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Through an ethnographic study of a manufacturing monitoring technology, the author examines how the relations among workers, managers, and third-party technologists impact the ongoing configuration of cloud-based workplace technologies. Because these technologies are broadly networked, data-driven, and highly malleable, the author argues that technologists have an increasingly prominent role. By tracing issues raised by workers and managers in the focal customer firm, the study shows that the employment relation can explain only a limited set of outcomes. An analysis that accounts for technologists' innovative and economic relations with their users fully explains which issues are resolved and how. In contrast to research that implies technologists amplify institutionalized patterns of labor–management relations through their design choices, this study shows that technologists are complex organizational actors with situated interests, values, and identities. Through the development of a triadic model of relations, the author demonstrates why technologists must be included in analyses of contemporary technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research study explored the perspectives of 20 educational technologists from four Saudi Arabian universities regarding the integration of AI-powered technology, particularly ChatGPT, into online higher education. The study used a qualitative research method that relied on the principles of theoretical sampling to select participants and conducted in-depth interviews to collect their insights. The approach taken for data analysis was thematic analysis, which uncovered a rich range of insights on both the challenges and opportunities associated with students’ use of AI-integrated technology in the context of online higher education. Ten significant challenges emerged that shed light on the complexities and intricacies of integrating AI-powered technology into educational environments. These challenges included issues related to technological infrastructure, pedagogical adaptation, and the need for comprehensive training programs to empower both teachers and learners. Additionally, eight threats were examined that highlighted concerns about data security, privacy, and potential risks associated with AI technology in educational institutions. This study not only provided a comprehensive overview of the current landscape of AI-integrated technology in Saudi Arabian higher education, but also provided valuable insights for education stakeholders, technologists, and policy makers. It underscored the necessity of proactive measures to mitigate challenges and threats while harnessing the opportunities presented by AI technology to enhance the quality and effectiveness of online higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order for scientists and technologists to describe many of their objects, they must observe at a scale that exceeds typical human experience. Atoms and ecologies, microbes and galaxies all exist at scales that require retroactively reconstructing a picture (whether rendered visually, through an alternative visualization, or simply pieced together as a description) of what human perceptual apparatus usually does not observe. Scale is also central to the production of artwork that uses changes in scale to help us examine the world differently, disorient our normalized ways of experiencing, and direct us to new objects and new relations. This article examines these problems of scale as they are shared between art and science, analyzing contemporary artists whose works highlight core aspects of scale. In examining these artworks together, we demonstrate that scale presents one way of clarifying when and how science runs us into basic questions at the core of many artistic practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Continuous renal replacement therapy (CKRT) is delivered to some of the most critically ill patients in hospitals. This therapy is expensive and requires coordination of multidisciplinary teams to ensure the prescribed dose is delivered. With increased demands on the critical care nursing staff and increased complexities of patients admitted to critical care units, we evaluated the role of specialized renal technologists in ensuring the prescribed dose is delivered. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the impact of supporting intensive care unit nurses with specialized renal technologists on optimizing efficiency of CKRT sessions in the United Arab Emirates. Methods: This is a retrospective study that compared critically ill patients on CKRT overseen by specialized renal technologists versus who are non‐covered in the year 2021. Results: A total of 331 sessions on 158 patients were included in the study. The mean filter life was longer in specialized renal technologists—covered patients compared to the non‐covered group (66 vs. 59 h, p = 0.019). After adjustment by multiple regression analysis for risk factors (i.e., age, gender, mechanical ventilation, sepsis, mean arterial pressure, vasopressors, and SOFA) that may affect CKRT machines' filter life, presence of a specialized renal technologists resulted in significantly longer filter life (co‐efficient 0.129; CI 95% 1.080, 11.970; p‐value: 0.019). Conclusion: Our study suggests that specialized renal technologists play a vital role in prolonging CKRT machine's filter life span and optimizing CKRT machine's efficiency. Further research should focus on other potential benefits of having specialized renal technologists performing CKRT sessions, and to confirm the finding of this study. Additionally, a cost–benefit analysis could be conducted to determine the economic impact of having specialized teams performing CKRT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Polysomnographic recordings are essential for diagnosing many sleep disorders, yet their detailed analysis presents considerable challenges. With the rise of machine learning methodologies, researchers have created various algorithms to automatically score and extract clinically relevant features from polysomnography, but less research has been devoted to how exactly the algorithms should be incorporated into the workflow of sleep technologists. This paper presents a sophisticated data collection platform developed under the Sleep Revolution project, to harness polysomnographic data from multiple European centers. Methods: A tripartite platform is presented: a user-friendly web platform for uploading three-night polysomnographic recordings, a dedicated splitter that segments these into individual one-night recordings, and an advanced processor that enhances the one-night polysomnography with contemporary automatic