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Hazell J, Clarke E. Nurturing future leaders for nature: the example of the UK's National Education Nature Park. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220330. [PMID: 38643784 PMCID: PMC11033047 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
This piece reviews the evidence on the effect that engaging with nature has on school-age children's future attitudes and behaviour towards nature. It also looks into the impact engaging with nature has on children and young people's physical, mental and personal development and the evidence on how much time children in England are spending in natural environments. It then presents a UK Government project, the National Education Nature Park (NENP), intended to increase children in England's access to nature by developing nature spaces within the grounds of educational institutions. It concludes with suggestions for how the implementation of the NENP could be used to learn more about the effect that engaging with nature has on children alongside understanding how school-based nature projects could benefit the local environment. This article is part of the theme issue 'Bringing nature into decision-making'.
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Newman NS, Abbott CA, Brame JE, Cando-Dumancela C, Fickling NW, Liddicoat C, Robinson JM, Breed MF. Childcare centre soil microbiomes are influenced by substrate type and surrounding vegetation condition. Sci Total Environ 2024; 927:172158. [PMID: 38583619 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
Urban development has profoundly reduced human exposure to biodiverse environments, which is linked to a rise in human disease. The 'biodiversity hypothesis' proposes that contact with diverse microbial communities (microbiota) benefits human health, as exposure to microbial diversity promotes immune training and regulates immune function. Soils and sandpits in urban childcare centres may provide exposure to diverse microbiota that support immunoregulation at a critical developmental stage in a child's life. However, the influence of outdoor substrate (i.e., sand vs. soil) and surrounding vegetation on these environmental microbiota in urban childcare centres remains poorly understood. Here, we used 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to examine the variation in bacterial communities in sandpits and soils across 22 childcare centres in Adelaide, Australia, plus the impact of plant species richness and habitat condition on these bacterial communities. We show that sandpits had distinct bacterial communities and lower alpha diversity than soils. In addition, we found that plant species richness in the centres' yards and habitat condition surrounding the centres influenced the bacterial communities in soils but not sandpits. These results demonstrate that the diversity and composition of childcare centre sandpit and soil bacterial communities are shaped by substrate type, and that the soils are also shaped by the vegetation within and surrounding the centres. Accordingly, there is potential to modulate the exposure of children to health-associated bacterial communities by managing substrates and vegetation in and around childcare centres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie S Newman
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Catherine A Abbott
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Joel E Brame
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | | | - Nicole W Fickling
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Craig Liddicoat
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Jake M Robinson
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
| | - Martin F Breed
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia.
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Saarenpää M, Roslund MI, Nurminen N, Puhakka R, Kummola L, Laitinen OH, Hyöty H, Sinkkonen A. Urban indoor gardening enhances immune regulation and diversifies skin microbiota - A placebo-controlled double-blinded intervention study. Environ Int 2024; 187:108705. [PMID: 38688234 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2024.108705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
According to the hygiene and biodiversity hypotheses, frequent exposure to environmental microbiota, especially through soil contact, diversifies commensal microbiota, enhances immune modulation, and ultimately lowers the risk of immune-mediated diseases. Here we test the underlying assumption of the hygiene and biodiversity hypotheses by instructing volunteers to grow edible plants indoors during the winter season when natural exposure to environmental microbiota is low. The one-month randomized, placebo-controlled double-blind trial consisted of two treatments: participants received either microbially diverse growing medium or visually similar but microbially poor growing medium. Skin microbiota and a panel of seven immune markers were analyzed in the beginning of the trial and after one month. The diversity of five bacterial phyla (Bacteroidetes, Planctomycetes, Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia) and one class (Bacteroidia) increased on the skin of participants in the intervention group while no changes were observed in the placebo group. The number of nodes and edges in the co-occurrence networks of the skin bacteria increased on average three times more in the intervention group than in the placebo group. The plasma levels of the immunomodulatory cytokine interleukin 10 (IL-10) increased in the intervention group when compared with the placebo group. A similar trend was observed in the interleukin 17A (IL-17A) levels and in the IL-10:IL-17A ratios. Participants in both groups reported high satisfaction and adherence to the trial. The current study provides evidence in support of the core assumption of the hygiene and biodiversity hypotheses of immune-mediated diseases. Indoor urban gardening offers a meaningful and convenient approach for increasing year-round exposure to environmental microbiota, paving the way for other prophylactic practices that might help prevent immune-mediated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mika Saarenpää
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland; Natural Resources Institute Finland, Turku and Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Marja I Roslund
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Turku and Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Noora Nurminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Riikka Puhakka
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Niemenkatu 73, 15140 Lahti, Finland.
| | - Laura Kummola
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Olli H Laitinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Arvo Ylpön Katu 34, 33520 Tampere, Finland.
| | - Aki Sinkkonen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, Turku and Helsinki, Finland.
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Yang S, Wu S, Zhao F, Zhao Z, Shen X, Yu X, Zhang M, Wen F, Sun Z, Menghe B. Diversity Analysis of Intestinal Bifidobacteria in the Hohhot Population. Microorganisms 2024; 12:756. [PMID: 38674700 PMCID: PMC11051944 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12040756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2024] [Revised: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: Bifidobacterium plays a pivotal role within the gut microbiota, significantly affecting host health through its abundance and composition in the intestine. Factors such as age, gender, and living environment exert considerable influence on the gut microbiota, yet scant attention has been directed towards understanding the specific effects of these factors on the Bifidobacterium population. Therefore, this study focused on 98 adult fecal samples to conduct absolute and relative quantitative analyses of bifidobacteria. (2) Methods: Using droplet digital PCR and the PacBio Sequel II sequencing platform, this study sought to determine the influence of various factors, including living environment, age, and BMI, on the absolute content and biodiversity of intestinal bifidobacteria. (3) Results: Quantitative results indicated that the bifidobacteria content in the intestinal tract ranged from 106 to 109 CFU/g. Notably, the number of bifidobacteria in the intestinal tract of the school population surpassed that of the off-campus population significantly (p = 0.003). Additionally, the group of young people exhibited a significantly higher count of bifidobacteria than the middle-aged and elderly groups (p = 0.041). The normal-weight group displayed a significantly higher bifidobacteria count than the obese group (p = 0.027). Further analysis of the relative abundance of bifidobacteria under different influencing factors revealed that the living environment emerged as the primary factor affecting the intestinal bifidobacteria structure (p = 0.046, R2 = 2.411). Moreover, the diversity of bifidobacteria in the intestinal tract of college students surpassed that in the out-of-school population (p = 0.034). This was characterized by a notable increase in 11 strains, including B. longum, B. bifidum, and B. pseudolongum, in the intestinal tract of college students, forming a more intricate intestinal bifidobacteria interaction network. (4) Conclusions: In summary, this study elucidated the principal factors affecting intestinal bifidobacteria and delineated their characteristics of intestinal bifidobacteria in diverse populations. By enriching the theory surrounding gut microbiota and health, this study provides essential data support for further investigations into the intricate dynamics of the gut microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Bilige Menghe
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Dairy Biotechnology and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China; (S.Y.); (S.W.); (F.W.)
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Rook GAW. Evolution and the critical role of the microbiota in the reduced mental and physical health associated with low socioeconomic status (SES). Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 161:105653. [PMID: 38582194 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105653] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of the gut-microbiota-brain axis in animals reveals that microbial inputs influence metabolism, the regulation of inflammation and the development of organs, including the brain. Inflammatory, neurodegenerative and psychiatric disorders are more prevalent in people of low socioeconomic status (SES). Many aspects of low SES reduce exposure to the microbial inputs on which we are in a state of evolved dependence, whereas the lifestyle of wealthy citizens maintains these exposures. This partially explains the health deficit of low SES, so focussing on our evolutionary history and on environmental and lifestyle factors that distort microbial exposures might help to mitigate that deficit. But the human microbiota is complex and we have poor understanding of its functions at the microbial and mechanistic levels, and in the brain. Perhaps its composition is more flexible than the microbiota of animals that have restricted habitats and less diverse diets? These uncertainties are discussed in relation to the encouraging but frustrating results of attempts to treat psychiatric disorders by modulating the microbiota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham A W Rook
- Centre for Clinical Microbiology, Department of infection, UCL (University College London), London, UK.
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Li M, Li N, Dong Y, Zhang H, Bai Z, Zhang R, Fei Z, Zhu W, Xiao P, Sun X, Zhou D. Soil intake modifies the gut microbiota and alleviates Th2-type immune response in an ovalbumin-induced asthma mouse model. World Allergy Organ J 2024; 17:100897. [PMID: 38655570 PMCID: PMC11035114 DOI: 10.1016/j.waojou.2024.100897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Background A low-clean living environment (LCLE) can increase gut microbial diversity and prevent allergic diseases, whereas gut microbial dysbiosis is closely related to the pathogenesis of asthma. Our previous studies suggested that soil in the LCLE is a key factor in shaping intestinal microbiota. We aimed to explore whether sterilized soil intake as a prebiotic while being incubated with microbes in the air can attenuate mouse asthma inflammation by modifying gut microbiota. Methods 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to analyze the gut microbial composition, in combination with immune parameters measured in the lung and serum samples. Results 16S rRNA gene sequencing results showed significant differences in the fecal microbiota composition between the test and control mice, with a higher abundance of Allobaculum, Alistipes, and Lachnospiraceae_UCG-001, which produce short-chain fatty acids and are beneficial for health in the test mice. Soil intake significantly downregulated the concentrations of IL-4 and IL-9 in serum and increased the expression of IFN-γ, which regulated the Th1/Th2 balance in the lung by polarizing the immune system toward Th1, alleviating ovalbumin-induced asthma inflammation. The effect of sensitization on gut microbiota was greater than that of air microbes and age together but weaker than that of soil. Conclusions Soil intake effectively reduced the expression of inflammatory cytokines in asthmatic mice, possibly by promoting the growth of multiple beneficial bacteria. The results indicated that the development of soil-based prebiotic products might be used for allergic asthma management, and our study provides further evidence for the hygiene hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjie Li
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Na Li
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Yangyang Dong
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Honglin Zhang
- College of Food Science, Nanjing Xiaozhuang University, Nanjing 211171, China
| | - Zhimao Bai
- Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine Engineering of Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Zhongjie Fei
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Wenyong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Pengfeng Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Xiao Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Bioelectronics, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
| | - Dongrui Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Child Development and Learning Science of Ministry of Education, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
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Robinson JM, Breed AC, Camargo A, Redvers N, Breed MF. Biodiversity and human health: A scoping review and examples of underrepresented linkages. Environ Res 2024; 246:118115. [PMID: 38199470 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Mounting evidence supports the connections between exposure to environmental typologies(such as green and blue spaces)and human health. However, the mechanistic links that connect biodiversity (the variety of life) and human health, and the extent of supporting evidence remain less clear. Here, we undertook a scoping review to map the links between biodiversity and human health and summarise the levels of associated evidence using an established weight of evidence framework. Distinct from other reviews, we provide additional context regarding the environment-microbiome-health axis, evaluate the environmental buffering pathway (e.g., biodiversity impacts on air pollution), and provide examples of three under- or minimally-represented linkages. The examples are (1) biodiversity and Indigenous Peoples' health, (2) biodiversity and urban social equity, and (3) biodiversity and COVID-19. We observed a moderate level of evidence to support the environmental microbiota-human health pathway and a moderate-high level of evidence to support broader nature pathways (e.g., greenspace) to various health outcomes, from stress reduction to enhanced wellbeing and improved social cohesion. However, studies of broader nature pathways did not typically include specific biodiversity metrics, indicating clear research gaps. Further research is required to understand the connections and causative pathways between biodiversity (e.g., using metrics such as taxonomy, diversity/richness, structure, and function) and health outcomes. There are well-established frameworks to assess the effects of broad classifications of nature on human health. These can assist future research in linking biodiversity metrics to human health outcomes. Our examples of underrepresented linkages highlight the roles of biodiversity and its loss on urban lived experiences, infectious diseases, and Indigenous Peoples' sovereignty and livelihoods. More research and awareness of these socioecological interconnections are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake M Robinson
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia.
