Commodities and Transactions Exempt From Consumption Taxes

Value stream mapping is a tool that is frequently used by many different companies. It is a great tool used to achieve the work that follows the theories of lean production. The tool is used, however, only frequent on the factory floor and the method is also designed based on this type of use. An interest of applying the method on administrative parts of the company has occurred lately. Administrative parts of the company refers to the part that does all the planning such as purchasing, receiving orders, customer contact, contact with factory floor and other work that is made around the actual manufacturing. But the knowledge about applying value stream mapping on the planning part of the company is lacking because the method is relatively new. In this work, a comparison is made between the introduction of value stream analysis on production and planning. This has been done through a case study at ABB Robotics. On this case study a value stream analysis has been made on the planning part of ABB Robotics and the part of the factory floor manufacturing the control cabinets of the robots. The purpose of the performance was to create an understanding of the similarities and differences that exist in the application of value stream analysis on production and planning. The case study has been made based on the current literature available on the subject. The literature has then been reviewed critically, based on the differences and similarities shown by the performed case study. Based on an analysis of the results from the case study, several conclusions were drawn and reflected over taking into account the existing literature. Conclusions drawn from the study, questions the existing literature's critical attitude to the method. Critical review is important at this situation because it is a new method and much proof, that it is properly functioning, does not yet exist. The study mentions that value stream analysis of planning is not always relevant. The interest of the method depends on the type of business and its customers' needs. For a company where the lead time of the planning part of the company is not of great importance to the customer’s value stream mapping is not interesting to apply. The application of value stream analysis is much more complex and time-consuming according to the study and therefore it is not always worthwhile to use the method.Värdeflödesanalys är ett verktyg som används i stor utsträckning i dagsläget. Det är ett bra verktyg som används för att uppnå arbete som följer teorier kring lean produktion. Verktyget används däremot endast frekvent på producerande delar av en organisation och metoden är också framtagen begrundat på den typen av användning. På senare tid har ett intresse skapats för att applicera metoden även på administrativa delar av ett företag. Med administrativ del av företaget menas själva planerande delen av företaget som står för råvaruhemtagning, ordermottagning, kundkontakt, kontakt med produktion och andra steg som görs kring själva fabriksgolvet. Alltså det arbete som sker på företagets kontor. Eftersom att metoden att applicera värdeflödesanalys på planeringen är relativt ny är också kunskaperna kring området bristande. I detta arbete görs en jämförelse mellan att införa värdeflödesanalys på produktionen respektive planeringen. Det har gjorts genom en fallstudie på ABB Robotics. Under fallstudien har en värdeflödesanalys utförts på produktionen av styrskåp till robotar samt kontoret på ABB Robotics. Syftet med utförandet har varit att skapa en förståelse för de skillnader som finns vid appliceringen av värdeflödesanalys på produktion och planering. Fallstudien har utförts med hjälp av den litteratur som finns kring ämnet idag. Därefter har litteraturen granskats kritiskt utifrån de skillnader som visades genom den utförda fallstudien. Utifrån analys av fallstudiens resultat har flera slutsatser dragits och reflekterats över med hänsyn tagen till befintlig litteratur. Slutsatser som dragits utifrån det ifrågasätter den befintliga litteraturens kritiska förhållning till metoden. Kritisk granskning av metoden är viktig eftersom att den är ny och bevis på att den är väl fungerande ännu inte existerar i stor utsträckning. Studien nämner att införandet av värdeflödesanalys på planering inte alltid är relevant. Intresset för metoden beror på typ av företag och hur dess kunders behov ser ut. För ett företag där ledtiden på planeringen inte har någon större betydelse för kunden är värdeflödesanalys heller inte intressant att applicera. Appliceringen av värdeflödesanalys är mycket mer komplex och tidskrävande enligt studien och därför är det också inte alltid lönt att använda metoden

A subset of NSAIDs lower amyloidogenic Aβ42 independently of cyclooxygenase activity

Epidemiological studies have documented a reduced prevalence of Alzheimer's disease among users of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). It has been proposed that NSAIDs exert their beneficial effects in part by reducing neurotoxic inflammatory responses in the brain, although this mechanism has not been proved. Here we report that the NSAIDs ibuprofen, indomethacin and sulindac sulphide preferentially decrease the highly amyloidogenic Aβ42 peptide (the 42-residue isoform of the amyloid-β peptide) produced from a variety of cultured cells by as much as 80%. This effect was not seen in all NSAIDs and seems not to be mediated by inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) activity, the principal pharmacological target of NSAIDs. Furthermore, short-term administration of ibuprofen to mice that produce mutant β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) lowered their brain levels of Aβ42. In cultured cells, the decrease in Aβ42 secretion was accompanied by an increase in the Aβ(1–38) isoform, indicating that NSAIDs subtly alter γ-secretase activity without significantly perturbing other APP processing pathways or Notch cleavage. Our findings suggest that NSAIDs directly affect amyloid pathology in the brain by reducing Aβ42 peptide levels independently of COX activity and that this Aβ42-lowering activity could be optimized to selectively target the pathogenic Aβ42 species

In search of the authentic nation: landscape and national identity in Canada and Switzerland

While the study of nationalism and national identity has flourished in the last decade, little attention has been devoted to the conditions under which natural environments acquire significance in definitions of nationhood. This article examines the identity-forming role of landscape depictions in two polyethnic nation-states: Canada and Switzerland. Two types of geographical national identity are identified. The first – what we call the ‘nationalisation of nature’– portrays zarticular landscapes as expressions of national authenticity. The second pattern – what we refer to as the ‘naturalisation of the nation’– rests upon a notion of geographical determinism that depicts specific landscapes as forces capable of determining national identity. The authors offer two reasons why the second pattern came to prevail in the cases under consideration: (1) the affinity between wild landscape and the Romantic ideal of pure, rugged nature, and (2) a divergence between the nationalist ideal of ethnic homogeneity and the polyethnic composition of the two societies under consideration

