Human papillomavirus Detection Rates in Bowen's Disease: Correlation with Pelvic and Digital Region Involvement and Specific p53 Immunostaining Patterns.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between human papillomavirus (HPV) and Bowen's disease (BD) is not fully understood. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the differences in HPV detection rates in BD samples across various body regions and analyze the expression patterns of p53, p16, and Ki-67 in relation to HPV presence. METHODS: Tissue samples from patients diagnosed with BD, confirmed through histopathology, were retrospectively collected. Next-generation sequencing was used for HPV DNA detection. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) for p16, p53, and Ki-67 was performed. RESULTS: Out of 109 patients with BD, 21 (19.3%) were HPV-positive. All identified types were α-HPVs, with HPV-16 being the most common. The HPV detection rate was significantly higher in the pelvic (69.2%, P<0.001) and digital (50.0%, P=0.022) areas compared to those in the other regions. HPV presence was significantly correlated with p53 negativity (P=0.002), the p53 "non-overexpression" IHC pattern (P<0.001), and p53-p16 immunostain pattern discordance (P<0.001). Conversely, there was no notable association between HPV presence and p16 positivity, the p16 IHC pattern, or Ki-67 expression. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest the oncogenic role of sexually transmitted and genito-digitally transmitted α-HPVs in pathogenesis of BD in the pelvic and digital regions.

Identification of novel Carnobacterium maltaromaticum strains in bone marrow samples of patients with acute myeloid leukemia using a metagenomic binning approach.

The aim of this study aimed to examine the existence of a bacterial metagenome in the bone marrow of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). We re-examined whole-genome sequencing data from the bone marrow samples of seven patients with AML, four of whom were remitted after treatment, for metagenomic analysis. After the removal of human reads, unmapped reads were used to profile the species-level composition. We used the metagenomic binning approach to confirm whether the identified taxon was a complete genome of known or novel strains. We observed a unique and novel microbial signature in which Carnobacterium maltaromaticum was the most abundant species in five patients with AML or remission. The complete genome of C. maltaromaticum "BMAML_KR01," which was observed in all samples, was 100% complete with 8.5% contamination and closely clustered with C. maltaromaticum strains DSM20730 and SF668 based on single nucleotide polymorphism variations. We identified five unique proteins that could contribute to cancer progression and 104 virulent factor proteins in the BMAML_KR01 genome. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a new strain of C. maltaromaticum in patients with AML. The presence of C. maltaromaticum and its new strain in patients indicates an urgent need to validate the existence of this bacterium and evaluate its pathophysiological role.

Increased dental comorbidities in patients with psoriasis: a nationwide population-based cohort study in Korea.

BACKGROUND: Limited data are available regarding the association between psoriasis and common dental conditions. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the risk of potential dental comorbidities in patients with psoriasis. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide population-based cohort study to analyse the claims data of patients with psoriasis (n = 15 165) and age- and sex-matched controls (n = 75 825). The incidence risk of the following potential dental conditions was analysed: dental caries, pulp and periapical disease, periodontal disease, gingival changes and tooth loss. RESULTS: After adjusting for potential cofactors, the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) of dental caries [1.105; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.078-1.132], pulp and periapical disease (1.07; 95% CI 1.044-1.096) and periodontal disease (1.108; 95% CI 1.088-1.129) were significantly higher than those in the control cohort (P < 0.001). However, among the subset of patients with psoriasis who received systemic antipsoriatic treatment (n = 4275), the aHR risk of all potential dental comorbidities was not significantly higher from that of the control cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with psoriasis have an increased risk of dental comorbidities, and systemic antipsoriatic treatment may help mitigate this increased risk.

Factors for risk stratification of patients with actinic keratosis using integrated analysis of clinicopathological features and gene expression patterns.

