During the acute phase response (APR) to tissue injury or infection, the liver is responsible for the level of mediators such as cytokines required at the site of inflammation and providing the essential components for wound healing and tissue repair. Additionally there are substantial alterations in the expression of plasma proteins of hepatic origin such as alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP). The APR also results in alterations to the branching, sialylation and fucosylation of the oligosaccharide chains of AGP. This study investigated whether liver damage could be correlated with changes in AGP glycosylation in groups of patients with various liver diseases (alcoholic liver disease, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, cirrhosis). Hyperfucosylation occurred in all cases of liver disease, although the hepatitis B and C samples showed a more significant increase in comparison with the others. Additionally N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) was detected in the majority of the hepatitis C samples, which was unexpected since this monosaccharide is not a usual component of the N-linked oligosaccharide chains. It was also determined by concanavalin (con) A chromatography that there is a shift towards the increased branching of the oligosaccharide chains in inflammatory liver diseases compared to normal serum.

The dietary fiber (DF) components of green beans and carrots were fractionated and analyzed utilizing methodology developed by Anderson and Clydesdale (1980). Samples of each vegetable were examined as purchased, after boiling for 30 min, and after retorting for 60 min. Also, a standard wheat bran, whose DF profile was previously determined by Anderson and Clydesdale (1980), was analyzed after toasting for 30 and 60 min and after boiling for 30 min. Results indicated that toasting significantly increased the "lignin" content of the bran and had little effect on the other components. Wet heat processing tended to first solubilize and then destroy the pectin substances in the pureed green beans, carrots, and wheat bran.

A certified, food grade wheat bran (#R07-3691) obtained from the American Association of Cereal Chemists was analyzed using a fractionation procedure. This method includes estimation of cold and hot water-soluble biopolymers as well as total pectic substances, hemicellulose, cellulose, and Klason lignin. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the carbohydrate polymers was achieved by gasliquid chromatography. The polymers were hydrolyzed with acid, derivatized to form the respective alditol acetates, and analyzed. The wheat bran was found to contain 0.79 + 0.09% cold and a trace of hot water-soluble neutral polysaccharides, 2.17 + 0.09% total pectic substances, 28.45 f 1.00% hemicellulose, 9.84 r 0.75% cellulose, and 2.87 f 0.21% Klason lignin. These values agree with those estimated by other methods where available.

The dietary fiber (DF) content in a corn bran flour obtained from Tabor Milling Company was estimated and analyzed using a fractionation procedure developed previously. This method includes estimation of cold and hot water-soluble biopolymers as well as total pectic substances, hemicellulose, cellulose and Klason lignin. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the neutral sugars in the carbohydrate polymers was achieved by gas-liquid chromatography. Acidic sugars were estimated by a modified carbazole reaction. The corn bran flour was estimated to contain 50.12% total DF. The DF was composed of 34.49% hemicellulose, 12.34% cellulose, 0.23% Klason lignin and 3.06% total pectic substances. These values were similar to those obtained from the analysis of a standard wheat bran using the same methodology in another study.

The interaction between 1-tryptophan and a-ketoglutaric acid (a-KGA), first reported by Chu and Clydesdale (1,2), was used as the basis for development of a method for estimation of tryptophan content. Analysis of reaction mixtures with ultraviolet spectrophotometers revealed the development of absorbance with a wavelength of maximum absorbance (λ max) at 358 nm. Four parameters were manipulated to increase the rate and amount of chromophore formed. These parameters were: concentration of HCI, concentration of a-KGA, concentration of sodium nitrite, and temperature.