Evaluating the Emotional State of a User Using a Webcam

In online learning is more difficult for teachers identify to see how individual students behave. Student’s emotions like self-esteem, motivation, commitment, and others that are believed to be determinant in student’s performance can not be ignored, as they are known (affective states and also learning styles) to greatly influence student’s learning. The ability of the computer to evaluate the emotional state of the user is getting bigger attention. By evaluating the emotional state, there is an attempt to overcome the barrier between man and non-emotional machine. Recognition of a real time emotion in e-learning by using webcams is research area in the last decade. Improving learning through webcams and microphones offers relevant feedback based upon learner’s facial expressions and verbalizations. The majority of current software does not work in real time – scans face and progressively evaluates its features. The designed software works by the use neural networks in real time which enable to apply the software into various fields of our lives and thus actively influence its quality. Validation of face emotion recognition software was annotated by using various experts. These expert findings were contrasted with the software results. An overall accuracy of our software based on the requested emotions and the recognized emotions is 78%. Online evaluation of emotions is an appropriate technology for enhancing the quality and efficacy of e-learning by including the learner´s emotional states

Kombinirano liječenje rupturirane aneurizme srednje moždane arterije praćene subarahnoidnim krvarenjem i akutnim subduralnim hematomom u višestrukoj aneurizmatskoj bolesti krvnih žila mozga: prikaz slučaja

Aneurysms of blood vessels at the base of the brain are pathological focal outpouchings, usually found at the branching points of the arteries. Aneurysm can remain silent for life. Clinical presentation is due to rupture and bleeding. In only 1.3% of cases it results in subdural hematoma, which is associated with direct interaction of the aneurysm with the basal arachnoid membrane. Multiple aneurysms are present in 15% to 33% of cases with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Assessment of these patients is more complicated, as there are no specific signs to pinpoint/detect the aneurysm that has ruptured. This report presents a 44-year-old female patient suffering from multiple cerebral aneurysm disease, who was urgently treated after rupture by both endovascular (for multiple aneurysms) and surgical (for acute subdural hematoma) approach in the same act under general anesthesia, which resulted in complete recovery of the patient.Aneurizme krvnih žila na bazi mozga su žarišna patološka proširenja koja se obično nalaze na račvanju arterija. Mogu ostati klinički nijeme cijelog života. Klinička slika nastaje zbog rupture i krvarenja. Samo u 1,3% slučajeva rezultira pojavom subduralnog hematoma, što je u vezi s izravnom interakcijom aneurizme i bazalne arahnoidne membrane. Višestruke aneurizme su prisutne u 15% do 33% bolesnika sa subarahnoidnim krvarenjem. Pristup ovakvim bolesnicima je složen, jer ne postoje specifični znaci koji bi ukazali na ili otkrili aneurizmu koja je rupturirala. Ovaj prikaz opisuje bolesnicu u dobi od 44 godine s višestrukom aneurizmatskom bolešću mozga koja je nakon rupture hitno podvrgnuta endovaskularnom (zbog višestrukih aneurizma) i kirurškom (zbog akutnog subduralnog hematoma) terapijskom zahvatu u istom aktu u općoj anesteziji, što je rezultiralo njezinim potpunim oporavkom

Etiology and mechanisms of ulnar and median forearm nerve injuries

© 2015, Institut za Vojnomedicinske Naucne Informacije/Documentaciju. All rights reserved. Bacgraund/Aim. Most often injuries of brachial plexus and its branches disable the injured from using their arms and/or hands. The aim of this study was to investigate the etiology and mechanisms of median and ulnar forearm nerves injuries. Methods. This retrospective cohort study included 99 patients surgically treated in the Clinic of Neurosurgery, Clinical Center of Serbia, from January 1st, 2000 to December 31st, 2010. All data are obtained from the patients' histories. Results. The majority of the injured patients were male, 81 (81.8%), while only 18 (18.2%) were females, both mainly with nerve injuries of the distal forearm – 75 (75.6%). Two injury mechanisms were present, transection in 85 patients and traction and contusion in 14 of the patients. The most frequent etiological factor of nerve injuries was cutting, in 61 of the patients. Nerve injuries are often associated with other injuries. In the studied patients there were 22 vascular injuries, 33 muscle and tendon injuries and 20 bone fractures. Conclusion. The majority of those patients with peripheral nerve injuries are represented in the working age population, which is a major socioeconomic problem. In our study 66 out of 99 patients were between 17 and 40 years old, in the most productive age. The fact that the majority of patients had nerve injuries of the distal forearm and that they are operated within the first 6 months after injury, promises them good functional prognosis

Stable topological insulators achieved using high energy electron beams

Topological insulators are transformative quantum solids with immune-to-disorder metallic surface states having Dirac band structure. Ubiquitous charged bulk defects, however, pull the Fermi energy into the bulk bands, denying access to surface charge transport. Here we demonstrate that irradiation with swift ($\sim 2.5$ MeV energy) electron beams allows to compensate these defects, bring the Fermi level back into the bulk gap, and reach the charge neutrality point (CNP). Controlling the beam fluence we tune bulk conductivity from \textit{p}- (hole-like) to \textit{n}-type (electron-like), crossing the Dirac point and back, while preserving the Dirac energy dispersion. The CNP conductance has a two-dimensional (2D) character on the order of ten conductance quanta $G_0 =e^2/h$, and reveals, both in Bi$_2$Te$_3$ and Bi$_2$Se$_3$, the presence of only two quantum channels corresponding to two topological surfaces. The intrinsic quantum transport of the topological states is accessible disregarding the bulk size.Comment: Main manuscript - 12 pages, 4 figures; Supplementary file - 15 pages, 11 figures, 1 Table, 4 Note

The clinical implication of drug dependency in children and adults with inflammatory bowel disease: A review

AbstractDrug dependency in adult and paediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is described and the significance of this response pattern in clinical practice discussed in this review. Dependent patients maintain remission while on the treatment, but they relapse shortly after drug cessation or dose decrease. However, a quick restoration of remission and sustained response is achieved when the therapy is re-introduced or dose increased.Population-based studies have demonstrated that 22–36% of adults and 14–50% of children become corticosteroid dependent. Approximately 1/4–1/3 of treated patients undergo surgery ≤1 year after treatment start, although newer paediatric studies reported lower risk of surgery (5–11%), including dependent patients. The frequent use of immunosuppressants (68–80% of children) might explain this favourable outcome and thus reduce importance of the term corticosteroid dependency.Infliximab dependency was described in 42–66% of children and 29% of adults with Crohn's disease. The risk of surgery 50 and 40 months after treatment start was 10% and 23% in infliximab dependent children and adults, respectively. Maintenance of infliximab in dependent patients was suggested to postpone if not avoid the need of surgery.Lastly, mesalazine dependency was identified in 23% of adults with Crohn's disease. These patients were characterized by mild disease course and lower surgical risk compared to non-responders to mesalazine (32 vs. 61%).Identification of drug dependency is useful for prediction of a certain disease course and surgery. An adjustment of medical therapy may alter the prognosis and disease course