Study on Pricing Model of Air Freight Based on Revenue Management

At present, the air freight rate does not match with the current competitive environment, and the revenue level of air freight is not ideal. How to improve the level of income management and balance the relationship between quantity and price has become an urgent problem for China’s air freight. In this context, this paper constructs an air freight pricing model based on revenue management. We review the application models of the air freight, and select the parameters for pricing model. Then the pricing model is constructed based on the revenue management and the status quo of China’s air freight industry. Finally, the model is tested by simulation analysis. This paper aims to provide a scientific and reasonable decision-making reference for air freight pricing through the improvement of pricing model

Decomposition of Agricultural Labor Productivity Growth and its Regional Disparity in China

This paper studies the regional disparity of China's agricultural productivity growth by decomposing it into technical changes, efficiency changes and input accumulation per worker. The convergence test is also used to analyze the determinants of regional disparity. The paper finds that during 1987 and 2005, although the growth of China’s agricultural labor productivity mainly depended on the accumulation of inputs, technical changes contributed more to regional disparities in agricultural productivity growth. Improving efficiency to promote TFP growth is important for agricultural labor productivity growth for the three regions—Eastern, Central and Western of China. The increase in inputs for Western China, and the improvement in technical change for Central and Western China are significant aspects to promote the growth of agricultural productivity and narrow the gap with the Eastern China

Decomposition of agricultural labor productivity growth and its regional disparity in China

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate determinants of regional disparities in China's agricultural labor productivity growth. Design/methodology/approach – This paper first decomposes the regional disparity in China's agricultural productivity growth into its components: technical change, efficiency change and input accumulation per worker. The convergence test is also used to analyze the determinants of regional disparity. Findings – The paper finds that during 1987 and 2005, although the growth of China's agricultural labor productivity mainly depended on the accumulation of inputs, technical changes contributed more to regional disparities in agricultural productivity growth. Originality/value – This paper, which studies the determinants of regional disparities in China's agricultural labor productivity growth, contributes to a better understanding of China's agricultural growth and how to reduce the regional inequality. It is indicated that improving efficiency to promote total factor productivity growth is important for agricultural labor productivity growth for the three regions – Eastern, Central and Western – of China. The increase in inputs for Western China, and the improvement in technical change for Central and Western China are significant aspects to promote the growth of agricultural productivity and narrow the gap with Eastern China.Agriculture, China, Productivity rate, Regional development

Morusin Protected Ruminal Epithelial Cells against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation through Inhibiting EGFR-AKT/NF-κB Signaling and Improving Barrier Functions

Using phytogenic extracts for preventing or treating rumen epithelial inflammatory injury is a potential alternative to antibiotic use due to their residue-free characteristics. In this study, the efficacy of Morus root bark extract Morusin on ruminal epithelial cells (RECs) against pathogenic stimulus was investigated for the first time. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) results showed that the Morusin did not affect the cell viability of RECs and exerted anti-inflammatory effects in a concentration-dependent manner. Transcriptome analysis further revealed that the Morusin significantly downregulated the inflammatory-response-related cell signaling, while it upregulated the cell-proliferation-inhibition- and barrier-function-related processes in RECs upon lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) blocking and immunoblotting analysis further confirmed that the Morusin suppressed LPS-induced inflammation in RECs by downregulating the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT) and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-κB) p65 protein via inhibiting the EGFR signaling. These findings demonstrate the protective roles of Morusin in LPS-induced inflammation in RECs

Assessment of Instant Loss of Elbow Flexion in Children with Untreated Gartland IIA Humeral Supracondylar Fractures—A Simulation Study with Lateral Elbow Radiographs

Objective The suitability of in situ cast fixation for treating Gartland IIA humeral supracondylar fractures has remained controversial due to concerns regarding loss of elbow flexion. This study aimed to assess the instant loss of elbow flexion after Gartland IIA humeral supracondylar fractures based on the relationship between the anterior marginal line of the humerus and capitellum in the lateral view. Methods This simulation study was conducted with normal radiographs using Adobe Photoshop 14.0, followed by verification using clinical cases. Standard lateral views of normal elbows of children were collected from January 2008 to February 2020. Adobe Photoshop was used to simulate Gartland IIA supracondylar fractures with different degrees of angulation in the sagittal plane. A formula was deduced to assess flexion loss, and this method was verified in three cases. The data were grouped by age, and the relationship between elbow flexion loss and age, as well as the angulation of the fracture, was analyzed using a one‐way or multivariate ANOVA. Results There was a flexion loss of 19° (11–30°) when the anterior margin line of the humerus was tangential to the capitellum. This loss increased with age at injury (r = 0.731, P = 0.000). Moreover, the difference in angulation in the sagittal plane also influenced the extent of elbow flexion loss (r = −0.739, P = 0.000). The more horizontal the fracture line in the lateral view, the greater the loss of elbow flexion. Conclusion Instant elbow flexion loss after Gartland IIA humeral supracondylar fractures increases with age at the time of injury and decreases with angulation in the sagittal plane. When the anterior margin of the humerus is tangential to the capitellum, there will be an average loss of 19° in elbow flexion. These findings provide a quantitative reference for clinical decision‐making in the treatment of Gartland IIA supracondylar fractures

Rumen microbiota-host transcriptome interaction mediates the protective effects of trans-10, cis-12 CLA on facilitating weaning transition of lambs

Developing alternatives to antibiotics for prevention of gastrointestinal dysbiosis in early-weaning farmed animals is urgently needed. This study was to explore the potential effects of trans-10, cis-12 conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on maintaining ruminal homeostasis of young ruminants during the weaning transition period. Thirty neonatal lambs were selected (6 lambs per group) and euthanized for rumen microbial and epithelial analysis. The lambs were weaned at 28 d and experienced the following 5 treatments: euthanized on d 28 as the pre-weaning control (CON0), fed starter feed for 5 (CON5) or 21 (CON21) d, fed starter feed with 1% of CLA supplemented for 5 (CLA5) or 21 (CLA21) d. Results showed that the average daily weight gain and dry matter intake were significantly higher in CLA5 than CON5 group. As compared with the CON5 and CON21 group, the relative abundances of volatile fatty acid (VFA) producing bacteria including Bacteroides, Treponema, Parabacteroides and Anaerovibrio, as well as the concentrations of acetate, butyrate and total VFA were significantly increased in CLA5 and CLA21 group, respectively. Integrating microbial profiling and epithelial transcriptome results showed that 7 downregulated inflammatory signaling-related host genes IL2RA, CXCL9, CD4, CCR4, LTB, SPP1, and BCL2A1 with CLA supplementation were significantly negatively correlated with both VFA concentration and VFA producing bacteria, while 3 (GPX2, SLC27A2 and ALDH3A1) and 2 (GSTM3 and GSTA1) upregulated metabolism-related genes, significantly positively correlated with either VFA concentration or VFA producing bacteria, respectively. To confirm the effects of CLA on epithelial signal transduction, in vitro experiment was further conducted by treating rumen epithelial cells without or with IL-17A + TNF-α for 12 h after pretreatment of 100 μM CLA or not (6 replicates per treatment). The results demonstrated the anti-inflammatory effect of CLA via suppressing the protein expression of NF-кB p-p65/p65 with the activation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ). In conclusion, CLA supplementation enhanced the ruminal microbiota-driven transcriptional regulation in healthy rumen epithelial development via rumen VFA production, and CLA may therefore serve as an alternative way to alleviate early-weaning stress and improve physiological and metabolic conditions of young ruminants