Open AccessMinimum information about a biofilm experiment ( MIAB i E ): standards for reporting experiments and data on sessile microbial communities living at interfaces
Author(s) -
Lourenço Anália,
Coenye Tom,
Goeres Darla M.,
Donelli Gianfranco,
Azevedo Andreia S.,
Ceri Howard,
Coelho Filipa L.,
Flemming HansCurt,
Juhna Talis,
Lopes Susana P.,
Oliveira Rosário,
Oliver Antonio,
Shirtliff Mark E.,
Sousa Ana M.,
Stoodley Paul,
Pereira Maria Olivia,
Azevedo Nuno F.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
pathogens and disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.983
H-Index - 105
ISSN - 2049-632X
DOI - 10.1111/2049-632x.12146
Subject(s) - metadata , standardization , interpretability , documentation , computer science , set (abstract data type) , biofilm , data science , identification (biology) , information retrieval , data mining , world wide web , ecology , biology , artificial intelligence , bacteria , genetics , programming language , operating system
Abstract The minimum information about a biofilm experiment ( MIAB i E ) initiative has arisen from the need to find an adequate and scientifically sound way to control the quality of the documentation accompanying the public deposition of biofilm‐related data, particularly those obtained using high‐throughput devices and techniques. Thereby, the MIAB i E consortium has initiated the identification and organization of a set of modules containing the minimum information that needs to be reported to guarantee the interpretability and independent verification of experimental results and their integration with knowledge coming from other fields. MIAB i E does not intend to propose specific standards on how biofilms experiments should be performed, because it is acknowledged that specific research questions require specific conditions which may deviate from any standardization. Instead, MIAB i E presents guidelines about the data to be recorded and published in order for the procedure and results to be easily and unequivocally interpreted and reproduced. Overall, MIAB i E opens up the discussion about a number of particular areas of interest and attempts to achieve a broad consensus about which biofilm data and metadata should be reported in scientific journals in a systematic, rigorous and understandable manner.