Böcker utgivna av Mdpi AG

Modern societies demand high and varied mobility, which in turn requires a complex transport system adapted to social needs that guarantees the movement of people and goods in an economically efficient and safe way, but all are subject to a new environmental rationality and the new logic of the paradigm of sustainability. From this perspective, an efficient and flexible transport system that provides intelligent and sustainable mobility patterns is essential to our economy and our quality of life. The current transport system poses growing and significant challenges for the environment, human health, and sustainability, while current mobility schemes have focused much more on the private vehicle that has conditioned both the lifestyles of citizens and cities, as well as urban and territorial sustainability. Transport has a very considerable weight in the framework of sustainable development due to environmental pressures, associated social and economic effects, and interrelations with other sectors. The continuous growth that this sector has experienced over the last few years and its foreseeable increase, even considering the change in trends due to the current situation of generalized crisis, make the challenge of sustainable transport a strategic priority at local, national, European, and global levels. This Special Issue will pay attention to all those research approaches focused on the relationship between evolution in the area of transport with a high incidence in the environment from the perspective of efficiency.

Phospholipases are a ubiquitous group of enzymes that hydrolyze ester bonds within membrane phospholipids. These enzymes serve multiple biological functions that go far beyond a mere membrane remodeling role in cellular homeostasis; they also play key functions in nutrient digestion and the regulated formation of bioactive lipids involved in cell signaling. It is to the latter function, critical to life, that this book is primarily concerned with. All the chapters are written by renowned experts in the area, and provide forefront information on the role phospholipases in a number of physiological and pathophysiological settings.

Carbapenem-resistant Enterobacterales (CRE) are a common cause of infections in both community and healthcare settings and have become an increasing threat to public health worldwide. The focus of this Special Issue includes aspects concerning plasmid-mediated antimicrobial resistance along with other carbapenem resistance mechanisms. Understanding the prevalence and routes of transmission of CRE is important in developing specific interventions for healthcare facilities, as well as the general impact of CRE circulation on the environment. Attention has also been focused on carbapenemase testing in order to provide advanced phenotypic and molecular assays for the identification of CRE, as a valid tool for active global surveillance, and from this perspective, the study of resistance mechanisms can provide significant support for the development of new and appropriate antimicrobial molecules. For all of these reasons, the phenomenon of carbapenem resistance deserves more attention, for the sake of public health.

This Special Issue aims to attract the latest research and findings in the design, development and experimentation of healthcare-related technologies. This includes, but is not limited to, using novel sensing, imaging, data processing, machine learning, and artificially intelligent devices and algorithms to assist/monitor the elderly, patients, and the disabled population.

In recent years, new and emerging digital technologies applied to food science have been gaining attention and increased interest from researchers and the food/beverage industries. In particular, those digital technologies that can be used throughout the food value chain are accurate, easy to implement, affordable, and user-friendly. Hence, this Special Issue (SI) is dedicated to novel technology based on sensor technology and machine/deep learning modeling strategies to implement artificial intelligence (AI) into food and beverage production and for consumer assessment. This SI published quality papers from researchers in Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Spain, and Mexico, including food and beverage products, such as grapes and wine, chocolate, honey, whiskey, avocado pulp, and a variety of other food products.

This collection of review articles describes the structure, function and mechanism of individual protein methyltransferase enzymes including protein lysine methyltransferases, protein arginine methyltransferases, and also the less abundant protein histidine methyltransferases and protein N-terminal end methyltransferases. The topics covered in the individual reviews include structural aspects (domain architecture, homologs and paralogs, and structure), biochemical properties (mechanism, sequence specificity, product specificity, regulation, and histone and non-histone substrates), cellular features (subcellular localization, expression patterns, cellular roles and function, biological effects of substrate protein methylation, connection to cell signaling pathways, and connection to chromatin regulation) and their role in diseases. This review book is a useful resource for scientists working on protein methylation and protein methyltransferases and those interested in joining this emerging research field.

