Conflict avoidance in cooperative and competitive relationships : a cross-cultural study between Chinese subordinates and western superiors

Many international companies have entered China because of its expanding opportunities. However, for expatriate managers to innovate and implement their strategic plans in order to exploit these opportunities, they must know and work with their Chinese subordinates. But conflict is inevitable within organizations, especially when people with different cultural backgrounds work together. Culture not only affects people’s preferred ways of doing things but also influences their styles to deal with conflicts. Compared with Westerners, Chinese people have been found to employ indirect ways and prefer to avoid conflict. To facilitate effective communication, it is imperative for Western managers to understand why local subordinates might avoid conflicts and what strategies they will use. This paper explores the dynamic structure of conflict avoidance between Western managers and Chinese employees; we want to understand the different strategies used to avoid conflict. Specifically, this study uses the theory of cooperation and competition to predict people’s responses toward conflict avoidance. We hypothesize that conflict avoidance is not always negative but depends on the specific actions the protagonists adopt and their perceptions of the goal interdependence with each other (cooperative or competitive) greatly influence their tactics to avoid conflict. The study extends research on conflict avoidance to foreign invested companies in China and develops a typology of the dynamics of conflict avoidance. Altogether 132 face-to-face interviews were carried out in Hong Kong and Beijing, China. Participants who work with Western managers were asked to describe an incident in which they avoided a conflict with their foreign superiors; it included the setting, what occurred, the reasons, and the consequences. Then they rated specific questions on 7-point Likert-type scale based on the recalled incidents. Employees whose bosses are local managers were also recruited as a control group. Structural equation modeling and other analyses will explore the proposed model and help to compare cultural differences in handling conflicts between the Western and Chinese managers. The paper draws implications for managing in foreign invested firms

The expression and significance of P-glycoprotein, lung resistance protein and multidrug resistance-associated protein in gastric cancer

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To detect the expression of multidrug resistance molecules P-glycoprotein (P-gp), Lung resistnce protein (LRP) and Multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP) and analyze the relationship between them and the clinico-pathological features.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The expressions of P-gp, LRP and MRP in formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 59 gastric cancer patients were determined by a labbelled Streptavidin-Peroxidase (SP) immunohistochemical technique, and the results were analyzed in correlation with clinicopathological data. None of these patients received chemotherapy prior to surgery.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The positive rates of P-gp, LRP, MRP were 86.4%, 84.7% and 27.1%, respectively. The difference between the positive rate of P-gp and MRP was significant statistically, as well as the difference between the expression of MRP and LRP. No significant difference was observed between P-gp and LRP, but the positively correlation between the expression of P-gp and LRP had been found. No significant correlation between the expression of P-gp, LRP, MRP and the grade of differentiation were observed. The expression of P-gp was correlated with clinical stages positively (r = 0.742), but the difference with the expression of P-gp in different stages was not significant.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The expressions of P-gp, LRP and MRP in patients with gastric cancer without prior chemotherapy are high, indicating that innate drug resistance may exist in gastric cancer.</p

Quark energy loss and shadowing in nuclear Drell-Yan process

The energy loss effect in nuclear matter is another nuclear effect apart from the nuclear effects on the parton distribution as in deep inelastic scattering process. The quark energy loss can be measured best by the nuclear dependence of the high energy nuclear Drell-Yan process. By means of three kinds of quark energy loss parameterizations given in literature and the nuclear parton distribution extracted only with lepton-nucleus deep inelastic scattering experimental data, measured Drell-Yan production cross sections are analyzed for 800GeV proton incident on a variety of nuclear targets from FNAL E866. It is shown that our results with considering the energy loss effect are much different from these of the FNAL E866 who analysis the experimental data with the nuclear parton distribution functions obtained by using the deep inelastic lA collisions and pA nuclear Drell-Yan data . Considering the existence of energy loss effect in Drell-Yan lepton pairs production,we suggest that the extraction of nuclear parton distribution functions should not include Drell-Yan experimental data.Comment: 12 page

Co-evolution of cancer microenvironment reveals distinctive patterns of gastric cancer invasion: laboratory evidence and clinical significance

