Virulent Bacteriophages for Controlling Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli (STEC) Without Inducing Toxin Production.

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections pose a significant public health challenge, characterized by severe complications including hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) due to Shiga toxin (Stx) production. Current therapeutic approaches encounter a critical limitation, as conventional antibiotic treatment is contraindicated due to its propensity to trigger bacterial SOS response and subsequently enhance Stx production, which increases the likelihood of developing HUS in antibiotic-treated patients. The lack of effective, safe therapeutic options has created an urgent need for alternative treatment strategies for STEC infections.

Factors Associated With Self-management in Adults With Type 1 or Type 2 Diabetes: A Cross-sectional, Correlational Study.

Background: Poor self-management in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) or type 2 diabetes (T2DM) leads to increased diabetes complications. Factors associated with self-management in T1DM and T2DM may differ due to the different methods for controlling blood glucose.

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the associations of modifiable physical, cognitive, and psychosocial factors and the nonmodifiable factor of age with overall self-management, diet, exercise, blood glucose testing (BGT), foot care, and smoking in adults with T1DM or T2DM.

Pleiotropic cellular responses underlying antibiotic tolerance in .

Antibiotic tolerance enables antibiotic-susceptible bacteria to withstand prolonged exposure to high concentrations of antibiotics. Although antibiotic tolerance presents a major challenge for public health, its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Previously, we have demonstrated that develops tolerance to clinically important antibiotics, including ciprofloxacin and tetracycline.

Evaluating dyadic factors associated with self-care in patients with heart failure and their family caregivers: Using an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model.

Dyadic conditions of patients with heart failure and their caregivers may affect both patient self-care and caregiver contribution to patient self-care (CCPS). The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of patient-caregiver physical function and depressive symptoms to the patient self-care (maintenance and management) and CCPS. Data from 55 were analyzed using an Actor-Partner Interdependence Model to address the aim through AMOS.

Relationships of Multidimensional Factors to Diabetes Complications: A Cross-Sectional, Correlational Study.

Background: Diabetes complications are prevalent in people with diabetes, causing considerable individual suffering and increased health costs. However, the relationships of multidimensional, modifiable, and nonmodifiable factors to diabetes complications and the role of diabetes distress have been rarely examined.

Objective: The aims of this study were to examine the associations of age, sex, knowledge, self-efficacy, self-compassion, resilience, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, diabetes distress, social support, and body mass index with diabetes complications and to investigate the mediating role of diabetes distress.

Perspectives on advance care planning and related end-of-life care in people with heart failure: A Q methodology study.

Negative perspectives around advance care planning (ACP) prevent people with heart failure (HF) from preparing their end-of-life (EOL) effectively. A Q methodology study was conducted to identify types of ACP perspectives in Koreans with HF. The Q sample (31 statements representing ACP perspectives) was constructed through an extensive literature review and in-depth qualitative interview.

Relationships of Psychosocial Factors to Diabetes Self-efficacy: A Cross-sectional, Correlational Study.

Background: Self-care in people with diabetes is poor, which could be influenced by positive and negative psychosocial factors. Self-efficacy is an important factor affecting self-care, and depressive symptoms and diabetes distress may directly and indirectly affect self-efficacy.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the relationships of depressive symptoms, diabetes distress, age, sex, self-compassion, resilience, self-esteem, and social support to diabetes self-efficacy and the mediating roles of diabetes distress and depressive symptoms in the relationships among people with diabetes.

Cold tolerance in Campylobacter jejuni and its impact on food safety.

Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of foodborne illnesses worldwide and is primarily transmitted to humans through contaminated poultry meat. To control this pathogen, it is critical to understand its cold tolerance because poultry products are usually distributed in the cold chain. However, there is limited information regarding how this thermotolerant, microaerophilic pathogen can survive in cold and aerobic environments in the poultry cold chain.

Psychometric Properties of the Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey-9 in Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases.

The purpose of this study was to test the reliability and validity of the Advance Care Planning Engagement Survey-9 Korean version in patients with cardiovascular diseases or metabolic syndrome. In this cross-sectional study, data on advance care planning engagement, registration of advance directives and the intention, and sociodemographic characteristics were collected from 105 patients (mean age, 66.3 years) at 4 medical institutions.

Relationships of multidimensional factors to self-management in patients with diabetes: A Cross-sectional, correlational study.

Poor self-management in patients with diabetes is a consistent issue, leading to diabetes complications. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of demographic, cognitive, psychological, social, and physiological factors to self-management in patients with diabetes. In this cross-sectional, correlational study, data were collected from 98 patients through REDCap in 2023.

Effects of Meditation Intervention on Self-management in Adult Patients With Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Diabetes complications are prevalent and cause adverse effects on the physical, psychological, and economic status of adult patients with type 2 diabetes. Meditation may positively affect self-management and, in turn, reduce diabetes complications. However, the systematic examination of the effects of meditation without additional components on self-management in this population have been rarely examined.

The moderating effect of attitudes in the relationship between knowledge and self-efficacy in palliative care among nurses: A cross-sectional, correlational study.