BACKGROUND: Actinic keratosis (AK) is considered as precursor lesion of invasive squamous cell carcinoma. Molecular studies on AK are limited because of too small size of the biopsy specimen to obtain enough DNA or RNA. METHODS: Twenty biopsy cases of AK, followed by second same-sited biopsies, were included. Ten cases were diagnosed with total regression (regression group), while the other 10 were diagnosed with invasive carcinoma (progression group) in the follow-up biopsies. Using digital spatial profiling (DSP) technology, whole-gene expression analysis defined by specific regions of interest was performed for all 20 cases. After the clinicopathological features were assessed, separate and integrated analyses of these features and gene expression patterns were performed using machine-learning technology. All analyses were performed on both lesion keratinocytes (KT) and infiltrated stromal lymphocytes (LC). RESULTS: Among the 18,667 genes assessed, 33 and 72 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the regression and progression groups were found in KT and LC respectively. The primary genes distinguishing the two groups were KRT10 for KT and CARD18 for LC. Clinicopathological features were weaker in risk stratification of AK progression than the gene expression patterns. Pathways associated with various cancers were upregulated in the progression group of KT, whereas the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor signalling pathway was upregulated in the progression of LC. CONCLUSION: Gene expression patterns were effective for risk stratification of AK progression, and their distinguishing power was higher than that of clinicopathological features.

Crack Detecting Method Based on Grid-Type Sensing Networks Using Electrical Signals.

Cracks have a primary effect on the failure of a structure. Therefore, the development of crack sensors with high accuracy and resolution and cracks detection method are important. In this study, the crack sensors were fabricated, and the crack locations were detected with the electrical signal of the crack sensor. First, a metal grid-type micro-crack sensor based on silver was fabricated. The sensor is made with electrohydrodynamics (EHD) inkjet printing technology, which is well known as the next generation of printed electronics technology. Optimal printing conditions were established through experiments, and a grid sensor was obtained. After that, single cracks and multiple cracks were simulated on the sensor, and electrical signals generated from the sensor were measured. The measured electrical signal tracked the location of the cracks in three steps: simple cross-calculation, interpolation, and modified P-SPICE. It was confirmed that cracks could be effectively found and displayed using the method presented in this paper.

Assessment of early childhood caries using ICDAS and Snyder caries activity test among preschool children: a cross-sectional study.

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the correlation between the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) and the Snyder caries activity test (SCAT) for the assessment of early dental caries in preschool children. Dental health status of 153 children aged 3-5 years was evaluated by oral examination. The ICDAS stage (enamel opacity stage to cavitated dentine caries stage (stages 1-6)) was assigned based on the evaluation of each tooth surface by a trained dentist based on the number of decayed (d) and filled teeth (ft). In this study, scores of d3-6t (t, teeth), d3-6s (s, tooth surface), d3-6ft and d3-6fs were the cut-off points for enamel caries, set to ICDAS code 3 (d3). SCAT score was assigned based on the acid production level of lactic acid bacteria in plaque (scores: 1-4). Linear correlation analysis was used to determine the correlation between ICDAS and SCAT scores. The proportion of children for each of the dental caries status were as follows: d0, 46.4%; d1-2, 28.1%; d3-4, 9.8%; d5-6, 15.7%. Regarding SCAT scores, 30%, 30.1%, 26.8% and 12.4% children had no, mild, moderate and severe caries activity, respectively. The d3-6t, d3-6s, d3-6ft and d3-6fs indices increased with age and were 0.56, 0.82, 2.03 and 5.05, respectively. Children with a higher SCAT score had higher ICDAS scores (p < 0.05). Our findings suggest that a combination of ICDAS and SCAT scores is beneficial for diagnosing caries progression and highly active caries. Early childhood caries should be managed early to prevent the enamel opacity stage to progress to cavitation.

Treatment of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 and cross-infection in dental clinics in Korea.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to investigate patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who visited dental clinics for treatment and to analyse the occurrence of additional COVID-19-confirmed cases according to the type of dental treatment and use of personal protective equipment (PPE). METHODS: Interviews were conducted in November 2021 via telephone, and written questionnaires were administered to dental hygienists working at the 24 dental clinics selected for the study, visited by patients with COVID-19. The survey focused on the visit date, the treatment received, whether or not the dental personnel wore PPE while treating the patient, and how the dental clinic and the public health centre with jurisdiction over the clinic responded after the patient's visit. RESULTS: Additional confirmed cases occurred in two of the 24 dental clinics included. In both cases, scaling was performed, dental personnel did not use a face shield, and patients with COVID-19 were asymptomatic. In 14 of the 22 dental clinics where additional confirmed cases did not occur, the dental personnel did not use face shields, and in 10 clinics, the dental personnel wore dental masks but not a KF94 mask. Based on these findings, which were obtained before the advent of the omicron variant, COVID-19 cross-infection did not appear to be high in dental clinics. CONCLUSION: The rate of COVID-19 cross-infection before the advent of the omicron variant appeared to be low in dental clinics in Korea. Therefore, patients have no reason to delay necessary dental treatment if dental personnel put effort into wearing PPE.

