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C J Chiang

Publications and source records attributed to C J Chiang.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

Antimicrobial resistance and serotype distribution of Streptococcus pneumoniae infections in Kaohsiung from 1996 through 1999.

A total of 89 isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae were obtained from 86 patients during the period from November 1996 through September 1999 at the Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital. The purpose of this study was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibilities and the distribution of serotypes of these isolates, and to correlate these findings with the clinical characteristics of patients. Twenty-one (23.6%) isolates were obtained from patients aged below 5 years, and 38 (42.7%) from patients aged over 65 years. These 86 patients included 53 pneumonia, 13 bacteremia (including 6 with septic shock), 8 urinary tract infection, 8 soft tissue infections, 7 acute exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, 2 ophthalmic infection, and 2 cholecystitis cases. The most frequent serotypes were types 20 (10.1%), 6 (9%), 10 (9%), 11 (9%), and 23 (9%). All isolates were included in the serotypes represented in the 23-valent pneumococcal vaccine. Thirty-four (38.2%) isolates showed reduced penicillin susceptibility by the E-test. The predominant serotypes of penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae were types 11 (17.6%), 7 (14.7%), 6 (8.8%), 8 (8.8%), and 23 (8.8%). All isolates were susceptible to vancomycin. Resistance rate to erythromycin was 49.4%, chloramphenicol, 20.2%; and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, 61.8%. Multiple resistance (> or = 3 classes of antibiotics) was found in 28 (31.5%) isolates, of which the majority were serotypes 11 (14.3%), 7 (14.3%), 6 (10.7%), 8 (10.7%), and 23 (10.7%).

Adolescent↗

Overproduction of D-hydantoinase and carbamoylase in a soluble form in Escherichia coli.

The production of D-hydantoinase and carbamoylase from Agrobacterium radiobacter NRRL B11291 using T7 and trc promoters, respectively, was found to cause protein aggregates in Escherichia coli. We initiated a systematic study aimed at overproducting these two proteins in a soluble form. As a result, the protein aggregate from carbamoylase overproduction could be alleviated with the aid of GroEL/GroES. In contrast, the production of a high level of D-hydantoinase in an active form can be achieved at low temperature (25 degrees C) or by the coproduction of DnaJ/DnaK. Overall, with such approaches both recombinant proteins gain more than a four-fold increase in enzyme activity. In addition, by fusion with thioredoxin, D-hydantoinase activity can be increased 25% more than the unfused counterpart in the presence of DnaJ/DnaK. These results indicate the success of our approaches to overproducing D-hydantoinase and carbamoylase in a soluble form in E. coli.

Amidohydrolases↗

Immobilization of beta-fructofuranosidases from Aspergillus on methacrylamide-based polymeric beads for production of fructooligosaccharides.

beta-Fructofuranosidases from Aspergillus niger ATCC 20611 and Aspergillus japonicus TIT-KJ1 were purified and immobilized covalently onto methacrylamide-based polymeric beads. The porous, oxriane-containing support was reactive and could bind enzymes in a buffered solution at room temperature with a density up to 0.4 mg of protein g-1 of support with 100% immobilized yield. Neither the optimum temperature for the highest enzymatic activities nor the batch reaction pattern for fructooligosaccharides formation catalyzed by beta-fructofuranosidases was changed by immobilization. The amount of fructooligosaccharides produced from 50% (w/w) sucrose solution using the prepared immobilized enzymes was determined to be approximately 60% of the total sugars in the reaction mixtures. This level of fructooligosaccharides produced by the immobilized enzymes was comparable to that resulting from processes employing other immobilized biocatalysts as shown in the literature. The fraction of total fructooligosaccharides presented in the final mixture increased with the initial sucrose concentration, while fractions of glucose and fructose decreased with an increase sucrose concentration.

Acrylamides↗