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Lightweight, electrically insulating and high thermally conductive materials are highly desirable in electronic and power systems because they can effectively transfer heat and avoid temperature rise of the equipment and devices, thus guaranteeing normal operation. In this work, silica-coated spherical boron nitride (SiO2@s-BN) was successfully fabricated and prepared as a thermally conductive composite by blending with silicone rubber (SR). Due to the modulus matching, SiO2@BN could decrease the thermal resistance between the SR matrices and the thermally conductive fillers, thus achieving higher thermal conductivity compared with the original BN at the same filler loading. When the SR composite is filled with 40 wt% SiO2@BN, the thermal conductivity can reach 1.2 W m−1 K−1, which is 16.5% higher than that of the 40 wt% s-BN/SR composite. Simultaneously, the 40 wt% SiO2@BN/SR composite material not only exhibits excellent dielectric, thermal, and mechanical properties but also demonstrates outstanding processability, maintaining a low precursor viscosity of only 14.5 Pa·s. Overall, this work provides a novel strategy for developing high thermally conductive SR composites with good processability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic voting is an efficient way of conducting the voting process, which has the characteristics of real-time data and massive data and demands high security. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for electronic voting that utilizes decentralized network architecture with Blockchain and Hybrid cryptography techniques. Our system aims to address the challenges faced in administering EVMs and ensuring high security in strong rooms, which can lead to privacy and security flaws in the voting system. Our proposed model utilizes a wireless mesh topology to enlist vote details and modernize the chain of blocks, resulting in improved data confidentiality and reduced human resources. A customized UDP packet structure is designed to avoid port scanning and network traces, while the use of port numbers is eliminated for increased security. We also incorporate a three-layer encryption stack for secure key exchanges, which ensures perfect forward secrecy and an uncompromised state of the packet. By reducing the number of threads needed for Transport layer Protocol (TCP) connections; our proposed model improves the speed and security of the existing architecture. Overall, our approach offers a highly secure and efficient electronic voting system that meets the demands of secrecy, accuracy, and neutrality in the process of voting and counting. Our proposed system has the potential to prevent poll rigging by trespassers, ensuring a fair and trustworthy electoral process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermal management of electronic components is becoming popular due to the extensive applications of electronic components in modern machines and automobiles. Natural convection heat transfer is preferred for electronic cooling in the unavailability of power supply or where high energy efficiency is desirable. Pin fin heat sinks offer effective cooling of such electronic devices even with the natural convection mode. Center-cleared pin-fin heat sinks offer better thermal management of a heated surface compared to conventional pin-fin heat sinks. The present work numerically investigates the thermal characteristics of center cleared solid cylinder, solid tapered, hollow tapered, and perforated hollow tapered pin fin heat sinks under natural convection. The numerical results are discussed in the form of steady state base temperature, heat transfer coefficient, mass-multiplied thermal resistance, volumetric heat dissipation rate, and effectiveness of different pin fin heat sink designs under varying power input from 2.15 to 10.75 W. The minimum mass-multiplied thermal resistance (RThM) is found to be 0.11 K.kg/W and the maximum volumetric heat dissipation rate is 1750.3 KW/m3 corresponding to the perforated hollow tapered pin fin heat sink design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents how patient throughput within an Emergency Department (ED) can be accurately and automatically characterized using a combination of data derived from a real-time location system (RTLS) and other traditional hospital IT systems such as Electronic Medical Records (EMR) and Laboratory Information Systems. Such insights can be used by a hospital to identify bottlenecks or inefficiencies and develop strategies to optimize and monitor patient flows. A descriptive, retrospective study was conducted among 1149 patients. Five KPIs, including time from arrival to triageand total length of stay, were used to evaluate ED timestamps to characterize the flow of the patient. A description of the techniques used to combine the various data sources to perform the accurate measurements is provided. The paper also describes the measurements obtained and indicates how real-time locating systems can contribute towards improving the quality of the timestamps generated compared to only using data from traditional hospital IT systems. A principial finding is that there is a large gap between the length of stay using only EMR data and the one computed combining EMR and RTLS data. Finally, the paper provides guidelines on how to deploy such a system effectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conjugated fused ring system of chalcone with D-A-π-A and A-A-π-D framing has been the subject of a detailed study on intramolecular charge transfer (ICT). The strong donors (Anthracene and Pyrene), strong acceptors (cyano), and large extended conjugation are in charge for the higher third order susceptibility in order of (10−6 esu) and show good optical limiting behavior with a lower optical limiting threshold which is determined by Z-scan analysis. Computational studies reveal that the higher values of dipole moments, polarizability and second hyperpolarizability values provided evidence that the proposed compounds are suitable as an efficient NLO material. The band gap energy generated from the FMOs was shown to be decreasing while μ increased, which is an indication of ICT occurring within molecules. Natural bond orbital (NBO) studies the different ICT interactions occurring and demonstrated a significant push-pull action for both compounds, with donor (pyrene and anthracene) and negative values for acceptors. The study of single-crystal X-ray diffraction shows the packing arrangements positioned side by side enhance the intermolecular charge transfer between the donor and the acceptor group of the molecules. Based on our experimental and theoretical findings, we can conclude that the studied compounds exhibit potential in NLO applications such as optical limiting devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radio Detection and Ranging (RADAR) equipment is a significant information and navigational system onboard vessels and a critical part of a ship's cyber space. It is an electronic system used not only for detecting surrounding objects, to indicate their positions, and tracking targets using radio waves, but also providing safe navigation by receiving and displaying data from other navigational devices. Therefore, it is concerning to see that marine RADAR systems have various cyber vulnerabilities, including data deletion and data relocation. These systems can be manipulated and penetrated via malicious software, unauthorised remote access, human error, or sabotage by internal and external attackers. This is critical