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The primary objective of the present research is to examine the impact of touch and gustatory stimuli on airline image and repurchase intention. Furthermore, the present research examines the moderating role of price fairness and mediation impact of airline image. The researchers gather data from the customers of PIA and Airblue travelling abroad from Islamabad International Airport, Karachi International airport and Lahore International airport by employing multi-stage sampling technique. Total of 576 questionnaires was distributed among the respondents, and the response rate was 68.9%. For the analysis of data received, the researcher employed PLS-SEM. The finding of the study confirmed the significant impact of touch and gustatory stimuli on airline image and repurchase intention. Findings of the study revealed the mediating role of airline image among touch, gustatory and repurchase intention was significant as well. At the end, perceived price fairness also moderated the relationship of airline image and repurchase intention. The present study fills the gap of limited studies conducted in the past regarding sensory stimuli in the context of the airline industry, the role of airline image as a mediator under SOR model and moderating impact of perceived price. Findings of the present study are helpful for policymakers and practitioners of the airline industry in Pakistan to develop the strategy by which they can retain their customers on international routes.

The global shift toward next-generation energy systems is propelled by the urgent need to combat climate change and the dwindling supply of fossil fuels. This review explores the intricate challenges and opportunities for transitioning to sustainable renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydrogen. This transition economically challenges traditional energy sectors while fostering new industries, promoting job growth, and sustainable economic development. The transition to renewable energy demands social equity, ensuring universal access to affordable energy, and considering community impact. The environmental benefits include a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and a lesser ecological footprint. This study highlights the rapid growth of the global wind power market, which is projected to increase from $112.23 billion in 2022 to $278.43 billion by 2030, with a compound annual growth rate of 13.67%. In addition, the demand for hydrogen is expected to increase, significantly impacting the market with potential cost reductions and making it a critical renewable energy source owing to its affordability and zero emissions. By 2028, renewables are predicted to account for 42% of global electricity generation, with significant contributions from wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) technology, particularly in China, the European Union, the United States, and India. These developments signify a global commitment to diversifying energy sources, reducing emissions, and moving toward cleaner and more sustainable energy solutions. This review offers stakeholders the insights required to smoothly transition to sustainable energy, setting the stage for a resilient future.

Abstract Background The establishment of stable porcine embryonic stem cells (pESCs) can contribute to basic and biomedical research, including comparative developmental biology, as well as assessing the safety of stem cell-based therapies. Despite these advantages, most pESCs obtained from in vitro blastocysts require complex media and feeder layers, making routine use, genetic modification, and differentiation into specific cell types difficult. We aimed to establish pESCs with a single cell-passage ability, high proliferative potency, and stable in long-term culture from in vitro-derived blastocysts using a simplified serum-free medium. Methods We evaluated the establishment efficiency of pESCs from in vitro blastocysts using various basal media (DMEM/F10 (1:1), DMEM/F12, and a-MEM) and factors (FGF2, IWR-1, CHIR99021, and WH-4-023). The pluripotency and self-renewal capacity of the established pESCs were analyzed under feeder or feeder-free conditions. Ultimately, we developed a simplified culture medium (FIW) composed of FGF2, IWR-1, and WH-4-023 under serum-free conditions. Results The pESC-FIW lines were capable of single-cell passaging with short cell doubling times and expressed the pluripotency markers POU5F1, SOX2, and NANOG, as well as cell surface markers SSEA1, SSEA4, and TRA-1-60. pESC-FIW showed a stable proliferation rate and normal karyotype, even after 50 passages. Transcriptome analysis revealed that pESC-FIW were similar to reported pESC maintained in complex media and showed gastrulating epiblast cell characteristics. pESC-FIW were maintained for multiple passages under feeder-free conditions on fibronectin-coated plates using mTeSR™, a commercial medium used for feeder-free culture, exhibiting characteristics similar to those observed under feeder conditions. Conclusions These results indicated that inhibition of WNT and SRC was sufficient to establish pESCs capable of single-cell passaging and feeder-free expansion under serum-free conditions. The easy maintenance of pESCs facilitates their application in gene editing technology for agriculture and biomedicine, as well as lineage commitment studies.

