Identification of bitter peptides in aged Cheddar cheese by crossflow filtration-based Fractionation, Peptidomics, statistical screening and sensory analysis

Despite bitterness being a common flavor attribute of aged cheese linked to casein-derived peptides, excessive bitterness is a sensory flaw that can lead to consumer rejection and economic loss for creameries. Our research employs a unique approach to identify bitter peptides in cheese samples using crossflow filtration-based fractionation, mass spectrometry-based peptidomics, statistics and sensory analysis. Applying peptidomics and statistical screening tools, rather than traditional chemical separation techniques, to identify bitter peptides allows for screening the whole peptide profile. Five peptides-YPFPGP (β-casein [60-65]), YPFPGPIPN (βA2-casein [60-68]), LSQSKVLPVPQKAVPYPQRDMPIQA (β-casein [165-189]), YPFPGPIHNS (βA1-casein [60-69]) and its serine phosphorylated version YPFPGPIHN[S] (βA1-casein [60-69])- demonstrated high levels of bitterness with mean bitterness intensity values above 7 on a 15-point scale. In the future, this data can be combined with the microbial and protease profile of the Cheddar samples to help understand how these factors contribute to bitter taste development.

Navigating AI transitions: how coaching leadership buffers against job stress and protects employee physical health

The dynamic interplay between Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption in modern organizations and its implications for employee well-being presents a paramount area of academic exploration. Within the context of rapid technological advancements, AI's promise to revolutionize operational efficiency juxtaposes challenges relating to job stress and employee health. This study explores the nuanced effects of Artificial Intelligence (AI) adoption on employee physical health within organizational settings, investigating the potential mediating role of job stress and the moderating influence of coaching leadership. Drawing from the conservation of resource theory, the research hypothesized that AI adoption would negatively impact employee physical health both directly and indirectly through increased job stress. Critically, our conceptual model underscores the mediating role of job stress between AI adoption and physical health. Further, introducing a novel dimension to this discourse, we postulate the moderating influence of coaching leadership. To empirically test the hypotheses, we gathered survey data from 375 South Korean workers with a three-wave time-lagged research design. Our results demonstrated that all the hypotheses were supported. The results have significant implications for organizational strategies concerning AI implementation and leadership development.

Dephasing Dynamics Accessed by High Harmonic Generation: Determination of Electron-Hole Decoherence of Dirac Fermions

We reveal the critical effect of ultrashort dephasing on the polarization of high harmonic generation in Dirac fermions. As the elliptically polarized laser pulse falls in or slightly beyond the multiphoton regime, the elliptically polarized high harmonic generation is produced and exhibits a characteristic polarimetry of the polarization ellipse, which is found to depend on the decoherence time T2. T2 could then be determined to be a few femtoseconds directly from the experimentally observed polarimetry of high harmonics. This shows a sharp contrast with the semimetal regime of higher pump intensity, where the polarimetry is irrelevant to T2. An access to the dephasing dynamics would extend the prospect of high harmonic generation into the metrology of a femtosecond dynamic process in the coherent quantum control.

Quantum spin nematic phase in a square-lattice iridate

Spin nematic is a magnetic analogue of classical liquid crystals, a fourth state of matter exhibiting characteristics of both liquid and solid1,2. Particularly intriguing is a valence-bond spin nematic3-5, in which spins are quantum entangled to form a multipolar order without breaking time-reversal symmetry, but its unambiguous experimental realization remains elusive. Here we establish a spin nematic phase in the square-lattice iridate Sr2IrO4, which approximately realizes a pseudospin one-half Heisenberg antiferromagnet in the strong spin-orbit coupling limit6-9. Upon cooling, the transition into the spin nematic phase at TC ≈ 263 K is marked by a divergence in the static spin quadrupole susceptibility extracted from our Raman spectra and concomitant emergence of a collective mode associated with the spontaneous breaking of rotational symmetries. The quadrupolar order persists in the antiferromagnetic phase below TN ≈ 230 K and becomes directly observable through its interference with the antiferromagnetic order in resonant X-ray diffraction, which allows us to uniquely determine its spatial structure. Further, we find using resonant inelastic X-ray scattering a complete breakdown of coherent magnon excitations at short-wavelength scales, suggesting a many-body quantum entanglement in the antiferromagnetic state10,11. Taken together, our results reveal a quantum order underlying the Néel antiferromagnet that is widely believed to be intimately connected to the mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity12,13.

The Mental Health Implications of Corporate Social Responsibility: The Significance of the Sense-Making Process and Prosocial Motivation

As corporate social responsibility (CSR) has progressively ascended to prominence among academics and industry professionals, numerous studies have embarked on examining its impact on employees' perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors. Notwithstanding, the current body of research has predominantly overlooked the influence of CSR on employees' mental health, encompassing depression, anxiety, and burnout. In order to acknowledge the critical role of employee mental health within an organization, our exploration is focused on discerning the effect of CSR on depressive states. Furthermore, our paper undertakes a thorough analysis of the link between CSR and depression, probing its underlying processes and potential contingent factors. We posit that CSR can alleviate the incidence of employee depression by amplifying the sense of meaningfulness that work provides. Moreover, the element of prosocial motivation among employees may act as a positive moderating variable that intensifies the beneficial effect of CSR on the sense of meaningfulness derived from work. By relying on data obtained through a tripartite online survey involving 214 South Korean workers, this paper scrutinized the proposed hypotheses via the application of moderated mediation analysis with structural equation modeling. We contend that the insights yielded by this study bear significant theoretical and practical implications.

