Anti-ceramide antibodies in leprosy: marker for nerve damage?

Background: Leprosy is a chronic infectious disease primarily affecting the peripheral nervous system and skin. Multibacillary leprosy is associated with nerve damage which could contribute to myelin alteration. As ceramide is a constituent of myelin sheath, the present study aimed to compare anti-ceramide antibody titre in paucibacillary and multibacillary leprosy patients with controls. Methodology: Serum levels of anti-ceramide antibody were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) in 50 leprosy patients (25 paucibacillary and 25 multibacillary) and 25 healthy controls. Results were reported in OD units as mean ± SD and analyzed by Chi square test (significance at p < 0.05). Results: Patients suffering from multibacillary leprosy had significantly higher anti-ceramide antibody serum levels compared to paucibacillary leprosy patients and healthy controls (p < 0.005). Conclusions: Since nerve damage is the most debilitating effect of leprosy, the search for a serum marker for assessing nerve damage is required in countries where leprosy is still widespread. In multibacillary leprosy patients, the role of anti-ceramide antibody as a marker for nerve damage should be explored.

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Clinical variables associated with disability in leprosy cases in northeast Brazil

The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries ◽

10.3855/jidc.5341 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 9 (03) ◽

pp. 232-238 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Victor Santana Santos ◽

Andressa Mayara Santos de Matos ◽

Lorena Sheila Alves de Oliveira ◽

Ligia Mara Dolce de Lemos ◽

Ricardo Queiroz Gurgel ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Disability ◽

Lepromatous Leprosy ◽

Northeast Brazil ◽

Chi Square ◽

Factors Associated ◽

Operational Classification ◽

Leprosy Patients ◽

Chi Square Test ◽

Multibacillary Leprosy ◽

Significant Factors

Introduction: The clinical outcomes of leprosy include complications such as physical disabilities and deformities that vary according to the degree of impairment of nerve trunks. Knowledge of the factors that lead to the development of these complications is important for disability prevention programs. This study aimed to evaluate clinical factors associated with the occurrence of physical disability in leprosy cases. Methodology: This was a retrospective study of 2,358 cases of leprosy in Aracaju, northeast Brazil, between 2001 and 2011. Analysis was done using the Chi-square test and logistic regression model. Results: Significant factors associated with disability were found to be male gender, having more than two affected nerves, multibacillary leprosy classification, leprosy reaction, and lepromatous leprosy. The multivariate analysis revealed that the associated factors included having more than two affected nerves, leprosy reaction (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 2.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.36 to 3.01), the multibacillary form (aOR: 2.74, 95% CI: 1.84 to 4.08), and lepromatous leprosy (aOR: 4.87, 95% CI: 2.86 to 16.08). Conclusions: The number of affected nerves, leprosy reaction, operational classification, and clinical presentation were identified as the main factors associated with the development of disability in leprosy patients.

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HUBUNGAN TINGKAT KECEMASAN DENGAN MORBUS HANSEN DAN FAKTOR – FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHINYA DI BAGIAN KULIT DAN KELAMIN BLU RSUP PROF. DR. R. D. KANDOU MANADO PERIODE NOVEMBER – DESEMBER 2012

e-CliniC ◽

10.35790/ecl.1.2.2013.3309 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Shinta Purnama Hardy ◽

Anita E. Dundu ◽

Theresia M.D. Kaunang

Keyword(s):

Infectious Disease ◽

General Hospital ◽

Sex Education ◽

Mycobacterium Leprae ◽

Health Department ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Leprosy Patients ◽

