Three-layer Approach Research Articles

Time-Dependent Multilevel Density Functional Theory.

We present a novel three-layer approach based on multilevel density functional theory (MLDFT) and polarizable molecular mechanics to simulate the electronic excitations of chemical systems embedded in an external environment within the time-dependent DFT formalism. In our method, the electronic structure of a target system, the chromophore, is determined in the field of an embedded inactive layer, which is treated as frozen. Long-range interactions are described by employing the polarizable fluctuating charge (FQ) force field. The resulting MLDFT/FQ thus accurately describes both electrostatics (and polarization) and non-electrostatic target-environment interactions. The robustness and reliability of the approach are demonstrated by comparing our results with experimental data reported for various organic molecules in solution.

Evaluating provincial carbon emission characteristics under China’s carbon peaking and carbon neutrality goals

This study defines Provincial Carbon Emission Characteristics (PCEC) as the socioeconomic conditions influencing provincial carbon emissions, the potential for carbon neutrality, and carbon management strategies. Given China’s commitment to peak carbon emissions and to achieve carbon neutrality, the development of a robust and versatile PCEC evaluation system is imperative. However, previous studies that rely on single-objective evaluation models are limited. To address this gap, we propose a multi-objective PCEC evaluation system using a novel three-layer approach. This approach enhances the scientific rigor, comprehensiveness, and comparability of PCEC evaluation indicators (PCEC-EIs) by segregating the extraction process into three layers: (1) a factor layer, which identifies critical socioeconomic conditions; (2) a quantitative layer, which selects optimal quantitative indicators for each identified condition; and (3) a standardized layer, which standardizes these indicators, thereby improving their comparability. By applying hierarchical cluster analysis, our study classified 30 Chinese provinces into 7 distinct clusters, each with unique carbon emission characteristics. Further investigation of these clusters across various climate governance issues revealed the versatility of our multi-objective PCEC evaluation system. Our system supports the identification of provinces qualified to reach the emission peak earlier than 2030, differentiation of carbon intensity reduction efforts during the carbon peaking stage, and exploration of various emission reduction pathways to achieve carbon neutrality. Hence, our findings can guide the creation of bespoke emission-reduction strategies for each province; thus, aiding China’s national ambition to achieve peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality. Importantly, our three-layered approach has broader implications beyond China, potentially assisting other regions or countries in grappling with similar climate-mitigation challenges.

A novel Cu-MOFs nanosheet/BiVO4 nanorod-based ECL sensor for colorectal cancer diagnosis

Although luminescence metal organic framework (MOFs) has displayed the significant advantages, the limitations in the electrochemical performance (e.g. rapid charge recombination rates and inadequate charge transport) limited the sensing application of MOFs. Herein, a novel Cu-MOFs/BiVO4 nanorod-based electrogenerated chemiluminescence (ECL) sensor has been developed. Firstly, Cu-MOFs with strong luminescence were synthesized via the three-layer approach as ECL emitter. Furthermore, BiVO4 nanorods was modified on the electrode as the actuator to improve the electrochemical activity of Cu-MOFs in the ECL process. As an n-type semiconductor, BiVO4 formed a complementary structure with p-type semiconductor Cu-MOF. Therefore, electrons in the conduction band of BiVO4 transferred to that of Cu-MOF. As a result, more electrons reacted with coreactant on the surface of Cu-MOF, which effectively enhanced the ECL performance of 2D Cu-MOFs nanosheets. As a result, the quantitation of KRAS gene was realized in the linear range of 0.1 pM–1 nM with a detection limit of 0.02 fM. Moreover, the detection of KRAS gene in actual colorectal cancer samples was also carried out with good recovery, which offered a broad application possibility for ECL research and clinical analysis.

