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The mechanical performance of protective coatings is crucial in daily industrial environments, with transition metal nitrides being among the most commonly used hard coatings for machining tool protection. However, determining their elastoplastic properties via conventional methods can be challenging due to the thickness‐dependent response of film/substrate systems. In this study, we utilised two sputtering Ti‐Al‐N films as a model hard thin film/soft substrate system to showcase an alternative methodology to the Oliver and Pharr method. This alternative approach involves determining Young's modulus, yield stress and hardness through indentation stress–strain curves obtained from nanoindentation tests, effectively decreasing the substrate's contribution. This decrease was corroborated by finite element simulations conducted on films with thickness below 1.0 μm. The elastoplastic properties determined using our methodology fell within the range reported for typical Ti‐Al‐N films. Furthermore, by applying our methodology, we were able to correlate and discuss the observed differences in mechanical behaviour between the two films based solely on their microstructural, compositional and morphological properties. Thus, we have demonstrated a viable alternative methodology to address substrate contribution challenges in the mechanical characterisation of thin film/substrate systems when employing an indenter with a large radius of curvature (~650 nm). This research holds potential implications for the design of protective submicrometric films with industrial applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study analyses the clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with cutaneous fusarium through a systematic review of cases reported in literature. A total of 39 cases were included, of which 53% were men, 30% were women, and in 17% the sex was not specified. The age ranged from 5 to 85 years. Most cases were reported in Brazil, followed by Japan and United States of America. The most common agent was Fusarium solani, in 37.5% of the patients. Most of the affected individuals had acute myeloid leukaemia and some of the predisposing factors, which included induction chemotherapy, febrile neutropenia, and bone marrow transplantation. The clinical topography of the lesions was located in 27.5% and disseminated in 72.5%, with the most observed clinical feature outstanding the presence of papules and nodules with central necrosis in 47% of the cases. Longer survival was demonstrated in those treated with more than three antifungals. It is concluded that cutaneous fusarium is a complex and challenging clinical entity, infection in patients with leukaemias underscores the need for thorough care to decrease morbidity and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The copepod Parvocalanus crassirostris has recently increased its use as live food in marine fish hatcheries. Methods: To investigate the bacterial community of P. crassirostris nauplii and explore the potential use of nauplii as a vector for probiotics, adult copepods were reared with or without a probiotic consortium (Bacillus spp. and Lactobacillus spp.). Nauplii from both treatments were either enriched with probiotics or not, resulting in four treatments: control rearing and nonenriched, control rearing and probiotic enriched, probiotic rearing and nonenriched, and probiotic rearing probiotic enriched. A next‐generation sequencing analysis of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene was performed. Result: The bacterial community of nauplii without probiotics was dominated by the phyla Proteobacteria (mean ± standard deviation = 51.5 ± 8.0%) and Bacteroidetes (27.6 ± 6.7%); from these phyla, the most abundant orders were Rhodobacterales (21.8 ± 2.0%), Flavobacteriales (13.5 ± 9.4%), Chitinophagales (9.7 ± 1.8%), Alteromonadales (9.5 ± 4.0%), and Burkholderiales (3.8 ± 0.8%). Opportunistic pathogenic bacterial genera, such as Vibrio spp. and Pseudomonas spp., were detected at very low relative abundances (<1.2%), indicating that P. crassirostris nauplii could be considered a safe microbiological live feed. Furthermore, P. crassirostris nauplii were a good vector for probiotics delivery, as the adhesion of probiotics on the copepod exoskeleton was successful. Bacillus spp. abundance was 5–6× greater than the abundance of Lactobacillus spp. in P. crassirostris nauplii. The highest mean values of probiotics relative abundance (Bacillus spp. 41 ± 6.0%, Lactobacillus spp. 6.0 ± 3.0%) were observed in nauplii that were reared with probiotics and also enriched with probiotics. Conclusion: Parvocalanus crassirostris nauplii stages I–II appear to be good vectors to provide probiotics to first‐feeding fish larvae. Impact statementMarine fish aquaculture relies on quality live feed for optimal protein production. Assessing copepod nauplii's microbiological safety as fish larvae prey and their role as probiotics vectors is an important contribution to marine fish aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Development of Pacific Red Snapper Lutjanus peru culture has been impeded by low survival in larval culture. We studied the effects of different culture conditions on larval survival in four experiments that examined (1) different‐size prey at first feeding (nauplii of the copepods Parvocalanus crassirostris and Pseudodiaptomus euryhalinus; rotifers Proales similis; and a mix of these three prey types); (2) microalgal density (3 × 105 and 1 × 106 cells/mL); (3) the presence of adult copepods P. crassirostris in larval culture tanks compared to daily nauplius addition (Adult and Nauplius treatments); and (4) light intensity (50, 200, 500, and 1,000 lx). In experiment 1, a strong preference was observed for copepod P. crassirostris nauplii compared to other prey types. Survival at 15 d posthatch (DPH) was significantly higher in the P. crassirostris treatment (mean ± SD = 19.5 ± 10.2%) and the Mixed diet treatment (33.4 ± 9.4%). However, strange behavior of larvae was observed, followed by drastic mortality (at 15–18 DPH) when microalgal addition