Glittre-ADL tests in three laps as an alternative to the five laps test.

Background: The Glittre-ADL test is a comprehensive test to evaluate functional capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Aim: The primary aim was to validate the Glittre-ADL test with and without the backpack performed in three laps as an alternative to five laps in people with COPD.

Methods: Forty-eight participants with mild to severe COPD (mean ± SD age: 71 ± 7 years; FEV: 46 ± 17 %predicted) were recruited and performed two 6-min walk tests (visit 1); two Glittre-ADL tests with backpack (visit 2), and the Glittre-ADL test with and without the backpack, in random order (visit 3).

Genomic Diversity and Virulence Factors of Isolated from Healthy and Necrotic Enteritis-Affected Broiler Chicken Farms in Quebec Province.

Avian necrotic enteritis due to the Gram-positive bacterium has re-emerged following the ban on antibiotic growth promoters in many poultry producing countries. The limited number of previous studies has left important gaps in our understanding of the genetic diversity and virulence traits of the pathogen. To address these knowledge gaps, in this study, we sequenced the genomes of 41 isolates recovered from commercial broiler chicken flocks in Quebec, Canada, including isolates from healthy birds and those affected by necrotic enteritis.

Draft genome sequences of three poultry Shamba isolates from South Africa.

Nontyphoidal serovars are foodborne pathogens commonly transmitted through poultry products. Draft genome sequences of three subsp. serovar Shamba isolates which were obtained from poultry house dust in South Africa are reported herein.

Effect of Bacterial Endophytes Isolated from Tropical Fruits against Listeria monocytogenes and Cronobacter sakazakii in Model Food Products.

Listeria monocytogenes and Cronobacter sakazakii are two important foodborne bacterial pathogens. Bacterial endophytes, which reside in plant cells, can produce antimicrobial compounds to protect the host organism or inhibit pathogens. This study investigated the bacterial community of tropical fruits for their potential to inactivate L.

Reliability and Validity of Maximal Respiratory Pressures.

Background: Maximal respiratory pressure is used to assess the inspiratory and expiratory muscles strength by using maximal inspiratory pressure (P) and maximal expiratory pressure (P). This study aimed to summarize and evaluate the reliability and validity of maximal respiratory pressure measurements.

Methods: This systematic review followed the Consensus-based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) recommendations and was reported by using the PRISMA checklist.

Concurrent validity between field tests and cardiopulmonary exercise testing in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Background: Maximal treadmill cardiopulmonary exercise testing is the gold standard for assessing functional capacity in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Purpose: Primarily to investigate the concurrent validity between three field tests and cardiopulmonary exercise testing in these patients.

Methods: Patients performed the cardiopulmonary exercise testing, a six-minute walk test, an incremental shuttle walk test, and, the Glittre-ADL test.

Survival and Expression of rpoS and grxB of Cronobacter sakazakii in Powdered Infant Formula Under Simulated Gastric Conditions of Newborns.

Cronobacter sakazakii can cause severe illnesses in infants, predominantly in preterm newborns, with consumption of contaminated powdered infant formula (PIF) being the major vehicle of infection. Using a dynamic human gastrointestinal simulator called the SHIME, this study examined the effects of gastric acidity and gastric digestion time of newborns on the survival and expression of stress genes of C. sakazakii.

SpliceProt 2.0: A Sequence Repository of Human, Mouse, and Rat Proteoforms.

SpliceProt 2.0 is a public proteogenomics database that aims to list the sequence of known proteins and potential new proteoforms in human, mouse, and rat proteomes. This updated repository provides an even broader range of computationally translated proteins and serves, for example, to aid with proteomic validation of splice variants absent from the reference UniProtKB/SwissProt database.

Draft genome sequences of two Uzaramo isolates from poultry in South Africa.

is a zoonotic pathogen and a leading cause of foodborne gastroenteritis in humans. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of two Uzaramo isolates, which were isolated from poultry organs during routine post-mortem examination in South Africa. Currently, whole-genome sequences on Uzaramo are scanty.

Evaluation of the Immunoprotective Capacity of Five Vaccine Candidate Proteins against Avian Necrotic Enteritis and Impact on the Caecal Microbiota of Vaccinated Birds.

Avian necrotic enteritis is an enteric disease of broiler chickens caused by certain pathogenic strains of in combination with predisposing factors. A vaccine offering complete protection against the disease has not yet been commercialized. In a previous study, we produced five recombinant proteins predicted to be surface-exposed and unique to necrotic enteritis-causing and the immunogenicity of these potential vaccine candidates was assessed in broiler chickens.

Draft genome sequences of two isolates recovered from a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Ontario, Canada.

is a Gram-negative bacterium that is frequently implicated in urinary tract infections in humans and companion animals and has also been associated with foodborne infections in several countries. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of two isolates recovered from municipal wastewater.

