A model was developed in this study to understand women's cervical screening behaviour. It revealed that the interaction among institutional factors, risk appraisal, coping appraisal, and health beliefs and cultural factors contributed to the complex nature of screening behaviour among Chinese women. The institutional component provided the contextual factors within which women perceived the risk of cervical cancer, perceived the practice of cervical screening, and decided to take or not to take cervical screening. Risk appraisal provided the premise factor that induces women to seek coping strategies to reduce or remove the risk. During the process of coping appraisal, women's motivation to have cervical screening could be increased or decreased as the perceived benefits and costs of screening interacted with each other. The importance of the women's health beliefs and cultural factors was reflected in the way that they were affected by their notions of health behaviour and their cultural beliefs about cervical cancer risk and cervical screening participation. Commitment to participate in screening was a reinforcing factor inducing women to take up an offer of cervical screening. / Aim: To explore the knowledge and the perception of the risk of cervical cancer, identify the factors determining cervical screening behaviour, and develop a model to understand cervical screening behaviour among women in mainland China. / Background: Cervical cancer is the most common type of cancer, and is the second most common cause of cancer death in women in mainland China. Cervical screening is the most important intervention for the secondary prevention of cervical cancer. Theories of health behaviour and empirical research highlight risk perception as a significant factor motivating people to opt for cancer screening. However, little is known about the risk perception of cervical cancer and the factors influencing the screening participation of women in mainland China. / Conclusion: This study provides evidence of the complex factors influencing cervical screening behaviour and contributes new knowledge to the understanding of cervical screening behaviour within the Chinese cultural context. It further informs programmes for the promotion of cervical screening among this population. / Methods: A mixed method design consisting of two phases was used, employing both quantitative and qualitative methods of data collection. First, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect a baseline assessment of women's knowledge of cervical cancer and screening, their perceptions of the risk of cervical cancer, and the relationship between these factors and their cervical screening behaviour. Findings from this phase also guided the purposive sampling of participants in phase two. / Results: The findings from phase one demonstrated that the availability of an organized screening programme was a major motivator for women to opt for cervical screening. Multivariate analysis shows that having children (OR=2.57, p=0.026), a perception that visiting doctors regularly is important for health (OR-2.66, p=0.025), average (OR-4.84, 1)=0.006) and high levels of knowledge about cervical screening (OR-9.66, p=0.001) were significantly associated with having been screened in the previous three years. / Then in phase two, qualitative research was conducted using semi-structured interviews of 27 women, 16 of whom had been screened and 11 had not. The interview structure was based on an initial analysis of the data from phase one and from a review of the related literature. The data from the interviews were analyzed using latent content analysis, involving an interpretative reading of the symbolism underlying the surface structure in the text. The audio recordings of the interviews were transcribed verbatim in Chinese, and then the key phrases which were important for the objectives of the study were identified. The key phrases and words were grouped according to their commonality of meaning. Then, these groups of data were sorted and classified to create categories and sub-categories, which were mutually exclusive, explicit and accurate without overlapping. / Two themes emerged from the qualitative data from phase two. Theme I was that perceptions of cervical cancer and cervical screening included five categories: the perceived effects of suffering from cervical cancer; the perception of cervical screening; a lack of understanding about cervical cancer and screening; the perceived risk of cervical cancer; and factors related to the cultural beliefs system. Theme II was that the institutional and health care practitioner system included two categories: availability of an organised physical examination programme and the role of the health care practitioner in encouraging cervical screening utilization. / Gu, Can. / Adviser: Chan, Carmen. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 73-02, Section: B, page: . / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 244-267). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [201-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstract also in Chinese.

