Regional distribution of thiamin pyrophosphokinase in rat brain

Summary The highest specific activity of thiamin pyrophosphokinase was found in the cerebellum, and lower activity in cerebral cortex and midbrain. The regional difference in the enzyme activity was similar to that in thiamin content and the influx rate in rat brain, suggesting that the enzyme is involved in the thiamin transport.     

Distribution of some similarity coefficients for dyadic binary data in the case of associated attributes

Parameters are derived of distributions of three coefficients of similarity between pairs (dyads) of operational taxonomic units for multivariate binary data (presence/absence of attributes) under statistical independence. These are applied to test independence for dyadic data. Association among attributes within operational taxonomic units is allowed. It is also permissible for the two units in the dyad to be drawn from different populations having different presence probabilities of attributes. The variance of the distribution of the similarity coefficients under statistical independence is shown to be relatively large in many empirical situations. This result implies that the practical interpretation of these coefficients requires much care. An application using the Jaccard index is given for the assessment of consensus between psychotherapists and their clients.

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La distribution des coefficients de similarité pour les données binaires et les attributs associés

Résumé Les paramètres de la distribution de trois coefficients de similarité entre paires d'éléments taxinomiques opérationels de données multivariables binaires (présence/absence) ont été dérivés dans l'hypothèse d'indépendance statistique. Ces paramètres sont utilisés dans un test d'indépendance pour les données dyadiques. L'existence est autorisée, dans la population d'éléments, d'une association entre plusieurs attributs. Il est également permis que les deux éléments de la dyade soient tirés de deux populations différentes, ayant différentes probabilit és quant à la présence des attributs. Dans beaucoup de situations empiriques, la variance des coefficients de similarité peut être relativement élevée dans le cas d'indépendance statistique. Par conséquence, ces coefficients doivent être interprétés avec précaution. Un exemple est donné pour le coefficient de Jaccard, qui a été employé dans une recherche sur la concordance entre des psychothérapeutes et leurs clients.

     

Bromocriptine-induced removal of endoplasmic membranes from prolactinoma cells

Adenomatous prolactin cells lose 39% of their cytoplasm volume within 7 days after the beginning of bromocriptine treatment. A simultaneous reduction of the rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi apparatus occurs. Their membranes are removed by rapid transport along the secretory pathway to the cell surface and to lysosomal destruction.     

Isoprenaline-like effects of the phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine on mechanical, biochemical and electrophysiological parameters in the mammalian heart

The phosphodiesterase inhibitor 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX) mimicked the effects of isoprenaline on the force of contraction, the cAMP content and the slow Ca++ inward current (Isi) in isolated guinea pig papillary muscles. The results support the hypothesis that phosphodiesterase inhibitors and beta-adrenoceptor agonists exert their positive inotropic effects by increasing Isi via the common mediator cAMP.     

Ringschlußversuche mit halogenierten Naphthalinthioglykolsäuren

Summary It has been found that cyclisation of -halogenated -naphthalene-thioglycolic acids can occur in -position with the elimination of the halogen. The influence of the temperature and of a further substituent (halogen) in the second nucleus are discussed.     

Glycolipid transfer protein and intracellular traffic of glucosylceramide

Glycolipid transfer protein (GL-TP), a nonglycosylated protein with a molecular weight of 22,000 K, has been purified from pig brain. The protein transfers, by a carrier mechanism, glycolipids with a beta-glucosyl or beta-galactosyl residue directly linked to either ceramide or diacylglycerol. GL-TP appears to be present in most animal cells, and evidence has been obtained which indicates that it is a cytoplasmic protein. Little is known about the function of GL-TP. Current evidence indicates that glycosphingolipid glycosylation occurs at the luminal side of the Golgi apparatus, except for the glucosylation of ceramide, which has been shown to occur at the cytoplasmic side of the Golgi or endoplasmic membrane. It appears most likely that GL-TP participates in the intracellular traffic of glucosylceramide.