Studying the history of sports and knowing their achievements is of great importance as it is considered a means of advancement for societies and a measure of their culture and stages of development in all fields. One of the important sports games at the international and local levels is volleyball, which has a long history at the global level. The importance of the research lies in knowing the teams participating in the Asian championships and their most important results and where they were held from the first Asian Championship for men's teams in (1975) until the last championship held in Japan in (2021). Through the teams' participation in the Asian Men's Volleyball Championships, many teams have emerged on the Asian scene. The question here is whether there is documentation of these participations. What are the most important positions that the teams have obtained and also knowing the reasons for their development. And knowing the reasons for the fluctuations in the results and participations of some teams in the Asian Men's Championships. The most important conclusions reached by this research are that there are many achievements and participations for the teams that have not been documented. They have been documented.

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a global public health challenge, contributing significantly to morbidity and mortality worldwide. This research aims to investigate the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, diagnostic methods, and early mortality rate among pediatric patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) who were admitted to a hospital in Syria. Methods: This retrospective cohort study was conducted at the University Children's Hospital in Syria, involving pediatric patients diagnosed with TB between January 2013 and January 2023. Data were collected from medical records and encompassed socio-demographic characteristics, diagnostic methods, clinical presentation, chest radiography findings, and patient outcomes. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25. Results: A total of 129 patients were included in the study, with 26.4 % diagnosed with PTB and 73.6 % with EPTB. The most common types of EPTB were lymphatic (25.6 %) and gastrointestinal (17.1 %). Patients with PTB and EPTB did not differ significantly in terms of age, weight, or gender. Significant cough was more common in PTB cases (67.6 %), while lymphadenopathy was more prevalent in EPTB cases (48.4 %). Chest X-ray abnormalities were found in 58.1 % of patients, with PTB patients more likely to have abnormal findings (97.1 %). Microbiological confirmation was higher in PTB cases (76.5 %) compared to EPTB cases (25.3 %). The overall mortality rate was 14 %, with higher mortality observed in patients with EPTB (16.8 %), particularly in cases of TB meningitis. Conclusion: Our study highlights the epidemiological challenges of TB among hospitalized children, with a focus on the complexities of diagnosing and managing EPTB. We emphasize the urgent need for enhanced diagnostic and management strategies, particularly in conflict zones like Syria, where TB control efforts face significant obstacles. Prompt solutions are imperative to improve outcomes, given the high occurrence of EPTB and its associated mortality rates. Clinical recommendations stress the need for comprehensive contact histories and awareness of varied clinical presentations in pediatric TB diagnosis.

Mucormycosis is an opportunistic fungal infection that primarily affects immunocompromised individuals and rarely presents as renal mucormycosis (RM). Diagnosis can be challenging for many physicians. We report a rare case of primary, unilateral RM which triggered diabetic ketoacidosis in a type 2 diabetic patient. The case was later complicated by a bronchopleural fistula and a meropenem-resistant Klebsiella infection. The patient was ultimately treated with surgical intervention, liposomal amphotericin B, and polymyxine E. Early diagnosis and timely treatment of this life-threatening disease and its complications are significant in reducing mortality.

This paper explores the incorporation of aramid fibers, recognized for their high mechanical flexibility and low thermal conductivity (TC), to serve as reinforcing agents within the highly porous aerogel matrix in order to overcome their fragility and weak mechanical structure that impose limitations on their practical utility especially in piping insulation. The thermal properties are determined using a micromechanical modeling approach that considers parameters such as temperature, fiber volume fraction, thermal conductivity, and porosity of the silica aerogel. For specific conditions, including an Aramid fiber radius of 6 microns, a silica aerogel thermal conductivity of 0.017 W.m-1.K-1, and a porosity of 95%, the resulting AFRA composite exhibits an Effective Thermal Conductivity (ETC) of 0.0234 W.m-1.K-1. Notably, this value is lower than the thermal conductivity of air at ambient temperature. The findings are further validated through experimental and analytical techniques. A response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box-Behnken design (BBD) is employed. This approach leads to the development of a quadratic equation intricately relating the key parameters to the ETC of the AFRA. The aim is optimization, identifying target optimal values for these parameters to further enhance the performance of AFRA composites.

