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Background and Objective: Intermittent exotropia is the most common form of exotropia in children. Non-surgical treatments include refractive error correction, occasional patching of the normal eye in young children, prism therapy, and orthoptic exercises. This study aimed to compare the effects of wearing overminus spectacles versus patch therapy in 3- to 8-year-old children with intermittent exotropia. Methods: This clinical trial was conducted on 30 children (9 boys and 21 girls) with intermittent exotropia aged 3 to 8 years with no previous treatment history referring to the strabismus clinic of Khatam-al-Anbia Hospital in Mashhad. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups: Patch therapy (n=20) and overminus (n=10). In the patch therapy group, the patient’s healthy eye was patched for 2 to 4 hours a day for 6 months. Overminus spectacles were selected based on cycloplegic refraction between 2 and 4 diopters. Astigmatism was fully prescribed. Patient follow-up time was 3 months and then 6 months. Finally, data, including the size of the deviation and the degree of deviation control, were collected and analyzed. Results: The median spherical error of patients before intervention in the overminus group was +1 diopter in the right eye and +0.75 diopter in the left eye, and in the patch therapy group, +0.75 diopter in both the right and left eyes. Six months after the intervention, the median spherical error in the overminus group was +0.62 diopters in both the right and left eyes, and in the patch therapy group, +0.75 diopters and +0.62 diopters in the right and left eyes, respectively. No significant statistical difference was found between the study groups. The median deviation size of patients in the overminus group before intervention was +25 prism in distance vision and +25 prism in near vision, and 6 months after intervention, it was +22.5 prism in distance vision and +20 prism in near vision. Also, the median deviation size of patients in the patch therapy group before intervention was +25 prism in distance vision and +25 prism in near vision, and 6 months after intervention, it was +25 prism in distance vision and +25 prism in near vision. No significant statistical difference was found between the study groups. The median deviation control based on the Newcastle Scale Score (NSS) of patients before intervention was 3.5 in the overminus group and 4 in the patch therapy group, which was 1.5 in the overminus group and 3 in the patch therapy group 6 months after the intervention. Although there was a greater improvement in control based on the NSS in the overminus group compared to the patch therapy group. Conclusion: Both overminus and patch therapy are effective in treating patients with intermittent exotropia. In patients using the overminus method, deviation control is higher compared to the patch therapy method.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0308689.].

This study aims to develop 3D numerical models utilizing COMSOL software to analyze the heat transfer (HT) behaviour of water-based photovoltaic/thermal (WPV/T) collectors with circular, and elliptical tubular cross-sections with different dimensions to find an optimized and efficient PV/T design. Indoor experimental tests were conducted to validate the numerical results. The performance of PV/T was evaluated in terms of governing parameters, including the mass flow rate (m˙), solar irradiance (I), heat gain, maximum power (Pmax), Reynolds number (Re), thermal (ηth) and electrical (ηel) efficiency, the temperature difference between the outlet and inlet water (To-Ti), the average cell temperature, and total efficiency (ηtotal). It was determined that m˙=0.04 kg/s was the optimal water flow rate for the best performance. The results indicate that the PV/T collector with the elliptical cross-section tube with the least hydraulic diameter achieved the maximum total efficiency, both numerically and experimentally, at 76.9 % and 72.94 %, respectively, under turbulent flow conditions with Re=5502.92 and I = 1000 W/m2. ηtotal of the elliptical PV/T collectors is approximately 10 % and 6 % higher than that of circular design, respectively at the optimum flow rate, and I = 1000 W/m2. It is also found that tubes with lower hydraulic diameter values, while maintaining the same tube cross-section perimeter, exhibit higher HT characteristics compared to those with greater hydraulic diameters. The findings from this innovative and comprehensive study indicate an opportunity to enhance the HT properties of the PV/T system by optimizing the cross-sectional design and hydraulic diameter of the absorber tube, ultimately increasing total efficiency. Additionally, the optimized design opens avenues for future research and can be further developed for both industrial and domestic applications.

