Böcker utgivna av Mdpi AG

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) represent a powerful system for the recognition and elimination of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) from bacteria, viruses, and other pathogens and damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) released from dying cells. Typical PAMPs include bacterial cell wall components, viral pathogens, or pathogenic nucleic acids, including viral RNA and DNA. Activation of TLRs leads to the production of proinflammatory cytokines and type I interferons which are important for the induction of the host immune response against bacterial and viral infections. However, dysregulation and overstimulation can be detrimental, leading to hyper-inflammation, sepsis, and loss of tissue integrity. The involvement of TLRs in inflammation and bacterial infection has been recognized for a long time. There is an increasing number of reports demonstrating the involvement of TLR activation in a variety of viral infections, associated with protective immunity, but also immune hyper activation and even viral replication. Recent data show the involvement of TLR activation in various acute respiratory viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2 and indicate an essential role in COVID-19 pathology. It aimed to gather newest data and hypotheses regarding molecular and cellular mechanisms of TLR triggering and activation and their downstream signaling pathways by viral infections, and their correlation to immunology and pathophysiology of the associated diseases, to facilitate translational research resulting in new targets for the treatment of viral infectious diseases including COVID-19.

Fatigue and fracture are important design criteria for marine structures subjected to static and cyclic loading. In particular, the ability to ensure structural integrity under all design conditions is of the utmost importance for the safety of humans and the environment. Many efforts have been made to develop fatigue and fracture mechanics methods in recent decades; however, discrepancies between predicted and actual strength remain due to various reasons. Hence, this Special Issue aims to collect descriptions of fatigue and fracture mechanical behaviour of marine structures. Studies demonstrating novel methods (either analytical, empirical or numerical), as well as presentations of case studies or innovative test studies, were invited. This includes considerations of parameters which have a large influence on fatigue and fracture behaviour of materials, welded joints or structural components, such as loading conditions, scale effects, etc.

Arthritis has a high prevalence globally and includes over 100 types, the most common of which are rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and inflammatory arthritis. All types of arthritis share common features of the disease, including monocyte infiltration, inflammation, synovial swelling, pannus formation, stiffness in the joints, and articular cartilage destruction. The exact etiology of arthritis remains unclear, and no cure exists as of yet. Anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs and corticosteroids) are commonly used in the treatment of arthritis. However, these drugs are associated with significant side effects, such as gastric bleeding and an increased risk of heart attack and other cardiovascular problems. It is therefore crucial that we continue to research the pathogenesis of arthritis and seek to discover novel modes of therapy. This book summarizes the themes of the 29 articles published in our Special Issue "Research of Pathogenesis and Novel Therapeutics in Arthritis 2.0". This book details important novel research discoveries that contribute to our current understanding of arthritis.

The ongoing twin transition of the wood-based panel industry towards a green, digital, and more resilient bioeconomy is essential for a successful transformation to decarbonize the sector and implement a circular development model, transforming linear industrial value chains to minimize pollution and waste generation, and providing more sustainable growth and jobs. This green transition represents an opportunity to place the wood-based panel industry on a new path of more sustainable and inclusive growth, tackling climate change and reducing its dependence on fossil-derived raw materials, thus improving the industry's resource efficiency and security. It provides examples of the most recent advances and technological developments in the design, production, characteristics, and current and future applications of sustainable, eco-friendly wood and wood-based composites with enhanced properties and a reduced carbon footprint. It is intended for material scientists, wood scientists, environmental scientists, graduate and postgraduate students in Wood Science and Technology, as well as wood-based panel industry professionals. In addition, the content is relevant to government authorities and stakeholders working in the domain of sustainable wood value chains, aimed at achieving Sustainable Development Goals and enhanced contribution of the forest-based sector to long-term climate change mitigation.

"Soft Computing and Machine Learning in Dam Engineering" is a comprehensive, edited Special Issue that explores the latest advances in the application of soft computing and machine learning techniques to dam engineering. This reprint covers a range of topics, including dam design, construction, monitoring, and maintenance, and provides readers with a deep understanding of the theoretical foundations and practical applications of these techniques.Featuring contributions from leading experts in the field, the reprint presents a collection of 11 papers that offer insights into state-of-the-art approaches in dam engineering. The chapters cover topics such as fuzzy logic, genetic algorithms, artificial neural networks, and support vector machines, and provide practical examples of how these techniques can be applied to solve real-world dam engineering problems.Whether you are a researcher, engineer, or student in the field of dam engineering, "Soft Computing and Machine Learning in Dam Engineering" provides a valuable resource for staying up-to-date with the latest techniques and approaches in the field.

