The blue ocean strategy in building market position with the example of the Nikon brand

Praca koncentruje się na weryfikacji tego, które z działań podjętych przez markę Nikon przyczyniły się do jej sukcesu, w odniesieniu do założeń koncepcji błękitnego oceanu. Celem przeprowadzonych bada było znalezienie odpowiedzi na pytania: jak utrzymać wysoką pozycję na rynku branży fotograficznej w dobie dużej konkurencji i postępu technologicznego? Czy popularność Nikona wynika z działań marketingowych, czy dobrej jakości sprzętu? Analizie poddane zostały dane uzyskane w wyniki przeprowadzonych badań oraz informacje zawarte w publikacjach poświęconych działalności marki Nikon. Badania wykazały, że działania podjęte przez markę można odnieść do założeń strategii oceanu i przyczyniły się one do zbudowania przez nią pozycji wieloletniego lidera na rynku.The work focuses on verifying which of the actions taken by the Nikon brand have contributed to its success, with respect to the assumptions of the Blue Ocean concept. The aim of the conducted research was to find answers to the questions: how to maintain a high position on the market of the photographic industry in the era of high competition and technological progress? Is Nikon's popularity due to marketing activities or good quality equipment? The data obtained from the results of the research and the information contained in the Nikon brand publications were analyzed. The research has shown that the actions taken by the brand can be applied to the ocean's strategy and have helped it to become a long-standing market leader

The letters of Agaton Giller to Józef Ignacy Kraszewski from years 1864-1886

Celem niniejszej pracy jest przedstawienie 88 listów Agatona Gillera do Józefa Ignacego Kraszewskiego, pisanych w latach 1864-1886. W pracy przedstawiono także krótko historię listów oraz problematykę wydawania ich. Ponadto opisano sylwetki korespondentów w czasie, kiedy wymieniali ze sobą listy i poddano analizie same listy.Drugą część pracy stanowi edycja listów, poprzedzona notą edytorską.The aim of this study is to present 88 letters of Agaton Giller to Józef Ignacy Kraszewski, written in 1864-1886. The paper also contains a brief history of letters and the issue of publishing them. In addition, this study describes correspondents lifes at a time when they exchange letters. The letters themselves also have been analyzed.The second part of the work is edition of the letters, preceded by an editorial note

The bioadhesion and effects of microplastics and natural particles on growth, cell viability, physiology, and elemental content of an aquatic macrophyte Elodea canadensis

Microplastics in the aquatic environment can interact with aquatic plants, but the consequences of these interactions are poorly understood. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of microplastics commonly found in the environment, namely polyethylene (PE) fragments, polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibres, tire wear (TW) particles under a relevant environmental concentration (5000 particles/L) on the growth, cell viability, physiology, and elemental content of the aquatic macrophyte Elodea canadensis. The effects of microplastics were compared to those of natural wood particles. The results showed that all types of microplastics adhered to plant tissues, but the effect on leaves (leaf damage area) was greatest at PE > PAN > TW, while the effect of natural particles was comparable to that of the control. None of the microplastics studied affected plant growth, lipid, carbohydrate, or protein content. Electron transport system activity was significantly higher in plants exposed to PAN fibres and PE fragments, but also when exposed to natural particles, while chlorophyll a content was negatively affected only by PE fragments and TW particles. Elemental analysis of plant tissue showed that in some cases PAN fibres and TW particles caused increased metal content. The results of this study indicated that aquatic macrophytes may respond differently to exposure to microplastics than to natural particles, likely through the combined effects of mechanical damage and chemical stress

Using Joinpoint Regression for the Analysis of Trends in Syphilis Incidence in Poland in the Years 1950–2017

Syphilis is a bacterial sexually transmitted disease (STD), whose main route of infection is through sexual contact. In order to diagnose syphilis, Treponema pallidum must be detected in the material sampled from a lesion and a blood test must be performed in order to detect serological response to syphilis. Since 1946, a statutory obligation to report all cases of syphilis has been in force in Poland, which is why data concerning the incidence is available. The aim of this paper is to analyse trends in syphilis incidence in the years 1950–2017 using Joinpoint Regression and to present the impact of prophylaxis and education of society on syphilis prevention. The Joinpoint Regression method indicated the splitting time points of the trend corresponding to real changes in incidence, which corroborates the purpose of using the method in question in epidemiological studies

Investigating Landfill Leachate Influence on Soil Microbial Biodiversity and Its Cytotoxicity

