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PurposeInadequate social networks are often seen as an explanation of the under-representation of women in management. Networks contain culture-specific features, as in China where the term guanxi is used, defined as a shared common identification held by two or more individuals (Jacobs, 1979). In several studies, guanxi has been found to relate positively to success at work both for the individual and the organization, but little is known about it from gender and career perspectives. Referring especially to the earlier studies by Chow and Ng (2004), the purpose of this paper is to address the meaning of guanxi networks for top women IT managers in mainland China.Design/methodology/approachThe authors collected data from 21 women managers in mainland China, using a questionnaire about the composition and structure of their core guanxi networks and face-to-face interviews which allowed ample opportunity to elaborate the participants' responses to items included in the questionnaire and their perspectives to using guanxi in general. The authors used both data in an interpretive analysis.FindingsIt was found that: there is a significant effect of female-to-male dyads concerning power and work-related guanxi bases, such as influence; there is a significant effect of female-to-female dyads concerning questions of private life and crisis, and women IT managers have a relatively limited guanxi base. The findings of this paper support Ibarra's (1993) suggestion that a common strategy for women is to use and develop a functionally differentiated network. Based on findings, the authors further suggest that in building a successful managerial career, women managers in China need to reflect their gender, be gender-sensitive in building up their networks and stay incorporated at the core networks in the organization whatever gender they represent. They also suggest that because networks are dependent on culturally bound definitions (like guanxi), even the guanxi practices may vary locally in different parts of China.Research limitations/implicationsWomen managers are important role models for younger female candidates and the possibility to close connections with them is relevant. Because networks are dependent on culturally bound definitions (like guanxi), even the guanxi practices may vary locally in different parts of China. For further studies, the authors suggest to focus on the consequences of guanxi practice limitations to women managers' careers, especially from the perspective of private life responsibilities and the possible problematic nature of power ties between the gender(s).Originality/valueEven if working life is becoming more and more global, the local and culture-based nature of networking remains. This paper contributes on the extensive research on social networking practices in China, often described in terms of guanxi, which has seldom been investigated using critical gender perspective.

Zhiqing Lin, Lihua Liu, Zhuge Xi, Jiehua Huang, Bencheng LinInstitute of Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Risk Assessment and Control Technology for Environment and Food Safety, Tianjin, ChinaAbstract: The aim of this study was to explore whether single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) can be used as artery tissue-engineering materials by promoting vascular adventitial fibroblasts (VAFs) to transform into myofibroblasts (MFs) and to find the signal pathway involved in this process. VAFs were primary cultured and incubated with various doses of SWCNTs suspension (0, 0.8, 3.2, 12.5, 50, and 200 µg/mL). In the present study, we used three methods (MTT, WST-1, and WST-8) at the same time to detect the cell viability and immunofluorescence probe technology to investigate the effects of oxidative injury after VAFs incubated with SWCNTs. Immunocytochemical staining was used to detect SM22-α expression to confirm whether VAFs transformed into MFs. The protein levels were detected by western blotting. The results of immunocytochemical staining showed that SM22-α was expressed after incubation with 50 µg/mL SWCNTs for 96 hours, but with oxidative damage. The mRNA and protein levels of SM22-α, C-Jun N-terminal kinase, TGF-β1, and TGF-β receptor II in VAFs increased with the dose of SWCNTs. The expression of the p-Smad2/3 protein was upregulated while the Smad7 protein was significantly down-regulated. Smad4 was translocated to the nucleus to regulate SM22-α gene expression. In conclusion, SWCNTs promoted VAFs to transform into MFs with SM22-α expression by the C-Jun N-terminal kinase/Smads signal pathway at the early stage (48 hours) but weakened quickly. SWCNTs also promoted the transformation by the TGF-β1/Smads signal pathway at the advanced stage in a persistent manner. These results indicate that SWCNTs can possibly be used as artery tissue-engineering materials.Keywords: SWCNTs, VAFs, SM22-α, signal pathway, tissue-engineering materials