Design and Implementation of a Collaborative Clinical Practice and Research Documentation System Using SNOMED-CT and HL7-CDA in the Context of a Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Unit

This paper introduces a prototype for clinical research documentation using the structured information model HL7 CDA and clinical terminology (SNOMED CT). The proposed solution was integrated with the current electronic health record system (EHR-S) and aimed to implement interoperability and structure information, and to create a collaborative platform between clinical and research teams. The framework also aims to overcome the limitations imposed by classical documentation strategies in real-time healthcare encounters that may require fast access to complex information. The solution was developed in the pediatric hospital (HP) of the University Hospital Center of Coimbra (CHUC), a national reference for neurodevelopmental disorders, particularly for autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which is very demanding in terms of longitudinal and cross-sectional data throughput. The platform uses a three-layer approach to reduce components' dependencies and facilitate maintenance, scalability, and security. The system was validated in a real-life context of the neurodevelopmental and autism unit (UNDA) in the HP and assessed based on the functionalities model of EHR-S (EHR-S FM) regarding their successful implementation and comparison with state-of-the-art alternative platforms. A global approach to the clinical history of neurodevelopmental disorders was worked out, providing transparent healthcare data coding and structuring while preserving information quality. Thus, the platform enabled the development of user-defined structured templates and the creation of structured documents with standardized clinical terminology that can be used in many healthcare contexts. Moreover, storing structured data associated with healthcare encounters supports a longitudinal view of the patient's healthcare data and health status over time, which is critical in routine and pediatric research contexts. Additionally, it enables queries on population statistics that are key to supporting the definition of local and global policies, whose importance was recently emphasized by the COVID pandemic.

Turbulent entrainment in finite-length wind farms

In this article, we present an entrainment-based model for predicting the flow and power output of finite-length wind farms. The model is an extension of the three-layer approach of Luzzatto-Fegiz & Caulfield (Phys. Rev. Fluids, vol. 3, 2018, 093802) for wind farms of infinite length, and assumes dependence of key flow quantities, such as the wind farm bulk velocity, on the streamwise distance from the farm entrance. To assist our analysis and validate the proposed model, we undertake a series of large-eddy simulations with different turbine spacing arrangements and layouts. Comparisons are also made with the top-down model with entrance effects of Meneveau (J. Turbul., vol. 13, 2012, N7) and data from the literature. The finite-length entrainment model is shown to be capable of capturing the power drop between contiguous rows of turbines as well as describing the advection and turbulent transport of kinetic energy in both the entrance and fully developed regions. The fully developed regime is approximated only deep in the wind farm, after approximately 15 rows of turbines. Our data suggest that for the cases considered in this study, the empirical coefficients that can be used to describe turbulent entrainment and transfers above the wind farm exhibit little dependence on the farm layout and may be considered constant for modelling purposes. However, the flow field within the wind farm layer can be strongly modulated by the turbine density (spacing) as well as the array layout, and to that extent it can be argued that they are both primary factors determining the wind farm power output.

Applications of the Multilayer Porous Medium Modeling Approach for Noise Mitigation

Porous materials have been widely investigated as a mean for noise reduction. Numerical simulations can be used to investigate the physical mechanisms responsible for noise reduction; however, a correct modeling of the porous medium through an equivalent fluid model is essential to minimize the computational costs. This paper reports a detailed review of a few applications of the equivalent fluid model based on a three-layer approach, a method that is particularly useful to account for the variation of porous material thickness in aerospace applications. The multilayer approach has been applied in three relevant aerodynamic noise issues: leading-edge impingement noise, turbulent boundary-layer trailing-edge noise, and jet installation noise. Comparison with experiments is used to validate the simulation approach.

Studying Game Development Cultures

By analyzing and contextualizing different aspects of the Finnish game development scene, this article provides concrete examples of why we need cultural studies of game development and how game development cultures can be studied. The article follows a three-layer approach, first exploring some of the historical and political developments that have shaped forms of local game production. Second, a focus is placed on working cultures within the industry and attitudes toward crunch time, work–life balance, and workplace regulation. Third, everyday strategies of organizing creative work are analyzed to better understand game studio cultures. The lessons from this empirical study directly contribute to the larger scholarly discussions around game production and creative labor.

