The Philippine Journal of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgerypreviously co published two guest editorials, on “Reducing the Risks of Nuclear War— the Role of Health Professionals”¹and “Time to Treat the Climate and Nature Crisis as One Indivisible Global Health Emergency”²that addressed dual potentially catastrophic concerns that both place us “on the brink.”³

By co-publishing these guest editorials, the Philippine Journal of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery joined the call for “health professional associations to inform their members worldwide about the threat to human survival and to join with the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (IPPNW) to support efforts to reduce the near-term risks of nuclear war.”¹As enumerated in the editorial,¹we urged three immediate steps that should be taken by nuclear-armed states and their allies: 1) adopt a no first use policy;⁴2) take their nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert; and 3) urge all states involved in current conflicts to pledge publicly and unequivocally that they will not use nuclear weapons in these conflicts.It is alarming that noprogress has been made on these measures.

Thus, on our 44th Anniversary, we join over 150 scholarly scientific journals worldwide in co-publishing another Guest Editorial on “Ending Nuclear Weapons, Before They End Us.”⁵We call on the World Health Assembly (WHA) to vote this May on re establishing a mandate for the World Health Organization (WHO) to address the consequences of nuclear weapons and war,6and urge health professionals and their associations (including otolaryngologists – head and neck surgeons, all surgeons and physicians, and the Philippine Society of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Philippine College of Surgeons, Philippine College of Physicians,
Philippine Academy of Family Physicians, Philippine Pediatric Society, Philippine Obstetrical and Gynecologic Society, Philippine Society of Anesthesiology, Philippine College of Radiology, Philippine Society of Pathologists, other specialty and subspecialty societies, and the Philippine Medical Association) to urge the Philippine Government to support such a mandate and support the new United Nations (UN) comprehensive study on the effects of nuclear war.⁷

war ; armed conflicts ; Nuclear Energy ; Atomic Energy ; Radiation ; Nuclear Weapons

war ; Armed Conflicts ; Nuclear Energy ; Atomic Energy ; Radiation ; Nuclear Weapons

The Russian military invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and Hamas’ terror attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, signaled the beginning of two of the most recent wars to make international headlines. To date, over 110 armed conflicts are taking place: over 45 in the Middle East and North Africa (Cyprus, Egypt, Iraq, Israel, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, Yemen, Western Sahara); over 35 in Africa (Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Mali, Mozambique, Nigeria, Senegal, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan); 21 in Asia (Afghanistan, India, Myanmar, Pakistan, the Philippines); seven in Europe (Russia, Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan); and six in Latin America (three each in Mexico and Colombia); with two more international armed conflicts (between India and Pakistan, and between India and China) in Asia.1 This list does not even include such problematic situations as those involving China and the South East Asia region. As though these situations of armed violence were not enough, mankind has already passed or is on the verge of passing several climate tipping points – a recent review lists nine Global core tipping elements (and their tipping points) - the Greenland Ice Sheet (collapse); West Antarctic Ice Sheet (collapse); Labrador-Irminger Seas / SPG Convection (collapse); East Antarctic Subglacial Basins (collapse); Amazon Rainforest (dieback); Boreal Permafrost (collapse); Atlantic M.O. Circulation (collapse); Arctic Winter Sea Ice (collapse); and East Antarctic Ice Sheet (collapse); and seven Regional impact tipping elements (and their tipping points) – Low-latitude Coral Reefs (die-off); Boreal Permafrost (abrupt thaw); Barents Sea Ice (abrupt loss); Mountain Glaciers (loss); Sahel and W. African Monsoon (greening); Boreal Forest (southern dieback); and Boreal Forest (northern expansion).2 Closer to home, how can we forget the disaster and devastation wrought by Super Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) 10 years ago to date? Whether international or non-international, armed conflicts raise the risk of nuclear war. Russia has already “rehearsed its ability to deliver a ‘massive’ nuclear strike,” conducting “practical launches of ballistic and cruise missiles,” and stationed a first batch of tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus,3 and the possibility of nuclear escalation in Ukraine cannot be overestimated.4 Meanwhile, in a rare public announcement, the U.S. Central Command revealed that an Ohio- class submarine (560 feet long, 18,750 tons submerged and carrying as many as 154 Tomahawk cruise missiles) had arrived in the Middle East on November 5, 2023.5 Indeed, “the danger is great and growing,” as “any use of nuclear weapons would be catastrophic for humanity.”
Armed Conflicts ; Nuclear Energy ; Radiation ; Climate Change ; Global Warming

