Key oncogenic signaling pathways affecting tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma: basic principles and recent advances.

The incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks first among primary liver cancers, and its mortality rate exhibits a consistent annual increase. The treatment of HCC has witnessed a significant surge in recent years, with the emergence of targeted immune therapy as an adjunct to early surgical resection. Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) using tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) has shown promising results in other types of solid tumors. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the intricate interactions between different types of TILs and their impact on HCC, elucidate strategies for targeting neoantigens through TILs, and address the challenges encountered in TIL therapies along with potential solutions. Furthermore, this article specifically examines the impact of oncogenic signaling pathways activation within the HCC tumor microenvironment on the infiltration dynamics of TILs. Additionally, a concise overview is provided regarding TIL preparation techniques and an update on clinical trials investigating TIL-based immunotherapy in solid tumors.

Fostering non-aviation undergraduates' aviation literacy in an online aviation laboratory: effects on students' perceptions, motivation, industry optimism.

Aviation is a multidisciplinary subject that has influenced human development over the last century. Learning about aviation exposes students to principles of flight, earth science, aeronautical engineering, language, aviation communication and airmanship. In higher education, many non-aviation undergraduates participate in aviation related activities to have a first glimpse of the aviation industry and equip themselves with basic concepts. This study aims to examine learning perception among 82 university students who have participated in a series of online aviation career exploration activities during the pandemic in Hong Kong and China. They participated in virtual visits and career talks led by aviation professionals, hands-on flight simulation activities and online discussion in an online lab setting. A mixed research method was employed with the use of a motivational survey, teachers' observation and semi-structured interviews to understand students' learning perceptions. This study found that flying laboratory activities could effectively motivate students to learn aviation and improve their aviation knowledge. This could promote students' aviation industry optimism, which may help the industry to recover in the post-pandemic world. This article offers recommendations for online engineering educators to use emerging technologies to teach aviation for future career preparation.

Teachers' AI digital competencies and twenty-first century skills in the post-pandemic world.

The pandemic has catalyzed a significant shift to online/blended teaching and learning where teachers apply emerging technologies to enhance their students' learning outcomes. Artificial intelligence (AI) technology has gained its popularity in online learning environments during the pandemic to assist students' learning. However, many of these AI tools are new to teachers. They may not have rich technical knowledge to use AI educational applications to facilitate their teaching, not to mention developing students' AI digital capabilities. As such, there is a growing need for teachers to equip themselves with adequate digital competencies so as to use and teach AI in their teaching environments. There are few existing frameworks informing teachers of necessary AI competencies. This study first explores the opportunities and challenges of employing AI systems and how they can enhance teaching, learning and assessment. Then, aligning with generic digital competency frameworks, the DigCompEdu framework and P21's framework for twenty-first century learning were adapted and revised to accommodate AI technologies. Recommendations are proposed to support educators and researchers to promote AI education in their classrooms and academia.

Identification of the core genes in Randall's plaque of kidney stone and immune infiltration with WGCNA network.

Background: Randall's plaque is regarded as the precursor lesion of lithiasis. However, traditional bioinformatic analysis is limited and ignores the relationship with immune response. To investigate the underlying calculi formation mechanism, we introduced innovative algorithms to expand our understanding of kidney stone disease. Methods: We downloaded the GSE73680 series matrix from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) related to CaOx formation and excluded one patient, GSE116860. In the RStudio (R version 4.1.1) platform, the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified with the limma package for GO/KEGG/GSEA analysis in the clusterProfiler package. Furthermore, high-correlated gene co-expression modules were confirmed by the WGCNA package to establish a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. Finally, the CaOx samples were processed by the CIBERSORT algorithm to anchor the key immune cells group and verified in the validation series matrix GSE117518. Results: The study identified 840 upregulated and 1065 downregulated genes. The GO/KEGG results revealed fiber-related or adhesion-related terms and several pathways in addition to various diseases identified from the DO analysis. Moreover, WGCNA selected highly correlated modules to construct a PPI network. Finally, 16 types of immune cells are thought to participate in urolithiasis pathology and are related to hub genes in the PPI network that are proven significant in the validation series matrix GSE117518. Conclusion: Randall's plaque may relate to genes DCN, LUM, and P4HA2 and M2 macrophages and resting mast immune cells. These findings could serve as potential biomarkers and provide new research directions.

