Processing trade in Chinese interregional input–output tables:construction and application

We construct new interregional input–output tables for China, which can be used to analyze changes in the interindustry linkages within and between eight Chinese regions, and their consequences. We claim that analyses based on these tables yield more accurate results than analyses using existing interregional input–output tables for China, because our tables explicitly account for a typical feature of the Chinse economy: the importance of processing exports activities. These activities rely heavily on imported inputs and much less on inputs sourced from domestic regions. Accounting for such differences between processing exports and other production activities reduces aggregation biases. We illustrate the usefulness of the tables by computing supply chain fragmentation indices for China and quantifying the biases that are avoided by using our input–output tables instead of conventional ones. We make our tables (for 2002, 2007 and 2012) publicly available.</p

How much did China's emergence as “the world's factory” contribute to its national income?

Over time, China upgraded its capabilities to such an extent that it requires less imported materials, components, and services to maintain its central role in the global production network. Consequently, the domestic value added content of its exports has increased over time. Still, value added includes profits, which are partly earned by foreign capital owners, many of whom have set up operations in export processing zones. Such profits can be repatriated, and do not directly enhance the living standards in China. This paper will focus on the extent to which China's exporting activities have contributed to its Gross National Income (GNI), which is a better indicator of economy-wide living standards than GDP. Our results, based on input-output analysis, show that the increase in the share of Chinese GNI of a yuan of Chinese exports from 2002 to 2007 was modest, despite a marked growth of Chinese GDP contained in such a yuan of exports. From 2007 to 2017, however, the continued increase of domestic value added per yuan of exports did actually translate into considerably higher contributions of exports to GNI. Decomposition analyses show that changes in the commodity composition of China's export bundle and changes in the shares of national income in value added were the main cause of the different patterns before and after the financial crisis

Potential molecular mechanisms of Erlongjiaonang action in idiopathic sudden hearing loss: A network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses

BackgroundIdiopathic sudden hearing loss (ISHL) is characterized by sudden unexplainable and unilateral hearing loss as a clinically emergent symptom. The use of the herb Erlongjiaonang (ELJN) in traditional Chinese medicine is known to effectively control and cure ISHL. This study explored the underlying molecular mechanisms using network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses.MethodThe Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacological database and the Swiss Target Prediction database were searched for the identification of ELJN constituents and potential gene targets, respectively, while ISHL-related gene abnormality was assessed using the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man and Gene Card databases. The interaction of ELJN gene targets with ISHL genes was obtained after these databases were cross-screened, and a drug component–intersecting target network was constructed, and the gene ontology (GO) terms, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes, and protein–protein interaction networks were analyzed. Cytoscape software tools were used to map the active components–crossover target–signaling pathway network and screened targets were then validated by establishing molecular docking with the corresponding components.ResultErlongjiaonang contains 85 components and 250 corresponding gene targets, while ISHL has 714 disease-related targets, resulting in 66 cross-targets. The bioinformatical analyses revealed these 66 cross-targets, including isorhamnetin and formononetin on NOS3 expression, baicalein on AKT1 activity, and kaempferol and quercetin on NOS3 and AKT1 activity, as potential ELJN-induced anti-ISHL targets.ConclusionThis study uncovered potential ELJN gene targets and molecular signaling pathways in the control of ISHL, providing a molecular basis for further investigation of the anti-ISHL activity of ELJN

Processing trade in Chinese interregional input–output tables:construction and application

We construct new interregional input–output tables for China, which can be used to analyze changes in the interindustry linkages within and between eight Chinese regions, and their consequences. We claim that analyses based on these tables yield more accurate results than analyses using existing interregional input–output tables for China, because our tables explicitly account for a typical feature of the Chinse economy: the importance of processing exports activities. These activities rely heavily on imported inputs and much less on inputs sourced from domestic regions. Accounting for such differences between processing exports and other production activities reduces aggregation biases. We illustrate the usefulness of the tables by computing supply chain fragmentation indices for China and quantifying the biases that are avoided by using our input–output tables instead of conventional ones. We make our tables (for 2002, 2007 and 2012) publicly available.</p

Study on the Interaction between Soil and the Five-Claw Combination of a Mole Using the Discrete Element Method

A mole is a born digger spending its entire existence digging tunnels. The five claws of a mole’s hand are combinative to cut soil powerfully and efficiently. However, little was known in detail about the interaction between the soil and the five-claw combination. In this study, we simulated the soil cutting process of the five-claw combination using the discrete element method (DEM) as an attempt for the potential design of soil-engaging tools to reduce soil resistance. The five-claw combination moved horizontally in the soil bin. Soil forces (draught and vertical forces) and soil failure (soil rupture distance ratio) were measured at different rake angles and speeds. Results showed that the draught and vertical forces varied nonlinearly as the rake angle increased from 10 to 90°, and both changed linearly with the speed increasing from 1 to 5 m/s. The curve of the soil rupture distance ratio with rake angles could be better described using a quadric function, but the speed had little effect on the soil rupture distance ratio. Notably, the soil rupture distance ratio of the five-claw combination in simulation was on average 19.6% lower than the predicted ratio of simple blades at different rake angles indicating that the five-claw combination could make less soil failure and thereby produce lower soil resistance. Given the draught and vertical forces, the performance of the five-claw combination was optimized at the rake angle of 30°

