Developing a Hypothetical Implementation Framework of Expectations for Monitoring Early Signs of Psychosis Relapse Using a Mobile App: Qualitative Study

Background

Relapse is a common experience for people diagnosed with psychosis, which is associated with increased service costs and profound personal and familial distress. EMPOWER (Early signs Monitoring to Prevent relapse in psychosis and prOmote Well-being, Engagement, and Recovery) is a peer worker–supported digital intervention that aims to enable service users to self-monitor their mental health with the aim of encouraging self-management and the shared use of personal data to promote relapse prevention. Digital interventions have not been widely used in relapse prevention and, therefore, little is currently known about their likely implementation—both within trials and beyond.

Objective

Seeking the perspectives of all relevant stakeholder groups is recommended in developing theories about implementation because this can reveal important group differences in understandings and assumptions about whether and for whom the intervention is expected to work. However, the majority of intervention implementation research has been retrospective. This study aimed to discover and theoretically frame implementation expectations in advance of testing and synthesize these data into a framework.

Methods

To develop a hypothetical implementation framework, 149 mental health professionals, carers, and people diagnosed with psychosis participated in 25 focus groups in both Australia and the United Kingdom. An interview schedule informed by the normalization process theory was used to explore stakeholders’ expectations about the implementation of the EMPOWER intervention. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis and then theoretically framed using the Medical Research Council guidelines for understanding the implementation of complex interventions.

Results

All groups expected that EMPOWER could be successfully implemented if the intervention generated data that were meaningful to mental health staff, carers, and service users within their unique roles. However, there were key differences between staff, carers, and service users about what facilitators and barriers that stakeholders believe exist for intervention implementation in both the cluster randomized controlled trial stage and beyond. For example, service user expectations mostly clustered around subjective user experiences, whereas staff and carers spoke more about the impact upon staff interactions with service users.

Conclusions

A hypothetical implementation framework synthesized from stakeholder implementation expectations provides an opportunity to compare actual implementation data gathered during an ongoing clinical trial, giving valuable insights into the accuracy of these stakeholders’ previous expectations. This is among the first studies to assess and record implementation expectations for a newly developed digital intervention for psychosis in advance of testing in a clinical trial.

Trial Registration

ISRCTN Registry ISRCTN99559262; http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN99559262

Abstract P1-13-06: Exploring the real-life incidence of toxicities amongst obese breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy dosed based on absolute body weight

Background:

Obesity is an established risk factor for developing breast cancer and is also a negative prognostic indicator for higher recurrence risk.1 Adjuvant chemotherapy reduces the likelihood of metastatic recurrence and improves disease-free and overall survival.2 However, the practice of optimal dosing of adjuvant breast cancer chemotherapy amongst obese patients remains contentious with concerns regarding excessive toxicity if obese patients are dosed based on actual body weight (ABW).2-4 A 2014 study reported that obese patients were five times more likely to have dose reductions in cycle 1 than non-obese patients.5 Inadequate dosing amongst obese breast cancer patients may have deleterious implications on ultimate prognosis.2-4 This study aimed to investigate whether chemotherapy dosing using ABW in obese breast cancer patients is associated with comparable incidences of toxicity.

Methods:

A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted amongst 257 patients (aged ≥18) treated in the adjuvant setting with doxorubicin-cyclophosphamide-paclitaxel (AC-P) or docetaxel-cyclophosphamide (TC) with/without trastuzumab between 2014 and 2017. Obesity was classified as a body mass index (BMI) of ≥30, with morbid obesity defined as a BMI≥35. Chemotherapy dosing based on body surface area calculated using ABW was considered the standard protocol with any variations from this dosing method for cycle 1 being recorded. Subsequent dose adjustments were also noted. The primary outcome was tolerability of chemotherapy regimens dosed using ABW with outcome measures of toxicity defined as the incidence of febrile neutropaenia, the incidence of grade 3 or 4 non-haematological toxicities and the number of hospitalisations during the treatment course.

