Plating Efficiency Research Articles

Phages ZC01 and ZC03 require type-IV pilus for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and have a potential for therapeutic applications.

There has been a growing interest in bacteriophages as therapeutic agents to treat multidrug-resistant bacterial infections. The present work aimed at expanding the microbiological and molecular characterization of lytic phages ZC01 and ZC03 and investigating their efficacy in the control of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in an invertebrate animal model. These two phages were previously isolated from composting using P. aeruginosa strain PA14 as the enrichment host and had their genomes sequenced. ZC01 and ZC03 present, respectively, siphovirus and podovirus morphotypes. ZC01 was recently classified into the genus Abidjanvirus, while ZC03 belongs to Zicotriavirus genus of the Schitoviridae N4-like viruses. Through proteomics analysis, we identified virion structural proteins of ZC01 and ZC03, including a large virion-associated RNA polymerase that is characteristic of N4-like viruses, some hypothetical proteins whose annotation should be changed to virion structural proteins and a putative peptidoglycan hydrolase. Phages ZC01 and ZC03 exhibit a limited yet distinct host range, with moderate to high efficiency of plating (EOP) values observed for a few P. aeruginosa clinical isolates. Phage susceptibility assays in PA14 mutant strains point to the type-IV pilus (T4P) as the primary receptor for phages ZC01 and ZC03, and the major pilin (PilAPA14) is the T4P component recognized by these phages. Moreover, both phages significantly increase survival of Galleria mellonella larvae infected with PA14 strain. Taken together, these results underpin the therapeutic potential of these phages to treat infections by P. aeruginosa and lay the groundwork for a more detailed investigation of phage-bacteria-specific recognition mechanisms.IMPORTANCEPhage therapy is gaining increasing interest in cases of difficult-to-treat bacterial human infections, such as carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this work, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the interaction of the lytic phages ZC01 and ZC03 with the highly virulent P. aeruginosa PA14 strain and their efficacy to treat PA14 infection in Galleria mellonella larvae, a commonly used invertebrate model for phage therapy. We depicted the protein composition of ZC01 and ZC03 viral particles and identified pilin A, the major component of type-4 pilus, as the receptor recognized by these phages. Our findings indicate that phages ZC01 and ZC03 may be further used for developing therapies to treat multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa infections.

Isolation and characterization of bacteriophages specific to Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus and evaluation of efficacy ex vivo

Streptococcus (S.) equi subspecies (subsp.) zooepidemicus is an important facultative pathogen in horses and can cause severe infections in other species including humans. Facing the post-antibiotic era, novel antimicrobials are needed for fighting bacterial infections. Bacteriophages (phages) are the natural predators of bacteria and discussed as a promising antimicrobial treatment option. The objective of this study was to isolate and characterize S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus-specific phages for the first time and to evaluate their efficacy in vitro and ex vivo. In total, 13 phages with lytic activity were isolated and host ranges were determined. Two phages with broad host ranges and high efficiency of plating (vB_SeqZP_LmqsRe26-2 (lytic activity: 30/37 bacterial isolates) and vB_SeqZP_LmqsRe26-3 (lytic activity: 29/37 bacterial isolates)) and one phage with relatively low efficiency of plating (vB_SeqZP_LmqsRe26-1) were selected for further characterization, including electron microscopy and whole genome sequencing. In in vitro planktonic killing assays at two tested multiplicities of infection (MOI 1 and MOI 10), significant bacterial growth reduction was observed when the phages vB_SeqZP_LmqsRe26-2 and vB_SeqZP_LmqsRe26-3 were added. These phages were subsequently co-incubated with clinical S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus isolates in an equine endometrial explant model but did not achieve bacterial growth reduction at MOI 1 and MOI 10. However, helium ion microscopy revealed presence of particles adherent to the bacteria on the explant after incubation (25 h), suggesting possible phage-bacteria interactions. In conclusion, phages against S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus were successfully isolated and characterized. Promising results were observed in in vitro but no significant reduction was detected in ex vivo experiments, requiring additional investigations. However, after further adaptations (e.g., optimization of MOIs and phage administration or use of phage-antibiotic combination), phages could be a potential antimicrobial tool for future therapeutic use in S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus infections, although the available results do not currently support the therapeutic usage.

