Views about perceived training needs of health care professionals in relation to socially assistive robots: an international online survey.

BACKGROUND: As Artificial Intelligence and social robots are increasingly used in health and social care, it is imperative to explore the training needs of the workforce, factoring in their cultural background. OBJECTIVES: Explore views on perceived training needs among professionals around the world and how these related to country cultures. DESIGN: Cross-sectional, descriptive, mixed-methods international online survey. METHODS: Descriptive statistical analysis explored the ranking across countries and relationships with three Hofstede cultural dimensions. Thematic analysis was conducted on the open-ended text responses. RESULTS: A sample of N = 1284 participants from eighteen countries. Knowing the capabilities of the robots was ranked as the top training need across all participating countries and this was also reflected in the thematic analysis. Participants' culture, expressed through three Hofstede's dimensions, revealed statistically significant ranking differences. CONCLUSIONS: Future research should further explore other factors such as the level of digital maturity of the workplace. IMPACT STATEMENT: Training needs of health and social care staff to use robotics are fast growing and preparation should factor in patient safety and be based on the principles of person- and culture-centred care.

Experience and Utility of the Protocol Kidney Biopsy in the First Year of Kidney Transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Protocol kidney biopsy (PKB) in kidney transplant is a useful tool for graft monitoring because the subclinical detection of histologic lesions helps to modulate immunosuppression. We analyze our experience. METHODS: We performed a descriptive study that analyzed the PKB results at the fourth to sixth month and the first year post transplant of patients with kidney transplant followed in our hospital between January 2015 and June 2021. RESULTS: A total of 100 patients and 134 biopsy results were included, of which 71 were obtained between the fourth and sixth month and 63 at the first year. The mean age was 57.8 years, and 66% were men. Unknown etiology was the most common underlying kidney disease (31%), followed by diabetes mellitus (15%) and polycystic kidney disease (14%). A total of 80% had panel-reactive antibody < 50%. Induction therapy consisted of thymoglobulin (51%) and basiliximab (49%), and maintenance therapy consisted of corticosteroids and tacrolimus (100%), mycophenolate mofetil (82%), and mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor (18%). Of the total of the PKB results (n = 134), 19 episodes of subclinical rejection (14%) and 10 with borderline changes (7.4%) were observed. Regarding other findings, there were cases of nephrocalcinosis (4.4%), immunoglobulin A nephropathy (2.2%), and BK nephropathy (1.5%). The PKB brought about a change in the therapeutic attitude in 45 cases (33%) of the total number of biopsies, the most frequent change being the administration of boluses of methylprednisolone (12.6%) and the change to mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor (8.9%). CONCLUSIONS: In our experience, PKB is a useful tool for monitoring and evaluating histologic changes without clinical expression in the kidney graft, allowing us to adapt the treatment during the first year of kidney transplant.

Tratamiento reconstructivo de bajo costo tras resección de tumor de células gigantes de radio distal / Low-cost reconstructive treatment after resection of distal radius giant cell tumor

Resumen: Introducción: El tumor de células gigantes (TCG) es un tumor óseo intramedular benigno que surge con frecuencia en los extremos de los huesos largos. Después del fémur distal y la tibia proximal, el radio distal es el tercer sitio más afectado con tumores, particularmente agresivos. Nuestro objetivo es la presentación del caso clínico de una paciente con diagnóstico de TCG de radio distal clasificada en grado III de Campanacci que recibió un tratamiento ajustado a sus posibilidades económicas. Reporte de caso: Paciente femenino de 47 años, sin solvencia económica y sin ningún servicio médico. El tratamiento incluyó resección en bloque, reconstrucción con autoinjerto de peroné distal y artrodesis radiocarpiana con placa de compresión bloqueada. Dieciocho meses después, la paciente presentaba una buena fuerza de prensión (80% respecto al lado sano) y tenía una función motora fina en la mano. La muñeca presentó estabilidad con pronación de 85o, supinación de 80o, flexión-extensión de 0o y una puntuación de 6.7 en el cuestionario de evaluación de resultados funcionales DASH. Su evolución radiológica a cinco años después de su cirugía continuó sin datos de recidiva local y afectación pulmonar. Conclusión: El resultado en esta paciente, junto con los datos publicados, indican que la técnica de resección tumoral en bloque, más el autoinjerto de peroné distal y la artrodesis con placa de compresión bloqueada proporcionan un resultado óptimo de funcionalidad para el tumor radial distal grado III a bajo costo.

