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Polymer dielectrics with excellent capacitive performance are urgently needed in advanced electrical and electronic systems. However, due to the dramatic increase in the conduction loss, the energy density and efficiency of polymers degrade severely at elevated temperatures, limiting their application in harsh environments up to 150 °C. Herein, an all-organic polyurea (PU)/polyetherimide (PEI) blend film is designed to prepare high-temperature polymer dielectric. It is found that carrier traps can be introduced by blending, and the hydrogen bond between PU and PEI increases the trap depth, leading to suppressed leakage current and enhanced breakdown strength, thus improving the energy storage performance. PU/30%PEI exhibits a high discharged energy density of ∼3.74 J/cm3 with an efficiency higher than 90% at 150 °C, which is 78% and 70% higher than pristine PU and PEI, respectively. This work provides a facile strategy to improve the energy storage performance of polymer dielectrics by introducing deep traps through blending. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to a community prediction challenge, we simulate the nonadiabatic dynamics of cyclobutanone using the mapping approach to surface hopping (MASH). We consider the first 500 fs of relaxation following photoexcitation to the S2 state and predict the corresponding time-resolved electron-diffraction signal that will be measured by the planned experiment. 397 ab initio trajectories were obtained on the fly with state-averaged complete active space self-consistent field using a (12,11) active space. To obtain an estimate of the potential systematic error, 198 of the trajectories were calculated using an aug-cc-pVDZ basis set and 199 with a 6-31+G* basis set. MASH is a recently proposed independent trajectory method for simulating nonadiabatic dynamics, originally derived for two-state problems. As there are three relevant electronic states in this system, we used a newly developed multi-state generalization of MASH for the simulation: the uncoupled spheres multi-state MASH method (unSMASH). This study, therefore, serves both as an investigation of the photodissociation dynamics of cyclobutanone, and also as a demonstration of the applicability of unSMASH to ab initio simulations. In line with previous experimental studies, we observe that the simulated dynamics is dominated by three sets of dissociation products, C3H6 + CO, C2H4 + C2H2O, and C2H4 + CH2 + CO, and we interpret our predicted electron-diffraction signal in terms of the key features of the associated dissociation pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Standard approximations for the exchange–correlation functional in Kohn–Sham density functional theory (KS-DFT) typically lead to unacceptably large errors when applied to strongly correlated electronic systems. Partition-DFT (PDFT) is a formally exact reformulation of KS-DFT in which the ground-state density and energy of a system are obtained through self-consistent calculations on isolated fragments, with a partition energy representing inter-fragment interactions. Here, we show how typical errors of the local density approximation (LDA) in KS-DFT can be largely suppressed through a simple approximation, the multi-fragment overlap approximation (MFOA), for the partition energy in PDFT. Our method is illustrated on simple models of one-dimensional strongly correlated linear hydrogen chains. The MFOA, when used in combination with the LDA for the fragments, improves LDA dissociation curves of hydrogen chains and produces results that are comparable to those of spin-unrestricted LDA, but without breaking the spin symmetry. MFOA also induces a correction to the LDA electron density that partially captures the correct density dimerization in strongly correlated hydrogen chains. Moreover, with an additional correction to the partition energy that is specific to the one-dimensional LDA, the approximation is shown to produce dissociation energies in quantitative agreement with calculations based on the density matrix renormalization group method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has long been postulated that within density-functional theory (DFT), the total energy of a finite electronic system is convex with respect to electron count so that 2Ev[N0] ≤ Ev[N0 − 1] + Ev[N0 + 1]. Using the infinite-separation-limit technique, this Communication proves the convexity condition for any formulation of DFT that is (1) exact for all v-representable densities, (2) size-consistent, and (3) translationally invariant. An analogous result is also proven for one-body reduced density matrix functional theory. While there are known DFT formulations in which the ground state is not always accessible, indicating that convexity does not hold in such cases, this proof, nonetheless, confirms a stringent constraint on the exact exchange–correlation functional. We also provide sufficient conditions for convexity in approximate DFT, which could aid in the development of density-functional approximations. This result lifts a standing assumption in the proof of the piecewise linearity condition with respect to electron count, which has proven central to understanding the Kohn–Sham bandgap and the exchange–correlation derivative discontinuity of DFT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For an electronic system, given a mean field method and a distribution of orbital occupation numbers that are close to the natural occupations of the correlated system, we provide formal evidence and computational support to the hypothesis that the entropy (or more precisely −σS, where σ is a parameter and S is the entropy) of such a distribution is a good approximation to the correlation energy. Underpinning the formal evidence are mild assumptions: the correlation energy is strictly a functional of the occupation numbers, and the occupation numbers derive from an invertible distribution. Computational support centers around employing different mean field methods and occupation number distributions (Fermi–Dirac, Gaussian, and linear), for which our claims are verified for a series of pilot calculations involving bond breaking and chemical reactions. This work establishes a formal footing for those methods employing entropy as a measure of electronic correlation energy (e.g., i-DMFT [Wang and Baerends, Phys. Rev. Lett. 128, 013001 (2022)] and TAO-DFT [J.-D. Chai, J. Chem. Phys. 136, 154104 (2012)]) and sets the stage for the widespread use of entropy functionals for approximating the (static) electronic correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuum solvation models are becoming increasingly relevant in condensed matter simulations, allowing to characterize materials interfaces in the presence of wet electrified environments at a reduced computational cost with respect to all atomistic simulations. However, some challenges with the implementation of these models in plane-wave simulation packages still persists, especially when the goal is to simulate complex and heterogeneous environments. Among these challenges is the computational cost associated with large heterogeneous environments, which in plane-wave simulations has a direct effect on the basis-set size and, as a result, on the cost of the electronic structure calculation. Moreover, the use of periodic simulation cells is not well-suited for modeling systems embedded in semi-infinite media, which is often the case in continuum solvation models. To address these challenges, we present the implementation of a double-cell formalism, in which the simulation cell used for the continuum environment is uncoupled from the one used for the electronic-structure simulation of the quantum-mechanical system. This allows for a larger simulation cell to be used for the environment, without significantly increasing computational time. In this work, we show how the double-cell formalism can be used as an effective periodic boundary conditions correction scheme for nonperiodic and partially periodic systems. The accuracy of the double-cell formalism is tested using representative examples with different dimensionalities, both in vacuum and in a homogeneous continuum dielectric environment. Fast convergence and good speedups are observed for all the simulation setups, provided the quantum-mechanical simulation cell is chosen to completely fit the electronic density of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic structure calculations have the potential to predict key matter transformations for applications of strategic technological importance, from drug discovery to material science and catalysis. However, a predictive physicochemical characterization of these processes often requires accurate quantum chemical modeling of complex molecular systems with hundreds to thousands of atoms. Due to the computationally demanding nature of electronic structure calculations and the complexity of modern high-performance computing hardware, quantum chemistry software has historically failed to operate at such large molecular scales with accuracy and speed that are useful in practice. In this paper, novel algorithms and software are presented that enable extreme-scale quantum chemistry capabilities with particular emphasis on exascale calculations. This includes the development and application of the multi-Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) library LibCChem 2.0 as part of the General Atomic and Molecular Electronic Structure System package and of the standalone Extreme-scale Electronic Structure System (EXESS), designed from the ground up for scaling on thousands of GPUs to perform high-performance accurate quantum chemistry calculations at unprecedented speed and molecular scales. Among various results, we report that the EXESS implementation enables Hartree–Fock/cc-pVDZ plus RI-MP2/cc-pVDZ/cc-pVDZ-RIFIT calculations on an ionic liquid system with 623 016 electrons and 146 592 atoms in less than 45 min using 27 600 GPUs on the Summit supercomputer with a 94.6% parallel efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic transitions are observed for the O 2 + –Ar and O 2 + –N2 complexes over the 225–350 nm range. The transitions are not associated with recognized electronic band systems of the respective atomic and diatomic constituents (Ar+, Ar, O 2 + , O2, N 2 + , and N2) but rather are due to charge transfer transitions. Onsets of the O 2 + –Ar and O 2 + –N2 band systems occur at 3.68 and 3.62 eV, respectively, corresponding to the difference in the ionization potentials of Ar and O2 (3.69 eV), and N2 and of O2 (3.51 eV), suggesting the band systems arise from intramolecular charge transfer transitions to states correlating with O2 (X 3 Σ g − ) + Ar+ (2Pu) and O2 (X 3 Σ g − ) + N 2 + (X 2 Σ g + ) limits, respectively. The dominant vibronic progressions have ωe values of 1565 cm−1 for O 2 + –Ar and 1532 cm−1 for O 2 + –N2, reasonably close to the value for the neutral O2 molecule in its X 3 Σ g − state (1580 cm−1). Higher energy band systems for O 2 + –Ar and O 2 + –N2 are assigned to transitions to states correlating with the O2 (a1Δg) + Ar+ (2Pu) and O2 (a1Δg) + N 2 + (X 2 Σ g + ) limits, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present an extended dissipaton equation of motion for studying the dynamics of electronic impurity systems. Compared with the original theoretical formalism, the quadratic couplings are introduced into the Hamiltonian accounting for the interaction between the impurity and its surrounding environment. By exploiting the quadratic fermionic dissipaton algebra, the proposed extended dissipaton equation of motion offers a powerful tool for studying the dynamical behaviors of electronic impurity systems, particularly in situations where nonequilibrium and strongly correlated effects play significant roles. Numerical demonstrations are carried out to investigate the temperature dependence of the Kondo resonance in the Kondo impurity model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A systematic spectroscopic study of the dicarbon molecule C2 has important applications in various research fields, such as astrochemistry and combustion. In the short vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) wavelength region, recent theoretical calculations have predicted many absorption band systems of C2, but only few of them have been verified experimentally yet. In this work, we employed a tunable VUV laser radiation source based on the two-photon resonance-enhanced four-wave mixing method and a time-of-flight mass spectrometer to investigate the absorption bands of C2 in the VUV range of 64 000–66 000 cm−1. The electronic transition 23Σg−(v′)–a3Πu(v″) of C2 has been observed and identified experimentally for the first time. The term value Te for the 23Σg− state is determined to be 66 389.9 ± 0.5 cm−1 above the ground state X1Σg+, and the vibrational and rotational constants are also determined. The experimentally measured spectroscopic parameters in this study are in excellent agreement with the theoretical results based on high-level ab initio calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of bioelectronics with the aim to contact cells, cell clusters, biological tissues and organoids has become a vast enterprise. Currently, it is mainly relying on classical micro‐ and nanofabrication methods to build devices and systems. Very recently the field is highly pushed by the development of novel printable organic, inorganic and biomaterials as well as advanced digital printing technologies such as laser and inkjet printing employed in this endeavor. Recent advantages in alternative additive manufacturing and 3D printing methods enable interesting new routes, in particular for applications requiring the incorporation of delicate biomaterials or creation of 3D scaffold structures that show a high potential for bioelectronics and building of hybrid bio‐/inorganic devices. Here the current state of printed 2D and 3D electronic structures and related lithography techniques for the interfacing of electronic devices with biological systems are reviewed. The focus lies on in vitro applications for interfacing single cell, cell clusters, and organoids. Challenges and future prospects are discussed for all‐printed hybrid bio/electronic systems targeting biomedical research, diagnostics, and health monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adding graphite nanoplatelets (GNP) into silicone rubber (SR) composites have shown significant potential for wearable electronics, where electrical, mechanical, and tribological properties play a crucial role. This study investigates the effects of incorporating graphite nanoplatelets (GNP) into SR composites and their impact on these key properties. Solution mixing of SR and GNP was performed to confirm good dispersion of the GNP within the SR matrix. The results showed improved tensile strength and modulus while stabilizing the flexibility and stretchability required for wearable electronics. For example, the tensile strength of the composites was 0.86 MPa (control) and increased to 1.18 MPa (5 part per hundred rubber [phr] GNP), and 1.55 MPa (15 phr GNP). Similarly, the stretchability was 177 % (control) and increased to 190 % (5 phr GNP), and 184 % (15 phr GNP). Moreover, the electro‐mechanical tests were studied and the output voltage for the samples were 0.28 milli‐volt (mV) (5 phr GNP), and 0.31 mV (15 phr GNP). Similarly, the output voltage generation was studied through human motions. The results obtained from these biomechanical motions such as thumb pressing were 0.7 mV (5 phr GNP), and 2.7 mV (15 phr GNP). The study finds the potential of GNP‐SR composites as multifunctional materials such as wearable electronics. Overall, this research guides the development of advanced wearable devices, soft robotics, and bio‐inspired electronics with improved performance and durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The national e-prescription system in Greece is one of the most important achievements in the e-health sector. Healthcare professionals' feedback is essential to ensure the introduced system tends to their needs and reduces their everyday workload. The number of surveys collecting the users' views is limited, while the existing studies include only a small number of participants. Methods: In this study, healthcare professionals' perceptions on e-prescription are explored. For this, a questionnaire was distributed online, containing closed- and open-ended questions aiming to address strengths and identify drawbacks in e-prescription. Answers were collected from primary health care physicians, specialized medical doctors and pharmacists. Results: In total, 430 answers were collected (129 from primary health care physicians, 164 responses from specialized medical doctors and 137 pharmacists). Analysis of the collected answers reveals that the views of