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Adavosertib selectively inhibits Wee1, which regulates intra-S and G2/M cell-cycle checkpoints. This study investigated dosing schedules for adavosertib monotherapy, determining the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and recommended Phase II dose (RP2D) in patients with advanced solid tumors.Patients received oral adavosertib qd or bid on a 5/9 schedule (5 days on treatment, 9 days off) in 14-day cycles, or qd on one of two 5/2 schedules (weekly, or for 2 of 3 weeks) in 21-day cycles. Safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetic analyses were performed.Sixty-two patients (female, 64.5%; median age, 61.5 years; most common primary tumors: lung [24.2%], ovary [21.0%]) received treatment (qd schedules, n = 50; bid schedules, n = 12) for 1.8 months (median). Median time to maximum adavosertib concentration was 2.2–4.1 h; mean half-life was 5–12 h. Adverse events (AEs) caused dose reductions, interruptions and discontinuations in 17 (27.4%), 25 (40.3%) and 4 (6.5%) patients, respectively. Most common grade ≥ 3 AEs were anemia, neutropenia (each n = 9, 14.5%) and diarrhea (n = 8, 12.9%). Seven (11.3%) patients experienced 10 treatment-related serious AEs (pneumonia n = 2 [3.2%], dehydration n = 2 [3.2%], anemia n = 1 [1.6%], febrile neutropenia n = 1 [1.6%], and thrombocytopenia n = 1 [1.6%]). Overall objective response rate was 3.4% (2/58); disease control rate was 48.4% (30/62); median progression-free survival was 2.7 months.MTDs were 125 mg (bid 5/9) and 300 mg (qd 5/9 and 5/2 for 2 of 3 weeks); RP2D was 300 mg (qd 5/2 for 2 of 3 weeks). The safety profile was manageable, acceptable, and generally concordant with the known safety profile.

Table S2 shows the categorization of local testing methods based on assay limit of detection compared to the cobas® EGFR Mutation Test v2

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Purpose:To assess the utility of the cobas EGFR Mutation Test, with tissue and plasma, for first-line osimertinib therapy for patients with EGFR-mutated (EGFRm; Ex19del and/or L858R) advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from the FLAURA study (NCT02296125).Experimental Design:Tumor tissue EGFRm status was determined at screening using the central cobas tissue test or a local tissue test. Baseline circulating tumor (ct)DNA EGFRm status was retrospectively determined with the central cobas plasma test.Results:Of 994 patients screened, 556 were randomized (289 and 267 with central and local EGFR test results, respectively) and 438 failed screening. Of those randomized from local EGFR test results, 217 patients had available central test results; 211/217 (97%) were retrospectively confirmed EGFRm positive by central cobas tissue test. Using reference central cobas tissue test results, positive percent agreements with cobas plasma test results for Ex19del and L858R detection were 79% [95% confidence interval (CI), 74–84] and 68% (95% CI, 61–75), respectively. Progression-free survival (PFS) superiority with osimertinib over comparator EGFR-TKI remained consistent irrespective of randomization route (central/local EGFRm-positive tissue test). In both treatment arms, PFS was prolonged in plasma ctDNA EGFRm-negative (23.5 and 15.0 months) versus -positive patients (15.2 and 9.7 months).Conclusions:Our results support utility of cobas tissue and plasma testing to aid selection of patients with EGFRm advanced NSCLC for first-line osimertinib treatment. Lack of EGFRm detection in plasma was associated with prolonged PFS versus patients plasma EGFRm positive, potentially due to patients having lower tumor burden.

BACKGROUND This study assesses different technologies for detecting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations from circulating tumor DNA in patients with EGFR T790M-positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from the AURA3 study (NCT02151981), and it evaluates clinical responses to osimertinib and platinum-pemetrexed according to the plasma T790M status. METHODS Tumor tissue biopsy samples were tested for T790M during screening with the cobas EGFR Mutation Test (cobas tissue). Plasma samples were collected at screening and at the baseline and were retrospectively analyzed for EGFR mutations with the cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2 (cobas plasma), droplet digital polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR; Biodesix), and next-generation sequencing (NGS; Guardant360, Guardant Health). RESULTS With cobas tissue test results as a reference, the plasma T790M positive percent agreement (PPA) was 51% (110 of 215 samples) by cobas plasma, 58% (110 of 189) by ddPCR, and 66% (136 of 207) by NGS. Plasma T790M detection was associated with a larger median baseline tumor size (56 mm for T790M-positive vs 39 mm for T790M-negative; P

Purpose: To assess the utility of the cobas EGFR Mutation Test, with tissue and plasma, for first-line osimertinib therapy for patients with EGFR-mutated (EGFRm; Ex19del and/or L858R) advanced or metastatic non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from the FLAURA study (NCT02296125). Experimental Design: Tumor tissue EGFRm status was determined at screening using the central cobas tissue test or a local tissue test. Baseline circulating tumor (ct)DNA EGFRm status was retrospectively determined with the central cobas plasma test. Results: Of 994 patients screened, 556 were randomized (289 and 267 with central and local EGFR test results, respectively) and 438 failed screening. Of those randomized from local EGFR test results, 217 patients had available central test results; 211/217 (97%) were retrospectively confirmed EGFRm positive by central cobas tissue test. Using reference central cobas tissue test results, positive percent agreements with cobas plasma test results for Ex19del and L858R detection were 79% [95% confidence interval (CI), 74–84] and 68% (95% CI, 61–75), respectively. Progression-free survival (PFS) superiority with osimertinib over comparator EGFR-TKI remained consistent irrespective of randomization route (central/local EGFRm-positive tissue test). In both treatment arms, PFS was prolonged in plasma ctDNA EGFRm-negative (23.5 and 15.0 months) versus -positive patients (15.2 and 9.7 months). Conclusions: Our results support utility of cobas tissue and plasma testing to aid selection of patients with EGFRm advanced NSCLC for first-line osimertinib treatment. Lack of EGFRm detection in plasma was associated with prolonged PFS versus patients plasma EGFRm positive, potentially due to patients having lower tumor burden.

