An endemic plant to South Korea, Sedum zokuriense Nakai, has medical and floricultural potential and is of ecological importance. Today, many species under the genus Sedum are used as green-roofing systems, sold as ornamental plants, and studied for breeding programs. As such, optimization studies should be conducted to identify key environmental and cultivation factors that would affect their survival and vegetative growth. In this study, shading levels (50%, 65%, 80%, 95%, and 98%), potting mixes (decomposed granite, fertilizer-amended media, perlite, river sand, burnt husk, and vermiculite), and fertilization rates [(control, 0 ppm), 500, 750, 1,000, and 2,000 ppm] were investigated and the responses of S. zokuriense in terms of their survival rate, plant growth and development, CIELAB color reading, and chlorophyll content under greenhouse conditions. Results showed that these stonecrop species are shade-loving and thrive in low-light conditions. Although the fertilizer use had minimal impacts, growing plants at 65% shading, planted with RS:VL:PL (6:2:2, v/v/v) potting media have substantially produced a high survival rate in propagation using stem cuttings. Furthermore, this allowed plants to be established while supporting high vegetative growth, green and healthy plants with high chlorophyll content.

In this study, we investigated the effect of solid culture medium on the production of cordycepin in Cordyceps militaris. The regression equation was expressed as follows: Y1= 755.3-58.6625X1+4.79432E-14X2-46.6625X3-5.66269E-14X1X2- 0.025X1X3+1.62475E-14X2X3-160.6625X1 2+0.0125X2 2-206.9625X3 2, where, Y represents the value of cordycepin content (μg/g), X1 corresponds to the weight of M. alternatus in solid culture medium (g/bottle), X2 to the water content of the solid culture medium (%), and X3 to the culture period (day). The solid culture medium was optimized using the response surface methodology, and the optimal medium composition was as follows: the weight of M. alternatus in solid culture medium and water content were 16.2% and 100.7% (20.14 mL water/20 g solid culture medium), respectively, with a culture period of 39 days. Under these conditions, the cordycepin content of the fruiting bodies reached 150.0 μg/g (actual value). The supplementation of M. alternatus in solid culture for improved cordycepin content of C. militaris seems to be a promising alternative to wild and solid cultivation.

Destruxins (Dtxs) are insecticidal cyclic hexadepsipeptides produced by the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae. Media composition for dtxs production was optimized with industrial grade media. Glycerol and casein peptone were selected as a carbon source and a nitrogen source, respectively. Dtxs production varied with C/N ratios. High yields of dtxs were observed at C/N ratios ranging 0.3 to 1.5, with concentrations mostly higher than 800 mg/L. Low yields were caused by high C/N ratio ranging from 3.0 to 8.0, resulting in less than 500 mg/L. The highest yield of Dtxs was obtained with 2% glycerol and 3% casein peptone, showing 192.2 mg/L of dtx A, 911.1 mg/L of dtx B, and 113.3 mg/L of dtx E, respectively. These results indicated that dtxs production is highly influenced by C/N ratio, especially the content of nitrogen source.

Introduction In the contemporary business environment, fashion companies ought to cope with fundamental changes marketing communication has conventionally been performed. In response to shifting socio-demographic, environmental and market-related conditions, gradually new forms of fashion promotion have evolved (Fill, 2006). Nowadays, the global fashion industry experiences a reduced dependence on mass media advertising and an enlarged reliance on dialogic, relationship-oriented and digitally grounded communication methods (Chitty, Barker, Valos & Shimp, 2012). Against this backdrop, it is irrefutable that social media technologies have been remarkably transforming the ways in which modern-day fashion communication is practiced (Brennan & Schafer, 2010; Funk et al., 2016; Dillon, 2012; Saarinen, Tinnilä & Tseng, 2006). The competitive and widely saturated apparel market is facing an era of intensive proliferation of brands, an epoche of awe bombardment of advertisements, which makes a well-though-out communicational strategy ever more imperative, particularly in a cross-cultural context (Dillon, 2012). Yet, studies that analyze the importance of social media in relation to traditional means of fashion communication are scarce. Even though, empirical introductions start being made to this explicit issue, considerable research deficiency subsists in the realm of cross-cultural fashion communication and social media optimization. Therefore, the rationale of this paper at hand is to contribute to balance out this research gap by providing evidence from four countries.

In vitro culture of murine embryos is an important step for in vitro production systems including in vitro fertilization and generations of genetically engineered mice. M16 is widely used commercialized culture media for the murine embryos. Compared to other media such as potassium simplex optimization medium, commercial M16 (Sigma) media lacks of amino acid, glutamine and antibiotics. In the present study, we optimized M16 based embryo culture system using commercialized antibiotics-glutamine or amino acids supplements. In vivo derived murine zygote were M16 media were supplemented with commercial Penicillin-Streptomycin-Glutamine solution (PSG; Gibco) or MEM Non- Essential Amino Acids solution (NEAA; Gibco) as experimental design. Addition of PSG did not improved cleavage and blastocyst rates. On the other hand, cleavage rate is not different between control and NEAA treated group, however, blastocyst formation is significantly (P<0.05) improved in NEAA treated group. Developmental competence between PSG and NEAA treated groups were also compared. Between two groups, cleavage rate was similar. However, blastocyst formation rate is significantly improved in NEAA treated group. Taken together, beneficial effect of NEAA on murine embryos development was confirmed. Effect of antibiotics and glutamine addition to M16 media is still not clear in the study.

Korea belongs to a very fast growing market for coffee consumption and at the same time the amount of coffee waste has also been proportionally increased, But until now on only a small amount of coffee waste is utilized as a fertilizer, even it contains many kinds of valuable substances for agricultural purpose. With several treatment-technology of coffee waste a higher productivity can be established in combination with additional supplements. In this study the roasting effect of coffee waste was compared in combination with other substances in terms of mushroom cultivation. Roasted coffee waste contains many kinds of bio-active compounds and minerals and such components are very useful for plants, fungi and mushroom cultivation. We tried to develop a more effective and efficient medium for mushroom. Mushroom belong to typical health food and the consuming amount is also increasing. Pleurotus ostreatus is one of the most popular mushroom. The growing market and fast cultivation has been demanding. A qualified media with reasonable price is an important factor, because why coffee waste has a good value for mushroom production. In this study Pleurotus ostreatus spores were cultivated in roasted coffee waste with addition of variable substances, for example, bentonite and hydrogel. By the counting number of spores the effect of these added substances were compared.