to the cyber hygiene of the ship, which affects its reliability and safety. This study performs a cyber risk assessment using the CORAS framework for RADAR cyber security by developing case-based RADAR cyber scenarios in terms of both its specific information technology subsystems and the cyber security control measures. The output of this study includes a holistic and visual assessment of RADAR's cyber security for both its cyber vulnerabilities and cyber hygiene to better protect shipboard RADAR in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of Weyl points in electronic systems has recently inspired extensive research in classical systems, such as photonic and acoustic lattices. We construct a single-phase three-dimensional structure, an analog of the honeycomb lattice, and then predict the existence of Weyl points with opposite topological charges (±1) as well as the associated gapless topologically protected surface states. We apply full-scale numerical simulations on the elastic three-dimensional structure and present a clear visualization of the topological surface states that are directional and robust. Such designed lattices can pave the way for novel vibration control and energy harvesting on structures that are ubiquitous in many engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The C-H substitution of the methylene moiety of glycine in nickel(II) glycine Schiff bases has proven useful for the preparation of a variety of α-amino acids. Recently, it has been shown that the integration of electron withdrawing groups into the ligand system of these nickel(II) complexes enhances their reactivity. It is hypothesized that this enhanced reactivity is, in part, due to decreased pKa of the α-proton of glycine due to delocalization of the resulting charge. However, there is a lack information or direct evidence of the relationship between the pKa of the α-protons of glycine in these complexes and perturbation of the electronic system of the ligand in the literature. Therefore, to better understand the observed reactivity, a method to determine the pKa of these complexes in non-aqueous solvent conditions is needed. In this work, the method and data analysis to find the pKa of the Ni(II) complex of glycine Schiff base with N-(2-benzyoly-4-chlorophenyl)-2-dibutylamino-acetamide is described. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hand-pushed cone penetrometer has been utilized to assess soil compaction based on soil penetration resistance (SPR). However, the manual operation of these devices can be quite challenging and erroneous. The accuracy of the data gathered using such devices can be hindered by the operator's limitation in maintaining a constant-rate of penetration into the soil, thus preventing the attainment of a steady, predefined penetration rate. To address this issue, a constant-rate, IoT-enabled cone penetrometer is designed and constructed. The developed penetrometer measures the SPR across the soil profile with a designed lead screw arrangement that ensures a constant-rate penetration. The device comprises a mechanical system and an electronic control unit that utilizes IoT framework. The mechanical system includes a primary frame, lead screw arrangement and a standard penetrometer probe. The SPR, and depth along with coordinates of location are measured and stored on a web server. A user-friendly customizable web interface and mobile application enable real-time access. The developed penetrometer measures the SPR up to 2000 kPa up to 400 mm depth. Comparative analysis shows that the constant-rate penetrometer (CRP) provides more reliable and less variable resistance measurements compared to the hand-pushed penetrometer (HPP), with significant differences observed at multiple depths. This penetrometer maintains a constant-rate of penetration, ensuring adherence to predefined standards for accurate measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the principles of the biological nervous system, neuromorphic engineering has brought a promising alternative approach to intelligence computing with high energy efficiency and low consumption. As pivotal components of neuromorphic system, artificial spiking neurons are powerful information processing units and can achieve highly complex nonlinear computations. By leveraging the switching dynamic characteristics of memristive device, memristive neurons show rich spiking behaviors with simple circuit. This report reviews the memristive neurons and their applications in neuromorphic sensing and computing systems. The switching mechanisms that endow memristive devices with rich dynamics and nonlinearity are highlighted, and subsequently various nonlinear spiking neuron behaviors emulated in these memristive devices are reviewed. Then, recent development is introduced on neuromorphic system with memristive neurons for sensing and computing. Finally, we discuss challenges and outlooks of the memristive neurons toward high-performance neuromorphic hardware systems and provide an insightful perspective for the development of interactive neuromorphic electronic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online financial systems like electronic funds transfers (EFT) are heavily dependent on the public Internet. A diverse set of Internet traffic is generated from the use of different online financial platforms. The analysis of raw Internet traffic fails to identify any anomalous behavior in financial transactions. A similar result is obtained when we apply application layer anomaly detection in financial transactions. In this article, we propose a machine learning-based multi-layer framework which will detect and classify anomalous financial transactions. The proposed framework can help a financial service provider to avoid incidents like intrusions and online frauds. It also provides a secure mechanism to detect network anomalies in financial transactions to augment the credibility of such online financial platforms or gateways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrophoretic tissue clearing has been a commonly used laboratory method since the early twentieth century. Infrastructure for standard procedures has yet to be formed. In particular, control of the heat produced by electrophoresis, the voltage applied to the electrodes, the resistance, and the speed of liquid circulation create difficulty for researchers. We aimed to develop a compact organ electrophoresis system that enables the researcher to have easy, rapid, and inexpensive working opportunities. The system includes an electronic control unit, a liquid tank, a temperature control unit, and an electrophoresis chamber. The control unit software can keep the system stable by using information on temperature and circulation rate received through the sensors using the feedback principle. Corrosion and particle collection are reduced to a minimum as platinum wires are used for electrophoresis electrodes. A temperature control unit can heat and cool via a liquid tank base. The CORES is an all-in-one, easy-to-use solution for electrophoretic tissue clearing. It assures efficient, rapid, and consistent tissue clearing. The system was stable with 72 h of continuous operation. Patent applications and trial version studies for introducing the system to researchers are still in progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-resolution Fourier transform spectroscopy and Laser-induced fluorescence have been performed on LiCa in the infrared spectral range. We analyse rovibrational transitions of the (2) 2 Σ + – X (1) 2 Σ + system of LiCa and find