Application of Multiprotocol Medical Imaging Communications and an Extended DICOM WADO Service in a Teleradiology Architecture

Multiprotocol medical imaging communication through the Internet is more flexible than the tight DICOM transfers. This paper introduces a modular multiprotocol teleradiology architecture that integrates DICOM and common Internet services (based on web, FTP, and E-mail) into a unique operational domain. The extended WADO service (a web extension of DICOM) and the other proposed services allow access to all levels of the DICOM information hierarchy as opposed to solely Object level. A lightweight client site is considered adequate, because the server site of the architecture provides clients with service interfaces through the web as well as invulnerable space for temporary storage, called as User Domains, so that users fulfill their applications' tasks. The proposed teleradiology architecture is pilot implemented using mainly Java-based technologies and is evaluated by engineers in collaboration with doctors. The new architecture ensures flexibility in access, user mobility, and enhanced data security

Students' Satisfaction Forecasting Factors of the Hellenic Open University

Η παρούσα εργασία έχει σκοπό να καταγράψει το βαθμό στον οποίο συμμετέχουν στην πρόβλεψη της ικανοποίησης των φοιτητών του Ελληνικού Ανοικτού Πανεπιστημίου από τις σπουδές τους η αλληλεπίδραση που είχαν με τον/την καθηγητή/τρια σύμβουλο, η αποτελεσματικότητα του καθηγητή – συμβούλου και η αξιολόγηση του προγράμματος της θεματικής ενότητας. Για την έρευνα χρησιμοποιήσαμε τη μέθοδο του ερωτηματολογίου το οποίο διανείμαμε σε ενενήντα τέσσερις προπτυχιακούς και μεταπτυχιακούς φοιτητές του ΕΑΠ κατά τη διάρκεια των Ομαδικών Συμβουλευτικών Συναντήσεων σε Αθήνα και Θεσσαλονίκη. Η επιλογή του ερωτηματολογίου βασίστηκε σε προηγούμενη έρευνα που πραγματοποιήθηκε σε ξένο πανεπιστήμιο και η επεξεργασία και η ανάλυση των δεδομένων πραγματοποιήθηκε με το πρόγραμμα στατιστικής επεξεργασίας SPSS 20. Τα αποτελέσματα της έρευνας έδειξαν ότι η αξιολόγηση του προγράμματος ήταν υπεύθυνη για το 34% της διακύμανσης της ικανοποίησης ενώ οι υπόλοιπες μεταβλητές δεν ερμήνευσαν κάποιο επιπλέον ποσοστό της διακύμανσης. Τα ευρήματα της έρευνας αναφέρονται και  στις συσχετίσεις των παραπάνω παραγόντων με την ικανοποίηση των φοιτητών. Τα συμπεράσματα της έρευνας είναι σημαντικά για όλα τα πανεπιστήμια που παρέχουν μάθηση από απόσταση έτσι ώστε να βελτιώσουν τις παρεχόμενες υπηρεσίες και το επίπεδο σπουδών των φοιτητών τους. Επιπλέον, η συγκεκριμένη εργασία αποτελεί κίνητρο για περεταίρω έρευνα στο πεδίο της εξ αποστάσεως εκπαίδευσης από Ελληνικά και ξένα πανεπιστήμια.The purpose of this research was to investigate whether certain factors could predict the satisfaction of students of the Hellenic Open University (HOU) from their studies and the results were compared with corresponding surveys conducted for other universities. Based on the data collected from the questionnaire and in accordance with the results of the Ali, Ramay & Shahzad (2011) survey, the conclusion is that the majority of students attending HOU’s distance education programs are pleased at a fairly high percentage of student performance, of the quality of the curriculum and the studentstudent interaction. In terms of gender, statistical analysis did not show a significant gender impact on the average satisfaction rates of students, but showed significant differences in age. More specifically, the satisfaction of the interaction with the teacher consultant is increasing for students in the age group over 50 and the performance of the counseling professor differs for those over the age of 50 from those under the age of 40. Researchers' views differ in relation to the importance of age but this may have to do with the sample of research. In our survey, 98% of the students were over 30 years of age, while in Shehab's study 15% of her sample was under 20 years of age. The findings of the survey showed a strong correlation of student satisfaction with program evaluation, moderate positive correlation of student satisfaction with teacher performance and weak positive correlation of student satisfaction with studentprofessor, while in the study of Ali, Ramay & Shahzad (2011) there is a strong correlation of student satisfaction with teacher performance and program evaluation and moderate correlation with student-teacher interaction.In order to investigate the prognosis of the independent variable (students satisfaction) from the three factors mentioned above, the statistical method of stepwise regression was used and findings show that the program evaluation was responsible for 34% of the satisfaction variance, while the other variables introduced later did not interpret an extra percentage of the variance of pleasure. These results contradict the study by Ali, Ramay & Shahzad (2011), where all three factors contribute greatly to the interpretation-prediction of student satisfaction. The conclusion is that the satisfaction of students depends to a large extent on the evaluation of the program and more specifically on whether the students acquire valuable learning experiences from the group counseling meetings if the work they have done is useful, if the educational material is useful and adequate, if the objectives of the thematic unit were clear and understandable, if the processes of control and evaluation of their learning paths were pedagogically correct and finally if the planned hours of study was adequate to meet the student needs. All the above factors can be used by education managers and the relevant ministry to facilitate the learning process by using an effective teaching methodology and to provide methods and techniques to improve the quality of education provided by the HOU, improve the institution of distance learning in Greece in order to respond more to the interests and requirements of the students, to facilitate the adaptation of the student to the educational environment, as well as to facilitate the adaptation of the environment to the needs and characteristics of the student leading to achieve the purposes and objectives of education and student satisfaction is high

