Although the effect of elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) on Phalaenopsis plant flowering, biomass, and photosynthesis has received intensive study, whether elevated CO2 affects plant requirements and sensitivity to potassium sulfate (SOP) during the reproductive growth stage remains unclear. To evaluate the combined effect of CO2 and SOP provision on crassulacean acid metabolism orchids, we cultivated Phalaenopsis Queen Beer ‘Mantefon’ under ambient and elevated CO2 treatments (≈ 400 or ≈ 720 μmol×mol-1, respectively) and four levels of SOP supply for 20 weeks after treatments (WAT): potassium and sulfate levels by 10.41 and 1.96 mmol·L-1 (SOP1), 5.98 and 0.90 mmol·L-1 (SOP2), 12.80 and 1.96 mmol·L-1 (SOP3), and 14.83 and 3.16 mmol·L-1 (SOP4), respectively. The number of floral buds and flowers decreased in the plants grown under elevated CO2 than in those grown under ambient CO2, regardless of the SOP level; however, the reduced production of floral buds and flowers did not affect the dry mass of shoot, root, and spike at 20 WAT. There were significant interactive effects of CO2 and SOP on root biomass accumulation and net CO2 uptake. The stimulation of biomass partitioning on the root, as a sink source, observed due to the uptake of elevated CO2 was improved under increased SOP supply. Under ambient CO2, the leaf critical SOP level was SOP1 for root and spike biomass accumulation. Plants grown under elevated CO2 were more sensitive to SOP treatments, with higher essential leaf levels of SOP.

Ulva compressa Linnaeus (UCL) is a green algae seaweed that performs photosynthesis and is used as a food material in some Asian regions including Korea. It is known to be the dominant species in copper ion-contaminated seas, and many studies on copper ion resistant mechanisms have been reported. UCL is known to have an excellent antioxidant effect, but limited information is available regarding its other physiological activities. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activity of 30% prethanol extracts of Ulva compressa Linnaeus (30% PeUCL) and the underlying mechanisms of its activity on human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. The 30% PeUCL extracts suppressed FaDu cell viability without affecting normal cells (L929), as determined by MTT and viability assays. Furthermore, the 30% PeUCL extracts induced apoptosis, as determined by DAPI staining. The 30% PeUCL extracts inhibited colony formation effectively as well as wound-healing of FaDu cells, even at noncytotoxic concentrations. In addition, 30% PeUCL extracts induced apoptosis significantly through proteolytic cleavage of caspase-3, -7, and -9, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, and by downregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax in FaDu cells, as determined by Western blot analysis. Collectively, these results suggest that the inhibitory effect of 30% PeUCL extracts on the growth of oral cancer cells, colony formation and wound-healing may be mediated by caspase- and mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathways in human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. Therefore, 30% PeUCL extracts can be administered as a natural chemotherapeutic drug for the treatment of human oral cancers.

Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences provides proton irradiation service of up to 40 MeV using cyclotron. The use of such a cyclotron was approved in advance to satisfy the Nuclear Safety Act, and radiation safety was evaluated in this process. The Monte Carlo method is generally used to evaluate the shielding safety of high-energy accelerators, and MCNP 6.2 was used in the previous evaluation. In this study, in order to verify the results of previous evaluation, the calculation results of MCNP 6.2 and Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS) 3.24 are compared. PHITS is a general-purpose Monte Carlo particle transport simulation code that is used in many studies in the fields of accelerator technology, radiotherapy, space radiation, etc. In the previous evaluation, the effective dose by neutrons and photons generated by the collision of 40 MeV 20 μA of protons with a 10.5 mm thick beryllium target was evaluated, and in this study, this was reproduced with PHITS. As the radiation exposure evaluation for the user or pubic is evaluated based on the radiation dose and energy distribution generated around the target, the effective dose and energy distribution received by the water phantom with a radius of 1 cm on the front, side, and back of the target were calculated. T-Track, a tally of PHITS, was used to calculate effective dose, which is similar to F4 tally of MCNP 6.2 using a dose conversion factor. For the dose conversion factor, the value suggested as AP irradiation in Publication 103 was used. As a result of the calculation, the effective dose by neutrons at the front, side and back of the target was 1.42×105, 2.09×104, and 1.39×104 mSv·h−1, respectively, which was similar to 2.00×105, 1.84×104, and 2.59×104 calculated using F4 tally in MCNP. Moreover, the results of calculating the effective dose by photons using PHITS were 4.81×10, 3.10×10, and 2.66×10, respectively, and the results of calculating MCNP were 4.49×102, 6.45×10, and 9.64×10. The average energies of neutrons were 11.2, 0.69, and 0.31 MeV when calculated by PHITS, respectively, and 13.8, 7.8, and 4.6 when calculated by MCNP. Moreover, the average energies of photons were 1.98, 0.98, and 0.86 when calculated by PHITS, respectively, and 3.9, 3.2, and 2.6 when calculated by MCNP.