Results:

257 patients were eligible (1 male, 256 females). Median age was 55 (range, 31-78). AC-P was the most commonly used regimen (48.6%), followed by TC (40.1%). Obesity and morbid obesity were noted amongst 17.9% and 15.6% of patients respectively; with 63.8% with a BMI≥25. Chemotherapy dosing was largely based on ABW, with only 4.3% of patients dosed based on ABW or had their dosing body surface area capped at 2.0m2. In patients with a BMI≥25, 25% had febrile neutropaenia compared to 21.8% in those with normal BMI (p=0.58). Incidence of febrile neutropaenia during treatment by BMI – underweight: 33.3% (p=0.61); normal: 24.1%; overweight: 24.4% (p=0.97); obese: 17.4% (p=0.37); morbidly obese: 25%(p=0.92). Grade 3-4 non-haematological toxicities had comparable incidences between the normal BMI group as opposed to the overweight/obese group (23.0% vs 18.9% respectively, p=0.44). Hospitalisations by BMI - underweight: 50% (p=0.85); normal BMI: 46%; overweight: 42.3% (p=0.64); obese: 54.3%(p=0.36); morbidly obese: 57.5%(p=0.23).

Conclusion:

This study demonstrates that obese breast cancer patients do not experience higher toxicities when their adjuvant chemotherapy is dosed based on ABW. This supports current guidelines for dosing amongst obese patients.

Citation Format: Tam LL, Mcguigan B, Connor A, Allan S, Sanmugarajah J. Exploring the real-life incidence of toxicities amongst obese breast cancer patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy dosed based on absolute body weight [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-13-06.

Sexuality and sexual experiences during gender transition: A thematic synthesis

AIM

To establish what impact, if any, the gender-affirmation process, has on sexuality and sexual experiences.

INTRODUCTION

Sexuality is a multi-faceted construct that influences our attraction to others. Gender transition is the process of aligning our physical sex characteristics with our psychological gender. Our sexuality and our gender identity are often mistakenly assumed to be inextricably linked. It is important to consider and understand the influence of the gender-affirmation process on sexuality and sexual experiences.

METHOD

A thematic synthesis of the available qualitative literature regarding sexuality, and sexual experiences in both transgender people and their partners were appraised, and synthesised. Thomas and Harden's (2008) stepwise process for conducting a thematic synthesis was followed.

RESULTS

A total of seven articles were of relevance and included in the review. Two analytical and six sub-themes were found. The two analytical themes are: 'Re-negotiating previous 'norms" and 'Establishing identity'.

CONCLUSION

During the gender-affirmation process, sexuality, and sexual experiences alter. This has clinical implications for transgender people and their partners, in particular, valuable therapeutic discussion points that need to be considered during the gender-affirmation process.

Abstract P5-12-02: Can a supervised exercise program compared to usual care prevent aromatase inhibitor-induced musculoskeletal pain in women with breast cancer?

Background: Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs) are commonly prescribed as hormone therapy for post-menopausal women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. A number of authors have reported AI side effects that include increased risk for developing osteoporosis, joint pain, weight gain and depression. For example, 30-40% of post-menopausal women treated with AIs experience mild to severe joint pain. Although the exact causes of AI-induced joint pain are unknown, the side-effects are most likely due to low estrogen levels in the body. . Denysschen et al. (2014) reported a significantly lower number of painful joints, reduced depressive symptoms, increased muscle strength, and improvement in quality of life in patients with AI-induced joint pain after an 8 week upper and lower body resistance exercise program. Objective: To investigate whether a supervised exercise program could reduce or prevent musculoskeletal pain in patients with breast cancer undergoing AI therapy. Methods: Twenty participants with breast cancer have thus far been randomised to either: (a) usual care and advice regarding benefits of regular exercise; or (b) usual care + 12 week supervised and home-based exercise program consisting of upper and lower body resistance exercises with self-selected aerobic exercises. Participants accrued 150 mins / week of moderate intensity aerobic exercise at 60-70% HRmax on 5 or more days of each week including 2 supervised sessions / week. Initial exercise intensity is individualized and generally begins at 55% to 60% of HRmax (15 to 30 minutes per session) and progresses to 60% - 70% of HRmax by week 6. Strength training consisted of 2 supervised sessions per week, of two sets of 10 to 12 repetitions of eight different strength exercises at 60% to 75% of estimated one repetition maximum. On at least 3 other days, using the same dosing principles participants executed 4 lower and 4 upper body resistance exercises at home using resistance bands. The primary outcome measures were pain (brief pain inventory; BPI) scores and grip strength (JAMAR dynamometer (kg)) measured at baseline, 3, 6 and 12 months. Two-way repeated ANOVAs were undertaken to evaluate differences between groups and factors. Results: Mean pain scores across 12 months were largely maintained (p>0.05) for participants undertaking the exercise program compared to control participants whose mean BPI scores progressively increased from baseline through to 12 month follow-up. In the exercise group, mean pain scores increased by one BPI unit between baseline and 12 month follow-up. In the control group, mean pain scores increased by five BPI units between baseline and 12 month follow-up. A clinically significant difference in BPI scores is a change of two or more BPI units (Mease et al, 2011). Grip strength measures were significantly different (P<0.001) between groups at each time point with a trend towards improved grip strength between baseline and 6 months in the exercise group. Grip strength decreased in both groups between 6 and 12 months. Conclusion: By managing physical performance and pain as side effects of AIs, a 12 week supervised exercise program may contribute to preventing non-adherence with or withdrawal from AI therapy.

