The EU’s common system of value added tax as a contributor to circular economy

Abstract. The current linear economic system has been found to be in direct conflict with the framework set by sustainable development. The accelerating growth of the world’s population and new masses joining the middle-class are causing an explosive increase in demand for resources and the more dense presence of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Increasing of production efficiency cannot guarantee the adequacy of natural resources and the preservation of living conditions for future generations, and circular economy has been proposed as a solution. (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2012.) In the transition from the linear to circular economy, economic instruments are needed to accelerate and facilitate the transition. The European Commission has proposed staggering of the VAT system on environmental grounds by reducing the tax rate on repair services. This could potentially promote products to remain in circulation for as long as possible, which is one of the main objectives of the circular economy. (European Commission, 2019.) The thesis aims to examine how the VAT system could be utilized in the transition from a linear economic system to a circular economy. In particular, the study will look at the structure of the current VAT system and its potential, as well as the limitations of its application set by the Directive. The theoretical part is done as a literature review. Based on this theoretical basis, qualitative interviews have been conducted with six VAT experts from the Tax Administration. The interviews have been transliterated and a theory-driven data analysis has been performed. The interviews have been conducted anonymously and the answers of the interviewees do not reflect the policy of the Tax Administration in this regard. The results of the thesis are based on both a theoretical basis and expert interviews. The study revealed that VAT, as an indirect consumption tax, has a significant potential to influence consumer prices and thus consumption habits (Tikkanen et al., 2018). However, this potential is limited by the asymmetric impact of changes in tax rates on consumer prices, the boundary conditions set out in Annex III of the VAT Directive (2006/112 / EC), and the possible increase in administrative costs during the change in tax rates. Different tax rates have also been suspected to be in conflict with the principle of neutrality of the VAT system. (Mirrlees et al., 2011.) The price effect has been found to be weaker when lowering tax rates than when raising them, both in a study based on listed tax and price changes (Benzarti et al., 2020) and in a VAT reduction experiment conducted in Finland in 2007–2011. However, the more environmentally friendly attitudes of the 2020s and the possible deletion of Annex III to the Directive, with the change proposed by the Commission in 2019, give rise to the possibility of a renewed experiment in reducing VAT rates. The thesis could be used as a starting point for a more detailed study of the price effects of reduced VAT rates on repair services from a business perspective.Tiivistelmä. Nykyisen lineaarisen talousjärjestelmän on todettu olevan ristiriidassa kestävän kehityksen asettaman viitekehyksen kanssa. Maailman populaation kiihtyvä kasvu ja ihmisryhmien keskiluokkaistuminen aiheuttavat resurssien kysynnän räjähdysmäisen lisääntymisen ja ilmastonmuutosta edistävien kasvihuonekaasujen tiheämmän esiintymisen ilmakehässä. Pelkällä tuotannon tehostamisella ei voida taata luonnonvarojen riittämistä ja elinolojen säilymistä tuleville sukupolville ja ratkaisuksi on ehdotettu kiertotalousjärjestelmää. (Ellen MacArthur Foundation, 2012.) Siirtymävaiheessa lineaarisesta järjestelmästä kiertotalouteen tarvitaan siirtymistä nopeuttavia ja helpottavia taloudellisia ohjauskeinoja. Muun muassa Euroopan komissio on ehdottanut arvonlisäverojärjestelmää porrastettavaksi ympäristöperustein siten, että korjauspalveluiden verokantaa alennettaisiin. Tällä tavoin voitaisiin potentiaalisesti edistää tuotteiden pysymistä kierrossa mahdollisimman pitkään, mikä on yksi kiertotalouden päätavoitteista. (Euroopan komissio, 2019.) Tutkielma pyrkii selvittämään, miten arvonlisäverojärjestelmää voitaisiin hyödyntää siirtymävaiheessa lineaarisesta talousjärjestelmästä kiertotalouteen. Tutkimus perehtyy varsinkin nykyisen järjestelmän rakenteeseen ja sen tarjoamaan potentiaaliin sekä direktiivin (2006/112/EC) asettamiin soveltamisrajoituksiin. Teoriaosuus on tehty kirjallisuuskatsauksena. Tähän teoreettiseen pohjaan nojautuen on tehty kvalitatiivisia haastatteluita kuudelle Verohallinnon arvonlisäveroasiantuntijalle. Haastattelut on litteroitu ja tämän datan perusteella on suoritettu teorialähtöinen aineistoanalyysi. Haastattelut on suoritettu anonyymisti ja haastateltavien vastaukset eivät kuvasta Verohallinnon linjausta asiaan liittyen. Tutkielman tulokset perustuvat sekä teoriapohjaan että asiantuntijahaastatteluihin. Tutkimuksessa selvisi, että arvonlisäverolla on välillisenä kulutusverona merkittävä potentiaali vaikuttaa kuluttajien hintoihin ja siten kulutustottumuksiin (Tikkanen et al., 2018). Tätä potentiaalia kuitenkin rajoittaa verokantojen muutosten asymmetrinen vaikutus kuluttajahintoihin, arvonlisäverodirektiivin (2006/112/EC) liitteen III asettamat reunaehdot, sekä mahdollinen hallinnollisten kustannusten lisääntyminen verokantojen muutosvaiheessa. Eriävien verokantojen on myös epäilty olevan ristiriidassa arvonlisäverojärjestelmän neutraaliusperiaatteen kanssa. (Mirrlees et al., 2011.) Hintavaikutuksen on todettu olevan heikompi verokantoja alennettaessa kuin niitä nostettaessa sekä listattuihin vero- ja hintamuutoksiin perustuvassa tutkimuksessa (Benzarti et al., 2020) että Suomessa vuosina 2007–2011 suoritetussa arvonlisäveron alentamiskokeilussa. 2020-luvun ympäristömielisemmät asenteet sekä mahdollinen direktiivin liitteen III poistaminen Komission vuonna 2019 ehdottaman muutoksen myötä antavat kuitenkin aihetta arvonlisäverokantojen alentamiskokeilun uusimiselle. Tutkielmaa voitaisiinkin käyttää lähtökohtana korjauspalveluiden alennettujen arvonlisäverokantojen hintavaikutusten tarkemmalla tutkimiselle yritysperspektiivistä