to larval tanks ceased. This behavior and mortality had not been observed in experiment 2 at any of the microalgal densities supplied until 20 DPH. In experiment 3, survival was evaluated at 2, 5, 7, and 9 DPH and dropped to 50% (5 DPH) in both treatments. At 9 DPH, survival was 14.8 ± 9.5% for the Adult treatment and 3.4 ± 0.9% for the Nauplius treatment. In experiment 4, a significant difference was observed for survival at 9 DPH; survival at 1,000 lx (26.5 ± 18.4%) was significantly higher than survival at 200 lx (4.9 ± 5%) and 50 lx (0.6 ± 0.6%) but was not different from survival at 500 lx (6.6 ± 3.1%). In conclusion, P. crassirostris nauplii are an adequate prey for first feeding of Pacific Red Snapper. Therefore, to improve larval survival, P. crassirostris adults should be added to the larval culture tanks. Moreover, microalgae should be present during all larval rearing, and a light intensity of 1,000 lx should be used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin films of the covellite phase of CuS are of special importance due to their properties for optoelectronic device applications. Their preparation by chemical solution methods could enable their deposition on flexible substrates at low temperature for large area applications. Successive Ionic Layer Adsorption and Reaction (SILAR) is a promising option because it is simple, inexpensive, and allows the control of thickness and composition. However, low crystalline CuS thin films have been reported so far. In this work, highly polycrystalline CuS thin films were successfully grown at room temperature by SILAR using CuSO4 and Na2S as the ionic solutions without post-deposition annealing. The films obtained at different SILAR cycles resulted in good appearance, uniformity, well adhered to the substrate, and presented the covellite structure as the predominant crystalline phase. X-ray diffraction analysis showed important details about the films growth evolution, which were in agreement with results from atomic force microscopy and ellipsometry. All the films exhibited low electrical resistivity in agreement with the metallic behavior observed in the infrared region of their transmittance spectra. These results demonstrate a direct method of obtaining highly polycrystalline CuS thin films at low temperature, which could open a new range of applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanism underlying pain symptoms in fibromyalgia (FM) is not fully understood. Oxidative stress has emerged as pathophysiological event occurring during the development of the disease. The present study aimed at investigating the efficacy of resveratrol associated with rice bran oil on fibromyalgia-like mice model. Subcutaneous injection of reserpine (0.25 mg/Kg) during 3 days produced fibromyalgia-like symptoms. Resveratrol and/or rice oil or pregabalin were administered through oral route in therapeutic (single dose) and preventive (four doses) schemes. In both schemes, treatment with resveratrol associated with rice bran oil and pregabalin significantly reduced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in animals. The preventive scheme displayed antidepressant effect which was demonstrated by the forced swimming test as well as reduced reactive species in the cerebrospinal fluid of reserpinized animals. Taken together, our data provide evidences that the intake of resveratrol associated with rice bran oil plays antinociceptive and antidepressant actions probably through reducing reactive species and suggests the involvement of oxidative stress in this model of FM as possible underlying mechanism of pathogenesis of the disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Successful rearing of larval fish requires culture conditions and feeding strategies matching the ontogenetic status of larvae. This study describes the external morphology and development of organs and structures involved in the feeding process (i.e. sensorial organs, mouthparts and digestive system) from hatching until first feeding in Pacific red snapper. Hatching occurred 26 h after fertilization at 26°C and total length ( TL) was 2.45 ± 0.08 mm. The larvae showed an undifferentiated eye and digestive tract. At 48 hah, TL was 3.31 ± 0.12 mm. Yolk and oil globule were still present. The mouth was still closed, but the Meckel's, quadrate, hyoid and hyomandibular cartilages were present. The retina was formed by 5 layers, and a thin layer of pigment epithelium was observed in the outer nuclear layer ( ONL). At 70 hah, TL was 3.44 ± 0.22 mm. A remnant of oil globule was still present. The mouth and anus were open. At 93 hah, the number of cones in the ONL of the retina have increased and there was more pigment in the pigment epithelial layer. A joint between Meckel's and the quadrate cartilage and also a joint between the hyomandibular cartilage and the skull were present. The presence of live feed was detected in the digestive tract of these larvae. Based on these observations, the Pacific red snapper larvae is functional to start ingesting live feed between the 3rd and 4th day after hatching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article compares the Puerto Rican and Cuban public health and mental health systems and the respective health profiles, emphasizing the role of psychosocial stressors. The Cuban health system was found to be better organized and more capable of providing equitable health care and encouraging community participation in health care delivery. However, the Puerto Rican public health system is in crisis and in the process of turning over the administration of its facilities to the private medical sector. Although both countries share health profiles similar to those of developed nations, differences in morbidity and mortality patterns, and the seemingly epidemic incidence of mental disorders in Puerto Rico suggest dissimilarities between their respective psychosocial stressors. Differences in the quality of public health care and in the health profiles seem mostly attributable to the divergent political and economic organization and priorities of both countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]