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As one of the largest women‐dominated employment niches in many national contexts, the teaching profession has been widely studied, yet the gender, work and family negotiations within this profession deserve fuller attention. The case study of South Korean teachers, one of the most highly qualified teaching workforces in the world, illuminates how particular professions create specific challenges as well as supports for work and family that can counter national patterns of women's low labour force participation. This study engages with theoretical debates regarding 'work–family conflict' and 'work–life balance' to develop the alternative framework of 'work–family alignment' giving greater attention to cultural, ideological and functional dimensions within specific occupations and national contexts. However, rather than expanding opportunities for women, work–family alignment often depends on conformity to normative gender roles — both at work and within families. Nonetheless, the framework of work–family alignment can inform policy implementation by demonstrating that both functional and ideological supports are needed for workplace and state policies to be effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chiral structures created through the adsorption of molecules onto achiral surfaces play pivotal roles in many fields of science and engineering. Here, we present a systematic study of a novel chiral phenomenon on a surface in terms of organizational chirality, that is, meso‐isomerism, through coverage‐driven hierarchical polymorphic transitions of supramolecular assemblies of highly symmetric π‐conjugated molecules. Four coverage‐dependent phases of dehydrobenzo[12]annulene were uniformly fabricated on Ag(111), exhibiting unique chiral characteristics from the single‐molecule level to two‐dimensional supramolecular assemblies. All coverage‐driven phase transitions stem from adsorption‐induced pseudo‐diastereomerism, and our observation of a lemniscate‐type (∞) supramolecular configuration clearly reveals a drastic chiral phase transition from an enantiomeric chiral domain to a meso‐isomeric achiral domain. These findings provide new insights into controlling two‐dimensional chiral architectures on surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work explored U.S. mothers’ experiences of parenting young adolescent girls who are perceived by their mothers as overweight or at risk for becoming so. Data were collected via in‐depth interviews with 13 mothers and were analysed using a constructivist grounded theory approach. Many mothers experienced socializing their daughters about issues of the body, weight, diet, and health as marked by uncertainty, ambivalence and struggle, particularly relative to four subthemes: mothers’ embodiment as challenge to ‘good mothering’, negotiating a dilemma of the ‘healthy mind’ versus the ‘healthy body’, managing discipline: how much to intervene?, and the challenge of interpersonal dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to evaluate the fungal microflora in Meju samples fermented using single and/or multiple additions of ethanolic extracts from plants, including Nelumbo nucifera leaves, Ginkgo biloba leaves, and Allium sativum cloves, at different concentrations (1 and 10%) and mixtures of these extracts at a 1:1:1 ratio. Fungal species were grouped based on morphological characteristics, and selected fungal strains were identified based on DNA sequence analysis. Aspergillus species were the dominant microflora in Meju samples. A total of 10 fungal strains isolated from the tested Meju products resulted in the identification of five genera, including Agaricaceae, Aspergillus (synonym: Eurotium), Mucor, Penicillium, and Paecilomyces. Further, Meju samples fermented with selected individual and/or multiple ethanolic extracts resulted in the occurence of various fungal strains, including Aspergillus, Mucor, Paecilomyces, and Penicillium chrysogenum. Conversely, Meju samples fermented without ethanolic extracts as a control resulted in the isolation of Aspergillus ruber, which might be capable of producing aflatoxin B1 and ochratoxin A. The outcome of this study confirms that fermentation of Meju using plant extracts may significantly influence fungal microflora, leading to improved quality of Meju production, because of diminishing effects of the extracts against toxin producing fungal pathogens. Practical applications For decades, fermented foods have been used traditionally as health beneficial products in Asian countries including Korea. Contamination of fermented food starter culture, such as soybean-based Meju, by pathogenic fungi or toxin producing fungi, such as Aspergillus species, has been reported as a severe concern to consumers. Medicinal plants have shown remarkable efficacy to control a number of pathogenic microbes including fungi. In this study, Nelumbo nucifera leaves, Ginkgo biloba leaves, and Allium sativum cloves exhibited significant potential to diminish the growth of toxin producing fungi, suggesting potential application of medicinal plants for the improved quality of Meju production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eucommia ulmoides is one of the popular tonic herbs for the treatment of low back pain and bone fracture and is used in Korean medicine to reinforce muscles and bones. This study was performed to investigate the effects of E. ulmoides extract on longitudinal bone growth rate, growth plate height, and the expressions of bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) in adolescent female rats. In two groups, we administered a twice-daily dosage of E. ulmoides extract (at 30 and 100 mg/kg, respectively) per os over 4 days, and in a control group, we administered vehicle only under the same conditions. Longitudinal bone growth rate in newly synthesized bone was observed using tetracycline labeling. Chondrocyte proliferation in the growth plate was observed using cresyl violet dye. In addition, we analyzed the expressions of BMP-2 and IGF-1 using immunohistochemistry. Eucommia ulmoides extract significantly increased longitudinal bone growth rate and growth plate height in adolescent female rats. In the immunohistochemical study, E. ulmoides markedly increased BMP-2 and IGF-1 expressions in the proliferative and hypertrophic zones. In conclusion, E. ulmoides increased longitudinal bone growth rate by promoting chondrogenesis in the growth plate and the levels of BMP-2 and IGF-1. Eucommia ulmoides could be helpful for increasing bone growth in children who have growth retardation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated how online consumers perceive usefulness, ease of use, and enjoyment of an online co-designing practice. This study also examined how the consumers' virtual experiences with customized products related to product performance risk, attitude toward product, and purchase intention online. A Web-based survey was conducted using the stimulus website of NIKEiD. Data were collected from a convenience sample of 137 female college students at a Midwestern university. Findings from structural equation modeling showed online consumers' perceived ease of use of co-designing alleviated product performance risks. Also, the consumers' perceived enjoyment of co-designing increased attitudinal and behavioral responses to customized products. Managerial implications to better utilize the co-designing practice for mass customization and to help online consumers perceive less product performance risk are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Postoperative external auditory canal (EAC) stenosis is the most common complication after congenital aural atresia (CAA) surgery. The authors applied an ear mold or hearing aid as an EAC stent following surgery and analyzed the impact on postoperative EAC stenosis.Study Design. Historical cohort study.Setting. A tertiary hospital.Subjects and Methods. Ninety-six patients who underwent canaloplasty between 1996 and 2010 were included in this study. To discover factors contributing to postoperative EAC stenosis, clinical parameters, including age, sex, Marx grading, Schuknecht classification, Jahrsdoerfer score, surgical approach, triamcinolone injection, and use of stenting with an ear mold or hearing aid, were reviewed and analyzed. Each stent was used for at least 6 months postoperatively. Pure-tone audiometry was performed preoperatively and 3, 6, and 12 months after canaloplasty.Results. Postoperative EAC stenosis was the most common postoperative complication, occurring in 8 (8.2%) cases with a mean time interval of 4.1 months. For patients who did not use an ear mold or a hearing aid during the postoperative follow-up period, the relative risk for the development of postoperative EAC stenosis was 5.125 (95% confidence interval, 1.428-18.400; P = .023). Other factors did not show an association with postoperative stenosis. Preoperative air-bone gap (ABG) was 49.00 dB, and closure of the ABG within 30 dB was obtained in 56.9%, 58.1%, and 48.7% of patients at the 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up, respectively.Conclusion. Stenting with an ear mold or hearing aid might be a useful method for preventing postoperative EAC stenosis in CAA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Objective: Assess the efficacy and safety of ultrasound‐powered shears (Harmonic Scalpel) in free flap elevation for head and neck defects. Method: From January to August 2010, there were 15 patients enrolled, who underwent reconstructive surgery with free flap in our institution. Donor sites were radial forearm in 10, anterolateral thigh in 5, and fibula in 2. HS was used in harvesting the perforators and the vascular pedicles. Results: All the free flaps were successfully harvested within 50 to 70 min (from skin incision to pedicle ligation). Bleeding was minimal even without tourniquet application. All vascular pedicle dissections were performed without mechanical or thermal damages, and they were anastomosized to proper, recipient vessels. Conclusion: Based on our experiences, HS is a safe and efficient instrument in harvesting the free flaps, especially because of no increased risk of thermal damage to vascular pedicle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]