Broader Environment Research Articles

A Critical Review of Risk Assessment Models for Listeria monocytogenes in Dairy Products.

A review of the published quantitative risk assessment (QRA) models of L. monocytogenes in dairy products was undertaken in order to identify and appraise the relative effectiveness of control measures and intervention strategies implemented at primary production, processing, retail, and consumer practices. A systematic literature search retrieved 18 QRA models, most of them (9) investigated raw and pasteurized milk cheeses, with the majority covering long supply chains (4 farm-to-table and 3 processing-to-table scopes). On-farm contamination sources, either from shedding animals or from the broad environment, have been demonstrated by different QRA models to impact the risk of listeriosis, in particular for raw milk cheeses. Through scenarios and sensitivity analysis, QRA models demonstrated the importance of the modeled growth rate and lag phase duration and showed that the risk contribution of consumers' practices is greater than in retail conditions. Storage temperature was proven to be more determinant of the final risk than storage time. Despite the pathogen's known ability to reside in damp spots or niches, re-contamination and/or cross-contamination were modeled in only two QRA studies. Future QRA models in dairy products should entail the full farm-to-table scope, should represent cross-contamination and the use of novel technologies, and should estimate L. monocytogenes growth more accurately by means of better-informed kinetic parameters and realistic time-temperature trajectories.

How is counterfactual thinking integrated in organizational risk and resilience practices?

Managing risk from natural hazards and other types of critical risks is fundamental to the viability, sustainability, and resilience of organizations of all types and sizes. It is, crucially, an important part of demonstrating their purpose and commitment to society and the broader environment, which incorporates what they do to help tackle climate change. Counterfactual thought is the process of reimagining the past, for example, for a particular event that has occurred, as being different than what actually transpired. In this study, we investigate how this process and mindset of counterfactual thinking can have specific value in helping people in organizations to have a more robust way of analyzing and managing risk. The role and potential impact of counterfactual-based practices on risk mitigation and management, and an increased focus on purposeful resilience in a business context, has not previously been widely studied. We have conducted 10 semi-structured interviews with people in senior positions in various organizations, global contexts, scales, covering a range of industries and sectors including construction and property, engineering, mining, nonprofit, and consulting. Through these interviews we identify: (1) existing challenges of current risk management systems; (2) types of risks of concern in the organizations interviewed; (3) the current and potential use of counterfactual practices in these organizations; and (4) the perceived value of counterfactual practices within the business setting for risk mitigation and resilience. We share best practices that emerged from the study, especially the role of leadership, diversity, and inclusion as a necessary foundation for successful implementation of counterfactual risk practices. The findings from this project can be used to inform businesses interested in adopting emerging downward counterfactual risk and resilience practices to improve their preparedness to manage critical and evolving risks.

The Role of Agile Values in Enhancing Good Governance in Public Administration during the COVID-19 Crisis: An International Survey

This study aimed to analyse the impact of digitalisation on good governance with respect to selected local public administrations during the COVID-19 lockdown in the spring of 2020. The overriding assumption made is that agile values mediate the relationship between digitalisation and good governance on this level of public administration. Data were obtained through a web-based survey conducted between June and August 2020. The empirical analysis was facilitated by applying partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) on a sample of 761 public managers from five Central European countries (Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Romania, Slovenia). The results show that digitalisation acted as an essential driver of good governance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Three out of four agile values—“employees and internal relationships”, “working public services”, and “change management”—were also shown to help make digitalisation more effective and thereby facilitate good governance. Despite some limitations (e.g., respondents’ subjective evaluations, the study only being performed during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in the observed countries with different situations and consequent measures in response, and differences in the broader environment and local administration systems in the studied countries), the findings of the study are important given the lack of similar empirical studies. Public administrations should be digitalised and reformed in a way that ensures that they effectively and efficiently design, implement, measure, and continuously improve their strategies, tactics, and services, which can all be accomplished by being agile. The paper offers insights into: (1) the lessons learnt about the nature of digitalised public services/processes and agile management approaches in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and their impact on good governance; and (2) proposals for policymakers and managers in public administrations with regard to operating in extreme VUCA circumstances in any next wave of COVID-19 pandemic or in a new pandemic/public health disaster.