The Knowledge-Sharing Implications of Social Responsibility of Firms: The Importance of Ethical Climate

Using a variety of theoretical foundations, this paper examines the association between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and employees' knowledge-sharing behavior, investigating the sequential mediation role of perceived organizational support and organizational commitment as well as the moderating role of ethical climate. Hypotheses were formulated to address both the sequential mediation effect of perceived organizational support and organizational commitment on the link between CSR and knowledge-sharing and the moderation effect of ethical climate on the relationship between CSR and perceived organizational support. In order to mitigate the problems of potential common method bias, data were gathered from a sample of 204 South Korean employees at three distinct time points. The results of the study offer compelling evidence that CSR activities exert a positive influence on employees' knowledge-sharing behavior, an effect that is sequentially mediated by both perceived organizational support and organizational commitment. Furthermore, the research uncovers the positive moderating role played by the ethical climate in the relationship between CSR and perceived organizational support. By integrating multiple theoretical frameworks, this study not only advances the extant literature but also offers invaluable insights for organizations striving to bolster knowledge-sharing through the strategic implementation of CSR initiatives.

Corrigendum: The effect of unstable job on employee's turnover intention: the importance of coaching leadership

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1068293.].

Automated Segmentation of Intracranial Thrombus on NCCT and CTA in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke Using a Coarse-to-Fine Deep Learning Model

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Identifying the presence and extent of intracranial thrombi is crucial in selecting patients with acute ischemic stroke for treatment. This article aims to develop an automated approach to quantify thrombus on NCCT and CTA in patients with stroke.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 499 patients with large-vessel occlusion from the Safety and Efficacy of Nerinetide in Subjects Undergoing Endovascular Thrombectomy for Stroke (ESCAPE-NA1) trial were included. All patients had thin-section NCCT and CTA images. Thrombi contoured manually were used as reference standard. A deep learning approach was developed to segment thrombi automatically. Of 499 patients, 263 and 66 patients were randomly selected to train and validate the deep learning model, respectively; the remaining 170 patients were independently used for testing. The deep learning model was quantitatively compared with the reference standard using the Dice coefficient and volumetric error. The proposed deep learning model was externally tested on 83 patients with and without large-vessel occlusion from another independent trial.

RESULTS

The developed deep learning approach obtained a Dice coefficient of 70.7% (interquartile range, 58.0%-77.8%) in the internal cohort. The predicted thrombi length and volume were correlated with those of expert-contoured thrombi (r = 0.88 and 0.87, respectively; P < .001). When the derived deep learning model was applied to the external data set, the model obtained similar results in patients with large-vessel occlusion regarding the Dice coefficient (66.8%; interquartile range, 58.5%-74.6%), thrombus length (r = 0.73), and volume (r = 0.80). The model also obtained a sensitivity of 94.12% (32/34) and a specificity of 97.96% (48/49) in classifying large-vessel occlusion versus non-large-vessel occlusion.

CONCLUSIONS

The proposed deep learning method can reliably detect and measure thrombi on NCCT and CTA in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Corrigendum: The effect of unstable job on employee's turnover intention: the importance of coaching leadership

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1068293.].

Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering endstation at the 1C beamline of Pohang Light Source II

An endstation for resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS), dedicated to operations in the hard X-ray regime, has been constructed at the 1C beamline of Pohang Light Source II. At the Ir L₃-edge, a total energy resolution of 34.2 meV was achieved, close to the theoretical estimation of 34.0 meV, which considers factors such as the incident energy bandpass, intrinsic analyzer resolution, geometrical broadening of the spectrometer, finite beam-size effect and Johann aberration. The performance of the RIXS instrument is demonstrated by measuring the RIXS spectra of Sr₂IrO₄. The endstation can be easily reconfigured to measure energy-integrated intensities with very low background for diffuse scattering and diffraction experiments.

Outcomes with Endovascular Treatment of Patients with M2 Segment MCA Occlusion in the Late Time Window

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Randomized trials in the late window have demonstrated the efficacy and safety of endovascular thrombectomy in large-vessel occlusions. Patients with M2-segment MCA occlusions were excluded from these trials. We compared outcomes with endovascular thrombectomy in patients with M2-versus-M1 occlusions presenting 6-24 hours after symptom onset.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Analyses were on pooled data from studies enrolling patients with stroke treated with endovascular thrombectomy 6-24 hours after symptom onset. We compared 90-day functional independence (mRS ≤ 2), mortality, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage, and successful reperfusion (expanded TICI = 2b-3) between patients with M2 and M1 occlusions. The benefit of successful reperfusion was then assessed among patients with M2 occlusion.

RESULTS

Of 461 patients, 367 (79.6%) had M1 occlusions and 94 (20.4%) had M2 occlusions. Patients with M2 occlusions were older and had lower median baseline NIHSS scores. Patients with M2 occlusion were more likely to achieve 90-day functional independence than those with M1 occlusion (adjusted OR = 2.13; 95% CI, 1.25-3.65). There were no significant differences in the proportion of successful reperfusion (82.9% versus 81.1%) or mortality (11.2% versus 17.2%). Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage risk was lower in patients with M2-versus-M1 occlusions (4.3% versus 12.2%, P = .03). Successful reperfusion was independently associated with functional independence among patients with M2 occlusions (adjusted OR = 2.84; 95% CI, 1.11-7.29).

CONCLUSIONS

In the late time window, patients with M2 occlusions treated with endovascular thrombectomy achieved better clinical outcomes, similar reperfusion, and lower symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage rates compared with patients with M1 occlusion. These results support the safety and benefit of endovascular thrombectomy in patients with M2 occlusions in the late window.

