ExpressionData - A public resource of high quality curated datasets representing gene expression across anatomy, development and experimental conditions.

Reference datasets are often used to compare, interpret or validate experimental data and analytical methods. In the field of gene expression, several reference datasets have been published. Typically, they consist of individual baseline or spike-in experiments carried out in a single laboratory and representing a particular set of conditions. Here, we describe a new type of standardized datasets representative for the spatial and temporal dimensions of gene expression. They result from integrating expression data from a large number of globally normalized and quality controlled public experiments. Expression data is aggregated by anatomical part or stage of development to yield a representative transcriptome for each category. For example, we created a genome-wide expression dataset representing the FDA tissue panel across 35 tissue types. The proposed datasets were created for human and several model organisms and are publicly available at http://www.expressiondata.org.

O jardim de Julia: a vivência de uma mãe durante o luto / Julia's garden: the experience of a mother during mourning

Nos tempos atuais, a morte de um filho recém-nascido é um fato pouco comum, e geralmente visto como algo contrário à natureza. Justamente pelo sentido que possui, pode agravar a elaboração do luto e influenciar o futuro da respectiva mãe e família. Dessa forma, o presente estudo visa a compreender a vivência de uma mãe durante a elaboração do luto após a perda de um filho no período neonatal. Para isso, foram realizados atendimentos psicoterápicos individuais breves de orientação psicanalítica, e a análise dos conteúdos dos atendimentos resultou neste estudo de caso. Conclui-se que a expressão do luto através de rituais e psicoterapia agiu como facilitadora para a elaboração de um luto saudável.(AU)

Nowadays, the death of a newborn child is an unusual fact which is usually considered as something against nature's order. Due to the meaning that it has, it may worsen the development of the mourning process and influence the future of the mother and her family. Taking these considerations into account, this study aimed to understand what a mother experiences during the mourning process for the loss of her newborn child. To this end, short individual psychotherapy sessions of psychoanalytic orientation were realized. The content analysis of these sessions resulted in this case study. The results indicate that the expression of mourning through rituals and psychotherapy acted as a facilitator to the development of a healthy mourning.(AU)

O jardim de Julia: a vivência de uma mãe durante o luto / Julia's garden: the experience of a mother during mourning

Nos tempos atuais, a morte de um filho recém-nascido é um fato pouco comum, e geralmente visto como algo contrário à natureza. Justamente pelo sentido que possui, pode agravar a elaboração do luto e influenciar o futuro da respectiva mãe e família. Dessa forma, o presente estudo visa a compreender a vivência de uma mãe durante a elaboração do luto após a perda de um filho no período neonatal. Para isso, foram realizados atendimentos psicoterápicos individuais breves de orientação psicanalítica, e a análise dos conteúdos dos atendimentos resultou neste estudo de caso. Conclui-se que a expressão do luto através de rituais e psicoterapia agiu como facilitadora para a elaboração de um luto saudável.

Nowadays, the death of a newborn child is an unusual fact which is usually considered as something against nature's order. Due to the meaning that it has, it may worsen the development of the mourning process and influence the future of the mother and her family. Taking these considerations into account, this study aimed to understand what a mother experiences during the mourning process for the loss of her newborn child. To this end, short individual psychotherapy sessions of psychoanalytic orientation were realized. The content analysis of these sessions resulted in this case study. The results indicate that the expression of mourning through rituals and psychotherapy acted as a facilitator to the development of a healthy mourning.

Unanticipated toxicities from anticancer therapies: survivors' perspectives.

CONTEXT: Improved therapies in oncology have resulted in increased survival across numerous malignancies, shifting attention to other aspects of the cancer experience. In particular, the impact of treatment-related toxicities has gained considerable attention, due to their physical and psychosocial effects, and possible impact on clinical outcome. These untoward events have not been examined from the survivors' perspective. OBJECTIVE: To identify and describe treatment-related toxicities having a negative effect on quality of life from the perspective of cancer survivors. DESIGN: Quantitative study using written questionnaires and content analysis. SETTING: Cancer survivors' workshop across the United States. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 379 participants from six survivor groups: breast (n = 250), ovarian (n =27), lung (n = 23), colorectal (n = 15), genitourinary (n = 23), and other cancers (n = 45). OUTCOME MEASURES: Survivors' perceptions on treatment-related dermatologic, gastrointestinal, and constitutional toxicities. RESULTS: Survivors reported an increased concern regarding dermatologic toxicities, including irritated and dry skin, after receiving their cancer treatment. These events had a negative effect on their lives. Although gastrointestinal and constitutional toxicities also had a negative effect, the concern over their development was unchanged prior to and after treatments. CONCLUSION: The impact of dermatologic toxicities is unanticipated prior to cancer treatments. Since these events have a negative effect on survivors' lives, pretreatment counseling and effective interventions are vital in order to maximize quality of life and minimize unnecessary treatment interruptions or discontinuations.

