bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Establishment of Fuzzy Langmuir Adsorption Model and Prediction of Chromatographic Behavior
Authors: Li Shoujiang , Wang Shaoyan
Published: April 2022

In order to accurately predict the complex chromatographic behaviors of the components to be separated, the fuzzy Langmuir adsorption equations and the back propagation‐artificial neural network (BP‐ANN) are combined to establish fuzzy Langmuir adsorption models. Herein, the fuzzy Langmuir adsorption equations are deduced based on a series of different traditional adsorption equations such as with or without competition, one or two kinds of adsorbed sites, monomolecular or multimolecular adsorption, etc. The major adsorption parameter Ci (form concentration) is the function of the actual concentration ci, expressed in matrix form constructed by BP‐ANN and is obtained by solving the equilibrium dispersive chromatography model with the inverse method and genetic algorithm. Finally, the fuzzy Langmuir models are applied to study the chromatographic behaviors of m‐cresol and p‐cresol on MIL‐53 (Al) stationary phase. The results show that the models have excellent curve fitting ability, and can be used to determine the adsorption relationship and predict the chromatographic elution curves under complex or unknown adsorption mechanism.
Elucidating the Role of Microstructure in Thiophosphate Electrolytes – a Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study ofβ‐Li3PS4
Authors: Ates Tugce , Neumann Anton , Danner Timo , Latz Arnulf , Zarrabeitia Maider , Stepien Dominik , Varzi Alberto , Passerini Stefano
Published: April 2022

Solid‐state batteries (SSBs) are promising candidates to significantly exceed the energy densities of today's state‐of‐the‐art technology, lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). To enable this advancement, optimizing the solid electrolyte (SE) is the key.β‐Li3PS4(β‐LPS) is the most studied member of the Li2S‐P2S5family, offering promising properties for implementation in electric vehicles. In this work, the microstructure of this SE and how it influences the electrochemical performance are systematically investigated. To figure this out, four batches ofβ‐LPS electrolyte with different particle size, shape, and porosity are investigated in detail. It is found that differences in pellet porosities mostly originate from single‐particle intrinsic features and less from interparticle voids. Surprisingly, theβ‐LPS electrolyte pellets with the highest porosity and larger particle size not only show the highest ionic conductivity (up to 0.049 mS cm–1at RT), but also the most stable cycling performance in symmetrical Li cells. This behavior is traced back to the grain boundary resistance. Larger SE particles seem to be more attractive, as their grain boundary contribution is lower than that of denser pellets prepared using smallerβ‐LPS particles.
In Situ Anchoring Anion‐Rich and Multi‐Cavity NiS2 Nanoparticles on NCNTs for Advanced Magnesium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Ye Zisen , Li Ping , Wei Wutao , Huang Chao , Mi Liwei , Zhang Jinglai , Zhang Jiujun
Published: April 2022

Magnesium (Mg)‐ion batteries with low cost and good safety characteristics has attracted a great deal of attention recently. However, the high polarity and the slow diffusion of Mg2+ in the cathode material limit the development of practical Mg cathode materials. In this paper, an anion‐rich electrode material, NiS2, and its composite with Ni‐based carbon nanotubes (NiS2/NCNTs) are explored as the cathode materials for Mg‐ion batteries. These NiS2/NCNTs with excellent Mg2+ storage property is synthesized by a simple in situ growth of NiS2 nanoparticles on NCNTs. NiS2 with both a large regular cavity structure and abundant sulfur‐sulfur (SS) bonds with high electronegativity can provide a large number of active sites and unobstructed transport paths for the insertion–disinsertion of Mg2+. With the aid of 3D NCNTs skeleton as the transport channel of the electron, the NiS2/NCNTs exhibit a high capacity of 244.5 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1 and an outstanding rate performance (94.7 mAh g−1 at 1000 mA g−1). It achieves capacitance retention of 58% after 2000 cycles at 200 mA g−1. Through theoretical density functional theory (DFT) calculations and a series of systematic ex situ characterizations, the magnesiation/demagnesiation mechanisms of NiS2 and NiS2/NCNTs and are elucidated for fundamental understanding.
Regulating Dendrite‐Free Zinc Deposition by Red Phosphorous‐Derived Artificial Protective Layer for Zinc Metal Batteries
Authors: Wang Tian , Xi Qiao , Li Yifan , Fu Hao , Hua Yongbin , Shankar Edugulla Girija , Kakarla Ashok Kumar , Yu Jae Su
Published: April 2022

Rational architecture design of the artificial protective layer on the zinc (Zn) anode surface is a promising strategy to achieve uniform Zn deposition and inhibit the uncontrolled growth of Zn dendrites. Herein, a red phosphorous‐derived artificial protective layer combined with a conductive N‐doped carbon framework is designed to achieve dendrite‐free Zn deposition. The Zn–phosphorus (ZnP) solid solution alloy artificial protective layer is formed during Zn plating. Meanwhile, the dynamic evolution mechanism of the ZnP on the Zn anode is successfully revealed. The concentration gradient of the electrolyte on the electrode surface can be redistributed by this protective layer, thereby achieving a uniform Zn‐ion flux. The fabricated Zn symmetrical battery delivers a dendrite‐free plating/stripping for 1100 h at the current density of 2.0 mA cm–2. Furthermore, aqueous Zn//MnO2 full cell exhibits a reversible capacity of 200 mAh g–1 after 350 cycles at 1.0 A g–1. This study suggests an effective solution for the suppression of Zn dendrites in Zn metal batteries, which is expected to provide a deep insight into the design of high‐performance rechargeable aqueous Zn‐ion batteries.
All‐Inorganic Manganese‐Based CsMnCl3 Nanocrystals for X‐Ray Imaging
Authors: Guan Lin‐Quan , Shi Shuo , Niu Xiao‐Wei , Guo Shi‐Chen , Zhao Jian , Ji Tian‐Meng , Dong Hao , Jia Feng‐Yan , Xiao Jia‐Wen , Sun Ling‐Dong , Yan Chun‐Hua
Published: April 2022