Humulus japonicus (HJ) is a widely used herbal medicine for pulmonary tuberculosis, hypertension, leprosy, and venomous wounds in Asia, particularly in China. Although HJ has certain physiological activities, such as longitudinal bone growth, antioxidation and alleviation of rheumatism, its anticancer activities, other than in colorectal and ovarian cancer, are yet to be studied. In this study, we investigated the anti-cancer activity and mechanism of methanol extracts of HJ (MeHJ) against human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. MeHJ suppressed FaDu cell viability without affecting normal cells (L929), which was demonstrated using the MTT and Live & Dead assays. Furthermore, MeHJ effectively inhibited colony formation of FaDu cells, even at non-cytotoxic concentrations, and significantly induced apoptosis through the proteolytic cleavage of caspase-9, -3, -7, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and through the downregulation of BCL-2 and upregulation of BAX in FaDu cells, as determined by DAPI staining, flow cytometry, and western blot analyses. Collectively, these findings suggest that the inhibitory effects of MeHJ on the growth and colony formation of oral cancer cells may be mediated by caspase- and mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathways in human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. Therefore, MeHJ has the potential to be used as a natural chemotherapeutic drug against human oral cancer.

Cymbidium is one of the most popular and economically important species cultivated as a commercial ornamental crop. The objectives of this study were to determine the appropriate electrical conductivity (EC) treatments of nutrient solution, which gives the highest spike production and quality. Three-year-old Cymbidium ‘Lovely Smile’ plants were grown in the environmentally controlled Information and Communication Technology (ICT) smart greenhouse at Seoul Women’s University. The EC of the nutrient solution was changed in three distinct stages: vegetative, flower initiation, and flower development. The EC treatments were 1-0-1 (dS·m-1, EC101), 1-1-1 (dS·m-1, EC111), 2-1-2 (dS·m-1, EC212), 2-2-2 (dS·m-1, EC222), 3-2-3 (dS·m-1, EC323), 3-3-3 (dS·m-1, EC333) and the pH was adjusted to 6.0–6.5. Pseudobulb diameter increased in the plants treated with EC 101 and EC111 compared to the plants treated with EC 2.0–3.0 dS·m-1 at the reproductive stage 28 weeks after nutrient solution treatment. Flower spike production per pot and pseudobulb showed the highest values in the plants treated with EC111 of 3.3 and 1.4, respectively. Flower spikes length was the highest in the plants treated with EC 1.0 dS·m-1 and stem thickness, number of flowers, and fresh weight were the largest in the plants with EC 1.0 dS·m-1 among the EC treatments. Flower spikes had the worst quality (e.g., plant growth and flowering quality) in the plants treated with EC 3.0 dS·m-1 among the EC treatments. Floral bud and flower development took place 1–2 weeks earlier in the plants treated with EC 101, 111, and 212 than the other treatments. Flower diameter showed the highest values in the plants treated with EC 1.0 dS·m-1 among the EC treatments and flower color showed higher L* and b* values and lower a* values in the plants treated with EC 3.0 dS·m-1 compared to EC 1.0 and 2.0 dS･m-1. Nutrient solution of EC 1.0 dS·m-1 (EC111) can be recommended to improve flower spike quality and advanced flower development of Cymbidium.

Nypa fruticans Wurmb (NFW) contains a large amount of phenolic acid and flavonoids, and is popular as a superfood in Myanmar. NFW has various biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and neuroprotective properties; however, the anti-cancer effect of NFW have not been reported. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activity of water extracts of NFW (WeNFW) and the underlying mechanism in human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. The WeNFW inhibited FaDu cell growth in a dose-dependent manner without affecting normal cells (L929), as determined by an MTT assay and Live and Dead assay. In addition, the concentrations of WeNFW without cytotoxicity (0.025, 0.05, and 0.1 mg/mL) inhibited wound healing and colony formation. Furthermore, WeNFW significantly induced apoptosis through the proteolytic cleavage of caspase-3 and -9, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, and downregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax in FaDu cells, as determined by DAPI staining, FACS analysis, and western blot analysis. Taken together, these results suggest that WeNFW exhibits potent anti-cancer effects by suppressing the growth of oral cancer cells, wound healing and colony formation activity. Via mitrochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathways in human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. Therefore, WeNFW can provide a natural chemotherapeutic drug for oral cancer in humans.