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New technology can be a source of great optimism and a force for positive change in the research industry. As such, it is important to discuss the merits of emerging technology. In this research note, the emergent opportunity for qualitative research in the metaverse is discussed. This paper looks at how rich sensory virtual environments with multiple sensory modalities might help address some of the shortcomings of traditional online qualitative research. The importance of establishing social presence in virtual qualitative research is addressed. Then, how the metaverse might help remove some of the constraints of 'big qual' is debated. The potential for the metaverse to improve participant inclusivity is considered, before finally discussing the issue of research ethics in a decentralised virtual world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article “Native blue elderberry in hedgerows bridges revenue and conservation goals” focuses on the commercial potential of western blue elderberry (Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea) plantings, primarily on private farmland in California. While blue elderberry is little known as a commercial agricultural crop, it is anything but new to the Indigenous people of this place. Many of the nearly 200 tribes that live in California have been in relationship with elderberry, and the land it grows on, since time immemorial, seeing all living beings as their own kin, rather than merely utilitarian resources. For non-Indigenous farmers and researchers working with elderberry, it is important to be aware of our state’s history of land dispossession and non-Native land management practices, which have often diminished California Native peoples’ access to and sovereignty over traditional foods, medicines and cultural materials.

An editorial is presented in which the authors propose opportunities and recommendations for the mobilization of new sources of data in management and organizational research. Topics discussed include methodology to analyze new data sources, including the use of machine learning for big data analysis, transparency and ethical considerations in the acquisition and handling of new data sources, and the importance of aligning theory and method.

This document, titled "A Quick Guide for Becoming a Better Peer Reviewer," provides tips and recommendations for individuals who have been invited to peer review an article. The authors emphasize the importance of checking the legitimacy of the journal, considering potential conflicts of interest, and evaluating the match between one's expertise and the topic of the article. They also discuss the significance, innovation, and relevance of the paper, as well as the importance of research and publication ethics. The authors provide guidance on writing the reviewer's report, including being kind, constructive, and polite, and being clear and specific in providing feedback. They caution against imposing one's own point of view and disclose recommendations to the authors. The authors conclude by highlighting the importance of mentoring and supporting the next generation of peer reviewers to improve the overall quality of peer reviews and the experience of authors and readers in physical activity research. [Extracted from the article]

This systematic literature review enhances paradigmatic/metaphysic analyses by examining how value-based commitments, intellectual personae, and stances impact the diversity, relevance, and consideration of ethics in gender research published by the top-tier marketing journals in the past 30 years. Theoretical contributions (1) explain how commitments to research values and practices constitute personae and particular stances toward research, (2) attribute value commitments to quantitative/positivist as well as qualitative/neohumanist research, and (3) implicate stances that favor particular theories and procedures and in turn enable the hierarchical development of gender research and its marginalization in the field. Recommendations elaborate the analytic, reflexive, and administrative training and research activities that will foster and reward more relevant, accurate, and ethical research on gender in the marketing academy and in industry. This work is of interest to persons dealing with gender identities, communities, and social issues, those working for greater gender representation and participation in firms and civic organizations, and those concerned with leveraging better marketing research for a better world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This roundtable discusses the future of research in critical Kashmir studies through a close consideration of questions of power, ethics, and positionality that have come to the fore in recent years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the knowledge, attitude and perception of post-graduate residents of neurosciences towards research ethics (RE) and research ethics committees (RECs). Methods: This prospective cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted by the Punjab Institute of Neurosciences, targeting post-graduate neuroscience residents throughout Pakistan during January and February, 2024. An English-language general questionnaire, designed to assess knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions of RE and RECs, was adapted to reflect local conditions. The collected responses were analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) to determine measures of central tendency, percentages, and frequencies. Results: Out of 241 residents, 64.3% were males. Sixty-eight percent respondents were from neurosurgery and 32% were from the field of neurology. Approximately 47% responses were from the province of Punjab. More than half (51.5%) of participants acknowledged the existence of a REC within their institution. A similar proportion (52.3%) claimed familiarity with ethical guidelines for research involving human subjects, only a slight majority (48.5%) demonstrated awareness of the specific functions carried out by RECs. Meanwhile, 44.5% expressed concerns that undergoing review by a REC could potentially delay research and pose additional challenges for researchers. Additionally, 27.4% of respondents admitted to considering the fabrication of data or results as acceptable. Conclusion: Our research uncovered a significant correlation between participants' perceptions of RE and RECs and their comprehension of ethical principles. These findings indicate that medical postgraduates with a deeper understanding or awareness of research ethics principles and RECs tend to hold more robust attitudes toward these aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to explore the interrelationship between research ethics and research integrity with a focus on the primary forms of research misconduct, including plagiarism, fabrication, and falsification. It also details the main factors for their occurrence, and the possible ways for mitigating their use among scholars. Methods: The method employed a detailed examination of the main ethical dilemmas, as delineated in literature, as well as the factors leading to these ethical breaches and the strategies to mitigate them. Further, the teaching experiences of the primary author are reflected in the development of the model. Results: The results of this article are represented in a model illustrating the interrelationship between research ethics and research integrity. Further, a significant aspect of our article is the identification of novel forms of research misconduct concerning the use of irrelevant or forced citations or references. Conclusion: In conclusion, the article highlights the substantial positive effects that adherence to research ethics and integrity have on the academic well-being of scholars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Second victim is the name given to the healthcare personnel—most often a nursing professional—involved with the error that led to the adverse event to a patient and who, as a result, have experienced negative psychological effects. Research with second victims has increased over the years, however concerns exist with regards to the ethical risks imposed upon these individuals. Aim: To explore the extent to which research with second victims of adverse events in healthcare settings adhere to ethical requirements. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework and using the following databases: PUBMED, Web of Science, and SCOPUS. Original research of any study design focused on second victims and published in English, Spanish, or Portuguese in 2014–2023 were included. A critical narrative approach was used to discuss the findings. Ethical considerations: The review followed ethical guidelines emphasizing accurate authorship attribution and truthful data reporting. Results: Fifteen studies using qualitative (n = 2), quantitative (n = 10), and mixed-method (n = 3) designs were included. Over half were not assessed by a research ethics committee, with questionable reasons given by the authors. One-third did not refer to having used an informed consent. In two studies, participants were recruited by their workplace superiors, which could potentially right to autonomy and voluntary participation. Conclusion: Over half of the included studies with second victims did not comply with fundamental ethical aspects, with risk to inflict respect for individual autonomy, confidentiality, and of not causing any harm to participants. Implications for nursing research: Healthcare personnel involved in adverse events are most often nursing professionals; therefore, any breach of ethics in research with this population is likely to directly affect their rights as research participants. We provide recommendations to promote better research practices with second victims towards safeguarding their rights as research participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What happens when researchers based in the Global North are suddenly unable to access research sites, especially those in the Global South? In 2020, COVID-related public health measures and travel restrictions made clear how dependent certain categories of researchers in the North are on easy access to research sites in the South. The space opened up by their pandemic-imposed retreat and the solutions devised in response have provoked both challenges and opportunities. In this article, we reflect on this space, focusing on how forms of more just collaboration become possible when the inertia of Global North-controlled research is interrupted. Many scholars have argued for change in how Global North-South scholarly collaborations proceed, seeking to root out colonial practices and attend to power imbalances that disadvantage South-based scholars. COVID's disruptions offer a chance to reorient these collaborations toward more ethical forms of research. We examine the ethical and practical questions inherent in such collaborations and explore two case studies of attempts to reorient collaborative work, drawing primarily on examples of collaboration between African, European, and North American scholars. Cognizant that these efforts are only initial attempts toward reworking collaborative practice, we also trace the challenges they bring, from the duty of care and paternalistic approaches to funding and practical problems. We suggest that a careful consideration of these issues can help to establish more just ways to fully reengage North-South research and collaboration in the wake of the global pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since February 2020, we have witnessed COVID-19 profoundly disturb ongoing research dynamics – including research collaborations between the Global North and the Global South. Reduced international and regional mobility obliged research collaborations to reinvent their modalities. The role of field-based researchers (those physically 'there') has never been more crucial. This article draws on the testimonies of researchers from the African Great Lakes region to reflect on the positionality of field-based researchers in North–South research collaborations throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Their embeddedness in the field foregrounded their complementary strengths in interactions with scholars from the Global North. We also illustrate how vulnerabilities – both unstable employment and field-related risks – were unevenly shared by partners in the Global South and the Global North. In conclusion, the COVID-19 experience inspired us to adhere to new collaboration modalities that move beyond post-colonial dynamics in North–South research collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports a case study of older adults learning English in China. It indicates how, founded on consequentialist ethics, risk analysis, and safeguarding, it was decided to use covert research, drawing on the confluence of risk analysis, risk evaluation, risk management, safeguarding, research ethics, and important contextual and cultural features. Ethical principles of nonmaleficence, beneficence, safeguarding, and protection were addressed, and account was taken of the strength, likelihood, and consequences of risks, safeguards, and benefits, informed by Chinese cultural contexts, values, behaviors, and features of teaching and learning based on andragogy and geragogy. Implications are drawn for teaching and learning with older adults, advocating significant account to be taken of contextual factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Dry eye disease (DED) is a multifactorial condition of the ocular surface (OS) characterized by loss of tear film homeostasis, ocular discomfort, and vision disturbances. Most available ocular lubricants target the aqueous deficiency of the tear, restoring only this layer, leaving the tear lipid stratum deficient, as occurs in most patients with evaporative DED. An innovative propylene glycol-hydroxypropyl guar enriched with a phospholipid nanoemulsion (PG-HPG-PH-N) is indicated to restore deficiencies in both the lipid and aqueous layers of the tear film, and its composition was designed to increase lubricant retention on the OS. The purpose of this study was to evaluate, through the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) and clinical assessment, the treatment of patients who had DED due to aqueous deficiency arising from mixed or evaporative DED subtypes with a PG-HPG-PH-N ocular lubricant at a reduced frequency of twice a day, in a prospective, multicenter, and single-arm study. Methods: Patients were screened from days − 7 to 0, and from day 1 (baseline and first day of treatment) to day 28 of treatment with this lubricant. After visit 1 (screening visit, days − 7 to 0), designed as pre-treatment OS assessment, patients returned to their research center on days 14 and 28 of treatment for a complete assessment, including anamnesis, the OSDI, corrected visual acuity, tear breakup time (TFBUT), OS staining evaluation, tolerability index, and environmental exposure questionnaire. Results: Seventy patients were enrolled in this study (60 women, 10 men), with a mean age of 45 (range 27–64) years. TFBUT results showed an improvement in tear film stability as vital dyes sodium fluorescein and lysamine green showed a decrease in corneal staining after 14 and 28 days of treatment. No significant adverse events were reported, demonstrating the good tolerability of the lubricant. Conclusions: The PG-HPG-PH-N nanoemulsion can be considered to be a safe and effective ocular lubricant for treating DED due to aqueous deficiency, both mixed and evaporative subtypes. Trial Registration: Brazilian National Research Ethics Commission (ReBEC registration number 16055). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: This research investigates the transformative impact of integrating AI into mathematics education, aiming to enhance students' conceptual understanding and self‐efficacy. It addresses the crucial need for innovative teaching methods in response to contemporary challenges in education and aims to fill gaps in understanding the potential drawbacks and benefits of AI implementation. Objectives: The primary goal of this study is to investigate the effects of AI tools, such as GeoGebra and ChatGPT, on students' conceptual understanding and self‐efficacy in a mathematics classroom setting, with a focus on collaborative learning, teacher‐led discussions, and problem‐solving. Methods: Employing a mixed‐methods approach, the research involves pre‐ and post‐implementation surveys, supplemented by qualitative data from interviews, focus groups, and classroom observations. The study emphasises the utilisation of AI in collaborative learning environments and explores the challenges and opportunities associated with its integration. Results and Conclusions: The study reveals a noteworthy enhancement in students' conceptual understanding and self‐efficacy belief when AI tools are incorporated into mathematics education. However, it highlights concerns such as technological challenges, potential teacher replacement fears, biases in AI systems, and difficulties related to pacing and social interaction. To optimise the use of AI, the paper suggests strategies like adaptive learning platforms, real‐world simulations, intelligent tutoring systems, and data‐driven instruction, positioning AI as a complement rather than a substitute for traditional teaching methods. The study recommends addressing challenges through additional support resources and transparent communication, emphasising the need for a thoughtful integration of AI in education. Lay Description: What is currently known about the subject matter?: AI is increasingly being integrated into educational settings.AI offers potential for personalised learning experiences.Concerns exist regarding AI replacing human educators and ethical issues such as data privacy and bias.Effectiveness of AI in improving student performance varies depending on the implementation and context. What this paper adds?: Provides empirical evidence on how GeoGebra and ChatGPT enhance students' conceptual understanding and confidence in mathematics.Identifies specific challenges and concerns from students and teachers regarding AI use.Demonstrates how integrating GeoGebra and ChatGPT boosts student engagement and motivation, leading to improved understanding of mathematical concepts.Offers insights into student engagement levels and interaction patterns with AI tools. Implications of the findings for practitioners: Emphasise the need for careful selection and validation of AI to ensure they meet educational objectives.Address ethical concerns and ensure data privacy when implementing AI in education.Encourage ongoing evaluation and refinement of practices related to the use of AI, ensuring that they meet ethical standards and address data privacy concerns.Advocate for the establishment of acceptable criteria and conventions for AI use in education, improving their effectiveness and usability based on student and educator feedback. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research in palliative care is regarded as ethically challenging although there is increasing recognition that such research is important. Young adults with life-shortening conditions were not expected to reach adulthood but this population is growing and there is limited research that focuses on their lives or their experiences of engaging in research. The study explored the unintended consequences of pandemic control measures on the lives of young adults living with life-shortening conditions in the United Kingdom. This paper focuses on some of the methodological issues arising from this study, drawing on data that explores participants' experiences of taking part. This is an interpretivist and inclusive qualitative study co-produced with three experts by experience using constructivist Grounded Theory method conducted during the first wave of the Coronavirus pandemic. In-depth interviews using a topic guide were transcribed verbatim and analysed iteratively until the point of data saturation. Twenty-six young adults aged 22–40 (17 female; 9 male), reporting a wide range of life-limiting and/or life-threatening conditions including rare and undiagnosed conditions and co-morbidities. Through analysis we identify four key themes focusing on participants' experiences of taking part in the research: helping others and influencing change; reciprocity and support; therapeutic value; and (in)visibility and legacy. This paper offers methodological reflections on research in palliative care drawing on qualitative co-produced research involving young adults with life-shortening conditions. Our findings indicate that although participating in research can feel uncomfortable, this is outweighed by the perceived benefits of contributing to research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human cadavers are an important component of anatomy education; however, they have limitations. In this scenario, alternative artificial models emerge to complement teaching and enable learning in environments with scarce resources. The following study aims to demonstrate the elaboration of handmade cold porcelain models and their acceptance by medical students in a Brazilian university. Approach: A cross‐sectional study was carried out with 70 first‐year medical students using quantitative and qualitative analysis. The students' evaluation was analysed through an online questionnaire with a Likert scale and an open‐ended question. The present study was approved by the local Research Ethics Committee. Five models were produced with cold porcelain and resin. Evaluation: Qualitative evaluation highlighted the ease and practicality of the models. Students agree with the idea that the use of cadavers and handmade anatomical pieces contribute to their learning, that the handmade models are very similar to the human body, and they strongly agree that the use of both made it easier to understand the content. However, they also see the models as complementary materials, disagreeing with the idea that they are the best or the only ways to teach. In the word cloud, the words "unreal" and "complement" are often highlighted converging to the idea that was also observed in the quantitative analysis that handmade models are a complementary teaching tool. Implications: Cold porcelain handmade models enable the democratisation of anatomy teaching; hence, they are low‐cost, easy to access, and allow the reproducibility of anatomical structures by each student. Anatomical models that emerge, such as handmade models, are an important complement to anatomy education and a solution for places with scarce resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reflects on the research process and ethics of doing research with low‐income households in Stoke‐on‐Trent, UK, during the coronavirus (COVID‐19) pandemic. Drawing on ethnographic fieldwork with five mothers experiencing food insecurity, I argue that it is imperative that researchers employ 'care‐full', slow, flexible methodologies situated within everyday lives to ensure that research with vulnerable and precarious groups of people is not exploitative, especially during times of crisis. The emergency public health measures introduced to contain COVID‐19 in March 2020 acted