Abstract: Introduction: Giant cell tumor (GCT) is a benign intramedullary bone tumor that frequently arises at the ends of long bones. After the distal femur and proximal tibia, the distal radius is the third most affected site with particularly aggressive tumors. Our objective is the presentation of the clinical case of a patient diagnosed with distal radius GCT classified in grade III of Campanacci who received a treatment adjusted to her economic possibilities. Case report: A 47-year-old female, without economic solvency and with some medical service. Treatment included block resection, reconstruction with distal fibula autograft, and radiocarpal fusion with blocked compression plate. Eighteen months later, the patient had good grip strength (80% on the healthy side) and had fine motor function in the hand. The wrist presented stability with pronation of 85o, supination of 80o, flexion-extension of 0o and a score of 6.7 in the DASH functional outcomes assessment questionnaire. His radiological evaluation five years after his surgery continued with no evidence of local recurrence and pulmonary involvement. Conclusion: The result in this patient, together with the published data, indicate that the block tumor resection technique, plus distal fibula autograft and arthrodesis with blocked compression plate provide an optimal result of functionality for the grade III distal radial tumor at low cost.

The value of human resources: Experience of critical care nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented health crisis. Pressure on the National Health System has created unique demand particularly in certain services and care units like the critical care units. OBJECTIVE: To learn about the experience of nurses in caring for people with coronavirus in critical care units. METHOD: A qualitative phenomenological study that constitutes the second phase of a mixed methodology project. We conducted interviews with 17 nurses caring for patients affected by COVID-19 in critical care units. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic discourse analysis. RESULTS: This article shows the findings around the theme "the value of human resources" which is nuanced through sub-themes "it's not the beds, it's the expert staff", "shouldering the patient's burden", and suffering because "they have not cared well". DISCUSSION: Expert nurses have emerged as leading professionals in the care of the critical patient during the COVID-19 pandemic. This leadership is executed from a profile framed in an inclusive philosophy where wisdom, agility and intuition are the key elements underpinning problem identification and solving in a creative way, while adapting to the needs of the patient and healthcare team as they emerge. CONCLUSIONS: Expert nurses have played an advanced role in the management of care and human resources by exercising effective leadership in the clinical setting. Care has been hampered due to the crisis, which causes nurses moral distress because they have been unable to meet standards of quality and excellence in care.

El valor del recurso humano: experiencia de profesionales enfermeros de cuidados críticos durante la pandemia por COVID-19 / The value of human resources: experience of critical care nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic

La pandemia por COVID-19ha supuesto una crisis sanitaria sin precedentes. La presión asistencial sobre el Sistema Nacional de Salud ha generado escenarios insólitos de demanda especialmente llamativos en algunos servicios o unidades asistenciales como las Unidades de Cuidados Críticos.Objetivo: Conocer la experiencia de los profesionales enfermeros referida a la atención de personas infectadas por coronavirus en las Unidades de Cuidados Críticos.Método: Estudio cualitativo de carácter fenomenológico que constituye la segunda fase de un proyecto de metodología mixta. Se realizaron entrevistas a 17 enfermeras que prestaron cuidados en Unidades de Cuidados Críticos a pacientes afectados de COVID-19. Las entrevistas fueron audiograbadas, transcritas y analizadas mediante análisis temático del discurso.Resultados: En este artículo se muestran los hallazgos en torno al tema «el valor del recurso humano» que matiza su significado a través de los subtemas «no son las camas, es el personal experto», «llevando la carga del paciente» y sufriendo por «no haber cuidado bien».Discusión: Los profesionales enfermeros expertos se erigen como profesionales líderes en el cuidado del paciente crítico durante la pandemia por COVID-19. Este liderazgo se ejerce desde un perfil enmarcado en una filosofía integradora donde sabiduría, agilidad e intuición son los elementos clave que dan soporte a la identificación y resolución de problemas de forma creativa adaptándose a las necesidades emergentes de los pacientes y equipo de cuidados.Conclusiones: Los profesionales enfermeros expertos han desempeñado un rol avanzado en la gestión de cuidados y de recursos humanos mediante el ejercicio de un liderazgo eficiente en el entorno clínico. Los cuidados se han visto mermados por la situación de crisis, circunstancia que les genera sufrimiento moral por no haber podido cumplir con los estándares de calidad y excelencia en el cuidado.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented health crisis. Pressure on the National Health System has created unique demand particularly in certain services and care units like the critical care units.Objective: To learn about the experience of nurses in caring for people with coronavirus in critical care units.MethodA qualitative phenomenological study that constitutes the second phase of a mixed methodology project. We conducted interviews with 17 nurses caring for patients affected by COVID-19 in critical care units. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic discourse analysis.Results: This article shows the findings around the theme “the value of human resources” which is nuanced through sub-themes “it's not the beds, it's the expert staff”, “shouldering the patient's burden”, and suffering because “they have not cared well”.Discussion: Expert nurses have emerged as leading professionals in the care of the critical patient during the COVID-19 pandemic. This leadership is executed from a profile framed in an inclusive philosophy where wisdom, agility and intuition are the key elements underpinning problem identification and solving in a creative way, while adapting to the needs of the patient and healthcare team as they emerge.Conclusions: Expert nurses have played an advanced role in the management of care and human resources by exercising effective leadership in the clinical setting. Care has been hampered due to the crisis, which causes nurses moral distress because they have been unable to meet standards of quality and excellence in care.

