Communication Rules and Negotiation Strategies: A Case Study

This case study examined negotiation tactics and strategies by challenging the theoretical basis for and actual use of William Donahue\u27s negotiation interaction coding system. Three subproblems investigated the coding categories\u27 construct validity, the negotiators\u27 coordination and co-orientation, and their constitutive and regulative rules. The method involved naturalistic observation in a quasi-experimental simulation of a civil suit, out-of-court proceeding. Twenty subjects role-played as attorneys for the plaintiff and defendant. Five pairs were students in a college course on negotiation, and five pairs were professionals whose work required bargaining skills. The negotiators were given hypothetical case facts and encouraged to role play as realistically as possible. Their interaction was audiotape recorded and transcribed. Following the negotiation, a questionnaire devised by the researcher sought to obtain participant perceptions of the event and their opponent\u27s behaviors, and to indirectly reveal support for or rejection of Donahue\u27s assumptions. The researcher then applied Donahue\u27s coding categories. On the next day, participants identified whether each utterance constituted what Donohue labelled as an attack, defense, or regression. The interviewer attempted to probe for further explanation of each remark and its intent. Follow-up interview questions uncovered levels of coordination through clarity and understanding. Data collection and discussion took several forms. Participants\u27 codings were compared with one another\u27s and with the observer\u27s, both by individual utterances and by total attacks, defenses, and regressions. Win/loss outcomes (based on dollar settlements) and negotiation lengths were compared across negotiations, as were questionnaire and interview results. Each case was also examined for unique factors influencing negotiation outcome. Although participants\u27 interpretations generally upheld the validity of Donahue\u27s coding categories and revisions, difficulties surfaced. The system failed to account for the relative strength of tactics, or for purely clarifying utterances. Some categories required development by broadening or narrowing their definitions. And greater use of attacking tactics did not always correlate with win/loss outcome. Further, the more perceptive and coordinated negotiators tended to be more successful, with levels of understanding critical. Participants did appear to apply rules in interpreting meaning (constitutive) and sequencing behaviors (regulative). However, these did not necessarily match Donahue\u27s rules. Serendipitous findings included a tendency for cooperative negotiations to be characterized by integrative bargaining styles, while competitive negotiations entailed aggressive, distributive interaction. Professionals understood and explained behaviors better than did the student negotiators. This study also illustrated a conflict between Donahue\u27s rule-following theoretical perspective and the negotiators\u27 actual behaviors. The rule-using orientation of the theory of the Coordinated Management of Meaning appeared to better accommodate idiosyncratic actions and uses of tactics. Suggestions for future research included continued development of the coding system and incorporation of the study of elements such as coordination and prescriptions of force behind negotiators\u27 actions

Quality of life and physical activity in long-term (≥5 years post-diagnosis) colorectal cancer survivors - systematic review

Background: Due to the increasing number of long-term (≥5 years post diagnosis) colorectal cancer survivors, long-term quality of life of these patients is highly relevant. Several studies have reported a positive association between physical activity and quality of life in colorectal cancer survivors, however, so far no systematic review has been published which focuses on long-term colorectal cancer survivors. Material and methods: A systematic review was conducted using the databases PubMed, Web of Science, PsychINFO, and CINAHL. Studies which investigated associations between physical activity and quality of life in long-term colorectal cancer survivors were included. Results and conclusion: Ten articles based on seven studies were identified. Long-term colorectal cancer survivors who were physically active reported better quality of life than long-term survivors who were not physically active. Both, moderate to vigorous physical activity and lower levels like light physical activity were associated with higher quality of life. Most studies assessed the association between physical activity and quality of life cross-sectionally but one prospective study which measured physical activity and quality of life at three different points in time also found associations between physical activity and quality of life. The association between physical activity and quality of life seemed to be stronger among women than among men. The findings of this systematic review support an association between physical activity and quality of life in long-term colorectal cancer survivors. However, the evidence is limited as most studies were based on cross-sectional and observational design

