FORMATION AND EFFECT OF SOCIAL INTERACTIONS IN ONLINE BRAND COMMUNITY: AN EMPIRICAL INVESTIGATION

Online brand communities, enabled by social media technology, are being utilized by companies to improve marketing and sales. However, little is known about how to encourage customer interactions in an online brand community and whether the interactions can affect purchase behavior. To address these research questions, we explore factors that influence the formation of social interactions in an online brand community and assess the impact of different types of social interactions on customer purchase behavior, resulting in a set of theoretical hypotheses about social interactions for e- commerce. We test our hypotheses using a data set that includes customer social interactions and purchases in an online brand community. Our results show that homophily in certain customer characteristics (e.g,. member age, location, deal sensitivity) positively impacts the formation of social interaction while homophily in other customer characteristics (e.g,. share premium products) does not. We also find that social interactions with people who have purchased strongly influence customer purchase behavior. Furthermore, the effect of such social interactions is strengthened by geographical proximity. We discuss theoretical implications of our results and also offer practical guidelines for managers on how to manage customer relationships in online brand communities

Self-Regulated Learning: A Study of Feedback Seeking By Integrating Self-Motives and Social Influences in an Online Context

To have an effective online communication, individuals need to be self-regulated and self-initiate online conversations when needed. Feedback seeking is a key strategy of self-regulated learning through which individuals can gain more knowledge and become more adapted. Existing studies on feedback seeking mainly focus on personal motivation rather than social factors. Drawing on the theory of planned behaviour, this study examines how both self-motives and social influence affect individuals’ feedback-seeking behaviour. Moreover, based on the relational communication theory, we also investigate how the perceptions of informational and relational value mediate the relationships between self-motives, social influences and feedback-seeking behaviour. As learning styles can affect individuals’ learning motivation and learning effectiveness, individuals’ learning styles may interact with self-motives and social influence to affect their value perceptions toward feedback. We further examine whether learning styles moderate the effects of personal and social factors on value perceptions. A survey will be undertaken to collect the data and test the proposed hypotheses. This study is expected to inspire researchers and practitioners to pay equal attention to personal and social factors in online learning. The findings also attempt to shed light on the necessity of considering informational and relational value simultaneously in studying feedback seeking behaviour

Distraction or Connection? An Investigation of Social Media Use at Work

The use of social media in the workplace is controversial. In order to develop a good understanding of social media use at work, this study examines the effects of social media use from both positive and negative sides. Based on two-factor theory, this study proposes that social media use at work engenders distraction and perceived relatedness, which in turn influence job performance. This study further draws on resource matching theory to posit that the perceptual load of the job moderates the effects of social media use at work on distraction and perceived relatedness. A survey will be conducted to collect data and test the research hypotheses. In theoretical terms, this study is expected to contribute to information systems research by investigating both positive and negative outcomes of social media usage. In practical terms, this study sheds light on the usage and management of social media in the workplace

PTEN is involved in modulation of vasculogenesis in early chick embryos

Summary PTEN is a tumor suppressor gene that is mutated and/or deleted in many types of tumor. This gene also plays a very distinct role in the early stages of embryonic development such as cell migration, proliferation and migration. Nevertheless, little is known of the function of PTEN in vasculogenesis during chick embryonic development. In this study, we used in situ hybridization to first demonstrate the expression pattern of PTEN during gastrulation. PTEN was found mainly expressed in the blood islands of area opaca, the neural tube and mesodermal structures. Overexpression of PTEN obstructed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) process in the primitive streak. EMT is the first prerequisite required for the emigration of hemangioblasts during vasculogenesis. When PTEN expression was silenced, we observed that it produced an adverse effect on mesodermal cell emigration to the extra-embryonic blood islands. In addition, we also demonstrated that even if the perturbed-PTEN cells did not affect the formation of blood islands, migrant mesodermal cells overexpressing wt PTEN-GFP had difficulties integrating into the blood islands. Instead, these cells were either localized on the periphery of the blood islands or induced to differentiate into endothelial cells if they managed to integrate into blood islands. Development of the intra-embryonic primary vascular plexus was also affected by overexpression of PTEN. We proposed that it was elevated PTEN lipid phosphatase activity that was responsible for the morphogenetic defects induced by PTEN overexpression. In this context, we did not find PTEN affecting VEGF signaling. In sum, our study has provided evidence that PTEN is involved in vasculogenesis during the early stages of chick embryo development

Mesenteric CD103+DCs Initiate Switched Coxsackievirus B3 VP1-Specific IgA Response to Intranasal Chitosan-DNA Vaccine Through Secreting BAFF/IL-6 and Promoting Th17/Tfh Differentiation