Three-layer Authentication in Keystroke Dynamics using Time based Tool

Having a secure and sound system is the most important need of the end-user. Confidential and authentic information about the system must be available to the genuine user when required. This paper presents a generalized Keystroke Dynamics Technique for identification of genuine users. The method works for the authentication of the user while user is entering the password to using the system. It is a three-layer approach which first check the typing pattern while entering the password then it also monitors the system while user is using the system. Different users have different typing pattern which could be used to recognize a user. For identification of the user a time-based tool is used to collect data pertaining to the typing time of each user for words of different lengths. This is a very easy and cost-effective way of collecting data for differentiating between a genuine user and imposter. At first layer elbow method is used to know unknown targets depending upon different word combinations. For the second layer principal component analysis (PCA) is used to find suitable factors where user typing pattern is making users indistinguishable. For the third step Long-Short Term Memory (LSTM) technique is used to forecast whether the user is a genuine user or an imposter.

A Social Performance Metrics Framework for Sustainable Manufacturing

Manufacturing companies are under constant pressure from stakeholders to achieve higher sustainability levels, especially in terms of environmental and social aspects. Although social performance is not a new topic in operations management, it is the least explored pillar of the triple bottom-line approach. Metrics for the assessment of social performance levels remain scarce, which limits those companies that are willing to involve them in decision-making processes. This situation can be attributed to the difficulty of finding sufficiently comparable, widespread, and quantifiable social metrics. Therefore, the present study aims to provide a broader perspective of social performance, including both internal and external metrics. With the goal of providing a more holistic performance assessment, and based on findings present in the current literature, a social performance metrics framework is proposed. The framework proposes a three-layer approach, which allows companies to strengthen their social performance evaluation, based on internal metrics, while dealing with more complex external metrics.

Low-illuminated SPOT-5 image improvement for density-based vegetation identification using three-layer colour manipulation approach

Poor illumination quality of a satellite image is one of the challenges encountered in vegetation analysis, especially with regard to pan-sharpened medium spatial resolution SPOT-5 imagery. Hence, the accuracy of vegetation identification will be affected. In this paper, a three-layer colour manipulation approach is proposed to overcome this issue of low illuminated SPOT-5 images in order to increase the performance of precise vegetation identification. The SPOT-5 image is pre-processed and three layers of image enhancement techniques are used to, specifically: identify vegetation, reduce shadow appearance, as well as contrast enhancement for colour uniformities in order to improve low illumination quality of images. These steps are then followed by a supervised classification process for density-based vegetation area discrimination. This research was tested using multispectral medium spatial resolution SPOT-5 imagery covering the Ramsar convention site of Tanjung Piai located at the southernmost tip of mainland Asia over the years 2008, 2011 and 2013. The results showed that the proposed approach performed better than existing techniques when dealing with low-illuminated medium resolution multispectral imagery specifically with regard to density-based vegetation identification. The results are supported with accuracy assessments and ground truth validation.

Low-illuminated SPOT-5 image improvement for density-based vegetation identification using three-layer colour manipulation approach

Low-illuminated SPOT-5 image improvement for density-based vegetation identification using three-layer colour manipulation approach

Developing strategies for managing construction and demolition wastes in Malaysia based on the concept of circular economy

Construction and demolition (C&D) waste is a pressing issue not only in Malaysia, but it is also a worldwide concern including the developed countries as well. C&D waste should be managed throughout the construction cycle. The concept of circular economy (CE) is an emerging notion that has the potential to be utilized as waste minimization approach. This paper aims to assess the potentials of incorporating the CE concept as an approach to minimizing C&D wastes, by developing a CE-based theoretical framework for C&D waste management in Malaysia. In line with this objective, a systematic review has been conducted to determine how CE can be operationalised as a strategy to minimize wastes, while considering it as a key factor for mitigating the environmental impacts. Based on the literature review, a CE-based theoretical framework has been proposed using Malaysia as a case study. The framework has been developed following a three-layer approach namely micro-, meso-, and macro-levels. Waste minimization strategies have been identified for each level taking into account the main stages in the construction industry, i.e., planning, designing, procurement, construction, and demolition. The different stakeholders involved at each stage and their interactions in the stages have also been identified.

