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Antarctic camps pose psychophysiological challenges related to isolated, confined, and extreme (ICE) conditions, including meals composed of sealed food. ICE conditions can influence the microbiome and inflammatory responses. Seven expeditioners took part in a 7-week Antarctic summer camp (Nelson Island) and were evaluated at Pre-Camp (i.e., at the beginning of the ship travel), Camp-Initial (i.e., 4th and 5th day in camp), Camp-Middle (i.e., 19th–20th, and 33rd–34th days), Camp-Final (i.e., 45th–46th day), and at the Post-Camp (on the ship). At the Pre-Camp, Camp-Initial, and Camp-Final, we assessed microbiome and inflammatory markers. Catecholamines were accessed Pre- and Post-Camp. Heart rate variability (HRV), leptin, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and thyroxine (T4) were accessed at all time points. Students’ t-tests or repeated-measures analysis of variance (one or two-way ANOVA) followed by Student-Newman-Keuls (post hoc) were used for parametric analysis. Kruskal-Wallis test was applied for non-parametric analysis. Microbiome analysis showed a predominance of Pseudomonadota (34.01%), Bacillota (29.82%), and Bacteroidota (18.54%), followed by Actinomycetota (5.85%), and Fusobacteria (5.74%). Staying in a long-term Antarctic camp resulted in microbiome fluctuations with a reduction in Pseudomonadota—a “microbial signature” of disease. However, the pro-inflammatory marker leptin and IL-8 tended to increase, and the angiogenic factor VEGF was reduced during camp. These results suggest that distinct Antarctic natural environments and behavioral factors modulate oral microbiome and inflammation. Full article

Camping tourism is one of the fastest growing segments of the tourism industry. Global trends in camping show that this type of recreational activity has begun to emerge in Asia. Meeting the expectations of potential and current tourists in a camping destination will lead to the accomplishment of competitive advantage. The endurance involvement and place attachment play important roles in understanding camping behaviors. However, limited research identified place attachment as a moderator of the influence of endurance involvement on camping travel behavior. To fill this gap, based on place attachment theory, our study developed a conceptual model that postulates endurance involvement and place attachment as predictors of camping tourism. 216 self-administered questionnaires were retuned. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to test the psychometric properties of the measures, while regression analysis was employed to assess the research hypotheses. The study results show that endurance involvement in camping affects camping travel behavior, whereas camping place dependence, camping place identity, and camping affective attachment moderate the effect of camping endurance involvement on camping travel behavior. Camping place attachment strengthens the relationship between camping endurance involvement and camping travel behavior. To maintain the sustainable development of camping tourism, campsite authorities should attach more importance to strengthening campers’ emotional bonds and concentrate on how to encourage them to participate in tourism activities. The findings have several theoretical and managerial implications for camping tourism marketing and the development of campground. Full article