Significant Differences In Diversity Research Articles

Abstract 1173: T cell receptor diversity in buffy coat samples from subsets of breast and ovarian cancer patients

Abstract Background: Immunotherapy, mainly by the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI), has been established as a standard option for both, solid tumors and hematological malignancies. Unfortunately, this success has only been replicated in a subset of patients (pts) with gynecological cancers. In ovarian cancer (OC), response rates to ICI monotherapy were low and in breast cancer (BC), only the subgroup of triple-negative BC (TNBC) pts showed an improved outcome by the addition of ICI. One reason for limited success of immunotherapy might be an impaired immune system. In this regard, monitoring the T cell receptor (TCR) repertoire could provide key insights into adaptive immune responses to ultimately understand disease initiation, progression and treatment response. Here we elucidated TCR alpha, beta, gamma and delta in buffy coats of pts with non-metastatic OC as well as non-metastatic and metastatic TNBC and compared the results with healthy donors (HDs). Methods: RNA was isolated from buffy coat samples of 20 HDs, 10 treatment-naïve primary OC pts, 14 treatment-naïve, non-metastatic TNBC pts (participating in the phase II neomono trial) and 19 pts with metastatic TNBC by a modified QIAamp RNA Blood Mini protocol. A survey of the TCR diversity and mapping of common and unique TCRs was done using the QIAseq Targeted RNA Panel Human TCR panel for all known T-cell receptors (alpha, beta, gamma, delta). Results: Regardless of the cancer entity, a significant reduction in TCR diversity was observed compared to HDs with the greatest differences observed in the delta receptors. When OC samples were compared with HDs, the difference in diversity was highly significant for all TCR subtypes (TCRalpha: p=0.013; TCRbeta: p=0.008; TCRgamma: 0.008; TCRdelta: 0.006). Similar results were obtained for non-metastatic TNBC (TCRalpha: p=0.0002; TCRbeta: p=0.0001; TCRgamma: p=0.002; TCRdelta: p=0.002) as well as metastatic TNBC patients (TCRalpha: p=0.001; TCRbeta: p=0.001; TCRgamma: p=0.005; TCRdelta: p=0.003) when their TCR diversity was compared to HDs. Interestingly, no significant differences in diversity were obtained when treatment-naïve non-metastatic TNBC pts were compared with heavily pretreated metastatic TNBC pts. The lowest diversity was found in BC pts compared to the OC pts. Conclusion: We have initiated a survey of the TCR diversity in TNBC and OC patients. Further evaluations will include the correlation of these findings with clinical characteristics and outcome. Whether the reduced TCR diversity represents T cell exhaustion or T cell specialization cannot yet be deduced from the results. Nevertheless, the addition of a TCR diversity score could provide an additional metric which may help provide patient guidance when integrated into a multi-modal molecular test. Citation Format: Corinna Keup, Cornelia Kolberg-Liedtke, Song Tian, Samuel J. Rulli, Siegfried Hauch, Paul Buderath, Oliver Hoffmann, Rainer Kimmig, Sabine Kasimir-Bauer. T cell receptor diversity in buffy coat samples from subsets of breast and ovarian cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 1173.

Towards eDNA informed biodiversity studies – Comparing water derived molecular taxa with traditional survey methods

Managing natural resources in a sustainable manner requires understanding the complexity of ecosystems and the species that are associated with the different parts of the ecosystem. Much of this knowledge is derived from traditional sampling methods (e.g., different types of trawls). The analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA) can provide increased knowledge, complementary to the traditional methods. In the present pilot study, we sampled eDNA from two geographical areas, north and west of Svalbard (NWS) and in the southwestern Barents Sea (SWBS). The combination of trawling, visual identification of mammals and eDNA collection facilitated a robust analysis of fish and marine mammal diversity and species composition. Through 12S MiFish metabarcoding of the eDNA samples, we found that incorporating eDNA data provided an additional level of information on both the diversity of fish and marine mammals in the study areas. By adding eDNA data to the trawl data, we found that richness increased from 32 to 49 fish taxa. Significant differences in diversity and composition of the fish communities were detected by eDNA between the two study areas. Considering degradation and dilution factors it is postulated that the results represent resident species to the Barents Sea and that long -transported DNA from other areas are less likely.

