Occurrence of extended spectrum β-lactamase and AmpC-producing Escherichia coli in retail meat products from the Maritime Provinces, Canada

This study was conducted to determine the occurrence of antimicrobial resistance to the extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESC) in Escherichia coli isolates recovered from retail meat products collected in the Maritime Provinces of Canada using both selective and traditional culture methods, and genotypically using multiplex polymerase chain reactions. ESC-R E. coli was detected in 33/559 (5.9%) samples using the traditional culture compared to 151/557 (27.1%) samples using the selective culture method. The recovery of ESC-R E. coli isolates was more common in poultry compared to beef and pork (PThe accepted manuscript in pdf format is listed with the files at the bottom of this page. The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the manuscript may differ slightly between what is listed on this page and what is listed in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript; that in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript is what was submitted by the author

Biofilm development in water distribution and drainage systems: dynamics and implications for hydraulic efficiency

Pipeline distribution systems account for the vast majority of the physical infrastructure in the water and wastewater industry. Their effective management represents the primary challenge to the industry, from both an operational and public health standpoint. Biofouling is ubiquitous within these systems, and it can significantly impede their efficiency, through increase in boundary shear and associated flow resistance caused by characteristic change in surface dynamics. Nonetheless, conventional pipeline design practices fail to take into account such effects, partly because research findings that could contribute to upgrade and optimize design practices appear scattered in the literature, and are often offering conflicting views as to its causes. This makes it difficult for the adoption of adequate predictive and preventative measures. The aim of this review is to update and contribute to a better understanding of the development and impact of biofilms and biofouling within water management pipelines, particularly within the academia and the general engineering community. The review has confirmed that the potential impact of biofouling on pipeline performance can be significant and that current design approaches are outdated for biofouled surfaces. Further research on this topic is therefore, essential, to ensure that both current and future systems are as effective as possible, both environmentally and financially. In particular, more advanced mathematical modelling frameworks which include the dynamic and case-specific nature of biofouling should be developed. Such a framework could give rise to a real-time monitoring platform to assist the adoption of more cost-effective approaches to maintain and repair the system