Effects of mechanical in-exsufflation in preventing postextubation acute respiratory failure in intensive care acquired weakness patients: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: We hypothesized that the use of mechanical insufflation-exsufflation can reduce the incidence of acute respiratory failure within the 48-hour post-extubation period in intensive care unit-acquired weakness patients.

Methods: This was a prospective randomized controlled open-label trial. Patients diagnosed with intensive care unit-acquired weakness were consecutively enrolled based on a Medical Research Council score ≤ 48/60.

Evaluation of four human-associated fecal biomarkers in wastewater in Southern Ontario.

Human fecal biomarkers (HFBs) have a longstanding history in the field of microbial source tracking (MST) serving as indicators of human fecal contamination in drinking and recreational water. Further, HFBs have aided in recent efforts to monitor human pathogen transmission within communities. The dilution of wastewater from various sources throughout the sewershed cannot be controlled and human fecal biomarkers (HFBs) can be used to normalize target human pathogen concentrations so that fluctuations in fecal matter in wastewater can be accounted for.

Maximal respiratory pressures: Measurements at functional residual capacity in individuals with different health conditions using a digital manometer.

Background: Measuring maximal respiratory pressure is a widely used method of investigating the strength of inspiratory and expiratory muscles.

Objectives: To compare inspiratory pressures obtained at functional residual capacity (FRC) with measures at residual volume (RV), and expiratory pressures obtained at FRC with measures at total lung capacity (TLC) in individuals with different health conditions: post-COVID-19, COPD, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), heart failure (CHF), and stroke; and to compare the mean differences between measurements at FRC and RV/TLC among the groups.

Methods: Inspiratory and expiratory pressures were obtained randomly at different lung volumes.

Survival and predictive modeling of Listeria monocytogenes under simulated human gastric conditions in the presence of bovine milk products.

Listeria monocytogenes is an opportunistic foodborne pathogen which has been implicated in many outbreaks of foodborne diseases. This study evaluated the effects of gastric acidity and gastric digestion time of adults, L. monocytogenes strain and food type on the survival of L.

Immunization of broiler chickens with five newly identified surface-exposed proteins unique to Clostridium perfringens causing necrotic enteritis.

Since the ban or reduction on the use of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs) in commercial broiler chickens in many countries, avian necrotic enteritis (NE) caused by Clostridium perfringens has re-emerged as one of the biggest threats for the poultry industry worldwide. While the toolbox for controlling NE in the absence of antibiotics consists of a limited number of alternatives for which the overall effectiveness has yet proven to be suboptimal, an effective vaccine would represent the best control strategy for this often-deadly disease. Using a comparative and subtractive reverse vaccinology approach, we previously identified 14 putative antigenic proteins unique to NE-causing strains of C.

Draft Genome Sequence of Bacillus anthracis N1, Isolated from a Recreational Freshwater Kettle Lake in Ontario, Canada.

Bacillus anthracis is widespread in soil and a causative agent of anthrax, primarily in herbivores. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of Bacillus anthracis strain N1, which was isolated from a recreational freshwater lake and found to carry multiple antibiotic resistance genes and biosynthetic gene clusters.

Draft Genome Sequence of sp. Strain N5, Isolated from a Recreational Freshwater Kettle Lake in Ontario.

spp. are facultative anaerobic, Gram-positive, non-spore-forming bacilli, reported to tolerate extreme environments. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of sp.

Perception of patients with interstitial lung diseases submitted to inspiratory muscle training.

Background: Although inspiratory muscle training reduces dyspnea in patients with chronic respiratory diseases, it was not yet evaluated in a sample composed exclusively of patients with interstitial lung diseases.

Objective: To discuss the perception of patients with interstitial lung diseases about inspiratory muscle training intervention.

Methods: This is a qualitative study.

Glittre endurance test: A new test to assess the functional capacity of individuals with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Background: For people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) the ability to perform functional activities for a prolonged duration is important for completion of daily tasks. While the Glittre-ADL test measures time taken to complete a series of functional activities, there is no test of endurance capacity for common daily activities.

Research Question: Is the Glittre Endurance test a valid and responsive test to measure endurance capacity for functional daily tasks in people with COPD?

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study.

Inhibition of in an infant simulator of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem using a potential synbiotic.

Powdered infant formula (PIF) can be contaminated with , which can cause severe illnesses in infants. Synbiotics, a combination of probiotics and prebiotics, could act as an alternative control measure for contamination in PIF and within the infant gut, but synbiotics have not been well studied for their ability to inhibit . Using a Simulator of the Human Intestinal Microbial Ecosystem (SHIME) inoculated with infant fecal matter, we demonstrated that a potential synbiotic, consisting of six lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains and Vivinal GOS, can inhibit the growth of in an infant possibly through either the production of antimicrobial metabolites like acetate, increasing species diversity within the SHIME compartments to compete for nutrients or a combination of mechanisms.