Summary Background The Wee1 (WEE1hu) inhibitor adavosertib and gemcitabine have shown preclinical synergy and promising activity in early phase clinical trials. We aimed to determine the efficacy of this combination in patients with ovarian cancer. Methods In this double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial, women with measurable recurrent platinum-resistant or platinum-refractory high-grade serous ovarian cancer were recruited from 11 academic centres in the USA and Canada. Women were eligible if they were aged 18 years or older, had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0–2, a life expectancy of more than 3 months, and normal organ and marrow function. Women with ovarian cancer of non-high-grade serous histology were eligible for enrolment in a non-randomised exploratory cohort. Eligible participants with high-grade serous ovarian cancer were randomly assigned (2:1), using block randomisation (block size of three and six) and no stratification, to receive intravenous gemcitabine (1000 mg/m2 on days 1, 8, and 15) with either oral adavosertib (175 mg) or identical placebo once daily on days 1, 2, 8, 9, 15, and 16, in 28-day cycles until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients and the team caring for each patient were masked to treatment assignment. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival. The safety and efficacy analysis population comprised all patients who received at least one dose of treatment. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT02151292 , and is closed to accrual. Findings Between Sept 22, 2014, and May 30, 2018, 124 women were enrolled, of whom 99 had high-grade serous ovarian cancer and were randomly assigned to adavosertib plus gemcitabine (65 [66%]) or placebo plus gemcitabine (34 [34%]). 25 women with non-high-grade serous ovarian cancer were enrolled in the exploratory cohort. After randomisation, five patients with high-grade serous ovarian cancer were found to be ineligible (four in the experimental group and one in the control group) and did not receive treatment. Median age for all treated patients (n=119) was 62 years (IQR 54–67). Progression-free survival was longer with adavosertib plus gemcitabine (median 4·6 months [95% CI 3·6–6·4] with adavosertib plus gemcitabine vs 3·0 months [1·8–3·8] with placebo plus gemcitabine; hazard ratio 0·55 [95% CI 0·35–0·90]; log-rank p=0·015). The most frequent grade 3 or worse adverse events were haematological (neutropenia in 38 [62%] of 61 participants in the adavosertib plus gemcitabine group vs ten [30%] of 33 in the placebo plus gemcitabine group; thrombocytopenia in 19 [31%] of 61 in the adavosertib plus gemcitabine group vs two [6%] of 33 in the placebo plus gemcitabine group). There were no treatment-related deaths; two patients (one in each group in the high-grade serous ovarian cancer cohort) died while on study medication (from sepsis in the experimental group and from disease progression in the control group). Interpretation The observed clinical efficacy of a Wee1 inhibitor combined with gemcitabine supports ongoing assessment of DNA damage response drugs in high-grade serous ovarian cancer, a TP53-mutated tumour type with high replication stress. This therapeutic approach might be applicable to other tumour types with high replication stress; larger confirmatory studies are required. Funding US National Cancer Institute Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, US Department of Defense, Princess Margaret Cancer Foundation, and AstraZeneca.

Community engagement is now embedded in the work of housing associations and local authorities in the UK, as a way of enhancing community development and involvement. This research takes as its focus a housing association based in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales; a town that has experienced deindustrialization, peripheralization, and as a result, some of the UK’s highest levels of socio-economic deprivation. The importance of participatory working outside of a regulatory agenda and boundary is explored, to evaluate the role of tenant participation in building more effective community development practices. The data is gathered through an ethnographic methodology, working with tenants on facilitated projects to explore the impact of TP on tenants. It draws on two distinctive tenant initiatives: a cooking group and a tenant ‘youth forum’. The research finds that through these methods of engagement, a number of positive outcomes can be identified across the tenant body, namely (i) the forging and embedding of social values, (ii) empowering tenant groups and sustaining community identity and (iii) enhancing tenant wellbeing.

Introduction Osimertinib is an oral, central nervous system–active, EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) for the treatment of EGFR T790M–positive advanced NSCLC. Here we have evaluated EGFR mutation frequencies in two phase II studies of osimertinib (AURA extension and AURA2). Methods After progression while receiving their latest line of therapy, patients with EGFR mutation–positive advanced NSCLC provided tumor samples for mandatory central T790M testing for the study selection criteria. Tumor tissue mutation analysis for patient selection was performed with the Roche cobas EGFR Mutation Test (European Conformity–in vitro diagnostic, labeled investigational use only) (Roche Molecular Systems, Pleasanton, CA). Patients should not have been prescreened for T790M mutation status. The cobas test results were compared with those of the MiSeq next-generation sequencing system (Illumina, San Diego, CA), which was used as a reference method. Results Samples from 324 and 373 patients screened for AURA extension and AURA2, respectively, produced valid cobas test results. The T790M detection rates were similar between AURA extension and AURA2 (64% and 63%, respectively). The pooled T790M rate was 63%, with no difference by ethnicity (63% for Asian and non-Asian patients alike) or immediately prior treatment with an EGFR TKI (afatinib, 69%; erlotinib, 69%; and gefitinib, 63%). A higher proportion of patients had T790M detected against a background of exon 19 deletions versus L858R mutation (73% versus 58% [ p = 0.0002]). In both trials the cobas test demonstrated high sensitivity (positive percent agreement) and specificity (negative percent agreement) for T790M detection when compared with the next-generation sequencing reference method: positive percent agreement of 91% versus 89% and negative percent agreement of 97% versus 98%. Conclusions In both trials, the rate of detection of T790M mutation in patients with advanced NSCLC was approximately 63% and was unaffected by immediately prior treatment with an EGFR TKI or ethnicity.