This study explores the potential impact of ChatGPT on the academic writing skills development of medical students enrolled in a compulsory 3-unit writing course at a medical university. The research focuses on two primary objectives, which are formulated as two research questions: Firstly, does the use of ChatGPT enhance medical students’ English academic writing skills compared to conventional writing training? Secondly, how does the use of ChatGPT impact on different components of academic writing? A longitudinal intervention design was employed with 83 participants from two writing classes in the experimental and control groups. The findings demonstrated ChatGPT’s significant impact on enhancing medical students’ English academic writing skills, with large effect sizes. ChatGPT enhanced students’ writing skills, especially content, organization, vocabulary, and mechanics in the experimental group, while its impact on language use is limited. AI tools like ChatGPT can be valuable in assisting with certain aspects of writing, but they should not be considered a one-size-fits-all solution for enhancing writing skills. The result of the study can be beneficial for educators, particularly those interested in teaching writing.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of marital adjustment based on the main family’s health with the mediating role of emotion adjustment difficulty, conflict management, and sexual intimacy in teacher couples. This study was descriptive-correlational in terms of nature, and was applied in terms of objective. The statistical population of the study was all teacher couples of Kermanshah city in academic year 2020-2021, among whom 300 were selected Stepwise random sampling. The research data were collected through Dyadic Adjustment Scale (Spanier, 1976), Main Family’s Health Scale )Hovestadt et al., 1985), Emotion Adjustment Difficulty Scale (Gratz & Roemer, 2004), and Enrich Marital Satisfaction Questionnaire (Olson et al., 1986), and data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling method using SPSS-24 and AMOS-24 software. The findings s showed that direct effect of emotion adjustment difficulty and marital adjustment, conflict management and marital adjustment, and sexual intimacy with marital adjustment (p≤0.01). The results of indirect pathways showed that the main family health pathways have a positive effect on marital adjustment through difficulty of emotion regulation, conflict management and sexual intimacy (p≤0.05).

As climate change intensifies and the need to reduce human-caused emissions becomes more urgent, transitioning to a bio-based economy is essential. This paper explores the diverse industrial applications of plant oils as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based products, including their use in food, polymers, lubricants, surfactants, pesticides, emollients, and biofuels. This review delves into biosynthetic pathways, detailing the key enzymes and processes involved in the synthesis of triacylglycerol. It thoroughly discusses how genetic and metabolic engineering can not only increase oil yields but also modify fatty acid compositions to better meet industrial requirements. By understanding genetics and utilizing advanced biotechnologies, the oil content and quality of plant sources can be significantly enhanced, aligning with both sustainability goals and industrial demands. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the current uses and genetic engineering of plant oil production, proposing innovative strategies such as utilizing oils from biomass or cultivating non-edible oil crops. These approaches aim to establish a sustainable industrial system, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, and promote the growth of an environmentally responsible bio-based economy. Additionally, the review highlights future directions, examining the economic implications and environmental benefits of adopting plant oils across various sectors and positioning them as pivotal to achieving an eco-friendly, bio-based economy.

Background and Aim: Gastric carcinoma (GC) is one of the most common human cancers. Many genes have been analyzed in an attempt to better understand the process of gastric carcinogenesis, however, the underlying mechanism of gastric carcinogenesis is still poorly understood. Dermatopontin (DPT) is an extracellular matrix protein, which regulates multiple physiological processes. The present study aimed to evaluate DPT gene expression in GC. Materials and Methods: Biopsies of 50 surgically-excised GC tissue specimens and corresponding adjacent normal tissues were examined by real-time PCR. Then, using a bioinformatics analysis we determined DPT gene expression in two different cohorts of GC patients. To determine the effect of DPT expression levels on survival outcome, a Kaplan–Meier analysis was performed. For a comprehensive analysis, DPT gene expression was evaluated in 16 different cancers. Results: RT-PCR demonstrated that DPT gene expression was decreased in gastric cancer tissues, compared to that in the normal stomach tissues. Mean DPT expression value was significantly lower in different stages of GC. Further, survival analysis revealed that the mRNA expression of DPT is positively correlated with overall survival of GC patients. A relationship was found between DPT expression and primary size of tumor. Pan-cancer analysis in 16 tumor types showed that DPT expression was lower in tumor tissue than in the adjacent normal tissue. Conclusion: These findings suggested that the decrease in DPT gene expression in gastric tissue may play an important role in gastric carcinogenesis.

