Expression of peptide YY in all four islet cell types in the developing mouse pancreas suggests a common peptide YY-producing progenitor

The islets of Langerhans contain four distinct endocrine cell types producing the hormones glucagon, insulin, somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide. These cell lineages are thought to arise from a common, multipotential progenitor cell whose identity has not been well established. The pancreatic and intestinal hormone, peptide YY, has been previously identified in glucagon-producing cells in islets; however, transgenic mice expressing Simian Virus 40 large T antigen under the control of the peptide YY gene expressed the oncoprotein in beta, delta and pancreatic polypeptide cells, and occasionally developed insulinomas, suggesting relationships between peptide YY-producing cells and several islet cell lineages. The four established pancreatic islet cell types were examined for coexpression of peptide YY in islets of normal and transgenic mice throughout development. Peptide YY immunoreactivity was identified in the earliest endocrine cells in the fetal pancreas and was coexpressed in each islet cell type during development. Peptide YY showed a high degree of co-localization with glucagon- and insulin-producing cells in early pancreatic development, but by adulthood, peptide YY was expressed in less than half of the alpha cells and was no longer expressed in beta cells. Peptide YY was also coexpressed with somatostatin and pancreatic polypeptide when these cell types first appeared, but most delta and pancreatic polypeptide cells continued to express peptide YY throughout development. The use of conditions that distinguish peptide YY from the related peptides, pancreatic polypeptide and neuropeptide Y, as well as the ability of the peptide YY gene to direct expression of a reporter gene in islets of transgenic mice, establishes expression of peptide YY in the earliest pancreatic endocrine cells.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Common complications of vaginal hysterectomy: thoughts regarding their prevention and management

Quantitative estimates were computed for exponential coefficients and rate constants contributing to afferent unit impulse responses obtained from bundles innervating specific regions of the semicircular canal. The grouping of these estimates into specific response classes provided quantitative correlations with specific anatomical regions of innervation of the crista. Linear system gain and phase spectra were computed also, by applying Fourier transformations to unit impulse responses, for purposes of comparison with previous studies employing frequency domain analyses. Responses fitted by third-order linear system equations were specific to afferents innervating the crest and transition regions of the crista; whereas those fitted by overdamped, second-order equations were specific to afferents innervating the slopes and transition crista regions. It was concluded that strictly mechanical models of the transduction process are inadequate to account for the diverse and spatially distributed classes of observed responses and, moreover, structural features such as different hair cell types or efferent innervation effects could be excluded as inoperative in this preparation. The alternative hypothesis was suggested that certain of the observed subcomponents could be direct reflections of the initial mechanical stimulus, but that other subcomponents were reflections of more complex filtering mechanisms operating at the cellular or synaptic levels.     

Functional longevity of intraperioneal drains: an experimental evaluation

Various types of drains were inserted into the peritoneal cavity of twenty-eight dogs. After one to seven days, all drains failed to show the presence of 200 cc of colored fluid injected intraperitoneally. On autopsy, all tubes were surrounded and occluded by omentum.     

Upper extremity replantation: current concepts and patient selection

Dramatic advances in replantation and microsurgery have somewhat altered the criteria we use in selecting patients to be candidates for upper extremity replantation surgery. We suggest that contraindications for such replantation are: presence of associated life-threatening injuries; serious anesthetic risk; preexisting medical or psychiatric problems; previous injury or disease of the amputated part; warm ischemic time greater than 6-8 hours for extremities or greater than 10-12 hours for digits; and single-digit amputations (except thumb, for grasp). Replantation is feasible when: amputated part is properly preserved; injury type is sharp amputation, mild to moderate crush, or selected avulsion, and amputation is proximal to the DIP joint. Careful preservation of the amputated part, not in dry ice, is mandatory. On an individual basis, the decision to attempt replantation rests on the prediction that the patient may have better function with such surgery than with a prosthesis.     

The effect of an oxide layer on the ohmicity of contacts to amorphous silicon

Surface oxide layers on CVD films of amorphous silicon can cause the metallic contacts to the films to be non-ohmic. Dipping an amorphous silicon sample in a solution of hydrofluoric acid prior to electrode deposition removes the oxide layer and permits the formation of ohmic contacts.     

The effect of additives on the aerosolization of JP-5 jet fuel

The May spinning top aerosol generator was used to generate aerosols from neat Navy jet fuel and selected dispersions of three types of polymer additives in the jet fuel. The additives selected were Oppanol B-200, a Vistanex Series, and a proprietary antimisting additive designated as FM-9. The mass median diameter (MMD) of the droplets produced was studied as a function of additive concentration and spinning top velocity for each additive. In the case of each additive, the MMD significantly increased with concentration at constant RPS. The effect of the Oppanol B-200 was comparable with that of FM-9 with respect to its influence on the MMD.