Citation Format: Sanmugarajah J, Allan S, Bagchi R, Laakso E-L. Can a supervised exercise program compared to usual care prevent aromatase inhibitor-induced musculoskeletal pain in women with breast cancer? [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-12-02.

Profile measurements in the plasma edge of mega amp spherical tokamak using a ball pen probe

The ball pen probe (BPP) technique is used successfully to make profile measurements of plasma potential, electron temperature, and radial electric field on the Mega Amp Spherical Tokamak. The potential profile measured by the BPP is shown to significantly differ from the floating potential both in polarity and profile shape. By combining the BPP potential and the floating potential, the electron temperature can be measured, which is compared with the Thomson scattering (TS) diagnostic. Excellent agreement between the two diagnostics is obtained when secondary electron emission is accounted for in the floating potential. From the BPP profile, an estimate of the radial electric field is extracted which is shown to be of the order ∼1 kV/m and increases with plasma current. Corrections to the BPP measurement, constrained by the TS comparison, introduce uncertainty into the ER measurements. The uncertainty is most significant in the electric field well inside the separatrix. The electric field is used to estimate toroidal and poloidal rotation velocities from E × B motion. This paper further demonstrates the ability of the ball pen probe to make valuable and important measurements in the boundary plasma of a tokamak.

Criminalisation of clients: reproducing vulnerabilities for violence and poor health among street-based sex workers in Canada-a qualitative study

OBJECTIVES

To explore how criminalisation and policing of sex buyers (clients) rather than sex workers shapes sex workers' working conditions and sexual transactions including risk of violence and HIV/sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

DESIGN

Qualitative and ethnographic study triangulated with sex work-related violence prevalence data and publicly available police statistics.

SETTING

Vancouver, Canada, provides a unique opportunity to evaluate the impact of policies that criminalise clients as the local police department adopted a sex work enforcement policy in January 2013 that prioritises sex workers' safety over arrest, while continuing to target clients.

PARTICIPANTS

26 cisgender and 5 transgender women who were street-based sex workers (n=31) participated in semistructured interviews about their working conditions. All had exchanged sex for money in the previous 30 days in Vancouver.

OUTCOME MEASURES

Thematic analysis of interview transcripts and ethnographic field notes focused on how police enforcement of clients shaped sex workers' working conditions and sexual transactions, including risk of violence and HIV/STIs, over an 11-month period postpolicy implementation (January-November 2013).

RESULTS

Sex workers' narratives and ethnographic observations indicated that while police sustained a high level of visibility, they eased charging or arresting sex workers and showed increased concern for their safety. However, participants' accounts and police statistics indicated continued police enforcement of clients. This profoundly impacted the safety strategies sex workers employed. Sex workers continued to mistrust police, had to rush screening clients and were displaced to outlying areas with increased risks of violence, including being forced to engage in unprotected sex.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that criminalisation and policing strategies that target clients reproduce the harms created by the criminalisation of sex work, in particular, vulnerability to violence and HIV/STIs. The current findings support decriminalisation of sex work to ensure work conditions that support the health and safety of sex workers in Canada and globally.