Lead‐based halide perovskite nanomaterials with excellent optical properties have aroused great attention in the fields of solar cells, light‐emitting diodes, lasing, X‐ray imaging, etc. However, the toxicity of lead prompts researchers to develop alternatives to cut down the usage of lead. Herein, all‐inorganic manganese‐based perovskite derivatives, CsMnCl3 nanocrystals (NCs), with uniform size and morphology have been synthesized successfully via a modified hot‐injection method. These NCs have a direct bandgap of 4.08 eV and a broadband emission centered at 660 nm. Through introducing modicum lead (1%) into the CsMnCl3 NCs, the photoluminescence intensity greatly improves, and the quantum yield (PLQY) increases from 0.7% to 21%. Furthermore, the CsMnCl3:1%Pb NCs feature high‐efficiency of X‐ray absorption and radioluminescence, which make these NCs promising candidates for X‐ray imaging.
Pushing Lithium–Sulfur Batteries towards Practical Working Conditions through a Cathode–Electrolyte Synergy
Authors: Zhao Chen , Daali Amine , Hwang Inhui , Li Tianyi , Huang Xingkang , Robertson David , Yang Zhenzhen , Trask Steve , Xu Wenqian , Sun Cheng‐Jun , Xu Gui‐Liang , Amine Khalil
Published: April 2022

The commercialization of lithium–sulfur (Li−S) batteries is still hindered by the unsatisfactory cell performance under practical working conditions, which is mainly caused by the sluggish cathode redox kinetics, severe polysulfide shuttling, and poor Li stripping/plating reversibility. Herein, we report an effective strategy by combining Se‐doped S hosted in an ordered macroporous framework with a highly fluorinated ether (HFE)‐based electrolyte to simultaneously address the aforementioned issues in both cathode and anode. A reversible and stable high areal capacity of >5.4 mAh cm−2 with high Coulombic efficiency >99.2 % can be achieved under high areal Se/S loading (5.8 mg cm−2), while the underlying mechanism was further revealed through synchrotron X‐ray probes and Time‐of‐Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF‐SIMS). The practical application potential was further evaluated at low (0 °C) and high (55 °C) temperatures under high areal Se/S loading (>5.0 mg cm−2) and thin Li metal (40 μm).
PdII‐Catalyzed C(alkenyl)−H Activation Facilitated by a Transient Directing Group**
Authors: Liu Mingyu , Sun Juntao , Erbay Tuğçe G. , Ni Hui‐Qi , Martín‐Montero Raúl , Liu Peng , Engle Keary M.
Published: April 2022

Palladium(II)‐catalyzed C(alkenyl)−H alkenylation enabled by a transient directing group (TDG) strategy is described. The dual catalytic process takes advantage of reversible condensation between an alkenyl aldehyde substrate and an amino acid TDG to facilitate coordination of the metal catalyst and subsequent C(alkenyl)−H activation by a tailored carboxylate base. The resulting palladacycle then engages an acceptor alkene, furnishing a 1,3‐diene with high regio‐ andE/Z‐selectivity. The reaction enables the synthesis of enantioenriched atropoisomeric 2‐aryl‐substituted 1,3‐dienes, which have seldom been examined in previous literature. Catalytically relevant alkenyl palladacycles were synthesized and characterized by X‐ray crystallography, and the energy profiles of the C(alkenyl)−H activation step and the stereoinduction model were elucidated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations.
Additive‐Assisted Hydrophobic Li+‐Solvated Structure for Stabilizing Dual Electrode Electrolyte Interphases through Suppressing LiPF6Hydrolysis
Authors: Li Fang , Liu Jiandong , He Jian , Hou Yuyang , Wang Huaping , Wu Daxiong , Huang Junda , Ma Jianmin
Published: April 2022

Lithium‐metal batteries have attracted much attention due to their high energy density. However, the hydrolysis of LiPF6leads to uncontrollable Li dendrites growth and fast capacity fading. Herein, a hydrophobic Li+‐solvated structure is designed by inducing the hexafluoroisopropyl acrylate into the electrolyte system. Due to the alkene groups and non‐polar perfluorocarbon (−CF2CF2CF3) chain, a hydrophobic surface around Li‐ion solvated aggregates can be obtained to protect the LiPF6against the attack from trace H2O. Moreover, the additive could also help to form an organic solid electrolyte interphase with rich polar C−F bonds, which can capture Li ions to restrain the dendrite growth. Therefore, the Li||Li symmetric cells show a stable cycling performance up to 500 h at a current density of 1 mA cm−2. The Li||LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2O2cells show good cycling stability, exhibiting a specific capacity of 111 mAh g−1at 1 C with a capacity retention of 74 % after 200 cycles.
Electrochemistry in Magnetic Fields
Authors: Luo Songzhu , Elouarzaki Kamal , Xu Zhichuan J.
Published: April 2022