| | - Andrew C Breed
- Epidemiology and One Health Section, Department of Agriculture, Water, and the Environment, Canberra, ACT, Australia; School of Veterinary Science, University of Queensland, Gatton, Qld, Australia
| | | | - Nicole Redvers
- Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University, London, ON, Canada
| | - Martin F Breed
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
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Brame JE, Warbrick I, Heke D, Liddicoat C, Breed MF. Short-term passive greenspace exposures have little effect on nasal microbiomes: A cross-over exposure study of a Māori cohort. Environ Res 2024; 252:118814. [PMID: 38555095 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
Indigenous health interventions have emerged in New Zealand aimed at increasing people's interactions with and exposure to macro and microbial diversity. Urban greenspaces provide opportunities for people to gain such exposures. However, the dynamics and pathways of microbial transfer from natural environments onto a person remain poorly understood. Here, we analysed bacterial 16S rRNA amplicons in air samples (n = 7) and pre- and post-exposure nasal samples (n = 238) from 35 participants who had 30-min exposures in an outdoor park. The participants were organised into two groups: over eight days each group had two outdoor park exposures and two indoor office exposures, with a cross-over study design and washout days between exposure days. We investigated the effects of participant group, location (outdoor park vs. indoor office), and exposures (pre vs. post) on the nasal bacterial community composition and three key suspected health-associated bacterial indicators (alpha diversity, generic diversity of Gammaproteobacteria, and read abundances of butyrate-producing bacteria). The participants had distinct nasal bacterial communities, but these communities did not display notable shifts in composition following exposures. The community composition and key health bacterial indicators were stable throughout the trial period, with no clear or consistent effects of group, location, or exposure. We conclude that 30-min exposure periods to urban greenspaces are unlikely to create notable changes in the nasal microbiome of visitors, which contrasts with previous research. Our results suggest that longer exposures or activities that involves closer interaction with microbial rich ecological components (e.g., soil) are required for greenspace exposures to result in noteworthy changes in the nasal microbiome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel E Brame
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia.
| | - Isaac Warbrick
- Taupua Waiora Māori Research Centre, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Deborah Heke
- Taupua Waiora Māori Research Centre, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - Craig Liddicoat
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia.
| | - Martin F Breed
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia.
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9
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Lu C, Xiao Z, Li H, Han R, Sun A, Xiang Q, Zhu Z, Li G, Yang X, Zhu YG, Chen QL. Aboveground plants determine the exchange of pathogens within air-phyllosphere-soil continuum in urban greenspaces. J Hazard Mater 2024; 465:133149. [PMID: 38056267 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhazmat.2023.133149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
The microbiome in the air-phyllosphere-soil continuum of urban greenspaces plays a crucial role in re-connecting urban populations with biodiverse environmental microbiomes. However, little is known about whether plant type affects the airborne microbiomes, as well as the extent to which soil and phyllosphere microbiomes contribute to airborne microbiomes. Here we collected soil, phyllosphere and airborne microbes with different plant types (broadleaf tree, conifer tree, and grass) in urban parks. Despite the significant impacts of plant type on soil and phyllosphere microbiomes, plant type had no obvious effects on the diversity of airborne microbes but shaped airborne bacterial composition in urban greenspaces. Soil and phyllosphere microbiomes had a higher contribution to airborne bacteria in broadleaf trees (37.56%) compared to conifer trees (9.51%) and grasses (14.29%). Grass areas in urban greenspaces exhibited a greater proportion of potential pathogens compared to the tree areas. The abundance of bacterial pathogens in phyllosphere was significantly higher in grasses compared to broadleaf and conifer trees. Together, our study provides novel insights into the microbiome patterns in air-phyllosphere-soil continuum, highlighting the potential significance of reducing the proportion of extensively human-intervened grass areas in future urban environment designs to enhance the provision of ecosystem services in urban greenspaces.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changyi Lu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Zufei Xiao
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Hu Li
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ruixia Han
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Anqi Sun
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Qian Xiang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Zhe Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China; Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham, Ningbo 315100, China
| | - Gang Li
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaoru Yang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
| | - Qing-Lin Chen
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
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10
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Gajera G, Funde S, Palep H, Kothari V. Duration of fermentation affects microbiome composition and biological activity of an Indian traditional formulation - Panchagavya. J Ayurveda Integr Med 2024; 15:100880. [PMID: 38457966 PMCID: PMC10940934 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaim.2023.100880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/10/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aimed at investigating whether the duration of fermenting Panchagavya (PG) preparation in copper vessel affects its biological activity and microbiome composition. MATERIALS AND METHODS Prophylactic potential of PG against bacterial infection was assessed through an in vivo assay employing the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans as a model host. Bacterial diversity of the PG samples was revealed through metagenomic analysis. RESULTS Duration of fermentation was found to affect biological activity as well as microbiome composition of the PG samples. PG-samples fermented ≥60 min lost their prophylactic potential, and develop anthelmintic activity. Bacterial phyla whose relative abundance was significantly different between the prophylactic and anthelmintic PG samples were Planctomycetota, Proteabacteria, Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, Patescibacteria, Acidobacteriota, Chloroflexi, Firmicutes and Campilobacterota. CONCLUSION This study validates the prophylactic potential of Panchagavya against bacterial pathogens, and shows that duration of the fermentation time while preparing PG can have profound effect on its biological activities. Biological activities of PG samples seem to have a correlation with their inherent microbial community. Metagenomic profiling can be an effective tool for standardization of PG formulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gemini Gajera
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, 382481, India
| | - Snehal Funde
- Dr. Palep's Medical Research Foundation, Mumbai, India
| | | | - Vijay Kothari
- Institute of Science, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, 382481, India.
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11
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Zhao C, Liu X, Tan H, Yin S, Su L, Du B, Khalid M, Sinkkonen A, Hui N. Neighborhood garden's age shapes phyllosphere microbiota associated with respiratory diseases in cold seasons. Environ Sci Ecotechnol 2024; 18:100315. [PMID: 37886031 PMCID: PMC10598728 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2023.100315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Neighborhood gardens serve as sensitive sites for human microbial encounters, with phyllosphere microbes directly impacting our respiratory health. Yet, our understanding remains limited on how factors like season, garden age, and land use shape the risk of respiratory diseases (RDs) tied to these garden microbes. Here we examined the microbial communities within the phyllosphere of 72 neighborhood gardens across Shanghai, spanning different seasons (warm and cold), garden ages (old and young), and locales (urban and rural). We found a reduced microbial diversity during the cold season, except for Gammaproteobacteria which exhibited an inverse trend. While land use influenced the microbial composition, urban and rural gardens had strikingly similar microbial profiles. Alarmingly, young gardens in the cold season hosted a substantial proportion of RDs-associated species, pointing towards increased respiratory inflammation risks. In essence, while newer gardens during colder periods show a decline in microbial diversity, they have an increased presence of RDs-associated microbes, potentially escalating respiratory disease prevalence. This underscores the pivotal role the garden age plays in enhancing both urban microbial diversity and respiratory health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Zhao
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd., 200240, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Yangtze River Delta Eco-Environmental Change and Management Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, 800 Dongchuan Rd., 200240, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Urban Forest Ecosystem Research Station, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, 800 Dongchuan Rd., 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinxin Liu
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd., 200240, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Yangtze River Delta Eco-Environmental Change and Management Observation and Research Station, Ministry of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, 800 Dongchuan Rd., 200240, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Urban Forest Ecosystem Research Station, National Forestry and Grassland Administration, 800 Dongchuan Rd., 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Haoxin Tan
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd., 200240, Shanghai, China
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Lahti, Finland
| | - Shan Yin
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd., 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Lantian Su
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd., 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Baoming Du
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd., 200240, Shanghai, China
| | - Muhammad Khalid
- Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Wenzhou-Kean University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Aki Sinkkonen
- Department of Garden Technologies, Horticulture Technologies, Natural Resources Institute Finland, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Nan Hui
- School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Rd., 200240, Shanghai, China
- Ecosystems and Environment Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Lahti, Finland
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12
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Luukkonen J, Moustgaard H, Martikainen P, Remes H. Does having siblings really protect against childhood atopic diseases? A total population and within-family analysis. Eur J Epidemiol 2024; 39:289-298. [PMID: 38316709 PMCID: PMC10995035 DOI: 10.1007/s10654-024-01104-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
The association between having older siblings and decreased risk for atopic symptoms is well-established. This has been interpreted as evidence for the microbiota hypothesis, i.e. that increased early-childhood microbial exposure caused by siblings protects from immune hypersensitivities. However, possible confounders of the association have received little attention. We used register data on Finnish cohorts born in 1995-2004 (N = 559,077) to assess medication purchases for atopic diseases: antihistamines, eczema medication, asthma medication and Epinephrine. We modelled the probability of atopic medication purchases at ages 0-15 by birth order controlling for important observed confounders and all unobserved genetic and environmental characteristics shared by siblings in a within-family fixed effects model. We further studied medication purchases among first-borns according to the age difference with younger siblings to assess whether having younger siblings in early childhood is beneficial. Having older siblings was associated with a lower probability of atopic medication purchases. Compared to first-borns, the probability was 10-20% lower among second-borns, 20-40% lower among third-borns, and 30-70% lower among subsequent children, depending on medication type. Confounding accounted for up to 75% of these differences, particularly for asthma and eczema medication, but significant differences by birth order remained across all medication types. Among first-borns, a smaller age difference with younger siblings was related to a lower likelihood of atopic medication use. Our results, based on designs that account for unobserved confounding, show that exposure to siblings in early childhood, protects from atopic diseases, and thus strongly support the microbiota hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juha Luukkonen
- Population Research Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Max Planck-University of Helsinki Center for Social Inequalities in Population Health, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Heta Moustgaard
- Population Research Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
- Max Planck-University of Helsinki Center for Social Inequalities in Population Health, Helsinki, Finland.