The effect of unstable job on employee's turnover intention: The importance of coaching leadership

Swift social and economic environmental changes such as COVID-19 pandemic have led to increased job insecurity. The current study examines the intermediating mechanism (i.e., mediator) and its contingent factor (i.e., moderator) in the association between job insecurity and employee's turnover intention, especially from the perspective of positive psychology. By establishing a moderated mediation model, this research hypothesizes that the degree of employee meaningfulness in work may mediate the relationship between job insecurity and turnover intention. In addition, coaching leadership may play a buffering role to positively moderate the harmful impact of job insecurity on meaningfulness of work. With three-wave time-lagged data that was collected from 372 employees in South Korean organizations, the current study not only demonstrated that meaningfulness of work mediates the job insecurity–turnover intention relationship, but also that coaching leadership functions as a buffering factor in reducing the harmful influence of job insecurity on meaningfulness of work. The results of this research suggest that the level of meaningfulness of work (as a mediator) as well as coaching leadership (as a moderator) are the underlying processes and the contingent factor in the job insecurity–turnover intention link.

The effect of job insecurity on knowledge hiding behavior: The mediation of psychological safety and the moderation of servant leadership

As the global economy deteriorates because of the great shocks such as COVID-19 pandemic and wars among nations, the business environment is suffered from uncertainty and risk. To deal with it, several firms have attempted to maximize its efficiency via downsizing and restructuring to diminish costs. Thus, the degree of anxiety is increased among employees who worry about the loss of their job. The current research hypothesizes that job insecurity increases employees' knowledge hiding behavior by diminishing the degree of their psychological safety. In other words, psychological safety functions as the underlying process (i.e., mediator) in the job insecurity-knowledge hiding behavior link. Furthermore, this paper tries to examine the boundary condition of how to decrease the detrimental influence of job insecurity, focusing on the moderating effect of servant leadership. Utilizing a 3-wave time-lagged data from 365 Korean employees, we empirically demonstrated that employees who perceive job insecurity are less likely to perceive psychological safety, eventually increasing their knowledge hiding behavior. We also found that servant leadership functions as a positive moderator which buffers the negative impact of job insecurity on psychological safety. Theoretical and practical contributions are described.

Association of Left Vertebral Artery Hypoplasia with Posterior Circulation Stroke and the Functional Outcome of Patients with Atrial Fibrillation-Related Cardioembolic Stroke

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

A cardiogenic embolus could reach the posterior circulation through the right vertebral artery because of a relatively larger diameter in cases of left vertebral artery hypoplasia. Hence, we investigated whether left vertebral artery hypoplasia is associated with cardiac embolisms with atrial fibrillation in the posterior circulation and its functional outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In this monocentric retrospective study, patients with acute cardioembolic stroke with atrial fibrillation were enrolled and underwent CT or neck MRA, which visualized the aortic arch and subclavian arteries. The laterality and size of vertebral artery hypoplasia were recorded. Posterior circulation stroke, basilar artery occlusion, and the functional outcomes after 3 months were investigated.

RESULTS

This study included 407 patients; the patients with left vertebral artery hypoplasia experienced a higher rate of posterior circulation stroke (19 versus 73; 42.2% versus 20.2%; P = .001) and basilar artery occlusion (5 versus 10; 11.1% versus 2.8%; P = .005) than the patients without left vertebral artery hypoplasia. Multivariate analysis revealed that left vertebral artery hypoplasia showed an association with lower odds of achieving a good functional outcome 3 months after the stroke (OR = 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2-0.9; P = .027).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with cardioembolic stroke and left vertebral artery hypoplasia had posterior circulation stroke, basilar artery occlusion, and poor functional outcomes after 3 months.

The influence of corporate social responsibility on safety behavior: The importance of psychological safety and the authentic leadership

Considering the importance of safety behavior, the current study investigates the relationship between CSR and safety behavior. To be specific, we delve into the underlying mechanism and its contingent factor of the association. This paper proposes that CSR promotes employee safety behavior through the mediation of psychological safety. In addition, authentic leadership may function as a positive moderator that amplifies the positive effect of CSR on psychological safety. Utilizing 3-wave time-lagged survey data from 213 South Korean workers, the current study empirically tests the hypotheses by establishing a moderated mediation model by utilizing structural equation modeling. The results demonstrate that CSR enhances employees' safety behavior by increasing their psychological safety and that authentic leadership positively moderates the relationship between CSR and psychological safety. This research's findings have meaningful theoretical and practical implications.

The Impact of Job Insecurity on Knowledge-Hiding Behavior: The Mediating Role of Organizational Identification and the Buffering Role of Coaching Leadership

As the global economic situation deteriorates due to the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, the business environment is plagued by uncertainty and risk. To address this, many organizations have sought to optimize efficiency, especially by downsizing and restructuring, to reduce costs. This causes anxiety among employees, who worry about whether they will be fired. We hypothesize that such job insecurity increases knowledge-hiding behavior by employees, and we investigate the mechanism underlying such a negative effect. In addition, we attempt to capture the boundary conditions of how to reduce the adverse effects of job insecurity, focusing on the role of coaching leadership. Using three-wave time-lagged cohort-study data from 346 Korean workers, we empirically found that employees who perceive job insecurity are less likely to feel organizational identification, leading to increased knowledge-hiding behavior. This study also demonstrated that coaching leadership operates as a boundary condition which buffers the negative influence of job insecurity on organizational identification. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Predictors and Impact of Sulcal SAH after Mechanical Thrombectomy in Patients with Isolated M2 Occlusion

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Data on SAH after M2 mechanical thrombectomy are limited. We aimed to determine the prevalence of sulcal SAH after mechanical thrombectomy for M2 occlusion, its associated predictors, and the resulting clinical outcome.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The study retrospectively reviewed the data of patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent mechanical thrombectomy for isolated M2 occlusion. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the presence of sulcal SAH after M2 mechanical thrombectomy. Angiographic and clinical outcomes were compared. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of sulcal SAH and unfavorable outcome (90-day mRS, 3-6).

