trial duration. Blood levels of high-density lipoprotein were considerably greater in the Trp and/or CX-fed group than in the control group. Adding Trp and/orCX to quail diets significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the activity of liver enzymes (alanine transaminase, ALT; aspartate transaminase, AST; alkaline phosphatase, ALP), along with reduced low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Birds received diets with Trp and/or CX had higher values of antioxidant indices in serum and liver (P< 0.05), accompanied by low values of malondialdehyde compared to control group. We concluded that adding quail diet with Trp and/orCX had positive consequences on the growth performance and some physiological indices. Keywords: tryptophan, canthaxanthin, performance, blood, quail

Association of aging acceleration with serum neurofilament light chain levels: Implications for the roles of modifiable aging factors

Introduction: Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a specific biomarker of neuroaxonal damage and related neurodegenerative diseases. Aging acceleration, which reflects the impact of modifiable factors on the aging process, is increasingly recognized for its relevance. While normal aging is known to contribute substantially to neuroaxonal damage and many neurodegenerative diseases, the effects of aging acceleration warrant further investigation. This study aimed to investigate the association and causality between aging acceleration and serum NfL levels. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 1695 adult participants from NHANES 2013–2014 to evaluate the association, dose-response relationship, and interaction network between aging acceleration and serum NfL levels. And we used Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess the causal effects between serum NfL levels and aging acceleration. Results: Significant positive associations were observed between aging acceleration and serum NfL levels. In linear regression, the regression coefficients were 0.016 (95 % CI: 0.011–0.021) for biological age acceleration and 0.020 (95 % CI: 0.012–0.028) for phenotypic age acceleration. In logistic regression, the odds ratios were 1.052 (95 % CI: 1.029–1.076) and 1.093 (95 % CI: 1.064–1.123), respectively. Restricted cubic spline regression identified significant positive dose-response relationships, and bidirectional MR analyses demonstrated forward causal effects. Conclusion: Our study indicates that aging acceleration is significantly associated with serum NfL levels, with higher levels of aging acceleration linked to an increased risk of neuroaxonal damage. These findings provide robust evidence that aging acceleration affects the risk of neuroaxonal damage and highlight the importance of modifiable aging factors

Methods and Instruments | Transmission Electron Microscopy

Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) and related techniques, such as High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM), Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM), principles and applications in the field of electrochemical power sources are briefly described. Instrumentation and operation are introduced together with the basis of electron scattering phenomena that generate contrast both in the real (imaging mode) and reciprocal space (diffraction mode). Applications of TEM to the study of materials in electrochemical devices are discussed demonstrating the capability of this technique in the characterization of electrochemically active materials down to the atomic scale, also by the mean of innovative methods such as operando- and cryo-STEM

Effects of Macronutrients on the Growth, Essential Oil Production and Quality of Echinophora platyloba (DC.) in Natural Ecosystems

Echinophora platyloba DC. (Apiaceae) is recognized for its important secondary metabolites and antifungal agents. To evaluate the effects of macronutrient fertilizers on the growth parameters and essential oils yield of E. platyloba, a study was conducted in 2018 at Shahrekord University, Iran. The treatments included the individual and combined application of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, along with control groups. The results revealed that nitrogen application significantly influenced biomass accumulation in stems, leaves, and inflorescences, with phosphorus-treated plants showing a notable increase in leaf weight. Compared to a positive control, phosphorus increased the essential oil yield by 488%, while nitrogen enhanced biomass accumulation by 165%. The primary compounds identified included (E)-β-ocimene, (E)-sesquilavandolol, and β-pinene, with percentages ranging between 21.3–32.1%, 14.1–42.0%, and 2.0–8.8%, respectively. The levels of β-pinene, (E)-β-ocimene, γ-decalactone, and spathulenol were found to be higher in the phosphorus and potassium treatments than in nitrogen. In contrast, limonene, linalool, geraniol, and (E)-sesquilavandulol concentrations were greater in the nitrogen treatment compared with phosphorus and potassium treatments. In conclusion, phosphorus fertilization can substantially increase the essential oil yield in E. platyloba compared to other treatments, potentially enhancing production per unit area, which supports farmers’ income and helps prevent the degradation of this species in natural habitats