A novel strategy for activation technique for 6H-SiC substrates in electroless Ni-P plating processes

This study proposes a novel iron wire activation method for electroless Ni-P plating on 6H-SiC substrates, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional metal activation techniques, focusing on the surface roughness effect on the microhardness and Ni-P plating efficiency of 6H-SiC substrates. This experimental approach reveals insights into the relationship between substrate morphology and plating characteristics. It is found that the plating thickness (33.82 μm) of the non-polished substrates closely matched the expected (33.26 μm), with a deposition rate of 6.65 μm/h, which underscores the precision regulation of the plating process. In contrast, despite the faster deposition rate of 9.20 μm/h of the polished S500 substrate, it exhibited a minor thickness discrepancy, suggesting a saturation point in the deposition dynamics on fully polished surfaces. The research additionally sheds light on the adhesion characteristics of the plated layers, particularly emphasizing the role of surface roughness. Remarkably, non-polished substrates demonstrated better adhesion, categorized as HF3, indicating a significantly stronger bond compared to the polished substrates, which were categorized as HF4 to HF6. This distinction in adhesion categories underlines the critical influence of substrate morphology on the quality of the Ni-P layer's adherence.

Agar lot-specific inhibition in the plating efficiency of yeast spores and cells

Abstract The fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe and the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae are highly diverged (530 mya), single-celled, model eukaryotic organisms. Scientists employ mating, meiosis, and the plating of ascospores and cells to generate strains with novel genotypes and to discover biological processes. Our three laboratories encountered independently sudden-onset, major impediments to such research. Spore suspensions and vegetative cells no longer plated effectively on minimal media. By systematically analyzing multiple different media components from multiple different suppliers, we identified the source of the problem. Specific lots of agar were toxic. We report that this sporadic toxicity affects independently the agar stocks of multiple vendors, has occurred repeatedly over at least three decades, and extends to species in highly diverged taxa. Interestingly, the inhibitory effects displayed variable penetrance and were attenuated on rich media. Consequently, quality control checks that use only rich media can provide false assurances on the quality of the agar. Lastly, we describe likely sources of the toxicity and we provide specific guidance for quality control measures that should be applied by all vendors as preconditions for their sale of agar.

A Low-Acidity Chloride Electrolyte Enables Exceptional Reversibility and Stability in Aqueous Tin Metal Batteries.

Tin (Sn) metal has emerged as a promising anode for aqueous batteries, due to its high capacity, non-toxicity, and cost-effectiveness. However, Sn metal has often been coupled with strong and corrosive sulfuric acids (2-3 M), leading to severe electrode corrosion and hydrogen evolution issues. Although high efficiency and long cycling were reported, the results were achieved using high currents to kinetically mask electrode-electrolyte side reactions. Herein, we introduce a low-acidity tin chloride electrolyte (pH=1.09) as a more viable option, which eliminates the need of strong acids and enables a reversible dendrite-free Sn plating chemistry. Remarkably, the plating efficiency approaches unity (99.97 %) under standard testing conditions (1 mA cm-2 for 1 mAh cm-2), which maintains high at 99.23-99.93 % across various aggressive conditions, including low current (0.1-0.25 mA cm-2), high capacity (5-10 mAh cm-2), and extended resting time (24-72 hours). The battery calendar life is further prolonged to 3064 hours, significantly surpassing literature reports. Additionally, we presented an effective method to mitigate the potential Sn2+ oxidization issue on the cathode, demonstrating long-cycling Sn||LiMn2O4 hybrid batteries. This work offers critical insights for developing highly reversible Sn metal batteries.

