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One Sentence Summary A novel infection model of the adult human lung epithelium serves as a platform for COVID-19 studies and drug discovery.
Open accessPosted ContentDOI
23 Aug 2020-medRxiv
44 Citations
Our study provides insight into the active microbiota in the lungs of COVID-19 patients and will contribute to the understanding of the infection mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 and the treatment of the disease and complications.

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Does gut microbiome diversity decrease with age?
5 answers
Yes, gut microbiome diversity tends to decrease with age. Studies have shown that ageing is associated with alterations in gut microbiome composition, leading to lower diversity. Research on midlife individuals revealed significant taxonomic changes in the faecal microbiota, with a reduction in Bifidobacterium, impacting microbial metabolic responses. Furthermore, in older subjects, there is a notable decrease in microbial diversity in the small intestine, particularly driven by an increase in Proteobacteria, such as Escherichia and Klebsiella. Additionally, in a study on adult female Assamese macaques, gut bacterial composition exhibited a personal signature that became less stable as individuals aged, with an increase in rare bacterial taxa contributing to the decline in stability. These findings collectively suggest a trend of reduced gut microbiome diversity with advancing age.
What factors influence the efficacy of immunotherapy in cancer patients?
5 answers
The efficacy of immunotherapy in cancer patients is influenced by various factors. The composition of the gut microbiota plays a crucial role in enhancing immunotherapy responses, with specific bacterial species like Faecalibacterium prausnitzii and Bifidobacterium improving clinical outcomes. Additionally, behavioral factors such as stress modulation, exercise, and classical pharmacological conditioning can complement immune checkpoint inhibition therapy, potentially enhancing anti-tumor effects. Moreover, the presence of certain bacteria like Bifidobacterium spp., Akkermanisa muciniphila, and Enterococcus hire in the gut microbiome can improve anti-tumor immunity and response to immunotherapy, particularly anti-PD-1 or anti-PD-L1 therapies. Furthermore, factors like smoking status, chemotherapy, and PD-L1 expression levels also impact the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy in cancer patients.
How is python used in data analysis of gut microbe related diseases?
4 answers
Python is utilized in the data analysis of gut microbe-related diseases through machine learning (ML) techniques. ML models trained on gut microbiome data can aid in predictive diagnostics of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) like Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The ever-evolving "omics" technologies combined with Python-based ML algorithms enable the extraction of relevant information from microbiome data to combat gastrointestinal diseases. Machine learning, particularly in Python, is crucial for analyzing high-dimensional gut microbiome data to identify biomarkers and improve disease diagnostic accuracy. Python-based ML approaches, including deep learning methods, are employed for non-invasive colorectal cancer detection using sequence-based gut microbiome data, addressing limitations through normalization techniques and feature selection. Python, in conjunction with ML algorithms, is well-suited for analyzing gut microbiome data to predict phenotypes and develop personalized therapies for human diseases.
How do beneficial microbes contribute to gut health and overall well-being?
5 answers
Beneficial microbes, such as probiotics, play a crucial role in maintaining gut health and overall well-being. These microbes help in preserving a balanced gut microbiota, which is essential for preventing gastrointestinal disorders and metabolic dysfunction. Probiotics like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus are considered beneficial bacteria that contribute to gut health by fermenting carbohydrates and providing various benefits to the host. Additionally, the interaction between gut microbiota and the host's immune system is vital for overall health, emphasizing the significance of maintaining a healthy gut flora. The synergy between probiotics and prebiotics, which nourish beneficial bacteria in the gut, promotes a stable gut microbiome, enhancing gut health and immune responses.
Cristina 2015 what is fungal infection ?
5 answers
Fungal infections, caused by yeasts and moulds, are increasingly prevalent, especially among immunocompromised individuals. Fungi, classified into yeast and filamentous forms, can establish various relationships with plants, animals, and humans, ranging from symbiotic to pathogenic. These infections manifest in various ways, such as oral candidosis characterized by whitish plaques and chronic mucocutaneous candidosis affecting nails and skin. The respiratory system is a common entry point for fungal infections, with severity depending on the specific fungi and the patient's immune status. Factors like immunosuppressive drugs and weakened immune systems can exacerbate fungal infections, leading to potentially life-threatening conditions. Understanding the diverse nature of fungal infections is crucial for effective prevention and treatment strategies.
What are the main species in the gut microbiome?
