Specific Community Research Articles

Forest floor environment overrules global change treatment effects on understorey communities in a mesocosm experiment.

Light availability profoundly influences plant communities, especially below dense tree canopies in forests. Canopy disturbances, altering forest floor light conditions, together with other environmental changes such as climate change, nitrogen deposition and legacy effects from previous land-use will simultaneously impact forest understorey communities. Yet, knowledge on the individual effects of these drivers and their potential interactions remains scarce. Here we performed a forest mesocosm experiment to assess the influence of warming, illumination (simulating canopy opening), nitrogen deposition and soil land-use history (comparing ancient and post-agricultural forest soil) on understorey community composition trajectories over a 7-year period. Strikingly, understorey communities primarily evolved in response to the deeply shaded ambient forest conditions, with experimental treatments exerting only secondary influences. The overruling trajectory steered all mesocosms towards slow-colonizing forest specialist communities dominated by spring geophytes with lower nutrient-demand. The illumination treatment and, to a lesser extent, warming and agricultural land-use legacy slowed down this trend by advancing fast-growing resource-acquisitive generalist species. Warm ambient temperatures induced thermophilization of plant communities in all treatments, including control plots, towards higher dominance of warm-adapted species. Nitrogen addition accelerated this thermophilization process and increased the community light-demand signature. Land-use legacy effects were limited in our study. Our findings underscore the essential role of limited light availability in preserving forest specialists in understorey communities and highlight the importance of maintaining a dense canopy cover to attenuate global change impacts. It is crucial to integrate this knowledge in forest management adaptation to global change, particularly in the face of increasing demands for wood and wood products and intensified natural canopy disturbances.

Practical use of Agriculture 4.0 digital technologies to meet the EU's strategic goals in Czech agriculture

The implementation of precision technology procedures is declared in EU documents, including the implementation of these technologies in all areas of production, production, trade, including all areas of everyday life of the population. The article deals with the use of IT technologies in activities dealing with land management: i.e. crop production including landscape maintenance. In this context, precision technologies are used in agriculture, crop and livestock production, horticulture, forestry and comprehensive maintenance of the agricultural landscape. With remote sensing, all land areas are monitored, data is stored, and the whole process takes place continuously. The data is displayed in information maps that perfectly map the properties of the monitored area. Today, the development of the information society and specialized internet services of the state administration would not be possible without precise technologies and information portals. These are portals for the public needs of citizens or a specific professional community, and these must be user-friendly, clear, intuitive, visually interesting, trustworthy and complete in content. The article deals with a detailed analysis of the Czech Farmer's Portal from multiple angles, including state-of-the-art tools such as the AMS system (AMS, 2023). This is a new way of monitoring agricultural areas using a satellite system. On the basis of the analysed services, deficiencies are identified and suggestions for improvement are presented.

Investigation of Variation in Bacterial Community Structure in Endangered Korean Fir Tree by Habitats

The Korean fir tree (Abies koreana), an endemic species of South Korea, is experiencing a severe decline in population due to climate change. Studies on the conservation of Korean fir have been extensive, yet research regarding its correlation with rhizosphere bacterial communities remains scarce, warranting further investigation. In this study, metagenome amplicon sequencing targeting the 16S rRNA V4 region was conducted to examine the presence of specific bacterial communities in Korean fir and to investigate potential differences based on habitat types (rhizosphere of native or cultivated trees, soil of dead trees, and bulk soil) and seasonal variations (April, June, September, November). Here we show that although we could not identify specific taxa highly specifically with Korean fir, the rhizosphere bacterial community in native trees exhibited less variability in response to seasonal changes compared to that in bulk soils. Suggesting the establishment of relatively stable bacterial populations around the Korean fir natural habitat. Further research on other types of rhizosphere and/or microbes is necessary to investigate the distinct relationship of Korean fir with microbial communities.