the (2) 2 Σ + state to be perturbed by spin–orbit coupling to the (1) 2 Π state. We study the coupled system obtaining molecular parameters for the (2) 2 Σ + and the (1) 2 Π state together with effective spin–orbit and spin–rotation coupling constants. The coupled system has also been evaluated by applying a potential function instead of rovibrational molecular parameters for the state (2) 2 Σ + . An improved analytic potential function of the X (1) 2 Σ + state is derived, due to the extension of the observed rotational ladder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A global treatment of the available experimental data on transition frequencies both in the A2Σ+state and in the A2Σ+−X2Π, and B2Σ+−A2Σ+ electronic systems of 16OH molecule was carried out. In this analysis, a global model with vibrational dependences of the parameters of the effective Hamiltonian for the diatomic molecule in different electronic state was used. As a result of the fit, a set of the 'Dunham-type' coefficients for A2Σ+ electronic state was obtained. They reproduce the experimental dataset within estimated experimental uncertainties. The determined 'Dunham-type' coefficients were employed to generate the potential energy curve in the A2Σ+ electronic state using the RKR method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas ionization chamber has the advantage of accurate and reliable measurement data, which is widely used in beam current monitoring of proton and heavy ion beam therapy systems. According to the characteristics of the proton beam signal of the laser accelerator, because of its ultra-high peak current intensity, the peak current intensity of the beam generated by the traditional accelerator is much higher than that of the traditional accelerator. The gas ionization chamber cannot measure the proton beam with this characteristic, and the incident laser proton beam is likely to cause signal saturation and distortion in the gas ionization chamber. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the physical design of the gas ionization chamber and the supporting electronic system to improve the detection technology of the gas ionization chamber dedicated to the ion beam generated by the laser acceleration. In this paper, the physical design of the gas ionization chamber is optimized to avoid signal saturation in the gas ionization chamber while measuring the laser proton beam signal. With the method of modeling and simulation analysis of the gas ionization chamber based on the Garfield++, the optimal value is given in three aspects: the type selection of the gas medium, the gas pressure setting and the setting of the voltage of the gas ionization chamber in order to optimize the measurement signal saturation phenomenon caused by the large transient beam current intensity, and bring theoretical basis and guiding significance to the actual experimental operation. The research concludes that when helium is selected as the gas medium of the gas ionization chamber, the signal saturation can be effectively reduced; when the integration time of the electronic system of the gas ionization chamber is 500 ns, and the current measurement range is ±16 μA in actual, the optimized gas pressure should be set lower than 540 Torr and the voltage value lower than 300 V to match the electronic measuring range of the gas ionization chamber while detecting the current signal; when the signal detected is the integrated charge, the voltage setting of the gas ionization chamber has nearly nothing to do with the signal collected, but to adjust the gas pressure in the gas ionization chamber to optimize the final data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adopting environmentally sound practices and utilizing resilient issues to face disruptive events and risks are new important agendas for enterprises, governments, and societies. The issue of supplier selection and evaluation in accordance with green and resilient principles has received little attention in the electronic industry. So, the present study aims to consider both criteria of resilience and greenness in a new supplier selection model. This study presents an integrated decision-making method based on the fuzzy set theory and data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach for supplier selection in a supply chain network in an electronic manufacturing company. The fuzzy set theory was used for analyzing suppliers' indicator weights, the suppliers' performance, and rating them with respect to subcriteria. Then, the obtained data were aggregated to classify and prepare them for use in a version assurance region of the DEA method with one dummy input and three output variables to rank the suppliers. The performance of the proposed DEA-based model has been verified through the sensitivity analysis and it has been validated by the existing FIS-based model in the literature. Furthermore, the proposed DEA-based model can be designed with any number of suppliers and criteria and subcriteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastroscopy is a widely adopted method for gastric cancer screening and early diagnosis. Clinical studies show that it can effectively prolong patient life and maximise therapeutic effect. However, it is difficult for doctors to identify and detect lesions in real time, which manifests as the major challenge in gastroscopy. In this paper, we propose SCEG, a smart connected electronic gastroscopy system that performs dynamic cancer screening in gastroscopy. By integrating electronic gastroscopy with cloud-based medical image analysis service, we develop an AdaBoost-based multi-column convolutional neural network (MCNN) for enhancing gastric cancer screening. Experimental results show that the proposed MCNN approach significantly outperforms other competing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article outlines a body-centred focus in the design of performance systems for electronic music. Through a movement-led design process, I discuss the interaction of the body, controllers, data and mapping. A flat hierarchy approach to performance system design aims to support bodily autonomy in performance, challenge human-machine dualism and expand the definition of virtuosity in performance to include system virtuosity. The affordances and behaviours of the components of performance systems are discussed in terms of their cooperation. With an awareness of the non-neutrality of data, controllers, and sensors, I outline methods for making adaptive and flexible systems which respond to and respect individual bodies. This embodied and hybrid approach to system design can facilitate posthuman expression in electronic music performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this Article, we extend our XANESNET deep neural network (DNN) to predict the lineshape of first-row transition metal K-edge valence-to-core X-ray emission (VtC-XES) spectra. We demonstrate that – despite the strong sensitivity of VtC-XES to the electronic structure of the system under study – the DNN can reproduce the main spectral features from only the local coordination geometry of the transition metal complexes when encoded as a feature vector of weighted atom-centred symmetry functions (wACSF). We subsequently implement and evaluate three methods for assessing uncertainty in the predictions made by the VtC-DNN: deep ensembles, Monte-Carlo dropout, and bootstrap resampling. We show that bootstrap resampling provides the best performance when evaluated on 'held-out' testing data, and also demonstrates a strong correlation between the uncertainty it predicts and the error occurring between the target and predicted VtC-XES spectra. Finally, we demonstrate practical performance by application to unseen transition metal complexes across the entire first-row (Ti–Zn). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taste is a crucial organoleptic characteristic that determines whether a substance will be accepted for delivery through the mouth. However, the vast majority of medications have an unpleasant taste. Drugs with a bitter taste are often depicted using a variety of flavouring compounds to increase patient acceptance and compliance. Human panellists are the principal means of assessing the flavour of medication ingredients and formulations. Due to the toxicity of medications and subjectivity of taste panellists, as well as issues with hiring taste panellists and panel upkeep when working with unpleasant items, the use of sensory panellists in the industry is particularly challenging and troublesome. Furthermore, tests cannot be conducted on compounds that have not received FDA approval. As a result, the analytical taste-sensing multichannel sensory system known as the electronic tongue (also known as the artificial tongue or e-tongue) helps in reducing the number of samples that are ought to be assessed by trained sensory panels and also when the sample to be tasted is injurious or harmful for the concerned person. Therefore, e-tongue has advantages like lowering reliance on human panels. The working theory, the sensors used, and the pharmaceutical and food applications are covered, along with the major software used, difficulties, and future scope are also highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reports an optomechanical, electronic system consisting of LEDs emitting light in the near-infrared region. The 147 light-emitting diodes were distributed in a semi-spherical dome so that each focused light upon the center of the radius. The LEDs received electrical polarization so that the optical power of each provided 16 ± 0.36 mW for a total of 2.4 W. The developed system allows multifunctional applications in phototherapy, making it possible to perform this clinical technique for the treatment of skin lesions and contusions at the musculoskeletal level. The geometry of the developed system also allows the use of phototherapy in the treatment of neurological pathologies. In terms of instrumentation, the three-dimensional light intensity distribution and the thermographic images were obtained using three working distances from the system to the target. Three-dimensional light intensity distributions were obtained considering each working distance. These were inserted in the thermographic images as indications of the emitted temperature distributions. This work verified that the optomechanical and electronic system developed with LEDs may be used for multiple applications in phototherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honey quality is a global concern since this product is highly susceptible to adulteration, given its competitive price. As a reliable strategy for honey authenticity determination, this work introduces an intelligent classification system that considers the pattern recognition point of view to develop an economical and quick analytical method to identify and differentiate genuine from adulterated honey. This work used an electronic tongue composed of three working electrodes of carbon, platinum, and gold. The system used Cyclic voltammetry to obtain data from 50 genuine and 50 adulterated honey samples. Subsequently, the system used multivariate data analysis using a pattern recognition methodology composed of three big stages, including data organization and normalization, dimensionality reduction, and k-Nearest Neighbors (k-NN) as a classification method. The process was validated with the Leave One Out Cross Validation technique (LOOCV), reaching a classification accuracy performance of 100%. The results show that it was possible the development of a combined methodology between analytical tools and chemometrics for an in-situ, quick and efficient authenticity honey evaluation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1 January 2020, the Central Research Ethics Committee of the Health Ministry implemented PRIISA.BA, an in-house developed electronic system for online submission of health research applications to the 63 public and private research ethics committees (RECs) of Buenos Aires City, Argentina. This study though to compare the times to first review and the time to approval among applications submitted prior to PRIISA.BA and thereafter, across public RECs. All public RECs of the city were invited to participate. Overall, 453 applications from 10 RECs (242 pre- and 211 post-PRIISA.BA) were available for the analyses. There was a decrease in the time to first review and an increase in the time to approval after PRIISA.BA implementation. The increase in time to approval was transient and limited to the first three months. The results were consistent with analyses limited to non-COVID applications. Our results show an increase in the times to approval after the implementation of an electronic system for online submission of health research applications that, although transient, was significant. These data could be relevant to other RECs implementing this technology since it emphasizes the need of monitoring potential unnecessary delays in reviews during the critical initial period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to assess the adoption and usage of electronic tax system in the case of large taxpayers in Addis Ababa city through the implementation of unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model with the addition of web quality, awareness, anxiety and perceived risk. Data for the study were derived from 384 respondents and analyzed by using the ordered logistic model. The research findings revealed that performance expectancy (PE), effort expectancy (EE), social influence (SI), awareness (AW), web quality (WQ) and perceived risk (PR) significantly affect intention and usage of the electronic tax system. The study recommends that since the adoption of the electronic tax system is a new environment for both government and taxpayers in Ethiopia, the Ethiopia Revenue Authority (ERA) should take into consideration that factors affect the intention to use as well as the usage of an electronic tax system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mobile health monitoring systems, particularly wearable electronic systems (WES), bio-signals measuring tools embedded in clothing becomes a viable alternative. Such an alternative is usually designed using flexible conductive media that can capture and transmit bio-signals while maintaining signal reliability and biocompatibility. In addition, WES products are effectuated by the emergence of conductive threads as an appropriate electrical medium for health monitoring through wearable garments. To accomplish this task, conductive threads are emerging as an appropriate electrical medium for bio-signals monitoring. Therefore, the conductive thread is to be considered as a key factor in designing and manufacturing textile-based electronics. However, the behavior of conductive threads under different sewing parameters has been studied to obtain high-quality bio-signals. The article herein the impact of electrically conductive properties of specific conductive threads under three conditions was studied; (a) as sewn configurations on different types of weft-knitted fabric substrates, (b) as sewn