This reprint aims to present research on Socio-Economic Functions Across Sustainable Farming Systems, specifically on environmental conservation agriculture/climate-smart agriculture, which boosts nature-positive production, raises the welfare of producers; agricultural biotechnology, which contributes to economic and environmental sustainability; community-based extension and marketing of farm produce, which ensures the livelihood of producers and access to safe and nutritious food; and building a society resilient to all kinds of crises and hazards/disasters.This reprint reveals: 1) Drivers and dynamics of environmental conservation agriculture, the sustainable farming systems in Japan to address climate change, biodiversity conservation, sustainable production, welfare of producers and leveraging their participation in Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems. 2) Biotech crops in the Philippines can coexist with the practice of climate resilient environmental conservation agriculture. 3) Community-based extension services, such as farmer field school, disaster management practices, such as flood adaptation strategy, and marketing strategy of farm products enhance the welfare of rural population in Bangladesh.Identification of socio-economic characteristics associated with farming practices, food safety, food security and their constraints in South Africa and Senegal. 4) Benefit of financing agricultural cooperatives to enhance sustainable production in Romania.

The correct management of territory and its planning based on scientific criteria in the face of the anthropogenic impacts of human activities is one of the main challenges in the 21st century. This publication includes some of the latest advancements in environmental planning and spatial analysis related to the ecological management of territory from a multidisciplinary perspective. The research papers from different researchers, scholars and experts in this field included in this collection were published by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health after undergoing a rigorous anonymous peer review process.

Earth observation (EO), remote sensing (RS), and geoinformation (GI) technologies play a critical role in the study of Svalbard's environment, providing insights into the region's changes and supporting decision-making processes. This book presents a comprehensive overview of the applications of EO and RS technologies in Svalbard, covering a wide range of topics related to the environment. It includes contributions from leading experts in the field, providing insights into the current state of the art and future directions for research. The book starts by introducing the status of EO and RS in Svalbard, providing a solid foundation for readers new to the field. It then delves into specific applications of these technologies, including the monitoring of glaciers, snow cover, and permafrost using ground-, space-, and air-based RS platforms. Overall, this book aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the applications of EO and RS technologies in Svalbard, highlighting their importance in understanding and addressing the challenges faced by the region. It will be a valuable resource for researchers, students, policymakers, and practitioners in the fields of environmental science, geography, and remote sensing.

This reprint focusses on Smartness, a multidisciplinary topic, which is examined from four perspectives: Sensors, IoT, and Data Generation; Data and Information Processing; Actuation; and Digital Systems and Infrastructure. We see smartness in the way sensing is embedded in a system, the way data and information are processed, how a system interacts internally and with its environment, and whether a system is ubiquitous or limited by space (cloud-based or edge-enabled). This reprint contains a total of 14 chapters, which are grouped according to their areas of application: mobility and transportation, healthcare, industrial environments, and other urban infrastructures. This book covers a range of topics, including mobility; healthcare; image analysis; permeable pavements; solid-waste management; sensor node and gateway architectures; cloud, fog, and edge computing; air-quality monitoring; thermal anomalies and smart helmets in industrial environments; smart airports; smart districts; smart travel choices; sensor cities; artificially intelligent cities; platform urbanism; and more.

Streams and rivers are subject to considerable hydrodynamic loads. Flow interactions with natural or man-made structures in open channels lead to the development of complex dynamic processes, requiring further studies to comprehend fully. This Special Issue has been conceived to facilitate improvement or propose new approaches, summarize the most important findings of previous studies, and encourage the development of further knowledge in the field of open-channel flows. Various topics are addressed in this SI, including flow interaction with hydraulic structures, flow dynamics in estuaries, flow-vegetation interactions, bed sediment effects on flow structures, and the effect of channel curvature on flow behaviors and sediment transport. The studies published in this Special Issue certainly help readers understand the turbulent flow involved in open channels and apply that understanding to the design and practice of hydraulic engineering and river management.

