Abstract In this letter, we study the average block error rate (BLER) performance of short-packet communications (SPC) for pinching-antenna systems (PASS). A base station equipped with a pinching antenna serves an Internet of Things downlink user using SPC. Closed-form expressions for the average BLER of SPC for PASS networks are analytically derived under in-waveguide attenuation. Simulation results demonstrate that PASS-aided SPC networks significantly outperform conventional fixed-antenna-aided SPC systems in terms of BLER, especially in the low in-waveguide attenuation regime. Nguyen, T.-T.T., Nguyen, X.-X. and Nguyen, N.V.T. (2026) IEEE Communications Letters, 30, pp. 1270–1274. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1109/LCOMM.2026.3669227

Abstract Deep learning has demonstrated remarkable success across domains such as image, audio, video, and text processing. However, its application to tabular data remains challenging due to the heterogeneous nature of features and the lack of positional information, which complicates feature interaction modeling. While deep learning approaches for tabular data have achieved performance levels comparable to traditional methods like gradient boosting machines, their adoption in real-world scenarios is limited by issues of interpretability and robustness. We introduce FusANet (Fusion Attention Neural Network), a novel parametric transformer-style architecture for tabular data that fuses a dataset-level global attention map with instance-level local self-attention using...

Abstract The sol–gel technique offers a versatile route for synthesizing electrode materials with reduced and uniform grain sizes, enabling the development of high-performance cathodes for next-generation sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). Achieving high-performance layered oxide cathodes requires control over chemical homogeneity and phase composition. Herein, we investigate the feasibility of tuning the structural integrity, electrochemical behavior, and Na+ transport kinetics of NaFe0.5Co0.5O2 using different external sodium sources (Na2CO3 and NaOH) combined with sol–gel-derivated transition metal oxide precursor. Characterization using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals distinct surface constituents and morphological differences between the samples obtained by conventional and modified sol–gel routes....