Transparency Standards Research Articles

UK Cystic Fibrosis Registry Website Enhancements: A User-Centred Approach to the Data Access Transparency

BackgroundAs a member of the HDR UK Alliance, Cystic Fibrosis Trust is committed to adopting and maintaining the transparency standards within the UK CF Registry (UKCFR). Our website is the primary source for providing information on UKCFR and data access processes. We aimed to review use and accessibility across all user groups to shape website enhancements. This project aimed to improve transparency by conducting user experience (UX) research, and based on user feedback, enhance our website. For this project, we reviewed all of the HDR UK Transparency Standards. For this poster, we will focus on Standards 3 (Clear Website Navigation and 4 (Consider Target Audience). IntroductionThe primary objective was to enhance Transparency Standards by understanding audience needs and customise website improvements based on their needs. We envisaged that the outcome would be an improved and streamlined data access process to support transparency and trust among both data applicants and the public. MethodsWe employed a multi-method approach which incorporates public involvement throughout the whole process. We conducted on-site polls to intercept website visitors and gather quick feedback during their visit. Additionally, we created and distributed targeted surveys to various groups, including public and CF professionals, to delve deeper into their website experiences. Results The website’s overall rating is high at 7.4/10. UX research respondents: public 57% public and 43% CF Professionals. The top reasons for visiting the website are accessing reports and statistics and finding out more about UK CF Registry. Ease of finding information has fairly even spread, indicating room for improvement.

Enhancing Transparency in Optimum Patient Care Research Database Access Procedures: A Multifaceted Approach Addressing Improvements in Transparency Standards

Enhancing Transparency in Optimum Patient Care Research Database Access Procedures: A Multifaceted Approach Addressing Improvements in Transparency Standards

A holistic implementation of the Alliance Transparency Standards: Demystifying research governance and sensitive data processing

Background/IntroductionTo promote transparency for both the public and researchers [1, 2], our objective was to implement all HDRUK Transparency Standards within the Grampian Data Safe Haven (DaSH) [3] website [4]. Particularly, we aimed to clarify sensitive data processing within our Trusted Research Environment (TRE) and improve accessibility of ethics and governance permissions procedures to facilitate public-benefit research. MethodsUtilising Knowledge Translation [5] and Implementation Science [6] methods, we identified relevant audiences to engage with the website to develop and evaluate digital content. A holistic approach to navigation, content creation and visuality was implemented to improve user experience for diverse audiences [7], leveraging plain language strategies [8] for understanding and transparency. ResultsWe addressed Standard 1 by publishing the DaSH Project Initiation Document and clear information on data processing. For Standards 3, 4 and 5, we enhanced user experience through streamlined navigation, dropdowns, signposting, and clear language, ensuring information remains appropriate for diverse audiences. Additionally, we established a quarterly review/update cycle. For Standard 6, we documented our Governance and Security structures alongside ISO27001 certification, a Data Use Register, and an Impact list of DaSH-supported research publications. Our most significant contribution was toward Standard 2, creating detailed permissions pathways guidance documents, including visual aids and permissions application checklists. To our knowledge, we are the first UK TRE to fully document and publish all available permissions pathways [9]. ConclusionsFirst, implementing the six HDRUK Transparency Standards simultaneously enables holistic improvements to openness, maximising the benefits of their complementary recommendations. Second, publishing project lifecycle information clarifies TRE and researcher responsibilities, especially during data extraction, pseudonymisation, and linkage stages [10], fostering trust and confidence in sensitive data use and processing. Third, by documenting ethics and governance pathways available in visual, text, and downloadable formats, we have demonstrably improved ethical and research literacy for both researchers and the public. By clearly articulating an easy-to-follow process for each permissions pathway, this initiative has been identified by our audience as the most impactful improvement in making sensitive data research transparent and accessible. OtherThere were three main lessons learnt. (1) A four-month timescale for website redesign incorporating new content, and multi-audience feedback, could prove overly ambitious without a strong procurement team, dedicated staff, and established audience connections. (2) Content management systems may be a significantly limiting component, impacting both visual appeal and the audiences’ preferred access (e.g. mobile). Implementing certain recommendations (e.g. Data Use Register; Database register), can lead to potentially dense pages and visually cluttered tabular information that are difficult to navigate. (3) Publishing audit findings or information about breaches presents a communication challenge. The potential exists for misinterpretations of legal, technical, or classification terms, which could erode public trust, even with transparency as the aim.