- Helsinki Institute for Social Sciences and Humanities, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Pekka Martikainen
- Population Research Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Max Planck-University of Helsinki Center for Social Inequalities in Population Health, Helsinki, Finland
- Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany
| | - Hanna Remes
- Population Research Unit, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Max Planck-University of Helsinki Center for Social Inequalities in Population Health, Helsinki, Finland
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13
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Skevaki C, Nadeau KC, Rothenberg ME, Alahmad B, Mmbaga BT, Masenga GG, Sampath V, Christiani DC, Haahtela T, Renz H. Impact of climate change on immune responses and barrier defense. J Allergy Clin Immunol 2024:S0091-6749(24)00119-2. [PMID: 38309598 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2024.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
Climate change is not just jeopardizing the health of our planet but is also increasingly affecting our immune health. There is an expanding body of evidence that climate-related exposures such as air pollution, heat, wildfires, extreme weather events, and biodiversity loss significantly disrupt the functioning of the human immune system. These exposures manifest in a broad range of stimuli, including antigens, allergens, heat stress, pollutants, microbiota changes, and other toxic substances. Such exposures pose a direct and indirect threat to our body's primary line of defense, the epithelial barrier, affecting its physical integrity and functional efficacy. Furthermore, these climate-related environmental stressors can hyperstimulate the innate immune system and influence adaptive immunity-notably, in terms of developing and preserving immune tolerance. The loss or failure of immune tolerance can instigate a wide spectrum of noncommunicable diseases such as autoimmune conditions, allergy, respiratory illnesses, metabolic diseases, obesity, and others. As new evidence unfolds, there is a need for additional research in climate change and immunology that covers diverse environments in different global settings and uses modern biologic and epidemiologic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrysanthi Skevaki
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, member of the German Center for Lung Research and the Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Kari C Nadeau
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Mass
| | - Marc E Rothenberg
- Division of Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Barrak Alahmad
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Mass; Dasman Diabetes Institute, Kuwait City, Kuwait
| | - Blandina T Mmbaga
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, Tanzania; Kilimanjaro Clinical Research Institute, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - Gileard G Masenga
- Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, Tanzania; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kilimanjaro Christian Medical Centre, Moshi, Tanzania
| | - Vanitha Sampath
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Mass
| | - David C Christiani
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, Mass; Pulmonary and Critical Care Division, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Mass
| | - Tari Haahtela
- Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Harald Renz
- Institute of Laboratory Medicine, member of the German Center for Lung Research and the Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany; Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College, Moshi, Tanzania; Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergology, Laboratory of Immunopathology, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia.
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14
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McKay JA, Crown M, Bashton M, Pearce D, Entwistle JA, Sangal V. Environmental microbiome in the home and daycare settings during the COVID-19 pandemic, and potential risk of non-communicable disease in children. Environ Microbiol Rep 2024; 16:e13233. [PMID: 38217304 PMCID: PMC10866607 DOI: 10.1111/1758-2229.13233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/15/2024]
Abstract
An exposure to diverse microbial population early in life is important for the development of immunity against various non-communicable diseases including asthma, childhood leukaemia and other cancers. Social mixing in daycare settings helps with exposure to a variety of microbes. However, social isolation and a high emphasis on workplace hygiene during the COVID pandemic may have affected children's exposure to diverse microbiota. The structure of microbial communities and their role in developing immunity to various diseases are not well understood. In this study, we investigated the structure of microbial communities in daycare and home settings during the pandemic. Interestingly, microbial diversity was relatively higher in dust samples collected from homes, with human-associated taxa being more prevalent compared to those from daycare settings. Environmental microbes were more abundant in dust samples from daycare providers. These results potentially suggest that cleaning practices during the pandemic may have influenced the diversity and microbial abundance of the daycare samples. Several bacterial taxa detected in both the environments are known to induce anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory responses, conferring protection from various diseases. Therefore, exposure to diverse microbial population in early childhood may play an important role in developing immunity against various non-communicable and infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jill A. McKay
- Faculty of Health and Life SciencesNorthumbria UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Matthew Crown
- Faculty of Health and Life SciencesNorthumbria UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Matthew Bashton
- Faculty of Health and Life SciencesNorthumbria UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - David Pearce
- Faculty of Health and Life SciencesNorthumbria UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Jane A. Entwistle
- Faculty of Environment and EngineeringNorthumbria UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
| | - Vartul Sangal
- Faculty of Health and Life SciencesNorthumbria UniversityNewcastle upon TyneUK
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15
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Robinson JM, Wissel EF, Breed MF. Policy implications of the microbiota-gut-brain axis. Trends Microbiol 2024; 32:107-110. [PMID: 37953155 DOI: 10.1016/j.tim.2023.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
The microbiota-gut-brain axis facilitates communication between the gut microbiota and the brain. It has implications for health and environmental policy. Microbiota are linked to neurological and metabolic disorders, and our exposure to health-promoting microbiota depends on environmental quality. Microbiota-gut-brain axis interventions could inform policy initiatives to address systemic health issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake M Robinson
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia; The Aerobiome Innovation and Research Hub, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia.
| | - Emily F Wissel
- School of Nursing, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Martin F Breed
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia; The Aerobiome Innovation and Research Hub, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia
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16
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Fickling NW, Abbott CA, Brame JE, Cando‐Dumancela C, Liddicoat C, Robinson JM, Breed MF. Light-dark cycles may influence in situ soil bacterial networks and diurnally-sensitive taxa. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11018. [PMID: 38357595 PMCID: PMC10864733 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Soil bacterial taxa have important functional roles in ecosystems (e.g. nutrient cycling, soil formation, plant health). Many factors influence their assembly and regulation, with land cover types (e.g. open woodlands, grasslands), land use types (e.g. nature reserves, urban green space) and plant-soil feedbacks being well-studied factors. However, changes in soil bacterial communities in situ over light-dark cycles have received little attention, despite many plants and some bacteria having endogenous circadian rhythms that could influence soil bacterial communities. We sampled surface soils in situ across 24-h light-dark cycles (at 00:00, 06:00, 12:00, 18:00) at two land cover types (remnant vegetation vs. cleared, grassy areas) and applied 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing to investigate changes in bacterial communities. We show that land cover type strongly affected soil bacterial diversity, with soils under native vegetation expressing 15.4%-16.4% lower alpha diversity but 4.9%-10.6% greater heterogeneity than soils under cleared vegetation. In addition, we report time-dependent and site-specific changes in bacterial network complexity and between 598-922 ASVs showing significant changes in relative abundance across times. Native site node degree (bacterial interactions) at the phylum level was 16.0% higher in the early morning than in the afternoon/evening. Our results demonstrate for the first time that light-dark cycles have subtle yet important effects on soil bacterial communities in situ and that land cover influences these dynamics. We provide a new view of soil microbial ecology and suggest that future studies should consider the time of day when sampling soil bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole W. Fickling
- College of Science and EngineeringFlinders UniversityBedford ParkSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Catherine A. Abbott
- College of Science and EngineeringFlinders UniversityBedford ParkSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Joel E. Brame
- College of Science and EngineeringFlinders UniversityBedford ParkSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | | | - Craig Liddicoat
- College of Science and EngineeringFlinders UniversityBedford ParkSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Jake M. Robinson
- College of Science and EngineeringFlinders UniversityBedford ParkSouth AustraliaAustralia
| | - Martin F. Breed
- College of Science and EngineeringFlinders UniversityBedford ParkSouth AustraliaAustralia
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17
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Lunjani N, Kerbelker T, Mdletshe FB, Hlela C, O’Mahony L. Phenotypes, endotypes and genotypes of atopic dermatitis and allergy in populations of African ancestry on the continent and diaspora. Front Allergy 2024; 4:1203304. [PMID: 38327736 PMCID: PMC10847302 DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2023.1203304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Atopic dermatitis is a complex inflammatory condition characterized by synergist interactions between epidermal and immune related genotypes, skin barrier defects and immune dysregulation as well as microbial dysbiosis. Ethnicity-specific variations in clinical presentation, immune endotypes and genetic susceptibility have been described in diverse populations. We summarize available data with specific consideration of AD in populations of African ancestry. Some highlights include the observation of AD lesions on extensor surfaces, lichen planus-like AD, prurigo type AD and follicular AD in African populations. In addition, a consistent absence of dominant filaggrin gene defects has been reported. The detection of normal filaggrin protein content in AD skin implicates the contribution of alternative mechanisms in the pathogenesis of AD in African patients. Markedly high IgE has been described in paediatric and adult African AD. While Th2, Th22 and Th17 activation in African AD skin shares the same direction as with other populations, it has been noted that the magnitude of activation is dissimilar. Reduced Th17 cytokines have been observed in the circulation of moderate to severe paediatric AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- N. Lunjani
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Division of Dermatology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - T. Kerbelker
- Department of Peadiatrics, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - F. B. Mdletshe
- Division of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - C. Hlela
- Division of Dermatology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - L. O’Mahony
- APC Microbiome Ireland, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- Department of Medicine, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
- School of Microbiology, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
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18
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Chipman JW, Shi X, Gilbert‐Diamond D, Khatchikian C, Baker ER, Nieuwenhuijsen M, Karagas MR. Greenspace and Land Cover Diversity During Pregnancy in a Rural Region, and Associations With Birth Outcomes. Geohealth 2024; 8:e2023GH000905. [PMID: 38264534 PMCID: PMC10804422 DOI: 10.1029/2023gh000905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Beneficial effects on health outcomes have been observed from exposure to spaces with substantial green vegetation ("greenspace"). This includes studies of greenspace exposure on birth outcomes; however, these have been conducted largely in urban regions. We characterized residential exposure to greenspace and land cover diversity during pregnancy in rural northern New England, USA, investigating whether variation in greenspace or diversity related to newborn outcomes. Five landscape variables (greenspace land cover, land cover diversity, impervious surface area, tree canopy cover, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) were aggregated within six circular zones of radii from 100 to 3,000 m around residential addresses, and distance to conservation land was measured, providing a total of 31 greenspace and diversity metrics. Four birth outcomes along with potentially confounding variables were obtained from 1,440 participants in the New Hampshire Birth Cohort Study. Higher greenspace land cover up to 3,000 m was associated with larger newborn head circumference, while impervious surface area (non-greenspace) had the opposite association. Further, birth length was positively associated with land cover diversity. These findings support beneficial health impacts of greenspace exposure observed in urban regions for certain health outcomes, such as newborn head circumference and length but not others such as birthweight and gestational age. Further our results indicate that larger radius buffer zones may be needed to characterize the rural landscape. Vegetation indices may not be interchangeable with other greenspace metrics such as land cover and impervious surface area in rural landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xun Shi
- Department of GeographyDartmouth CollegeHanoverNHUSA
| | - Diane Gilbert‐Diamond
- Department of EpidemiologyGeisel School of Medicine at DartmouthLebanonNHUSA
- Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Center at DartmouthHanoverNHUSA
| | - Camilo Khatchikian
- Department of EpidemiologyGeisel School of Medicine at DartmouthLebanonNHUSA
| | - Emily R. Baker
- Department of Obstetrics and GynecologyDartmouth Hitchcock Medical CenterLebanonNHUSA
| | | | - Margaret R. Karagas
- Department of EpidemiologyGeisel School of Medicine at DartmouthLebanonNHUSA
- Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Research Center at DartmouthHanoverNHUSA
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19
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Haahtela T, Bousquet J, Antó JM. From biodiversity to nature deficiency in human health and disease. Porto Biomed J 2024; 9:245. [PMID: 38344457 PMCID: PMC10857682 DOI: 10.1097/j.pbj.0000000000000245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2024] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Nature (biodiversity) loss is the loss or decline of the state of nature taking place in the wider environment. We present a novel concept, nature deficiency, referring to nature loss in the human body influencing health. Humans are connected with the natural environment and its microbes and biogenic chemicals through eating (drinking), breathing, and touching. The mental and sociocultural links to the environment are also strong. With medical and ecological research and guidelines, the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of nature deficiency may become part of the clinical practice. Nature prescription is likely to find plausible forms in patient care and inspire preventive actions at the society level. Health professionals are in a key position to integrate public health promotion and environmental care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tari Haahtela
- Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jean Bousquet
- Institute of Allergology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Allergology and Immunology, Berlin, Germany
- Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA), Montpellier, France
| | - Josep M. Antó
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), Barcelona, Spain
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20
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Reveles KR, Strey KA, Abdul-Mutakabbir JC, Mendoza VM, Carreno JJ. Infectious Inequity: How the Gut Microbiome and Social Determinants of Health May Contribute to Clostridioides difficile Infection Among Racial and Ethnic Minorities. Clin Infect Dis 2023; 77:S455-S462. [PMID: 38051968 PMCID: PMC10697666 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciad586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases are a leading contributor to death in the United States, and racial differences in clinical outcomes have been increasingly reported. Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is a growing public health concern, as it causes nearly half a million infections per year and considerable excess hospital costs. Concurrent with other infectious diseases, recent literature denotes racial disparities in CDI incidence rates, mortality, and associated morbidity. Of note, investigations into CDI and causative factors suggest that inequities in health-related social needs and other social determinants of health (SDoH) may cause disruption to the gut microbiome, thereby contributing to the observed deleterious outcomes in racially and ethnically minoritized individuals. Despite these discoveries, there is limited literature that provides context for the recognized racial disparities in CDI, particularly the influence of structural and systemic barriers. Here, we synthesize the available literature describing racial inequities in CDI outcomes and discuss the interrelationship of SDoH on microbiome dysregulation. Finally, we provide actionable considerations for infectious diseases professionals to aid in narrowing CDI equity gaps.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly R Reveles
- Pharmacotherapy Division, College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Pharmacotherapy Education & Research Center, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Kelsey A Strey
- Pharmacotherapy Division, College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Pharmacotherapy Education & Research Center, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Jacinda C Abdul-Mutakabbir
- Division of Clinical Pharmacy, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
- Division of the Black Diaspora and African American Studies, University of California–San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - V Mateo Mendoza
- Pharmacotherapy Division, College of Pharmacy, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas, USA
- Pharmacotherapy Education & Research Center, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Joseph J Carreno
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Albany, New York, USA
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21
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White MP, Hartig T, Martin L, Pahl S, van den Berg AE, Wells NM, Costongs C, Dzhambov AM, Elliott LR, Godfrey A, Hartl A, Konijnendijk C, Litt JS, Lovell R, Lymeus F, O'Driscoll C, Pichler C, Pouso S, Razani N, Secco L, Steininger MO, Stigsdotter UK, Uyarra M, van den Bosch M. Nature-based biopsychosocial resilience: An integrative theoretical framework for research on nature and health. Environ Int 2023; 181:108234. [PMID: 37832260 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2023.108234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 09/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Nature-based solutions including urban forests and wetlands can help communities cope better with climate change and other environmental stressors by enhancing social-ecological resilience. Natural ecosystems, settings, elements and affordances can also help individuals become more personally resilient to a variety of stressors, although the mechanisms underpinning individual-level nature-based resilience, and their relations to social-ecological resilience, are not well articulated. We propose 'nature-based biopsychosocial resilience theory' (NBRT) to address these gaps. Our framework begins by suggesting that individual-level resilience can refer to both: a) a person's set of adaptive resources; and b) the processes by which these resources are deployed. Drawing on existing nature-health perspectives, we argue that nature contact can support individuals build and maintain biological, psychological, and social (i.e. biopsychosocial) resilience-related resources. Together with nature-based social-ecological resilience, these biopsychosocial resilience resources can: i) reduce the risk of various stressors (preventive resilience); ii) enhance adaptive reactions to stressful circumstances (response resilience), and/or iii) facilitate more rapid and/or complete recovery from stress (recovery resilience). Reference to these three resilience processes supports integration across more familiar pathways involving harm reduction, capacity building, and restoration. Evidence in support of the theory, potential interventions to promote nature-based biopsychosocial resilience, and issues that require further consideration are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathew P White
- Cognitive Science HUB, University of Vienna, Austria; European Centre for Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter, UK.
