The Future of Television and Video Industry
This Edited Volume is a collection of reviewed and relevant research chapters, offering a comprehensive overview of recent developments in the field of digital industry technologies and the future landscape of television. The book comprises single chapters authored by various researchers and edited by an expert active in the pioneering advancements in digital technologies, particularly in the future landscape of television, machine learning, VLSI, FPGA systems, cloud computing, cybersecurity, video processing algorithms and architectures, IoT, and wireless communication research area.
Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning in Sensors and Applications
The aim of this reprint is to address increasingly complex human problems by utilizing various sensors to collect data, enabling the formulation of solutions through deep learning and artificial intelligence (AI). This trend creates a high demand for sensors while presenting new challenges in developing sensor devices and applications across various fields, such as healthcare, manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, construction, and environmental monitoring.
Shyan-Ming Yuan, Zeng-Wei Hong, Wai-Khuen Cheng
MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Artificial intelligence Digital Political economy
Artificial intelligence (AI) is heralded as a revolutionary force in the global economy. But the transformation it brings is not simply about new technology as a driver of change. It is about who owns it, what they want to do with it, who can pay for it, and how other economic actors around the world – from legacy manufacturing firms in the Global North to farmers in the Global South – must adjust. This book explores AI systems as products of unequal and conflictual power relations.
The security technology of new information technologies in scenarios such as smart life, smart cities, smart networks, etc., and the promotion and enhancement of the development of network security are mainly included here. New-generation network attacks and defense technology, new secure cryptographic algorithms, data security and privacy protection technology, network and communication security protocol, security analysis, and the evaluation of new application scenarios are discussed.
This reprint provides an overview of the state of edge intelligence research and practice, including innovative programming frameworks, intelligent resource orchestration, secure communication protocols, and healthcare applications. It highlights how edge intelligence can revolutionize network infrastructure, enable innovative applications, and address technical challenges facing 5G and the IoT. This reprint aims to provide opportunities for academic researchers and industry practitioners to exchange creative ideas and then inspire further innovation and foster progress in academia and industry.
Geographic Information Systems and Cartography for a Sustainable World
Sustainable development is an interdisciplinary challenge that involves the environment, society, and the economy. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), outlined in the 2030 Agenda, serve as a call for action for all countries. Fulfilling the SDGs grows more pressing, while the consequences of no action are becoming evident to citizens. Scientists and spatial data stakeholders worldwide utilize Geographic Information Systems and Cartography to analyze, assess, visualize, and communicate spatial and developmental inefficiencies in support of planning efforts and policy pathways that aim to achieve sustainability objectives.
Andriani Skopeliti, Anastasia Stratigea, et.al
Ageing induces an increased prevalence of chronic skeletal diseases such as osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and intervertebral disc degeneration/herniation. Dietary nutrition is an essential factor for skeletal health, the level of which is relatively easy to modify. For certain kinds of nutrients, including calcium and vitamin D, adequate dietary intake helps to reduce the risk of bone diseases. That said, some other kinds of dietary constituents, like fat and carbohydrates, play a much more complex role in bone health.
Smart Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring and Nondestructive Evaluation
Structural health monitoring (SHM) and nondestructive evaluation (NDE) technologies can be used to identify defects or damage and evaluate the health status of components or systems to avoid structural failure. Sensors are widely used to collect information about the status of engineering components or systems, and their development and application are key research topics in SHM and NDE. This reprint focuses on the most recent original contributions relating to the use of smart sensors in structural health monitoring and nondestructive evaluation.
A History of Rhetoric, Sound, and Health and Healing
A History of Rhetoric, Sound, and Health and Healing argues for medico-sonic knowledge — systematically interpreted bodily sounds with medical knowledge mediated by rhetoric — as an evolving corporeal practice with an incomparable, sprawling history. Taking a materialist-feminist perspective, the book rhetorically accounts for sound and suggests rhetoric enables bodily sounds as understandable, knowable, and treatable with power to help and discipline bodies in health, healing, and hospital contexts.
This Open Access textbook, endorsed by UK Oncology Nursing Society (UKONS), covers the effects impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Cancer care and how health care professionals and people with a cancer diagnosis have been affected. It discusses current research covering COVID and Cancer and considers the different impacts on patients with solid tumours and those with a haematological malignancy. The authors critically appraise how technology has been used to combat the pandemic as well as impacts on patient management and their well-being, education of health care professionals as well as the delivery of oncology cancer treatments.
Mark Foulkes, Helen Roe, Andreas Charalambous
Occupational Health in the Construction Industry
The construction industry is a high-hazard industry that comprises a wide range of activities involving construction, alteration, and/or repair and has a significant impact on the health and safety of the workers. Construction workers engage in many activities that may expose them to serious hazards, such as falling from rooftops, unguarded machinery, being struck by heavy construction equipment, electrocution, etc. To promote and maintain safety in the workplace, knowledge about the primary causes of accidents helps to assess the level of safety.