Chi Square Test ◽

Education And Employment

Abstract : Relationship between Anxiety Level and Morbus Hansen and the Influencing Factors in Dermatologic Division Prof. Dr. R. D. Kandou General Hospital Manado period of November – December 2012. Introduction : anxiety is defined as a emotional tension that often accompained by physical, sweating, increase of pulse rate. Morbus Hansen (hanseniasis), or well known as leprosy, is a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium Leprae. In Indonesia leprosy are endemic disease, the number of leprosy patients estimated to be greater than that recorded in the health department, because of the high leprofobi and stigma againstleprosy. Method : this study is analytical, with a cross sectional approach. Result : based of the chi square test the results are no significant association (p>0,05) between anxiety and age, sex, education, and employment. Conclusion : There is no significant association between anxiety and Morbus Hansen.Keyword: Anxiety, HRS-A, Leprosy. Abstrak : Hubungan tingkat kecemasan dengan morbus hansen dan faktor – faktor yang mempengaruhinya di Bagian Kulit dan Kelamin BLU RSUP Prof. DR. R. D. Kandou Manado periode November – Desember 2012. Pendahulan : kecemasan didefinisikansebagai suatu keadaan ketegangan emosional yang sering disertai dengan gejala fisik, seperti ketegangan, tremor, palpitasi, berkeringat dan peningkatan denyut nadi. Penyakit Morbus Hansen (hanseniasis), atau yang lebih dikenal dengan penyakit lepra atau kusta, merupakan penyakit infeksi kronis yang disebabkan oleh Mycobacterium Leprae. Di Indonesia penyakit kusta bersifat endemis, jumlah penyakit kusta diperkirakan lebih besar daripada yang tercatat di Departemen Kesehatan, karena adanya leprofobi dan stigma yang tinggi terhadap kusta. Metode : penelitian ini bersifat analitik, dengan pendekatan cross sectional. Hasil : berdasarkan hasil uji chi square di dapatkan tidak ada hubungan yang bermakna (p>0,05) antara kecemasan dengan umur, jenis kelamin, pendidikan dan pekerjaan. Kesimpulan : Tidak ada hubungan yang bermakna antara kecemasan dengan Morbus Hansen. Kata kunci: HRS-A, Kecemasan, Kusta.

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LIM and SH3 Protein 1 Stands for a Bio-Marker for Cholangiocarcinoma Detection

10.21203/rs.3.rs-51777/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ning Wang ◽

Yanni Li ◽

Yanfang Zheng ◽

Huoming Chen ◽

Xiaolong Wen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Serum Level ◽

Roc Curve ◽

Serum Levels ◽

Diagnostic Value ◽

Tissue Level ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Roc Curve Analysis ◽

Chi Square ◽

Chi Square Test ◽

Auc Value

Abstract Background: LIM and SH3 protein 1 (LASP-1) has been demonstrated to be overexpression in several types of cancers. The aim of this study was to verify the serum level of LASP-1 and investigate its diagnostic value in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) patients.Methods: Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the expression level of LASP-1 in CCA patients and healthy controls. The correlation of LASP-1 expression with clinicopathological characteristic of CCA patients was analyzed via Chi-square test. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was built to evaluate the diagnostic value of serum LASP-1 in CCA.Results: Serum levels of LASP-1 were upregulated in CCA compared with healthy controls (P<0.01). And the serum level and tissue level of LASP-1 mRNA exhibited significant correlation (R=0.454, P=0.000). Serum expression of LASP-1 was closely associated with lymph node metastasis (P=0.018) and TNM stage (P=0.021). ROC curve analysis revealed that serum LASP-1 was of great value in differentiating CCA patients from healthy individuals. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) value was 0.879 corresponding with a sensitivity of 81.9% and a specificity of 79.6%.Conclusions: Serum LASP-1 might be an useful diagnostic biomarker for CCA.

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Breastfeeding practices among mothers of infants in Peringara Panchayat in Pathanamthitta District

Journal of Ayurveda and Integrated Medical Sciences (JAIMS) ◽

10.21760/jaims.v3i01.11637 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 3 (01) ◽

Author(s):

Aswathy S. ◽

Lakshmi M. K.

