Here are some questions/prompts to help you with your FIRST RESPONSE. You can incorporate more than one in your response or use it as a platform from which to extend your post. You are not limited to these questions:
-Comment on the ubiquity of m/o. Were you surprised at how prevalent m/o are in our environment, in/on our bodies? Was this a new concept for you or were already aware of it?
-Comment on your understanding of beneficial m/o before/after reading these articles, using specific examples
– Which article did you find most interesting/why?
-Is it important to identify/characterize the m/o in our homes, on our bodies? Why/ why not?
-Will this knowledge of biodiversity in your environment affect your daily life? How? Are there any habits that you will change?
-Why should architects and engineers have an understanding of the biodiversity of m/o? How might they have an effect on human health?
-The author (Michael Pollen) of “Some of my best friends are germs” considers himself to be a superorganism. Do you? Did you before these articles? What was your attitude about the m/o on/in your body? Before/after?
-One of the scientists in the article inoculated his newborn’s skin with vaginal secretions. Would you have thought about the benefits of this prior to the article? Would you ever request this “procedure” after having read the article (if you are ever in this situation)?
-Comment on microbial diversity in the gut (in general; Western gut vs. less industrialized populations)
-Will this article have an effect on your own diet?
-There are so many interesting things to study as a microbial ecologist. If you were one, what would you be most interested in researching?
-Comment on the possible correlation between microbes and stress levels, temperaments
-Comment on labeling m/o as “good” or “bad” (H. pylori)
-How do antibiotics and antimicrobials affect our microbiota? Were you exposed to a lot of antibiotics during your youth? What are your thoughts concerning the research finding antibiotics in meat, milk, surface water? Where is this coming from? What can you do to prevent this?
-What is your attitude regarding Antimicrobials/Disinfectants? Do you use antimicrobial soap? Will you continue to use it?
-Comment on the association between mass-produced, highly processed foods and your gut microbiota
-Do you regularly take pre/probiotics? Will you now? Why/why not?
-Comments on fecal therapy? They have a pill form now. If you were faced with intestinal issues, would you ever consider this as a treatment?
-Did you previously think about “managing” your microbiome? Will you now? What might you do/change?
-What would a meal that is beneficial to your lower GI tract look like?
-How could bacteria in our guts potentially affect our mood?
-Could it be possible that exposure to antibiotics early in life could affect one’s mood/temperament as an adult?
-Comment on the possible relationship between intestinal m/o and obesity risk.
– What was opinion of the hygiene experiment article? Would you ever consider using living m/o vs. soaps/body wash?
-How has our society’s attitude towards m/o changed from their discovery to now? (what types of m/o were initially being studied? Has this changed at all?)
-Comment on Whitlock’s study (AOBiome- hygiene experiment). How did he initially test his “clean dirt” theory? Opinion?
-Will this article change the way you care for your skin microbiome? Did you think about your skin microbiome prior to reading this?
-“The skin microbiome is the wild frontier”Fischbach. If given the opportunity, what would you research regarding skin microbiota?
-How could knowledge of skin microbiota correlate with wound healing, inflammatory skin disorder and other infectious diseases?
-What is your opinion of the FDA regulations/recommendations regarding antimicrobial soap?
-Opinions/Comments on the Triclosan article