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The past decade has witnessed the global rise of policy innovation labs (PILs), many of which are nonprofit organizations. Policymakers have promoted PILs as a novel approach to addressing pressing economic and social issues. Concurrent with the growing importance of PILs has been the shift to public value management (PVM), which focuses on policy outcomes that benefit the public and the needs and problems in society. One relatively new process raised in the public management literature is co-experience, which considers stakeholders' engagement with public policies or programs within the broader context of life experience. This, the authors argue, is an important contribution to public value creation. Social media platforms such as Twitter (now X) are one tool that PILs can employ to assess and develop stakeholder co-experience. The authors analyzed 13,009 Twitter messages largely generated by stakeholders relating to 42 U.S.-based PILs.

This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the virtual lab in teaching mathematics and its impact on the development of mathematical power and tendency towards mathematics among fourth-grade students in the Kingdom of Bahrain. To achieve the study's objectives, a quasi-experimental approach was employed. The sample consisted of 64 randomly selected students, divided into two groups (control=31, experimental=33). The study instruments included a mathematical power test and a scale of tendency towards mathematics. The results indicated a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the two groups in the post-test for mathematical power in favor of the experimental group. There was also a statistically significant difference between the mean scores of the two groups in the post-application for the scale of tendency towards mathematics, favoring the experimental group. Furthermore, a positive relationship was found between mathematical power and tendency towards mathematics among students in the experimental group who were taught using the virtual lab. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education in the Kingdom of Bahrain consider the importance of establishing a virtual mathematics lab in primary education due to its positive impact on students' learning. Curriculum designers are advised to reconstruct primary school mathematics curriculum to incorporate various and diverse virtual lab activities. Additionally, teacher preparation programs should emphasize equipping educators with the necessary skills to effectively utilize technology, particularly virtual laboratories, in mathematics instruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing prevalence of dementia demands innovative solutions; however, existing technological products often lack tailored support for individuals living with this condition. The Living Lab approach, as a collaborative innovation method, holds promise in addressing this issue by actively involving end-users in the design and development of solutions adapted to their needs. Despite this potential, the approach still faces challenges due to its lack of recognition as a research methodology and its absence of tailored guidelines, particularly in dementia care, prompting inquiries into its effectiveness. This narrative review aims to fill this gap by identifying and analysing digital health Living Labs focusing on dementia solutions. Additionally, it proposes guidelines for enhancing their operations, ensuring sustainability, scalability, and greater impact on dementia care. Fifteen Living Labs were identified and analyzed. Based on trends, best practices, and literature, the guidelines emphasize user engagement, interdisciplinary collaboration, technological infrastructure, regulatory compliance, transparent innovation processes, impact measurement, sustainability, scalability, dissemination, and financial management. Implementing these guidelines can enhance the effectiveness and long-term impact of Living Labs in dementia care, fostering new collaborations globally.

Background: Metabolic and bariatric surgery is a safe and effective treatment strategy for severe childhood obesity, affecting 10% of US adolescents., Objectives: This prospective observational study addresses knowledge gaps related to changes in weight, cardiometabolic risk, and weight-related quality of life (WRQOL) in adolescents 10 years after laparoscopic adjustable gastric band (LAGB) insertion., Setting: Five Teen-Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery (Teen-LABS) US centers., Methods: Anthropometric, micronutrient, cardiometabolic risk, and WRQOL data were collected on 274 adolescents undergoing metabolic and bariatric surgery, of which 14 participants underwent LAGB insertion (2008-2011). Descriptive analyses compared outcomes from baseline to 10 years., Results: Participants were mostly female (86%), White (71%), with a median age of 18.5 years and preoperative median BMI of 49. Baseline prevalence of type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia were 1 of 14 (7%), 8 of 14 (57%), and 8 of 13 (62%), respectively, versus 10-year prevalence of 1 of 8 (13%), 4 of 10 (40%), and 3 of 9 (33%), respectively. Two participants underwent LAGB removal (years 2 and 3), whereas two converted from LAGB to Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (years 2 and 6). Following initial BMI reduction (-10%) at year 1, 10-year median BMI in the LAGB retention group was 51, representing a 9.2% increase versus baseline. Micronutrient abnormalities and WRQOL remained similar between baseline and 10 years. One participant (1 of 14) withdrew from the study at year 7., Conclusions: Long-term follow-up of this cohort reveals that LAGB had minimal impact on BMI, cardiometabolic risk factors, and WRQOL among adolescents. These results confirm the limited efficacy of LAGB in the pediatric population., Competing Interests: Disclosures Dr. Michalsky has received educational honoraria from Intuitive Surgical, Inc., unrelated to this project. Dr. Courcoulas has a grant from Allurion Technologies, outside the scope of this work. Dr. Inge has received consulting fees from Standard Bariatrics, Teleflex, Medtronic, Mediflix, Independent Medical Expert Consulting Services, and royalties from Wolters Kluwer (UpToDate) all unrelated to this project. Funding for Teen-LABS was provided by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) U01DK072493, UM1DK072493, and UM1DK095710., (Copyright © 2025 American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Gathering citizens, research organizations, companies, policymakers and practitioners is often considered sufficient for creating a Living-lab aimed at change towards food system sustainability.However, sustainability remains a social construct calling for a deliberation about the values that must be prioritised. These values need to be debated at each level of the food chain, from the choice of crops (neglected vs. main crops) and seeds (commons vs. intellectual property) through production (organic vs. weak agroecology) and processing (small-scale vs. industrial) to food supply and retail (local vs. global).The DIVINFOOD project’s Living-labs create favorable conditions for the emergence of such debates, in a food democracy perspective. Further to farmers, processors and researchers, they all aim to engage, around neglected and underutilized agrobiodiversity, groups of stakeholders that are still too rarely represented in participatory research approaches, such as teachers and students of agricultural schools, chefs, marginalized people, gardeners and citizen-led organisations.All actors are regularly invited into:● farmer’s fields to observe, evaluate and comment on cultivated biodiversity, and Genotype-Environment (GxE) interactions,● chefs’ kitchens to taste, co-create recipes,● laboratories to analyze, raise research questions, discuss results,● micro-enterprises to co-conduct diagnosis,● neighborhood associations to increase awareness about sustainable food systems,● meetings with policy-makers to co-develop short food chains and territorial networks.Each of the 9 Living-labs acts in its own territory. Bringing them together allows to shape a meta-Living-lab in which changes are studied, debated, observed, documented, initiated, and reflected.The connection of Living-labs makes it possible to think these changes locally and act globally for their realisation. By making collective decisions to give voice to very small structures in each region, this meta-living lab contributes to profound changes for the sustainability and diversity of the global food system.