Human factors play a critical role in underground mine evacuations, significantly impacting performance during emergencies. Traditional mine evacuation strategies rely on predetermined routes and static signs, but these methods do not account for the dynamic and unpredictable nature of real emergencies or the diverse behaviors of individuals. This research addresses these limitations by using agent-based simulations to explore evacuation behavior and performance in underground mines. The study involved three key steps. First, agent-based simulations were deployed to model both individual and group behaviors during emergencies. Second, evacuation performance was compared across three scenarios: miners following traditional passive signage, those making decisions in chaotic conditions, and miners equipped with smart evacuation devices. Finally, evacuation times were quantified to assess the effectiveness of each approach. The results revealed that miners using smart devices improved evacuation efficiency by 35% compared with those relying on passive signage and by 37% compared with chaotic decision-making scenarios. The median evacuation time was reduced from 10.8 min with passive signage to 7 min when using smart devices, taking varying stamina levels into account. These findings underscore the importance of integrating intelligent systems that account for pre-evacuation and wayfinding behaviors, offering new insights and setting a higher standard for emergency protocols in underground mining.

The continuous development of innovative cooling techniques is imperative for advancing electronic device performance, enhancing efficiency, and prolonging their operational reliability in an ever-evolving technological landscape. In this numerical investigation, the hydrothermal performance and entropy generation aspects of a heat sink featuring Tesla valve-base helical channels are explored using the two-phase mixture method. The chosen heat transfer fluid is a water-silver nanofluid synthesized through a biological method. The study delved into the impact of Reynolds number (Re = 500–2000) and nanofluid concentration (φ = 0–1%) on the system's functional parameters, and the results are subsequently compared with data associated with a heat sink employing the helical plain channels. It was uncovered that elevating Re and diminishing φ result in improved central processing unit (CPU) cooling, lowered thermal resistance, and a reduction in the temperature differential between the maximum and minimum CPU temperatures. Meanwhile, the pumping power of nanofluid increases with higher Re s and lower φ s. Furthermore, it was discovered that the overall hydrothermal performance of the heat sink with Tesla valve-type helical channel consistently surpasses that of the heat sink with helical plain channel. The peak value of the Performance Evaluation Criterion, reaching 1.642, was associated with Case Re = 500 & φ = 0 %. Furthermore, it was found that substituting the Tesla valve-base channel for the plain channel results in a decrease in the total entropy generation up to a Re of 1500.

Introduction: The advent of ChatGPT as an artificial intelligence (AI) tool has changed the classroom atmosphere among medical students leading to controversial issues in education, particularly in writing. Although some medical students exhibit strong inclination to use ChatGPT in their writing classes, most professors are still uncertain about the outcome. Methods: This study tries to assess medical students’ attitudes toward using ChatGPT in their academics writing course held in the Fall semester, 2023. An intact class of medical students from Shiraz University of Medical Sciences (SUMS) took part in this qualitative research. Two semi structured interviews were conducted at the beginning of the course, prior to the implication of ChatGPT in revising their essay writing, and after completing the course. Braun and Clark thematic analysis was applied to analyze the interview data. Results: Six main codes were identified about using ChatGPT (i.e., familiarity, speed, vocabulary range, structure, teacher’s role, plagiarism). At first, most students, whether those who were familiar with ChatGPT or those who had only heard of it, agreed with its positive effect. But after using ChatGPT, their opinions about using ChatGPT in class were changed. Conclusion: This study may provide an insight for educators who are interested in using AI in a learning environment. However, without professors’ management, using ChatGPT in higher education cannot enhance students’ writing skill efficiently. To this end, both students and their professors should increase their language knowledge and general knowledge to use it in the best and most effective way in education.

