Japan’s Legacy of Technology in the Digital Era : A Mixed Methods Analysis of the Competitive Advantage of the IoT sector in Japan

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate whether Japan achieves a competitive advantage through digital technologies in order to enhance its socio-economic prosperity in this highly connected world. The author analysed the competitive advantage of Japan’s ICT sector with a particular focus on IoT through Porter’s Diamond Model of National Competitive Advantage. The main motive behind choosing this sector is academic suggestions that technology innovation can boost productivity, and therefore, foster the current development. Technology has had a distinct place in Japanese development since the 1970s when the country recorded its first significant economic success. The mixed-method research was conducted by collecting data from governmental (public) and non-governmental (private) sources in order to analyse the major components of the competitive advantage. The analysis revealed that the key drivers of the competitiveness within the respective sector are influencing each other negatively. Specifically, Japan lacks technology oriented labour force and startups driving innovation. The analysis also revealed that well-established corporations hold a strong role within competitiveness of Japan as they are closely tied with the government through networks. Hence the research concludes that the competitive advantage of Japan is rather weak with respect to contributing to the socio-economic development of the country

Successful Personal Branding on Social Media

This thesis investigates the phenomenon of personal branding on social media and, in particular, it examines how successful YouTubers create and build their personal brand via content. The thesis provides valuable input to the existing literature on personal branding, which is predominantly found in self-help books and articles by self-proclaimed gurus within personal branding. Using the method of qualitative content analysis, a total of 72 videos from four different successful YouTubers have been collected and analysed. The analysis of the empirical material revealed that there are three main patterns across the content of the successful YouTubers. That is: Loyal to Personal Brand Profile, Promotion of Multiple Social Media Accounts, and Addressing the Audience and Encouraging Co-creation. Subsequently, these patterns can be understood as the key success factors of personal branding on social media via content. Based on these findings, this thesis proposes a new conceptual framework for personal branding on social media. The framework explains that personal branding on social media via content is a complex and on-going process, in which all elements of the framework should be implemented simultaneously in order to build a strong and holistic personal brand. By illustrating how established branding theories can be extended to include humans, this thesis not only serves as a contribution to the theoretical field of personal branding, but also to the field of branding as a whole

Antibacterial Activity of Thymus vulgaris L. Essential Oil Vapours and Their GC/MS Analysis Using Solid-Phase Microextraction and Syringe Headspace Sampling Techniques

While the inhalation of Thymus vulgaris L. essential oil (EO) is commonly approved for the treatment of mild respiratory infections, there is still a lack of data regarding the antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of its vapours. The antibacterial activity of the three T. vulgaris EOs against respiratory pathogens, including Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pyogenes, was assessed in both liquid and vapour phases using the broth microdilution volatilisation (BMV) method. With the aim of optimising a protocol for the characterisation of EO vapours, their chemical profiles were determined using two headspace sampling techniques coupled with GC/MS: solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and syringe headspace sampling technique (HS-GTS). All EO sample vapours exhibited antibacterial activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ranging from 512 to 1024 μg/mL. According to the sampling technique used, results showed a different distribution of volatile compounds. Notably, thymol was found in lower amounts in the headspace—peak percentage areas below 5.27% (HS-SPME) and 0.60% (HS-GTS)—than in EOs (max. 48.65%), suggesting that its antimicrobial effect is higher in vapour. Furthermore, both headspace sampling techniques were proved to be complementary for the analysis of EO vapours, whereas HS-SPME yielded more accurate qualitative results and HS-GTS proved a better technique for quantitative analysis

Chemical Composition and Antistaphylococcal Activity of Essential Oil of <i>Curcuma mangga</i> Rhizome from Indonesia

