The "Quizer" e-learning platform as a tool for creating interactive quizzes with multiplayer functionality

Modern IT and teaching solutions are increasingly used in the distance learning process. The introduction of game elements in the e-learning allows to increase the interest and motivation of the user when performing tasks. The "Quizer" e-learning platform has been designed to create interactive multimedia courses with elements of gameplay, including the multiplayer format. The paper discusses the technologies and tools used to build the platform. An example of a game designed in a multiplayer format is presented

Dzieje żubra w Puszczy Białowieskiej

The bison (Bison bonasus L.) has inhabited the forests of Europe for thousands of years. The above fact is best borne out by the numerous images of these animals to be found on the walls of caves – the dwelling places of the pre-historic man. Yet the development of civilization has led to a gradual extinction of the bison in individual countries, among others, due to hunting, which was willingly indulged in by the feudal elites and the catching of these animals and exporting them to the zoos and private breeding stations. Except for Poland, this species had become extinct before the end of the 18th century, whereas by the next century, it was only the Bialowieza Forest in Poland that remained its only sanctuary. Since the year 1809 an annual registration of the bison has been carried out there; at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries the number of these animals oscillated around a few hundred specimen. Yet the situation changed during World War I. Already during the German occupation of the territory of the Bialowieza Forest, a rapid drop in the number of bisons could be observed, whereas during the period of anarchy which followed shortly after the withdrawal of the Germans, in the first half of 1919, these animals became totally exterminated. Four years later, an International Association for Bison Protection was founded from the initiative of Dr. Jan Sztolcman (the then vice-director of the National Natural History Museum in Warsaw). The main goal of this organization, which grouped countries in which there existed closed bison breeding farms, was to increase the numbers of these animals; in its activity, the Society took advantage of the experiences of the “American Bison Society”, an organization whose aim was to protect the American bison. In the year 1929, the first pure blood specimens of the lowland bison were brought to the specially created bison sanctuary in the Bialowieza Forest and in the year 1937 the first bison offspring were born from these cubs. In 1952 the first young were release to the Bialowieza reserve and five years later the Bialowieza herd began to multiply in the wild. At present, thanks to the efforts of a few generations of activists involved in the protection of the bison, this species is no longer facing extinction

Leczenie operacyjne oponiaków tylnej ściany piramidy kości skroniowej

Background and purpose The aim of the study is to present our experience in the surgical treatment of posterior petrous meningiomas in regard to clinical presentation, surgical anatomy, complications and long-term functional postoperative results. Material and methods A series of 48 consecutive patients operated on for posterior petrous meningiomas at the authors’ institution between 2002 and 2011 is reported. The main symptom on first admission was hypoacusis, impairment of the fifth cranial nerve and cerebellar ataxia. The tumour was found to be attached to the premeatal dura in 46%, the inframeatal dura in 29% and the postmeatal dura in 25% of cases. Tumour resection was categorized as grade I in 16 patients, grade II in 29 patients, grade III in 1 patient and grade IV in 2 patients, according to the Simpson classification system. The petrosal approach and retrosigmoid approach were suitable for posterior petrous meningiomas. Results Postoperative facial nerve dysfunction appeared in 8 and further deteriorated in 2 patients. Hearing function deteriorated after surgery in 8 and improved in 2 cases. Perioperative death occurred in two patients. Tumour recurrence was observed in two patients, and both underwent a second operation and postoperative stereotactic radiotherapy. Conclusions Surgical treatment of posterior petrous meningiomas has become increasingly safe but these tumours still remain a surgical challenge because of the relatively high incidence of permanent complications associated with their removal. The site of displacement of the cranial nerves depending on the dural origin of the tumour has the most influence on the related difficulties in its removal.Wstęp i cel pracy Celem pracy jest przedstawienie własnych doświadczeń w leczeniu operacyjnym oponiaków tylnej ściany piramidy kości skroniowej z uwzględnieniem objawów klinicznych choroby, anatomii chirurgicznej, powikłań pooperacyjnych i odległej oceny stanu neurologicznego. Materiał i metody Materiał kliniczny obejmuje kolejnych 48 chorych leczonych operacyjnie w naszym ośrodku w latach 2002–2011 z rozpoznaniem oponiaka tylnej ściany piramidy kości skroniowej. W badanej grupie były 44 kobiety i 4 mężczyzn, a średnia wieku pacjentów wyniosła 55 lat. Najczęstszymi objawami stwierdzanymi przy przyjęciu pacjenta były niedosłuch, zaburzenia funkcji nerwu trójdzielnego i ataksja móżdżkowa. Przyczep guza zlokalizowany był do przodu, poniżej i do tyłu od otworu słuchowego wewnętrznego odpowiednio u 46%, 29% i 25% pacjentów. Guz usunięto całkowicie w 45 przypadkach (Simpson I i II), a subtotalnie u 3 pacjentów (Simpson III i IV). Guzy usuwano drogą dostępu podpotylicznego zasutkowego i dostępu przezskalistego. Wyniki Po operacji u 8 pacjentów wystąpiło porażenie nerwu twarzowego, a u 2 chorych nasilił się niedowład uprzednio istniejący. U 8 pacjentów zaobserwowano pogorszenie słuchu po operacji, a u 2 chorych nastąpiła poprawa w tym zakresie. Dwóch pacjentów po operacji zmarło. W 2 przypadkach stwierdzono w dalszej obserwacji wznowę guza. Obu pacjentów operowano ponownie i poddano stereotaktycznej radioterapii. Wnioski Oponiaki tylnej ściany piramidy kości skroniowej mogą być leczone operacyjnie z dobrym wynikiem, niemniej jednak istnieje ryzyko zgonu i wystąpienia istotnych deficytów z zakresu nerwów czaszkowych. Najistotniejsze znaczenie dla oceny ryzyka leczenia ma lokalizacja przyczepu oponowego na podstawie czaszki, decydująca o kierunku przemieszczenia nerwów czaszkowych