Provision of palliative care to patients with advanced chronic diseases or old populations is suboptimal, which results in unnecessary suffering of and burden to patients, caregivers, and society. Low self-efficacy in palliative care among nurses is a factor affecting suboptimal utilization of palliative care. Poor knowledge is a factor affecting low self-efficacy in palliative care of nurses.

Physical Symptoms, Depressive Symptoms, and Quality of Life in Patients With Heart Failure: Cluster Analysis.

Background: Physical and psychological symptoms are prevalent in patients with heart failure (HF) and are associated with poor quality of life (QOL) and high hospitalization rates. Thus, it is critical to identify symptom clusters to better manage patients with high-risk symptom cluster(s) and to reduce adverse effects.

Objective: The aims of this study were to identify clusters of physical HF symptoms (ie, dyspnea during daytime, dyspnea when lying down, fatigue, chest pain, edema, sleeping difficulty, and dizziness) and depressive symptoms and to examine their association with QOL in patients with HF.

Structural Relationships Between Cognitive Function, Depressive Symptoms, Self-Care Confidence, and Maintenance in Patients With Heart Failure.

Introduction: In order to promote self-care maintenance behavior in patients with heart failure (HF), it is necessary to identify the direct and indirect effects of major latent variables.

Objective: This study aimed to identify structural relationships between different domains of cognitive function, depression and self-care confidence, and self-care maintenance.

Methods: This descriptive study involved a secondary analysis using data of 201 patients with HF from two observational studies in three hospitals in Korea.

Characterization and genomic study of EJP2, a novel jumbo phage targeting antimicrobial resistant .

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has noticeably increased in recent years worldwide and causes serious public health concerns. As alternatives to antibiotics, bacteriophages are regarded as promising antimicrobial agents. In this study, we isolated and characterized a novel jumbo phage EJP2 that specifically targets AMR strains.

Stimulation of Surface Polysaccharide Production under Aerobic Conditions Confers Aerotolerance in Campylobacter jejuni.

The ability of a foodborne pathogen to tolerate environmental stress critically affects food safety by increasing the risk of pathogen survival and transmission in the food supply chain. Campylobacter jejuni, a leading bacterial cause of foodborne illnesses, is an obligate microaerophile and is sensitive to atmospheric levels of oxygen. Currently, the molecular mechanisms of how C.

Characterization of KMSP1, a newly isolated virulent bacteriophage infecting Staphylococcus aureus, and its application to dairy products.

Staphylococcus aureus is one of the major pathogens causing foodborne outbreaks and severe infections worldwide. Generally, various physical and chemical treatments have been applied to control S. aureus in the food industry.

Reliability and validity of the Self-Efficacy in Palliative Care Scale among nurses.

Objectives: To provide appropriate palliative care, nurses should have appropriate level of self-efficacy in palliative care, but the levels among nurses were low. To improve the levels effectively, self-efficacy in palliative care should be assessed using reliable and valid instruments. The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of the Self-Efficacy in Palliative Care Scale in Korean nurses.

Characterization of the lytic phage MSP1 for the inhibition of multidrug-resistant Salmonella enterica serovars Thompson and its biofilm.

The increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella is a serious public health threat. Intervention strategies available to control Salmonella mostly target Salmonella enterica serovars Typhimurium and Enteritidis, and little has been investigated to control serovars in serogroup C, such as S. enterica serovar Thompson, despite their increasing prevalence.

Phylogenetic Association and Genetic Factors in Cold Stress Tolerance in Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter jejuni is a major foodborne pathogen transmitted to humans primarily via contaminated poultry meat. Since poultry meat is generally processed, distributed, and stored in the cold chain, the survival of C. jejuni at refrigeration temperatures crucially affects human exposure to C.

Isocitrate binds to the itaconic acid-responsive LysR-type transcriptional regulator RipR in Salmonella pathogenesis.

Macrophages produce itaconic acid in phagosomes in response to bacterial cell wall component lipopolysaccharide to eliminate invading pathogenic bacteria. Itaconic acid competitively inhibits the first enzyme of the bacterial glyoxylate cycle. To overcome itaconic acid stress, bacteria employ the bacterial LysR-type transcriptional regulator RipR.

Sugar Modification of Wall Teichoic Acids Determines Serotype-Dependent Strong Biofilm Production in Listeria monocytogenes.

Biofilm production is responsible for persistent food contamination by Listeria monocytogenes, threatening food safety and public health. Human infection and food contamination with L. monocytogenes are caused primarily by serotypes 1/2a, 1/2b, and 4b.

Factors associated with attitudes toward advance directives in nurses and comparisons of the levels between emergency nurses and palliative care nurses.

Aim: Little is known about attitudes toward advance directives and factors associated with them among emergency and palliative care nurses who often or daily face end-of-life circumstances. Thus, we aimed to compare the levels of attitudes toward advance directives, communication skills, knowledge about end-of-life care (knowledge), and awareness of the concept of a good death (good death awareness) between emergency and palliative care nurses, and to examine factors associated with attitudes toward advance directives in the total sample.

Methods: In this cross-sectional, correlational study, data were collected from 153 nurses (59 emergency and 94 palliative care nurses) at three tertiary hospitals using online or offline surveys and were analyzed using t-tests and multiple linear regression analysis.