Open research Europe最新文献

{"title":"A Fast-Track Training Program for Living Lab Methodologies: program components, acceptability, and participant perceptions.","authors":"Kim Helsen, Vicky Van der Auwera, Femke Drijkoningen, Despoina Petsani, Teemu Santonen, Panagiotis Bamidis, Evdokimos Konstantinidis, Nele A J De Witte","doi":"10.12688/openreseurope.21200.3","DOIUrl":"10.12688/openreseurope.21200.3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Living Labs have proven to be valuable environments for fostering innovation through user-centred approaches. However, many researchers and companies still face challenges in implementing these methodologies sustainably. Addressing these challenges requires not only structural solutions within Living Labs, but also the cultivation of expertise among researchers and practitioners. It is crucial to educate researchers and innovators in practices aligned with user-centred research, Living Lab practices and co-design, emphasizing societal relevance and Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) within the research community.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This paper presents and evaluates a novel training program developed within the VITALISE project, aimed at onboarding external researchers and familiarizing them with Living Lab Research Infrastructures through transnational visits and collaborations. Results The program features a modular design covering key topics such as Living Lab methodology, harmonisation of research practices, and participant recruitment and panel management. A total of 49 participants completed an evaluation questionnaire, with results indicating high satisfaction and perceived usefulness across all training modules. Post-training, most participants reported feeling confident in applying Living Lab methodologies after the training. Notably, individual differences in interest across training blocks highlighted the need for flexible, tailored programs that accommodate varying levels of prior knowledge and specific research needs.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>This study suggests that targeted, adaptable training initiatives are acceptable. Self-reported feedback suggests that it could help to enable researchers to integrate Living Lab methodologies into their work. However, further formal evaluation of learning gains is needed. Continued development of structured, scalable, and context-sensitive training programs, supported by international collaborations and standardized approaches, will be essential for fostering sustainable and impactful Living Lab research across disciplines and borders.</p>","PeriodicalId":74359,"journal":{"name":"Open research Europe","volume":"5 ","pages":"343"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13129519/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147824152","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"ERGA-BGE reference genome of the Mediterranean monk seal ( <i>Monachus monachus</i>), an IUCN Vulnerable species.","authors":"Tereza Manousaki, Panagiotis Dendrinos, Katerina Vasileiadou, Xenia Sarropoulou, Costas S Tsigenopoulos, Thanos Dailianis, Eleni Tounta, Nikitas Vogiatzis, Anastasia Komnenou, Astrid Böhne, Rita Monteiro, Rosa Fernández, Nuria Escudero, Ignas Bunikis, Christian Tellgren-Roth, Mai-Britt Mosbech, Guilherme B Dias, Olga Vinnere Pettersson, Chiara Bortoluzzi","doi":"10.12688/openreseurope.23936.1","DOIUrl":"10.12688/openreseurope.23936.1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The Mediterranean monk seal, <i>Monachus monachus</i>, is the only pinniped that lives in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the rarest marine mammals in the world. The species was recently classified as \"vulnerable\" by the IUCN, considering an improvement in its overall status. However, the species' populations have undergone severe bottlenecks due to systematic persecution by humans over the past centuries. Today, the global population of <i>M. monachus</i> is estimated to be no more than 1,000 individuals. The Mediterranean monk seal is mainly using marine caves as resting and pupping sites. It is an opportunistic apex predator and as a result its role is considered important for maintaining the structure and function of marine ecosystems. Nowadays, the species is threatened mainly by the destruction of its habitat (due to coastal development, mass tourism, and pollution) and by the depletion of its prey due to overfishing. The Mediterranean monk seal is an emblematic species; its ecological importance and its vulnerable status render its protection and effective management necessary. The entirety of the genome sequence of a female specimen was assembled into 16 contiguous chromosomal pseudomolecules, one sex chromosome (X), and one mitochondrial genome. This chromosome-level assembly encompasses 2.4 Gb, composed of 316 contigs and 275 scaffolds, with contig and scaffold N50 values of 90.9 Mb and 157 Mb, respectively.