Exploring Developmental Pathways: An In-depth Analysis of Bronfenbrenner's Bioecological Model

This research paper provides a comprehensive analysis of Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model of developmental processes, aiming to unravel the complex pathways that shape human development. The study explores the theoretical foundations, practical implications, and limitations of the model through a critical examination of relevant literature and empirical research. The paper begins with an introduction highlighting the significance of studying developmental processes and provides an overview of Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model. It emphasizes the model's holistic and contextual approach, emphasizing the dynamic interaction between individuals and their ecological systems. The theoretical foundations of the model are explored in detail, focusing on the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem, macrosystem, and chronosystem. Each system is analyzed to understand its role in shaping development and its influence on individuals' interactions with their immediate and broader environments. The methodology section outlines the research approach and methods used to gather and synthesize relevant literature and empirical evidence. The subsequent sections examine each ecological system in-depth, starting with the microsystem. Case studies and empirical evidence are presented to illustrate the microsystem's influences, particularly in the context of family, peers, and school. The mesosystem is then explored, focusing on the interconnections and interactions between microsystems. The analysis examines how these interrelationships impact development and highlights the significance of studying the mesosystem in understanding individuals' experiences and outcomes. Moving to the exosystem, the paper delves into the external influences on development, including societal and institutional factors. The examination of these influences sheds light on how broader systems affect individuals' developmental trajectories. The macrosystem section emphasizes the cultural and societal influences on development. It discusses the role of cultural norms, values, and ideologies and considers the historical and socio-economic context in shaping individuals' experiences and opportunities. The chronosystem section explores the temporal dimension of development, analyzing the effects of historical events and life transitions. Longitudinal studies and research on developmental trajectories are incorporated to understand how individuals' experiences evolve over time. Critiques and limitations of the bioecological model are then discussed, acknowledging debates and criticisms surrounding the model. The analysis also identifies limitations and suggests areas for further research, such as longitudinal studies and intersectionality within the model. Practical implications and applications of the bioecological model are examined, highlighting how it informs interventions and policies. The paper discusses its applicability in various cultural and social contexts and presents case studies and practical examples of implementing the model in practice. The conclusion summarizes the key findings and insights from the analysis, emphasizing the significance and relevance of studying developmental processes through the bioecological model. Suggestions for future research and implications for practice are provided, encouraging continued exploration and application of the model. Overall, this research paper offers a comprehensive analysis of Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model, shedding light on the intricate developmental pathways that individuals navigate. By unraveling the interplay between individuals and their ecological systems, this analysis contributes to our understanding of human development and informs research, practice, and policy initiatives aimed at promoting positive developmental outcomes.

Food policy impacts on greenhouse gas emissions from food system activities in Ireland 1990-2018