This study assessed the antistaphylococcal activity of essential oil (EO) hydrodistilled from the rhizome of Curcuma mangga grown in Indonesia using the broth microdilution volatilization method and standard broth microdilution method modified for evaluation of volatile agents, as well as described its chemical composition using gas chromatography (GC) with mass spectrometry (MS). A fused-silica HP-5MS column and a DB-17MS column were used to separate the components into two columns. The results demonstrated that the EO exhibited antistaphylococcal activity at the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 128 to 1024 µg/mL. In contrast, the clinical isolate of tetracycline-resistant Staphylococcus aureus was the most sensitive strain (MIC 128 µg/mL). The major constituents of the EO were 15,16-dinorlabda-8(17),11-dien-13-one (24.63/15.78%), followed by ambrial (16.12/10.97%), 13-nor-eremophil-1(10)-en-11-one (7.16/6.21%), 15,16-dinorlabda-8(17),12-dien-14-al (6.61/11.57%), and aromadendrene oxide (5.98/3.77%). These results propose C. mangga rhizome EO as a promising agent for developing natural-based anti-infective preparations

Validation of Qualitative Broth Volatilization Checkerboard Method for Testing of Essential Oils: Dual-Column GC–FID/MS Analysis and In Vitro Combinatory Antimicrobial Effect of <i>Origanum vulgare</i> and <i>Thymus vulgaris</i> against <i>Staphylococcus aureus</i> in Liquid and Vapor Phases

Combinatory action of antimicrobial agents such as essential oils (EOs) show to be an effective strategy to overcome the problem with increasing antibiotic resistance of microorganisms, including Staphylococcus aureus. The objective of this study was to evaluate in vitro antimicrobial interactions between Origanum vulgare and Thymus vulgaris EOs against various S.aureus strains in both liquid and vapor phases using the broth volatilization checkerboard method. Fractional inhibitory concentrations (FICs) were determined for both liquid and vapor phases, and the composition of EOs was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry using dual-column/dual-detector gas chromatograph. Results of oregano and thyme EOs combination showed additive effects against all S. aureus strains in both phases. In several cases, sums of FICs were lower than 0.6, which can be considered a strong additive interaction. The lowest FICs obtained were 0.53 in the liquid phase and 0.59 in the gaseous phase. Chemical analysis showed that both EOs were composed of many compounds, including carvacrol, thymol, γ-terpinene, and p-cymene. This is the first report on oregano and thyme EOs interactions against S. aureus in the vapor phase. It also confirms the accuracy of the broth volatilization checkerboard method for the evaluation of combinatory antimicrobial effects of EOs in the vapor phase

Vapors of Volatile Plant-Derived Products Significantly Affect the Results of Antimicrobial, Antioxidative and Cytotoxicity Microplate-Based Assays

Volatile plant-derived products were observed to exhibit broad spectrum of biological effects. However, due to their volatility, results of conventional microplate-based bioassays can be significantly affected by the vapors. With aim to demonstrate this phenomenon, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities of three essential oils (Alpinia elegans, Cinnamomum iners, and Xanthostemon verdugonianus), one supercritical CO2 extract (Nigella sativa), and four plant-derived compounds (capsaicin, caryophyllene oxide, 8-hydroxyquinoline, and thymoquinone) were evaluated in series of experiments including both ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) Capmat sealed and nonsealed microplates. The results clearly illustrate that vapor transition to adjoining wells causes false-positive results of bioassays performed in nonsealed microtiter plates. The microplate layout and a duration of the assay were demonstrated as the key aspects defining level of the results affection by the vapors of volatile agents. Additionally, we reported biological activities and chemical composition of essential oils from A. elegans seeds and X. verdugonianus leaves, which were, according to our best knowledge, analyzed for the first time. Considering our findings, certain modifications of conventional microplate-based assays are necessary (e.g., using EVA Capmat as vapor barrier) to obtain reliable results when biological properties of volatile agents are evaluated

Validation of Broth Macrodilution Volatilization Method for Testing of Essential Oils in Liquid and Vapor Phase: Chemical Composition, Cytotoxicity, and Antibacterial Effect of Indian Medicinal Plants against Pneumonia-Causing Pathogens