| | - Terry Hartig
- Institute for Housing and Urban Research, Uppsala University, Sweden; Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | - Leanne Martin
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter, UK
| | - Sabine Pahl
- Urban and Environmental Psychology Group, University of Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Nancy M Wells
- Department of Human Centered Design, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, United States
| | | | - Angel M Dzhambov
- Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Environmental Health Division, Research Institute at Medical University of Plovdiv, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Lewis R Elliott
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter, UK
| | | | - Arnulf Hartl
- Institute of Ecomedicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | | | - Jill S Litt
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Ciber on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Rebecca Lovell
- European Centre for Environment & Human Health, University of Exeter, UK
| | - Freddie Lymeus
- Institute for Housing and Urban Research, Uppsala University, Sweden; Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Sweden
| | | | - Christina Pichler
- Institute of Ecomedicine, Paracelsus Medical University, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Sarai Pouso
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Herrera Kaia, Portualdea z/g, 20110 Pasaia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
| | - Nooshin Razani
- University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Laura Secco
- Department of Territorio e Sistemi Agro-Forestali (TESAF), University of Padua, Padua, Italy
| | | | - Ulrika K Stigsdotter
- Department of Geosciences and Natural Resource Management, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maria Uyarra
- AZTI, Marine Research, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), Herrera Kaia, Portualdea z/g, 20110 Pasaia, Gipuzkoa, Spain
| | - Matilda van den Bosch
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Ciber on Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
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22
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Rook GAW. The old friends hypothesis: evolution, immunoregulation and essential microbial inputs. Front Allergy 2023; 4:1220481. [PMID: 37772259 PMCID: PMC10524266 DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2023.1220481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In wealthy urbanised societies there have been striking increases in chronic inflammatory disorders such as allergies, autoimmunity and inflammatory bowel diseases. There has also been an increase in the prevalence of individuals with systemically raised levels of inflammatory biomarkers correlating with increased risk of metabolic, cardiovascular and psychiatric problems. These changing disease patterns indicate a broad failure of the mechanisms that should stop the immune system from attacking harmless allergens, components of self or gut contents, and that should terminate inappropriate inflammation. The Old Friends Hypothesis postulates that this broad failure of immunoregulation is due to inadequate exposures to the microorganisms that drive development of the immune system, and drive the expansion of components such as regulatory T cells (Treg) that mediate immunoregulatory mechanisms. An evolutionary approach helps us to identify the organisms on which we are in a state of evolved dependence for this function (Old Friends). The bottom line is that most of the organisms that drive the regulatory arm of the immune system come from our mothers and family and from the natural environment (including animals) and many of these organisms are symbiotic components of a healthy microbiota. Lifestyle changes that are interrupting our exposure to these organisms can now be identified, and many are closely associated with low socioeconomic status (SES) in wealthy countries. These insights will facilitate the development of education, diets and urban planning that can correct the immunoregulatory deficit, while simultaneously reducing other contributory factors such as epithelial damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham A. W. Rook
- Centre for Clinical Microbiology, Department of Infection, UCL (University College London), London, United Kingdom
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23
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Kummola L, González-Rodríguez MI, Marnila P, Nurminen N, Salomaa T, Hiihtola L, Mäkelä I, Laitinen OH, Hyöty H, Sinkkonen A, Junttila IS. Comparison of the effect of autoclaved and non-autoclaved live soil exposure on the mouse immune system : Effect of soil exposure on immune system. BMC Immunol 2023; 24:29. [PMID: 37689649 PMCID: PMC10492337 DOI: 10.1186/s12865-023-00565-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND . Lack of exposure to the natural microbial diversity of the environment has been linked to dysregulation of the immune system and numerous noncommunicable diseases, such as allergies and autoimmune disorders. Our previous studies suggest that contact with soil material, rich in naturally occurring microbes, could have a beneficial immunoregulatory impact on the immune system in mice and humans. However, differences in the immunomodulatory properties of autoclaved, sterile soil material and non-autoclaved, live soil material have not been compared earlier. RESULTS . In this study, we exposed C57BL/6 mice to autoclaved and live soil powders that had the same rich microbiota before autoclaving. We studied the effect of the soil powders on the mouse immune system by analyzing different immune cell populations, gene expression in the gut, mesenteric lymph nodes and lung, and serum cytokines. Both autoclaved and live soil exposure were associated with changes in the immune system. The exposure to autoclaved soil resulted in higher levels of Rorγt, Inos and Foxp3 expression in the colon. The exposure to live soil was associated with elevated IFN-γ concentration in the serum. In the mesenteric lymph node, exposure to live soil reduced Gata3 and Foxp3 expression, increased the percentage of CD8 + T cells and the expression of activation marker CD80 in XCR1+SIRPα- migratory conventional dendritic cell 1 subset. CONCLUSIONS . Our results indicate that exposure to the live and autoclaved soil powders is not toxic for mice. Exposure to live soil powder slightly skews the immune system towards type 1 direction which might be beneficial for inhibiting type 2-related inflammation. Further studies are warranted to quantify the impact of this exposure in experimental type 2 inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Kummola
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33014, Finland
| | | | - Pertti Marnila
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Jokioinen, Finland
| | - Noora Nurminen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33014, Finland
| | - Tanja Salomaa
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33014, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Arvo-Building, Rm F326, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, Tampere, 33520, Finland
| | - Lotta Hiihtola
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33014, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Arvo-Building, Rm F326, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, Tampere, 33520, Finland
| | - Iida Mäkelä
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Jokioinen, Finland
| | - Olli H Laitinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33014, Finland
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33014, Finland
| | - Aki Sinkkonen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Jokioinen, Finland
| | - Ilkka S Junttila
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, 33014, Finland.
- Fimlab Laboratories, Arvo-Building, Rm F326, Arvo Ylpön katu 34, Tampere, 33520, Finland.
- Northern Finland Laboratory Centre (NordLab), Oulu, 90220, Finland.
- Research Unit of Biomedicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, 90570, Finland.