Comparing very low birth weight versus very low gestation cohort methods for outcome analysis of high risk preterm infants

© 2017 The Author(s). Background: Compared to very low gestational age (<32 weeks, VLGA) cohorts, very low birth weight (<1500 g; VLBW) cohorts are more prone to selection bias toward small-for-gestational age (SGA) infants, which may impact upon the validity of data for benchmarking purposes. Method: Data from all VLGA or VLBW infants admitted in the 3 Networks between 2008 and 2011 were used. Two-thirds of each network cohort was randomly selected to develop prediction models for mortality and composite adverse outcome (CAO: mortality or cerebral injuries, chronic lung disease, severe retinopathy or necrotizing enterocolitis) and the remaining for internal validation. Areas under the ROC curves (AUC) of the models were compared. Results: VLBW cohort (24,335 infants) had twice more SGA infants (20.4% vs. 9.3%) than the VLGA cohort (29,180 infants) and had a higher rate of CAO (36.5% vs. 32.6%). The two models had equal prediction power for mortality and CAO (AUC 0.83), and similarly for all other cross-cohort validations (AUC 0.81-0.85). Neither model performed well for the extremes of birth weight for gestation (<1500 g and ≥32 weeks, AUC 0.50-0.65; ≥1500 g and <32 weeks, AUC 0.60-0.62). Conclusion: There was no difference in prediction power for adverse outcome between cohorting VLGA or VLBW despite substantial bias in SGA population. Either cohorting practises are suitable for international benchmarking

European Red List of Habitats Part 1. Marine habitats

The European Red List of Habitats provides an overview of the risk of collapse (degree of endangerment) of marine, terrestrial and freshwater habitats in the European Union (EU28) and adjacent regions (EU28+), based on a consistent set of categories and criteria, and detailed data and expert knowledge from involved countries1. A total of 257 benthic marine habitat types were assessed. In total, 19% (EU28) and 18% (EU28+) of the evaluated habitats were assessed as threatened in categories Critically Endangered, Endangered and Vulnerable. An additional 12% were Near Threatened in the EU28 and 11% in the EU28+. These figures are approximately doubled if Data Deficient habitats are excluded. The percentage of threatened habitat types differs across the regional seas. The highest proportion of threatened habitats in the EU28 was found in the Mediterranean Sea (32%), followed by the North-East Atlantic (23%), the Black Sea (13%) and then the Baltic Sea (8%). There was a similar pattern in the EU28+. The most frequently cited pressures and threats were similar across the four regional seas: pollution (eutrophication), biological resource use other than agriculture or forestry (mainly fishing but also aquaculture), natural system modifications (e.g. dredging and sea defence works), urbanisation and climate change. Even for habitats where the assessment outcome was Data Deficient, the Red List assessment process has resulted in the compilation of a substantial body of useful information to support the conservation of marine habitats

International Consensus Statement on Rhinology and Allergy: Rhinosinusitis

Background: The 5 years since the publication of the first International Consensus Statement on Allergy and Rhinology: Rhinosinusitis (ICAR‐RS) has witnessed foundational progress in our understanding and treatment of rhinologic disease. These advances are reflected within the more than 40 new topics covered within the ICAR‐RS‐2021 as well as updates to the original 140 topics. This executive summary consolidates the evidence‐based findings of the document. Methods: ICAR‐RS presents over 180 topics in the forms of evidence‐based reviews with recommendations (EBRRs), evidence‐based reviews, and literature reviews. The highest grade structured recommendations of the EBRR sections are summarized in this executive summary. Results: ICAR‐RS‐2021 covers 22 topics regarding the medical management of RS, which are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Additionally, 4 topics regarding the surgical management of RS are grade A/B and are presented in the executive summary. Finally, a comprehensive evidence‐based management algorithm is provided. Conclusion: This ICAR‐RS‐2021 executive summary provides a compilation of the evidence‐based recommendations for medical and surgical treatment of the most common forms of RS

A subset of NSAIDs lower amyloidogenic a beta 42 independently of cyclooxygenase activity

Epidemiological studies have documented a reduced prevalence of Alzheimer&#039;s disease among users of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)(1-5). It has been proposed that NSAIDs exert their beneficial effects in part by reducing neurotoxic inflammatory responses in the brain, although this mechanism has not been proved. Here we report that the NSAIDs ibuprofen, indomethacin and sulindac sulphide preferentially decrease the highly amyloidogenic A beta 42 peptide (the 42-residue isoform of the amyloid-beta peptide) produced from a variety of cultured cells by as much as 80%. This effect was not seen in all NSAIDs and seems not to be mediated by inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) activity, the principal pharmacological target of NSAIDs(6). Furthermore, short-term administration of ibuprofen to mice that produce mutant beta -amyloid precursor protein (APP) lowered their brain levels of A beta 42. In cultured cells, the decrease in A beta 42 secretion was accompanied by an increase in the A beta (1-38) isoform, indicating that NSAIDs subtly alter gamma -secretase activity without significantly perturbing other APP processing pathways or Notch cleavage. Our findings suggest that NSAIDs directly affect amyloid pathology in the brain by reducing A beta 42 peptide levels independently of COX activity and that this A beta 42-lowering activity could be optimized to selectively target the pathogenic A beta 42 species