Copper Foil Substrate Enables Planar Indium Plating for Ultrahigh‐Efficiency and Long‐Lifespan Aqueous Trivalent Metal Batteries

AbstractAqueous trivalent metal batteries represent a compelling candidate for energy storage due to the intriguing three‐electron transfer reaction and the distinct properties of trivalent cations. However, little research progress has been achieved with trivalent batteries due to the inappropriate redox potentials and drastic ion hydrolysis side reactions. Herein, the appealing yet underrepresented trivalent indium is selected as an advanced metal choice and the crucial effect of substrate on its plating mechanism is revealed. When copper foil is used, an indiophilic indium‐copper alloy interface can be formed in situ upon plating, exhibiting favorable binding energies and low diffusion energy barriers for indium atoms. Consequently, a planar, smooth, and dense indium metal layer is uniformly deposited on the copper substrate, leading to outstanding plating efficiency (99.8–99.9%) and an exceedingly long lifespan (6.4–7.4 months). The plated indium anode is further paired with a high‐mass‐loading Prussian blue cathode (2 mAh cm−2), and the full cell (negative/positive electrode capacity, N/P = 2.5) delivers an excellent cycling life of 1000 cycles with 72% retention. This work represents a significant advancement in the development of high‐performance trivalent metal batteries.

Pulsed galvanostatic electrodeposition of tellurium nanostructures on stainless steel from copper anode slimes plating bath: Effect of pulse parameters

The electrochemical behavior of Te in alkaline media was determined by cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry measurements. It indicated that TeO32− ion was first reduced to Te(s), then to Te22− ion. For the first time, the pulsed electrodeposition of tellurium on stainless steel has been studied in an alkaline bath and the effect of duty cycle, frequency, and current density on current efficiencies and morphology were indicated at room temperature. Pulse duty cycles ranging from 10 to 75%, frequencies ranging from 10 to 100 Hz, and current densities ranging from 7.5 to 30 mA/cm2 were employed. The morphology of the electrodeposition of tellurium samples was characterized by SEM. The results showed that due to increasing side reactions at higher current density, the current efficiency decreased with increasing current density. The results of Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) cleared that more compact structures with lower porosity were observed for the electrodeposits at lower current densities and less compact samples were obtained at higher current densities. It has been found that the current efficiency of tellurium plating decreases as the pulse duty cycle increases from 10% to 75%. Maximum current efficiency has been observed at 10% duty cycle. The study of the effect of duty cycle on morphology showed that the samples synthesized at a duty cycle of 10% and 25% have approximately similar appearance and particle size. With more increasing of duty cycles to 50 and 75% due to increasing hydrogen evolution rate and H2 bubbling at the electrode surface the morphology has been changed remarkably. The current efficiency of the deposit tellurium exhibited a strong dependence on the frequency. As frequency increases, the current efficiency almost decreases. In most cases, the maximum current efficiency is obtained at a 10 Hz frequency. The study of the effect of frequency on morphology showed that hydrogen evolution plays a significant role in the morphology formation of samples obtained at low pulse frequency (10 Hz), two processes of hydrogen evolution and anisotropic growth have key roles in morphology formation at medium pulse frequency (50 Hz) and anisotropic growth is the mechanism of morphology formation at high pulse frequency (100 Hz).

Preparation, characterization, and anticancer evaluation of polydatin conjugated with zinc MOF and encapsulated by liponiosomes as a potential nanotool-induce apoptosis