[Gestational diabetes mellitus : prelude of risks not to be misunderstood]. / Le diabète gestationnel. Prélude de risques à ne pas méconnaître.

Gestational diabetes mellitus is a common complication in pregnant women. It is diagnosed between the 24th and 28th last menstrual period thanks to an oral glucose tolerance test with 75 g of glucose. Although blood glucose levels usually return to normal after childbirth, it can lead to some medium- and long-term complications, including cardiovascular, metabolic and renal complications. Early detection of various risk factors related to these complications would avoid some negative consequences for women with background of gestational diabetes.

Le diabète gestationnel est une complication fréquente chez la femme enceinte. Il est diagnostiqué entre la 24ème et la 28ème semaine d'aménorrhée grâce à la réalisation d'une hyperglycémie provoquée par voie orale avec 75 g de glucose. Même si la glycémie se normalise après l'accouchement dans la plupart des cas, un antécédent de diabète gestationnel peut entraîner différentes complications à moyen et long termes, notamment sur le plan cardiovasculaire, métabolique et rénal. Un dépistage précoce des différents facteurs de risque liés à ces complications permettrait d'éviter certaines conséquences néfastes pour les femmes après un diabète gestationnel.

[The value of human resources: experience of critical care nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic]. / El valor del recurso humano: experiencia de profesionales enfermeros de cuidados críticos durante la pandemia por COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an unprecedented health crisis. Pressure on the National Health System has created unique demand particularly in certain services and care units like the critical care units. Objective: To learn about the experience of nurses in caring for people with coronavirus in critical care units. Method: A qualitative phenomenological study that constitutes the second phase of a mixed methodology project. We conducted interviews with 17 nurses caring for patients affected by COVID-19 in critical care units. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using thematic discourse analysis. Results: This article shows the findings around the theme "the value of human resources" which is nuanced through sub-themes "it's not the beds, it's the expert staff", "shouldering the patient's burden", and suffering because "they have not cared well". Discussion: Expert nurses have emerged as leading professionals in the care of the critical patient during the COVID-19 pandemic. This leadership is executed from a profile framed in an inclusive philosophy where wisdom, agility and intuition are the key elements underpinning problem identification and solving in a creative way, while adapting to the needs of the patient and healthcare team as they emerge. Conclusions: Expert nurses have played an advanced role in the management of care and human resources by exercising effective leadership in the clinical setting. Care has been hampered due to the crisis, which causes nurses moral distress because they have been unable to meet standards of quality and excellence in care.

[Low-cost reconstructive treatment after resection of distal radius giant cell tumor]. / Tratamiento reconstructivo de bajo costo tras resección de tumor de células gigantes de radio distal.

INTRODUCTION: giant cell tumor (GCT) is a benign intramedullary bone tumor that frequently arises at the ends of long bones. After the distal femur and proximal tibia, the distal radius is the third most affected site with particularly aggressive tumors. Our objective is the presentation of the clinical case of a patient diagnosed with distal radius GCT classified in grade III of Campanacci who received a treatment adjusted to her economic possibilities. CASE REPORT: a 47-year-old female, without economic solvency and with some medical service. Treatment included block resection, reconstruction with distal fibula autograft, and radiocarpal fusion with blocked compression plate. Eighteen months later, the patient had good grip strength (80% on the healthy side) and had fine motor function in the hand. The wrist presented stability with pronation of 85o, supination of 80o, flexion-extension of 0o and a score of 6.7 in the DASH functional outcomes assessment questionnaire. His radiological evaluation five years after his surgery continued with no evidence of local recurrence and pulmonary involvement. CONCLUSION: the result in this patient, together with the published data, indicate that the block tumor resection technique, plus distal fibula autograft and arthrodesis with blocked compression plate provide an optimal result of functionality for the grade III distal radial tumor at low cost.