Keyword(s):

Exclusive Breastfeeding ◽

Cross Sectional Study ◽

Community Based ◽

Chi Square ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Breastfeeding Practices ◽

Chi Square Test ◽

Type Of Delivery ◽

Initiation Of Breastfeeding

The study was aimed to assess the breastfeeding practices among mothers of infants in Peringara Gramapanchayat in Kerala. Study was a community based cross-sectional study among mothers of infants in Peringara gramapanchayat using a pretested questionnaire. 142 breastfeeding mothers of infants in Peringara gramapanchayat were studied and mothers who were not present at home during the study were excluded from the study. Study period consisted of 18 days between December 2015 and January 2016. Study variables includes type of delivery, initiation of breastfeeding, breastfeeding practices and role of ASHAs in promoting good breastfeeding practices. Statistical analysis was done using Pearson’s Chi-square test and T test. The study found that exclusive breastfeeding has been done by 68.3% of mothers. There is no practice of giving pre-lacteal feed, 95.8% of mothers have given colostrum to the new born. Statistically significant association was found between the type of delivery and time of initiation of breastfeeding (p less than 0.05). Time of initiation of breastfeeding was prolonged in case of Caesarean section. 49.3% of mothers have breastfed the baby within one hour. 55.6% of mothers were informed about importance of breastfeeding by ASHAs and only 20.4% of mothers were informed about period of exclusive breastfeeding and period of complimentary feeding by ASHAs.

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Association of cervical carcinogenesis risk with HPV16 E6 and E7 variants in the Taizhou area, China

BMC Cancer ◽

10.1186/s12885-021-08531-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mei-Zhen Dai ◽

Yi Qiu ◽

Xing-Hong Di ◽

Wei-Wu Shi ◽

Hui-Hui Xu

Keyword(s):

Cervical Cancer ◽

Cervical Carcinogenesis ◽

Chi Square ◽

Major Health Problem ◽

Hpv16 E6 ◽

Exact Test ◽

Chi Square Test ◽

E6 And E7

Abstract Background Human papillomavirus (HPV) type 16 accounts for a larger share of cervical cancer and has been a major health problem worldwide for decades. The progression of initial infection to cervical cancer has been linked to viral sequence properties; however, the role of HPV16 variants in the risk of cervical carcinogenesis, especially with longitudinal follow-up, is not fully understood in China. Methods We aimed to investigate the genetic variability of HPV16 E6 and E7 oncogenes in isolates from cervical exfoliated cells. Between December 2012 and December 2014, a total of 310 single HPV16-positive samples were selected from women living in the Taizhou area, China. Sequences of all E6 and E7 oncogenes were analysed by PCR-sequencing assay. Detailed sequence comparison, genetic heterogeneity analyses and maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree construction were performed with BioEdit Sequence Alignment Editor and MEGA X software. Data for cytology tests and histological diagnoses were obtained from our Taizhou Area Study with longitudinal follow-up for at least 5 years. The relationship between HPV16 variants and cervical carcinogenesis risk was analysed by the chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. Results In this study, we obtained 64 distinct variation patterns with the accession GenBank numbers MT681266-MT681329. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 98.3% of HPV16 variants belong to lineage A, in which the A4 (Asian) sublineage was dominant (64.8%), followed by A2 (12.1%), A1 (11.4%), and A3 (10.0%). The A4 (Asian) sublineage had a higher risk of CIN2+ than the A1–3 (European) sublineages (OR = 2.69, 95% CI = 1.04–6.97, P < 0.05). Furthermore, nucleotide variation in HPV16 E6 T178G is associated with the development of cervical cancer. Conclusion These data could provide novel insights into the role of HPV16 variants in cervical carcinogenesis risk in China.

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Leadership and Motivation as Important Aspects of the International Company’s Corporate Culture

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13073916 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (7) ◽

pp. 3916

Author(s):

Ingrida Košičiarová ◽

Zdenka Kádeková ◽

Peter Štarchoň

Keyword(s):

