Research Data Research Articles

The retrospective double-entry of a long-term ecological dataset

Research data are almost always assumed to be reliable, but there are many reasons why data can be unreliable. Manual data-entry error rates are typically observed in the 1 to 4 % range and can be statistically impactful. This has encouraged techniques to mitigate the risk of transcription error, among which the double-entry method remains the most effective. Unfortunately, these techniques are rarely applied retrospectively to datasets collected years or decades ago, including to highly valued long-term ecological datasets that continue to contribute to active research.This study defines an approach for the retrospective double-entry of long-term ecological datasets and then applies it to one such dataset: the 34-year (and counting) Mt Mary Lizard Survey. Software was used to execute comparisons of c.760,000 individual data value pairs across c.56,000 records to corroborate matching values and identify unmatched values.The key findings are: a) from 760,967 value pair comparisons between the originally keyed dataset and a retrospectively re-keyed version of the same dataset, 18,637 differences (2.5 %) were detected, b) almost half (48 %) of the differences detected were intentional alterations made to the original dataset during data curation efforts, c) data differences were not uniformly distributed across data fields but concentrated in the animal identity data field, and d) a three-way comparison of the identity field corroborated a recorded value in almost all cases.Landmark, long-term ecological studies continue to be the evidentiary framework for ecological science. However, data quality metrics—including how faithfully digital transcriptions represent the originally recorded values—are rarely reported. Given that manual transcription errors are virtually assured and the realistic possibility of post hoc, intentional alterations made during data curation, one could legitimately ask whether a manually transcribed and curated dataset is a genuine representation of the originally recorded values. The retrospective double-entry approach is one way to find out.

Weather conditions in southern Poland at the turn of the 20th century — Insights from archived observational records

This study examines weather conditions in Małopolska (Lesser Poland, southern Poland) from 1861 to 1919, utilizing historical meteorological materials stored in the Archives of the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management — National Research Institute, Poland. The region developed an extensive meteorological network in the latter half of the nineteenth century, preserving daily and sub-daily measurements of air temperature and precipitation, along with notes on socio-economic events and environmental issues. Despite the loss of many early records, the study focuses on 14 measurement points, including the Kraków–Observatory, which has been in operation since 1792 and served as the reference station. Data were digitized through the HISTKLIM project. Analysis revealed that air temperatures in the late 1800s and early 1900s were lower than present-day values, with varied rainfall patterns. The study highlights the substantial value of these historical records, despite gaps and the absence of metadata. Comparing historical weather conditions to current climate normals (1991–2020), the findings contribute to understanding regional climate variability and underscore the importance of preserving archival meteorological data for future research.

Microplastics abundance associated with farmland use types and the impact on soil microbial communities: A case study in Southern China

To investigate the impact of various farmland use types on the spatial distribution of microplastics (MPs) and their correlation with microbial communities, 78 soil samples from distinct farmland use types (orchard, paddy field, and vegetable field) in Southern China were examined. Results revealed that the abundance of MPs ranged from 528 to 39,864 items/kg with a mean abundance of 10,562 items/kg, which were primarily 0–30 μm in size. A total of 32 polymer types were identified, with the main polymer being polyethylene terephthalate (PET, 28.8%), followed by polyvinyl chloride (PVC, 13.5%) and fluororubber (FKM, 9.5%). The abundance of MPs was highest in orchard field (8,896 ± 5,745 items/kg), followed by paddy field (4,176 ± 2,976 items/kg) and lastly vegetable field (2,967 ± 3,698 items/kg). Results of 16 S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing showed that the presence of MPs affected the bacterial distribution patterns. Compared with soil bacterial communities, the spatial dispersion and dissimilarity of plasticsphere communities were less variable. Notably, the predicted sequences related to xenobiotics biodegradation and metabolism became more abundant, thereby affecting the ecological function of soil. Overall, this study provides important data for further research on MP ecosystem risks associated with farmland use types.