like a brake on my research activities, slowing things down, limiting the methods available to me, and ultimately, provoking a reimagining of my original research design. I make two contributions. First, building on feminist geographical scholarship on care and reflexivity, and calls for 'slow' research that prioritises the shifting needs of researchers and participants, I suggest adopting a relational approach to take account of participant subjectivities in order to minimise disruption in their everyday lives. Second, through discussing the ways in which I employed the mobile phone to continue gathering data with participant mothers during COVID‐19, I build on nascent geographical and methodological conversations about the role of technologies in the design and implementation of care‐full research. In highlighting the limitations of the mobile phone as a research device in this context, I extend current limited understandings of utilising mobile phones to gather data in the course of conducting research with marginalised people. This paper reflects on the research process and ethics of doing research with low‐income households in the UK during the COVID‐19 pandemic. It argues for researchers to adopt a relational approach to take account of participant subjectivities in order to minimise disruption in their everyday lives. In discussing the use of mobile phone methods and their limitations as a research device, the paper extends current limited understandings of utilising mobile phones in the course of conducting research with marginalised people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We are a research team of clinical, academic and advocacy‐based researchers with and without learning disabilities, working on the Humanising Healthcare (for people with learning disabilities) project. The project is dedicated to finding and sharing healthcare practices that enhance the lives of people with learning disabilities. As part of our ethics applications to access National Health Service study sites for fieldwork, we worked together to write guiding principles for co‐producing research ethics with researchers with learning disabilities. In this paper, we introduce these Participatory Ethics Good Practice Guidelines and reflect on our collaboration. Methods: We reflect on developing the Participatory Ethics Good Practice Guidelines. These guidelines were developed during online co‐production meetings with our full research team, including advocacy‐based organisation researchers, clinical researchers and university researchers. We considered consent, understanding research, and understanding research methods during the development of these Guidelines. Findings: We present ten guidelines for co‐producing research with people with learning disabilities. Conclusions: Our findings may be helpful to researchers with learning disabilities, university and clinical researchers, funders, and those who work in research governance (e.g., ethics committees and university research departments). Accessible Summary: An Easy Read version of this accessible summary can be found in Appendix A.It is important to do disability research together with researchers with learning disabilities.Co‐production is where researchers with and without learning disabilities work as partners. Co‐produced learning disability research should be led by people with learning disabilities.An important part of doing research is thinking together about research ethics. Research ethics is about doing fair research that does not harm people with learning disabilities.We are a research team of people with and without learning disabilities. We worked together to develop 10 ideas for co‐producing research.We called these 10 ideas 'Participatory Ethics Good Practice Guidelines'. This paper includes an Easy Read version of these 10 ideas (Appendix B).Researchers with learning disabilities on our study team are not just experts in being a person with a learning disability but also experienced researchers; a point all researchers should keep in mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the level of knowledge, and attitude of society toward substance use disorder (SUD). Method: In this cross-sectional study, a questionnaire form created by the researchers was completed by individuals over the age of 18 between June and July 2022. A total of 1365 individuals (684 women, 681 men) participated in the study. Results: The mean age of the participants was 36.22 ± 10.47 years (min:18, max:75). A total of 19.2% did not consider addiction a medical disease, 37.4% thought that addiction was a moral failing, and 37.4% believed that addiction was a voluntary decision. 28.3% thought that only people with weak willpower will become addicted, 42.1% thought that trying substances would not lead to addiction, and 38.4% thought that substances can be quit without medical treatment. A total of 52.7% reported that they were afraid of people with addictions, 22.9% stated that they would not employ SUD patients in their workplace even if they had been treated. Only 36.8% of the participants had received any addiction-related training in their lifetime. Conclusion: Our findings display that the level of knowledge about addiction in society in Turkey is low, and there is substantial stigmatization and negative views on people with addictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ethik in der Medizin is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Ethik in der Medizin is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Pragmatic clinical trials of standard-of-care interventions compare the relative merits of medical treatments already in use. Traditional research informed consent processes pose significant obstacles to these trials, raising the question of whether they may be conducted with alteration or waiver of informed consent. However, to even be eligible, such a trial in the United States must have no more than minimal research risk. We argue that standard-of-care pragmatic clinical trials can be designed to ensure that they are minimal research risk if the random assignment of an intervention in a pragmatic clinical trial can accommodate individualized, clinically motivated decision-making for each participant. Such a design will ensure that the patient-participants are not exposed to any risks beyond the clinical risks of the interventions, and thus, the trial will have minimal research risk. We explain the logic of this view by comparing three scenarios of standard-of-care pragmatic clinical trials: one with informed consent, one without informed consent, and one recently proposed design called Decision Architecture Randomization Trial. We then conclude by briefly showing that our proposal suggests a natural way to determine when to use an alteration versus a waiver of informed consent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC) reviewers often provide similar feedback across applications, which suggests that the problem lies in researcher awareness of key issues rather than novel, unsolvable challenges. If common problems can be addressed before lodgement by applicants referencing clear evidence-based supports (e.g., FAQs on common application shortcomings), it would improve efficiency for HREC members and expedite approvals. We aim to inform such supports by analysing the patterns in the most frequent feedback made by HREC members during review processes. We collected every instance (N = 4,195) of feedback made on N = 197 'low-risk' protocols by all HREC staff (N = 16) at one institution over the course of a full year (2019). Reflexive thematic analysis to identify themes (and content analysis to determine relative frequency) revealed that the top three themes are consistent with existing literature: Consent, Administrative, and Methodological