Content-aware power saving multimedia adaptation for mobile learning

Due to the tremendous enhancements in the capabilities of mobile devices in recent years and accessibility to higher bandwidth mobile internet, the use of online multimedia learning resources on mobile devices is increasingly becoming popular. Improvements in battery capacity have not matched the same advancements compared to other features of mobile devices. Limited Battery power is introducing a significant challenge in making better use of online educational multimedia resources. Online Multimedia Resources drains more battery power as a result of higher amount of wireless data transfer and therefore limiting learning opportunities on the move. Many power saving multimedia adaptation techniques have been suggested. Majority of these techniques achieve battery efficiency while reducing multimedia quality. So far, however, to the best of our knowledge no previous effort has considered the factor of learning efficacy in multimedia adaptation process. Existing adaptation techniques are susceptible to information loss as a result of quality of reduction. Such loss affects the learning content efficacy and jeopardizes the learning process. In this paper, we recommend a novel power save educational multimedia adaptation approach that considers the learning aspect of multimedia in the adaptation process. Our technique enables learning for extended duration by battery power saving without putting the learning process at risk. Efficacy of entire learning resources is managed by not allowing any part of the learning multimedia to be delivered in a quality that will negatively affect the learning outcome. We also present a framework that guides the implementation of our approach followed by description of our prototype application that uses educational multimedia metadata implemented in semantic web technologies

Energy-Aware Streaming Multimedia Adaptation: An Educational Perspective

As mobile devices are getting more powerful and more affordable the use of online educational multimedia is also getting very prevalent. Limited battery power is nevertheless, a major restricting factor as streaming multimedia drains battery power quickly. Many battery efficient multimedia adaptation techniques have been proposed that achieve battery efficiency by lowering presentation quality of entire multimedia. Adaptation is usually done without considering any impact on the information contents of multimedia. In this paper, based on the results of an experimental study, we argue that without considering any negative impact on information contents of multimedia the adaptation may negatively impact the learning process. Some portions of the multimedia that require a higher visual quality for conveying learning information may lose their learning effectiveness in the adapted lowered quality. We report results of our experimental study that indicate that different parts of the same learning multimedia do not have same minimum acceptable quality. This strengthens the position that power-saving adaptation techniques for educational multimedia must be developed that lower the quality of multimedia based on the needs of its individual fragments for successfully conveying learning informatio

Vertical Fiscal Imbalance, Economic Growth and Decentralization

Irrespective of the degree of tax and expenditure decentralization, every federation and unitary state face the problem of Vertical Fiscal Imbalance (VFI). The transfer dependency of subnational governments led them to substitute central transfers over their own revenue effort and this is historically evident in Pakistan. The contribution of provincial own revenues to the provincial expenditures is not much decent, which led to higher magnitude of VFIs. This paper is an empirical investigation of VFI, and its determinants. Based on a strongly balanced panel data at provincial (subnational) level from 1971 to 2021, we studied the effect of economic growth, tax decentralization, expenditure decentralization, and Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution on VFIs. One of the key distinctions of this paper is modelling economic growth using per capita energy consumption which includes electricity, natural gas and set of petroleum products. Economic growth proxied through per capita energy consumption has negative association with VFI which means a corrective effect on VFI. Similarly, tax decentralization is also negatively associated with VFI, which obviously means corrective effect and less transfer dependency on federal government. To the contrary a positive association between expenditure decentralization and VFI is indicative that increase in government size/budget outlay are broadly financed through federal transfers thereby creating larger vertical fiscal imbalances. This also give policy prescription for future, that tax decentralization has disproportionality higher benefits compared to expenditure decentralization in terms of magnitude of VFIs. Based on different model specifications, we found that Eighteenth Amendment to the Constitution has both corrective and expansionary effect on VFIs

Re-Assessing the Role of Trade Policy and Import Substitution Industrialization: Empirical Evidence from Pakistan

Researchers and policymakers are re-examining the idea of import substitution industrialization (ISI). Consequently, trade policy has emerged as an essential instrument for promoting ISI. This research looks at the effect of trade policy on ISI, breaking down how tariff rates impact domestic industry by utilizing information from Pakistan in the range of 1998 and 2022. To empirically examine the impact that tariff rates have on ISI, the current research and makes use of Granger Causality, the vector autoregressive (VAR), and the autoregressive distributed lag model (ARDL), as well as the unit root with structural break technique in EViews. The findings show a conclusive two-way connection between tariff rates and ISI. In addition, although an initial increase in tariff rates increases ISI, a subsequent decrease in ISI quickly offsets this effect. Additionally, ISI suffers short term and long-term consequences from rising tariff rates. These findings highlight the necessity of gradual integration into global markets for long-term sustainability, despite the initial industrial development fostered by trade protectionism

