Solving nonlinear equations in Banach spaces (real or complex nonlinear equations, nonlinear systems, and nonlinear matrix equations, among others), is a non-trivial task that involves many areas of science and technology. Usually the solution is not directly affordable and require an approach using iterative algorithms.This Special Issue focuses mainly on the design, analysis of convergence, and stability of new schemes for solving nonlinear problems and their application to practical problems. Included papers study the following topics: Methods for finding simple or multiple roots either with or without derivatives, iterative methods for approximating different generalized inverses, real or complex dynamics associated to the rational functions resulting from the application of an iterative method on a polynomial. Additionally, the analysis of the convergence has been carried out by means of different sufficient conditions assuring the local, semilocal, or global convergence.This Special issue has allowed us to present the latest research results in the area of iterative processes for solving nonlinear equations as well as systems and matrix equations. In addition to the theoretical papers, several manuscripts on signal processing, nonlinear integral equations, or partial differential equations, reveal the connection between iterative methods and other branches of science and engineering.
The aim of this special issue is to publish original research papers that cover recent advances in the theory and application of stochastic processes. There is especial focus on applications of stochastic processes as models of dynamic phenomena in various research areas, such as queuing theory, physics, biology, economics, medicine, reliability theory, and financial mathematics. Potential topics include, but are not limited to: Markov chains and processes; large deviations and limit theorems; random motions; stochastic biological model; reliability, availability, maintenance, inspection; queueing models; queueing network models; computational methods for stochastic models; applications to risk theory, insurance and mathematical finance.
Computational intelligence is a general term for a class of algorithms designed by nature's wisdom and human intelligence. Computer scientists have proposed many computational intelligence algorithms with heuristic features. These algorithms either mimic the evolutionary processes of the biological world, mimic the physiological structure and bodily functions of the organism, imitate the behavior of the animal's group, mimic the characteristics of human thought, language, and memory processes, or mimic the physical phenomena of nature, hoping to simulate the wisdom of nature and humanity enables an optimal solution to the problem and solves an acceptable solution in an acceptable time. Computational intelligent algorithms have received extensive attention at home and abroad, and have become an important research direction of artificial intelligence and computer science. This book will introduce the application of intelligent optimization algorithms in detail from the aspects of computational intelligence, job shop scheduling problems, multi-objective optimization problems, and machine learning
This book is a collection of studies focused on the exploitation of enzyme stereoselectivity for the synthesis of relevant chemicals, such as innovative materials, chiral building blocks, natural products, and flavor and fragrance compounds. Different catalytic approaches are reported. The first study describes a resolution-based process for the stereoselective synthesis of the enantiomeric forms of the flavor compound linaloyl oxide, whereas other enantiomeric enriched aroma compounds were obtained through a novel microbial approach based on solid-state fermentation. Two relevant works exploit the potential of the biocatalyzed reduction reactions. The first of these contributions describes the enantioselective synthesis of β-nitroalcohols by enzyme-mediated reduction of α-nitroketones, whereas a second contribution reports the preparation of chiral 1,4-diaryl-1,4-diols through ADH-catalyzed bioreduction of the corresponding diketones. Concerning enantioenriched alcohol derivatives, natural hydroxy fatty acids are prepared by means of the biocatalytic hydration reaction of natural fatty acids using the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus rhamnosus as a whole-cell biocatalyst. Further studies describe the use of modified pullulan polysaccharide for lipase immobilization and the recent advances in synthetic applications of ω-transaminases for the production of chiral amines.
The massive increase in energy demand and the related rapid development of unconventional reservoirs has opened up exciting new energy supply opportunities along with new, seemingly intractable engineering and research challenges. The energy industry has primarily depended on a heuristic approach—rather than a systematic approach—to optimize and tackle the various challenges when developing new and improving the performance of existing unconventional reservoirs. Industry needs accurate estimations of well production performance and of the cumulative estimated ultimate reserves, accounting for uncertainty. This Special Issue presents 10 original and high-quality research articles related to the modeling of unconventional reservoirs, which showcase advanced methods for fractured reservoir simulation, and improved production forecasting techniques.
