Data Governance and Sovereignty in Urban Data Spaces Based on Standardized ICT Reference Architectures

European cities and communities (and beyond) require a structured overview and a set of tools as to achieve a sustainable transformation towards smarter cities/municipalities, thereby leveraging on the enormous potential of the emerging data driven economy. This paper presents the results of a recent study that was conducted with a number of German municipalities/cities. Based on the obtained and briefly presented recommendations emerging from the study, the authors propose the concept of an Urban Data Space (UDS), which facilitates an eco-system for data exchange and added value creation thereby utilizing the various types of data within a smart city/municipality. Looking at an Urban Data Space from within a German context and considering the current situation and developments in German municipalities, this paper proposes a reasonable classification of urban data that allows the relation of various data types to legal aspects, and to conduct solid considerations regarding technical implementation designs and decisions. Furthermore, the Urban Data Space is described/analyzed in detail, and relevant stakeholders are identified, as well as corresponding technical artifacts are introduced. The authors propose to setup Urban Data Spaces based on emerging standards from the area of ICT reference architectures for Smart Cities, such as DIN SPEC 91357 “Open Urban Platform” and EIP SCC. In the course of this, the paper walks the reader through the construction of a UDS based on the above-mentioned architectures and outlines all the goals, recommendations and potentials, which an Urban Data Space can reveal to a municipality/city. Finally, we aim at deriving the proposed concepts in a way that they have the potential to be part of the required set of tools towards the sustainable transformation of German and European cities in the direction of smarter urban environments, based on utilizing the hidden potential of digitalization and efficient interoperable data exchange.EC/H2020/646578/EU/Triangulum: The Three Point Project / Demonstrate. Disseminate. Replicate./TriangulumBMBF, 13NKE012, Datenaustausch und Zusammenarbeit im urbanen Raum - Bestandsanalyse (Urban Data Space

Datenplattformen und KI-Werkzeuge zur Stärkung der regionalen Ernährungssysteme

Anfang Juni 2021 startete das vom Bundesministerium für Ernährung und Landwirtschaft (BMEL) geförderte Konsortialprojekt "Stadt-Land-Fluss" (SLF - Daten- und KI-gestützter Aufbau und Stärkung von Wertschöpfungsketten im Bereich der regionalen Ernährungssysteme). In diesem Querschnittsprojekt wird die Transformation und Zusammenführung der regionalen Agrar- und Ernährungswirtschaft und Ernährungspolitik auf Basis digitaler Datenplattformen für Wirtschafts- und Ernährungsdaten mit Methoden der Künstlichen Intelligenz (KI) erforscht. Der Beitrag stellt die Motivation des Projektes Stadt-Land-Fluss vor. Ein wichtiger Aspekt im Projekt ist es, die digitale Souveränität von Ernährungsdaten - insbesondere der lokalen Ebene - zu stärken

New genetic loci link adipose and insulin biology to body fat distribution.

Body fat distribution is a heritable trait and a well-established predictor of adverse metabolic outcomes, independent of overall adiposity. To increase our understanding of the genetic basis of body fat distribution and its molecular links to cardiometabolic traits, here we conduct genome-wide association meta-analyses of traits related to waist and hip circumferences in up to 224,459 individuals. We identify 49 loci (33 new) associated with waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for body mass index (BMI), and an additional 19 loci newly associated with related waist and hip circumference measures (P < 5 × 10(-8)). In total, 20 of the 49 waist-to-hip ratio adjusted for BMI loci show significant sexual dimorphism, 19 of which display a stronger effect in women. The identified loci were enriched for genes expressed in adipose tissue and for putative regulatory elements in adipocytes. Pathway analyses implicated adipogenesis, angiogenesis, transcriptional regulation and insulin resistance as processes affecting fat distribution, providing insight into potential pathophysiological mechanisms

Starting by Starting! Fortschritt im europäischen Open Data Strategieprozess durch das neue Europäische Datenportal

Open Data befindet sich noch in den Kinderschuhen. Mit dem Europäischen Datenportal ist ein weiterer Schritt in Richtung der flächendeckenden Umsetzung von Open Data im europäischen Raum gemacht. Im Rahmen dieses Prozesses werden noch viele politische und wirtschaftliche Abstimmungen und Maßnahmen sowie technologische Verbesserungen erforderlich sein. Die Herausforderungen liegen u. a. darin, das Bewusstsein für die Chancen und den Nutzen von offenen Daten bei Datenbereitstellern und –nutzern zu schaffen, praktische Hilfestellung für beide Seiten zu bieten und gemeinsam, neue Open Databasierte Geschäftsmodelle und Anwendungen zu entwickeln. Flankiert wird das europäische Projekt deshalb von weiteren Aktivitäten, die der Unterstützung von Datenbereitstellern und Datennutzern dienen. Das reicht von der Erstellung von Trainingsunterlagen und der Durchführung von Workshops bis hin zu High-Level-Veranstaltungen, bei denen fortgeschrittene EU-Länder die „Anfänger“ in Sachen Open Data an ihren Erfahrungen und Erfolgsrezepten teilhaben lassen

Urban processes in Smart Cities

Urban governance and planning evolved last decades in the direction of a) a more business-like and b) participatory oriented "urban management" approach. The new model strengthens the role of the responsible citizen and media. Modern urban governance and planning furthermore addresses c) an integrated cross-sectorial view. d) Its priorities are based on "sustainable development" - it reflects environmental aspects. e) ICT-technologies have substantially contributed to modernisation of the public sector and support to integrate and visualize formerly separated planning areas, into a context-sensitive view. Urban planning is managed in terms of "processes". Within the new model of public governance structured in urban processes ICT leads to wards a structural change. Urban planning obligations are formulated in "implementation plans" and are oriented at Key Performance Indicators (KPI). KPIs are matched to relevant plan objectives manifested in the implementation plan of the city. The activity of continuously keeping the implementation plan under review is a core urban management process and can be supported by ICT and all kind of sensed, analysed and visualized data. Stakeholder/citizen involvement in this kind of processes (in the definition of the implementation plan as well as in the definition of the KPIs) is a basic concept for the modern urban process