The archaeome in metaorganism research, with a focus on marine models and their bacteria-archaea interactions.

Metaorganism research contributes substantially to our understanding of the interaction between microbes and their hosts, as well as their co-evolution. Most research is currently focused on the bacterial community, while archaea often remain at the sidelines of metaorganism-related research. Here, we describe the archaeome of a total of eleven classical and emerging multicellular model organisms across the phylogenetic tree of life. To determine the microbial community composition of each host, we utilized a combination of archaea and bacteria-specific 16S rRNA gene amplicons. Members of the two prokaryotic domains were described regarding their community composition, diversity, and richness in each multicellular host. Moreover, association with specific hosts and possible interaction partners between the bacterial and archaeal communities were determined for the marine models. Our data show that the archaeome in marine hosts predominantly consists of Nitrosopumilaceae and Nanoarchaeota, which represent keystone taxa among the porifera. The presence of an archaeome in the terrestrial hosts varies substantially. With respect to abundant archaeal taxa, they harbor a higher proportion of methanoarchaea over the aquatic environment. We find that the archaeal community is much less diverse than its bacterial counterpart. Archaeal amplicon sequence variants are usually host-specific, suggesting adaptation through co-evolution with the host. While bacterial richness was higher in the aquatic than the terrestrial hosts, a significant difference in diversity and richness between these groups could not be observed in the archaeal dataset. Our data show a large proportion of unclassifiable archaeal taxa, highlighting the need for improved cultivation efforts and expanded databases.

Comparative Analysis of Healthy Gut Microbiota in German and Korean Populations: Insights from Large-Scale Cohort Studies

Healthy individuals often have different gut microbiota, and these differences can be influenced by their country of origin or their race. This study aimed to compare the gut microbiota compositions of healthy Germans and Koreans using 16S rRNA sequencing data extracted from public sources. Two cohorts, comprising 1592 samples (804 Germans and 788 Koreans), were analyzed for alpha and beta diversity, core microbiome, and abundances of specific taxa. The Prevotella enterotype was more prevalent in Koreans, and significant diversity differences were observed depending on cohorts and enterotypes. The core microbiomes across all enterotypes and cohorts included Bacteroides, Faecalibacterium, Parabacteroides, and Lachnospira. Several common core microbiomes were also found depending on enterotype. Koreans exhibited higher abundances of Faecalibacterium, Prevotella, and Bacteroides, while Germans had higher abundances of Blautia, Subdoligranulum, and Agathobacter. Distinctive microbiomes were identified by enterotype. The study enhances comprehension of gut microbiome variations linked to enterotype and geographical factors, and emphasizes the need for additional research to establish correlations between specific microbial properties and individual health status.

Study on the soil microbial community structure of the Rhizosphere of Camellia sinensis L. in Anping Village, Kaiyang County, Guizhou Province

BackgroundTo determine the differences in the microbial communities in the Camellia sinensis L. hairy root, lateral root, and main root rhizospheres in Anping Village, Kaiyang County, Guizhou Province, the community structure, diversity, and main dominant species of bacteria and fungi in different parts of the soil were analyzed by ITS and 16S sequencing.ResultsIn the rhizosphere soil of the main root, lateral root, and hairy root of Camellia sinensis L., there were significant differences in the diversity and richness of the bacterial and fungal communities. The bacterial diversity was the highest and the fungal richness was the lowest in the rhizosphere soil of the main root. In the bacterial community, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Chloroflexi, and Gemmatimonadetes were the common dominant bacteria. Rhodospirillaceae, Bradyrhizobiaceae, Hyphomicrobiaceae, Solibacteraceae, and Koribacteraceae were the common dominant bacteria in the rhizosphere soil of different parts of the root system, but the relative abundance of bacteria in different parts of the rhizosphere soil varied greatly. The dominant groups of fungal communities in different parts of the rhizosphere soil were Basidiomycota, Ascomycota, Mortierellomycota, and Sebacinaceae. The structure of the fungal community is similar in different parts.ConclusionsCompared with the different parts of the hairy root, lateral root, and main root of rhizosphere soil of Camellia sinensis L. in Anping village, it was found that the abundance of fungal community decreased with the increase of bacterial community abundance, and there were significant differences in bacterial community diversity and structure. However, the fungal community maintained stability among different parts.