This book is dedicated to highlighting some relevant advances in the field of thin films and coatings based on two-dimensional crystals and layered nanomaterials. Due to their layered structure, graphene and a variety of new 2D inorganic nanosystems, called “graphene analogues”, have all attracted tremendous interest due to their unprecedented properties/superior performance, and may find applications in many fields from electronics to biotechnology. These two-dimensional systems are ultrathin and, hence, tend to be flexible, also presenting distinctive and nearly intrinsic characteristics, including electronic, magnetic, optical, thermal conductivity, and superconducting properties. Furthermore, the combination of different structures and synergetic effects may open new and unprecedented perspectives, making these ideal advanced materials for multifunctional assembled systems. As far as the field of coatings is concerned, new layered nanostructures may offer unique and multifunctional properties, including gas barrier, lubricant, conductive, magnetic, photoactive, self-cleaning, and/or antimicrobial surfaces. This book contains new findings on the synthesis and perspectives of multifunctional films that are at the forefront of the science and coating technologies.
By the late 1940s, and since then, the continuous development of dislocation theories have provided the basis for correlating the macroscopic time-dependent deformation of metals and alloys—known as creep—to the time-dependent processes taking place within the metals and alloys. High-temperature deformation and stress relaxation effects have also been explained and modeled on similar bases.The knowledge of high-temperature deformation as well as its modeling in conventional or unconventional situations is becoming clearer year by year, with new contemporary and better performing high-temperature materials being constantly produced and investigated.This book includes recent contributions covering relevant topics and materials in the field in an innovative way. In the first section, contributions are related to the general description of creep deformation, damage, and ductility, while in the second section, innovative testing techniques of creep deformation are presented. The third section deals with creep in the presence of complex loading/temperature changes and environmental effects, while the last section focuses on material microstructure–creep correlations for specific material classes.The quality and potential of specific materials and microstructures, testing conditions, and modeling as addressed by specific contributions will surely inspire scientists and technicians in their own innovative approaches and studies on creep and high-temperature deformation.
In this special issue of Diagnostics, expert contributors have produced up-to-date research studies and reviews on various topics related to the diagnosis of dementia and cognitive impairment. The methods of the assessments discussed extend from simple neurological signs, which may be elicited in the clinical encounter, through cognitive screening instruments, to sophisticated analyses of neuroimaging and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of disease. It is hoped that these various methods may facilitate earlier diagnosis of dementia and its subtypes, and provide differential diagnosis of depression and functional cognitive disorders, as a prelude to meaningful interventions.
The purpose of this Special Issue is to provide a thorough and up-to-date presentation of research investigating the impact of coffee and/or caffeine intake on various health outcomes.We welcome the submission of original research articles and/or systematic Reviews/meta-analyses focusing on several aspects of coffee/caffeine intake in relation to human health. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, the following topics:Human clinical trials of coffee or caffeine use in relation to disease or intermediate phenotypes.Epidemiological studies of habitual coffee or caffeine intake in relation to human health, among the general public, as well as, among special populations (i.e., children, pregnant women, diabetics, cancer patients, hypertensives, etc.)Mechanisms of action of nutrients and other bioactive components of coffee/caffeine.Studies integrating genetic or physiological markers of coffee/caffeine intake to investigations of coffee and health.
This Special Issue reports research spanning from the analysis of indirect data, modeling, and laboratory and geological data confirming the intrinsic multidisciplinarity of gas hydrate studies. The study areas are (1) Arctic, (2) Brazil, (3) Chile, and (4) the Mediterranean region. The results furnished an important tessera of the knowledge about the relationship of a gas hydrate system with other complex natural phenomena such as climate change, slope stability and earthquakes, and human activities.
