Latest Articles

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  Section: Animal Science ; Topics: Agricultural sciences, Health sciences

  Comparative risk-assessment of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 viruses spread in French broiler and layer sectors

  Hautefeuille, Claire;   Muñoz, Facundo;   Dauphin, Gwenaëlle;   Paul, Mathilde;   Peyre, Marisa;   Goutard, Flavie  

  10.24072/pcjournal.734 - Peer Community Journal, Volume 6 (2026), article no. e59

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  Since 2015, French poultry production is threatened almost every year by a reintroduction of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 viruses. The duck sector was the most concerned by this crisis but other sectors such as broiler, layer and turkey were also affected by outbreaks. The objective of this work was to assess the risk of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5 virus transmission from one farm to another within the French broiler and layer production network. This study used the WOAH risk assessment framework. After drawing up a scenario tree of virus transmission from one farm to another, data were collected through a literature review or through experts’ elicitation. Three questionnaires were developed according to the experts’ field of expertise: avian influenza, broiler and layer sectors. The experts’ estimates were combined using a beta distribution weighted by their confidence level. A Monte Carlo iteration process was used to combine the different probabilities of the scenario tree and to assess the transmission risk. In the broiler sector, the highest transmission probabilities were observed if the exposed farm was an indoor broiler farm and the source a broiler farm (indoor or free-range). The high transmission probability between broiler farms integrated within the same association suggests that integration is an important risk factor. Person movement, transport of feed and manure management were the pathways with the highest transmission probabilities between two integrated indoor broiler farms with good biosecurity levels. In the layer sector, the highest transmission probabilities were observed if the source farm was a free-range farm and the exposed farm a production farm (indoor or free-range). The pathways with the highest transmission probabilities were egg transport and person movement. The sensitivity analysis showed that the exposed farm's biosecurity had a significant impact on the transmission probability. Our results provide an insight on the role of each type of farms in the virus spread within the French broiler and layer production sectors and will be useful for the implementation of control measures such as movement restriction or vaccination.

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  Section: Mathematical & Computational Biology ; Topics: Biophysics and computational biology, Population biology, Health sciences

  Optimizing telework in an epidemic context: contrasting the infectious and non-communicable diseases perspectives

  Moutet, Léo;   Leclerc, Quentin J.;   Layan, Maylis;   Aït Bouziad, Karim;   Dab, William; Henriot, Paul;   Hodbert, Elise;   Louati, Narimène; Maurin, Aurélie;   Thonon, Frédérique;   Znaty, Sylvie; Ben Halima, Mohamed Ali;   Jean, Kévin;   Temime, Laura  

  10.24072/pcjournal.741 - Peer Community Journal, Volume 6 (2026), article no. e58

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  Objectives: In a global context of increasing telework, this study explores its health effects, to determine if there is an optimal teleworking frequency during an epidemic. We aim to quantify the relationship between teleworking frequency and both infectious disease (ID) transmission and non-communicable disease (NCD) risk. Methods: We developed a mathematical model simulating ID transmission and NCD acquisition in a medium-sized company, analysing how different teleworking levels impact workers health. We conducted a rapid literature review to identify potential exposure-response relationships between teleworking and NCD risk and inform this model. We then simulated infection dynamics over a three-month epidemic wave to contrast ID and NCD risks in relation to the extent of telework engagement. Results: Evidence from the literature showed varying patterns of NCD risk across different teleworking frequencies. Depending on these relationships, we observed that risk may peak at low, intermediate, or high teleworking levels. We demonstrated the existence of a benefit-risk balance between reducing ID transmission and potentially increasing NCD burden. Conclusions:. Based on current scientific knowledge, no single optimal teleworking frequency can be identified, as the optimum varies depending on the NCD outcome considered. Our study highlights the need for stronger evidence to estimate robust exposure-response functions linking teleworking frequency and NCDs, and ultimately to inform prevention strategies for both infectious and NCD risks in an epidemic context.

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  Section: Genomics ; Topics: Genetics/genomics, Evolution

  Comparing DNA extraction methods for successful PacBio HiFi sequencing: a case study of the freshwater mussel Anodonta anatina (Bivalvia: Unionidae)

  Giulio, Marco R.;   Lergster, Urs; Feulner, Philine G. D.;   Weber, Alexandra A.-T.  

  10.24072/pcjournal.733 - Peer Community Journal, Volume 6 (2026), article no. e57

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  High-quality reference genomes are increasingly recognized as essential resources in biodiversity genomics and conservation. However, successful DNA extraction and long-read sequencing remain highly organism-dependent. Molluscs, a diverse phylum of invertebrates, pose particular challenges due to the presence of inhibitory compounds and the difficulty of obtaining high-molecular-weight DNA, often necessitating careful optimization of extraction protocols. Here, we present a case study on the freshwater mussel Anodonta anatina (Bivalvia: Unionidae), evaluating two preservation methods, six DNA extraction protocols, and two post-extraction clean-up steps for their effects on DNA quality and PacBio HiFi sequencing yield from foot tissue of a single individual. The PacBio Nanobind and CTAB protocols produced high-quality DNA from fresh tissue but performed poorly on flash-frozen tissue. Post-extraction clean-up generally degraded DNA and did not improve sequencing yield. Unexpectedly, the column-based Omega Mollusc Kit, although not designed for high-molecular-weight DNA, performed better than the PacBio-recommended Nanobind kit and the manual CTAB method on flash-frozen tissue. It generated high DNA quantity and purity, sufficient integrity for HiFi sequencing, and appeared to remove contaminants effectively. While the resulting DNA may be too fragmented for ultra-long read sequencing, the Omega Mollusc Kit offers a practical, cost-effective first approach for testing DNA extraction and PacBio sequencing in flash-frozen A. anatina foot tissue. When fresh tissue is available, Nanobind or CTAB were the best-performing options in our comparison. Overall, our results provide a practical starting point for protocol selection, while acknowledging that validation across other mollusc species, tissue types, and preservation methods remains important. This strategy could reduce the need for extensive protocol optimization and facilitate future mollusc genomics efforts.

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  Section: Archaeology ; Topics: Archaeology, Anthropology, Computer sciences ; Conference: CAA2025

  Experimental interpretation of ancient games through playtesting

  Tsilogiannis, Angelos; Konstantakis, Markos;   Vosinakis, Spyros  

  10.24072/pcjournal.738 - Peer Community Journal, Volume 6 (2026), article no. e56

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  Reconstructing the rules of ancient games remains one of archaeology’s most intricate interpretive challenges. While surviving boards and pieces provide tangible evidence, the logic of play, rules, roles, and goals have largely vanished. Traditional reconstructions rely on text and comparisons to better known games, yet these methods seldom capture the experiential and social dimensions of ancient gameplay. This paper presents an experimental framework designed to explore how such systems might emerge through play itself. Using Ludus Latrunculorum (“The Game of Little Soldiers”) as a case study, participants engaged in iterative, co-creative sessions where they invented, refined, and transmitted rules across successive lineages of play. The resulting games revealed recurring mechanics that closely parallel known reconstructions of Ludus Latrunculorum. While the outcomes do not claim historical accuracy, they demonstrate how collective experimentation can illuminate the cognitive and social processes underlying the development of structured games in antiquity. The study thus proposes experimental play as a complementary archaeological tool for examining how rulesets evolve, stabilize, and reflect the societies that produce them.