Stanford type B aortic dissection in a patient with aberrant right subclavian artery.

An aberrant right subclavian artery is a rare aortic arch anomaly where the right subclavian artery arises from the proximal part of the descending thoracic aorta and distal to origin of left subclavian artery. It usually courses behind the esophagus. Type B aortic dissection along with aberrant right subclavian artery is not common.

The Development of a 3D Printer-Inspired, Microgravity-Compatible Sample Preparation Device for Future Use Inside the International Space Station.

Biological testing on the International Space Station (ISS) is necessary in order to monitor the microbial burden and identify risks to crew health. With support from a NASA Phase I Small Business Innovative Research contract, we have developed a compact prototype of a microgravity-compatible, automated versatile sample preparation platform (VSPP). The VSPP was built by modifying entry-level 3D printers that cost USD 200-USD 800.

PrintrLab incubator: A portable and low-cost CO2 incubator based on an open-source 3D printer architecture.

Growth in open-source hardware designs combined with the decreasing cost of high-quality 3D printers have supported a resurgence of in-house custom lab equipment development. Herein, we describe a low-cost (< $400), open-source CO2 incubator. The system is comprised of a Raspberry Pi computer connected to a 3D printer controller board that has controls for a CO2 sensor, solenoid valve, heater, and thermistors.

Involvement of actin cytoskeletal modifications in the inhibition of triple-negative breast cancer growth and metastasis by nimbolide.

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) are aggressive cancers, which currently do not have effective treatment options. Migration and establishment of metastatic colonies require dynamic cytoskeletal modifications characterized by polymerization and depolymerization of actin. Studies have demonstrated a direct molecular link between the integrin-focal adhesion kinase (FAK) pathway and cytoskeletal modifications.

A Rapid SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR Assay for Low Resource Settings.

Quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) assay is the gold standard recommended to test for acute SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, it generally requires expensive equipment such as RNA isolation instruments and real-time PCR thermal cyclers. As a pandemic, COVID-19 has spread indiscriminately, and many low resource settings and developing countries do not have the means for fast and accurate COVID-19 detection to control the outbreak.

Validating an Automated Nucleic Acid Extraction Device for Using Whole Cell Microbial Reference Standards.

NASA has made great strides in the past five years to develop a suite of instruments for the International Space Station in order to perform molecular biology in space. However, a key piece of equipment that has been lacking is an instrument that can extract nucleic acids from an array of complex human and environmental samples. The team has developed the μTitan (simulated micro() gravity ested nsrument for utomated ucleic acid) system capable of automated, streamlined, nucleic acid extraction that is adapted for use under microgravity.

Silencing growth hormone receptor inhibits estrogen receptor negative breast cancer through ATP-binding cassette sub-family G member 2.

Growth hormone receptor (GHR) plays a vital role in breast cancer chemoresistance and metastasis but the mechanism is not fully understood. We determined if GHR could be a potential therapeutic target for estrogen receptor negative (ER-ve) breast cancer, which are highly chemoresistant and metastatic. GHR was stably knocked down in ER-ve breast cancer cells and its effect on cell proliferation, metastatic behavior, and chemosensitivity to docetaxel (DT) was assessed.

Glucose insult elicits hyperactivation of cancer stem cells through miR-424-cdc42-prdm14 signalling axis.

Background: Meta-analysis shows that women with diabetes have a 20% increased risk of breast cancer and also an increased risk for distant metastasis and mortality. The molecular mechanisms for distant metastasis and mortality in breast cancer patients with diabetes are not very well understood.

Methods: We compared the effect of physiological (5 mM) and diabetic (10 mM) levels of glucose on malignant breast epithelial cell invasion and stemness capabilities.

The serum protein profile of early parity which induces protection against breast cancer.

Early parity reduces the risk of breast cancer in women while nulliparity and late parity increase the risk of breast cancer. In order to translate this protection to women where early pregnancy is not feasible, much work has focused on understanding how parity confers protection against breast cancer, the molecular mechanisms by which this occurs is still not well understood. Healthy parous and nulliparous women were recruited for this study.

Gedunin inhibits pancreatic cancer by altering sonic hedgehog signaling pathway.

Introduction: The lack of efficient treatment options for pancreatic cancer highlights the critical need for the development of novel and effective chemotherapeutic agents. The medicinal properties found in plants have been used to treat many different illnesses including cancers. This study focuses on the anticancer effects of gedunin, a natural compound isolated from Azadirachta indica.

Nimbolide inhibits pancreatic cancer growth and metastasis through ROS-mediated apoptosis and inhibition of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition.

The mortality and morbidity rates of pancreatic cancer are high because of its extremely invasive and metastatic nature. Its lack of symptoms, late diagnosis and chemo-resistance and the ineffective treatment modalities warrant the development of new chemo-therapeutic agents for pancreatic cancer. Agents from medicinal plants have demonstrated therapeutic benefits in various human cancers.

Desacetyl nimbinene inhibits breast cancer growth and metastasis through reactive oxygen species mediated mechanisms.

Accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been implicated in induction of apoptosis and regulation of key signaling molecules in cancer cells. Phytochemicals are potent source of anticancer drugs as wells as potential inducers of ROS. Neem (Azadirachta indica) is a medicinal plant used for the treatment of various diseases.

