Height self-selection of internal migrants in Italy in the second half of the twentieth century.

This paper examines internal migrant selection in Italy using individual height data from the 1951 and 1980 birth cohorts of military conscripts. Information on both place of birth and residence of conscripts allows us to compare migrants' heights to the height distributions of their non-migrant peers at the national level and to their populations of origin. Results suggest that migrants from southern Italy were negatively selected at the national level, while a positive selection in height emerged if compared to conscripts who remained in their macro-area of origin.

POLITAG-M-F as Heterogeneous Organocatalyst for the Waste-Minimized Synthesis of β-Azido Carbonyl Compounds in Batch and under Flow Conditions.

We herein report a waste minimization protocol for the β-azidation of α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds using TMSN. The selection of the appropriate catalyst (), in combination with the reaction medium, resulted in enhanced catalytic efficiency and a low environmental footprint. The thermal and mechanical stability of the polymeric support allowed us to recover the catalyst for up to 10 consecutive runs.

New bioisosteric sulphur-containing choline kinase inhibitors with a tracked mode of action.

Since the identification of human choline kinase as a protein target against cancer progression, many compounds have been designed to inhibit its function and reduce the biosynthesis of phosphatidylcholine. Herein, we propose a series of bioisosteric inhibitors that are based on the introduction of sulphur and feature improved activity and lipophilic/hydrophilic balance. The evaluation of the inhibitory and of the antiproliferative properties of the PL (dithioethane) and FP (disulphide) libraries led to the identification of PL 48, PL 55 and PL 69 as the most active compounds of the series.

Influence of choline chloride-based NADES on the composition of Houtt. essential oil.

Natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) have emerged as green extracting solvents in recent years. In this study, a variety of choline chloride (ChCl)-based natural deep eutectic solvents (NADES) were used as co-solvents for the hydrodistillation of nutmeg with the aim to obtain essential oil (EO) in higher yield and with a lower content of toxic phenylpropenoids (e.g.

Anticancer Activity of the Choline Kinase Inhibitor PL48 Is Due to Selective Disruption of Choline Metabolism and Transport Systems in Cancer Cell Lines.

A large number of different types of cancer have been shown to be associated with an abnormal metabolism of phosphatidylcholine (PC), the main component of eukaryotic cell membranes. Indeed, the overexpression of choline kinase α1 (ChoKα1), the enzyme that catalyses the bioconversion of choline to phosphocholine (PCho), has been found to associate with cell proliferation, oncogenic transformation and carcinogenesis. Hence, ChoKα1 has been described as a possible cancer therapeutic target.

Flow Synthesis of Biologically-Relevant Compound Libraries.

Flow chemistry is one of the most prominent enabling technologies that has greatly shaped the way chemists' approach organic synthesis. Specifically, in drug discovery, the advantages of flow techniques over batch procedures allow the rapid and efficient assembly of compound libraries to be tested for biological properties. The aim of the present review is to comment on some representative examples from the last five years of literature that highlight how flow procedures are becoming of increasing importance for the synthesis of biologically-relevant molecules.

C2-H Arylation of Indoles Catalyzed by Palladium-Containing Metal-Organic-Framework in γ-Valerolactone.

An efficient and selective procedure was developed for the direct C2-H arylation of indoles using a Pd-loaded metal-organic framework (MOF) as a heterogeneous catalyst and the nontoxic biomass-derived solvent γ-valerolactone (GVL) as a reaction medium. The developed method allows for excellent yields and C-2 selectivity to be achieved and tolerates various substituents on the indole scaffold. The established conditions ensure the stability of the catalyst as well as recoverability, reusability, and low metal leaching into the solution.

Synthesis and Evaluation of Antileishmanial and Cytotoxic Activity of Benzothiopyrane Derivatives.

In continuation of our efforts to identify promising antileishmanial agents based on the chroman scaffold, we synthesized several substituted -thiochroman derivatives, including thiochromenes, thichromanones and hydrazones substituted in C-2 or C-3 with carbonyl or carboxyl groups. Thirty-two compounds were thus obtained, characterized, and evaluated against intracellular amastigotes of . Twelve compounds were active, with EC values lower than 40 µM, but only four compounds displayed the highest antileishmanial activity, with EC values below 10 µM; these all compounds possess a good Selectivity Index > 2.