Albumin is playing an increasing role as a versatile, biodegradable drug carrier in clinical theranostics. By applying different techniques, smart drug-delivery systems can be developed from albumin in order to improve drug delivery of different active pharmaceutical ingredients, even small-molecule drugs, peptides or enzymes. Principally, three drug delivery technologies can be distinguished for binding small-molecule or peptide drugs through the charged amino acids, carboxyl, and amino groups of albumin: physical or covalent binding of the drug to albumin through a ligand- or protein-binding group, the fusion of drug with albumin or the encapsulation of drugs into albumin nanoparticles. The accumulation of albumin in inflamed tissues and solid tumours forms the rationale for developing albumin-based drug delivery systems for targeted drug delivery. Besides tumour therapy, albumin-based drug delivery systems can be successfully applied as anti-inflammatory and anti-thrombotic coating for medical devices. The development and optimization of albumin nanoparticles may also be a rational and promising tool for conventional or alternative administration routes in order to improve therapy. This collection provides an overview of the significant scientific research works in this field, which may inspire researchers towards further development and utilization of these smart drug delivery systems.

This reprint, which was edited by Prof. Dr. Nazar R. Ikhsanov, Prof. Dr. Galina L. Klimchitskaya, and Prof. Dr. Vladimir M. Mostepanenko, contains research and review articles published in a Special Issue of the journal Universe in memory of outstanding astrophysicist Prof. Dr. Yuri N. Gnedin, who organized and led the Department of Astrophysics at the famous Pulkovo Observatory of the Russian Academy of Sciences for several decades. In these articles, the reader will find new and intriguing ideas in several topical problems of astrophysics as well as comprehensive and readily accessible sketches of a few recently performed investigations.

Protein import into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the first step in the biogenesis of approximately 10,000 different soluble and membrane proteins of human cells, which amounts to about 30% of the proteome. Most of these proteins fulfill their functions either in the membrane or lumen of the ER plus the nuclear envelope, in one of the organelles of the pathways for endo- and exocytosis (ERGIC, Golgi apparatus, endosome, lysosome, and trafficking vesicles), or at the cell surface as plasma membrane or secreted proteins. An increasing number of membrane proteins destined to lipid droplets, peroxisomes or mitochondria are first targeted to and inserted into the ER membrane prior to their integration into budding lipid droplets or peroxisomes or prior to their delivery to mitochondria via the ER-SURF pathway. ER protein import involves two stages, ER targeting, which guarantees membrane specificity, and the insertion of nascent membrane proteins into or translocation of soluble precursor polypeptides across the ER membrane. In most cases, both processes depend on amino-terminal signal peptides or transmembrane helices, which serve as signal peptide equivalents. However, the targeting reaction can also involve the ER targeting of specific mRNAs or ribosome-nascent chain complexes. Both processes may occur co- or post-translationally and are facilitated by various sophisticated machineries, which reside in the cytosol and the ER membrane, respectively. Except for resident ER and mitochondrial membrane proteins, the mature proteins are delivered to their functional locations by vesicular transport.

Significant scientific and therapeutic advances have been made in recent decades, particularly in hereditary but also in acquired neuromuscular diseases. As a result of our increasing etiological understanding, the classification of these diseases has changed from a clinical-descriptive and formal-genetic to a molecular-genetic and pathophysiological one. This has led to an intensification of research into the diagnosis and treatment of these diseases, resulting in the first effective gene-modifying treatments for DMD and SMA in recent years and, more recently, gene replacement therapy for the most severe form of SMA. In addition, great strides have been made in symptomatic and rehabilitative treatment, making it possible to improve the functioning and quality of life of those affected and their families. This Special Issue of Children contains a collection of 12 studies and reviews dealing with genetic and acquired peripheral nerve and muscle disorders.

This reprint presents some recent results from applying original analytical methods to the most renowned hive matrices. Particular consideration was given to methods devoted to the attribution of the origin of honey and propolis, but also studies dealing with the chemical characterization of honey and other hive matrices are here reported. Attention has also been paid to the use of optimized methods of elemental analysis in several hive products for quality and safety purposes, but also for environmental biomonitoring. The treatment of the data was often achieved through multivariate analysis methods, which made it possible to obtain reliable classifications of honeys and propolis according to their botanic or geographical origin.

