Smartphone for smart living: Using new technologies to cope with everyday limitations in semantic dementia.

New technologies have considerable potential to support people with semantic dementia-a form of progressive aphasia-in their everyday lives, but evidence is still sparse. The first objective of the study was to document day-to-day compensation strategies, including the use of a smartphone, in ND, a 56-year-old man with semantic dementia. The second objective was to explore if, 5 years after receiving his diagnosis, ND could still learn new smartphone functions. Results for objective 1 showed that ND had adopted a large number of compensation mechanisms in his everyday life, and expanded the use of one application he had learned 4 years earlier. Results for objective 2 showed that, with an errorless learning approach, he learnt to effectively use 10 smartphone functions. He was also able to verbalise semantic knowledge about those functions and still used 40% of them in daily life 6 months post-intervention. He particularly appreciated note-taking, and spontaneously expanded his abilities in using this function's features in order to reduce his semantic difficulties. This study shows the potential of new mobile technologies for semantic dementia, how they can be adapted and modified as the disease progresses, and how some patients can creatively use external technological aids.

Relying on procedural memory to enhance independence in daily living activities: Smartphone use in a case of semantic dementia.

Relying on procedural memory is a promising approach for interventions that address the cognitive difficulties found in semantic dementia. The aim of this study was to determine if procedural memory could be used to optimise learning of relevant smartphone functions in MH, a 55-year-old man with semantic dementia. The impact of learning to use specific smartphone applications, which display concepts and their semantic characteristics, on relearning useful significant concepts, was also explored in MH. This patient, who showed no deficits in procedural learning on a serial reaction time paradigm, was able to learn manipulations related to 15 smartphone functions although, because of his deficit in word comprehension, he generally needed verbal cues to clarify which functions he was asked to perform. Six months after the end of the intervention, he was still using 8 of the 15 functions regularly. However, repeated exposure to concepts through the use of two applications did not improve naming or retrieval of semantic attributes. This study showed the potential of relying on procedural memory to optimise learning of new technologies in the ecological rehabilitation of semantic dementia.

Eradication of biofilm-forming Staphylococcus epidermidis (RP62A) by a combination of sodium salicylate and vancomycin.

Staphylococcus epidermidis is a major cause of infections associated with indwelling medical devices. Biofilm production is an important virulence attribute in the pathogenesis of device-related infections. Therefore, elimination of these biofilms is an ideal treatment. Salicylate (5 mM) combined with 1 microg of vancomycin per ml inhibited biofilm formation by S. epidermidis (RP62A) by >or=99.9%. When biofilm-coated polystyrene beads were exposed to 5 mM sodium salicylate and 4 microg of vancomycin per ml (one-half the minimum biofilm eradication concentration), there was a >99.9% reduction in viable count.

Comparative study of five polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon degrading bacterial strains isolated from contaminated soils.

Five polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) degrading bacterial strains, Pseudomonas putida 34, Pseudomonas fluorescens 62, Pseudomonas aeruginosa 57, Sphingomonas sp. strain 107, and the unidentified strain PL1, were isolated from two contaminated soils and characterized for specific features regarding PAH degradation. Degradation efficiency was determined by the rapidity to form clearing zones around colonies when sprayed with different PAH solutions and the growth in liquid medium with different PAHs as sole source of carbon and energy. The presence of plasmids, the production of biosurfactants, the effect of salicylate on PAH degradation, the transformation of indole to indigo indicating the presence of an aromatic ring dioxygenase activity, and the hybridization with the SphAb prove representing a sequence highly homologous to the naphthalene dioxygenase ferredoxin gene nahAb were examined. The most efficient strain in terms of substrate specificity and rapidity to degrade different PAHs was Sphingomonas sp. strain 107, followed by strain PL1 and P. aeruginosa 57. The less efficient strains were P. putida 34 and P. fluorescens 62. Each strain transformed indole to indigo, except strain PL1. Biosurfactants were produced by P. aeruginosa 57 and P. putida 34, and a bioemulsifier was produced by Sphingomonas sp. strain 107. The presence of salicylate in solid medium has accelerated the formation of clearing zones and the transformation of indole by Sphingomonas sp. strain 107 and P. aeruginosa 57 colonies. Plasmids were found in Sphingomonas sp. strain 107 and strain PL1. The SphAb probe hybridized with DNA extracted from each strain. However, hybridization signals were detected only in the plasmidic fraction of Sphingomonas sp. strain 107 and strain PL1. Using a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approach, we determined that several genes encoding enzymes involved in the upper catabolic pathway of naphthalene were present in each strain. Sequencing of PCR DNA fragments revealed that, for all the five strains, these genes are highly homologous with respective genes found in the pah, dox, and nah operons, and are arranged in a polycistronic operon. Results suggest that these genes are ordered in the five selected strains like the pah, nah, and dox operons.

