Informing the Tolerability of Cancer Treatments Using Patient-Reported Outcome Measures: Summary of an FDA and Critical Path Institute Workshop

The US Food and Drug Administration and the Critical Path Institute’s Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) Consortium convened a cosponsored workshop on the use of PRO measures to inform the assessment of safety and tolerability in cancer clinical trials. A broad array of international stakeholders involved in oncology drug development and PRO measurement science provided perspectives on the role of PRO measures to provide complementary clinical data on the symptomatic side effects of anticancer agents. Speakers and panelists explored the utility of information derived from existing and emerging PRO measures, focusing on the PRO version of the National Cancer Institute’s Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events. Panelists and speakers discussed potential ways to improve the collection, analysis, and presentation of PRO data describing symptomatic adverse events to support drug development and better inform regulatory and treatment decisions. Workshop participants concluded the day with a discussion of possible approaches to the patient-reported assessment of an investigational drug’s overall side effect burden as a potential clinical trial end point. The Food and Drug Administration reiterated its commitment to collaborate with international drug development stakeholders to identify rigorous methods to incorporate the patient perspective into the development of cancer therapeutics

Cross-country analysis of strategies for achieving progress towards global goals for women’s and children’s health

To identify how 10 low- and middle-income countries achieved accelerated progress, ahead of comparable countries, towards meeting millennium development goals 4 and 5A to reduce child and maternal mortality

Cross-country analysis of strategies for achieving progress towards global goals for women’s and children’s health

To identify how 10 low- and middle-income countries achieved accelerated progress, ahead of comparable countries, towards meeting millennium development goals 4 and 5A to reduce child and maternal mortality

The carrot genome sequence brings colors out of the dark

The genome sequence of carrot (Daucus carota L.) is the first completed for an Apiaceae species, furthering knowledge of the evolution of the important euasterid II clade. Analyzing the whole-genome sequence allowed for the identification of a gene that may regulate the accumulation of carotenoids in the root.Peer reviewe

Micellar Properties for Propoxylated Surfactants in Water/Alcohol Solvent Mixtures and Their Antibacterial and Polyester Fabric Antistatic Performances

Two propoxylated quaternary amine surfactants characterized by two and six average POadduct numbers (PO-2 and PO-6 QA surfactants) were synthesized to investigate the micellar properties of propoxylated cationic surfactants in water/alcohol mixtures. The effect of PPO groups on micelle formation was explored using conductivity, UV–vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering techniques. Regular or reverse micellization occur with water or alcohol rich solvent mixtures, respectively. For intermediate composition no micellization occurs. Also the performances in antibacterial and antistatic fabrics were studied. PO-2 QA surfactant has excellent antibacterial activities against both the Gram-negative bacterium Escherichia coli and the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus while both surfactants have good antistatic activity over polyester fabric

Carotenoid biosynthesis in daucus carota

© Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2016. Carrot (Daucus carota) is one of the most important vegetable cultivated worldwide and the main source of dietary provitamin A. Contrary to other plants, almost all carrot varieties accumulate massive amounts of carotenoids in the root, resulting in a wide variety of colors, including those with purple, yellow, white, red and orange roots. During the first weeks of development the root, grown in darkness, is thin and pale and devoid of carotenoids. At the second month, the thickening of the root and the accumulation of carotenoids begins, and it reaches its highest level at 3 months of development. This normal root thickening and carotenoid accumulation can be completely altered when roots are grown in light, in which chromoplasts differentiation is redirected to chloroplasts development in accordance with an altered carotenoid profile. Here we discuss the current evidence on the biosynthesis of carotenoid in carrot roots in respon