RESULTS

Of the 209 enrolled patients, sulcal SAH was observed in 33 (15.8%) patients. The sulcal SAH group showed a higher rate of distal M2 occlusion (69.7% versus 22.7%), a higher of rate of superior division occlusion (63.6% versus 43.8%), and a higher M2 angulation (median, 128° versus 106°) than the non-sulcal SAH group. Of the 33 sulcal SAH cases, 23 (66.7%) were covert without visible intraprocedural contrast extravasation. Distal M2 occlusion (OR, 12.04; 95% CI, 4.56-35.67; P < .001), superior division (OR, 3.83; 95% CI, 1.43-11.26; P = .010), M2 angulation (OR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.04; P < .001), and the number of passes (OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.22-2.09; P < .001) were independent predictors of sulcal SAH. However, covert sulcal SAH was not associated with an unfavorable outcome (P = .830).

CONCLUSIONS

After mechanical thrombectomy for M2 occlusion, sulcal SAH was not uncommon and occurred more frequently with distal M2 occlusion, superior division, acute M2 angulation, and multiple thrombectomy passes (≥3). The impact of covert sulcal SAH was mostly benign and was not associated with an unfavorable outcome.

Nanoscale Antiferromagnetic Domain Imaging using Full-Field Resonant X-ray Magnetic Diffraction Microscopy

The physical properties of magnetic materials frequently depend not only on the microscopic spin and electronic structures, but also on the structures of mesoscopic length scales that emerge, for instance, from domain formations, or chemical and/or electronic phase separations. However, experimental access to such mesoscopic structures is currently limited, especially for antiferromagnets with net zero magnetization. Here, full-field microscopy and resonant magnetic X-ray diffraction are combined to visualize antiferromagnetic (AF) domains of the spin-orbit Mott insulator Sr₂ IrO₄ with area over ≈0.1 mm² and with spatial resolution as high as ≈150 nm. With the unprecedented wide field of views and high spatial resolution, an intertwining of two AF domains on a length comparable to the measured average AF domain wall width of 545 nm is revealed. This mesoscopic structure comprises a substantial portion of the sample surface, and thus can result in a macroscopic response unexpected from its microscopic magnetic structure. In particular, the symmetry analysis presented in this work shows that the inversion symmetry, which is preserved by the microscopic AF order, becomes ill-defined at the mesoscopic length scale. This result underscores the importance of this novel technique for a thorough understanding of the physical properties of antiferromagnets.

Job insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic and counterproductive work behavior: The sequential mediation effects of job stress and organizational identification and the buffering role of corporate social responsibility

Swift social and economic environmental changes such as those associated with the COVID-19 pandemic have led to decreased job security. Although numerous previous studies have examined the influence of job insecurity on employee perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors, the link between job insecurity and negative behavior and its underlying or intermediating mechanisms remain underexplored. The significance of an organization's positive behaviors, which fall under the umbrella of corporate social responsibility (CSR), also deserves more attention. To address these gaps, we examined both the mediator and the moderator in the association between job insecurity and negative employee behavior by establishing a moderated sequential mediation model. We hypothesized that the levels of employee job stress and organizational identification sequentially mediate the relationship between job insecurity and counterproductive work behavior as a representative negative behavior. We also hypothesized that CSR activities play a buffering role that moderates the influence of job insecurity on job stress. We used three-wave time-lagged data collected from 348 employees in South Korean organizations to demonstrate that job stress and organizational identification sequentially mediate the relationship between job insecurity and counterproductive work behavior, and that CSR activities function as a buffering factor that decreases the influence of job insecurity on job stress. The results of this research suggest that the levels of job stress and organizational identification (as sequential mediators) as well as CSR activities (as a moderator) are underlying mechanisms in the link between job insecurity and counterproductive work behavior.

Insurance Fraud in Korea, Its Seriousness, and Policy Implications

Several characteristics of insurance fraud including its chronic nature justifies the need for identifying feasible proposals which can be expected to bring about significant impacts. Recent statistics show that insurance fraud is now consistently on the increase. However, insurance fraud is highly fragmented and each offence is not significant enough to elicit active interest among the public or interventions from the police. Three problems have been identified and diagnosed. These were a lack of awareness, an absence of a national leadership and also limited attention directed to insurance fraud by the investigating authorities. Based on these, three recommendations have been suggested. (1) Embarking on and developing a national initiative by central government, (2) Taking a dynamic concentration approach to send deterrent threats to potential fraudsters, and (3) Using big data technologies to detect clandestine activities by organised groups.

Time-resolved assessment of cortical venous drainage on multiphase CT angiography in patients with acute ischemic stroke

PURPOSE

Cortical vein opacification is not routinely assessed in patients presenting with acute ischemic stroke (AIS), and the value of temporal assessment of venous outflow is not known. We evaluated the utility of assessing cortical venous drainage over time using multiphase CT angiography (mCTA).

METHODS

Cortical venous drainage was assessed in patients from the Precise and Rapid Assessment of Collaterals Using Multi-Phase CTA in the Triage of Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke for IA Therapy prospective multicenter cohort study of patients with symptoms of AIS with ICA and/or middle cerebral artery occlusion on baseline mCTA. Opacification of vein of Labbe, sphenoparietal sinus, superficial middle cerebral vein, and vein of Trolard of the affected hemisphere was graded as no (0), partial (1), or full (2) opacification in each mCTA phase. The venous opacification scores for each phase were added to generate a total venous score (TVS) (range 0-24). Primary outcome was 90-day modified Rankin score. Repeated measures analysis was used to assess the effect of phase timing on venous score on outcome.

