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Metaphorical language describing the COVID-19 pandemic as a war has been pervasive in public discourse (e.g. "the pandemic is a war," "the virus is an enemy," and "the vaccine is a weapon"). This study employs an online survey experiment (N = 551 U.S. adults) to examine the impact of war metaphors compared to non-metaphorical literal frames and fire metaphors (e.g. "the pandemic is a wildfire"). War metaphors exhibited little advantage over literal frames across a variety of desirable outcomes (i.e. the adoption of pro-health behaviors against COVID-19, perceived solidarity and collective responsibility to curb the pandemic, and intentions to discuss and share the health news with others). However, this study revealed some benefits of war metaphors over fire metaphors. Compared with fire metaphors, health news featuring war metaphors increased both positive emotions and perceived threats of COVID-19, which in turn promoted pro-health behaviors against COVID-19 and perceived solidarity to cope with the public health crisis. Moreover, positive emotions in response to war metaphors also indirectly encouraged the retransmission of science-based COVID-19 health news. This study thus showcased the benefits and limitations of war metaphors and revealed the mediating roles of perceived threats and positive emotions in explaining war metaphorical framing effects. Implications of using war and fire metaphors for communicating about public health crises are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To identify the characteristics of patients with sepsis or acute pyelonephritis (APN) combined with ureteral calculi and to analyze the risk factors in its causation. Methods: We included patients with sepsis or APN caused by ureteral calculi who received treatment in the United States from January 2003 to December 2017 using the Optum® deidentified Clinformatics® Datamart. Demographic factors and risk factors for the receipt of sepsis or APN were subsequently analyzed for statistical significance. Results: Of 467,502 urinary stone patients, age-matched multivariate analysis revealed that a history of urinary tract infection (OR 11.31, 95% CI 10.68–11.99, p < 0.0001) and female gender (OR 2.73, 95% CI 2.62–2.84, p < 0.0001) were significantly related to an increased risk of sepsis or APN. Conversely, a previous past medical history of urolithiasis (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.87–0.95, p < 0.0001) and cancer (OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.87–0.95, p < 0.0001) were associated with a decreased risk of sepsis or APN. With regards to comorbidities, when more than one comorbidity was present, there was an additive effect with higher OR point estimates, rising to 11.31 (10.68–11.99) when three or more comorbidities present. History of urinary tract infection and female gender are risk factors for sepsis or APN in patients with ureteral calculi. Conclusions: This large national cohort reveals the characteristics of sepsis or APN combined with ureteral stone and provides an important baseline for the treatment of urolithiasis in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality and although it is linked to sleep apnea, which physiological stressors most strongly associate with incident disease is unclear. We tested whether sleep apnea-specific hypoxic burden (SASHB) predicts incident HF in two independent cohort studies.Research Question: In comparison with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), how does sleep apnea-specific hypoxic burden predict incident HF?Study Design and Methods: The samples were derived from two cohort studies: The Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS), which included 4,881 middle-aged and older adults (54.4% women), age 63.6 ± 11.1 years; and the Outcomes of Sleep Disorders in Older Men (MrOS), which included 2,653 men, age 76.2 ± 5.4 years. We computed SASHB as the sleep apnea-specific area under the desaturation curve from pre-event baseline. We used Cox models for incident HF to estimate the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for natural log-transformed SASHB and AHI adjusting for multiple confounders.Results: The SASHB predicted incident HF in men in both cohorts, whereas AHI did not. Men in SHHS and MrOS had adjusted HRs (per 1SD increase in SASHB) of 1.18 (95% CI, 1.02-1.37) and 1.22 (95% CI, 1.02-1.45), respectively. Associations with SASHB were observed in men with both low and high AHI levels. Associations were not significant in women.Interpretation: In men, the hypoxic burden of sleep apnea was associated with incident HF after accounting for demographic factors, smoking, and co-morbidities. The findings Suggest that quantification of an easily measured index of sleep apnea-related hypoxias may be useful for identifying individuals at risk for heart disease, while also suggesting targets for intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper employs a new perspective for viewing product recall as a way to responsibly manage a firm with a record of corporate social responsibility (CSR) engagement. Firms known for their past CSR performance are assumed to be responsible in recalling defective products when a product‐harm crisis occurs. We examine whether the cumulated CSR efforts increase the likelihood of engaging in a voluntary product recall. To further reinforce the perspective, we examine whether the relationship still holds under performance pressure. In addition, this study examines the moderating effect of board characteristics that give a sense of ownership to board members (e.g., a family member of a founder, holding block shares, and voting power) in increasing socially responsible firms' engagement in the voluntary recall. The hypotheses were tested using a sample of 592 public firms in the United States from 2001 to 2014. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intercontinental floristic disjunction between East Asia and North America in the Northern Hemisphere has received much attention during the past decades, but few studies have focused on the family level. Melanthiaceae, containing 196 species and 17 genera circumscribed in five tribes, is disjunctly distributed in Eurasia and North America. It is one of the foremost models for studying the evolution of biogeographic patterns in this region. Here, we present a fossil-calibrated, molecular phylogeny of Melanthiaceae based on two chloroplast DNA datasets: one dataset includes extensive sampling (94 species representing all 17 genera of Melanthiaceae) of four chloroplast DNA regions (atpB , rbcL , matK , and ndhF) and the other includes six species representing all tribes of the family for 78 coding genes of the chloroplast genome. Within this framework, we infer the historical biogeography of Melanthiaceae. Both datasets produce well-resolved phylogenies of Melanthiaceae showing the monophyly of the family and the relationships among the five tribes. Melanthieae is found to be sister to the rest of the tribes of the family and the remaining taxa are divided into two major clades consisting of the Chionographideae + Heloniadeae clade and the Parideae + Xerophylleae clade. The molecular dating and the ancestral area analyses suggest that Melanthiaceae most likely originated in North America with its crown group dated at 92.1 mya in the late Cretaceous. The favored ancestral areas at the crown lineages of tribes are also in North America. In the family, seven independent migrations into East Asia from North America are inferred to have occurred in the Oligocene and the Miocene-Pliocene via historical paleo-land bridge connections. Cooling trends during the Oligocene resulted in the present East Asia-North America disjunct distribution, while the warm period during the middle Miocene and habitat heterogeneity stimulated diversification in East Asia. Our study provides the phylogenetic and biogeographical history of the Melanthiaceae and adds an example of "out of North America" migration in the biogeographic history of the Northern Hemisphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background:Freezing of gait (FOG) is a commonly observed motor symptom for patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The symptoms of FOG include reduced step lengths or motor blocks, even with an evident intention of walking. FOG should be monitored carefully because it not only lowers the patient's quality of life, but also significantly increases the risk of injury. Introduction:In previous studies, patients had to wear several sensors on the body and another computing device was needed to run the FOG detection algorithm. Moreover, the features used in the algorithm were based on low-level and hand-crafted features. In this study, we propose a FOG detection system based on a smartphone, which can be placed in the patient's daily wear, with a novel convolutional neural network (CNN). Methods:The walking data of 32 PD patients were collected from the accelerometer and gyroscope embedded in the smartphone, located in the trouser pocket. The motion signals measured by the sensors were converted into the frequency domain and stacked into a 2D image for the CNN input. A specialized CNN model for FOG detection was determined through a validation process. Results:We compared our performances with the results acquired by the previously reported settings. The proposed architecture discriminated the freezing events from the normal activities with an average sensitivity of 93.8% and a specificity of 90.1%. Conclusions:Using our methodology, the precise and continuous monitoring of freezing events with unconstrained sensing can assist patients in managing their chronic disease in daily life effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) indicates lung health in cystic fibrosis (CF). FEV1 is commonly communicated as a per cent predicted of a healthy individual sharing the same age, sex, race and height. CF-specific reference equations are complementary and calibrate a patient's FEV1 to that of their CF peers.Objectives: (1) To derive Canadian CF-specific FEV1 reference percentiles (FEV1%iles), (2) characterize how they have changed over time and (3) compare the Canadian FEV1%iles to those for USA and European CF populations.Method: CF FEV1%iles are calculated using the Canadian CF Registry and quantile regression.Results: The Canadian FEV1%iles demonstrated better lung function in more recent time periods within Canada, especially below the 50% percentile and in males. When compared to USA and European FEV1%iles for the same time period, Canadian FEV1%iles were higher.Conclusion: CF-specific FEV1%iles can provide useful information about changes in