Facilitators for and barriers to radiography research in public healthcare in Nordic countries.

INTRODUCTION: It has been suggested that the future of diagnostic imaging relies on engagement in research and evidence-based practice. This implies a role transition from a clinical radiographer to a clinical radiographer-researcher. Clinical radiographers' stimuli for engaging in research in Nordic countries are unknown. This study aimed to address this gap. METHODS: Cross-sectional data collection via an online questionnaire on facilitators for and barriers to participation in radiography research was carried out among 507 clinical radiographers in public healthcare in the Nordic countries: Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. RESULTS: Support from colleagues (odds ratio [OR] 2.62) and other professionals (OR 2.74), and self-esteem in research skills (OR ≥ 2.21), were facilitators for radiography research. Lack of knowledge and skills to conduct research (OR 2.48) was revealed to hinder radiographers' participation in research. The absence of a radiography research culture in the workplace explained non-participation in research (OR 1.75). CONCLUSION: This study revealed significant factors for clinical radiographers' participation in research. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: A strategy for establishing a radiography research culture in healthcare is proposed that is novel for the context. Management support for knowledge development and activity leading to inter-professional research projects across knowledge fields, provision of a radiography research lead and acknowledgement of radiography research among colleagues signify the establishment of the culture. These prerequisites might provide a paradigm change towards not only the symbiosis of a clinical radiographer and an autonomous researcher but also a partner who adds radiography research to evidence-based practice in diagnostic imaging.

Radiographers' involvement in research activities and opinions on radiography research: A Nordic survey.

INTRODUCTION: Radiographers' engagement in research is important for the development of evidence-based practice in radiography; however, radiographers' interest in research has rarely been reported. This study sought to ascertain radiographers' opinions about radiography research and investigate their involvement in research activities in four Nordic countries. METHODS: This study was conducted in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. A study-specific questionnaire was developed in English and adapted to each language of the study sample, and the content and face validity of the adaptations were evaluated. An online tool was used to collect the study data. The questionnaire link was distributed in September 2019 to radiographers working in clinical settings in four Nordic countries (n = 4572). RESULTS: The overall response rate was 14% (n = 662/4572). Research involvement was reported by 33% of the respondents; data collection was the main type of contribution. Radiographers who contributed to research were more likely to be male, have longer work experience, hold a master's or doctoral degree, work as managers and be employed in university hospitals. Nearly all agreed that radiography research is needed to promote the radiography profession and provide the evidence base for radiographic practice. However, only 14% were aware of the current research evidence regarding their professional field of specialisation, and 19% indicated that they developed current practices based on research evidence. CONCLUSION: The findings indicate that, although radiographers had positive attitudes towards radiography research, their involvement in research and utilisation of research evidence in practice is low. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Strategies should be developed to improve knowledge and skills related to evidence-based practice and stimulate radiographers' engagement in research.

Insights into the methodology of radiography science.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this article is to give an insight into radiography as a science and a discipline from the viewpoints of knowledge interest and methodological approach and design. METHODS: Original articles published in Radiography (n = 184) and the Journal of Clinical Radiography and Radiotherapy (n = 10) at the timeline 2015 to 3/2017 were reviewed for research focus and the methodology used. To abstract the results, thematisation analysis was used. RESULTS: Out of 194 studies analysed, 99 (50%) were found to have a technical, 80 (42%) a practical and 15 (8%) a critical interest of knowledge. The research methodologies used did not rigorously fit into the methodological approach expected on the basis of the interest of knowledge. CONCLUSION: Radiography as a science seems to have mostly a technical and practical interest of knowledge, but somewhat critical research is also being made. It seems to be a remarkably open and flexible science when it comes to the use of research methodologies. More discussion and research on the science name and paradigm is needed in order to strengthen the scientific status of radiography.

Plausible scenarios for the radiography profession in Sweden in 2025.

INTRODUCTION: Radiography is a healthcare speciality with many technical challenges. Advances in engineering and information technology applications may continue to drive and be driven by radiographers. The world of diagnostic imaging is changing rapidly and radiographers must be proactive in order to survive. To ensure sustainable development, organisations have to identify future opportunities and threats in a timely manner and incorporate them into their strategic planning. Hence, the aim of this study was to analyse and describe plausible scenarios for the radiography profession in 2025. METHOD: The study has a qualitative design with an inductive approach based on focus group interviews. The interviews were inspired by the Scenario-Planning method. RESULTS: Of the seven trends identified in a previous study, the radiographers considered two as the most uncertain scenarios that would have the greatest impact on the profession should they occur. These trends, labelled "Access to career advancement" and "A sufficient number of radiographers", were inserted into the scenario cross. The resulting four plausible future scenarios were: The happy radiographer, the specialist radiographer, the dying profession and the assembly line. CONCLUSION: It is suggested that "The dying profession" scenario could probably be turned in the opposite direction by facilitating career development opportunities for radiographers within the profession. Changing the direction would probably lead to a profession composed of "happy radiographers" who are specialists, proud of their profession and competent to carry out advanced tasks, in contrast to being solely occupied by "the assembly line".

Op18/stathmin mediates multiple region-specific tubulin and microtubule-regulating activities.

Oncoprotein18/stathmin (Op18) is a regulator of microtubule (MT) dynamics that binds tubulin heterodimers and destabilizes MTs by promoting catastrophes (i.e., transitions from growing to shrinking MTs). Here, we have performed a deletion analysis to mechanistically dissect Op18 with respect to (a) modulation of tubulin GTP hydrolysis and exchange, (b) tubulin binding in vitro, and (c) tubulin association and MT-regulating activities in intact cells. The data reveal distinct types of region-specific Op18 modulation of tubulin GTP metabolism, namely inhibition of nucleotide exchange and stimulation or inhibition of GTP hydrolysis. These regulatory activities are mediated via two-site cooperative binding to tubulin by multiple nonessential physically separated regions of Op18. In vitro analysis revealed that NH(2)- and COOH-terminal truncations of Op18 have opposite effects on the rates of tubulin GTP hydrolysis. Transfection of human leukemia cells with these two types of mutants result in similar decrease of MT content, which in both cases appeared independent of a simple tubulin sequestering mechanism. However, the NH(2)- and COOH-terminal-truncated Op18 mutants regulate MTs by distinct mechanisms as evidenced by morphological analysis of microinjected newt lung cells. Hence, mutant analysis shows that Op18 has the potential to regulate tubulin/MTs by more than one specific mechanism.