configurations with different stitch types, and (c) as working independent threads under various parameters of the sewing process. The purpose of this study is an attempt to design and attach conductive paths to the surface of different fabrics, integrating wearable sensors and electronic elements with those paths. In addition, our research work could be considered as a comprehensive study to analyze both of electrical performance and behavior of the conductive threads under several sewing conditions for different types of weft-knitted fabrics. The expected results can help in developing final products of textile-based electronics to confront the functional and aesthetic performance of consumer's acceptance. Experimental results show that both sewing and fabric parameters had significantly influenced the electrical resistance of sewn transmission lines (TLs). In addition, the quality of the acquired and transmitted bio-signals has been consequently affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces the NRHM special issue on Interactive Digital Narrative (IDN) and Complexity. It first shortly describes the field of IDN and why developments with respect to content, content and interaction focus on complexity issues. It finishes with a short outline of the five papers that form the body of the special issue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A global treatment of the available experimental data on infrared and microwave transitions of 33 vibration-rotation bands for the ground state and the data on the electronic system B2Σ+-X2Π of 16OH molecule was carried out. In this analysis, a global model with vibrational dependences of the parameters of the effective Hamiltonian for the diatomic molecule in the 2Π electronic state was used. As a result of the fit, a set of the 'Dunham-type' coefficients was obtained. They reproduce the experimental dataset of the rovibrational and pure rotational transitions as well as the data on the electronic system B2Σ+ - X2Π, within estimated experimental uncertainties. The determined 'Dunham-type' coefficients were compared with those known previously. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroelectric thin film materials are constantly used in our lives. When testing the physical parameters of the ferroelectric film, the thickness of the film is very small or only nanometers, which will bring great difficulties to the accuracy and sensitivity of the test. To understand the role of electronic information technology in the measurement of the physical parameters of ferroelectric thin films, this paper adopts the sweep field method and the sweep frequency method to test the parameters of the ferroelectric thin film. The system uses PZT film as the test material to complete the electrical hysteresis loop measurement experiment in an extremely clean environment. The system hardware circuit is designed, which can complete the measurement of the electrical hysteresis loop, the output of the sinusoidal signal, the data acquisition, and the power supply of the system. The research results show that the parameters of the traditional PZT film material change greatly during the test. The thickness of the improved PLSZT film is about 10% thinner than that of the PZT film. The result can be better in the parameter test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present, for the first time, a formal stability proof for velocity control in induction motors fed by three-phase inverter-DC/DC Buck power electronic converters as power amplifier. Although our result is local, we take into account the complete dynamics of the induction motor and the three-phase inverter-DC/DC Buck power electronic converter system. Despite the complexity of the problem, our proposal is based on several proportional-integral control loops. The key to achieve this result is a novel passivity-based approach that we call energy-based control having a number of advantages over previous passivity-based approaches in the literature. An important problem that is considered is that of an unbalanced three-phase voltage source. This condition appears during the transient periods in the inverter-DC/DC Buck power electronic converter system. This is important because the standard models of induction motors are obtained under the assumption of a balanced three-phase voltage source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public participation has been found, in prior related studies, as a way of demonstrating impartiality and ensuring inclusivity. In developed countries, governments ensure public participation using e-petitions. This study focused on determining municipal residents' perceptions of the electronic petition system ahead of its execution in City of Tshwane municipality. City of Tshwane is one of the largest municipalities in South Africa. The study relied on collecting quantitative data and thus it falls within the positivism paradigm. Quantitative data were collected via questionnaires involving n = 150 residents in City of Tshwane municipality. Descriptive statistics were performed to analyze the profiles of participants and then a factor analysis using varimax rotation was performed to identify the resultant factors. The results show that residents are ready for the e-petition system, optimistic about this contemporary initiative as a means of managing problems in their municipal area, and have confidence in the anticipated efficacy of e-petitions. It concludes that the e-petition system may be effective when used along with the traditional paper petition system. Moreover, it raises insights for policymakers, municipal management and government, and makes suggestions for future studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we based on the first-principles theory explore the sensing and adsorption behaviors of Ru-doped MoS2 (Ru-MoS2) monolayer upon two main decomposed gases in the SF6 insulation device, namely SO2 and SOF2. The simulation results show that the of SO2 adsorption system is calculated as −1.20 eV, indicating that this system is classified as chemisorption, while the of SOF2 adsorption system is obtained as −0.61 eV, implying the physisorption nature. BS and DOS analysis further demonstrates the adsorption performance in two systems and expounds the electronic behavior of Ru-MoS2 monolayer upon gas adsorption. Furthermore, the recovery time for two species at various temperatures shows that Ru-MoS2 monolayer is a potential sensing material on detecting SO2 and manifests the excellent and recyclable performance on scavenging SOF2 due to its weaker binding force. Apart from that, the frontier molecular orbital theory provides the basic sensing mechanism of the Ru-MoS2 monolayer as a resistance-type sensor upon two typical gases, which is quite essential to promote the steady operation of the power system. Highlights Geometric structure and electronic behaviour of Ru-doped MoS2 monolayer are studied Expound the sensing mechanism of Ru–MoS2 monolayer upon SO2 and SOF2 Explore the recovery property of Ru–MoS2 monolayer toward SO2 and SOF2 Analyse the conductivity change of isolated and gas adsorbed Ru–MoS2 surface by using the frontier molecular orbital theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, numerous reliability prediction methods exist for electronic systems. A detailed literature survey is conducted to investigate the various techniques/models to ensure electronic components/system's reliability. Based on such a method's merits and limitations, we recommend using the hybrid model to predict an electronic system's reliability prediction