RESULTS

Of 432 patients, 284 (65.7%) had proximal arterial occlusions. Median venous opacification score per phase (range 0-8) was 3 (IQR 1-6) in the first phase and increased in the second and third phases [median (IQR): 6 (5-8) and 8 (6-8), respectively] of the mCTA. In a multivariable analysis adjusting for age, baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, and Alberta stroke program early CT score, a significant association between TVS and 90-day mRS was noted ([adjusted cOR for TVS 6-11: 0.16 (95% CI 0.05-0.51); TVS 12-17: 0.18 (95% CI 0.06-0.57); TVS 18-24: 0.20 (0.06-0.63)]. Repeated measures analysis of venous scores from all three phases showed a significant effect of time/phase on TVS (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

This study concludes that venous opacification over time on multiphase CTA is associated with 90-day clinical outcome. There was however no added benefit of venous scoring vis-a-vis arterial collateral assessment in predicting outcome.

Clinical impact of intravascular ultrasound guidance in patients of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention with drug eluting stent

Background

There is little data about clinical role of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS)-guided Percutaneous (PCI) in the setting of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

Methods

From 2005 to 2018, a total of 8,129 patients who underwent PCI with STEMI were investigated from the Korea Acute Myocardial Infarction Registry-National Institute of Health database. Patients with Non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction, cardiogenic shock, bare metal stent implantation, thrombolytic treatment, and coronary artery bypass graft surgery were excluded. We categorized patients into two groups based on the treatment strategy: IVUS-guided PCI group (n=1,544), and coronary angiography guidance (CAG)-guided PCI group (n=6,585). The primary endpoint was composite of major adverse cardiovascular (MACE), including, cardiac death, myocardial infarction (MI), repeat target vessel revascularization (TVR) and stent thrombosis (ST).

Results

IVUS-guided PCI was performed in 19% patients (1544/8129). After propensity score matching, there were no statistically difference in the rate of cardiac death (0% in IVUS vs. 0.26% in CAG, p=0.947), MI (2.01% vs. 2.01%, p=0.408), TVR (1.23% vs. 0.91%, p=0.131), ST (0.32% vs. 0.45%, p=0.828) and composite of MACE at 1 year between two groups (2.01% vs. 2.40%, p=0.843). Independent risk factors for MACE were diabetes mellitus and multi-vessel disease, but not IVUS-guided PCI (HR 1.167, 95% CI, 0.896–1.520, p=0.251).

Conclusion

This study suggests that routine usage of IVUS in the setting of STEMI may not be necessary. Large-scaled random study will be needed for further evaluation.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: None.

Local Intra-arterial Thrombolysis during Mechanical Thrombectomy for Refractory Large-Vessel Occlusion: Adjunctive Chemical Enhancer of Thrombectomy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Data on adjunctive intra-arterial thrombolysis during mechanical thrombectomy for refractory thrombus are sparse. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of local intra-arterial urokinase as an adjunct to mechanical thrombectomy for refractory large-vessel occlusion.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We retrospectively evaluated patients with acute ischemic stroke who underwent mechanical thrombectomy for anterior circulation large-vessel occlusion between January 2016 and December 2019. Patients were divided into 2 groups based on the use of intra-arterial urokinase as an adjunctive therapy during mechanical thrombectomy for refractory thrombus: the urokinase and nonurokinase groups. Herein, refractory thrombus was defined as the target occlusion with minimal reperfusion (TICI 0 or 1) despite >3 attempts with conventional mechanical thrombectomy. The baseline characteristics, procedural outcomes, and clinical outcome were compared between the 2 groups.

RESULTS

One hundred fourteen cases of refractory thrombus were identified. A total of 45 and 69 patients were in the urokinase and the nonurokinase groups, respectively. The urokinase group compared with the nonurokinase group showed a higher rate of successful reperfusion (82.2% versus 63.8%, P = .034), with lower procedural times (54 versus 69 minutes, P = .137). The rates of good clinical outcome, distal embolism, and symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage were similar between the 2 groups. The use of intra-arterial urokinase (OR = 3.682; 95% CI, 1.156-11.730; P = .027) was an independent predictor of successful reperfusion.

CONCLUSIONS

The use of local intra-arterial urokinase as an adjunct to mechanical thrombectomy may be an effective and safe method that provides better recanalization than the conventional mechanical thrombectomy for refractory thrombus in patients with embolic large-vessel occlusion.

Infarct Growth despite Successful Endovascular Reperfusion in Acute Ischemic Stroke: A Meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Infarct volume inversely correlates with good recovery in stroke. The magnitude and predictors of infarct growth despite successful reperfusion via endovascular treatment are not known.

PURPOSE

We aimed to summarize the extent of infarct growth in patients with acute stroke who achieved successful reperfusion (TICI 2b-3) after endovascular treatment.

DATA SOURCES

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis by searching MEDLINE and Google Scholar for articles published up to October 31, 2020.

STUDY SELECTION

Studies of >10 patients reporting baseline and post-endovascular treatment infarct volumes on MR imaging were included. Only patients with TICI 2b-3 were included. We calculated infarct growth at a study level as the difference between baseline and follow-up MR imaging infarct volumes.

DATA ANALYSIS

Our search yielded 345 studies, and we included 10 studies reporting on 973 patients having undergone endovascular treatment who achieved successful reperfusion.

DATA SYNTHESIS

The mean baseline infarct volume was 19.5 mL, while the mean final infarct volume was 37.5 mL. A TICI 2b reperfusion grade was achieved in 24% of patients, and TICI 2c or 3 in 76%. The pooled mean infarct growth was 14.8 mL (95% CI, 7.9-21.7 mL). Meta-regression showed higher infarct growth in studies that reported higher baseline infarct volumes, higher rates of incomplete reperfusion (modified TICI 2b), and longer onset-to-reperfusion times.