Cervical cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. Although cervical cancer is commonly infected with human papillomavirus (HPV), HPV infection alone is insufficient to induce malignant changes. Many characteristic genetic and epigenetic alterations have been identified in invasive cervical carcinomas but relatively little is known about the specific genetic and molecular alterations that allow pre-invasive epithelial cells to acquire the ability to progress to invasive squamous cell carcinomas. Recently, a family of small non-coding RNAs termed microRNAs (miRNAs) with specific inhibitory functions on target gene expression has been suggested to play an important role in the pathogenesis of human cancers including lung and breast cancer but remain undefined in cervical cancer. / Genome wide chromosomal copy number changes in cervical cancer by Agilent high-density array Comparative Genomic Hybridization demonstrated that only a very limited number of genomic imbalances have an impact on the miRNA profile in cervical cancer cells, although a high proportion of genomic loci containing miRNA genes exhibited DNA copy number alterations in other cancers. The impact of the genomic aberration on their mRNA expression was then confirmed by Aligent Whole Human Genome gene expression array. This suggests that the regulation of miRNA and mRNA expression may be different in cervical cancer. / In conclusion, our global miRNA profiling identified the common differentially expressed and genomic aberration independent miRNAs in cervical cancer. We further revealed the inhibition of hsa-miR-182 reduced tumor cell growth in vitro and in vivo through apoptosis and cell cycle mechanism. This provides new evidence that hsa-miR-182 may contribute to the pathogenesis of cervical cancer. / Keywords. MicroRNA, Cervical Cancer, Tumor Growth / To identify microRNA(s) associated with the tumorigenesis of cervical cancer, we firstly used the TaqMan MicroRNA Assays to survey and quantify a panel of 157 known human miRNAs in cervical cancer cell fines and micro-dissected normal cervical epithelium cells. We identified 2 microRNAs that were differentially up-regulated (fold change > 2, p < 0.05) and 9 differentially down-regulated (fold change > 2, p < 0.05) in cervical cancer cell lines comparing with normal cervical epithelium. Further investigation in tumor samples confirmed these two up-regulated miRNAs (hsa-miR-182 and -183 ) and 3 down-regulated miRNA (hsa-miR-145, 150, 195) from 4 investigated downregulated miRNAs (hsa-miR-145, 150, 195 and 328). / To investigate the biological function of those aberrantly expressed microRNAs, we chose one of the most aberrantly up-regulated microRNA ( hsa-miR-182, fold change > 10) for further investigation. Inhibition of hsa-miR-182 by antisense oligonucleotides inhibited HeLa cervical cancer cell growth in vitro and reduced tumor cell volume in vivo. Gene expression array analysis of HeLa cells with hsa-miR-182 knockdown and over-expression showed specific hsa-miR-182 targeting pathway in apoptosis and cell cycle. It indicated the roles of hsa-miR-182 in cervical cancer growth through apoptosis and cell cycle functions. / Tang, Tao. / Adviser: Richard K W Choy. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 70-06, Section: B, page: 3446. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 155-169). / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. [Ann Arbor, MI] : ProQuest Information and Learning, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / School code: 1307.

