• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제17권12호
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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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• 제24권4호
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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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• 제7권3호
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• pp.208-217
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• 2020

최근 미생물 유래 베타클루칸과 잔탄검을 주성분으로 하는 바이오폴리머는 제방 사면을 안정화할 뿐 만 아니라, 하천 식생의 생장을 촉진하는 친환경 신소재로 활발히 연구되고 있다. 그러나 다양한 환경요인과 개체간 경쟁관계가 존재하는 제방 환경에서 바이오폴리머가 식물 군집에 주는 영향은 알려져 있지 않다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 바이오폴리머의 실제적인 생태성 평가를 목적으로, 바이오폴리머가 식물 생장 촉진에 미치는 영향을 제방 환경에서 확인하고, 경쟁관계가 식물 군집 형성에 미치는 영향을 고려하여 경쟁조건에 따른 바이오폴리머 효과도 조사하였다. 연구 목적을 위하여 4종의 식물종 (돌피, 수크령, 익모초 그리고 큰금계국)을 대상으로 전라남도 담양군 삼지교 부근의 자연 제방 (20 m × 10 m)에서 종내/종간 경쟁 조건에 따른 바이오폴리머 효과를 실험하였다. 바이오폴리머 처리는 바이오폴리머 분말, 물, 일반 상토를 일정 비율로 혼합한 바이오폴리머 혼합토를 화분에 채우거나 일반상토 화분의 표면에 3 cm 두께로 도포하는 방법이 사용되었다. 경쟁 조건과 관계없이 바이오폴리머 처리로 대상 식물종들의 뿌리 생육이 촉진되었고 잎의 건중량 대비 엽면적이 감소하였다, Ehgks 수크령의 총 생물량과 지상부 건중량이 증가하였다. 대상종들의 총생물량과 지상부 건중량은 경쟁조건에서 대조구에 비해 감소하였지만, 이러한 경쟁 효과는 모든 바이오폴리머 처리군에서 유사하게 나타났다. 따라서 바이오폴리머는 토양과 혼합되었을 때 일부 식물종의 생장을 촉진시키지만, 식물의 경쟁능력에는 영향을 주지 않는 것으로 보인다.

• 한국수자원학회논문집
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• 제54권3호
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• pp.181-190
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• 2021

본 연구에서는 하천에서의 월류 발생에 따른 제방의 붕괴를 방지하거나 피해를 최소화하기 위한 신소재 보강공법을 제체 표면에 적용하여 그 효과를 검증하기 위한 실규모 횡월류 붕괴 실험을 수행하였다. 본 실험을 위해 제방 모형은 높이 2.5 m, 길이 12 m, 사면경사 1:2로 구성하였다. 또한 제방의 경우 습식 공법을 이용하여 바이오폴리머 분말, 물, 화강풍화토, 황토를 적정 비율로 혼합한 신소재를 제체 표면에 약 5 cm 두께로 분사한 뒤 식생활착 모니터링을 거쳐 최종 실험모형을 완성하였다. 안동하천연구센터 A3 수로 상류에서 4 ㎥/s 의 유량을 유입시켜 횡월류 흐름을 유도하였으며, 음향 도플러 유속계를 이용하여 상·하류의 유량 및 횡월류량의 변동을 측정하였다. 또한, 제방보강공법의 성능을 평가하기 위해 이미지 픽셀 기법 및 3차원 포인트 클라우드 모델링 기법을 활용한 시간에 따른 제방의 표면손실률을 산정함으로써 영상분석 기반의 새로운 평가 도구를 제시하였다. 본 연구결과를 적절하게 활용하게 되면 제방보강공법의 성능을 평가하는데 기초 자료로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• 제12권5호
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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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• 제12권5호
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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.

• 대한화장품학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한화장품학회 2003년도 IFSCC Conference Proceeding Book I
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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.

• 대한화장품학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한화장품학회 2003년도 IFSCC Conference Proceeding Book I
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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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• 제17권5호
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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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• 제28권4호
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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.