LIMITATIONS

Significant heterogeneity among studies was noted and might be driven by the difference in infarct growth between early- and late-treatment studies.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest considerable infarct growth despite successful endovascular treatment reperfusion and call for a faster workflow and the need for specific therapies to limit infarct growth.

Proximate ferromagnetic state in the Kitaev model material α-RuCl3

α-RuCl₃ is a major candidate for the realization of the Kitaev quantum spin liquid, but its zigzag antiferromagnetic order at low temperatures indicates deviations from the Kitaev model. We have quantified the spin Hamiltonian of α-RuCl₃ by a resonant inelastic x-ray scattering study at the Ru L₃ absorption edge. In the paramagnetic state, the quasi-elastic intensity of magnetic excitations has a broad maximum around the zone center without any local maxima at the zigzag magnetic Bragg wavevectors. This finding implies that the zigzag order is fragile and readily destabilized by competing ferromagnetic correlations. The classical ground state of the experimentally determined Hamiltonian is actually ferromagnetic. The zigzag state is stabilized by quantum fluctuations, leaving ferromagnetism – along with the Kitaev spin liquid – as energetically proximate metastable states. The three closely competing states and their collective excitations hold the key to the theoretical understanding of the unusual properties of α-RuCl₃ in magnetic fields.

RuCl₃ has stood out as a prime candidate in the search for quantum spin liquids; however, its antiferromagnetic ordering at low temperature suggests deviations from typical QSL models. Here, using resonant inelastic x-ray scattering, the authors provide a comprehensive determination of the low energy effective Hamiltonian.

New records of two deep-sea eels collected from the Western Pacific Ocean based on COI and 16S rRNA genes

BACKGROUND

Two deep-sea eels collected from the Western Pacific Ocean are described in this study. Based on their morphological characteristics, the two deep-sea eel specimens were assumed to belong to the cusk-eel family Ophidiidae and the cutthroat eel family Synaphobranchidae.

METHODS AND RESULTS

To accurately identify the species of the deep-sea eel specimens, we sequenced the mitochondrial genes (cytochrome c oxidase subunit I [COI] and 16S ribosomal RNA [16S rRNA]). Through molecular phylogenetic analysis based on mtDNA COI and 16S rRNA gene sequences, these species clustered with the genera Bassozetus and Synaphobranchus, suggesting that the deep-sea eel specimens collected are two species from the genera Bassozetus and Synaphobranchus in the Western Pacific Ocean, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This is the first study to report new records of the genera Bassozetus and Synaphobranchus from the Western Pacific Ocean based on COI and 16S rRNA genes.

"Does a Good Company Reduce the Unhealthy Behavior of Its Members?": The Mediating Effect of Organizational Identification and the Moderating Effect of Moral Identity

In the contemporary business environment where business ethics is critical for organizational performance, the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is increasing. By investigating the mechanism of the effects of CSR on counterproductive work behavior (CWB), the present study suggests that CSR decreases negative employee behavior. Based on social identity theory and context-attitude-behavior framework, this research examines the underlying process and its contingent factor of the association between CSR and CWB. Specifically, this study hypothesizes that CSR decreases CWB by enhancing employees’ organizational identification and that moral identity positively moderates the relationship between CSR and organizational identification. Using three-wave online survey data from 368 employees in Korean firms, this paper tested our hypotheses by conducting moderated mediation analysis with structural equation modeling. The results showed that CSR is negatively related to CWB through organizational identification and that moral identity positively moderates the relationship between CSR and organizational identification. The current study’s findings have crucial theoretical and practical implications in CSR literature.

A study of the microbiological profile of filler-induced skin necrosis

Skin necrosis is one of the most severe complications following filler injections, and can result in permanent aesthetic defects. Although an increasing number of studies have addressed the management of dermal filler complications, no study has described the spectrum of microbial pathogens. The aim of this study was to delineate the bacterial profile and prognostic factors of filler-related skin necrosis by reviewing the clinical and microbiological features of these patients. A retrospective medical record review of patients undergoing treatment for skin necrosis induced by fillers was conducted. In total, 10 cases were identified, with injection sites being the nasolabial fold (70%; n = 7), nasal dorsum (20%; n = 2) and nasal tip (10%; n = 1). Reviewing the culture results, the true culture-positive rate was found to be 50% after cases of contamination were excluded. To avoid permanent sequelae, all physicians should be aware of possible secondary infections when treating filler-induced skin necrosis.

"The Power of a Firm's Benevolent Act": The Influence of Work Overload on Turnover Intention, the Mediating Role of Meaningfulness of Work and the Moderating Effect of CSR Activities

Although previous works have examined how work overload affects the perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of members in an organization, those studies have paid insufficient attention to the mediating and contingent factors in the work overload–turnover intention link from the perspective of positive psychology. Considering the theoretical and practical value and importance of positive psychology, studies that use it to investigate underlying processes are needed. Also, existing studies on work overload have focused on the moderating role of individual-level variables to reduce the negative effects of work overload, mostly ignoring the importance of organizational-level moderators. To resolve those issues, we hypothesize that the meaningfulness of an employee’s work mediates the relationship between work overload and turnover intention. Corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices could moderate the association between work overload and the meaningfulness of work. Using a three-wave data set gathered from 356 currently working employees in South Korea, we reveal not only that the meaningfulness of work mediates the work overload–turnover intention link, but also that CSR activities play a buffering role in the work overload–meaningfulness of work link. Our findings suggest that, from the perspective of positive psychology, the degree of meaningfulness of work (as a mediator) and CSR activities (as a moderator) function as intermediating mechanisms in the work overload–turnover intention link.

