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

Automatic detection of speech disorders with the use of Hidden Markov Model

The most frequently used methods of automatic detection and classification of speech disordersare based on experimental determination of specific distinctive features for a given kind ofdisorder, and working out a suitable algorithm that finds such a disorder in the acoustic signal. Forexample, for detection of prolonged phonemes, analysis of the duration of articulation is used, andon the contrary, phoneme repetition can be detected with the spectrum correlation methods.Additionally, in the case of prolonged phonemes, classification based on their kind is required(nasal or whispered phonemes, vowels, consonants, etc). Therefore, for every kind of a disorder, aseparate algorithm needs to be worked out.Another, more flexible approach is the application of the Hidden Markov Models (HMM). Forthe needs of the presented work, the HMM procedures were implemented and some basic tests ofspeech disorder detection were conducted

Vision echo

One of the most frequently used methods in the speech disfluence therapy is the one based on the acoustical echo. A patient, who is a subject to therapy, hears his own voice with some delay and, thanks to that, his speech fluency increases. As it turned out a therapeutic effect can also be achieved by feedback of the speech with other human senses, such as touch or sight. The article presents a computer program that enables achieving the effect of the visional signal delay from camcorder on a monitor screen

Computer program for visual diagnosis of the speech disorders

The diagnosis of speech disorders requires not only audio but also visual analysis. The speaker often performs many articulation moves, e.g.: a movement of mouth without emitting sound. Therefore a computer program was developed for simultaneous analysis of several elements in conjunction with the digital recording of a person's speaking face. These elements are: sound, a spectrogram picture and an oscillogram. The program can read audiovisual recordings and allows for multiple playing with a selected pace. What follows from the previous work with the program, it gives much important information about the kind and the essentiality of the speech disorders

Factors influencing adherence to treatment in COPD patients and its relationship with disease exacerbations

 Wstęp: Przewlekła obturacyjna choroba płuc (POChP) jest jedną z najczęstszych przyczyn chorobowości i umieralności na świecie. Regularne leczenie pozwala na zmniejszenie nasilenia objawów, a także częstości zaostrzeń i hospitalizacji z powodu choroby. Jednak jedynie około 50% pacjentów przyjmuje regularnie przepisane leki. Celem pracy była ocena czynników wpływających na stosowanie się chorych na POChP, u których doszło do zaostrzenia choroby, do zaleceń lekarskich.Materiał i metody: Badaniem ankietowym objęto 49 pacjentów hospitalizowanych w Samodzielnym Publicznym Zespole Gruźlicy i Chorób Płuc w Olsztynie z powodu zaostrzenia POChP. Oceniano jakość życia, i stosowanie się do zaleceń lekarskich 30 dni po wypisie ze szpitala w zależności od czynników demograficznych, statusu społecznego, przebiegu choroby i hospitalizacji, a także poprawy odczuwanej po stosowanym leczeniu.Wyniki: Większość chorych oceniła swój stan zdrowia jako zły, a chorobę jako ograniczającą codzienną aktywność społeczną i zawodową. Trzydzieści dni po hospitalizacji zalecenia lekarskie wypełniało ściśle jedynie 67% badanych. Wykazano związek pomiędzy systematycznością leczenia a częstością zaostrzeń POChP (p = 0.045) i hospitalizacji (p = 0.005) oraz odczuwaniem poprawy po stosowanym leczeniu (p = 0.023). Płeć, miejsce zamieszkania, wykształcenie, a także rodzaj wykonywanej pracy nie miały związku ze stosowaniem się do zaleceń lekarskich.Wnioski: Czynnikiem mającym największy wpływ na częstość zaostrzeń i hospitalizacji jest systematyczność leczenia. Odczuwanie przez chorych subiektywnej poprawy po lekach poprawia współpracę pomiędzy lekarzem i pacjentem. Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world. Systematic treatment of COPD decreases symptoms and reduces the frequency of exacerbations and hospitalisations because of the disease. It is estimated that only 50% of patients use prescribed drugs systematically. The aim of this study was to identify the factors which can influence adherence to treatment of the patients who were treated due to exacerbation of COPD.Material and methods: A questionnaire probe was conducted on 49 patients hospitalised at the Regional Lung and Tuberculosis Hospital in Olsztyn, Poland due to COPD exacerbation. The assessed variables were: quality of life and adherence to treatment 30 days after discharge from hospital in relationship with demographic factors, social status, disease and hospitalisation course, and relief after systematic treatment.Results: Most of the patients assessed their health condition as poor and the disease as limiting their everyday social and occupational activity. 30 days after discharge from hospital the adherence rate to therapy was only 67%. There was an association between systematic treatment and the rate of exacerbations (P = 0.045) and hospitalisations (P = 0.005) but also clinical benefit after long-term treatment (P = 0.023). There were no associations between adherence to treatment and sex, place of residence, education or occupation.Conclusions: Lack of systematic treatment is the main risk factor for COPD exacerbations and hospitalisation rate. A subjective sense of relief after drugs is a factor improving patients’ compliance

Kreatywność leksykalna a etyka słowa (na przykładzie komentarzy internetowych)

The paper addresses the issue of lexical creativity in the context of language communication. The subject of the discussion is modern Polish vocabulary as an element of the linguistic concretization of the media images of the world effected in Internet comments. The authors are of the opinion that, as a crucial component of the Internet discourse, lexical creativity is connected with the issue of esthetics on the one hand and the problem of morality set in the framework of the true or false image of the world presented in the media on the other. The analysis of the linguistic material derived from Internet comments on articles about politics is meant to demonstrate connections between the creative use of lexis and evaluation. The authors provide a typology of expressions displaying features of lexical creativity and describe the types of motivation behind the linguistic activity of the senders. They demonstrate how the senders use the language mechanisms that allow them to create ambiguous expressions in which the poetic and ludic functions are subjected to a negative evaluation of real events and do not affect the reception of these expressions in terms of esthetics.The paper addresses the issue of lexical creativity in the context of language communication. The subject of the discussion is modern Polish vocabulary as an element of the linguistic concretization of the media images of the world effected in Internet comments. The authors are of the opinion that, as a crucial component of the Internet discourse, lexical creativity is connected with the issue of esthetics on the one hand and the problem of morality set in the framework of the true or false image of the world presented in the media on the other. The analysis of the linguistic material derived from Internet comments on articles about politics is meant to demonstrate connections between the creative use of lexis and evaluation. The authors provide a typology of expressions displaying features of lexical creativity and describe the types of motivation behind the linguistic activity of the senders. They demonstrate how the senders use the language mechanisms that allow them to create ambiguous expressions in which the poetic and ludic functions are subjected to a negative evaluation of real events and do not affect the reception of these expressions in terms of esthetics

Vowel recognition in continuous speech with application of MLP neural network

The aim of the present work was to find the answer to the question: To what extent can the multilayer perceptron be applicable in the automatic vowel recognition process in any given fragments of a particular speaker?Initial research was carried out with the use of recordings of 3 adult people's speech. Vowel recognition was performed with the application of multilayer perceptron. On the input of the network, N-element vectors were fed, which consisted of sound levels values obtained every 0.02s as a result of spectral analysis. Each created network was taught to recognise 6 vowels - a, e, o, u, i, y as well as one pattern including all other fragments of an utterance - consonants and pauses.The networks in which a result of over 90 % correct classifications for all the time moments was obtained were used to carry out a test on a completely different set of data. The best result in that part of research was 92% vowel recognition. At the same time, only 50% time moments, which made up these vowels, were correctly recognised. The other half was recognised as other vowels or a different fragment of the utterance. There also occurred 15% incorrect recognition of time moments making up consonants or pauses