Tumors from patients with Paget disease of the breast were positive for c-erbB-2, Cyclin D1, and Ki-67, molecular markers commonly associated with more aggressive tumor behavior and poorer survival in breast cancer patients. Few of these tumors expressed Bcl-2 or ER and PR, which are generally associated with a better prognosis. Similar expression of these markers in both Paget cells and the underlying carcinoma supports the theory that these cells are the result of an intraepidermal spread of ductal carcinoma.

Fat viability was better when fat was harvested by fine-needle aspiration. The plasticity of mature adipocytes and preadipocytes in vitro suggested that both might be involved in fat graft integration.

Isolated sodium deoxycholate was almost as effective as the phosphatidylcholine formulation, at clinical concentrations, in reducing the viability of mature adipocytes over time. Similar cytotoxic effects of phosphatidylcholine formulation on normal foreskin fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and human skeletal muscle cells also were observed. The data prove that the formulation acts in a nonspecific manner and that its unintentional administration to other tissues causes cell death.

Biomaterial research and tissue engineering have guided new developments in bone replacement. In this study, the osteoconductive and osteoinductive properties of 45S5 Bioglass (Novabone-C/M, Porex Surg., Newnan, GA), granules as a bone replacement material for large calvarial defects were evaluated. Rabbit periosteal cells were expanded in culture and used in vivo. Alkaline-phosphatase assay, collagen type I, and calcium expression were applied to confirm osteoblast phenotype. In the in vivo phase, a 15-mm diameter critical size calvarial defect was created in rabbits (n = 14). The defect was reconstructed according to four treatment groups: autogenous bone (n = 2), Bioglass alone (n = 2), Bioglass + bone (n = 5), Bioglass + periosteal cells (n = 5). The animals were killed 12 weeks after surgery, and the samples were analyzed. Periosteal cells grew successfully in vitro. Because of their fast proliferation and potential to differentiate into osteoblasts, they were an excellent source of cells for bone tissue engineering. The best ossification was seen when autogenous bone was used (79.4% ossified), whereas only 8.2% of the defect in the Bioglass group showed ossification. Addition of bone or cells to the Bioglass increased the area of ossification to 42.7% and 30.2%, respectively. Defects replaced with Bioglass showed varying degrees of inflammatory reaction because of the intense cell-mediated biodegradation process. Based on these findings, the use of Bioglass granules to repair large craniofacial defects cannot be advised.

Previous studies have shown that prepubertal olfactory bulbectomy will prevent the testicular regression associated with short photoperiod in golden hamsters. The gonadal regression which normally occurs in hamsters on short photoperiod is known to be due in part to an increased responsiveness of the reproductive neuroendocrine system to the negative feedback actions of testosterone on LH and FSH secretion. The present study tested whether the olfactory bulbs influence the feedback effects of testosterone on gonadotropin secretion. Twenty-four- to 26-day-old male golden hamsters were either olfactory-bulbectomized (BX) or sham-olfactory-bulbectomized. Eight weeks later, all hamsters were castrated, and one half of each group was placed in LD 10:14 (this was called week -8 of the study), while the other half was returned to long photoperiod (LD 14:10). Eight weeks following castration (week 0 of the study), all animals were implanted with silastic capsules containing 0, 4, 8 or 16 mm of testosterone. All hamsters were bled by cardiac puncture at -8, -4, 0, +2, +4, +6 and + 8 weeks. The concentration of LH and FSH in these samples was then determined by RIA. BX completely prevented the negative feedback of testosterone on gonadotropin secretion in hamsters on either long or short photoperiod at all levels of testosterone tested in this study. In addition, there were seemingly steroid-independent effects of BX on gonadotropin levels in the castrated hamsters prior to testosterone replacement at weeks -4 and 0. These results are the first indication that the olfactory bulbs have an important role in regulating the responsiveness of the reproductive neuroendocrine axis to the feedback of testosterone on LH and FSH secretion. The data indicate that the ability of BX to prevent short-photoperiod-induced testicular regression may be one part of a much larger effect of the olfactory bulbs, and that the olfactory bulbs have an important influence on gonadotropin secretion in hamsters maintained on long or short photoperiod.