This book is a collection of papers written by leaders in the field of lateralized brain function and behaviour in non-human animals. The papers cover the asymmetry of brain mechanisms and behaviour in a wide range of both vertebrate and invertebrate species. Each paper focuses on one of the following topics: the link between population-level lateralization and social behaviour; the processes in the avian brain that permit one brain hemisphere to take control of behaviour; lateralized attention to predators and the common pattern of lateralization in vertebrate species; visual and auditory lateralization; influences that alter the development of lateralization—specifically, the effect of temperature on the development of lateralization in sharks; and the importance of understanding lateralization when considering both the training and welfare of dogs. Collectively, these studies address questions of why different species have asymmetry of brain and behaviour, how it develops, and how this is dealt with by these different species. The papers report on the lateralization of different types of behaviour, each going beyond merely reporting the presence of asymmetry and shedding light on its function and on the mechanisms involved in its expression.
In pregnancy, maternal nutrition sustains and nourishes the developing child. Imbalances in either the direction of nutritional excess or deficiency can have adverse consequences for child health. In addition, more research now suggests that good pregnancy nutrition influences child health beyond pregnancy and delivery. This includes modifying the risk of child health outcomes as they enter childhood and adulthood through influences on placental development, hormonal pathways, and organ structure and function. Poor pregnancy nutrition may also compromise maternal health during pregnancy, which may have long-term consequences for women’s health. Understanding the biological and social mechanisms operating during pregnancy can help in the design of better clinical and public health interventions. This Special Issue on “The Role of Pregnancy Nutrition in Maternal and Offspring Health” includes etiological and mechanistic studies of pregnancy nutrition with short- and long-term maternal and child health outcomes, including original research, narrative reviews, and systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Together, this body of work provides important insights into the influence of dietary patterns, food groups, and nutrients on pregnancy outcomes, and long-term neurodevelopmental, respiratory, and metabolic health in the children. It also highlights nutritional consequences for specific groups of women, including those with pregnancy complications and eating disorders.
The building industry is influenced by many factors and trends reflecting the current situation and developments in social, economic, technical, and scientific fields. One of the most important trends seeks to minimize the energy demand. This can be achieved by promoting the construction of buildings with better thermal insulating capabilities of their envelopes and better efficiency in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Any credible assessment of building energy performance includes the identification and simulation of heat and mass transfer phenomena in both the building envelope and the interior of the building. As the interaction between design elements, climate change, user behavior, heating effectiveness, ventilation, air conditioning systems, and lighting is not straightforward, the assessment procedure can present a complex and challenging task. The simulations should then involve all factors affecting the energy performance of the building in questions.However, the appropriate choice of physical model of heat and mass transfer for different building elements is not the only factor affecting the output of building energy simulations. The accuracy of the material parameters applied in the models as input data is another potential source of uncertainty. For instance, neglecting the dependence of hygric and thermal parameters on moisture content may affect the energy assessment in a significant way. Boundary conditions in the form of weather data sets represent yet another crucial factor determining the uncertainty of the outputs. In light of recent trends in climate change, this topic is vitally important.This Special Issue aims at providing recent developments in laboratory analyses, computational modeling, and in situ measurements related to the assessment of building energy performance based on the proper identification of heat and mass transfer processes in building structures.Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:Development, calibration, and validation of advanced mathematical models for the description of heat and mass transfer in building materials and structuresComputational modeling of heat and mass transfer in building materials and structures aimed at energy performance assessmentBoundary conditions for building energy performance simulations in light of climate change trendsAdvanced experimental techniques for the determination of heat and mass transport and the storage properties of building materialsOn site monitoring and verification of building energy performanceResearch and development of new materials with high potential to improve the energy performance of buildings
The Special Issue “Refrigeration Systems and Applications” aims to encourage researchers to address the concerns associated with climate change and the sustainability of artificial cold production systems, and to further the transition to the more sustainable technologies and methodologies of tomorrow through theoretical, experimental, and review research on the different applications of refrigeration and associated topics.