in the distinct development phase of the product life cycle to get higher accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to explore the phenomenon of birthdate misregistration, using birth data from 45,226,875 Polish citizens, that is, all those born 1900–2000 and registered in Poland's Universal Electronic System for Registration of the Population (PESEL). I transformed the data into a daily series of births, detrended by dividing each value by the daily average for the relevant year. Next, I selected the dates with the highest deviations based on the coefficients of the linear regression model with dummy variables. Finally, I estimated the size of the phenomenon in subsequent years by comparing the numbers of births on selected dates to their expected values. This paper is the first to document the specificity, scale, duration, and probable causes of birthdate misregistration in Poland in the twentieth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industry 4.0 offers massive potential for implementing sustainability, which is a growing concern for global manufacturing industries. This paper investigates the impact of the implementation of Industry 4.0 with specific emphasis on digital transformation on the sustainability dimensions of European manufacturing industries. In doing so, we propose a framework to identify the implications of Industry 4.0 on the reconciliation of the firm's existing and new dynamic capabilities, competencies, and market requirements to achieve sustainable competitive advantage. Using a multiple case research design, we study six European manufacturing companies, including aerospace manufacturing (AM) and electronic component and systems (ECS) manufacturing. The novelty of our study lies in developing a set of theoretical propositions that reveals interrelations between Industry 4.0, the dynamic capabilities of the firm and distinct dimensions of sustainability. Our findings show that the reconciliation of dynamic capabilities mediates the impact of Industry 4.0 on economic, environmental, and social aspects. The study provides insights to practitioners to strengthen their dynamic capabilities in order to achieve sustainability while implementing Industry 4.0. Moreover, the findings also facilitate investment decisions in Industry 4.0 projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With an ever-growing demand for electronic products around the globe, electronic product-manufacturing organisations are seeking suitable strategies to improve the efficiency of their supply chain processes. Hence, this study seeks to reduce process wastes and exploit bottlenecks present within the supply chain processes of an electronic product-manufacturing organisation. In light of this, lean supply chain strategies premised on the DMAIC methodology were unveiled and validated using a discrete-event simulation approach. We value streamed the supply chain system of an electronic product manufacturing organisation, identified the root causes of the process wastes and inefficiencies present in the organisation’s supply chain and thereafter, identified suitable strategies capable of eliminating these process wastes and inefficiencies based on experts’ opinions obtained during a focus group discussion forum. As a result of this exercise, three types of process wastes were identified and reduced. The simulation results of this study revealed that the idling time experienced at the workstations, and WIP (Work-In-Progress) inventories present within the supply chain system of this organisation, would be reduced by 7.6% and 81.41% respectively while the overall workstations utilisation would be improved by 9.32%, if the supply chain improvement strategies proposed by the authors are implemented at the electronic product-manufacturing organisation considered in this study. In addition, the total non-value added time would also reduce by 63.89 days, thereby having a potential of improving the throughput and the process cycle efficiency of the supply chain system proposed for use, to the organisation by 63% and 8.82%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid and sensitive identification of illicit drugs has been a challenge and requires new methods. This study proposes a newly developed electronic nose (e-nose) based on commercially available gas sensors to provide a nondestructive, rapid, low cost, and portable solution for in situ detection for marijuana samples. Samples of seized marijuana, pseudo-narcotic marijuana, and cigarettes were analyzed. Principal component analysis (PCA), soft independent modeling of class analogies (SIMCA), and successive projection algorithm-linear discriminant analysis (SPA-LDA) were used for exploratory analysis, classification, and the reduction of variables and classification, respectively. The proposed e-nose system achieved 100% sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy for classifying the samples by SPA-LDA. This approach reduced the number of variables for classification from 355 to 10. The system further provided real-time detection from an internet-of-things (IoT) architecture. The proposed device showed decentralized, rapid, and accurate measurements and therefore may be an alternative for sniffer dogs or the current in situ screening methods. This device can further be expanded to detect other classes of illicit drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blind signcryption is used to maintain the anonymity and privacy of the sender from other participants in an unsecured public network. It has vast applications for privacy related mechanisms such as electronic voting and electronic auction systems. Various blind signcryption schemes were introduced in the last two decades, depending upon the computational cost and the level of security. Some of these schemes were proven to be insecure and need further improvement. We analyzed a recently proposed blind signcryption scheme for multiple digital documents based on a hyperelliptic curve. Our cryptanalysis shows that the proposed blind signcryption scheme is not secure against the existing attacks. An adversary, with the knowledge of public parameters, can modify the signcrypted text of his choice. The successful cryptanalysis shows that the proposed scheme is unable to provide the security attributes of authentication and message integrity. To overcome the security flaws, we propose a modified version of this scheme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, Pauline Oliveros developed new techniques for improvising with new electronic instruments, which she described using language and metaphors from cybernetics and information theory. First using just a tape recorder, and later using a series of tape recorders connected to an unstable pair of oscillators, Oliveros created what she later called a 'very unstable nonlinear musicmaking system' (Oliveros, Pauline. 2016a. "Improvising Composition: How to Listen to the Time Between." In Negotiated Moments: Improvisation, Sound, and Subjectivity, edited by Gillian H. Siddall, and Ellen Waterman, 75–90. Durham, NC: Duke University Press). By positioning herself as only one member of an instrumental system that facilitated the self-regulating flow of sound as signal—operating as air pressure waves, electrical waves, psychoacoustic phenomena, and even human consciousness—Oliveros began to reconceptualize the role of her body in musical performance. By the early 1970s, Oliveros began to embrace the new kinds of musical performance and musical subjectivities produced by this system as a part of her exploration of gender in music, positing the concept of 'androgynous music'—defined as music that is simultaneously 'linear' and 'nonlinear'. Oliveros thought of her performance practice as one that could destabilise socially constructed musical identities of composition, performance, and listening, and also integrate different modalities of interacting with musical 'signal'. This article maps Oliveros's cybernetic, improvisatory practices with her earliest electronic systems, showing how her performance within these systems laid the groundwork for her later theorisations of technology, gender, and the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