Skylark Wiki: Accessing research data of the MRC National Survey of Health and Development

Background & IntroductionThe Medical Research Council National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD) is the oldest and longest-running of the British birth cohort studies. In 2018 we launched the Skylark Wiki, a central metadata repository and the first port of call for any data sharing queries. In 2023 we utilised the HDRUK funding initiative to work with our advisory group and research community to improve the transparency of our data access process and make the content more accessible. MethodsWe conducted a focus group session with the NSHD Participant Advisory Panel to understand their views on the data sharing process and whether the information we provided them, sufficiently explained how their data are shared. We also sent out a questionnaire to all Skylark Users to identify areas of improvement. Lastly, we undertook an audit of the website’s content and used Google Analytics to see how Users navigated across the site. Combining all this information we identified areas requiring improvements, from the point of view of our stakeholders, and comparing these to the requirements indicated in the HDRUK Transparency Standards we mapped out updates to the Skylark Wiki. The work was carried out by an external agency (Aubergine262 Ltd). ResultsTo increase transparency and searchability, we improved the flow diagram of the data sharing process to include links to the relevant web pages. We also created guidance to explain why the information in the data request application form is being asked. As feedback from Skylark Users suggested difficulties in finding the required information, the navigation has been updated. We have also changed the layout of the front page to include navigation boxes that takes users straight to the content. The NSHD Advisory Panel reinforced the notion of trust that study participants place in the study and its approach to data sharing. They confirmed the information provided on data sharing was adequate and appreciated that this information was placed on the main study website (https://nshd.mrc.ac.uk/) for their benefit. Initial feedback from Users indicates that it is easier to find information on the website. We will keep monitoring access to the website, the number of queries, and data access requests to evaluate long-term benefits. We have changed the sitemap and added in large link boxes, to make it easier to find the different sections. We hope this will improve the searchability of the site so users can find information they required. We hope this will therefore lead to fewer emails and correspondence between the data sharing team and users. We have also updated the flow diagram of the data sharing process to include links to the web pages which are related to that section. We hope this will help the users find the information they require. ConclusionsThe new Skylark data-sharing website supports easier navigation providing a better User experience. In return, this should lead to fewer queries from Users. The website will be easier to maintain having changed the content management system from a Wiki to WordPress. WordPress requires less technical knowledge, allowing more staff to contribute to regular maintenance. References Skylark data-sharing website: https://skylark.ucl.ac.uk/NSHD/ Aubergine: https://www.aubergine262.com/

Lay review of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust’s (SLaM) Clinical Records Interactive Search (CRIS) system website to better meet UK Heath Data Research Alliance Transparency Standards.

Lay review of the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust’s (SLaM) Clinical Records Interactive Search (CRIS) system website to better meet UK Heath Data Research Alliance Transparency Standards.