</p>","PeriodicalId":74359,"journal":{"name":"Open research Europe","volume":"6 ","pages":"195"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13560844/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148957566","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Futures of Digital Democracy: Four Scenarios.","authors":"Christian Fuchs, Joel Museba, Kevin Friesch","doi":"10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2","DOIUrl":"10.12688/openreseurope.22910.2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper investigates the potential impacts of digitalisation on society and democratic governance through the construction of four realist science fiction scenarios. The study aims to delineate desirable and undesirable digital futures to inform policy discourse and strategic planning. It begins with the outlining of the research basis and methodology, where it employs a methodological synthesis of the Scenario Development Technique from the UN Strategic Foresight Guide and STEEP Analysis. This approach integrates a macro environmental assessment of socio-cultural, technological, economic, environmental, and political dimensions to identify key drivers of change and differences. These are then mapped onto a two-by-two matrix defined by two primary axes. This combination enabled the development of four scenarios examining the impact of digital technologies across these dimensions. The scenarios diverge along two axes. The vertical axis represents the mode of societal organisation and political power (authoritarianism versus democracy). The horizontal axis represents the mode of governance and citizen engagement (representation versus participation). By contrasting these divergent paths, this paper provides a critical framework for analysing how digital technologies intersect with political will and socioeconomic structures.</p>","PeriodicalId":74359,"journal":{"name":"Open research Europe","volume":"6 ","pages":"49"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13087570/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147725025","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"ERGA-BGE reference genome of <i>Gambusia holbrooki</i>, a globally invasive freshwater fish.","authors":"Bonnie Fraser, Clelia Gasparini, Francesco Santi, Astrid Böhne, Rita Monteiro, Thomas Marcussen, Rebekah A Oomen, Torsten H Struck, Amy Denton, Caroline Howard, Kerstin Howe, Mark Blaxter, Shane McCarthy, Jonathan M D Wood, Fergal Martin, Swati Sinha, Leanne Haggerty, Chiara Bortoluzzi","doi":"10.12688/openreseurope.22693.2","DOIUrl":"10.12688/openreseurope.22693.2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The <i>Gambusia holbrooki</i> (eastern mosquitofish) reference genome will offer a crucial resource for understanding the evolution and adaptation of invasive freshwater fish species. The genome of <i>G. holbrooki</i> was assembled into two haplotypes through a phased assembly approach; however, only the primary haplotype was designated as the reference genome for annotation and downstream analyses. The entirety of the genome sequence was assembled into 24 contiguous chromosomal pseudomolecules and 1 mitochondrial genome. This chromosome-level assembly encompasses 0.67 Gb, composed of 421 contigs and 318 scaffolds, with contig and scaffold N50 values of 15.9 Mb and 29.6 Mb, respectively.</p>","PeriodicalId":74359,"journal":{"name":"Open research Europe","volume":"6 ","pages":"48"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13291747/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148334961","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Operationalising ethics in the EHDS: Tools, principles, and governance mechanisms.","authors":"Kristina Weishäupl, Beatriz Jacinto Barros, Lisa Ferent, Anne Sofie Skødt Jørgensen, Alexander Leander Knudsen","doi":"10.12688/openreseurope.23447.1","DOIUrl":"10.12688/openreseurope.23447.1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The European Health Data Space (EHDS) offers significant opportunities for the secondary use of health data to support research, innovation, and public health across Europe. However, it introduces complex ethical governance challenges. While the EHDS Regulation requires data access applications to address ethical considerations, it does not establish a uniform EU-level ethics review pathway, leaving oversight largely to national law and institutional competence. This variability risks fragmentation, procedural inconsistency, and barriers to cross-border data access. This article presents recommendations for operationalising ethical governance under the EHDS, informed by an EU-wide, multi-stakeholder workshop conducted under the TEHDAS2 Joint Action. Insights were analysed thematically in relation to the EHDS user journey and relevant governance frameworks, yielding recommendations across three interconnected areas: First, harmonisation with national flexibility calls for shared minimum ethical standards and a voluntary common ethics reference framework to support consistent assessments without constraining national autonomy. Standardised documentation and mutual recognition agreements can further reduce duplication while facilitating cross-border secondary use. Second, building public trust, security, and transparency require making ethical governance visible and intelligible through accessible summaries of approved data uses, clear communication on data security safeguards, and inclusive citizen engagement. Healthcare professionals are identified as key trusted intermediaries whose informed involvement can reinforce confidence in the system. Third, building capacity and expertise for ethical assessment emphasises the need for interdisciplinary skills spanning bioethics, artificial intelligence ethics, data protection, and health informatics within Health Data Access Bodies and ethics committees. EU-supported knowledge exchange, mentorship schemes, and shared digital platforms can help mitigate disparities across Member States. Together, these recommendations offer a practical roadmap for policymakers, Health Data Access Bodies, and stakeholders to establish ethical governance that is coherent, transparent, and oriented toward the collective public good as the EHDS becomes operational.