U.S. employers can check whether the workers they hire are legally eligible for employment using E-Verify, a free electronic system run by the federal government. We use confidential data from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to provide the first examination of whether increases in employer enrolment in the E-Verify system affect employment and earnings among workers who are particularly likely to be unauthorized, namely Hispanic non-naturalized immigrants who have not completed high school, and their U.S.-citizen counterparts. We find evidence of negative effects on likely unauthorized immigrant men but positive effects on women. We find little evidence of effects on U.S. natives. These results are robust to instrumenting for endogenous employer enrolment with state laws that require some or all employers to use the E-Verify system. The results are consistent with a household model of labour supply among unauthorized immigrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital communication plays a vital role in today's communication system in this electronic world. However, the applications of digital communication are limited due to the requirements of antenna with fully programmable circuits having modulators and de-modulators. It may also end with hardware complexities. In order to overcome such complexities, a universal modulator is designed with an efficient iterative method named as CORDIC algorithm in prior methods. Although, the CORDIC (Coordinate Rotation Digital Computer) algorithm works efficiently, it leads to computational as well as memory complexities. Additionally it creates a need for latency reduction strategy. Therefore, to compete with all these issues faced with the prior method, we proposed an amended CORDIC algorithm in universal modulator working with the principle of the harmonized Stone–Weierstrass theorem. In addition, the Newton–Raphson method and Remz algorithm are introduced here to reduce the memory complexity by doubling the number of iterations and to select the best carrier signal, respectively. Thus, our proposed work effectively unravels all the notorious issues caused with the conventional CORDIC algorithm and the proposed universal modulator is implemented in Xilinx. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This phytosociological study of the Carpathian species-rich mesophilous mountain hay meadows (Triseto flavescentis-Polygonion bistortae alliance, Molinio-Arrhenatheretea class) presents the first unified large-scale classification system in four countries: Slovakia, Poland, Romania and Ukraine. The starting dataset contained relevés of the Molinio-Arrhenatheretea, Mulgedio-Aconitetea and Nardetea strictae classes. Numerical classification and semi-supervised classification by K-means method were used for the analyses. An electronic expert system and diagnostic species for grassland vegetation served for identification of a priori groups in K-means method. The final dataset contained 612 relevés. Altitude, climatic data and Ellenberg indicator values were used for ecological differentiation of syntaxa. The main gradients in floristic composition were analysed by Detrended Correspondence Analysis. Finally, the eight well-differentiated associations and one newly described association were determined: Campanulo glomeratae-Geranietum sylvatici, Geranio sylvatici-Trisetetum flavescentis, Crepido mollis-Agrostietum capillaris, Geranio-Alchemilletum crinitae, Alchemillo-Deschampsietum caespitosae, Phyteumo (orbicularis)-Trifolietum pratensis, Astrantio-Trisetetum flavescentis, Trollio altissimi-Knautietum dipsacifoliae and Violo declinatae-Agrostietum capillaris ass. nova. The differences in vegetation diversity of mountain hay meadows between particular countries were confirmed: Alchemillo-Deschampsietum caespitosae occurs in all studied territories, Campanulo glomeratae-Geranietum sylvatici occurs predominantly in Slovakia and the newly described association Violo declinatae-Agrostietum capillaris ass. nova could be found only in Ukraine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic institutional review board systems (eIRBs) have become an integral component in ensuring compliance with Human Research Protection Program (HRPP) and IRB requirements. Despite this, few of these systems are configured to administer the single IRB (sIRB) process mandated by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for multisite research. We interviewed 103 sIRB administrators, chairs, members, and staff members about their experiences with sIRB multisite research review. We observed three main obstacles to adapting existing eIRB systems to accommodate the sIRB process: (1) Existing systems are not designed for sIRBs and are not configured to administer sIRB responsibilities, (2) they are not interoperable, and (3) resources to improve existing systems are lacking. Our findings suggest that IRBs that act as an sIRB will need major changes to their electronic systems in order to accommodate sIRB processes. These difficulties threaten both the ability of IRBs to focus on ethical rather than bureaucratic problems and the efficiency of multisite trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumer demands for fresh foods with desired sensory properties. Lack of easy, cheap, and nondestructive methods to control the quality of fruit juices is one of the main challenges in the beverage industry. The present study has examined two types of natural and industrial juices. Machine olfaction with 9 metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) sensors was used for the experiments. Sensor response patterns were analyzed using artificial neural networks (ANN). PCR method was used to evaluate the discrimination power of the sensors. According to the results, the discrimination power of the sensors used in the electronic nose sensor array was determined, three of which were removed due to improper response power. The proposed method can be used to select the minimum and most effective number of MOS gas sensors to construct an electronic nose system to control the olfactory quality of different foods. The use of a minimum number of sensors reduces the cost of constructing an electronic nose system, decreases the volume of the processor data input, and consequently increases the classification accuracy. Therefore, the MOS-based electronic nose combined with the ANN can be an effective and highly efficient tool in the fast and nondestructive classification of pure and industrial fruit juices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Checking fixture design is a complicated task requiring a strong professional background and rich practical experience. In order to enhance design efficiency and quality, this paper proposes a computer-aided checking fixture design methodology. The key issues include a new minimal volume bounding box generation approach for workbench design, a multi-objective optimisation algorithm of locator layout for location design, a multi-surface extension and transition method for checking components design and a flexible part library system to reuse standard parts and to assemble them automatically. As an implementation of the system based on the key methods, Checking Fixture Design Wizard for automobile parts, a plug-in on CAD software, is developed. Finally, a car door checking fixture design is taken as a case study to verify its feasibility and practicability. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The article describes research into the use of acoustic emission elastic waves (AE) for diagnosing insulated-gated bipolar transistors (IGBTs). Currently used in many modern shipboard power electronic systems, IGBTs are crucial components required to operate with extreme reliability. The acoustic emission elastic waves method was used to determine the acoustic signals of switching transistor and can be used to monitor early stages of damage. Transistor diagnostics makes use of selected frequency descriptors of AE and appropriate signal analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new electronic seeding device was designed for large-sized seeds, such as soybean, corn, and peanuts, that supports an independent electronic-controlled seeding process. The developed seeding device consists of a programmable logic controller, pulse generator, stepper motor, and stepper motor driver. Based on the Box–Behnken Design model, the effects of different factors on the plant spacing control were analyzed, and the control parameters of the seeding system were optimized by correlation analysis. Through performance tests, the results of the research showed that the coefficient of variation of plant spacing was found to be affected by the interaction between shaft speed and belt speed, in which the belt speed was dominant. And the optimal control conditions by using Box–Behnken Design model are as follows: the seed shaft speed was 0.60 r/s, the soybean hundred-grain weight was 22 g, and the belt speed was 1.5 m/s. The results of the experiments showed that the socket-roller seeding device successfully completed the seeding test, and its performance index was in accord with the applicable standards for single grain precision seeding equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is conflicting evidence on the effect of night work on sickness absence. Most previous studies used self-reporting to identify shift patterns and measure levels of sickness absence. In contrast, this study used objective data from electronic rosters to explore the association of nurses' patterns of night work and sickness absence. This was a retrospective longitudinal study of nurse roster data from 32 general medical and surgical wards in a large acute hospital in England. We used data from 3 years and included both registered nurses and unregistered nursing assistants. We used generalized linear-mixed models to explore the association between night work and the subsequent occurrence of sickness absence. Of 601,282 shifts worked by 1944 nursing staff, 38,051 shifts were lost due to sickness absence. After controlling for potential confounders including proportion of long (≥12 h) shifts worked, proportion of overtime shifts, proportion of shifts worked in the past 7 days, and staff grade, we found that staff working more than 75% of their shifts in the past 7 days as night shifts were more likely to experience sickness absence (aOR = 1.12; 95% CI: 1.03–1.21), compared to staff working on day only schedules. Sub-group analysis found that an association between a high proportion of night shifts worked and long-term sickness (aOR = 1.31; 95% CI: 1.15–1.50), but not short-term sickness. Working high proportions of night shifts, likely representing permanent night work schedules, is associated with a higher risk of long-term sickness absence for nurses working in inpatient adult wards in acute hospitals. The higher sickness absence rates associated with permanent night shifts could result in additional costs or loss of productivity for hospitals. This study challenges the assumption that permanent night schedules maximize circadian adjustment and, therefore, reduce health problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to mask the unpleasant taste of captopril (CPT). Taste masking was achieved by complexation of CPT with a basic ion exchange resin, Dowex® 66, using the batch method. Dowex® 66 was used for the adsorption of CPT, and physical and chemical parameters of the CPT resinates complex were evaluated. A central composite design was used to generate the experiments for the manufacture of resinates using different process and formulation variables. In vitro dissolution studies were performed for 2 h in 0.01N HCl (pH 1.6) using USP Apparatus I. The compatibility of CPT and the resin was evaluated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD). The resinates were evaluated for micromeritic properties and further characterised using FTIR, DSC, and PXRD. Response surface methodology was used to determine the significance of input variables on the CPT content and release. The CPT resin ratio was found to have a significant impact on content of the resinates and on CPT release. The formulations were also studied for taste masking ability by means of an electronic gustatory system – electronic tongue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1800s, ground staking of mining claims on public lands in the United States and Canadian free entry (FE) systems has successfully facilitated mineral discoveries and mine development. One weakness of ground staking regimes is claim staking disputes that create uncertainty for mineral developers and undermine security of tenure. During the last 19 years, electronic claim map selection systems have been implemented in Quebec, British Columbia, Ontario and other provinces to eliminate both the unnecessary expense of staking claims on the ground and the costs arising from claim staking disputes. Competition, a crucial element of FE, is preserved in the more efficient online claim map selection process. Electronic systems with digital maps created for online claim selection can assist governments in preventing mineral takings claims and compensation payments and avoid some disputes between indigenous peoples and mineral developers experienced in ground staking regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antennas with multi-octave bandwidth are widely used for applications such as phased arrays, electronic warfare, and radar navigation due to wide bandwidth, high gain, wide beam width, and flat conformal characteristics. Tapered slot antennas and their variants are classic example of such multi-octave radiators. In this paper, a miniaturized tapered slot multi-octave Vivaldi antenna (L × W × h = 40 × 20 × 1.6 mm3) in the frequency range 6–18 GHz is presented. The optimized dimensions of the antenna are determined through parametric studies to make the antenna suitable to operate in the desired frequency band. A prototype of the proposed antenna is fabricated using FR4 substrate with dielectric constant of 4.4. The return loss, gain, and radiation patterns in E–H planes are measured through simulation (Ansys HFSS-15.0 software) and experimentation. It is verified that the antenna provides moderate gain of 4.4 dB at 18 GHz frequency and radiation patterns are unidirectional and satisfactory. The primary advantage of the proposed antenna is its miniaturized size and simple structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]