Bacterial community structures in air conditioners installed in Japanese residential buildings

The bacterial community structures in fourJapanese split-type air conditioners were analyzedusing a next-generation sequencer. A variety ofbacteria were detected in the air filter of an airconditioner installed on the first floor. In the evaporatorof this air conditioner, bacteria belonging to thegenus Methylobacterium, or the family of Sphingomonadaceae,were predominantly detected. On theother hand, the majority of bacteria detected in the airfilters and evaporators of air conditioners installed onthe fifth and twelfth floors belonged to the familyEnterobacteriaceae. The source of bacteria belongingto the family Enterobacteriaceae may have beenaerosols generated by toilet flushing in the buildings.Our results suggested the possibility that the bacterialcontamination in the air conditioners was affected bythe floor level on which they were installed. The airconditioner installed on the lower floor, near theground, may have been contaminated by a variety ofoutdoor bacteria, whereas the air conditioners installedon floors more distant from the ground may have beenless contaminated by outdoor bacteria. However, thesesuppositions may apply only to the specific split-typeair conditioners that we analyzed, because our samplesize was small

Sex Differences in Intestinal Microbiota and Their Association with Some Diseases in a Japanese Population Observed by Analysis Using a Large Dataset

In recent years, many studies have focused on the relationship between intestinal microbiota and human health, but the impact of sex has not yet been sufficiently investigated. In this study, sex differences in the intestinal microbiota of a Japanese population were investigated by age group, using a large dataset constructed for a cross-sectional study. α-diversity analysis indicated that the impact of sex differences varied among the 20s–50s age groups but tended to be smaller among the 60s–70s age groups. Fusobacterium, Megamonas, Megasphaera, Prevotella, and Sutterella were more common among males, whereas Alistipes, Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Odoribacter, and Ruthenibacterium were common among females. Next, intestinal bacteria potentially associated with 12 diseases were investigated for each sex. The results indicate that many of these differ between males and females, and among age groups. Thus, sex and age should be considered for studies on intestinal microbiota and disease association, prevention, and treatment approaches that target them

Sex Differences in Intestinal Microbiota and Their Association with Some Diseases in a Japanese Population Observed by Analysis Using a Large Dataset

In recent years, many studies have focused on the relationship between intestinal microbiota and human health, but the impact of sex has not yet been sufficiently investigated. In this study, sex differences in the intestinal microbiota of a Japanese population were investigated by age group, using a large dataset constructed for a cross-sectional study. α-diversity analysis indicated that the impact of sex differences varied among the 20s–50s age groups but tended to be smaller among the 60s–70s age groups. Fusobacterium, Megamonas, Megasphaera, Prevotera, and Sutterella were more common among males, whereas Alistipes, Bacteroides, Bifidobacterium, Odoribacter, and Ruthenibacterium were common among females. Next, intestinal bacteria potentially associated with 12 diseases were investigated for each sex. The results indicate that many of these differ between males and females, and among age groups. Thus, sex and age should be considered for studies on intestinal microbiota and disease association, prevention, and treatment approaches that target them