Tumor is a serious worldwide issue that ranks as the second cause of mortality, regardless of the region's status. It is treated with a variety of techniques, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgery, however, there are drawbacks, such as adverse medication reactions. The investigation of stable and effective zinc metal-organic frameworks (ZMOFs) for medicinal applications has received increasing attention. Herein, we report the fabrication of our work has promised a drug delivery system (DDS) by polydatin (PD)-loaded ZMOF (PD-ZMOF) and encapsulated into liponiosomes (LNs) to form (PD-ZMOF@LNs) for increased drug targeting to tumor cells. The obtained compounds were characterized using XRD, SEM, TEM, FTIR, TGA, BET, PDI, zeta seizer, and zeta potentials (ZP) analysis. A computational approach based on Monte Carlo simulation was adopted to elucidate the PD loading mechanism into the ZMOF. Both ZMOF and PD-ZMOF@LNs showed no significant weight loss up to approximately 551⁰C, indicating their high thermal stability and the final weight decrease due to the full degradation of the ZMOF framework at that point. TEM images of ZMOF and PD-ZMOF@LNs NPs demonstrated a spherical-like and needle-like particles with an average diameter of 17.6 nm and 27.3 nm (*P < 0.05), respectively. The hydrodynamic size analyzer displayed an average particle size of 194.4 nm, with ZP of +23 mV. The encapsulation efficiency (EE), loading capacity (LC), drug release (DR), and drug-release kinetics of PD and PD-ZMOF@LNs were evaluated, and the results showed that PD was EE into ZMOF up to 91.27 ± 0.83 % (*P < 0.05). To understand the procedure of PD release at pH 6.9, four kinetic models were examined to identify which model best fit the obtained release data, and the Zero-order model demonstrated excellent release fitness with R2 = 0.9953. Anticancer activity of optimized free PD, ZMOF, and PD-ZMOF@LNs was evaluated in MCF-7 cells utilizing cell viability and flow-cytometric assays. Our samples demonstrate anti-tumor activity against MCF-7 cells with inhibitory concentrations (IC50) at 105 ± 1.5 µg/mL for PD-ZMOF@LNs. The surviving fraction and plating efficiency colony formation potential for PD-ZMOF@LNs were 32 % and 23 %, respectively (*P < 0.05). Flow cytometry analysis indicated that PD-ZMOF@LNs induced apoptosis in 77.39 % of MCF-7 cells.

Transfection, cytotoxicity, and cell cycle studies on the two newly developed and characterized humpback grouper (Cromileptes altivelis) fin cell lines.

The development and characterization of two novel humpback grouper (Cromileptes altivelis) fin cell lines are described in this study. The CA1F3Ex and CA1F4Tr cell lines were developed by explant and trypsinization methods, respectively, in Leibovitz's L15 (L-15) medium supplemented with 20% FBS (fetal bovine serum) and subcultured over 150 times. Cell lines exhibited high stability, as evidenced by the high revival rate (85-95%) and good attachment while seeding after one year of cryostorage. They displayed good seeding (91%) and plating efficiencies (15-25%). The optimum temperature for growth was recorded at 28˚C. Serum requirement decreased with increased passage and lowered to 2% FBS beyond 30-35 passages. However, higher serum concentration (2-20%) caused a concurrent increase in cell growth. Both the cell lines were fibroblast-type, and immunotyping results showed strong reactivity towards the fibroblast marker. Chromosome analysis of these cell lines revealed aneuploidy, and the authenticity was confirmed by mitochondrial Cytochrome C Oxidase Subunit I (COI) genotyping analysis. Cell cycle studies were performed utilizing the flow cytometric technique. CA1F3Ex and CA1F4Tr cell lines showed high transfection efficiency with pEGFP-N1 plasmid using Lipofectamine and cytotoxicity towards heavy metals (Hg and Cd) was alsostudied. Hence, these continuous cell lines could be employed as in vitro models for aquatic toxicological and genetic manipulation studies.

Thermodynamics, Adhesion, and Wetting at Li/Cu(-Oxide) Interfaces: Relevance for Anode-Free Lithium-Metal Batteries.

A rechargeable battery that employs a Li metal anode requires that Li be plated in a uniform fashion during charging. In "anode-free" configurations, this plating will occur on the surface of the Cu current collector (CC) during the initial cycle and in any subsequent cycle where the capacity of the cell is fully accessed. Experimental measurements have shown that the plating of Li on Cu can be inhomogeneous, which can lower the efficiency of plating and foster the formation of Li dendrites. The present study employs a combination of first-principles calculations and sessile drop experiments to characterize the thermodynamics and adhesive (i.e., wetting) properties of interfaces involving Li and other phases present on or near the CC. Interfaces between Li and Cu, Cu2O, and Li2O are considered. The calculations predict that both Cu and Cu2O surfaces are lithiophilic. However, sessile drop measurements reveal that Li wetting occurs readily only on pristine Cu. This apparent discrepancy is explained by the occurrence of a spontaneous conversion reaction, 2 Li + Cu2O → Li2O + 2 Cu, that generates Li2O as one of its products. Calculations and sessile drop measurements show that Li does not wet (newly formed) Li2O. Hence, Li that is deposited on a Cu CC where surface oxide species are present will encounter a compositionally heterogeneous substrate comprising lithiophillic (Cu) and lithiophobic (Li2O) regions. These initial heterogeneities have the potential to influence the longer-term behavior of the anode under cycling. In sum, the present study provides insights into the early stage processes associated with Li plating in anode-free batteries and describes mechanisms that contribute to inefficiencies in their operation.

Wild-type lytic bacteriophages against Salmonella Heidelberg: Further characterization and effect of prophylactic therapy in broiler chickens

To characterize wild-type bacteriophages and their effect on Salmonella Heidelberg intestinal colonization in broilers, phages combined in a cocktail were continuously delivered via drinking water since the first day after hatching. After challenge with a field strain, broilers were evaluated at regular intervals for S. Heidelberg and bacteriophages in tissues and cecum, and gross and microscopic lesions in organs. Phages were highly virulent against S. Heidelberg by efficiency of plating. One-step growth curves exhibited eclipse period from 20 to 25 min, whereas the lowest latent period and higher burst size found were 45 min and 54 PFU/cell, respectively. Bacteriophage whole genomic sequencing analyses revealed a lack of genes related to lysogeny, antimicrobial resistance, and virulence factors. Relevant gross or microscopic lesions were absent in tissues analyzed from treated broilers. Although numerically stable bacteriophage concentrations were detected in the cecal contents of treated broilers, no significant difference was found for the S. Heidelberg cecal load in comparison to the untreated group and for the prevalence of positive tissues throughout the evaluated period. The phages produced turbid plaques against some S. Heidelberg re-isolated from treated broilers, suggesting the evolving of a resistant subpopulation. Overall, the results provide new evidence of the safety and in vitro replication of such phages in S. Heidelberg. Nevertheless, continuous administration of the phage suspension most likely induced the development of bacteriophage-resistant mutants, which might have affected the in vivo effect. Therefore, a putative administration protocol should be based on other strategies, such as short-term therapy at pre-harvest age.

Characterization and genome-informatic analysis of a novel lytic mendocina phage vB_PmeS_STP12 suitable for phage therapy pseudomonas or biocontrol.

A novel lytic bacteriophage (phage) was isolated with Pseudomonas mendocina strain STP12 (P. mendocina) from the untreated site of Sewage Treatment Plant of Lovely Professional University, India. P. mendocina is a Gram-negative, rod-shaped, aerobic bacterium belonging to the family Pseudomonadaceae and has been reported in fifteen (15) cases of economically important diseases worldwide. Here, a novel phage specifically infecting and killing P. mendocina strain STP12 was isolated from sewage sample using enrichment, spot test and double agar overlay (DAOL) method and was designated as vB_PmeS_STP12. The phage vB-PmeS-STP12 was viable at wide range of pH and temperature ranging from 4 to10 and - 20 to 70°C respectively. Host range and efficiency of plating (EOP) analysis indicated that phage vB-PmeS-STP12 was capable of infecting and killing P. mendocina strain STP6 with EOP of 0.34. Phage vB_PmeS_STP12 was found to have a significant bacterial reduction (p < 0.005) at all the doses administered, particularly at optimal MOI of 1 PFU/CFU, compared to the control. Morphological analysis using high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) revealed an icosahedral capsid of ~ 55nm in diameter on average with a short, non-contractile tail. The genome of vB_PmeS_STP12 is a linear, dsDNA containing 36,212bp in size with a GC content of 58.87% harbouring 46 open reading frames (ORFs). The 46 predicted ORFs encode proteins with functional information categorized as lysis, replication, packaging, regulation, assembly, infection, immune, and hypothetical. However, the genome of vB_PmeS_STP12 appeared to be devoid of tRNAs, integrase gene, toxins genes, virulence factors, antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) and CRISPR arrays. The blast analysis with phylogeny revealed that vB_PmeS_STP12 is genetically similar to Pseudomonas phage PMBT14, Pseudomonas phage Almagne and Serratia phage Serbin with a highest identity of 74.00%, 74.93% and 59.48% respectively. Taken together, characterization, morphological analysis and genome-informatics indicated that vB_PmeS_STP12 is podovirus morphotype belonging to the class Caudoviticetes, family Zobellviridae which appeared to be devoid of integrase gene, ARGs, CRISPR arrays, virulence factors and toxins genes, exhibiting stability and infectivity at wide range of pH (4 to10) and temperature (-20 to 70°C), thereby making vB_PmeS_STP12 suitable for phage therapy or biocontrol. Based on the bibliometric analysis and data availability with respect to sequences deposited in GenBank, this is the first report of a phage infecting Pseudomonas mendocina.