Contributions of FIEs to China’s Economy Using an Input-Output Model Capturing Processing Trade with Ownership Distinction

Since China’s opening policy, low-cost labor force in China, preferential policies and China’s huge potential market are major drivers pushing foreign direct investment (FDI) flowing into China. FDI has greatly promoted China’s economic growth in the past three decades. Since 1993, China has become the second largest recipients of FDI in the world. Most of the inward FDI in China are used to set up foreign invested enterprises (FIEs), data from China’s Ministry of Commerce show that there has been more than 740 thousands FIEs established in China by April 2012. FIEs have become an important component of the Chinese economy. To shed light on the different roles of foreign invested enterprises (FIEs) and domestic-owned enterprises (DOEs) in China’s economy, in this paper we proposes a non-competitive input-output model with distinction of FIEs and DOEs capturing processing trade in China’s economy. The model divides China’s economy into six parts in order to capture the differences in production technology & structure between DOEs and FIEs, as well as between processing exports and non-processing exports. Based on the above model, we compile the special input-output table of China for 2007, conduct empirical analysis of the contribution by DOEs & FIEs to China’s economy and make a rough estimate of the contribution of EU FDI into China

Biocatalytic C-C Bond Formation for One Carbon Resource Utilization

The carbon-carbon bond formation has always been one of the most important reactions in C1 resource utilization. Compared to traditional organic synthesis methods, biocatalytic C-C bond formation offers a green and potent alternative for C1 transformation. In recent years, with the development of synthetic biology, more and more carboxylases and C-C ligases have been mined and designed for the C1 transformation in vitro and C1 assimilation in vivo. This article presents an overview of C-C bond formation in biocatalytic C1 resource utilization is first provided. Sets of newly mined and designed carboxylases and ligases capable of catalyzing C-C bond formation for the transformation of CO2, formaldehyde, CO, and formate are then reviewed, and their catalytic mechanisms are discussed. Finally, the current advances and the future perspectives for the development of catalysts for C1 resource utilization are provided

Why has China's vertical specialization declined?

Vertical specialization (VS) is quantified by the VS share, which measures the average import content per dollar of exports. A characteristic of China's export trade is its strong dependence on assembly and processing activities. To take proper account of this, China's VS shares should explicitly distinguish processing export production from other production. We estimate China's annual VS shares from 2000 to 2012the latest year for which a special input-output table is available that makes such an explicit distinction. We find that VS shares increased from 2000 to 2004 and subsequently started to decrease. To explore why it has declined, we introduce a new structural decomposition approach. We find that the decrease of the VS share appears to have been driven mainly by the substitution of imported intermediates by domestic products. This occurred in particular in the production of exports, which implies an upgrading of China's position in global value chains

Effect of Oxygen Concentration in Fermentation on Black Tea Quality and Optimization of Oxygen-enriched Fermentation Process

Fermentation is a critical process of black tea quality formation and oxygen is the key factor affecting the fermentation, so it is important to analyze the effect of oxygen in fermentation on the quality and metabolites of black tea. One bud and two leaves of 'Longjing 43' tea varieties were used as materials for low oxygen fermentation (5%) , natural fermentation (21%) and oxygen-enriched fermentation (36%) treatments, and the effects of oxygen concentration on sensory quality, non-volatile and volatile metabolites of black tea were analyzed by sensory evaluation combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS), and the parameters of oxygen-enriched fermentation of black tea were optimized by single factor combined with response surface analysis. Results showed that oxygen-enriched fermentation could significantly improve the taste and aroma quality of black tea compared with nature fermentation (P0.05) in oxygen-enriched fermentation. A total of 25 volatile compounds differed significantly in three treatments, including 12 aldehydes, 2 ketones, 3 alcohols, 3 alkenes, and 5 esters, and the content of most differing compounds increased with increasing oxygen concentration. The optimized parameters of oxygen-enriched black tea were: Oxygen concentration of 40%, oxygenation time of 1.5 h, fermentation time of 4 h. And the contents of TFs, TF, TF3G, TF3'G and TFDG of black tea were 2.86%, 0.25%, 1.71%, 0.24% and 0.68%, respectively. The results of this study would provide an important basis for guiding black tea processing and quality control