Objectives Reliable epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation testing techniques are required to identify eligible patients with EGFR mutation/T790M positive advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), for treatment with osimertinib (AZD9291), an oral, potent, irreversible EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) selective for EGFR-TKI-sensitizing and T790M resistance mutations over wild-type EGFR. There is no current consensus regarding the best method to detect EGFR T790M mutations. The aim of this study was to describe the concordance between local testing, which used a variety of methods, and central testing, using the cobas ® EGFR Mutation Test, for EGFR-sensitizing mutations and the T790M resistance mutation. Materials and methods Tumor samples were obtained from all patients screened for inclusion onto the osimertinib Phase I expansion component of the AURA Phase I/II study (NCT01802632). Samples underwent central laboratory testing for EGFR-sensitizing mutations and T790M resistance mutation using the cobas ® EGFR Mutation Test. Results were compared with local laboratory test results, based on other testing methodologies including Sanger sequencing, therascreen ® , PNAClamp™, and Sequenom MassARRAY ® . Results Central laboratory testing was successful in 99% of samples passing histopathology review and testing success rates were comparable across the three central laboratories. Concordance between central and local testing for common sensitizing mutations was high (>98%) and concordance for the T790M mutation was also high (>90%). Tumor heterogeneity, along with other technical factors may have influenced this result. Conclusions Within the osimertinib AURA Phase I study, EGFR mutation testing across three centralized laboratories using the cobas ® EGFR Mutation Test was feasible and successful, with strong concordance between local and central laboratory results, including for T790M. The cobas ® EGFR Mutation Test has subsequently been approved as the companion diagnostic test for osimertinib in the USA and Japan.

Osimertinib (TAGRISSO) is an irreversible epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor, selective for sensitizing and resistance mutations in the receptor. It was initially developed for second and later line use in patients whose disease had progressed on an earlier generation inhibitor due to the acquisition of the T790M resistance mutation. To identify patients whose tumor had acquired T790M-positive resistance, a companion diagnostic was codeveloped alongside the small molecule. The Roche cobas® EGFR Mutation Test v2 was developed and clinical utility of T790M mutation detection was demonstrated for osimertinib; the test was initially approved for use with formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue and later with circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) from plasma samples. Several challenges were overcome to enable simultaneous FDA approval of the companion diagnostic and the new drug application as well as the approval of a plasma ctDNA-based companion diagnostic the following year; these are discussed.

Objectives: In AURA3 (NCT02151981), osimertinib treatment provided significant clinical benefit compared with platinum-pemetrexed in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) T790M-positive advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), whose tumors had progressed on previous EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy. This retrospective analysis investigated detection rates for T790M, common (exon 19 deletion and L858R), and rare EGFR mutations in tissue samples from the screened population of AURA3. Materials and methods: In AURA3, eligible patients were randomized 2:1 to receive oral osimertinib 80 mg once daily or intravenous platinum-pemetrexed every 3 weeks for up to six cycles. Tumor tissue samples were centrally tested for EGFR mutations using the cobas® EGFR Mutation Test (Version 2). T790M-positive status was a key inclusion criteria. Results: A total of 820 screened patients had a valid EGFR mutation test result, of whom 452 (55%) were T790M-positive. Detection rates were similar by ethnicity (Asian versus non-Asian) for T790M (53% versus 58%) and exon 19 deletions (56% versus 63%). Conversely, the L858R rate was higher among Asian patients versus non-Asian patients (39% versus 28%; p = 0.0017). In the overall population, a higher proportion of patients had T790M detected against a background of exon 19 deletion versus L858R mutations (64% versus 47%; p Conclusion: Among AURA3 screened patients with EGFR mutation-positive advanced NSCLC, approximately half had detectable T790M in their tumor tissue, a rate unaffected by ethnicity. Results are consistent with previous reports of T790M detection rate in this patient population.

Objectives To assess the ability of different technology platforms to detect epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations, including T790M, from circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Materials and methods A comparison of multiple platforms for detecting EGFR mutations in plasma ctDNA was undertaken. Plasma samples were collected from patients entering the ongoing AURA trial (NCT01802632), investigating the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of AZD9291 in patients with EGFR-sensitizing mutation-positive NSCLC. Plasma was collected prior to AZD9291 dosing but following clinical progression on a previous EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI). Extracted ctDNA was analyzed using two non-digital platforms (cobas ® EGFR Mutation Test and therascreen™ EGFR amplification refractory mutation system assay) and two digital platforms (Droplet Digital™ PCR and BEAMing digital PCR [dPCR]). Results Preliminary assessment (38 samples) was conducted using all four platforms. For EGFR-TKI-sensitizing mutations, high sensitivity (78–100%) and specificity (93–100%) were observed using tissue as a non-reference standard. For the T790M mutation, the digital platforms outperformed the non-digital platforms. Subsequent assessment using 72 additional baseline plasma samples was conducted using the cobas ® EGFR Mutation Test and BEAMing dPCR. The two platforms demonstrated high sensitivity (82–87%) and specificity (97%) for EGFR-sensitizing mutations. For the T790M mutation, the sensitivity and specificity were 73% and 67%, respectively, with the cobas ® EGFR Mutation Test, and 81% and 58%, respectively, with BEAMing dPCR. Concordance between the platforms was >90%, showing that multiple platforms are capable of sensitive and specific detection of EGFR-TKI-sensitizing mutations from NSCLC patient plasma. Conclusion The cobas ® EGFR Mutation Test and BEAMing dPCR demonstrate a high sensitivity for T790M mutation detection. Genomic heterogeneity of T790M-mediated resistance may explain the reduced specificity observed with plasma-based detection of T790M mutations versus tissue. These data support the use of both platforms in the AZD9291 clinical development program.