Improving Transparency of NHS Trust uses of data for Research Purposes

BackgroundIn 2022, the UK Health Data Research Alliance published a Data Transparency Standards white paper (UK Health Data Research Alliance, 2022). This guideline encourages organisations using health data for research to take an approach which creates increased transparency around how this data is utilised and what the proposed benefits of projects may be. The guidelines are split into six themed standards encouraging organisations to; publish their application forms and application process, have a clearly marked website which considers their target audience and is regularly reviewed, and to publish a register of projects which have used their data. IntroductionMFT CDSU operates a Safe Haven for research using health and social care data which includes a public panel for reviewing project applications. As such, it was felt that adopting the Data Transparency Standards would be a crucial step in furthering our public involvement and transparency of operations within the service. MethodsCDSU and RCD adapted the already existing MFT intranet site to be an outward-facing public website (Figure 1), hosted on the MFT Research and Innovation website and accessible for two main audiences; public citizens and researchers. Existing processes and descriptions were adapted to try and meet the Data Transparency Standards in the best-fit way, working within the constraints of existing Trust site infrastructure and publishing rules, and content was reviewed by the RCD. Agreed content and website structure was then sent to the CDSU Data Access Committee (DAC) for review and approval before publishing on the website. ResultsA public-facing website was published near the end of March 2024 with dedicated sections for CDSU workstreams (Figure 2) of Operational Data Science, Research Data and Clinical Trials Recruitment and a direct means to contact CDSU. The DAC has its own dedicated tab (Figure 3) explaining their role in reviewing projects, listing all projects which have received approvals so far. ConclusionsThe website is published (https://research.cmft.nhs.uk/innovation-at-mft/manchester-clinical-data-science-unit) but will still require some further edits to the content. There is also a planned change for the MFT content management site so there may be some temporary disruption while this move is enabled. There is an existing schedule in place to review the site content for relevance every 6 months. There are constraints on content and structure due to the MFT comms rules on publications and the content management site MFT use. This meant that we are unable to easily meet certain criteria in the Data Transparency Standards, such as structuring the content in a particular way or providing a downloadable copy of files. The CDSU website will be a useful engagement tool, encouraging more interest in the service and types of project undertaken and we are working to make more information available. References UK Health Data Research Alliance (2022), Improving transparency in the use of health data for research: Recommendations for a data use register standard, https://zenodo.org/records/5902743#.ZDgTHcrMKUn MFT Clinical Data Science Unit (2024), https://research.cmft.nhs.uk/innovation-at-mft/manchester-clinical-data-science-unit

Transparency Animations: Trusted Research Environments, Data Linkage and Synthetic Data

BackgroundWith funding from HDR UK, Research Data Scotland (RDS) commissioned award-winning production company Media Co-op to create three short graphic animations targeted at both researchers and members of the public, building on our existing text-based content by introducing educational resources in a new format. These videos highlight three topics that have generated substantial interest among RDS users: Trusted Research Environments, data linkage and synthetic data. IntroductionFounded in 2021, RDS’s brand values centre on providing clarity, encouraging simplicity and building public trust. These values closely align with the aims of the HDR UK Transparency Standards, particularly around transparent application processes and criteria (Standard 2) and consideration for target audiences (Standard 4). MethodsRDS worked with creative agency Media Co-op to develop the animations with input from both subject matter experts and members of the public. Data experts were consulted throughout the project to ensure information accuracy. Two rounds of feedback from the Scotland Talks Data public panel, run jointly by RDS and the Scottish Centre for Administrative Data Research (SCADR), were also incorporated with the aim of ensuring appropriate and accessible language. ResultsThe resulting animations explain complex topics in layperson terms to aid comprehension. Each video also has a corresponding British Sign Language (BSL) version to aid wider accessibility. We anticipate that these videos will ensure both researchers and the public can glean a clearer understanding of these intricate concepts. ConclusionsBy applying a Creative Commons Non-Commercial Share Alike 4.0 license to all three videos, we intend for all partner organisations across the UK to be able to reuse or share these videos with their respective audiences. The more organisations share these videos, the more we will build a collective understanding of these complex topics. The final animations can be viewed on the RDS YouTube channel: How is data kept secure? What is data linkage? What is synthetic data? To honour our commitment to creating accessible content, BSL versions of all three animations are also available: How is data kept secure? (BSL) What is data linkage? (BSL) What is synthetic data? (BSL)

Improving transparency of longitudinal health research: glossary, infographic and accessible study summaries