The Iowa Homemaker vol.20, no.5

The Bambino in the Home, Editor, page 1 Children’s Hour Is on the Air, Dorothy Gross, page 2 I’ll Take Vanilla, Dorothy Lee Conquest, page 3 Child Development and Education Departments, page 4 Sally – 1941 Model, Jane Hakes, page 5 Playthings Make Learning Fun, Laura Brenner, page 7 What’s New in Home Economics, Helen Kubacky, page 8 Men Explore Homemaking, Eleanor White, page 10 Iowa State’s Name Goes Abroad, Margaret Anne Clark, page 11 Through the Day at Nursery School, Martha Ericson, page 12 Behind Bright Jackets, Marjorie Thomas, page 14 Alums in the News, Bette Simpson, page 16 From Journalistic Spindles, Ruth Jensen, page 1

The mitochondrial permeability transition in cell death: a common mechanism in necrosis, apoptosis and autophagy

AbstractUsing confocal microscopy, onset of the mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT) in individual mitochondria within living cells can be visualized by the redistribution of the cytosolic fluorophore, calcein, into mitochondria. Simultaneously, mitochondria release membrane potential-indicating fluorophores like tetramethylrhodamine methylester. The MPT occurs in several forms of necrotic cell death, including oxidative stress, pH-dependent ischemia/reperfusion injury and Ca2+ ionophore toxicity. Cyclosporin A (CsA) and trifluoperazine block the MPT in these models and prevent cell killing, showing that the MPT is a causative factor in necrotic cell death. During oxidative injury induced by t-butylhydroperoxide, onset of the MPT is preceded by pyridine nucleotide oxidation, mitochondrial generation of reactive oxygen species, and an increase of mitochondrial free Ca2+, all changes that promote the MPT. During tissue ischemia, acidosis develops. Because of acidotic pH, anoxic cell death is substantially delayed. However, when pH is restored to normal after reperfusion (reoxygenation at pH 7.4), cell death occurs rapidly (pH paradox). This killing is caused by pH-dependent onset of the MPT, which is blocked by reperfusion at acidotic pH or with CsA. In isolated mitochondria, toxicants causing Reye’s syndrome, such as salicylate and valproate, induce the MPT. Similarly, salicylate induces a CsA-sensitive MPT and killing of cultured hepatocytes. These in vitro findings suggest that the MPT is the pathophysiological mechanism underlying Reye’s syndrome in vivo. Kroemer and coworkers proposed that the MPT is a critical event in the progression of apoptotic cell death. Using confocal microscopy, the MPT can be directly documented during tumor necrosis factor-α induced apoptosis in hepatocytes. CsA blocks this MPT and prevents apoptosis. The MPT does not occur uniformly during apoptosis. Initially, a small proportion of mitochondria undergo the MPT, which increases to nearly 100% over 1–3 h. A technique based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer can selectively reveal mitochondrial depolarization. After nutrient deprivation, a small fraction of mitochondria spontaneously depolarize and enter an acidic lysosomal compartment, suggesting that the MPT precedes the normal process of mitochondrial autophagy. A model is proposed in which onset of the MPT to increasing numbers of mitochondria within a cell leads progressively to autophagy, apoptosis and necrotic cell death

Common single nucleotide polymorphisms in genes related to immune function and risk of papillary thyroid cancer

Accumulating evidence suggests that alterations in immune function may be important in the etiology of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). To identify genetic markers in immune-related pathways, we evaluated 3,985 tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 230 candidate gene regions (adhesion-extravasation-migration, arachidonic acid metabolism/eicosanoid signaling, complement and coagulation cascade, cytokine signaling, innate pathogen detection and antimicrobials, leukocyte signaling, TNF/NF-kB pathway or other) in a case-control study of 344 PTC cases and 452 controls. We used logistic regression models to estimate odds ratios (OR) and calculate one degree of freedom P values of linear trend (P(SNP-trend)) for the association between genotype (common homozygous, heterozygous, variant homozygous) and risk of PTC. To correct for multiple comparisons, we applied the false discovery rate method (FDR). Gene region- and pathway-level associations (P(Region) and P(Pathway)) were assessed by combining individual P(SNP-trend) values using the adaptive rank truncated product method. Two SNPs (rs6115, rs6112) in the SERPINA5 gene were significantly associated with risk of PTC (P(SNP-FDR)/P(SNP-trend) = 0.02/6×10(−6) and P(SNP-FDR)/P(SNP-trend) = 0.04/2×10(−5), respectively). These associations were independent of a history of autoimmune thyroiditis (OR = 6.4; 95% confidence interval: 3.0–13.4). At the gene region level, SERPINA5 was suggestively associated with risk of PTC (P(Region-FDR)/P(Region = )0.07/0.0003). Overall, the complement and coagulation cascade pathway was the most significant pathway (P(Pathway) = 0.02) associated with PTC risk largely due to the strong effect of SERPINA5. Our results require replication but suggest that the SERPINA5 gene, which codes for the protein C inhibitor involved in many biological processes including inflammation, may be a new susceptibility locus for PTC

