This study aimed to evaluate the potential of the stool microbiome and gut microbe-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) to differentiate between patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and ...healthy controls, and to predict relapse in patients with IBD.
Metagenomic profiling of the microbiome and bacterial EVs in stool samples of controls (n=110) and patients with IBD (n=110) was performed using 16S rRNA sequencing and then compared. Patients with IBD were divided into two enterotypes based on their microbiome, and the cumulative risk of relapse was evaluated.
There was a significant difference in the composition of the stool microbiome and gut microbe-derived EVs between patients with IBD and controls. The alpha diversity of the microbiome in patients with IBD was significantly lower than that in controls, while the beta diversity also differed significantly between the two groups. These findings were more prominent in gut microbe-derived EVs than in the stool microbiome. The survival curve tended to be different for enterotypes based on the gut microbe-derived EVs; however, this difference was not statistically significant (log-rank test, p=0.166). In the multivariable analysis, elevated fecal calprotectin (>250 mg/kg) was the only significant risk factor associated with relapse (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.147; 95% confidence interval, 1.545 to 6.408; p=0.002).
Analysis of gut microbe-derived EVs is better at differentiating patients with IBD from healthy controls than stool microbiome analysis.
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease in humans. In this study, we evaluated the effects of a mixture (NCM 1921) of omega-3 butter, omega-3 beef tallow oil, omega-3 lard oil, ...caprylic acid, lauric acid, choline, and Fe on AD in 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (DNCB)-treated NC/Nga mice. NCM 1921 significantly ameliorated the macroscopic and microscopic signs and reduced skin thickness and mast cell incorporation in the skin lesions of mice with DNCB-induced AD. Furthermore, it reduced serum immunoglobulin E levels; reduced the number of IgE-producing B cells, peripheral blood mononuclear cells, white blood cells, and differential white blood cells; and increased the number of lymphocytes. NCM 1921 normalized the total cell number in dorsal skin tissue, the axillary lymph node, and spleen following DNCB exposure and reduced the number of CD23+/B220+ cells in the axillary lymph node and CD3+ cells in dorsal skin tissue. Moreover, it reduced the levels of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-13 but increased the levels of interferon-γ in anti-CD3-stimulated splenocytes. Immunohistofluorescence staining showed that NCM 1921 treatment significantly increased claudin1, filaggrin, and Sirt1 protein expressions in AD skin lesions. These results suggest that NCM 1921 could be a valuable remedy for the treatment of AD.
Cu2O exhibits a conversion reaction during the electrochemical process for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). The structural transformation of the electrode during cycling can result in significantly ...deteriorated electrochemical performance. Therefore, in order to overcome the deterioration in LIB performance when using Cu2O as an anode, structure-controlled nanostructures can be prepared using polymers as additives during the synthesis of the electrode. Herein, we prepared size-controlled octahedral Cu2O nanostructure electrodes as anodes for LIBs by varying the portion of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP, 12, 16, and 20 g) in the synthesis (denoted as Cu2O-12, Cu2O-16, and Cu2O-20, respectively). The as-prepared samples showed an octahedral shape with decreased particle sizes as well as increasing amounts of PVP. In particular, Cu2O-16 prepared with a proper amount of PVP showed enhanced LIB performance, which was due to the highest Li+ diffusion coefficient and lowest resistance. Furthermore, in order to confirm the effect of PVP in Cu2O on electrochemical performance, PVP-removed Cu2O-16 and PVP-removed/heated Cu2O-16 were prepared. However, the samples prepared after the removal of PVP showed deteriorated cycling and rate performance as compared to Cu2O heated in the presence of PVP. As a result, the octahedral Cu2O electrode with a proper particle size prepared with PVP as a surfactant and reductant exhibited superior LIB performance.
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•Size-controlled octahedral Cu2O nanostructures as anodes for LIBs were prepared.•The Cu2O electrodes were synthesized by varying a portion of polyvinylpyrrolidone.•The samples exhibited an octahedral shape with decreased particle sizes.•Cu2O-16 prepared with a proper amount of PVP showed enhanced LIB performance.•The improved performance is attributed to enhanced Li+ diffusion coefficient.
Background:
Treatments for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) have evolved in the era of biologics. However, the real-world data on their usage patterns and sequencing are still limited.
Objectives:
...We aimed to investigate treatment persistence and dose intensification of first- and second-line biologics in patients with IBD.
Design:
In this retrospective, cohort study using nationwide claims data, 13,087 patients with IBD initiating biologic therapy between 2010 and 2020 were identified.
