Cervical cancer is one of the most recurrent and dangerous female cancers in Algeria and worldwide. It is mainly caused by human papillomaviruses (HPV), which can induce other cancers as well. Although it can be fatal, cervical cancer is one of the most preventable and manageable cancers. While HPV vaccination is the key weapon to win the battle against this pathology, it is still not approved in Algeria. Therefore, we set up a cross-sectional survey to assess the knowledge and awareness of students from Algerian universities concerning cervical cancer and HPV and to understand their attitudes towards HPV vaccination. The results reveal that, out of 715 students, the majority of students were aware of cervical cancer (84.6%). However, only 46.2% of students had heard about HPV. Furthermore, willingness to get the HPV vaccine was estimated at 26.7% among students with prior knowledge of HPV, and 21.5% of these students claimed to be willing to pay to get the HPV vaccine if available. Nevertheless, HPV vaccine hesitancy was estimated at 37.5% among the students aware of HPV. The main causes of HPV vaccine reluctance were: complacency (30.6%), refusal of vaccination in general (20.2%) and belief in the rarity of HPV-induced infections in Algeria (19.4%). Moreover, the embrace of vaccine conspiracy beliefs among students were significantly related with their HPV vaccine rejection. Overall, these findings encourage the establishment of a social education policy concerning the fight against HPV-induced cancers, particularly that of the cervix, and the implementation of a national HPV vaccination program targeting young people.

Background: Immunisation is one of public health’s greatest success stories, yet, annually, 20 million children miss out entirely or partially on routine immunisation. National immunisation estimates have the United Arab Emirates (UAE) lagging behind with 4% of children under the age of 1 not having received any vaccines. Vaccine hesitancy is considered one of the biggest barriers to vaccination. This study aims to evaluate the UAE’s parents’ vaccination attitudes and practices as well as estimate vaccine hesitancy’s prevalence and determinants. Methodology: This cross-sectional, descriptive study collected data from parents across the UAE during the months of March and April 2024. The 60-item questionnaire included the Parental Attitudes towards Childhood Vaccines scale (PACV), the Vaccine Hesitancy Scale, and the Digital Vaccine Literacy (DVL) scale. Univariate, bivariate (chi-squared test), and multivariate (logistic regression) analyses were conducted. Results: A total of 550 responses were retained. 84.55% of participants were female (n = 465/550), half were middle-aged (31–45 years old), and 21.09% (n = 116/550) were healthcare workers. 94.36% (n = 519/550) had their child/children receive all mandated vaccines. Only 39.82% (n = 219/550) found their level of knowledge about childhood vaccinations to be good/excellent. 70.11% (n = 386/550) of participants had high digital vaccine literacy. More than 95% had positive attitudes towards measles, meningitis, and pertussis vaccines. 14.00% (n = 77/550) were identified as vaccine-hesitant according to the PACV. Overall, using general practitioner/ paediatrician as a knowledge source, digital vaccine literacy, perceived children’s vaccine knowledge, and nationality were associated with lower vaccine hesitancy status. Conclusion: Vaccine hesitancy exists and is prevalent in the UAE; however, the majority of participants reported high trust in vaccines, the local healthcare systems and physicians. Vaccine hesitancy can be tackled but will require tailored solutions and proactive healthcare workers.

