The use of clustering techniques in the analysis of judicial prose

Two different clustering techniques, one based on covariance assumptions, the other using Euclidean distance, are compared by applying them to data comprised of content category frequencies derived from selected judicial opinions of the Supreme Court. Both techniques show a capability for grouping similar opinions. The first seems quantitatively more appealing, since its groups are more separated due to the inclusion of covariances. The second results in groups which are intuitively more appealing. Both are sufficiently promising to warrant further study.     

A study of "atypical schizophrenia". Comparison with schizophrenia and affective disorder by sex, age of admission, precipitant, outcome, and family history

Eighty-five cases of atypical schizophrenia were compared with 200 of schizophrenia, 100 of bipolar (mania), and 225 of unipolar (depression) affective disorder. Comparisons were made on the basis of sex, age at admission, precipitating factors, outcome, and a family history of schizophrenia or of affective disorder. The atypical schizophrenia differed remarkably from the schizophrenia and most closely resembled the bipolar affective disorder when allowance was made for a younger age at onset and a higher frequency of precipitants. An analysis of symptoms verified the predominance of schizophrenic features in the atypical schizophrenia, but also showed a high percentage (80%) of patients who had one or more manic symptoms at index admission. It is concluded that great care should be taken in diagnosing schizophrenia in a patient who also has manic symptoms.     

Reevaluation of the linkage between acute hemorrhagic shock and bacterial translocation in the rat

The present study was undertaken to determine the conditions under which acute periods of hemorrhagic shock induce bacterial translocation. Rats (at least six per group) were anesthetized intraperitoneally with the barbiturate, pentobarbital (50 or 65 mg/kg), or the inhalation anesthetic methoxyflurane. Following anesthesia, the femoral artery was catheterized, from which blood was withdrawn to maintain a mean arterial blood pressure of 30 mmHg for 30, 60, or 90 min, followed by reinfusion of shed blood. Instrumented, but nonshocked animals served as controls. Rats were sacrificed at 0, 2, or 24 hr postshock, and quantitative bacterial cultures of the mesenteric lymph node complex (MLN), liver, and spleen were made. Within groups, the effects of heparinization were also determined. In pentobarbital-treated animals, regardless of the extent of heparinization, consistent translocation to both MLN and distant organs occurred when shock was prolonged for 90 min, and assessment of translocation was made 24 hr after reinfusion of shed blood. Furthermore, a mortality rate of approximately 30% was found in rats subjected to this protocol. The magnitude of translocation was less consistent, and did not differ from that in sham shock controls, under other conditions of shock and evaluation. In rats anesthetized with methoxyflurane, no mortality occurred, and no statistical significance between the incidence or degree of translocation in shocked animals vs. sham shock controls could be demonstrated, regardless of the shock protocol. In additional studies, effects of these anesthetics on intestinal morphology and superior mesenteric arterial (SMA) flow in the context of hemorrhagic shock were assessed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Localization of atypical protein kinase C isoforms into lysosome-targeted endosomes through interaction with p62

An increasing number of independent studies indicate that the atypical protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms (aPKCs) are critically involved in the control of cell proliferation and survival. The aPKCs are targets of important lipid mediators such as ceramide and the products of the PI 3-kinase. In addition, the aPKCs have been shown to interact with Ras and with two novel proteins, LIP (lambda-interacting protein; a selective activator of lambda/iotaPKC) and the product of par-4 (a gene induced during apoptosis), which is an inhibitor of both lambda/iotaPKC and zetaPKC. LIP and Par-4 interact with the zinc finger domain of the aPKCs where the lipid mediators have been shown to bind. Here we report the identification of p62, a previously described phosphotyrosine-independent p56(lck) SH2-interacting protein, as a molecule that interacts potently with the V1 domain of lambda/iotaPKC and, albeit with lower affinity, with zetaPKC. We also show in this study that ectopically expressed p62 colocalizes perfectly with both lambda/iotaPKC and zetaPKC. Interestingly, the endogenous p62, like the ectopically expressed protein, displays a punctate vesicular pattern and clearly colocalizes with endogenous lambda/iotaPKC and endogenous zetaPKC. P62 colocalizes with Rab7 and partially with lamp-1 and limp-II as well as with the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor in activated cells, but not with Rab5 or the transferrin receptor. Of functional relevance, expression of dominant negative lambda/iotaPKC, but not of the wild-type enzyme, severely impairs the endocytic membrane transport of the EGF receptor with no effect on the transferrin receptor. These findings strongly suggest that the aPKCs are anchored by p62 in the lysosome-targeted endosomal compartment, which seems critical for the control of the growth factor receptor trafficking. This is particularly relevant in light of the role played by the aPKCs in mitogenic cell signaling events.     