Since its early introduction by the Russian botanist Mikhail Semyonovich Tsvet, chromatography has been undoubtedly the most powerful analytical tool in analytical chemistry. Separation, qualitative analysis, and quantitative analysis can be achieved by choosing the right conditions. Thus, numerous gas chromatographic, liquid chromatographic, and supercritical fluid chromatographic methods have been developed and applied for most types of samples and most kinds of analytes. Additionally, older varieties such as paper chromatography and thin-layer chromatography were pioneer analytical techniques in many laboratories. Especially when hyphenated to spectrometric techniques, chromatography also allows the identification of separated analytes in a single run. Highly sophisticated equipment can answer all analytical problems very quickly. Chromatographers cooperate with many scientific fields and give their lights to medical doctors, veterinarians, food scientists, biologists, dentists, archaeologists, etc. In this Special Issue, analytical chemists were invited to prove that chromatography-based separation techniques are the ultimate analytical tool and their significant contribution is reflected in ten interesting articles.

The cultivation and harvesting of sugar beets (roots and haulm) is one of the most labour and energy consuming work processes in the agricultural industry. The improvement of the qualitative indicators of the sugar beet harvesting process as the final operation in the work flow of its production represents a multi-faceted research-and-engineering problem, which is to be solved basing on the search for new implement design concepts and overall beet harvester design layouts, the thorough theoretical substantiation of their design and process parameters, the experimental verification of the completed theoretical research with the ultimate objective of the analysis and synthesis of their rational parameters. Theoretical research must play a fundamental role in the mechanical and technological substantiation of the root lifting process. It must be used as the basis for developing rational kinematic and dynamic operation conditions in order to achieve the required quality of the performed work process as well as the streamlined energy consumption. The book can be considered as one of the first solid analytical studies of the process of vibrational digging of sugar beet roots. It offers the analysis of up-to-date engineering solutions of vibrational digging tools and experimental investigations of the first vibrational lifters, the equation of oscillating motions of digging shares.

Transitioning is a key concept for innovative management in several domains, particularly the challenges emerging from climate change. Transitioning to Clean Water and Sanitation will, thus, contribute to an understanding of how transitions are underway for adapting water and sanitation systems to the projected impacts of climate change, with the aim of ensuring clean water, improved sanitation and proper hygiene conditions for a better protection of health in all parts of the world.The recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on the Impacts of Global Warming of 1.5 °C states that climate-related risks to health, livelihoods, food security, water supply, human security, and economic growth are projected to increase with a global warming of 1.5°C and to increase further to 2°C. In addition to water- and food-borne diseases, some vector-borne diseases (e.g., malaria and dengue fever) will become more frequent, including potential shifts in their geographical range. Climate change affects health through a range of different pathways amongst which water and sanitation play a major role in disease transmission. The increase of temperature and precipitation in many places in the world affect the transport and dissemination of infectious agents and the growth as well as survival of pathogens and vectors, particularly through water and sanitation systems. Therefore, any development perspective for the sustainable management of water and sanitation systems can no longer ignore the projected impacts of climate change in order to provide innovative solutions and grant successful management. Nor can we ignore the socio-political dimensions entailed therein and the persisting inequalities in the provision of clean water and sanitation across the globe in urban as well as rural areas. Thereby, water may both be the target and the source of conflict. This volume draws on a multi-disciplinary perspective to lay bare the possibilities and challenges for granting access to clean and safe water infrastructures.

Sustainable Life on Land, the fifteenth UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG 15), calls for the protection, restoration and promotion of the sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems. Among others, it requires societies to sustainably manage forests, halt and reverse land degradation, combat desertification, and halt biodiversity loss. Despite the fact that protection of terrestrial ecosystems is on the rise worldwide and forest loss has slowed, the recent IPBES report concluded that "nature is declining globally at rates unprecedented in human history". Consequently, the United Nations General Assembly recently declared 2021-2030 the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration. There is no doubt that the current global responses are far from sufficient and significant transformative changes of societies are needed to restore and protect nature and ecosystems.Transitioning to Sustainable Life on Land presents reviews, original research, and practical experiences from different disciplines with a focus on:theoretical and empirical reflection about the necessary transformation of values, institutions, markets, firms and policies,reviews and research on protection, restoration and sustainable use of diverse terrestrial ecosystems,analyses and reporting of encouraging local, regional, national, and global initiatives.

The purpose of this reprint is to discuss the current state, problems and prospects of hydrocarbon resources development on the Arctic shelf. This book examines economic, ecological, geological, and technological aspects of Arctic marine oil and gas resources exploration and development. Important issues covered in the book are safety and ensuring the sustainability of the energy sector. Studies presented in the book address issues of ecologically balanced and socially sustainable development of marine and coastal territories of the Arctic.