This paper presents a robust framework for optimally coordinating integrated electricity and gas networks incorporating energy hubs and active loads. The energy hubs contain different sources, converters, and storage units to supply a variety of consumers. The designed system internally exchanges energy and gas using interface equipment and it simultaneously can participate in the day-ahead markets. This study also investigates the influence of various components such as renewable resources and energy storage systems on reactive power management. According to the high penetration of renewable energies and their significant impact on the network operation, a robust method consisting of information gap decision theory and fuzzy approach is applied to handle the uncertainty of wind and solar units. In addition, the role of flexible loads and prosumers is investigated by a time-based strategy, and eventually, a sensitivity analysis is implemented to evaluate the behavior of critical parameters. The presented model is a non-linear type that is linearized utilizing appropriate procedures to guarantee the problem convergence. The results show that the robust optimization with the maximum confidence level increases pollution and cost functions by 14.73% and 49.68%, respectively. In return, active loads decrease the mentioned values by 7.67% and 16.04%, respectively which validates their notable effects. The reactive power control of renewable resources and storage systems reduces the reactive power transferring through tie-lines and consequently improves technical specifications.

Abstract Background Despite its rare incidence of 1/40,000, fetal cardiac rhabdomyoma (CR) represents the prevailing type of benign cardiac fetal tumors, which commonly affects the ventricles. Fetal CRs rarely occur in the right atrium. Thus, the presentation of atrial fibrillation and premature atrial contractions (PAC) due to a solitary cardiac rhabdomyoma is an extremely rare scenario. Our literature review found that only 2% (1 out of 61) of rhabdomyoma cases were found in the right atrium. The majority of fetal cardiac rhabdomyomas are associated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Case presentation A 7-day-old male neonate presented with arrhythmias and an atrial mass for further evaluation. Echocardiography revealed a hyperechoic, round, uniform right atrial mass (25 mm). An abdominal and testicular ultrasound showed multiple thin-walled cortical cysts in both kidneys and a scrotal hydrocele, respectively. His laboratory workup was insignificant except for hypomagnesemia. Electrocardiography revealed junctional rhythm and PACs with wave distortions. A brain magnetic resonance imaging scan revealed multiple subependymal lesions on the frontal and occipital horns of the lateral ventricles. These findings (Fig. 1), along with a family history of TSC, confirmed the diagnosis of TSC with associated CR. The patient was treated symptomatically with an anti-convulsant and monitored with regular follow-ups. Surgical resection was not required. Conclusion Despite CR’s predominance in the ventricles, a diagnosis of rhabdomyoma should be kept in mind in the presence of a solitary atrial mass and PACs. Physicians should evaluate systemic findings related to TSC and provide appropriate follow-up and family screening. Surgical resection is not always required, and symptom management can be achieved through medical treatment alone.

Background. Endodontic infections caused by remaining biofilm following disinfection with chemical fluids encourage secondary bacterial infection; hence, employing laser pulses to activate the fluids is advised to improve microbial biofilm clearance. This study investigated the performance of Er,Cr:YSGG laser in photon-induced photoacoustic streaming (PIPS) agitation of 5.25% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) to enhance the removal of mature Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) biofilms in complex root canal systems. Methods. The mesial roots of the lower first and second molars were separated and inoculated with E. faecalis bacteria for 30 days. The roots were irrigated with 5.25% NaOCl, some of them were agitated with passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI), and the other roots were agitated by Er,Cr:YSGG laser using PIPS at 60 µs/pulse, 5 Hz, and 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1, and 1.25 W. An atomic force microscope (AFM) was used as a new method to obtain the results in the isthmus area; the results that have been obtained from each group were compared with each other. ANOVA was utilized to compare the means of the test groups. Results. Based on the AFM and SEM analyses, laser agitation and passive ultrasonic activation groups have shown higher antimicrobial efficacy than the conventional syringe irrigation group (P