A Breast Tissue Protein Expression Profile Contributing to Early Parity-Induced Protection Against Breast Cancer.

Background/aims: Early parity reduces breast cancer risk, whereas, late parity and nulliparity increase breast cancer risk. Despite substantial efforts to understand the protective effects of early parity, the precise molecular circuitry responsible for these changes is not yet fully defined.

Methods: Here, we have conducted the first study assessing protein expression profiles in normal breast tissue of healthy early parous, late parous, and nulliparous women.

Emerging roles of microRNAs in pancreatic cancer diagnosis, therapy and prognosis (Review).

Pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer related death. Increasing incidence and mortality indicates a lack of detection and post diagnostic management of this disease. Recent evidences suggest that, miRNAs are very attractive target molecules that can serve as biomarkers for predicting development and progression of pancreatic cancer.

MicroRNA-125a influences breast cancer stem cells by targeting leukemia inhibitory factor receptor which regulates the Hippo signaling pathway.

Cancer stem cells (CSC) are the main driving force behind cancer initiation and progression. The molecular mechanisms that regulate CSC properties are poorly understood. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a significant role in normal and cancer tissues.

Recurrence and metastasis of breast cancer is influenced by ovarian hormone's effect on breast cancer stem cells.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) have recently attracted great interest because of their emerging role in initiation, progression and metastasis, combined with their intrinsic resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. CSCs and its interaction with hormones in breast cancer are currently being investigated with the aim of uncovering the molecular mechanisms by which they evade conventional treatment regimens. In this review, we discuss recent experimental data and new perspectives in the area of steroid hormones and their cross-talk with breast CSCs.

Receptor activator for nuclear factor-κB ligand signaling promotes progesterone-mediated estrogen-induced mammary carcinogenesis.

Breast cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related death in women. Prolonged exposure to the ovarian hormones estrogen and progesterone increases the risk of breast cancer. Although estrogen is known as a primary factor in mammary carcinogenesis, very few studies have investigated the role of progesterone.

Growth hormone receptor inhibition decreases the growth and metastasis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Pancreatic cancer is the only major cancer with very low survival rates (1%). It is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death. Hyperactivated growth hormone receptor (GHR) levels have been shown to increase the risk of cancer in general and this pathway is a master regulator of key cellular functions like proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, metastasis, etc.

microRNA alterations in ALDH positive mammary epithelial cells: a crucial contributing factor towards breast cancer risk reduction in case of early pregnancy.

Background: microRNAs have recently succeeded in grabbing the center stage in cancer research for their potential to regulate vital cellular process like cell cycle, stem cell renewal and epithelial mesenchymal transition. Breast cancer is the second most leading cause of cancer related mortality in women. The main reason for mortality is chemoresistance and metastasis for which remnant stem cells are believed to be the cause.

Parity and short-term estradiol treatment utilizes similar cellular mechanisms to confer protection against breast cancer.

Background: Protective effect of early pregnancy and short-term estrogen treatment (STET), against breast cancer is well established. The underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we compared the mammary gland cellular microenvironment influenced/induced by parity and STET alongside age-matched controls.

The role of hormones and aromatase inhibitors on breast tumor growth and general health in a postmenopausal mouse model.

Background: Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women in the United States. Approximately 70% of breast cancers are diagnosed in postmenopausal women. Major clinical trials and experimental studies showed that aromatase inhibitors are effective against postmenopausal breast cancer.

Targeting insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor inhibits pancreatic cancer growth and metastasis.

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers. Increasing incidence and mortality indicates that there is still much lacking in detection and management of the disease. This is partly due to a lack of specific symptoms during early stages of the disease.

A genomics approach to identify susceptibilities of breast cancer cells to "fever-range" hyperthermia.

Background: Preclinical and clinical studies have shown for decades that tumor cells demonstrate significantly enhanced sensitivity to "fever range" hyperthermia (increasing the intratumoral temperature to 42-45°C) than normal cells, although it is unknown why cancer cells exhibit this distinctive susceptibility.

Methods: To address this issue, mammary epithelial cells and three malignant breast cancer lines were subjected to hyperthermic shock and microarray, bioinformatics, and network analysis of the global transcription changes was subsequently performed.

Results: Bioinformatics analysis differentiated the gene expression patterns that distinguish the heat shock response of normal cells from malignant breast cancer cells, revealing that the gene expression profiles of mammary epithelial cells are completely distinct from malignant breast cancer lines following this treatment.

Hyperglycemia enhances the proliferation of non-tumorigenic and malignant mammary epithelial cells through increased leptin/IGF1R signaling and activation of AKT/mTOR.

Obesity and diabetes are associated with increased breast cancer risk and worse disease progression once cancer is diagnosed; however, the exact etiology behind these observations remains to be fully elucidated. Due to the global obesity/diabetes pandemic, it is imperative to understand how these diseases promote and enhance breast cancer and other common cancers. In this study we demonstrate that hyperglycemia promotes breast cancer by altering leptin/IGF1R and AKT/mTOR signaling.

Neem leaf extract inhibits mammary carcinogenesis by altering cell proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis.

Plant-based medicines are useful in the treatment of cancer. Many breast cancer patients use complementary and alternative medicine in parallel with conventional treatments. Neem is historically well known in Asia and Africa as a versatile medicinal plant with a wide spectrum of biological activities.