Crystalline cellulose nanofibers are obtained from the bark of Cereus Forbesii, a cactus native to the arid areas of South America. The obtaining of cellulose nanofibers was carried out in several steps: pretreatment of the raw material, elimination of hemicellulose and lignin to obtain cellulose, and an acid hydrolysis of cellulose to obtain crystalline cellulose nanofibers. The cellulose nanofibers obtained have a crystallinity index of 82% and a nanofiber diameter of 18 nm. An average crystallite size of 6 nm was calculated for the crystalline domains that form cellulose nanofibers. The high crystallinity of the obtained cellulose nanofibers makes the sample very homogeneous and decomposes in a relatively narrow temperature range (between 290°C and 375°C). The complete degradation of crystalline cellulose polymer chains takes place between 375°C and 600°C. The morphological and structural studies are carried out by scanning electron microscopy of field emission, infrared spectrometry with Fourier transform, and powder X-ray diffraction. The thermal stability of the samples is determined by thermogravimetric analysis.

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of foliar spraying with bacterial biocontrol agents (BBAs) on the control of common bacterial blight (CBB) of bean, and on the induction of systemic resistance in bean plants. CBB control by BBAs was evaluated by spraying bean leaves 48 and 24 hours before and after pathogen inoculation (BPI and API, respectively), with: DFs93, Bacillus cereus; DFs513, Pseudomonas veronii; DFs769, B. cereus; the C01 combination, DFs93 + DFs769 + DFs831 (Pseudomonas fluorescens); the C03 combination, DFs348 (Bacillus sp.) + DFs769 + DFs831; and water (control). Systemic effects were analyzed after spraying DFs513, DFs769, C03, and water 72 and 48 hours BPI. Phaseolin production induced by DFs348, DFs513, DFs769, DFs831, and water was also assessed. DFs513, DFs769, and C03 significantly reduced disease incidence (area under disease progress curve), regardless of spraying time and disease severity when sprayed 72 and 48 hours BPI. The DFs769 and DFs831 isolates induced the accumulation of phytoalexin (phaseolin). Therefore, DFs513, DFs769, and C03 show potential for the biocontrol of CBB when applied preventively on bean leaves, besides inducing systemic resistance.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability to degrade organic matter by edaphic macrofauna (worms), carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio and hydrogenation potential (pH) during the vermicomposting process in different organic residues. The treatments were constituted by organic residues of animal origin (bovine, ovine and equine manure) and vegetable (herb-checkmate and coffee drag), which were conditioned in plastic pots with a capacity of 10 liters, comprising five treatments in a completely randomized experimental design, with five replications. Were inoculated 150 earthworms of the species Eisenia foetida, into each plot. After 87 days, the evaluation of the multiplication of the earthworms was carried out, through its manual count and its cocoons. At the beginning and at the end of the experiment, the samples were submitted to analysis of humidity at 60 °C, pH, volumetric density, chemical analysis of macronutrients and C/N ratio. There was a dominance of worms and cocoons in the process of vermicomposting in the residues of ovine manure and herb-checkmate. The macronutrients (P, K and Mg) and C/N ratio were higher in the vegetal residues, while for N higher values were found in ovine manure and coffee drag treatments, and for Ca higher value among treatments was observed in the coffee drag treatment at the end and the lowest value at initiation. The results obtained in this study demonstrate the importance of the edaphic macrofauna to the vermicomposting process, since it allows more information about its influence on the continuity of soil organic matter decomposition processes.

The purpose of this work is to improve one of the important physicochemical properties of an active pharmaceutical ingredient (API), as is the water solubility of paracetamol. To improve the physicochemical properties of this API, two pharmaceutical excipients such as the HPMC and maltodextrin were used, which help to improve the solubility, and this helps to the manufacturing process of a pharmaceutical product. Different granule formulations were manufactured by applying a matrix design of experiment where the wet granulation process was performed, combining Paracetamol with the excipients to obtain a uniform particle size and subsequently evaluate the properties of interest. The solubility was evaluated using a method (Mexican pharmacopoeia-FEUM) based on UV / VIS method, performing the calibration curve only for the API to evaluate the granule and calculate the percentage of solubility of these. Favorable results were obtained for two of the seven granule formulations manufactured, the mixture of granule F and G: 25 g of paracetamol, 1.5; 1.75 g of HPMC and 23.5 g; 23.25 of the maltodextrin has a solubility of 104.17% and 101.48% of the G, which shows that the process by wet granulation can improve its solubility. This type of co-processed granule also fulfills the function of masking the bitter taste of paracetamol in one oral pharmaceutical form, as in the case of a syrup and it could be an advantage in the market. The flavor was evaluated by a panel of 20 people and the taste of the syrups that were prepared with the granule with better solubility was compared with the syrups containing only the API dissolved. It is shown that the granules F have improvement in the solubility of paracetamol and can mask the unpleasant (bitter) taste of the active ingredient.

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