Open research Europe最新文献

The Eunicella cavolini reference genome provides an important resource to study the adaptation of this species to different environments and anthropic pressures. This species is impacted by human activities, including climate change, and this reference genome will be useful to study the genomic evolution of this species. The entirety of the genome sequence was assembled into 17 contiguous chromosomal pseudomolecules. This chromosome-level assembly encompasses 0.49 Gb, composed of 159 contigs and 46 scaffolds, with contig and scaffold N50 values of 7.7 Mb and 51.1 Mb, respectively.

Background: The European sustainability competence framework (GreenComp) lacks clearly defined learning outcomes, hindering its effective implementation and assessment. This paper addresses this critical gap by developing measurable learning outcomes within the OpenPass4Climate project.

Methods: A structured approach involving co-design workshops with 48 stakeholders across four countries, expert validation by a 12-member panel using a modified Delphi method, and comprehensive coverage analysis was employed. This iterative process led to the development of 40 learning outcomes aligned with GreenComp's four competence areas. These outcomes were formulated to be observable, measurable, and assessable.

Results: The process successfully yielded 40 learning outcomes, providing concrete, actionable targets that operationalize GreenComp's theoretical framework into practical educational tools. This developed framework facilitates the recognition of sustainability competencies through Open Badges and supports the integration of sustainability education across formal, non-formal, and informal learning contexts.

Conclusions: This work contributes to advancing Education for Sustainable Development. However, challenges persist in ensuring universal applicability, balancing standardization with contextual adaptation, and maintaining the holistic nature of sustainability within micro-credentialing systems.

Riparian zones are vital ecological corridors that provide flood regulation, water purification, habitat diversity, and carbon storage. Yet persistent biases-such as the belief that riparian vegetation causes flooding-continue to shape policy and public opinion. Rooted in historical practices of dredging and river "cleaning," and reinforced by political and media narratives, these biases obscure scientific evidence and hinder sustainable management. The Emilia-Romagna floods (2023-2024) illustrate how riparian forests are often scapegoated, while the true drivers of risk-urban encroachment, land-use change, and climate intensification-remain overlooked. This open letter calls for a transition from short-term interventions toward long-term resilience strategies that restore floodplains and give rivers space. We highlight the role of citizen science, through projects such as OTTERS and the RiVe method, in bridging science, policy, and society. By involving communities in monitoring and decision-making, citizen science fosters trust, enhances evidence-based policies, and promotes ecological restoration.

Crop protection and pest management are major economic and environmental concerns throughout Europe. The consultation of decision support systems (DSS) to guide decisions relating to Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is one of the key principles of IPM, reducing the ambiguity around potential risks to crop health. 'Pests' in this context include invertebrate pests, weeds and pathogens. The impact of DSS can be limited by a lack of awareness of DSS availability, inconsistencies in the user functions of different DSS, regional fragmentation of access, and a lack of transparency of the origin, validity, and benefits of DSS. Failure to address these limitations undermines trust in IPM DSS and leads to a reluctance of farmers and advisors to invest time in consulting multiple DSS sources as part of their agronomic decision toolbox. The EU-funded IPM Decisions project (Grant agreement ID: 817617) addressed these limitations by creating a Europe-wide free-access online platform. The IPM Decisions platform was designed in consultation with farmers, advisors and wider stakeholders to increase access to and uptake of IPM DSS integrated within it. It offers an end-point for IPM researchers and DSS developers to make adapted and novel DSS available to users, and provides a 'one-stop shop' for farmers and advisors looking to consult free access or paid IPM DSS. Dedicated dashboards within the platform facilitate farm set up, consultation of DSS, comparison of DSS outputs, and adjustment of model parameters for adaption to different pests/regions. The IPM Decisions digital infrastructure enables easy integration of models and data with external platforms, providing a framework for accessing and sharing models and data between researchers and developers. The platform therefore provides both a ready to go user interface for new DSS, as well as the infrastructure to support and connect existing and future user interfaces.

This paper conducts a systematic literature review of the European Social Dialogue (ESD), a cornerstone of participatory governance within the EU. Despite this, it is a collective bargaining tool whose scope, objectives, functioning and impact are unclear due to the various definitions and a vague and fragmented regulatory framework, which gives rise to different interpretations. Thus, this study examines its definition, regulatory framework, key actors, negotiation structures, and outcomes. ESD facilitates collaboration between trade unions, employers, and EU institutions to shape labour policies and promote social cohesion. While the mechanism has evolved through milestones such as the Maastricht and Amsterdam Treaties, its scope and effectiveness are constrained by conceptual ambiguity, fragmented regulation, and a limited capacity to enforce agreements. The research identifies challenges related to actor representation, structural coordination, and the increasing reliance on non-binding agreements. It also highlights the potential of ESD to harmonise labour standards across member states through both soft governance and regulatory tools. Proposals for improvement include clarifying the legal framework and establishing a transparency and evaluation body to monitor its impact. These findings contribute to understanding ESD's role as an evolving governance mechanism, essential for fostering equitable and adaptable labour relations in the EU.

Background: Samuel ben Judah of Marseilles's mid-fourteenth-century Hebrew translation of Alexander of Aphrodisias's De anima, made from Is?aq ibn ?unayn's ninth-century Arabic translation of the original Greek, survives in four manuscripts. Three of these contain Samuel's notes on his translation, which disclose a wealth of information concerning textual problems he faced, editorial decisions he took, and his understanding of the text and its arguments.

Methods: The present paper analyses these notes, which have never been studied before, according to philosophical and philological methods.