Majoon-E-Piyaz: A Potent Unani Formulation for Premature Ejaculation

Surʻat-e-Inzāl (Premature Ejaculation) is the most prevalent male sexual dysfunction affecting 25 - 40% global population of men. It is a universal disorder and is independent of age, social or marital status. It has a significant impact on both- patients and their partners, causing distress, anxiety and relationship difficulties affecting the quality of life. Several aetiologies have been proposed by various researchers which are not evidence-based but speculative. Accordingly the International Society for Sexual Medicine (ISSM) issued treatment guidelines for Premature Ejaculation (PE) recommending Serotonergic Antidepressants (SSRIs) and Local Anaesthetics (LA) for its management in modern medicine. However, these treatments were not actually developed for PE, and have limitations associated with their off-label use. Furthermore, nearly all the recommended drugs have a wider spectrum of adverse effects and serious drug interactions which sometimes could be fatal. On the other hand, centuries old Unani medicine offers a complete line of treatment for Surʻat-e-Inzāl based on traditional knowledge and experience. Unani physicians devised a large number of poly-herbal recipes which are still in vogue.  Majoon-e-Piyaz (MP) is one of the compound Unani formulations which are in use for the treatment of premature ejaculation since centuries. This article is an attempt to summarize scientific investigations in support of the claim made by Unani physicians regarding Majoon-e-Piyaz (MP).  Keywords: Surʻat-e-Inzāl, Premature Ejaculation, Majoon-e-Piyaz, Unani Medicin

Dawa ul Misk Motadil Sada a Classical Unani Formulation for Khafaqān (Palpitation)

Unani System of medicine is one among the oldest systems that prevails till date with its efficient drugs derived from animal, plant and mineral resources. Over 2400 years ago, the father of medicine Hippocrates practiced it; however His medicine included a great deal of ancient Egyptian medicine as well as important components of the ancient Mesopotamian traditions. In modern medicine, Palpitation is described as an uncomfortable awareness of one’s own heartbeat and is a clinical entity with varied etiology ranging from benign causes to serious arrhythmias. In Unani system of medicine, the modern equivalent term for palpitation is Khafaqān. A large number of drugs, single and compound formulations, have been mentioned in the context of the treatment of Khafaqān. Dawa ul Misk Motadil Sada is one of the most reputed poly pharmaceutical preparations of Unani system of Medicine used in Khafaqān, as cardiac tonic in arrhythmia and as general tonic. &nbsp

Impact of Total Quality Management Practices on an Organization Performance

Purpose: Although impact of TQM practices have been founded to improve the organization performance, the management literature has overlooked on the effort of individual level or in form of group outcomes, the purpose of this paper to explore the impact of TQM practices on organization performance in banking sectors. Practices has an impact on three dimensions of employee (physically, psychologically, social) weather well being should be consider as a mediator of the TQM practices and organization performance relationship. Design/ Methodology/ Approach: The paper use qualitative data collected from in depth case study via documents analysis and Sami structured interviews with quality expert’s practices about how to enhance the level of performance. Finding: Thepaper shows that impact of TQM practices can lead to both positive and negative motivation outcomes. Furthermore they create trade-off between the three dimensions of well-beings. While they increase employee well being on one dimension they are dramatic to another. Research limitation/Implications: Due to the scope of the research the paper bounded itself to analyzing three TQM practices. Different trade off may exist for other practices. Practical Implications: Many organization introducing TQM practices assuming that they will improve performance. However, the existence of well being trade-off need to be acknowledges and managed. Originality/ Value: This paper show that for a comprehensive understanding of the effects of TQM practices further studies need to contemplate the different dimension of well being separately, as trade-off may occur between them. It further suggests that well being may be an unexplored mediator of the TQM practice and organization performances relationship. Key words: TQM practices, organization performance, motivatio

Do Islamic Banks Perform Better than Conventional Banks?

This study aims to compare the performance of Islamic and conventional banks in Pakistan for the period 2007-2016. For the purpose, the study first employs CAMELS composite rating to find the ratios to highlight the managerial and financial performance of the banks. The study then uses logistic regression technique for the performance comparison of Islamic and Conventional banks. The composite rating results reveal that both Islamic and conventional banks fall in rank 3 and need help from regulatory authorities to improve the performance of banking sector in Pakistan. Furthermore, the logistic regression results reveal that Islamic banks perform well in asset quality, management adequacy and sensitivity to market risk whereas conventional banks are efficient in capital adequacy and liquidity. Robustness of results is achieved by performance comparison of the same size Islamic and conventional banks. This analysis is important because Pakistan’s banking sector is hybrid where both Islamic and conventional banks work in the same environment and under the same regulator. Findings of this study are not only useful for Islamic and conventional banks operating in Pakistan but would also help the policymakers in devising future policies