Abstract Food systems encompass interconnected actors and activities that bring food from farm to fork and the broader environments (economic, societal and natural) they are embedded in. Food systems operate at high cost to human and environmental health. 20-30% of total human-created greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally are attributable to food system activities. The agri-food sector plays a vital role in the Irish economy. In 2021 agri-food exports valued €18.7 billion and provided 7.1% of jobs in Ireland. Economic growth in the sector has come at the expense of the environment. In 2018 Ireland had the highest GHG emissions from food systems per capita in the EU. This paper presents an overview of GHG emissions from Irish food system activities 1990-2018. Data from the Emissions Database for Global Atmospheric Research were used to examine changes in food system emissions (Mt C02-equivalent(eq)) over time (1990-2018). Shares of total emissions by system stage (land use, production, processing, packaging, retail, transport, consumption and food waste) were also analysed. Food and agriculture policy developments were mapped to changes in emissions over time. After a decline from 2000 to 2011, food system emissions in Ireland are trending upwards. Total food system emissions in Ireland in 2018 measured 34Mt (C02-eq), accounting for 52% of all Irish emissions. 84% of food system emissions arose from production. Packaging and transport of food represented 3.7% each and consumption amounted to 0.84%. Increasing sustainability in the food system requires an understanding of where and how emissions arise across the whole system. Research on Irish food-related emissions has focused on agriculture and land use but little is published on activities later in the system. Estimating GHG contribution across the Irish food system this analysis provides important information for targeted policy development for mitigating food system impacts on climate change and health. Key messages • By estimating GHG contribution across the Irish food system this analysis provides important information for targeted policy development for mitigating food system impacts on climate change. • Increasing sustainability in the food system requires an understanding of where and how emissions arise across the whole system.

Identifying the communication of burnout syndrome on the Twitter platform from the individual, organizational, and environmental perspective

Addressing the escalating prevalence of burnout syndrome, which affects individuals across various professions and domains, is becoming increasingly imperative due to its profound impact on personal and professional aspects of employees’ lives. This paper explores the intersection of burnout syndrome and human resource management, recognizing employees as the primary assets of organizations. It emphasizes the growing importance of nurturing employee well-being, care, and work-life balance from a human resource management standpoint. Employing social media analysis, this study delves into Twitter-based discourse on burnout syndrome, categorizing communication into three distinct dimensions: individual, organizational, and environmental. This innovative approach provides fresh insights into interpreting burnout syndrome discourse through big data analysis within social network analysis. The methodology deployed in this study was predicated upon the enhanced Social Media Analysis based on Hashtag Research framework and frequency, topic and visual analysis were conducted. The investigation encompasses Twitter communication from January 1st, 2019, to July 31st, 2022, comprising a dataset of 190,770 tweets. Notably, the study identifies the most frequently used hashtags related to burnout syndrome, with #stress and #mentalhealth leading the discussion, followed closely by #selfcare, #wellbeing, and #healthcare. Moreover, a comprehensive analysis unveils seven predominant topics within the discourse on burnout syndrome: organization, healthcare, communication, stress and therapy, time, symptoms, and leadership. This study underscores the evolving landscape of burnout syndrome communication and its multifaceted implications for individuals, organizations, and the broader environment, shedding light on the pressing need for proactive interventions. In organizations at all levels of management, the concept of burnout should be included in the value philosophy of organizations and should focus on organizational aspects, working hours and work-life balance for a healthier working environment and well-being of employees at all levels of management.

Seismic Identification and Hydrocarbon Accumulation Characteristics of Submarine Fan in offshore Suriname

In recent years, oil and gas fields have been continuously discovered in the Suriname-Guyana Basin of South Atlantic, the reservoir of which is submarine turbidite sandstone and become one of the hot exploration objectives in the world. Based on the interpretation and analysis of 2D seismic and well data, this paper presents the integrated geological and geophysical evaluation of the Suriname-Guyana basin within Suriname and describes the identification characteristics and hydrocarbon accumulation process of submarine fan in offshore Suriname. The tectonic evolution of this region can be divided into four stages, breakup of Pangea, intracontinental rift, regional uplift and drifting over the South Atlantic. The Upper Cretaceous marks the transition of a transgressive to a regressive system with increasing sediment input from the south west, creating a broad delta plain environment across the shallow offshore area. It has been confirmed that multi-stage submarine fans have developed from Upper Cretaceous to Neogene in offshore Suriname, with overlapping characteristics of multiple erosive surfaces. It is suggested that erosive surface forming local unconformity is the important identification mark of submarine fan. Among them, the Paleogene and Upper Cretaceous submarine fans are the most widely distributed and have the most obvious characteristics on seismic profiles. The bottom of the Paleogene and Upper Cretaceous fans are identified by the erosive surfaces. The fan root has obvious characteristics of cutting valley, forming inter-bedded with the deep-sea facies toward the outer fan, along with litho-logic granularity thinning and scope expansion. The distal parts of the submarine fan are surrounded by abyssal shale, which can form a good source, reservoir and cap configuration. Therefore, turbidite fan sandstone with good source rock and cap configuration is the favorable reservoir.

