Angiopoietin-2 Primes Infection-Induced Preterm Delivery

Current knowledge on the participation of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in the inflammatory process and on the importance of bacterial endotoxins (LPS) in the induction of preterm delivery (PTD) led us to investigate the role of Ang-2/LPS interplay in the pathogenesis of PTD. At a first stage, Ang-2 was measured at the end of the first trimester of pregnancy in the serum of 50 women who delivered prematurely; of 88 women well-matched for age and parity who delivered full-term; and of 20 non-pregnant healthy women. Ang-2 was greater in pregnant than in non-pregnant women. The time until delivery was shorter among those with Ang-2 greater than 4 ng/ml (odds ratio for delivery until week 34; p: 0.040). To further investigate the role of Ang-2 for PTD, an experimental model of PTD induced by the intraperitoneal injection of LPS in mice was used. Ang-2 was administered intraperitoneally before LPS on day 14 of pregnancy. When Ang-2 was administered before the LPS diluent, all mice delivered full-term. However, administration of Ang-2 prior LPS accelerated further the time until delivery. Sacrifice experiments showed that the effect of Ang-2 was accompanied by decrease of the penetration of Evans Blue in the embryos and by increase of its penetration in maternal tissues. In parallel, the concentration of tumour necrosis factor-alpha in the maternal circulation, in fetal tissues and in the placentas was significantly decreased. Results indicate that Ang-2 accelerated the phenomena of PTD induced by LPS. This is related with deprivation of fetal perfusion.     

MEG Network Differences between Low- and High-Grade Glioma Related to Epilepsy and Cognition

Objective

To reveal possible differences in whole brain topology of epileptic glioma patients, being low-grade glioma (LGG) and high-grade glioma (HGG) patients. We studied functional networks in these patients and compared them to those in epilepsy patients with non-glial lesions (NGL) and healthy controls. Finally, we related network characteristics to seizure frequency and cognitive performance within patient groups.

Methods

We constructed functional networks from pre-surgical resting-state magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings of 13 LGG patients, 12 HGG patients, 10 NGL patients, and 36 healthy controls. Normalized clustering coefficient and average shortest path length as well as modular structure and network synchronizability were computed for each group. Cognitive performance was assessed in a subset of 11 LGG and 10 HGG patients.

Results

LGG patients showed decreased network synchronizability and decreased global integration compared to healthy controls in the theta frequency range (4–8 Hz), similar to NGL patients. HGG patients’ networks did not significantly differ from those in controls. Network characteristics correlated with clinical presentation regarding seizure frequency in LGG patients, and with poorer cognitive performance in both LGG and HGG glioma patients.

Conclusion

Lesion histology partly determines differences in functional networks in glioma patients suffering from epilepsy. We suggest that differences between LGG and HGG patients’ networks are explained by differences in plasticity, guided by the particular lesional growth pattern. Interestingly, decreased synchronizability and decreased global integration in the theta band seem to make LGG and NGL patients more prone to the occurrence of seizures and cognitive decline.     

Retinal Detachment Model in Rodents by Subretinal Injection of Sodium Hyaluronate

Subretinal injection of sodium hyaluronate is a widely accepted method of inducing retinal detachment (RD). However, the height and duration of RD or the occurrence of subretinal hemorrhage can affect photoreceptor cell death in the detached retina. Hence, it is advantageous to create reproducible RDs without subretinal hemorrhage for evaluating photoreceptor cell death. We modified a previously reported method to create bullous and persistent RDs in a reproducible location with rare occurrence of subretinal hemorrhage. The critical step of this modified method is the creation of a self-sealing scleral incision, which can prevent leakage of sodium hyaluronate after injection into the subretinal space. To make the self-sealing scleral incision, a scleral tunnel is created, followed by scleral penetration into the choroid with a 30 G needle. Although choroidal hemorrhage may occur during this step, astriction with a surgical spear reduces the rate of choroidal hemorrhage. This method allows a more reproducible and reliable model of photoreceptor death in diseases that involve RD such as rhegmatogenous RD, retinopathy of prematurity, diabetic retinopathy, central serous chorioretinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration (AMD).     

(−)-trans-7(S)-Methoxytetradec-4-enoic acid and related amides from the marine cyanophyte Lyngbya majuscula

(?)-trans-7(S)-Methoxytetradec-4-enoic acid and the related amides, malyngamides A, B and C, were found as constituents of shallow-water varieties of the marine blue-green alga Lyngbya majuscule.