Two databases of solar surface irradiance (SSI) derived from satellites are compared to ground measurements for Algeria, Egypt, Libya and Tunisia. It is found that it is possible to accurately derive the SSI from geostationary meteorological satellites, even with a coarse spatial resolution. The two databases HelioClim-1 and SSE exhibit similar and good performances. The bias is lower for SSE than for HelioClim-1, as a whole; inversely, HelioClim-1exhibits a smaller scattering of data compared to ground measurements (smaller standard-deviation) than the SSE, allowing better performances when mapping the long-term variations in the SSI. These long-term variations from 1985 to 2005 show that these four nations experience dimming as a whole. Detailed analyses of the range of dimming at sites with long-term records and of its spatial distribution have been performed. It has been found that the analysis of SSI from HelioClim-1 supports the findings for the individual sites. Several phenomena may explain the dimming. One is the transportation of sand dust northwards from the Sahel; another
Background: Cervical cancer is a widespread cancer among women worldwide. In this study, we evaluated the role of diffusion weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI-MRI) in diagnosis of cervical carcinoma with pathological diagnosis taken as the reference. The study included 70 patients in whom cancer cervix had been suspected clinically or by transvaginal U/S and confirmed by biopsy. The control group consisted of 40 patients with a normal cervix who performed MRI for other pelvic disorders. Pelvic MR with DWI and dynamic contrast enhanced MRI (DCE-MR) were done for all patients. Results: Both DW-MRI and DCE-MRI revealed the same sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and accuracy; 100%, 50%, 97%, and 97%, respectively. The mean ADC value for malignant lesions was (0.82 × 10 −3 ± 0.1 SD mm 2 /s). While the mean ADC value in the control group is (1.56 × 10-3 mm 2 /s). ADC value of (1.07 × 10 −3 mm 2 /s) is a cutoff between normal cervical tissue& malignant cervical lesion with a sensitivity 97% and specificity 95.5% Conclusion: Each of the (DW-MRI) and (DCE-MRI) sequences when added to the non-contrast MRI sequences in the estimation of cancer cervix had elicited the same sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. DW-MRI was significantly beneficial in terms of diagnostic performance. For patients who cannot receive contrast medium, dynamic contrastenhanced imaging can be replaced by DWI. The ADC value in case of cervical cancer was significantly lower than in the non-affected cervical tissue.
Background: Wilson's disease, which most frequently affects children or young adults and has a significant impact on children's quality of life, is the most frequent cause of improper excretion of copper from the body. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of comprehensive health promotion intervention on the quality of life among children with Wilson's disease. Methods: A quasi-experimental design was used. Setting: The research was carried out at the outpatient clinic of pediatrics at the National Liver Institute at Shebin Elkoom city. Sample: A purposive sample of 44 children with Wilson's disease was selected from the previously mentioned setting. Tools: three instruments were used for data Collection: a structured interview questionnaire, Precede-proceed model questionnaire, and the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) 4.0 Generic Core Scale. Results: the mean scores of all quality of life aspects (physical, emotional, social, and school functioning) of studied children had improved on the post and follow-up tests than on the pretest. As well, children with Wilson's disease who received comprehensive health promotion intervention based on the PRECEDE-PROCEED model had stronger predisposing factors, reinforcing and enabling factors on post and follow-up tests than on pretest. Conclusion: Comprehensive health promotion intervention was successful in improving the quality of life among children with Wilson's disease. Recommendation: This study recommended the integration of a model-based comprehensive health promotion intervention program, PRECEDE-PROCEED, into the outpatient clinic of pediatrics for children with WD and their families.
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