Consensus Statement on High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Functional Neurosurgery in Switzerland.

Magnetic resonance-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (MRgHiFUS) has evolved into a viable ablative treatment option for functional neurosurgery. However, it is not clear yet, how this new technology should be integrated into current and established clinical practice and a consensus should be found about recommended indications, stereotactic targets, patient selection, and outcome measurements. To sum up and unify current knowledge and clinical experience of Swiss neurological and neurosurgical communities regarding MRgHiFUS interventions for brain disorders to be published as a national consensus paper.

The surname structure of Trentino (Italy) and its relationship with dialects and genes.

Background: Thanks to the availability of rich surname, linguistic and genetic information, together with its geographic and cultural complexity, Trentino (North-Eastern Italy) is an ideal place to test the relationships between genetic and cultural traits.

Aim: We provide a comprehensive study of population structures based on surname and dialect variability and evaluate their relationships with genetic diversity in Trentino.

Subjects And Methods: Surname data were collected for 363 parishes, linguistic data for 57 dialects and genetic data for different sets of molecular markers (Y-chromosome, mtDNA, autosomal) in 10 populations.

One-pot preparation of dendrimer-gold nanoparticle hybrids in a dipolar aprotic solvent.

We present a simple one-pot, one-step method to obtain stable and nearly monodisperse gold nanoparticles in dipolar aprotic solvents. Novel thiomethyl-functionalized polyphenylene dendrimers are used to control the growth and stabilize the nanoparticles in suspension. The dendrimer functionalized gold nanoparticles have an average size of roughly 10 nm and are stable in suspension for several weeks.

Guiding the self-assembly of a second-generation polyphenylene dendrimer into well-defined patterns.

A second-generation polyphenylene dendrimer 1 is shown to self-assemble into nanofibers. To guide the formation of the dendrimer fibers into well-defined patterns, 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecyltrichlorosilane is grafted in the gas phase onto a silicon substrate. De-wetting of the solution on the nanopatterned surface results in the formation of a nanostructured template, into which fiber growth subsequently occurs under the constraints set by the de-wetted morphology.

Interferon-beta 1b leads to a short-term increase of soluble but long-term stabilisation of cell surface bound adhesion molecules in multiple sclerosis.

Adhesion molecules (AMs) are believed to regulate the transmigration of blood leukocytes across the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which is an essential step in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Previous studies have investigated changes of the soluble forms of AM during interferon-beta1b (IFN-beta1b) treatment in MS patients. In this study, we analysed the influence of IFN-beta1b treatment on the cell surface bound forms of the AMs cICAM-1 and cICAM-3 on blood mononuclear cells (MNC).

Nanosized molecular propellers by cyclodehydrogenation of polyphenylene dendrimers.

In a polymer analogous approach, large dendritic oligophenylenes containing benzene and tetraphenylmethane cores are transformed via oxidative cyclodehydrogenation to novel propeller-shaped molecules with large polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon units as "blades". Structure analysis is performed by a combination of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, UV/vis, fluorescence, and Raman spectroscopy using solid-state sample preparation methods. These methods are also utilized to determine the degree of the cyclodehydrogenation reaction.

Development of an in vitro blood-brain barrier model based on immortalized porcine brain microvascular endothelial cells.

Immortalized porcine brain microvessel endothelial cells (PBMEC/C1-2) were used to develop a model for measurement of blood-brain barrier permeation of central nervous system active drugs. Previous studies showed that a system using C6 astrocyte glioma conditioned medium leads to cell layers with transendothelial electrical resistance values up to 300 Omega cm(2) and a permeability coefficient P(e) of 3.24 +/- 0.

Single-crystal structures of polyphenylene dendrimers.

A series of first-generation polyphenylene dendrimers based on three different cores were prepared by Diels-Alder cycloaddition and their single-crystal structures were determined. Consisting exclusively of interlocked, twisted phenyl rings, these polyphenylene nanostructures have exciting structural and dynamic properties. Single crystals of dendrimers, suitable for X-ray structure analysis, were grown from different solvent mixtures by slow evaporation at room temperature.