Biosensors have the potential to revolutionize healthcare by providing rapid and accurate diagnosis of diseases. Biosensors are analytical devices that convert molecular recognition of a target analyte into a measurable signal. Older diagnostic techniques, such as immunoaffinity column assays, fluorometric, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, are laborious, require qualified personnel, and can be time consuming. In contrast, biosensors offer improved accuracy, sustainability, and rapidness due to their ability to detect specific biomarkers with high sensitivity and specificity. The review covers various bacterial cellulose (BC)-based biosensors, from SARS-CoV-2 detection to wearable health monitoring and interaction with human-computer interfaces. BC's integration into ionic thermoelectric hydrogels for wearable health monitoring shows its potential for real-time health tracking. Incorporating BC in biosensors for low-noise electrodes, and wearable sensors has been elaborated. The invention of a phage-immobilized BC biosensor for S. aureus detection is a significant contribution to the field, highlighting the biosafety and efficiency of BC in pathogen identification and demonstrating BC's versatility across multiple sensing platforms. Palladium nanoparticle-bacterial cellulose hybrid nanofibers show excellent electrocatalytic activity for dopamine detection, whereas Au-BC nanocomposite biosensors show efficacy in glucose detection, with potential therapeutic applications. The “lab-on-nanopaper” device, utilizing BC nanopaper, not only visually detects human serum albumin but also establishes itself as a new-generation optical biosensing platform with superiority over conventional substrates. This review contributes to the ongoing advancements in biosensor technology, highlighting the potential of BC as a versatile material for developing innovative biosensors. This is crucial for improving the accuracy, sensitivity, and efficiency of diagnostic tools in healthcare.

There is a critical need to use the abundantly available solar energy worldwide due to the global energy crisis. The goal of this study is to demonstrate the residential use of a stirling engine powered by solar energy in Karachi, Pakistan. The design was carried out to produce a power output of 5 kW in order to address the issues with household and rural area power generating. The design was simulated using MATLAB. The use of solar energy as the engine's heat input was one of the design's key components. This allowed the engine to be built for locations with a lot of solar radiation. In regions with abundant solar energy, solar cookers, sun air warmers, and other appliances may be used. For power generation, however, the Stirling engine was chosen. Calculations of the sun intensity showed that 5 kW of Stirling engine output could be generated from 12 kW of solar electricity. The concentrator for concentrating and reflecting the incoming radiations to the Stirling engine was selected as a solar parabolic dish. This process heated the engine's working fluid, which then expanded and contracted due to thermodynamic forces to produce the engine's power strokes.

This study thoroughly compares multiple single bidirectional and multiport converters (MPCs), highlighting the significant role of MPCs in multi-input and multi-output (MIMO) systems. MPCs offer a more efficient and cost-effective solution than multiple single converters, especially in applications involving photovoltaic (PV), electric vehicles (EVs) with storage systems, and power grids. This research emphasizes the importance of multi-input converters (MICs) in integrating diverse voltage sources. It notes the rising popularity of multi-output DC-DC converters in portable electronics, owing to their reduced component count, lower costs, and compact design. This paper emphasizes comparisons based on diverse aspects and applications, shedding light on recent developments in basic bidirectional converters. Additionally, it delves into the advancements in MPC topologies, focusing on efficiency, reliability, and modularity improvements. These advancements are crucial for harnessing cost reduction, simplicity, and compactness. Furthermore, this paper introduces an innovative multiport DC-DC converter tailored for integrating and managing renewable sources. This new converter design enhances PV system and battery storage performance by reducing power conversion steps, using fewer components, and improving voltage-boosting capabilities. Its unique bidirectional buck-boost structure allows for versatile connections between sources and loads with varying voltage and power requirements. The performance of this novel converter is evaluated through MATLAB/Simulink simulations under different scenarios. Experimental studies further validate its effectiveness, marking a significant contribution to power conversion and management in integrating renewable sources such as DC microgrids.