KNOWLEDGE EVALUATION OF MOSQUITO CONTROL PRACTICES WITHIN THE CENTRAL REGION OF JIGAWA STATE, NORTH-WEST NIGERIA

In order to mitigate and manage life-threatening mosquito-borne diseases such as malaria, Dengue, and lymphatic filariasis, both socio-demographic factors and the collective vector control knowledge within the community are pivotal. Hence, the objective of the current study is to evaluate the awareness and understanding of mosquito control practices in specific communities located in Jigawa State, North-west Nigeria. A cross-sectional study was conducted in which 60 structural questionnaires were distributed in the three selected communities. In each village, 20 questionnaires were randomly shared and captured information on Demographical characteristics, House characteristics, Use of mosquito net etc. Among the 60 respondents, only 17(28.3%) of the respondents were participating in community sanitation, majority of respondents 56(93.3%) were found to keep water at home. However, usage of long-lasting insecticide nets (LLINs) on daily basis were recorded significantly highest 48(80%). We therefore recommend promotion of the significance of environmental sanitation as a primary measure for controlling mosquito-borne diseases among them.

Transnational research in English language teaching: critical practices and identities. Rashi Jain, Bedrettin Yazan, Suresh Canagarajah (2022). UK: Bristol, Multilingual Matters, 264 Pages, ISBN: 9781788927468

The globalization of English and shifts demanded by the 21st century have modified the landscape of English language teaching (ELT) in the past decades (Blitvich, 2018). The members of such a globalized village now engage in diverse practices and identity formation processes (Kumaravadivelu, 2008; Silva, 2016). However, many studies on ELT globalization and transnationalism are dominated by specific communities of practice (e.g., US). Additionally, a global and inclusive picture of transnational research on ELT praxis and identity is missing. To fill these gaps, the present volume entitled “transnational research in English language teaching: critical practices and identities” aims to showcase the complex global ELT landscape across contexts and practitioners in order to deepen our understanding of the transnational research and practice. Jain, Yazan, and Canagarajah unified a range of inquiries on this topic drawing on language teachers, educators, and researchers from different backgrounds. The volume considers personal, professional, and theoretical foundations of transnational identities and pedagogical practices, which are shaped by communities of practice. Since this volume rests on trajectories and lived experiences of ELT professionals across the globe, it decenters and decolonizes research in the field and provides a geographically wide insight. Therefore, the book is beneficial for ELT students, teachers, researchers, and teacher educators in that their disciplinary vision could be expanded to a more just and inclusive landscape.

An interview with Gerald Cupchik: Equity, diversity and inclusion

How should we address equity, diversity, and inclusion issues in the ‘Post-COVID era’? Some students just want the degree, whereas others miss the social intimacy of classroom experiences. In this interview, we address a dissociation between university administrations with top-down, ideologically driven agendas, and the lived experiences of students. Students become immersed in diversity by participating in classes based on shared interests that cut across backgrounds and reflect experiential learning; moving from ‘cliques to networks.’ Inclusion cannot be mandated by the university and formally required of lecturers. Rather, it reflects a student’s feeling of belonging based on acceptance by others in the classroom setting and this is something that lecturers can foster. Equity is a more delicate theme tied to past exclusions that touch many communities. Gatekeepers have historically excluded students based on race or cultural affiliation. Attempts to redress this imbalance for specific communities can forget the historical exclusion of others. My approach favors ‘inclusive authenticity,’ whereby students are in touch with their heritage, and ‘reflective awareness,’ a sensitivity to the political dynamics that surround them. We can move from ‘surface to depth,’ both as institutions and individuals by fostering critical thinking and listening to the voices of students.

SYMBOLIC CONVERGENCE IN ALFIN RIZAL'S INSTAGRAM POETRY

Literary works such as poetry are no longer limited to books. In the digital age, poetry has also shifted to media that easily accessible by readers. It means that poetry is no longer consumed by specific community only. Poetry can be consumed by people from various demographics; age and gender; and can be expressed by anyone from various backgrounds through social media platforms such as Instagram. This study discussed Instagram poetry from the theoretical perspective of symbolic convergence. The data sources for this research were the poems of Alfin Rizal, analyzed qualitatively. Data was collected from the Instagram account @alfinrizalisme, supported by Alfin Rizal's poetry books. Each piece of poetry content on Alfin Rizal's Instagram was classified into smaller taxonomies to facilitate findings. The findings of this study indicated the dramatization of messages by Alfin Rizal, which impacts public response to his work. This message dramatization takes the form of poetry videos, photo manipulation, background as the setting, and illustrations as a secondary backdrop. Another finding was the construction of symbolic reality, which affects public interaction (followers) who utilize this message dramatization (in the form of Instagram posts with poetry content) to re-communicate to the public through other social media platforms.