Historically, research, theory and practice have focused on promoting and maintaining Western privilege through Western knowledge and Western ways of knowing that deny the validity of Indigenous knowledge and culture. In Australia, psychology, in particular, has been complicit in the colonising process and, as a dominant discourse, has a documented past that has been ethnocentric and has objectified, dehumanised, and devalued those from culturally different groups. It has acted as an agent for assimilation and oppression. As psychotherapists who may be invited into the lives of Indigenous clients, we need to develop reflective competency in, and respect for, the distinct and diverse nature of Indigenous cultural identity and experience if we are to successfully forge meaningful therapeutic alliances. We need to engage in a journey of decolonisation. Such a journey will take many of us through two mindscapes, two worlds. Decolonisation is not a simple process. Managing its complexity requires personal, professional, and social introspection, and commitment to change. This paper offers a model for decolonisation which can support this process. Central to the success of this model will be the role psychotherapists can play as change agents and cultural brokers in developing approaches which are fully committed to genuine reconciliation. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Background Adavosertib (AZD1775) is a first-in-class, selective, small-molecule inhibitor of Wee1. Previously we reported safety and efficacy of adavosertib monotherapy in patients (pts) with advanced solid tumors (NCT02482311; Bauer et al Cancer Res 2016;76[14 Suppl]); here we report safety and efficacy data from expansion cohorts based on tumor type. Methods A total of 80 pts grouped into 6 biomarker-matched cohorts (Table) received adavosertib (175 mg PO bid; days 1–3 and 8–10 per 21-day cycle). Eligible pts had: confirmed diagnosis of ovarian cancer (OC), small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) or triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC); prior treatment (Tx) for metastatic/recurrent disease (≥3 prior Tx for pts with BRCAwt OC; progression following PARPi Tx for BRCA1/2m OC pts; ≤1 chemotherapy-based Tx for SCLC and ≥1 chemotherapy-based Tx for TNBC); measurable disease. Primary objective assessments: ORR; DCR; PFS (RECIST v1.1); safety. Tumor assessments were performed every 6 weeks in year 1 and every 12 weeks thereafter until disease progression or intolerable toxicity. Blood and tumor samples were collected for correlative biomarker and pharmacokinetic (PK) analyses. Results Median total Tx duration was 2.4 months. Most frequently reported adverse events (AEs) were diarrhea (61%), nausea (50%) and fatigue (43%). Most commonly reported grade ≥3 AEs were diarrhea (7.5%), nausea, fatigue and small intestine obstruction (6%). AEs leading to dose interruptions (22.5%), reductions (11.3%) or discontinuations (16.3%) were reported. The study showed preliminary antitumor activity, particularly in BRCAwt as well as PARPi-failure BRCAm OC pts (Table). PK and biomarker analyses will be presented. Conclusions Adavosertib was generally well tolerated and showed preliminary antitumor activity. DCR was modest across all patient cohorts. Patient cohortParameterOC, BRCAwtOC, BRCAm, PARPi failureTNBC, CCNE1/MYC/MYCL1/ MYCN non-amplifiedTNBC, CCNE1/MYC/MYCL1/ MYCN amplifiedSCLC, CCNE1/MYC/MYCL1/ MYCN non-amplifiedSCLC, CCNE1/MYC/MYCL1/MYCN amplifiedTotalPatients who received treatment, n163013612380Median age, years (range)62.5 (47–83)59.5 (44–73)58.0 (35–81)54.0 (43–78)64.5 (54–74)63.0 (56–69)60.0(35–83)Prior regimens, n (%) 1 2 3 4 5 6 >6 Median0 0 1 (6) 3 (19) 2 (13) 1 (6) 9 (56) 70 0 2 (7) 3 (10) 7 (23) 8 (27) 10 (33) 60 3 (23) 2 (15) 1 (8) 2 (15) 3 (23) 2 (15) 50 0 1 (17) 2 (33) 2 (33) 1 (17) 0 4.53 (25) 5 (42) 3 (25) 0 1 (8) 0 0 20 1 (33) 2 (67) 0 0 0 0 33 (4) 9 (11) 11 (14) 9 (11) 14 (18) 13 (16) 21 (26) 5ECOG PS, n (%) 0 18 (50) 8 (50)10 (33) 20 (67)4 (31) 9 (69)1 (17) 5 (83)2 (17) 10 (83)1 (33) 2 (67)26 (33)54 (68)ORR, n (%) CR* PR* SD ≥5 weeks PD NE1 (6) 0 1 (6) 10 (63) 4 (25) 1 (6)1 (3) 0 1 (3) 22 (73) 5 (17) 2 (7)0 0 0 9 (69) 3 (23) 1 (8)0 0 0 3 (50) 3 (50) 01 (8) 0 1 (8) 3 (25) 7 (58) 1 (8)0 0 0 1 (33) 2 (67) 03 (4) 0 3 (4) 48 (60) 24 (30) 5 (6)DCR, n (%)†11 (69)23 (77)9 (69)3 (50)4 (33)1 (33)51 (64)Median PFS, months4.53.93.12.01.31.23.0*Confirmed CR/PR; †DCR determined by CR + PR + SD. BRCA1/2m, BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutated; BRCAwt, BRCA1 and BRCA2 wild type; CR, complete response; DCR, disease control rate; ECOG PS, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status; NE, not evaluable; ORR, objective response rate; PARPi, PARP inhibitor; PD, progressive disease; PFS, progression-free survival; PR, partial response; SD, stable disease Citation Format: Todd M. Bauer, Kathleen Moore, Janet S. Rader, Fiona Simpkins, Alain Mita, J Thaddeus Beck, Lowell Hart, Quincy Chu, Amit Oza, Anna V. Tinker, Karen So, Esteban Rodrigo Imedio, Sanjeev Kumar, Ganesh M. Mugundu, Suzanne Jenkins, Juliann Chmielecki, Suzanne Jones, David R. Spigel, Siqing Fu. Open-label, multicenter, Phase Ib study to assess safety, tolerability and efficacy of adavosertib monotherapy in patients with advanced solid tumors: Expansion cohorts [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr CT012.