Artificial materials have been widely studied and used in photonics and microwaves in the last few decades. Recent research has proven that the introduction of specific higher symmetries in each cell of a periodic medium is an effective approach to obtain unprecedented exotic behaviors and to overcome the current limitations of these devices. For example, simple symmetries of a purely spatial type (glide or twist transformations) can have a huge impact on the properties of the resulting materials, thus defining wideband behaviors for flat lenses or large stop bands for novel EBG materials.This Special Issue opens with a novel discussion on the effect of time-reversal symmetries in antenna theory and presents new structures exploiting symmetries for antenna and microwave components, such as flat lenses, helix antennas, and gap-waveguides.Finally, new modeling methods are discussed for the study of wave propagation along glide surfaces and twist lines.
This collection of research and review papers is aimed at depicting the state of the art on the possible correlations between processing variables, obtained structure and special properties which this structure induces on the plastic part. The extraordinary capacity of plastics to modify their properties according to a particular structure is evidenced for several transformation processes and for many applications. The final common goal is to take profit of this peculiar capacity of plastics by inducing, through a suitable processing, a specific spatial organization.
Carotenoids are a group of natural pigments, consisting of more than 750 compounds. They are mostly yellow, orange, or red in color, due to the system of conjugated double bonds. This structural element is also responsible for the good antioxidant properties of many carotenoids. Carotenoids have shown numerous biological activities (not only as provitamin A), e.g., preventive properties of fruits and vegetables. As lipophilic compounds, their uptake and storage in the body are dependent on various conditions. In vitro and in vivo data showed stimulating and inhibitory effects of matrix compounds on bioaccessibility and bioavailability of carotenoids. This Special Issue presents the most recent advances in carotenoids research, in addition to the search for antioxidant properties. Chapters present the photoprotective properties of carotenoids as well as the activities of carotenoids related to liver health. Research data on the effect of degree of ripeness on carotenoids pattern in rosehip and possibilities to use shrimp waste as source of carotenoids are presented. Other investigations characterized apocarotenoids in microalgae and the properties of inclusion complexes of lycopene and beta-cyclodextrin. Biological activities of synthesized retinoyl-flavonolignan hybrids were also reported. In addition, the effects of in vitro digestion of human milk on the micellization of carotenoids were investigated.
The Special Issue ‘Physical Metallurgy of High Manganese Steels’ addresses the highly fascinating class of manganese-alloyed steels with manganese contents well above 3 mass%. The book gathers manuscripts from internationally recognized researchers with stimulating new ideas and original results. It consists of fifteen original research papers. Seven contributions focus on steels with manganese contents above 12 mass%. These contributions cover fundamental aspects of process-microstrcuture-properties relationships with processes ranging from cold and warm rolling over deep rolling to heat treatment. Novel findings regarding the fatigue and fracture behavior, deformation mechanisms, and computer-aided design are presented. Additionally, the Special Issue also reflects the current trend of reduced Mn content (3-12 mass%) in advanced high strength steels (AHSS). Eight contributions were dedicated to these alloys, which are often referred to as 3rd generation AHSS, medium manganese steels or quenching and partitioning (Q&P/Q+P) steels. The interplay between advanced processing, mainly novel annealing variants, and microstructure evolution has been addressed using computational and experimental approaches. A deeper understanding of strain-rate sensitivity, hydrogen embrittlement, phase transformations, and the consequences for the materials’ properties has been developed. Hence, the topics included are manifold, fundamental-science oriented and, at the same time, relevant to industrial application.