Splenogonadal fusion: a case report of three cases and a literature review.

Purpose: This case report aims to enhance the understanding of clinical physicians regarding splenogonadal fusion (SGF) and to help them consider SGF as a differential diagnosis when testicular tumors are suspected, thus avoiding unnecessary orchiectomies. Methods: We report three cases of SGF admitted to our hospital, one of which presented as a suspected testicular tumor. We also searched the literature on scrotal masses from the last 25 years and summarize the characteristics of cases of SGF manifesting as scrotal swelling combined with our cases. Results: After conducting a thorough search, we found a total of 24 publications relevant to this case study, which included 25 testes. All lesions were located on the left side, and the average age of those affected was 20.22 years. Seven cases were of the continuous type. Three cases presented with pain, all of which were intratesticular masses. Thirty cases had a definite onset duration, ranging from 3 weeks to 10 years. Nine patients (36%) underwent orchiectomy, and one underwent partial orchiectomy. Conclusion: It is crucial to identify SGF in the clinic. When a patient presents with scrotal swelling, diagnosing SGF preoperatively is challenging, and it should be considered when there is a long history of a stable testicular mass. An intraoperative frozen section should be performed if a testicular tumor is suspected to avoid unnecessary orchiectomy.

Diagnosis and treatment of cryptorchid testicular torsion in children: A 12-year retrospective study.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical characteristics, treatment, and prognosis of cryptorchid testicular torsion in children. Methods: The clinical data of 25 children who received treatment for cryptorchid testicular torsion between January 2010 and December 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. The median age of the patients was 64.5 months (range: 2 months to 15 years). All patients had unilateral torsion, and the duration of symptoms ranged from 3 to 192 h. Results: Among the 25 patients, five underwent orchidopexy, while the remaining 20 underwent orchiectomy. After 6 months to 8 years of follow up, the 20 patients who had undergone orchiectomy had a well-developed testis on the healthy side. Four of the five patients who had undergone orchidopexy of the affected testis had well-developed testes bilaterally, while one experienced testicular atrophy. Conclusion: Cryptorchid testicular torsion is a rare urological emergency that displays a delayed presentation and is often misdiagnosed. Clinicians need to carefully review the patient's medical history and ultrasound findings and perform a thorough physical examination to make a correct diagnosis. Active testicular exploration is required for patients suspected to have cryptorchid testicular torsion, and the decision to perform orchidopexy or orchiectomy depends on the intraoperative situation.

Single-port laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal internal ring closure for paediatric inguinal hernia using a needle grasper.

BACKGROUND: Single-site laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure has been widely used for the repair of paediatric inguinal hernia. In this study, we aimed to introduce the usage of a needle grasper in single-port laparoscopic herniorrhaphy in children. METHODS: In our study, 447 children with inguinal hernia underwent single-port laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure between October 2018 and October 2021 in Shenzhen Children' hospital were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Among 447 patients, there were 396 males and 51 females with a mean age of 2.24 ± 0.36 years. A contralateral patent processus vaginalis was present in 165 unilateral hernia patients. All patients underwent laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure successfully without converting to open operation. The mean operating time in unilateral and bilateral hernia patients were 10.23 ± 2.25 mine and 14.54 ± 2.81 mine respectively. One patient had subcutaneous emphysema, two male patients had inguinal hernia recurrence and none had complications such as hydrocele and testicular atrophy. Additional 0.3 cm port was done in 4 cases. The mean follow-up time was 22.36 ± 4.56 months. CONCLUSIONS: Single-port laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure of paediatric inguinal hernia using a needle grasper is a feasible and safe procedure. It has the advantages of fewer skin surgical incisions, short operating time, low complication and low recurrence rate.

Open Versus Laparoscopic Gubernaculum-Sparing Second-Stage Fowler-Stephens Orchiopexy for Intra-Abdominal Testis: A Long-Term Study.

Background: The benefits of performing open versus laparoscopic gubernaculum-sparing second-stage Fowler-Stephens orchiopexy (FSO) remain unclear. We compared the two techniques to answer this question. Methods: We retrospectively studied a cohort of patients who underwent laparoscopic first-stage FSO and open versus laparoscopic gubernaculum-sparing second-stage FSO at our institution between September 2004 and June 2020 (all patients underwent surgery by a single surgeon). We evaluated both procedures based on the incidence of testicular atrophy, testicular ascent, and other complications. Results: The age at initial surgery was 45.7 ± 28.2 months (median, 39). One hundred nine cases were treated with open second-stage gubernaculum-sparing FSO (OFSO), and 96 cases were treated with laparoscopic second-stage gubernaculum-sparing FSO (LFSO). The mean follow-up period was 59.8 months (median, 54; standard deviation, +35). The overall testicular atrophy rate was 1.5%. Atrophy was observed in 2 and 1 patient in the OFSO and LFSO groups, respectively (1.8% versus 1.0%, P > .05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of testicular ascent between both groups (2.8% versus 3.1%). Five and four complications were noted in the OFSO and LFSO groups, respectively (P > .05). Conclusions: Second-stage gubernaculum-sparing FSO achieved high testicular survival rates and satisfactory testicular positions. Neither the open nor laparoscopic approach appeared superior, because the overall testicular survival rates and incidence of testicular ascent and other complications were equivalent between both groups.

Urethroplasty for chordee with a paper-thin hypoplastic urethra: A long-term study.

OBJECTIVES: To establish a standard surgical procedure for children with chordee with a paper-thin hypoplastic urethra, which was based on the degree of curvature and urethral plate quality. To guidelines for the management of this disorder. METHODS: We reviewed 58 cases of chordee with a paper-thin hypoplastic urethra, managed between March 2006 and September 2020. The age of the patients ranged from 23 to 89 months. Operative details and postoperative complications were analyzed. RESULTS: Mild-moderate chordee with a paper-thin hypoplastic urethra correction was performed using a tubularized incised plate (13 cases) or onlay island flap (five cases) technique after penile degloving. Severe chordee with a paper-thin hypoplastic urethra required transection of the urethra and underwent a Duckett (11 cases) or staged (29 cases) urethroplasty. Complications in the tubularized incised plate and onlay island flap groups were 7.7% and 20%, respectively. The overall complication rate was 10.3% in the staged group and 27.3% in the Duckett group. CONCLUSIONS: Reconstruction of the entire hypoplastic urethra should be recommended in the management of chordee with a paper-thin hypoplastic urethra. We propose an algorithm based on the degree of curvature and urethral plate quality. The tubularized incised plate or onlay island flap technique can be used for mild to moderate chordee with a paper-thin hypoplastic urethra, and the outcome of the tubularized incised plate technique tends to be better than that of the onlay island flap technique. Duckett or staged urethroplasty is suitable for severe chordee with a paper-thin hypoplastic urethra, and the staged technique can improve the overall success rate.

A spiroborate-based anionic bis-N-heterocyclic carbene.

A twisted mono-cationic bis-benzimidazolium salt was serendipitously isolated from the dehydrative condensation of 5,6-dihydroxyl-1,3-dimesityl-benzimidazolium and 1,4-benzenediboronic acid. Subsequent deprotonation of the benzimidazolium salt led to the formation of a spiroborate-linked free bis-NHC, which was further transformed into the corresponding diborane adduct and the di-Rh complex.

Whey protein nanofibrils: the environment-morphology-functionality relationship in lyophilization, rehydration, and seeding.

Amyloid-like fibrils from ß-lactoglobulin have potential as efficient thickening and gelling agents for food and biomedical applications, but the link between fibril morphology and bulk viscosity is poorly understood. We examined how lyophilization and rehydration affects the morphology and rheological properties of semiflexible (i.e., straight) and highly flexible (i.e., curly) fibrils, the latter made with 80 mM CaCl(2). Straight fibrils were fractured into short rods by lyophilization and rehydration, whereas curly fibrils sustained little damage. This was reflected in the viscosities of rehydrated fibril dispersions, which were much lower for straight fibrils than for curly fibrils. Lyophilized straight or curly fibrils seeded new fibril growth, but viscosity enhancement due to seeding was negligible. We believe that the increase in fibril concentration caused by seeding was counterbalanced by a decrease in fibril length, reducing the ability of fibrils to form physical entanglement networks.