scoring algorithms. The platform is evaluated using real-life data and human scorers, whereby scoring time, accuracy, and trust are quantified. Additionally, the scorers were interviewed about their trust in the platform, along with the impact of its integration into their workflow. Results: We found that incorporating AI into the workflow of sleep technologists both decreased the time to score by up to 65 min and increased the agreement between technologists by as much as 0.17 κ. Discussion: We conclude that while the inclusion of AI into the workflow of sleep technologists can have a positive impact in terms of speed and agreement, there is a need for trust in the algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-Electro-Mechanical System (MEMS) switches have emerged as pivotal components in the realm of miniature electronic devices, promising unprecedented advancements in size, power consumption, and versatility. This literature review paper meticulously examines the key issues and challenges encountered in the development and application of MEMS switches. The comprehensive survey encompasses critical aspects such as material selection, fabrication intricacies, performance metrics including switching time and reliability, and the impact of these switches on diverse technological domains. The review critically analyzes the influence of design parameters, actuation mechanisms, and material properties on the performance of MEMS switches. Additionally, it explores recent advancements, breakthroughs, and innovative solutions proposed by researchers to address these challenges. The synthesis of the existing literature not only elucidates the current state of MEMS switch technology but also paves the way for future research avenues. The findings presented herein serve as a valuable resource for researchers, engineers, and technologists engaged in advancing MEMS switch technology, offering insights into the current landscape and guiding future endeavors in this rapidly evolving field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cosmetic industry, traditionally a realm of rapid innovation and trend-setting, is currently facing a multitude of challenges. This sector is striving to maintain the balance of maintaining product novelty while conforming to increasingly rigorous environmental and regulatory standards. The challenges are diverse. On one hand, there’s a compelling need to align with the EU’s Green Deal objectives, emphasizing sustainability and environmental responsibility. On the other hand, the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe, notably the Russian invasion of Ukraine, have left profound impacts. These events have caused supply chain disruptions and complicated business relations, prompting many companies to reassess their operational strategies. Besides this, as a driving force of change, we can add also: the rapid digital transformation and constantly active chemophobic nature of the consumers demands, which results in the specific chemicals management decisions. We observe yearly at least a few of ingredients which are restricted or banned for use in cosmetic. In the same time the new ingredients authorizations are scarce, which results from the legislative paradox of article 18 and the toxicological dossier demands for authorisation. Hopefully, with the new risk assessment methodologies, there is a glimmer of hope for the approval of new ingredients. As a result of these complex issues, the industry has shifted from long-term operating strategies to an agile management model, particularly in product development technology. There’s a burgeoning curiosity about how Research and Development (R&D) departments are coping in this demanding world. To gain insight into these dynamics, we conducted the “Technologist Needs Survey” with representatives from the Polish cosmetic industry. The first round of this survey was carried out in the first half of 2020, a time when the full impact of the coronavirus pandemic in Poland was not yet apparent, and then it was repeated in second quarter of 2023. The responses shed light on the unique challenges faced by companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CT protocol management is an arduous task that requires expertise from a variety of radiology professionals, including technologists, radiologists, radiology IT professionals, and medical physicists. Each CT vendor has unique, proprietary protocol file structures, some of which may vary by scanner model, making it difficult to develop a universal framework for distilling technical parameters to a human‐readable file format. An ideal solution for CT protocol management is to minimize the work required for parameter extraction by introducing a data format into the workflow that is universal to all CT scanners. In this paper, we report a framework for CT protocol management that converts raw protocol files to an intermediary format before outputting them in a human‐readable format for a variety of practical clinical applications, including routine protocol review, protocol version tracking, and cross‐protocol comparisons. The framework was developed in Python 3. Technical parameters of interest were determined via collaborative effort between medical physicists and lead technologists. Protocol files were extracted and analyzed from a variety of scanners across our hospital‐wide CT fleet, including various systems from Siemens and GE. Protocols were subcategorized based on relevant technical parameters into regular, dual‐energy, and cardiac CT protocols. Backend code for technical parameter extraction from raw protocol files to a JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) format was performed on a per‐system basis. Conversion from JSON to a readable output format (MS Excel) was performed identically for all scanners using the universal framework developed and presented in this work. Example results for Siemens and GE scanners are shown, including side‐by‐side comparisons for protocols with similar clinical indications. In conclusion, our CT protocol management framework may be deployed on any CT system to improve clinical efficiency in protocol review and upkeep. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chief Information Officers (CIOs) influence their firm's strategy implementation and facilitate improved firm performance by effectively managing information technology (IT) resources. However, it remains unclear how firms select CIOs and how the stock market perceives the selection. We posit that firms' preferences regarding CIO background (business acumen versus technical expertise) depend on their strategic positioning. Also, we argue that the stock market pays attention to the alignment between the appointed CIO's background and firm strategy. To empirically examine this, we employ factor analysis on a sample of 1,287 CIOs with detailed biographic information on education, work experience, and certification to identify the CIO's background. Utilizing these measures, we examine whether the appointed CIO's background depends on the appointing firm's strategic positioning in a normative model. Then, we use a predictive model to test the stock market reactions to CIO appointments. We document that cost-leadership-leaning firms are more likely to appoint a CIO with a stronger business-oriented background, while differentiation-leaning firms are more likely to appoint a CIO with a stronger technical-oriented background. Interestingly, firms with misaligned CIO appointments suffer a negative stock market reaction. We discuss theoretical and practical implications of selecting aligned versus misaligned CIOs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New technologies have fundamentally transformed the systems that govern modern life, from criminal justice to health care, housing, and beyond. Algorithmic advancements promise greater efficiency and purported objectivity, but they risk perpetuating dangerous biases. In response, the field of public interest technology has emerged to offer an interdisciplinary, human-centered, and equity-focused approach to technological innovation. This essay argues for the widespread adoption of public interest technology principles, including thinking critically about how and when technological solutions are deployed, adopting rigorous training to educate technologists on ethical and social context, and prioritizing the knowledge and experiences of communities facing the disproportionate harms or uneven benefits of technology. Tools being designed and deployed today will shape our collective future, and collaboration between philanthropy, government, storytellers, activists, and private-sector technologists is essential in ensuring that these new systems are as just as they are innovative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terminology plays a crucial role in shaping our understanding of a field. In this editorial, we focus on the widely used terms "wet end" and "wet end chemistry" within the realm of papermaking. By delving into historical records, our aim is to provide a deeper understanding and a clearer perspective on these terms. It is worth noting that exploring terminology can enhance comprehension and foster a more comprehensive understanding of the subject matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article, titled "Sharp Injuries and Splash Exposure for Scrub IR Technologists¿A Potpourri of Safety Issues," discusses the unique risks faced by personnel working in interventional radiology (IR) procedures. These risks include sharp injuries and splash exposures, which can lead to bloodborne infections and chemical injuries. The article emphasizes the importance of implementing safety measures, such as adhering to biosafety protocols, practicing safe sharps handling, and using personal protective gear. It also highlights the need for ongoing education and training to reduce the occurrence of such incidents. The authors of the article are Khadijah Annab, Azzam Khankan, Majed Abdulhaq, and Abdulkader Kenawi. [Extracted from the article]

This article, titled "X-Ray Contrast Media in Interventional Radiology for Scrub Technologists," discusses the use of contrast media (CM) in interventional radiology (IR) procedures. The article highlights the importance of understanding the differences between CM used in diagnostic studies and those used in IR procedures, such as intraarterial administration and mixing with drugs and embolic agents. The article also mentions the various types of CM used in IR, including iodine-based, gadolinium-based, and carbon dioxide-based CM, as well as Lipiodol. The choice of CM depends on factors such as the patient's clinical status, the technical nature of the procedure, and the desired image quality. The article emphasizes the need for scrub technologists to have a thorough understanding of IR procedures and CM characteristics in order to safely handle and administer CM. [Extracted from the article]

The main challenge of Higher Education Institutions (IPT) nowadays is to provide the human capability needed by the industry. There are most local IPT graduates do not have work skills and competencies required in the market and there seems to be a mismatch in the preparation of graduates for the local job. Therefore, the research carried out provides a comprehensive overview of the competency requirements that must be present in the Heat, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Project Technologist. The following may help the graduates of HVAC Technologist program at University Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) to be more prepared for the working environment. This study uses the Modified Delphi Technique (MDT) approach in order to obtain expert agreement on the construction of the questionnaire instrument. MDT is conducted three rounds. The first round is the process of developing a questionnaire using previous research methods, document analysis and interviews with three experts. Then the second and third round is to distribute the following questionnaire to get approval from seven experts. The data were processed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software to obtain the mean, median and Interquartile Range (IQR) scores for each item. Preliminary research findings in the first round of MDT found 5 domains, 18 elements and 65 items. However, after the second and third round of MDT, it produced a Project Technology competency that has 5 domains, 18 elements and 78 items. The determination of the appropriateness of the HVAC Project Technology competence indicator is done through all round of MDT by the agreement industry experts with more than 10 years of experience in HVAC Project Engineering in the industry. So, the results of this research data are trusted and expected to give ideas also insights to course content for HVAC Technologist program by looking that matches career competencies according to industry tastes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The four narratives that follow bring together the stories from the lived experiences of a postgraduate blind maths student, her tutor, her transcriber and a learning technologist over the course of five years. It provides an insight into what is needed to help one student with their own way of learning maths. It also demonstrates how pulling at one thread can help to unravel and reveal the many lenses through which accessible maths needs to be approached. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Competent, confident and caring laboratory animal caretakers, technicians and technologists (LAS staff) are vital for good animal welfare, high-quality science and a secure Culture of Care. This requires high-quality education, training, supervision and continuing professional development (CPD) of LAS staff. However, there is a lack of harmonisation regarding how this education and training is conducted among European countries, and nor are there recommendations adapted to Directive 2010/63/EU. Therefore, FELASA and EFAT established a working group with the task of establishing recommendations for education, training and CPD for LAS staff. The working group established five different levels (LAS staff levels 0–4), defining the required level of competence and attitude, as well as suggesting educational requirements for reaching each level. Defining these levels should help to ensure that appropriate educational and CPD activities are in place, and to enable employers and LAS staff to determine the level and career stage attained. Furthermore, proper assessment of competencies and effective CPD schemes for all relevant staff should be established. Regulators should support this by setting standards for competence assessment and ensuring that they are consistently applied. In addition, establishments should involve the LAS staff in defining and developing the Culture of Care. The Animal Welfare Body should be involved and have oversight of education, training and CPD. These recommendations will contribute to harmonisation and increased quality of education, training and CPD, as well as provide clearer career pathways for LAS staff, helping to ensure high standards of animal welfare and science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technicians and technical staff are making increasingly significant contributions to the teaching and learning of undergraduate and postgraduate students in the UK. This paper reports on a survey of 1766 technical staff regarding their roles within teaching and learning environments, and a series of follow-up focus groups with 44 technical staff further exploring the roles, visibility, and recognition of technical staff. Analysis suggests many technicians' roles have transitioned to such an extent that traditional lines between academic and technical teaching responsibilities, expertise, and contributions are becoming increasingly blurred. This trend is particularly noticeable for disciplines within creative arts but is also found in other discipline areas. This is likely accelerated by a competitive higher education environment and global graduate job market which incentivise skills-based learning and graduate employability, with a general transition towards increased value of 'know-how' as well as 'know-what'. Although this can greatly enhance students' skills-based learning at the hands of experienced practitioners, there is a danger that under-valued 'cheap labour' could be used to replace under-resourced academic teaching communities, or that technical staff find expansion of their teaching responsibilities are not being matched with adjustments in value, recognition, or reward. Specific examples are explored, and the impact of COVID-19 related disruption is further used to highlight these overall themes. The authors advocate for common understanding and recognition of teaching roles throughout the higher education sector, regardless of job family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Especially in the context of AI, I noticed that our customers were increasingly interested in ethics and asking how to do ethics. It includes care ethics and feminist ethics. B James Euchner [JE] b : You have written a book about ethics for technology practitioners. Teasers Virtue ethics asks whether a technology enables a user to be a good person, to become the best version of themselves. [Extracted from the article]

Background: As digital learning becomes more prevalent and important in health professions education, learning technologists play increasingly central roles in designing and delivering learning materials. However, little is understood about the process by which learning technologists have integrated into the existing teaching and learning ecosystem, and it seems that they remain marginal and undervalued. Our aim in this paper was therefore to examine the process of interprofessional co-development of course materials as experienced by educators and learning technologists. Methods: Our approach was qualitative, using individual semi-structured interviews (conducted between July 2021 to May 2022) to explore the working relationship between faculty and learning technologists. Transcripts were analysed abductively. Results: We found that the attitudes of both faculty and learning technologists towards collaborating to drive digital adoption in health professions education fell into two main themes: "embrace" and "replace" – and "conflict", which we present as a third theme. Our results revealed that faculty did not take an active and agentic role in developing their digital practices in respect of education delivery. Learning technologists positioned themselves as a resource to support faculty's knowledge and skill gap in digital competence. There was an obvious power differential between the two groups: learning technologists lacked agency and seemed in the position of servants to faculty masters. This created barriers to effective collaboration. Conclusions: By examining the process of co-development of course materials by faculty and learning technologists, we open up a space to examine the social, relational and organisational complexities associated with interprofessional collaboration in digital health professions education. Our study also has important implications for guiding educational policy to better position learning technologists to effectively collaborate with faculty and realise the potential of digital health professions education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the use of remote MR scanning (RMS) as a solution to the shortage of MR technologists skilled in execution expertise. RMS allows MR technologists to operate an MR scanner from a remote location, providing access to their talents even when physically distant. However, the current model of RMS only covers execution expertise and not safety expertise, which remains the responsibility of the site where the patient and MR scanner are located. The article proposes a solution where the RMS provider also provides MR safety expertise, allowing sites to rely on less expensive MR tech aides instead of locally retained MR technologists. This model requires clear delineation of responsibilities and liabilities between the RMS provider and the site. Overall, the article suggests that centralized access to both MR execution and safety expertise will increase access to safe and efficient MR study execution. [Extracted from the article]