lung health. An online calculator (available at cfpercentile.Research: sickkids.ca) makes these FEV1%iles accessible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined the cultural influence on perceived body weight and the level of health practices at a national and individual level. At a national level, we found that Japanese women (n = 80) overestimate body weight more than Korean (n = 82) and American (n = 63) women. At an individual level, individuals with interdependent self-construal were more prone to overestimate weight than those with independent self-construal (N = 182; American women). Based on the data, we identify that the relationship is mediated by self-criticism, and, importantly, it is self-criticism rather than perceived overweight that predicts the level of health activities. Health practitioners and campaign designers across cultures are recommended to concentrate on promoting positive body esteem instead of encouraging engagement in corrective health behaviors for weight loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adopting Nisbett’s theory of analytic and holistic thinking, the current study examines cultural influence on perceptions about the health benefits of holistic foods and nutritional elements. Consistent with the theory, Korean older adults ( n = 84) tended to believe that consuming whole, natural foods (e.g., honey, aloe vera, green tea) is more helpful for health than taking individual nutrition elements (e.g., vitamins, calcium, iron). A reverse pattern prevailed for American older adults ( n = 61). Results from a follow-up study ( n = 284) indicate the same pattern of cultural difference in perception of food nutrition can be replicated with individual measurements of analytic-holistic thinking. Holistic thinking tended to predict the valuation of food functions (‘ what it does as a whole ’) and the de valuation of food elements (‘ what is in it ’). The current findings extend the validity of Nisbett’s theory and provide practical implications for medical doctors and food marketers intending to persuade Asian patients/clients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT In the United States, targeted school shootings have become a distinct genre of violence. In this essay, Bryan Warnick, Sang Hyun Kim, and Shannon Robinson examine the social meanings that exist in American society that might contribute to this phenomenon, focusing on the question: 'Why are schools conceptualized as appropriate places to enact this form of gun violence?' The authors analyze the social meaning of American schooling by using empirical data, everyday observations, films, and poetry, and then connect these points of meaning to stories of individual school shooters. Through this analysis, three aspects of school stand out. First, schools are places of both real and symbolic violence, where force and power often rule the day. Second, schools are places connected to expectations of hope and refuge, friendship and romance, and when these expectations are not met, bitter resentment flows against schools. Third, suburban schools are seen as places of expressive individualism, which, in rare cases, is manifest in terms of 'expressive violence.' Together, these points of meaning can make schools, for some youth, seem like appropriate places to express violent intentions. The essay concludes by speculating about how this analysis can be applied to prevent school shootings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines contributing factors of alcohol misuse among college students in South Korea and the U.S. Exploratory factor analyses (EFA) on measurements of alcohol expectancy, alcohol efficacy, and accommodation resulted in social and personal causes for alcohol misuse. Social causes alone predicted alcohol misuse for both countries. Social factors constituted a much stronger predictor of alcohol misuse among South Korean students than among American students. Practical implications for effective deterrence of student binge drinking are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a social category ‘immigrant’ can function rhetorically to constitute a line between self and Other. The case study of spousal murder in late nineteenth and early twentieth-century Chicago illustrates that Americans attempted to make sense of these murders by scapegoating immigrants. Statistical data illustrate that immigrants were no more likely to murder a spouse than anyone else. Yet, analysis of the rhetoric about wife murder in Chicago newspapers shows that murderers were framed as immigrant Other. We identify three frames used in newspapers to constitute immigrants as Other and identify the contemporary relevance for public understandings of immigration. We argue that while explicit debates about immigration draw lines that constitute American identity, the most insidious rhetorical borders enter into the American imaginary through seemingly unrelated issues. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Introduction: Anomalies of the inferior vena cava (AIVC) are rare but well-recognized anatomic abnormalities that can lead to clinically significant deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in a subset of otherwise healthy patients. This report illustrates an uncommon congenital anomaly that military clinicians should consider when evaluating unprovoked DVT in young patients.Materials and Methods: Single case report and literature review.Results: We describe a case of a 24-yr-old United States Marine who presented with abdominal pain for 2 wk. After conservative therapy failed, a contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) scan was performed. The CT scan revealed an absent inferior vena cava with evidence of right venous thrombophlebitis. We include four contrast-enhanced helical CT scans that illustrate this phenomenon.Conclusion: Due to the lack of available studies and data, we do not know the relative risk of DVT in patients with AIVC. However, the literature review suggests that there is a pro-thrombogenic effect of this congenital anomaly. Clinicians should include AIVC in their differential when treating young, otherwise healthy patients with unprovoked DVT. This population is much more likely to have an AIVC than the general population. In addition to thrombophilia markers, a contrast-enhanced CT scan should be considered as part of the initial workup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing studies on bubbles have been mainly concerned with investigating the stationarity properties of stock prices and market fundamentals. We develop a new method of testing for bubbles that relates the bubble component of stock prices to the probability of bursting in the context of the Weibull distribution. There were several eruptions and subsequent collapses of seeming bubbles over the past three decades: 1987 (Black Monday), 2000 (information technology (IT) boom) and 2007 (housing market boom). Using US monthly data for the S&P 500 and NASDAQ series, we have found that the S&P 500 series contained an explosive bubble only during the boom of the housing market that occurred before the 2007 global economic crisis, and the NASDAQ market contained an explosive bubble during the surge of stock prices peaking in 1987 and 2007, although our stationarity tests fail to detect the bubbles. No bubble was found in both the S&P and NASDAQ series during the 2000 IT boom. Our evidence corroborates the criticism that the traditional unit root and cointegration tests may not be able to detect some important class of bubbles. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The aim of this study is to examine the effects of treatment with varenicline, a partial agonist at the α4β2 and full agonist at the α7 nicotine acetylcholine receptor, on cognitive impairments in people with schizophrenia. In all, 120 clinically stable people with schizophrenia participated in randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled 8-week trial. Antipsychotic and concomitant medication doses remained fixed throughout the study. Varenicline was titrated up to 1 mg twice daily for weeks 2-8. Neuropsychological, clinical, and safety assessments were administered at baseline and weeks 1, 2, 4, and 8. In the primary analyses of neurocognitive differences at week 8, no varenicline-placebo differences were significant. In secondary longitudinal analyses, varenicline improved compared with placebo on the Digital Symbol Substitution Test (p=0.013) and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test non-perseverative errors (p=0.043). Some treatment effects were different between smokers and non-smokers. In smokers, Continuous Performance Test hit reaction time (p=0.008) and Stroop Interference (p=0.004) were reduced for varenicline compared with placebo, while there were no treatment differences in non-smokers. No significant treatment main effects or interactions were noted for total scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale or the Scale for the Assessment for Negative Symptoms. Our findings suggest beneficial effects of adjunctive varenicline treatment with antipsychotics for some cognitive impairments in people with schizophrenia. In some cases, effects of treatment varied between smokers and non-smokers. Further study is required to assess the functional significance of these changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

STS research has devoted relatively little attention to the promotion and reception of science and technology by non-scientific actors and institutions. One consequence is that the relationship of science and technology to political power has tended to remain undertheorized. This article aims to fill that gap by introducing the concept of “sociotechnical imaginaries.” Through a comparative examination of the development and regulation of nuclear power in the US and South Korea, the article demonstrates the analytic potential of the imaginaries concept. Although nuclear power and nationhood have long been imagined together in both countries, the nature of those imaginations has remained strikingly different. In the US, the state’s central move was to present itself as a responsible regulator of a potentially runaway technology that demands effective “containment.” In South Korea, the dominant imaginary was of “atoms for development” which the state not only imported but incorporated into its scientific, technological and political practices. In turn, these disparate imaginaries have underwritten very different responses to a variety of nuclear shocks and challenges, such as Three Mile Island (TMI), Chernobyl, and the spread of the anti-nuclear movement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In