Taxonomy, floristic studies, biosystematics, classical taxonomy, and modern taxonomic advances; phylogenomics, phylogenetics, and biogeography, including phylogeography; and the description of well-documented new taxonomic taxa, monographs, and taxonomic revisions. It incorporates data from classical morphology (including both macro and micro morphology), molecular study, anatomy and ecology, distribution, molecular evolution, evolutionary development, population biology, conservation biology, evolutionary ecology, paleobiology, and related methods and theories in recent development in systematics and floristic studies.

"Material Analysis in Cultural Heritage" describes the application of modern analytical techniques in the studies of selected historical materials, their properties, and processes they undergo. The topics include glass and ceramics, metal preservation, functionality and testing of historic and modern building materials, origins of specific stones, decomposition of painting pigments, and the construction of historic violins.

This book focuses on information and coding theoretic metrics, analyses, and methods applied to future communication and computation systems. Analyses of learning algorithms and information security problems are studied in detail. The main themes addressed are multiple access channels, interference channels, and delay-Doppler domain analysis, as well as secure and private compression, matrix multiplication, and transmission methods.

The use of educational games and gamification in teaching has been a global trend in educational research, and this reprint focuses on research related to the use of game-based learning or gamification in teaching. This reprint contains empirical studies and systematic reviews regarding the use of games in teaching, spanning many subject areas. It includes various gamification mechanisms, escape room educational games, the evaluation of various digital educational games, and other topics.

Machine learning and computational intelligence have been applied to various areas and witnessed many successes. The research in this publication explorse many intelligent algorithms which are characterized by computational adaptability, robustness, and high performance. These algorithms facilitate intelligent behavior in complex and dynamic environments and the development of technology that enables machines to think, behave, or act in a more humanesque fashion. This reprint aims to present and discuss the most recent innovations, trends, concerns, challenges, solutions, and application fields in the areas of machine learning and computational intelligence.

Recently, Chinese researchers have made significant progress in animal venom research in comprehending the diversity and complexity of these molecules and their potential applications in medicine, biotechnology, and as research tools. Advancements in 'omics' technologies such as proteomics, genomics, and transcriptomics have empowered Chinese researchers to identify and analyze venom-coded genes and proteins, revealing a kaleidoscope of novel peptide toxins with diverse functions and activities. The reprint focus on the perspective on some of the most recent and dynamic contributions of animal toxins research by Chinese researchers. The purpose of this reprint is to provide the latest work by Chinese researchers on the discovery of animal toxins, the mechanism underlining their actions, the mining of drug leads from peptide toxins, and the diagnosis and treatment of bites or stings by venomous animals.

This book captures recent advancements in the introduction, usage, and adoption of smart and digital disruptive technologies in the built environment. It consists of 17 chapters covering a range of topics and article types. The key topics include the adoption of smart technologies, automation, and disruption in the built environment, such as wearable devices and augmented reality in construction safety, electronic process monitoring for construction tasks, digital capture of buildings through point clouds, UAVs, and LIDAR, BIM for a learning environment, underground works and wood construction, collaborative information management technologies in construction, techniques for structural health monitoring and evaluation, construction risk management, inclusive walking communities, smart spin models for cities, landfill and waste management in cities, and circular economy in construction for sustainable development.

The present reprint aimed to present original research articles and reviews concerning the following:Access: affordability, allocation, and preference of food;Availability: the production, distribution, and exchange of food;Circularity in food systems at local, regional, or global levels;The development, impact, and ethics of novel and data-driven technologies in food systems;Food security and policy, governance, institutions, and trade;Influencing food consumption and demand regarding the food environment;The stability and dynamics of food security aspects;Sustainable food systems and agro-ecological food production;Utilization: the nutritional value, social value, and safety of food.

This reprint brings together many scientific contributions on current actinide research, both theoretical and experimental. Special attention is given to the theoretical modeling of the atomic spectra of actinides, the experimental study of their atomic and nuclear structure, and new developments in the production and spectroscopy of their elusive and rather exotic radionuclides.