Response to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic of dental hygienists in South Korea-Part III: COVID-19 vaccination intentions.

OBJECTIVES: This cross-sectional study was to determine the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination intention of clinical dental hygienists in South Korea and the factors that influence vaccination intention. METHODS: COVID-19 vaccination intention of the 500 participants was confirmed through a survey including the following options: 'I will vaccinate (VAC)', 'I will not vaccinate (NoVAC)' and 'I do not know if I should get vaccinated (UNK)'. A Chi-square test was performed to determine whether there were differences in COVID-19 vaccination intention according to the general characteristics of the participants, degree of infection control knowledge (Score-K) and practice (Score-P) in response to COVID-19, fears over COVID-19 (Fear-C) and the level of anxiety before (GADBefore ) and after (GADAfter ) the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple logistic regression was performed to identify factors affecting VAC and NoVAC by setting the base category as UNK. The p-values of <0.05 were considered statistically significant. RESULTS: According to the analysis, 44.8%, 18.8% and 36.4% of participants selected VAC, NoVAC and UNK respectively. There were significant differences in vaccination intention according to age, monthly income, residential area, symptoms related to COVID-19, Score-K, Fear-C and GADBefore . Compared to UNK, < $2000 monthly income, Score-K and Fear-C variables significantly influenced the opinion of VAC. Compared to the answer UNK, monthly incomes of $2000 to $2360 and $2360 to $2730 in residential areas significantly influenced the opinion of NoVAC. CONCLUSIONS: The variables influencing vaccination intention were monthly income, residential area, Score-K and Fear-C.

Association Between Gut Microbiota and Depressive Symptoms: A Cross-Sectional Population-Based Study in South Korea.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the association between gut microbiota and depressive symptoms in a large population cohort of Korean adults. METHODS: Overall, 1238 participants were included in the study. Participants were categorized into depressed or non-depressed groups, based on the depressive symptoms reported on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Rating Scale for Depression, with a cutoff score of 16, and their fecal microbiota was profiled using 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Several alpha and beta diversity measures were also estimated. The association between depressive symptoms and gut microbiota was analyzed using generalized linear models. The inferred function of the metagenomes was compared between the two groups. RESULTS: There were no consistent differences in alpha and beta diversity between the depressed and non-depressed groups. However, the continuous measure of depressive symptoms was inversely associated with one of four measures of alpha diversity (Shannon's diversity, p = .021). We also found a substantial difference between the depressed and non-depressed groups in the Bray-Curtis dissimilarity among the four beta diversity indices ( p = .004). Participants whose depressive symptoms exceeded a clinical cutoff score had a lower relative abundance of the genus Faecalibacterium when compared with controls (coefficient = -0.025, q = 0.047). However, the depressed group had a significantly higher abundance of the genus Oscillospira than did the non-depressed group (coefficient = 0.002, q = 0.023). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings contribute to the identification of potential relationships between the gut microbiota and depressive symptoms and provide useful insights for developing microbiota-based interventions for patients with depressive symptoms.

Evaluation of Temperature Sensors for Detection of Heat Sources Using Additive Printing Method.

Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) inkjet printing is an efficient technique for printing multiple sensors in a multifaceted area. It can be applied to various fields according to the shape of the printing result and the algorithm employed. In this study, temperature sensors capable of detecting heat sources were fabricated. Inks suitable for EHD inkjet printing were produced, and optimal parameters for printing were determined. Printing was performed using the corresponding parameters, and various printing results were obtained. Furthermore, an experiment was conducted to confirm the temperature measurement characteristics of the results and the tolerance of the sensor. Grid-type sensors were fabricated based on the results, and the sensor characteristics were confirmed in an orthogonal form. Heat was applied to arbitrary positions. Resistance to changes due to heat was measured, and the location at which the heat was generated was detected by varying the change in resistance. Through this study, efficient heat control can be achieved, as the location of the heat source can be identified quickly.

Corticosteroid-induced drug reaction with eosinophilia and systematic symptoms successfully treated with a tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitor.