Preparation and evaluation of easy energy supply property of medium-chain fatty acids liposomes.

To develop an easy-energy-supply agent, medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) liposomes were prepared by thin-layer dispersion, freeze-thawing and dynamic high pressure microfluidization (DHPM)-freeze-thawing methods. Results showed that MCFAs nanoliposomes obtained by the novel method (DHPM-freeze-thawing) exhibited a smaller size (72.6 ± 4.9 nm), narrower size distribution (PDI = 0.175 ± 0.005), higher zeta potential (-41.27 ± 1.16 mV) and entrapment efficiency (45.9 ± 6.0%) compared to the other two methods. In the weight-loaded swimming test of the mice, the high-dose group of MCFAs nanoliposomes indicated a significantly longer swimming time (105 ± 31 min, p < 0.05), a lower serum urea nitrogen (839.5 ± 111.9 mg/L, p < 0.05) and blood lactic acid (5.7 ± 1.0 mmol/L, p ≤ 0.001), and a higher hepatic glycogen (15.0 ± 3.6 mg/g, p ≤ 0.001) than those of the control group (53 ± 13 min, 1153.6 ± 102.5 mg/L, 12.5 ± 1.9 mmol/L and 8.8 ± 3.3 mg/g, respectively). However, no significant difference was found between the high-dose group and MCFAs group. The results suggested that MCFAs nanoliposomes could be used as a potential easy-energy-supply agent.

Effect of calcium on the morphology and functionality of whey protein nanofibrils.

Self-assembly of amyloid-like nanofibrils during heating of bovine whey proteins at 80 °C and pH 2 is accelerated by the presence of NaCl and/or CaCl(2), but the rheological consequences of accelerated self-assembly are largely unknown. This investigation focused on the impact of CaCl(2) on the evolution of rheological properties and fibril morphology of heated whey protein isolate (WPI), both during self-assembly at high temperature and after cooling. Continuous rotational rheometry of heated 2% w/w WPI showed a nonlinear effect of CaCl(2) on the viscosity of fibril dispersions, which we attributed to effects on fibril flexibility and thus the balance between intrafibril and interfibril entanglements. Small-amplitude oscillatory measurements made in situ during heating of 10% w/w WPI at 80 °C suggest that CaCl(2) is not involved in either fibril structure or gel structure, and this was confirmed with dialysis experiments.

PFG-NMR analysis of intercompartment exchange and inner droplet size distribution of W/O/W emulsions.

Presented is a novel application of pulsed field gradient (PFG)-NMR to the analysis of intercompartment exchange and the inner compartment droplet size distribution of a W/O/W multiple emulsion. The method involves monitoring the diffusional behavior of different components of the emulsion. Pfeuffer et al. [Pfeuffer, J.; Flogel, U.; Dreher, W.; Leibfritz, D. NMR Biomed. 1998, 11(1), 19-31.](1) and Price et al. [Price, W. S.; Barzykin, A. V.; Hayamizu, K.; Tachiya, M. Biophys. J. 1998, 74(5), 2259-2271.](2) proposed methods to extend Kärger's PFG-NMR model of exchange between two compartments to accommodate spherical inner compartments. Each model enables the prediction of the oil membrane permeability, the inner compartment volume fraction, and a representation of the inner compartment droplet size distribution. The models were fitted to PFG-NMR experimental data of W/O/W emulsions. The Pfeuffer et al. model provided the best description of the observed experimental data. Predicted values of permeability and swelling were consistent with those reported in the literature for W/O/W emulsions. The addition of sorbitol to either the inner or outer water compartment resulted in an increase in the oil membrane permeability. Inner compartment droplet size distribution measurements indicate that swelling, rupture, and coalescence are likely to have occurred during the secondary emulsification and emulsion ripening. In its present form, the method still constitutes a fast, noninvasive (no addition of a tracer), and in situ method for comparative analysis of the permeability, stability, and yield of different formulations of multiple emulsions with a single PFG-NMR experiment.