Our guest Technologist looks at the future use of robotic technology in surgery and how this will evolve the surgical profession. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evaluation of tumor follow-up according to RECIST 1.1 has become essential in clinical practice given its role in therapeutic decision making. At the same time, radiologists are facing an increase in activity while facing a shortage. Radiographic technologists could contribute to the follow-up of these measures, but no studies have evaluated their ability to perform them. Ninety breast cancer patients were performed three CT follow-ups between September 2017 and August 2021. 270 follow-up treatment CT scans were analyzed including 445 target lesions. The rate of agreement of classifications RECIST 1.1 between five technologists and radiologists yielded moderate (k value between 0.47 and 0.52) and substantial (k value = 0.62 and k = 0.67) agreement values. 112 CT were classified as progressive disease (PD) by the radiologists, and 414 new lesions were identified. The analysis showed a percentage of strict agreement of progressive disease classification between reader-technologists and radiologists ranging from substantial to almost perfect agreement (range 73–97%). Analysis of intra-observer agreement was strong at almost perfect (k > 0.78) for 3 technologists. These results are encouraging regarding the ability of selected technologists to perform measurements according to RECIST 1.1 criteria by CT scan with good identification of disease progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Radiological technologists serve as risk communicators who aim to lessen patients' anxiety about radiation exposure, in addition to performing radiological examinations. OBJECTIVE: We conducted a fact-finding survey on knowledge and awareness of radiation disasters among the radiological technologists to reveal their literacy and competencies regarding radiation disasters. METHODS: A paper questionnaire was distributed to 1,835 radiological technologists at 166 National Hospital Organization facilities in Japan. The 28-item questionnaire covered knowledge and awareness of radiation protection and radiation disasters. Radiological technologists were divided into 2 groups by regionality: areas where a nuclear power station was present/nearby (NPS areas) and non-NPS areas. RESULTS: Completed questionnaires were returned from 148 facilities with a facility response rate of 89.2% and from 1,391 radiological technologists with a response rate of 75.8%. There were 1,290 valid responses with a valid response rate of 70.3%. The correct answer rate for knowledge of radiation protection and radiation disasters was high in the 24 NPS areas. There were no differences in awareness of radiation disasters between NPS and non-NPS areas. CONCLUSIONS: Establishing a nationwide, region-independent training system can be expected to improve literacy regarding radiation disasters among radiological technologists. Willingness to assist during disasters was high among radiological technologists irrespective of area, indicating that the competencies of radiological technologists represent a competency model for radiation disaster assistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Project managers are a very special breed of people, requiring a complete set of skills. The uncertain project environment forces project managers to adapt to circumstances and deal with them. We strongly believe the only things not flexible in life are stones. However, sometimes excessive project manager flexibility can damage him or her because other people may abuse that situation and create negative project results. Project managers are in great demand, and we believe that will increasingly be the case as the need for effective technologists continues to soar. Good project managers are trained, not born. We believe the right project managers are people who want to be in that position. They develop skills through experience, practice, and education. They become better project managers each time they successfully deliver a project. They learn new techniques and apply them on their projects. They learn lessons-sometimes the hard way-to be better managers and leaders in the future [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Les questions éthiques sont peu investiguées, particulièrement en oncologie radiothérapie. L'objectif de l'étude était d'expliciter la problématique éthique principale en oncologie radiothérapie. Une analyse quantitative a été basée sur la réponse à un questionnaire de 200 professionnels issus de 22 départements d'oncologie radiothérapie. Ce questionnaire visait principalement à caractériser le questionnement éthique principal. Une analyse qualitative monocentrique s'est appuyée sur des entretiens semi-dirigés centrés sur le questionnement éthique principal, réalisés avec huit manipulateurs d'électroradiologie et 20 patients en cours de radiothérapie. Le questionnement éthique principal était la compréhension et/ou l'acceptation du traitement par les patients (71 %), se posant fréquemment (plus d'une fois par mois) (52 %) et correspond à une tension éthique entre les principes de respect de l'autonomie et de bienfaisance (faire le bien tel que perçu par le patient) tels que définis par Beauchamp et Childress. Les manipulateurs d'électroradiologie souhaitent que le patient soit pleinement acteur de son traitement avec même la possibilité de le refuser. Excluant « paternalisme » et « acharnement autonomique », les manipulateurs d'électroradiologie ont cependant le sentiment d'agir pour le bien des patients en les traitant par irradiation, même si ceux-ci n'en sont pas toujours conscients parce qu'ils sont en situation de vulnérabilité. Si la hiérarchisation des principes est une alternative de compromis, cette problématique est finalement bien résolue par la mise en pratique effective d'une éthique de la considération et de la sollicitude, s'appuyant sur les « capabilités » du patient, visant l'épanouissement maximal de ses potentialités dans sa situation de vulnérabilité. Au-delà de la dimension juridique, l'information du patient est cruciale et doit prendre en compte la temporalité spécifique du patient. La question éthique principale en oncologie radiothérapie est celle de la compréhension et/ou l'acceptation du traitement impliquant le développement d'une éthique de la considération et de la sollicitude. Ethical questions are poorly investigated specifically in radiation oncology. The objective of the study was to identify and understand