Moxibustion at ST36 activates peritoneal macrophages in CTX-induced immunosuppression in mouse model via IFN-γ

Background:To explored whether moxa cone moxibustion can reduce peritoneal inflammation by increasing the content of peritoneal macrophages and B cells via interferon-gamma.Methods:The mice were randomly divided into three groups with six mice in each group:the control group,model group,and moxibustion group,and the model was established in mice using cyclophosphamide.In the moxibustion group,the mice received moxa cone moxibustion at Zusanli(ST36)for 7 days.Analysis of Peritoneal cell were detected by flow cytometry and immunofluorescence,the protein expression level in the peritoneal fluid were measured with mouse cytokine antibody arrays and verified by enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay test,and RNA-Sequencing was used for peritoneal cell RNA analysis.Results:Our results showed that moxa cone moxibustion could reduce the loss of large peritoneal macrophages and B1 cells(P<0.05).With the cytokine array analysis and enzyme linked immuno sorbent assay test of peritoneal fluid,we found that IFN‐γwas up-regulated in moxibustion group(P<0.05).There were 169 genes were down-regulated in the model group and up-regulated in the moxibustion group while 19 genes that were up-regulated in the model group and down-regulated in the moxibustion group via RNA-sequencing.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis of 188 intersect differentially expressed genes were found that the top 3 pathways with the highest enrichment of up-regulated genes included Hematopoietic cell lineage,Inflammatory bowel disease and Malaria.The differentially expressed genes visualization protein-protein interaction network shows the top 10 genes including Ifng,Grb2,CCR7,CTLA4,CXCR5,Foxp3,kit,PRF1,CD5 and klrg1.Conclusion:These findings showed that moxa cone moxibustion can alleviate chemotherapy-induced diarrhea by reducing the loss of large peritoneal macrophages and B1 cells in the peritoneal cavity,possibly through up-regulating inflammatory bowel disease signaling pathway via interferon-gamma to regulate the survival and function of large peritoneal macrophages and B1 cells.

Single fundamental mode photonic crystal VCSEL with high power and low threshold current optimized by modal loss analysis

The characteristics of the photonic crystal vertical cavity surface emitting lasers（PhC-VCSELs） were investigated by using the full vector finite-difference time-domain（FDTD） method through the transverse mode loss analysis. PhC-VCSELs with different photonic crystal structures were analyzed theoretically and experimentally. Through combining the dual mode confinement of oxide aperture and seven-point-defect photonic crystal structure, the PhC-VCSELs with low threshold current of 0.9 mA and maximum output power of 3.1 mW operating in single fundamental mode were demonstrated. Mode loss analysis method was proven as a reliable and useful way to analyze and optimize the PhC-VCSELs.

Changing profiles of cancer burden worldwide and in China: a secondary analysis of the global cancer statistics 2020

Background:Cancer is one of the leading causes of death globally,but its burden is not uniform.GLOBOCAN 2020 has newly updated the estimates of cancer burden.This study summarizes the most recent changing profiles of cancer burden worldwide and in China and compares the cancer data of China with those of other regions.Methods:We conducted a descriptive secondary analysis of the GLOBOCAN 2020 data.To depict the changing global profile of the leading cancer types in 2020 compared with 2018,we extracted the numbers of cases and deaths in 2018 from GLOBOCAN 2018.We also obtained cancer incidence and mortality from the 2015 National Cancer Registry Report in China when sorting the leading cancer types by new cases and deaths.For the leading cancer types according to sex in China,we summarized the estimated numbers of incidence and mortality,and calculated China’s percentage of the global new cases and deaths.Results:Breast cancer displaced lung cancer to become the most leading diagnosed cancer worldwide in 2020.Lung,liver,stomach,breast,and colon cancers were the top five leading causes of cancer-related death,among which liver cancer changed from the third-highest cancer mortality in 2018 to the second-highest in 2020.China accounted for 24%of newly diagnosed cases and 30%of the cancer-related deaths worldwide in 2020.Among the 185 countries included in the database,China’s age-standardized incidence rate(204.8 per 100,000)ranked 65th and the age-standardized mortality rate(129.4 per 100,000)ranked 13th.The two rates were above the global average.Lung cancer remained the most common cancer type and the leading cause of cancer death in China.However,breast cancer became the most frequent cancer type among women if the incidence was stratified by sex.Incidences of colorectal cancer and breast cancer increased rapidly.The leading causes of cancer death varied minimally in ranking from 2015 to 2020 in China.Gastrointestinal cancers,including stomach,colorectal,liver,and esophageal cancers,contributed to a massive burden of cancer for both sexes.Conclusions:The burden of breast cancer is increasing globally.China is undergoing cancer transition with an increasing burden of lung cancer,gastrointestinal cancer,and breast cancers.The mortality rate of cancer in China is high.Comprehensive strategies are urgently needed to target China’s changing profiles of the cancer burden.

