Production and Pricing Strategies of Energy-Saving Products in the Presence of Duopolistic Manufacturers

This paper considers optimal production and pricing strategies of energy-saving products in the presence of duopolistic manufacturers. First, we analyze the free competition case by a Bertrand game. A sufficient condition for guaranteeing the existence and the uniqueness of the equilibrium solution is proposed. The change rate of the benefit function of environment with regard to purchasing preference proportions is examined. Second, we investigate the case in the presence of energy-saving incentive. A two-layer decision model is constructed by considering the decision order of each participant. Optimal strategies between the two cases are compared. We provide theoretical foundations for the government to formulate policies of energy-saving incentive under a financial budget constraint. Finally, a numerical example is presented to verify the obtained conclusions and make some supplements

Study on Multi-Depot Collaborative Transportation Problem of Milk-Run Pattern

Analyze the relevance between Milk Run mode and collaborative transportation problem, put forward collaborative transportation problem of multiple-depot on Milk Run mode under the supply and demand separate nodes, consider the value of transport and transport costs, introduce the concept of node - arc flow, by comparing the size of traffic flow determine nodes collection, and then constructed multi-transport model of the problem. Considering one-way pickup and delivery closed, construct two-stage algorithm model, use dynamic programming recursive solution to determine the best route to pick up, and then solving delivery routing problem with different start and return point based on geometric method of Cosine. Finally use a numerical example illustrates the effectiveness of the algorithm and reasonable model

Study on Multi-Depot Collaborative Transportation Problem of Milk-Run Pattern

Analyze the relevance between Milk Run mode and collaborative transportation problem, put forward collaborative transportation problem of multiple-depot on Milk Run mode under the supply and demand separate nodes, consider the value of transport and transport costs, introduce the concept of node - arc flow, by comparing the size of traffic flow determine nodes collection, and then constructed multi-transport model of the problem. Considering one-way pickup and delivery closed, construct two-stage algorithm model, use dynamic programming recursive solution to determine the best route to pick up, and then solving delivery routing problem with different start and return point based on geometric method of Cosine. Finally use a numerical example illustrates the effectiveness of the algorithm and reasonable model

Pricing strategies for new product and remanufactured product considering emission sensitive demand.

With the rapidly increasing concern on environmental pollution and resource shortage, remanufactured products attract many attentions. In order to determine the optimal production and pricing strategy, we construct decision models for both single-product market and mixed-product market. Consumers' different preferences for new products and remanufactured products are considered. First, we construct pricing models for a single-product market, and achieve a judging condition to determine the optimal strategy. Second, we develop a pricing model for a multiple-product market and put forward a suppose to show that the multiple-product strategy is not always optimal. Finally, numerical illustrations are designed to examine the impacts of the two crucial factors and obtain the dominant regions for each strategy. By introducing an emission sensitive demand, we show the superiority of the remanufactured product when the extra demand attracted by the emission saving is large

Establishment and Application Prospect of Reverse Transcriptase Recombinase-Aided Amplification Assay for Subgroup C Avian Metapneumovirus

Among broilers, the main pathogen that leads to swollen head syndrome (SHS) is the subgroup C avian metapneumovirus (aMPV-C). The aMPV-C infection can lead to an upsurge in the rate of soft-shell eggs, resulting in reduced egg production and seriously affecting the economy of the livestock industry. Therefore, a rapid method for aMPV-C detection needs to be invented. According to the N gene of aMPV-C, we designed the specific probe and primer and created a reverse transcription recombinase-aided amplification assay (RT-RAA) for the detection of aMPV-C. aMPV-C could be detected quickly and specifically by this method at 41 °C for 30 min. The sensitivity assay inferred that the minimum detection threshold of RT-RAA was 3.38 × 101 copies/μL. A specificity assay showed that the RT-RAA method did not cross-react with other subgroups (aMPV-A, aMPV-B, aMPV-D) or other viruses (H9N2, NDV, IBV, IBDV). Forty samples of known clinical background were tested by RT-RAA and RT-qPCR. The two approaches had a 100% correlation rate. In conclusion, this research successfully created an RT-RAA assay for aMPV-C

Role of gga-miR-221 and gga-miR-222 during tumour formation in chickens infected by subgroup J avian leukosis virus