AbstractGovernments around the world are increasingly launching policy labs to break the alleged inertia of public bureaucracies. Operating on the fringes of their parent organizations, however, public policy labs often live a secluded life with little or no subsequent organizational adoption of lab-designed policies. This research examines how lab managers enhance policy innovation uptake through boundary-spanning strategies and practices connecting public policy labs to their bureaucratic parent organizations. Based on a qualitative study of three Danish public policy labs, it coins and conceptualizes three boundary-spanning strategies for enhancing policy innovation uptake: agenda linking, arena linking, and actor linking. Analyzing how the lab managers carry out each of these strategies in practice, the study shows their respective strengths and weaknesses in building political-administrative support for lab-designed policies on multiple levels of the public bureaucracy. The study findings suggest that lab managers must strike the right balance between under- and over-integration of policy labs in the public bureaucracy in order to enhance innovation uptake, connecting the lab to bureaucratic agendas, arenas, and actors, without compromising the integrity of the lab as a creative space for the experimental co-design of public policies. Conceptualizing managerial strategies and practices for bridging the gap between policy labs and public bureaucracies, the study contributes not only to policy lab theory and practice, but also to the mounting collaborative governance, management and leadership literatures on the tensions and dilemmas arising at the interface between hierarchical government and interactive governance.

If there were ever a time to bring the people back to the AT&T Bell Labs Microelectronics plant in Orlando, Florida, it would be now. The big reset in U.S. domestic semiconductor manufacturing, exacerbated by the CHIPS Act of 2022 to reestablish semiconductor fabricators (known as fabs), is vulnerable to constraints in the global supply chain that remain from the COVID-19 pandemic. Considering the semiconductor manufacturing fabs paradox to recall onshore manufacturing from the golden days of globalization, this study focuses on the people and community impacted at the Orlando plant by offering a unique perspective for future fabs to reflect upon, rather than repeat the same mistakes of the past (i.e., layoffs, plant closings, overseas technology transfer, and abandoned education partners and communities). Rather than elucidating the complexity of companies’ business decisions to offshore fab operations or shuttering plants, this study reminisces regarding the “good old days” at the AT&T Microelectronics plant in Orlando, Florida (renamed Lucent Technologies Microelectronics, Cirent Semiconductor, and Agere Systems) in conjunction with the enormous challenges fabs face today to coexist with our planet for a sustainable business strategy to positively benefit people, the planet, and profit. This retrospective examination reveals insights from the people who worked at the most advanced semiconductor fab in the U.S. Led by Bell Labs’ highly competent leadership team and technical staff, the fab developed leading-edge technology, created economic wealth, instilled an organizational culture of intellectual human value, and established university partnerships for a high-skilled workforce.