Colorectal cancer incidence and mortality:the current status,temporal trends and their attributable risk factors in 60 countries in 2000–2019

Background:Globally,colorectal cancer(CRC)imposes a substantial burden on healthcare systems and confers considerable medical expenditures.We aimed to evaluate the global and regional burden in epidemiological trends and factors associated with the incidence and mortality of CRC.Methods:We used data from the GLOBOCAN database to estimate CRC incidence and mortality worldwide in 2020 and their association with the human development index(HDI).Trends of age-standardized rates of incidence and mortality in 60 countries(2000–2019)were evaluated by Joinpoint regression analysis using data of Global Burden of Disease 2019.The association between exposure to country-level lifestyle,metabolic and socioeconomic factors obtained from the World Health Organization Global Health Observatory and World Bank DataBank data and CRC incidence and mortality was determined by multivariable linear regression.Results:CRC incidence and mortality varied greatly in the 60 selected countries,and much higher incidence and mortality were observed in countries with higher HDIs,and vice versa.From 2000 to 2019,significant increases of incidence and mortality were observed for 33 countries(average annual percent changes[AAPCs],0.24–3.82)and 18 countries(AAPCs,0.41–2.22),respectively.A stronger increase in incidence was observed among males(AAPCs,0.36–4.54)and individuals<50 years(AAPCs,0.56–3.86).Notably,15 countries showed significant decreases in both incidence(AAPCs,0.24 to2.19)and mortality(AAPCs,0.84 to2.74).A significant increase of incidence among individuals<50 years was observed in 30 countries(AAPCs,0.28–3.62).Countries with higher incidence were more likely to have a higher prevalence of alcohol drinking,higher level of cholesterol level,higher level of unemployment,and a poorer healthcare system.Conclusions:Some high-HDI countries showed decreasing trends in CRC incidence and mortality,whereas developing countries that previously had low disease burden showed significantly increased incidence and mortality trends,especially in males and populations≥50 years,which require targeted preventive health programs.

Risk factors for gastric cancer:a large-scale,population-based case-control study

Background:Early detection of gastric cancer(GC)has been the topic of major efforts in China.This study aimed to explore the risk factors associated with GC and to provide evidence for the selection of a high-risk population of GC.Methods:Based on the cancer screening cohort of the National Cancer Screening Program in Urban China,GC patients diagnosed by endoscopy and pathological examinations constituted the case group,and controls were 1:3 matched by sex and age(±5 years)individually.The variables were selected by univariable analysis of factors such as body mass index(BMI),dietary habits,lifestyle,stomach disease history,and family history of GC;and multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of GC and to calculate the odds ratio(OR)of related factors and its 95%confidence interval(CI).Results:A total of 215 GC cases and 645 matched healthy controls were included in the final analysis,with a median age of 61 years for the case and control groups.Overall analysis showed that high educational level(above primary school)(OR=0.362,95%CI=0.219–0.599,P<0.001),overweight/obesity(BMI≥24 kg/m2;OR=0.489,95%CI=0.329–0.726,P<0.001),cigarette smoking(OR=3.069,95%CI=1.700–5.540,P<0.001),alcohol consumption(OR=1.661,95%CI=1.028–2.683,P=0.038),history of stomach disease(OR=6.917,95%CI=4.594–10.416,P<0.001),and family history of GC in first-degree relatives(OR=4.291,95%CI=1.661–11.084,P=0.003)were significantly correlated with the occurrence of GC.Subgroup analyses by age and gender indicated that GC risk was still increased in the presence of a history of stomach disease.A history of chronic gastritis,gastric ulcer,or gastric polyposis was positively associated with GC,with adjusted ORs of 4.155(95%CI=2.711–6.368),1.839(95%CI=1.028–3.288),and 2.752(95%CI=1.197–6.326).Conclusions:Subjects who smoke,drink,with history of stomach disease and family history of GC in first-degree relatives are the high-risk populations for GC.Therefore,attention should be paid to these subjects for GC screening.