BACKGROUND: Despite recent advances in the treatment of drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), the mainstay of treatment involves discontinuing the culprit drugs and administering topical or systemic corticosteroid. OBJECTIVE: The clinical use of a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha inhibitor was rarely explored in treatment of DRESS. METHODS: We present a case of corticosteroid-induced DRESS that was successfully treated with a TNF-alpha inhibitor without sequalae. RESULTS: This is the first case report that showed the clinical use of a TNF alpha inhibitor in treating corticosteroids- induced DRESS and immediate hypersensitivity reactions. The HLA-B*5801 was identified as a possible genetic factor associated with a corticosteroid-induced DRESS. CONCLUSIONS: A TNF-alpha inhibitor could be a primary option in treating DRESS, especially in patients with hypersensitivity reaction to corticosteroids.

Changes in salivary matrix metalloproteinase-3, -8, and -9 concentrations after 6 weeks of non-surgical periodontal therapy.

BACKGROUND: Studies using salivary inflammatory biomarkers for diagnosing and monitoring the progression of periodontal disease have garnered increased attention in recent years. The present study aimed to identify changes in clinical parameters and concentrations of salivary matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) following 6 weeks of non-surgical periodontal therapy (NSPT). METHODS: A 6-week NSPT program was applied to 51 adults aged ≥ 20 years. The program involved scaling, root planing, and professional toothbrushing for healthy participants and those with periodontal disease. Patients with periodontal disease underwent professional toothbrushing during all three visits. Periodontal pocket depth (PD) and gingival bleeding were assessed at week 0, week 3, and week 6, and saliva samples were collected to measure the concentrations of MMP-3, -8, and -9. RESULTS: All clinical parameters were improved in the periodontal disease groups following the NSPT course. Compared with healthy participants, the patients with periodontal disease showed increased concentrations of salivary MMP-3, -8, and -9. During the 6-week program, patients with periodontal disease also showed significant reductions in PD and gingival bleeding during the third week; no significant reduction was found during the sixth week. Significant reductions in the concentrations of salivary MMP-3, -8, and -9 were also noted in the periodontal disease group at week 3. The sensitivity and specificity of MMP-3 for predicting periodontitis were 81.8% and 55.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The present study found that NSPT resulted in reductions of salivary MMP-3, -8, and -9, and identified the potential of MMP-3 as a biomarker in the diagnosis of periodontal disease. These findings may serve as foundational data for future studies into the development of diagnostic kits for periodontal disease.

Low Levels of Alcohol Consumption, Obesity, and Development of Fatty Liver With and Without Evidence of Advanced Fibrosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The effects of low-level alcohol consumption on fatty liver disease and the potential for effect modification by obesity is uncertain. We investigated associations among low-level alcohol consumption, obesity status, and the development of incident hepatic steatosis (HS), either with or without an increase in noninvasive liver fibrosis score category (from low to intermediate or high category). APPROACH AND RESULTS: A total of 190,048 adults without HS and a low probability of fibrosis with alcohol consumption less than 30 g/day (men) and less than 20 g/day (women) were followed for up to 15.7 years. Alcohol categories of no, light, and moderate consumption were defined as 0, 1-9.9, and 10-29.9 g/day (10-19.9 g/day for women), respectively. HS was diagnosed by ultrasonography, and the probability of fibrosis was estimated using the fibrosis-4 index (FIB-4). Parametric proportional hazards models were used to estimate multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). A total of 43,466 participants developed HS, 2,983 of whom developed HS with an increase in FIB-4 index (to intermediate or high scores). Comparing light drinkers and moderate drinkers with nondrinkers, multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% CI) for incident HS were 0.93 (0.90-0.95) and 0.90 (0.87-0.92), respectively. In contrast, comparing light drinkers and moderate drinkers with nondrinkers, multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% CI) for developing HS plus intermediate/high FIB-4 were 1.15 (1.04-1.27) and 1.49 (1.33-1.66), respectively. The association between alcohol consumption categories and incident HS plus intermediate/high FIB-4 was observed in both nonobese and obese individuals, although the association was stronger in nonobese individuals (P for interaction by obesity = 0.017). CONCLUSIONS: Light/moderate alcohol consumption has differential effects on the development of different stages of fatty liver disease, which is modified by the presence of obesity.

Extreme field confinement in zigzag plasmonic crystals.