Orientador: Wilter Ricardo Russiano Vicente / Coorientador: Maria Emilia Franco Oliveira / Coorientador: Erika da Silva Carvalho Morani / Banca: Eliandra Antonia Pires Buttler / Banca: Luís Guilherme de Oliveira / Banca: Giuliano Queiroz Mostachio / Banca: Fabiana Azevedo Voorwald / Resumo: A manipulação farmacológica da cérvix possui potencial importante na assistência à biotécnicas da reprodução, como inseminação artificial e transferência de embriões, em espécies que o acesso transcervical ao útero é muito difícil e, portanto, necessitam de procedimento cirúrgico para aumentar as taxas de concepção. Por meio de estudos básicos das propriedades mecânicas e farmacológicas da cérvix, objetivou-se com este estudo fornecer maior conhecimento da atividade da musculatura lisa da cérvix e então apresentar e discutir possibilidades de fármacos que possam relaxá-la e, portanto facilitar a passagem transcervical. Segmentos do músculo liso circular (MC) e longitudinal (ML) foram dissecados do útero (corno e corpo) e cérvix de suínos e preparados para tensão isométrica em banhos de órgão isolados de 20mL de solução modificada de Krebs-Henseleit (pH 7,4) gaseificada com 95% O2: 5% CO2 a 37°C. Os segmentos da cérvix apresentaram maiores respostas mecânicas do que os uterinos, mas exibiram menor atividade espontânea. Todas as preparações responderam de maneira dependente à frequência de estimulação de força elétrica (EFE, 2Hz - 32Hz, 300mA, por 30s). Especialmente na cérvix, após as respostas neurogênicas, houve um período de quiescência muscular importante até que as atividades espontâneas retornassem ao normal. Na maioria das preparações cervicais (MC e ML) a atropina aboliu as contrações neurogênicas, destacando um maior envolvimento para inervação colinérgica e receptores muscarínicos, mas uma pequena proporção das preparações se mostraram resistente à atropina. Estas respostas não foram afetadas pela fentolamina, e nem pela prazosina e fenilefrina, sugerindo a ausência de receptores alfa-adrenérgicos. L-NAME (N-nitro-L-arginina-metil-ester) não teve nenhum efeito sobre a atividade muscular cervical, excluindo o envolvimento de óxido nítrico. Diltiazem... / Abstract: Pharmacological manipulation of cervix has a potentially important role for aiding either artificial insemination or embryo transfer in species requiring surgical procedures to aid conception. By studying basic pharmacological and mechanical properties of the cervix, we aimed with this study to provide a better knowledge about cervical smooth muscle activity and then present and discuss insights into possible drugs for the pig that could facilitate biotechnological procedures for reproduction. Circular (CM) and longitudinal (LM) smooth muscle strips were dissected from porcine uterus (cornu and corpus) and cervix and prepared for isometric tension recording in organ-bath of 20mL of modified Krebs Henseleit solution (pH 7.4) maintained at 37oC and gassed with 95% O2 and 5% CO2. Cervical strips produced larger mechanical responses than the uterine segments, but exhibited less spontaneous activity. All preparations responded in a frequency-dependent manner to electrical field stimulation (EFS, 2Hz-32Hz, 300mA for 30s) with a contraction. Especially in cervix, after neurogenic responses, there was a period of important muscular quiescence until the resume of normal spontaneous activity. In most cervical preparations (CM and LM) atropine abolished neurogenic contractions, highlighting a major role for cholinergic nerves and muscarinic receptors, but a small proportion of preparations exhibited atropine-resistant responses. These responses were not affected by phentolamine, and neither by prazosina and phenylephrine suggesting no role for alpha-adrenoceptors. L-NAME (N-nitro-L-arginina-metil-ester) did not affect the cervical smooth muscle activity, excluding the role of nitric oxide. Diltiazem, papaverine and isoprenaline inhibited neurogenic contractions in CM and LM strips of the cervix, consistent with important roles for voltage-sensitive calcium channels, phosphodiesterase and beta-adrenoceptors, respectively. However, RP73401 ... / Doutor