his concurring opinion to the 2007 U.S. Supreme Court decision, Morse v. Frederick, Justice Clarence Thomas argues that the Tinker decision, which granted students constitutional rights in public schools, should be overturned on originalist grounds. In this essay, Bryan Warnick, Bradley Rowe, and Sang Hyun Kim make the case that Thomas’s originalist analysis is inconclusive. Instead of looking at court decisions relating to public education starting in the middle of the nineteenth century to establish original meaning, as Thomas does, they argue that a better strategy involves an analysis of educational ideas circulating closer to the time of constitutional ratification. Using this strategy, the authors show that many prominent educational writers (a) believed that it was important for students to learn to act independently and to value their constitutional rights, and (b) believed that students learn best by imitating civic examples. These two ideas work together in early American educational thought to imply that schools should exemplify the sort of respect for self-governance and individual rights that is present in the larger constitutional order. Thus, Warnick, Rowe, and Kim argue that there are originalist reasons for supporting student rights that Thomas ignores. In the end, this analysis not only highlights the limitations of originalist interpretative strategies, it also reminds us, more broadly, of a way to reconcile liberty and order in civic education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stock prices of Asian emerging markets have been at tandem with sharp moves of the US market since the 1997 financial crisis. This study investigates how the 1997 crisis has changed Asian emerging markets by focusing on price and volatility spillovers from the US market to five Pacific-Basin emerging markets, Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, Malaysia, and Taiwan. We have used daily stock prices from 3, January 1995 to 24, April 2001 and compared the spillover effects between the prior- and post-crisis periods employing an EGARCH model. The influence of US innovations on stock prices in the region increased after the 1997 financial crisis (only with the exception of the Malaysian market), but the influence of US shocks on market volatility decreased substantially after the crisis (only with the exception of the Korean market). South Korea and Malaysia pursued different approaches to coping with the financial crisis, and their different programs led to opposite shifts in price and volatility spillovers after the crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study represents results of fragility curve development for two (2) sample bridges typical in southern California, strengthened for seismic retrofit by means of steel jacketing of bridge columns. Monte Carlo simulation is performed to study nonlinear dynamic responses of the bridges before and after retrofit. Fragility curves in this study are represented by lognormal distribution functions with two parameters and developed as a function of PGA. The improvement in the fragility due to the retrofit is quantified by comparing fragility curves of the bridge before and after retrofit. In order to formulate the problem of fragility enhancement, the quantification is made by comparing the median values of the fragility curves before and after the retrofit. Under the hypothesis that this quantification also applies to empirical fragility curves developed on the basis of Northridge earthquake damage, the enhanced version of the empirical curves is developed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents information about the relationships between demographic variables and intent to stay in a military organization. The examined demographic variables include occupation, rank, length of service, education, race, age, ethnicity, gender, religion, place of birth, and marital status. The necessity to examine intent came into light because its relationship with turnover is strong to a degree. The research to study this relationship was conducted at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Lackland Air Force Base in Texas.

The research reported in this paper attempts to explain variation in career intent among physicians at a U.S. Air Force hospital. A causal model which comes from the research of Price-Mueller and their colleagues is used to explain career intent. The model is estimated with data collected from Wilford Hall Medical Center, the U.S. Air Force's tertiary-care center. Data were collected by questionnaires and from records. The variables are assessed with widely used organizational measures which are generally valid and reliable. Data are analyzed by ordinary least squares regression analysis. Seven variables are the most important in explaining career intent: organizational commitment, job satisfaction, search behavior, opportunity, met expectations, positive affectivity, and promotional chances. The causal model that has been tested primarily for female employees in civilian hospitals was found to operate just as well among male physicians in a military hospital. Forty-one percent of the variance in career intent is explained in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Measuring conflict of interest and expertise on FDA advisory committees" by N. Ackerly in the December 10, 2013 issue.

