Minus Research Articles

The Contribution of Fanaticism, Isthiqomah, and Radicalism to Maslahah Through the Management of Religious Conflict in the Riau Island

Radicalism in some societies can arise for many reasons. One of them is because of the need for more understanding of religion. This radicalism is the right target for people who aim to distort religious teachings or teach misguided religious ideas. People who are weak in performance are usually easily tempted by material inducements to do things that deviate from spiritual teachings. This study used the Mix Method with Analysis Tool using AMOS version 24. Respondents and samples using the census method consisted of Members of the Riau Islands Religious Harmony Forum (FKUB), totalling 135 Respondents. The results: The determination of the Ithiqomah on the Management of Religious Conflict is significantly positive, the Fanatics' resolution on the Management of Religious Conflict is highly positive, the Radicalism determination on the Management of Religious Conflict is very positive, the Management of Religious Conflict determination on Maslahah is a positive sign, the decision of the fanaticism on the Maslahah is positive important, the determination Radicalism on the Maslahah is positive but not significant, the determination isthiqomah on the Maslahah is positively influential. Square Multiple Correlation for Management of Religious Conflict =89.5%, Maslahah = 99.0%. It is suggested that there is no bias in understanding Radical and Radicalism. From this research, it is necessary to clarify the meaning of Fanaticism, Isthiqomah, and Radicalism proportionally to reduce religious conflict is necessary to enlighten the people in the Riau Island Province. According to survey results on April 5, 2023, the 2022 religious harmony index in the Riau Islands reached 85.78 per cent, the highest among all provinces in Indonesia

Estimation of an ARDL (m, p, q, r, s) Model to Determine the Long-run Effects of World Income, Relative Price, Real Exchange Rate and Employment on Export Demand for the Garment Sector of Bangladesh

In this paper, an ARDL (m p, q, r, s, s) log-linear export demand function is estimated to find the long-run impacts of world income, relative price, real exchange rate, and employment on exports of the garment sector of Bangladesh using modern econometric techniques based on time series data from 1979-2020. Long-run significant relationships among exports, relative price, real exchange rate, world income and employment are found. The VEC model's estimated results indicate short-run bidirectional causalities between different pairs of variables. The long-run causalities are found while exports and employment are the endogenous variables. The estimated results indicate that both long-run and short-run exports are influenced positively and significantly by world income. Relative price, real exchange rate and employment carry negative signs for both long-run and short-run in which the effects of relative price and real exchange rate are statistically significant in the long run which implies that a 1% decrease in relative price, exports will increase by 1.256%. It is found that the coefficient of ECM(-1) is -0.9705 which is statistically significant at any significance level, suggesting that when the export value is above its equilibrium level, it will adjust about 97.05% within the first year. The full convergence process to reach the equilibrium level takes more than a year. Thus, this study will help the economists, policymakers and stakeholders of the garment sector of Bangladesh to predict the dynamics of export demand due to changes in world income level, relative price, real exchange rate and employment.

Positive Low Cloud Feedback Primarily Caused by Increasing Longwave Radiation From the Sea Surface in Two Versions of a Climate Model

AbstractLow cloud feedback in global warming projections by climate models is characterized by its positive sign, the mechanism of which is not well understood. Here we propose that the positive sign is primarily caused by the increase in upward longwave radiation from the sea surface. We devise numerical experiments that enable separation of the feedback into components coming from physically distinct causes. Results of these experiments with a climate model indicate that increases in upward longwave radiation from the sea surface cause warming and absolute drying in the boundary layer, leading to the positive low cloud feedback. The absolute drying results from decrease in surface evaporation, and also from decrease in inversion strength which enhances vertical mixing of drier free tropospheric air into the boundary layer. This mechanism is different from previously proposed understanding that positive low cloud feedback is caused by increases in surface evaporation or vertical moisture contrast.

Food-Dependent Exercise-Induced Anaphylaxis: A Distinct Form of Food Allergy-An Updated Review of Diagnostic Approaches and Treatments.