Developing new strategies to advance the fundamental understanding of electrochemistry is crucial to mitigating multiple contemporary technological challenges. In this regard, magnetoelectrochemistry offers many strategic advantages in controlling and understanding electrochemical reactions that might be tricky to regulate in conventional electrochemical fields. However, the topic is highly interdisciplinary, combining concepts from electrochemistry, hydrodynamics, and magnetism with experimental outcomes that are sometimes unexpected. In this Review, we survey recent advances in using a magnetic field in different electrochemical applications organized by the effect of the generated forces on fundamental electrochemical principles and focus on how the magnetic field leads to the observed results. Finally, we discuss the challenges that remain to be addressed to establish robust applications capable of meeting present needs.
Synergistic effect of hybrid montmorillonite materials on the wear resistance of natural rubber/butadiene rubber composites
Authors: Song Yingjie , Lin Guangyi , Zhang Lin , Geng Chuanbao , Li Qiao , Wang Hong , Liu Fumin , Liang Zhenning , Jing Yuan , Li Yong
Published: April 2022

The wear resistance of rubber composite materials has always been the focus of research. The wear resistance will not only affect the service life of products and the safety of equipment, but also have an important impact on the environment. In this work, the preparation and properties of wear‐resistant rubber nanocomposites based on natural rubber (NR) were studied. It is dedicated to improving the wear resistance of NR composites. On this basis, the dispersibility of montmorillonite (MMT) hybrid materials in NR‐based rubber composites was explored. SiO2@MMT, SiO2@MMT@KH560, PDA@GO, and MMT@GO hybrid materials were prepared, and the hybrid materials were applied to the NR/butadiene rubber (NR/BR) system, and NR/BR/hybrid material composite materials were successfully prepared. The results show that the interlayer spacing of MMT in hybrid materials increases, which effectively improves the dispersibility of MMT in rubber matrix. The tensile strength of NR/BR/MMT@GO composite material increased by 12%, the elongation at break increased by 25%, the DIN abrasion decreased by 16.5% compared with the optimum wear rubber formula, and the wear resistance was greatly improved. This work provides a feasible way for the design of functional polymer composites.
Renal adaptation in relation to insectivorous feeding habit in the greater mouse‐eared bat, Myotis myotis (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)
Authors: Paksuz Emine Pınar
Published: April 2022

We examined the histological structure of the kidneys of Myotis myotis to better understand their structural adaptations to dietary habits. M. myotis is an insectivorous bat species that belongs to the family Vespertilionidae. The kidneys of M. myotis are unilobular, bean‐shaped, and surrounded by a renal capsule. The two parts are distinguished by a thin cortex and a thicker medulla. Renal corpuscles consist of the glomerulus and Bowman's capsule. The proximal tubule consists of cubic cells with a well‐developed brush border, whereas the distal tubule is lined with a simple cubic epithelium without a brush border. The Henle's loop, located in the medullary region, was composed of flat cells. The microvilli of proximal tubule epithelial cells and basal lamina of proximal and distal tubule epithelial cells were periodic acid Schiff (PAS)‐positive. The PAS‐positive reaction of the microvilli of proximal tubular epithelial cells and basal lamina of proximal and distal tubule epithelial cells is due to the presence of glycogen, which may be used as an energy substrate during absorption. The presence of acidic glycoconjugates in the papilla was demonstrated by Alcian blue (pH 2.5)‐PAS staining. According to the result of silver impregnation staining, it was determined that reticular fibers form a dense fibrillary network in the kidney parenchymal tissue. Reticular fibers are responsible for demarcating and supporting the borders of cells by forming a thin network of fibrils beneath the basal lamina of the cells. Structural features in the kidney, such as a thin cortex and thicker medulla, long conical papilla, and division of the thick medulla into inner and outer regions, of M. myotis may be an adaptation to produce concentrated urine, thereby reducing water loss associated with insectivorous feeding habits.
Effects of vertical wind shear on intensities of mesoscale convective systems over West and Central Africa
Authors: Baidu Michael , Schwendike Juliane , Marsham John H. , Bain Caroline
Published: April 2022

Vertical wind shear is known to play a key role in the organization and intensity of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs) in West and Central Africa. A decadal increase in vertical wind shear has recently been linked to a decadal increase in intense MCSs over the Sahel. Here, the effects of vertical wind shear on MCSs over West and Central Africa have been investigated using a 10‐year (1998–2007) MCS dataset. Strong vertical shear is associated with long‐lived, moderate speed, moderate size and cold (deep) storms with high rain rates. The observed cloud top heights of storms over the oceans are closer to their level of neutral buoyancies (LNBs) compared to their land counterparts on the same latitudes. We hypothesize that this is due to greater entrainment dilution over land compared to storms over the ocean. Vertical shear allows storm anvils to reach higher altitudes relative to their LNB, this is consistent with the colder top storms over the Sahel (a region with a high vertical shear) compared to the Congo, despite a higher LNB in the Congo. It is not possible to diagnose the exact mechanisms for this impact of vertical shear from the data, but it is consistent with recent work showing that shear reduces entrainment dilution of squall‐line updrafts. We conclude that modelling impacts of vertical shear, which are normally missed in convection parameterizations, are not only important for predictions of high impact weather, but also for modelling the mean distribution of storm heights across Africa.
How useful is post‐graduate education in biochemistry for entry into the South African labour market?
Authors: Du Toit David , Koorsen Gerrit
Published: April 2022

