Little literature is available concerning the mobility patterns of wheelchair users. Some generalized values of power wheelchair (PWC) use are available in terms of average distances and speeds over all subjects and days (Cooper 2002). However, the data lack the context of environment and do not identify how the movement is dispersed over time. Greater insight into PWC use and mobility patterns...

Xenogeneic silencers (H-NS, Lsr2 and MvaT) facilitate bacterial evolution through the cryptic maintenance of horizontally acquired genes, binding and transcriptionally silencing DNA that is more AT-rich than the resident genome. H-NS and Lsr2 employ an AT-hook motif to recognize and bind AT-rich DNA targets. MvaT lacks this motif. Structural data suggested a KGGN motif may act as an analogous A...

Mammalian cells incur DNA damage and alterations as a result of internal factors, such as stress, environment, oxidation and metabolism, as well as exposure to external stimuli, such as chemical compounds, UV and cosmic radiation. Genotoxicity studies aim to identify and understand the mechanisms of DNA damage and repair, and also to seek methods of pathway regulation and dysregulation for impr...

The non-target effect of neutron-irradiation was assessed in unirradiated human peripheral blood lymphocytes using an alkaline comet assay. The isolated cells were incubated with an autologous plasma for 1 h at 37 degrees C before performing the assay. The cells exhibited a significant increase in the tailmoment when the irradiated blood (2 Gy, 570 keV neutron) was the source of plasma. The gen...

A gel shift assay was optimized to detect several general DNA binding proteins from Histoplasma capsulatum strain G217B. The electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) technique also detected protein(s) recognizing a pyrimidine-rich motif found in several Histoplasma promoters. Establishment of EMSA conditions provides an important framework to evaluate regulation of homeostatic or phase-speci...

We describe a protocol for the fluorescent electrophoretic mobility shift assay improved for the quantitative analysis of protein-DNA complexes. Fluorescent-labeled oligonucleotide probes incubated with nuclear proteins were followed by electrophoresis. The signals for protein-DNA complexes were measured and normalized with fluorescent-labeled marker using fragment analysis software. This assay...

Vibrio parahaemolyticus harbours two distinct type III secretion systems (T3SS1 and T3SS2). A subset of 10 T3SS1 genes are transcribed when V. parahaemolyticus is grown in tissue culture medium [Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM)], while transcription of these genes (except exsD) is minimal upon growth in Luria-Bertani-Salt (LB-S). Transcription of T3SS1 genes and cytotoxicity towards He...

We take advantage of our previous observation that neutral osmolytes can strongly slow down the rate of DNA-protein complex dissociation to develop a method that uses osmotic stress to 'freeze' mixtures of DNA-protein complexes and prevent further reaction enabling analysis of the products. We apply this approach to the gel mobility shift assay and use it to modify a self-cleavage assay that us...