Subgroup J avian leukosis virus (ALV-J) causes a neoplastic disease in infected chickens. Differential expression patterns of microRNAs (miRNAs) are closely related to the formation and growth of tumors. (1) Background: This study was undertaken to understand how miRNAs might be related to tumor growth during ALV-J infection. We chose to characterize the effects of miR-221 and miR-222 on cell proliferation, migration, and apoptosis based on previous microarray data. (2) Methods: In vivo, the expression levels of miR-221 and miR-222 were significantly increased in the liver of ALV-J infected chickens (p < 0.01). Over-expression of gga-miR-221 and gga-miR-222 promoted the proliferation, migration, and growth of DF-1 cells, and decreased the expression of BCL-2 modifying factor (BMF) making cells more resistant to apoptosis. (3) Results: Our results suggest that gga-miR-221 and gga-miR-222 may be tumour formation relevant gene in chicken that promote proliferation, migration, and growth of cancer cells, and inhibit apoptosis. BMF expression was significantly reduced in vivo 70 days after ALV-J infection. They may also play a pivotal role in tumorigenesis during ALV-J infection

Efficacy of an autophagy-targeted DNA vaccine against avian leukosis virus subgroup J

Infection with the avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) can lead to neoplastic disease in chickens, inflicting significant economic losses to the poultry industry. Recent reports have identified inhibitory effects of ALV-J on autophagy, a process involving in innate and adaptive immunity. Inspired by this connection between autophagy and immunity, we developed a novel DNA vaccine against ALV-J which includes co-administration of rapamycin to stimulate autophagy. To measure the efficacy of the developed prototype vaccine, five experimental groups of seven-day-old-chickens was immunized three times at three-week intervals respectively with vector, pVAX1-gp85, pVAX1-gp85-LC3, pVAX1-gp85 + rapamycin and pVAX1-gp85-LC3 + rapamycin through electroporation. We then tested their antibody titers, cytokine levels and cellular immune responses. The immunoprotective efficacy of the prototype vaccines against the challenge of the ALV-J GD1109 strain was also examined. The results showed that the combination of pVAX1-gp85-LC3 and rapamycin was able to induce the highest antibody titers, and enhance interleukin(IL)-2, IL-10 and interferon (IFN)-gamma expression, and the chickens immunized with the combination of pVAX1-gp85-LC3 and rapamycin showed the highest percentage of CD3+ CD8+ T lymphocytes. Based on our results, we suggest that stimulating autophagy can improve the efficacy of DNA vaccines and that our DNA vaccine shows the potential of being a candidate vaccine against ALV-J. This study provides a novel strategy for developing vaccines against ALV-J. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Exosomal miR-7-25207 Increases Subgroup J Avian Leukosis Virus Titers by Targeting the Akt-CyclinQ1 and PRC1-YAF2 Dual Pathways

Subgroup J avian leukosis virus (ALV-J) is a major pathogen in poultry, causing substantial economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. Exosomal small RNAs derived from virus-infected cells or biological fluids can serve as viral transmission vectors. However, the role and mechanism of exosomal miRNA in ALV-J infection are unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that exosomal microRNA-7-25207 (miR-7-25207) could increase the titers of ALV-J. Exosomes isolated from ALV-J-infected DF-1 cells (Exo-ALV-J) contained partial viral proteins from ALV-J and could transmit the infection to uninfected DF-1 cells, leading to productive infection. Additionally, the RNA expression profile of exosomes was altered following ALV-J infection. miRNA analysis revealed that the expression of exosomal miR-7-25207 increased. Overexpression of miR-7-25207 significantly increased the titers of ALV-J in transfected cells. Furthermore, miR-7-25207 directly suppressed the expression of Akt and PRC1. Akt, in turn, directly inhibited CyclinQ1 expression, while PRC1 directly interfered with YAF2 expression. In conclusion, ALV-J infection activates the expression of miR-7-25207, which is subsequently delivered via exosomes to uninfected cells, increasing ALV-J titers by targeting Akt-CyclinQ1 and PRC1-YAF2 dual pathways. These findings suggest that exosomal miR-7-25207 may serve as a potential biomarker for clinical parameters in ALV-J infection