We propose extreme field confinement in a zigzag plasmonic crystal that can produce a wide plasmonic bandgap near the visible frequency range. By applying a periodic zigzag structure to a metal-insulator-metal plasmonic waveguide, the lowest three plasmonic crystal bands are flattened, creating a high-quality broadband plasmonic mirror over a wavelength range of 526-909 nm. Utilizing zigzag plasmonic crystals in a three-dimensional tapered metal-insulator-metal plasmonic cavity, extreme field confinement with a modal volume of less than 0.00005 λ 3 can be achieved even at resonances over a wide frequency range. In addition, by selecting the number of zigzag periods in the plasmonic crystal, critical coupling between the cavity and the waveguide can be achieved, thereby maximizing the field intensity with an enhancement factor of 105 or more. We believe that zigzag plasmonic crystals will provide a powerful platform for implementing broadband on-chip plasmonic devices.

Development of the variant calling algorithm, ADIScan, and its use to estimate discordant sequences between monozygotic twins.

Calling variants from next-generation sequencing (NGS) data or discovering discordant sequences between two NGS data sets is challenging. We developed a computer algorithm, ADIScan1, to call variants by comparing the fractions of allelic reads in a tester to the universal reference genome. We then created ADIScan2 by modifying the algorithm to directly compare two sets of NGS data and predict discordant sequences between two testers. ADIScan1 detected >99.7% of variants called by GATK with an additional 724 393 SNVs. ADIScan2 identified ∼500 candidates of discordant sequences in each of two pairs of the monozygotic twins. About 200 of these candidates were included in the ∼2800 predicted by VarScan2. We verified 66 true discordant sequences among the candidates that ADIScan2 and VarScan2 exclusively predicted. ADIScan2 detected many discordant sequences overlooked by VarScan2 and Mutect, which specialize in detecting low frequency mutations in genetically heterogeneous cancerous tissues. Numbers of verified sequences alone were >5 times more than expected based on recently estimated mutation rates from whole genome sequences. Estimated post-zygotic mutation rates were 1.68 × 10-7 in this study. ADIScan1 and 2 would complement existing tools in screening causative mutations of diverse genetic diseases and comparing two sets of genome sequences, respectively.

Establishment and Characterization of Immortalized Miniature Pig Pancreatic Cell Lines Expressing Oncogenic K-RasG12D.

In recent decades, many studies on the treatment and prevention of pancreatic cancer have been conducted. However, pancreatic cancer remains incurable, with a high mortality rate. Although mouse models have been widely used for preclinical pancreatic cancer research, these models have many differences from humans. Therefore, large animals may be more useful for the investigation of pancreatic cancer. Pigs have recently emerged as a new model of pancreatic cancer due to their similarities to humans, but no pig pancreatic cancer cell lines have been established for use in drug screening or analysis of tumor biology. Here, we established and characterized an immortalized miniature pig pancreatic cell line derived from primary pancreatic cells and pancreatic cancer-like cells expressing K-rasG12D regulated by the human PTF1A promoter. Using this immortalized cell line, we analyzed the gene expression and phenotypes associated with cancer cell characteristics. Notably, we found that acinar-to-ductal transition was caused by K-rasG12D in the cell line constructed from acinar cells. This may constitute a good research model for the analysis of acinar-to-ductal metaplasia in human pancreatic cancer.

Effects of oral health programmes on xerostomia in community-dwelling elderly: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: While common in the elderly, dry mouth can negatively affect their oral health and nutritional status. Self-administered oral care by the elderly can improve their oral health and prevent oral diseases. This study aimed to identify the content of oral health promotion programmes for community-dwelling elderly and to determine which programmes are effective in improving oral health decreasing xerostomia in these populations. METHODS: A systematic literature search and meta-analysis was conducted using the PRISMA guidelines. All available papers published in English or Korean were searched between 1 June and 13 June 2018. The relevant databases in PubMed Central, MEDLINE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library and Embase, as well as open dissertation and academic searches, were performed. Data were extracted from the selected studies based on PICOS, and the health outcomes of the elderly were subjected to meta-analysis categorized by salivary secretion rates and oral health-related quality of life (OHQoL). RESULTS: A total of nine studies had sufficient data for a systematic review and meta-analysis. The intervention programmes consisted mainly of oral health promotion programmes, mouth exercises, toothbrushing and salivary massage. The meta-analysis indicated that elderly participating in oral health programmes had significantly increased oral salivary secretion rates and OHQoL (effect sizes of 0.63 and 0.80, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Oral health promotion programmes in the elderly provide the positive effects of relieving dry mouth and improving OHQoL. This systematic review confirmed the contents and effects of the oral health promotion programmes provided to community-dwelling elderly.