Methods:
Treatment persistence and dose intensification during the first 2 years and switching patterns of biologics were analysed while identifying predictors of non-persistence.
Results:
As a first-line treatment of Crohn’s disease (CD), ustekinumab had a lower risk for non-persistence compared to infliximab adjusted hazard ratio (aHR), 0.69, p = 0.048. Second-line ustekinumab and vedolizumab showed the highest and lowest persistence (79.2% and 54.9%), respectively. As a first-line treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC), golimumab had a higher risk for non-persistence compared to infliximab (aHR, 1.68, p < 0.001). Second-line golimumab also showed a significantly lower persistence rate than adalimumab and vedolizumab. The risk of non-persistence was higher in UC than in CD (first line: aHR, 1.97; second line: aHR, 1.39; p < 0.001), and in the second-line treatment than in the first-line treatment for CD (aHR, 1.55; p < 0.001). The cumulative rate of dose intensification was highest with ustekinumab for CD (first line, 43.3%, second line, 69.1%) and adalimumab for second-line UC (40.7%). It was significantly increased in second-line therapy in CD, but not in UC. Among switchers of first-line anti-tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitor therapy, after all biologics were approved, 69% of CD patients and 78.4% of UC patients switched to other classes of second-line treatment.
Conclusion:
Ustekinumab had higher persistence in the first-line treatment of CD, while golimumab had lower persistence for first- and second-line treatments of UC. Dose intensification rates varied, with the highest cumulative rates observed for ustekinumab in CD and adalimumab in second-line UC.
While studies on the reduction and management of PM
2.5
are currently underway, there is a limitation in not considering the types and effects of the toxic chemicals deposited on PM
2.5
based on ...regional sources’ variations. Therefore, this study was conducted to confirm the necessity of health effects research considering the toxic chemicals deposited on PM
2.5
exposure in the study of health effects related to PM
2.5
exposure. Over approximately 2 years, we measured the concentrations of PM
2.5
and heavy metals in the air during both spring and winter. The study focused on the Ansan/Siheung industrial complex and the Ulsan industrial complex. Based on the measured concentrations, we calculated and compared the health risks with PM
2.5
and heavy metal exposure for each industrial complex. The concentration analysis results revealed differences in the concentrations of PM
2.5
, Ni, Mn, As, and Cr between the two regions. Furthermore, the calculated health risks associated with PM
2.5
and heavy metals also showed differences between the regions. In this study, differences in the concentrations of PM
2.5
and its chemical components were observed based on the industrial sources and regional characteristics of each industrial complex. These variations were shown to lead to differences in the levels of health impacts. The results emphasize the importance of considering not only PM
2.5
but also its chemical components for accurate and efficient health effect assessments.
infection changes gastric microbiota profiles. However, it is not clear whether
eradication can restore the healthy gastric microbiota. Moreover, there has been no study regarding the changes in ...gastric microbiota with aging. The objective of this study was to investigate the changes in gastric corpus microbiota with age and following
eradication. Changes in corpus mucosa-associated microbiota were evaluated in 43 individuals with endoscopic follow-up > 1 year, including 8
-uninfected and 15
-infected subjects with no atrophy/metaplasia by histology and pepsinogen I/II ratio > 4.0; 17
-infected subjects with atrophy/metaplasia and pepsinogen I/II ratio < 2.5; and 3 subjects with atrophy/metaplasia, no evidence of active
infection, negative for anti-
immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody testing, and no previous history of
eradication. Successful
eradication was achieved in 21 patients. The gastric microbiota was characterized using an Illumina MiSeq platform targeting 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA). The mean follow-up duration was 57.4 months (range, 12-145 months), and median follow-up visit was 1 (range, 1-3). Relative abundance of Lactobacillales and
was increased with atrophy/metaplasia. In
-uninfected subjects (
= 8), an increase in Proteobacteria (
, Comamonadaceae,
); a decrease in Firmicutes (
,
), Fusobacteria (
), Nocardioidaceae,
, and Prevotella; and a decrease in microbial diversity were observed during the follow-up (
trend < 0.05). In 10 of 21 subjects (47.6%),
eradication induced restoration of microbial diversity; however, a predominance of
with a decrease in microbial diversity occurred in 11 subjects (52.3%). The presence of atrophy/metaplasia at baseline and higher neutrophil infiltration in the corpus were associated with the restoration of gastric microbiota after successful eradication, whereas a higher relative abundance of
at baseline was associated with the predominance of
after
eradication (
< 0.05). To conclude, in
uninfected stomach, relative abundance of Proteobacteria increases, relative abundance of Firmicutes and Fusobacteria decreases, and microbial diversity decreases with aging.
eradication does not always restore gastric microbiota; in some individuals, gastric colonization by
species occurs after anti-
treatment.