BackgroundLongitudinal studies collect information repeatedly about the same group of people, allowing for analyses of changes over time. They are vital in mental health research, as elsewhere. As longitudinal studies rely on the participation of patients and the public, their methods, purposes and results must be transparent and accessible. IntroductionMany UK longitudinal research studies with mental health data are indexed via the Catalogue of Mental Health Measures (‘Catalogue’), and organisations including DATAMIND provide broader information about mental health data research. However, the information on such platforms is primarily researcher-oriented, creating a barrier to its transparency and accessibility. Barriers can be alleviated by providing clear definitions of specialist terms, a transparent overview of longitudinal mental health research, and ‘bite-sized’ summaries of the Catalogue studies. MethodsThis project was co-designed and co-created by patient/public representatives from the DATAMIND Super Research Advisory Group (SRAG) and researchers. UK Health Data Research Alliance transparency standards were followed across the delivery of three outputs. (1) To provide clear definitions of specialist terms, SRAG members and researchers collected terms commonly used longitudinal research and researchers clarified definitions. Definitions were revised by SRAG members and terms were added to an existing data science glossary. (2) To create a transparent overview of longitudinal mental health research, the patient/public involvement (PPI) lead and SRAG co-applicant proposed content for an infographic about longitudinal research. The design was discussed with a graphic designer who created the infographic, and involved the PPI lead for the UK Longitudinal Linkage Collaboration. This was then revised iteratively for clarity, accessibility and diversity. (3) To generate accessible summaries of the Catalogue studies, psychology undergraduate students drafted summaries for an initial six studies, which were reviewed via a workshop led by the SRAG. Following revisions to the content and style, summaries were created for all 55+ studies on the Catalogue. Unfamiliar terms encountered during the process were also added to the glossary. ResultsThree new resources were created. (1) We developed a glossary of terms commonly used in longitudinal studies and research, to be incorporated into the DATAMIND glossary (https://datamind.org.uk/glossary/). (2) We created an infographic ‘storyboard’ to show how researchers, patients and the public can work together in the creation and curation of longitudinal research. The infographic illustrates the intertwined relationships between patients and the public, providing a transparent representation of challenges such as sharing studies, data access, patient benefit, and the importance and impact of public involvement. It illustrates many ways to find out about longitudinal research. (3) Accessible and transparent short summaries were created for all longitudinal studies in the Catalogue (https://www.cataloguementalhealth.ac.uk/). These provide clear and concise overviews, enough to capture the essence of each study and inform researchers and the public quickly and easily. ConclusionsCo-production supports the transparency of longitudinal research, and ensures resources designed and produced for the public have public input. Two generic information resources and one specific resource are presented. AcknowledgementsProject funded by HDR UK (HDRUK2023.0465). DATAMIND is funded by the Medical Research Council (MR/W014386/1). All research at the Department of Psychiatry in the University of Cambridge is supported by the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR203312) and the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration East of England; the views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.

Global perspectives and transdisciplinary opportunities for locust and grasshopper pest management and research

Locusts and other migratory grasshoppers are transboundary pests. Monitoring and control, therefore, involve a complex system made up of social, ecological, and technological factors. Researchers and those involved in active management are calling for more integration between these siloed but often interrelated sectors. In this paper, we bring together 38 coauthors from six continents and 34 unique organizations, representing much of the social-ecological-technological system (SETS) related to grasshopper and locust management and research around the globe, to introduce current topics of interest and review recent advancements. Together, the paper explores the relationships, strengths, and weaknesses of the organizations responsible for the management of major locust-affected regions. The authors cover topics spanning humanities, social science, and the history of locust biological research and offer insights and approaches for the future of collaborative sustainable locust management. These perspectives will help support sustainable locust management, which still faces immense challenges such as fluctuations in funding, focus, isolated agendas, trust, communication, transparency, pesticide use, and environmental and human health standards. Arizona State University launched the Global Locust Initiative (GLI) in 2018 as a response to some of these challenges. The GLI welcomes individuals with interests in locusts and grasshoppers, transboundary pests, integrated pest management, landscape-level processes, food security, and/or cross-sectoral initiatives.