Impacts of undernutrition and maternal oral health status on dental caries in Korean children aged 3-5 years.

INTRODUCTION: The association between nutrition and oral health has been studied in the elderly. This study aimed to examine the impacts of undernutrition and the mothers' socioeconomic and oral health statuses on the incidence of dental caries in Korean preschool children. METHODS: Data of 610 children aged 3-5 years and their mothers who underwent oral examinations and responded to the questionnaires in the 6th KNAHNES were used. Caries prevalence was measured by dft and dt among the primary teeth in children and DMFT among mothers. Dietary reference intake values were used to evaluate nutritional status, a nutritional quality index and the mean nutrient adequacy ratio. Complex sample correlation analysis was performed by using children's dft and dt statuses as dependent variables. Multilevel linear regression was applied to investigate the impacts of undernutrition and mothers' socioeconomic and oral health status on children's dft and dt statuses. Statistical significance was set as P < .05. RESULTS: Factors significantly related to dft in children were age and food. Food insecurity was the only factor significantly associated with dt in children. Children's sex and mother's DMFT were likely to be relevant to dft in children. Children's age and a nutritional quality index value less than 1 were also likely to be relevant to the dt of children. CONCLUSIONS: Children with an undernourished status had a higher caries experience. A comprehensive community dental health promotion programme should be developed to prevent the incidence of dental caries in vulnerable undernourished children.

Alcoholic and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and associations with coronary artery calcification: evidence from the Kangbuk Samsung Health Study.

OBJECTIVE: Recent evidence suggests that alcoholic fatty liver disease (AFLD) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) may differentially affect risk of cardiovascular mortality. To investigate whether early liver disease due to AFLD or NAFLD have similar or dissimilar effects on risk of early coronary artery atherosclerosis, we have investigated the associations between AFLD and NAFLD and coronary artery calcium (CAC). DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was performed in 105 328 Korean adults who attended a health check-up programme. CAC score was assessed using CT, daily alcohol intake was recorded as grams/day and liver fat by ultrasound. Logistic regression model was used to calculate ORs with 95% CIs for prevalent CAC. RESULTS: Both NAFLD and AFLD were positively associated with CAC score. After adjusting for potential confounders, multivariable-adjusted OR (95% CIs) for CAC >0 comparing NAFLD and AFLD to the reference (absence of both excessive alcohol use and fatty liver disease) were 1.10 (95% CI 1.05 to 1.16) and 1.20 (95% CI 1.11 to 1.30), respectively. In post hoc analysis, OR (95% CI) for detectable CAC comparing AFLD to NAFLD was 1.09 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.17). Associations of NAFLD and AFLD with CAC scores were similar in both non-obese and obese individuals without significant interaction by obesity (p for interaction=0.088). After adjusting for homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance and high-sensitivity C reactive protein, the associations between fatty liver disease and CAC scores remained statistically significant. CONCLUSION: In this large sample of young and middle-aged individuals, early liver disease due to NAFLD and AFLD were both significantly associated with the presence of coronary artery calcification.

Fecal Microbiota Differences According to the Risk of Advanced Colorectal Neoplasms.

GOALS AND BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare differences in the fecal microbiota according to the risk of advanced colorectal neoplasia (ACN) based on a risk-score model in a large Korean cohort. STUDY: Stool samples were collected from 1122 health screening recipients: 404 enrolled in the average risk (AR) group, 514 in the moderate risk (MR) group, and 204 in the high risk (HR) group, in accordance with their risk of ACN. The fecal microbiota was characterized using pyrosequencing of the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA genes. RESULTS: The overall microbial diversity was significantly reduced with an increased risk of ACN [false discovery rate (FDR), P<0.001], and the composition was significantly different between the risk groups (Bonferroni corrected, P<0.05). On taxonomic comparison, 6 of 11 phyla and 39 of 88 genera were significantly different among the risk groups (all FDR P<0.05). These included under-representation of Bacteroides, Ruminococcus, and Bifidobacterium, and over-representation of Prevotella and Fusobacterium with an increased risk of ACN. In particular, we observed that the unknown genus of Ruminococcaceae were relatively abundant (16.2%) in the AR group and significantly depleted with an increased risk of ACN (13.5% in the HR group; FDR P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the hypothesis that the fecal microbiota is different according to the risk of ACN. An unknown genus of Ruminococcaceae, as novel potential butyrate producers, might have a possible role in colorectal tumorigenesis in the Korean population.