Integration of lipidomics and transcriptomics data towards a systems biology model of sphingolipid metabolism

Background  

Sphingolipids play important roles in cell structure and function as well as in the pathophysiology of many diseases. Many of the intermediates of sphingolipid biosynthesis are highly bioactive and sometimes have antagonistic activities, for example, ceramide promotes apoptosis whereas sphingosine-1-phosphate can inhibit apoptosis and induce cell growth; therefore, quantification of the metabolites and modeling of the sphingolipid network is imperative for an understanding of sphingolipid biology.     

Scarlet gourdCoccinia grandis little-known tropical drug plant

Coccinia grandis (Cucurbitaceae), scarlet gourd, is widely distributed throughout the tropics and can be found in both wild and cultivated states on the plains of India. Although the sweet type is extensively cultivated for its edible fruits,C. grandis may have some potential value as a remedy for diabetes. A brief account of the botanical aspects and the food and the potential medicinal value of the different promising cultivars is provided.     

(−)-5-Methylmellein and catechol derivatives from four Semecarpus species

Four Semecarpus species endemic to Sri Lanka, S. gardneri, S. obscura, S. subpeltata and S. walkeri, were investigated. The fruits of these species are rich in 3-alk(en)yl-catechols and the timber extractives of three species contained (?)-5-methylmellein.     

Effect of gamma-irradiation on lipid content and survival of human amnion cells in culture.

The neutral lipid content of Human Amnion cells in tissue culture, studied by cytophotometry, increases after irradiation with 60Co gamma-rays. Cells having an already elevated lipid content, induced by lipid pretreatments, become sensitized to irradiation as determined by cell survival and electrophoretic mobility studies.     

The hydromechanics of hydrocephalus: Steady-state solutions for cylindrical geometry

Hydrocephalus is a state in which the circulation of cerebrospinal fluid is disturbed. This fluid, produced within the brain at a constant rate, moves through internal cavities in it (ventricles), then exits through passages so that it may be absorbed by the surrounding membranes (meninges). Failure of fluid to move properly through these passages results in the distention of the passages and the ventricles. Ultimately, this distention causes large displacements and distortion of brain tissue as well as an increase of fluid in the extracellular space of the brain (edema). We use a two-phase model of fluid-saturated material to simulate the steady state of the hydrocephalic brain. Analytic solutions for the displacement of brain tissue and the distribution of edema for the annular regions of an idealized cylindrical geometry and small-strain theory are found. The solutions are used for a large-deformation analysis by superposition of the responses obtained for incrementally increasing loading. The effects of structural and hydraulic differences of white and gray brain matter, and the ependymal lining surrounding the venticles, are examined. The results reproduce the characteristic steady-state distribution of edema seen in hydrocephalus, and are compared with experiment.