</p>","PeriodicalId":74359,"journal":{"name":"Open research Europe","volume":"6 ","pages":"191"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13560822/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148956972","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Divergent risk patterns across coastal hospitality sectors in the Northern Adriatic.","authors":"Vilane G Sales","doi":"10.12688/openreseurope.23489.1","DOIUrl":"10.12688/openreseurope.23489.1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Coastal hospitality, encompassing both accommodation (hotels, holiday rentals, short-term rental platforms) and service establishments (restaurants, bars, tourism-oriented retail and leisure), along the Northern Adriatic coast exhibits fundamentally different spatial risk patterns across sectors. This study demonstrates this divergence by developing a dual-component Hospitality Risk Index (HRI) applied to 10,022 establishments across 400 km of coastline in Veneto and Emilia-Romagna, combined with fuzzy clustering and H3 hexagonal spatial indexing. The HRI integrates hazard projections (sea-level rise under IPCC scenarios), exposure metrics (elevation, coastal proximity, spatial density), and vulnerability indicators (structural characteristics, economic positioning). Accommodation risk differentiates by hazard geography: converted residential properties concentrated in the Venice lagoon system (HRI = 0.422) score substantially higher than purpose-built coastal hotels (HRI = 0.231), a pattern driven by differential hazard exposure that survives removal of the vulnerability component. Service risk follows a simpler spatial logic, with beachfront establishments showing highest scores (HRI = 0.440) regardless of economic positioning. These sectoral differences manifest as geographically concentrated hotspots, with service risk exhibiting two- to four-fold stronger spatial clustering than accommodation risk. External validation against two coastal flood events (Venice 2019, Emilia-Romagna 2022) confirms that flood-proximate establishments score significantly higher (p < 0.001), with the difference driven by the exposure component. The framework provides a spatial baseline for monitoring vulnerability configurations over time and offers a transferable open-source methodology for comparable Mediterranean coastal destinations.</p>","PeriodicalId":74359,"journal":{"name":"Open research Europe","volume":"6 ","pages":"190"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13550893/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148921981","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Design and optimization of a Free-Space Optical (FSO) communication system for reliable outdoor connectivity in hospital departments in Malta.","authors":"Ajay Sharma, Lalit Garg, Peter A Xuereb, Ahmad Atieh","doi":"10.12688/openreseurope.21257.4","DOIUrl":"10.12688/openreseurope.21257.4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Modern healthcare facilities face the challenge of ensuring secure, high-speed, and interference-free communication across hospital campuses. In Maltese hospitals, electromagnetic interference (EMI) from RF systems and the high cost of fibre deployment are major limitations. Free-Space Optical (FSO) communication offers a promising solution by providing gigabit-per-second transmission without EMI-related disruptions.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This study proposes the design and parametric performance evaluation of a 1550 nm FSO communication system using OptiSystem 21 and MATLAB R2024b. The design incorporates Malta's Mediterranean climate, dominated by haze with rare fog, into atmospheric attenuation models. System parameters, including attenuation coefficients, Q-factor, bit error rate (BER), and link availability, were evaluated under different weather conditions.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The system maintains reliable performance when rain attenuation is below 3.5 dB/km, achieving a Q-factor above 6 and error-free transmission in clear air with BER < 10 ^-12 and a Q-factor of 13. The link operates within the explored simulation parameter space up to 2 km and sustains receiver sensitivity (-35 dBm) up to 5 km at 17 dBm transmit power. Simulations demonstrate high availability (>99%) under clear, hazy, and rainy conditions, while fog-occurring less than two days per year in Malta-reduces availability but does not impact the overall system feasibility. These availability estimates are modeled atmospheric predictions of a simulation.