INTRODUCCIÓN: el tumor de células gigantes (TCG) es un tumor óseo intramedular benigno que surge con frecuencia en los extremos de los huesos largos. Después del fémur distal y la tibia proximal, el radio distal es el tercer sitio más afectado con tumores, particularmente agresivos. Nuestro objetivo es la presentación del caso clínico de una paciente con diagnóstico de TCG de radio distal clasificada en grado III de Campanacci que recibió un tratamiento ajustado a sus posibilidades económicas. REPORTE DE CASO: paciente femenino de 47 años, sin solvencia económica y sin ningún servicio médico. El tratamiento incluyó resección en bloque, reconstrucción con autoinjerto de peroné distal y artrodesis radiocarpiana con placa de compresión bloqueada. Dieciocho meses después, la paciente presentaba una buena fuerza de prensión (80% respecto al lado sano) y tenía una función motora fina en la mano. La muñeca presentó estabilidad con pronación de 85o, supinación de 80o, flexión-extensión de 0o y una puntuación de 6.7 en el cuestionario de evaluación de resultados funcionales DASH. Su evolución radiológica a cinco años después de su cirugía continuó sin datos de recidiva local y afectación pulmonar. CONCLUSIÓN: el resultado en esta paciente, junto con los datos publicados, indican que la técnica de resección tumoral en bloque, más el autoinjerto de peroné distal y la artrodesis con placa de compresión bloqueada proporcionan un resultado óptimo de funcionalidad para el tumor radial distal grado III a bajo costo.

Sustentabilidad hospitalaria, calidad y seguridad del paciente en el Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile / Hospital sustainability, quality and patient safety in Hospital Clínico Universidad de Chile

The sustainability of the Universidad de Chile Clinical Hospital must be understood comprehensively; providing higher quality and safety for our patients, ensuring highest standards of medical care. The quality of care must be understood not only in complying with the minimum standards to accredit and grant GES benefits, establish agreements with health insurers and be financially competitive; It must be incorporated into its management the dimensions of quality - effectiveness, efficiency, accessibility, safety, equity and patient-centered care- minimizing the costs of non-quality work. Our Clinical Hospital, as our country's main training center in healthcare professions, must include training at the undergraduate students' curriculum in quality and patient safety issues. (AU)

Realizing topologically ordered states on a quantum processor.

The discovery of topological order has revised the understanding of quantum matter and provided the theoretical foundation for many quantum error­correcting codes. Realizing topologically ordered states has proven to be challenging in both condensed matter and synthetic quantum systems. We prepared the ground state of the toric code Hamiltonian using an efficient quantum circuit on a superconducting quantum processor. We measured a topological entanglement entropy near the expected value of ­ln2 and simulated anyon interferometry to extract the braiding statistics of the emergent excitations. Furthermore, we investigated key aspects of the surface code, including logical state injection and the decay of the nonlocal order parameter. Our results demonstrate the potential for quantum processors to provide insights into topological quantum matter and quantum error correction.

Removing leakage-induced correlated errors in superconducting quantum error correction.

Quantum computing can become scalable through error correction, but logical error rates only decrease with system size when physical errors are sufficiently uncorrelated. During computation, unused high energy levels of the qubits can become excited, creating leakage states that are long-lived and mobile. Particularly for superconducting transmon qubits, this leakage opens a path to errors that are correlated in space and time. Here, we report a reset protocol that returns a qubit to the ground state from all relevant higher level states. We test its performance with the bit-flip stabilizer code, a simplified version of the surface code for quantum error correction. We investigate the accumulation and dynamics of leakage during error correction. Using this protocol, we find lower rates of logical errors and an improved scaling and stability of error suppression with increasing qubit number. This demonstration provides a key step on the path towards scalable quantum computing.

Demonstrating a Continuous Set of Two-Qubit Gates for Near-Term Quantum Algorithms.

