Problems connected with biofilm-related infections and antibiotic resistance necessitate the investigation and development of novel treatment strategies. Given their unique characteristics, one of the most promising alternatives to conventional antibiotics are bacteriophages. In the in vitro and in vivo larva model study, we demonstrate that phages vB_SauM-A, vB_SauM-C, and vB_SauM-D are effective antibiofilm agents. The exposure of biofilm to phages vB_SauM-A and vB_SauM-D led to 2–3 log reductions in the colony-forming unit number in most of the multidrug-resistant S. aureus strains. It was found that phage application reduced the formed biofilms independently of the used titer. Moreover, the study demonstrated that bacteriophages are more efficient in biofilm biomass removal and reduction in staphylococci count when compared to the antibiotics used. The scanning electron microscopy analysis results are in line with colony forming unit (CFU) counting but not entirely consistent with crystal violet (CV) staining. Additionally, phages vB_SauM-A, vB_SauM-C, and vB_SauM-D can significantly increase the survival rate and extend the survival time of Galleria mellonella larvae.

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Highly porous, In-filled CoSb 3 skutterudite materials with an attractive thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT * 1) and corresponding dense samples were fabricated through the cost-effective method of reduction in oxides in dry hydrogen and the pulsed electric current sintering (PECS) method, respectively. The reduction process was described in detail using in situ thermogravimetric analysis of Co 2 O 3 , Sb 2 O 3 and In(NO 3) 3 Á5H 2 O separately and in a mixture. Two methods to synthesise the same material were examined: (a) free sintering of an initially reduced powder and (b) PECS. The free-sintered materials with higher porosities (up to * 40%) exhibited lower values of electrical conductivity than the dense PECS samples (porosity up to * 5%), but the benefit of an even sixfold reduction in thermal conductivity resulted in higher ZT values. The theoretical values of thermal conductivity for various effective media models considering randomly oriented spheroid pores are in good agreement with the experimental thermal conductivity data. The assumed distribution and shape of the pores correlated well with the scanning electron microscope analysis of the microstructure. The lowest value of thermal conductivity, equal to 0.5 W/m K, was measured at 523 K for In 0.1 Co 4 Sb 12 with 41% porosity. The highest value of ZT max = 1.0 at 673 K was found for the In 0.2 Co 4 Sb 12 sample in which the porosity was 36%.

Composites consisting of SrTiO 3 -based perovskite and either yttria-stabilized zirconia or ceria were investigated. The mechanical compatibility and possible inter-diffusion between phases were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. A gradual disappearance of Ce-containing phases with an increase in the temperature of reduction in hydrogen was noticed. Moreover, a diffusion of Sr, Ti, and Ce was observed between the composites and the yttria-stabilized zirconia electrolyte support in the conditions of high temperature (1300-1400 8C) reduction in H 2 .

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