Due to the emergence of bacterial resistance in phytopathogenic microorganisms, it is necessary to search for new treatment alternatives for these pathogens. Natural extracts are a potential source of bioactive compounds that can act against such bacterial strains. The antibacterial activity of Larrea tridentata against bacteria with public health importance has been documented; however, few reports cover pathogens associated with the agricultural sector. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the antibacterial activity of Larrea tridentata hydroalcoholic extract (LTHE) and fractions against phytopathogenic bacteria. LTHE was obtained by the maceration technique and then subjected to bipartition using solvents of different polarities. Clavibacter michiganensis sbsp. michiganensis, Pseudomonas syringae, and Xanthomonas campestris strains were used, and their antibiotic sensitivity was determined. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of LTHE and its fractions (aqueous: LTAq-F; organic: LTEtOAc-F) were determined. LTHE and its organic fraction showed bactericidal activity against the three bacteria, showing better activity against X. campestris, exhibiting an MIC of 0.39 mg/mL and an MBC of 0.78 mg/mL. The results show that LTHE and its organic fraction have bactericidal activity in vitro against Clavibacter michiganensis sbsp. michiganensis, Pseudomonas syringae, and Xanthomonas campestris.

Oregano additives could contain growth stimulating compounds for poultry, however, a great variation attributed to their main components is observed. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of oregano oil dietary supplementation on the productive variables, the height of the intestinal villi and the accumulation of antioxidant compounds in the breast of broilers. In total, 480 broilers were reared from 1 to 42 d of age and since the first day of life were allocated into four treatments, each with four replications of 30 birds. The formulated diet was based on corn and soybean meal and 0, 100, 200 or 400 mg of oregano oil per kg of feed were incorporated in the diets of treatment 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. Feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion and mortality rates were weekly recorded. At 21 and 42 days of age the intestinal villi height and antioxidant capacity in the chicken breast were measured. Oregano oil used contained 43.17% and 29.16% of thymol and carvacrol, respectively. Feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion rate and mortality were not affected by oregano oil dietary supplementation. The height of intestinal villi increased with the level of oregano oil supplementation (P<0.05). However, the size of the intestinal villi was greater in the duodenum compared to the other parts (P<0.05), and jejunum and ileum had the same height. Antioxidant capacity of chicken breast at the 6th week was increased in the group that was dietary supplemented with 400 mg of oregano oil per kg of feed.

Dicalcium phosphate (DP) is a mineral involved in the metabolism and development and is used as a dietary source of phosphorus (P_T) for poultry. Our study objective is to design nano-dicalcium phosphate (NDP) by co-precipitation. The methodological procedure was divided into two phases: (1) NDP synthesis, and (2) bird performance, digestibility, and Ca-P in chick’s tissues. The sizes of the NDP were 20–80 nm. NDP had the Ca: P ratio of 1:1.12. The birds were divided into control diet (available P (P_a) = 0.13%) and three supplementary P sources [Commercial (Calcium phosphate), analytical grade (DP) and nanoparticles (NDP)] with three P_a levels (0.24, 0.35, 0.46%). Supplementary P sources compared to the control treatment had the highest body weight gain (698.56 vs. 228; p < 0.05) and feed intake (FI) (965.18 vs. 345.82), respectively. The digestibility of P_T (67%) improved with 0.35% NDP. The highest contents of P_T -breast were with the levels of 0.35 and 0.46% NDP. The P_T, ash, and diameters were higher (p < 0.05) with supplementary P compared to the control treatment. As conclusion, the use of 0.35% NDP was the ideal dose in the chicks for the digestibility, absorption values, and the amount of P_T in the breast.

Objective: This study was conducted to estimate multi-trait genetic parameters for somatic cell score (SCS), milk yield and type traits in Nigerian Dwarf (ND) goats from the United States.Methods: Data from 1,041 ND goats in the United States with kiddings in 95 herds were used to estimate multi-trait genetic parameters for SCS, milk (MILK), fat (FAT), and protein (PROT) yields, and 14 type traits. An 18-trait mixed linear animal model for lactation mean SCS (Log2), MILK, FAT, PROT, and 14 type traits was applied. A factor analytic approach (FA1) in ASReml software was used to obtain convergence.Results: Averages for SCS were low (2.85±1.29 Log2), and were 314±110.6, 20.9±7.4, and 14±4.9 kg, respectively, for MILK, FAT, and PROT. Heritabilities for SCS, MILK, FAT, and PROT were 0.32, 0.16, 0.16, and 0.10, respectively. The highest heritabilities for type traits were for stature (0.72), teat diameter (0.49), and rump width (0.48), and the lowest estimates were for dairyness (0.003) and medial suspensory ligament (0.03). Genetic correlations of SCS with MILK, FAT, and PROT were positive but low (0.25, 0.18, and 0.23, respectively). Genetic and phenotypic correlations between MILK, FAT, and PROT were high and positive (≥0.66). Absolute values of genetic correlations involving SCS with type traits were generally low or no different from zero. Most of the phenotypic correlations involving SCS with type traits were low. No serious unfavorable genetic correlations between milk yield traits and SCS or between milk yield traits or SCS and type traits were found.Conclusion: Genetic variation exists in the ND breed for most studied traits. The development of selection programs based on these estimates may help accelerate favorable multitrait genetic changes in this breed.

The presence of pathogens in fecundation hives represents a source of infection for queen bees. The objective of this investigation was to determine the prevalence of Varroa, Nosema, and Acarapis in hives for the production of mating nuclei (HPMN). 239 samples of adult bees of 17 apiaries of a queen bee breeding system were analyzed during the winter and summer of 2016. The prevalence of Varroa and Nosema was higher in winter (79.1% and 55.4%, respectively) than in summer (65.9% and 33.0%, respectively). However, Acarapis was not found. Varroa infestation was 2.55 ± 0.82 mites/100 bees, and Nosema 145 ± 24 × 10³ spores/bee (Standard deviation of the mean). The probability of finding Nosema, in the presence of Varroa, was 3.8 and 1.1 times higher in winter than in summer, respectively. We, therefore, conclude that HPMN has a higher incidence of varroasis and nosemosis during winter and nosemosis increases in the presence of varroasis. We, on the other hand, consider acariosis, absent in the region of study.

Dye-sensitized solar cells transform solar light into electricity. One commonly used dye is a ruthenium complex. However, the use of ruthenium has been shown to have several disadvantages. In this study, via singular spectrum analysis using HypSpec software, we determined the formation constants and calculated individual electronic spectra of species of iron(III) with several ligands (1,2-diaminoethane, 1,3-diaminopropane, 1,4-diaminobutane, 2,2′-bipyridyl, 5,5-dimethyl-2,2′-bipyridyl, 4,4′-di-tert-butyl-2,2′-bipyridyl, 1,10-phenanthroline, and 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) in methanol solution. We present a spectral comparison of the complexes reported here to the ruthenium complex: tris-(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(II).