Online recruitment for an online survey study: Our experience of dealing with fraudsters

BackgroundOnline recruitment is cost efficient and can reach large sample size. It helps protect participants' privacy and confidentiality and is commonly used in research studies with sensitive topics and hard-to-reach target participants. However, widespread fraudulent responses along with missing data and multiple entries add complication to the data cleaning and analysis. This clinical-methods-brief described our experience of dealing with fraudsters in the recruitment process of an online study. MethodsBased on our experience in an online cross-sectional survey study, we reported three methods used in the recruitment process, including website recruitment (https://www.chineseinla.com/), Facebook advertisement, and Facebook group recruitment. ResultsThe detected fraudulent rates were 11.11 %, 4.55 %, and 82.69 % for website recruitment, Facebook advertisement, and Facebook group recruitment, respectively. Strategies for us to identify the fake responses mainly included internet protocol checking, conflict answers to different survey questions, participant's name, and time stamp checking. DiscussionFake data mixed in the research data threatens the validity and reliability of the study and may skew the research study results. A robust participant recruitment method and a data screening/cleaning protocol are necessary to ensure online studies' rigorous.

An Overview of Metallic Nanoparticles: Classification, Synthesis, Applications, and their Patents.

Nanotechnology has gained enormous attention in pharmaceutical research. Nanotechnology is used in the development of nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 1-100 nm, with several extraordinary features. Metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) are used in various areas, such as molecular biology, biosensors, bio imaging, biomedical devices, diagnosis, pharmaceuticals, etc., for their specific applications. For this study, we have performed a systematic search and screening of the literature and identified the articles and patents focusing on various physical, chemical, and biological methods for the synthesis of metal nanoparticles and their pharmaceutical applications. A total of 174 references have been included in this present review, of which 23 references for recent patents were included. Then, 29 papers were shortlisted to describe the advantages, disadvantages, and physical and chemical methods for their synthesis, and 28 articles were selected to provide the data for biological methods for the formulation of metal NPs from bacteria, algae, fungi, and plants with their extensive synthetic procedures. Moreover, 27 articles outlined various clinical applications of metal NPs due to their antimicrobial and anticancer activities and their use in drug delivery. Several reviews are available on the synthesis of metal nanoparticles and their pharmaceutical applications. However, this review provides updated research data along with the various methods employed for their development. It also summarizes their various advantages and clinical applications (anticancer, antimicrobial drug delivery, and many others) for various phytoconstituents. The overview of earlier patents by several scientists in the arena of metallic nanoparticle preparation and formulation is also presented. This review will be helpful in increasing the current knowledge and will also inspire to innovation of nanoparticles for the precise and targeted delivery of phytoconstituents for the treatment of several diseases.

Enhancing business security through fraud detection in financial transactions

Today the threat of fraud is a real issue in security threats for business, due to complexity and volume of financial transactions, especially with the rapid changes of technology. This research paper focuses on the major role that needs to be implemented for the prevention of fraudulent activities regarding monetary issues. The paper also explores different approaches that are currently used in the identification of frauds such as the artificial neural networks, statistical analysis, rules based systems and others. From the existing literature review and case studies, the paper gives an overview of the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches as well as the implementation of the best practices. The methodology entails a literature review of the current fraud detection systems, then using the identified techniques on a sample dataset to test them. In this paper research data shows that combining several detection measures improves efficiency and minimizes the number of false alarms, which contributes to the improvement of business protection. The discussion also underlined the necessity for the constant appropriateness of technologies dedicated to fraud detection to correspond to new fraud schemes. Finally, recommendations regarding occurrence of effective anti-fraud measures for firms are given in order to promote effective financial transactions and safeguard organizational resources.

COVID-19-related research data availability and quality according to the FAIR principles: A meta-research study