concerns. However, we identified important new themes that are not captured in previous research, including 'Risk to Researchers', 'Commercial benefit, scope and scale', 'Diversity' (covering issues of cultural sensitivity, language and accessibility), as well as fair right to a complaints process. Our thorough exploration of information-rich primary data marks an important methodological improvement over previous studies and offers a theoretical contribution to understanding themes that have heretofore been overlooked in the ethics review process. By identifying the common challenges experienced in HREC review we can better inform tailored supports to applicants (by extension reducing workload burdens on HREC systems) and reduce their perceived barriers to engaging in challenging but meaningful research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to identify patterns, intellectual structure, contributions, social interactions, gaps, and future research directions in the field of academic integrity (AI). A bibliometric analysis was conducted with 1406 publications covering the period 1966–2023. The results indicate that there has been significant growth in AI literature over the last decade. The most influential publications focused on academic integrity violations such as cheating, plagiarism, and academic misconduct. The largest contribution to the field has come from journals that publish specifically on ethics and academic integrity. Studies in the historical origins of the field have focused on students' cheating behavior. The thematic structure of the field has focused on academic integrity and its violations, cheating, academic dishonesty, academic integrity in the context of online education, research ethics, and research on the detection of academic violations. The trending topics in the field are academic dishonesty, especially plagiarism and cheating, and online education. The UK, USA, Canada, and Australia have been the most collaborative and productive. More research is needed to address the AI field in the context of new developments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasingly, scholarly journals have begun retracting published articles for reasons other than those described by advisory organizations such as the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE). Numerous research articles have been retracted of late due to political concerns. Additionally, some articles have been retracted for behavioral misconduct, which was also the subject of a recent COPE discussion forum. 'Behavioral misconduct' denotes harmful or immoral behavior of one or more authors that is unrelated to the article's findings or content. We investigated whether federally funded research scientists considered behavioral misconduct a valid reason for retracting published findings and whether the type of behavioral misconduct involved, the level of the expected scientific impact of the article in question, or the kind of editorial action taken affected their support of retraction. Of the 464 participants who took our survey, we found that researchers largely oppose retraction of a published article or removing an author when scientists commit behavioral misconduct, regardless of the type of misconduct involved. However, there was greater support for retraction when the misconduct was financial as compared to racial or sexual misconduct. Not surprisingly, researchers were more likely to use the published information in question in their own work when its impact was high. Future studies should investigate the extent to which these findings are moderated by researchers' editorial experience and other demographic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personal data protection is an ethical issue. In this study we analyzed how research ethics committees (RECs) and data protection officers (DPOs) handle personal data protection issues in research protocols. We conducted a mixed-methods study. We included heads (or delegated representatives) of RECs and DPOs from universities and public research institutes in Croatia. The participants provided information about data protection issues in research and their mutual collaboration on those issues through structured interviews that contained closed and open-ended questions. Qualitative description was used to analyze open-ended questions. The results showed that 55% of the REC representatives were not aware who was DPO in their institution. Among RECs, 65% never contacted the DPO. There were 61% of RECs who reported that they received no training from the organization on personal data protection. When asked about barriers to personal data protection in their institutions, 26% of REC members highlighted the lack of a clear protocol for assessing personal data protection issues, while 30% of DPOs mentioned lack of knowledge among researchers about personal data. In conclusion, we found that when it came to protecting personal data in research protocols, RECs and DPOs hardly ever worked together. When developing future personal data protection policies for academic and scientific research institutions, it is essential that RECs and DPOs should collaborate and both continue to expand/update their knowledge on personal data protection procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Critical methodologies in International Political Sociology (IPS) and its intersecting fields and research traditions have increasingly coalesced around the idea that research should be done in dialogue, and possibly cooperation, with people rather than only about them. Drawing together research under this theme and wider debates on participatory, activist, and action research, alongside our own research experience, this article proposes the notion of cooperative research to capture and further develop this research agenda. In the context of neoliberal academia and its narrow insurance-based conception of research ethics and safety, we argue that cooperative and ethical research can be done and developed further both in the cracks and margins of the system, and in a gradual reform process within it. Starting with a survey of existing traditions and recent advances towards cooperative research, we proceed to unpack what cooperative research looks like in practice and how it benefits the involved parties. The article then explores structural and epistemic obstacles that cooperative research faces within the current institutional, body, and geo-politics of knowledge production. It also reflects on future avenues to productively deal with the inherent contradictions of cooperative research, not only by embracing the "ethos of critique", but also by trying to make (even small) changes within the Western knowledge production system by promoting, and rendering more legitimate, alternative forms of knowledge and storytelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Retos: Nuevas Perspectivas de Educación Física, Deporte y Recreación is the property of Federacion Espanola de Asociaciones de Docentes de Educacion Fisica and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Qualitative digital diary methods are a promising tool for capturing participants' experiences in their own words and over time. The use of smartphone apps to collect this kind of data provides an accessible and flexible way to participate in research, but to truly benefit from this method, participants needs and preferences must be taken into account. This paper explores participants' experiences of taking part in qualitative digital diary research, and highlights participants' values and priorities for qualitative digital diary mental health research. Participants from two qualitative digital diary studies provided feedback on their experiences, in the form of interviews and focus groups, and