Study on Chemical Activity of Electroless Copper Plating

Electroless copper plating of insulating substrates typically requires the pre-deposition of Pd/Sn catalyst layer onto the surface to initiate the chemical reactions; Accordingly, it’s high-profile process to achieve efficient Pd/Sn cluster adhesion and good copper plating performance. This paper showed copper thickness and dimple hole depth of the electroless plating were affected by chemicals following different activation times. The composition, microstructure, size and roughness evolution were characterized using Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). The structural studies revealed that copper particle size depends not only on the size and coverage of the Pd/Sn cluster, but also on the degree of activation of the chemicals. In order to make deposition copper more compact and uniform to decrease dimple hole depth, dummy boards are generally used to enhance the potion activity before electroless copper plating. This paper will provide chemical activity and plating efficiency relationship to avoid poor activity impact plating quality and process event.

Towards Automation in 3D Cell Culture: Selective and Gentle High-Throughput Handling of Spheroids and Organoids via Novel Pick-Flow-Drop Principle.

3D cell culture is becoming increasingly important for mimicking physiological tissue structures in areas such as drug discovery and personalized medicine. To enable reproducibility on a large scale, automation technologies for standardized handling are still a challenge. Here, a novel method for fully automated size classification and handling of cell aggregates like spheroids and organoids is presented. Using microfluidic flow generated by a piezoelectric droplet generator, aggregates are aspirated from a reservoir on one side of a thin capillary and deposited on the other side, encapsulated in free-flying nanoliter droplets to a target. The platform has aggregate aspiration and plating efficiencies of 98.1% and 98.4%, respectively, at a processing throughput of up to 21 aggregates per minute. Cytocompatibility of the method is thoroughly assessed with MCF7, LNCaP, A549 spheroids and colon organoids, revealing no adverse effects on cell aggregates as shear stress is reduced compared to manual pipetting. Further, generic size-selective handling of heterogeneous organoid samples, single-aggregate-dispensing efficiencies of up to 100% and the successful embedding of spheroids or organoids in a hydrogel with subsequent proliferation is demonstrated. This platform is a powerful tool for standardized 3D in vitro research.

Synthesis of Ni, Cu plated nano-Al2O3 composite powders and autocatalytic mechanism

This research proposes a novel method that combines sodium hypophosphite reduction, Ni re-activation, and electroless copper plating to fabricate pure Cu-Ni/Nano-Al2O3 composite powder. The research investigated the effects of the re-activator on the characteristics of Cu-Ni/Nano-Al2O3 composite powders and the autocatalytic mechanism of electroless copper plating on the nano-alumina surface under two re-activation conditions. The results showed that the method successfully eliminates Cu2O and improves the efficiency of electroless copper plating. During electroless copper plating, when Ni2+ is used as the re-activator, sodium hypophosphate only releases one electron and one active hydrogen, thus it cannot completely reduce the Cu2+. However, when nickel is used as the re-activator, sodium hypophosphite can release active hydrogen in two steps and reduce the Cu2+ to Cu. The purification strategy proposed, and the relationship between the electroless plating process and the autocatalytic activity of metals are highly valuable for manufacturing metal matrix composites in special applications.