Slicing who slices: Anonymization quality evaluation on deployment, privacy, and utility in mix-zones

In the flowering of ubiquitous computing, technologies like the Internet of Things and the Internet of Vehicles have contributed to connecting objects and sharing location services in broad environments like smart cities bringing many benefits to citizens. However, these services yield massive and unrestricted mobility data of citizens that pose privacy concerns, among them recovering the identity of people with linking attacks. Although several privacy mechanisms have been proposed to solve anonymization problems, there are few studies about their behavior and analysis of the data quality anonymized by these techniques. This paper presents an anonymization quality framework for mix-zones enabling characterizing and evaluating the impacts of anonymization over time and space in mobility data. We conducted experiments with a cab mobility dataset and two positioning algorithms to explore one of the potentialities of the anonymization quality: elect mix-zones that do not consider the traffic but its operating requirements too. The results showed that the anonymization quality enabled the selection of mix-zones that yield data anonymization considering the quality, privacy, and utility analysis. This study is unique because it analyzes mix-zone coverage and quality metrics to observe the anonymization quality not found in the literature.

Reduced Sensitivity to Background Reward Underlies Apathy After Traumatic Brain Injury: Insights From an Ecological Foraging Framework.

Altered reward processing is increasingly recognised as a crucial mechanism underpinning apathy in many brain disorders. However despite its clinical relevance, little is known about the mechanisms of apathy following moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). In real-life situations, reward representations encompass both foreground (gains from current activity) and background (potential gains from the broader environment) elements. This latter variable provides a crucial set-point for switching behaviour in many naturalistic settings. We hypothesised apathy post-TBI would be associated with disrupted background reward sensitivity. We administered a computer-based foraging task to 45 people with moderate-to-severe TBI (20 with apathy, 39 males) and 37 matched controls. Participants decided when to leave locations (patches) where foreground reward rates depleted at differing rates, to pursue greater rewards from other patches in the environment, which had either a high or low background reward rate. Primary analysis was performed using linear mixed effects models, with patch leaving time the dependent variable. Findings showed a significant interaction between apathy and background reward sensitivity, driven by apathetic TBI participants not altering patch-leaving decisions as environmental reward rate changed. In contrast, although TBI was associated with reduced sensitivity to changing foreground rewards, this did not vary as a function of apathy. These results provide the first evidence directly linking disrupted background reward processing to apathy in any brain disorder. They identify a novel mechanism for apathy following moderate-to-severe TBI, and point towards novel interventions to improve this debilitating complication of head injury.

Mapping Arabic human rights discourse: a thematic review

ABSTRACT The Arab world faces serious challenges in the protection of human rights. Merely criticising government policies towards human rights has long meant risking one’s freedom, if not life. Yet despite the myriad threats, there is a long and powerful history of efforts to address human rights from multiple perspectives that has largely been ignored outside the region (and even by many human rights scholars and practitioners within it), in good measure because most of it occurs in Arabic, which most international human rights scholars do not read. This paper critically reviews Arab human rights publications written in Arabic as a first attempt towards elucidating the diversity and depth of human rights literature in the Arab world for the broader field of human rights studies. Bringing this knowledge to the international human rights community is crucial to helping develop a human rights discourse in and for the Arab world that can positively impact research, advocacy and governance despite the broad environment of authoritarian retrenchment across the region. In so doing, our research offers new knowledge for developing human rights studies in trajectories that can have more direct impact on human rights struggles on the ground globally.