Alcohol increases the risk of both hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and colorectal neoplasia. In this hospital-based case-control and retrospective cohort study, we sought to determine whether ...development of colorectal neoplasia increases the risk of HCC in patients with alcoholic liver disease (ALD). In the phase I case-control analysis, the association between history of colorectal cancer (CRC) and HCC development was assessed in patients with ALD by logistic regression modeling (n = 1,659). In the phase II retrospective cohort analysis, the relative risk of HCC development was compared in ALD patients with respect to the history of CRC by a Cox model (n = 1,184). The history of CRC was significantly associated with HCC in the case-control analysis (adjusted odds ratio, 1.82; 95% CI, 1.06-3.15; P < 0.05). ALD patients with CRC had higher risk of developing HCC compared to those without CRC (adjusted hazards ratio HR, 5.48; 95% CI, 1.63-18.36; P = 0.006) in the cohort analysis. Presence of CRC, liver cirrhosis, elevated baseline alpha-fetoprotein level, and low platelet counts were independent predictors of HCC development in ALD patients. Patients with history of CRC had an increased risk of HCC in both cirrhotic (HR, 3.76; 95% CI, 1.05-13.34, P = 0.041) and non-cirrhotic (HR, 23.46; 95% CI, 2.81-195.83, P = 0.004) ALD patients. In conclusion, ALD patients with CRC are at increased risk of developing HCC.
Background
The Korean College of Helicobacter and Upper Gastrointestinal Research has studied Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) prevalence since 1998 and found a dynamic change in its prevalence in ...Korea. The aim of this study was to determine the recent H. pylori prevalence rate and compare it with that of previous studies according to socioeconomic variables.
Methods
We planned to enroll 4920 asymptomatic Korean adults from 21 centers according to the population distribution of seven geographic areas (Seoul, Gyeonggi, Gangwon, Chungcheong, Kyungsang, Cholla, and Jeju). We centrally collected serum and tested H. pylori serum IgG using a chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay.
Results
We analyzed 4917 samples (4917/4920 = 99.9%) from January 2015 to December 2016. After excluding equivocal serologic results, the H. pylori seropositivity rate was 51.0% (2414/4734). We verified a decrease in H. pylori seroprevalence compared with previous studies performed in 1998, 2005, and 2011 (P < .0001). The H. pylori seroprevalence rate differed by area: Cholla (59.5%), Chungcheong (59.2%), Kyungsang (55.1%), Jeju (54.4%), Gangwon (49.1%), Seoul (47.4%), and Gyeonggi (44.6%). The rate was higher in those older than 40 years (38.1% in those aged 30‐39 years and 57.7% in those aged 40‐49 years) and was lower in city residents than in noncity residents at all ages.
Conclusions
Helicobacter pylori seroprevalence in Korea is decreasing and may vary according to population characteristics. This trend should be considered to inform H. pylori‐related policies.
Summary Objectives To determine the preventive effect of green tea extract (GTE) supplements on metachronous colorectal adenoma and cancer in the Korean population. Materials and methods One hundred ...seventy-six subjects (88 per each group) who had undergone complete removal of colorectal adenomas by endoscopic polypectomy were enrolled. They were randomized into 2 groups: supplementation group (0.9 g GTE per day for 12 months) or control group without GTE supplementation. The 72-h recall method was used to collect data on food items consumed by participants at baseline and the 1-year follow-up during the past 48 h. Follow-up colonoscopy was conducted 12 months later in 143 patients (71 in control group and 72 in the GTE group). Results Of the 143 patients completed in the study, the incidences of metachronous adenomas at the end-point colonoscopy were 42.3% (30 of 71) in control group and 23.6% (17 of 72) in GTE group (relative risk RR, 0.56; 95% confidence interval CI, 0.34–0.92). The number of relapsed adenoma was also decreased in the GTE group than in the control group (0.7 ± 1.1 vs. 0.3 ± 0.6, p = 0.010). However, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups in terms of body mass index, dietary intakes, serum lipid profiles, fasting serum glucose, and serum C-reactive protein levels (all p > 0.05). Conclusion This study of GTE supplement suggests a favorable outcome for the chemoprevention of metachronous colorectal adenomas in Korean patients (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02321969 ).
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