data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The two participant groups, people with lived experience of eating disorders, and young people from diverse backgrounds across London schools, allowed exploration of experiences across different contexts and populations. The six resulting themes each reflect a core value that participants identified as an essential component for them in qualitative digital diary research: Self-expression, flexibility, non-judgement, open communication, helpful reflection, and meaningful impact. Themes each highlight aspects of participants' experiences that must be taken into account for future research to ensure that participants can take part in this type of research in ways that are meaningful to them, as well as most beneficial to the research. This paper provides an overview of participant experiences of qualitative digital diary research, and provides a framework for centring participant values and preferences in future qualitative diary research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To identify and to summarize challenges related to the informed consent process for research completed during humanitarian emergencies. Methods: Using relevant search terms, a search of 5 databases was completed, without language, date, or study type restriction. Studies were screened for inclusion, with eligible studies being those that were relevant to the informed consent process for research studies completed in humanitarian emergencies. A Grounded Theory Analysis was completed to identify themes and subthemes. Results: Review identified 30 relevant studies. We identified 11 challenges (lack of trust, therapeutic misconception, reduced capacity, security and privacy concerns, harmful research, power differential, literacy, language/local and cultural context, researcher burden and re-evaluation of ongoing trials) and 7 strategies (engage local research communities, use alternative to standard written consent process, modify traditional process of research ethics board review, dynamic consent, training of research staff, mandating transparency of commercial interests, and mandating reporting of informed consent process in all publications) to confront the challenges. These challenges and strategies were unique to the informed consent process in research conducted during humanitarian emergencies. Conclusions: This scoping review identified an evidence-based guide for researchers and research ethics boards to perform ethical informed consent procedures in humanitarian emergencies. Trial Registration: This trial was not registered as scoping reviews can not be registered as per updated PROSPERO guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the research methodology of the basics of information security. A special place is given to the selection of methodological research tools. This selection was made on the basis of the exclusive importance of the field of information provision in interaction with other directions of state building and national security. At the same time, we note that the raised issue has an interdisciplinary nature due to its inherent legal and structural nature: legal, economic (technological), and moral and psychological components. Under such conditions, the philosophical-dialectical method is extremely important in view of its epistemological nature, which will contribute to the derivation of the author’s conclusions and judgments, which will be characterized by consistency and continuity. The conducted analysis made it possible to reveal that the current summary in terms of understanding the role and significance of the methodological component for the results of our research is the following: from the point of view of the methodology of legal science, the paradigm of information security has a complex structure, which is formed by the elements: law enforcement methodology, the legislation of Ukraine, the systematics of legal norms, explanations of the legal norm, the procedure for implementing the provisions of the law, the legal policy of the state in the field of information security, media culture and media ethics in the application of legislation that regulates the issue of complete access of citizens to sources of information, tactical and strategic directions of activities of entities ensuring security in the use of information, the effectiveness of the application of legislation, law-enforcement examination of departmental regulations regulating relations in the field of information security. Attention is drawn to the fact that any of the listed structural elements of a complete complex of information security can serve as the object of a separate scientific study. The above studies revealed that the selected methodological tools for solving the task of our scientific intelligence will contribute to the professional research of the in-depth component processes of the implementation of measures in the areas of protection of the information space of Ukraine. The application of methodological techniques will allow us to more fully and comprehensively reveal the role of the information security institute in the development of our ideas about the system of measures to ensure the information hygiene of the Ukrainian media, public-legal and private-legal intellectual space, to identify new aspects in its structure and elemental composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating the quality of research ethics committees (RECs) is crucial but challenging due to the difficulty of developing meaningful quality measures. Recently, commentators assessed ten quality instruments for RECs, including the Research Ethics Committee Quality Assurance Self‐Assessment Tool developed for RECs in the Arab Middle East. They identified several missing items in this tool regarding safeguarding participants' rights and welfare.To address these gaps, we aimed to redesign the tool. Using the Delphi method, we involved 15 REC chairs to provide feedback and recommendations for a revised tool. This process led to a modified instrument that incorporated the missing items and additional elements regarding the monitoring of research conduct (an essential oversight function of RECs), and the independence of the RECs from institutional and external influences.We conclude that the revised tool effectively addresses the quality of RECs by including elements relevant to participant outcomes, board deliberations, and participant protection. The added focus on ethics oversight enhances its robustness, significantly impacting participants' rights and welfare. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Research is key to the development of any nation, with health research being of high value to society. Research provides data that is useful for the generation and provision of knowledge needed for policy making, planning and strategic management to develop nations. Despite the African population accounting for nearly 14% of the world's population, little published research originates from African scholars. Purpose: The purpose of this article is to highlight the reasons for the lack of robust research by scientists from African low-and-middle-income countries and to emphasize the inequity experienced by African scientists in global health research. Possible solutions to the dearth in African global health research are equally explored. Findings: Insufficient research has led to poor growth, development and advancements in health in Africa. A significant gap in African-led and published research, lack of mentorship, inequitable access to research funding and grant eligibility, and increased dependency on foreign organizations have contributed to the lack of sustainability and failure of African research. Conclusion: Research is crucial for national development, especially in health. However, African researchers are underrepresented in global publications. To optimize research, local needs and African researchers must be prioritized, and research systems in African institutions must be strengthened. Additionally, the international community must respect, be transparent, and support research development in Africa. These efforts are essential for fostering a robust research environment, addressing global health challenges, and promoting sustainable development across Africa and LMICs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Advance research directives (ARDs) provide a promising way to involve individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in research decisions before they lose the capacity to consent. At the same time, the views of people with MCI on ARDs are underexplored. This study assesses the perceptions of people with MCI and family members on the benefits and challenges associated with ARDs. Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the perspectives of individuals with MCI and family members of individuals with MCI on ARDs. We focus specifically on willingness to participate in nontherapeutic research, understanding of ARDs and the ethical considerations involved. Methods: Thirteen open-ended, face-to-face interviews were conducted using a semi-structured format. Seven interviews were conducted with individuals with MCI, and six with family members of individuals with MCI. The narratives were transcribed verbatim and qualitative content analysis was carried out. Results: Research participation and ARDs were viewed positively, largely based on altruistic motives and the desire to contribute to society. The participants recognized the potential advantages of ARDs in reducing the decision-making burden on family members and maintaining personal autonomy. They also highlighted challenges in comprehending ARDs and navigating the complexities surrounding potential conflicts between current preferences versus preferences described in an ARD. Conclusions: ARDs were predominantly seen as valuable instruments that enable individuals with MCI to participate in research. This study provides insights into the reasons why affected individuals are interested in drafting ARDs. These insights can guide the development of supportive interventions that are tailored to assist individuals with MCI and their families in navigating ARD processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conducting research with one's students as participants can have various challenges. We describe one particular challenge we have encountered when conducting research surveys with participants who had been students of a doctoral course taught by us. Some participants gave course feedback in the research. This may indicate blurring of the roles of student and research participant. Blurring is problematic from the perspectives of research ethics and research integrity. Problems may arise concerning voluntariness, confidentiality and the quality of data. We suggest possible ways of preventing this blurring. These concern (1) the timing of the research in relation to the course, (2) information for the participants, (3) the recruitment practice and (4) the format of the survey questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ring-based studies are a novel research design commonly used for research involving infectious diseases: contacts of newly infected individuals form a ring that is targeted for interventions (e.g., vaccine, post-exposure prophylaxis). Given the novelty of the research design, it is critical to obtain feedback from participants on their experiences with ring-based studies to help with the development of future trials. Methods: In 2021, we conducted 26 semi-structured interviews with adult participants of a COVID-19 ring-based post-exposure prophylaxis trial based in Canada. We applied a purposive sampling approach and electronically recruited participants who tested positive for COVID-19 (Index Cases) and either agreed or declined for the study team to contact their potentially exposed contacts. We also included individuals who participated in the trial after being potentially exposed to an Index Case (known as Ring Members), and those who declined to participate after potential exposure. The methodological design of semi-structured interviews allowed participants to share their opinions and experiences in the trial (e.g., elements they enjoyed and disliked regarding their participation in the study). Results: The majority of participants in our study were women (62%) and the average age was 37.3 years (SD = 13.2). Overall, participants reported being highly satisfied with partaking in the ring-based trial. Notably, no substantial complaints were voiced about the trial's design involving contact after exposure. The most common reason of satisfaction was the knowledge of potentially helping others by advancing knowledge for a greater cause (e.g., development of potential treatment to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection). Other reasons were curiosity about participating in a trial, and an activity to fill free time during the pandemic. A central element of dislike was confusion about instructions with the trial (e.g., independent at home SARS-CoV-2 testing). Additionally, maintaining confidentiality was a crucial concern for participants, who sought assurance that their data would not be shared beyond the scope of the study. Conclusions: Our results have the potential to inform future research, including clinical trials such as ring-based studies, by incorporating insights from participants' experiences into the development of study protocols. Despite some protocol-related challenges, participants expressed high satisfaction, driven by the desire to advance science and potentially aid others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that ethical AI cannot be fostered in a vacuum, challenging the perspective that AI ethics research should be isolated from technological advancements and industry collaborations. It refutes the argument presented by Gerdes (Discov Artif Intell. 2022;2(25)), which suggests that industry involvement inherently undermines the integrity of AI ethics research. Through an exploration of historical and contemporary examples of successful academia-industry collaborations, the paper advocates for a synergistic approach that harnesses industry resources and insights to advance ethical AI development. Emphasising the importance of diverse funding, the value of industry insights, and the impracticality of separating AI ethics from computer science, the paper contends that a collaborative, transparent, and inclusive model of AI ethics research is essential for developing practical, relevant, and ethically sound AI technologies aligned with societal values and norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Simulation‐based education (SBE) has been increasingly used to train healthcare workers in low‐resource settings and has been endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Consideration of the educational and cultural context is important to maximize the effectiveness of SBE. Despite its demonstrable benefits, there have been no studies of the general approach in the Pacific Islands. This study aimed to determine the factors that influence the uptake and success of SBE in the Pacific Islands. Methods: In this qualitative study, participants were recruited via professional networks to contribute to focus groups. Questions focused on participants' previous experiences and perspectives on SBE. Data were manually transcribed before thematic analysis. The reporting of the research was guided by the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR). Human Research Ethics Committee approval was