Food-dependent exercise-induced allergic reactions (FDEIA) represent a distinct clinical phenomenon where symptoms arise during exercise following the consumption of specific trigger foods, with the most severe manifestation being anaphylaxis-a condition distinct from typical exercise-induced or food-induced anaphylaxis. In FDEIA, patients can either exercise or tolerate specific foods separately without experiencing any allergic reactions. Diagnosis relies on patient history and provocation testing, requiring rigorous implementation within a supervised hospital environment. Positive symptoms and clinical signs during testing confirm FDEIA, while negative outcomes do not preclude its presence. Exercise stands as the primary trigger, followed by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and alcohol. The utilization of various protocols for food cofactor challenges to confirm FDEIA yields differing diagnostic outcomes. We highlight the updated concept of food cofactor challenges, incorporating protocols reported in the literature, and summarize current recommendations and comprehensive management approaches for FDEIA patients.

Interfacial Debonding Detection in Concrete-Filled Steel Tubular (CFST) Columns with Modal Curvature-Based Irregularity Detection Indices

This study investigates the effect of concrete-steel debonding on the modal dynamic properties, i.e. frequency values and vibration mode shapes, and deals with the identification of interfacial debonding zones in CFST columns. In this context, debonding, defined as a decrease in concrete stiffness at the connection with the steel tube by a depth of 3 mm, was analyzed through the frequency analysis of the column. The findings indicate that debonding results in a discernible disparity between the primary and secondary mode shapes, as assessed by the Modal Assurance Criterion (MAC). Furthermore, there is a reduction in the frequency values across all modes. This paper proposes the irregularity detection indices of the Modal Curvature Index (MCI), Modal Curvature-Slope Index (MCSI) and Modal Curvature-Curvature Index (MCCI) using the concept of curvature to detect the debonding zones. These indices indicate the relative extreme values of irregularities in debonding zones for all modes, such that the MCSI and MCCI show an increase in the height of irregularities regardless of negative or positive signs in a debonding zone as the damage severity in that zone increases.

Nonlinear optical properties of methyl green investigated by the femtosecond Z-scan technique

The third-order optical nonlinearities of methyl green in aqueous solution are studied by the Z-scan technique using a femtosecond laser at 800 nm. The valley shape in the open aperture measurements reveals the presence of reverse saturable absorption effect, which is ascribed to the three-photon absorption process. The closed aperture Z-scan traces demonstrate a negative sign for the nonlinear refractive coefficient, indicating the self-defocusing optical nonlinearity. Furthermore, the magnitudes of the nonlinear refractive index n 2, the three-photon absorption coefficient α 3, and the real part of the third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility Re χ (3) are determined and found to be linearly proportional to the dye concentration within the investigated range. Our results suggest that methyl green may be a hopeful candidate for applications in nonlinear optics.

The posterior cruciate ligament-posterior femoral cortex angle (PCL-PCA) and the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) sign are useful parameters to indicate the progression of knee decompensation over time after an ACL injury.

The posterior cruciate ligament-posterior cortex angle (angle between the most vertical part of the anterolateral PCL bundle and the posterior diaphyseal cortex of the femur; PCL-PCA) is the most accurate approach to describe the PCL buckling phenomenon observed in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL)-deficient knees. The aim of this study was to determine whether the PCL-PCA is associated with chronicity of the ACL rupture, the meniscal status, preoperative knee laxity or imaging signs such as the lateral collateral ligament (LCL) sign or the posterior tibial slope (PTS) in ACL-injured knees. Patients with a primary ACL reconstruction (ACLR) after physeal closure were selected retrospectively from a hospital-based ACL registry from 2015 to 2021. Exclusion criteria were: previous ipsilateral/contralateral knee surgery, previous ipsilateral ACL or meniscal tear, ipsilateral PCL and/or collateral ligament injuries or tibial plateau fracture. The ACL deficiency was defined as chronic if time from injury to MRI was > 6months. The meniscal status was assessed during ACLR, separately for the medial and lateral meniscus, and classified into no tear, minor or major unstable tear. The MRI analyses included the assessment of the PCL-PCA and the LCL sign. PTS was assessed from the lateral plain radiographs of the injured knee. The side-to-side difference in anterior tibial translation (ATT) at 200N was obtained with the GNRB. Eighty-two patients (forty-eight males/thirty-four females) were included in this study. The median PCL-PCA was 16.2° (Q1-Q3: 10.6-24.7) and differed between acute (18.4°) and chronic (10.7°) injuries (p < 0.01). The median PCL-PCA was significantly lower (- 4.6°) in patients with a positive LCL sign (p = 0.03) No significant association could be found between PCL-PCA and meniscal status, PTS or preoperative anterior knee laxity (Lachman, pivot shift and ATT in millimetres). The PCL-PCA was significantly lower in chronic ACL injuries and in patients with a positive LCL sign, indicating a higher buckling phenomenon of the PCL in these patients. These results support the fact that PCL-PCA and the LCL sign may be useful parameters to indicate the progression of knee decompensation over time after an ACL injury, and therefore may constitute a helpful tool to optimise treatment choice and timing of ACL reconstruction if necessary. III.