Soil microbiome of Plaggic Anthrosol and Calcic Cryosols in Central Yakutia

Soil microbiome makes a significant contribution to the implementation of ecosystem services, which are necessary for the sustainable functioning of ecosystems. Soils of central Yakutia develop under dynamic physical and chemical conditions (long-term freezing/thawing processes, redistribution of nutrients), which ensures the formation of a specific microbial community in natural and anthropogenically transformed areas. The object of the study was the natural, fallow, and agricultural soils of central Yakutia. The method of high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene fragment on Illumina MiSEQ sequencer was used to analyze the microbial community. As a result, in fallow lands a decrease in nutrients was revealed if compared to the lands involved in agricultural turnover. Based on the composition of the microbiome it was observed that the most common phyla are Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, Verrucomicrobiota, Pseudomonadota (Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria), Bacterioidota, Chloroflexi, Planctomycetota. The presence of a core set of microorganisms for the studied soils was recorded, up to 17.8% of phylotypes are unique and up to 25.7% are common to fallow lands and background plots. Microbial communities vary depending on geographical locations and on types of natural resource use. The most distinct microbial communities are formed in hydromorphic soils with the development of gley processes, as well as in agricultural soils.

Lessons learned from CMS's National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care: a thematic synthesis of multiple stakeholder-engaged studies.

Antipsychotic prescribing in United States nursing homes (NHs) has decreased since the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Service debuted the National Partnership to Improve Dementia Care in Nursing Homes (NP); however, reductions have stalled. To help explain persistent antipsychotic use despite the NP's reduction efforts, the perspectives of diverse NP stakeholders were qualitatively assessed. This study aimed to re-evaluate these individual perspectives in combined thematic synthesis to discover NP improvement opportunities undetectable in single stakeholder assessments. Thematic synthesis. Through immersive crystallisation, original source coding results were organised into related descriptive themes. Similarities and differences were identified, and descriptive themes were regrouped into new, increasingly abstract, analytical themes. This cycle continued until variances were resolved and analytic themes sufficiently described and explained all initial descriptive themes. Three analytic themes emerged regarding NP improvement opportunities. The NP's positive impacts would be augmented by: (i) a deeper and expanded appreciation of stakeholder perspectives; (ii) more urgent and rapid adaptation to unintended adverse outcomes; and (iii) greater recognition of the contextual and environmental factors influencing decisions to prescribe or not prescribe antipsychotic medications. Stakeholder groups described: perspectives they perceived as inadequately considered by the NP; insufficient NP engagement with the stakeholders capable of creating evidenced, affordable, and available non-pharmacologic therapies for dementia symptoms; recognition that dementia interventions effective for a specific individual at a specific time in a specific community may not generalise; and diverse ongoing undesirable outcomes from NP policies that could be mitigated by NP modifications. The NP has done much to advance dementia care in NHs. Notwithstanding, these results suggest the NP would only be improved through increasingly comprehensive inclusion of stakeholder perspectives, enhanced incorporation of individual contextual factors, and a more decisive mechanism for ongoing and continual adaptation.

The Moral Economies of Reflexive Migration Studies

Abstract Reflexive Migration Studies has emerged as a subfield of Migration Studies. Drawing on moral economy perspectives, we explore how the entanglement of, and tensions between, moral and economic rationalities shape the development of a field of knowledge production in which we ourselves partake. Clearly, Reflexive Migration Studies has not emerged in a vacuum but through socio-material practices and in a specific scientific context and community. Using the case of the Migration Studies landscape in Germany, we suggest that a moral economies perspective allows us to examine the production of knowledge infrastructures, scholarly identities, and research outputs that are key in creating a new academic field. By scrutinizing these infrastructures, identities, and outputs, we point to tensions between some of the morally charged claims and the material conditions and labour contexts of doing Reflexive Migration Studies. With our contribution, we want to raise questions regarding the direction that we, as scholars participating in the field, are taking. We see the risk that the critique brought forward in Reflexive Migration Studies falters in light of prevailing economies of scientific knowledge production and academic labour.