Background The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved four distinct formulations of botulinum toxin ( Bo NT) serotypes A and B ( Bo NTA and Bo NTB) for medical use. These four products are indicated for many medical applications, but the three Bo NTA formulations are the most widely used worldwide and are the only products approved for aesthetic use. The latest approval of a Bo NTA with no complexing proteins (incobotulinumtoxin A) necessitates a review and discussion of differences between available formulations and the effect that these differences may have on clinical practice. Objectives To review the history, science, safety information, and current and emerging applications of Bo NT in clinical and cosmetic practice and to compare commercially available Bo NTA formulations. Methods and Materials Publications, clinical trials, and author experience were used as a basis for an up-to-date review of Bo NT and its use in human medicine. The similarities and differences between formulations are presented, and diffusion, spread, equivalency ratios, stability, and storage are discussed. Results Each commercial formulation has unique characteristics that may influence its use in aesthetic medicine. Familiarity with the similarities and differences between products will aid physicians in making patient care decisions. Conclusion New formulations, emerging uses, and continued research into the science and uses of Bo NTA will lead to increasingly refined therapeutic approaches and applications. Continued education is important for physicians to optimize use of the agent according to the most current evidence and approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death in the United States. The considerable mortality from colon cancer is due to metastasis to other organs, mainly the liver. In the management of colon cancer, early detection and targeted therapy are crucial. In this study, we aimed to establish a versatile theranostic system for early tumor detection and targeted tumor therapy by using poly(ethylene glycol)-conjugated hyaluronic acid nanoparticles (P-HA-NPs) which can selectively accumulate in tumor tissue. For the diagnostic application, a near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) imaging dye (Cy 5.5) was chemically conjugated onto the HA backbone of P-HA-NPs. After intravenous injection of Cy5.5-P-HA-NPs into the tumor-bearing mice, small-sized colon tumors as well as liver-implanted colon tumors were effectively visualized using the NIRF imaging technique. For targeted therapy, we physically encapsulated the anticancer drug, irinotecan (IRT), into the hydrophobic cores of P-HA-NPs. Owing to their notable tumor targeting capability, IRT-P-HA-NPs exhibited an excellent antitumor activity while showing a reduction in undesirable systemic toxicity. Importantly, we demonstrated the theranostic application using Cy5.5-P-HA-NPs and IRT-P-HA-NPs in orthotopic colon cancer models. Following the systemic administration of Cy5.5-P-HA-NPs, neoplasia was clearly visualized, and the tumor growth was effectively suppressed by intravenous injection of IRT-P-HA-NPs. It should be emphasized that the therapeutic responses could be simultaneously monitored by Cy5.5-P-HA-NPs. Our results suggest that P-HA-NPs can be used as a versatile theranostic system for the early detection, targeted therapy, and therapeutic monitoring of colon cancer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Background: Although the US FDA recommends screening for HLA-B*1502 allele in most of Asian ancestry before initiating carbamazepine therapy, the HLA associations with carbamazepine hypersensitivity in non-Chinese Asian populations remain unclear. This study investigated the association between the HLA class I genotype and carbamazepine-induced severe cutaneous adverse reaction (SCAR) in Koreans. Methods: Twenty-four patients who had developed carbamazepine-induced SCAR (7 Stevens–Johnson syndrome (SJS), 17 drug hypersensitivity syndrome (HSS)), 50 carbamazepine-tolerant controls from the Korean Pharmacogenetic Adverse Drug Reaction Research Network and data of 485 Korean general population from a previously published study were recruited. HLA-A, -B, and -C genotyping was performed by direct DNA sequence analysis. Results: Only one of the seven SJS patients was positive for the B*1502 allele, but the frequency of B*1511 was much higher in the patients with CBZ-SJS than in the CBZ-tolerant control patients (P =0.011, P c =not significant; OR=18.0(2.3–141.2)). The frequencies of A*3101 in carbamazepine-induced HSS and SCAR were significantly higher