the three groups of healthcare professionals mostly converge. The positive impact e-prescribing systems have on the overall prescribing procedure in preventing errors and providing automation is commented. Among gaps identified and proposed improvements, health care professionals note the need for access to information on adverse drug reactions, side effects, drug-to-drug interactions and allergies. Flexible interaction with Therapeutic Prescription Protocols is desired to ameliorate monitoring and decision-making, while drug dosing features, and simplified procedures for copying, repeating, canceling a prescription, are perceived as useful to incorporate. Conclusions: Collecting healthcare professionals' feedback is important, as their views can be transcribed to system requirements, to further promote e-prescribing and improve the provided health care services by facilitating decision making through safer and more efficient e-prescription. Introduction of the identified improvements can simplify the everyday workflow of healthcare professionals. To the best of our knowledge, a survey with more than 400 answered questionnaires on the use of e-prescription systems by healthcare professionals has never been conducted in Greece before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing the sensing properties of resistive sensors holds pivotal importance as a non-invasive technology for identifying lung cancer biomarkers. This study focused on the development of a robust sensing platform to effectively detect low-concentration biomarkers with low concentration. Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene was prepared by HF etching and ZnO was successfully grown on the MXene nano-multilayers via hydrothermal method subsequently. TiO 2 –ZnO samples were obtained after the calcination step. Various characterization methods were applied to validate the structural integrity and formation of the TiO 2 –ZnO n-n heterojunction. The TiO 2 –ZnO sensor with a Ti:Zn atom ratio of 1:1 (TZ1) exhibited special sensing characteristics, which can be attributed to the higher activation energy (89.2 kJ/mol) and the more substantial interfacial contact areas between the two metal oxides. This architectural arrangement gives rise to the creation of numerous energy barriers, effectively hindering electron migration. Despite exhibiting the acceptable response, TZ1 can be applied in electronic nose systems to effectively detect lung cancer indicators with low concentrations (i.e., acetone, formaldehyde, NH 3) in light of its high stability and steady signal-to-noise ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article describes an innovative methodology for the design and experimental validation of monitoring and anomaly detection algorithms, with a particular focus on the aging phenomenon, linked to the anomalous modification of the Rds(on)$R_{ds_{(on)}}$, in devices switching in power electronic systems integrated into modern high‐performance electrified vehicles. The case study concerns an electric drive for fully electrified vehicles, in which a three‐phase axial flux synchronous motor integrated into a wheel motor (Elaphe) is used and in which a high‐efficiency three‐phase inverter, designed with SiC technology (silicon carbide). The article proposes the design and validation of the innovative aging monitoring and detection system, in four consecutive phases. The first phase involves the creation of a real‐time model of electric drive, validated through experimental data extrapolated directly during a WLTP (Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure) test. The second phase consists of the creation of a virtual dataset representative of the aging phenomenon, via an anomaly injection procedure, emulating this phenomenon with a scaling factor (depending on the value of the Rds(on)$R_{ds_{(on)}}$) on the current phase of the motor, relating to the inverter branch whose SiC device is affected. The third phase concerns the design of an estimator of the Rds(on)$R_{ds_{(on)}}$, based on an ANN (Artificial Neural Network) regression model, and involves a data manipulation phase with features extraction and reduction techniques. The fourth and final phase, involves the experimental validation of the method, through PIL (Processor‐In‐the‐Loop) tests, integrating the monitoring algorithm (consisting of a real‐time model and AI‐based regression model) on the NXPs32k144 embedded platform (based on Cortex‐M4), making the algorithm interact with the electric drive model on which anomaly injection is applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to enhance crop harvesting efficiency, an automatic-driving tracked grain vehicle system was designed. Based on the harvester chassis, we designed the mechanical structure of a tracked grain vehicle with a loading capacity of 4.5 m3 and a grain unloading hydraulic system. Using the BODAS hydraulic controller, we implemented the design of an electronic control system that combines the manual and automatic operation of the chassis walking mechanism and grain unloading mechanism. We utilized a hybrid A* algorithm to plan the traveling path of the tracked grain vehicle, and the path-tracking controller of the tracked grain vehicle was designed by combining fuzzy control and pure pursuit algorithms. Leveraging binocular vision technology and semantic segmentation technology, we designed an automatic grain unloading control system with functions of grain tank recognition and grain unloading regulation control. Finally, we conducted experiments on automatic grain unloading control and automatic navigation control in the field. The results showed that both the precision of the path-tracking control and the automatic unloading system meet the requirements for practical unoccupied operations of the tracked grain vehicle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supramolecular electronics exploits the distinctive features stemming from noncovalent interactions, guiding the self‐assembly of molecules to craft materials endowed with customized electronic functionalities. Hydrogen‐bonded materials, characterized by their capacity to establish dynamic and stable networks, introduce an extra dimension to the development of supramolecular electronic systems. This study presents a comparative analysis of two remarkably small semiconductors utilizing diketopyrrolopyrrole functionalized with urea units as hydrogen‐bonding motifs, strategically positioned at opposing ends of the conjugated core. We show how the subtle distinction in functionalization not only influences morphology and self‐assembly dynamics via hydrogen‐bonding and π‐π stacking formation, but also holds significant consequences for ultimate charge transport properties. Our observations into the interplay of noncovalent interactions provide valuable insights and strategic pathways for the design of novel materials with enhanced electronic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering patient room shortages and prevalence of other communicable diseases, reassessing the isolation of patients with Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) is imperative. We conducted a retrospective study to investigate the secondary CDI transmission rate in a hospital in South Korea, where patients with CDI were not isolated. Using data from a real-time locating system and electronic medical records, we investigated patients who had both direct and indirect contact with CDI index patients. The primary outcome was secondary CDI transmission, identified by whole-genome sequencing. Among 909 direct and 2,711 indirect contact cases, 2 instances of secondary transmission were observed (2 [0.05%] of 3,620 cases), 1 transmission via direct contact and 1 via environmental sources. A low level of direct contact (113 minutes) was required for secondary CDI transmission. Our findings support the adoption of exhaustive standard preventive measures, including environmental decontamination, rather than contact isolation of CDI patients in nonoutbreak settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stretchable electronics have the unique capability of 3D (three dimensional) deformation, overcoming the brittleness of traditional inorganic electronics. However, during large deformations, different scale strains between the rigid and stretchable components lead to mismatch, causing interconnect failures. Therefore, the development of the rigidity‐programmable substrate with