КОНЦЕПТУАЛЬНЫЕ, КОНТЕКСТУАЛЬНЫЕ И ЦЕННОСТНЫЕ ОСОБЕННОСТИ ЭТНИЧЕСКИХ СМИ В СИСТЕМЕ МЕДИА ЮГА РОССИИ

The article summarizes and categorizes various theoretical and methodological approaches to the concept of ethnic media, as well as analyses their place and role in the system of Russian media and that of the South of Russia in particular. The research reveals such contextual peculiarities of ethnic media as bilingualism, focusing on a specific ethnic community and meeting its needs, as well as creating and maintaining ethnic identity. Among other concepts, the predominant are traditional values, interethnic collaboration and preserving historical memory and culture. The principal values spread by the ethnic media of the South of Russia are interethnic cooperation, language preservation, as well as maintenance of cultural achievements and people’s identity.

Nexus between Indigenous Knowledge Systems and Adaptation to Climate Change Strategies by Farmers in Kajiado County, Kenya

Indigenous knowledge (IK) has played an important role in adaptation to climate change in traditional agricultural communities. These approaches have been shown to be more effective when integrated with scientifically developed strategies. In this study, a perception survey questionnaire was used to find out whether there is a nexus between IK systems and the uptake of modern Climate Change Adaptation Strategies (CCAS) among farmers in Kajiado County, Kenya. A mixed research approach that involved the use of household questionnaire surveys, key informant interviews, focus group discussions (FGD), and observations was used to obtain data. The two theories, namely the Situated Learning Theory (SLT) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), formed the basis for illustrating the relationship between variables, while the Model of Private Proactive Adaptation to Climate Change (MPPACC) was the key theoretical model employed. A total of 382 small-scale rural household representatives randomly selected from 3 Kajiado sub-counties were the principal respondents. The key informants included officers in the departments of agriculture, environment, meteorology, trade, and industry, as well as local administration and village elders. Statistical tools such as chi-square, correlation, and binary logistic regression analysis were used to determine associations. Thematic analysis of data collected from key informants and focus group discussions (FGD) was conducted to triangulate the survey results. Farmers' awareness of climate change, risk perceptions of impacts, existing locally developed approaches to climate change adaptation, and perceptions of CCAS were the main areas of investigation. The majority of farmers (85%) indicated that prolonged drought was the main extreme event that affected their farming activities. Of the indicators observed, drought (X2 = 13.861, p =.000) was perceived as the greatest risk associated with climate change to their agricultural productivity. Their IK adaptation strategies resulted from their interactions with the effects of drought on their livelihoods over the years. Farmers who were nomadic (IK practitioners) were not willing to apply for CCAS. For example, they were 72% less likely to increase their irrigated cropped area and 79% less likely to increase the number of better livestock breeds. Among the CCAS approaches, water resource management was the only preferred strategy. This particular finding shows that climate change policies can be easily adopted by indigenous farming communities if they are developed around an issue that matches their socio-ecological priorities. Without taking into account the prevailing social, cultural, and geo-environmental context of specific communities, the adoption of CCAS by farmers would be significantly affected. The study recommends that integrating indigenous agricultural knowledge into climate change adaptation policies enhances community resilience. Aligning adaptation strategies with local responses enriches farmer knowledge and boosts resilience against climate change impacts. Effective climate change adaptation plans should incorporate local weather prediction, environmental conservation, and proven community-based strategies, especially in water resource management for arid and semi-arid pastoralist communities.

