BACKGROUND:Visual acuity serves as only a rough gauge of macular function. The aim therefore was to ascertain whether central an assessment of the central visual field afforded a closer insight into visual function after removal of epiretinal membranes and Infracyanine-Green- or Trypan-Blue-assisted peeling of the inner limiting membrane.PATIENTS AND METHODS:Fourty-three patients undergoing pars-plana vitrectomy for the removal of epimacular membranes and dye-assisted peeling of the inner limiting membrane using either Infracyanine Green (n = 29; group 1) or Trypan Blue (n = 14; group 2) were monitored prospectively for 12 months. Preoperatively, and 1, 6 and 12 months postoperatively, distance and reading visual acuities were evaluated; the central visual field was assessed by automated static perimetry.RESULTS:Twelve months after surgery, distance and reading visual acuities had improved in both groups, but to a significant degree only in Trypan-Blue-treated eyes. The difference between the two groups was not significant. Likewise at this juncture, the mean size of the visual-field defect remained unchanged in Trypan-Blue-treated eyes (preoperative: 4.3 (SD 2.1) dB; 12 months: 4.0 (2.1) dB (p = 0.15)), but had increased in Infracyanine-Green-treated ones (from 5.3 (3.7) dB to 8.0 (5.2) dB (p = 0.027)).CONCLUSION:Unlike visual acuity, the central visual field had deteriorated in Infracyanine-Green-treated eyes but not in Trypan-Blue-treated eyes 12 months after surgery. Hence, as a predictor of functional outcome, testing of the central visual field may be a more sensitive gauge than visual acuity. Furthermore, Infracyanine Green may have a chronic and potentially clinically relevant effect on the macula which is not reflected in the visual acuity.

We introduce a systematic nomenclature for mechanically linked molecules - such as catenanes, rotaxanes, and assemblies derived from these structural elements - which comes up to the increasing complexity of already synthesized interlocked molecules and the ones to be expected in future. Like in the naming of other substance classes (polycycles, phanes, crown compounds, podands, dendrimers) we attach importance to the fact, that certain units in the name, e.g. expressions in brackets, quickly convey an idea of the molecular architecture. Furthermore, this modular nomenclature reveals as many analogies to the IUPAC nomenclature as possible.

In this review new results in the field of dendrimers and hyper-branched molecules are collected. After this relatively new and appealing research topic had entered the field of chemistry, as well as biology, physics, and medicine, fascinating results and the possibilities arising from them are growing just like the functionalities of a dendrimer from generation to generation. Owing to the multi-disciplinarity of dendrimer chemistry it seems to be important here to focus on topical research, functions of dendrimers, and their possible applications. In the following, specific functionalization possibilities and their effects are to be discussed first. Then the main attention is focussed on photoactive, chiral, and supramolecular dendrimers with regard to future developments.

We report the synthesis of a series of new hydrocarbon macrocycles. Following the dithia-phane route, four large rings 3-6 of the cyclophane type containing different numbers of ring atoms were prepared confirming the general applicability of this route compared to alternative macrocyclizations. Cycle 3 is the hydrocarbon analogue to the tetra-lactam and the sulfone amide macrocycles 1 and 2 used in many rotaxane syntheses. The macrocycles synthesized here are supposed to be uselful as wheels in the slippingapproach to rotaxanes to further establish a reference system for the cavity size of cyclic compounds by comparing them to certain complemenatry blocking groups. The x-ray data obtained of the macrocycles 3, 5, and 6 reveal the cavity shape and size in solid state.

Here we report on the possibility of using rotaxane wheels as noncovalent protecting groups which significantly decrease the activity of functional groups in the central part of the axle. The amide-linked rotaxanes 5a and 5b, each containing a C=C double bond in their axle, have been synthesised. The catalytic hydrogenation of these two rotaxanes proceeds slower than those of the corresponding free axle compounds 6a and 6b, indicating steric hindrance of the C=C double bond by the wheel of the rotaxane in each case. Nontheless, the rotaxane 9 with an aliphatic (succinic acid) middle region in its axle can be prepared in this manner. Dehydrobromination of the axle in the rotaxane 15 yields the rotaxane 16 with a C=C triple bond located in the centre of the axle.