Over 200 health journals call on the United Nations, political leaders, and health professionals to recognise that climate change and biodiversity loss are one indivisible crisis and must be tackled together to preserve health and avoid catastrophe. This overall environmental crisis is now so severe as to be a global health emergency.
Armed Conflicts ; Nuclear Energy ; Radiation ; Climate Change ; Global Warming

In January, 2023, the Science and Security Board of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the hands of the Doomsday Clock forward to 90’s before midnight, reflecting the growing risk of nuclear war.1 In August, 2022, the UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned that the world is now in “a time of nuclear danger not seen since the height of the Cold War.2 The danger has been underlined by growing tensions between many nuclear armed states.1,3 As editors of health and medical journals worldwide, we call on health professionals to alert the public and our leaders to this major danger to public health and the essential life support systems of the planet—and urge action to prevent it.
Armed Conflicts ; Nuclear Energy ; Radiation

Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics* ; Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins/genetics* ; Gene Rearrangement ; Translocation, Genetic ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/genetics*

Homeodomain Proteins/genetics* ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/genetics* ; Nuclear Pore Complex Proteins ; Oncogene Proteins, Fusion/genetics* ; Translocation, Genetic

Gene Fusion ; Gene Rearrangement ; Humans ; Neoplasms/genetics* ; Nuclear Proteins/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the subcellular localization of GTPase of immunity-associated protein 2 (GIMAP2) for the further functional study. METHODS: In the study, we first obtained the protein sequences of GTPase of immunity-associated protein 2 (GIMAP2) from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database, and then performed a prediction analysis of its transmembrane structure, nuclear localization signal (NLS), nuclear export signal (NES) and subcellular localization through bioinformatics online tools. GIMAP2 gene amplified by PCR was inserted into the expression vector pQCXIP-mCherry-N1 and positive clones were selected by ampicillin resistance. After using methods to extract and purify, the sequenced recombinant plasmid pQCXIP-GIMAP2-mCherry, together with the retroviral packaging plasmids VSVG and Gag/pol, was transferred into HEK293FT cells by liposomes for virus packaging. The virus supernatant was collected 48 h after transfection and directly infected the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-436. Immunofluorescence staining was constructed to detect the localization of endogenous and exogenous GIMAP2 in MDA-MB-436 cells. Meanwhile, green fluorescent chemical dyes were used to label mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, and lipid droplets in living MDA-MB-436 cells stably expressing the GIMAP2-mCherry fusion protein. Images for the three dye-labeled organelles and GIMAP2-mCherry fusion protein were captured by super-resolution microscope N-SIM. RESULTS: Bioinformatics analysis data showed that GIMAP2 protein composed of 337 amino acids might contain two transmembrane helix (TM) structures at the carboxyl terminus, of which TMs were estimated to contain 40-41 expected amino acids, followed by the residual protein structures toward the cytoplasmic side. NES was located at the 279-281 amino acids of the carboxyl terminus whereas NLS was not found. GIMAP2 might locate in the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. Sequencing results indicated that the expression vector pQCXIP-GIMAP2-mCherry was successfully constructed. Fluorescent staining confirmed that GIMAP2-mCherry fusion protein, co-localized well with endogenous GIMAP2, expressed successfully in the endoplasmic reticulum and on the surface of lipid droplets in MDA-MB-436 cells. CONCLUSION GIMAP2 localizes in the endoplasmic reticulum and on the surface of LDs, suggesting potential involvement of GIMAP2 in lipid metabolism.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Cytoplasm ; GTP Phosphohydrolases ; Humans ; Membrane Proteins ; Nuclear Export Signals ; Nuclear Localization Signals ; Recombinant Fusion Proteins ; Transfection