Which Factors Determine User’s First and Repeat Online Music Listening Respectively? Music Itself, User Itself, or Online Feedback

In the era of Web 2.0, does online feedback mainly dominant online users’ buying behavior, or are user’s own preference and product quality still important? Previous studies paid more attention to the influence of online feedback on users’ online buying behavior, however this paper focuses on how users’ own factors, product quality related factors and online feedback factors together influence a user’s buying behavior, and also how does this effect change as time goes by. Taking online music as our research industry and using the data from Last.fm website, this research shows that users’ preference and product quality are still the two most dominate factors influencing users’ online music listening, while online feedback plays an important role on users’ first listening. It is also found that the different influences of crowds and friends

Fabrication and properties of PLA/β-TCP scaffolds using liquid crystal display (LCD) photocuring 3D printing for bone tissue engineering

Introduction: Bone defects remain a thorny challenge that clinicians have to face. At present, scaffolds prepared by 3D printing are increasingly used in the field of bone tissue repair. Polylactic acid (PLA) has good thermoplasticity, processability, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, but the PLA is brittle and has poor osteogenic performance. Beta-tricalcium phosphate (β-TCP) has good mechanical properties and osteogenic induction properties, which can make up for the drawbacks of PLA.Methods: In this study, photocurable biodegradable polylactic acid (bio-PLA) was utilized as the raw material to prepare PLA/β-TCP slurries with varying β-TCP contents (β-TCP dosage at 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 35% of the PLA dosage, respectively). The PLA/β-TCP scaffolds were fabricated using liquid crystal display (LCD) light-curing 3D printing technology. The characterization of the scaffolds was assessed, and the biological activity of the scaffold with the optimal compressive strength was evaluated. The biocompatibility of the scaffold was assessed through CCK-8 assays, hemocompatibility assay and live-dead staining experiments. The osteogenic differentiation capacity of the scaffold on MC3T3-E1 cells was evaluated through alizarin red staining, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) detection, immunofluorescence experiments, and RT-qPCR assays.Results: The prepared scaffold possesses a three-dimensional network structure, and with an increase in the quantity of β-TCP, more β-TCP particles adhere to the scaffold surface. The compressive strength of PLA/β-TCP scaffolds exhibits a trend of initial increase followed by decrease with an increasing amount of β-TCP, reaching a maximum value of 52.1 MPa at a 10% β-TCP content. Degradation rate curve results indicate that with the passage of time, the degradation rate of the scaffold gradually increases, and the pH of the scaffold during degradation shows an alkaline tendency. Additionally, Live/dead staining and blood compatibility experiments suggest that the prepared PLA/β-TCP scaffold demonstrates excellent biocompatibility. CCK-8 experiments indicate that the PLA/β-TCP group promotes cell proliferation, and the prepared PLA/β-TCP scaffold exhibits a significant ability to enhance the osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells in vitro.Discussion: 3D printed LCD photocuring PLA/β-TCP scaffolds could improve surface bioactivity and lead to better osteogenesis, which may provide a unique strategy for developing bioactive implants in orthopedic applications

Observation of the degradation of three types of plastic pellets exposed to UV irradiation in three different environments

Highlights • Degradation of plastics under UV irradiation in different environments was studied. • Changes in chemical/physical properties were examined by FTIR, Raman, and SEM. • Similarities and discrepancies in the degradation processes were investigated. • Exposure time, oxygen content and the water chemistry are the important factors affecting the degradation degree. Abstract Plastic debris represents one of the most prevalent and persistent pollution problems in the marine environment. In particular, microplastics that are mainly degraded from larger plastic debris have become a growing environmental concern. However, studies on the degradation of plastics in the aquatic environment that hydrobios reside in have been limited, while several studies regarding the degradation of plastics have been conducted under outdoor or accelerated weathering conditions. Thus, observation of the degradation of three types of virgin plastic pellets exposed to UV irradiation in three different environments (i.e., simulated seawater, ultrapure water, and a waterless (air) condition) was carried out. Data on the changes in physical and chemical properties were collected. The FTIR spectra showed that hydroxyl groups and carbonyl groups developed in three types of weathered plastic pellets under the air and ultrapure water environmental conditions after 3 months of UV irradiation, while only carbonyl groups were found in plastic pellets in the simulated seawater environment. In contrast, the Raman spectra showed no significant changes in the weathered plastic pellets, but there were different intensities of characteristic peaks after exposure to UV irradiation. In addition, SEM images illustrated that granular oxidation, cracks and flakes were common patterns during degradation, and the plastic pellets in the three different environments experienced different levels of chemical weathering. We suggest that further studies on the degradation processes of plastic debris are needed to predict the fate of plastic debris in the environment