Direct observation of excitonic instability in Ta2NiSe5

Coulomb attraction between electrons and holes in a narrow-gap semiconductor or a semimetal is predicted to lead to an elusive phase of matter dubbed excitonic insulator. However, direct observation of such electronic instability remains extremely rare. Here, we report the observation of incipient divergence in the static excitonic susceptibility of the candidate material Ta2NiSe5 using Raman spectroscopy. Critical fluctuations of the excitonic order parameter give rise to quasi-elastic scattering of B2g symmetry, whose intensity grows inversely with temperature toward the Weiss temperature of TW ≈ 237 K, which is arrested by a structural phase transition driven by an acoustic phonon of the same symmetry at TC = 325 K. Concurrently, a B2g optical phonon becomes heavily damped to the extent that its trace is almost invisible around TC, which manifests a strong electron-phonon coupling that has obscured the identification of the low-temperature phase as an excitonic insulator for more than a decade. Our results unambiguously reveal the electronic origin of the phase transition.

The Performance Implication of Corporate Social Responsibility: The Moderating Role of Employee's Prosocial Motivation

Although there has been extensive research on the corporate social responsibility (CSR)-performance link, full understanding is still elusive. A possible reason for this is the limited understanding of the underlying processes that affect the relationship. Grounded in institutional theory, which emphasizes the importance of micro-level intermediating processes (e.g., employees' perceptions and attitudes) to explain a macro-level association (i.e., CSR to organizational performance), we built a moderated mediation model where: (i) organization commitment mediated the influence of CSR on organizational performance, and (ii) an employee's prosocial motivation moderated the relationship between CSR and organizational commitment. Using three-wave time-lagged survey data obtained from 302 Korean workers, we found that organizational commitment is an important micro-level process in the CSR-performance link, and that the level of an employee's prosocial motivation can positively moderate that link. We discuss theoretical and practical implications, along with limitations and future research directions.

Randomized, double-blind, active-controlled, multicentre, phase III clinical trial with two stages to assess the safety and efficacy of letibotulinum toxin a vs. onabotulinum toxin a for subjects with moderate to severe crow's feet

BACKGROUND

Letibotulinum toxin A (LeBA) was approved by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (known as the Korea Food & Drug Administration) for cosmetic indications in 2012. However, the efficacy and safety of this newly introduced LeBA have not been investigated in crow's feet lines (CFL) treatment and standardization before its universal use.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this multicentre, double-blind, randomized, parallel, active-controlled Phase III clinical trial with two stages (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03408236) was to investigate the non-inferiority of LeBA vs. the existing onabotulinum toxin A (OnBA) for the treatment of CFL.

METHODS

A total of 240 subjects were randomized to either the test (LeBA) or control (OnBA) group. At the baseline and at weeks 4 while maximum smiling (primary efficacy assessment), 8, 12 and 16, investigator's on-site evaluation, independent evaluator, evaluation by the subjects, subjects' satisfaction assessment and safety assessment were performed.

RESULTS

At week 4, the response rate of primary efficacy assessment was 69.75% and 68.33% in the test (LeBA) and control (OnBA) groups, respectively, without a significant difference. Other minor secondary evaluation results showed significant differences suggesting that LeBA offered better improvement than OnBA, but the overall results did not show significant differences between the two groups.

CONCLUSION

This study showed that LeBA was as effective and safe as OnBA for the treatment of CFL at the same doses.

"The Power of Ethical Leadership": The Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility on Creativity, the Mediating Function of Psychological Safety, and the Moderating Role of Ethical Leadership

A body of existing literature delves into how corporate social responsibility (CSR) affects employees’ cognition, emotion, and behavior within an organization. These previous studies, however, pay relatively little attention to the influence of CSR on levels of creativity in employees. Considering that creativity is closely related to innovative capability, which is critical for a firm to survive, the relationship between CSR and employees’ creativity and its elaborate underlying processes need further investigation. Based on a group creativity model, we argue that CSR may increase levels of creativity in employees through mediation of enhanced levels of psychological safety in employees. In addition, existing works on CSR have relatively underexplored the contextual role of leadership in translating CSR practices into employees’ attitudes, perceptions, and behaviors. Using three-wave time-lagged survey data from 311 employees in South Korea, we found that CSR enhances employees’ creativity via mediation of psychological safety. Additionally, ethical leadership positively moderates the relationship between CSR and psychological safety. Our findings suggest that psychological safety in employees functions as an important underlying mechanism to describe the CSR–employee creativity link. Furthermore, this paper emphasizes the importance of the moderating role of ethical leadership in the process of CSR activities.

Systemic contact dermatitis induced by Rhus allergens in Korea: exercising caution in the consumption of this nutritious food

Systemic contact dermatitis (SCD) develops when a person who was previously sensitized to an allergen is exposed to the same allergen via the systemic route. In East Asia, the use of lacquer for polishing furniture is common and a part of the traditional culture. Contact exposure to tableware polished with Rhus lacquer may lead to sensitization. In Korea, SCD is commonly observed after systemic exposure to Rhus, a nutritious food item consumed because of the common belief of it improving the immune system. In this study, we reviewed the medical records of 21 Korean patients with SCD caused by Rhus ingestion. We found that the most significant epidemiological factor for SCD was the season of the year. Furthermore, 66.67% of the patients presented with leucocytosis and 23.81% showed increased liver enzyme levels. It is important to educate people on the risks associated with the systemic ingestion of Rhus.