Results: My analysis shows that Samuel is a philosophically engaged translator who approaches Alexander's text with a text-critical attitude that enables him to render it in a more coherent and accessible form than that found in the Arabic manuscript that served as his source. Thus, this paper deepens our understanding of Samuel's activity as a translator.

Conclusions: These results shows that we should take translators seriously as philosophical agents in their own right and compels us to study manuscripts that contain translations to find and explore the translators' own voices within or next to their works.

Background: Understanding cell membrane-like lipid bilayers is crucial for studying fundamental biological mechanisms. Giant Unilamellar Vesicles (GUVs) are key tools for this investigation and have applications in both synthetic biology and, more recently, in microrobotics. The effects of cholesterol, a key component of cellular membranes, on synthetic phospholipid membrane models like GUVs are however not fully understood, as they may vary with lipid composition and production method.

Methods: We examined the size distribution, temporal stability and deformability of GUVs prepared with the droplet transfer method using different Dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) to cholesterol ratios in the oil phase (namely 100:0, 85:15, 71:29, 60:40). Phase-contrast microscopy assessed size and stability, while deformability was tested by loading the GUVs with an aqueous ferrofluid and applying a uniform magnetic field to induce their elongation. Image analysis was conducted using Fiji and a custom Julia script.

Results: The median diameters increased with the content of cholesterol, together with the dimensional distribution. In terms of stability, cholesterol generally reduced GUV median diameter over time, while it varyingly influenced the number of vesicles. As for deformability, beyond the expected elongation dependent on the intensity of the applied magnetic field, there were no statistically significant differences in GUV deformability in the presence or absence of cholesterol.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that cholesterol can lead to increased average diameter of GUVs made with DOPC through droplet transfer, while varyingly affecting their time-stability and not affecting their deformability. This study shows how small adjustments on a straightforward protocol like the droplet transfer method, provide a simple and effective way of tailoring GUV properties. Edits in the oil phase enable precise tuning of GUV membranes providing a tool for both fundamental studies and applications such as artificial cells or microrobots.

This dataset was collected between 1971 and 1975 at Weathership Station India (59°N, 19°W) in the North Atlantic Ocean. It comprises quantitative records of several zooplankton taxa- Calanus finmarchicus, Metridia lucens, Pleuromamma robusta, Oithona spp., Oncaea spp., and Acartia spp.-alongside measurements of phytoplankton abundance, temperature, salinity, chlorophyll a concentration, Secchi depth, and primary production. Sampling frequency and depth resolution varied by parameter. The dataset is organized into separate Excel files for each variable.

Background: Stakeholder input into Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) is critical for creating AI systems that are both innovative and accountable. This paper examines READ-COOP ( https://readcoop.eu), a platform cooperative that develops and hosts its own AI and ML Automated Text Recognition (ATR) tools ( https://transkribus.org). This case study demonstrates an alternative cooperative governance model for technology innovation and creating responsible AI infrastructure.

Methods: We employ Reflection-In-Action and a qualitative Member questionnaire to document the development of READ-COOP from European Commission funded research project to independent cooperative. We assess the cooperative's structure, management, and community engagement from 2019 to 2024, including membership dynamics, use, governance, and operational efficacy.

Results: As of October 2024, READ-COOP has 227 Members from 30 countries, and 235,000 registered User accounts. Transkribus has processed 90 million digital images of historical texts, demonstrating effective AI utilization in the cultural heritage sector, winning the European Union's Horizon Impact Award 2020. The cooperative approach facilitates democratic decision-making, leading to sustainable growth, and significant stakeholder involvement. Qualitative feedback indicates high levels of satisfaction with the cooperative's governance and the perceived integrity and utility of the AI infrastructure, while supporting exceptional engagement with technology innovation.

Conclusions: READ-COOP demonstrates that a cooperative business model has potential to sustain and support innovation in AI and ML infrastructures while promoting democratic participation and equitable ownership in particular contexts, in this case the cultural heritage sector. We suggest that cooperative frameworks are particularly suitable for AI infrastructures initially funded through public grants, providing a sustainable transition from public development to long-term, sustainable community-ownership, where focussed tool providers have adequate community support. We recommend wider application and exploration of cooperative models for innovation in AI and ML technologies for responsible creation, governance, and use, although we recognise READ-COOP's unique context, community, and success may be an outlier.

Background: English language proficiency is increasingly vital for higher education institutions due to globalization and the internationalization of academic programs. In Kosovo, public universities are experiencing similar pressures to adopt English as a medium of communication and instruction.

Methods: This study investigates how academic staff perceive their English language proficiency and its influence on their academic responsibilities and institutional roles. A mixed-method case study was conducted involving 336 academic staff members from all public universities in Kosovo. Data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed via email between October and December 2024. The survey included both closed- and open-ended questions assessing self-perceived language proficiency, usage in professional contexts, and attitudes toward English in higher education.

Results: Revealed that most lecturers rated their English proficiency as "good" or "very good," and a majority acknowledged the importance of English for academic work, publication, and international collaboration. While English was not a formal job requirement for many, respondents agreed that it facilitates research, access to academic resources, and professional networking. Key challenges included lack of formal training and limited institutional support. Open-ended responses emphasized the role of English in improving academic quality, access to international literature, and communication with foreign colleagues. English language proficiency plays a crucial role in the academic and professional development of university staff in Kosovo. Despite institutional gaps in formal language policies, the increasing demand for English in research, teaching, and international engagement signals the need for strategic support in language development.

Conclusion: This study highlights the urgency of aligning institutional goals with language competence to ensure quality and competitiveness in the global academic arena.