Ali Abdallah

During cancer initiation, normal cells acquire mutations disrupting standard cellular processes, activating oncogenes and inactivating tumor suppressor genes, acquiring the well-described hallmarks of cancer on the path to malignancy. This process is influenced by a combination of physiological and metabolic pathways, as well as environmental cues, and leads to abnormal cell cycle, increased cell motility, and invasive characteristics. Cancer cell organelles also present some distinct differences from those of normal cells. Cancer progression requires certain tumorigenic biochemical pathways to be activated. However, mechanical cues are also important, as they have an effect on cell differentiation and fate. A continuous biochemical–biomechanical interaction exists, which affects the mechanical properties of the cells, as well as their behavior. This review aims to focus on the mathematical relationships governing cancer mechanobiology and examine how the altered mechanical properties of a cancer cell may affect malignant progression.

Omphalitis is an inflammation of the umbilicus and is seldom diagnosed in adults. It is even rarer when it results from an infection of the urachus, an embryological remnant that connects the umbilicus to the dome of the bladder. Patients with omphalitis present with erythema, edema, tenderness, and purulent discharge form the umbilical stump. Workup includes ultrasonography and CT scan of the abdomen and pelvis. Management consists of antibiotics and incision and drainage of the umbilical abscess, followed by surgical resection of the urachal remnant. In this article, we report a case of omphalitis complicated by umbilical abscess in a 20-year-old female with a urachal remnant.

We were approached by an amputee diabetic to build a device that could test blood sugar with the use of only one arm. Originally, this product was client based only. It was designed for an elderly diabetic amputee such that the device would allow him to single-handedly manage his blood glucose testing without any extra assistance from other persons. Although this was originally a client-specific device, it is expected to have a broader market based on the prevalence of arm amputations among the diabetic patient population. Statistics reveal that over 80,000 amputations are performed each year in the United States on people with diabetes. [1] The target audience is also intended for older individuals who suffer from having limited fine motor coordination due to conditions such as arthritis. Diabetic patients must test their glucose level several times a day, and therefore it is absolutely critical to have a glucose-testing device that allows a user to test his or her glucose-level with no trouble. This device would provide these diabetic patients with access to a more convenient and user-friendly system that would allow an individual to test his or her blood glucose level with ease.