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Cancer invasion results from constant interactions between cancer cells and their microenvironment. Major components of the cancer microenvironment are stromal cells, infiltrating inflammatory cells, collagens, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) and newly formed blood vessels. This study was to determine the roles of MMP-9, MMP-2, type IV collagen, infiltrating macrophages and tumor microvessels in gastric cancer (GC) invasion and their clinico-pathological significance.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Paraffin-embedded tissue sections from 37 GC patients were studied by Streptavidin-Peroxidase (SP) immunohistochemical technique to determine the levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, type IV collagen, macrophages infiltration and microvessel density (MVD). Different invasion patterns were delineated and their correlation with major clinico-pathological information was explored.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>MMP2 expression was higher in malignant gland compared to normal gland, especially nearby the basement membrane (BM). High densities of macrophages at the interface of cancer nests and stroma were found where BM integrity was destroyed. MMP2 expression was significantly increased in cases with recurrence and distant metastasis (<it>P = </it>0.047 and 0.048, respectively). Infiltrating macrophages were correlated with serosa invasion (<it>P </it>= 0.011) and TNM stage (<it>P </it>= 0.001). MVD was higher in type IV collagen negative group compared to type IV collagen positive group (<it>P </it>= 0.026). MVD was related to infiltrating macrophages density (<it>P </it>= 0.040). Patients with negative MMP9 expression had better overall survival (OS) compared to those with positive MMP9 expression (Median OS 44.0 vs 13.5 mo, <it>P </it>= 0.036). Median OS was significantly longer in type IV collagen positive group than negative group (Median OS 25.5 vs 10.0 mo, <it>P </it>= 0.044). The cumulative OS rate was higher in low macrophages density group than in high macrophages density group (median OS 40.5 vs 13.0 mo, <it>P </it>= 0.056). Median OS was significantly longer in low MVD group than high MVD group (median OS 39.0 vs 8.5 mo, <it>P </it>= 0.001). The difference of disease-free survival (DFS) between low MVD group and high MVD group was not statistically significant (<it>P </it>= 0.260). Four typical patterns of cancer invasion were identified based on histological study of the cancer tissue, including Washing pattern, Ameba-like pattern, Spindle pattern and Linear pattern.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Proteolytic enzymes MMP9, MMP2 and macrophages in stroma contribute to GC progression by facilitating the angiogenesis. Cancer invasion patterns may help predict GC metastasis.</p

The Effect of Ozone-Electric Treatment on the Enrichment and Transfer of Heavy Metal Cu in Sludge

In order to explore a safe, effective way to use sludge as agricultural fertilizer it is necessary to effectively separate and remove the heavy metals embedded in sludge. In the study, the ozone-electric two-stage treatment was used to transform heavy metal copper in the sludge, and then the treated sludge was used for maize production and the transferring of Cu in cultivation medium and plants, and the enrichment effect of Cu in plant were investigated. According to composition of culture substance, five treatments were set in maize planting experiments: CK, Agricultural soil without addition; T1, Agricultural soil supplemented with raw sludge; T2, Agricultural soil treated with ozone sludge; T3, Agricultural soil with ozone treated and electric treated sludge; T4, Agricultural soil added with common organic fertilizer. The results showed that in different treatments, the Cu content of organs showed the order of root&gt; stem&gt; leaf&gt; cob&gt; grain. Comparing root Cu content, the lowest was in T1 treatment, which was 11.60 mg/kg, while the lowest of grain Cu content was found in CK treatment, which was 1.36 mg/kg. In the upper, middle and lower soil layers, the highest and lowest Cu content was in T4 and CK, respectively. In both middle and lower soil layers, the Cu content of T1, T2 and T3 sludge treatments had a trend of T1&gt;T2&gt;T3; the difference of the Cu enrichment ability between different organs is not significant in the same soil layer. From each treatment, the Cu enrichment ability of plant of CK was higher than that of other treatments. According to the ability of Cu transferring to the above-ground part of plant, treatments are ranked as CK&gt;T3&gt;T4&gt;T1&gt;T2. The transferring of Cu from soil to plant was mainly affected by fertilizer level and the transferring rate of Cu from soil to stem, leaf and root was relatively high, but it was hardly affected by sludge. In summary, after ozone-electro treatment, the application of sludge does not significantly affect the Cu content in maize, and the Cu content in each treatment does not exceed the limit value of agricultural production

Quantum electrodynamics in a whispering-gallery microcavity coated with a polymer nanolayer

Quasi-transverse-electric and -transverse-magnetic fundamental whispering gallery modes in a polymer-coated silica microtoroid are theoretically investigated and demonstrated to possess very high-quality factors. The existence of a nanometer-thickness layer not only evidently reduces the cavity mode volume but also draws the maximal electric field's position of the mode to the outside of the silica toroid, where single quantum dots or nanocrystals are located. Both effects result in a strongly enhanced coherent interaction between a single dipole (for example, a single defect center in a diamond crystal) and the quantized cavity mode. Since the coated microtoroid is highly feasible and robust in experiments, it may offer an excellent platform to study strong-coupling cavity quantum electrodynamics, quantum information, and quantum computation