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24
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Olsen NJ, Larsen SC, Køster-Rasmussen R, Rohde JF, Østergaard JN, Heitmann BL, Specht IO. Does attendance in outdoor kindergartens reduce the use of antibiotics in children? Acta Paediatr 2023; 112:1944-1953. [PMID: 37307024 DOI: 10.1111/apa.16869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
AIM The aim of this study was to determine whether children enrolled in rural outdoor kindergartens had a lower risk of redeeming at least one prescription for antibiotics compared with children enrolled in urban conventional kindergartens, and if type of antibiotics prescribed differed according to kindergarten type. METHODS Two Danish municipalities provided data including civil registration numbers from children enrolled in a rural outdoor kindergarten in 2011-2019, and a subsample of all children enrolled in urban conventional kindergartens in the same period. Civil registration numbers were linked to individual-level information on redeemed prescriptions for antibiotics from the Danish National Prescription Registry. Regression models were performed on 2132 children enrolled in outdoor kindergartens, and 2208 children enrolled in conventional kindergartens. RESULTS There was no difference between groups in risk of redeeming at least one prescription for all types of antibiotics (adjusted risk ratio: 0.97 [95% confidence intervals 0.93, 1.02, p = 0.26]). Similarly, there were no differences between kindergarten type and risk of redeeming at least one prescription for systemic, narrow-spectrum systemic antibacterial, broad-spectrum systemic antibacterial or topical antibiotics. CONCLUSION Compared with children who were enrolled in conventional kindergartens, children who were enrolled in outdoor kindergartens did not have a lower risk of redeeming prescriptions for any type of antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nanna Julie Olsen
- Research Unit for Dietary Studies, The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | - Sofus Christian Larsen
- Research Unit for Dietary Studies, The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Rasmus Køster-Rasmussen
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jeanett Friis Rohde
- Research Unit for Dietary Studies, The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark
| | | | - Berit Lilienthal Heitmann
- Research Unit for Dietary Studies, The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- The Boden Group, The Charles Perkins Centre, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Ina Olmer Specht
- Research Unit for Dietary Studies, The Parker Institute, Bispebjerg and Frederiksberg Hospital, Frederiksberg, Denmark
- The Research Unit for General Practice and Section of General Practice, Department of Public Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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25
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Zhang Y, Shen J, Cheng W, Roy B, Zhao R, Chai T, Sheng Y, Zhang Z, Chen X, Liang W, Hu W, Liao Q, Pan S, Zhuang W, Zhang Y, Chen R, Mei J, Wei H, Fang X. Microbiota-mediated shaping of mouse spleen structure and immune function characterized by scRNA-seq and Stereo-seq. J Genet Genomics 2023; 50:688-701. [PMID: 37156441 DOI: 10.1016/j.jgg.2023.04.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Gut microbes exhibit complex interactions with their hosts and shape an organism's immune system throughout its lifespan. As the largest secondary lymphoid organ, the spleen has a wide range of immunological functions. To explore the role of microbiota in regulating and shaping the spleen, we employ scRNA-seq and Stereo-seq technologies based on germ-free (GF) mice to detect differences in tissue size, anatomical structure, cell types, functions, and spatial molecular characteristics. We identify 18 cell types, 9 subtypes of T cells, and 7 subtypes of B cells. Gene differential expression analysis reveals that the absence of microorganisms results in alterations in erythropoiesis within the red pulp region and congenital immune deficiency in the white pulp region. Stereo-seq results demonstrate a clear hierarchy of immune cells in the spleen, including marginal zone (MZ) macrophages, MZ B cells, follicular B cells and T cells, distributed in a well-defined pattern from outside to inside. However, this hierarchical structure is disturbed in GF mice. Ccr7 and Cxcl13 chemokines are specifically expressed in the spatial locations of T cells and B cells, respectively. We speculate that the microbiota may mediate the structural composition or partitioning of spleen immune cells by modulating the expression levels of chemokines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yin Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China
| | - Juan Shen
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China
| | - Wei Cheng
- College of Animal Sciences and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei 430070, China
| | - Bhaskar Roy
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China
| | - Ruizhen Zhao
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China
| | - Tailiang Chai
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China
| | - Yifei Sheng
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China
| | - Zhao Zhang
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China
| | - Xueting Chen
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China
| | | | - Weining Hu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China
| | - Qijun Liao
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China
| | - Shanshan Pan
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China
| | - Wen Zhuang
- BGI-Qingdao, BGI-Shenzhen, Qingdao, Shandong 266555, China
| | - Yangrui Zhang
- BGI-Sanya, BGI-Shenzhen, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China
| | - Rouxi Chen
- BGI-Sanya, BGI-Shenzhen, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China
| | - Junpu Mei
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China; BGI-Sanya, BGI-Shenzhen, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China
| | - Hong Wei
- Precision Medicine Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510080, China.
| | - Xiaodong Fang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518083, China; BGI-Sanya, BGI-Shenzhen, Sanya, Hainan 572025, China.
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26
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Walker MB, Holton MP, Callaway TR, Lourenco JM, Fontes PLP. Differences in Microbial Community Composition between Uterine Horns Ipsilateral and Contralateral to the Corpus Luteum in Beef Cows on Day 15 of the Estrous Cycle. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2117. [PMID: 37630677 PMCID: PMC10458157 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11082117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
This study evaluated differences in uterine microbiota composition between uterine horns ipsilateral and contralateral to the corpus luteum of beef cows on day 15 of the estrous cycle. Cows (n = 23) were exposed to an estrus synchronization protocol to exogenously induce synchronized ovulation. Cows were then euthanized on day 15 of the estrous cycle, and individual swabs were collected from uterine horns ipsilateral and contralateral to the corpus luteum using aseptic techniques. DNA was extracted, and the entire (V1-V9 hypervariable regions) 16s rRNA gene was sequenced. Sequences were analyzed, and amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were determined. Across all samples, 2 bacterial domains, 24 phyla, and 265 genera were identified. Butyribirio, Cutibacterium, BD7-11, Bacteroidales BS11 gut group, Ruminococcus, Bacteroidales RF16 group, and Clostridia UCG-014 differed in relative abundances between uterine horns. Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group, Bacteroidales UCG-001, Lachnospiraceae AC2044 group, Burkholderia-Caballeronia-Paraburkholderia, Psudobutyribibrio, and an unidentified genus of the family Chitinophagaceae and dgA-11 gut group differed between cows that expressed estrus and those that did not. The composition of the microbial community differed between the ipsilateral and contralateral horns and between cows that expressed estrus and cows that failed to express estrus, indicating that the uterine microbiota might play a role in cow fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Pedro Levy Piza Fontes
- Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA; (M.B.W.); (M.P.H.); (T.R.C.); (J.M.L.)
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27
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Zhang YD, Fan SJ, Zhang Z, Li JX, Liu XX, Hu LX, Knibbs LD, Dadvand P, Jalaludin B, Browning MH, Zhao T, Heinrich J, He Z, Chen CZ, Zhou Y, Dong GH, Yang BY. Association between Residential Greenness and Human Microbiota: Evidence from Multiple Countries. Environ Health Perspect 2023; 131:87010. [PMID: 37585351 PMCID: PMC10431502 DOI: 10.1289/ehp12186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Greenness, referring to a measurement of the density of vegetated land (e.g., gardens, parks, grasslands), has been linked with many human health outcomes. However, the evidence on greenness exposure and human microbiota remains limited, inconclusive, drawn from specific regions, and based on only modest sample size. OBJECTIVES We aimed to study the association between greenness exposure and human microbial diversity and composition in a large sample across 34 countries and regions. METHODS We explored associations between residential greenness and human microbial alpha-diversity, composition, and genus abundance using data from 34 countries. Greenness exposure was assessed using the normalized difference vegetation index and the enhanced vegetation index mean values in the month before sampling. We used linear regression models to estimate the association between greenness and microbial alpha-diversity and tested the effect modification of age, sex, climate zone, and pet ownership of participants. Differences in microbial composition were tested by permutational multivariate analysis of variance based on Bray-Curtis distance and differential taxa were detected using the DESeq2 R package between two greenness exposure groups split by median values of greenness. RESULTS We found that higher greenness was significantly associated with greater richness levels in the palm and gut microbiota but decreased evenness in the gut microbiota. Pet ownership and climate zone modified some associations between greenness and alpha-diversity. Palm and gut microbial composition at the genus level also varied by greenness. Higher abundances of the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium, and lower abundances of the genera Anaerotruncus and Streptococcus, were observed in people with higher greenness levels. DISCUSSION These findings suggest that residential greenness was associated with microbial richness and composition in the human skin and gut samples, collected across different geographic contexts. Future studies may validate the observed associations and determine whether they correspond to improvements in human health. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP12186.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Dan Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shu-Jun Fan
- Department of Environmental Health, Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
- Institute of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University and Guangzhou Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zheng Zhang
- Department of Central Laboratory, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Jia-Xin Li
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Xuan Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Li-Xin Hu
- Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Luke D. Knibbs
- School of Public Health, University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Payam Dadvand
- ISGlobal, Barcelona, Spain
- Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Epidemiología y Salud Pública, Madrid, Spain
| | - Bin Jalaludin
- School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Kensington, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Matthew H.E.M. Browning
- Department of Park, Recreation, and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Tianyu Zhao
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, Hospital of the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München (LMU Munich), Munich, Germany
- Comprehensive Pneumology Center Munich, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- German Center for Lung Research, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- Institute of Epidemiology, Helmholtz Zentrum München–German Research Center for Environmental Health, Neuherberg, Germany
| | - Joachim Heinrich
- Institute and Clinic for Occupational, Social and Environmental Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Allergy and Lung Health Unit, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Zhini He
- Food Safety and Health Research Center, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cheng-Zhi Chen
- School of Public Health and Management, Research Center for Medicine and Social Development, Innovation Center for Social Risk Governance in Health, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuanzhong Zhou
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi, China
| | - Guang-Hui Dong
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Bo-Yi Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Engineering Technology Research Center of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Occupational and Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
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28
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Abstract
Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is the most common cancer of childhood. Here, we map emerging evidence suggesting that children with ALL at the time of diagnosis may have a delayed maturation of the gut microbiome compared with healthy children. This finding may be associated with early-life epidemiological factors previously identified as risk indicators for childhood ALL, including caesarean section birth, diminished breast feeding and paucity of social contacts. The consistently observed deficiency in short-chain fatty-acid-producing bacterial taxa in children with ALL has the potential to promote dysregulated immune responses and to, ultimately, increase the risk of transformation of preleukaemic clones in response to common infectious triggers. These data endorse the concept that a microbiome deficit in early life may contribute to the development of the major subtypes of childhood ALL and encourage the notion of risk-reducing microbiome-targeted intervention in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Peppas
- Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- Department of Paediatric Oncology, The Royal Marsden Hospital Sutton, Surrey, UK
| | - Anthony M Ford
- Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Caroline L Furness
- Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- Department of Paediatric Oncology, The Royal Marsden Hospital Sutton, Surrey, UK
| | - Mel F Greaves
- Centre for Evolution and Cancer, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK.
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29
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Mattoo R, Mallikarjuna S. Soil microbiome influences human health in the context of climate change. Future Microbiol 2023; 18:845-859. [PMID: 37668469 DOI: 10.2217/fmb-2023-0098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Soil microbiomes continue to evolve and shape the human microbiota according to external anthropogenic and climate change effects. Ancient microbes are being exposed as a result of glacier melting, soil erosion and poor agricultural practices. Soil microbes subtly regulate greenhouse gas emissions and undergo profound alterations due to poor soil maintenance. This review highlights how the soil microbiome influences human digestion processes, mineral and vitamin production, mental health and mood stimulation. Although much about microbial functions remains unknown, increasing evidence suggests that beneficial soil microbes are vital for enhancing human tolerance to diseases and pathogens. Further research is essential to delineate the specific role of the soil microbiome in promoting human health, especially in light of the increasing anthropogenic pressures and changing climatic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohini Mattoo
- Divecha Center for Climate Change, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560038, India
| | - Suman Mallikarjuna
- Divecha Center for Climate Change, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560038, India
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30
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Voor T, Pärtel M, Peet A, Saare L, Hyöty H, Knip M, Davison J, Zobel M, Tillmann V. Atopic sensitization in childhood depends on the type of green area around the home in infancy. Clin Exp Allergy 2023; 53:850-853. [PMID: 37038920 DOI: 10.1111/cea.14317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Tiia Voor
- Children's Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Meelis Pärtel
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Aleksandr Peet
- Children's Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Liisa Saare
- Children's Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
| | - Mikael Knip
- Pediatric Research Centre, New Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- Research Program for Clinical and Molecular Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - John Davison
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Martin Zobel
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Vallo Tillmann
- Children's Clinic of Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, Tartu, Estonia
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31
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Lou H, Liu X, Liu P. Mechanism and implications of pro-nature physical activity in antagonizing psychological stress: the key role of microbial-gut-brain axis. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1143827. [PMID: 37560094 PMCID: PMC10408457 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1143827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Appropriate physical activities and a biodiversity-rich environment are conducive to the relief of psychological stress, and pro-nature physical activities are a combination of the two, which has good application potential in antagonizing psychological stress, but the intervention mechanism is still unclear. The microbiota-gut-brain axis is cyclically associated with psychological stress, and psychological stress can affect the microbiota through the gut-brain pathway, and conversely, the microbiota can also affect the psychological stress-induced symptoms. It is suggested that the microbe-gut-brain axis may provide a new perspective and target for the treatment of psychological stress-related diseases. Pro-nature physical activity can improve the number of Firmicutes, short-chain fatty acids, Akkermansia bacteria, and the gut-brain barrier and further affect the HPA axis, BDNF, and serotonin pathways of gut-brain two-way communication, thereby maintaining the body's homeostasis and reducing antagonistic psychological stress. According to the comprehensive influence of physical activities on the microbiota-gut-brain axis, a "green + exercise prescription hypothesis" in line with the holistic medical concept is revealed, which is expected to be effective in the prevention, alleviation, and treatment of irritable bowel syndrome and neurodegenerative diseases. It provides new means for treating psychological stress-related diseases such as mental disorders and mood disorders. In addition, it enlightens the construction of green infrastructure that is conducive to the diversified contact of microorganisms in outdoor physical activities venues and induces healthy interaction between the human body and the microbial population in the natural ecology. However, the current research is still in its early stages, and the intervention effect and mechanism of pro-nature physical activities need further demonstration in the future.