THU234 An Adolescent Patient With Asymptomatic Hypocalcemia And Extensive Cerebral Calcification Due To Pseudohypoparathyroidism Type 1B: A Care Report

Abstract Disclosure: R. Alemzadeh: None. J.D. Ross: None. D. Guillen-Mendoza: None. Background: Pseudohypoparathyroidism (PHP) is a heterogeneous group of disorders due to renal resistance to parathyroid hormone (PTH) resulting in biochemical hypoparathyroidism but with skeletal sensitivity to PTH. Case Presentation: A 15-year-old African American male was incidentally found to have biochemical evidence of severe hypocalcemia during routine evaluation of his bilateral slipped capital-femoral epiphyses. The patient was at age-appropriate stage of puberty with normal height and without any features of hereditary osteodystrophy. However, he had history of mild developmental delay requiring school accommodations. On physical exam, there was some mild dyscoordination with finger and toe-tapping and a Myerson’s sign, negative tetany signs. The biochemical screening revealed markedly low serum calcium (4.9 mg/dL) with elevated phosphorus (7.8 mg/dL) and PTH (1314 pg/mL) levels. His hypocalcemia was accentuated by the presence of severe 25 hydroxy-vitamin D deficiency (7.5 ng/mL) with mild hypomagnesemia (1.4 mg/dL). He had normal renal and thyroid function tests with normal growth factors. There were minimal plasma cyclic AMP responses to a single dose of intravenous teriparatide (Ellsworth-Howard test) consistent with diagnosis of pseudohypoparathyroidism. The skeletal survey showed bowing and under-tubulation of the radius, ulna, tibia, and fibula as well as slipped capital femoral epiphysis bilaterally. His brain CT scan showed symmetrical severe dense calcifications in the basal ganglia, bilateral frontal, parietal and temporal subcortical white matter, pons and right dentate nucleus. Genetic testing did not reveal any GNAS mutations. The patient was initially treated with parenteral calcium followed by high-dose oral calcium supplements and calcitriol. His coexisting hypovitaminosis D and hypomagnesemia were corrected with oral high-dose cholecalciferol and magnesium sulfate, respectively. Conclusions: An incidental finding of severe asymptomatic hypocalcemia and elevated PTH without hereditary osteodystrophy phenotype raised the clinical suspicion of pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1B. This was associated with cerebral calcifications with increasing risk of worsening learning disabilities and minimal neurological findings. Presentation: Thursday, June 15, 2023

FRI466 Toxic Retrosternal Goiter Following SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination

Abstract Disclosure: J. Schipper: None. Z. Abdul Sater: None. Since the outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, there have been reports of autoimmune thyroid diseases related to COVID inflection and SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. We report a case of SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination (mCoVvax)-induced Graves with retrosternal extension. A 21-year-old Hispanic male with no previous history of thyroid illness presented with a 4-month history of tachycardia, tremors, agitation, unintentional weight loss, night sweats, low-grade fever, and orthopnea that developed 62 days after receiving the first dose of mCoVvax. His physical examination was significant for sinus tachycardia, hypertension, a resting tremor, brisk deep tendon reflexes, and diffuse nonpruritic maculopapular rash. His thyroid gland was diffusely enlarged with an unpalpable lower margin and positive Pemberton sign. TSH was undetectable with elevated Free T4 and Total T3 [11.0 (NL 0.8-1.8 ng/dL) and 800 (76-181 ng/dL), respectively]. Thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI) was 337% (NL&amp;lt;140%), and thyroid peroxidase antibody was 653 IU/mL (NL &amp;lt; 9 IU/mL). Thyroid ultrasound showed a diffusely enlarged thyroid gland with diffusely increased thyroid uptake on technetium thyroid scan (95% and 85% uptake after 6 and 24 hrs, respectively), consistent with Graves’ disease. CT scan of the neck and chest confirmed retrosternal Goiter without tracheal deviation. He was treated with high-dose of Methimazole, Atenolol, and Prednisone. A literature search revealed five cases of Graves’ disease after mCOVvax, all of which did not have a retrosternal extension of the thyroid. Our case represents a rare complication of mCoVvax. Clinicians should consider retrosternal goiter in patients with thyrotoxicosis and orthopnea after mCoVvax exposure. Presentation: Friday, June 16, 2023

FRI697 Severe Hypocalcemia Due To Idiopathic Hypoparathyroidism In An Elderly Female

Abstract Disclosure: K.A. Chopra: None. Most cases of acquired hypoparathyroidism in adulthood occur after neck surgery or radiation. However, idiopathic cases, although rare, do occur in elderly patients and should be a diagnosis of exclusion after thorough investigation. 76-year-old female with a history of chronic kidney disease, anemia of chronic disease, and hypertension presented with fatigue. Labs showed calcium (Ca) 5.7(RR 8.4-10.2 mg/dL), albumin 3.5(RR 3.5-5 g/dL), magnesium 2(RR 1.6-2.5 mg/dL), phosphorus 7.8(RR 2.5-4.4 mg/dL), parathyroid hormone 9(RR 15-75 pg/mL), 25-hydroxyvitamin D 32(RR 12-99 ng/mL). Patient denied history of neck surgery or radiation. Patient denied nephrolithiasis, perioral numbness, paresthesias, family history of hypoparathyroidism. Physical exam notable for positive Chvostek sign. Neck ultrasound unremarkable, no evidence of infiltrative disease. Urine Ca was low at 6 mg/24 hour(RR 100-300 mg/24hr). ACE level 10 nmol/ml/min(RR&amp;lt;40 nmol/ml/min) and 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D level 12(RR 18-78 pg/mL) making sarcoidosis or granulomatous disease unlikely. HIV screen negative and interferon gamma response to mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens was not detected. Ferritin elevated at 300(RR 12-150 ng/mL) but transferrin saturation was 15%(RR 15-55%), not consistent with hemochromatosis. Antiparathyroid antibodies were negative. Patient denied mucocutaneous candidiasis, however testing for underlying autoimmune polyglandular syndrome type 1 (APS type 1) and adrenal insufficiency was completed with cosyntropin stimulation test. Patient had normal response to cosyntropin with baseline cortisol 20.1 (RR 6-18.4 ug/dL) and ACTH 37.7(RR&amp;lt;52 pg/mL), 30 minute cortisol 27(RR 6-18.4 ug/dL) and 60 minute cortisol 37(RR 6-18.4 ug/dL). Patient was treated with Ca gluconate infusion (100 ml of 10% Ca gluconate in 1000 mL of normal saline) at 30 ml/hr and Ca level gradually improved. Once Ca level was greater than 8.0(RR 8.4-10.2 mg/dL), Ca drip was discontinued. Due to patient’s lack of prior neck surgery history, lack of evidence of infiltrative conditions, negative antiparathyroid antibodies, normal adrenal function (unlikely APS type 1), lack of family history, and low urine Ca (unlikely activating mutation of Ca sensing receptor), patient’s hypoparathyroidism was considered idiopathic. Patient was discharged on oral Ca carbonate, Ca acetate, and calcitriol tablets. On follow up, patient had Ca 8.5(RR 8.4-10.2 mg/dL) with symptom improvement. Although hypocalcemia is commonly encountered, it is rare to see severe hypocalcemia in an elderly patient due to hypoparathyroidism without a history of neck surgery or radiation. Therefore, it is vitally important to conduct a thorough investigation to rule out underlying causes before diagnosing idiopathic hypoparathyroidism as highlighted in our case to guide future treatment and optimize patient health. Presentation: Friday, June 16, 2023