Biochemistry encompasses a broad range of life science disciplines. Unlike more vocational disciplines such as pharmacy or medicine, the career path associated with biochemistry is less clearly defined. An important question is whether the skills set provided by post‐graduate biochemistry education, defined as BSc (Hons.), MSc, or PhD degrees, is aligned with the requirements of a career in academia or industry. This article reports on former post‐graduate biochemistry students and their careers and aims to establish whether former post‐graduate students perceive a post‐graduate qualification in biochemistry as useful for entry into the job market. This article is based on responses of 64 former post‐graduate biochemistry students from South African universities who have graduated between 2010 and 2019. Findings show that most post‐graduate biochemistry graduates continue a career in academia after graduating. Some pursue a career in the industry, while a very small number of biochemistry post‐graduates are currently unemployed. These findings suggest that a post‐graduate degree in biochemistry provides the necessary scientific and research skills sought after by the employment sector in South Africa.
Tetraphenylethene Derivatives Modulate the RNA Hairpin‐G‐Quadruplex Conformational Equilibria in Proto‐oncogenes**
Authors: Gupta Payal , Ojha Divya , Nadimetla Dinesh N. , Bhosale Sheshanath V. , Rode Ambadas B.
Published: April 2022

RNA G‐quadruplex (GQs) sequences in 5′‐UTRs of certain proto‐oncogenes co‐localize with hairpin (Hp) forming sequences resulting in intramolecular Hp‐GQ conformational equilibria, which is suggested to regulate cancer development and progression. Thus, regulation of Hp‐GQ equilibria with small molecules is an attractive but less explored therapeutic approach. Herein, two tetraphenylethene (TPE) derivatives, TPE−Py and TPE‐MePy, were synthesized and their effect on Hp‐GQ equilibrium was explored. FRET, CD and molecular docking experiments suggest that cationic TPE‐MePy shifts the Hp‐GQ equilibrium significantly towards the GQ conformer mainly through π‐π stacking and van der Waals interactions. In the presence of TPE‐MePy, the observed rate constant values for first and second folding steps were increased up to 14.6 and 2.6‐fold, respectively. The FRET melting assay showed a strong stabilizing ability of TPE‐MePy (ΔTm=4.36 °C). Notably, the unmethylated derivative TPE−Py did not alter the Hp‐GQ equilibrium. Subsequently, luciferase assay analysis demonstrated that the TPE‐MePy derivatives suppressed the translation efficiency by ∼5.7‐fold by shifting the Hp‐GQ equilibrium toward GQ conformers in the 5’‐UTR of TRF2. Our data suggests that HpGQ equilibria could be selectively targeted with small molecules to modulate translation for therapy.
Extramedullary plasmacytoma of the sphenoid sinus presenting with visual loss: A case report
Authors: Sharifi Sara , Asadi Mahboobe
Published: April 2022

A rare case of sphenoid plasmacytoma in a 62‐year‐old woman who was presented with a frozen eye is reported. It was histopathologically confirmed based on transsphenoidal biopsy. Moreover, initial evaluation ruled out systemic dissemination of the disease and solitary plasmacytoma was diagnosed. Surgical removal of the tumor with complementary radiotherapy was performed as a treatment modality.
Reassessing the optimal volume for malignancy detection in serous fluid cytology
Authors: Coconubo Daniel Martínez , Baskota Swikrity Upadhyay , Li Runjia , Srivastava Pooja , Cuda Jackie , Khader Samer
Published: April 2022

BACKGROUND

The international system for reporting serous fluid cytopathology (TIS) recommends submitting at least 50‐75 mL of serous fluid to decrease false‐negative results. However, prior studies did not agree on specific volume requirements or consensus adequacy criteria. Our study aims to assess whether fluid volume affects the adequacy rate and to assess the minimum volume necessary for optimal adequacy in pleural and peritoneal fluids.

METHODS

A total of 8530 serous fluid cytology cases were identified in the laboratory information system. Differences in mean fluid volume received in the laboratory were compared using an ANOVA Games‐Howell test based on TIS category. The percentage of malignant diagnoses across the volume ranges of 0 to 5 mL, 5 to 10 mL, 10 to 25 mL, 25 to 50 mL, 50 to 75 mL, 75 to 100 mL, 100 to 150 mL, 150 to 250 mL, 250 to 500 mL, 500 to 2000 mL was compared in pleural and peritoneal fluids using a chi‐square test, and a SiZer analysis was performed.

RESULTS

Mean fluid volume in inadequate, atypical, and negative cases was significantly lower compared to positive cases. A SiZer analysis showed a positive relationship between the malignancy fraction of pleural and peritoneal fluids and fluid volume. The percentage of malignant diagnoses in pleural and peritoneal fluid samples increased significantly up to a volume range of 75‐100 mL.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a significant relationship between fluid volume, adequacy and detection of malignancy in serous effusion cytopathology. The malignancy fraction increases with larger fluid volumes but at least 75‐100 mL of fluid should be submitted for optimal diagnosis of malignancy in pleural and peritoneal fluids.;
Detecting fraudulent transactions in banking cards using scale‐free graphs
Authors: Rahmani Farzaneh , Valmohammadi Changiz , Fathi Kiamars
Published: April 2022

