The impacts of CAFTA on trade and FDI in China

The China and ASEAN Free Trade Area (CAFTA) was established on 4th November 2002. Since then, trade flows, trade structure, trade complementarities，trade competition and FDI between China and ASEAN have grown rapidly. Nevertheless, the basic issue remains - whether these growth are due to CAFTA. Thus, this study examines the effects of CAFTA on China’s trade flow, trade structure, trade complementarities and competition and, the flow of FDI. A gravity model is used to estimate these effects, while the qualitative method is used to analyze the economic integration. Data for the analysis is obtained from UN database, WTO database, World Bank database and China Statistical Yearbook. This study employed five models to examine the effects of CAFTA on trade structure, trade complementarities and competition, the FDI flow and the effects on different regions in China. The overall results indicate that CAFTA produces trade creation effect and greatly improves the trade structure of China. CAFTA has caused an expansion of inter-industry trade of the main products (crude materials and manufactured goods) between China and ASEAN countries. It has strengthened the trade complementarities between China and Cambodia, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. However, there are tendencies of weakening trade complementarities between China, the Philippines and Vietnam. On the other hand, trade competition for some products between two sides indicated a different trend. Several ASEAN countries have experienced increasing export comparative advantages in agriculture products, food, fuels and mining products. Meanwhile, China has obvious export comparative advantages in manufactured products and machinery and transport equipment. In addition, the domestic analysis revealed a very promising effect. CAFTA has promoted trade growth for 17 provinces and 7 regions, with positive effect on the geographically advantaged provinces and regions in China. Surprisingly, CAFTA caused a reduction of FDI outflow and inflow in China. In conclusion, CAFTA has improved the trade growth and trade structure in China, while promoting the expansion of trade between China and ASEAN. However, FDI reduced due to CAFTA

Genome-wide screens for effective siRNAs through assessing the size of siRNA effects

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>RNA interference (RNAi) has been seen as a revolution in functional genomics and system biology. Genome-wide RNAi research relies on the development of RNAi high-throughput screening (HTS) assays. One of the most fundamental challenges in RNAi HTS is to glean biological significance from mounds of data, which relies on the development of effective analytic methods for selecting effective small interfering RNAs (siRNAs).</p> <p>Findings</p> <p>Based on a recently proposed parameter, strictly standardized mean difference (SSMD), I propose an analytic method for genome-wide screens of effective siRNAs through assessing and testing the size of siRNA effects. Central to this method is the capability of SSMD in quantifying siRNA effects. This method has relied on normal approximation, which works only in the primary screens but not in the confirmatory screens. In this paper, I explore the non-central <it>t</it>-distribution property of SSMD estimates and use this property to extend the SSMD-based method so that it works effectively in either primary or confirmatory screens as well as in any HTS screens with or without replicates. The SSMD-based method maintains a balanced control of false positives and false negatives.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The central interest in genome-wide RNAi research is the selection of effective siRNAs which relies on the development of analytic methods to measure the size of siRNA effects. The new analytic method for hit selection provided in this paper offers a good analytic tool for selecting effective siRNAs, better than current analytic methods, and thus may have broad utility in genome-wide RNAi research.</p

Operation efficiency optimisation modelling and application of model predictive control

The efficiency of any energy system can be characterised by the relevant efficiency components in terms of performance, operation, equipment and technology (POET). The overall energy efficiency of the system can be optimised by studying the POET energy efficiency components. For an existing energy system, the improvement of operation efficiency will usually be a quick win for energy efficiency. Therefore, operation efficiency improvement will be the main purpose of this paper. General procedures to establish operation efficiency optimisation models are presented. Model predictive control, a popular technique in modern control theory, is applied to solve the obtained energy models. From the case studies in water pumping systems, model predictive control will have a prosperous application in more energy efficiency problems

Medium density control for coal washing dense medium cyclone circuits

The dense medium cyclone (DMC) process used in coal beneficiation plants is studied from a control system perspective. Employing the dynamic model of the DMC process derived from mass flow balance, a model-based control strategy is proposed. The controller adjusts the density of medium used to enhance separation in the DMC process according to measurements on percentages of different components in raw coal. The first objective of the control is to maintain the carbon content in the clean coal to a set level. The second purpose is to minimize energy consumption of the DMC process in view of the fast increasing electricity price. The controller solves an optimization problem formulated to determine the density of medium whenever new measurements are available. Both coal quality and DMC operational constraints are accounted for. Simulations, based on measured plant data, are carried out to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the control strategy designed. The results show that the designed controller is able to fulfill its purpose satisfactorily when the characteristics of the raw coal varies and when measurement uncertainties are in presence

Maize in China: Production Systems, Constraints, and Research Priorities

Crop Production/Industries, Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies,

The Relationship between Motivation and Academic Performance in Chiropractic Students

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between motivation and academic performance in chiropractic students. This was a cross-sectional study. Three hundred and sixty-two students were recruited from the 1st and 3rd quarters during the 2017-2018 academic year. Out of 362 students, 305 completed the Inventory of School Motivation (ISM). Total scores from the 1st quarter General Anatomy course and the 3rd quarter Immunology/Endocrinology course were used to measure the 1st quarter and 3rd quarter academic performance, respectively. The mean total motivation score for all students was 28.40 ± 3.79 (mean ± SD). There was no signi?cant difference in total motivation score between students in the two quarters (p > .05). The mean of the 1st quarter praise scores was statistically significantly higher than those of the 3rd quarter (p < .05). The means of three motivation subscale scores for females were signi?cantly higher than that for males (task, effort, and praise, p < .05) while the mean competition score for males was signi?cantly higher than that for females (p < .01). The linear analysis demonstrated a weak but statistically significant correlation of task (r = .11, p < .05) and effort (r = .13, p < .05) with academic performance indicating that task and effort were minor predictors of academic outcome (p < .05).There was a weak, but statistically significant positive correlation between the three motivation subscales and academic performance. Female students scored significantly higher on three motivation subscales while males scored higher on one