A nanoluciferase-encoded bacteriophage illuminates viral infection dynamics of Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells.

Bacteriophages (phages) are increasingly considered for both treatment and early detection of bacterial pathogens given their specificity and rapid infection kinetics. Here, we exploit an engineered phage expressing nanoluciferase to detect signals associated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa lysis spanning single cells to populations. Using several P. aeruginosa strains we found that the latent period, burst size, fraction of infected cells, and efficiency of plating inferred from fluorescent light intensity signals were consistent with inferences from conventional population assays. Notably, imaging-based traits were obtained in minutes to hours in contrast to the use of overnight plaques, which opens the possibility to study infection dynamics in spatial and/or temporal contexts where plaque development is infeasible. These findings support the use of engineered phages to study infection kinetics of virus-cell interactions in complex environments and potentially accelerate the determination of viral host range in therapeutically relevant contexts.

Isolation of bacteriophages specific to bovine mastitis-causing bacteria and characterization of their lytic activity in pasteurized milk.

Bovine mastitis is one of the most serious issues in dairy production. It is caused by contagious and coliform pathogens such as Staphylococcus spp., Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. In addition, the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria raises urgent concerns in the field of drug treatment, thus requiring the exploration of alternative treatments. Bacteriophage therapy has been shown to be a promising alternative approach for the control of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. In this study, we aimed to isolate phages specific to contagious mastitis and coliform mastitis, characterize the isolated phages, and examine their ability to lyse bacteria in pasteurized milk samples. The Staphylococcus phage vB_Sau-RP15 isolated from raw milk in our previous study was used in this study. Other three phages, vB_Eco-RN12i1, vB_Kpn-RN14i1, and vB_Ssc-RN20i3, were isolated from wastewater using E. coli 5823, K. pneumoniae 194, and Staphylococcus sciuri MM01 as hosts, respectively. The host range and efficiency of plating (EOP) were determined following phage isolation. Moreover, the lysis activities of these phages against their hosts were investigated in pasteurized milk using a multiplicity of infections (MOIs) of 10 and 100 at 37°C. Phages were applied using individual and combination phages. According to the EOP results, all phages showed high specificity to their respective hosts. They are tailed phages with distinct morphologies. Individual phage treatments in spiked pasteurized milk with their respective bacterial hosts significantly reduced the bacterial counts in both MOI conditions during the first 2 h of the treatment (approximately 1-8 log reduction compared to the control). Although these phages specifically infected only their hosts, the phage cocktail resulted in a better result compared to the use of individual phage. However, bacterial regrowth was observed in all experiments, which may be related to the development of phage-insensitive mutants. Our findings suggest that the application of phages could be used to treat bovine mastitis. Phage cocktail is suitable to promote the efficacy of phage treatment in pasteurized milk. However, when considering the use of phages in dairy cows, certain phage properties in raw milk and in vivo and ex vivo should be highlighted to ensure their effectiveness as biocontrol agents for bovine mastitis treatment.

Assessment of the suitability of adsorption water treatment as a concentration process for resource recovery and wastewater treatment

Electroplating plants dispose of the diluted plating solution (DPS) as plating wastewater due to its reduced plating efficiency. Solid waste produced by various industries is discarded in landfills, leading to the generation of landfill leachate (LL). Employing suitable wastewater treatments is crucial for either recovering valuable resources from wastewater or ensuring that its discharge aligns with wastewater discharge standards. In this study, we examined the feasibility of an adsorption water treatment (AWT) process for recovering valuable resources from DPS and efficiently treating LL. The AWT process using DPS and LL demonstrated that the influence of feed quality (composition and concentration) on water treatment capacity was insignificant, with a water recovery of up to 50 %. In addition, the AWT process demonstrated its ability to efficiently concentrate DPS without the need for pre-treatment, resulting in a notable 12.1 % increase in the plating efficiency of the DPS. This made it reusable for electroplating, and it was realized with a low specific energy consumption (SEC) of 1.63 kWh/m3 by utilizing waste heat in electroplating plants. Furthermore, the freshwater produced by the AWT process, including simple pre- and post-treatments, met 26 water quality parameters of the landfill leachate discharge standard.