This study aims to present an effective algorithm for identifying fraudulent transactions of banking cards. The proposed method uses missing value replacements and scale‐free graphs and the ensemble method with a large number of graphs that utilized voting between all graphs to predict whether a transaction is authorized or suspicious. The purpose of this method is to develop a graph‐based system for detecting fraudulent activities in the banking industry. This research improves the evaluation criteria and eliminates the weakness of individual methods and other group methods. This is achieved by combining group capability and group decision‐making and free scaling of scale‐free graphs. This was confirmed through conducting different experiments on two standard datasets and comparing with different studies and individual methods. The unique features of the proposed model included estimating the generalization error in the implementation as well as no need for assessment methods or test stage, along with estimating the level of importance of each variable in the problem during the algorithm runtime. To evaluate this algorithm, various parameters that are used in many data mining methods have been employed. The proposed algorithm is assessed against the decision tree algorithm, support vector machine, neural network, and ensemble neural network. Based on the obtained results, it was observed that in both datasets, the amount of evaluation criteria including accuracy, sensitivity, and f‐criteria calculated in the proposed method has increased by approximately 20% compared to the above‐mentioned our methods.
Psychometric profiling of individuals using Twitter profiles: A psychological Natural Language Processing based approach
Authors: Rathi Shubhangi , Verma Jai Prakash , Jain Rachna , Nayyar Anand , Thakur Narina
Published: April 2022

The recent pandemic saw the operations of many businesses shifting to virtual mode. Tasks like psychometric analysis of individuals, for various applications, are conducted online. In this article, we introduce a novel system to analyze the semantics of an individual's tweets from their Twitter profile using LIWC and SALLEE scores. These scores can be used to evaluate less fortunate, thin‐filed candidates using their Twitter profiles. With increased access to phones and the internet, many organizations are focusing on making credit systems available to the masses by introducing psychometric analysis. This article proposes a dynamic model for evaluating the personality of a Twitter user using the textual content shared on their page. The model will allow stakeholders to ascertain the personality of user according to any personality model. To analyze if this is viable and flexible approach to model any kind of personality model, we take MBTI personality dataset and train classifier to predict personality types. Then these results are correlated with a linguistic score to find correlation between the two. We found that proposed approach, outperformed the other relevant works also some aspects of these linguistic scores show a heavy correlation with certain personality types.
Interactive and Reproducible Workflows for Exploring and Modeling RNA‐seq Data with pcaExplorer, Ideal, and GeneTonic
Authors: Ludt Annekathrin , Ustjanzew Arsenij , Binder Harald , Strauch Konstantin , Marini Federico
Published: April 2022

The generation and interpretation of results from transcriptome profiling experiments via RNA sequencing (RNA‐seq) can be a complex task. While raw data quality control, alignment, and quantification can be streamlined via efficient algorithms that can deliver the preprocessed expression matrix, a common bottleneck in the analysis of such large datasets is the subsequent in‐depth, iterative processes of data exploration, statistical testing, visualization, and interpretation. Specific tools for these workflow steps are available but require a level of technical expertise which might be prohibitive for life and clinical scientists, who are left with essential pieces of information distributed among different tabular and list formats.

Our protocols are centered on the joint use of our Bioconductor packages (pcaExplorer, ideal, GeneTonic) for interactive and reproducible workflows. All our packages provide an interactive and accessible experience via Shiny web applications, while still documenting the steps performed with RMarkdown as a framework to guarantee the reproducibility of the analyses, reducing the overall time to generate insights from the data at hand.

These protocols guide readers through the essential steps of Exploratory Data Analysis, statistical testing, and functional enrichment analyses, followed by integration and contextualization of results. In our packages, the core elements are linked together in interactive widgets that make drill‐down tasks efficient by viewing the data at a level of increased detail. Thanks to their interoperability with essential classes and gold‐standard pipelines implemented in the open‐source Bioconductor project and community, these protocols will permit complex tasks in RNA‐seq data analysis, combining interactivity and reproducibility for following modern best scientific practices and helping to streamline the discovery process for transcriptome data. © 2022 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Exploratory Data Analysis with pcaExplorer

Basic Protocol 2: Differential Expression Analysis with ideal

Basic Protocol 3: Interpretation of RNA‐seq results with GeneTonic

Support Protocol: Downloading and installing pcaExplorer, ideal, and GeneTonic

Alternate Protocol: Using functions from pcaExplorer, ideal, and GeneTonic in custom analyses
An energy‐efficient blockchain approach for secure communication in IoT‐enabled electric vehicles
Authors: Bhaskar Kosur Bojji Raju , Prasanth Aruchamy , Saranya Paramasivan
Published: April 2022

In today's world, electric vehicles (EVs) play a significant role in transportation automation systems, and these vehicles are the replacement for fossil fuel usage vehicles. An EV generally depends on electric charges where the appropriate usage, charging, and energy management are the key constraints in EVs. To overcome these issues, proper energy management is essential in current EV management. In this paper, a novel blockchain‐based secure energy management has been proposed to provide efficient energy management in transportation automation. Primarily, the EVs have connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) sensors for collecting information like charging level, distance to be traveled, and location of the EVs. This information has been processed by an information center and transferred to the random forest classifier to identify the price of charging. Afterward, it can be transferred to the power scheduling algorithm for finding the nearest charging location (shortest distance) and time of charging to a specific EV. Finally, this information is stored in blocks to mitigate the misleading of EVs and to offer secure price transactions between the users and charging stations. The results manifest that the proposed scheme provides improved EV management with 94.5% of accuracy and maintains 10% lesser communication overhead as compared with existing state‐of‐the‐art techniques.
Xanthatin inhibits non‐small cell lung cancer proliferation by breaking the redox balance
Authors: Xie Yanbo , Zhu Xueyu , Liu Ping , Liu Yunxiao , Geng Yadi , Zhang Lei
Published: April 2022