Glyco-engineered anti-EGFR mAb elicits ADCC by NK cells from colorectal cancer patients irrespective of chemotherapy

Background:

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in colorectal cancer (CRC), and is correlated with poor prognosis, making it an attractive target for monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy. A component of the therapeutic efficacy of IgG1 mAbs is their stimulation of antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) by natural killer (NK) cells bearing the CD16 receptor. As NK cells are functionally impaired in cancer patients and may be further compromised upon chemotherapy, it is crucial to assess whether immunotherapeutic strategies aimed at further enhancing ADCC are viable.

Methods:

CRC patients before, during and after chemotherapy were immunophenotyped by flow cytometry for major white blood cell populations. ADCC-independent NK cell functionality was assessed in cytotoxicity assays against K562 cells. ADCC-dependent killing of EGFR⁺ A431 cancer cells by NK cells was measured with a degranulation assay where ADCC was induced by GA201, an anti-EGFR mAb glyco-engineered to enhance ADCC.

Results:

Here, we confirm the observation that NK cells in cancer patients are dysfunctional. However, GA201 was able to induce robust NK cell-dependent cytotoxicity in CRC patient NK cells, effectively overcoming their impairment.

Conclusions:

These findings support the evaluation of the therapeutic potential of GA201 in combination with chemotherapy in CRC patients.

Control of Culex quinquefasciatus in a storm drain system in Florida using attractive toxic sugar baits

Attractive toxic sugar baits (ATSBs) were used to control mosquitoes in the storm drains of a residential area on the outskirts of St Augustine, Florida. The drainage system was newly constructed and no mosquitoes were breeding inside it. The area covered by the storm drains was divided in half; 10 drains served as control drains and 16 drains served as experimental drains. The baits, which consisted of a mixture of brown sugar, fruit juice, green dye marker and boric acid, were presented at the entrances of the treated drains and exit traps were positioned over the drain openings and the connecting tubes leading to retention ponds. Similar baits with orange dye and without toxin were presented at the entrances of control drains. A total of 220 pupae of Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae) were released in each control and toxin-treated drain, and the numbers of recovered mosquitoes were examined to determine the effectiveness of ATSBs in the storm drain system. An average of 178.2 mosquitoes exited each drain in the control area; 87.0% of these had fed on the baits and were stained orange, whereas 13.0% were unstained. In the toxin-treated drains, 83.7% of hatched females and 86.6% of hatched males were controlled by the baits.

A phase II trial of a neoadjuvant platinum-containing regimen for locally advanced breast cancer: Pathologic response, long-term follow-up, and correlation with biomarkers

e11510

Background: To determine the response, tolerability, and long-term outcome of a neoadjuvant platinum-containing regimen for locally advanced breast cancer (LABC). To search for correlation between pathologic complete response (pCR) and predefined biomarkers in this cohort. Patients and Methods: Patients with LABC received eight cycles of either sequence A or B. Sequence A was doxorubicin 60 mg/m2 and paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 (AT) q3w X 4 followed by cisplatin (C) 60 mg/m2 and paclitaxel 90 mg/m2 (CT) q2w X 4. Sequence B was CT x 4 followed by AT x 4. In addition to estrogen receptor and HER2, immunohistochemistry (IHC) for MDR-1, MRP-1, topoisomerase IIα(topoIIα) and p53 was performed. Results: 88 patients were evaluable for response and toxicity. Median follow-up was 97 months. The overall pCR rate was 21.5%. For subgroups ER+/HER2-, HER2 +, and double negative (ER-/ HER2-) disease the pCR was 5.9%,23.3% and 35% respectively, p=0.006. Five year(y) overall survival for the entire cohort was 71.1%. Five y overall survival was 88.1% (CI 77.1%, 99.1%) for the ER positive HER2 negative group compared to 68.5% (CI 51.3%, 85.7%) and 49.5 (CI 27.4%, 71.6%) in the HER2 positive and “double negative” group respectively (p=0.0077). Over-expression of topo IIα was correlated with pCR (p<0.001). There were no toxic deaths. Conclusions: A platinum-containing neoadjuvant regimen was well tolerated and achieved a pCR rate which compares favorably to other recent studies of multi-agent chemotherapy. Further studies tailored for specific breast cancer subtypes are required.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Clinical, ethical and legal considerations in the treatment of newborns with non-ketotic hyperglycinaemia