A Design of Experiment Approach for Ionic Liquid-Based Extraction of Toxic Components-Minimized Essential Oil from Houtt. Fruits .

The effect of the addition of ionic liquids (ILs) during the hydrodistillation of Houtt. (nutmeg) essential oil was studied. The essential oil of is characterized by the presence of terpenes, terpenoids, and of phenylpropanoids, such as methyl eugenol and safrole, that are regarded as genotoxic and carcinogenic.

Parents who exit and parents who enter. Family structure transitions, child psychological health, and early drinking.

This paper seeks to extend prior research by exploring whether family structure transition is associated with an increase in early alcohol consumption and whether this association is mediated by; children's socio-emotional problems, providing information on whether the effects of the transition; differ according to the number of changes, the family's initial status, or the time of exposure. The; data have been drawn from the UK Millennium Cohort Study to explore associations framed with; a life-course approach. Our findings suggest that types of family transitions (such as distinguishing; parental exits from and parental entrances to the family) are more important than the number of; family changes during childhood.

Avoiding hot-spots in Microwave-assisted Pd/C catalysed reactions by using the biomass derived solvent γ-Valerolactone.

Herein, we report the use of γ-valerolactone as a new biomass-derived reaction medium for microwave assisted organic synthesis. The interaction of this solvent with microwaves and its heating profile under microwave irradiation has been fully characterized for the first time, demonstrating its stability and the applicability in microwave assisted Pd/C catalysed reactions avoiding the arcing phenomena frequently observed in these conditions. The use of γ-valerolactone demonstrated to be compatible with aliphatic and aromatic amines in the hydrogen transfer Pd/C mediated synthesis of benzimidazoles.

Towards Sustainable C-H Functionalization Reactions: The Emerging Role of Bio-Based Reaction Media.

In the last decade, transition-metal catalyzed C-H functionalization reactions have progressed enormously, becoming a useful tool in organic synthesis and a practical alternative to well-established methodologies. Very recently, research efforts have also been devoted to developing more sustainable C-H functionalization protocols, in order to increase their applicability. One of the most promising approaches in this sense is represented by the substitution of common reaction media with bio-based solvents.

Click-chemistry approaches to π-conjugated polymers for organic electronics applications.

Given the wide utility of click-chemistry reactions for the preparation of simple moieties within large architecturally complex materials, this minireview article aims at surveying papers exploring their scope in the area of π-conjugated polymers for application in organic electronics to enable advanced functional properties.

Health and income inequalities in Europe: What is the role of circumstances?

Equality of opportunity theories distinguish between inequalities due to individual effort and those due to external circumstances. Recent research has shown that half of the variability in income of World population was determined by country of birth and income distribution. Since health and income are generally strictly related, the aim of this paper is to estimate how much variability in income and health is determined by external circumstances.

A Catalytic Peterson-like Synthesis of Alkenyl Nitriles.

A heterogeneous fluoride catalyst was found to enable the straightforward formation of alkenyl nitriles from the reaction of aldehydes and simple or substituted acetonitriles, in the presence of commercially available silazanes and in solvent-free conditions. The protocol afforded the products in good to excellent yields with selectivity values dependent on the nature of the substrates. It represents an alternative to classic approaches using stoichiometric strong bases, and the catalyst can be easily recovered and reused for consecutive cycles.

PS-BEMP as a basic catalyst for the phospha-Michael addition to electron-poor alkenes.

PS-BEMP was used as a heterogeneous catalyst for the phospha-Michael addition of phosphorus nucleophiles to a variety of electron-poor alkenes. The addition reactions were generally performed with equimolar amounts of reagents under solvent free conditions. The protocol proved to be very efficient for the addition to aromatic, non-aromatic and cyclic ketones, giving good yields (78-85%) in all cases.

Immigrant mothers and access to prenatal care: evidence from a regional population study in Italy.