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Abstract
Industrialized diets that incorporate processed foods and are often high in simple sugars and fats and low in fiber have myriad health impacts, many of which may operate via impacts on the gut microbiota. Examining how these diets affect the gut microbiota can be challenging given that lab animal models experience altered environmental contexts, and human studies include a suite of co-varying cultural and environmental factors that are likely to shape the gut microbiota alongside diet. To complement these approaches, we compare the microbiomes of wild populations of olive baboons (Papio anubis) with differential access to human trash high in processed foods, simple sugars, and fats in Rwanda's Akagera National Park. Baboons are a good model system since their microbiomes are compositionally similar to those of humans. Additionally, this population inhabits a common environment with different social groups consuming qualitatively different amounts of human trash, limiting variation in non-dietary factors. Using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing we find that baboons with unlimited access to human trash have reduced microbial alpha diversity and reduced relative abundances of fiber-degrading taxa such as Ruminococcaceae, Prevotellaceae, and Lachnospiraceae. In contrast, baboons with limited access to human trash have a microbiome more similar to that of baboons with no access to human trash. Our results suggest that while a human-influenced diet high in processed foods, simple sugars, and fats is sufficient to alter the microbiome in wild baboons, there is a minimum threshold of dietary alteration that must occur before the microbiome is substantially altered. We recommend that data from wild primate populations such as these be used to complement ongoing research on diet-microbiome-health interactions in humans and lab animal models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madelyn Moy
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Laura Diakiw
- Department of Ecology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, 82071, USA
| | - Katherine R Amato
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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Abstract
As the world's population becomes increasingly urbanized, there is growing concern about the impact of urban environments on cardiovascular health. Urban residents are exposed to a variety of adverse environmental exposures throughout their lives, including air pollution, built environment, and lack of green space, which may contribute to the development of early cardiovascular disease and related risk factors. While epidemiological studies have examined the role of a few environmental factors with early cardiovascular disease, the relationship with the broader environment remains poorly defined. In this article, we provide a brief overview of studies that have examined the impact of the environment including the built physical environment, discuss current challenges in the field, and suggest potential directions for future research. Additionally, we highlight the clinical implications of these findings and propose multilevel interventions to promote cardiovascular health among children and young adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhang
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - Robert D Brook
- Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, USA
| | - Yuanfei Li
- Department of Sociology, University at Albany, State University of New York, Albany, NY, USA
| | - Sanjay Rajagopalan
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University Hospitals Harrington Heart and Vascular Institute, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Juyong Brian Kim
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA; Stanford Cardiovascular Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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Zhou JC, Wang YF, Zhu D, Zhu YG. Deciphering the distribution of microbial communities and potential pathogens in the household dust. Sci Total Environ 2023; 872:162250. [PMID: 36804982 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
The reliance of modern society on indoor environments increasing has made them crucial sites for human exposure to microbes. Extensive research has identified ecological drivers that influence indoor microbial assemblages. However, few studies have examined the dispersion of microbes in different locations of identical indoor environments. In this study, we employed PacBio Sequel full-length amplicon sequencing to examine the distribution of microbes at distinct locations in a single home and to identify the potential pathogens and microbial functions. Microbial communities differed considerably among the indoor sampling sites (P < 0.05). In addition, bacterial diversity was influenced by human activities and contact with the external environment at different sites, whereas fungal diversity did not significantly differ among the sites. Potential pathogens, including bacteria and fungi, were significantly enriched on the door handle (P < 0.05), suggesting that door handles may be hotpots for potential pathogens in the household. A high proportion of fungal allergens (34.37 %-56.50 %), which can cause skin diseases and asthma, were observed. Co-occurrence network analysis revealed the essential ecological role of microbial interactions in the development of a healthy immune system. Overall, we revealed the differences in microbial communities at different sampling sites within a single indoor environment, highlighting the distribution of potential pathogens and ecological functions of microbes, and providing a new perspective and information for assessing indoor health from a microbiological viewpoint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia-Cheng Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; International School of Beijing, Beijing 101318, China
| | - Yi-Fei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China.
| | - Dong Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China
| | - Yong-Guan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Ningbo Urban Environment Observation and Research Station, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiamen 361021, China; Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Urban Environmental Processes and Pollution Control, CAS Haixi Industrial Technology Innovation Center in Beilun, Ningbo 315830, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; State Key Laboratory of Urban and Regional Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100085, China
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Prokop V, Gerstlberger W, Vrabcová P, Zapletal D, Sein YY. Does being stricter mean doing better? Different effects of environmental policy stringency on quality of life, green innovation, and international cooperation. Heliyon 2023; 9:e16388. [PMID: 37251847 PMCID: PMC10208883 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e16388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Nowadays, when we are facing several strict regulations, the question arises - does higher strictness lead to the desired results? This study addresses the fact that less research attention has focused on the effects of environmental policy stringency (EPS) on perceived health expressing quality of life, and on green international cooperation. In addition, previous research has provided rather mixed results on the impact of EPS on green innovation. Therefore, we fill an interesting research gap and help better understand the relationship between market-based and non-market-based EPS, perceived health, green innovations, and green international cooperation in OECD (Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development) countries. Using three complementary databases provided by OECD, Eurostat, and the World Bank and the classical linear regression model, we confirm hypotheses that strong market-based EPS and green international cooperation have positive effects on perceived health. Surprisingly, contrary to the findings of prior research, we do not confirm the positive effects of market-based and non-market-based EPS on green international cooperation. This study contributes to the literature on the Porter hypothesis, technological collaborations in green technological development, and environmental innovation theory. In addition, this study provides several practical implications for policymakers across OECD countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktor Prokop
- Science and Research Centre, Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Pardubice, Pardubice, Czech Republic
| | - Wolfgang Gerstlberger
- School of Business and Governance, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - Pavla Vrabcová
- The Faculty of Economics of the Technical University of Liberec, The Department of Economic Statistics, Czech Republic
| | - David Zapletal
- Science and Research Centre, Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Pardubice, Pardubice, Czech Republic
| | - Yee Yee Sein
- Science and Research Centre, Faculty of Economics and Administration, University of Pardubice, Pardubice, Czech Republic
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Cao Z, Xu C, Li S, Wang Y, Yang H. Residential greenspace and risk of cancer: A prospective cohort study from the UK Biobank. Sci Total Environ 2023; 871:162145. [PMID: 36773899 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Growing evidence suggests that proximity to greenspace is linked to multiple health outcomes, but its association with the risk of cancer is not fully understood. The mechanism for greenspace's influences on cancer incidence may be through reducing depressive symptoms and increasing physical activity. Our study aimed to investigate the associations between exposure to residential greenspace and the risk of common types of cancer and whether the associations were modified or mediated by depressive symptoms and physical activity. METHODS This prospective cohort study included 401,189 participants in the UK Biobank between 2006 and 2010 who were free of cancer and followed up until 2021. Residential greenspace was defined as the percentage of outdoor greenspace surrounding the residential location of each participant across 1000 m and 300 m buffers, which were estimated with land use data. Electronic health records were used to assess the incidence of 25 types of cancer. Cox proportional hazards regressions were performed to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) per an interquartile range (IQR) increase of greenspace after multiple comparisons using Bonferroni correction. RESULTS During a median follow-up of 12.4 years, a total of 43,273 incident cancer cases were documented. We found that exposure to greenspace at a 1000 m buffer was significantly associated with prostate cancer (HR = 0.93, 95 % CI: 0.89-0.96), and suggestively associated with oral cavity (HR = 0.86, 95 % CI: 0.76-0.98) and bladder cancer (HR = 1.08, 95 % CI: 1.01-1.15), but not with other cancers. Moreover, the association between greenspace and prostate cancer was mediated by physical activity, and was modified by depressive symptoms (P for heterogeneity = 0.022). Similar findings were also observed for greenspace at a 300 m buffer. CONCLUSION Our study revealed an association between exposure to greenspace and prostate cancer, but not with other cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi Cao
- School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; School of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Chenjie Xu
- School of Public Health, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shu Li
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Yaogang Wang
- School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Hongxi Yang
- School of Public Health, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China; Department of Bioinformatics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
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Lee AS, Aguilera J, Efobi JA, Jung YS, Seastedt H, Shah MM, Yang E, Konvinse K, Utz PJ, Sampath V, Nadeau KC. Climate change and public health: The effects of global warming on the risk of allergies and autoimmune diseases: The effects of global warming on the risk of allergies and autoimmune diseases. EMBO Rep 2023; 24:e56821. [PMID: 36847605 PMCID: PMC10074113 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202356821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Global climate change and extreme weather events are associated with epigenetic modifications in immune cells, leading to the possible increased risk and prevalence of allergies and autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra S Lee
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University, Stanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
| | - Juan Aguilera
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University, Stanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
| | - Jo Ann Efobi
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University, Stanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
| | - Youn Soo Jung
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University, Stanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
| | - Hana Seastedt
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University, Stanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
| | - Mihir M Shah
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University, Stanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
| | - Emily Yang
- Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and InfectionStanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
| | | | - Paul J Utz
- Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and InfectionStanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
- Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Department of MedicineStanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
| | - Vanitha Sampath
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University, Stanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
| | - Kari C Nadeau
- Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University, Stanford UniversityStanfordCAUSA
- Department of Environmental StudiesHarvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthCambridgeMAUSA
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38
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Roslund MI, Parajuli A, Hui N, Puhakka R, Grönroos M, Soininen L, Nurminen N, Oikarinen S, Cinek O, Kramná L, Schroderus AM, Laitinen OH, Kinnunen T, Hyöty H, Sinkkonen A. Skin, gut, and sand metagenomic data on placebo-controlled sandbox biodiversity intervention study. Data Brief 2023; 47:109003. [PMID: 36915639 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2023.109003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The metagenomic data presented in this article are related to the published research of "A Placebo-controlled double-blinded test of the biodiversity hypothesis of immune-mediated diseases: Environmental microbial diversity elicits changes in cytokines and increase in T regulatory cells in young children" This database contains 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) metagenomics of sandbox sand and skin and gut microbiota of children in the intervention and placebo daycares. In intervention daycares, children aged 3-5 years were exposed to playground sand enriched with microbially diverse soil. In placebo daycares, children were exposed to visually similar as in intervention daycares, but microbially poor sand colored with peat. Sand, skin and gut metagenomics were analyzed at baseline and after 14 and 28 days of intervention by high throughput sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene on the Illumina MiSeq platform. This dataset shows how skin bacterial community composition, including classes Gammaproteobacteria and Bacilli, changed, and how the relative abundance of over 30 bacterial genera shifted on the skin of children in the intervention treatment, while no shifts occurred in the placebo group.