the main ethical issue in radiation oncology. A quantitative analysis was based on the answers to a questionnaire of 200 professionals from 22 radiation oncology departments. The questionnaire mainly aimed to characterize the main ethical issue. A monocentric qualitative analysis was based on semi-structured interviews focused on the main identified ethical issue, carried out with eight technologists, and 20 patients undergoing radiotherapy. The main ethical issue was the understanding and/or acceptance of the treatment by the patients (71 %), which frequently arises (more than once a month) (52 %), and corresponds to an ethical tension between the principles of respect for autonomy and beneficence (the good as viewed by the patient) as defined by Beauchamp and Childress. The technologists, wish the patient to be fully involved in his treatment, with the even possibility of refusing it. However, excluding paternalism and autonomic relentlessness, the technologists have the feeling of acting for the good of the patients by treating them with radiation, even if the patients are not always aware of it, because they are within a situation of vulnerability. If the hierarchy of principles is a compromise alternative, this problem is finally well resolved by the effective implementation of an ethic of consideration and solicitude, restoring the patient capabilities, i.e. the maximum development of his potentialities in his situation of vulnerability. Beyond the legal dimension, patient information is crucial and must consider the specific temporality of the patient. The main ethical issue in radiation oncology is the understanding and/or acceptance of the treatment involving the development of an ethic of consideration and solicitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory Animals Technologist degree (Técnico Universitario en Gestión Integral de Bioterios) was created in 1989. It is offered jointly by the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences and the Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry at the University of Buenos Aires. The complete programme is organized into 15 courses, including basic and applied sciences, along with specific courses (Técnicas de Bioterio I to V) with a solid practice content that students must achieve. An additional challenge occurs when practices consist of animal handling and procedures, which can be stressful for students and animals. Since traditional evaluation methods may not be the best way to determine the acquisition of knowledge and practical performance, an evaluation rubric is proposed to assess the practices carried out by students. The aspects and criteria to be examined were previously known of by students and teachers. The evaluation levels include: 'Daily report and record-keeping', 'Food and water supply', 'Cleaning and disinfection of areas, Standardized Operational Procedures and routines fulfilment', 'Personnel and supplies circulation', 'Use of personal protection equipment and physical care', 'Fulfilment of tasks in established times', 'Animals procedures and organization of needed materials', 'Animal care' and 'Teamwork camaraderie and organization'. The proposed tool was implemented with good results to achieve the academic objectives while augmenting the confidence for practical expertise, minimizing doubts and uncertainties related to traditional evaluation methods, and providing students with an environment that favours knowledge acquisition and practical skills, establishing standard criteria among the teaching staff, and reducing and refining the use of animals for educational purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the concerns about radiation dose associated with medical imaging, radiation dose monitoring systems (RDMSs) are now utilized by many radiology providers to collect, process, analyze, and manage radiation dose-related information. Currently, most commercially available RDMSs focus only on radiation dose information and do not track any metrics related to image quality. However, to enable comprehensive patient-based imaging optimization, it is equally important to monitor image quality as well. This article describes how RDMS design can be extended beyond radiation dose to simultaneously monitor image quality. A newly designed interface was evaluated by different groups of radiology professionals (radiologists, technologists, and physicists) on a Likert scale. The results show that the new design is effective in assessing both image quality and safety in clinical practices, with an overall average score of 7.8 out of 10.0 and scores ranging from 5.5 to 10.0. Radiologists rated the interface highest at 8.4 out of 10.0, followed by technologists at 7.6 out of 10.0, and medical physicists at 7.5 out of 10.0. This work demonstrates how the assessment of the radiation dose can be performed in conjunction with the image quality using customizable user interfaces based on the clinical needs associated with different radiology professions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growth in immersive journalism, involving virtual, augmented and mixed reality technologies and 360° videos, has increased debate on whether such technologies can significantly transform the journalistic field. Technological firms and their agents, the technologists, who produce these digital offerings can be seen as new entrants capable of imposing their own logics to the field, but no research has focused on their voices yet to assess this impact, even as they are key drivers of this trend. This study uses Bourdieu's field theory and in-depth interviews with 12 technologists from the world's most prominent firms producing such technologies to examine potential influences on the principles, work experiences and skillsets of journalists. Findings indicate increasing focus on innovation and user experience, new journalistic tasks involving the conception and capturing of content to create immersive experiences and environments, and the need to acquire skills tied to story visualization and game mechanics. Significant transformation of the field however may be hindered by high costs, time constraints, and seemingly low returns on investment, but there is strong belief that increasing familiarity with augmented reality on smartphones will present a tipping point for immersive journalism, enhancing audience expectations towards agency in news consumption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Expected rise in the demand for healthcare and a dropping supply of healthcare professionals, has generated an increased interest in the most effective deployment of healthcare professionals. Consequently, task shifting has become a common strategy to redistribute tasks between established