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Featured Application: Conidiospores of Trichoderma harzianum can be applied as biocontrols for plant diseases, which are eco-friendly and safe for human health. The best model obtained in this work is used to find the optimal conditions to produce the maximum number of conidiospores. An alternative to facing plagues without affecting ecosystems is the use of biocontrols that keep crops free of harmful organisms. There are some studies showing the use of conidiospores of Trichoderma harzianum as a medium for the biological control of plagues. To find the optimal parameters to maximize the production of conidiospores of Trichoderma harzianum in barley straw, this process is modeled in this work through artificial neural networks and response surface modeling. The data used in this modeling include the amount of conidiospores in grams per milliliter, the culture time from 48 to 136 h in intervals of 8 h, and humidity percentages of 70%, 75%, and 80%. The surface response model presents R2 = 0.8284 and an RMSE of 4.6481. On the other hand, the artificial neural network with the best performance shows R2 = 0.9952 and RMSE = 0.7725. The modeling through both methodologies can represent the behavior of the Trichoderma harzianum conidiospores growth in barley straw, showing that the artificial neural network has better goodness of fit than the response surface methodology, and it can be used for obtaining the optimal values for producing conidiospores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of immunomodulatory and metabolic modulating drugs has been considered a better strategy to improve the efficacy of conventional treatments against pathogens and metabolic diseases. L-carnitine is relevant in fatty acid metabolism and energy production by β-oxidation, but it also has a beneficial therapeutic immunomodulatory effect. The β-hydroxy-γ-aminophosphonate (β-HPC) was developed, synthesized and studied in different pathologies as a more soluble and stable analog than L-carnitine, which has been studied in bacterial physiology and metabolism; therefore, we set out to investigate the direct effect of β-HPC on the metabolism of N. brasiliensis, which causes actinomycetoma in Mexico and is underdiagnosed. To analyze the effect of β-HPC on the metabolic capacity of the bacterium for the hydrolysis of substrate casein, L-tyrosine, egg yolk, and tween 80, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was employed. It was found that β-HPC increases the metabolic activity of N. brasiliensis associated with increased growth and increased hydrolysis of the substrates tested. By the effect of β-HPC, it was observed that, in the hydrolysis of L-tyrosine, the aromatic ring and functional groups were degraded. At 1515 cm−1, any distinctive signal or peak for this amino acid was missing, almost disappearing at 839, 720, 647, and 550 cm−1. In casein, hydrolysis is enhanced in the substrate, which is evident by the presence of NH, OH, amide, and CO. In casein, hydrolysis is enhanced in the substrate, which is evident by the presence of NH, OH, amide, COO, and P = O signals, characteristic of amino acids, in addition to the increase of the amide I and II bands. In Tween 80 the H-C = and C = C signals disappear and the ether signals are concentrated, it was distinguished by the intense band at 1100 cm−1. Egg yolk showed a large accumulation of phosphate groups at 1071 cm−1, where phosvitin is located. FT-IR has served to demonstrate that β-HPC is a hydrolysis enhancer. Furthermore, by obtaining the spectrum of N. brasiliensis, we intend to use it as a quick comparison tool with other spectra related to actinobacteria. Eventually, FT-IR may serve as a species identification option. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to optimize an extruded aquafeed for Oreochromis niloticus (Nile tilapia) using moringa as a partial protein source. Response surface methodology (RSM) with a Rotatable Central Composite Design (CCRD) was employed to evaluate the four factors influence: sardine meal (28.5–39.25%), moringa flour (34.85–45.60%), temperature (110–140°C) and moisture content (13–17%) on aquafeed's physicochemical characteristics: expansion index (EI), bulk density, water solubility index (WSI), water absorption index (WAI), hardness and buoyancy. Numerical optimization identified 100 potential diets, of which four were selected and met the criteria for high WSI (11–14%), low hardness (22–32 N) and 100% buoyancy. The best diet consisted of 31.19% sardine meal and 42.91% moringa flour, processed at 132.5°C and 16% moisture, presenting 13.68% WSI, full buoyancy, 29.63 N hardness, 36.33% protein, 10.71% lipids, and 31.36% carbohydrates, applicable to fingerling O. niloticus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]