Assessment of Low Doses Radiation Effects Using Tumor Markers Among Palestinian Radiation Workers

Understanding the impact of radiation on occupational workers has been a huge concern; particularly when it comes to cancer, which is considered a stochastic effect from radiation. This paper aims at investigating the effects of low radiation doses on tumor markers tests among Radiation Workers (RWs). It also aims at demonstrating the effect of independent variables, such exposed dose, smoking status, and the type of work on tumor markers. The researchers reviewed the collected database of tumor marker tests in four Governmental Hospitals between the period (2013- 2019) in order to trace the patterns of tumor marker over the years. The exposed dose record was taken from the Energy Department. Additionally, a questionnaire was distributed to acquire correlated independent variables with tumor markers records and 78 RWs participated in this study. Results indicated that after several years of tracing tumor markers, they all tend to increase in a normal range. Significantly, the Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) has increased by approximately 57% in RWs. Moreover, the smoking workers have a statistically significant change in CEA. Finally, the study has not shown any relationship between the radiation doses and tumor markers. In conclusion, to the best of the researchers’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the correlated tumor markers with low radiation doses among occupational worker. The researchers believe that these findings will contribute to ‘gap-filling’ in low dose effects, and demonstrate the importance of laboratory medical tests in prediction of low doses effect. However, further investigations are needed in order to achieve more accurate results.Funding This work was not funded by any grant from public, commercial, or not-for-profit agencies. Acknowledgments Tha authors thank Mr. Marwan Zuhd for his help in statistical data analysis

Assessment of diagnostic ultrasound for abdomen and pelvis service in Palestine towards national diagnostic reference levels for ultrasound reporting

Objective: The study was conducted to provide national diagnostic reference levels for ultrasound reporting. Materials and methods: The study carried out in radiology and medical imaging departments in the three sectors representing Palestinian health system, particularly inside governmental, nongovernmental and private health sectors. The sample size comprised 600 ultrasound (u/s) reports of abdomen and pelvis u/s procedures. U/S reports collected and followed in term of record name, record number, finding and all criteria followed in the worldwide report of American College of Radiology (ACR). Results: The Palestinian private health sector u/s report for pelvis and abdominal examinations correlates (P value=0.001) with the ACR standards compared to other Palestinian health sectors. Regarding to report structure sections, in the history and indication, our results show that this section was completely absent from the governmental sector reports. Moreover, the limitation section was absent from all governmental and NGO (u/s) reports, while existed in just 19% of private sector (u/s) reports. Likewise in conclusion section of report structure, the most noteworthy rate was again in the Palestinian private health sectors as 80% of their (u/s) reports. On contrary finding section, all reports in the sample were having this section. Finally in previous study sections of the report, our results indicated that the highest percentage was in private health sectors as 57% of their (u/s) reports. Latest in the relationship between the quality of the (u/s) report and health sector type that gave the reports, the results found the sort of health sector has a positive effect on the quality of the (u/s) report. Where the Palestinian private health sectors got the highest quality in writing reports of the ultrasound compared to other sectors. Conclusion: The Palestinian private health sectors have the highest quality u/s reports among Palestinian health sectors

Multifrequency Analysis of Single Inductive Coil Measurements Across a Gel Phantom Simulation of Internal Bleeding in the Brain

The present study is part of an ongoing effort to develop a simple diagnostic technology for detecting internal bleeding in the brain, which can be used in lieu or in support of medical imaging and thereby reduce the cost of diagnostics in general, and in particular, would make diagnostics accessible to economically disadvantaged populations. The study deals with a single coil inductive device to be used for detecting cerebral hemorrhage. It presents a first‐order experimental study that examines the predictions of our recently published theoretical study. The experimental model employs a homogeneous cylindrical phantom in which internal head bleeding was simulated by way of a fluid inclusion. We measured the changes in amplitude and phase across the coil with a network vector analyzer as a function of frequency (100–1,000 MHz), volume of blood simulating fluid, and the site of the fluid injection. We have developed a new mathematical model to statistically analyze the complex data produced in this experiment. We determined that the resolution for the fluid volume increase following fluid injection is strongly dependent on frequency as well as the location of liquid accumulation. The experimental data obtained in this study supports the predictions of our previous theoretical study, and the statistical analysis shows that the simple single coil device is sensitive enough to detect changes due to fluid volume alteration of two milliliters. Bioelectromagnetics. 2020;41:21–33. © 2019 Bioelectromagnetics SocietyThis work is based on a portion of a dissertation to be submitted by Moshe Oziel in partial fulfillment of the requirements for a PhD degree to Tel‐Aviv University

