The isothermal phase behaviour at 5 °C of mixtures of sodium caseinate and oat β-glucan isolates varying in molecular weight (MW) was investigated by means of phase diagram construction, rheometry, fluorescence microscopy and electrophoresis. Phase diagrams indicated that the compatibility of the β-glucan/sodium caseinate system increases as β-glucan MW decreases. Images of mixtures taken at va...

A water-insoluble chitin-glucan complex, isolated from the mycelium of Aspergillus niger, was swollen in various aqueous media and treated subsequently by high-energy sonication. The concentration of the resulting water-soluble polysaccharide fractions was dependent on the swelling medium, the amount of the chitin-glucan complex in the suspension, and on the time of sonication. The yields of wa...

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the monthly variation in the airborne (1→3)-β-D-glucan level throughout one year and its relationship with climatic factors (temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, hours of daylight, cloud cover, and pollen counts). METHODS A total of 106 samples were collected using a two-stage cyclone sampler at five outdoor sampling locations (on top of 5 university buildings). ...

All the fractions of Phellinus linteus mycelia showed anti-tumor activity toward solid tumors planted in mice. The highest anti-tumor activity of 81.2% was observed in the protein-glucan complex obtained by precipitating the 24% NaOH extract at pH 6.0. This protein-glucan complex consisted of 39.3% polysaccharide and 49.4% protein. Its (13)C- and (1)H-NMR data showed that the main glucan part o...

BACKGROUND The role of β-glucan in children with respiratory problems is getting more and more attention. In this report we focused on the effects of 30 days oral supplementation with β-glucan on physical activity and immune status of children with respiratory problems. METHODS We measured the level of sIgA, eNO and physical activity [using a 6-minute walking test (6MWT)] in 77 children and e...

A resveratrol/carboxymethylated glucan (CM-glucan) combination is known to inhibit rhinovirus replication and expression of inflammatory mediators in nasal epithelia. The aim of this study was to develop an aerosol formulation containing an association of the two molecules which could reach the lower respiratory tract. Mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of a resveratrol/CM-glucan combinati...

To elucidate the role of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan in pulmonary aspergilloma, serum concentrations of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan were measured repeatedly for as long as 10 months in eight patients. In four patients with inactive disease, concentrations of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan were in the normal range.The concentrations of (1-->3)-beta-D-glucan increased in two patients, although the disease was inactiv...

Considerable evidence suggests that mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to the toxicity of uranyl acetate (UA), a soluble salt of depleted uranium (DU). We examined the ability of the two antioxidants, beta-glucan and butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT), to prevent UA-induced mitochondrial dysfunction using rat-isolated kidney mitochondria. Beta-glucan (150 nM) and BHT (20 nM) attenuated UA-indu...

The accessibility of cellulase and xylanase enzymes to glucan and xylan, respectively, and its change with conversion were measured for pure Avicel glucan and poplar solids that had been pretreated by ammonia fiber expansion (AFEX), ammonia recycled percolation (ARP), dilute acid, and lime. Avicel and pretreated solids were digested to various degrees by cellulase together with beta-glucosidase...

A reliable method to determine cell wall polysaccharides composition in yeast is presented, which combines acid and enzymatic hydrolysis. Sulphuric acid treatment is used to determine mannans, whereas specific hydrolytic enzymes are employed in a two sequential steps to quantify chitin and the proportion of β-(1,3) and β-(1,6)-glucan in the total β-glucan of the cell wall. In the first step, ch...