Implications of viral infections and oncogenesis in uterine cervical carcinoma etiology and pathogenesis.

Background: Uterine Cervical Carcinoma (UCC) is the most prevalent gynecological malignancy globally, with a rising incidence in recent years. Accumulating evidence indicates that specific viral infections, including human papillomavirus (HPV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), Hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV), and human herpesvirus (HHV), may contribute to UCC development and progression. Understanding the complex interplay between viral infections and UCC risk is crucial for developing novel preventative and therapeutic interventions. Methods: This comprehensive review investigates the association between viral infections and UCC risk by examining the roles of various viral pathogens in UCC etiology and pathogenesis, and possible molecular mechanisms. Additionally, we evaluate current diagnostic methods and potential therapeutic strategies targeting viral infections for UCC prevention or treatment. Results: The prevention of UCC has been significantly advanced by the emergence of self-sampling for HPV testing as a crucial tool, allowing for early detection and intervention. However, an essential challenge in UCC prevention lies in understanding how HPV and other viral coinfections, including EBV, HBV, HCV, HHV, HIV, or their concurrent presence, may potentially contribute to UCC development. The molecular mechanisms implicated in the association between viral infections and cervical cancer development include: (1) interference of viral oncogenes with cellular regulatory proteins, resulting in uncontrolled cell proliferation and malignant transformation; (2) inactivation of tumor suppressor genes by viral proteins; (3) evasion of host immune responses by viruses; (4) induction of a persistent inflammatory response, contributing to a tumor-promoting microenvironment; (5) epigenetic modifications that lead to aberrant gene expression; (6) stimulation of angiogenesis by viruses; and (7) activation of telomerase by viral proteins, leading to cellular immortalization. Additionally, viral coinfections can also enhance oncogenic potential through synergistic interactions between viral oncoproteins, employ immune evasion strategies, contribute to chronic inflammation, modulate host cellular signaling pathways, and induce epigenetic alterations, ultimately leading to cervical carcinogenesis. Conclusion: Recognizing the implications of viral oncogenes in UCC etiology and pathogenesis is vital for addressing the escalating burden of UCC. Developing innovative preventative and therapeutic interventions requires a thorough understanding of the intricate relationship between viral infections and UCC risk.

Effects of Continuous Catheterization on Reducing Postoperative Urinary Tract Infection in Cervical Cancer Patients with Double J Stent Placement.

This study aims at exploring the effect of continuous catheterization on reducing postoperative urinary tract infection in cervical cancer patients with double J tube placement. To be specific, a retrospective analysis was performed on 120 cases of cervical cancer patients who underwent laparoscopic or open radical hysterectomy in Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University from January to December 2019. They were divided into a persistent group (n = 70) and a short-term group (n = 50) according to indwelling catheter time. The incidence of postoperative complications and the positive rate of bacterial culture in bladder urine and double J tube bacterial culture were compared between the two groups. As a result, it was found that the incidence of postoperative fever and urinary tract infection in the short-term group was significantly higher than that in the persistent group (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative hematuria, bladder stimulation, and urinary system injury between the two groups. The positive rate of double J tube bacterial culture in both groups was also proved to be higher than that in bladder culture, and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). And in the short-term group (P < 0.05), the difference in the positive rate of bladder culture between the two groups was not statistically significant. To conclude, we found that continuous catheterization can reduce the incidence of postoperative urinary tract infection in cervical cancer patients with double J tube placement, which might be helpful for the treatment of cervical cancer.

LINC00997/MicroRNA 574-3p/CUL2 Promotes Cervical Cancer Development via Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Signaling.

Cervical cancer (CC) is a common gynecological malignancy with high morbidity and mortality. Mounting evidence has highlighted that long noncoding RNAs are essential regulators in cancer development. Long intergenic non-protein-coding RNA 997 (LINC00997) was identified for study due to its high expression in CC tissues. The aim of the study was to investigate the function and mechanism of LINC00997 in CC. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) revealed that LINC00997 RNA expression was also increased in CC cells and LINC00997 copy number was upregulated in CC tissues. 3-(4,5-Dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT), colony formation, and Transwell assays as well as transmission electron microscopy observation exhibited that LINC00997 depletion inhibited CC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and autophagy. The relationship between LINC00997 and its downstream genes was confirmed by RNA pulldown, luciferase reporter, and RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation assays. Mechanistically, LINC00997 upregulated the expression of cullin 2 (CUL2) by interacting with microRNA 574-3p (miR-574-3p). Moreover, Western blot analysis was employed to detect the protein levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway-associated factors in CC cells. LINC00997 activated the MAPK signaling by increasing CUL2 expression, thus promoting malignant phenotypes of CC cells. In conclusion, the LINC00997/miR-574-3p/CUL2 axis contributes to CC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and autophagy via the activation of MAPK signaling.

The Immediate and Long-Term Impact of Military Aircraft Noise on Hearing: A Cross-Sectional Comparison of Fighter Pilots and Ground Staff.