Corporate Culture ◽

Rank Correlation ◽

Chi Square ◽

Exact Test ◽

Main Research ◽

Leadership Motivation ◽

Kendall Rank Correlation ◽

Friedman's Test ◽

Chi Square Test

Although the issue of corporate culture has been taken over and addressed in the literature from various perspectives, there are very few researchers about the role of leadership and motivation in it, respectively very few researchers have addressed them as important components of the international company’s corporate culture. The present paper aims to point out that leadership and motivation can be perceived as important aspects of the international company’s corporate culture. The object of the investigation was an international company (situated in Italy) and its five subsidiaries (situated in Italy, Czech Republic, Germany, and Turkey). As the main research method, there was chosen the method of the questionnaire survey, which was attempted by all the company’s employees (totally 270 respondents). The questionnaire was divided into three separate, but logically related parts—leadership, motivation, and corporate culture, and submitted to two groups of respondents—the company’s management and its employees. In total 11 hypotheses were formulated and further evaluated by the methods of Pearson Chi-square Test, Fisher’s Exact Test, Cramer’s V coefficient, Kendall rank correlation coefficient, Eta coefficient, Spearman coefficient, Mann–Whitney U test and Wilcoxon W statistics, Kruskal–Wallis test, and Friedman’s test. The results of the research have proven that leadership and motivation are important parts of the corporate culture.

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Determining the Role of Customer Satisfaction in Gaining Customer Loyalty among Cafés

University of Bohol Multidisciplinary Research Journal ◽

10.15631/ubmrj.v8i1.130 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 8 (1) ◽

pp. 74-85

Author(s):

Allen Joshua P. Cuñado ◽

Cathlyn Mae Painagan ◽

Jeshnin Ann L. Cuñado ◽

Ella Marie D. Palmada ◽

Zenar Jane A. Mumar ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Customer Satisfaction ◽

Customer Loyalty ◽

Pearson Correlation ◽

Correlation Coefficients ◽

Significant Degree ◽

Business Success ◽

Research Approach ◽

Chi Square ◽

Chi Square Test

Café as an establishment primarily sells refreshing drinks, snacks, and light meals, with coffee being their flagship product. This type of business is steadily multiplying around the city of Tagbilaran, Bohol, Philippines. Customers have linked to business success as well as customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. This study was implemented to analyze the role of customers’ satisfaction in gaining customers’ loyalty, specifically among purposively selected cafés. The quantitative method of research approach was used with the aid of questionnaires. The data gathered were statistically treated making use of frequency, composite means, weighted mean, chi-square test, and Pearson correlation coefficients. The respondents included 210 customers from the purposively selected cafés. Results showed respondents to be very satisfied (VS) for the Product; for the price; for the place; for the service quality; and moderately satisfied (MS) for promotion. Results further showed that there is a significant degree of relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.

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Variety of Economic Share of Tourism on Tropical Islands

Miscellanea Geographica ◽

10.2478/mgrsd-2010-0029 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 303-314

Author(s):

Katarzyna Podhorodecka

Keyword(s):

Case Studies ◽

Correlation Coefficient ◽

Spearman Correlation ◽

Tropical Islands ◽

Chi Square ◽

Tropical Island ◽

Positive Correlation ◽

Detailed Case ◽

Chi Square Test

Abstract The author seeks an answer to the question whether a higher intensity of tourism movement is connected with a higher share of tourism in the economy in selected tropical island territories. With the use of the Spearman correlation coefficient, the existence of the average positive correlation between the intensity of tourism movement and the share of tourism in the economy has been determined. In the second part of paper, the author looks at the conditions which affect the role of tourism in the economy in proportion to the intensity of tourism movement. For this purpose, the Chi-square test and detailed case studies of chosen tropical islands are discussed.