5 answers
The main species commonly found in the gut microbiome across different species include Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. These phyla play crucial roles in the gut environment and are essential for various functions such as digestion, metabolism, and immune system regulation. The composition of the gut microbiome can vary significantly based on factors like diet, geographical location, and disease states. Studies have shown that the gut microbiota composition is influenced by host specificity, diet, and environmental conditions, highlighting the importance of these factors in shaping the microbial community in the gut. Understanding the diversity and dynamics of these main species in the gut microbiome is crucial for developing treatments for gastrointestinal diseases and optimizing overall health and well-being.
Which type of gut microbe causes different type of diseases?
4 answers
Various types of gut microbes have been implicated in causing different diseases. Dysbiosis, characterized by an imbalance in the gut microbiota, is linked to gastrointestinal disorders like irritable bowel syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and colorectal cancer (CRC). Autoimmune diseases show consistent microbial alterations, with enrichment of certain bacteria like Enterococcus, Veillonella, and Lactobacillus, and depletion of others such as Ruminococcus and Faecalibacterium. The gut microbiota's quality is correlated with the onset and progression of infectious, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases, emphasizing the importance of maintaining a healthy gut microbial ecosystem. Commensal organisms in the gut microbiota are associated with dysregulated immune responses in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, contributing to excessive tissue inflammation. Understanding the interaction between gut bacteria and the host's immune system is crucial for comprehending disease mechanisms and developing new treatments.
Define fungal infection?
5 answers
Fungal infections are caused by various fungi present in the environment, with some species being harmful to humans when inhaled or ingested, especially in individuals with weakened immune systems. These infections can manifest as superficial skin infections or severe systemic diseases, ranging from oral candidosis to life-threatening invasive infections. Factors like immunosuppression, old age, and the prophylactic use of antifungal drugs contribute to the increasing prevalence of fungal infections, leading to over 150 million severe cases annually and approximately 1.7 million deaths worldwide. The emergence of drug-resistant fungi, such as Candida auris, further complicates the treatment of fungal infections, emphasizing the urgent need for more effective research to combat this global threat.
What is fungal infection?
5 answers
Fungal infections are caused by various fungi that can range from mild superficial infections to severe life-threatening invasive diseases. These infections commonly affect mammals, including humans, and can manifest in different forms such as skin infections, respiratory infections, and mucocutaneous infections. Factors like weakened immune systems due to age, immunosuppressive drugs, or underlying diseases can increase susceptibility to fungal infections. Fungal pathogens are diverse and can lead to a spectrum of infections, from superficial to systemic, posing a significant global health burden, especially in tropical regions. The emergence of drug-resistant fungal strains, due to mechanisms like hyphal switching and altered drug targets, complicates treatment, necessitating the development of new therapeutic approaches such as immunotherapy and advanced diagnostic techniques.
What are the optimal culture conditions of Faecalibacterium?
5 answers
The optimal culture conditions for Faecalibacterium involve factors like temperature, pH, and incubation time. Studies have shown that Faecalibacterium prausnitzii growth can be inhibited by calcium palmitate (CP). Additionally, Enterococcus feacium CST-1 displayed increased antibacterial activity after optimization of medium components like carbon and nitrogen sources, temperature, and pH. Furthermore, research on high-density culture conditions of Lactobacillus demonstrated that environmental conditions and medium composition significantly impacted bacterial growth, with biomass reaching up to 35.4 g/L under optimized conditions. Optimum conditions for growth and bacteriocin production in Ent. faecium were found to be pH 8 and 37°C, respectively. These findings collectively emphasize the importance of optimizing culture conditions to enhance the productivity and effectiveness of Faecalibacterium and related bacterial strains.
What are the short-term and long-term effects of smoking on the gastrointestinal tract?
5 answers
Smoking has significant effects on the gastrointestinal tract. Short-term consequences include increased risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease, peptic ulcer disease, and changes in gut microbiome and mucosal immune responses. In the long term, smoking is a major risk factor for various gastrointestinal cancers, such as those affecting the oropharynx, esophagus, stomach, colorectum, liver, and pancreas. Paradoxically, smoking is protective against ulcerative colitis but increases the risk of Crohn's disease. Smoking cessation can reduce the risk of many smoking-related gastrointestinal disorders. Understanding the impact of smoking on the gastrointestinal tract is crucial for accurate diagnosis and treatment decisions, especially in interpreting radiological images.