What Drives Trust in Online Paid Knowledge? The Role of Customer Value

Online paid knowledge(OPK) has become very popular since online knowledge platforms have been undergoing a tremendous transformation from providing online free knowledge to OPK. Trust is vital because knowledge is subjective and OPK requires consumers to invest money, time and effort. This study focuses on factors that drive consumers’ trust since OPK creates a new revenue source for both knowledge platforms and knowledge providers. Drawing on customer value theory, we propose that consumers’ perceptions of customer value influence trust. We examine six value relevant factors extracted from three dimensions of customer value: functional (knowledge quality and price utility), emotional (perceived enjoyment and anxiety relief), and social value (social knowledge-image expression and social relationship support). Survey data was analyzed and hypotheses were tested with structural equation modeling(SEM). The results indicate that functional, emotional, and social value contribute significantly to trust. The findings and implications are discussed

Understanding Consumers’ Purchase Intention for Online Paid Knowledge: A Customer Value Perspective

Online knowledge platforms have been undergoing a transformation from providing free knowledge to online paid knowledge (OPK). As customers play a key role in the sustainable development and success of the new business model, we focused on the factors that drive consumers’ online knowledge purchase intention. Drawing on the cognitive–affective–conative framework and customer value theory, we propose that consumers rationally evaluate the customer values of OPK in the cognitive stage, followed by generating trust and identification in the affective stage, then leading to a purchase decision. Six factors were extracted from three dimensions of customer value: Functional, emotional, and social values. The hypotheses were tested using survey data obtained from 504 respondents using structural equation modeling. The findings confirm that customer value and identification with the knowledge contributor significantly influence trust in OPK. Trust in OPK and identification with the knowledge contributor both significantly influence purchase intention, whereas trust in the platform neither influences consumers’ trust in OPK nor purchase intention. The findings of this study will help OPK platforms to increase their sales of knowledge products

Understanding Consumers’ Purchase Intention for Online Paid Knowledge: A Customer Value Perspective

Online knowledge platforms have been undergoing a transformation from providing free knowledge to online paid knowledge (OPK). As customers play a key role in the sustainable development and success of the new business model, we focused on the factors that drive consumers’ online knowledge purchase intention. Drawing on the cognitive–affective–conative framework and customer value theory, we propose that consumers rationally evaluate the customer values of OPK in the cognitive stage, followed by generating trust and identification in the affective stage, then leading to a purchase decision. Six factors were extracted from three dimensions of customer value: Functional, emotional, and social values. The hypotheses were tested using survey data obtained from 504 respondents using structural equation modeling. The findings confirm that customer value and identification with the knowledge contributor significantly influence trust in OPK. Trust in OPK and identification with the knowledge contributor both significantly influence purchase intention, whereas trust in the platform neither influences consumers’ trust in OPK nor purchase intention. The findings of this study will help OPK platforms to increase their sales of knowledge products.</jats:p

Hepatocellular carcinoma cell apoptosis induced by low-intensity ultrasound with polylactic acid-polyethylene glycol nanometer microspheres loaded with sodium cantharidin: An <i>in vitro</i> study

This study examines the synergistic inhibitory effect of two drugs on hepatocellular carcinoma cells using polylactic acid-polyethylene glycol (PLA-PEG) nanoparticles loaded with sodium cantharidin (SCA) combined with low-intensity ultrasound. We sought to provide an experimental basis for the cytological level of SCA combined with low-intensity ultrasound tumor treatment. The study consisted of four treatment groups: HepG2 cells treated with 2.5 g/mL SCA for 30 min then irradiated with 0.5 w/cm2 low-intensity ultrasound for 8 s (combination group), HepG2 cells treated with SCA alone (SCA group), HepG2 cells randomly irradiated with low-intensity ultrasound (ultrasound group), and HepG2 cells without intervention (control group). After each treatment, the cells were cultured for 6 h, and then the cell proliferation inhibition rate, apoptosis cycle, and intracellular calcium concentration were detected using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, flow cytometry and Fluo-3 AM detection. Intracellular ultrastructural changes were observed using transmission electron microscopy. The results showed that the proliferation inhibition rate of cells in the combination group was significantly higher than that in the SCA and ultrasound groups. Annexin V-FITC and propidium iodide staining revealed that the apoptosis rate of the combination group significantly increased compared with that of the other groups. There was no significant difference in cell cycle among the different treatments after 6 h of cell culture. However, cell cycle arrest occurred in HepG2 cells at G0/G1 stage after 12 h of cell culture. Fluo-3 AM showed that the intracellular calcium concentration in the combined group was significantly higher than that in the other groups at 6 h after treatment. Transmission electron microscopy showed that apoptotic bodies and mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum swelling were present in the combined group after treatment. We conclude that low-intensity ultrasound (0.5 w/cm2) combined with SCA (2.5 μg/mL) synergistically induce apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells, block cell cycle at G0/G1 phase, and disrupt intracellular calcium homeostasis. PLA-PEG can be loaded with SCA to improve drug targeting and drug concentration in the affected area.</jats:p

Genetic Differentiation and Divergence Time of Chinese Parnassius (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) Species Based on Nuclear Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) Sequence Data

AbstractParnassius (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) is a genus of attractive butterflies mainly distributed in the mountainous areas of Central Asia, the Himalayas, and western China. In this study, we used the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1 and ITS2) sequence data as DNA barcodes to characterize the genetic differentiation and conduct the phylogenetic analysis and divergence time estimation of the 17 Parnassius species collected in China. Species identification and genetic differentiation analysis suggest that the ITS barcode is an effective marker for Parnassius species identification; additionally, a relatively high level of genetic diversity and low level of gene flow were detected in the five Parnassius species with diverse geographic populations. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the 17 species studied were clustered in six clades (subgenera), with subgenus Parnassius at the basal position in the phylogenetic trees. Bayesian divergence time estimation shows that the genus originated about 18 million years ago during the early Miocene, correlated with orogenic events in the distribution region, probably southwestern China about 20–10 million years ago. Our estimated phylochronology also suggests that the Parnassius interspecific and intraspecific divergences were probably related with the rapid rising of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, the Tibet Movement, the Kunlun-Yellow River Tectonic Movement, and global cooling associated with intensified glaciation in the region during the Quaternary Period.</jats:p