Cellulose-Based Hydrogel Capsules to Address Soil Erosion Following Wildfire

While natural forest fires promote regrowth and restoration within an ecosystem, a major cause for concern in Canada is deforestation due to an increased prevalence of wildfires brought about by industry practices and climate change. This has become even more evident recently with the wildfires burning in remote areas of British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, and Quebec, creating smoke-related air pollution observed in many communities throughout Canada and the United States. Entwistle, Alberta, specifically, experienced severe wildfire during late April to early May of this year (2023), leading to numerous resident evacuations while firefighters worked to contain the blaze. Our proposed grassroots initiative involves the use of biodegradable cellulose-based hydrogels to promote water retention and soil health in the fire-ravaged forested areas of Entwistle, Alberta. Cellulose is the most abundant renewable biopolymer and is utilized for the synthesis of bio-based hydrogel. It is a green and sustainable material, giving it a biocompatible advantage over petroleum-based and synthetic hydrogels that possess toxic effects. It is derived from plant material and is fully biodegradable. Soil becomes dehydrated as a result of wildfire, with decreased water content and microbe presence leading to soil erosion and deeply impacting regeneration of forests. This has negative impacts on the broader environment, as well as on humans and non-human animals. The use of hydrogels to restore and maintain soil moisture levels, pH, and microbial environments is a novel approach to better maintain forest health from a One Health perspective.

Isolation and characterization of two lytic phages against multidrug-resistant Salmonella and their application as a cocktail for biocontrol in foods

Currently, multidrug-resistant Salmonella contamination prevention and control are facing with enormous difficulties and challenges in food contamination management. In this study, two lytic Salmonella phages (SWJM-01 and SWJM-02), belonged to Kuttervirus and Felixounavirus family, respectively, were isolated and characterized. The dsDNA genome sequence of SWJM-01 was 155,472 bp with 44.91% GC content, encoding 206 open reading frames (ORFs), while SWJM-02 was 84,679 bp with 38.98% GC content, encoding 147 ORFs. The latent periods of SWJM-01 and SWJM-02 were both 20 min. Their burst sizes were about 52 and 108 FPU/infected cell, respectively. SWJM-01 and SWJM-02 can lytic19.1% and 95.2% of Salmonella (total 42 strains), respectively, revealing that SWJM-02 is bacteriophage with wide spectrum. In addition, they both maintained relatively high activities in broad environment conditions of pH (4–12) and temperature (30–60 °C). Furthermore, the OD600 values after treatment with SWJM-01, SWJM-02 and their cocktail declined to 1.037, 0.762 and 0.341, respectively, as well as the bacterial counts in lettuce and milk significantly reduced after treatment with phages and their cocktail at 4 °C for 3 d. All results suggested that these two phages can be used as antibacterial agents to control Salmonella contamination in foods, especially phage cocktail.

The octopus that shrank: A historical analysis of how multinationals address policy and contractual uncertainty in a global value chain

AbstractResearch SummaryWe analyze how the evolution of the broad institutional environment influences the vertical integration strategy of a multinational corporation (MNC) leading a global value chain (GVC). We develop a history‐to‐theory study based on the evolution of the banana GVC between 1899 and 1991. We argue that when a MNC's bargaining power vis‐à‐vis the host government is strong, it will choose a governance structure that addresses contractual uncertainty. When the MNC's bargaining power declines because of changes in the institutional environment, it will prioritize a governance structure that protects its assets. We analyze the evolution of MNC's bargaining power as a result of the interaction of three levels of the institutional environment: global, home country, and host country.Managerial SummaryOur study examines vertical integration decisions in a global value chain (GVC) throughout its historical evolution. Using historical sources, we show that when MNC managers perceive their bargaining power to be sufficient to protect them from hostile government actions in host countries, their main concern is that of governing their activities as efficiently as possible by amongst others vertically integrating asset‐specific transactions. When their bargaining power declines, MNCs become more concerned with shielding their assets and rents from expropriations by host‐country governments, thus retreating from vertical integration. We illustrate that the bargaining power of MNCs changes as events at the global, home, and host country levels unfold. For example, MNCs' bargaining power declines in periods featuring economic nationalism, such as the 1960s–1970s.