effective strain shielding capabilities has become a research hotspot. Furthermore, the exponential growth in electronic density presents challenges in the circuit design of stretchable electronics. The urgent need is to develop highly integrated stretchable electronic systems. In this study, a highly integrated stretchable pulse sensor with effective strain shielding capabilities using hybrid 3D printing technology is developed, which comprises electronic chips, a rigidity‐programmable substrate/encapsulation layer printed by using PSC (polydimethylsiloxane/silica‐nanoparticles composite)‐based ink, and LM (liquid metal)‐based 3D circuits. First, the PSC‐based ink is optimized to enhance the strain shielding effectiveness of the rigidity‐programmable substrate. Meanwhile, 3D printing parameters are optimized to achieve high printing precision with minimum line widths below 100 µm. The resulting stretchable pulse sensor demonstrated good mechanical and electrical stability under complex 3D deformations, including bending, twisting, and stretching. The PSC region strain of the sensor is only ≈2% when the global strain is up to ≈65%, which exhibited effective strain shielding capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) treatment and treatment planning is a complex process prepared and delivered by a multidisciplinary team of specialists. Efficient communication and notification systems among different team members are therefore essential to ensure the safe, timely delivery of treatments to patients. Method: To address this issue, we developed and implemented automated notification systems and an electronic whiteboard to track every CT simulation, contouring task, the new‐start schedule, and physician's appointments and tasks, and notify team members of overdue and missing tasks and appointments. The electronic whiteboard was developed to have a straightforward view of current patients' planning workflow and to help different team members coordinate with each other. The systems were implemented and have been used at our center to monitor the progress of treatment‐planning tasks for over 2 years. Results: The last‐minute plans were relatively reduced by about 40% in 2023 compared to 2021 and 2022 with a p‐value < 0.05. The overdue contouring tasks of more than 1 day decreased from 46.8% in 2019 and 33.6% in 2020 to 20%–26.4% in 2021–2023 with a p‐value < 0.05 after the implementation of the notification system. The rate of plans with 1–3 day planning time decreased by 20.31%, 39.32%, and 24.08% with a p‐value < 0.05 and the rate of plans with 1–3 day planning time due to the contouring task overdue more than 1 day decreased by 49.49%, 56.89%, and 46.52% with a p‐value < 0.05 after the implementation. The rate of outstanding appointments that are overdue by more than 7 days decreased by more than 5% with a p‐value < 0.05 following the implementation of the system. Conclusions: Our experience shows that this system requires minimal human intervention, improves the treatment planning workflow and process by reducing errors and delays in the treatment planning process, positively impacts on‐time treatment plan completion, and reduces the need for compressed or rushed treatment planning timelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-volatile memory based on thin-film transistor is crucial for system-on-panel and flexible electronic systems. Achieving high-performance and reliable thin-film transistor (TFT) memory still remains challenging. Here, for the first time, we present a ZnO TFT memory utilizing self-assembled Au nanocrystals with a low thermal budget, exhibiting excellent memory performance, including a program/erase window of 9.8 V, 29% charge loss extrapolated to 10 years, and remarkable endurance characteristics. Moreover, the memory exhibits favorable on-state characteristics with mobility, subthreshold swing, and current on–off ratio of 17.6 cm2V−1s−1, 0.71 V/dec, and 107, respectively. Our study shows that the fabricated TFT memory has great potential for practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Topological boundary modes in electronic and classical-wave systems exhibit fascinating properties. In photonics, topological nature of boundary modes can make them robust and endows them with an additional internal structure--pseudo-spins. Here, we introduce heterogeneous boundary modes, which are based on mixing two of the most widely used topological photonics platforms--the pseudo-spin-Hall-like and valley-Hall photonic topological insulators. We predict and confirm experimentally that transformation between the two, realized by altering the lattice geometry, enables a continuum of boundary states carrying both pseudo-spin and valley degrees of freedom (DoFs). When applied adiabatically, this leads to conversion between pseudo-spin and valley polarization. We show that such evolution gives rise to a geometrical phase associated with the synthetic gauge fields, which is confirmed via an Aharonov-Bohm type experiment on a silicon chip. Our results unveil a versatile approach to manipulating properties of topological photonic states and envision topological photonics as a powerful platform for devices based on synthetic DoFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrahigh–power-density multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs) are critical components in electrical and electronic systems. However, the realization of a high energy density combined with a high efficiency is a major challenge for practical applications. We propose a high-entropy design in barium titanate (BaTiO3)–based lead-free MLCCs with polymorphic relaxor phase. This strategy effectively minimizes hysteresis loss by lowering the domain-switching barriers and enhances the breakdown strength by the high atomic disorder with lattice distortion and grain refining. Benefiting from the synergistic effects, we achieved a high energy density of 20.8 joules per cubic centimeter with an ultrahigh efficiency of 97.5% in the MLCCs. This approach should be universally applicable to designing high-performance dielectrics for energy storage and other related functionalities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we introduce a novel definition for the electrophilic descriptor. Following the proposal of other researchers, the foundation of our approach lies in expanding the change in the energy of an electronic system using a third‐order Taylor series, leading to the integration of hyperhardness into the formulation of the electrophilic descriptor. To validate our results, we conducted a comparative analysis of reactivity sequences among 35 electrophilic systems with known reactivities, as reported in external experimental studies. The electrophilic descriptor demonstrated a remarkable ability to accurately replicate the relative reactivities of the compounds under consideration, surpassing predictions based solely on the electrophilicity index. These findings underscore the significance of incorporating hyperhardness as a crucial reactivity descriptor. Additionally, our study provides interesting insights into the interpretation of this concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent textiles provide an ideal platform for merging technology into daily routines. However, current textile electronic systems often rely on rigid silicon components, which limits seamless integration, energy efficiency, and comfort. Chipless electronic systems still face digital logic challenges owing to the lack of dynamic energy-switching carriers. We propose a chipless body-coupled energy interaction mechanism for ambient electromagnetic energy harvesting and wireless signal transmission through a single fiber. The fiber itself enables wireless visual-digital interactions without the need for extra chips or batteries on textiles. Because all of the electronic assemblies are merged in a miniature fiber, this facilitates scalable fabrication and compatibility with modern weaving techniques, thereby enabling versatile and intelligent clothing. We propose a strategy that may address the problems of silicon-based textile systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The medication in an electronic prescribing system (EPS) does not always match the patient's actual medication. This prospective study analyzes the discrepancies (any inconsistency) between medication prescribed using an EPS and the medication revised by the clinical pharmacist upon admission to the observation area of the emergency department (ED). Adult patients with multimorbidity and/or polypharmacy were included. The pharmacist used multiple sources to obtain the revised medication list, including patient/carer interviews. A total of 1654 discrepancies were identified among 1131 patients. Of these patients, 64.5% had ≥1 discrepancy. The most common types of discrepancy were differences in posology (43.6%), commission (34.7%), and omission (20.9%). Analgesics (11.1%), psycholeptics (10.0%), and diuretics (8.9%) were the most affected. Furthermore, 52.5% of discrepancies affected medication that was high-alert for patients with chronic illnesses and 42.0% of medication involved withdrawal syndromes. Discrepancies increased with the number of drugs (ρ = 0.44, p < 0.01) and there was a difference between non-polypharmacy patients, polypharmacy ones and those with extreme polypharmacy (p < 0.01). Those aged over 75 years had a higher number of prescribed medications and discrepancies occurred more frequently compared with younger patients. The number of discrepancies was larger in women than in men. The EPS medication record requires verification from additional sources, including patient and/or carer interviews. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to describe incidence and all-cause mortality of hematological pediatric malignancies (leukemia and lymphomas) in Kazakhstan based on nationwide large-scale healthcare data from the Unified National Electronic Healthcare System (UNEHS) for the 2014–2021 year period. The cohort included data of patients less than 18 years old with the diagnosis of hematological malignancies registered in the UNEHS (inpatient and outpatient registries) for the year period 2014–2021. Descriptive statistics were conducted to indicate socio-demographic characteristics of the cohort. Incidence and all-cause mortality were calculated per 100,000 population. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was performed to investigate the association between determinants with the all-cause mortality. The total cohort consisted of 3357 children with leukemia and 1474 children with lymphomas. The mean age at diagnosis of leukemia and lymphomas was 7.3 ± 4.7 and 9.9 ± 4.9 years, respectively. The incidence rate of hematological malignancies was 6.8 per 100,000 in 2021. Patients with ALL had a higher incidence rate than patients with AML (3.4 and 1.2 per 100,000 in 2021, respectively). The incidence rate of HL and NHL was relatively similar which varied from 0.6 to 2.6 per 100,000 in 2014–2021. All-cause mortality of pediatric hematological malignancies varied from 1.1 to 1.5 per 100,000 in 2014–2021, with the peak in 2016 (1.7 per 100,000). Younger age is significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality in children with AML. Concusion: Patients with ALL had a higher incidence rate than patients with AML. The incidence rate of HL and NHL was relatively similar. All-cause mortality rates for leukemia and lymphomas were quite stable during the study period. Younger age is significantly associated with increased all-cause mortality among AML patients. However, there is no significant association of age with all-cause mortality among ALL, HL and NHL. In order to obtain more reliable data and analysis on pediatric (hematological) malignancies, specific registries for childhood tumors (including detailed information on relapses, treatments, short and long-term side effects, and specific death causes) should be implemented. What is Known: • Leukemias and lymphomas together account for around 45% of all pediatric malignancies. • Lymphoma accounts for 12% of all childhood malignancies; non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHL) are more frequent than Hodgkin's lymphomas (HL). What is New: • The incidence rate of ALL was higher than the incidence rate of AML throughout the whole study period, whereas all-cause mortality of ALL and AML was quite stable. • According to Cox PH analysis, younger age (0–5 years old) was associated with a higher risk of death among AML children compared to older children, and no significant association of age was observed with all-cause mortality among ALL and lymphomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The possibility to perform standard X-rays is mandatory for all French Emergency Department (ED). Initial interpretation is under the prescriber emergency physician—who continually works under extreme conditions, but a radiologist needs to describe a report as soon as possible. We decided to assess the rate of discordance between emergency physicians and radiologists among discharged patients. Methods: We performed a monocentric study on an adult ED among discharged patients who had at least one X-ray during their consult. We used an automatic electronic system that classified interpretation as concordant or discordant. We review all discordant interpretation, which were classified as false negative, false positive, or more exam needed. Results: For 1 year, 8988 patients had 12,666 X-rays. We found a total of 742 (5.9%) discordant X-rays, but only 277 (2.2%) discordance had a consequence (new consult or exam not initially scheduled). We found some factors associated with discordance such as male sex, or ankle, foot, knee, finger, wrist, ribs, and elbow locations. Conclusions: On discharged patients, using a systematic second interpretation of X-ray by a radiologist, we found a total of 2.2% discordance that had an impact on the initial care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Decolonization treatment of MRSA carriers is recommended in Denmark, except in households with MRSA-positive children <2 years old (wait-and-see approach). Objectives To investigate a wait-and-see approach in children 2–5 years old, and the effect of decolonization treatment of MRSA carriage in all children <6 years old. Patients and methods In this retrospective follow-up study, we included MRSA carriers <6 years old in the Capital Region of Denmark from 2007 to 2021. Data were collected from laboratory information systems and electronic patient records. We divided children into age groups of <2 years or 2–5 years and decolonization treatment versus no treatment. Treatment was chlorhexidine body washes and nasal mupirocin, sometimes supplemented with systemic antibiotics. Children were followed until becoming MRSA free, or censoring. The probability of becoming MRSA free was investigated with Cox regression (higher HRs indicate faster decolonization). Results Of 348 included children, 226 were <2 years old [56/226 (25%) received treatment] and 122 were 2–5 years old [90/122 (74%) received treatment]. Multivariable analyses did not show a larger effect of decolonization treatment versus no treatment in <2-year-olds (HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.52–1.65) or 2–5-year-olds (HR 0.54, 95% CI 0.26–1.12). Without treatment, 2–5-year-olds tended to clear MRSA faster than <2-year-olds (HR 1.81, 95% CI 0.98–3.37). Conclusions We did not find a larger effect of decolonization treatment versus no treatment in children <6 years old, and 2–5-year-olds tended to become MRSA free faster than <2-year-olds. These results support a wait-and-see approach for all children <6 years old, but further studies are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfer of all severe TBI patients to a neurosurgical unit (NSU) has been advocated irrespective of levels of complexity and prognostic factors. Previous publications have suggested that only 50% of severe TBI patients in Ireland were managed in NSUs. This study aims to audit severe TBI referrals to the National Neurosurgical Centre, to evaluate reasons for nonacceptance, assess for differences in the transferred and not transferred cohorts and to analyse observed and expected mortality rates. Data on all patients with TBI referred in 2021 were prospectively collected using an electronic referral system. Patients with severe TBI (GCS ≤ 8 and AIS ≥ 3) were included and dichotomised into transferred and not transferred cohorts. Of 118 patients referred with severe TBI, 45 patients (38.1%) were transferred to the neurosurgical centre. Patients in the transferred cohort were significantly younger (p < 0.001), had a higher GCS score (p < 0.001) and a lower proportion of bilaterally unreactive pupils (p < 0.001) compared to the not transferred cohort. 