We examined the immediate and long-term impacts of military aircraft noise exposure on noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in fighter pilots and ground staff. We recruited 40 pilots, 40 ground staff, and 136 age-matched controls; all participants underwent hearing tests, including conventional pure-tone audiometry (PTA) (0.25-8.0 kHz), extended high-frequency (EHF) audiometry (9.0-18.0 kHz), and distortion-product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) as a recent reference. A subsequent hearing test immediately after flight-mission noise exposure was requested. The results revealed higher recent hearing thresholds in pilots and ground staff than in controls. Threshold shifts at many octave band frequencies were also significantly elevated in ground staff. The grouped frequency threshold was significantly elevated in the 4-8 kHz high-frequency range. After a single flight-mission noise exposure, both ground staff and pilots showed decreased signal-to-noise ratios for DPOAE (1-8 kHz), whereas only ground staff showed significantly elevated left-ear hearing thresholds at 3, 11.2, and 12.5 kHz by conventional and EHF PTA. Fighter pilots and ground staff serve in hazardous noise-exposed environments that cause hearing damage and subsequent NIHL, but ground staff may be more vulnerable. A comprehensive hearing conservation program should be implemented to protect high-risk service members, and especially ground staff, from high-intensity noise exposure.

miR-762 can negatively regulate menin in ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer accounts for the major part of the mortality attributable to female reproductive system malignant tumors worldwide. Recently, the incidence of ovarian cancer has been increasing annually, and there remains a lack of suitable treatment methods that can significantly improve the 5-year survival rates of patients. Therefore, it is necessary to identify more effective treatments for ovarian cancer. It is established that microRNAs (miRNAs) have important roles in the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer and a specific miRNA, miR-762, can promote the development of a variety of tumors. Menin is encoded by MEN1, a tumor suppressor gene, that is usually downregulated in ovarian cancer. In this study, we evaluated the expression levels of miR-762 and menin in ovarian cancer tissues and demonstrated that they were correlated. In addition, we found that miR-762 can downregulate the expression of menin through a binding site in its 3'-UTR and consequently upregulate the Wnt cell signaling pathway to promote the development of ovarian cancer. These results indicate that miR-762 is a promising potential target for the treatment of ovarian cancer.

Choline and betaine food sources and intakes in Taiwanese.

Choline and betaine are involved in several similar health-relevant metabolic pathways, but the foods sources are different. We have assessed their intakes (individual, sums and ratios) from a dominantly Chinese food cultural point of view. A representative free-living Taiwanese population aged 13-64 years was drawn from the Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT) 1993-1996. Food intake was derived from interviews as 24-hour recalls. The USDA database, with adaptations for Taiwan, provided choline and betaine food compositions. Major food contributors of these nutrients were identified and compared with data from the US Framingham offspring study. Mean and variance reduced median nutrient intakes were calculated. Top ten major food contributors of choline in Taiwan were eggs, pork, chicken, fish, soybean and its products, dark leafy vegetables, dairy, fruit, wheat products and light leafy vegetables in sequence. For betaine, the top ten were dark leafy vegetables, wheat products, fish, pork, bread, chicken, cake/cookies, grain-based alcoholic beverages, rice and its products and sauces. The main contributors of choline in Taiwan and the USA were, respectively, eggs and red meat; and for betaine, greens were similarly best contributor. The rankings of the main food contributors of choline and betaine differed substantially between Taiwan and the USA. The total daily intakes (mean±SE, mg) in Taiwan for choline were 372±19 (median=348) in men and 265±9 (median 261) for women; for betaine, values were 101±3 (median 93) in men and 78±8 (median 76) for women. These allow for health outcome considerations.

Central obesity predicts non-Hodgkin's lymphoma mortality and overall obesity predicts leukemia mortality in adult Taiwanese.

OBJECTIVE: Obesity may increase the risk of neoplasia, including that of the lymphohematopoietic system. In a large Taiwanese cohort, we have evaluated whether body fat and its distribution is associated with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and leukemia mortalities. METHODS: During 1997-2007 in Taiwan, 383,956 subjects aged 19-98 years without any cancer history were obtained through a health screening center and followed up for a median of 7.2 years. Unit records were linked to the national death registry; ICD-9 codes were used to identify 143 NHL and 73 leukemia deaths. Objectively, height, weight, and waist circumference data were measured to calculate body mass index (BMI) and central obesity status. Based on World Health Organization criteria modified for Asia and Taiwan, BMI was classified to <18.5, 18.5-23.9, 24-26.9, and ≥ 27 kg/m(2). Waist circumference ≥ 90 cm in men and ≥ 80 cm in women was defined as central obesity. Cox proportional hazard regression models were adjusted for possible confounders including gender, age, education, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and clinic location. RESULTS: BMI was not associated with NHL deaths, although the trend was significant, but central obesity with adjustment was (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.87, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.27-2.75) compared with non-centrally obese subjects. BMI, but not central obesity, was associated with leukemia mortality (HR = 1.93, 95% CI = 1.00-3.75). CONCLUSIONS: An increased risk for NHL with increased abdominal fatness and more so with lower BMI is apparent in Taiwanese; this may indicate that metabolically localized and proinflammatory fat is important. For leukemia, where most is myeloid leukemia, increased general fatness is evidently a risk with Taiwanese ethnicity.

The evaluation of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on patient depression and self-esteem.

We evaluated the impact of cognitive-behavioral group therapy on the depression and self-esteem of clinically depressed patients. This longitudinal study involved 26 experimental group patients who received 12 weeks of cognitive-behavioral group therapy and 25 comparison subjects. Two weeks before the study, immediately upon therapy completion, and 1 month later, all the participants underwent pretest, posttest, and follow-up, respectively. The experimental group patients experienced greater cognitive improvements (i.e., depression relief, self-esteem increase) as compared with the comparison group subjects. One month after therapy completion, the depressive symptoms and self-esteem of the experimental group patients remained slightly but significantly better than those of the comparison group subjects.