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The developed standalone FSO system shows simulation viability of EMI-immune hospital connectivity in Maltese typical atmospheric models. Although the findings show high availability and great link margins, experimental validation and long-term performance evaluation would be needed to implement it in practice. The framework gives a hospital-based analytical foundation for the assessment of high-speed optical connections in the conditions of regional climate.</p>","PeriodicalId":74359,"journal":{"name":"Open research Europe","volume":"5 ","pages":"311"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13146486/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147847095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"ERGA-BGE genome of <i>Dailognatha quadricollis,</i> an East Mediterranean darkling beetle.","authors":"Giannis Bolanakis, Danae Karakasi, Eleftherios Bitzilekis, Manos Stratakis, Apostolos Trichas, Petros Lymberakis, Nikos Poulakakis, Astrid Böhne, Rita Monteiro, Rosa Fernández, Nuria Escudero, Alice Moussy, Corinne Cruaud, Karine Labadie, Lola Demirdjian, Emilie Téodori, Patrick Wincker, Pedro H Oliveira, Jean-Marc Aury, Chiara Bortoluzzi","doi":"10.12688/openreseurope.20840.2","DOIUrl":"10.12688/openreseurope.20840.2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Dailognatha quadricollis</i> (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) is a darkling beetle native to the Balkans and Eastern Mediterranean, with a range extending from Croatia to Lebanon. It is a morphologically diverse species, comprising numerous subspecies, particularly concentrated in the Aegean region. The reference genome of <i>Dailognatha quadricollis</i> will enable phylogenetic, population and evolutionary research. The entirety of the genome sequence was assembled into 11 contiguous chromosomal pseudomolecules and the X sex chromosome. This chromosome-level assembly encompasses 0.52 Gb, composed of 393 contigs and 322 scaffolds, with contig and scaffold N50 values of 4.3 Mb and 23.6 Mb, respectively.</p>","PeriodicalId":74359,"journal":{"name":"Open research Europe","volume":"5 ","pages":"225"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13247569/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148221151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"EUPopLink Country Report - Italy.","authors":"Marta Lorimer","doi":"10.12688/openreseurope.23499.2","DOIUrl":"10.12688/openreseurope.23499.2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Italy has often been described as a 'laboratory of populism', however, its Eurosceptic turn is more recent. This country report, prepared as part of the EUPopLink COST Action, traces the relationship between populism and Euroscepticism in the Italian party system. It introduces the main populist and Eurosceptic actors in Italy, and considers the nexus between populism and Euroscepticism in the Italian context. It also considers mainstream responses to the rise of populist euroscepticism.</p>","PeriodicalId":74359,"journal":{"name":"Open research Europe","volume":"6 ","pages":"131"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13168876/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147944000","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A tool to maximize air quality co-benefits while planning local climate actions: application to the Covenant of Mayors initiative.","authors":"Fabio Monforti-Ferrario, Luana Valentini, Joana Bastos, Marta Giulia Baldi, Enrico Pisoni","doi":"10.12688/openreseurope.22919.1","DOIUrl":"10.12688/openreseurope.22919.1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This article presents a novel tool to quantify potential air quality co-benefits of local climate action and an analysis applying it to a large sample of cities across European and neighbouring countries. The tool estimates the effects of local actions tackling greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with two sectors, namely residential buildings and transport, on air quality. It estimates emission changes associated with GHG mitigation actions described in city climate action plans (CAPs) for five key air pollutants, namely fine particulate matter (PM _2.5), nitrogen oxides (NOx), sulphur dioxide (SO ₂), ammonia (NH ₃) and volatile organic compounds (VOC). The analysis applies the tool to evaluate potential impacts of local climate action for 494 cities on ambient air pollutant emissions, based on 531 CAPs submitted to the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy (CoM) initiative. The results demonstrate that GHG mitigation actions are often synergic with air pollution control strategies, offering significant air quality co-benefits. The magnitude and type of benefits depend on the sector and pollutant considered. Nevertheless, some actions may pose risks for air quality. There are risks of increasing, for example, ammonia emissions through a transport fuel switch and, more significantly, fine particulate matter emissions if solid biomass for heating in the residential sector is promoted. Therefore, context-specific data and case-by-case tailored analyses are needed to support the adequate integration of GHG mitigation and air quality policies at city level, avoiding potential trade-offs and maximizing synergies.</p>","PeriodicalId":74359,"journal":{"name":"Open research Europe","volume":"6 ","pages":"180"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13562957/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148957520","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}