The most important problem related to the collection of waste in landfills is the presence of harmful substances contained in leachate resulting from the flow of atmospheric precipitation through the deposited waste, which may end up in the soil. As a result, the soil’s chemical degradation occurs, which may result in a change in the structure and activity of microorganisms. In addition, leachate can end up in groundwater that may be hazardous to human health. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of landfill leachate on selected physicochemical, biological and biochemical properties of soils. The cytotoxicity of soil filtrates (SF) in human cell lines and their effect on apoptosis were also analyzed. In the pot experiment, leachate was added to the soil in two doses: 50LL (50% of the N dose) and 100LL (100% of the N dose). Selected physicochemical properties, activity of enzymes, diversity of bacteria and fungi by the T-RFLP approach were determined in soil samples. As a result of the analyses, it was found that LL causes an increase in the activity of dehydrogenases and a decrease in β-glucosidase. In the soils treated with LL, bacterial T-RF (144) bp, (179) bp and (413) bp were specific, while fungal were T-RF (390) bp, (441) bp and (595) bp. Potentially cytotoxic effects of SF and reduction in apoptosis in neoplastic cells were found in in vitro tests. LL and SF are complex matrices with a variable composition, which means that their impact on the soil environment must be constantly monitored

Is Cluster Analysis the Appropriate Statistical Method for Planning the Optimal Locations for Automated External Defibrillators?

The Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is an intuitive device used by witnesses of an incident without medical training in cases of sudden cardiac arrest. Its operation consists in delivering an electrical pulse to the cardiac conduction system, as a result of which normal heart rate is restored. The lack of awareness in society concerning the usefulness of the device and the inadequate deployment of AEDs result in their too infrequent application by witnesses of incidents. The aim of this paper is to verify whether cluster analysis is the appropriate statistical method to determine the appropriate deployment of AED devices on the basis of cases of sudden cardiac arrest in out-of-hospital conditions. The initial cluster analysis showed the validity of using the method in question for planning the appropriate locations of AEDs

Using Algae for Biofuel Production: A Review

One of the greatest challenges of the 21st century is to obtain an ecological source of transport fuels. The production of biofuels based on feedstock obtained through the exploitation of arable land translates into an increase in food prices and progressive degradation of the environment. Unlike traditional agricultural raw materials, algae are a neutral alternative in many respects. They can even be obtained as waste from polluted water reservoirs. One of the manifestations of the deterioration of surface waters is the eutrophication of water reservoirs, which leads to an increase in the number of algae. Algae reaching the shores of water reservoirs can be used as a raw material for the production of biofuels, including biogas, bioethanol and biodiesel. However, it should be remembered that water blooms are a periodic phenomenon, appearing in the summer months. Therefore, in order to ensure the continuity of obtaining energy from biomass, it is necessary to conduct algae cultivation in artificial open tanks or photobioreactors. Accordingly, this review first briefly discusses the properties and possible applications of different species of algae in various industrial areas, and then describes the process of eutrophication and the presence of algae in eutrophicated reservoirs. Technologies of algal cultivation in various systems and technologies of algal biomass pretreatment were critically discussed. Various methods of obtaining biomass from algae were also reviewed, and the process conditions were summarized. Biofuels of various generations and raw materials from which they are obtained are presented in order to determine the possible future directions of development in this field. Parameters affecting the selection of algae species for the production of biofuels were also examined and presented. Overall, algal biofuels still face many challenges in replacing traditional fossil fuels. Future work should focus on maximizing the yield and quality of algae-derived biofuels while increasing their economic viability

Associations of ficolins and mannose-binding lectin with acute myeloid leukaemia in adults

Abstract We investigated clinical associations of ficolins and mannose-binding lectin (MBL) in 157 patients suffering from acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Concentrations of ficolin-1, ficolin-2, ficolin-3 and MBL (before chemotherapy) in serum were determined as were selected polymorphisms of the corresponding genes (FCN1, FCN2, FCN3 and MBL2). The control group (C) consisted of 267 healthy unrelated individuals. Median level of ficolin-1 in patients was lower (p  7 days) fever (p = 0.026). Genotyping indicated an association of G/G homozygosity (corresponding to FCN1 gene − 542 G > A polymorphism) with malignancy [p = 0.004, OR = 2.95, 95% CI (1.41–6.16)]. Based on ROC analysis, ficolin-1, -2 and -3 may be considered candidate supplementary biomarkers of AML. Their high potential to differentiate between patients from non-malignant controls but also from persons suffering from other haematological cancers (multiple myeloma and lymphoma) was demonstrated