Mean genus or order abundance of gut microbiota in the PBC, AIH and HC groups.

<p>The plotted values are the mean abundance of the 8 abundant genera and 1 abundant order in each group. The results are expressed as the mean ± SD. Differences were compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test; *<i>P</i><0.05, **<i>P</i><0.01, ***<i>P</i><0.0005.</p

Correlation between oral microbiota and gut microbiota in AILD patients.

<p>Correlation between oral microbiota and gut microbiota in AILD patients.</p

Principal component analysis (PCA) of the oral and gut microbiota among the 71 T-RFLP profiles.

<p>(a) The T-RFLP profiles were classified into two clusters by hierarchical cluster analysis (orange circle: Cluster I, green circle: Cluster II). (b) Principal component analysis of the oral microbiota in the AILD (blue circle) and HC groups (red circle). (c) Principal component analysis of the gut microbiota in the AILD (blue circle) and HC groups (red circle). (d) Index (Shannon, y-axis) of genera diversity in oral microbiota, (e) Index (Shannon, y-axis) of genera diversity in gut microbiota.</p

Univariate and multivariate analyses of microbiota associated with AILD patients.

<p>Univariate and multivariate analyses of microbiota associated with AILD patients.</p

Correlation between the relative abundance of predominant genera and the levels of immunological biomarkers in the saliva of AILD patients.

<p>Correlation between the relative abundance of predominant genera and the levels of immunological biomarkers in the saliva of AILD patients.</p

Clinical characteristics of HCs and patients with PBC or AIH.

<p>Clinical characteristics of HCs and patients with PBC or AIH.</p

Cytokine levels in the saliva of HCs and patients with PBC or AIH.

<p>The salivary levels of IL-1β (a), IL-8 (b), MIP-1β (c), IgA (d), TNF-α (e), and IFN-γ (f). The results are expressed as the mean ± SD. Differences were compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test; *<i>P</i><0.05, **<i>P</i><0.01, ***<i>P</i><0.005.</p

Reduced brain activity in female patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease as measured by near-infrared spectroscopy

<div><p>Patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have impaired health-related quality of life including physical and mental state. Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a useful tool for evaluation of brain activity and depressive state. This study aimed to determine the brain activity of female NAFLD patients using NIRS. Cerebral oxygenated hemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentration during a verbal fluency task (VFT) was measured using NIRS in 24 female NAFLD patients and 15 female healthy controls. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) questionnaire was administered to both groups before NIRS. There was no significant difference in CES-D score between groups. However, the oxy-Hb concentration and number of words during the VFT were less in NAFLD compared to healthy controls. The mean value of oxy-Hb concentration during 0–60 s VFT in the frontal lobe was also smaller in NAFLD patients compared to healthy controls (0.082 ± 0.126 vs. 0.183 ± 0.145, <i>P</i> < 0.001). Cerebral oxygen concentration is poorly reactive in response to VFT in female NAFLD patients. This may indicate an association between decreased brain activity and NAFLD regardless of depression.</p></div

Topographic images of the differences in mean of oxygenated hemoglobin changes between NAFLD patients and healthy controls.

<p>Red circles indicate the channels that were significantly smaller in NAFLD patients compared to healthy controls.</p

Time-dependent changes in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration in response to a verbal fluency task in NAFLD patients (red) and healthy controls (blue).

<p>Time-dependent changes in oxygenated hemoglobin concentration in response to a verbal fluency task in NAFLD patients (red) and healthy controls (blue).</p