professional groups, however, little is known about the effects of shifting tasks to emerging professional groups. The aim of this study was to evaluate a legal amendment to facilitate task shifting to an emerging profession in Dutch healthcare: Clinical Technologists (CTs). CTs were introduced and provided an Extended Scope of Practice (ESP) to perform nine 'reserved procedures' independently. Methods: A concurrent multi-phase mixed methods study was used to evaluate whether a legal amendment to facilitate task shifting to CTs was effective and efficient. Results: The results show that CTs use their ESP frequently to perform five categories of reserved procedures independently and suggest that the ESP increased the efficiency of care delivery for those procedures. Additionally, the findings highlight that task shifting was influenced by the setting in which CTs worked, time allotted to patient-contact as well as external factors (e.g., financing). Conclusions: This study provides tentative lessons for policymakers on how task shifting to emerging professional groups can be improved. Providing a legal amendment to facilitate task shifting to CTs seems to be effective and efficient. However, it also poses multiple challenges. While established professional groups can face similar challenges, it is likely that these are exacerbated for emerging professional groups, particularly when shifting tasks occurs horizontally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The scope of practice of the medical radiation practitioner demands knowledge and understanding of the indications, contraindications, warnings, precautions, proper use, drug interactions and adverse reactions of a variety of medications. The risk of patient deterioration or acute emergent event, particularly following contrast administration, makes the command of crash cart medications particularly important. This article explores the pharmacological principles of medications most likely to be required in a medical emergency in the medical radiation department and in particular by the computed tomography (CT) technologist. The article also outlines early warning signs to assist in identifying the emergent or deteriorating patient. The learning outlined is designed to equip medical radiation practitioners with the capacity to identify and respond to a medical emergency typical of the medical radiation department, and to respond to that situation with the appropriate use of emergency medications where appropriate. The ability of medical radiation practitioners to recognise and respond to (including the use of medicines) the deteriorating patient or circumstances of a medically urgent nature are key capabilities required to meet minimum standards for Medical Radiation Practice Board of Australia registration and National Safety and Quality Health Service standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colleges and Universities have a more diverse student body than ever before—this includes a growing number of students with disabilities. Many of these students are attracted to the flexibility and anonymity of learning online. However, research suggests that students with disabilities often face barriers learning online. Given this, we set out to investigate how faculty and educational technologists are prepared to design accessible online courses and instructional materials. We surveyed 95 educational technologists, directors, and disability access personnel in this exploratory study. In the following paper, we report the results of our inquiry into these professionals' perspectives on faculty and educational technologists' knowledge and skills in creating accessible courses and instructional materials. We conclude by discussing the implications for research and practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This conceptual paper focuses on understanding the interactions between art, science, and technology as forms of wide interdisciplinary or transdisciplinary collaboration. There is scarce knowledge about how the wide interdisciplinary interaction between artists, scientists, and technologists can be conceptualized through a shared framework for collaboration. The ecology of collaboration involves a complex set of social structures varying between autonomous individually organized teams and institutional programmes. By using a social ecological approach, integrating social, organizational, and cultural factors, art, science, and technology (AST) collaborations can be characterized by a sequence of antecedent, process, and outcome conditions. These elements are organized to form a conceptual framework for art-science collaborations, elaborating on AST in its relationship to knowledge, aesthetics, interdependence, and experimentalism as antecedent conditions, while outlining the process elements and possible outcomes of the collaborations. The framework can be a vehicle for evaluation and reflection for practitioners, researchers, educators, and policymakers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interdisciplinary teams are foundational to global health (GH) work, including the field of radiology that relies on staff, such as nurses and technologists, to function effectively and safely. However, little is known about radiology staffs' perspectives and experiences on GH work. The purpose was to assess experiences and perspectives of nonphysician radiology staff regarding GH work. A voluntary survey was distributed via membership newsletters, social media, and e-mails to radiology departments. Free responses were coded thematically. Two hundred thirty two individuals opened the survey with 189 (81%) complete responses. Respondents included technologists (65%), nurses (22%), and advanced practice providers (5%). Only 8% reported prior participation in radiology-specific GH work, and 10% knew of opportunities for GH involvement. However, 50% agreed they would participate in a GH experience and 40% in a GH curriculum. Our survey results reveal nonphysician radiology staff interest in GH work and an unmet opportunity for institutions to increase staff involvement. • Access to radiology services is a critical component of healthcare worldwide. • Nonphysician radiology staff are important to build interdisciplinary teams. • The survey had 189 responses, including 139 technologists and 46 nurses. • Respondents lacked knowledge and experience regarding global health opportunities. • However, many demonstrated interest in learning and participating in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optimal patient appointment grid scheduling improves medical center performance and reduces pressure from excess demand. Appointment scheduling efficiency depends on resource management, and staff are