Quantum algorithms offer a dramatic speedup for computational problems in material science and chemistry. However, any near-term realizations of these algorithms will need to be optimized to fit within the finite resources offered by existing noisy hardware. Here, taking advantage of the adjustable coupling of gmon qubits, we demonstrate a continuous two-qubit gate set that can provide a threefold reduction in circuit depth as compared to a standard decomposition. We implement two gate families: an imaginary swap-like (iSWAP-like) gate to attain an arbitrary swap angle, θ, and a controlled-phase gate that generates an arbitrary conditional phase, ϕ. Using one of each of these gates, we can perform an arbitrary two-qubit gate within the excitation-preserving subspace allowing for a complete implementation of the so-called Fermionic simulation (fSim) gate set. We benchmark the fidelity of the iSWAP-like and controlled-phase gate families as well as 525 other fSim gates spread evenly across the entire fSim(θ,ϕ) parameter space, achieving a purity-limited average two-qubit Pauli error of 3.8×10^{-3} per fSim gate.

360-Degree evaluation: Towards a comprehensive, integrated assessment of performance on clinical placement in nursing degrees: A descriptive observational study.

BACKGROUND: The assessment of the acquisition of clinical competencies is a critical issue for nursing students. 360-degree evaluations are a widespread practice in professional competency assessment and can be applied to the learning/teaching process of future nurses. OBJECTIVES: To determine the effectiveness of the implementation of a 360-degree evaluation proposal for assessing the competencies acquired by third-year nursing students during their clinical placements. DESIGN: A mixed-methods design was used with a primary component (a cross-sectional descriptive observational design) and a parallel qualitative component. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-seven third-year nursing students from a public university in Madrid, Spain, who were undertaking their clinical placements during seven weeks in medical/surgical units in hospital settings. METHODS: This study was conducted between September 2017 and May 2018. Quantitative data were obtained using assessment tools specifically developed for this 360-degree evaluation proposal. Qualitative information was collected from two focus groups, one with students and one with teaching staff. A descriptive analysis of the quantitative data was conducted. Qualitative data were studied using a thematic analysis. RESULTS: The mean scores for each of the items in the 360-degree evaluation were high, with the highest grades being observed in the evaluations made by peers and patients (a mean of 9.1 out of 10.0). On average, the 360-degree evaluation method yielded grades 0.067 percentage points higher than did the previous evaluation method (p ≤ 0.001). Students and teaching staff encountered difficulties in the evaluations made by users/families and other members of the healthcare team (nursing assistants and physicians), although they rated the overall proposal as being very powerful in terms of educational value. CONCLUSIONS: The 360-degree evaluation method is an innovative, motivating, and integrating approach to the acquisition of competencies with a focus on excellence.

Sport-specific differences in dynamic visual acuity and gaze stabilization in division-I collegiate athletes.

BACKGROUND: The vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR) integrates the vestibular and ocular systems to maintain gaze during head motion. This reflex is often negatively affected following sport-related concussion. Objective measures of gaze stability, a function mediated by the VOR, such as the computerized dynamic visual acuity test (DVAT) and gaze stabilization test (GST), may have utility in concussion management. However, normative data specific to sport, sex, or concussion history have not been established in collegiate athletes. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to establish normative values for the DVAT and GST in collegiate athletes and explore the effect of sport, sex, and concussion history on VOR assessments. METHODS: The DVAT and GST were completed by 124 collegiate athletes (72 male, 52 female, mean±SD, age: 19.71±1.74 years, height: 173.99±13.97 cm, weight: 80.06±26.52 kg) recruited from Division-I athletic teams (football, soccer and cheerleading). The DVAT and GST were performed in the rightward and leftward directions during a single session in a standardized environment. Normative values for DVAT and GST measures were expressed as percentiles. Non-parametric statistics were used to compare differences between groups based on sex, sport, and concussion history. Alpha was set a-priori at 0.05. RESULTS: Overall, the median LogMAR unit for 124 athletes completing the DVAT was 0 (IQR = 0.17) for both leftward and rightward. The median velocities achieved on the GST were 145 °/sec and 150 °/sec (IQR = 45 and 40) for the leftward and rightward directions respectively. Significant differences were observed between sports (p = 0.001-0.17) for the GST with cheerleading demonstrating higher velocities than the other sports. However, no significant differences were identified based on sex (p≥0.09) or history of concussion (p≥0.15). CONCLUSIONS: Normative estimates for the DVAT and GST may assist in the clinical interpretation of outcomes when used in post-concussion evaluation for collegiate athletes. Although sex and previous concussion history had no effect on the DVAT or GST, performance on these measures may be influenced by type of sport. Sport-related differences in the GST may reflect VOR adaptations based on individual sport-specific demands.