Fung, Man See Joyce. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-120). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Table of Contents / Acknowledgements --- p.I / Abstract --- p.II / 論文摘要 --- p.VII / Table of Contents --- p.X / List of Figures --- p.XIV / List of Tables --- p.XVI / Abbreviations --- p.XVII / Chapter Chapter 1 - --- Introduction --- p.l / Chapter 1.1 --- Biology of HPV --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.1 --- History --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.2 --- Classification --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.3 --- Genome structure --- p.3 / Chapter 1.2 --- HPV and cervical cancer --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.1 --- Classification of cervical lesions --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2.2 --- Natural history of development of cervical cancer --- p.9 / Chapter 1.2.3 --- Risk factors --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3 --- Prevention of cervical cancer --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.1 --- Vaccination --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.2 --- Screening --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.2.1 --- Pap test --- p.12 / Chapter 1.3.2.2 --- HPV DNA test --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3.2.3 --- Methylation pattern as a novel marker --- p.13 / Chapter 1.4 --- Biology of Methylation --- p.14 / Chapter 1.4.1 --- Definition --- p.14 / Chapter 1.4.2 --- Silencing effect --- p.18 / Chapter 1.4.3 --- Roles in normal development --- p.20 / Chapter 1.5 --- Methylation and human diseases --- p.20 / Chapter 1.5.1 --- Genetic diseases --- p.20 / Chapter 1.5.2 --- Cancers --- p.21 / Chapter 1.5.3 --- Methylation and oncogenic viruses --- p.23 / Chapter 1.5.4 --- Potential of methylation pattern as a novel biomarker of cancer --- p.24 / Chapter 1.5.5 --- Epigenetic therapy --- p.25 / Chapter 1.6 --- Methylation and HPV --- p.25 / Chapter 1.6.1 --- History --- p.25 / Chapter 1.6.2 --- Potential roles in transcription regulation of HPV --- p.26 / Chapter 1.6.3 --- Viral gene methylation --- p.27 / Chapter Chapter 2 - --- "Hypotheses, Objectives and Study Design" --- p.28 / Chapter 2.1 --- Hypotheses --- p.29 / Chapter 2.2 --- Objectives --- p.30 / Chapter 2.3 --- Study Design --- p.30 / Chapter Chapter 3 - --- Materials and Methods --- p.34 / Chapter 3.1 --- Work flow --- p.35 / Chapter 3.2 --- Study subjects --- p.37 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Invasive cervical cancer group --- p.37 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Low-grade group --- p.37 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Cell lines --- p.38 / Chapter 3.3 --- DNA extraction --- p.38 / Chapter 3.4 --- HPV genotyping --- p.39 / Chapter 3.5 --- PCR of HPV16 LCR --- p.39 / Chapter 3.6 --- Sequencing of HPV 16 LCR --- p.42 / Chapter 3.6.1 --- Purification of PCR products --- p.42 / Chapter 3.6.2 --- Cycle sequencing reaction --- p.42 / Chapter 3.6.3 --- Purification of cycle sequencing products --- p.43 / Chapter 3.6.4 --- Sequencer and data analysis --- p.43 / Chapter 3.7 --- Bisulfite modification --- p.43 / Chapter 3.8 --- PCR of bisulfite modified LCR --- p.45 / Chapter 3.9 --- Cloning --- p.48 / Chapter 3.9.1 --- Ligation --- p.48 / Chapter 3.9.2 --- Transformation --- p.48 / Chapter 3.9.3 --- Colony PCR --- p.49 / Chapter 3.10 --- Sequencing of clones --- p.51 / Chapter 3.10.1 --- Purification of PCR products --- p.51 / Chapter 3.10.2 --- Cycle sequencing reaction --- p.51 / Chapter 3.10.3 --- Purification of cycle sequencing products --- p.52 / Chapter 3.10.4 --- Sequencer and data analysis --- p.52 / Chapter 3.11 --- Statistical methods --- p.52 / Chapter Chapter 4 - --- Results --- p.54 / Chapter 4.1 --- Sample selection --- p.55 / Chapter 4.2 --- HPV16 LCR PCR and sequencing --- p.57 / Chapter 4.3 --- Methylation patterns --- p.61 / Chapter 4.3.1 --- Cell lines --- p.61 / Chapter 4.3.2 --- Cancer group --- p.63 / Chapter 4.3.2.1 --- Overview --- p.63 / Chapter 4.3.2.2 --- Methylation pattern of the cancer samples --- p.66 / Chapter 4.3.2.3 --- Methylation pattern of the promoter region --- p.74 / Chapter 4.3.3 --- Low-grade group --- p.76 / Chapter 4.3.3.1 --- Overview --- p.76 / Chapter 4.3.3.2 --- Methylation pattern of the low-grade samples --- p.79 / Chapter 4.3.4 --- Comparison of the methylation patterns of the cancer samples and the low-grade samples --- p.84 / Chapter Chapter 5 - --- Discussion --- p.95 / Chapter 5.1 --- Sequence variations of HPV 16 LCR --- p.96 / Chapter 5.2 --- Methylation patterns of CaSki and SiHa cell lines --- p.98 / Chapter 5.3 --- Methylation pattern of the cancer samples --- p.99 / Chapter 5.4 --- Methylation pattern of the low-grade samples --- p.100 / Chapter 5.5 --- Comparison of methylation patterns of the cancer samples and the low-grade samples --- p.101 / Chapter 5.5.1 --- Promoter region in 3' LCR --- p.102 / Chapter 5.5.1.1 --- SP1 binding site --- p.102 / Chapter 5.5.1.2 --- E2BS3 and E2BS4 --- p.103 / Chapter 5.5.2 --- Silencer region --- p.104 / Chapter 5.5.3 --- Enhancer region in central LCR --- p.105 / Chapter 5.5.4 --- CpG sites within 5' LCR --- p.106 / Chapter 5.6 --- Role of methylation in HPV 16 --- p.107 / Chapter 5.7 --- Potential as novel biomarker --- p.108 / Chapter 5.8 --- Conclusions --- p.109 / References --- p.111 / Appendix A

No description available.

published_or_final_version / Medical Sciences / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

published_or_final_version / Nursing Studies / Master / Master of Nursing in Advanced Practice

published_or_final_version / Public Health / Master / Master of Public Health

published_or_final_version / Pathology / Master / Master of Medical Sciences

published_or_final_version / Obstetrics and Gynaecology / Master / Master of Philosophy