Kuntayhtiöiden hallitusten puheenjohtajien poliittinen tausta ja monimuotoisuus

The political background and diversity of MOC chairs Study examines whether the chairs of the board of Finnish municipally owned companies (MOCs) have political backgrounds and what their distribution by gender is. Specifically, the study aims to discover possible differences between the MOCs of the 21 largest Finnish cities (C21) and those owned by the smaller municipalities. By using agency theory, statistical methods, and a dataset of 1012 MOCs and political background of chairs, this study finds support for the hypothesis that the MOCs of C21 cities have less politically connected chairs than the MOCs of the smaller municipalities. 46,6 % have a chair with a political background. While the study discovers the share of female chairs to be rather small (16,7 %), there appears to be no significant difference in diversity between the MOCs of larger and smaller municipalities.

Gut Microbiome Profiling of the Endangered Southern Greater Glider (Petauroides volans) after the 2019-2020 Australian Megafire.

Studying the gut microbiome can provide valuable insights into animal health and inform the conservation management of threatened wildlife. Gut microbiota play important roles in regulating mammalian host physiology, including digestion, energy metabolism and immunity. Dysbiosis can impair such physiological processes and compromise host health, so it is essential that the gut microbiome be considered in conservation planning. The southern greater glider (Petauroides volans) is an endangered arboreal marsupial that faced widespread habitat fragmentation and population declines following the 2019-2020 Australian bushfire season. This study details baseline data on the gut microbiome of this species. The V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified from scats collected from individuals inhabiting burnt and unburnt sites across southeastern Australia and sequenced to determine bacterial community composition. Southern greater glider gut microbiomes were characterised by high relative abundances of Firmicutes and Bacteroidota, which is consistent with that reported for other marsupial herbivores. Significant differences in gut microbial diversity and community structure were detected among individuals from different geographic locations. Certain microbiota and functional orthologues were also found to be significantly differentially abundant between locations. The role of wildfire in shaping southern greater glider gut microbiomes was shown, with some significant differences in the diversity and abundance of microbiota detected between burnt and unburnt sites. Overall, this study details the first data on greater glider (Petauroides) gut microbiomes, laying the foundation for future studies to further explore relationships between microbial community structure, environmental stressors and host health.

Aquatic phases have a stronger effect on lotic benthic diatoms than human-induced microhabitat variability

AbstractHere, we studied the influence of changes of aquatic phases (standing and flowing phases) and human-induced habitat variability (natural and artificial) on the composition and diversity of benthic diatom assemblages in a small lowland stream in the Pannonian Ecoregion. Significant differences in composition were hypothesized between phases and habitats. Lower diversity was hypothesized in the flowing phase and in the artificial habitat. In addition, worser ecological status were assumed in the artificial habitat and in the standing phase than in the others. Our results only partially supported our hypotheses. While there was no significant difference in the composition of the assemblages between the natural and concreted habitats, the alteration in flow conditions resulted in a significant change. No significant differences in diversity were found between aquatic phases. In contrast, biodiversity was higher in the artificial habitat than in the natural one. While the anthropogenic impact, i.e., concreted streambed has no significant influence on diatom-based ecological status, values of diatom indices were significantly higher in the flowing phase. Our results highlight that extreme weather events play a major role in shaping diatom assemblages even during a short period, which should be taken into account in water management and nature conservation measures.

Effects of a short-term temperature increase on arthropod communities associated with pastures.

The impact of climate change on islands is expected to cause dramatic consequences on native biodiversity. However, limited data are available for arthropod communities in island agroecosystems. In this study, we simulate a small-scale climatic change (average of +1.2°C), using Open Top Chambers (OTCs) in forage crops in the Azores Archipelago (Portugal) and test the responses of arthropod communities associated with intensively-managed pastures. At three sites, twenty 1 x 1 m plots were established: 10 treatment plots with OTCs and 10 control plots. Arthropods were sampled with pitfall traps on two sampling events (winter and summer of 2020). When considering all species collected, arthropods' abundance was lower in OTCs. Specific taxa, namely spiders and beetles, showed a fast response to the OTCs' presence. The assemblage of non-indigenous spiders well adapted to pastures showed a significant difference in diversity with a slightly greater richness, but lower abundance inside the warmer plots. However, the presence of OTCs resulted in a decrease in beetle richness and abundance. This decline may be attributed to the multiple effects of warming. Therefore, it is imperative to conduct further investigations to elucidate the ecological processes that underlie the observed patterns.