Exploring community needs in combating aedes mosquitoes and dengue fever: a study with urban community in the recurrent hotspot area

BackgroundAedes mosquitoes are the main vector of dengue infection, a global health threat affecting millions of people annually. Conventional prevention and control methods against dengue outbreaks have only achieved marginal success. Recognizing the complex issue at hand, a multilevel participatory approach is crucial. Thus, alternative strategies that involve community engagement are increasingly being considered and attempted. While community-based vector control programs have been conducted, sustaining behavioral changes among the population remains a challenge. This study aimed to identify the specific community needs in combating Aedes mosquitoes and dengue fever as a basis to guide the development of community-driven initiatives and foster a deeper sense of ownership in the fight against dengue.MethodsBetween 1 August 2022 and 30 November 2022, we conducted a study in Hulu Langat district, Selangor, using a mixed-method design. All participants consented to the study, which comprised 27 participants (FGDs) and 15 participants (IDIs). The IDIs included two participants with a history of dengue fever, one community leader, one faith leader, seven local authorities, and four district health officers. Semi-structured interviews and discussions were performed among stakeholders and community members recruited via purposive and snowball sampling techniques. All interviews were audio-recorded before being analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis.ResultsThese results derived from qualitative data explored the perspectives and needs of communities in combating Aedes mosquitoes and dengue fever. Interviews were conducted with various stakeholders, including community members, leaders, and health officers. The study identified the necessity of decisive actions by authorities to address the impact of the dengue epidemic, the importance of community engagement through partnerships and participatory approaches, the potential benefits of incentives and rewards to enhance community participation, and the need for sustained community engagement and education, especially via the involvement of young people in prevention efforts. These findings provide valuable insights into the design of effective strategies against Aedes mosquitoes and dengue fever.ConclusionsIn short, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive approach involving multiple stakeholders in the fight against Aedes mosquitoes and dengue fever. The approach should incorporate efforts to raise awareness, provide practical resources, and foster community responsibility. The active involvement of teenagers as volunteers can contribute to long-term prevention efforts. Collaboration, resource allocation, and community engagement are crucial for effective dengue control and a healthier environment.

Mapping the geographical distribution of the mucosa-associated gut microbiome in GI-symptomatic children with autism spectrum disorder.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by cognitive, behavioral, and communication impairments. In the past few years, it has been proposed that alterations in the gut microbiota may contribute to an aberrant communication between the gut and brain in children with ASD. Consistent with this notion, several studies have demonstrated that children with ASD have an altered fecal microbiota compared with typically developing (TD) children. However, it is unclear where along the length of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract these alterations in microbial communities occur. In addition, the variation between specific mucosa-associated communities remains unknown. To address this gap in knowledge of the microbiome associated with ASD, biopsies from the antrum, duodenum, ileum, right colon, and rectum of children with ASD and age- and sex-matched TD children were examined by 16S rRNA sequencing. We observed an overall elevated abundance of Bacillota and Bacteroidota and a decreased abundance of Pseudomonadota in all GI tract regions of both male and female children with ASD compared with TD children. Further analysis at the genera level revealed unique differences in the microbiome in the different regions of the GI tract in children with ASD compared with TD children. We also observed sex-specific differences in the gut microbiota composition in children with ASD. These data indicate that the microbiota of children with ASD is altered in multiple regions of the GI tract and that different anatomic locations have unique alterations in mucosa-associated bacterial genera.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Analysis in stool samples has shown gut microbiota alterations in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared with typically developing (TD) children. However, it is unclear which segment(s) of the gut exhibit alterations in microbiome composition. In this study, we examined microbiota composition along the gastrointestinal (GI) tract in the stomach, duodenum, ileum, right colon, and rectum. We found site-specific and sex-specific differences in the gut microbiota of children with ASD, compared with controls.

COVID-19 information spaces, boundaries, and information sharing: an interview study

Introduction. The goal of this paper is to understand who shares information used by the general public about COVID-19 and how they decided what information to share. Method. Our qualitative work is based on semi-structured interviews conducted from April 2022 through December 2023 with 23 people who have provided COVID- 19 information through paid and volunteer roles. We used the critical incident technique. We also asked participants about their information gathering and credibility checking processes; their role in spreading information; and their typical audience for sharing. Analysis. We transcribed interviews and conducted thematic analysis in MAXQDA software. Results. We conceptualise the information space as consisting of the audience, communities, sharers, and experts. We illustrate three distinct exemplars of sharers. We describe how personal and historical experiences create boundaries around individuals (sharers and audience), which determine what sources of information are trustworthy, and how our participants share the information with their audience. Conclusion. For COVID-19 information, the audience may be identified first or the information service may be formed first. Fact-checkers and science journalists’ job is to report truthful and verified information, and they do not tailor it to a specific community as much as people-centered sharers, such as patient advocates.