Benzimidazole-modified chitosan as a controller for the destruction of Al and H2 generation in the acidic environment

Benzimidazole-modified chitosan (CS-BISP) was utilized as an effective mitigator controlling the destruction of Al, and the generation of H2 in dilute HCl solutions. The techniques of gasometry, mass loss, potentiometry, galvanostatic polarization, GP, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, EIS, were involved. The rate of the produced H2 is found to depend on the concentration of the CS-BISP and the temperature. EIS data indicated that the existence of CS-BISP in the HCl solution increases the charge transfer resistance, Rct, and reduces the double-layer capacitance, Cdl, confirming the presence of an insulating film on the metal surface via an adsorption mechanism. GP data explained that the CS-BISP behaves as an effective inhibitor of a mixed kind. The protection efficiency was raised with increasing the CS-BISP concentration and is lowered by temperature. The protection efficiency reaches 94.2% at 300 mg L−1, at 25 °C. The free energy of adsorption, ΔGoads, varied between – 26.13 and −26.88 kJ/mol depending on the solution temperature which emphasizes the presence of physical and chemical adsorption mechanisms. The negative sign of ΔGoads proved a spontaneous adsorption process with the stability of the adsorbed film. The reduction in the Kads value with temperature signifies the desorption of a few of the CS-BISP polymeric molecules from the surface of the Al electrode. The CS-BISP molecule was theoretically examined utilizing density functional theory and Monte Carlo simulations. The theoretical parameters coincide with the experimental results.

Prevalence of bilateral ulnar nerve subluxation among professional baseball pitchers

Radiographic and physical examination findings of ulnar nerve instability have been recognized in overhead throwing athletes, despite the fact that some of these abnormalities may be asymptomatic and represent adaptive changes. While recommendations for screening and early detection have been made that can adversely impact an athletes' career, the presence of bilateral ulnar nerve subluxation and its relationship with medial elbow symptoms has not been characterized in professional overhead throwing athletes. To characterize the prevalence of bilateral ulnar nerve subluxation among professional baseball pitchers. A cross-sectional observational analysis was conducted utilizing standardized ultrasonographic examinations of bilateral elbows in 91 consecutive professional baseball pitchers (median age, 22years; range, 17-30years). The relationship between ulnar nerve subluxation and ulnar nerve signs, symptoms, and provocative physical examination maneuvers was also investigated. The prevalence of bilateral ulnar nerve subluxation was 26.4% (95% CI, 17.7%-36.7%; 24 of the 91 athletes). Thirty-five athletes (38.5%; 95% CI, 28.4%-49.2%) had subluxation in at least 1 elbow. No athletes with subluxation had positive ulnar nerve signs, symptoms, or provocative tests. Ulnar nerve subluxation is common among professional pitchers, and is more often than not bilateral. In this population of athletes, ulnar nerve subluxation does not appear to be associated with pathological findings.

Anterior Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome: Entrapment of the Articular Branch of Deep Peroneal Nerve

Case: A 28-year-old male patient who injured his ankle 2 years ago presented with unilateral ankle pain, tingling, and numbness for 1 year. Clinically, tenderness and positive Tinel sign were localized on anterior aspect of ankle. On exploration, deep peroneal nerve and mainly its articular branch were encased in fibrotic tissue. Decompression of both nerves resulted in symptomatic relief after surgery. Conclusion: High index of suspicion, a thorough medical history, meticulous clinical examination, complete knowledge of nerve anatomy, proper radiological studies, and careful surgical decompression are all necessary for the diagnosis and management of such atypical cases.

