ABSTRACT
Umrah is an Islamic pilgrimage that Muslims can perform at any time. Umrah will take place at the holy place, Mecca. Usually, before performing the umrah, the pilgrims will attend umrah courses to learn how to practice step-by-step procedures. However, the Covid-19 outbreak stopped the pilgrims from attending the live umrah course. This scenario causes difficulty for pilgrims to visualize the umrah practice. Therefore, we have developed a Non-Immersive Virtual Reality Umrah Simulation (NIVRUS) to help the pilgrimage visualize the umrah practice. This study has implemented a Waterfall Model as a development methodology in which phases are divided into sequential phases. Each phase must be completed before proceeding to the next phase. In this present study, the focus is on evaluating NIVRUS through a functionality test. The findings indicate that all the functions in NIVRUS properly function as expected. © 2022 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
The amount of raw data has exponentially increased due to tools and technologies for analysis of biologic organisms (including viruses). The task now, therefore, is to have computational systems that allow the average researcher to calculate information to store, retrieve, visualize, and analyze data. Fortunately, the advancement of computer technology, particularly that relating to databases, has balanced continuous improvements to data-intensive biologic technologies. This research forms the foundation of many of the bioinformatics technologies that provide an overview of the different databases available for viruses and how they provide valuable information from the stored biologic data. The different tools associated with virus analysis are also discussed, accompanied by a summary of several online databases that contain general biologic and viral data. The chapter also features a case study on evaluating genome relationship between SARS-CoV-2 strains at different geolocations. © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
Long before Covid-19 transitioned in our lifestyle and the ‘New Normal’ began, digital communication through instant messaging application in smartphones has been used over the conventional way of communicating in Malaysia. WhatsApp is the most preferred application when it comes to communicating with peers, friends and family and that is also true for schools in Malaysia, especially in the Klang Valley. The present study aims to investigate the use of digital communication focusing on parent-teacher engagement in a public school in Putrajaya, Malaysia that uses WhatsApp as the application of choice. This qualitative research employs in-depth interviews to collect data to describe the themes that have emerged in the discussion between parents and teachers on WhatsApp as a medium of communication in parent-teacher engagement process. This study incorporates theories such as Uses and Gratifications Theory (UGT) and Epstein’s Theory of Overlapping Sphere’s of Influences (TOSI) in describing the data. The results suggest that both parents and teachers agree on the importance of using digital platform for communication and engagement between them. The versatility of digital communication, convenience, speed and cost effectiveness are the reasons for using digital communication. However, the challenges for teachers that have been identified in the use of digital communication are increase of stress, distractions of messages and abuse of working time. Theoretical and practical implications for academics, parents, teachers and students were also included in the study. © 2022, Penerbit Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
During the year 2020, the world witnessed the terror and threat of a new type of infection. The Corona Virus Disease (COVID19) was first identified in Wuhan, China, and spread worldwide. The infection was categorized as an acute respiratory syndrome and can cause causality amongst humans if timely treatment is not available. India is amongst the countries worst hit by COVID19. A country with a dense population and diversified weather conditions in different states is dealing with a highly contagious infection. Irregular ups and downs in the cases can be due to the changing temperature all around the year. This study aims to identify the relation between the temperature and the number of cases. For this purpose, the paper calculates the correlation coefficient between the temperate and the number of cases for different states of India. The study aims to analyze if the temperature of these states impacts the daily cases detected. A null hypothesis is subjected to the Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient test for analysis, and the results are analyzed. © 2021 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
Gamification is progressively used as an essential part of today's campaigns to engage users and drive behaviour change. The gamified campaign would motivate people to be aware of health issues. However, there is a lack of empirical evidence on the needs of Gen Z on a gamified health awareness campaign, such as in defeating the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, this study intends to explore the Gen Z perception of gamified health awareness campaigns. In total, 170 Gen Z was involved in this study. The present study applied standard descriptive statistical methods for analyzing the data. The findings showed the need for a gamification approach for a health awareness campaign to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic among Gen Z. The study results will highlight the need for emerging a demanding gamified health awareness guideline as a parameter to develop an application that drives to change behaviours. © 2021 Elsevier B.V.. All rights reserved.
ABSTRACT
COVID-19 is a global catastrophe affecting over 200 nations worldwide. The RT-PCR and antibody based detection assay are considered as a standard diagnostic method and are expensive, time-consuming with low sensitivity (40–80%) making it imperative to look for alternatives. COVID-19 patients display severe lung damage which can be spotted in chest X-ray and CT scan which can be analyzed by computational methods for confirmation of the disease. Apart from above techniques, we have discussed battery of computational intelligence tools like docking, molecular dynamics and quantum mechanics (QM), the novel biosensor based diagnostic tool has been developed. The biosensor involves hybridization of SARS-CoV-2 RNA with cDNA to form RNA (viral)–cDNA (probe) hybrid, with intercalation of transition metal Osmium-Ruthenium (II) redox probe that release electrons. The electrons generated by redox metal measured by respective electrodes and detect even miniscule quantities of viral-RNA in the sample. The computational methods support efficient measurement of interaction of redox probe with viral genetic material and intercalation of the Osmium-Ruthenium (II) redox probe between RNA-cDNA hybrid. The computational docking offers proof of concept with better sensitivity, speed and accuracy, by presenting stronger interaction of RNA–DNA hybrid with Osmium (II) redox probe as compared DNA-DNA hybrid in RT-PCR. © 2021, The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.