We are a species of story-makers and storytellers. Stories are central to our development of self concept and identity and how we distinguish ourselves from others – a process central to our wellbeing. Counselling through storytelling is both an ancient activity and an emerging conceptual model. As an ancient activity it finds its origins in some very old cultural traditions. Australian Aboriginal people have long been telling stories in which they have created a sense of landscape, community and place. These stories hold a significance that stretches from the dawn of time, from the stories of the Dreamtime. The invitation to the 6th World Congress for Psychotherapy (WCP) on the theme of World Dreaming stated: “The intention of psychotherapy has always been to find forms of communication, expression and understanding that allow non-violent resolution of conflicts and the emergence of the individual human spirit.” Not so! As central as stories may be to the human condition and despite their early acceptance, psychological theory and practice have historically focussed on promoting and maintaining Western privilege through Western knowledge and Western ways of knowing which have denied the validity of Indigenous knowledge and culture. Psychotherapeutic research adopted the methodology of natural science: accurate measurement; statistical analysis; experimentation; the quest for predictive power; and the role of the detached, objective researcher. The growth of science and technology correlated directly with the loss in legitimacy of stories as a means of communicating truths about the world. This process had particularly severe repercussions for traditional peoples and their way of life, so rooted in literal story. In an Australian context, psychology has been complicit in the colonising process. It has acted as an agent for assimilation and oppression. This paper traces some of the effects of the “fall and rise” of narrative methods for understanding and enhancing human behaviour. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Introduction Tumor biopsies for detecting EGFR mutations in advanced NSCLC are invasive, costly, and not always feasible for patients with late-stage disease. The clinical utility of the cobas EGFR Mutation Test v2 (Roche Molecular Systems, Inc., Pleasanton, CA) with plasma samples from patients with NSCLC at disease progression after previous EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy was investigated to determine eligibility for osimertinib treatment. Methods Matched tumor tissue and plasma samples from patients screened for the AURA extension and AURA2 phase II studies were tested for EGFR mutations by using tissue- and plasma-based cobas EGFR mutation tests. Plasma test performance was assessed by using the cobas tissue test and a next-generation sequencing method (MiSeq [Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA]) as references. The objective response rate, measured by blinded independent central review, was assessed in patients receiving osimertinib with a plasma T790M mutation–positive status. Results During screening, 551 patients provided matched tumor tissue and plasma samples. Pooled analysis of the positive and negative percent agreements between the cobas plasma and tissue tests for detection of T790M mutation were 61% and 79%, respectively. Comparing cobas plasma test with next-generation sequencing demonstrated positive and negative percent agreements of 90% or higher. The objective response rate was 64% (95% confidence interval: 57–70) in T790M mutation–positive patients by both cobas tissue and plasma tests (evaluable for response). Conclusions The cobas plasma test detected the T790M mutation in 61% of tumor tissue T790M mutation–positive patients. To mitigate the risk of false-negative plasma results, patients with a negative plasma result should undergo a tissue test where feasible.

We have searched the human genome for genes that predispose to type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus using semi-automated fluorescence-based technology and linkage analysis. In addition to IDDM1 (in the major histocompatibility complex on chromosome 6p21) and IDDM2 (in the insulin gene region on chromosome 11p15), eighteen different chromosome regions showed some positive evidence of linkage to disease. Linkages to chromosomes 11q (IDDM4) and 6q (IDDM5) were confirmed by replication, and chromosome 18 may encode a fifth disease locus. There are probably no genes with large effects aside from IDDM1. Therefore polygenic inheritance is indicated, with a major locus at the major histocompatibility complex.

This paper explores the significance fear plays, or does not play, in the practice of envisioning. Envisioning is seen as a powerful tool in the delivery of education for sustainable development, for it seeks to engage people in imagining and creating a better future. However, drawing on work undertaken with undergraduate students at the University of Glamorgan, South Wales, we argue that envisioning relies upon ‘absent fear’: it works to suppress, or make absent, fear as a valid response to present and future development. The presence of ‘absent fear’, we suggest, poses a barrier to fully engaging with the challenges and opportunities of a sustainable future, for it is difficult to conceive of a positive vision without first acknowledging and confronting our fears. It is in articulating fear, we observe, that people are more able to respond to the challenges of the future in hopeful and creative ways. Utilising work undertaken with our students this paper revisits envisioning and suggests the need to understand envisioning as a broader process of reflection and action.