Obstacles to compassion-giving among nursing and midwifery managers: an international study.

AIM: To explore nursing and midwifery managers' views regarding obstacles to compassion-giving across country cultures. BACKGROUND: The benefit of compassionate leadership is being advocated, but despite the fact that health care is invariably conducted within culturally diverse workplaces, the interconnection of culture, compassion and leadership is rarely addressed. Furthermore, evidence on how cultural factors hinder the expression of compassion among nursing and midwifery managers is lacking. METHODS: Cross-sectional, exploratory, international online survey involving 1 217 participants from 17 countries. Managers' responses on open-ended questions related to barriers for providing compassion were entered and thematically analysed through NVivo. RESULTS: Three key themes related to compassion-giving obstacles emerged across countries: 1. related to the managers' personal characteristics and experiences; 2. system-related; and 3. staff-related. CONCLUSIONS: Obstacles to compassion-giving among managers vary across countries. An understanding of the variations across countries and cultures of what impedes compassion to flourish in health care is important. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE AND POLICY: Nursing mangers should wisely use their power by adopting leadership styles that promote culturally competent and compassionate workplaces with respect for human rights. Policymakers should identify training and mentoring needs to enable the development of managers' practical wisdom. Appropriate national and international policies should facilitate the establishment of standards and guidelines for compassionate leadership, in the face of distorted organizational cultures and system-related obstacles to compassion-giving.

Diabatic Gates for Frequency-Tunable Superconducting Qubits.

We demonstrate diabatic two-qubit gates with Pauli error rates down to 4.3(2)×10^{-3} in as fast as 18 ns using frequency-tunable superconducting qubits. This is achieved by synchronizing the entangling parameters with minima in the leakage channel. The synchronization shows a landscape in gate parameter space that agrees with model predictions and facilitates robust tune-up. We test both iswap-like and cphase gates with cross-entropy benchmarking. The presented approach can be extended to multibody operations as well.

Fluctuations of Energy-Relaxation Times in Superconducting Qubits.

Superconducting qubits are an attractive platform for quantum computing since they have demonstrated high-fidelity quantum gates and extensibility to modest system sizes. Nonetheless, an outstanding challenge is stabilizing their energy-relaxation times, which can fluctuate unpredictably in frequency and time. Here, we use qubits as spectral and temporal probes of individual two-level-system defects to provide direct evidence that they are responsible for the largest fluctuations. This research lays the foundation for stabilizing qubit performance through calibration, design, and fabrication.

Nanoparticles confined to a spherical surface in the presence of an external field: Interaction forces and induced microstructure.

The structural response of a set of charged nanoparticles confined to move on a spherical surface under the influence of an external field is studied by Brownian Dynamics (BD) simulations and by an integral equation approach (IEA). Considering an identical nanoparticle as the source of the external field, we analyze the force exerted by the N confined particles on the external one, as well as the corresponding potential energy, focusing on their dependence on the distance of the external particle to the center of the sphere r0. The connection of the force and potential to the equilibrium local distribution of the adsorbed particles, that is, the microstructure within the spherical monolayer induced by the external nanoparticle, which is also dependent on r0, is elucidated by this analysis. It is found that the external particle needs to surmount a considerable potential barrier when moving toward the spherical surface, although much smaller than the one generated by a uniform surface distribution with an equivalent amount of charge. This is understood in terms of the correlation hole within the confined monolayer induced by the external particle. Another interesting conclusion is that the IEA provides an accurate, almost quantitative, description of the main features observed in the BD results, yet it is much less computationally demanding. The connection of these results with the overall chemical equilibrium of charged surfactant nanoparticles in the context of Pickering emulsions is also briefly discussed.

A blueprint for demonstrating quantum supremacy with superconducting qubits.

A key step toward demonstrating a quantum system that can address difficult problems in physics and chemistry will be performing a computation beyond the capabilities of any classical computer, thus achieving so-called quantum supremacy. In this study, we used nine superconducting qubits to demonstrate a promising path toward quantum supremacy. By individually tuning the qubit parameters, we were able to generate thousands of distinct Hamiltonian evolutions and probe the output probabilities. The measured probabilities obey a universal distribution, consistent with uniformly sampling the full Hilbert space. As the number of qubits increases, the system continues to explore the exponentially growing number of states. Extending these results to a system of 50 qubits has the potential to address scientific questions that are beyond the capabilities of any classical computer.