Skills on wheels: initial pre-post findings from a pilot study of a pediatric wheelchair skills training program.

Skills on Wheels, a 5-week pediatric wheelchair skills training program implemented over 2 years, was developed to address confidence, social participation, and mobility for wheelchair-using children. This study tests the hypothesis that pediatric wheelchair skills training will increase wheelchair skill ability, confidence, and participation of wheelchair-using children. Individualized instruction was delivered by occupational ( = 50) and physical ( = 12) therapy practitioners and doctoral students.

The complete genome sequence of the dominant Sinorhizobium meliloti field isolate SM11 extends the S. meliloti pan-genome.

Isolates of the symbiotic nitrogen-fixing species Sinorhizobium meliloti usually contain a chromosome and two large megaplasmids encoding functions that are absolutely required for the specific interaction of the microsymbiont with corresponding host plants leading to an effective symbiosis. The complete genome sequence, including the megaplasmids pSmeSM11c (related to pSymA) and pSmeSM11d (related to pSymB), was established for the dominant, indigenous S. meliloti strain SM11 that had been isolated during a long-term field release experiment with genetically modified S.

Comparative genomic hybridisation and ultrafast pyrosequencing revealed remarkable differences between the Sinorhizobium meliloti genomes of the model strain Rm1021 and the field isolate SM11.

Genomic variation between the Sinorhizobium meliloti model strain Rm1021 and the field isolate SM11 was assessed by using the genome-wide S. meliloti Rm1021 Sm6k-oligonucleotide microarray in a comparative genomic hybridisation experiment. Several gene clusters present in the Rm1021 genome are missing in the SM11 genome.

Prevalence of pSmeSM11a-like plasmids in indigenous Sinorhizobium meliloti strains isolated in the course of a field release experiment with genetically modified S. meliloti strains.

Plasmid pSmeSM11a, residing in the indigenous Sinorhizobium meliloti strain SM11 originating from a field in Strassmoos (Bavaria, Germany), was analysed previously at the genomic level. Thirty-seven indigenous S. meliloti strains, originating from two different locations in Germany, were screened for genes identified previously on pSmeSM11a.

IncP-1-beta plasmid pGNB1 isolated from a bacterial community from a wastewater treatment plant mediates decolorization of triphenylmethane dyes.

Plasmid pGNB1 was isolated from bacteria residing in the activated sludge compartment of a wastewater treatment plant by using a transformation-based approach. This 60-kb plasmid confers resistance to the triphenylmethane dye crystal violet and enables its host bacterium to decolorize crystal violet. Partial sequencing of pGNB1 revealed that its backbone is very similar to that of previously sequenced IncP-1beta plasmids.