Analysis of Compliance with WCAG Guidelines Regarding Contrast Im-plementation in an E-Learning Quiz

In the process of distance learning, modern information and educational solutions are increasingly employed. The introduction of tools facilitating compliance with WCAG guidelines to course creators, enhances content accessibility for individuals with disabilities, eliminating barriers to education access. This aligns with the concept of universal design, aiming to create courses and instructional materials accessible to a broad audience, regardless of individual needs, abilities or conditions. While this is a standard in web design, it is often overlooked in distance learning and course de-sign. This paper focuses on analyzing the correctness of implementing a component allowing the assessment of WCAG compliance in designed quizzes using an exercise creator. The implementation was based on the Quizer e-learning plat-form. Quizzes in the field of cybersecurity were designed to meet contrast guidelines according to the WCAG 2.1 stand-ard, followed by user testing. The research results confirmed the correctness of the applied solutions and emphasized the necessity of designing IT tools considering potential disabilities of future users of e-learning quizzes

Surgery for sporadic vestibular schwannoma. Part II. Complications (not related to facial and auditory nerves)

Introduction The aim of this study was to analyze the frequency and consequences of postoperative complications (PC) after surgery for sporadic vestibular schwannoma and to find factors that increase the risk of PC occurrence. Materials and methods The study included 220 consecutive patients (134 women, 86 men; age ranged from 18 to 74) operated on with the retrosigmoid (217) or translabyrinthine (3) approach. Complicated postoperative period was defined as an occurrence of at least one of: cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage, hematoma in the tumor bed, intracerebellar hematoma, cerebellar swelling, brainstem stroke, hydrocephalus (HCP), healing problems, meningitis and cranial nerves (excluding VII–VIII) palsies or cerebellar symptoms. Correlation studies and multivariate regression analysis were performed. Results PC occurred in 55 patients (25%). PC included lower cranial nerve (LCN) palsy (8.2%), cerebellar symptoms (7.3%), CSF leakage (5.9%), HCP (5%), CNVI palsy (3.1%), meningitis (1.8%), cerebellar swelling (1.4%), CNV dysfunction (0.9%), intracerebellar hematoma (0.5%) and lethal brainstem stroke (0.5%). In long term follow-up, LCN deficit was present in 2 patients (0.9%), cerebellar syndrome in 4(1.8%) and facial hypoesthesia in 2(0.9%). One patient (0.5%) developed bilateral blindness, secondary to preoperative optic nerve atrophy. As a result of PC, 10 patients (4.5%) required 11 additional surgical procedures. In statistical analysis, PC were independently related to preoperative cerebellar syndrome (p=0.002) and tumor size (>30mm vs.<30mm, p<0.05). The risk of PC diminished significantly with the increased number of performed procedures from 40% at the beginning to 16.4% in the last 55 cases. Conclusions Tumor size, cerebellar syndrome at presentation and experience of the team were the three most important risk factors for PC occurrence. Permanent deficit secondary to PC remained in only 4% of the patients