Reliability Analysis of Electrotechnical Devices
This is a book on the practical approaches of reliability to electrotechnical devices and systems. It includes the electromagnetic effect, radiation effect, environmental effect, and the impact of the manufacturing process on electronic materials, devices, and boards.
Life-Cycle Performance of Green Cementitious Composites under Complex Environmental Conditions
Green composites aiming to find ecofriendly ingredients and save natural resources have been widely investigated for years using agricultural and industrial wastes and by-products, natural biomaterials, etc. Besides the basic mechanical performance of green composites, the life-cycle performance of green composites under single/multiple environmental conditions should also be worthy of attention, since green ingredients sometimes reduce the durability performance of green composites, especially under fire/high temperatures, freeze–thaw cycling, dry–wet cycling, and salt corrosion.
Advances in the Experimentation and Numerical Modeling of Material Joining Processes
“Advances in the Experimentation and Numerical Modeling of Material Joining Processes" is an innovative compilation offering a comprehensive exploration of the latest developments in material-joining techniques. With 22 chapters, this MDPI scientific reprint addresses adhesive bonding, welding, friction stir welding, hybrid joining, and miscellaneous topics. The editorial (Chapter 1) provides the main limitations, possible improvements, active research lines, and prospects of material joining processes. Chapters 2 to 10 relate to adhesive bonded and welded joints.
Educational strategies Education Civics and citizenship
This open access book provides the theoretical and pedagogical foundations for a promising new approach to civic education: using social media to teach civics. While many measures indicate that youth civic engagement has long been in decline, many of these measures fail to take into account all of the ways that youth can interact with civic life. One of these understudied ways is through social media, including platforms like Twitter, where young people have the opportunity to encounter the news, engage with people in power, and bring attention to the needs in their community.
Education Adult education Civics and citizenship
This open access book presents the final findings from the case studies developed within the Horizon 2020 SMOOTH project Educational Spaces. Passing through Enclosures and Reversing Inequalities through Educational Commons. The overall objective of the project was to understand, develop, and accelerate the potential impact of education on reversing inequalities for active social inclusion of children and young people at risk in Europe, through introducing the emergent paradigm of the “commons” as an alternative value and action system in the field of education (preschools, schools, and after-school programs).
Critical Thinking for Global Citizenship Education
This open access book shares a two-part conceptual framework for critical global learning which weaves together theory and practice. The author shares the outcomes of her research and experiences developing students’ critical thinking skills within the context of global citizenship education. While rooted in literature and research findings, the book is personal and reflexive, as the author shares her experiences as a teacher trying, and sometimes failing, to support critical thinking development which allows readers to reflect on their own practice.
The Adaptability of Residential Planning and Design to World-Changing Events
The Special Issue, "The Adaptability of Residential Planning and Design to World-Changing Events," explores innovative approaches to residential design that can effectively respond to short-, medium-, and long-term challenges posed by recent extreme events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, armed conflicts, and devastating natural disasters. It provides a comprehensive guide to creating residential environments that are not only resilient to the immediate impact of these events but also adaptable to the ongoing challenges and shifts in society.
Carlos C. Duarte, Nuno D. Cortiços, et.al
Innovative Technologies and Translational Therapies for Deafness
This reprint focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and technological innovations related to inner ear diseases. It encompasses cutting-edge areas, such as virtual reality training, to enhance hearing adaptation, gene therapy, microneedle drug delivery, and more.
Olivier Sterkers, Ghizlène Lahlou, Huan Jia
Business Model-the Perspective of Systems Thinking and Innovation
The business model concept has gained a prominent position both in academia and among practitioners during the past 30+ years. The aim of this Special Issue of Systems is to contribute to a stronger theoretical basis for the business model concept. This includes a focus on the systemic character of business models and the systems approaches that this entails. Another important aspect is to allocate more attention to innovations of business models. The business models that emerged with e-commerce and e-business as such were in themselves innovations.
Cutting-Edge Innovations in Teaching, Leadership, Technology, and Assessment
Cutting-Edge Innovations in Teaching, Leadership, Technology, and Assessment explores the dynamic and evolving field of education. This book is a testament to the ever-advancing landscape of education, examining four pivotal domains reshaping the educational experience. The first domain provides innovative teaching methodologies, and delves into the transformative power of active learning, gamification, and project-based learning. An emphasis is placed on their effectiveness in engaging students and fostering deeper learning.