The rapid proliferation of the Internet has been driving communication networks closer and closer to their limits, while available bandwidth is disappearing due to an ever-increasing network load. Over the past decade, optical fiber communication technology has increased per fiber data rate from 10 Tb/s to exceeding 10 Pb/s. The major explosion came after the maturity of coherent detection and advanced digital signal processing (DSP). DSP has played a critical role in accommodating channel impairments mitigation, enabling advanced modulation formats for spectral efficiency transmission and realizing flexible bandwidth. This book aims to explore novel, advanced DSP techniques to enable multi-Tb/s/channel optical transmission to address pressing bandwidth and power-efficiency demands. It provides state-of-the-art advances and future perspectives of DSP as well.
Carotenoids are a group of approximately 600 compounds synthesized by photosynthetic organisms. These pigments are abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as in certain animal products such as eggs and salmon, being responsible for their colorful appearance. The bioactive properties of certain carotenoids in human health are clear, as some of these compounds have antioxidant properties and serve as the only precursors of vitamin A in nature.The aim of this Special Issue entitled “Carotenoids and Human Health” is to provide the scientific community with an updated perspective of this exciting and growing research area. We compiled 19 papers from some of the most prominent scientists in the carotenoid field, including seven literature reviews and 12 original publication, covering topics such as cancer, obesity, vision, cognitive function, and skin health.
The prevalence of diabetes is on the increase in the UK and worldwide, partly due to changes in lifestyle which predispose individuals to overweight and obesity. It is estimated that about 90% of the currently diagnosed adults have type 2 diabetes, and based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) report, about 422 million adults were living with diabetes in 2014 compared with 108 million in 1980; this condition caused about 1.5 million deaths in 2012. In the United States of America, it is estimated that about 30.3 million adults are living with diabetes, with a further 1.5 million new diabetes cases diagnosed every year, representing an increasing prevalence of this condition. Diabetes represents a major public health challenge, despite advances in technology and the pharmaceutical industry. These problems may be in the form of acute or long-term complications.Therefore, in order to attenuate the problems of diabetes, management strategies usually include lifestyle changes such as increased physical activity and dietary interventions. Studies which evaluate the role of nutrition in the management of type 2 diabetes often involve human and animal models as these approaches enable us to have a broader and more in-depth understanding of the condition. In some cases, diabetes may co-exist with other conditions, such as stroke, and these may present unique challenges with regard to nutritional interventions.This Special Issue aims to evaluate the risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes and the role of the diet in the management of people with this condition. This evidence is drawn from both human and animal studies.
Superhydrophobic surfaces, with a water contact angle >150°, have attracted both academic and industrial interest due to their wide range of applications, such as water proofing, anti-fogging, antifouling, anti-icing, fluidic drag reduction and anti-corrosion. Currently the majority of superhydrophobic coatings are created using organic chemicals with low surface energy. However, the lack of mechanical strength and heat resistance prevents the use of these coatings in harsh environments. Quality superhydrophobic coatings developed using inorganic materials are therefore highly sought after. Ceramics are of particular interest due to their high mechanical strength, heat and corrosion resistance. Such superhydrophobic coatings have recently been successfully fabricated using a variety of ceramics and different approaches, and have shown the improved wear and tribocorrosion resistance properties. This Special Issue will focus on the recent developments in the fabrication of superhydrophobic coatings and their robustness against corrosion and wear resistance, but the original work on other properties of superhydrophobic coatings are also welcome. In particular, the topics of interest include, but are not limited to:Robust superhydrophobic coatings;Coatings with super-wettability in multifunctional applications;Wetting effects on corrosion and tribology;Hierarchical Coating for wetting and modelling
In recent years, diet- and lifestyle-related disorders have become a major health threat in Europe and worldwide. The contributions in this monograph include 2 review articles and 19 original contributions from several countries that provide new information on the existing research elucidating important aspects of children’s and adolescents’ nutrition and lifestyle behavior. The data included in this Special Issue are from large epidemiological studies, including several multicenter and multinational studies, as well as datasets from surveillance initiatives. The topics of interest of this Special Issue include the co-occurrence of multiple health behaviors in children, the role of parenting and early feeding practices, dairy consumption in childhood, validity of dietary intake data, dietary supplement use in children, as well as socioeconomic disparities and eating culture. The diverse articles in this Special Issue highlight the complexity and extent to which nutrition and physical activity behaviors may influence different health aspects of children and adolescents. As seen by the various findings and recommendations, not only is more work in this area required but the translation of this work to practice and policy is imperative if we are to address the challenges impacting the nutrition, physical activity, and health of young populations.