Objectives: We addressed the question of whether use of adequate prenatal care differs between foreign-born and Italian mothers and estimated the extent to which unobservable characteristics bias results.

Setting: This study is on primary care and especially on adequate access to prenatal healthcare services by immigrant mothers.

Participants: Approximately 37,000 mothers of both Italian and foreign nationality were studied.

Estimating the Smoking Ban Effects on Smoking Prevalence, Quitting and Cigarette Consumption in a Population Study of Apprentices in Italy.

Objectives: We evaluated the effects of the Italian 2005 smoking ban in public places on the prevalence of smoking, quitting and cigarette consumption of young workers.

Data And Methods: The dataset was obtained from non-computerized registers of medical examinations for a population of workers with apprenticeship contracts residing in the province of Viterbo, Italy, in the period 1996-2007. To estimate the effects of the ban, a segmented regression approach was used, exploiting the discontinuity introduced by the application of the law on apprentices' smoking behavior.

Self-perceived health among Eastern European immigrants over 50 living in Western Europe.

Objectives: This paper examines whether Eastern European immigrants aged 50 and over living in Northern and Western Europe face a health disadvantage in terms of self-perceived health, with respect to the native-born. We also examined health changes over time (2004-2006-2010) through the probabilities of transition among self-perceived health states, and how they vary according to nativity status and age group.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).

Bankart repair versus Bankart repair plus remplissage: an in vitro biomechanical comparative study.

Purpose: To biomechanically compare Bankart lesion repair alone and Bankart lesion repair associated with infraspinatus capsulotenodesis described as «remplissage», in the treatment of combined Bankart and Hill-Sachs lesions.

Methods: Seven pairs (right and left) of cadaveric shoulders have been tested, first without any lesion and then after performing a combined Bankart and Hill-Sachs lesions. For each pair, the specimens were then randomly assigned for Bankart lesion repair alone on one side or for Bankart lesion repair associated with remplissage on the other side.

Height convergence and internal migration in mid-twentieth-century Italy.

Height convergence across Italian regions during the second half of the twentieth century is a widely recognized fact. However, it has been suggested that this process was partly affected by the massive migratory flow of people from southern to northern Italy in the 1950s and 1960s, which greatly slowed the height growth rate in the receiving regions, since immigrants were on average shorter than the receiving northern population. The main aims of this study were to estimate the speed of height convergence of Italian military conscripts in the second half of the twentieth century, and to estimate the contribution of internal migration from the south to the north of Italy to height convergence.

Socio-demographic determinants and access to prenatal care in Italy.

Background: Many governments have made commitments to examine inequalities in healthcare access based on studies assessing the association between several socio-demographic factors and late initiation or fewer prenatal examinations. This study addressed the question of whether socio-demographic determinants were significant in explaining differences in prenatal care in one administrative region of Italy, Umbria.

Methods: Data were obtained from the administrative source of the regional Standard Certificate of Live Births between 2005 and 2010, and were merged with Census data to include a socio-economic deprivation index.

Health and body mass index changes among Italian conscripts born in 1951 and 1980.

This paper investigates changes in BMI in the second half of the twentieth century, focusing on two cohorts of Italian conscripts born in 1951 and 1980, and examines how the correlates of high and low BMI have changed over time. Data from conscript cohorts taken from the archives of Italian military districts show that younger conscripts exposed to the rising prevalence of immune-allergological and psychological diseases and metabolic dysfunctions underwent substantial increases in weight. These results are evidenced by quantile regression models, the largest BMI gains being found in diabetic conscripts at the 75th and 90th percentiles.

E-Factor minimized hydrophosphonylation of aldehydes catalyzed by polystyryl-BEMP under solvent-free conditions.

An efficient protocol for the hydrophosphonylation of aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes catalyzed by PS-BEMP under solvent-free conditions (SolFC) has been reported. Addition reactions were performed by using equimolar amounts of reagents and the resulting α-hydroxyphosphonates were isolated with simple workup procedures. A large scale protocol for the preparation of a representative α-hydroxyphosphonate 3a has been also set up using a flow reactor.