Essential oils (EOs) have great potential in inhalation therapy for the treatment of respiratory infections. However, innovative methods for evaluation of antimicrobial activity of their vapors are still needed. The current study reports validation of the broth macrodilution volatilization method for assessment of the antibacterial properties of EOs and shows the growth-inhibitory effect of Indian medicinal plants against pneumonia-causing bacteria in liquid and vapor phase. Among all samples tested, Trachyspermum ammi EO exhibits the strongest antibacterial effect against Haemophilus influenzae, with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 128 and 256 µg/mL in the liquid and vapor phases, respectively. Furthermore, Cyperus scariosus EO is found to be nontoxic to normal lung fibroblasts assessed by modified thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide assay. Chemical analysis performed using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry identified α-citral, cyperotundone, and thymol as the main constituents of Cymbopogon citratus, C. scariosus, and T. ammi EOs, respectively. In addition, β-cymene is identified as the major compound of T. ammi EO vapors when analyzed using solid-phase microextraction and gas-tight syringe sampling techniques. This study demonstrates the validity of the broth macrodilution volatilization method for antimicrobial screening of volatile compounds in the vapor phase and suggests the therapeutic potential of Indian medicinal plants in inhalation therapy

Oxidative Damage in Sporadic Colorectal Cancer: Molecular Mapping of Base Excision Repair Glycosylases MUTYH and hOGG1 in Colorectal Cancer Patients

Oxidative stress, oxidative DNA damage and resulting mutations play a role in colorectal carcinogenesis. Impaired equilibrium between DNA damage formation, antioxidant status, and DNA repair capacity is responsible for the accumulation of genetic mutations and genomic instability. The lesion-specific DNA glycosylases, e.g., hOGG1 and MUTYH, initiate the repair of oxidative DNA damage. Hereditary syndromes (MUTYH-associated polyposis, NTHL1-associated tumor syndrome) with germline mutations causing a loss-of-function in base excision repair glycosylases, serve as straight forward evidence on the role of oxidative DNA damage and its repair. Altered or inhibited function of above glycosylases result in an accumulation of oxidative DNA damage and contribute to the adenoma-adenocarcinoma transition. Oxidative DNA damage, unless repaired, often gives rise G:C &gt; T:A mutations in tumor suppressor genes and proto-oncogenes with subsequent occurrence of chromosomal copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity. For instance, G&gt;T transversions in position c.34 of a KRAS gene serves as a pre-screening tool for MUTYH-associated polyposis diagnosis. Since sporadic colorectal cancer represents more complex and heterogenous disease, the situation is more complicated. In the present study we focused on the roles of base excision repair glycosylases (hOGG1, MUTYH) in colorectal cancer patients by investigating tumor and adjacent mucosa tissues. Although we found downregulation of both glycosylases and significantly lower expression of hOGG1 in tumor tissues, accompanied with G&gt;T mutations in KRAS gene, oxidative DNA damage and its repair cannot solely explain the onset of sporadic colorectal cancer. In this respect, other factors (especially microenvironment) per se or in combination with oxidative DNA damage warrant further attention. Base excision repair characteristics determined in colorectal cancer tissues and their association with disease prognosis have been discussed as well

Multigene Panel Germline Testing of 1333 Czech Patients with Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the deadliest gynecologic malignancy with a substantial proportion of hereditary cases and a frequent association with breast cancer (BC). Genetic testing facilitates treatment and preventive strategies reducing OC mortality in mutation carriers. However, the prevalence of germline mutations varies among populations and many rarely mutated OC predisposition genes remain to be identified. We aimed to analyze 219 genes in 1333 Czech OC patients and 2278 population-matched controls using next-generation sequencing. We revealed germline mutations in 18 OC/BC predisposition genes in 32.0% of patients and in 2.5% of controls. Mutations in BRCA1/BRCA2, RAD51C/RAD51D, BARD1, and mismatch repair genes conferred high OC risk (OR &gt; 5). Mutations in BRIP1 and NBN were associated with moderate risk (both OR = 3.5). BRCA1/2 mutations dominated in almost all clinicopathological subgroups including sporadic borderline tumors of ovary (BTO). Analysis of remaining 201 genes revealed somatic mosaics in PPM1D and germline mutations in SHPRH and NAT1 associating with a high/moderate OC risk significantly; however, further studies are warranted to delineate their contribution to OC development in other populations. Our findings demonstrate the high proportion of patients with hereditary OC in Slavic population justifying genetic testing in all patients with OC, including BTO