Immunolocalization of basic fibroblast growth factor and fibroblast growth factor receptor-1 and receptor-2 in rat cranial sutures

Craniosynostosis is a common disorder with an unknown etiology. Recent genetic mapping studies have demonstrated a strong linkage between several familial craniosynostotic syndromes and mutations in fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGF-R1) and 2 (FGF-R2). The purpose of this experiment was to investigate by immunohistochemistry the protein production of these receptors as well as of their most prevalent ligand, basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), before, during, and after sutural fusion in rat cranial sutures. The posterior frontal (normally fuses between postnatal days 12 and 22) and sagittal (remains patent) sutures of embryonic day 20 and neonatal days 6, 12, 17, 22, and 62 (n = 3 per group) were harvested, fixed, and decalcified. Five-micrometer sections were stained with polyclonal antibodies against bFGF, FGF-R1, and FGF-R2, and patterns of immunohistochemical staining were assessed by independent reviewers. Our results indicate that increased bFGF production correlates temporally with suture fusion, with increased staining of the dura underneath the fusing suture prior to fusion followed by increased staining within osteoblasts and sutural cells during fusion. FGF-R1 and, to a lesser extent FGF-R2 immunostaining revealed a different pattern of localization with increased immunostaining within the patent sagittal suture at these time points. These results implicate bFGF in the regulation of sutural fusion and may imply autoregulatory mechanisms in fibroblast growth factor receptor expression.     

Decreasing frequency but worsening mortality of acute respiratory failure secondary to AIDS-related Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia

BACKGROUND: Although expression of the HER-2/neu oncogene may be of some prognostic importance in advanced ovarian cancer, its role in early-stage disease has not been established. The current study examined the prevalence and significance of HER-2/neu expression in early epithelial ovarian cancer. METHODS: The authors analyzed the expression of HER-2/neu on frozen tumor specimens from 40 patients with early epithelial ovarian cancer using the indirect immunoperoxidase technique with monoclonal antibodies that detect epitopes on the extracellular domain of the HER-2/neu protein. All patients underwent comprehensive surgical staging. HER-2/neu expression was graded as negative, weak, moderate (1+ to 2+), or strong (3+). Complete clinical data and long-term follow up were available for all patients. RESULTS: The distribution of patients by stage was as follows: Stage IA, 6; IB, 0; IC, 14; IIA, 4; IIB, 6; IIC, 10. The mean patient age was 53 years. Fourteen patients had serous tumors; nine, endometrioid; eight, clear cell; eight, mucinous; and one, undifferentiated. Intratumoral heterogeneity of HER-2/neu expression was observed with most specimens. In eight specimens (20%), some areas of the tumor showed strong (3+) expression, beyond the level that can be seen in normal ovarian epithelium. Twenty-eight specimens (70%) showed moderate (1+ to 2+) staining, whereas four specimens (10%) showed negative or weak staining. At a mean follow-up time among surviving patients of 32 months, 15 patients (37%) have had cancer recurrence. No statistically significant relationship was found between HER-2/neu expression and survival, disease-free survival, stage, or grade. A significant increase was found in 3+ expression of HER-2/neu in clear cell tumors. CONCLUSION: Consistent HER-2/neu overexpression occurs infrequently in early ovarian cancer, making it unlikely that such overexpression is a general early event in ovarian carcinogenesis. HER-2/neu expression does not appear to be a strong prognostic marker in early epithelial ovarian cancer.