Computer science and information technology students at Taif University develop programming skills through practical experiments. Traditional programming laboratories face challenges due to a growing number of students and an increase in computing-related courses, which limits hands-on experiences. This paper introduces the "Interactive TU-Virtual Labs," which addresses this issue by providing a user-friendly Virtual Programming Lab (VPL) with interactive screen sharing and monitoring between instructors and students. The system features a dual interface that allows real-time interaction, giving students 24-hour access to programming environments and licenses. Virtual labs enables students to complete tasks such as programming languages, projects, and assignments without obstacles. Additionally, it reduces the grading workload by generating comprehensive reports based on students' names and course details. The system fosters a collaborative virtual space for distance education, thereby saving students time and effort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Buildings account for a significant portion of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, underscoring the urgent need for energy refurbishment and green procurement strategies. This study explores the potential of Living Labs, a collaborative and user-centered approach, to bridge knowledge gaps and foster innovation in these areas. The research employed a comprehensive methodology, including stakeholder surveys and statistical analyses, to evaluate knowledge enhancement in various domains such as green policies, mentoring, funding possibilities, and green public procurement. The results demonstrated statistically significant improvements in knowledge across different fields and stakeholder groups. This study contributes to the objectives of the European Green Deal by highlighting the role of Living Labs in advancing knowledge critical to achieving energy efficiency and sustainability targets. Based on these findings, several recommendations are proposed to further leverage the effectiveness of Living Labs in promoting the energy refurbishment of buildings and green public procurement.

Background Morning postoperative labs are often obtained for emergency general surgery (EGS) patients. Studies in other surgical fields indicate that routine postoperative day 1 (POD1) labs are sometimes being performed excessively and do not require intervention. The purpose of this study is to identify predictors indicating the need for POD1 labs in EGS patients based on likelihood of intervention.Methods This is a retrospective review of non-critically ill EGS patients from 2022 to 2023 who received POD1 morning labs. The odds of having an abnormal result and likelihood of intervention were measured through multivariate logistic regression accounting for patient characteristics and procedure. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was performed to determine significant predictors of an abnormal result and intervention.Results 502 EGS patients were included. LASSO revealed that procedure duration, fever, lysis of adhesions, preoperative systolic blood pressure 400 min carried an 84.3% chance of an abnormal lab requiring intervention. EBL >200 mL carried a 75.5% chance of an abnormal lab requiring intervention.Conclusion POD1 labs for non-critically ill EGS patient rarely require intervention and can be safely omitted. Labs should be considered for longer procedures, higher EBLs, older patients, those on anticoagulation, or after lysis of adhesions.

Los sistemas agroalimentarios juegan un papel crucial en la seguridad alimentaria, la sostenibilidad y la equidad social. En un contexto global marcado por desafíos como el cambio climático y el crecimiento poblacional, es esencial proponer nuevas metodologías que permitan entender las complejas interconexiones entre los diferentes actores y actividades del sistema alimentario. En este contexto, los food system living labs (FSLL) emergen como una estrategia efectiva para generar soluciones alternativas que permitan una transición eficiente a sistemas agroalimentarios resilientes y sostenibles. Esta revisión explora el concepto y relevancia de los food system living labs, con un enfoque en su importancia, las innovaciones implementadas, los impactos económicos, sociales y ambientales que generan, así como los desafíos y estrategias exitosas en su implementación. Además, se analizan cuatro aspectos clave para su éxito: i) plataformas de innovación colaborativa; ii) innovación para la sostenibilidad; iii) experimentación en entornos reales; y iv) desarrollo y adopción de nuevas tecnologías. Todo ello en el marco de la participación multisectorial y los procesos de cocreación con actores locales en contextos rurales y urbanos. Finalmente, se propone un modelo para implementación en Colombia.

Introduced by the United Nations, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim at facilitating inclusive sustainable development. Responsiveness to SDGs is considered a key to addressing pressing development problems. The current literature focuses on the responsiveness of varied public organizations to SDGs, whereas SDGs' responsiveness of policy innovation labs (PILs) is understudied. Aiming to address both persistent and emerging social and environmental problems, PILs are aligned with SDGs. On the other hand, PILs seek innovative ways to generate policy solutions in collaboration with citizens through experimental methods and thus are more committed to the local public rather than international organizations. This paper investigates to what extent and in what way PILs respond to SDGs during policy formulation processes, both implicitly and explicitly. Data draws on a database the authors developed, identifying 211 European PILs. Thematic coding of PILs' websites reveals that 62.1% of the PILs implicitly promote at least one SDG. Additionally, sustainable cities and communities (SDG11) and good health and well-being (SDG3) are the two SDGs with the highest implicit-response rates, respectively. We apply grounded theory analysis from semi-structured interviews with senior PIL employees of 31 PILs to gauge their explicit views of SDGs. This inductive approach reveals three dimensions to SDGs: levels of responsiveness, different practices, and considerations that guide PILs on whether to comply with SDGs. A better understanding of PILs' response to SDGs provides a more nuanced portrayal of PILs as organizations aiming to craft innovative policy solutions that align with international frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]