Transparency for AI systems: a value-based approach

With the widespread use of artificial intelligence, it becomes crucial to provide information about these systems and how they are used. Governments aim to disclose their use of algorithms to establish legitimacy and the EU AI Act mandates forms of transparency for all high-risk and limited-risk systems. Yet, what should the standards for transparency be? What information is needed to show to a wide public that a certain system can be used legitimately and responsibly? I argue that process-based approaches fail to satisfy, as knowledge about the development process is insufficient to predict the properties of the resulting system. Current outcome-based approaches [Mitchell et al., 2019; Loi et al., 2021] are also criticized for a lack of attention to the broader socio-technical system and failure to account for empirical results that show that people care about more than just the outcomes of a process [as reported by Meyerson et al. (Procedural justice and relational theory: Empirical, philosophical, and legal perspectives, Taylor & Francis, 2021)]. Instead, I propose value-based transparency, on which the information we need to provide is what values have been considered in the design and how successful these have been realized in the final system. This can handle the objections to other frameworks, matches with current best practices on the design of responsible AI and provides the public with information on the crucial aspects of a system’s design.

Africa’s critical minerals can power the global low-carbon transition

The global shift towards low-carbon economies and societies is expected to result in a substantial surge in the demand for critical minerals. Endowed with at least a fifth of the world’s reserves in a dozen minerals, Africa can play a pivotal role in facilitating the global transition away from fossil fuels. In this paper, we argue that, for this to happen, Africa needs to act now to convert its natural assets into sustainable comparative advantages for a resource-based industrialisation. This will require proactive measures to ensure strict compliance with the highest standards of governance and transparency, as well as to uphold social values such as safeguarding basic rights of affected individuals and communities and sound environmental management to avoid falling into a new resource curse. This also requires a renewed global raw material diplomacy in which Africa manages the geopolitics of critical minerals, identifying strategic global alliances to unleash economic potential, create local content in the mining sector, develop domestic productive capacity, and foster sustainable development.

INNOVATIVE IT SOLUTIONS TO ENHANCE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ELECTRONIC ELECTIONS THROUGH BLOCKCHAIN

The shift towards electronic elections is driven by the need for increased efficiency and accessibility. However, the integrity of these systems is continually threatened by issues such as voter fraud, hacking incidents, and the absence of transparent audit trails. Existing solutions often fail to comprehensively address these challenges. This article introduced blockchain technology as a transformative approach to these electoral challenges. Employing methods such as advanced blockchain architectures, enhanced security protocols, and smart contract optimization, it establishes a secure, decentralized, and immutable ledger of votes. These methods counteracted many of the vulnerabilities inherent in traditional systems, achieving a higher standard of transparency, security, and voter privacy that was previously unachievable. The findings from detailed case studies and technological infrastructures discussed in subsequent sections demonstrate the effectiveness of these methods in enhancing election integrity. This examination showcases the relevance and potential of blockchain technology in revolutionizing electronic elections, offering a blueprint for secure, transparent, and efficient voting systems.

Who is the author: genuine, honorary, ghost, gold, and fake authors?

While authorship practices can vary across different disciplines, authorship should reflect the individuals who have made a substantial contribution to the research project, take public responsibility for the paper’s content, and agree to its submission for publication. In real life, the article is usually authored by at least one truly genuine author and some parasitic authors. The first author and the last author are especially important. The middle authors are less important, and their participation is often wrongly seen as an inconsequential decorative favor. The honorary author, a gift or guest author, is added as a bonus to please someone higher in the hierarchy than the submitting author. This practice is believed to enhance the chances of publication, but usually, the excess of honorary authors will make reviewers more critical. A ghost author contributed substantially but it does not appear in the list of authors to avoid declaring an overt conflict of interest. The gold author is someone paid by a third party in direct or indirect forms, and capable of writing and signing everything asked by the payer, including overstating the merits of a new drug or ignoring its drawbacks. A fake author does not exist, and while it may seem humorous it is a breach of scientific integrity and can lead to serious consequences for the individuals involved. With Chat-generative pre-trained transformer (Chat-GPT), artificial intelligence may contribute decisively to the article content and presentation. Overall, it is important to maintain high standards of integrity and transparency in authorship practices to ensure that research findings are trustworthy and reliable. The reputation of your work is in the hands of your coauthors, so choose them carefully and make sure they share your commitment to scientific integrity.