Introduction: Increase in targeted therapies has resulted in the need for a single assay capable of detecting diverse biomarkers indicated for these agents. Comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) provides such a solution, but due to the complexity and number of assays available today, standardization of validation has become critically important. We present FoundationOne CDx, the first NGS-based comprehensive companion diagnostics (CDx) platform developed and performed in compliance with FDA 21 CFR part 820. The assay interrogates 324 genes, and has CDx indications in five tumor types associated with 17 targeted therapies (Table 1). The versatile assay design will facilitate streamlined development of future CDx indications. Methods: DNA extracted from FFPE tumor tissue underwent whole-genome shotgun library construction and hybridization-based capture, followed by sequencing using Illumina HiSeq 4000. Sequence data were processed using a proprietary analysis pipeline designed to detect base substitutions, indels, copy number alterations, rearrangements, microsatellite instability (MSI), and tumor mutational burden (TMB). Results: Clinical validity was established such that the concordance between CGP and approved CDx were statistically non-inferior to that of two runs of approved CDx. For analytical validity, limit of detection (LoD) was at allele frequency 4% for known substitutions and indels. LoD was 16% tumor content for copy number amplifications, 30% for homozygous deletions, 11% for rearrangements, 12% for MSI, and 20% for TMB. Concordance with an orthogonal NGS platform was 94.6% for substitutions and indels. Within-assay reproducibility had PPA 99.4%. Conclusion: Rapid expansion of targeted therapies and CDx has necessitated a new approach and urgency to defining performance standards. We developed a comprehensive CDx assay and demonstrated clinical and analytical validity to support and accelerate using CGP for routine clinical care. Table 1. Companion Diagnostic IndicationsIndicationBiomarkerTherapyNon-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)EGFR exon 19 deletions and EGFR exon 21 L858R alterationsafatinib, gefitinib, or erlotinibEGFR exon 20 T790M alterationsosimertinibALK rearrangementsalectinib, crizotinib, or ceritinibBRAF V600Edabrafenib in combination with trametinibMelanomaBRAF V600Edabrafenib, vemurafenibBRAF V600E and V600Ktrametinib, cobimetinib, in combination with vemurafenibBreast cancerERBB2 (HER2) amplificationtrastuzumab, ado-trastuzumab-emtansine, or pertuzumabColorectal cancerKRAS wild-type (absence of mutations in codons 12 and 13)cetuximabKRAS and NRAS wild-type (absence of mutations in exons 2, 3, and 4)panitumumabOvarian cancerBRCA1/2 alterationsrucaparib Citation Format: James X. Sun, Yali Li, Coren Milbury, Joel Skoletsky, Christine Burns, Wai-ki Yip, Jun Luo, Ninad Dewal, Adrienne Johnson, Kyle Gowen, Jing Tong, Yuting He, Jie He, Pei Ma, Jared White, Steve Roels, John Truesdell, Eric Peters, Houston Gilbert, Charlie Wu, Erica Schleifman, Johannes Noe, Carl Barrett, Kenneth Thress, Suzanne Jenkins, Julia Elvin, Geoff Otto, Doron Lipson, Jeffrey Ross, Vincent Miller, Philip Stephens, Michael Doherty, Christine Vietz. A clinically validated comprehensive companion diagnostic platform for care of patients with advanced cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4757.

The gene encoding the melatonin-related receptor (GPR50) is highly expressed within hypothalamic nuclei concerned with the control of body weight and metabolism. We screened GPR50 for mutations in an obese cohort and identified an insertion of four amino acid residues (TTGH) at position 501, two common coding polymorphisms (T528A and V602I), and one noncoding polymorphism (C-16X2GPR50T). Single-nucleotide polymorphisms were then typed in 500 English Caucasian subjects, and associations were sought to intermediate obesity phenotypes. Although no association was seen with body mass index, carriers of two copies of the mutant allele at C-16X2GPR50T, Ins501Del, and A1582G had significantly higher fasting circulating triglyceride levels (P < 0.05). In a separate set of 585 subjects, the associations were replicated, with statistically significant effects of similar magnitude and direction. The association of C-16X2GPR50T with fasting triglycerides was highly significant (P < 0.001). In addition, a significant association between C-16X2GPR50T and circulating HDL levels was observed in the combined population, with C-16X2GPR50T carriers having significantly lower circulating HDL-cholesterol levels (1.39 mM) than wild-type subjects (1.47 mM) (P < 0.01). These findings suggest a previously unexpected role for this orphan receptor in the regulation of lipid metabolism that warrants further investigation.

Intrathymic (IT) delivery of donor alloantigen is a potent strategy to induce operational tolerance. In this study we determined whether this effect was dependent on direct allorecognition of the tolerogen. Ten microgrammes of plasmid, encoding either the wildtype major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecule K(b) or a truncated form in which the signal sequence for translocation into the endoplasmic reticulum was deleted, preventing cell surface expression and direct allorecognition of the tolerogen, was administered intrathymically to CBA.Ca (H2(k)) recipients. In addition, recipients were treated with anti-CD4 antibody (YTA3.1) at the time of IT injection and underwent transplantation 28 days later with a fully mismatched C57BL/10 (H2(b)) cardiac allograft. Wildtype, as well as truncated K(b) genes, were able to induce long-term survival of the cardiac allografts, in contrast to empty control plasmid. Reverse-transcriptase PCR showed expression of the K(b) genes for up to 28 days in thymus and spleen of pretreated recipients. These data show that direct allorecognition of the tolerogen was not required for the induction of long-term allograft survival following the introduction of plasmid-encoded MHC alloantigen into the thymus.

This paper describes the development by Parkerville Children's Home, WA, of a therapeutic residential programme, based on current research and clinical experience, relating to the impact of traumatic experience. It describes the theoretical framework, its incorporation into an intervention plan and the process of implementation. A case study is used to illustrate the process of assessment and implementation.

Whole genome approaches using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers have the potential to transform complex disease genetics and expedite pharmacogenetics research. This has led to a requirement for high-throughput SNP genotyping platforms. Development of a successful high-throughput genotyping platform depends on coupling reliable assay chemistry with an appropriate detection system to maximise efficiency with respect to accuracy, speed and cost. Current technology platforms are able to deliver throughputs in excess of 100 000 genotypes per day, with an accuracy of >99%, at a cost of 20–30 cents per genotype. In order to meet the demands of the coming years, however, genotyping platforms need to deliver throughputs in the order of one million genotypes per day at a cost of only a few cents per genotype. In addition, DNA template requirements must be minimised such that hundreds of thousands of SNPs can be interrogated using a relatively small amount of genomic DNA. As such, it is predicted that the next generation of high-throughput genotyping platforms will exploit large-scale multiplex reactions and solid phase assay detection systems.

The early and reliable diagnosis of allograft rejection is a difficult task and the assessment of cytokine expression in the grafts can be a helpful parameter. We have compared competitive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with intracellular cytokine staining by flow cytometry as tools to measure cytokine expression in rejecting and nonrejecting murine cardiac allografts. Both techniques gave comparable results for cytokine expression in rejecting allografts and syngeneic controls. Grafts from mice pretreated with anti-CD4 antibody and donor-specific blood transfusion showed a marked reduction in cytokine expression, as assessed by competitive RT-PCR, even though a cellular infiltrate was present in the graft. In contrast, the cytokine production measured by intracellular cytokine staining of the isolated graft-infiltrating cells was high and exceeded even that of the rejecting allografts. We conclude that intracellular cytokine staining of graft-infiltrating leukocytes by flow cytometry does not necessarily reflect accurately the cytokine milieu in the graft. This technique might therefore have a limited clinical application in contrast to competitive RT-PCR for the differentiation between graft acceptance and graft rejection.

