Biological and genomic characteristics of three novel bacteriophages and a phage-plasmid of Klebsiella pneumoniae.

Bacteriophages have emerged as promising candidates for the treatment of difficult-to-treat bacterial infections. The aim of this study is to isolate and characterize phages infecting carbapenem-resistant and extended-spectrum beta-lactamase producer Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates. Water samples were taken for the isolation of bacteriophages. One-step growth curve, the optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI), thermal and pH stabilities, transmission electron microscopy and whole-genome sequencing of phages were studied. Four phages were isolated and named Klebsiella phage Kpn02, Kpn17, Kpn74, and Kpn13. The optimal MOI and latent periods of phage Kpn02, Kpn17, Kpn74, and Kpn13 were 10, 1, 0.001, and 100 PFU/CFU and 20, 10, 20, and 30 min, respectively. Burst sizes ranged from 811 to 2363. No known antibiotic resistance and virulence genes were identified. No tRNAs were detected except Klebsiella phage Kpn02 which encodes 24 tRNAs. Interestingly, Klebsiella phage Kpn74 was predicted to be a lysogenic phage whose prophage is a linear plasmid molecule with covalently closed ends. Of the Klebsiella-infecting phages presented in current study, virulent phages suggest that they may represent candidate therapeutic agents against MDR K. pneumoniae, based on short latent period, high burst sizes and no known antibiotic resistance and virulence genes in their genomes.

Evaluation of the Lytic Activity of Various Phage Cocktails Against, ESBL-Producer, Non-Producer and Carbapenem-Resistant Escherichia coli Isolates.

Bacteriophages have been proposed as an alternative therapy for the treatment of bacterial infections. This research aims to determine the lytic activity of bacteriophage-cocktails (BC) against carbapenem-resistant (CR-EC), ESBL-producer (EP-EC), and non-producer (NP-EC) E. coli isolates. Related resistance genes in 87 E. coli isolates were screened by PCR. The efficacies of BCs were determined by spot test and lytic zones were evaluated from fully-confluent to opaque. MOIs of the BCs were compared for fully-confluent and opaque lytic zones. BCs were also evaluated in terms of their biophysical characteristics including latency, burst size, pH and temperature stabilities. Among EP-EC, 96.9% of the isolates carry blaCTX-M, 25% of them blaSHV and 15.6% of them carry blaTEM. All CR-EC isolates carried blaOXA-48, but not blaKPC and blaNDM. CR-EC isolates were the least susceptible for the each of four BCs. MOIs for ENKO, SES and INTESTI-phage forming fully-confluent zone in E. coli isolates EC3 (NP-EC), EC8 (EP-EC) and EC27 (NP-EC), respectively were 10, 100 and 1, respectively. MOIs for ENKO, SES and INTESTI opaque zone in EC19 (EP-EC), EC10 (EP-EC), EC1(NP-EC), respectively were 0.01, 0.01, 0.1 PFU/CFU, respectively. The MOI for PYO-phage forming a semi-confluent zone in EC6 (NP-EC) isolate was 1 PFU/CFU. The phages were thermally stable and tolerant to a wide pH range. Comparison of MOIs according to lysis zone characteristics demonstrated that the activities of phages in phage cocktails vary depending on the characteristics of each bacterial host. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12088-023-01074-9.

The effect of a restricted diet on the results of fractional microneedle radiofrequency therapy: A comparison of vegan and omnivorous participants in terms of the antiaging effect of radiofrequency therapy.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to compare the results of fractional microneedle radiofrequency (FMR) therapy in vegan and omnivorous participants. METHODS: A total of 30 vegan and 30 omnivorous women who were treated with FMR therapy for combating aging were included in the study. The clinical results were examined in Months 3 and 6 based on the Fitzpatrick Wrinkle Scale (FWS). Individual satisfaction was investigated in Month 6 using the Patient's Global Impression of Change (PGIC). RESULTS: At the onset of the treatment, there was no significant difference with regard to the FWS scores in both groups. The decrease in the FWS score was significantly lower in vegans after 3 months (p = 0.01). Vegans had worsened clinical outcomes by Month 6 (p = 0.01). The PGIC scores were significantly lower in vegans (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: A vegan diet adversely affects the outcome of FMR therapy.

The impacts of 13 novel mutations of SARS-CoV-2 on protein dynamics: In silico analysis from Turkey.

SARS-CoV-2 inherits a high rate of mutations making it better suited to the host since its fundamental role in evolution is to provide diversity into the genome. This research aims to identify variations in Turkish isolates and predict their impacts on proteins. To identify novel variations and predict their impacts on protein dynamics, in silico methodology was used. The 411 sequences from Turkey were analysed. Secondary structure prediction by Garnier-Osguthorpe-Robson (GOR) was used. To find the effects of identified Spike mutations on protein dynamics, the SARS-CoV-2 structures (PDB:6VYB, 6M0J) were uploaded and predicted by Cutoff Scanning Matrix (mCSM), DynaMut and MutaBind2. To understand the effects of these mutations on Spike protein molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was employed. Turkish sequences were aligned with sequences worldwide by MUSCLE, and phylogenetic analysis was performed via MegaX. The 13 novel mutations were identified, and six of them belong to spike glycoprotein. Ten of these variations revealed alteration in the secondary structure of the protein. Differences of free energy between the reference sequence and six mutants were found below zero for each of six isolates, demonstrating these variations have stabilizing effects on protein structure. Differences in vibrational entropy calculation revealed that three variants have rigidification, while the other three have a flexibility effect. MD simulation revealed that point mutations in spike glycoprotein and RBD:ACE-2 complex cause changes in protein dynamics compared to the wild-type, suggesting possible alterations in binding affinity. The phylogenetic analysis showed Turkish sequences distributed throughout the tree, revealing multiple entrances to Turkey.

Effect of clinical photography on postprocedure patient satisfaction in female patients who underwent nonsurgical rhinoplasty.

STUDY DESIGN: A prospective clinical study. BACKGROUND: To the best of our knowledge, there is no study in the literature that addresses the effect of showing comparative photographs in the follow-up period to patients who had undergone nonsurgical rhinoplasty on patient satisfaction. OBJECTIVES: To examine the effect of showing preprocedure and postprocedure photographs to patients in the follow-up period on patient satisfaction. METHODS: It was a nonsimultaneous prospective study that included patients suitable for nonsurgical rhinoplasty. Photographs were taken during routine follow-up after 1 month of the procedure, and patients were asked to fill the Derriford Appearance Scale 24 (DAS24) and Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation (ROE) questionnaires. Next, after the preprocedure and postprocedure photographs were shown to the patients, they were asked to complete the DAS24 and ROE questionnaires again. RESULTS: The study included 265 female patients. The mean age of the patients was 35.11 ± 8 (18-61 years). Before the preprocedure and postprocedure photographs were shown, the DAS24 score was 52.2 ± 14.26 and the ROE score was 75.91 ± 11.91. After the photographs were shown, the DAS24 score was found to be 40.80 ± 13.25 and the ROE score as 87.722 ± 8.56. Therefore, significant improvement in DAS24 and ROE scores and an increase in patient satisfaction were observed after the preprocedure and postprocedure photographs were shown (p = 0.01, p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Showing preprocedure and postprocedure photographs in the follow-up period to patients who underwent nonsurgical rhinoplasty leads to greater patient satisfaction with the surgery and their self-image.