Design and implementation of mobile learning at Open University Malaysia (OUM)

With learners going mobile, supporting their learning through mobile phones appears to be timely and appropriate, especially for learners in an open and distance learning environment. Mobile learning in the form of short messaging service was piloted with one of the University’s first semester compulsory courses in May 2009. The course, “Learning Skills for Open and Distance Learners” was selected on the basis of its importance in preparing learners for the learning environment at the University. At the end of the course the students are expected to be able to have been able to manage their learning better and to benefit from the blend of pedagogies. The text messages were designed in such a way as to prompt learners to apply principles related to, among others, the study skills, time management, stress management and use the university’s learning management system, digital library collection and participate in the online forums. The approach taken was to ensure that learners were prompted to think, read, practice or discuss issues during the class tutorials or forums. The five types of text messages were those related to forum, content, tips, motivation and course management. The paper describes the design and implementation of the mobile learning initiative at OUM. Feedback from 712 students using a questionnaire is also included in the paper. (Authors' abstract

Security analysis of quantum key distribution with small block length and its application to quantum space communications

The security of real-world quantum key distribution (QKD) critically depends on the number of data points the system can collect in a fixed time interval. To date, state-of-the-art finite-key security analyses require block lengths in the order of 1E4 bits to obtain positive secret keys. This requirement, however, can be very difficult to achieve in practice, especially in the case of entanglement-based satellite QKD systems, where the overall channel loss can go up to 70 dB or more. Here, we provide an improved finite-key security analysis which can reduce the block length requirement by 14% to 17% for standard channel and protocol settings. In practical terms, this reduction could save entanglement-based satellite QKD weeks of measurement time and resources, thereby bringing space-based QKD technology closer to reality. As an application, we use the improved analysis to show that the recently reported Micius QKD satellite is capable of generating positive secret keys with a $1E-5$ security level.Comment: Revised draft; 5 pages, 1 figure. We warmly welcome comments/corrections, as well as suggestions for additional areas to stud

Mental health on the go: Navigating travel and travel eligibility

The 21st century has seen tourists from various source markets significantly impacted by non-communicable diseases, including mental disorders. Yet, research and practice frequently overlook tourists with mental disorders. Building on Buckley’s discussion in the Journal of Travel Research about tourism and mental health, this study examines the travel eligibility of tourists diagnosed with four prevalent mental disorders: major depressive disorder (MDD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), schizophrenia, and dementia. We present preliminary recommendations for accommodating these tourists and highlight the urgent need for collaborative efforts between stakeholders in tourism, hospitality, and medicine. © The Author(s) 2023

Intelligent humanoid emotion response based on human emotion recognition for virtual intercommunication simulator

This paper aims to introduce a computational emotion model, named Fuzzy Artificial Intelligence Human Emotion Response (FATHER) after reviewing recent research on human emotion responses in human-machine interactions. Emotions play a pivotal role in human communication, influencing our moods and responses. The research delves into fundamental human emotions, computational emotion models, face detection algorithms, and fuzzy logic inference systems. FATHER is proposed and integrated into a 3D humanoid character named Umar. Umar's responses are presented using a virtual 3D human face model, allowing emotion expression through facial animations. This integration of 3D modeling and animation not only reduces costs linked with physical robotics but also propels advancements in affective computing research

Deep Learning-Based Multi-Step Solar Forecasting for PV Ramp-Rate Control Using Sky Images

Solar forecasting is one of the most promising approaches to address the intermit PV power generation by providing predictions before upcoming ramp events. In this paper, a novel multi-step forecasting (MSF) scheme is proposed for PV power ramp-rate control (PRRC). This method utilizes an ensemble of deep ConvNets without additional time-series models and exogenous variables, thus more suitable for industrial applications. The MSF strategy can make multiple predictions in comparison with a single forecasting point produced by a conventional method while maintaining the same high temporal resolution. Besides, stacked sky images that integrate temporal-spatial (ST) information of cloud motions are used to further improve the forecasting performance. The results demonstrate a favorable forecasting accuracy in comparison to the existing forecasting models with the highest skill score of 17.7%. In the PRRC application, the MSF-based PRRC can detect more ramp-rates violations with a higher control rate of 98.9% compared with the conventional forecasting based control. Thus, the PV generation can be effectively smoothed with less energy curtailment on both clear and cloudy days using the proposed approach

Trends in cataract surgery and healthcare system response during the COVID-19 lockdown in Malaysia: Lessons to be learned

Background: Elective surgeries were suspended during the national lockdown in March 2020 to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic in Malaysia. We sought to evaluate the impact of the lockdown on cataract surgeries and suggest lessons for future outbreaks. Study design: We conducted an interrupted time series analysis to examine rates of cataract surgery before and during the lockdown. Methods: We used national cataract surgical data between 2015 and 2021 from the Malaysian Cataract Surgery Registry. Segmented regression with a seasonally adjusted Poisson model was used for the analysis. Stratified analyses were performed to establish whether the effect of the lockdown on cataract surgeries varied by hospital designation, type of cataract service, sex, and age groups. Results: Cataract surgeries began falling in March 2020 at the onset of the lockdown, reached a trough in April 2020, and subsequently increased but never recovered to pre-lockdown levels. Cataract surgical rates in December 2021 were still 43 % below the expected surgical volume, equivalent to 2513 lost cataract surgeries. There was no evidence of a differential effect of the lockdown between COVID-19 designated and non-COVID-19 designated hospitals. The relative decrease in cataract surgical rates appears to have been greatest in outreach services and in people 40 years and older. Conclusions: The lockdown caused an immediate reduction in cataract surgical rates to nearly half of its baseline rate. Despite its gradual recovery, further delays remain to be expected should there be no redistribution or increase in resources to support backlogs and incoming new cases

Impact of Social Media On Consumer Purchase Behaviour During COVID-19 Pandemic

Social media has been used by people to create and share content with the public. Consumers have changed their purchasing habits from offline to online purchases during the COVID-19 pandemic. Social media is also changing sellers' and buyers' specialised strategies. This study aimed to study the factors influencing consumer purchasing behaviour via social media during the COVID-19 outbreak. 215 young adults from three Malaysian states which are Johor, Melaka, and Selangor, have been invited to participate in this study by answering a set of questionnaires. The successful response rate is 93.02%, where 200 completed questionnaires were used for data analysis in this study. The four independent variables, price, convenience, product variety, and risk, are tested in relation to the dependent variable, consumer purchase behaviour during the COVID-19 outbreak. The measurement items of all the four independent variables and dependent variables were adopted from the past research studies. The collected data were entered into SPSS version 26 and then tested using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM 3.3.3). All hypotheses were found to be supported by the analysis results. Lastly, the findings of this study will help marketers understand consumer purchasing behaviour via social media during the COVID-19 pandemic

Using online multiple choice questions with multiple attempts: A case for self-directed learning among tertiary students

Criticisms on multiple choice questions (MCQs) include the possibility of students answering MCQs correctly by guessing, and MCQs generally are said to fall short in cultivating independent learning skills, such as taking charge of their learning goals. Countering these common concerns, this research used online MCQ exercises with multiple attempts to investigate the experiences that drove students to become self-directed learners. In this research, 60 students completed two sets of online MCQ exercises with multiple attempts outside of classroom time for six weeks consecutively. Both focus group interviews and an online survey were conducted to investigate the experiences of using online MCQ exercise with multiple attempts in relation to the development of self-directed learning (SDL). The findings of the study showed that the criticisms may be unfounded. Data leads to the conclusion that the majority of the students do not just try to guess at the correct answers. Rather, many of them attempted the online MCQ exercises more than once to improve themselves indicating that they were interested in self-learning. Students also reported that they utilised search and inquiry skills that clearly showed motivated initiatives to plan how to overcome their weaknesses by independently looking for relevant resources, determine their own learning goals, and evaluate their own learning performance as a firm indicator of SDL development. Based on the findings, this study is able to refute the claim that MCQs are unable to cultivate independent learning skills

Replication and Meta-analysis of the Association between BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism and Cognitive Impairment in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) adversely affects cancer patients. We had previously demonstrated that the BDNF Val66Met genetic polymorphism is associated with lower odds of subjective CRCI in the multitasking and verbal ability domains among breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. To further assess our previous findings, we evaluated the association of BDNF Val66Met polymorphism with subjective and objective CRCI in a temporally separate cohort of patients and pooled findings from both the original (n = 145) and current (n = 193) cohorts in a meta-analysis. Subjective CRCI was assessed using FACT-Cog. Objective CRCI was evaluated using computerized neuropsychological tests. Genotyping was carried out using Sanger sequencing. The association of BDNF Val66Met genotypes and CRCI was examined with logistic regression. A fixed-effect meta-analysis was conducted using the inverse variance method. In the meta-analysis (n = 338), significantly lower odds of CRCI were associated with Met allele carriers based on the global FACT-Cog score (OR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.29-0.94). Furthermore, Met allele carriers were at lower odds of developing impairment in the domains of memory (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.17-0.70), multitasking (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.18-0.59), and verbal ability (OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.24-0.88). Consistent with the previous study, lower odds of subjective CRCI among patients with the BDNF Met allele was observed after adjusting for potential confounders in the multitasking (OR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.14-0.67) domain. In conclusion, carriers of the BDNF Met allele were protected against global subjective CRCI, particularly in the domains of memory, multitasking, and verbal ability. Our findings further contribute to the understanding of CRCI pathophysiology