Spillover Effects of Airdrops: Evidence from Tokenization Platforms

The emergence of tokenization platforms based on blockchain technology has led to the use of free airdrop to replace traditional expensive financial incentives to enhance user engagement. However, critics argue that such incentives may devalue tokens and prompt nonrecipients to panic sell. To investigate the impact of airdrops, we conducted a quasi-experiment on Axie Infinity. Our findings indicate that airdrops significantly enhance engagement among both recipients and nonrecipients. Mechanism analysis shows that cross group spillover effects stems from expectation of another airdrop program and increased market liquidity. While recipients tend to immediately sell tokens and often sell more tokens than received, we did not find evidence of nonrecipients panic selling tokens. Furthermore, we investigated the heterogeneous effects of airdrops. Our work contributes to the ongoing debate of the effectiveness of airdrops and provide insights into the study of tokenization platforms

Examining the level and distribution of catastrophic health expenditure from 2013 to 2018 : a province-level study in China

Since 2018, 96.8% of China’s population has received universal health coverage; however, changes in the general population’s level and distribution of catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) remain unclear. This study aims to quantify the incidence and intensity of CHE by adopting a multistage stratified random sampling procedure that used a threshold of 25% of non-food household expenditures. We use the concentration index to measure the extent of inequality in CHE. Furthermore, logistic regression was applied to identify the socio-demographic and economic determinants of CHE, thereby revealing that the incidence and intensity of CHE increased between 2013 and 2018. A greater concentration of CHE was identified in low-income households. Our results imply that expanding the existing public health insurance benefit packages and introducing universal supplementary private insurance to more population segments is necessary

ChatGPT Is A User-Generated Knowledge-Sharing Killer

Large Language Models (LLMs), e.g., ChatGPT, is expected to reshape a broad spectrum of domains. This study examines the impact of ChatGPT on question aksing in Q&A communitits via the natural experiment. Safe-guided by supporting evidence of parallel trends, a difference-in-difference (DID) analysis suggests the launching trigger an average 2.6% reduction of question-asking on Stack Overflow, confirming a lower-search-cost-enabled substitution. Our further analysis suggests that, this substitution effect has resulted in more longer, less readable and less cognitive and hence more sophisticated questions on average. Finally, the insignificant change in the score given by viewers per question suggests no improvement in the question quality and decreased platform-wide engagement. Our moderation analysis further ascertain the types of individuals who are more susceptible to ChatGPT. Taken together, our paper suggests LLMs may threaten the survival of user-generated knowledge-sharing communities, which may further threaten the sustainable learning and long-run improvement of LLMs

Duct ligation/de-ligation model: exploring mechanisms for salivary gland injury and regeneration

Sialadenitis and sialadenitis-induced sialopathy are typically caused by obstruction of the salivary gland ducts. Atrophy of the salivary glands in experimental animals caused by duct ligation exhibits a histopathology similar to that of salivary gland sialadenitis. Therefore, a variety of duct ligation/de-ligation models have been commonly employed to study salivary gland injury and regeneration. Duct ligation is mainly characterised by apoptosis and activation of different signaling pathways in parenchymal cells, which eventually leads to gland atrophy and progressive dysfunction. By contrast, duct de-ligation can initiate the recovery of gland structure and function by regenerating the secretory tissue. This review summarizes the animal duct ligation/de-ligation models that have been used for the examination of pathological fundamentals in salivary disorders, in order to unravel the pathological changes and underlying mechanisms involved in salivary gland injury and regeneration. These experimental models have contributed to developing effective and curative strategies for gland dysfunction and providing plausible solutions for overcoming salivary disorders

Health-Related Quality of Life and Health Service Use among Multimorbid Middle-Aged and Older-Aged Adults in China: A Cross-Sectional Study in Shandong Province