Intranasal chitosan-formulated DNA vaccination promotes IgA secretion in the intestine. However, the mechanism whereby chitosan-DNA skews IgA class switch recombination (CSR) of B cells in the Gut-associated lymph tissue (GALT) is not fully resolved. In this study, we investigated the effects of nasally administered chitosan-DNA (pcDNA3.1-VP1 plasmid encoding VP1 capsid protein of Coxsackievirus B3) on IgA production, DC activation and Tfh/Th17 response in the intestine. Compared to DNA immunization, intranasal chitosan-DNA vaccination induced antigen-specific IgA production in feces, a pronounced switching of antigen-specific IgA+ plasmablast B cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) and an enhanced expression of post-recombination Iα-CH transcripts/IgA germline transcript (αGT) as well as activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID) in MLN B cells. MLN Tfh frequency was markedly enhanced by chitosan-DNA, and was associated with VP1-specific IgA titer. 24 h after immunization, intranasal chitosan-DNA induced a recruitment of CD103+DCs into the MLN that paralleled a selective loss of CD103+DCs in the lamina propria (LP). In vivo activated MLN-derived CD103+DCs produced high levels of IL-6 and BAFF in response to chitosan-DNA, which up-regulated transmembrane activator and CAML interactor (TACI) expression on MLN B cells. Upon co-culture with IgM+B in the presence of chitosan-DNA, MLN CD103+DCs induced IgA production in a T-dependent manner; and this IgA-promoting effect of CD103+DC was blocked by targeting TACI and, to a lower extent, by blocking IL-6. MLN CD103+DCs displayed an enhanced capacity to induce an enhanced CD4+Th17 response in vivo and in vitro, and IL-17A deficient mice had a pronounced reduction of specific intestinal IgA following immunization. Taken together, mesenteric CD103+DCs are indispensable for the adjuvant activity of chitosan in enhancing DNA vaccine-specific IgA switching in gut through activating BAFF-TACI and IL-6-IL-6R signaling, and through inducing Th17/Tfh differentiation in the MLN

Perioperative probiotics attenuates postoperative cognitive dysfunction in elderly patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty: A randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial

BackgroundPostoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common complication in elderly patients following surgery. The preventive and/or treatment strategies for the incidence remain limited.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the preventive effect of perioperative probiotic treatment on POCD in elderly patients undergoing hip or knee arthroplasty.MethodsAfter obtaining ethical approval and written informed consent, 106 patients (age ≥60 years) were recruited, who scheduled elective hip or knee arthroplasty, from 16 March 2021 to 25 February 2022 for this randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled trial. They were randomly assigned with a 1:1 ratio to receive either probiotics or placebo treatment (four capsules, twice/day) from hospital admission until discharge. Cognitive function was assessed with a battery of 11 neuropsychological tests on the admission day and the seventh day after surgery, respectively.ResultsA total of 96 of 106 patients completed the study, and their data were finally analyzed. POCD occurred in 12 (26.7%) of 45 patients in the probiotic group and 29 (56.9%) of 51 patients in the placebo group (relative risk [RR], 0.47 [95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27 to 0.81]; P = 0.003). Among them, mild POCD occurred in 11 (24.4%) in the probiotic group and 24 (47.1%) in the placebo group (RR, 0.52 [95% CI, 0.29 to 0.94]; P = 0.022). No significant difference in severe POCD incidence was found between the two groups (P = 0.209). Compared with the placebo group, the verbal memory domain cognitive function was mainly improved in the probiotic group.ConclusionProbiotics may be used perioperatively to prevent POCD development and improve verbal memory performance in elderly patients receiving hip or knee arthroplasty.Clinical trial registrationwww.chictr.org.cn, identifier: ChiCTR2100045620

Angiopoietin-like 4 (ANGPTL4) Suppression Ameliorates Lupus Nephritis in MRL/lpr Mice by Inactivating NLRP3 Inflammasome and Inhibiting Inflammatory Response

Background: Lupus nephritis (LN) refers to the injury caused by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) involving the kidneys. A previous study identified angiopoietin-like protein 4 (ANGPTL4) as a novel urinary biomarker for tracking disease activity in LN.Objective: To investigate the detailed role and regulatory mechanism of ANGPTL4 in experimental models of LN.Methods: MRL/lpr mice 11-week-old were injected with adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated ANGPTL4 short hairpin RNA (shRNA). At 16 and 20 weeks of age, 24-h urine samples were harvested to measure proteinuria levels. After the mice were sacrificed, blood and kidney tissues were harvested to examine serum creatinine (cr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels, kidney histological changes, and pro-inflammatory cytokine production. Additionally, the levels of NLRP3 inflammasome-associated molecules in mouse renal tissues were detected to clarify the underlying mechanism.Results: The AAV-sh-ANGPTL4 injection significantly reduced the proteinuria, cr, and BUN levels in MRL/lpr mice. ANGPTL4 silencing ameliorated glomerular, tubular, and interstitial damage in mice, mitigating the pathological alternations of LN. In addition, ANGPTL4 knockdown repressed pro-inflammatory cytokine production in the kidneys. Mechanically, ANGPTL4 suppression inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome expression in renal tissues of mice.Conclusion: ANGPTL4 silencing inhibits the NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated inflammatory response, thereby ameliorating LN in MRL/lpr mice

Study on the Informatization Construction of Public Stomatological Medical Institutions in China

With the deepening of healthcare system reform in China, the competition in the oral healthcare market is becoming stronger day by day. The public hospital is the main body of the medical service system in China, its degree of informatization greatly affects rational market competition and then affects the allocation of resources and the quality of medical service. By analyzing the problems existing in the current informatization of China’s public stomatological medical institutions, this paper discusses how to strengthen the informatization of China’s public stomatological medical institutions, and puts forward targeted optimization measures, to provide a reference for the innovation and development of smart hospital construction of the stomatological industry