A Decision Support System for Diagnostics and Treatment Planning in Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) occurs when an external force causes functional or structural alterations in the brain. Clinical characteristics of TBI vary greatly from patient to patient, and a large amount of data is gathered during various phases of clinical care in these patients. It is hard for clinicians to efficiently integrate and interpret all of these data and plan interventions in a timely manner. This paper describes the technical architecture and functionality of a web-based decision support system (DSS), which not only provides advanced support for visualizing complex TBI data but also predicts a possible outcome by using a state-of-the-art Disease State Index machine-learning algorithm. The DSS is developed by using a three-layered architecture and by employing modern programming principles, software design patterns, and using robust technologies (C#, ASP.NET MVC, HTML5, JavaScript, Entity Framework, etc.). The DSS is comprised of a patient overview module, a disease-state prediction module, and an imaging module. After deploying it on a web-server, the DSS was made available to two hospitals in U.K. and Finland. Afterwards, we conducted a validation study to evaluate its usability in clinical settings. Initial results of the study indicate that especially less experience clinicians may benefit from this type of decision support software tool

Long-Lasting T Cell Responses in BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA Vaccinees and COVID-19 Convalescent Patients

The emergence of novel variants of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has made it more difficult to prevent the virus from spreading despite available vaccines. Reports of breakthrough infections and decreased capacity of antibodies to neutralize variants raise the question whether current vaccines can still protect against COVID-19 disease. We studied the dynamics and persistence of T cell responses using activation induced marker (AIM) assay and Th1 type cytokine production in peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from BNT162b2 COVID-19 mRNA vaccinated health care workers and COVID-19 patients. We demonstrate that equally high T cell responses following vaccination and infection persist at least for 6 months against Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and Delta variants despite the decline in antibody levels.</p

Persistent T cell-mediated immune responses against Omicron variants after the third COVID-19 mRNA vaccine dose

IntroductionThe prime-boost COVID-19 mRNA vaccination strategy has proven to be effective against severe COVID-19 disease and death. However, concerns have been raised due to decreasing neutralizing antibody levels after COVID-19 vaccination and due to the emergence of new immuno-evasive SARS-CoV-2 variants that may require additional booster vaccinations.MethodsIn this study, we analyzed the humoral and cell-mediated immune responses against the Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 subvariants in Finnish healthcare workers (HCWs) vaccinated with three doses of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines. We used enzyme immunoassay and microneutralization test to analyze the levels of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG antibodies in the sera of the vaccinees and the in vitro neutralization capacity of the sera. Activation induced marker assay together with flow cytometry and extracellular cytokine analysis was used to determine responses in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein stimulated PBMCs.ResultsHere we show that within the HCWs, the third mRNA vaccine dose recalls both humoral and T cell-mediated immune responses and induces high levels of neutralizing antibodies against Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 variants. Three weeks after the third vaccine dose, SARS-CoV-2 wild type spike protein-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells are observed in 82% and 71% of HCWs, respectively, and the T cells cross-recognize both Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 spike peptides. Although the levels of neutralizing antibodies against Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 decline 2.5 to 3.8-fold three months after the third dose, memory CD4+ T cell responses are maintained for at least eight months post the second dose and three months post the third vaccine dose.DiscussionWe show that after the administration of the third mRNA vaccine dose the levels of both humoral and cell-mediated immune responses are effectively activated, and the levels of the spike-specific antibodies are further elevated compared to the levels after the second vaccine dose. Even though at three months after the third vaccine dose antibody levels in sera decrease at a similar rate as after the second vaccine dose, the levels of spike-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells remain relatively stable. Additionally, the T cells retain efficiency in cross-recognizing spike protein peptide pools derived from Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 subvariants. Altogether our results suggest durable cellmediated immunity and protection against SARS-CoV-2