Biosurfactant production by a soil pseudomonas strain growing on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

The capacity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-utilizing bacteria to produce biosurfactants was investigated. Twenty-three bacteria isolated from a soil contaminated with petroleum wastes were able to form clearing zones on mineral salt agar plates sprayed with solutions of PAHs. Naphthalene and phenanthrene were utilized as sole substrates. Biosurfactant production was detected by surface tension lowering and emulsifying activities from 10 of these strains grown in an iron-limited salt medium supplemented with high concentrations of dextrose or mannitol, as well as with naphthalene or phenanthrene. Glycolipid determinations showed that in cultures of Pseudomonas aeruginosa 19SJ on naphthalene, the maximal productivity of biosurfactants was delayed compared with that in cultures grown on mannitol. However, when small amounts of biosurfactants and naphthalene degradation intermediates were present at the onset of the cultivation, the delay was markedly shortened. Production of biosurfactants was accompanied by an increase in the aqueous concentration of naphthalene, indicating that the microorganism was promoting the solubility of its substrate. Detectable amounts of glycolipids were also produced on phenanthrene. This is the first report of biosurfactant production resulting from PAH metabolism.

Blood agar to detect virulence factors in tap water heterotrophic bacteria.

Cytolytic colonies were found in 57% of tap water samples, and up to 6% of samples were found to contain bacteria having three or more virulence factors. The factors evaluated were cytotoxicity, hemolysis, cell adherence, and cell invasiveness. Overall, 17% of the samples contained cytolytic colonies that were adherent and hemolytic. Among the media tested, tryptic soy agar with sheep blood (incubated at 35 degrees C for 48 h) was the best medium for the detection of cytolytic colonies. Of the colonies growing on this medium, 13% were cytolytic, whereas on medium R2A, less than 3% were cytolytic. Furthermore, when tryptic soy agar with blood was used, 24% of the samples contained colonies with at least three virulence factors whereas only 5% were positive with R2A. Routine monitoring by using tryptic soy agar with sheep blood is suggested as an appropriate procedure for the detection of bacteria with pathogenic potential in drinking water.

Microbiological and virological analysis of water from two water filtration plants and their distribution systems.

The microbial flora of the water produced by two water filtration plants and their drinking water distribution system were evaluated: the Pont-Viau (PV) and the Repentigny (RE) water filtration plants. Untreated water entering the plants contained 3.6 (PV) and 16.8 most probable number of infectious units (mpniu)/L (RE) enteric viruses and total coliform bacteria counts were 300,000 (PV) and 500,000 cfu/L (RE). Treated water leaving the plant was essentially free of all the bacterial indicators measured (total, stressed, and fecal coliforms; Aeromonas hydrophila; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Clostridium perfringens; enterococci) as well as of human enteric viruses. Heterotrophic plate counts at 20 and 35 degrees C were low in the freshly treated water leaving the plants, but bacterial regrowth was observed in both distribution systems at all sampling sites. Average counts for the heterotrophic plate count (20 degrees C) were between 10(6) and 10(7) cfu/L and counts were clearly increased with the distance from the plant. The most numerous bacterial genera encountered were Bacillus, Flavobacterium, and Pseudomonas (nonaeruginosa).

Quantitative aqueous ammonium ion analysis by transmission infrared spectroscopy.

An investigation was undertaken to determine whether ammonium ion could be quantitated in aqueous solution by using commercially available infrared filter instruments such as the Multispec M1 analyzer. Ammonium salt solutions were scanned using an infrared spectrophotometer modified specifically to facilitate the study of aqueous systems and were shown to have 2 main absorption bands at 3.49 microns (2865 cm-1) and 6.89 microns (1451 cm-1). The 3.49 microns band did not correspond to any individual band noted in the literature and was concluded to be a composite of fundamental bands and Fermi resonances due to hydrogen bonding affecting the ion in solution. The response of the 6.89 microns band to NH4+ concentration was approximately twice that of the 3.49 microns band, and quantitation of the ammonium ion was assessed by the dual wavelength method as employed in filter-based commercial infrared analyzers. Good quantitation was obtained using 5.56 microns as a reference wavelength, and the slope of the standard curve of ammonium sulfate was not significantly affected by pH in the pH 3-8 region. A 6.86 microns sample filter and a 5.56 microns reference filter were installed in a Multispec M1 analyzer and a linear response was obtained for concentrations of up to 0.6% ammonium sulfate. Accurately weighed samples of ammonium sulfate were converted to ammonia by using the micro-Kjeldahl procedure and then distilled into standard acid, diluted to volume, and assessed by titration and transmission infrared analysis. The infrared method was more accurate than the titration method in replicating the initial weights.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Microbial investigation of the air in an apartment building.