Multimodal Imaging of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Using Dynamic Liver Phantom

Liver phantom is used at various medical levels, such as detecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in the early stages, training medical staff to deal with HCC by taking biopsies, developing new sequences on medical imaging devices, confirming the image quality, applying treatments to HCC, and others. All of the trials should be applied before entering the real human body. The phantom includes properties very similar to those of the human body, as well as the properties of liver cancer and how it is treated within the body through its biological form. Therefore, the present chapter aims to provide comprehensive information to consider when fabricating HCC-containing phantoms and the characteristics of those phantoms in proportion to multimodal medical imaging to aid in understanding the main target of dynamic phantom for HCC

Current Status Regarding Tumour Progression, Surveillance, Diagnosis, Staging, and Treatment Of HCC: A Literature Review

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignant tumour of the liver, and is globally considered to be a major causes of cancer-associated mortality. The early diagnosis of HCC improves overall survival through the application of suitable treatment options. This article presents some of the techniques for the surveillance of HCC like ultrasonography and the use of tumour biomarkers such as α-fetoprotein (AFP), DesGamma-Carboxy Prothrombin (DCP) and others. Included in the discussion will be diagnostic methods like computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), contrast enhancement ultrasound (CEUS), and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography hybrid with computed tomography (FDG PET/CT). Current molecular pathogenesis related to HCC and the molecular steps that determine the transition from benign to malignancy are also analysed. The HCC stages which depends on the Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer (BCLC) algorithm are also discussed. Finally, this review article discusses the present therapeutic and treatment options for HCC such as resection, transplantation, or ablation used to treat early stage cancer. Also included will be trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE) and Sorafenib for patients with intermediate and advanced-stage cancer, respectively

Evaluation of e-government services in Jordan : providers' and users' perceptions

Efficient and effective implementation and development of e-government services require an understanding of whether these e-government-services are tailored to meet users') expectations under the citizen-centric approach, and what are the barriers that might hamper the achievement of that slogan. This research explores the public eservices from a multi-view or multi -stakeholders' perspective. This includes: the users' perceptions using a conceptual maturity model-61 Model- to investigate empirically the characteristics of the public e-services in Jordan, and the employees' perceptions, who are the providers of the e-government services, to explore the barriers to these public eservices. The sample to this research was drawn from two sources: users of e-government services, and employees in Jordanian governmental organizations. This research is mainly deductive, and includes a mixed research approach of both quantitative and qualitative methods. A survey approach was employed to achieve the research objectives. Moreover, nine interviews were carried out with both users and providers of e-services to obtain insightful data, and to enhance the interpretation of the quantitative findings. Factor analysis, bivariate analysis, error bars, and graphs were employed to explore and clarify patterns of multifaceted relationships for various perceptions of e-government services in relation to demographic characteristics, and the barriers that impede the development of these services. The findings reveal that users of e-government services were chiefly critical of the current status, which was identified according to four categories: Inform, Interact, Intercommunicate, and individualize. However, that dissatisfaction has not stopped the users to aspire a desired status of e-government services, which again was identified according to two categories: Integrate, and Involve. Moreover, the providers reveal in their perception of the barriers that five various barriers' categories 'impede the implementation and the progress of e-government services in Jordan. These barriers, which have been identified according to the providers' perception, are: Policy, Economic, Skills, Technical, and Organizational barriers which were explained using a PESTO framework. Finally the state of play of the Jordanian e-government services was evaluated using the 61 Model to account for the previous two perceptions and establish the relationships between the different perceptions. Because of the scarcity of any empirical investigation of a theoretical maturity model in general, and within the Jordanian context in particular, this research provides an original contribution concerning the evaluation of e-government services and the barriers that hamper them. Unlike previous studies within developed and developing countries, this research investigates the theoretical maturity model from multi-view stakeholders' to establish an understanding of how to provide effective and efficient e-government services that tailored to attain citizen-centric approach.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo