An investigation of mobile augmented reality-based learning features in cognitive and affective environments

This research focuses on the effectiveness of using mobile Augmented Reality (mAR) for learning. Prior research has focused primarily on developing virtual contents for Augmented Reality (AR) and has largely ignored AR in the mobile context. Herein, this research primarily aims to examine the effectiveness of learning through two modes: mobile Augmented Reality (mAR) and the Current Learning Mode (CLM). This research is extended to the development stage of a theoretical model, to evaluate the ability of mAR in improving the learning outcomes that guide a further consideration of growth in learning. The first phase of this thesis is to examine the impact of how mAR influences the learning outcomes in cognitive ability and affective learning outcomes. The cognitive outcome was measured by the experimental method of using pre/ post-test performance achievement, while the affective learning outcome was measured by perceived usefulness, self-efficacy and satisfaction. This research contributes to cognitive ability and affective learning by investigating the differences in the learning outcomes and performance achievements of mAR within a self-centred learning environment, a classroom. The findings show that students’ performance achievement, learning outcomes, perceived learning effectiveness and self-efficacy were greater in the mAR group, as compared to the CLM group. Second, a theoretical model was developed and analysed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). SEM examines significant relationships between the determinants that integrate and facilitate effective mAR-based learning environments. SEM produces a feasible alternative in measuring the causal relationship amongst the constructs. This model evaluates to implement mAR as a learning aid in student-centred learning and to evaluate the motivation among students through the features of mAR, due to the absence of an in-depth understanding of the motivation of mAR-based learning from the current literature. This model also provides an insight into the causal factors amongst the dimensions of mAR. Finally, in the model, the moderating effects of students’ characteristics, which include their experience and age, are investigated to determine the factors influencing mAR. The findings of this research will help to verify the learning effectiveness of mAR, to improve the learning experiences, learning outcomes and performance achievements of students. Based on the results, it is confirmed that mAR can be leveraged upon and used as an optimum learning tool, exemplifying the use of technology within an educational context. In the aspects of information retention and learning outcome enhancement, mAR is significant in education as it facilitates students’ understanding by supporting abstract ideas throughout the course, enabling the students to learn in a limited period. Based on the results, it can be concluded that mAR is a technology that aids students with a better understanding of the subject matter and hence, resulting in greater motivation. With regards to the model fitness via the analysis of goodness-of-fit, all the results are confirmed as appropriate and good fit. Also, the model also shows a positive causal path from the mAR features’ determinant. The thesis can also assist educational administrators and educational policy makers in gauging the importance of mAR as a learning tool. This helps mainly to overcome the issue of educators being criticised for the lack of real-life experience that is being exposed to students at the university level. Furthermore, academia can use the model’s findings as appropriate groundwork to initiate other related studies, and this will help to fill the gap in the mAR learning area

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Performance of dynamic anaerobic membrane bioreactor (DAnMBR) with phase separation in treating high strength food processing wastewater

Food processing wastewater (FPW) contains high levels of oil and grease (O&G), especially from factories that produce fast food such as nuggets, sausages, and burger patties from beef, poultry, and fish. Therefore, the feasibility of replacing conventional membranes for the treatment of FPW with low-cost dynamic membranes (DM) as an alternative was investigated in this study. An anaerobic DM bioreactor (DAnMBR) was operated for 90 days to evaluate the treatment performance using real FPW under different organic loading rates (OLR) of 3.5, 5.0, 6.5, and 7.0 g COD (chemical oxygen demand)/L day. Once the reactor had reached a steady-state of 90% COD removal, the feed to the reactor was supplemented incrementally with FPW from 10% to 90% as COD to allow the methanogenic bacteria to acclimate any potential inhibitory effects from its recalcitrant content. The bioreactor presented a stable performance at OLR 5.0 g COD/L day with 97.5% removal of COD and reached 20 mg/L total suspended solids (TSS) discharge. A significant correlation between COD fractions removed via acidogenesis and methanogenesis with different OLR was found, indicating that the increase in treatment performance is beneficial to the methanogenic archaea activity. The methane gas production yield achieved a maximum of 0.40 L methane/g CODadded at OLR 3.5 and 5.0 g COD/L day. The average permeate flux in these studies is around 60 L/m2 h. The DM fouled after 57 days (at flux 27.16 L/m2 h immediate drop to 2.16 L/m2 h) when operated at 3.5 g COD/L day. After it fouled, the membrane underwent physical cleaning, backwashed in-situ for 5 min, and reused again without any chemical cleaning. The improved filtration resistance is contributed by the occurrence of DM fouling induced by the soluble microbial products (SMP) and extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) release as well as the increased protein/carbohydrate (P/C) ratio in the mixed liquor