Clinical approaches to minimize rash associated with EGFR inhibitors.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES: To present a systematic approach for managing the skin rash associated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies. DATA SOURCES: Clinical research literature, published abstracts, and clinical experience. The approach presented in this article is based on a combination of clinical experience and consultations with dermatologists, oncologists, and pharmacists familiar with EGFR inhibitor-associated rash. DATA SYNTHESIS: A proactive approach that includes patient education and the use of a grade-based treatment algorithm. The goal of the approach is to minimize the effects of the rash on patients' quality of life and the course of cancer treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Using the approach described in this article to treat the rash associated with the use of EGFR inhibitors, nurses can lessen patient discomfort and help ensure that patients will continue cancer treatment for as long as necessary. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: The approach described in this article should help nurses to recognize, grade, and treat the skin rash associated with EGFR inhibitors.

Field production and functional evaluation of chloroplast-derived interferon-alpha2b.

Type I interferons (IFNs) inhibit viral replication and cell growth and enhance the immune response, and therefore have many clinical applications. IFN-alpha2b ranks third in world market use for a biopharmaceutical, behind only insulin and erythropoietin. The average annual cost of IFN-alpha2b for the treatment of hepatitis C infection is $26,000, and is therefore unavailable to the majority of patients in developing countries. Therefore, we expressed IFN-alpha2b in tobacco chloroplasts, and transgenic lines were grown in the field after obtaining United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) approval. Stable, site-specific integration of transgenes into chloroplast genomes and homoplasmy through several generations were confirmed. IFN-alpha2b levels reached up to 20% of total soluble protein, or 3 mg per gram of leaf (fresh weight). Transgenic IFN-alpha2b had similar in vitro biological activity to commercially produced PEG-Introntrade mark when tested for its ability to protect cells against cytopathic viral replication in the vesicular stomatitis virus cytopathic effect (VSV CPE) assay and to inhibit early-stage human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The antitumour and immunomodulating properties of IFN-alpha2b were also seen in vivo. Chloroplast-derived IFN-alpha2b increased the expression of major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) on splenocytes and the total number of natural killer (NK) cells. Finally, IFN-alpha2b purified from chloroplast transgenic lines (cpIFN-alpha2b) protected mice from a highly metastatic tumour line. This demonstration of high levels of expression of IFN-alpha2b, transgene containment and biological activity akin to that of commercial preparations of IFN-alpha2b facilitated the first field production of a plant-derived human blood protein, a critical step towards human clinical trials and commercialization.

Managing dermatologic toxicities of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors.

There is considerable evidence that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays an important role in non-small-cell lung cancer tumor growth and proliferation. Clinical experience with EGFR inhibitors, such as erlotinib, gefitinib, and cetuximab, has suggested that there are subgroups of patients with non-small-cell lung cancer that demonstrate dramatic responses to these agents. Researchers have sought to determine whether molecular or clinical characteristics correlate with therapeutic outcomes. Rash, the most commonly reported adverse effect of anti-EGFR therapy, has also been examined as a potential marker of response. Several trials evaluating anti-EGFR therapies have reported a positive correlation between rash and response and even rash and survival. If rash is truly a predictor of outcome, it becomes imperative that clinicians identify effective methods for managing this toxicity to avoid unwanted dose reduction, therapy interruption, delay, or discontinuation in patients experiencing a therapeutic benefit. Unfortunately, because of a lack of well-defined rash etiology, variability of use, and interpretation of rash grading scales, as well as a lack of clinical trials evaluating approaches to rash management, we are left without systematic, evidence-based guidelines for treatment. Preliminary results of a prospective study evaluating a rash treatment algorithm developed at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have been positive, and there is universal agreement that initiation of more prospective trials to evaluate EGFR-inhibitor rash management is needed.

Management of rash and other toxicities in patients treated with epidermal growth factor receptor-targeted agents.

Inhibition of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) represents one of the most important avenues for research and development in the field of cancer therapy. The EGFR is a member of the ErbB receptor tyrosine kinase (TK) family, which also includes ErbB-2 (HER2/neu), ErbB-3 (HER3), and ErbB-4 (HER4). Current EGFR therapies available for use include monoclonal antibodies, such as cetuximab, and small-molecule EGFR TK inhibition by agents such as erlotinib. Side effects of these agents include dermatologic manifestations without the bone marrow suppressive properties of chemotherapy. Understanding of rash and how it relates to EGFR inhibitor toxicity and, perhaps more importantly, EGFR inhibitor response must be more clearly defined with clinical trials. The optimum management of rash in patients receiving anti-EGFR therapy remains somewhat controversial; this is secondary to imprecise classification of rash as well as the lack of clinical trials to determine the most appropriate treatment algorithm for these patients. We propose a treatment strategy to help aggressively treat dermatologic side effects allowing patients to continue receiving therapy without dose interruption or drug discontinuation.