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The role of phosphoprotein phosphatases catalytic subunit genes in pancreatic cancer

Bioscience Reports ◽

10.1042/bsr20203282 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 41 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Junjie Hang ◽

Steven Yuk-Fai Lau ◽

Ruohan Yin ◽

Lina Zhu ◽

Siyuan Zhou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Pancreatic Cancer ◽

Prognostic Value ◽

Chi Square ◽

Catalytic Subunits ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Phosphoprotein Phosphatases ◽

Kaplan Meier ◽

Chi Square Test ◽

Independent Cohort

Abstract Compelling evidence suggests that phosphoprotein phosphatases (PPPs) are involved in a large spectrum of physiological and pathological processes, but little is known about their roles in pancreatic cancer. We investigated the expression level, prognostic value, and potential function of PPPs with data from Oncomine, GEPIA, THPA, and TCGA databases and an independent cohort of patients with pancreatic cancer. Among all the PPP catalytic subunits (PPPcs), the transcription levels of PPP1CA, PPP1CB, PPP3CA, PPP3CB, and PPP4C were higher in pancreatic cancer than in normal pancreas (P<0.01, fold change > 2). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that high transcription levels of PPP1CA, PPP1CB, PPP2CA, PPP2CB, PPP3CA, and PPP4C correlated with poorer survival. In contrast, patients with high levels of PPP3CB, PPP3CC, PPP5C, PPP6C, and PPEF2 had much better prognoses. Data from THPA and patients with pancreatic cancer enrolled in our hospital also confirmed the prognostic value of PPP1CA, PPP1CB, PPP2CA, PPP2CB, PPP3CA, PPP3CB, and PPP6C at the protein level. In addition, the Pearson Chi-square test showed that PPP3CB level was significantly correlated with T and N stages. GO and KEGG analyses showed that the genes and pathways related to the pathogenesis and progression of pancreatic cancer were greatly affected by alterations in PPPcs. Results of the present study suggest that PPP1CA, PPP1CB, PPP2CA, PPP2CB, and PPP3CA have deleterious effects but PPP3CB, PPP5C, and PPP6C have beneficial effects on pancreatic cancer.

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Are countries’ self-reported assessments of their capacity for infectious disease control reliable? Associations among countries’ self-reported International Health Regulation 2005 capacity assessments and infectious disease control outcomes

10.21203/rs.2.13777/v1 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Feng-Jen Tsai ◽

Mathuros Tipayamongkholgul

Keyword(s):

Infectious Disease ◽

Disease Control ◽

Health Expenditure ◽

International Health ◽

International Travel ◽

Average Score ◽

International Health Regulation ◽

Infectious Disease Control ◽

Chi Square ◽

Chi Square Test

Abstract Background This study aimed to evaluate associations among countries’ self-reported International Health Regulation 2005 (IHR 2005) capacity assessments and infectious disease control outcomes. Methods Countries’ self-reported assessments implemented by percentages as IHR Monitoring Tools (IHRMT) in 2016 and 2017 were used to represent national capacity regarding infectious disease control. WHO Disease Outbreak News and matched diseases reports on ProMED-mail were collected in 2016 to represent disease control outcomes of countries. Disease control outcomes were divided in good, normal and bad groups based on the development of outbreaks listed in the reports. The Human Development Index (HDI), density of physicians and nurses, health expenditure, number of arrivals of international tourists were also collected for control. Chi-square test and logistic regression were applied for analysis. Results A total of 907 cases occurred in 92 countries. For all diseases, cases occurring in high international travel volume countries presented twice the risk of having a bad disease control outcomes than cases occurring in low international travel volume countries (OR = 2.19 for IHR 2016, OR =2.97 for IHR 2017). Cases occurring in low IHR average score countries had significant higher risk (OR = 7.83 for IHR 2016 and OR = 2.23 for IHR 2017) of having a bad disease control outcomes than countries with high IHR average scores. For only human diseases, cases occurring in high international travel volume countries presented twice the risk of having a bad disease control outcomes than cases occurring in low international travel volume countries for IHR 2017 (OR =2.79). Cases occurring in low IHR average score countries had significant higher risk (OR = 11.16 for IHR 2016 and OR = 3.45 for IHR 2017) of having a bad disease control outcomes than countries with high IHR average scores. The HDI, health workforce density and total health expenditure were all positively associated with disease control outcomes. Conclusions Countries’ self-reported infectious disease control capacities positively correlated with their disease control outcomes. While the self-reported IHR scores were accountable to some degree, this approach was useful for understanding global capacity in infectious disease control and in allocating resources for future preparedness.

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