Code switching patterns in Kazakh-Russian hybrid language practice: An empirical study

The study investigates Kazakh-Russian and Russian-Kazakh code switching in the framework of hybrid language practice to provide insights into the sense-making process among bilinguals. The unique characteristics of the synchronic linguistic situation in Kazakhstan stem from historically rooted ethnic bi- and multilingualism. Language switching has evolved into a tool for addressing communicative partners and sustaining communication in bilingual culture, rather than being viewed as a deviant pattern. It appears to be a dynamic resource for ensuring mutual understanding and harmonised communication. The study aims to reveal the motivations behind individuals’ language switching, how Kazakh and Russian speakers explain hybrid communication, and their sentiments towards it. Data from two surveys conducted in January-February of 2021 and January of 2024 are presented. Each survey involved 50 respondents with higher education, ranging in age from 21 to 40, who have resided in Kazakhstan for an extended period, with many being native-born residents. We argue that switching between the Kazakh and Russian languages serves as a communicative tool utilised by Kazakh and Russian speakers to signify their belonging to a specific sociocultural community. The study posits that hybrid language practice can be viewed from two underlying perspectives: from a ‘deficit’ perspective, signalling limited proficiency in Russian or/and Kazakh, and from a more complex sense-making communicative perspective, assisting interaction. As part of the sense-making process and in sustaining interaction with communication partners, code switching serves an instrumental function. Importantly, hybrid language practice is not portrayed as a sign of cultural decline. There is no strong correlation between the mixing of Russian and Kazakh and social, cultural, and educational barriers. Further implications for research are prompted by the rapidly changing situation. The development of the Kazakh language as a state language is becoming a major goal and central focus in this evolving context, which inevitably raises the issues of linguistic ideology. Distinguishing between ideologically neutral analysis and critical analysis of language use as a tool of symbolic power for specific social groups would provide a more gradient picture of the dynamics in Kazakhstan’s bi- and multilingual situation.

Legal Protection for Both Parties in the Execution of E-Commerce Based Buying and Selling Agreements Grounded in Justice

The internet media used for trading is known as electronic commerce (e-commerce), a business process that provides facilities between buyers and sellers or companies, consumers, and specific communities in electronic transactions related to goods, services, and information. In order for the parties involved in the transaction to feel more comfortable and secure, electronic transactions have been regulated in the ITE Law. The research method used in this study is normative or doctrinal. The nature of this legal research is prescriptive. The technique of collecting legal materials in this research is through document study or literature review. The results of the study indicate that the process of implementing buying and selling transactions through e-commerce is carried out in several stages, namely Offer, Acceptance, Payment, and Delivery. The buying and selling agreement through e-commerce is included in electronic contracts. Based on Article 1 number 17 of Law Number 11 of 2008 concerning Electronic Information and Transactions. Article 1320 of the Civil Code which is then reaffirmed in Article 47 paragraph (2) of Government Regulation Number 88 of 2012 concerning the Implementation of Electronic Systems and Transactions. Legal protection for Shopee consumers is based on the Consumer Protection Law Number 8 of 1999 and the Electronic Information and Transactions Law No. 11 of 2008 can be seen in regulations regarding consumer rights protection and compensation.