Non-ketotic hyperglycinaemia (NKH) is a devastating neurometabolic disorder leading, in its classical form, to early death or severe disability and poor quality of life in survivors. Affected neonates may need ventilatory support during a short period of respiratory depression. The transient dependence on ventilation dictates urgency in decision-making regarding withdrawal of therapy. The occurrence of patients with apparent transient forms of the disease, albeit rare, adds uncertainty to the prediction of clinical outcome and dictates that the current practice of withholding or withdrawing therapy in these neonates be reviewed. Both bioethics and law take the view that treatment decisions should be based on the best interests of the patient. The medical-ethics approach is based on the principles of non-maleficence, beneficence, autonomy and justice. The law relating to withholding or withdrawing life-sustaining treatment is complex and varies between jurisdictions. Physicians treating newborns with NKH need to provide families with accurate and complete information regarding the disease and the relative probability of possible outcomes of the neonatal presentation and to explore the extent to which family members are willing to take part in the decision making process. Cultural and religious attitudes, which may potentially clash with bioethical and juridical principles, need to be considered.

Brevican and phosphacan expression and localization following transient middle cerebral artery occlusion in the rat

The ECM (extracellular matrix) is a complex molecular framework that provides physical support to cells and tissues, while also providing signals for cell growth, migration, differentiation and survival. The ECM of the CNS (central nervous system) is unusual in that it is rich in CSPGs (chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans), hyaluronan and tenascins. The CSPGs are widely expressed throughout the developing and adult CNS and have a role in guiding or limiting neurite outgrowth and cell migration. Alterations in the synthesis or breakdown of the ECM may contribute to disease processes. Here, we examine changes in the brain-specific CSPGs, brevican and phosphacan, following transient middle cerebral artery occlusion, a model of stroke in the rat. We have investigated their expression at various time points as well as their spatial relationship with ADAMTS-4 (adisintegrin and metalloprotease with thrombospondin motifs 4). The co-localization of ADAMTS or its activity may indicate a functional role for this matrix–protease pair in degeneration/regeneration processes that occur in stroke.

Phase II study of gemcitabine and oxaliplatin in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer: an Australian and New Zealand Gynaecological Oncology Group study

Gemcitabine and oxaliplatin have shown single-agent activity in relapsed ovarian cancer. This combination was used to determine response rates, time-to-event efficacy measures, and toxicity in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Patients with prior platinum-based chemotherapy who had measurable lesions and/or elevated CA-125 levels were identified as group A (platinum-refractory/platinum-resistant patients) and group B (platinum-sensitive patients). All patients received gemcitabine 1000 mg/m(2) on days 1 and 8 and oxaliplatin 130 mg/m(2) on day 8 every 21 days for up to eight cycles. Seventy-five patients (21 in group A and 54 in group B), with a median age of 58 years (range, 37-78), were enrolled. A median of six cycles (range, 1-8) was administered. By intent-to-treat analysis, 15 patients with measurable disease achieved partial response for an overall best response rate of 20.0% (9.5% in group A and 24.1% in group B). CA-125 response was observed in 48.4% patients (30.0% in group A and 57.1% in group B). Median time to progressive disease was 7.1 months (95% CI, 5.6-9.0 months) with 5.0 months in group A and 8.3 months in group B. Median overall survival was 17.8 months (95% CI, 12.9-21.3 months) with 9.2 months for group A and 20.0 months for group B. Major grade 3/4 toxicities were neutropenia (61.3%), leukopenia (24.0%), nausea (16.0%), and vomiting (22.7%). We conclude that the combination of oxaliplatin and gemcitabine is active in patients with recurrent ovarian cancer, but the regimen is unsatisfactory for further study due to modest response and relatively high toxicity.