A Genome-Wide Association Study of Diabetic Kidney Disease in Subjects With Type 2 Diabetes

dentification of sequence variants robustly associated with predisposition to diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has the potential to provide insights into the pathophysiological mechanisms responsible. We conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of DKD in type 2 diabetes (T2D) using eight complementary dichotomous and quantitative DKD phenotypes: the principal dichotomous analysis involved 5,717 T2D subjects, 3,345 with DKD. Promising association signals were evaluated in up to 26,827 subjects with T2D (12,710 with DKD). A combined T1D+T2D GWAS was performed using complementary data available for subjects with T1D, which, with replication samples, involved up to 40,340 subjects with diabetes (18,582 with DKD). Analysis of specific DKD phenotypes identified a novel signal near GABRR1 (rs9942471, P = 4.5 x 10(-8)) associated with microalbuminuria in European T2D case subjects. However, no replication of this signal was observed in Asian subjects with T2D or in the equivalent T1D analysis. There was only limited support, in this substantially enlarged analysis, for association at previously reported DKD signals, except for those at UMOD and PRKAG2, both associated with estimated glomerular filtration rate. We conclude that, despite challenges in addressing phenotypic heterogeneity, access to increased sample sizes will continue to provide more robust inference regarding risk variant discovery for DKD.Peer reviewe

Management accounting as a contributor to sustainable management

The thesis is called environmental management accounting as a contributor to sustainable development. The first chapter is introduction, the second business and the environment, the third environmental management accounting, the fourth techniques and the fifth conclusions. The thesis examines existing literature concerning sustainable development and its relationship with accounting, environmental management accounting theory and practice, environmental costs and full-cost accounting techniques. The thesis also introduces such concepts as sustainable development, triple bottom line and the potential financial and non-financial benefits a company may harvest from implementing environmental management accounting theory and practice

Validation of a nonlinear two-dimensional MacPherson suspension system Model with multibody simulations

Abstract This paper studies the possibility to use a simplified MacPherson suspension system model for tuning active suspension system controllers. With a nonlinear suspension model, more accurate responses can be obtained compared to a traditional linear quarter-car suspension system model. The presented nonlinear two-dimensional mathematical model for the MacPherson suspension system is simulated in MATLAB/Simulink and validated by comparing it to an Adams/View multibody model with three simulation cases, one for kinematic analysis and two for dynamic analysis. The results are expressed as normalized RMS deviation values between the outputs of the two models. Most outputs of the two models go hand in hand, and the greatest difference is in the camber angle values derived from simplified linearization in the mathematical model

Vibration and audio measurements in the monitoring of basic oxygen furnace steelmaking

Abstract A basic oxygen furnace (BOF) is the main unit process for refining carbon steel. The aim of this work was to study the use of vibration and audio signal measurements to monitor, predict, and control the BOF process. Vibration and audio data from nearly 300 blows were collected and analyzed together with process variables. We could confirm high correlations between some of the process variables and vibration and audio measurements. Median filtered low-frequency (3–20 Hz) audio as well as X- and Z-direction acceleration root mean square (RMS) time series correlate with the off-gas temperature, although this is much more significant for the audio data. For Y-direction measurements (the upward direction) the correlation is negligible. The low-frequency audio and vibration data are likely related to the rate of decarburization. Median filtered mid-frequency (100–1000 Hz) audio as well as X-, Y-, and Z-direction acceleration RMS time series correlate with the lance height measurement during the interval 20–600 seconds from the beginning of oxygen blow. For the audio data, the correlation was high even without median filtering. We suggest that audio and vibration activity in this frequency range is possibly related to the formation of the metal–slag–gas foam and maybe even to slopping

Hybrid Immunity Improves the Immune Response after the Fourth COVID-19 Vaccine Dose in Individuals with Medical Conditions Predisposing to Severe COVID-19

Data on immune responses following COVID-19 booster vaccinations and subsequent infections in the immunocompromised are limited. We studied antibody responses after the fourth dose and subsequent infections to define patient groups benefiting most from boosters. Fourth vaccine (booster) doses were, in Finland, first recommended for severely immunocompromised individuals, whom we invited to participate in our study in 2022. We assessed spike protein-specific IgG and neutralizing antibodies (NAb) against the ancestral and Omicron BA.1 strains one month after the fourth dose from 488 adult participants and compared them to the levels of 35 healthy controls after three doses. We used Bayesian generalized linear modeling to assess factors explaining antibody levels and assessed vaccine-induced and hybrid immunity six months after the last vaccine dose. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) and immunosuppressive therapy (IT) were identified as factors explaining sub-optimal antibody responses. The proportion of participants with a normal antibody response and NAbs was significantly lower regarding CKD patients compared to the controls. By the 6-month sampling point, one-third of the participants became infected (documented by serology and/or molecular tests), which notably enhanced antibody levels in most immunocompromised participants. Impaired antibody responses, especially NAbs against the Omicron lineage, suggest limited protection in individuals with CKD and highlight the need for alternative pharmaceutical preventive strategies. Vaccination strategies should take into account the development of robust hybrid immunity responses also among the immunocompromised