Anaphylaxis Accompanying Mastocytoma in Childhood: A Case Report

Background: Mastocytosis is a heterogenous disorder characterized by accumulation of mast cells in different tissues. Mastocytosis may be limited to skin or it may involve bone marrow, liver, spleen and lymphatic tissue as systemic mastocytosis. Patients may also present with anaphylaxis. Here we report a six-year-old boy with atopic dermatitis, wheat anaphylaxis, and solitary mastocytoma. Case report: The dermatologic manifestations of atopic dermatitis appeared early in his first days of life and were all over his face with a dark red infiltrate, edema, small vesicles and severe itching. At the age of 3 months, the patient was fed with an ordinary milk formula for the first time, which immediately resulted in severe vomiting, generalized urticaria and angioedema of the lips and eyes, followed by lethargy and atony. The result of RAST test indicated allergy to wheat and cow’s milk. At the age of two years, his mother noticed a rubber-like skin lesion on his left arm with positive Darier sign. Laboratory tests were all within normal limits except IgE and serum tryptase which were 1425 IU/mL and 31 ng/ml, respectively. Conclusion: To conclude, Anaphylaxis may accompany cutaneous forms of mastocytosis even mastocytoma. Delayed diagnosis due to the lack of awareness may lead to recurrent life-threatening events, particularly in infancy when anaphylactic reactions are easily misdiagnosed as infants are not capable of expressing their symptoms.

Tax Avoidance Measures in Food and Beverage Sub-Sector Manufacturing Companies in Indonesia 2019-2021

This study aims to determine the effect of audit committees, fixed asset intensity, and profitability on tax avoidance in food and beverage sub-sector manufacturing companies listed on the IDX in 2019–2021. The analytical methods used are the descriptive analysis method, the classical assumption test, and the hypothesis test. The conclusion of this study shows that the audit committee has a tcount value with a negative sign of 0.202 &lt; ttable 2.010 and a significance value of 0.481 &gt; 0.05, which means the audit committee has no significant effect on tax avoidance. The intensity of fixed assets has a tcount of 0.515 &lt; ttable of 2.010 with a significance value of 0.609 &gt; 0.05, which means that the intensity of fixed assets has no significant effect on tax avoidance. Profitability has a negative tcount value of 2.905 table 2.010 with a significance value of 0.006 &lt; 0.05, which means that profitability has a significant effect on tax avoidance. Simultaneously, the audit committee, the intensity of fixed assets, and profitability have a significant positive effect on tax avoidance.

Effect of manufacturing service transformation management on technological innovation

The immediate need for servitization and digital technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing and predictive analysis must be addressed in manufacturing industries. This research aims to analyze the impact of manufacturing services transformation management from traditional methods to technological innovation. This research approached the panel data of Chinese multinational equipment manufacturing industries for the analytical purpose from 2011 to 2017. The unit-root test has checked the stationarity of panel data and cointegration regression checked the long-term relationship among selected variables. The research results have confirmed a long-run and positive relationship between service transformation management of manufacturing enterprises and technological innovation. The positive upward trend among these two variables is because of increasing market demand-driven, open innovation network construction and increase in capital (intellectual, human & financial capital). The negative sign of values is declared the validity of an inverted “U-Shaped” analysis, which confirms the relationship's longevity. The adaptation of technological innovation has also indicated the growing performance trend in service management enterprises. As per the rule of inverted “U-Shaped” law, at a specific point, the manufacturing enterprises’ servitization management will start declining, and it will continue as a cyclic process. This research suggests that enterprises should prepare for the declining phase of servitization and sort out the other performance growth area, which will help to balance the performance of manufacturing enterprises wholesomely.