Deep Isolated Aquifer Brines Harbor Atypical Halophilic Microbial Communities in Quebec, Canada.

The deep terrestrial subsurface, hundreds of meters to kilometers below the surface, is characterized by oligotrophic conditions, dark and often anoxic settings, with fluctuating pH, salinity, and water availability. Despite this, microbial populations are detected and active, contributing to biogeochemical cycles over geological time. Because it is extremely difficult to access the deep biosphere, little is known about the identity and metabolisms of these communities, although they likely possess unknown pathways and might interfere with deep waste deposits. Therefore, we analyzed rock and groundwater microbial communities from deep, isolated brine aquifers in two regions dating back to the Ordovician and Devonian, using amplicon and whole genome sequencing. We observed significant differences in diversity and community structure between both regions, suggesting an impact of site age and composition. The deep hypersaline groundwater did not contain typical halophilic bacteria, and genomes suggested pathways involved in protein and hydrocarbon degradation, and carbon fixation. We identified mainly one strategy to cope with osmotic stress: compatible solute uptake and biosynthesis. Finally, we detected many bacteriophage families, potentially indicating that bacteria are infected. However, we also found auxiliary metabolic genes in the viral genomes, probably conferring an advantage to the infected hosts.

Exploring the Influence of Small-Scale Geographical and Seasonal Variations Over the Microbial Diversity in a Poly-extreme Athalosaline Wetland

Microorganisms are the most diverse life form on the planet and are critical for maintaining the geochemical cycles, especially in extreme environments. Bacterial communities are dynamic and respond directly to changes in abiotic conditions; among these communities, poly-extremophiles are particularly sensitive to perturbations due to their high specialization. Salar de Huasco is a high-altitude wetland located on the Chilean Altiplano exhibiting several conditions considered extreme for life, including negative water balance, extreme variations in temperature and pH values, high UV radiation, and the presence of various toxic metal(oids). However, previous reports have revealed a diverse bacterial community that has adapted to these conditions, here, we aimed to determine whether microbial community diversity and composition changed in response to geographical and seasonal variations. We found that there are significant differences in diversity, abundance, and composition in bacterial taxa that could be attributed to local geographical and seasonal variations, which in turn, can be associated with microbial traits. In conclusion, in this poly-extreme environment, small-scale changes can trigger significant changes in the microbial communities that maintain basic biogeochemical cycles. Further in depth analysis of microbial functionality and geo-ecological dynamics are necessary to better understand the relationships between seasonal changes and bacterial communities.

Assessment of the differential profile of breast intratumoral bacteria in treatment responders and nonresponders.

580 Background: Despite improvements in breast cancer therapy, many patients do not respond to treatment: the response rate varies between 31 and 80% [Walks et al., 2019]. The tumor microenvironment contains a microbiome which is both cancer type-specific and different to surrounding normal tissue [Nejman et al., 2020]. It plays an important role in tumour microenvironment crosstalk with tumor cells and has been implicated in disease pathogenesis, being recognised in the latest hallmarks of cancer [Hanahan et Weinberg, 2011]. It has also successfully predicted treatment response [Chen et al., 2022; Hermida et al., 2022]. Here, we use conventional microbiome analysis alongside our proprietary mechanistically-powered technology platform to compare the intratumoral bacteria between responders and non-responders. We hypothesise that there are significant differences between those groups regarding composition and mechanistic function of the bacteria. Methods: The tumor microbiome can be deduced from existing sequencing data of tumor biopsy samples. Using 34 tumor DNA samples from 5 breast cancer studies, we compared the intratumoral bacterial profiles of responders to non-responders of various treatments. We performed microbiome analysis in R, including alpha diversity, compositional abundance profiles, and PERMANOVA (permutational analysis of variance). Additionally, BioCorteX CarbonMirror version dated 2023-02-14 was used to infer mechanistic links between bacterial species and the up- and downregulation of genes implicated in the hallmarks of cancer. Results: The results show significant differences in diversity and compositional profile between responders and non-responders: Non-responders have significantly higher alpha diversity ( p<0.05) and a higher proportion of Proteobacteria. PERMANOVA analysis revealed that while responders are more likely to have commensal bacteria, non-responder tumour microbiomes are more likely to harbor pathogenic species such as Mycoplasmopsis fermentans. Mechanistic analysis showed that for all responders the tumor microbiome is consistently promoting tumor suppressor genes and downregulating proto-oncogenes. In non-responders, however, the tumor microbiome is upregulating and downregulating both with unclear consistency. Conclusions: Our results show microbiome differences between responders and non-responders which were mechanistically implicated in tumor pathogenesis. Further analysis divided by the hallmarks of cancer is required to fully understand the non-responder microbiome links. The reported findings could make the tumor microbiome a useful biomarker aiding patient stratification for both prognosis and treatment choice. They also highlight a potentially meaningful mechanistic link between tumour microenvironment and treatment response that could be leveraged as a novel therapeutic avenue.