Background According to the FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable), scientific research data should be findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to massive research activities and an unprecedented number of topical publications in a short time. However, no evaluation has assessed whether this COVID-19-related research data has complied with FAIR principles (or FAIRness). Objective Our objective was to investigate the availability of open data in COVID-19-related research and to assess compliance with FAIRness. Methods We conducted a comprehensive search and retrieved all open-access articles related to COVID-19 from journals indexed in PubMed, available in the Europe PubMed Central database, published from January 2020 through June 2023, using the metareadr package. Using rtransparent, a validated automated tool, we identified articles with links to their raw data hosted in a public repository. We then screened the link and included those repositories that included data specifically for their pertaining paper. Subsequently, we automatically assessed the adherence of the repositories to the FAIR principles using FAIRsFAIR Research Data Object Assessment Service (F-UJI) and rfuji package. The FAIR scores ranged from 1–22 and had four components. We reported descriptive analysis for each article type, journal category, and repository. We used linear regression models to find the most influential factors on the FAIRness of data. Results 5,700 URLs were included in the final analysis, sharing their data in a general-purpose repository. The mean (standard deviation, SD) level of compliance with FAIR metrics was 9.4 (4.88). The percentages of moderate or advanced compliance were as follows: Findability: 100.0%, Accessibility: 21.5%, Interoperability: 46.7%, and Reusability: 61.3%. The overall and component-wise monthly trends were consistent over the follow-up. Reviews (9.80, SD = 5.06, n = 160), articles in dental journals (13.67, SD = 3.51, n = 3) and Harvard Dataverse (15.79, SD = 3.65, n = 244) had the highest mean FAIRness scores, whereas letters (7.83, SD = 4.30, n = 55), articles in neuroscience journals (8.16, SD = 3.73, n = 63), and those deposited in GitHub (4.50, SD = 0.13, n = 2,152) showed the lowest scores. Regression models showed that the repository was the most influential factor on FAIRness scores (R2 = 0.809). Conclusion This paper underscored the potential for improvement across all facets of FAIR principles, specifically emphasizing Interoperability and Reusability in the data shared within general repositories during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Examining the Relationships between Career Development, Daily Life Decision Making and Social Emotional Learning Skills of Middle School Students

This presented research has three purposes: The first purpose of this study is to examine the power of middle school students' social emotional learning and daily life decision-making skills together as a predictor of their career development. The second purpose is to examine the career development of middle school students according to gender. Third purpose is to examine the career development of middle school students according to targeted high school type. The research group consisted of 263 middle school students (141 female, 116 male, 6 unknown). These students were studying in 3 middle schools in the center of a large city in the northwestern part of Turkey and their ages ranged between 10-15 (X̄=12.31; sd=1.07). The research data were collected by applying the Chilhood Career Development Scale, Social Emotional Learning Scale for Adolescents, Daily Life Decision Making Scale and Personal Information Form. The research data were analysed using multiple linear regression analysis, t test, and one-way ANOVA. The research results showed that middle school students' social emotional learning and daily life decision-making skills scores together accounted for a significant proportion of the variance 0.19% of the career development scores of middle school students. The results showed that the career development score mean of students targeted Anatolian high school were higher than those aiming for science high school and vocational and technical high school. There was not significantly differences in career development scores of the students according to gender. The research results were discussed based on the relevant literature, provided important implications for the theoretical and practical literature on career development, social emotional learning and daily life decision-making skills and suggestions were presented for future theoretical and practical research.

Hair-ing and haring: post (auto) theoretical more-than-human entanglement with hair/her/stories of Muslim schoolgirls

ABSTRACT In this paper, I use posthumanism and autotheory to materialize the gendered, racialized and sexualized hair/her/stories of British-Muslim schoolgirls in my study. As an act of feminist indiscipline and a feminist transdisciplinary innovative practice, I entangle with those affective, material, embodied and embedded encounters and stories that grow, escape, flow and glow with the vital materiality of hair and her stories. Hair, as one of the transgressive data of my PhD research, emerged in various temporal, spatial and material contexts throughout our research encounters. Considering hair as having posthuman agency, I argue how it can enable different material relations in everyday lived experiences of Muslim schoolgirls with hijab, body, educational environments and practices. Inspired by the notion that theory can do more the closer it gets to the skin what I call Posthumanist autotheory, has emerged from the body-theory encounters. I use posthumanist autotheory to materialize how hair as the ‘auto’ and the more-than-human agency in autotheory grows and becomes matter, method and theory. In using posthumanist autotheory as a feminist transdisciplinary innovative and speculative affirmative approach, this paper hopes to enable knowledge shifts in participatory researching on gendered and racializing assemblages to those everyday ordinary economic, institutional, biological and medical matters and assemblages that constitute racism.

FAIR data management: a framework for fostering data literacy in biomedical sciences education.