Adoption Factors of Blockchain in Indian Agriculture Supply Chain Management Analysis using EFA

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-top: 10pt; line-height: 12pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 14pt;">The global agricultural supply chain grapples with inherent challenges, including opacity, inefficiency, and ethical concerns, necessitating innovative solutions, particularly within Indian Agriculture Supply Chain Management. Despite these challenges, a notable research gap emerges due to the limited exploration of adoption factors specific to the Indian agricultural context. To bridge this gap, a comprehensive investigation is initiated to delve into the nuanced dynamics of blockchain technology adoption in the Indian agricultural supply chain. The primary aim of this study is to provide insights into these adoption dynamics, employing a three-stage methodology. Starting with an extensive literature review to identify key adoption factors, the study then distributed a well-crafted questionnaire to 200 respondents, yielding 150 complete and analyzable responses. The chosen methodologies, including a one-sample t-test and exploratory factor analysis, allow for a quantitative assessment of the significance of various factors. The study's findings reveal crucial dimensions influencing blockchain adoption, such as perceived benefits, ease of use, trust, efficiency, ethical considerations, data security, integrity, regulatory compliance, and collaboration and stakeholder engagement, providing a comprehensive understanding of the adoption landscape. In conclusion, this research significantly contributes to comprehending the nuanced adoption dynamics of blockchain technology in the Indian agricultural supply chain, supported by a substantial sample size and robust methodological choices. The implications extend to stakeholders navigating the evolving agricultural supply chain, offering valuable insights for future research, policy considerations, and practical strategies, with a central focus on fostering transparency, efficiency, and ethical standards to address global agricultural supply chain challenges.</span></p>

Legal security of mediation in Ukraine: shortcomings and prospects for improvement through the prism of the experience of the countries of the European Union

In the content of the article, the author investigated the peculiarities of the legal provision of mediation in Ukraine and the countries of the European Union. Despite the fact that today in legal science, a significant body of scientific works has been formed, which relate to certain aspects of mediation, it is worth noting that the issue of legal support for mediation in Ukraine has not been properly studied scientifically. Modern studies of the legal provision of mediation are especially relevant, given the high degree of its variability in Ukraine. On the basis of a critical analysis of the provisions of Ukrainian legislation in the field of mediation, its shortcomings and prospects for improvement were determined. The following are noted as shortcomings of the legal provision of mediation in Ukraine: a) the absence of provisions that would regulate the issues of mediation procedures, in particular before submitting an appeal to the court, during court proceedings, as well as during the execution of a court decision, etc.; b) inconsistency of its categorical and conceptual apparatus with established legislative terminology (for example, the terms "conflict” and "dispute”); c) inaccuracy of the legal provision of mediation principles; d) superficial, too general regulation of the mediation process itself; e) failure to take into account the European standard of mediation transparency, etc. The analysis of the peculiarities of the legal provision of the EU countries (France, Germany, Italy, Austria, etc.) made it possible to substantiate the prospects for improving the legal provision of mediation in Ukraine. It is summarized that the Ukrainian legislation has experienced legal transformations in the field of mediation, moving from the least effective and least reliable informal model to a specialized model by adopting the framework Law of Ukraine "On Mediation”. In our opinion, the most effective model of legal support for mediation is the specialized model chosen by Ukraine, which, among other things, should be complemented by effective mechanisms of self-regulation of this legal activity through the development and application of acts of the so-called "unofficial law” adopted by professional associations of mediators. The combination of the legal regulation of mediation in Ukraine was noted: a) the typicality of the law "On Mediation”, which established the legal foundation of mediation and regulated the most general and important issues in this area; b) self-regulating mechanisms of mediation, designed to ensure a quick response to the dynamic development of mediation and relations where it should be applied.

REFORMS: Consensus-based Recommendations for Machine-learning-based Science.

