A comprehensive review on the colorless carotenoids phytoene and phytofluene

Carotenoids and their derivatives are versatile isoprenoids involved in many varied actions, hence their importance in the agri-food industry, nutrition, health and other fields. All carotenoids are derived from the colorless carotenes phytoene and phytofluene, which are oddities among carotenoids due to their distinct chemical structure. They occur together with lycopene in tomato and other lycopene-containing foods. Furthermore, they are also present in frequently consumed products like oranges and carrots, among others. The intake of phytoene plus phytofluene has been shown to be higher than that of lycopene and other carotenoids in Luxembourg. This is likely to be common in other countries. However, they are not included in food carotenoid databases, hence they have not been linked to health benefits in epidemiological studies. Interestingly, there are evidences in vitro, animal models and humans indicating that they may provide health benefits. In this sense, the study of these colorless carotenes in the context of food science, nutrition and health should be further encouraged. In this work, we review much of the existing knowledge concerning their chemical characteristics, physico-chemical properties, analysis, distribution in foods, bioavailability and likely biological activities

Children with Disabilities at Risk of Poor Oral Health in the Republic of Lithuania: A Retrospective Descriptive Service Evaluation

This retrospective service evaluation considers the oral health of children with disabilities in postSoviet Lithuania. It identifies that they have extensive dental decay and that the predominant course of dental treatment for children with disabilities is tooth extraction under general anesthetic. There is little in the way of specialist service provision, preventative care, or oral health promotion for this group. This study adds to the literature by identifying and emphasizing the impact on oral health of the sweeping economic and political changes, the move toward deinstitutionalization, and new economic trends such as a market economy. In particular, the lack of social welfare support, high levels of child poverty, poor educational outcomes, and the privatization of the oral health-care system has served to increase oral health inequity for marginalized groups. The outcome is an increase in oral health inequalities for children with disabilities and an urgent need for policy and reform

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

"Seeking and saving": the reform of prostitutes and the prevention of prostitution in Birmingham, 1860-1914

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the University of Wolverhampton for the degree of Doctor of PhilosophyA number of attempts were made in Victorian and Edwardian Britain to reform individual prostitutes and to regulate, control and eliminate prostitution. This thesis examines a small number of groups which were committed to the reform of prostitutes and to the prevention of prostitution in Birmingham between 1860-1914. The first group, composed of Anglican men and women dedicated to reform, founded a Magdalen Asylum. Soon after, a group of middle class Nonconformist women inspired by Ellice Hopkins' vision, established an alternative to the Anglican model. It is argued that this initiative marked a small shift in the process of reform but did not alter it fundamentally for whatever the gender, religious commitment or class background of people on the governing committees of these organisations all attempted to train working class women for domestic service. Preventive work was also developed by Nonconformist women and men to augment the reform institutions. In establishing different organisations to provide a moral safety net for young women, they believed that their organisations would eliminate some of the perceived causes of prostitution: immoral behaviour, unemployment, illegitimacy, homelessness and mental deficiency. This thesis focuses on the parts played by gender, class and religion in these organisations and suggests that whereas the methods employed by the preventive groups differed from the reform groups both shared a common aim of recasting working class women into modest, industrious and subordinate individuals. This thesis argues that over-arching theories are inadequate in understanding reform and prevention and advocates an approach which is multi-dimensional. It suggests that the categorical variables of gender, class and religion, sometimes contradictory, sometimes complementary, helped shape the process of reform and prevention in Birmingham

Votes for women, 1860-1928

Permite a los estudiantes el acceso a los contenidos y habilidades de estudio necesarios para las especificaciones AS para AQA y Edexcel. Presenta las figuras más sobresalientes del movimiento por el voto de la mujer y estudia los argumentos de los que le apoyaban y de los que se oponían, en particular la respuesta de los hombres. Destaca el ritmo y alcance de la actividad sufragista y de las sufragistas y evalúa su contribución a la Primera Guerra Mundial y en qué medida las mujeres obtuvieron el derecho al voto como resultado de sus esfuerzos durante el conflicto. Incluye fechas clave, términos y temas, perfiles biográficos sobre figuras importantes, resúmenes esquemáticos, fuentes literarias y síntesis de los principales debates historiográficos.SCBiblioteca de Educación del Ministerio de Educación, Cultura y Deporte; Calle San Agustín, 5 - 3 planta; 28014 Madrid; Tel. +34917748000; [email protected]