Asma Khaleel Abdallah, Ahmed Mohammed Alkaabi, Rashid Al-Riyami
Level Up! Exploring Gamification's Impact on Research and Innovation
Level Up! Exploring Gamification's Impact on Research and Innovation explores the transformative power of gamification in various fields. This edited book shows how game design elements, when integrated into non-gaming contexts, can revolutionize education, health care, luxury tourism, language learning, and more. Through a series of case studies and research, the book demonstrates the potential of gamification to enhance user engagement, improve knowledge retention, and foster interdisciplinary collaboration.
Agroforestry as Climate Change Adaptation
This open access book provides multidisciplinary perspectives on the potential of agroforestry to mitigate the negative impacts of climate change on cocoa production. Against the backdrop of increasingly precarious farmer livelihoods, it focuses on cocoa-agroforestry in Ghana – the second largest producer of cocoa in the world. Taking the reader on a journey across experimental plots and on-farm studies, the book delivers a holistic understanding of cocoa-agroforestry. Chapters examine historical yield and climate interactions, the effects of heat and drought on cocoa plants and the role of differing shade trees on soil fertility, yields, pests and diseases.
Mette Fog Olwig, Aske Skovmand Bosselmann, Kwadwo Owusu
Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Education
Artificial intelligence education educational technology
This Reprint presents a collection of cutting-edge research and reviews on the application of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in education, focusing on both theoretical advancements and practical implementations. It examines how AI can be leveraged to enhance personalized learning, support adaptive assessment, enable intelligent learning environments, and facilitate more effective human–computer interaction in educational contexts. The contributions cover a broad spectrum of topics, including student and cognitive modeling, educational data mining, natural language processing for educational purposes, learning analytics, and the design of automated assistants and intelligent tutoring systems.
Interdisciplinary Research into Cultural and Biological Transformations in the Paleolithic Period
The incredibly long Paleolithic period is still considered by some to be a stagnant phase in human cultural and biological evolution prior to the appearance of our direct ancestors. However, in recent years, extensive interdisciplinary research has clearly demonstrated that this is not the case. Starting from the earliest stages of human presence on the planet some three million years ago, an impressive series of transformations, innovations, modifications and adaptations characterise our lineage.
Mechatronics System Design in Medical Engineering
As the healthcare sector adapts to the evolving standards of Industry 4.0, there is a pressing need for more intelligent, automated, and efficient solutions. This evolution demands cutting-edge research that meets the increasing technical and functional requirements of modern medical applications. The integration of advanced mechatronic systems is essential to create value-added products that are not only highly functional, but also seamlessly adaptable to dynamic healthcare environments.
Intelligent Localization for Integrated Sensing and Communication
Integrated Sensing and Communication (ISAC) systems. As 6G networks advance, the need for more efficient data collection, more intelligent system adaptability, and more accurate localization results. Traditional outdoor localization methods like GPS are limited indoors due to signal blockages, underscoring the need for innovative indoor localization technologies to meet the evolving requirements of modern applications. This "Open Access" book addresses key challenges in indoor localization using Channel State Information (CSI) and machine learning.
Current Trends, Innovations and Issues in Nursing Practice and Education
The development of health sciences in recent years has made it necessary to implement changes in the training of health professionals from the undergraduate level. This training must include the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and attitudes that ultimately improve patient safety and quality of care. Concurrently, the use of different tools to assess the level of knowledge in certain areas of the training of nurses and analysis of the different study plans allow training to be oriented to the specific needs of each reality.Nowadays, it is necessary to develop, plan, and utilize new teaching methodologies and tools that allow us to assess and measure the level of knowledge of professionals and students and evaluate the quality of training at the different levels of care.
Antonio Martinez-Sabater, Elena Chover-Sierra, Carles Saus-Ortega
Self-Regulated Learning - Insights and Innovations explores the multifaceted nature of self-regulated learning (SRL) in today's dynamic educational landscape. This book serves as both a reflection on current SRL practices and a roadmap for future advancements. It offers a comprehensive look at SRL across diverse educational settings, examining topics from the application of AI in predicting educational outcomes to integrating digital tools for self-directed learning in pre-service teachers. Readers will discover the latest research, theoretical insights, and actionable strategies applicable to various learning environments.
Technological innovation continues to challenge and redefine the foundations of legal theory, policy, and practice. This volume presents a collection of rigorous scholarly contributions examining the multifaceted intersections between emerging technologies and the law. It offers an adaptive conceptualization of artificial intelligence within regulatory and ethical frameworks and explores the transformative potential of the EU AI Act on autonomous maritime navigation.
Esther Salmerón-Manzano, Francisco Manzano Agugliaro
New Challenges in Marine Aquaculture Research
This Special Issue addresses the key challenges facing marine aquaculture, including species diversification, improving animal growth efficiency, adapting to climate change, developing alternative feed sources, conserving natural resources, and reducing environmental impact. The Special Issue brings together a diverse range of research studies that tackle these challenges, covering topics such as environmental and ecological assessments, innovative approaches to optimizing feed and growth performance, as well as technological advancements aimed at promoting sustainability in marine aquaculture.