AbstractDue to the perishable nature of food, especially vegetables, and the need for long-term storage, freezing is one of the best methods to preserve food, and thawing is often required to use frozen products. The purpose of this study was to use the combined method of defrosting using hot air-infrared radiation on the quality characteristics of defrosted cooked carrot samples. At first, after cutting, the carrot samples were cooked at 75 °C for 30 minutes, and after placing the thermocouple inside the samples, they were frozen at -18°C for 48 hours. Then, the effect of defrosting parameters including air temperature (30 and 40 °C), air velocity (0.5 and 5 ms-1) and infrared power (100 and 300 W) on the quality characteristics of defrosted cooked carrots was investigated and the sample thawed at 25 °C was considered as a control samples. Using this method, the thawing time for the control sample was reduced from 47 min to 6.11 min in the optimal conditions, The minimum amount of ascorbic acid was 2.63 mg100 g-1 for treatment 1 and the maximum for treatment 6 was 5.78 mg100 g-1 . The amount of beta-carotene in the control sample was 29.21 mg100 g-1 in the minimum condition and 49.33 mg100 g-1 in the optimal condition. The highest amount of loss due to defrosting belonged to treatment 8 by 18.32% and the lowest amount belonged to the control sample by 44.7%. The use of combined infrared-hot air method is very suitable for defrosting cooked carrots and in addition to reducing the duration of defrosting, it maintains the quality of the product to a great extent. This method is very cost-effective and its investment and setup costs are small and can be used for various products.

Abstract Background Proper nutrition is vital in promoting community health, yet insufficient knowledge and improper dietary practices can lead to deficiencies and diseases. Professional athletes depend on optimal nutrition for their performance and recovery, but a lack of understanding can impede their potential. The nutritional status of athletes impacts their overall health and sports performance. Inadequate sports nutrition knowledge may result in suboptimal practices, reducing strength, power, endurance, and immunity. Additionally, disordered attitudes can lead to dietary imbalances and an increased risk of injury. This study, conducted in Qazvin, Iran, examined athletes’ nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and practices. By addressing these factors, there is potential to enhance dietary behaviors and ultimately improve athletes’ performance. Methods The study employed a descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional design to investigate the nutritional knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of professional athletes in Qazvin, Iran. A total of 320 purposefully selected professional athletes (68.13% male, 31.87% female) from various sports fields participated in the research. The data collection tool consisted of demographic questions and a KAP questionnaire, including 27 nutritional knowledge questions, 16 nutritional attitude questions, and 14 nutritional performance questions. The quota sampling method was used to estimate sample sizes. Data analysis was carried out by SPSS v.26 using one sample t-test, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson’s correlation coefficient test. Results The results showed that nutritional knowledge (the mean value was 79.594 ± 7.015 - the optimal knowledge level = 84) and attitude (the mean value was 23.347 ± 5.300 - the optimal attitude level = 26) for athletes are low, but their nutritional practice (the mean value was 21.788 ± 3.450 - the optimal performance level = 24) was moderate. Also, professional athletes’ nutritional knowledge, attitude, and practice were lower than normal (p 0.05). Conclusion This study showed that the nutritional knowledge, attitude, and practice of professional Iranian athletes in Qazvin province were low; therefore, the implementation of more theoretical and applied nutrition education, such as using knowledge assessment tools and interventions, irrespective of their age, sport’s field, and gender, is compelling.