than those in carbamazepine-tolerant controls (P c =0.011, OR=8.8(2.5–30.7) and P c =0.013, OR=7.3(2.3–22.5), respectively). The frequencies of B*1511 in carbamazepine-SJS and A*3101 in carbamazepine-HSS/SCAR were significantly higher than those in the general population. Conclusions: HLA-B*1502 does not seem to be an effective predictive marker for carbamazepine-induced SCAR, while HLA-B*1511 and A*3101 was associated with carbamazepine-induced SJS and HSS/SCAR respectively in the Korean population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early experience with ultrasound guided distal trans-radial access in the anatomical snuffbox in coronary angiography and intervention. Objective: We aimed to demonstrate the feasibility and safety of the ultrasound guided distal trans-radial coronary angiography and intervention. Methods: Patients assigned to one operator program underwent diagnostic or procedural intervention through distal trans-radial approach in the anatomical snuffbox between January 2018 and May 2018. All of patients had palpable artery in their distal radial artery. The operator did the coronary procedure via distal radial access at anatomical snuffbox. When the pulse was weak or the target artery was very small, the operator punctured under ultrasound guidance (V-scan with dual probe, GE heathcare, USA) Results: 56 patients were enrolled. Mean age of patients was 65.1 years old and 68% were male. About 70% of patients were presented with stable angina feature. In diagnostic procedure, 4F (3, 5.6%) or 5F (29, 54.7%) sheath was used and we did coronary intervention via 6F (21, 39.6%) Sheath. Ultrasound guided puncture was done for 33 patients (58.9%). Overall Success rate of distal trans-radial angiography and intervention was 94.6% (3 failed cases). Success rate of ultrasound guided procedure was 97% (only 1 failed case). Left distal radial puncture was done for 18 patients (33.9%). 16% of patients had chronic kidney disease, especially end stage renal disease (11%) to preserve radial artery which was potential candidate of arteriovenous fistulae for dialysis. There was no BARC type 2-5 bleeding in hospital stay and follow up at out-patient clinic. Conclusion: Ultra sound guided distal radial approach is feasible and safe as a good alternative technique for coronary angiography and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The black box warning for clopidogrel recommends genetic testing to identify CYP2C19 poor metabolizers. The opinions of patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) towards genetic testing are unknown. Methods: TAILOR-PCI is the largest genotype-based cardiovascular clinical trial randomizing participants to conventional or prospective genotyping guided anti-platelet therapy. Subjects completed surveys prior to and six-months after randomization. Results: A total of 1,327 subjects completed the baseline and 860 completed the six-month survey. At baseline, 77% were males and the average age was 63 years. There were 28%, 29%, and 43% subjects from Korea, Canada and the United States (U.S.), respectively. The majority of subjects (77%) valued identifying pharmacogenetic variants as important to their healthcare however there were clear geographic differences with 44% of Koreans, in contrast to 91% of Canadians, and 89% of US subjects (P <0.001) identifying pharmacogenetics as being important. This observation persisted even after adjustment for age and sex (OR, 95% CI versus USA: Canada 1.21, 0.78-1.86; Korea 0.10, 0.07-0.14). This perception could be related to a knowledge or confidence gap, as only 21% of Koreans, as opposed to 86% and 77% (P <0.001) of subjects in Canada and U.S., respectively, were confident in their ability to understand genetic information. These significant differences persisted in the six-month follow-up survey. Across all subjects at baseline, those who were confident were significantly more likely to value identifying pharmacogenetic variants (OR 30.0, 95% CI 20.5, 43.8). This association was significant after adjusting for age, sex, and country. There was a significant interaction (p=0.005) with country of enrollment with a weaker association seen in the USA (OR 8.94) compared to Canada (OR 34.0) and Korea (OR 42.8). Conclusions: Although genetically mediated clopidogrel resistance is more prevalent amongst Asians, Koreans undergoing PCI believed identifying pharmacogenetic variants were less important to their healthcare, a finding associated with their stated confidence in their ability to understand genetic information. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]