This reprint represents a general view of what and how the research on plants at the molecular level (genetics, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and so on) contributes to a good equilibrium among human needs, food security, and future strategies for mitigating the effects of global climate changes. Now more than ever, it is critical to understand the genetics and evolution of the gene mechanisms and the networks of different molecular pathways acting on plant abiotic stress tolerance in order to find new solutions for modern agricultural problems.This reprint is full of technical and specialized terms and, for this reason, its target audience is scientists and students trained in plant functional genomics, breeding, agronomy, and genetics. It is an exciting virtual tour through plant molecular responses to various environmental stresses, and new ideas and applications will be derived.

Environmental management and the preservation of biodiversity are widely considered a priority in the context of accelerating global changes affecting the physical and biological resources of our planet. This Special Issue of the journal will focus on "Coastal and Aquatic Ecosystems". The coastal region is a transition area between terrestrial and marine ecosystems. This transition area is now considered an important component of the biosphere, both in terms of ecosystems' diversity and in the provision of resources and services. Moreover, the coastal region is home to a significant number of distinct biological communities, including coral reefs, mangroves, salt meadows and wetlands, phanerogam meadows, and kelp forests, estuarine assemblages or coastal lagoons, forests, and grasslands. The diversity of coastal ecosystems is directly threatened by human activity.Remote sensing meets this challenge by offering a wide range of standard products on environmental coastal condition, thanks in particular to various state-of-the-art sensors. The development of innovative methods based on the integration of multi-source, multi-resolution, and multi-temporal images offers promising prospects for considering the different scales of ecosystems. Consequently, the products derived from remote sensing contribute to the development of temporal and spatial indicators for better knowledge and management of coastal and aquatic ecosystems.

This book covers various aspects of sustainable urbanisation. It includes empirical evidence, theoretical insights, and practical recommendations in order to inform and inspire sustainable urban strategies. The ten original research studies presented in this book explore topics such as green buildings, rail transportation, land-use efficiency, energy consumption, innovation management, heritage preservation, digital technologies, and behaviour change. The interdisciplinary and international scope of the issue reflects the complexity and diversity of the challenges and opportunities encountered when striving for urban sustainability. This Special Issue aims to provide researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and students with a comprehensive and up-to-date perspective on sustainable urban development.

This reprint, edited by Prof. Gaetano Santulli, MD, PhD, collects the most up-to-date peer-reviewed scientific papers dealing with cardiovascular medicine, from basic science to pre-clinical and clinical investigations, highlighting the fundamental importance of translational medicine in the challenging quest for new therapies to cure cardiovascular disease. Indeed, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, and the search for novel mechanisms and therapeutics is desperately needed. Therefore, both basic and translational studies in the cardiovascular field represent a paramount strategy to identify novel therapeutic targets and improve the quality of life of patients with cardiovascular disorders.

In the past two decades, great advancements have been made in phonetic, auditory, and psycholinguistic research on speech perception. As the fields have advanced, there has been increasing interdisciplinary collaboration between them, which has, in turn, revealed their interdependence. The aim of this Special Issue is to bring together top scholars in these three related areas to present research in a single volume with papers ranging from the neurophysiology of hearing, to phonetic and linguistic factors, to factors related to hearing loss and assistive devices, second language learning and accentedness, and the processing of speech and the mental lexicon. We invite you all to read the high-quality papers in this Special Issue.

The title of the current Special Issue, "Feature Papers in Materials Simulation and Design", has identified the aims of this collection since its opening: the gathering of research works and comprehensive review papers that advance the understanding and prediction of material behavior at different scales, from atomistic to macroscopic, through innovative modeling and simulation.In this context, interdisciplinary researches that tackled challenging and complex material problems where the governing phenomena might span different scales of material behavior, with an emphasis on the development of quantitative approaches to explain and predict experimental observations, have been collected. Similarly, particular attention has been given to homogenization techniques for the evaluation of the mechanical properties of new materials and multi-phase composites. Innovative numerical approaches for the mechanical analysis, highlighting their accuracy, reliability, and stability features, have been also welcomed. Significant space has been also given to advanced and sustainable technologies. From the aforementioned topics, it is evident that this Special Issue represents the ideal forum for disseminating excellent research findings, as well as sharing innovative ideas in this significant field.Throughout the several months of activity, this Special Issue has been able to attract much interesting research. Its success is proven by the sixteen papers collected and published.