Statistical Modeling of SAR Images: A Survey

Statistical modeling is essential to SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) image interpretation. It aims to describe SAR images through statistical methods and reveal the characteristics of these images. Moreover, statistical modeling can provide a technical support for a comprehensive understanding of terrain scattering mechanism, which helps to develop algorithms for effective image interpretation and creditable image simulation. Numerous statistical models have been developed to describe SAR image data, and the purpose of this paper is to categorize and evaluate these models. We first summarize the development history and the current researching state of statistical modeling, then different SAR image models developed from the product model are mainly discussed in detail. Relevant issues are also discussed. Several promising directions for future research are concluded at last

Electric dipole moments and the search for new physics

Static electric dipole moments of nondegenerate systems probe mass scales for physics beyond the Standard Model well beyond those reached directly at high energy colliders. Discrimination between different physics models, however, requires complementary searches in atomic-molecular-and-optical, nuclear and particle physics. In this report, we discuss the current status and prospects in the near future for a compelling suite of such experiments, along with developments needed in the encompassing theoretical framework.Comment: Contribution to Snowmass 2021; updated with community edits and endorsement

MNE subsidiaries versus domestic enterprises: an analysis of their ownership and location-specific advantages

This paper compares the ownership advantages of multinational enterprises' (MNEs) subsidiaries and domestic enterprises (DMEs) in Greece. Previous studies have tested the hypothesis that ownership-specific advantages (Oa) are a major source of firm differences. This study analyses the processed food sector (SIC=20) - the leading industrial sector in Greece with the highest inward and outward internationalization degree - using a panel data set of 75 firms and 5 years. The findings of a probabilistic regression analysis indicate that there are significant differences between the two groups of firms in the degree of possession of observed ownership advantages. MNE subsidiaries have higher market shares, use multiplant operations and have higher advertising and R&D to sales ratios compared to DMEs. DMEs use their well-established position (knowledge of domestic and regional market conditions, and size economies) in order to compete effectively with MNE subsidiaries. It is inferred that pursuit of domestic market development is an important motivation in such subsidiaries, in an attempt to build on (rather than substitute for) the strong and distinctive established product base of Greek food industry companies. By assimilating Greek food knowledge alongside their own the MNEs developed export-orientation into their subsidiaries in Greece, which eventually have played a notable role in the regional market (Balkans).