Data literacy, the ability to understand and effectively communicate with data, is crucial for researchers to interpret and validate data. However, low reproducibility in biomedical research is nowadays a significant issue, with major implications for scientific progress and the reliability of findings. Recognizing this, funding bodies such as the European Commission emphasize the importance of regular data management practices to enhance reproducibility. Establishing a standardized framework for statistical methods and data analysis is essential to minimize biases and inaccuracies. The FAIR principles (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) aim to enhance data interoperability and reusability, promoting transparent and ethical data practices. The study presented here aimed to train postgraduate students at the Universidad Europea de Madrid in data literacy skills and FAIR principles, assessing their application in master thesis projects. A total of 46 participants, including students and mentors, were involved in the study during the 2022-2023 academic year. Students were trained to prioritize FAIR data sources and implement Data Management Plans (DMPs) during their master's thesis. An 11-item questionnaire was developed to evaluate the FAIRness of research data, showing strong internal consistency. The study found that integrating FAIR principles into educational curricula is crucial for enhancing research reproducibility and transparency. This approach equips future researchers with essential skills for navigating a data-driven scientific environment and contributes to advancing scientific knowledge.

Legal dissemination protections in community-based participatory health equity research.

There are legal protections for nurse researchers at public universities who employ community-based participatory research (CBPR) in research about social or health inequities. Dissemination of CBPR research data by researchers or participants may divulge unjust laws and create an imperative for university involvement. What are United States-based legal dissemination protections for CBPR health equity nurse researchers? Three case examples employing CBPR are examined: 1) a mixed methods study with participants reporting illegal discrimination in a municipal initiative about capacity building in community-based organizations serving children; 2) a visual methods study exposing potential clean air law violations in environmental justice research; and 3) a study examining workload violations and illegal discrimination among hotel workers. The cases involved participants from protected social class backgrounds. The research is described with respect to: background, funding, research purpose, and research team; research participants' power and legal vulnerability; dissemination of relevant research information balancing vulnerability and power; research dissemination issues; potential legal issues involved; and laws researchers may use. IRB approval was obtained for the studies. Using a social justice ethical framework, studies highlight actual or potential legal aspects of data dissemination in the context of gathering data about injustice. Legal protections for research data dissemination, whistleblower protection, research advancement protection, anti-harassment protection, false claims, defamation, and visual data liabilities are described. Knowledge of legal research data dissemination protections is an essential competency for nurse researchers invested in uplifting social justice.

Critical Data for Critical Care: A Primer on Leveraging Electronic Health Record Data for Research From Society of Critical Care Medicine’s Panel on Data Sharing and Harmonization

A growing body of critical care research draws on real-world data from electronic health records (EHRs). The bedside clinician has myriad data sources to aid in clinical decision-making, but the lack of data sharing and harmonization standards leaves much of this data out of reach for multi-institution critical care research. The Society of Critical Care Medicine (SCCM) Discovery Data Science Campaign convened a panel of critical care and data science experts to explore and document unique advantages and opportunities for leveraging EHR data in critical care research. This article reviews and illustrates six organizing topics (data domains and common data elements; data harmonization; data quality; data interoperability and digital infrastructure; data access, sharing, and governance; and ethics and equity) as a data science primer for critical care researchers, laying a foundation for future publications from the SCCM Discovery Data Harmonization and Sharing Guiding Principles Panel.

Sociological research in the field of family and demography: responding to the challenges of our time

The article analyzes the data of sociological research conducted by the Department of Sociology of Family and Demography of the Faculty of Sociology of Moscow State University named after M.V. Lomonosov, whose employees adhere to the familistic paradigm. The data from these studies are used for social design and forecasting of family and demographic behavior of the bulk of the population, as well as to develop recommendations for improving family and demographic policy aimed at increasing the birth rate and overcoming the crisis of the family as a social institution. Analysis of these data showed that effective policies in the field of family and demography should be aimed not only at changing the attitude towards family life and the birth of children on the part of those people who are now in active reproductive age, but also at creating a positive attitude of adolescents and young people towards based on a strong legal marriage and a close connection between three generations of a family with three or more children. A social atmosphere that encourages the formation and maintenance of families of this type should be considered as a necessary condition for the prosperity of the country.

The causal arrows from genotype, environment and management to plant phenotype are double headed.

