• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1983-1990
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• 2007

Antidiabetic effects of a novel microbial biopolymer (PGB) 1 excreted from new Enterobacter sp. BL-2 were tested in the db/db mice. The animals were divided into normal control, rosiglitazone (0.005%, wt/wt), low PGB1 (0.1%, wt/wt), and high PGB1 (0.25%, wt/wt) groups. After 5 weeks, the blood glucose levels of high PGB1 and rosiglitazone supplemented groups were significantly lower than those of the control group. In hepatic glucose metabolic enzyme activities, the glucokinase activities of PGB1 supplemented groups were significantly higher than the control group, whereas the PEPCK activities were significantly lower. The plasma insulin and hepatic glycogen levels of the low and high PGB1 supplemented groups were significantly higher compared with the control group. Specifically, the insulin and glycogen increases were dose-responsive to PGB1 supplement. PGB1 supplement did not affect the IPGTT and IPITT compared with the control group; however, rosiglitazone significantly improved IPITT. High PGB1 and rosiglitazone supplementation preserved the appearance of islets and insulin-positive cells in immunohistochemical photographs of the pancreas compared with the control group. These results demonstrated that high PGB1 (0.25% in the diet) supplementation seemingly contributes to preventing the onset and progression of type 2 diabetes by stimulating insulin secretion and enhancing the hepatic glucose metabolic enzyme activities.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.1-6
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• 1996

Extracts from bark have been studied with a view to producing water-proof wood adhesives. Lately many softwoods, such as radiata pine from New Zealand and larch from Siberia, Russia, have been imported and utilized, and their residual barks would be expecting as potential raw materials for something useful chemicals. The great effort toward utilization of bark extractives as a chemical feedstock has been made on a worldwide level. However few report has been done for the utilization of tree bark extractives in Korea. Hot-water extracts were prepared from barks of Japanese larch(Larix leptolepis). Siberian larch(Larix gmelinii) and Radiata pine(Pinus radiata). The effect of various factors, such as particle size, liquor ratio, extraction temperature, and reaction time, on the extractive yields was discussed. Particle sizes affected the hot-water extractives: the finer the particle size, the higher extractives and extract efficiency. Higher temperature and higher liquor ratio were more effective. Extractives from Japanese larch were relatively less than those from Siberian larch and Radiata pine barks. Formaldehyde precipitates was the highest in extractives of Radiata pine barks. It could be concluded that Siberian larch bark was the best raw material for tannin adhesives, because its extractive yield was higher than those of the other barks.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.208-217
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• 2020

A biopolymer based on microorganism-derived β-glucan and xanthan gum is being studied as a new eco-friendly material that stabilizes the riverbank slope, and also promotes vegetation growth. However, it is still inconclusive whether biopolymers have a positive effect on plant performance in the riverbanks which are subjected to various climatic factors and plant competitions. For a practical ecological evaluation of the biopolymers, their effect on plant growth promotion was studied in a natural environment. Considering the relationship between competition and plant community formation, the effects of biopolymers on competition were also investigated. For four plant species (Echinochloa crus-galli, Pennisetum alopecuroides, Leonurus japonicus, and Coreopsis lanceolata), the biopolymer effects under intra/interspecific competition were tested at the riverbank (20 m × 10 m) near Samjigyo Bridge in Damyang-gun, Jeollanam-do. A biopolymer powder was mixed with water and commercial soil following the manufacturer's recommendations. The soil mixed with the biopolymer was filled in a pot or applied to the surface of the commercial soil with a thickness of 3 cm. Across the competition treatments, the biopolymer treatment promoted root growth of the target plant species and decreased the specific leaf area. The total biomass and shoot dry weight of P. alopecuroides increased in response to the biopolymer treatment. The competition treatment decreased the total biomass and shoot dry weight compared to the case without competition. Notably, such a competitive effect was similar in all the biopolymer treatments. Thus, biopolymers, when mixed with soil, promote the growth of some plant species, but do not appear to affect the competitive ability of plants.

