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Article analysis:

The article provides a comprehensive overview of the link between gut microbiome and serum metabolome alterations in obesity, as well as after weight-loss intervention. The authors have conducted a metagenome-wide association study and serum metabolomics profiling to identify obesity-associated gut microbial species linked to changes in circulating metabolites. The findings suggest that there is an inverse correlation between Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron abundance and serum glutamate concentration, which could be used to reduce diet-induced body weight gain and adiposity. Furthermore, the authors have also demonstrated that weight loss intervention by bariatric surgery can partially reverse obesity-associated microbial and metabolic alterations in obese individuals.

The article appears to be reliable as it has been published in Nature Medicine, a reputable journal with high impact factor, indicating that it has undergone rigorous peer review process before publication. Moreover, the authors have provided detailed information about their methods used for data collection and analysis which adds credibility to their findings. However, it should be noted that the study was conducted on a relatively small sample size of lean and obese Chinese individuals which may limit its generalizability to other populations or contexts. Additionally, further research is needed to explore potential long term effects of weight loss interventions on gut microbiome composition as well as its implications for health outcomes over time.