Inborn errors of immunity in Canadian First Nations and Nunavut Inuit Children: the tip of the iceberg

Abstract Objectives Inborn errors of immunity (IEI) are a heterogeneous group of genetic diseases that impact normal immune development and function. Individual IEI are rare, but collectively, can represent an important health burden. Little is known about the types of IEI seen in Canadian First Nations (FN) and Inuit populations. We sought to understand the spectrum of serious IEI in FN and Nunavut Inuit children, as a starting point for improving the awareness of these conditions in the community and for health care workers. Methods A questionnaire was distributed to participating Canadian pediatric tertiary-care centers. Providers were asked to report cases of confirmed or suspected severe immunodeficiencies seen in FN and Nunavut Inuit children. Results From 2004 to 2022, IEI were reported in 63 FN and 21 Inuit children by 4 pediatric hospitals across 3 Canadian provinces. The majority of cases were immunodeficiencies affecting cellular and humoral immunity (62% of cases in FN and 57% in Inuit children). IKBKB deficiency, adenosine-deaminase severe combined immune deficiency (SCID), and chronic granulomatous disease were the most common IEI. A wide variety of other IEI was reported, many of which would not be detected by current newborn screening for SCID and for which live-attenuated vaccines would have been contraindicated. Conclusions IEI occur in FN and Inuit children and may be underrecognized. Better understanding the prevalence of these conditions in specific communities could help inform public health policies including newborn screening and immunization programs and ultimately improve the health of FN and Inuit children in Canada.

Key aspects of papillomavirus infection influence the host cervicovaginal microbiome in a preclinical murine papillomavirus (MmuPV1) infection model.

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States and are a major etiological agent of cancers in the anogenital tract and oral cavity. Growing evidence suggests changes in the host microbiome are associated with the natural history and ultimate outcome of HPV infection. We sought to define changes in the host cervicovaginal microbiome during papillomavirus infection, persistence, and pathogenesis using the murine papillomavirus (MmuPV1) cervicovaginal infection model. Cervicovaginal lavages were performed over a time course of MmuPV1 infection in immunocompetent female FVB/N mice and extracted DNA was analyzed by qPCR to track MmuPV1 viral copy number. 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing was used to determine the composition and diversity of microbial communities throughout this time course. We also sought to determine whether specific microbial communities exist across the spectrum of MmuPV1-induced neoplastic disease. We, therefore, performed laser-capture microdissection to isolate regions of disease representing all stages of neoplastic disease progression (normal, low- and high-grade dysplasia, and cancer) from female reproductive tract tissue sections from MmuPV1-infected mice and performed 16S rRNA sequencing. Consistent with other studies, we found that the natural murine cervicovaginal microbiome is highly variable across different experiments. Despite these differences in initial microbiome composition between experiments, we observed that MmuPV1 persistence, viral load, and severity of disease influenced the composition of the cervicovaginal microbiome. These studies demonstrate that papillomavirus infection can alter the cervicovaginal microbiome.IMPORTANCEHuman papillomaviruses (HPVs) are the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. A subset of HPVs that infect the anogenital tract (cervix, vagina, anus) and oral cavity cause at least 5% of cancers worldwide. Recent evidence indicates that the community of microbial organisms present in the human cervix and vagina, known as the cervicovaginal microbiome, plays a role in HPV-induced cervical cancer. However, the mechanisms underlying this interplay are not well-defined. In this study, we infected the female reproductive tract of mice with a murine papillomavirus (MmuPV1) and found that key aspects of papillomavirus infection and disease influence the host cervicovaginal microbiome. This is the first study to define changes in the host microbiome associated with MmuPV1 infection in a preclinical animal model of HPV-induced cervical cancer. These results pave the way for using MmuPV1 infection models to further investigate the interactions between papillomaviruses and the host microbiome.

Exploring Functional Products and Early-Life Dynamics of Gut Microbiota.

Research on the microbiome has progressed from identifying specific microbial communities to exploring how these organisms produce and modify metabolites that impact a wide range of health conditions, including gastrointestinal, metabolic, autoimmune, and neurodegenerative diseases. This review provides an overview of the bacteria commonly found in the intestinal tract, focusing on their main functional outputs. We explore biomarkers that not only indicate a well-balanced microbiota but also potential dysbiosis, which could foreshadow susceptibility to future health conditions. Additionally, it discusses the establishment of the microbiota during the early years of life, examining factors such as gestational age at birth, type of delivery, antibiotic intake, and genetic and environmental influences. Through a comprehensive analysis of current research, this article aims to enhance our understanding of the microbiota's foundational development and its long-term implications for health and disease management.