93% (68/73) of those not transferred were either >65 years old, or had bilaterally unreactive pupils, or both. Based on the IMPACT model, the observed to expected mortality ratios in the transferred and not transferred cohorts were 0.65 (95% CI 0.25–1.05) and 0.88 (95% CI 0.65–1.11) respectively. The observed mortality rate for severe TBI in Ireland was similar to or better than expected mortality rates when adjusted for important prognostic factors. 93% of severe TBI patients not transferred to a neurosurgical centre were either elderly or had bilaterally unreactive pupils or both. These patients have an extremely poor prognosis and recommendation for transfer cannot be made based on current available evidence. • Transfer of severe TBI patients to a neurosurgical unit (NSU) is advocated. • The majority who were not transferred were elderly +/− have bilaterally unreactive pupils. • Insufficient evidence to recommend transfer of patients in this cohort to an NSU. [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 printing process of box packaging paper can generate volatile organic compounds, resulting in odors that impact product quality and health. An efficient, objective, and cost-effective detection method is urgently needed. We utilized a self-developed electronic nose system to test four different cigarette packaging paper samples. Employing multivariate statistical methods like Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA), Statistical Quality Control (SQC), and Similarity-based Independent Modeling of Class Analogy (SIMCA), we analyzed and processed the collected data. Comprehensive evaluation and quality control models were constructed to assess sample stability and distinguish odors. Results indicate that our electronic nose system rapidly detects odors and effectively performs quality control. By establishing models for quality stability control, we successfully identified samples with acceptable quality and those with odors. To further validate the system's performance and extend its applications, we collected two types of cigarette packaging paper samples with odor data. Using data augmentation techniques, we expanded the dataset and achieved an accuracy rate of 0.9938 through classification and discrimination. This highlights the significant potential of our self-developed electronic nose system in recognizing cigarette packaging paper odors and odorous samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aircraft are composed of many electronic systems: sensors, displays, navigation equipment, and communication elements. These elements require a reliable interconnection, which is a major challenge for communication networks since high reliability and predictability requirements must be verified for safe operation. In addition, their verification via hardware deployments is limited because these are costly and it is difficult to try different architectures and configurations, thus delaying design and development in this area. Therefore, verification at early stages in the design process is of great importance and must be supported with simulation. In this context, this work presents an event-driven link-level framework and simulator for the validation of avionics networks. The tool presented supports communication protocols commonly used in avionics, such as Avionics Full-Duplex Switched Ethernet (AFDX), as well as Ethernet, which is used with static routing. Also, the simulator provides accurate results by employing realistic models for various devices. The proposed platform was evaluated in the Clean Sky's Disruptive Cockpit for Large Passenger Aircraft architecture scenario, showing the capabilities of the simulator. Verification speed is a key factor in its application, so the computational cost was analyzed, proving that the execution time is linearly dependent on the number of messages sent and that the increase in the number of nodes has few quadratic components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When designing a system at the Electronic System Level (ESL), designers are confronted with a very large number of design decisions, each affecting the characteristics of the resulting system. Simultaneously, the demands for the system's performance, reliability, and energy consumption have increased drastically. Design Space Exploration (DSE) aims to facilitate this complex task by automating the system synthesis and traversing the design space autonomously. Previous studies on DSE have mainly considered fixed architectures with a fixed set of hardware components only. In the paper at hand, we overcome this limitation to allow for a higher degree of freedom in the design of a multiprocessor system. Instead of a fixed architecture as input, we are using a resource library containing resource types whose instances can then be arbitrarily placed and connected. More specifically, we enable the exploration of the types, the number, and the positions of required processing-type instances in a grid-based topology template in addition to deciding on the remaining system synthesis tasks, namely, resource allocation, task binding, routing, and scheduling. We provide an extensible framework, based on Answer Set Programming (ASP) modulo Theories (ASPmT), for generating system architectures fulfilling predefined constraints. Our studies show that this higher degree of freedom, originating from fewer restrictions regarding the architecture, leads to an increased complexity of the problem. In extensive experiments, we show scalability trends for a set of parameters, demonstrating the capabilities and limits of our approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic voting, based on cryptographic protocols and blockchain technology, represents an advanced method for ensuring the security, transparency, and reliability of electoral processes. The scientific research presented in this article is devoted to the analysis of trends and advanced technologies in the field of electronic voting. The authors propose a systematic mapping of this area using bibliometric analysis. The research is based on the analysis of scientific articles extracted from the Web of Science and Scopus databases. Bibliometric analysis tools are used to automatically identify key topics and trends in the literature. The results of the study reveal the key directions of the development of electronic voting, including the integration of cryptographic protocols and blockchain technology. Specific aspects include improving privacy through the use of modern cryptographic protocols, creating an immutable register of votes using blockchain technology, ensuring trust through open-source code, and increasing resilience to cyber-attacks. These areas reflect the desire to develop efficient, transparent, and secure electronic voting systems. Based on the identified trends, recommendations are proposed for further research aimed at improving electronic electoral systems and their adaptation to the modern requirements of security and transparency in electoral processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive lung dysfunction that can be triggered by exposure to chemicals. This disease can be identified with spirometry, but the patient feels uncomfortable, affecting the diagnosis results. Other disease markers are being investigated, including exhaled breath. This method can be applied easily, is non-invasive, has minimal side effects, and provides accurate results. This study applies the electronic nose method to distinguish healthy people and COPD suspects using exhaled breath samples. Twenty semiconductor gas sensors combined with machine learning algorithms were employed as an electronic nose system. Experimental results show that the frequency feature of the sensor responses used by the principal component analysis (PCA) method combined with graph convolutional network (GCN) can provide the highest accuracy value of 97.5% in distinguishing between healthy and COPD subjects. This method can improve the detection performance of electronic nose systems, which can help diagnose COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with the traditional grid-following photovoltaic grid-connected converter (GFL-PGC), the grid-forming photovoltaic grid-connected converter (GFM-PGC) can provide voltage and frequency support for power systems, which can effectively enhance the stability of power electronic power systems. Consequently, GFM-PGCs have attracted great attention in recent years. When an asymmetrical short-circuit fault occurs in the