Diel variation of the epibenthic community associated with seagrasses in a subtropical biosphere reserve

We evaluated the diel variability of abundance and species diversity of the epibenthic community associated with seagrasses in Los Petenes Biosphere Reserve (LPBR) in the southwestern Gulf of Mexico. For this purpose, four collection campaigns were conducted (rainy season: October 2011 and June 2016, dry season: March 2012 and 2016) in a diel cycle with a periodicity of 3 h. Our results showed significant differences in diversity, richness, and abundance as a function of the diel cycle (p < 0.05), and in the community structure as a function of the diel cycle and the climatic sampling periods. Two different benthic assemblages, one for the day and the other for the night period were identified. Each assemblage varies on its species composition according to the climatic periods but maintains the general day-night pattern at all the sampled years. The abundance of diurnal species was significantly (p < 0.01) associated with the temperature, salinity, oxygen, and depth values. Our results suggest that the epibenthic community associated with seagrass habitats shows significant diurnal and nocturnal changes in community composition and abundance due to changes in light intensity that favors the appearance of characteristic species in each period. Understanding such community changes will allow us to establish the baseline parameters for assessing the environmental health of the benthic habitats of the LPBR with greater accuracy.

Microbial diversity and antimicrobial resistance in faecal samples from acute medical patients assessed through metagenomic sequencing.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a threat to global public health. However, unsatisfactory approaches to directly measuring the AMR burden carried by individuals has hampered efforts to assess interventions aimed at reducing selection for AMR. Metagenomics can provide accurate detection and quantification of AMR genes within an individual person's faecal flora (their gut "resistome"). Using this approach, we aimed to test the hypothesis that differences in antimicrobial use across different hospitals in the United Kingdom will result in observable differences in the resistome of individual patients. Three National Health Service acute Hospital Trusts with markedly different antibiotic use and Clostridioides difficile infection rates collected faecal samples from anonymous patients which were discarded after C. difficile testing over a period of 9 to 15 months. Metagenomic DNA was extracted from these samples and sequenced using an Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. The resulting sequencing reads were analysed for taxonomic composition and for the presence of AMR genes. Among 683 faecal metagenomes we found huge variation between individuals in terms of taxonomic diversity (Shannon Index range 0.10-3.99) and carriage of AMR genes (Median 1.50 genes/cell/sample overall). We found no statistically significant differences in diversity (median Shannon index 2.16 (IQR 1.71-2.56), 2.15 (IQR 1.62-2.50) and 2.26 (IQR 1.55-2.51)) or carriage of AMR genes (median 1.37 genes/cell/sample (IQR 0.70-3.24), 1.70 (IQR 0.70-4.52) and 1.43 (IQR 0.55-3.71)) at the three trusts respectively. This was also the case across the sample collection period within the trusts. While we have not demonstrated differences over place or time using metagenomic sequencing of faecal discards, other sampling frameworks may be more suitable to determine whether organisational level differences in antibiotic use are associated with individual-level differences in burden of AMR carriage.