Assessment of Travelers’ Knowledge about Symptoms and Prevention Strategies of Otic Barotrauma in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-sectional Study

Abstract Background: Otic barotrauma (OBT) is the most common medical complication related to aviation, which is caused by traumatic inflammation of the middle ear produced by a pressure differential between the air in the middle ear and surrounding environment. Objective: We aim to assess the incidence of OBT, travelers’ knowledge about symptoms, and prevention strategies of OBT in Saudi Arabia. Design: This cross-sectional study was conducted at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between August 2022 and December 2022. Participants and Methods: Data were collected from the adult travelers using Google Forms questionnaire in either Arabic or English, distributed to travelers at the arrival or departure departments of the airport using a quick response code. Data are presented as frequencies and percentages for categorical variables. Statistical significance was set at P &lt; 0.05. Main Outcome Measures: To measure the prevalence of OBT and travelers’ knowledge of OBT in Saudi Arabia. Sample Size: The sample size was 403. Results: Of the 403 respondents, 381 met the study criteria, and 91.9% (n = 114) had noticed positive symptoms. Individuals who traveled more than seven times reported lower positive signs than others. The logistic regression analysis of positive symptoms and potential risk factors showed that female participants had more positive symptoms than male participants (odds ratio = 4.269, P &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: The number of people complaining of symptoms is significant. Therefore, a strong need exists to educate the public regarding OBT. Limitations: This study was limited by the small sample size; the cross-sectional study was conducted in only one airport, despite a good response rate.

Convolutional auto-encoded extreme learning machine for incremental learning of heterogeneous images

&lt;span lang="EN-US"&gt;In real-world scenarios, a system's continual updating of learning knowledge becomes more critical as the data grows faster, producing vast volumes of data. Moreover, the learning process becomes complex when the data features become varied due to the addition or deletion of classes. In such cases, the generated model should learn effectively. Incremental learning refers to the learning of data which constantly arrives over time. This learning requires continuous model adaptation but with limited memory resources without sacrificing model accuracy. In this paper, we proposed a straightforward knowledge transfer algorithm (convolutional auto-encoded extreme learning machine (CAE-ELM)) implemented through the incremental learning methodology for the task of supervised classification using an extreme learning machine (ELM). Incremental learning is achieved by creating an individual train model for each set of homogeneous data and incorporating the knowledge transfer among the models without sacrificing accuracy with minimal memory resources. In CAE-ELM, convolutional neural network (CNN) extracts the features, stacked autoencoder (SAE) reduces the size, and ELM learns and classifies the images. Our proposed algorithm is implemented and experimented on various standard datasets: MNIST, ORL, JAFFE, FERET and Caltech. The results show a positive sign of the correctness of the proposed algorithm.&lt;/span&gt;

Economic diversification in Saudi Arabia: Comparing the impact of oil prices, geopolitical risk, and government expenditures

Our paper examines and compares the influence of oil prices, the international geopolitical risks, and government expenditures on Saudi Arabia's economic diversification during 1970–2020. We employ the bounds testing approach to cointegration to estimate the parameters of the Autoregressive Distributed Lag model to attain the paper's goal. Our results show that oil prices and international geopolitical risk harm the KSA diversification process in the short run. The destructive effect of oil prices continues in the long run, while the impact of the international geopolitical risk does not persist. On the other hand, government expenditures encourage the diversification attitude in the short and long run. This outcome highlights the capability of the KSA government to stimulate the diversification process. It is a positive sign of the state capitalism doctrine's impact on the KSA economic diversification mechanism. From a policy implication perspective, our paper suggests prioritizing economic diversification clearly on the KSA government's agenda. Simultaneously, strengthening the KSA institutional framework and developing new forms of the social contract are critical to motivating the diversification process.

The Moderating Effect of Politicians’ Power on the Correlation Between Total Grants and Unit Grants in Special Grants Distribution

To investigate whether political power influences the allocation of government grants, a grants allocation panel dataset of 150 units of analysis was constructed for the period 2016-2019. Specifically, the aim of this study is to find out how politicians’ influence would work in situations where the size of the pie, the sum of the amount of grants distributed to every electorate, changes. This perspective that focuses on changes in the aggregate amount of grants, which has not been considered in previous studies, is reflected in the interaction term between the size of the resources and the measure of political power. Fixed effect estimation reports that the coefficient of the interaction term is significant with a positive sign. This implies that powerful politicians are not satisfied with merely securing more grants than the previous year. Instead, they seek to obtain more year-on-year increment in grants than other politicians. Policymaker is advised to monitor and exclude any political influence in the decision-making process of grants allocation.