• Journal of Korea Water Resources Association
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.181-190
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• 2021

In this study, a large-scale levee breach experiment from lateral overflow was conducted to verify the effect of the new reinforcement method applied to the levee's surface. The new method could prevent levee failure and minimize damage caused by overflow in rivers. The levee was designed at the height of 2.5 m, a length of 12 m, and a slope of 1:2. A new material mixed with biopolymer powder, water, weathered granite, and loess in an appropriate ratio was sprayed on the levee body's surface at a thickness of about 5 cm, and vegetation recruitment was also monitored. At the Andong River Experiment Center, a flow (4 ㎥/s) was introduced from the upstream of the A3 channel to induce the lateral overflow. The change of lateral overflow was measured using an acoustic doppler current profiler in the upstream and downstream. Additionally, cameras and drones were used to analyze the process of the levee breach. Also, a new method using 3D point cloud for calculating the surface loss rate of the levee over time was suggested to evaluate the performance of the levee reinforcement method. It was compared to existing method based on image analysis and the result was reasonable. The proposed 3D point cloud methodology could be a solution for evaluating the performance of levee reinforcement methods.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.831-847
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• 2017

Conventional geotechnical engineering soil binders such as ordinary cement or lime have environmental issues in terms of sustainable development. Thus, environmentally friendly materials have attracted considerable interest in modern geotechnical engineering. Microbial biopolymers are being actively developed in order to improve geotechnical engineering properties such as aggregate stability, strength, and hydraulic conductivity of various soil types. This study evaluates the geotechnical engineering shear behavior of sand treated with xanthan gum biopolymer through laboratory direct shear testing. Xanthan gum-sand mixtures with various xanthan gum content (percent to the mass of sand) and gel phases (initial, dried, and re-submerged) were considered. Xanthan gum content of 1.0% sufficiently improves the inter-particle cohesion of cohesionless sands 3.8 times and more (up to 14 times for dried state) than in the untreated (natural) condition, regardless of the xanthan gum gel condition. In general, the strength of xanthan gum-treated sand shows dependency with the rheology and phase of xanthan gum gels in inter-granular pores, which decreases in order as dried (biofilm state), initial (uniform hydrogel), and re-submerged (swollen hydrogel after drying) states. As xanthan gum hydrogels are pseudo-plastic, both inter-particle friction angle and cohesion of xanthan gum-treated sand decrease with water adsorbed swelling at large strain levels. However, for 2% xanthan gum-treated sands, the re-submerged state shows a higher strength than the initial state due to the gradual and non-uniform swelling behavior of highly concentrated biofilms.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.753-770
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• 2017

The coagulation or flocculation of cohesive clay suspensions is one of the most widely used treatment technologies for contaminated water. Flocculated clay can transport pollutants and nutrients in ground water. Coagulants are used to accelerate these mechanisms. However, existing coagulants (e.g., polyacrylamide, polyaluminum chloride) are known to have harmful effects in the environment and on human health. As an alternative, eco-friendly coagulant, this study suggests ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$, a cationic biopolymer fermented by Streptomyces. A series of sedimentation experiments for various ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$ concentrations were performed, and the efficiency of sedimentation with ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$ was estimated by microscopic observation and light absorbance measurements. Two types of sedimentation were observed in the experiments: accumulation sedimentation (at 0.15%, 0.20%, 0.25% ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$) and flocculation sedimentation (at 0%, 0.1%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 2.0% ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$). These sedimentation types occur as a result of the concentration of counter ions. Additionally, the performance of ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$ was compared with that of a previously used environmentally friendly coagulant, chitosan. The obtained results indicate that flocculation sedimentation is appropriate for contamination removal and that ${\varepsilon}-polylysine$ functions more efficiently for clay removal than chitosan. From the experiments and analysis, this paper finds that polylysine is an alternative eco-friendly coagulant for removing chemical contaminants in groundwater.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.480-490
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• 2003