Abstract Background γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), as a regulator of many aspects of plant growth, has a pivotal role in improving plant stress resistance. However, few studies have focused on the use of GABA in increasing plants’ resistance to interactional stresses, such as drought-salinity. Therefore, the focus of this study was to examine the effect of foliar application of GABA (0, 10, 20, and 40 mM) on growth indices and physio-biochemical parameters in plants of two pomegranate cultivars, ‘Rabab’ and ‘Atabaki’ exposed to drought, salinity, and drought-salinity. Results Under stress conditions, the photosynthetic capacity of two pomegranate cultivars, including transpiration rate, net photosynthetic rate, intercellular carbon dioxide concentration, stomatal conductance of water vapour, and mesophyll conductance, was significantly reduced. This resulted in a decrease in root morphological traits such as fresh and dry weight, diameter, and volume, as well as the fresh and dry weight of the aerial part of the plants. However, the application of GABA reversed the negative effects caused by stress treatments on growth parameters and maintained the photosynthetic capacity. GABA application has induced the accumulation of compatible osmolytes, including total soluble carbohydrate, starch, glucose, fructose, and sucrose, in charge of providing energy for cellular defense response against abiotic stresses. Analysis of mineral nutrients has shown that GABA application increases the absorption of potassium, potassium/sodium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese, zinc, and iron. As concentration increased up to 40 mM, GABA prevented the uptake of toxic ions, sodium and chloride. Conclusions These findings highlight the potential of GABA as a biostimulant strategy to enhance plant stress tolerance.

Abstract Studies have shown a heightened prevalence of depression and suicidal ideation among patients with Gastrointestinal Cancer (GIC). GIC patients are at a 1.5- to threefold increased risk of suicide and depression compared to other cancer patients. This study investigates the interplay of internet use, family burden, and emotional support on mental health (depression) and suicidal ideation among patients with GIC. The study involves 202 respondents of which 78 were undergoing GIC treatment during this study. Using structural equation modeling, our findings indicate a substantial negative correlation between mental health and suicidal ideation. Overall, suicidal ideation (median score) was noticeably lower in patient who completed their treatment with noticeable individuals with exceptionally high SI even after completing the treatment. Notably, participants who had completed their treatment demonstrated a significantly stronger correlation between emotional support and mental health compared to those who were still undergoing treatment. Age was found to moderate the mental health-suicidal ideation link significantly. Internet usage for health-related information was also inversely correlated with mental health (directly) and suicidal ideation (indirectly). We noted that the influence of emotional support on mental health was significantly higher among individuals who completed their treatment compared to those who were undergoing their GIC treatment. Family burden emerged as significant negative influences on mental health, while emotional support positively impacted mental health. The findings of this study contribute towards a deeper understanding of suicide risk factors in GIC patients, potentially shaping more effective preventive strategies.

Background. Gastric Cancer (GC) is a common gastrointestinal tumor, and its incidence is increasing. The pathogenesis of GC is very complex and remains unclear. Recent basic studies of GC have focused on gene expression dysregulation. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP) is abnormally expressed in a variety of malignant tumors but it is obscure in GC. This study aimed to compare the expression of the TXNIP gene in cancerous and adjacent tissue of gastric cancer and evaluate its clinical significance in the prognosis and survival analysis of gastric cancer patients. Methods. A total of 50 tumor tissues and marginal non-tumor control tissues were obtained from GC patients. Also, TXNIP gene expression levels were evaluated by real-time PCR. Meanwhile, bioinformatic approaches were used to evaluate TXNIP expression in two different cohorts of GC patients. A data mining study was also performed to determine the prognostic role of TXNIP expression in the overall survival of GC. Furthermore, a pan-cancer analysis of TXNIP expression was performed using TCGA data. Results. The TXNIP gene was down-regulated in tumor samples with a fold change of 0.33, and the same results were repeated in bioinformatics analysis. Decreased expression of TXNIP was significantly associated with metastasis, poor differentiation, and drug abuse. Our results provided evidence that TXNIP gene expression level is positively correlated with the overall survival of GC patients. Pan-cancer analysis of TCGA data revealed down-regulated TXNIP in a variety of malignant tumors. Conclusion. This study established low TXNIP expression as a prognostic biomarker in GC. It also revealed that the decrease in TXNIP expression likely favors metastatic GC. Practical Implications. Evaluation of TXNIP expression is informative in the prognosis of GC patients.