Diversity of Bacterial Communities Associated with Solitary Bee Osmia excavata Alfken (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Insect-associated microorganisms play important roles in the health and development of insects. This study aimed to investigate the similarities and differences in bacterial community structure and composition between the larval gut of Osmia excavata, nest soil, and brood provision from the nest tube. We sequenced larvae gut and their environments’ microorganisms of O. excavata from four locations based on full-length 16S rRNA gene amplicons. The results showed 156, 280, and 366 bacterial OTUs from gut, brood provision, and nest soil, respectively, and three groups shared 131 bacterial OTUs. In the gut, the top two dominant bacteria were Sodalis praecaptivus (68.99%), Lactobacillus micheneri (17.95%). In the brood provision, the top two dominant bacteria were S. praecaptivus (26.66%), Acinetobacter nectaris (13.05%), and in the nest soil, the two most abundant bacteria were Gaiella occulta (4.33%), Vicinamibacter silvestris (3.88%). There were significant differences in diversity between the brood provision groups and the nest soil groups, respectively. Three of the four locations did not differ for gut microbial diversity. Bacteria similar to other solitary bees also existed in the gut of the larvae. Results indicated when the habitat environments were similar, the bacterial community diversity of the gut of O. excavata was similar, despite significant differences among brood provisions and soils, respectively.

Identifying oral microbiome alterations in adult betel quid chewing population of Delhi, India.

The study targets to establish a factorial association of oral microbiome alterations (oral dysbiosis) with betel quid chewing habits through a comparison of the oral microbiome of Betel quid chewers and non-chewing individuals. Oral microbiome analysis of 22 adult individuals in the Delhi region of India through the 16S sequencing approach was carried out to observe the differences in taxonomic abundance and diversity. A significant difference in diversity and richness among Betel Quid Chewers (BQC) and Betel Quid Non-Chewers (BQNC) groups was observed. There were significant differences in alpha diversity among the BQC in comparison to BQNC. However, in the age group of 21-30 years old young BQC and BQNC there was no significant difference in alpha diversity. Similar result was obtained while comparing BQC and Smoker-alcoholic BQC. BQ smoker-chewers expressed significant variance in comparison to BQC, based on cluster pattern analysis. The OTU-based Venn Diagram Analysis revealed an altered microbiota, for BQ chewing group with 0-10 years exposure in comparison to those with 10 years and above. The change in the microbial niche in early chewers may be due to abrupt chemical component exposure affecting the oral cavity, and thereafter establishing a unique microenvironment in the long-term BQC. Linear discriminant analysis revealed, 55 significant features among BQC and Alcoholic-Smoker BQC; and 20 significant features among BQC and Smoker BQC respectively. The study shows the abundance of novel bacterial genera in the BQC oral cavity in addition to the commonly found ones. Since the oral microbiome plays a significant role in maintaining local homeostasis, investigating the link between its imbalance in such conditions that are known to have an association with oral diseases including cancers may lead to the identification of specific microbiome-based signatures for its early diagnosis.

Bird Fauna Composition in a Protected Area in Southern Brazil.

The integrity of natural landscapes is affected by human actions, mainly by the intensification and expansion of agriculture. Factors such as fragment size and the structure of the environment can determine changes in the structure and composition of bird assemblages. In this study we evaluated the bird species composition in three structurally different forest environments, defined as the Core areas, Edge areas, and Buffer areas. The surveys were performed in the Natural Park of Sertão (NPS) and its surroundings in the southern limit of the Atlantic Forest, southern Brazil. To record species composition of birds, the point count method was used. The bird species were categorized according to feeding habits, habitat use, and sensitivity to forest fragmentation. A total of 131 species of birds distributed in 18 orders and 38 families were recorded. The species composition varied between the three areas and there was a significant difference in diversity between the Core and Edge areas and the Core and Buffer areas. Omnivorous species were found more in the Buffer areas than in the Core areas. Species that use the Broad habitat were more frequent in the Buffer and Edge areas than in the Core areas. Species that use the Forest habitat were found more in the Core areas than in the Buffer areas. Most recorded species (66%) have low sensitivity to forest fragmentation. The assemblage patterns found in this study, notably the differences among the three areas in diversity and species composition, can be explained by the ecological traits and the sensitivity levels of birds to forest fragmentation, which in turn seem to reflect different forest structures in the NPS and its surroundings. Although the Edge and Buffer areas have greater diversity, the Core areas showed great importance in maintaining species that are more sensitive to forest fragmentation. Even the largest fragments (such as the NPS), considering the regional context, may have bird species that are widely distributed and less sensitive to forest fragmentation. Forested habitat species may no longer occur or be restricted to the core area of the fragments. For conservation of bird fauna in the NPS, the maintenance of the core areas is essential, especially for those species that require a structurally preserved environment.