Cause-and-effect arrows are drawn from genotype (G), environment (E), and agronomic management (M) to the plant phenotype in crop stands in a useful but incomplete framework that informs research questions, experimental design, statistical analysis, data interpretation, modelling, and breeding and agronomic applications. Here we focus on the overlooked bidirectionality of these arrows. The phenotype-to-genotype arrow includes increased mutation rates in stressed phenotypes, relative to basal rates. From a developmental viewpoint, the phenotype modulates gene expression returning multiple cellular phenotypes with a common genome. The phenotype-to-environment arrow is captured in the process of niche construction, which spans from persistent and global to transient and local. Research on crop rotations recognises the influence of the phenotype on the environment but is divorced of niche construction theory. The phenotype-to-management arrow involves, for example, a diseased crop that may trigger fungicide treatment. Making explicit the bidirectionality of the arrows in the G × E × M framework contributes to narrowing the gap between data-driven technologies and integrative theory and is an invitation to cautiously think of the internal teleonomy of plants in contrast to the view of the phenotype as the passive end of the arrows in the current framework.

FACTORS INFLUENCING CLOUD COMPUTING ADOPTION : TECHNOLOGY, ORGANIZATIONAL AND ENVIRONMENT (TOE) FRAMEWORK APPROACH

The latest technology that must be applied to prepare for modernity is based on information technology. This technology is not only used by large companies (enterprises) but can also be utilized by Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). One of the utilization of technology is cloud computing by Micro and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) which is increasingly widespread. This is reasonable because cloud computing technology provides benefits with a simpler process and relatively low costs. In line with this, this study aims to determine the factors that influence the adoption of cloud computing in MSMEs. An integrated model was developed based on the Technology, Organization, and Environment (TOE) framework. This research data was obtained through a structured survey questionnaire given to 150 MSME owners/managers in the Soloraya Region. The results obtained through SEM-PLS analysis show that factors such as organizational readiness and competitor pressure have a significant effect on cloud computing adoption in MSMEs in the Soloraya Region. However, factors of relative advantage, complexity, and top management support were found to have no significant effect on cloud computing adoption. This research provides a theoretical contribution to the expansion of the TOE Framework.

Analisis Pengaruh Rasio-Rasio Keuangan Terhadap Rasio Beban Operasional-Pendapatan Operasional (BOPO) pada Bank Umum Syariah di Indonesia

This research aims to determine the influence of Islamic banking financial ratios in the form of Return on Assets (ROA) Ratio, Non Performing Financing (NPF) Ratio, Financing to Deposit Ratio (FDR) and Total Asset Turnover (TATO) on the Operational Cost-Operational Income Ratio (BOPO) at Sharia Commercial Banks in Indonesia. This research uses a quantitative approach with sample data totaling 7 (seven) sharia commercial banks out of 13 (thirteen) sharia commercial bank populations registered with the Financial Services Authority. Research data uses secondary data for the annual period in the period 2010 - 2023. By using the ARDL (Autoreggressive Distributed Lag) panel model using the PMG (Pooled Mean Group) method, the research results show that in the panel, it turns out that the Leading Indicator is the effectiveness of the variable in controlling the BOPO Ratio at Sharia Commercial Banks in Indonesia is Return on Assets (ROA), where ROA significantly influences the BOPO Ratio at Bank Muamalat Indonesia, Bank Aceh Syariah, Bank Riau Kepri Syariah, Bank Jabar Banten Syariah, Bank Mega Syariah, and Bank NTB Syariah, with stable positions in the short and long term. Of the 7 (seven) Sharia Commercial Banks that are the objects of research, there are 4 (four) banks that are leading indicators of the effectiveness of sharia banking in influencing the stability of the BOPO ratio, namely: Bank Aceh Syariah, Bank Riau Kepri Syariah, Bank Jabar Banten Syariah, and Bank Mega Syariah through ROA, NPF, FDR, and TATO. Financing to Deposit Ratio (FDR) is also capable of being a Leading Indicator of variable effectiveness to influence the BOPO Ratio at Bank Muamalat Indonesia, Bank Aceh Syariah, Bank Riau Kepri Syariah, Bank BCA Syariah, Bank Jabar Banten Syariah, Bank Mega Syariah, and Bank NTB Syariah, However, its position is unstable in the short and long term.