An innovative biopolymer known as the Rhizobian gum has been developed in France, which shows some dramatic refreshing effect on the skin. The origin of this innovative project takes its source in the natural environment, and in particular the natural environment of the roots of sunflowers and wheat, where a symbiotic bacterium has been discovered. It is a Rhizobium bacterium, which is hosted by the roots, and which is able to synthesize a specific polymer showing a dramatic water binding capacity. This polymer is in particular synthesized in period of drought, and its biological role is to concentrate the small amount water present in the soil in order to take it available for the root, which becomes then able to absorb it. This vital mechanism allows the plant to survive despite a severe climatic environment. This basic research has been conducted in collaboration whit the French National centre of scientific Research (CNRS), and has lead to the isolation of the Rhizobium bacteria. Rhizobian gum is a branched biopolymer consisting in the repetition of a polysaccharide unit of 3 molecules of glucose, 3 molecules of galactose and 1 molecule of glucuronic acid, whit one pyruvate group an average 1.6 acetyl groups. The fresh effect of Rhizobian gum is a strong sensorial impact that 100 ％ of the consumers are able to perceive, and which is judged very pleasant by most of them. In addition to this, a large majority of consumers are perceived, and which is judge very pleasant by most of them. In addition to this, a large majority of consumers also feel a very pleasant relaxing sensation. Smoothness and softness are also felt by most consumers and qualified positively by most of them. These qualities guarantee a strong impact on today's consumers.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.50-60
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• 2003

An innovative biopolymer known as the Rhizobian gum has been developed in France, which shows some dramatic refreshing effect on the skin. The origin of this innovative project takes its source in the natural environment, and in particular the natural environment of the roots of sunflowers and wheat, where a symbiotic bacterium has been discovered. It is a Rhizobium bacterium, which is hosted by the roots, and which is able to synthesize a specific polymer showing a dramatic water binding capacity. This polymer is in particular synthesized in period of drought, and its biological role is to concentrate the small amount water present in the soil in order to take it available for the root, which becomes then able to absorb it. This vital mechanism allows the plant to survive despite a severe climatic environment. This basic research has been conducted in collaboration whit the French National centre of scientific Research (CNRS), and has lead to the isolation of the Rhizobium bacteria. Rhizobian gum is a branched biopolymer consisting in the repetition of a polysaccharide unit of 3 molecules of glucose, 3 molecules of galactose and 1 molecule of glucuronic acid, whit one pyruvate group an average 1.6 acetyl groups. The fresh effect of Rhizobian gum is a strong sensorial impact that 100 ％ of the consumers are able to perceive, and which is judged very pleasant by most of them. In addition to this, a large majority of consumers are perceived, and which is judge very pleasant by most of them. In addition to this, a large majority of consumers also feel a very pleasant relaxing sensation. Smoothness and softness are also felt by most consumers and qualified positively by most of them. These qualities guarantee a strong impact on today's consumers.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.475-483
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• 2019

Vegetation cover plays a vital role in stabilizing the soil structure, thereby contributing to surface erosion control. Surface vegetation acts as a shelterbelt that controls the flow velocity and reduces the kinetic energy of the water near the soil surface, whereas vegetation roots reinforce the soil via the formation of root-particle interactions that reduce particle detachment. In this study, two vegetation-testing trials were conducted. The first trial was held on cool-season turfgrasses seeded in a biopolymer-treated site soil in an open greenhouse. At the end of the test, the most suitable grass type was suggested for the second vegetation test, which was conducted in an environmental control chamber. In the second test, biopolymers, namely, starch and xanthan gum hydrogels (pure starch, pure xanthan gum, and xanthan gum-starch mixtures), were tested as soil conditioners for improving the water-holding capacity and vegetation growth in sandy soils. The results support the possibility that biopolymer treatments may enhance the survival rate of vegetation under severe drought environments, which could be applicable for soil stabilization in arid and semiarid regions.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.375-384
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• 2022

The glacial tills and shales in Midwestern states of the USA often show strength degradation after construction. They are often in need of applying soil modification techniques to remediate their strength degradation with weathering process. This study investigated the weathering durability of these natural soils and biopolymer treated soils by comparing direct shear test results for wet-dry and wet-freeze-thaw-dry cycled specimens. The tests showed that untreated glacial tills maintained only 62% and 50% initial shear strength after eight wet-dry cycles and eight wet-freeze-thaw-dry cycles, respectively. These untreated soils could not withstand by themselves after 16 weathering cycles. The same soils treated with 1.5% (by dry weight) food-grade Xanthan gum maintained 140% and 88% initial shear strength of untreated soils after 16 weathering cycles for wet-dry cycles and wet-freeze-thaw-dry cycles, respectively. The same soils treated with 1.5% (by dry weight) Gellan gum maintained 82% and 60% initial shear strength of untreated ones after 16 weathering cycles, respectively. Similar results were obtained for crushed shales, manifesting that the biopolymerization method may be adopted as a new eco-friendly method to enhance the weathering durability of these problematic soils of glacial tills and shales.