Methods for inducing, enhancing and/or balancing an immune response are provided. The methods include administering a beta-glucan produced by Aureobasidium pullulans AFO-202 (FERM BP-19327). The methods include administering a beta-glucan produced by Aureobasidium pullulans AFO-202 (FERM BP-19327) as a vaccine adjuvant.

Methods for inducing, enhancing and/or balancing an immune response are provided. The methods include administering a beta-glucan produced by Aureobasidium pullulans AFO-202 (FERM BP-19327). The methods include administering a beta-glucan produced by Aureobasidium pullulans AFO-202 (FERM BP-19327) as a vaccine adjuvant.

A composition composed of xylooligosaccharide, arabinogalactan, inulin, Ganoderma lucidum beta glucan, insoluble yeast β (1, 3/1, 6)-glucan, soluble oat β (1,3/1, 4)-glucan, and insoluble dried Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentate, with a Bacillus coagulans component, for use in improving or maintaining digestive health, weight and glucose balance and boosting immunity is provided.

A composition composed of xylooligosaccharide, arabinogalactan, inulin, Ganoderma lucidum beta glucan, insoluble yeast β (1, 3/1, 6)-glucan, soluble oat β (1,3/1, 4)-glucan, and insoluble dried Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentate, with a Bacillus coagulans component, for use in improving or maintaining digestive health, weight and glucose balance and boosting immunity is provided.

A composition composed of xylooligosaccharide, arabinogalactan, inulin, Ganoderma lucidum beta glucan, insoluble yeast β (1, 3/1, 6)-glucan, soluble oat β (1,3/1, 4)-glucan, and insoluble dried Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentate, with a Bacillus coagulans component, for use in improving or maintaining digestive health, weight and glucose balance and boosting immunity is provided.

A malleable polysaccharide soft tissue filler for filling tissue cavities or voids such as those resulting from tumor removal or other tissue resection. The soft tissue filler includes a first cross-linking polysaccharide, preferably a beta-D glucan and a second cross-linking polysaccharide. The soft tissue filler is both porous and malleable and can be formed to accommodate the tissue cavity or void. The soft tissue filler can include an embedded marker for locating on medical imaging. Methods of making the soft tissue filler including lyophilizing an aqueous polysaccharide suspension are disclosed. The second cross-linking polysaccharide provides for increased structural integrity in a high-porosity and malleable soft tissue filler in which the respective cross-linking polysaccharides synergistically provide structural scaffolding for one another. Methods of use are also disclosed.

A malleable polysaccharide soft tissue filler for filling tissue cavities or voids such as those resulting from tumor removal or other tissue resection. The soft tissue filler includes a first cross-linking polysaccharide, preferably a beta-D glucan and a second cross-linking polysaccharide. The soft tissue filler is both porous and malleable and can be formed to accommodate the tissue cavity or void. The soft tissue filler can include an embedded marker for locating on medical imaging. Methods of making the soft tissue filler including lyophilizing an aqueous polysaccharide suspension are disclosed. The second cross-linking polysaccharide provides for increased structural integrity in a high-porosity and malleable soft tissue filler in which the respective cross-linking polysaccharides synergistically provide structural scaffolding for one another. Methods of use are also disclosed.

Provided is a method of preventing or treating gastroesophageal reflux disease, including administering to an subject in need thereof a composition including a plurality of fibers formed of β-1-4-glucan, wherein the fibers have a diameter between 15 nm and 35 nm and a mean length of between 1.5 μm and 3.5 μm.

Provided is a method of preventing or treating gastroesophageal reflux disease, including administering to an subject in need thereof a composition including a plurality of fibers formed of β-1-4-glucan, wherein the fibers have a diameter between 15 nm and 35 nm and a mean length of between 1.5 μm and 3.5 μm.

The present disclosure provides nanoparticles including laminarin and a near-infrared responsive photosensitizer covalently bonded thereto, and a composition for preventing, diagnosing, or treating arteriosclerosis comprising the same as an active ingredient. According to the present disclosure, not only the atherosclerotic plaque targeting and plaque-penetrating properties can be enhanced as compared to conventional photodynamic therapy, thus capable of being usefully used for in vivo imaging of atherosclerotic plaques, but also the size of atherosclerotic plaques is reduced by inducing apoptosis of macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques, thus capable of stabilizing atherosclerotic plaques. Therefore, the composition comprising the nanoparticles of the present disclosure as an active ingredient is expected to be usefully used for the prevention, diagnosis and/or treatment of arteriosclerosis, in that photodynamic therapy and image diagnostic of arteriosclerosis can be performed simultaneously or sequentially.