Machine learning (ML) methods are proliferating in scientific research. However, the adoption of these methods has been accompanied by failures of validity, reproducibility, and generalizability. These failures can hinder scientific progress, lead to false consensus around invalid claims, and undermine the credibility of ML-based science. ML methods are often applied and fail in similar ways across disciplines. Motivated by this observation, our goal is to provide clear recommendations for conducting and reporting ML-based science. Drawing from an extensive review of past literature, we present the REFORMS checklist (recommendations for machine-learning-based science). It consists of 32 questions and a paired set of guidelines. REFORMS was developed on the basis of a consensus of 19 researchers across computer science, data science, mathematics, social sciences, and biomedical sciences. REFORMS can serve as a resource for researchers when designing and implementing a study, for referees when reviewing papers, and for journals when enforcing standards for transparency and reproducibility.

Risk assessment in performance auditing: a review of approaches and methods

Performance auditing has evolved over time from a focus on error and fraud detection to a more comprehensive and strategic approach. The main objective of this study was to analyze and compare traditional and modern approaches to performance auditing. A non-experimental and qualitative methodological approach was used, based on a documentary review of indexed academic sources. The results revealed a significant transition in auditing practices, with the modern approach oriented towards continuous improvement and risk anticipation. The importance of adopting advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence, to improve audit efficiency and effectiveness was highlighted. In conclusion, performance auditing plays a conclusive role in process improvement and informed decision making, contributing to the achievement of organizational objectives and the maintenance of high standards of performance and transparency.

Ethics guidelines for environmental epidemiologists: 2023 revision.

Recognition of the importance to environmental epidemiology of ethical and philosophical deliberation led, in 1996, to the establishment of Ethics Guidelines for the profession. In 1999, these guidelines were adopted by the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology. The guidelines were revised in 2012 and again in 2023 to ensure continued relevance to the major issues facing the field. Comprising normative standards of professional conduct, the guidelines are structured into four subsections: (1) obligations to individuals and communities who participate in research; (2) obligations to society; (3) obligations regarding funders/sponsors and employers; and (4) obligations to colleagues. Through the 2023 revision of the Ethics Guidelines, the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology seeks to ensure the highest possible standards of transparency and accountability for the ethical conduct of environmental epidemiologists engaged in research and public health practice.

Banks, open banking and data protection

As economic systems continue to evolve, with a particular focus on digital, the banking sector is at the forefront of technological advances, revolutionizing the way customers' finances are managed. With the rapid digitization of financial technologies, the importance of bank data protection and confidentiality measures increases, especially in the context of cross-border data transfers in which different actors are involved, both from the regulated financial-banking area and from less regulated areas, which together can offer open banking services (open-banking). Banking entities around the world are entrusted with customers' sensitive personal and financial data, making the principle of data security a primary concern for maintaining customer trust. Effective data protection in banking encompasses a complex approach, in strict compliance with applicable national and international regulations, state-of-the-art encryption technologies and comprehensive risk management strategies to maintain the highest standards of security, transparency and trust in the system banking.

Analysis of Coercion-Resistant for E-Voting System based on Blockchain

Abstract: Election absenteeism rates are steadily rising, partly a result of the distance required to cast a vote. The use of electronic voting procedure would eliminate the need for travel and enhance voter turnout. In addition, compared to the conventional paper ballot voting technique, this reduces dangers like manipulations and produces results more quickly. A remotely electronic voting system should, nevertheless, adhere to the highest standards of security, dependability, and transparency given the significance of an election. Numerous remote e-voting systems, many of which are based on blockchain technology, were examined in this literature review. Blockchain technology provides for the removal of the Trusted Third Party (TTP) and the decentralization of transactions while also providing transparent and completely secure data storage, making it a new technical foundation for many different types of IT applications. The use of smart-contract technology, which automates and executes user agreements, is also permitted. The authors of this study examine the most insightful blockchain-based e-voting options. The lack of openness and auditability in conventional voting methods can be addressed by blockchain technology. A reliable computing platform is offered by running a self-enforcing e-voting system on a blockchain for real-time data verification