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Biomedical subjects

K B Li

Publications and source records attributed to K B Li.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1998

Distributed parallel processing for multidimensional maximum entropy reconstruction.

We have developed a two-dimensional maximum entropy spectrum reconstruction program designed to run in parallel on workstation clusters. Test reconstructions of planes extracted from a three-dimensional NMR data set indicate that the parallel speedup is nearly equal to the number of processors provided that the individual processors have comparable performance and that there are at least as many planes as processors. The program also works well in a typical laboratory setting consisting of heterogeneous workstations.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1992

A study of hepatitis C virus antibodies and serum alanine amino transferase in blood donors in Hong Kong Chinese.

The reference range of serum alanine amino transferase (ALT) for the local population was established by testing 5,000 random voluntary Chinese blood donors of various age groups of both sexes. In addition, 1,769 serum samples with elevated ALT levels were also collected for anti-HCV assays using both the Abbott and Ortho anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) assay kits. The relationship between serum ALT and anti-HCV tests was studied and the performances of both kits used were compared. It was found that while the prevalence of serum anti-HCV was 0.4% among hepatitis B surface antigen-negative donors with normal ALT, subjects with ALT between 2 and 3 standard deviations (SD) and greater than 3 SD above the mean level had respective prevalence of anti-HCV 3 and 9.5 times that of the normal ALT subjects. Both anti-HCV kits were found to identify in majority the same positive population among the different groups of subjects studied. In addition, it was observed that for subjects who were anti-HCV-positive, the higher the serum ALT level, the higher the mean anti-HCV ELISA ratio and this observation was similar for both anti-HCV kits used. We conclude that: (1) there is a direct relationship between serum ALT level and anti-HCV positivity by EIA; (2) there is a direct correlation between serum ALT level and anti-HCV ELISA ratio, and (3) both Abbott and Ortho anti-HCV kits perform similarly in the identification of positive serum samples.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Genetic and molecular analysis of spontaneous respiratory deficient (res-) mutants of Escherichia coli K-12.

Respiratory deficient (res-) mutants of E. coli are slow growing microcolonial, anaerobic, catalase and benzidine negative strains whose broad phenotypic alteration may result from pleiotropic mutations in genes of the hemin biosynthetic pathway. They are easily recovered from platings of sensitive cells on concentrations of gentamicin higher than the minimal inhibitory concentration. These mutants show a dramatic change in their biochemical diagnostic profile resulting primarily from deficiencies in the active transport mechanisms of the cell. Using well-marked F- and Hfr strains, 157 mutants were analyzed from 3 different parent strains; all but 2 resulted from mutations in 3 loci of the hemin biosynthetic pathway. Of these a marked skew to hemB- mutations was seen, with more than 80% mapping there. The possibility that this hot spot resulted from transpositional activity was tested by Southern hybridization of EcoRI digests of the chromosomal DNA, using as a probe, a 2.8-kb fragment containing the hemB gene. The WT and other hemB+ control strains contained a 14.6-kb fragment. Of 18 hemB strains tested, 14 showed deletion and insertion mutations which fell into four classes based on the variation in the size of the fragment or on the absence of hybridization. The latter resulted from complete deletion of the hemB gene. An increase in fragment size from 1.5-kb to 3.4-kb was observed in some of the strains.

Aminoglycosides↗
PubMed1983

Production and properties of alpha-glucosidase from Lactobacillus acidophilus.

Lactobacillus acidophilus IFO 3532 was found to produce only intracellular alpha-glucosidase (alpha-D-glucoside glucohydrolase; EC 3.2.1.20). Maximum enzyme production was obtained in a medium containing 2% maltose as inducer at 37 degrees C and at an initial pH of 6.5. The enzyme was formed in the cytoplasm and accumulated as a large pool during the logarithmic growth phase. Enzyme production was strongly inhibited by 4 microM CuSO4, 40 microM CoCl2, and beef extract; MnSO4 and the presence of proteose peptone and yeast extract in the medium greatly enhanced enzyme production. A 16.6-fold purification of alpha-glucosidase was achieved by (NH4)2SO4 fractionation and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography. The enzyme showed high specificity for maltose. The Km for alpha-p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside was 11.5 mM, and the Vmax for alpha-p-nitrophenyl-beta-D-glucopyranoside hydrolysis was 12.99 mumol/min per mg of protein. The optimal pH and temperature for enzyme activity were 5.0 and 37 degrees C, respectively. The enzyme activity was inhibited by Hg2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Zn2+, Ca2+, Co2+, urea, rose bengal, and 2-iodoacetamide, whereas Mn2+, Mg2+, L-cysteine, L-histidine, Tris, and EDTA stimulated enzyme activity. Transglucosylase activity was present in the partially purified enzyme, and isomaltose was the only glucosyltransferase product. Amylase activity in the purified preparation was relatively weak, and no isomaltase activity was detected.

Carbohydrates↗
PubMed1981

Properties of alpha-glucosidase from Lactobacillus acidophilus NCTC 1723.

Lactobacillus acidophilus NCTC 1723 produced intracellular and extracellular alpha-glucosidase (alpha-D-glucoside glucohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.20). The alpha-glucosidase was partially purified by ammonium sulphate fractionation and DEAE-cellulose column chromatography, and attained a 10.3-fold purification. The Km for alpha-PNPG was 2.9 mM and the Vmax for alpha-PNPG hydrolysis was 6.45 mumole ml-1 min-1. The enzyme was stable only at pH 6.0-7.5 while incubated at 25 degrees C. At pH 6.5, a 100% activity was retained at 15 degrees-37 degrees C. However, the enzyme was easily destroyed at 50 degrees C. The pH optimum for stability of the enzyme at low temperature (2 degrees C) was between 5 and 6. It was found that addition of Mn++, Ba++ and EDTA, to the medium stimulated alpha-glucosidase activity, while the presence of Hg++, Cu++, Co++, Ni++, Zn++, L-histidine, arabitol, erythritol, sorbitol and glycerol inhibited enzyme activity. Although isomaltase activity was found in the partially purified alpha-glucosidase, it was not known whether this activity was an intrinsic capability of the enzyme. Transglucosylase and weak glucoamylase activities were also found to associate with the partially purified alpha-glucosidase. Since only the alpha-1,6 linked isomaltose was detected as the transferase product, it was thought that the alpha-glucosidase was capable of glucosyl transfer via alpha-1,6-glucosidic bonds.

Glucan 1,4-alpha-Glucosidase↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Automated resonance assignment of proteins using heteronuclear 3D NMR. 2. Side chain and sequence-specific assignment.

A sequential assignment protocol for proteins was developed using heteronuclear 3D NMR. The protocol consists of an amino acid type recognition algorithm and a primary sequence mapping algorithm. The former measures the similarity between each detected spin pattern and 20 standard amino acid coupling patterns. Both chemical shift and topologically likeness are considered. The mapping algorithm uses the amino acid type information to direct detected polypeptides to proper position onto protein primary sequence. The assignment protocol can be applied to spin systems generated by many different approaches. We designed a few computer programs to derive a protein's backbone and side chain spin systems using heteronuclear 3D NMR. The results was then input to the sequential assignment protocol. All of the algorithms were tested on NMR data of a 90-residue N-domain of chicken skeletal troponin-C.

Algorithms↗