The Mg Electrode Cycling Mechanism in Simple Salt Glyme Electrolytes

The lithium-ion battery (LIB) has been at the forefront of innovations in energy storage since its commercialisation over 30 years ago. As we reach the practical specific capacity limit of current state-of-the-art materials, novel and innovative battery technologies are required to satiate the requirements of energy intensive applications such as electric vehicles. 1 The use of a lithium metal negative electrode has been proposed to increase the energy density, however the high reactivity causes poor cycling performance due to electrolyte degradation, dendrite formation and safety issues. 2 The magnesium electrode offers a solution that has double the theoretical volumetric capacity of the lithium electrode while simultaneously mitigating dendritic growth, reducing raw material costs and greatly increasing sustainability. 3,4 Previous work has shown that traditional LIB electrolytes are not compatible with magnesium metal, and the plating and stripping mechanism that underpins how magnesium electrodes cycle is poorly understood. 5 Here we explored the mechanism of magnesium plating and stripping in glyme-based electrolytes with a range of additional additives. We show that in the pure electrolyte solution, interphase formation is critical to stable cycling but that this is accompanied by significant degradation and accumulation of inactive Mg.6 We establish the three-dimensional chemical composition of Mg deposits in the different electrolyte formulations using a combination of focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy (FIB-SEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We use these findings to develop a mechanistic understanding that explains the electrochemical cycling performance of magnesium metal negative electrodes. In situ electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) measurements are used to evaluate the plating and stripping efficiency of the electrodes and to identify non-electrochemical degradation reactions between Mg and the electrolyte solutions.

Cu Foil Modification By Ag Inkjet Printing for Improved Li Plating in Anode-Free Li Batteries

The rush in the development of new generation of lithium-ion batteries (LIB) is focused on enhancing the specific energy of batteries by employing innovative materials and manufacturing techniques. Anode-free lithium metal batteries (AFLBs) are an emerging technology that can almost double the specific energy of LIBs by eliminating the conventional graphite negative electrode or excess lithium metal 1. However, AFLBs are well-known to suffer of fast capacity decay due to the poor lithium plating and stripping efficiency process associated to the typical porous growth of Li during charge 2. Tuning the interfacial electrochemistry was widely demonstrated to be one the most performing key to enable efficient and smooth Li deposition. In this regards, functional coatings of metals as Sn, Al, Zn and Ag have been widely demonstrated to dramatically improve the quality of Li plating process respect to the neat Cu foil substrate, by forming lithium-rich alloys that provide minimum Li nucleation overpotentials 3. Inkjet printing (IJP) could be a viable technique for electrode fabrication in LIBs manufacturing, being a quick, easy and scalable technology able to deposit both thin film and patterned structures 4. However, very poor attention has been paid so far to the potentiality of IJP for Cu modification for improved Li plating in AFLBs.In this work, we employed a Fujifilm Dimatix inkjet printer to achieve “lithiophilic” coatings of Ag nanoparticles deposited on a Cu foil. In particular, potenziodynamic and galvanostatic electrochemical test were employed to investigate the effect of the Ag printed structures on the Li nucleation overpotential. Ex-situ morphological analysis by electron scanning microscopy (SEM) were usefully employed to investigate the surface evolution of the printed electrodes during lithium alloying and plating. In particular, the effect pf patterned Ag structured rather than fully coated Cu was investigated, revealing that patterning can provide more mechanically robust electrode and efficient catalytic sites for Li electrodeposition respect to fully coated inkjet printed electrodes. Bibliography L. Lin et al., Advanced Materials, 34, 2110323 (2022).L. Su and A. Manthiram, Small Structures, 3, 2200114 (2022).X. Gu, J. Dong, and C. Lai, Engineering Reports, 3, e12339 (2021).P. Viviani, E. Gibertini, F. Iervolino, M. Levi, and L. Magagnin, Journal of Manufacturing Processes, 72, 411–418 (2021).