Pengaruh Infrastruktur Listrik dan Infrastruktur Sosial terhadap Pertumbuhan Ekonomi di Provinsi Aceh

This study was conducted to analyze the effect of Electricity infrastructure and social infrastructure on economic growth in Aceh Province. The purpose of this study is to determine and explain the effect of how the influence of Electricity, Health and Education infrastructure on economic growth in Aceh Province. Data analysis in this study is using Multiple Linear Regression. This type of research data is quantitative research and secondary data. Data sources are obtained from the Central Bureau of Statistics (BPS). The results of this study indicate that Electricity infrastructure which has a probability value of 0.2855> 0.05 has no effect on economic growth. health infrastructure which has a probability value of 0.5845> 0.05 has no effect on economic growth. education infrastructure which has a probability value of 0.3478> 0.05 has no effect on economic growth. So it can be concluded that the variables of Electricity, Health and Education are not significant to economic growth in Aceh Province.

DOES CORRUPTION HAS A POSITIVE IMPACT ON ECONOMIC GROWTH?

The problem of corruption is a common problem and continues to this day in Indonesia. The level of corruption that does not improve causes losses and inefficiency in the economy. The high level of corruption has been an obstacle to economic progress and growth in Indonesia so far. This research aims to find out more about the impact of worsening corruption on foreign investment, the Rupiah exchange rate against the dollar, and economic growth. This research uses secondary data obtained from the central statistics agency for 16 years. Research data processing uses PLS. Based on the research results, it was found that the level of corruption affects the level of foreign investment and the Rupiah exchange rate against the Dollar but not economic growth. This research also found that foreign investment can mediate the relationship between the level of corruption and economic growth. In this research, it was found that the higher the level of corruption, the more foreign capital will enter. This is because countries with high levels of corruption have poor administrative systems so that by using bribes the investment process can run more easily. The greater the foreign capital that enters, the greater the capital in economic activities so that economic growth will increase. This is certainly not a good thing the Indonesian government needs to improve the quality of its bureaucracy so that corrupt practices do not get worse

The Influence of Self-Efficacy and Family Environment on Student Interest Learning in SMK PGRI 2 Kediri

The purpose of this study is to see how self-efficacy and family environment at SMK PGRI 2 Kediri affect student learning motivation. With a population of students of SMK PGRI 2 Kediri, especially accounting majors, this study used quantitative methodology. A total of 75 people were selected as samples using saturated sampling technique. The findings of the analysis show that the Sig. value of the self-efficacy variable, family environment, and interest in learning are all less than 0.05: the value of the self-efficacy variable is 0.001, the value of the family environment variable is 0.007, and the value of the interest in learning variable is 0.000. Analysis of research data using the F test (simultaneous test) obtained the results of Fcount = 36.432 with a significance value of 0.000 so that the learning interest variable (Y) is simultaneously influenced by the self-efficacy variable (X1) and the family environment (X2). Keywords: Self Efficacy, Family Environment, Learning Interest

INTEGRATION OF SNI ISO/IEC 17024:2012 AND SNI ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 STANDARDS IN IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS AT PT QUANTUM HRM INTERNASIONAL

This study discusses the application of the integration of ISO 17024 and ISO 17021 standards in Improving the Quality of Management Systems at PT Quantum HRM International (QHRMI). The purpose of this study is to find out how to apply the integration of the two standards. This study uses qualitative research method with the type of research used, namely literature research or literature study or known as desk study where the researcher relies on various literature to obtain research data. The results of this study show that the implementation of ISO 17024 and ISO 17021 at QHRMI has strengthened objective, transparent, and reliable certification standards. In personnel certification, QHRMI prioritizes the principles of impartiality and integrity, supported by a structured management system and competent experts. Meanwhile, the implementation of ISO 17021 ensures that audits and certification of the management system of educational organizations are carried out professionally, in accordance with international standards and applicable regulations. Through the integration of these two standards, QHRMI has succeeded in improving operational efficiency by reducing duplication of documents, optimizing management coordination, and encouraging continuous improvement. The integration also strengthens QHRMI's reputation as a credible certification body, while increasing its competitiveness in the certification industry.