This study explores a model of the relationships between negotiators' perceptions of the negotiation situation, their behavior, and negotiation outcomes, using data collected in Canada and China. The results show that while Chinese negotiators are more concerned with maintaining good relations in the negotiation process, Canadian negotiators put more weight on their individual economic gains from negotiation. This result suggests a difference in a key work-related value: individualism/collectivism. Furthermore, Canadian negotiators' perceptions have less influence on their behavior than those of their Chinese counterparts. This could be explained by the fact that in a high-context culture like China, people's perceptions of the environment play an important role in how they behave.
In: Ecotoxicology and environmental safety: EES ; official journal of the International Society of Ecotoxicology and Environmental safety, Band 270, S. 115889
Introduction Airborne fine particulate matter (diameter <2.5μm; PM2.5) is a leading risk factor for ill health and premature death. Road vehicle technology is decreasing exhaust-derived PM emissions but poorly characterised, unregulated non-exhaust PM persists. This study aimed to characterise the toxicology of brakewear PM2.5 (BWPM) from 4 brakepad types, and roadwear PM, compared to diesel exhaust PM2.5 (DEP).
Methods An alveolar type-II epithelial cell line (ATIIER:KRASv12) was exposed to 3.9-31.6µg/cm2 PM2.5 generated from 4 brake pad types (low-metallic/semi-metallic/non-asbestos organic [NAO]/ceramic), roadwear, or DEP for 2-24h. PM composition was determined by ICP-MS, cytotoxicity by LDH and MTT assays, cytokine release by ELISA, gene expression by RT-qPCR and RNA-Seq, and protein expression by western blot.
Results NAO and ceramic BWPM, enriched in copper and zirconium, exerted greatest increases in cytotoxicity, cytokine release (IL-6: NAO 26-fold, ceramic 20-fold; p<0.05), and oxidative stress-related (HMOX1 – NAO 28-fold, ceramic 26-fold, p<0.001) and metal homeostasis genes (MT1G: NAO 197-fold, ceramic 183-fold; p<0.001), consistently greater than roadwear PM or DEP. Amelioration by copper-chelating tetraethylenepentamine implicated BWPM copper. RNA-Seq showed NAO and ceramic BWPM induced most differentially expressed genes vs. control, related to inflammatory, oxidative stress, heat-shock, and hypoxia responses. Effects on hypoxia signalling were confirmed through HIF1α western blot and HIF-signalling reporter assay.
Conclusions NAO and ceramic BWPM were the most potent across multiple endpoints. Future work will study the relevance of HIF-related responses, which have been implicated in fibrotic lung disease. Understanding source-dependent toxicity may facilitate manufacturing- and healthcare-related mitigation of PM toxicity.