a key resource. Personnel scheduling takes into account union rules, skills, contract types, training, leave, illness, etc. When combined with appointment scheduling constraints, the complexity of the problem increases. In this paper, we study the combination of the patient appointment grid and technologist scheduling. We present a well-detailed framework outlining our approach. We develop two versions of a mixed-integer programming model: integrated and sequential. In the first version, we elaborate the appointment grid and the technologist schedules simultaneously, while in the second version we generate them sequentially. We evaluate the proposed approach using real data from the MRI department of the Centre hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal (CHUM) radiology center. We study different scenarios by testing several technologist rules and planning construction methods. Obtained solutions are compared to the current CHUM scheduling approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We trace how privacy-encroaching technologies have unfolded over the course of human history and how such technologies have influenced human societies and economies; governments have been central to this evolution. We maintain that surveillance is inevitable: that the future of public administration will depend on how administrators and others navigate deep rifts in public fear (yet acceptance) of surveillance and other means of data collection. Finally, we argue for coordination among governance scholars, public administrators, public technologists, and civil society advocates in order to improve the institutions that govern the collection and use of data from surveillance activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objectives: Healthcare workers (HCWs) are prone to occupational hazards, which may have a significant impact on their health and safety. Inadequate worker training, a lack of appropriate protection measures, and a high workload could worsen the situation, resulting in increased morbidity and mortality among exposed workers. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge and safety practices on occupational hazards among operating room (OR) staff of Mardan Medical Complex. Methodology: From April to September 2021, 109 OR staff participated in this cross-sectional study including the surgeons, the anesthetists, the technologists and the OR nurses. Data regarding the level of knowledge and safety practices among OR staff were recorded on a validated questionnaire. Data were analyzed on SPSS version 19 and presented in the form of tables and graphs. Chi-square test was used to find an association between categorical variables and P < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: Among all participants, 95% of surgeons were aware of the work-related hazards and their types, followed by OR nurses, technologists, and the anesthetists. The majority of OR personnel with less experience were least aware of the occupational hazards. The association with the participants job experience, degree of knowledge, and the safety practices was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The knowledge of the surgeons regarding occupational hazards and the safety practices was the highest, followed by the anesthetists, technicians/technologists, and the OR nurses in that order. Measures are required to promote safety practices and reinforcement of strategies aimed to minimize exposure to hazards. Routine training of staff on safety practices need to be initiated and made mandatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A clinical internship is currently required by the American Board of Radiology prior to Radiology residency. The purpose of this investigation is to evaluate practicing radiologists' perspectives on the value of the internship and their recommendations for optimization. A five-minute online survey was distributed via email to practicing radiologist members of the American College of Radiology. A total of 566 completed responses (11.3% response rate) were received. Most respondents agreed that their internship was essential for improving non-radiology clinical knowledge (84%) and affirming their decision to become a radiologist (74%). Most respondents (59%) disagree that the one-year internship before residency should be eliminated. Most (53%) of the radiologists in an academic practice agreed that internship should be integrated into Radiology residency. If radiologists were to redesign the internship ("PreRad Internship"), a majority of the respondents would include training in other medical specialties (71%), working along technologists (55%) and informatics/AI/computer science (54%). While the greatest proportion (50%) of interventional radiologists reported a Surgery internship would be the most beneficial for their primary subspecialty (50%), diagnostic radiologists most commonly (27%) reported the PreRad Internship would be the most beneficial. The greatest proportions of Abdominal-, Breast-, and Neuroradiology-trained respondents reported a PreRad Internship would be the most beneficial internship for their primary field of subspecialty Radiology practice (32%, 36%, and 33%, respectively). The internship before Radiology residency offers some benefits but could be further optimized. There is support from practicing radiologists for a redesigned, more Radiology-specific PreRad Internship. • If radiologists were to redesign the internship ("PreRad Internship"), most would include training in other specialties and working with technologists. • Diagnostic radiologists most commonly reported a PreRad internship would be the most beneficial for their primary subspecialty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are for many the defining features of the early twenty-first century. With such a provocation, this essay considers how one might understand the relational philosophies articulated by Indigenous learning scientists, Indigenous technologists and feminine philosophers of education as co-constitutive of an ensemble mediating or regulating an educative philosophy interfacing with ML/AI. In these mediations, differing vocabularies – kin, the one caring, cooperative – are recognized for their ethical commitments, yet challenging epistemic claims in the contexts of ML. Similarly, ML poses some questions to claims made about relational and Indigenous epistemologies, where the latter is perceived as separated from and unaffected by computation specifically or algorithmic societies generally. This essay seeks to gain several vantage points to explore and complicate how diverse relational philosophies can address ML and perhaps reconsider their own critical practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]