power grid, GFM-PGC systems may experience transient instability, which has been less studied so far. In this paper, a GFM-PGC system is investigated under asymmetrical short-circuit fault conditions. A novel Q-V droop control structure is proposed by improving the traditional droop control. The proposed control structure enables the system to accurately control the positive- and negative-sequence reactive current without switching the control strategy during the low-voltage ride-through (LVRT) period so that it can meet the requirements of the renewable energy grid code. In addition, a dual-loop control structure model of positive- and negative-sequence voltage and current is established for the GFM-PGC system under asymmetrical short-circuit fault conditions. Based on the symmetrical component method, the composite sequence network of the system is obtained under asymmetrical short-circuit fault conditions, and positive- and negative-sequence power-angle characteristic curves are analyzed. The influence law of system parameters on the transient synchronous stability of positive- and negative-sequence systems is quantitatively analyzed through the equal area criterion. Finally, the correctness of the theoretical analysis is verified by simulation and hardware-in-the-loop experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low birthweight (LBW; <2500 g) is an important predictor of health outcomes throughout the life course. We aimed to update country, regional, and global estimates of LBW prevalence for 2020, with trends from 2000, to assess progress towards global targets to reduce LBW by 30% by 2030. For this systematic analysis, we searched population-based, nationally representative data on LBW from Jan 1, 2000, to Dec 31, 2020. Using 2042 administrative and survey datapoints from 158 countries and areas, we developed a Bayesian hierarchical regression model incorporating country-specific intercepts, time-varying covariates, non-linear time trends, and bias adjustments based on data quality. We also provided novel estimates by birthweight subgroups. An estimated 19·8 million (95% credible interval 18·4–21·7 million) or 14·7% (13·7–16·1) of liveborn newborns were LBW worldwide in 2020, compared with 22·1 million (20·7–23·9 million) and 16·6% (15·5–17·9) in 2000—an absolute reduction of 1·9 percentage points between 2000 and 2020. Using 2012 as the baseline, as this is when the Global Nutrition Target began, the estimated average annual rate of reduction from 2012 to 2020 was 0·3% worldwide, 0·85% in southern Asia, and 0·59% in sub-Saharan Africa. Nearly three-quarters of LBW births in 2020 occurred in these two regions: of 19 833 900 estimated LBW births worldwide, 8 817 000 (44·5%) were in southern Asia and 5 381 300 (27·1%) were in sub-Saharan Africa. Of 945 300 estimated LBW births in northern America, Australia and New Zealand, central Asia, and Europe, approximately 35·0% (323 700) weighed less than 2000 g: 5·8% (95% CI 5·2–6·4; 54 800 [95% CI 49 400–60 800]) weighed less than 1000 g, 9·0% (8·7–9·4; 85 400 [82 000–88 900]) weighed between 1000 g and 1499 g, and 19·4% (19·0–19·8; 183 500 [180 000–187 000]) weighed between 1500 g and 1999 g. Insufficient progress has occurred over the past two decades to meet the Global Nutrition Target of a 30% reduction in LBW between 2012 and 2030. Accelerating progress requires investments throughout the lifecycle focused on primary prevention, especially for adolescent girls and women living in the most affected countries. With increasing numbers of births in facilities and advancing electronic information systems, improvements in the quality and availability of administrative LBW data are also achievable. The Children's Investment Fund Foundation; the UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction; and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • By incorporating MXene nanosheets and Fe3+ into the hydrogel network, rapid gelation (within 10 s) was achieved. • This dual-network conductive hydrogel composite exhibited outstanding stretchability, extremely low energy dissipation. • This work provides a feasible platform for developing integrated wearable health-monitoring electronic systems. Hydrogel-based functional materials had attracted great attention in the fields of artificial intelligence, soft robotics, and motion monitoring. However, the gelation of hydrogels induced by free radical polymerization typically required heating, light exposure, and other conditions, limiting their practical applications and development in real-life scenarios. In this study, a simple and direct method was proposed to achieve rapid gelation at room temperature by incorporating reductive MXene sheets in conjunction with metal ions into the chitosan network and inducing the formation of a polyacrylamide network in an extremely short time (10 s). This resulted in a dual-network MXene-crosslinked conductive hydrogel composite that exhibited exceptional stretchability (1350 %), remarkably low dissipated energy (0.40 kJ m−3 at 100 % strain), high sensitivity (GF = 2.86 at 300–500 % strain), and strong adhesion to various substrate surfaces. The study demonstrated potential applications in the reliable detection of various motions, including repetitive fine movements and large-scale human body motions. This work provided a feasible platform for developing integrated wearable health-monitoring electronic systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-dimensional nano/microstructures have garnered significant attention as the fundamental building blocks for the high-performance integrated systems. Among them, CdS microwires, due to their intriguing optoelectronic properties, hold great promise as candidates for the next generation of high-performance photodetectors. In this study, CdS microwires with wurtzite structure are synthesized using a common chemical vapor deposition method. Optical characterizations revealed that the synthesized microwires exhibited a distinct near band edge emission peak at 515 nm and a broad defect-related emission peak at approximately 650 nm. It is well-known that the intrinsic defects and impurities can significantly degrade the photoresponse properties of the CdS microwire-based photodetectors. To address this issue and enhance the device's photoresponse performance, indium (In) ion implantation is employed to heal the intrinsic defects. Compared to the pristine CdS microwires, the CdS microwire-based photodetectors with In ion implantation demonstrated a remarkable improvement in photoresponse properties. Specifically, they exhibited a higher responsivity of 390 mA W−1 and external quantum efficiency of 119% (a 94.6-fold increase). The specific detectivity also increased to 3.82 × 107 Jones (a 13-fold increase), while the decay time improved to 652 ms (compared to 3.82 s for pristine devices). Overall, our findings highlight the effectiveness of ion implantation as a strategy to enhance the performance of CdS microwires-based photodetectors. This advancement renders them potentially applicable in integrated photonic, electronic and photoelectric systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern electronic power systems rely heavily on analog circuits. The accurate detection of analog circuit faults, especially soft faults, is of great significance for the maintenance and inspection of electronic systems. This paper proposes the application of the Boruta feature selection method to the field of the soft fault diagnosis of analog circuits to screen out low-dimensional and efficient feature components from the high-dimensional time-domain statistical features and frequency-domain features of circuit responses. Then, the feature components are used as the input to train the LightGBM classification model, and the Bayesian optimization method is introduced to optimize the model's hyperparameters. Finally, the trained fault diagnosis model is verified in two typical experimental circuits, and satisfactory accuracy is obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: An interactive electronic system inspired by the temperature self-regulation of human skin. Heat stimulation therapy and temperature monitoring during dynamic wound healing. Mechanism of temperature self-regulation during dynamic wound healing. The thermoregulating function of skin that is capable of maintaining body temperature within a thermostatic state is critical. However, patients suffering from skin damage are