The three major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-linked hsp70s have been screened for variation in their 28 kDa C-terminal regions by direct nucleotide sequencing of the corresponding DNA fragments. No amino acid variation was detected in the major heat-inducible hsp70 (encoded by hsp70-1 and hsp70-2), although previously unreported silent mutations were identified in all three of the MHC-linked hsp70 genes. A novel coding polymorphism, a G to A transition, was identified at nucleotide 2763 of hsp70-hom (hom-2763). This dimorphism results in a glutamic acid to lysine alteration at position 602 in the C-terminal domain of hsp70-hom. The frequencies of the A-2763 and G-2763 alleles were calculated to be 27% and 73%, respectively. The hom-2763 dimorphism was characterised in 81 HLA-homozygous cell lines using an ARMS-PCR assay and A-2763 was found to be in strong linkage disequilibrium with DRB1*04 (Pc=1.31 x 10(-7), following Bonferoni's correction). Analysis of 60 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) families, each with an affected sib-pair, revealed an association between hsp70-hom A-2763 and RA using both the transmission disequilibrium test (TDT) and the transmission to sib-pair (Tsp) test (P=0.0038 and P=0.013, respectively). This association may be due to linkage disequilibrium with HLA-DR alleles, but could represent an additional risk factor for RA in the MHC class III region.

As interest and concern regarding children and young people who sexually victimise other children continue to grow, common questions asked in this context relate to whether or not such behaviour constitutes a developmental phase. Are children exhibiting sexually aggressive behaviour or merely experimenting? Will they grow out of it? Should we intervene? Have they been abused and, if so, is there a link? This article reviews what is known about juvenile offenders, their offence characteristics and offence dynamics. A number of theoretical models are presented which can be used to explore the significance of sexually aggressive behaviour and. the processes informing such behaviour. Finkelhor's (1984) ‘Four Pre‐conditions’ Finkelhor and Browne's (1986) ‘Four Traumagenic Dynamics’ Carnes (1983) ‘Signs of Addiction’ Ryan and Lane's (1991) ‘Sexual Abuse Cycle’, and Rasmussen, Burton and Christopherson's (1992) ‘Trauma Outcome Process’. Utilising ‘guidelines for assessment’ developed by Groth and Lorendo (1981),...

Elementary-age children of fathers who abstained from drinking alcohol (119), drank alcohol moderately (99), or were alcoholics (60) were interviewed regarding the television programs they watched. Three measures of viewing—number of different programs, number of programs weighted for frequency, and amount of alcohol content—all indicated that children of alcoholics watched significantly more television programs than other children and saw more alcohol being consumed. The results were discussed as being consistent with a pattern of lack of parental supervision and of family conflict. Television's role in contributing to cognitive and behavioral problems more characteristic of children of alcoholics was mentioned.

The perception of sexual abuse as an event or a series or events is reinforced through traditional strategies for investigation, the current legal system and single agency responses. If, however, we are to understand the dynamics of sexual abuse, offenders and victims, we need to explore and understand the nature of sexual assault as a process. This process of abuse often starts long before the actual ‘hands‐on’ assault and may continue long after the ‘hands‐on’ assault is over.

In Virginia, Borrelia burgdorferi was more prevalent in a site along the Atlantic Ocean, near Maryland, than in an inland site near Williamsburg and Yorktown. At the coastal site on Assateague Island, B. burgdorferi was isolated from 4.2% of 475 animals sampled, including four species of small mammals. Serologic tests indicated that 25-37% of the small rodents assayed had been exposed to B. burgdorferi. Immunofluorescence antibody assays specific for B. burgdorferi showed spirochete infection in Ixodes scapularis and Dermacentor variabilis but not in other species of ticks also examined from this site. At another coastal site (Parramore Island), no evidence of Peromyscus leucopus was found, no immature specimens of I. scapularis were collected, and no isolations were made from numerous raccoons or small mammals sampled. Borrelia burgdorferi infection was found in one I. cookei nymph, but not in numerous specimens of I. scapularis or other tick species from this locality. At the inland site between Williamsburg and Yorktown, B. burgdorferi was isolated from two small mammal species and antibodies to B. burgdorferi were found in only 7-10% of the small mammals sampled. Ixodes scapularis were less abundant at this locality than at the Assateague Island site. Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes were found in I. scapularis and a single nymph of Amblyomma americanum, but not in any of numerous specimens of four other species. Infection with B. burgdorferi was found in 20% of unfed adult I. scapularis from vegetation, but in only 0.2% of numerous adults from hunter-killed deer. Infection in immature ticks was much lower than at Assateague Island. Borrelia burgdorferi may be more prevalent along the Atlantic coast than in inland areas. Isolations, seroprevalence, immature I. scapularis densities, and spirochete infection rates in ticks were higher at the Assateague Island site than the Williamsburg/Yorktown site. Consequently, the risk of human exposure to Lyme disease may be higher in some parts of the coastal area than elsewhere in Virginia. Overall, B. burgdorferi is less intense in Virginia than in the northeastern United States.

The Third International Meeting on the Genetic Epidemiology of Complex Traits was held at Churchill College, Cambridge, UK on April 4-6, 2002. The event was organized by the Twin Research and Genetic Epidemiology Unit, St Thomas' Hospital, London and sponsored by Roche Genetics and Insightful. It provided an interactive forum for discussion of topical issues relating to the genetic analysis of complex diseases and traits. Topics discussed included linkage disequilibrium mapping and candidate gene analysis, as well as cutting edge advances in both technologies and statistical analysis methods. Details of the meeting can be found at http://www.twin-research.ac.uk/.