Lung cancer is the cancer with the highest mortality, and non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for more than 80%. Tumor cells often have high reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidant capacity. Redox balance is very important for tumor. The decline of antioxidant capacity and excessive ROS will induce the death of tumor cells. Destroying the redox balance of tumor cells is a promising tumor treatment strategy. Xanthatin is an active sesquiterpene lactone isolated from Xanthium strumarium L. We observed that xanthatin induced the up regulation of mitochondrial ROS and mitochondrial damage. Meanwhile, our results showed that xanthatin could inhibit system xc− and reduce glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Antioxidant GSH and N‐acetyl‐
l‐cysteine (NAC) significantly reversed cell proliferation inhibition and apoptosis induced by xanthatin. β‐Mercaptoethanol (β‐ME) which can avoid inhibition of system xc− can also reverse the inhibition of cell proliferation induced by xanthatin, si‐SLC7A11 was the opposite. Based on these results, we believe that the inhibition of xanthatin on the proliferation of NSCLC cells may be related to breaking the intracellular redox balance. Our data suggest that xanthatin is a promising antitumor candidate for the treatment of NSCLC.
Comparative analysis of the complete mitochondrial genomes of four cordyceps fungi
Authors: Zhong Can , Jin Jian , Zhou Rongrong , Liu Hao , Xie Jing , Wan Dan , Xiao Shengen , Zhang Shuihan
Published: April 2022

Cordyceps is a large group of entomogenous, medicinally important fungi. In this study, we sequenced, assembled, and annotated the entire mitochondrial genome of Ophiocordyceps xuefengensis, in addition to comparing it against other three complete cordyceps mitogenomes that were previously published. Comparative analysis indicated that the four complete mitogenomes are all composed of circular DNA molecules, although their sizes significantly differ due to high variability in intron and intergenic region sizes in the Ophiocordyceps sinensis and O. xuefengensis mitogenomes. All mitogenomes contain 14 conserved genes and two ribosomal RNA genes, but varying numbers of tRNA introns. The Ka/Ks ratios for all 14 PCGs and rps3 were all less than 1, indicating that these genes have been subject to purifying selection. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted using concatenated amino acid and nucleotide sequences of the 14 PCGs and rps3 using two different methods (Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian analysis), revealing highly supported relationships between O. xuefengensis and other Ophiocordyceps species, in addition to a close relationship with O. sinensis. Further, the analyses indicated that cox1 and rps3 play important roles in population differentiation. These mitogenomes will allow further study of the population genetics, taxonomy, and evolutionary biology of medicinally important cordyceps species.
A Photoelectrochemical Sensor for Firstly the Detection of Amlodipine Besylate Based on an MnC4Pc Coated ZnO Composite Materials
Authors: Li Xueying , Li Xiaokun , Feng Suxiang
Published: April 2022

In this study, tetracarboxylic manganese phthalocyanine coated nano‐zinc oxide (MnC4Pc‐ZnO) composite material was prepared by in‐situ growth method and modified with indium tin oxide (ITO) glass electrode to construct a photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor. A PEC sensor for the determination of amlodipine besylate (AB) was developed for the first time based on the principle of precipitation reaction between heavy metal ions and dihydropyridine and the recombination suppression effect of the material. The morphology and optical properties of the MnC4Pc‐ZnO composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and ultraviolet‐visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV‐vis DRS). Chronoamperometry (i‐t) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used to study the PEC behavior of ITO electrodes modified by MnC4Pc‐ZnO composite material. The study found that the MnC4Pc‐ZnO composite material has a good photocurrent response to AB, and there was a good linear relationship between the concentration range of 75 nM‐250 μM, the linear equation was I(μA)=−5.2×10−8×lgC+3.2×10−8 (r=0.9947), a limit of detection (LOD) of 20 nM. In addition, MnC4Pc‐ZnO/ITO also has good selectivity and stability. The PEC sensor detects amlodipine besylate tablets, amlodipine besylate dispersible tablets, and biological samples, with standard addition recovery rates of 96.11 % and 103.96 %, respectively. The determination result has good accuracy, and the PEC sensor provides a new method for detecting AB.
Investigations of the through‐thickness residual stress distribution during the partial heating roll forming process of square and rectangular hollow steel sections
Authors: Mehari Zelalem Abathun , Han Jingtao
Published: April 2022

With the growing demand for rectangular and square hollow steel sections in the last few decades, the cold roll forming process has become a widely acknowledged manufacturing method. However, the residual stress generated during the roll forming process is one of the primary concerns on roll‐formed products. One of the leading sources of residual stress is the severe plastic deformation that sheet metal experiences. It is well‐known that residual stress significantly affects the product's service life. In this regard, several researchers have conducted numerical and experimental investigations of residual stress distributions on roll‐formed steel sections. However, most of the studies found in the literature have been confined to the measurement of residual surface stresses. On the other hand, experimental studies conducted on fatigue and load‐carrying capacity of hollow structural steels have shown that there is indeed a simple relation between the through‐thickness residual stress distributions and mechanical properties of structures. Thus, this article employed a proper numerical modeling procedure using LS‐DYNA's finite element code to explore through‐thickness residual stress distributions generated during the roll forming process of rectangular and square hollow steel sections from different material grades. Moreover, a small‐scale parametric study was conducted to explore the effects of the partial heating roll forming method on through‐the‐thickness residual stress distributions.
Preventing sour gas kicks during workover of natural gas wells from deep carbonate reservoirs with anti‐hydrogen sulfide fuzzy‐ball kill fluid
Authors: Yan Zhenfeng , Okere Chinedu J. , Zeng Xinghang , Yao Zhonghui , Su Guandong , Gan Maozong , Fu Yarong , Tao Xiujuan , Zheng Lihui
Published: April 2022

