With the rise of zoonotic diseases in recent years, there is an urgent need for improved and more accessible screening and diagnostic methods to mitigate future outbreaks. The recent COVID-19 pandemic revealed an over-reliance on RT-PCR, a slow, costly and lab-based method for diagnostics. To better manage the pandemic, a high-throughput, rapid point-of-care device is needed for early detection and isolation of patients. Electrochemical biosensors offer a promising solution, as they can be used to perform on-site tests without the need for centralized labs, producing high-throughput and accurate measurements compared to rapid test kits. In this work, we detail important considerations for the use of electrochemical biosensors for the detection of respiratory viruses. Methods of enhancing signal outputs via amplification of the analyte, biorecognition of elements and modification of the transducer are also explained. The use of portable potentiostats and microfluidics chambers that create a miniature lab are also discussed in detail as an alternative to centralized laboratory settings. The state-of-the-art usage of portable potentiostats for detection of viruses is also elaborated and categorized according to detection technique: amperometry, voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. In terms of integration with microfluidics, RT-LAMP is identified as the preferred method for DNA amplification virus detection. RT-LAMP methods have shorter turnaround times compared to RT-PCR and do not require thermal cycling. Current applications of RT-LAMP for virus detection are also elaborated upon.

COVID-19 outbreak caused by the newly discovered SARS-CoV-2 has become a major public health threat around the world and has create a tremendous effect on the global economy. Hence, there is a high demand for rapid and accurate diagnosis to contain the spread of the disease. The Reverse-Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR), the current standard for diagnosis of COVID-19 however possesses certain drawbacks that limits its application to meet the high demand of the continually increasing COVID-19 cases. Conversely, Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) is another nucleic acid amplification method that shows a great potential as an alternative tool in rapid diagnosis of COVID-19 due to its simplicity and rapidity. This review summarized the recent published research articles related to the application and modification of RT-LAMP assay for the rapid detection of COVID-19 in comparison with other available diagnostic methods.

Every student has a unique learning style. Their personalities are shaped by factors affecting their learning styles. Besides that, it is evident that students' distinctive learning style has a significant impact on their academic success. A cross-sectional study was done to investigate the degree of association between students' learning styles and academic achievement. This research was conducted in Kuala Lumpur, and the participants were firstto third-year biomedical science students. This survey included 84 students, where 24 students were selected from each year. The learning style inventory questionnaire was used to measure students' learning styles through a survey. According to the findings, the majority of students had the highest amount of visual learning styles for each academic year. However, the majority of the first-year students had the second-highest learning style, which scored the highest for visual learning style compared to auditory and kinaesthetic. Furthermore, the academic year affected the mean score of learning styles as demonstrated by two-way ANOVA tests (p<0.01). The correlation test was then performed, and the results show that only audio learning style and CGPA had a positive and significant correlation (p<0.05). In conclusion, this study revealed that academic performance was not influenced by learning style. Nonetheless, students' learning styles are different for the different academic years.