Applying the 3-layer approach to urban flood management

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to find the possibility of extending the capacity of urban drainage in highly urbanized cities with limited available space for flood management, while the anticipated increase in extreme rainfall is expected to raise the demand for higher capacity of water drainage or storage systems. Design/methodology/approach – The concept of the three-layer approach is introduced to identify the crucial factors which had impacted the historical change of natural water system. These factors can further help identifying potential spaces for new designs of flood management based on the spatial context of local history. Findings – In Pingtung case, a roadway surface drainage design is found as a complementary strategy by this method, which could effectively and practically extend the capacity of urban drainage without the need for requisitioning private lands or rearranging the complicated underground pipe and cable systems. Research limitations/implications – This is an initial exploration from the perspective of urbanism to respond to hydrological problems under the impact of extreme rainfall. The more precise hydrologic simulation need to be further established. Practical implications – This concept could be applied in delta cities to improve urban drainage by three steps: first, clarify the flooding problems; second, identify the available space; third, redesign hydrologic instrument with a multi-use of urban space. Originality/value – This research provides hydrologists and urban planners with a practical collaboration base for the issues of extreme storm events.

Analysis of sandwich plates with compressible core using layerwise refined plate theory and interface stress continuity

Lightweight sandwich materials are essential in construction in aircraft, spacecraft, and marine applications. Foam core sandwich materials are not only lightweight but extremely good in thermal insulation purposes. In construction of marine vehicles (i.e., boats, yachts), some sport goods (i.e., surf board), and in the packaging industry soft foam core (i.e., polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyurethane, polystyrene) sandwiches are used. Polymeric or organic foam core sandwiches are being used in National Aeronautics and Space Administration spacecraft for shock absorption under impact from meteoroid and multilayer thermal insulation. High fidelity analysis tools for sandwich materials are in demand by the engineering community. An attempt has been made here to analyze a sandwich plate considering a three-layer approach using refined higher order plate theory for all the three layers. Moreover, the compressibility (i.e., thickness strain) of the central thick core layer has been considered in the analysis. The continuity of displacements and stresses at each layer interface has also been taken into account in the formulation using Lagrangian multiplier approach. The aforementioned theory has been implemented in an in-house Fortran code. Using this approach, various polymer composite and sandwich plates have been analyzed and the results are compared with other reliable published results. The correlations are found to be good for plates with various aspect ratios and ply orientations.

Visible and near infrared, wide-angle, anti-reflection coatings with self-cleaning on glass

In this work self-cleaning and transparent surfaces were produced on glass surface with simultaneous wide-angle and good optical transmittance on the visible region. These properties are pursued by combination of multi-scale surface topology based on silica nanoparticles (SNPs), index grading and interference coating, as well as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) self-assembly, using two approaches. In the first, two-layer approach (glass/SNPs/PTFE), the resulting samples presented a water contact angle (WCA) of 169° ± 2° with very low hysteresis, as well as significant antireflection. The second, three-layer approach (glass/SNPs/silica aerogel/PTFE), produced surfaces with WCA of 158° ± 2° with also very low hysteresis (<5°), in addition to normal transmittance of 99% or higher, which decreased less than 2% at 20° incidence. These results show that proper structure-coated glass, with a combination of interference and graded-index effects, may provide simultaneous wide-angle antireflection and self-cleaning properties.

JUPITER MODELS WITH IMPROVED AB INITIO HYDROGEN EQUATION OF STATE (H-REOS.2)

The amount and distribution of heavy elements in Jupiter gives indications on the process of its formation and evolution. Core mass and metallicity predictions however depend on the equations of state used, and on model assumptions. We present an improved ab initio hydrogen equation of state, H-REOS.2 and compute the internal structure and thermal evolution of Jupiter within the standard three-layer approach. The advance over our previous Jupiter models with H-REOS.1 by Nettelmann et al.(2008) is that the new models are also consistent with the observed 2 or more times solar heavy element abundances in Jupiter's atmosphere. Such models have a rock core mass Mcore=0-8 ME, total mass of heavy elements MZ=28-32 ME, a deep internal layer boundary at 4 or more Mbar, and a cooling time of 4.4-5.0 Gyrs when assuming homogeneous evolution. We also calculate two-layer models in the manner of Militzer et al.(2008) and find a comparable large core of 16-21 ME, out of which ~11 ME is helium, but a significantly higher envelope metallicity of 4.5 times solar. According to our preferred three-layer models, neither the characteristic frequency (nu0 ~156 microHz) nor the normalized moment of inertia (~0.276) are sensitive to the core mass but accurate measurements could well help to rule out some classes of models.