Synthesis of hierarchical porous carbon sphere via crosslinking of tannic acid with Zn2+ for efficient adsorption of methylene blue

Hierarchical porous carbon spheres (HPCS) were synthetized utilizing tannic acid as biomass source and Zn2+ as cross-linking agent. Metal Zn2+ prove to be pivotal in the preparation of materials, which can promote the formation of spherical structure and make materials have both micropores and mesopores. The adsorbent has regular spherical shape, specific surface areas of>1000 m2/g, the maximum adsorption capacity (qmax) of methylene blue is 697 mg/g. It has stable adsorption performance in a broad pH environment (3–11), and the methylene blue removal remains at 91.9% after five cycles. The hierarchical porous structure is beneficial to the immobilization process of methylene blue, and hydrogen bonding, π-π interaction and electrostatic attraction are the main forces for the immobilization of methylene blue. This research offers a promising way for the exploration of biomass-based materials for efficacious dye removal.

Swedish School of Library and Information Science 50 years! A multi-colour bibliometric portrait

Introduction. The aim of the article is to convey an overall picture of the research conducted at Swedish School of Library and Information Science (SSLIS). Method. The documents for the analyses were found in the DiVA – a national publication registry of Swedish universities and in the international citation database Web of Science. The authors have searched DiVA for publications indexed under the Department and performed a manual review of authors’ names. Searches were made for authors’ names directly in Web of Science. Analysis. A portrait of research production was created using descriptive statistics and more sophisticated analysis was used for 240 publications found in the Web of Science. Results. The results present the production and cooperation patterns of SSLIS researchers, the subjects covered by them, the relations between researchers, journals and research contents. Conclusion. Overall, SSLIS appears as a broad and dynamic environment where research follows firmly established tracks and simultaneously explores current phenomena and practices.

How can collaboration deliver? A structurational approach to understanding collaboration process and effectiveness

AbstractThis study examines how a collaboration's internal and external factors interact over time and how the interactions affect the collaboration's process and effectiveness. Using a process‐oriented case study, we examine how a voluntary collaboration that had made marginal gains over several years demonstrated significant progress during the COVID‐19 pandemic and civil unrest following the murder of George Floyd on May 25, 2020. Drawing on strong structuration theory, we explore the collaboration's internal efforts, changes in the broader environment, and the interplay between them. Our findings reveal that collaboration's internal efforts and external environment enable and constrain each other, which shapes the collaboration's process and effectiveness. Based on these findings, we contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the collaboration process and effectiveness by (1) using a strong structurational approach to demonstrate processual mechanics of connecting processes and structures in collaboration, and (2) highlighting the emergent nature of collaboration and the importance of learning and adaptability for an effective and sustainable collaboration.

Book review: The philosophy of person‐centred healthcare, By DerekMitchell, MichaelLoughlin, Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 2023. 201 pp. £64.99. ISBN (10): 1‐5275‐9058‐5, ISBN (13): 978‐1‐5275‐9058‐8

Book review: The philosophy of person‐centred healthcare, By DerekMitchell, MichaelLoughlin, Cambridge: Cambridge Scholars Publishing. 2023. 201 pp. £64.99. ISBN (10): 1‐5275‐9058‐5, ISBN (13): 978‐1‐5275‐9058‐8

Exploring early career researchers' perspectives of training and funding opportunities: Motivations and setbacks when applying for the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Research's fellowships and research funding.