Head-to-head comparison of the test performance of selfadministered qualitative vs. laboratory-based quantitative fecal immunochemical tests in detecting colorectal neoplasm

Background:Fecal immunochemical tests(FITs)are the most widely used non-invasive tests in colorectal cancer(CRC)screening.However,evidence about the direct comparison of the test performance of the self-administered qualitative a laboratory-based quantitative FITs in a CRC screening setting is sparse.Methods:Based on a CRC screening trial(TARGET-C),we included 3144 pre-colonoscopy fecal samples,including 24 CRCs,230 advanced adenomas,622 non-advanced adenomas,and 2268 participants without significant findings at colonoscopy.Three selfadministered qualitative FITs(Pupu tube)with positivity thresholds of 8.0,14.4,or 20.8 mg hemoglobin(Hb)/g preset by the manufacturer and one laboratory-based quantitative FIT(OC-Sensor)with a positivity threshold of 20 mg Hb/g recommended by the manufacturer were tested by trained staff in the central laboratory.The diagnostic performance of the FITs for detecting colorectal neoplasms was compared in the different scenarios using the preset and adjusted thresholds(for the quantitative FIT).Results:At the thresholds preset by the manufacturers,apart from the qualitative FIT-3,significantly higher sensitivities for detecting advanced adenoma were observed for the qualitative FIT-1(33.9%[95%CI:28.7–39.4%])and qualitative FIT-2(22.2%[95%CI:17.7–27.2%])compared to the quantitative FIT(11.7%[95%CI:8.4–15.8%]),while at a cost of significantly lower specificities.However,such difference was not observed for detecting CRC.For scenarios of adjusting the positivity thresholds of the quantitative FIT to yield comparable specificity or comparable positivity rate to the three qualitative FITs accordingly,there were no significant differences in terms of sensitivity,specificity,positive/negative predictive values and positive/negative likelihood ratios for detecting CRC or advanced adenoma between the two types of FITs,which was further evidenced in ROC analysis.Conclusions:Although the self-administered qualitative and the laboratory-based quantitative FITs had varied test performance at the positivity thresholds preset by the manufacturer,such heterogeneity could be overcome by adjusting thresholds to yield comparable specificities or positivity rates.Future CRC screening programs should select appropriate types of FITs and define the thresholds based on the targeted specificities and manageable positivity rates.

Divergent detection rates of fecal immunochemical test and questionnaire-based risk assessment for detecting proximal and distal advanced colorectal adenomas

To the Editor:Fecal immunochemical tests(FTTs)are immunoassays that are designed to detect human hemoglobin to indicate the occurrence of colonic neopla-sia,which have been widely used in global colorectal cancer(CRC)screening programs.Previous diagnostic studies demonstrated that strong gradient in site-specific sensitivity existed with typically higher rate for advanced adenoma located in distal colon/rectum than that in the proximal parts,which may be explained by the colonic transition time affecting the degradation of hemoglobin,and the shape of adenoma(pedunculated,flat,and sessile)in different anatomic regions.