Biofeedback data visualization for body sensor networks

A body sensor network is a network of small sensor devices (biosensors) that sense health parameters of an individual, allowing 24/7 monitoring, providing biofeedback services. These networks have typically two layers: the sensor array and a sink node. The sink node manages the network, gathering sensor data continuously. However, raw sensor data is not enough to achieve biofeedback. One of the challenges body sensor networks present is the processing of raw biosensor data, in order to achieve a proper medical visualization of monitored parameters. This paper surveys some of the current approaches, proposes an interface classification based on features, and presents a solution based on a mobile device. The mobile application can run on a Java and Bluetooth enabled phone, allowing data retrieval, storage, and analysis in a single solution. The mobile application proposes a three-layer approach to BSN operation, adding the mobile device to the solution. The final system provides the user with a completely functional health-monitoring platform, which is easy to use and setup, validated through a complete series of tests on different mobile devices.

Predicting Orientation Selectivity in Primary Visual Cortex

Orientation specific cells in V1 organize themselves in either swaths of similar-orientation preferring clusters (iso-orientation domains) or in distinctive singularities where cells representing 180-degrees of orientation specificity center themselves about a blob (pinwheels). The gradient (0 to 180-degrees) of the orientation-specific cells are organized in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. However, pinwheels and iso-orientation domains develop with some level of stochasticity, which many computational models have attempted to explain. While many good models exist, our goal was to develop a biologically plausible model incorporating a three-layer approach (representing retina, LGN, and cortex), presynaptic competition for resources, diffusive cooperation of near neighbor cells and corresponding lateral connections, maintenance of retinotopic mapping, and a capped synaptic load per neuron.

Effects of scattering and dust grain size on the temperature structure of protoplanetary discs: a three-layer approach

The temperature in the optically thick interior of protoplanetary discs is essential for the interpretation of millimetre observations of the discs, for the vertical structure of the discs, for models of the disc evolution and the planet formation, and for the chemistry in the discs. Since large icy grains have a large albedo even in the infrared, the effect of scattering of the diffuse radiation in the discs on the interior temperature should be examined. We have performed a series of numerical radiation transfer simulations, including isotropic scattering by grains with various typical sizes for the diffuse radiation as well as for the incident stellar radiation. We also have developed an analytic model including isotropic scattering to understand the physics concealed in the numerical results. With the analytic model, we have shown that the standard two-layer approach is valid only for grey opacity (i.e. grain size ≥10 μm) even without scattering. A three-layer interpretation is required for grain size ≥10 μm. When the grain size is 0.1-10 μm, the numerical simulations show that the isotropic scattering reduces the temperature of the disc interior. This reduction is nicely explained by the analytic three-layer model as a result of the energy loss by scatterings of the incident stellar radiation and of the warm diffuse radiation in the disc atmosphere. For grain size ≥10 μm (i.e. grey scattering), the numerical simulations show that the isotropic scattering does not affect the interior temperature. This is nicely explained by the analytic two-layer model; the energy loss by scattering in the disc atmosphere is exactly offset by the 'green-house effect' due to the scattering of the cold diffuse radiation in the interior.

Parallel High-Order FE-BI-MLFMA for Scattering by Large and Deep Coated Cavities Loaded with Obstacles

A parallelization approach of the finite element-boundary integral-multilevel fast multipole algorithm (FE-BI-MLFMA) is presented and implemented for scattering by large and deep coated cavities loaded with obstacles. Numerical experiments demonstrate the parallel efficiency of this parallelization approach. The capability of the parallel FE-BI-MLFMA is demonstrated by computing scattering by a big and deep brick cavity with 15λ×15λ×100λ. A three-layer meshing approach with the aid of commercial software 'ANSYS' is presented to facilitate the FE-BI-MLFMA to efficiently analyze cavities loaded with complex obstacles. Numerical examples of complex cavities are performed to validate the meshing approach. Comparisons of numerical results and measured data verify the accuracy of the FE-BI-MLFMA for complex cavities.