TILs and Anti-PD1 Therapy: An Alternative Combination Therapy for PDL1 Negative Metastatic Cervical Cancer

Background. We investigated the efficacy of TILs and anti-PD1 combination therapy in patients with metastatic cervical cancer with low MSI expression and PDL1-negative. Methods. A total of 80 patients were put on TILs and anti-PD1 combination therapy, and the progression-free survival time (PFS) and overall survival time (OS) were assessed by Kaplan–Meier analysis. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify factors that could predict the prognosis of metastatic cervical cancer in the previously described patients. Results. The objective response rate was 25%, whereas the mPFS and mOS were 6.1 and 11.3 months, respectively. The therapeutic efficacy was influenced by the characteristics of TILs, infection with HPV, and development of fever just after the therapy. Conclusion. Overall, our results show that the combination therapy of TILs and anti-PD1 significantly improves the prognosis of metastatic cervical cancer

Decreased Sexual Desire among Middle-Aged and Old Women in China and Factors Influencing It: A Questionnaire-Based Study

Objective. This survey was designed and conducted with an aim to present data on sexual desire and activity in Chinese women. Methods. Between October 2013 and December 2013, we surveyed 3000 women (aged 40–65 years) at Beijing No. 2 Hospital and the Yuetan Community Health Service Center using a questionnaire. The primary outcomes included determination of sexual desire in the past 4 weeks, reasons for stopping sexual activity, and postmenopausal syndrome. The secondary outcome was determination of factors for low sexual desire. Results. A total of 2400 women (mean age 54.33 ± 6.25 years; mean menopausal age 50.11 ± 3.31 years) returned the questionnaire, with 58% of women reporting lowered sexual desire and 39.3% reporting stoppage of sexual activity. Compared with the postmenopausal group, the incidence of anxiety, depressive, somatic, and vasomotor symptoms was higher in the perimenopausal group. Muscle and joint pain (45.8%) and vaginal pruritus (21.5%) were the most commonly reported menopausal and vulvovaginal symptoms, respectively. The odds of decrease in sexual desire were significantly higher with older age, menopause, presence of gynecological disease, menopausal depression symptoms, menopausal vasomotor symptoms, and vulvovaginal atrophy; only cesarean delivery (odds ratio = 0.887, P=0.018) was associated with lesser reduction in sexual desire compared with the aforementioned factors. Conclusion. This survey showed that a high proportion of Chinese middle-aged and old women have lowered sexual desire and activity. Lack of sexual desire is associated with multiple factors and affects the quality of life of women

Aptamer-Conjugated Multifunctional Nanoflowers as a Platform for Targeting, Capture, and Detection in Laser Desorption Ionization Mass Spectrometry

Although many different nanomaterials have been tested as substrates for laser desorption and ionization mass spectrometry (LOWS), this emerging field still requires more efficient multifuncional nanomaterials for targeting, enrichment, and detection. Here, we report the use of gold manganese oxide (Au@MnO) hybrid nanoflowers as an efficient matrix for LDI-MS. The nanoflowers were also functionalized with two different aptamers to target cancer cells and capture adenosine triphosphate (ATP). These nanoflowers were successfully used for metabolite extraction from cancer cell lysates. Thus, in one system, OUT multifunctional nanoflowers can (1) act as an ionization substrate for mass spectrometry, (2) target cancer cells, and (3) detect and analyze metabolites from cancer cells