obtained. Results: Two focus groups were conducted with 16 participants from six Pacific Island countries. Six themes and 15 subthemes were conceptualized from the data. Uptake of SBE is challenged by resource availability, clinical workloads and geographic remoteness. However, locally‐driven solutions and positive attitudes towards SBE facilitate its success. Conclusion: This study reveals the complexity of factors affecting the uptake and success of SBE in the Pacific Islands. These findings can serve to optimize the impact of existing and future SBE programmes and may be considered by educators prior to programme implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indigenous peoples living in what is now coastal North Carolina gave the name pocosin to a unique type of nonriparian wetland endemic to the region. Their Algonquian dialects are poorly documented in colonial records and have been dormant for centuries; not even contemporary Indigenous peoples in the region speak these particular languages. But for decades, environmental researchers and practitioners have asserted in publications, classrooms, and public-facing materials that pocosin literally translates to "swamp on a hill." Despite widespread assertions, no evidence exists to support the claim. This article debunks the widely circulated translation and explains, more generally, how even well-intentioned efforts to acknowledge Indigenous peoples and their knowledge systems within Western scientific frameworks may cause harm by undermining those Indigenous peoples' stewardship of traditional ecological knowledge or by reinforcing other aspects of colonialism. The lessons apply broadly to researchers, practitioners, and institutions that engage with Indigenous peoples and their knowledge systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The burden of research ethics review falls not just on researchers, but also on those who serve on research ethics committees (RECs). With the advent of automated text analysis and generative artificial intelligence (AI), it has recently become possible to teach AI models to support human judgment, for example, by highlighting relevant parts of a text and suggesting actionable precedents and explanations. It is time to consider how such tools might be used to support ethics review and oversight. This essay argues that with a suitable strategy of engagement, AI can be used in a variety of ways that genuinely support RECs to manage their workload and improve the quality of review. It would be wiser to take an active role in the development of AI tools for ethics review, rather than to adopt ad hoc tools after the fact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent pandemic spurred interest in innovative design for clinical trials. In particular, constraints on the public's ability to gather led to an increase in remote or decentralized clinical trials (DCTs). DCTs present an opportunity to extend the benefits of research to underserved populations, decrease burdens, increase access to trials, and fill knowledge gaps surrounding rare conditions, though they are not without their own unique challenges and risks. These risks are far from irremediable, and the advantages are significant enough to merit attention. There is a scientific and moral case to increase the use of DCTs beyond the context of public health emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In May 2022, the European Commission proposed the launch of a health‐specific data sharing framework called the European Health Data Space (EHDS), underpinned by legislation, for the use of electronic health data by patients and for research, innovation, policy‐making, patient safety, statistics, or regulatory purposes. In this essay, I review some of its more contentious features based on the latest version of the legislative proposal. I suggest that the EHDS is a useful case study to illustrate the need for a translational bioethics approach that shines a critical analytical light on contentious aspects of large‐scale research infrastructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To protect research participants and ensure scientific integrity in clinical trials, independent data monitoring committees (DMCs, also known as data and safety monitoring boards) increasingly oversee randomized clinical trials and recommend modifying or stopping research. Little is known about the ethical issues DMCs face. We conducted semistructured interviews of DMC members using a qualitative description approach with low‐inference interpretation. We recruited respondents through consultation with experts, an online registry of DMC members, and snowball sampling. We interviewed 22 DMC members who were statisticians, clinicians, and/or ethicists that had overseen a wide variety of trials globally. We identified three themes: finding common ground on responsibilities with variation; the need for judgment but not necessarily ethics expertise; and the resulting emotional distress from navigating ethical challenges. In the first case, DMC members identified 19 distinct duties, with some ethical responsibilities rarely mentioned. In the second case, not all DMC members saw the need for ethicists on DMCs or ethics training. In the third case, ethical challenges sometimes led to strong negative emotions. Developing tailored ethics training and decision‐making procedures may help DMCs respond more effectively to ethical challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current article provides an ethical reflection on the moral status of the human embryo, which is a crucial factor in determining permissible actions involving embryos and the extent of their protection. It advocates for the extension of the research period for embryos to 28-days post fertilization. It also states that integrated embryo-like structures (ELSs) should not currently be given the same moral status as natural embryos. However, if they pass the relevant tests, they should be subject to the same rules as natural embryos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractParticipation in research is supposed to be voluntary and informed. Yet it is difficult to ensure people are adequately informed about the potential uses of their biological materials when they donate samples for future research. We propose a novel consent framework which we call “demonstrated consent” that leverages blockchain technology and generative AI to address this problem. In a demonstrated consent model, each donated sample is associated with a unique non-fungible token (NFT) on a blockchain, which records in its metadata information about the planned and past uses of the sample in research, and is updated with each use of the sample. This information is accessible to a large language model (LLM) customized to present this information in an understandable and interactive manner. Thus, our model uses blockchain and generative AI technologies to track, make available, and explain information regarding planned and past uses of donated samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various forms of participatory action research (PAR) have in the past decades gained prominence in practice-oriented scholarship in pursuit of human liberatory causes. But this strand of research remains much less visible in the mainstream publications of nonprofit research. This article discusses PAR in relation to its concept, philosophy, methods, processes, validity and ethics. Then, it assesses its application in nonprofit settings, using examples from the authors' experiences and the literature. The article then considers the prospects of using PAR in nonprofit research and makes a few suggestions for nonprofit practitioners and researchers interested in this approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]