Despite the availability of training and funding opportunities with the UK's National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), early career researchers (ECRs) invariably experience concern in sustaining an academic career in health research given the uncertainties of success following rejection from peer-reviewed funding bodies. The objective of this study was to consider what motivates ECRs when applying for funding to NIHR programmes and how they overcome funding setbacks. Eleven ECRs took part in a one-to-one virtual in-depth interview; the sample included more women (n=8) than men (n=3) and participants included pre-doctoral researchers (n=5), and both doctoral (n=2) and post-doctoral (n=4) ECRs. The interviews were analysed using the logic of a systems theory framework identifying factors impacting on ECRs occurring within an individual, within their social system and within their broader environment. The central themes that emerged from the data focussed on: (1) facilitators for ECRs to apply for NIHR funding; (2) exploring ECRs' setbacks and disappointments; (3) improving chances of funding; and (4) deciding to apply with a view to re-applying in future. The participants' responses provided an honest and frank reflection of the uncertainties and challenges as ECRs in the current climate. Further strategies to support ECRs could be facilitated through local NIHR infrastructure, mentorship, better access to local support networks and hard-wiring research into an organisation's strategic priorities.

Holding open spaces to explore beyond: Toward a different conceptualization of specialization in high-performance sport.

This conceptual analysis aims to challenge the state of high-performance sport by questioning the concept of specialization. To start, we offer a brief, but critical overview of what specialization currently entails. Then, shifting the paradigm, we suggest an expansion rather than a reduction of developmental possibilities once an athlete reaches the "top". Specifically, rather than athletes conforming to national standards imposed by governing bodies about what it means to be "elite", we suggest sport systems consider a person-environment fit approach to support ongoing development. Drawing on an ecological dynamics rationale and various socio-cultural theories, we explore how concepts such as affordances and perspectives can be harnessed to create a better "fit" between athletes' action capabilities and the opportunities within their broader environment. Our conception of specialization requires moving away from a definition of success based on the accumulation of medals, toward one that accounts for the exploration and achievement of the possible. We argue that a person-environment fit welcomes diversity, so long as it sustains the person's health, wellbeing, and performance. This, it is suggested, is about collectively holding open spaces for each other to explore beyond the constraints of high-performance sport, encouraging all to carry on their lives in directions meaningfully impactful for them. We conclude this conceptual analysis with a brief case example demonstrating what our theorizing could look like in practice.

Colonization of Honey Bee Digestive Tracts by Environmental Yeast Lachancea thermotolerans Is Naturally Occurring, Temperature Dependent, and Impacts the Microbiome of Newly Emerged Bees.

Honey bees are critical pollinators in both agricultural and ecological settings. Recent declines in honey bee colonies in the United States have put increased strain on agricultural pollination. Although there are many environmental stressors implicated in honey bee disease, there has been intensifying focus on the role of microbial attacks on honey bee health. Despite the long-standing appreciation for the association of fungi of various groups with honey bees and their broader environment, the effects of these interactions on honey bee health are incompletely understood. Here, we report the discovery of colonization of the honey bee digestive tract by the environmental yeast Lachancea thermotolerans. Experimental colonization of honey bee digestive tracts by L. thermotolerans revealed that this yeast species maintains high levels in the honey bee midgut only at temperatures below the typical colony temperature. In newly eclosed bees, L. thermotolerans colonization alters the microbiome, suggesting that environmental yeasts can impact its composition. Future studies should be undertaken to better understand the role of L. thermotolerans and other environmental yeasts in honey bee health. IMPORTANCE Although many fungal species are found in association with honey bees and their broader environment, the effects of these interactions on honey bee health are largely unknown. Here, we report the discovery that a yeast commonly found in the environment can be found at high levels in honey bee digestive tracts. Experimentally feeding this yeast to honey bees showed that the yeast's ability to maintain high levels in the digestive tract is influenced by temperature and can lead to alterations of the microbiome in young bees. These studies provide a foundation for future studies to better understand the role of environmental yeasts in honey bee health.