The microbial and viral flora in the ventilating ducts of an apartment building was evaluated. Several types of sampler (slit sampler, Andersen sampler, large volume air sampler) were used to evaluate the hourly, weekly and seasonal variation of this flora. The mean bacterial concentration was 17.2 e.f.u./m3 with a maximum level at 07.30 h (41.3 c.f.u./m3) and a minimal concentration in the early afternoon (8 c.f.u./m3). The bacterial concentration observed correlated with the relative humidity in the air-ducts although there were no seasonal differences. The bacteria were mainly gram-positive cocci (73.5%) represented by a large number of Micrococcaceae (47.1%); gram-positive bacilli accounted for 14.2% of the isolates, gram-negative bacilli 12.0% and gram-negative cocci 0.3%. The majority of the bacteria-carrying particles were in the respirable range with 80.4% of them being less than 5 microns. The methods used did not result in the isolation of viruses during the winter sampling period.

Pulmonary cytology in foundry workers.

The prevalence of cellular atypias has been determined in relation to smoking history, age and type of work of male foundry workers in different departments of a foundry. Participation of the workers was 95%. Out of 677 workers, 528 had results within normal limits, 36 showed mild atypical metaplasia while 4 persons got moderate atypias; 48 individuals showed unsatisfactory results and 61 did not complete the tests. Prevalence of abnormal findings ranged from 4.2% in non-smokers to 7.8% in smokers of more than 21 cigarettes. The prevalence also increased with age in smokers only. Variations in prevalence associated with employment in different departments of the foundry varied little and were not statistically significant.

A hematology data-logging terminal.

Intended as a link between a central analysis facility and remote microscope analyzers at international sites, a data-logging terminal has been developed which exploits basic analyzer control and data acquisition capabilities. The terminal depends on the analyzer's ability to assimilate, interpret, and respond to external commands transferred through its standard communications interface. Within the limits of the analyzer's high-level control language, the data-logging terminal is able to direct microscope operation and data acquisition as well as to initiate algorithms. Internal instrument algorithms can then establish and maintain focus, acquire specified objects, direct various scene segmentation sequences, and execute feature extractions. The data-logging terminal can thus command the analyzer to find scenes of interest and extract data from them. User access to a limited instrument operating interface is provided through its keyboard and alphanumeric display. The terminal can also request and receive image, feature, or count data over the communications interface. Such data are recorded, together with identifiers entered through the keyboard, onto diskettes which may be transferred by mail or telecommunications for processing with the image analysis and pattern recognition techniques available at the central analysis facility. Anticipated applications include evaluation of sample-preparation techniques, correlation of image data with sampling conditions, training of special classifiers, and analysis of instrument performance.

Rapid temperature programmed gas-liquid chromatography of volatile fatty acids (C1-C7) for the identification of anaerobic bacteria.

A gas liquid chromatography method for the separation of 10 volatile fatty acids (C1-C7 and isomers) has been improved by using oven temperature programmed conditions. In our conditions, the proprietary stationary phase SP 1220 introduced by Supelco Inc., gave sharp separation of volatile fatty acids in less than 8 min. This method was suitable for analyses with both thermal conductivity and flame ionization detectors.

Properties of four temperate bacteriophages active on Clostridium perfringens type A.

Four temperature bacteriophages (designated as PF1, PF2, PF3 and PF4) were isolated from lysogenic strains of Clostridium perfringens type A. On the basis of plaque morphology, pH stability, DNase and RNase resistance, buoyant density, one-step growth parameters and electron microscope phage dimensions, it seems that these phages are different and unrelated. Calcium was required for better phage replication. Bacterial strain S107 appears to be the only UV-inducible strain as compared with the other three lysogenic strains. PF2 has a unique pattern of pH stability showing two optima values: one at pH 5 and the second at pH 8-9. Generally, all four phages have a better resistance in acid than in alkaline pH values. The CsC1 equilibrium centrifugation patterns reveal low figures for phage PF1, PF2 and PF3 and show off the fact that PF4 lysates contain two viral particules different with respect to their densities, a property which other determinations failed to demonstrate. Each phage, except PF4, is well characterized by the parameters of the one-step growth cycle.

Correlations between virulence and other characters of Clostridium perfringens type A.

The correlation analysis which has already proved its value in ecology has not yet been applied to the determination of virulence indicators. Its application to a group of Clostridium perfringens type A strains has brought out some characters that may be considered as virulence indicators. This study suggests that the toxicity of the culture supernatant fluids for mice is significantly correlated with the virulence for mice and guinea pigs. A significant correlation was found between the virulence of the fluid cultures for mice or guinea pigs and the coagulation of milk, production of gas (in deep agar), hydrogen sulfide production, and fermentation of glucose, sucrose, maltose, and levulose.

Avirulent Clostridium perfringens strains obtained by euflavine treatment.

Clostridium perfringens was incubated in the presence of euflavine (EU); the resistant mutants which were thus isolated had highly reduced capacity to release alpha-toxin. This fact was confirmed by lecithinase determinations and by immunoelectrophoresis. Injected into guinea pigs and into 6- to 7-day-old chicks, these mutants were completely avirulent. A study of their properties indicated biochemical differences between wild types and mutants.