Diabetes mellitus is a burdensome disease that affects various cellular functions through altered glucose metabolism. Several reports have linked diabetes to cancer development; however, the exact molecular mechanism of how diabetes-related traits contribute to cancer progression is not fully understood. The current study aimed to explore the molecular mechanism underlying the potential effect of hyperglycemia combined with hyperinsulinemia on the progression of breast cancer cells. To this end, gene dysregulation induced by the exposure of MCF7 breast cancer cells to hyperglycemia (HG), or a combination of hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia (HGI), was analyzed using a microarray gene expression assay. Hyperglycemia combined with hyperinsulinemia induced differential expression of 45 genes (greater than or equal to two-fold), which were not shared by other treatments. On the other hand, in silico analysis performed using a publicly available dataset (GEO: GSE150586) revealed differential upregulation of 15 genes in the breast tumor tissues of diabetic patients with breast cancer when compared with breast cancer patients with no diabetes. SLC26A11, ALDH1A3, MED20, PABPC4 and SCP2 were among the top upregulated genes in both microarray data and the in silico analysis. In conclusion, hyperglycemia combined with hyperinsulinemia caused a likely unique signature that contributes to acquiring more carcinogenic traits. Indeed, these findings might potentially add emphasis on how monitoring diabetes-related metabolic alteration as an adjunct to diabetes therapy is important in improving breast cancer outcomes. However, further detailed studies are required to decipher the role of the highlighted genes, in this study, in the pathogenesis of breast cancer in patients with a different glycemic index.

Background: The increase in the quality and availability of health information as well as the accessibility of Internet-based sources, has driven growing demand for online health information. Information preferences are influenced by many factors, including information needs, intentions, trustworthiness, and socioeconomic variables. Hence, understanding the interplay of these factors helps stakeholders provide current and relevant health information sources to assist consumers in assessing their healthcare options and making informed medical decisions. Aims: To assess the different sources of health information sought by the UAE population and to investigate the level of trustworthiness of each source. Methods: The study adopted a descriptive online cross-sectional design. A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from UAE residents aged 18 years or above between July 2021 and September 2021. Health information sources, their trustworthiness, and health-oriented beliefs were explored through univariate, bivariate, and multivariate analysis in Python. Results: A total of 1083 responses were collected, out of which 683 (63%) were females. Doctors were the first source of health information (67.41%) before COVID-19, whereas websites were the first source (67.22%) during the pandemic. Other sources, such as pharmacists, social media, and friends and family, were not prioritized as primary sources. Overall, doctors had a high trustworthiness of 82.73%, followed by pharmacists with a high trustworthiness of 59.8%. The Internet had a partial trustworthiness of 58.4%. Social media and friends and family had a low trustworthiness of 32.78% and 23.73%, respectively. Age, marital status, occupation, and degree obtained were all significant predictors of Internet usage for health information. Conclusions: The population in the UAE commonly obtains health information from doctors who have been shown to have the highest trustworthiness; this is despite it not being the most common source used.

Introduction: The most recent American Urological Association (AUA) Guidelines advocated laser enucleation of the prostate (LEP) as a size-independent surgical option for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Despite its endorsement by AUA and the growing body of evidence supporting its safety and efficacy, the utilization of LEP remains limited in the United States. This study aimed to evaluate the utilization trends and perioperative outcomes of LEP compared with other surgical procedures used for BPH management. Methods: A retrospective cohort analysis was performed using American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program data from 2011 to 2020. Patients undergoing prostatectomy for BPH were identified using specific current procedural terminology (CPT) codes. Baseline demographic data, preoperative risk factors, and postoperative outcomes were collected. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to assess predictors of holmium laser enucleation of the prostate (HoLEP) utilization and postoperative complications. Results: Out of 8,415,549 patients, 95,144 underwent prostatectomy for BPH. Procedures included HoLEP 5305 cases, transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) 57,803 cases, repeated TURP (re-TURP) 5549 cases, photoselective vaporization of the prostate (PVP) 23,739 cases, and simple prostatectomy 2748 cases. HoLEP utilization showed a gradual increase, from 4.8% in 2015 to 7.6% in 2020. Multivariable regression revealed that HoLEP selection significantly increased from 2016 to 2020 (odds ratio [OR]: 1.251, p < 0.001), and there was less likelihood of HoLEP selection for African American patients (OR: 0.752, p < 0.001). HoLEP had significantly lower complication rates, including urinary tract infections, blood transfusions, 30-day readmission, and reoperation. Conclusion: Despite underutilization, the adoption of HoLEP has slightly increased since 2015, rising from 4.8% in 2015 to 7.6% in 2020. The underutilization could be attributed to a lack of availability and the steep learning curve.