struggling with the surrounding scene and situational awareness. Here, we report an interactive self-regulation electronic system by mimicking the human thermos-reception system. The skin-inspired self-adaptive system is composed of two highly sensitive thermistors (thermal-response composite materials), and a low-power temperature control unit (Laser-induced graphene array). The biomimetic skin can realize self-adjusting in the range of 35–42 °C, which is around physiological temperature. This thermoregulation system also contributed to skin barrier formation and wound healing. Across wound models, the treatment group healed ~ 10% more rapidly compared with the control group, and showed reduced inflammation, thus enhancing skin tissue regeneration. The skin-inspired self-adaptive system holds substantial promise for next-generation robotic and medical devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective thermal management is necessary for electronic devices to prevent overheating and guarantee optimal performance. The development of cutting-edge cooling methods may be aided by research into Triple Component Magneto-Convection (TCMC) in a superposed porous and fluid system with heat source/sink effects. It is feasible to improve the thermal management of electronic parts and systems by managing convective heat transfer via the optimization of heat source/sink spot and design. An investigation into the issue of TCMC in a horizontally infinite composite layer is presented in this work. The investigation takes into account of a consistent heat source or sinks in both layers as well as a uniform vertical magnetic field. The upper enclosure of the fluid layer is either free and adiabatic or isothermal, while the bottom enclosure of the porous layer is rigid and adiabatic. By employing normal mode analysis, the resulting system of ordinary differential equations is solved in closed form to obtain the eigenvalue, specifically the thermal Marangoni number (tMn). The investigation focuses on two different combinations of thermal boundaries: (i) adiabatic–adiabatic and (ii) adiabatic–isothermal. During the inquiry, the influence of major elements on TCMC in connection to the depth ratio is fully investigated. This work aims at understanding the stability of the superposed porous-fluid system using adiabatic and isothermal boundaries in the presence of a heat source or sink. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Registrars in specialisation training programmes encounter numerous difficulties in completing the research component of the Master of Medicine degree. Poor patient record-keeping hinders the research process. Objectives. To investigate current types of medical patient record-keeping systems (electronic v. paper) in training health facilities, and the effect data accessibility has on specialist training and research. Methods. This was a mixed-methods study that included both descriptive and analytical components. Of 610 postgraduate students enrolled in the University of KwaZulu-Natal College of Health Sciences Master of Medicine programme, 168 completed a cross-sectional survey to collect data and 11 did follow-up interviews. The survey and interviews explored issues related to medical record-keeping in the participants' department or hospital, emphasising their experiences with data access while conducting research. The quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, and the qualitative data were analysed thematically. Ethical approval was obtained from the institution's Biomedical Research Ethics Committee. Results. Of the 168 participants, 94 (56%) reported that problems with data access hindered their research, while 56 (33%) indicated that data access did not affect their research. Only 30 participants (18%) had no difficulty in obtaining data for their research, while the rest (n=138; 82%) experienced varying degrees of difficulty. A total of 110 participants (65%) indicated that paper-based record-keeping was mainly being used in their department or hospital, while electronic record-keeping was reported by the rest (n=58; 35%). Many (n=125; 74%) expressed the need to improve hospital data management practices, and 39 (23%) reported that plans were being implemented to improve these practices. Participants expressed frustration with regard to accessing data even in departments that used electronic systems, and they raised concerns regarding data security. Conclusion. The migration to electronic patient record-keeping has not yet been implemented in many hospitals, with poor patient record-keeping affecting training and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This piece explores an early example of transphobic algorithmic bias in an electronic computing system in the UK government, which was designed to collect taxes and apportion welfare state benefits. It argues that the logic of computation has long been used to obfuscate political decisions and launder government disdain for the rights and needs of marginalized groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel multi‐conductor electromagnetic coupling model for the sensitive‐wire subject to driven wire in a high‐precision machining workbench is proposed in this paper. The general coupling model for an N‐wire system is derived and is used to evaluate the wire coupling effect. Furthermore, 4‐wire and 3‐wire models are demonstrated to verify the accuracy through full‐wave electromagnetic simulation below 10 MHz. The results show that the error between the proposed method and the full‐wave electromagnetic simulation is less than 10%, demonstrating the high efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method. When the parameters of the driven power wire and the most sensitive wire are fixed and the parameters of neighboring wires are swept, the maximum fluctuation of the induced current on the most sensitive wire is 6.1 dB. The efficient calculation method proposed in this work helps reduce the risk of electromagnetic interference in complex electronic systems and improves the design efficiency of wires. It is promising to become a high‐performance method with high efficiency and precision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptographic devices' complexity necessitates fast security simulation environments against fault attacks. SystemC, a promising candidate in Electronic System Levels (ESLs), can achieve higher simulation speeds while maintaining accuracy and reliability, and its modular and hierarchical design allows for efficient modeling of complex cryptographic algorithms and protocols. However, code modification is required for fault injection and detection. Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) can test cryptographic models' robustness without modifications, potentially replacing real cryptanalysis schemes and reducing the time and effort required for fault injection and detection. Through the utilization of a fault injection/detection environment, this paper presents a novel approach to simulating the security fault attacks of ASCON cryptographic systems at the ESL. The purpose of this methodology is to evaluate the resistance of ASCON SystemC models against fault attacks. The proposed methodology leverages the advantages of AOP to enhance the fault injection and detection process. By applying AOP techniques, we inject faults into the SystemC models without making any changes to the main codebase. This approach not only improves the efficiency of testing cryptographic systems but also ensures that the main functionality remains intact during the fault injection process. The methodology was validated using three scenarios and SystemC ASCON as a case study. The first simulation involved evaluating fault detection capabilities, the second focused on the impact of AOP on executable file size and simulation time, and the third focused on the ESL impact on the ASCON design process. Simulation results show that this methodology can perfectly evaluate the robustness of the ASCON design against fault injection attacks with no significant impact on simulation time and file executable size. Additionally, the simulation results prove that the ASCON development life cycle at the ESL reduces the amount of time devoted to the design procedure by 83.34%, and the ASCON security attack simulations at the ESL decrease the simulation time by 40% compared to the register transfer level (RTL). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]