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) play a pivotal role in diverse applications such as environmental monitoring, industrial automation, healthcare, and smart cities. The motivation behind the development of WSNs stems from their impact in providing real-time data on various environmental parameters. The challenge for WSNs is to achieve strong security and efficient energy saving together. Traditional methods sought to find solutions either through security or energy. In response, this study proposed a secure and energy-efficient framework for enhancing security measures in WSNs while minimizing the impact on energy resources by using the Enhanced Consumed Energy Leach (ECP-LEACH) protocol and the Enhanced Random Forest Classifier for Low Execution Time (ERF-LET) algorithm for attack detection named Security-Enhanced Energy Conservation with ERF-LET (S-2EC-ERF). The integration of the detection algorithm at the node level played a pivotal role in fortifying the security posture of individual nodes by detecting and mitigating potential security threats. Leveraging a comprehensive dataset obtained from NS3 simulations, the ERF-LET algorithm demonstrated its proficiency in differentiating between normal and attack packets, thereby laying a strong foundation for subsequent evaluations, where it achieved an accuracy of 98.193%. The proposed methodology was further validated through real-time simulations conducted on the NS3. The results demonstrated the superiority of the proposed S-2EC-ERF in terms of the packet delivery ratio (PDR), average throughput, end-to-end delay, and mean energy consumption compared to the Security-Enhanced Energy Conservation with Logistic Regression (S-2EC-LR), Security-Enhanced Energy Conservation with Decision Tree (S-2EC-DT), and Security-Enhanced Energy Conservation with AdaBoost (S-2EC-Ada) algorithms.

The selection of an appropriate dispatch strategy is considered as a major concern when designing hybrid energy system (HES) since it has large effects on the stability, reliability, environmental and economic performance of the system. The cycle charging (CC) strategy is a default dispatch strategy in HOMER software. However, the main drawback of this strategy is that it uses the resource and load data in the current time step and has no information about the future. This paper aims to investigate the optimum design of an off-grid PV/diesel/battery HES for electrifying a rural area in Iraq. A new dispatch strategy which has 12-hour foresight for the load and solar production is developed using MATLAB Link module in HOMER software. A comparison between the proposed strategy and default cycle charging (CC) strategy in HOMER is carried out by considering the technical, economic, and environmental performance. The results show that the proposed strategy achieves better performance than CC strategy by having NPC of $4.03M, renewable fraction of 41.3% and CO2 emissions of 851377 kg/year. For the CC strategy, these values are calculated as $4.19M, 33.9% and 957477 kg, respectively. The sensitivity analysis is also performed to reduce the effect of input parameters on the optimization results and determine the critical parameters. The research findings can play a crucial role in the development of more effective energy management systems.

In recent years, the combination of wireless body sensor networks (WBSNs) and the Internet ofc Medical Things (IoMT) marked a transformative era in healthcare technology. This combination allowed for the smooth communication between medical devices that enabled the real-time monitoring of patient’s vital signs and health parameters. However, the increased connectivity also introduced security challenges, particularly as they related to the presence of attack nodes. This paper proposed a unique solution, an enhanced random forest classifier with a K-means clustering (ERF-KMC) algorithm, in response to these challenges. The proposed ERF-KMC algorithm combined the accuracy of the enhanced random forest classifier for achieving the best execution time (ERF-ABE) with the clustering capabilities of K-means. This model played a dual role. Initially, the security in IoMT networks was enhanced through the detection of attack messages using ERF-ABE, followed by the classification of attack types, specifically distinguishing between man-in-the-middle (MITM) and distributed denial of service (DDoS) using K-means. This approach facilitated the precise categorization of attacks, enabling the ERF-KMC algorithm to employ appropriate methods for blocking these attack messages effectively. Subsequently, this approach contributed to the improvement of network performance metrics that significantly deteriorated during the attack, including the packet loss rate (PLR), end-to-end delay (E2ED), and throughput. This was achieved through the detection of attack nodes and the subsequent prevention of their entry into the IoMT networks, thereby mitigating potential disruptions and enhancing the overall network efficiency. This study conducted simulations using the Python programming language to assess the performance of the ERF-KMC algorithm in the realm of IoMT, specifically focusing on network performance metrics. In comparison with other algorithms, the ERF-KMC algorithm demonstrated superior efficacy, showcasing its heightened capability in terms of optimizing IoMT network performance as compared to other common algorithms in network security, such as AdaBoost, CatBoost, and random forest. The importance of the ERF-KMC algorithm lies in its security for IoMT networks, as it provides a high-security approach for identifying and preventing MITM and DDoS attacks. Furthermore, improving the network performance metrics to ensure transmitted medical data are accurate and efficient is vital for real-time patient monitoring. This study takes the next step towards enhancing the reliability and security of IoMT systems and advancing the future of connected healthcare technologies.