(1) Background: The management of multiple chronic diseases challenges China’s health system, but current research has neglected how multimorbidity is associated with poor health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and high health service demands by middle-aged and older adults. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Shandong province, China in 2018 across three age groups: Middle-aged (45 to 59 years), young-old (60 to 74 years), and old-old (75 or above years). The information about socio-economic, health-related behaviors, HRQOL, and health service utilization was collected via face-to-face structured questionnaires. The EQ-5D-3L instrument, comprising a health description system and a visual analog scale (VAS), was used to measure participants’ HRQOL, and χ2 tests and the one-way ANOVA test were used to analyze differences in socio-demographic factors and HRQOL among the different age groups. Logistic regression models estimated the associations between lifestyle factors, health service utilization, and multimorbidity across age groups. (3) Results: There were 17,867 adults aged 45 or above in our sample, with 9259 (51.82%) female and 65.60% living in rural areas. Compared with the middle-aged adults, the young-old and old-old were more likely to be single and to have a lower level of education and income, with the old-old having lower levels than the young-old (P < 0.001). We found that 2465 (13.80%) suffered multimorbidities of whom 75.21% were older persons (aged 60 or above). As age increased, both the mean values of EQ-5D utility and the VAS scale decreased, displaying an inverse trend to the increase in the number of chronic diseases (P < 0.05). Ex-smokers and physical check-ups for middle or young-old respondents and overweight/obesity for all participants (P < 0.05) were positively correlated with multimorbidity. Drinking within the past month for all participants (P < 0.001), and daily tooth-brushing for middle (P < 0.05) and young-old participants (P < 0.001), were negatively associated with multimorbidity. Multimorbidities increased service utilization including outpatient and inpatient visits and taking self-medicine; and the probability of health utilization was the lowest for the old-old multimorbid patients (P < 0.001). (4) Conclusions: The prevalence and decline in HRQOL of multimorbid middle-aged and older-aged people were severe in Shandong province. Old patients also faced limited access to health services. We recommend early prevention and intervention to address the prevalence of middle-aged and old-aged multimorbidity. Further, the government should set-up special treatment channels for multiple chronic disease sufferers, improve medical insurance policies for the older-aged groups, and set-up multiple chronic disease insurance to effectively alleviate the costs of medical utilization caused by economic pressure for outpatients and inpatients with chronic diseases

Dose-related immunomodulatory effects of recombinant TRAIL in the tumor immune microenvironment

Abstract Background In addition to specifically inducing tumor cell apoptosis, recombinant tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) has also been reported to influence the cancer immune microenvironment; however, its underlying effects and mechanisms remain unclear. Investigating the immunomodulatory effects and mechanisms of recombinant TRAIL in the tumor microenvironment (TME) may provide an important perspective and facilitate the exploration of novel TRAIL strategies for tumor therapy. Methods Immunocompetent mice with different tumors were treated with three doses of recombinant TRAIL, and then the tumors were collected for immunological detection and mechanistic investigation. Methodological approaches include flow cytometry analysis and single-cell sequencing. Results In an immunocompetent mouse model, recombinant soluble mouse TRAIL (smTRAIL) had dose-related immunomodulatory effects. The optimal dose of smTRAIL (2 mg/kg) activated innate immune cells and CD8+ T cells, whereas higher doses of smTRAIL (8 mg/kg) promoted the formation of a tumor-promoting immune microenvironment to counteract the apoptotic effects on tumor cells. The higher doses of smTRAIL treatment promoted M2-like macrophage recruitment and polarization and increased the production of protumor inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-10, which deepened the suppression of natural killer (NK) cells and CD8+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment. By constructing an HU-HSC-NPG.GM3 humanized immune system mouse model, we further verified the immunomodulatory effects induced by recombinant soluble human TRAIL (shTRAIL) and found that combinational administration of shTRAIL and trabectedin, a macrophage-targeting drug, could remodel the tumor immune microenvironment, further enhance antitumor immunity, and strikingly improve antitumor effects. Conclusion Our results highlight the immunomodulatory role of recombinant TRAIL and suggest promising therapeutic strategies for clinical application. Graphical Abstrac