Diagnosis and treatment characteristics of radioactive optic neuropathy

AIM: To explore the diagnosis and treatment methods of radioaction-induced optic neuritis(RION)through the clinical dates of 17 patients. <p>METHODS: It was a retrospective case series study. From August 2008 to October 2013, 17 cases(24 eyes)of Rion clinical dates from Chinese PLA General Hospital were studied. The diagnosis methods including visual acuity, pupil, fundus, visual field, fundus fluorescein angiography(FFA), visual electrophysiological testing, and head MRI. To analysis the clinical date of patients with diagnosis of RION by statistical description.<p>RESULTS: The deterioration degree of vision: 13 eyes were classified as Ⅳ, 9 eyes as Ⅲ, 2 eyes as Ⅱ. Ten eyes RAPD(+), visual electrophysiology is extinguished. The retina of 5 eyes showed flame hemorrhages and cotton wool spots exudation. Optic nerve head edema in one eye. T1-weighted MRI enhanced in 19 eyes which showed optic nerve of the intracranial and intratubal segments abnormal changed, optic chiasm and pituitary stalk signal abnormalities and enhancement of the optic nerve. Tortuous optic nerves and rough edges were observed in 5 eyes. Treatment effect: 4 eyes of visual acuity improved, 1 eye from blindness to light perception,1 eye from 0.08 to 0.2, 1 eye from 0.4 to 0.6,1 eye from 0.04 to 0.15, the rest of the cases did not see any improvement.<p>CONCLUSION: The unique clinical manifestation of RION can provide objective basis for clinical diagnosis in time, but there have not been proven any effective treatments

Coronin-1C is a novel biomarker for hepatocellular carcinoma invasive progression identified by proteomics analysis and clinical validation

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>To better search for potential markers for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) invasion and metastasis, proteomic approach was applied to identify potential metastasis biomarkers associated with HCC.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Membrane proteins were extracted from MHCC97L and HCCLM9 cells, with a similar genetic background and remarkably different metastasis potential, and compared by SDS-PAGE and identified by ESI-MS/MS. The results were further validated by western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry (IHC) of tumor tissues from HCCLM9- and MHCC97L-nude mice, and clinical specimens.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Membrane proteins were extracted from MHCC97L and HCCLM9 cell and compared by SDS-PAGE analyses. A total of 14 differentially expressed proteins were identified by ESI-MS/MS. Coronin-1C, a promising candidate, was found to be overexpressed in HCCLM9 cells as compared with MHCC97L cells, and validated by western blot and IHC from both nude mice tumor tissues and clinical specimens. Coronin-1C level showed an abrupt upsurge when pulmonary metastasis occurred. Increasing coronin-1C expression was found in liver cancer tissues of HCCLM9-nude mice with spontaneous pulmonary metastasis. IHC study on human HCC specimens revealed that more patients in the higher coronin-1C group had overt larger tumor and more advanced stage.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Coronin-1C could be a candidate biomarker to predict HCC invasive behavior.</p

Reliable Fiber Sensor System with Star-Ring-Bus Architecture

This work presents a novel star-ring-bus sensor system and demonstrates its effectiveness. The main trunk of the proposed sensor system is a star topology and the sensing branches comprise a series of bus subnets. Any weakness in the reliability of the sensor system is overcome by adding remote nodes and switches to the ring and bus subnets. To construct the proposed star-ring-bus sensor system, a fiber ring laser scheme is used to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the sensor system. The proposed system increases the reliability and capacity of fiber sensor systems

Maillard reaction induces changes in saccharides and amino acids during stir-baking of areca nuts

Purpose: To investigate changes in saccharides and amino acids induced by Maillard reaction (MR) during stir-baking of areca nuts (AN).Methods: The pH of aqueous extracts of AN and charred AN (CAN) were measured by a pH meter, and their absorbances at 420 nm were read in an ultraviolet-visible (UV-VIS) spectrophotometer. Changes in saccharides and amino acids were evaluated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and automated amino acid analyzer, respectively.Results: The pH of AN (5.85 ± 0.09) was lower than that of CAN (5.25 ± 0.04). Stir-baking significantly increased the A420 value of AN (0.32 ± 0.01 to 0.62 ± 0.02 (CAN). In addition, the contents of reducing saccharides (fructose and glucose) and free amino acids (serine, lysine, arginine and proline) were significantly decreased in the stir-baked CAN compared with AN.Conclusion: MR, during stir-baking of AN, decreases levels of free amino acids and reducing sugars due probably to the reaction between saccharides and amino acids.Keywords: Areca nut, Stir-baking, Maillard reaction, Reducing sugars, Free amino acid