Workover of natural gas wells in deep carbonate gas reservoirs (DCRs) is facing multiple challenges such as fluid leakage, high temperature, and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas kick. Hence, well‐killing fluids with satisfactory plugging ability, high‐temperature tolerance, and anti‐H2S ability are necessary. In this study, we developed a multifunctional anti‐hydrogen sulfide fuzzy‐ball kill fluid (AFKF) for preventing sour gas kicks in DCRs. The performance of the AFKF was optimized and analyzed via experiments and verified through a case study application. The results showed that the fuzzy‐ball structures in the AFKFs demonstrated good stability under extreme H2S aging. The rate of change of certain critical rheological parameters such as apparent viscosity, dynamic plastic ratio, and density of AFKFs before and after hot rolling  were no more than 5%. After plugging the fractures with the AFKFs at temperatures between 110°C and 150°C, the inlet driving pressure of the fractures increased from 20.73°C to 21.07 MPa, and no fluid loss was observed at the core outlet after a secondary displacement of formation water. The permeability recovery rate was greater than 90%. Application of AFKF in well DW‐2 showed that the shut‐in pressure rose to 24.6 MPa with no trace of H2S gas at the wellhead after 4 days. The investigation of the H2S mitigation mechanisms revealed that the plugging of the seepage channels by AFKFs forms interconnected bonds that improve the mechanical properties of the reservoir. Additionally, AFKFs absorb H2S gases by protonation and dissociation reactions which convert the hazardous gas into an aqueous solution of sulfide ions (S2−). The proposed AFKF has proven to be effective means of mitigating H2S in DCRs, and minimize the negative impacts of environmental polution, health risks, and equipment corrosion.
Lightweight branched blockchain security framework for Internet of Vehicles
Authors: Gupta Manik , Patel Ram Bahadur , Jain Shaily , Garg Hitendra , Sharma Bhisham
Published: April 2022

The vision of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) has acquired widespread acceptance as a result of the development of wireless technology. Its ability to provide drivers with various mobile services has made it an attractive application. Blockchain based security solution is considered good in various applications of IoV till now. But all the frameworks and architectures developed so far in IoV adopt the load of blockchain. So, it is generally deployed on or above edge computing devices, keeping lower structure of the frameworks traditional as managing blockchain with low computing devices on the physical layer is really a challenge. Securing communication in an IoV environment requires ensuring strong authentication and encryption. Although limited efforts are accessible for strong authentication and secure communication but, the lightweight characteristic is absent from this list. This article is proposing a lightweight secured framework for blockchain based IoV that offers strong authentication and secure communication. After securely authorization of the vehicle, it introduces the concept of branched blockchain taking into the consideration of most recently used block, so that the low powered devices can also adopt the security benefits of the blockchain. The existing mining systems are not designed to handle the needs of the IoV at the physical layer. Some of the key features of the proposed framework are lightweight blockchain for physical layer and above, load balancing, scalability, availability and decentralization. According to the relative research, which takes into account factors like computation and transmission costs, our suggested framework outperforms already implemented ones. This framework can act as base of new research verticals where anyone is looking forward for a lightweight blockchain variant applicable on physical layer of IoV.
Bioactive compounds from Cucumis melo L. fruits as potential nutraceutical food ingredients and juice processing using membrane technology
Authors: Mallek‐Ayadi Sana , Bahloul Neila , Baklouti Semia , Kechaou Nabil
Published: April 2022

The present study was designed to evaluate the nutritional composition of melon pulp Maazoun variety, in order to explore its potential attitude as a natural source of nutrients and bioactive molecules. The chemical characterization showed that the pulp was rich in moisture, carbohydrate, dietary fibers, and minerals, as well as carotenoids and phenolic compounds. The chromatographic analysis indicated that amentoflavone (16.14 mg/100 g) and gallic acid (13.56 mg/100 g) were the most abundant phenolic compounds. Melon flesh has an interesting volatile profile in which, mostly esters and alcohols are considered as the key odorants of this appreciated fruit. Melon juice was filtered through crossflow microfiltration that provides more translucent juice and accentuation of yellow color. During clarification process, the permeate flux was reduced by 50% in approximately 40 min. Results proved that the richness of melons in nutrients and bioactive phytochemicals makes them useful as a potential source of antioxidants and suitable as nutraceutical supplements.
Surfactant protein D: A useful biomarker for distinguishing COVID‐19 pneumonia from COVID‐19 pneumonia‐like diseases
Authors: Togashi Yuki , Kono Yuta , Okuma Takashi , Shioiri Nao , Mizushima Reimi , Tanaka Akane , Ishiwari Mayuko , Toriyama Kazutoshi , Kikuchi Ryota , Takoi Hiroyuki , Abe Shinji
Published: April 2022

Introduction

Computed tomography is useful for the diagnosis of coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pneumonia. However, many types of interstitial lung diseases and even bacterial pneumonia can show abnormal chest shadows that are indistinguishable from those observed in COVID‐19 pneumonia. Thus, it is necessary to identify useful biomarkers that can efficiently distinguish COVID‐19 pneumonia from COVID‐19 pneumonia‐like diseases. Herein, we investigated the usefulness of serum Krebs von den Lungen 6 (KL‐6) and surfactant protein D (SP‐D) for identifying patients with COVID‐19 pneumonia among patients with abnormal chest shadows consistent with COVID‐19 pneumonia.