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39
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Morales-Torres R, Carrasco-Gubernatis C, Grasso-Cladera A, Cosmelli D, Parada FJ, Palacios-García I. Psychobiotic Effects on Anxiety Are Modulated by Lifestyle Behaviors: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial on Healthy Adults. Nutrients 2023; 15:nu15071706. [PMID: 37049546 PMCID: PMC10096963 DOI: 10.3390/nu15071706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Psychobiotics are modulators of the Microbiota-Gut-Brain Axis (MGBA) with promising benefits to mental health. Lifestyle behaviors are established modulators of both mental health and the MGBA. This randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial (NCT04823533) on healthy adults (N = 135) tested 4 weeks of probiotic supplementation (Lactobacillus helveticus R0052 and Bifidobacterium longum R0175). We assessed effects on wellbeing, quality of life, emotional regulation, anxiety, mindfulness and interoceptive awareness. We then analyzed if lifestyle behaviors modulated probiotic effectiveness. Results showed no significant effects of probiotic intake in whole sample outcomes. Correlational analyses revealed Healthy Behaviors were significantly correlated with wellbeing across scales. Moreover, the linear mixed-effects model showed that the interaction between high scores in Healthy Behaviors and probiotic intake was the single significant predictor of positive effects on anxiety, emotional regulation, and mindfulness in post-treatment outcomes. These findings highlight the relevance of controlling for lifestyle behaviors in psychobiotic and mental health research.
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Haahtela T, Alenius H, Auvinen P, Fyhrquist N, von Hertzen L, Jousilahti P, Karisola P, Laatikainen T, Lehtimäki J, Paalanen L, Ruokolainen L, Saarinen K, Valovirta E, Vasankari T, Vlasoff T, Erhola M, Bousquet J, Vartiainen E, Mäkelä MJ. A short history from Karelia study to biodiversity and public health interventions. Front Allergy 2023; 4:1152927. [PMID: 36998574 PMCID: PMC10043497 DOI: 10.3389/falgy.2023.1152927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Contact with natural environments enriches the human microbiome, promotes immune balance and protects against allergies and inflammatory disorders. In Finland, the allergy & asthma epidemic became slowly visible in mid 1960s. After the World War II, Karelia was split into Finnish and Soviet Union (now Russia) territories. This led to more marked environmental and lifestyle changes in the Finnish compared with Russian Karelia. The Karelia Allergy Study 2002–2022 showed that allergic conditions were much more common on the Finnish side. The Russians had richer gene-microbe network and interaction than the Finns, which associated with better balanced immune regulatory circuits and lower allergy prevalence. In the Finnish adolescents, a biodiverse natural environment around the homes associated with lower occurrence of allergies. Overall, the plausible explanation of the allergy disparity was the prominent change in environment and lifestyle in the Finnish Karelia from 1940s to 1980s. The nationwide Finnish Allergy Programme 2008–2018 implemented the biodiversity hypothesis into practice by endorsing immune tolerance, nature contacts, and allergy health with favorable results. A regional health and environment programme, Nature Step to Health 2022–2032, has been initiated in the City of Lahti, EU Green Capital 2021. The programme integrates prevention of chronic diseases (asthma, diabetes, obesity, depression), nature loss, and climate crisis in the spirit of Planetary Health. Allergic diseases exemplify inappropriate immunological responses to natural environment. Successful management of the epidemics of allergy and other non-communicable diseases may pave the way to improve human and environmental health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tari Haahtela
- Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Correspondence: Tari Haahtela
| | - Harri Alenius
- Human Microbiome Research (HUMI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Petri Auvinen
- DNA Sequencing and GenomicsLaboratory, Institute of Biotechnology, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Nanna Fyhrquist
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Pekka Jousilahti
- Department of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Piia Karisola
- Human Microbiome Research (HUMI), Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tiina Laatikainen
- Department of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland
- Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | | | - Laura Paalanen
- Department of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Lasse Ruokolainen
- Department of Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | | | - Erkka Valovirta
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Clinical Allergology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Allergy Clinic, Terveystalo, Turku, Finland
| | - Tuula Vasankari
- Department of Pulmonary Diseases and Clinical Allergology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Finnish Lung Health Association (FILHA), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tiina Vlasoff
- North Karelia Centre for Public Health, Joensuu, Finland
| | - Marina Erhola
- Pirkanmaa Joint Authority for Health Services and Social Welfare, Tampere, Finland
| | - Jean Bousquet
- Institute of Allergology, Charité — Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Allergology and Immunology, Berlin, Germany
- University Hospital Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Erkki Vartiainen
- Department of Public Health and Welfare, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mika J. Mäkelä
- Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
- University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Grierson J, Flies EJ, Bissett A, Ammitzboll H, Jones P. Which soil microbiome? Bacteria, fungi, and protozoa communities show different relationships with urban green space type and use-intensity. Sci Total Environ 2023; 863:160468. [PMID: 36464041 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to diverse microbial communities early in life can help support healthy human immune function. Soil microbiomes in public and private urban green spaces are potentially important sources of contact with diverse microbiomes for much of the global population. However, we lack understanding of how soil microbial communities vary across and within urban green spaces, and whether these patterns vary across microbial kingdoms; closing this knowledge gap may help us optimise green spaces' capacities to provide this ecosystem service. Here we explore the diversity and community compositions of soil microbiomes across urban green space types in Tasmania, Australia. Specifically, we analysed soil bacterial, fungal, and protozoan diversity and composition across private backyards and public parks. Within parks, we conducted separate sampling for areas of high and low intensity use. We found that: (i) bacteria, fungi, and protozoa showed different patterns of variation, (ii) bacterial alpha-diversity was lowest in low-intensity use areas of parks, (iii) there was relatively little variation in the community composition across backyards, and high and low intensity-use park areas and (iv) neither human-associated bacteria, nor potential microbial community function of bacteria and fungi differed significantly across green space types. To our knowledge, this is the first urban soil microbiome analysis which analyses these three soil microbial kingdoms simultaneously across public and private green space types and within public spaces according to intensity of use. These findings demonstrate how green space type and use intensity may impact on soil microbial diversity and composition, and thus may influence our opportunity to gain healthy exposure to diverse environmental microbiomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Grierson
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7001, Australia; School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7001, Australia; Healthy Landscapes Research Group, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7001, Australia.
| | - Emily J Flies
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7001, Australia; Healthy Landscapes Research Group, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7001, Australia
| | - Andrew Bissett
- Oceans and Atmosphere, CSIRO, Hobart, TAS 7000, Australia
| | - Hans Ammitzboll
- School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7001, Australia
| | - Penelope Jones
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7001, Australia; School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7001, Australia; Healthy Landscapes Research Group, University of Tasmania, Hobart 7001, Australia
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42
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Stanhope J, Weinstein P. Exposure to environmental microbiota may modulate gut microbial ecology and the immune system. Mucosal Immunol 2023; 16:99-103. [PMID: 36906178 DOI: 10.1016/j.mucimm.2023.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Stanhope
- School of Allied Health Science and Practice, The University of Adelaide.
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43
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Andersson M(A, Vornanen-Winqvist C, Koivisto T, Varga A, Mikkola R, Kredics L, Salonen H. Composition of Culturable Microorganisms in Dusts Collected from Sport Facilities in Finland during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12020339. [PMID: 36839611 PMCID: PMC9963892 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2022] [Revised: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Sport facilities represent extreme indoor environments due to intense cleaning and disinfection. The aim of this study was to describe the composition of the cultivated microbiota in dust samples collected in sport facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. A dust sample is defined as the airborne dust sedimented on 0.02 m2 within 28 d. The results show that the microbial viable counts in samples of airborne dust (n = 9) collected from seven Finnish sport facilities during the pandemic contained a high proportion of pathogenic filamentous fungi and a low proportion of bacteria. The microbial viable counts were between 14 CFU and 189 CFU per dust sample. In seven samples from sport facilities, 20-85% of the microbial viable counts were fungi. Out of 123 fungal colonies, 47 colonies belonged to the potentially pathogenic sections of Aspergillus (Sections Fumigati, Nigri, and Flavi). Representatives of each section were identified as Aspergillus fumigatus, A. flavus, A. niger and A. tubingensis. Six colonies belonged to the genus Paecilomyces. In six samples of dust, a high proportion (50-100%) of the total fungal viable counts consisted of these potentially pathogenic fungi. A total of 70 isolates were considered less likely to be pathogenic, and were identified as Aspergillus section Nidulantes, Chaetomium cochliodes and Penicillium sp. In the rural (n = 2) and urban (n = 7) control dust samples, the microbial viable counts were >2000 CFU and between 44 CFU and 215 CFU, respectively, and consisted mainly of bacteria. The low proportion of bacteria and the high proportion of stress tolerant, potentially pathogenic fungi in the dust samples from sport facilities may reflect the influence of disinfection on microbial communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria (Aino) Andersson
- Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 12100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +358-405-508-934
| | - Camilla Vornanen-Winqvist
- Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 12100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - Tuomas Koivisto
- Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 12100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - András Varga
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Raimo Mikkola
- Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 12100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
| | - László Kredics
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science and Informatics, University of Szeged, Közép Fasor 52, H-6726 Szeged, Hungary
| | - Heidi Salonen
- Department of Civil Engineering, School of Engineering, Aalto University, P.O. Box 12100, FI-00076 Aalto, Finland
- International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health, Faculty of Science, School of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George Street, Brisbane, QLD 4000, Australia
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Asri AK, Liu T, Tsai HJ, Lee HY, Pan WC, Wu CD, Wang JY. Residential greenness and air pollution's association with nasal microbiota among asthmatic children. Environ Res 2023; 219:115095. [PMID: 36535395 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.115095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Both greenness and air pollution have widely been linked with asthma. However, the potential mechanism has rarely been investigated. This study aimed to identify the association between residential greenness and air pollution (fine particulate matter [PM2.5]; nitrogen dioxide [NO2]; ozone [O3]) with nasal microbiota among asthmatic children during the recovery phase. The normalized difference vegetation index was used to assess the extent of residential greenness. Spatiotemporal air pollution variation was estimated using an integrated hybrid kriging-LUR with the XG-Boost algorithm. These exposures were measured in 250-m intervals for four incremental buffer ranges. Nasal microbiota was collected from 47 children during the recovery phase. A generalized additive model controlled for various covariates was applied to evaluate the exposure-outcome association. The lag-time effect of greenness and air pollution related to the nasal microbiota also was examined. A significant negative association was observed between short-term exposure to air pollution and nasal bacterial diversity, as a one-unit increment in PM2.5 or O3 significantly decreased the observed species (PM2.5: -0.59, 95%CI -1.13, -0.05 and O3: -0.93, 95%CI -1.54, -0.32) and species richness (PM2.5: -0.64, 95%CI -1.25, -0.02 and O3: -0.68, 95%CI -1.43, -0.07). Considering the lag-time effect, we found a significant positive association between greenness and both the observed species and species richness. In addition, we identified a significant negative association for all pollutants with the observed species richness. These findings add to the evidence base of the links between nasal microbiota and air pollution and greenness. This study establishes a foundation for future studies of how environmental exposure plays a role in nasal microbiota, which in turn may affect the development of asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aji Kusumaning Asri
- Department of Geomatics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701, Taiwan.
| | - Tsunglin Liu
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioindustry Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701, Taiwan.
| | - Hui-Ju Tsai
- Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, 350, Taiwan.
| | - Hsiao-Yun Lee
- Department of Leisure Industry and Health Promotion, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei, 112, Taiwan.
| | - Wen-Chi Pan
- Institute of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei, 11221, Taiwan.
| | - Chih-Da Wu
- Department of Geomatics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701, Taiwan; National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Miaoli, 35053, Taiwan.
| | - Jiu-Yao Wang
- Department of Pediatrics, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, 701, Taiwan; Allergy, Immunology, and Microbiome (A.I.M.) Research Center, China Medical University, Taichung, 404, Taiwan.
