Disclosure of cardiac variants of uncertain significance results in an exome cohort

This study examined the impact of disclosing subclassifications of genetic variants of uncertain significance (VUS) on behavioral intentions. We studied return of VUS results to 79 individuals with a cardiomyopathy-associated VUS, subclassified into VUS-high or VUS-low. Primary outcomes were perceived risk (absolute and comparative), perceived severity, perceived value of information, self-efficacy, decision regret, and behavioral intentions to share results and change behaviors. There was no significant difference between the 2 subclasses in overall behavioral intentions (t = 0.023, P = .982) and each of the individual items on the behavioral intentions scale; absolute (t = -1.138, P = .259) or comparative (t = -0.463, P = .645) risk perceptions; perceived value of information (t = 0.582, P = .563) and self-efficacy (t = -0.733, P = .466). Decision regret was significantly different (t = 2.148, P = .035), with VUS-low (mean = 17.24, SD = 16.08) reporting greater regret. Combining the subclasses, perceived value of information was the strongest predictor of behavioral intentions (β = 0.524, P < .001). Participants generally understood the meaning of a genetic VUS result classification and reported satisfaction with result disclosure. No differences in behavioral intentions were found, but differences in decision regret suggest participants distinguish subclasses of VUS results. The perceived value of VUS may motivate recipients to pursue health-related behaviors.

Defining personal utility in genomics: A Delphi study

BACKGROUND

Individual genome sequencing results are valued by patients in ways distinct from clinical utility. Such outcomes have been described as components of "personal utility," a concept that broadly encompasses patient-endorsed benefits, that is operationally defined as non-clinical outcomes. No empirical delineation of these outcomes has been reported.

AIM

To address this gap, we administered a Delphi survey to adult participants in a National Institute of Health (NIH) clinical exome study to extract the most highly endorsed outcomes constituting personal utility.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty research participants responded to a Delphi survey to rate 35 items identified by a systematic literature review of personal utility.

RESULTS

Two rounds of ranking resulted in 24 items that represented 14 distinct elements of personal utility. Elements most highly endorsed by participants were: increased self-knowledge, knowledge of "the condition," altruism, and anticipated coping.

DISCUSSION

Our findings represent the first systematic effort to delineate elements of personal utility that may be used to anticipate participant expectation and inform genetic counseling prior to sequencing. The 24 items reported need to be studied further in additional clinical genome sequencing studies to assess generalizability in other populations. Further research will help to understand motivations and to predict the meaning and use of results.

PUGS: A novel scale to assess perceptions of uncertainties in genome sequencing

Expectations of results from genome sequencing by end users are influenced by perceptions of uncertainty. This study aimed to assess uncertainties about sequencing by developing, evaluating, and implementing a novel scale. The Perceptions of Uncertainties in Genome Sequencing (PUGS) scale comprised ten items to assess uncertainties within three domains: clinical, affective, and evaluative. Participants (n=535) from the ClinSeq® NIH sequencing study completed a baseline survey that included the PUGS; responses (mean = 3.4/5, SD=0.58) suggested modest perceptions of certainty. A confirmatory factor analysis identified factor loadings that led to elimination of two items. A revised eight-item PUGS scale was used to test correlations with perceived ambiguity (r = -0.303, p < 0.001), attitudinal ambivalence (r = -0.111, p = 0.011), and ambiguity aversion (r = -0.093, p = 0.033). Results support nomological validity. A correlation with the MICRA uncertainty subscale was found among 175 cohort participants who had received results (r = -0.335, p < 0.001). Convergent and discriminant validity were also satisfied in a second sample of 208 parents from the HudsonAlpha CSER Project who completed the PUGS (mean = 3.4/5, SD = 0.72), and configural invariance was supported across the two datasets. As such, the PUGS is a promising scale for evaluating perceived uncertainties in genome sequencing, which can inform interventions to help patients form realistic expectations of these uncertainties.

Molecular beam deposition of optical coatings and their characterization

Significant improvements can be made in the fabrication of optical thin film structures by using molecular beam and ultrahigh vacuum techniques. These lead to the achievement of more stable films and multilayer coatings with improved morphology, density, and resistance to laser-induced damage. The microstructure of the film can be controlled to a high degree by using quasisuperlattice techniques, which also provide a means of refractive index synthesis. This can be applied to simple graded structures or complex periodic gradings as required for Bragglike structures. Etalon filters fabricated using the technique have been used for optical bistability experiments and have exhibited stable operation for periods of many hours under continuous cycling.

Molecular beam deposited bistable interference filters

Ultrahigh vacuum and molecular beam deposition techniques have been used to fabricate ZnSe interference filters. These demonstrate optical bistability with critical switching power being measured at five wavelengths between 521 and 676 nm. These filters demonstrate considerably improved long term operation stability over that offered by samples deposited using conventional thermal evaporation. Both dispersive and absorptive bistability could be demonstrated in the same sample.

Cerebral vasoconstriction in toxemia

Three patients with toxemia developed acute neurologic deterioration postpartum. In all, cerebral angiography revealed widespread arterial vasoconstriction. Cerebral vasoconstriction may be an important cause of neurologic complications in toxemia.