Recruitment of Women in the National Children's Study Initial Vanguard Study

The initial Vanguard Study of the National Children's Study was conducted during 2009–2010 in 7 locations in the United States. A goal was to evaluate the feasibility and yield of a household-based sampling design to recruit pregnant women. A multistage area probability sampling design was used to identify study locations (generally, counties) that were subsequently divided into smaller geographical units, termed segments. Between 7 and 18 segments were selected in each location, and dwelling units within segments were listed. A household-based recruitment process was implemented, which included enumeration of households to identify age-eligible women, pregnancy screening to identify pregnant women eligible for immediate enrollment and nonpregnant women for telephone follow-up, and administration of informed consent to eligible women. After a recruitment period of 17–20 months, 67,181 (89%) households were enumerated, which identified 34,172 (88%) age-eligible women to whom the pregnancy screener was administered. Among those who completed the screener, 2,285 women became eligible for enrollment, of whom 1,399 (61%) enrolled. Although response rates were fairly high at initial contact and among pregnant women, the overall yield was lower than anticipated. In particular, telephone follow-up of nonpregnant women was not a practicable strategy for prospective recruitment of newly pregnant women

From microscopic to macroscopic descriptions of cell\ud migration on growing domains

Cell migration and growth are essential components of the development of multicellular organisms. The role of various cues in directing cell migration is widespread, in particular, the role of signals in the environment in the control of cell motility and directional guidance. In many cases, especially in developmental biology, growth of the domain also plays a large role in the distribution of cells and, in some cases, cell or signal distribution may actually drive domain growth. There is a ubiquitous use of partial differential equations (PDEs) for modelling the time evolution of cellular density and environmental cues. In the last twenty years, a lot of attention has been devoted to connecting macroscopic PDEs with more detailed microscopic models of cellular motility, including models of directional sensing and signal transduction pathways. However, domain growth is largely omitted in the literature. In this paper, individual-based models describing cell movement and domain growth are studied, and correspondence with a macroscopic-level PDE describing the evolution of cell density is demonstrated. The individual-based models are formulated in terms of random walkers on a lattice. Domain growth provides an extra mathematical challenge by making the lattice size variable over time. A reaction-diffusion master equation formalism is generalised to the case of growing lattices and used in the derivation of the macroscopic PDEs

Fine-mapping identifies multiple prostate cancer risk loci at 5p15, one of which associates with TERT expression

Associations between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at 5p15 and multiple cancer types have been reported. We have previously shown evidence for a strong association between prostate cancer (PrCa) risk and rs2242652 at 5p15, intronic in the telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) gene that encodes TERT. To comprehensively evaluate the association between genetic variation across this region and PrCa, we performed a fine-mapping analysis by genotyping 134 SNPs using a custom Illumina iSelect array or Sequenom MassArray iPlex, followed by imputation of 1094 SNPs in 22 301 PrCa cases and 22 320 controls in The PRACTICAL consortium. Multiple stepwise logistic regression analysis identified four signals in the promoter or intronic regions of TERT that independently associated with PrCa risk. Gene expression analysis of normal prostate tissue showed evidence that SNPs within one of these regions also associated with TERT expression, providing a potential mechanism for predisposition to disease