Delivery mode and perinatal antibiotics influence the predicted metabolic pathways of the gut microbiome

Abstract Delivery mode and perinatal antibiotics influence gut microbiome composition in children. Most microbiome studies have used the sequencing of the bacterial 16S marker gene but have not reported the metabolic function of the gut microbiome, which may mediate biological effects on the host. Here, we used the PICRUSt2 bioinformatics tool to predict the functional profiles of the gut microbiome based on 16S sequencing in two child cohorts. Both Caesarean section and perinatal antibiotics markedly influenced the functional profiles of the gut microbiome at the age of 1 year. In machine learning analysis, bacterial fatty acid, phospholipid, and biotin biosynthesis were the most important pathways that differed according to delivery mode. Proteinogenic amino acid biosynthesis, carbohydrate degradation, pyrimidine deoxyribonucleotide and biotin biosynthesis were the most important pathways differing according to antibiotic exposure. Our study shows that both Caesarean section and perinatal antibiotics markedly influence the predicted metabolic profiles of the gut microbiome at the age of 1 year

Microbiota of the first-pass meconium and subsequent atopic and allergic disorders in children

Abstract Background: Some cohort studies have suggested that gut microbiota composition is associated with allergic diseases in children. The microbiota of the first-pass meconium, which forms before birth, represents the first gut microbiota that is easily available for research and little is known about any relationship with allergic disease development. Objective: We investigated whether the bacterial composition of the first-pass meconium is associated with the development of allergic diseases before 4 years of age. Methods: Prospective birth cohort study. Bacterial composition of first-pass meconium was analysed using bacterial 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. Atopic and allergic diseases were evaluated via online survey or telephone to age 4 years, based on the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood questionnaire. Results: During a 6-week period in 2014, 312 children were born at the Central Finland Central Hospital. Meconium was collected from 212 at a mean of 8-hour age. Outcome data at 4 years were available for 177 (83%) children, and 159 of these had sufficient amplification of bacterial DNA in meconium. Meconium microbiota composition, including diversity indices and relative abundances of the main phyla and genera, was not associated with subsequent atopic eczema, wheezing or cow’s milk allergy. Principal components analysis did not identify any clustering of the meconium microbiomes of children with respect to wheezing or cow’s milk allergy. Conclusions: We found no evidence that gut microbiota composition of first-pass meconium is associated with atopic manifestations to age 4 years. However, larger studies are needed to fully exclude a relationship

Robostress, a New Approach to Understanding Robot Usage, Technology, and Stress

Robostress is a user's perceived or measured stress in relation to the use of interactive physical robots. It is an offshoot from technostress where a user perceives experience of stress when using technologies. We explored robostress and the related variables. The methods consisted of a cross-sectional survey conducted in Finland, Qatar and Japan among university students and staff members (n�=�60). The survey data was analyzed with descriptive statistics and a Pearson Correlation Test. The results presented that people perceived stress when or if using the robots and the concept of robostress exists. The reasons for robostress were lack of time and technical knowledge, but the experience of technical devices and applications mitigate robostress. - 2019, Springer Nature Switzerland AG.Scopu

Microbiome of the first stool after birth and infantile colic

Abstract Background: Recent studies have shown a diverse microbiome in the first stool after birth. The clinical significance of the microbiome of the first stool is not known. Infantile colic has earlier been associated with the composition of the intestinal microbiome. Methods: We set out to test whether the microbiome of the first stool is associated with subsequent infantile colic in a prospective, population-based cohort study of 212 consecutive newborn infants. We used next-generation sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Results: The newborns who later developed infantile colic (n = 19) had a lower relative abundance of the genus Lactobacillus and the phylum Firmicutes in the first stool than those who remained healthy (n = 139). By using all microbiome data, random forest algorithm classified newborn with subsequent colic and those who remained healthy with area under the curve of 0.66 (SD 0.03) as compared to that of shuffled samples (P value <0.001). Conclusions: In this prospective, population-based study, the microbiome of the first-pass meconium was associated with subsequent infantile colic. Our results suggest that the pathogenesis of infantile colic is closely related to the intestinal microbiome at birth

Microbiome of the first stool and overweight at age 3 years:a prospective cohort study

Abstract Background: Several reports have revealed that the first‐pass meconium hosts a diverse microbiome, but its clinical significance is not known. Objective: We designed a prospective population‐based cohort study to evaluate whether the meconium microbiome predicts subsequent growth in children. Methods: The study comprised 212 consecutive newborns with a meconium sample and a follow‐up sample at 1 year of age. Trained nurses measured the children for weight and length using standardized techniques. We used next‐generation sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene and machine‐learning approach for the analysis. Results: The children with overweight at 3 years of age differed in their meconium microbiome from those with normal weight, having a higher proportion of Bacteroidetes phylum (29% vs 15%, P = .013). Using the machine‐learning approach, the gut microbiome at birth predicted subsequent overweight with area under the curve 0.70 (SD 0.04). A lower proportion of Staphylococcus at birth was associated with greater length/height at 1 year (ß = −.68, P = .029) and 2 years of age (β = −.74, P = .030). Conclusions: The microbiome of the first‐pass meconium predicted subsequent overweight at the age of 3 years. The association between the gut microbiome and overweight appears to start already during pregnancy and at birth

Antibiotics at birth and later antibiotic courses:effects on gut microbiota

Abstract Background: Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) is widely used, but the evidence of the long-term effects on the gut microbiota and subsequent health of children is limited. Here, we compared the impacts of perinatal antibiotic exposure and later courses of antibiotic courses on gut microbiota. Methods: This was a prospective, controlled cohort study among 100 vaginally delivered infants with different perinatal antibiotic exposures: control (27), IAP (27), postnatal antibiotics (24), and IAP and postnatal antibiotics (22). At 1 year of age, we performed next-generation sequencing of the bacterial 16S ribosomal RNA gene of fecal samples. Results: Exposure to the perinatal antibiotics had a clear impact on the gut microbiota. The abundance of the Bacteroidetes phylum was significantly higher in the control group, whereas the relative abundance of Escherichia coli was significantly lower in the control group. The impact of the perinatal antibiotics on the gut microbiota composition was greater than exposure to later courses of antibiotics (28% of participants). Conclusions: Perinatal antibiotic exposure had a marked impact on the gut microbiota at the age of 1 year. The timing of the antibiotic exposure appears to be the critical factor for the changes observed in the gut microbiota