Whole genome approaches using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers have the potential to transform complex disease genetics and expedite pharmacogenetics research. This has led to a requirement for high-throughput SNP genotyping platforms. Development of a successful high-throughput genotyping platform depends on coupling reliable assay chemistry with an appropriate detection system to maximise efficiency with respect to accuracy, speed and cost. Current technology platforms are able to deliver throughputs in excess of 100 000 genotypes per day, with an accuracy of >99%, at a cost of 20–30 cents per genotype. In order to meet the demands of the coming years, however, genotyping platforms need to deliver throughputs in the order of one million genotypes per day at a cost of only a few cents per genotype. In addition, DNA template requirements must be minimised such that hundreds of thousands of SNPs can be interrogated using a relatively small amount of genomic DNA. As such, it is predicted that the next generation of high-throughput genotyping platforms will exploit large-scale multiplex reactions and solid phase assay detection systems.

This study has assessed the ability of five hand-washing agents, Hibisol, Hibiscrub, Betadine, 70% isopropyl alcohol and bar soap, to decontaminate the surfaces of Biogel D, Surgikos Microtouch and Ansell Gammex latex medical gloves after repeated inoculation with Staphylococcus aureus. The glove and hand-washing agents were compared in a Latin Square experiment, and a standardized handwashing regime followed. Each of the gloves used in the study was later tested electrically for micropuncture formation. On the basis of microbial recovery, no specific combination of glove and hand washing agent proved superior, the marker organism being isolated on a sporadic basis. In addition, 17% of the gloves showed evidence of micropunctures after five sequential inoculations and washings. These results suggest that, even under strictly controlled conditions, glove surfaces cannot be reliably and consistently cleaned of microbial contamination, nor can they be guaranteed to remain puncture-free. Ideally, therefore, a new pair of gloves should be worn for each patient.

One of the major goals of pharmacogenetics is to elucidate mechanisms and identify patients at increased risk of adverse events (AEs). To date, however, there have been only a few successful examples of this type of approach. In this paper, we describe a retrospective case-control pharmacogenetic study of an AE of unknown mechanism, characterized by elevated levels of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) during long-term treatment with the oral direct thrombin inhibitor ximelagatran. The study was based on 74 cases and 130 treated controls and included both a genome-wide tag single nucleotide polymorphism and large-scale candidate gene analysis. A strong genetic association between elevated ALAT and the MHC alleles DRB1(*)07 and DQA1(*)02 was discovered and replicated, suggesting a possible immune pathogenesis. Consistent with this hypothesis, immunological studies suggest that ximelagatran may have the ability to act as a contact sensitizer, and hence be able to stimulate an adaptive immune response.

Objective AZD9291 is an oral, selective, irreversible EGFR-TKI, effective against EGFR-TKI-sensitizing (EGFRm) and resistance T790M mutations. Pre-study tumor samples from pts enrolled into expansion cohorts of a PhI study (AURA, NCT01802632) were tested centrally for T790M status. Pts with T790M positive tumor samples had higher objective response rate (ORR) than pts with no detectable T790M (T790M ‘negative’): 78/127 (61%) and 13/61 (21%), respectively (Jänne et al 2015). Exploratory analyses to characterize AZD9291 activity in pts whose tumors were T790M negative by central test were performed. Methods Pts with EGFRm aNSCLC and acquired resistance to EGFR-TKIs were enrolled into expansion cohorts of the AURA study. The T790M status of pre-study tumor samples was determined locally (any method allowed) and/or centrally using the cobasTM EGFR mutation test (Roche Molecular Systems, Inc.). Presence of T790M in plasma derived ctDNA was determined by digital PCR (BEAMing). Pts with a centrally determined tumor based T790M negative status were then classified into one of nine groups according to local tumor status (T790M positive, negative, or unknown) and ctDNA status (T790M positive, negative, or unknown). Clinical outcome is reported for each group. Results 69 pts with T790M negative tumor status were determined centrally, and received AZD9291; 35 and 21 were also negative by local test and ctDNA, respectively and 7 were negative by all 3 tests; despite a negative central test, T790M positive tumor status was identified in 11 pts by prior local test and 26 by ctDNA. Confirmed responses by RECIST 1.1, n/N (%) in centrally tested tissue samples with no detectable T790M (Data cut-off 01 May 2015)T790M status of plasma derived ctDNA (Method: BEAMing)PositiveNegativeUnknownTotalT790M status of tumor tissue determined by a local test (Method: Any)Positive2/6 (33)0/1 (0)4/4 (100)6/11 (55)Negative2/14 (14)0/7 (0)2/14 (14)4/35 (11)Unknown2/6 (33)3/13 (23)2/4 (50)7/23 (26)Total6/26 (23)3/21 (14)8/22 (36)17/69 (25) 17 pts with a central T790M negative status responded to AZD9291 treatment. ORR was 55% (6/11) in pts with a central T790M negative/local positive test result. No objective responses (0/7) were observed in pts with T790M negative tumor status by all three tests. Additional analysis of the sub-groups, by immediate prior TKI, EGFRm status, and duration of response will be available for presentation. Discussion In 69 pts with centrally identified T790M negative tumor status, 17 achieved a confirmed response. Of these, 12 were T790M positive by local test, ctDNA, or both. Different sensitivity and specificity of assays, tumor heterogeneity, and ctDNA shedding may explain positive results in this small group of pts classified as central T790M negative. The data support the hypothesis that T790M directed inhibitors are active against T790M driven resistance. Citation Format: Pasi A. Jänne, Enriqueta Felip, Dong-Wan Kim, Thomas John, Daniel E. Haggstrom, Myung-Ju Ahn, Kenneth S. Thress, Suzanne C. Jenkins, Helen Mann, Mireille V. Cantarini, Simon P. Dearden, James Chih-Hsin Yang. Characterization of the activity of AZD9291 in patients (pts) with T790M ‘negative’ advanced non-small cell lung cancer (aNSCLC). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2015 Nov 5-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(12 Suppl 2):Abstract nr B105.