In recent years, the formulation of innovative photocatalysts activated by visible or solar light has been attracting increasing attention because of their notable potential for environmental remediation and use in organic synthesis reactions. Generally, the strategies for the development of visible-light-active photocatalysts are mainly focused on enhancing degradation efficiency (in the case of environmental remediation) or increasing selectivity toward the desired product (in the case of organic synthesis). These goals can be achieved by doping the semiconductor lattice with metal and/or non-metal elements in order to reduce band gap energy, thereby providing the semiconductor with the ability to absorb light at a wavelength higher than the UV range. Other interesting options are the formulation of different types of heterojunctions (to increase visible absorption properties and to reduce the recombination rate of charge carriers) and the development of innovative catalytic materials with semiconducting properties. This reprint is focused on visible-light-active photocatalysts for environmental remediation and organic synthesis, featuring the state of the art as well as advances in this field.

Antimicrobial-resistant bacterial infections are a major and costly public health concern. Several pathogens are already pan-resistant, representing a major cause of mortality in patients suffering from nosocomial infections. Drug efflux pumps, which remove compounds from the bacterial cell, thereby lowering the antimicrobial concentration to sub-toxic levels, play a major role in multidrug resistance. In this Special Issue, we present up-to-date knowledge of the mechanism of RND efflux pumps, the identification and characterization of efflux pumps from emerging pathogens and their role in antimicrobial resistance, and progress made on the development of specific inhibitors. This collection of data could serve as a basis for antimicrobial drug discovery aimed at inhibiting drug efflux pumps to reverse resistance in some of the most resistant pathogens.

The Identification of the Genetic Components of Autism Spectrum Disorders 2020 will be a useful resource for laboratory and clinical scientists, translational-based researchers, primary healthcare providers and physicians, psychologists/psychiatrists, neurologists, developmental pediatricians, clinical geneticists, teachers, special educators, and caregivers involved with individuals who have autism spectrum disorders (ASD), with the goal to translate information directly to the clinical, education and home settings. Other professionals, students at all levels, and families who are interested in this important neurodevelopmental disorder will find this textbook of value by obtaining a better awareness of the causes, testing, and understanding of genetic components leading to autism, and research that may open avenues for treatment with new approaches. This textbook includes nine chapters divided into three sections (clinical, genetics, other) written by experts in the field dedicated to genetics research and clinical care, description, and treatment by generating reviews for ASD and related disorders. These chapters include information on discoveries, risk factors, causation, diagnosis, treatment, and phenotyping with characterization of genomic or genetic factors and the environment, as genetics play an important role in up to 90% of individuals with autism via over 800 currently recognized genes.

Three of the eleven papers focused on groundwater recharge and its impacts on the groundwater regime, in which recharge was caused by riverbed leakage from river ecological restoration (artificial water replenishment). The issues of the hydrogeological parameters involved (such as the influence radius) were also reconsidered. Six papers focused on the impact of river ecological replenishment and other human activities on river and watershed ecology, and on groundwater quality and use function. The issues of ecological security at the watershed scale and deterioration of groundwater quality were of particular concern. Two papers focused on water resources carrying capacity and water resources reallocation at the regional scale, in the context of the fact that ecological water demand has been a significant topic of concern. The use of unconventional water resources such as brackish water has been emphasized in the research in this issue.

Mammalian ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters constitute a superfamily of proteins involved in many essential cellular processes. Most of these transporters are transmembrane proteins and allow the active transport of solutes, small molecules, and lipids across biological membranes. On the one hand, some of these transporters are involved in drug resistance (also referred to as MDR or multidrug resistance), a process known to be a major brake in most anticancer treatments, and the medical challenge is thus to specifically inhibit their function. On the other hand, molecular defects in some of these ABC transporters are correlated with several rare human diseases, the most well-documented of which being cystic fibrosis, which is caused by genetic variations in ABCC7/CFTR (cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator). In the latter case, the goal is to rescue the function of the deficient transporters using various means, such as targeted pharmacotherapies and cell or gene therapy. The aim of this Special Issue, "ABC Transporters in Human Diseases", is to present, through original articles and reviews, the state-of-the-art of our current knowledge about the role of ABC transporters in human diseases and the proposed therapeutic options based on studies ranging from cell and animal models to patients.