Method

This was a retrospective cohort study of consecutive patients who underwent evaluation of serum KL‐6 and SP‐D at a single center from February 2019 to December 2020. A total of 54 patients with COVID‐19 pneumonia and 65 patients with COVID‐19 pneumonia‐like diseases were enrolled in this study from the source population. Serum KL‐6 and SP‐D levels in both groups were analyzed.

Result

The serum levels of KL‐6 and SP‐D in patients with COVID‐19 pneumonia were significantly lower than those in patients with COVID‐19 pneumonia‐like disease (median [interquartile range]: 208.5 [157.5–368.5] U/ml vs. 430 [284.5–768.5] U/ml, p < 0.0001 and 24.7 [8.6–51.0] ng/ml vs. 141 [63.7–243.5] ng/ml, p < 0.0001, respectively). According to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the areas under the ROC curves (95% confidence intervals) of serum KL‐6 and SP‐D levels for distinguishing COVID‐19 pneumonia from COVID‐19 pneumonia‐like diseases were 0.761 (0.675–0.847) and 0.874 (0.812–0.936), respectively. The area under the ROC curve of serum SP‐D was significantly larger than that of serum KL‐6 (p = 0.0213), suggesting that serum SP‐D can more efficiently distinguish COVID‐19 pneumonia from COVID‐19 pneumonia‐like diseases.

Conclusion

Serum SP‐D is a promising biomarker for distinguishing COVID‐19 pneumonia from COVID‐19 pneumonia‐like diseases. Serum SP‐D can be useful for the management of patients with abnormal chest shadow mimicking COVID‐19 pneumonia.
Enhancing convolutional neural network model with spectral features for the identification of cervical dysplasia
Authors: Karim Kutty Sabeena , Chandrasekhara Menon Gopakumar
Published: April 2022

Cervical cell classification plays a key role in the computer‐based screening and diagnosis. This article focuses on cell classification and grading to differentiate the stages of cervical dysplasia. The proposed framework uses a unification of wavelet transform and convolutional neural network (CNN) for segregating spectral and spatial features from papanicolaou stained (pap) smear images. A correlation‐based feature selection is adopted to find relevant features from the CNN model. Random Forest classifier is then incorporated to identify cervical dysplasia from the extracted features. The proposed framework is verified on three publicly available datasets. Using the first dataset, the method obtained an average accuracy of 98.12% and area under curve (AUC) of 0.999. In the second (Sipakmed) and third (Herlev) dataset that consists of cell images of both normal and dysplastic condition, the method achieved an accuracy of 97.01%, 82.60% and AUC of 0.999 and 0.907, respectively. The observations of the study imply that spectral features with feature selection along with a proven machine learning model improves the detection rate of cervical dysplasia.
Preparation and properties investigation of biodegradable poly (glycerol sebacate‐co‐gelatin) containing nanoclay and graphene oxide for soft tissue engineering applications
Authors: Golbaten‐Mofrad Hooman , Salehi Mohammad Hadi , Jafari Seyed Hassan , Goodarzi Vahabodin , Entezari Maliheh , Hashemi Mehrdad
Published: April 2022

This study has attempted to systematically investigate the influence of nanoclay and graphene oxide (GO) on thermal, mechanical, hydrophobic, and, most importantly, biological properties of poly(glycerol sebacate)/gelatin (PGS/gel) nanocomposites. The PGS/gel copolymer nanocomposites were successfully synthesized via in situ polymerization, approved by rudimentary characterization methods. The nanofillers were appropriately dispersed within the elastomeric matrix according to morphological studies. Also, the fillers posed as a hydrophobic entity that slightly decreased the hydrophilic properties of PGS/gel. This could be sensed clearly in hybrid composite due to the robust network of GO and clay. Water contact angle values for gelatin‐contained nanocomposites were reported in the range of 38.42° to 66.7°, indicating the hydrophilic nature of the prepared samples. Thermal and mechanical studies of nanocomposites displayed rather contradicting results as the former improved while a slight decrease in the latter was noticed compared to the pristine specimens. In dry conditions, their storage modulus was in the range of 0.94–6.4 MPa, making them suitable for mimicking some soft tissues. The swelling ratio for nanocomposites containing nanoparticles was associated with an ascending trend so that GO improved the swelling rate by up to 45%. Biological analyses, such as Ames and in vitro cell viability tests, exhibited promising outcomes. As for the mutagenesis effect, the PGS and hybrid samples showed negative results. The presence of functional groups on the nanofillers' surface positively influenced the cells' metabolic activity as well as its attachment to the matrix. After 7 days, the cell proliferation rate resulted in an 82% improvement for the GO‐containing nanocomposite, significantly higher than its neat counterpart (65%). This study has shown the feasibility of the prepared bio‐elastomer nanocomposites for diverse tissue engineering applications.