Tree Diversity and Regeneration in Sacred Groves and Nature Reserves in Xishuangbanna, Southwest China

Holy Hills, sacred groves protected by ethnic minority Dai people, have garnered great interest for conservation in Xishuangbanna—a region containing some of the world's northernmost tropical rain forests and China's richest biodiversity, though much of it has been threatened by deforestation from rubber cultivation. As some of the only remaining forest fragments outside nature reserves, Holy Hills have been documented to contain rare species and ecosystems underrepresented in protected areas. Although previous studies provided some insight into fragmentation impacts, they lacked data to examine population structures. Accordingly, this study uses continuous metrics of tree regeneration for the first time in sacred groves, while also drawing on ethnographic understandings of socioecological contexts of human disturbance, to examine biodiversity and regeneration in three Holy Hills and two nature reserves. Contrary to expectations that smaller area and fragmentation effects would decrease biodiversity in Holy Hills, we found no significant difference in diversity between Holy Hills and nature reserves, though we detected marginally significantly less diversity in seedlings, and certain Holy Hills displayed a shift towards light-demanding species. Common and dominant species varied by site, speaking to the importance of inter-patch beta diversity captured among Holy Hills that can support the maintenance of a regional species pool. Our results also indicated considerable regeneration opportunity in Holy Hills, though individual site conditions and histories had a strong influence. We recommend collaborating with communities and local institutions not only to safeguard existing forest, but also to regenerate and restore fragments whose protection is bolstered with cultural meaning.

Comparative analysis of scalp and gut microbiome in androgenetic alopecia: A Korean cross-sectional study.

Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a non-scarring and progressive form of hair loss occurring in both men and women. Although genetic predisposition and sex steroid hormones are the main causes, many factors remain unknown, and various extrinsic factors can negatively affect the lifespan of hair. We investigated skin-gut axis microorganisms as potential exogenous factors causing AGA, through comparative analyses of the scalp and gut microbiome in individuals with and without AGA in a Korean cohort. Using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we characterized the scalp and gut microbiomes of 141 individuals divided into groups by sex and presence of AGA. Alpha diversity indices in the scalp microbiome were generally higher in individuals with AGA than in healthy controls. These indices showed a strong negative correlation with scalp-inhabitant bacteria (Cutibacterium and Staphylococcus), indicating that the appearance of non-inhabitant bacteria increases as hair loss progresses. No significant differences in diversity were observed between the gut microbiomes. However, bacterial functional differences, such as bile acid synthesis and bacterial invasion of epithelial cells, which are related to intestinal homeostasis, were observed. The networks of the scalp and gut microbiome were more complex and denser with higher values of the network topology statistic coefficient values (i.e., transitivity, density, and degree centrality) and more unique associations in individuals with AGA than in healthy controls. Our findings reveal a link between skin-gut microorganisms and AGA, indicating the former's potential involvement in the latter's development. Additionally, these results provide evidence for the development of cosmetics and therapeutics using microorganisms and metabolites involved in AGA.

Characterization of tongue dorsum microbiome in wine tasters

Taste plays a paramount role in food and beverage choice, with recent studies pointing to a potential influence of the microorganisms from the tongue dorsum - particularly bacteria - on flavor perception. Thus, the association between tongue dorsum biofilm and taste is a fundamental prerequisite for a better understanding of the role played by these bacteria in wine tasting. To study this impact, we have analyzed the microbiomes from 58 samples of the tongue dorsum surface from professional wine tasters and 30 samples from non professional wine tasters. The microbiome of each sample was characterized through metagenome sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene for taxonomic discrimination of bacteria. A total of 497 taxa were identified in the tongue dorsum, and significant differences in diversity were observed between the wine taster and the control group. The comparison of bacterial diversity between samples collected before and after wine tasting along with the presence of new bacterial taxa indicates a direct effect of wine on the microbiome of frequent wine tasters, particularly in those tasting sparkling wines.