The Performance Implications of Job Insecurity: The Sequential Mediating Effect of Job Stress and Organizational Commitment, and the Buffering Role of Ethical Leadership

Although previous works have examined how job insecurity affects the perceptions, attitudes, and behaviors of members in an organization, those studies have not paid enough attention to the relationship between job insecurity and performance or the mediating processes in that relationship. Considering that organizational performance is a fundamental target or purpose, investigating it is greatly needed. This research examines both mediating factors and a moderator in the link between job insecurity and organizational performance by building a moderated sequential mediation model. To be specific, we hypothesize that the degree of an employee’s job stress and organizational commitment sequentially mediate the relationship between job insecurity and performance. Furthermore, ethical leadership could moderate the association between job insecurity and job stress. Using a three-wave data set gathered from 301 currently working employees in South Korea, we reveal that not only do job stress and organizational commitment sequentially mediate the job insecurity–performance link, but also that ethical leadership plays a buffering role of in the job insecurity–job stress link. Our findings suggest that the degree of job stress and organizational commitment (as mediators), as well as ethical leadership (as a moderator), function as intermediating mechanisms in the job insecurity–performance link.

Author Correction: Evidence of higher-order topology in multilayer WTe2 from Josephson coupling through anisotropic hinge states

An amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.

Evidence of higher-order topology in multilayer WTe2 from Josephson coupling through anisotropic hinge states

Td-WTe₂ (non-centrosymmetric and orthorhombic), a type-II Weyl semimetal, is expected to have higher-order topological phases with topologically protected, helical one-dimensional hinge states when its Weyl points are annihilated. However, the detection of these hinge states is difficult due to the semimetallic behaviour of the bulk. In this study, we have spatially resolved the hinge states by analysing the magnetic field interference of the supercurrent in Nb-WTe₂-Nb proximity Josephson junctions. The Josephson current along the a axis of the WTe₂ crystal, but not along the b axis, showed a sharp enhancement at the edges of the junction, and the amount of enhanced Josephson current was comparable to the upper limits of a single one-dimensional helical channel. Our experimental observations suggest a higher-order topological phase in WTe₂ and its corresponding anisotropic topological hinge states, in agreement with theoretical calculations. Our work paves the way for the study of hinge states in topological transition-metal dichalcogenides and analogous phases.

3D micro fractal pipettes for capillary based robotic liquid handling

Miniaturized and mobile liquid handling devices are essential elements to biological or clinical applications. This will innovate the conventional liquid handling methods such as manual or automated pipetting systems. Here, we propose the micro fractal pipette as the candidate device for this objective. It is made of epoxy polymer and printed by innovative 3D nanoprinting technology based on two-photon absorption polymerization with sub-micrometer resolution. We demonstrated the efficient liquid handling performance by using the micro fractal pipette between the source droplet and the target hydrogel substrate. This is due to the high porosity (78%) and the 8.5 times larger cavity surface area compared to the full pyramid. The biomimetic inner cavity microchannel networks contribute to the low pressure drop. The proposed micro fractal pipette could also innovate the versatile and miniaturized liquid handling system, promising to various biological or clinical applications.

Montel mirror based collimating analyzer system for high-pressure resonant inelastic X-ray scattering experiments

Resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) is increasingly playing a significant role in studying highly correlated systems, especially since it was proven capable of measuring low-energy magnetic excitations. However, despite high expectations for experimental evidence of novel magnetic phases at high pressure, unequivocal low-energy spectral signatures remain obscured by extrinsic scattering from material surrounding the sample in a diamond anvil cell (DAC): pressure media, Be gasket and the diamond anvils themselves. A scattered X-ray collimation based medium-energy resolution (∼100 meV) analyzer system for a RIXS spectrometer at the Ir L₃-absorption edge has been designed and built to remediate these difficulties. Due to the confocal nature of the analyzer system, the majority of extrinsic scattering is rejected, yielding a clean low-energy excitation spectrum of an iridate Sr₂IrO₄ sample in a DAC cell. Furthermore, the energy resolution of different configurations of the collimating and analyzing optics are discussed.

Design of optimal digital filter and digital signal processing for a CdZnTe high resolution gamma-ray system

We have developed an online digital signal processing system based on an FPGA. The system consists of pile-up rejection, baseline restorer, peak detection and pole-zero cancellation for evaluation of deposited energy in the detector. The shaping algorithm employed is a Moving Window Deconvolution (MWD) to shape digitized data into a trapezoidal form. For the purpose of verification, the developed digital system was tested for ¹³⁷Cs gamma rays. The entire system is programmed using the LabVIEW environment.

Incidence of oral anticoagulant interruption among stroke patients with atrial fibrillation and subsequent stroke

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

We analyzed the incidence and causes of oral anticoagulant (OAC) cessation and subsequent stroke after OAC withdrawal in a cohort of Korean stroke patients with atrial fibrillation.

METHODS

The Korean Atrial Fibrillation Evaluation Registry in Ischemic Stroke patients (K-ATTENTION) is a multicenter cohort study, merging stroke registries from 11 tertiary centers in Korea. The number of OAC interruption episodes and the reasons were reviewed from hospital records. Stroke after OAC withdrawal was defined when a patient experienced ischaemic stroke within 31 days after OAC withdrawal. Clinical variables were compared between patients who experienced stroke recurrence during OAC interruption and those who did not experience recurrence.

RESULTS

Among 3213 stroke patients with atrial fibrillation, a total of 329 episodes of OAC interruption were detected in 229 patients after index stroke (mean age 72.9 ± 8.3 years, 113 female patients). The most frequent reason for OAC withdrawal was poor compliance [103 episodes (31.3%)] followed by extracranial bleeding [96 episodes (29.2%)]. Stroke after OAC withdrawal was noted in 13 patients. Mean age, vascular risk factor profile and mean CHA₂ DS₂ -VASc score were not significantly different between patients with and without recurrent stroke.

CONCLUSIONS

A considerable number of stroke patients with atrial fibrillation experienced temporary interruption of OAC after index stroke, which was associated with stroke recurrence of 4.0 cases per 100 interruption episodes.