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Mantegazza G, Gargari G, Duncan R, Consalez F, Taverniti V, Riso P, Guglielmetti S. Ready-To-Eat Rocket Salads as Potential Reservoir of Bacteria for the Human Microbiome. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0297022. [PMID: 36537820 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02970-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Reportedly, Western-type diets may induce the loss of key microbial taxa within the gastrointestinal microbiota, promoting the onset of noncommunicable diseases. It was hypothesized that the consumption of raw vegetables could contribute to the maintenance of the intestinal microbial community structure. In this context, we explored bacteria associated with commercial rocket salads produced through different farming practices: traditional (conventional, organic, and integrated) and vertical farming. Viable counts of mesophilic bacteria and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were performed on plate count agar (PCA) and de Man-Rogosa-Sharpe (MRS) agar at pH 5.7, whereas metataxonomics through 16S rRNA gene sequencing was used to profile total bacteria associated with rocket salads. We found that rocket salads from vertical farming had much fewer viable bacteria and had a bacterial community structure markedly different from that of rocket salads from traditional farming. Furthermore, although α- and β-diversity analyses did not differentiate rocket samples according to farming techniques, several bacterial taxa distinguished organic and integrated from conventional farming salads, suggesting that farming practices could affect the taxonomic composition of rocket bacterial communities. LAB were isolated from only traditional farming samples and belonged to different species, which were variably distributed among samples and could be partly associated with farming practices. Finally, the INFOGEST protocol for in vitro simulation of gastrointestinal digestion revealed that several taxonomically different rocket-associated bacteria (particularly LAB) could survive gastrointestinal transit. This study suggests that commercial ready-to-eat rocket salads harbor live bacteria that possess the ability to survive gastrointestinal transit, potentially contributing to the taxonomic structure of the human gut microbiota. IMPORTANCE Western-type diets are composed of foods with a reduced amount of naturally occurring microorganisms. It was hypothesized that a microbe-depleted diet can favor the alteration of the human intestinal microbial ecosystem, therefore contributing to the onset of chronic metabolic and immune diseases currently recognized as the most significant causes of death in the developed world. Here, we studied the microorganisms that are associated with commercial ready-to-eat rocket salads produced through different farming practices. We showed that rocket salad (a widely consumed vegetal food frequently eaten raw) may be a source of lactic acid bacteria and other microbes that can survive gastrointestinal transit, potentially increasing the biodiversity of the intestinal microbiota. This deduction may be valid for virtually all vegetal foods that are consumed raw.
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Stanhope J, Maric F, Rothmore P, Weinstein P. Physiotherapy and ecosystem services: improving the health of our patients, the population, and the environment. Physiother Theory Pract 2023; 39:227-240. [PMID: 34904927 DOI: 10.1080/09593985.2021.2015814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The relevance of ecosystems to physiotherapy has traditionally been overlooked, despite its potential for health impacts relevant to conditions often managed by physiotherapists. PURPOSE The purpose of this article is to introduce the concept of ecosystem services to physiotherapists, and to discuss how understanding ecosystem services may improve patient care, and population and planetary health. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION Physiotherapists with an understanding of ecosystem services may improve patient care by value-adding to management through patient education, empathy, advocacy, and broader population health approaches. Physiotherapists are also well placed to promote the conservation and restoration of ecosystem through participation, advocacy, and the development of public health measures, to the benefit of global sustainability and population health. Further research is required into how physiotherapists currently use nature-based interventions, and the barriers and enablers to their use. To be adequately prepared to meet the challenges that climate change and environmental degradation pose to patient care, population health and health systems, both current and future physiotherapists need to take a broader view of their practice. By including consideration of the potential role of the environment and green space exposure in particular on their patient's health, physiotherapists can ultimately contribute more to population and planetary health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Stanhope
- School of Allied Health Science and Practice, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Filip Maric
- Department of Health and Care Sciences, UiT the Arctic University of Norway (Tromsø), Tromsø, Norway
| | - Paul Rothmore
- School of Allied Health Science and Practice, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Philip Weinstein
- School of Public Health, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
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Larsen OFA. Nurturing by nutrition: On the future of gut microbiota management strategies for autoimmune disease. Front Nutr 2023; 9:1107016. [PMID: 36712507 PMCID: PMC9877340 DOI: 10.3389/fnut.2022.1107016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The incidence of autoimmune disease continues to rise, which urges for new prevention and treatment modalities. The composition of the gut microbiota is associated with both susceptibility and progression of disease. Nutrition significantly shapes the gut microbial composition, and poses as such a modality for both prevention and treatment/adjuvant therapy. At very young age, nutritional intervention targeting the gut microbiota is still possible within a one-size-fits all regime, accompanied by a relatively high effect size. As ageing results in higher interindividual variation induced by cumulative exposome factors, a more personalized approach is needed, having a higher effect size than that of current nutritional intervention. As such, supplementation of microbial consortia consisting of keystone taxa and microbial guilds that are involved in the pathophysiology seem a promising direction to lower the burden of autoimmune disease.
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Mhuireach GÁ, Fahimipour AK, Vandegrift R, Muscarella ME, Hickey R, Bateman AC, Van Den Wymelenberg KG, Bohannan BJM. Temporary establishment of bacteria from indoor plant leaves and soil on human skin. Environ Microbiome 2022; 17:61. [PMID: 36572917 PMCID: PMC9793532 DOI: 10.1186/s40793-022-00457-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Plants are found in a large percentage of indoor environments, yet the potential for bacteria associated with indoor plant leaves and soil to colonize human skin remains unclear. We report results of experiments in a controlled climate chamber to characterize bacterial communities inhabiting the substrates and leaves of five indoor plant species, and quantify microbial transfer dynamics and residence times on human skin following simulated touch contact events. Controlled bacterial propagule transfer events with soil and leaf donors were applied to the arms of human occupants and repeatedly measured over a 24-h period using 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. RESULTS Substrate samples had greater biomass and alpha diversity compared to leaves and baseline skin bacterial communities, as well as dissimilar taxonomic compositions. Despite these differences in donor community diversity and biomass, we observed repeatable patterns in the dynamics of transfer events. Recipient human skin bacterial communities increased in alpha diversity and became more similar to donor communities, an effect which, for soil contact only, persisted for at least 24 h. Washing with soap and water effectively returned communities to their pre-perturbed state, although some abundant soil taxa resisted removal through washing. CONCLUSIONS This study represents an initial characterization of bacterial relationships between humans and indoor plants, which represent a potentially valuable element of biodiversity in the built environment. Although environmental microbiota are unlikely to permanently colonize skin following a single contact event, repeated or continuous exposures to indoor biodiversity may be increasingly relevant for the functioning and diversity of the human microbiome as urbanization continues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwynne Á Mhuireach
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA.
| | - Ashkaan K Fahimipour
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Roo Vandegrift
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
- United States Department of Agriculture, APHIS, PPQ, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Mario E Muscarella
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Roxana Hickey
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Ashley C Bateman
- Biology and the Built Environment Center, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, USA
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Wicaksono WA, Buko A, Kusstatscher P, Cernava T, Sinkkonen A, Laitinen OH, Virtanen SM, Hyöty H, Berg G. Impact of Cultivation and Origin on the Fruit Microbiome of Apples and Blueberries and Implications for the Exposome. Microb Ecol 2022:10.1007/s00248-022-02157-8. [PMID: 36542126 DOI: 10.1007/s00248-022-02157-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Vegetables and fruits are a crucial part of the planetary health diet, directly affecting human health and the gut microbiome. The objective of our study was to understand the variability of the fruit (apple and blueberry) microbiome in the frame of the exposome concept. The study covered two fruit-bearing woody species, apple and blueberry, two countries of origin (Austria and Finland), and two fruit production methods (naturally grown and horticultural). Microbial abundance, diversity, and community structures were significantly different for apples and blueberries and strongly influenced by the growing system (naturally grown or horticultural) and country of origin (Austria or Finland). Our results indicated that bacterial communities are more responsive towards these factors than fungal communities. We found that fruits grown in the wild and within home gardens generally carry a higher microbial diversity, while commercial horticulture homogenized the microbiome independent of the country of origin. This can be explained by horticultural management, including pesticide use and post-harvest treatments. Specific taxonomic indicators were identified for each group, i.e., for horticultural apples: Pseudomonas, Ralstonia, and Stenotrophomonas. Interestingly, Ralstonia was also found to be enriched in horticultural blueberries in comparison to such that were home and wildly grown. Our study showed that the origin of fruits can strongly influence the diversity and composition of their microbiome, which means that we are exposed to different microorganisms by eating fruits from different origins. Thus, the fruit microbiome needs to be considered an important but relatively unexplored external exposomic factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wisnu Adi Wicaksono
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria.
| | - Aisa Buko
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Peter Kusstatscher
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Tomislav Cernava
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Aki Sinkkonen
- Natural Resources Institute Finland Luke, Turku, Finland
| | - Olli H Laitinen
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Suvi M Virtanen
- Health and Well-Being Promotion Unit, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- Faculty of Social Sciences, Unit of Health Sciences, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Research, Development and Innovation Center, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
- Center for Child Health Research, Tampere University and Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Heikki Hyöty
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere, Finland
| | - Gabriele Berg
- Institute of Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria.
- Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), Potsdam, Germany.
- Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany.
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50
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Li P, Ma X, Liu D, Wei Y, Li P, Hou H, Yao J, Chen A, Liang Y, Zhou Z, Wang P. A microbiome abundant environment remodels the intestinal microbiota and improves resistance to obesity induced by chlorpyrifos in mice. Environ Pollut 2022; 315:120415. [PMID: 36257564 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
There is a growing consensus that the appropriate microbiome abundant environment actuates microbiota changes to influence human health. Whether living environment reacts on the threat of contaminants and the underlying mechanism remain largely unknown. Therefore, we constructed microbiome abundant environment models, focusing on their regulatory effects on the obesity induced by the exogenous chemical chlorpyrifos (CPF) and the related mechanisms. The results uncovered that the constructed farm and woodland microbiome abundant environment could protect mice against CPF-induced obesity effectively. The microbiome abundant environment regulated CPF-induced microbiota imbalance, characterized by an increase in Lactobacillus abundance. These altered microbiotas modified the intestinal immune system by increasing the expression of Foxp3 and IL-10, and mitigated intestinal barrier injury by upregulating the expression of IL-22 and intestinal tight junction proteins. Fecal microbiota transplantation could receive similar phenotypes on alleviating CPF-induced obesity development. Our results demonstrate that the microbiome abundant environment attenuates exogenous chemical-induced health risks by remodeling the intestinal microbiota, improving the intestinal ecosystem, and preventing intestinal epithelial leakage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peize Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Science, China Agricultural University, No. 2, West Yuanmingyuan Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xiaoran Ma
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Science, China Agricultural University, No. 2, West Yuanmingyuan Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Donghui Liu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Science, China Agricultural University, No. 2, West Yuanmingyuan Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yimu Wei
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Science, China Agricultural University, No. 2, West Yuanmingyuan Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Pengxi Li
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Science, China Agricultural University, No. 2, West Yuanmingyuan Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Haonan Hou
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Science, China Agricultural University, No. 2, West Yuanmingyuan Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Jianing Yao
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Science, China Agricultural University, No. 2, West Yuanmingyuan Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Aisong Chen
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Science, China Agricultural University, No. 2, West Yuanmingyuan Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Yiran Liang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Science, China Agricultural University, No. 2, West Yuanmingyuan Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Zhiqiang Zhou
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Science, China Agricultural University, No. 2, West Yuanmingyuan Road, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, College of Science, China Agricultural University, No. 2, West Yuanmingyuan Road, Beijing, 100193, China.
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