Diabetes is a worldwide public health problem that can be explained by the classic model of the determinants of health. Thus, success in preventing diabetes mellitus and its associated complications not only depends on the individual but also on social and community networks as well as general socioeconomic, cultural, and environmental conditions. For that reason, we need to create conditions that ensure good health and social care for an entire population through the development and implementation of preventive strategies, promotion of healthy lifestyles, protection from diseases, and the design of targeted screening strategies. This aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development goal number 3, good health and well-being, which includes the achievement of universal health coverage and access to quality essential healthcare services. In addition, this also has a direct link to goal number 10, which focuses on reducing inequalities within and among countries. Pathological Mechanisms in Diabetes is a compilation of high-quality scientific evidence aimed at unraveling the molecular mechanisms involved in the association between diabetes and comorbidities and at describing their clinical and therapeutic implications. The variety of updated topics included from different approaches shows the need for more efficient preventive activities to reduce the incidence of this disease and its related complications.

Metal and metal oxide nanocomposites have received considerable attention as an alternative to conventional antimicrobial agents because of their diverse shape, size, high surface-to-volume ratio, chemical/physical stability, activity, and a greater degree of selectivity. The design and synthesis of metal and metal oxide nanocomposites (e.g. mono, bi-, tri-, and multi-metallic nanocomposites), as well as polymer-based nanocomposites and hydrogels with diversified nanostructures (e.g. nanoarrays, nanotubes, core-shell, nanosheets, and nanorods), has sparked considerable interest in terms of biomedical therapeutics, bioimaging, biosensors, drug delivery, and antimicrobial attributes.

The papers published in the Special Issue "Eco-Friendly Materials for Civil Construction: Utilization and Advantages" are now collected as a reprint supporting sustainability for changing our planet lifestyle of increasing consumerist and predatory actions. Indeed, this reprint serves as a warning that the traditional linear economy entails the generation of huge amounts of wastes and, consequently, a negative impact on the environment. Therefore, emphasis on sustainable action is mandatory for the required transition from a linear to a circular economy.The collection of papers comprising this reprint are intended to contribute to advance and understanding on the role of eco-friendly construction materials. They could not only promote saving in energy but also reduce pollution by incorporating urban, agricultural, and industrial wastes.

We are delighted to share our Special Issue on Talent Identification and Development in Youth Sports. In 2020, the editorial team had several informal discussions about the growing interest from researchers and practitioners in these disciplines, and subsequently wanted to create a platform to help advance this field of literature. Following these conversations, we decided to use the Personal Assets Framework (Côté et al., 2014, 2016) to outline our objectives and the potential research topics for our Special Issue. In doing so, it was hoped that the studies included can inform evidence-based youth sport policies and athlete development programmes. Submissions were encouraged from a diverse range of quantitative and qualitative research methods to examine the current context of talent identification and development in youth sports, as well as reviews to synthesise expert knowledge within these disciplines. In light of the articles that have been included within our Special Issue, we believe our initial aims of progressing the talent identification and development literature have been achieved, and now hope that the research presented can be utilised by key stakeholders (e.g., administrators, coaches, parents, practitioners) and organisational structures (e.g., national governing bodies, professional clubs, recreational teams, youth sport associations) to create more appropriate youth sport settings.

The field of healthcare is constantly evolving and advancing with new technologies and innovations. Among these, assistive technologies, robotics, and automated machines are rapidly gaining ground as powerful tools to improve the quality of care and enhance patient outcomes. From wearable devices that monitor vital signs to surgical robots that assist in complex procedures, these technologies have the potential to revolutionize the way we deliver healthcare. The development and the integration of assistive technologies, care robots, and automated machines are strategic both as single components, when paired together, and when interconnected in the health domain.This reprint explores the latest developments in assistive technologies, robotics, and automated machines in the health domain, providing a comprehensive overview of their applications and potential impact. The reprint is for the benefit of healthcare professionals, researchers, engineers, and students interested in these rapidly evolving fields.