The connections between culture and sustainability have been in the public agenda since the 20th century. However, whilst global sustainability programmes at international institutional levels are yet to recognise the role of culture in their sustainability policies, the bid (albeit failed) in the early 2000s to formally add “culture” to the trilogy of sustainability pillars (economic, social, and environmental) mobilised a new discourse for the reframing of cultural policy narrative, which in turn urged a reassessment of methods of cultural management reflecting the same concerns among the sector’s grassroots. The idea of sustainability and culture working together and their envisioned role in future-proofing society and human development captured the imagination of cultural commentators, policy makers and practitioners alike, keen to fulfil these principles “out there”—in cultural organizations and events mega and small, in cities and regions, local and global. The papers in this Special Issue reflect this appeal.This publication covers a wide selection of issues related to sustainable cultural management, which means that it can be recommended to a varied audience. First of all, it can be recommended to managers experienced in cultural management, where success is measured more by the degree of mission accomplishment and the social benefits achieved rather than by profit. Another group comprises the employees of cultural organizations who want to improve their knowledge of sustainable cultural management. This Special Issue can also be recommended to artists, researchers, students, state and local government employees, founders and patrons of art, and all those who want to understand the importance of sustainable cultural management.
Agriculture is certainly the most important food supplier while it globally accounts for more than 70% of water used and contributes significantly to water pollution. Irrigated agriculture is facing rising competition worldwide for access to reliable, low cost, and high-quality water resources. However, irrigation as the major tool and determinant of affecting agricultural productivity and environmental resources plays a critical role in food security and environment sustainability. Innovative irrigation technologies and practices may enhance agricultural water efficiency and production, in the meantime decrease the water demand and quality issues. I am very pleased to invite you to submit manuscripts in agricultural irrigation which assess current challenges and offer improvement approaches and opportunities for future irrigation.
The field of Brain–Computer Interfaces (BCIs) has grown rapidly in the last few decades, allowing the development of faster and more reliable assistive technologies based on direct links between the brain and an external device. Novel applications of BCIs have also been proposed, especially in the area of human augmentation, i.e., enabling people to go beyond human limitations in sensory, cognitive and motor tasks. Brain-imaging techniques, such as electroencephalography, have been used to extract neural correlates of various brain processes and transform them, via machine learning, into commands for external devices. Brain stimulation technology has allowed to trigger the activation of specific brain areas to enhance the cognitive processes associated to the task at hand, hence improving performance. BCIs have therefore extended their scope from assistive technologies for people with disabilities to neuro-tools for human enhancement. This Special Issue aims at showing the recent advances in BCIs for human augmentation, highlighting new results on both traditional and novel applications. These include, but are not limited to, control of external devices, communication, cognitive enhancement, decision making and entertainment.
Hydroclimatic extremes, such as floods and droughts, affect aspects of our lives and the environment including energy, hydropower, agriculture, transportation, urban life, and human health and safety. Climate studies indicate that the risk of increased flooding and/or more severe droughts will be higher in the future than today, causing increased fatalities, environmental degradation, and economic losses. Using a suite of innovative approaches this book quantifies the changes in projected hydroclimatic extremes and illustrates their impacts in several locations in North America, Asia, and Europe.
Prenumerera på vårt nyhetsbrev för att få fantastiska erbjudanden och inspiration för din nästa läsning.
Genom att registrera dig accepterar du vår personuppgiftspolicy.
