Shedding light on the use of Cu(II)-salen complexes in the A3 coupling reaction

One Cu(II) complex, {Cu(II)L} (1S), has been synthesised, in two high yielding steps under ambient conditions, and characterised by single-crystal X-Ray diffraction (SXRD), IR, UV Vis, Circular Dichroism (CD), Elemental analysis, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Electron Spray Ionization Mass Spectroscopy (ESI-MS). This air-stable compound enables the generation, at room temperature and open-air, of twenty propargylamines, nine new, from secondary amines, aliphatic aldehydes and alkynes with a broad scope with yields up to 99%. Catalyst loadings can be as low as 1 mol%, while the recovered material retains its structural integrity and can be used up to 5 times without loss of its activity. Control experiments, SXRD, 2 cyclic voltammetry and theoretical studies shed light on the mechanism revealing that the key to success is the use of phenoxido salen based ligands. These ligands orchestrate topological control permitting alkyne binding with concomitant activation of the C–H bond and simultaneously acting as template temporarily accommodating the abstracted acetylenic proton, and continuous generating, via in-situ formed radicals and Single Electron Transfer (SET) mechanism, of a transient Cu(I) active site to facilitate this transformation. The scope and limitations of this protocol are discussed and presented

The impact of acne Vulgaris on quality of life and psychic health in young adolescents in Greece. Results of a population survey [O impacto da acne vulgar na qualidade de vida e saúde psíquica em jovens adolescentes na grécia. resultados de uma pesquisa populacional]

BACKGROUND: Acne vulgaris can severely affect social and psychological functioning. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of acne vulgaris and its severity on Quality of Life of young adolescents in Greece. METHODS: We conducted a questionnaire based survey among 1560 adolescent between the ages of 11 and 19 years old and 1531 of these were completed. Adolescents with acne filled all the questions including the Children Dermatology Life Quality Index. Adolescents without acne filled the questions about age, family history of acne, stress and smoking. Data were analyzed with Pearson Chi Square test. RESULTS: Acne prevalence was 51.2% affecting both sexes equally. Self reported mild acne was present in 71.2% and moderate-severe acne in 28.8% of the study population. The mean age of the study population was 15.77y. The median score of Children Dermatology Life Quality Index was 4.02. The impact of acne on quality of life is associated with the severity of the acne (p<0.0001). Patients with moderate/severe acne experience greater psychosocial and emotional impairment (p<0.0001). Body image is modified proportionally to the severity of acne (p<0.0001). Symptoms and treatment of acne are factors that also influence their quality of life. Girls and boys are equally affected. Stress and heredity are correlated with acne and its severity (p<0.0001). We didn't find any correlation between smoking and acne. CONCLUSION: Acne affects Quality of Life of young adolescents in Greece. The impact is proportional to the severity of acne. More severe acne is associated with greater effect on quality of life with implications for self esteem, body image and relationships with others. © 2012 by Anais Brasileiros de Dermatologia

Sun exposure behavior and protection practices in a Mediterranean population: A questionnaire-based study

Objective: Skin cancer campaigns have only recently been implemented in a wide scale in Greece. In order to better target those individuals at risk, we aimed to explore sun exposure behaviors in a sample of the Greek population. Methods: A total of 802 subjects, randomly selected among the residents of the two largest Greek cities, underwent a questionnaire-based telephone interview, assessing the degree of sun exposure patterns and knowledge of skin cancer risk factors. Results: Females more commonly (90%) used sunscreens compared with males (67.5%), and among sunscreen users, only 8% used products with SPF < 10. Almost half of the participants (48%) preferred going to the beach during the midday hours. Over exposure to the sun was mostly reported by individuals with phototypes III/IV and of younger age (18-35 years). Most participants were aware of sun exposure as a cause of skin cancer, but among those who did not, 41% were younger than 34 years of age. Conclusions: In our survey, significant differences in age, sex and phototypes were observed with regard to sun exposure patterns and sunscreen use. Educational campaigns should focus more on younger age groups, encouraging a more complete set of photoprotective measures. However, potential trial limitations inherent in self-reported measures should be taken into account. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S