Chapter Skill, industrial transformation and work in a climate-changing world
Working patterns Climate change Industrial
This book offers a genuinely interdisciplinary engagement with the future of paid and unpaid work in the context of the twin challenges of decarbonisation and the growing impacts of an unstable climate. It is innovative in its grounding of such discussions in the everyday realities of workers’ experiences with an empirical focus on skill, occupational shifts and technological change at the workplace level. Part I: Skills and Training delves into how workers gain crucial skills across their lifetimes.
Climate Changes and the Impacts on Power and Energy Systems
The pressing topic of "climate change" has drawn significant interest and critical attention from researchers and engineers in electrical power and energy. The relationship between these two fields is bidirectional. This reprint compiles recent studies addressing essential points related to the resilience and adaptation of electrical power and energy systems to climate change, covering areas such as electric vehicles, renewable energy resources, electricity demand, buildings, power grids, and innovative solutions like machine learning, among others.
The modern world is characterized by intense and increasing conditions of uncertainty, with the result that any economic turbulences and economic recessions create issues to be addressed for the entire world, regardless of the degree of development of each economy. This book presents the consequences of economic recessions, giving readers a comprehensive understanding of the causes of the crises, their effects, the solutions, and how economies can be put on a more sustainable path in the future. Considering critical events in the global economy, the book describes how the turbulence from such crises affects economies in today’s complex world.
Climate change is expected to have a wide range of impacts on plant physiology and metabolism, soil fertility and carbon sequestration, and microbial diversity and activity. This imposes direct limitations on plant growth, fertility, and productivity. To promote the sustainability of ecosystems, efforts are needed to enhance our knowledge of molecules that govern key processes that may play a role in stress resilience mechanisms in plants. In this context, this reprint covers basic and applied innovative research aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms associated with plant responses to abiotic stresses, including drought, cold, heat, high light, and salinity.
Isabel Marques, Ana I Ribeiro-Barros, José C. Ramalho
Vocational Education, Skill Formation, and Social Development
Vocational education and training (VET) systems are increasingly recognized not only as pathways to employment but also as critical mechanisms for fostering lifelong learning, personal development, and social cohesion. Research in this field spans diverse topics, including the integration of soft skills into educational programs, the challenges and opportunities of work-place learning, and the inclusive practices that are required for equitable education. While advancements in pedagogy and technology have enhanced the potential of VET, challenges remain in aligning training with dynamic labor market needs, ensuring access and equity, and supporting the holistic development of learners.
At the crossroads of culture and commerce, the advertising industry is a regime of paradoxes. This book examines the place of advertising on today’s creative industries, exploring the major challenges advertisers confront as they engage with other creative sectors. Izabela Derda, author, media scholar, and industry expert, offers insights into how the industry keeps deconstructing its own creative processes and collaborative models as it attempts to stay relevant. Through extensive case studies and interviews with industry professionals and thought leaders, this book examines the sector’s struggle to adapt to new business models and to monetize creativity in today’s media landscape, from re-engaging audiences through media more typical of arts and entertainment to managing intricate cross-sectoral creative collaborations.
Research and information Artificial Intelligence
The present book contains all the articles accepted and published in the Special Issue “Advances in Artificial Intelligence: Models, Optimization, and Machine Learning, 2nd Edition” of the MDPI Mathematics journal. The content of this Special Issue encompasses a diverse array of topics related to artificial intelligence, spanning both foundational theories and practical applications.
Florin Leon, Mircea Hulea, Marius Gavrilescu
Fractional-order systems extend classical integer-order models, providing a more accurate description of real-world physical phenomena. In image processing, critical techniques like noise suppression and image fusion in medical imaging are essential for clinical diagnosis and treatment. The increasing diversity of image acquisition models has further emphasized the importance of these techniques.
Advances in Developmental Biology in Tree Fruit and Nut Crops
This reprint of the Special Issue “Advances in Developmental Biology in Tree Fruit and Nut Crops” brings together 16 diverse studies that illuminate how genetic, hormonal, and environmental factors shape the growth and productivity of key tree fruit and nut species. Several articles explore hormone-mediated processes, such as the role of exogenous abscisic acid in anthocyanin biosynthesis in blueberry leaves, the effects of gibberellic acid on Shine Muscat grapes, and the influence of endogenous hormones on seed hardness in pomegranate.
Entrepreneurial Education Strengthening Resilience, Societal Change and Sustainability
Working life is in a major transition and environmental, societal, and economic problems challenge human activities. The need to develop reliance and sustainability also through higher education is evident. It has been anticipated that emphasis on entrepreneurship competencies will be even stronger in the future. In this reprint, we provide insights on how to develop entrepreneurial competencies within higher education and its existing networks.
Jaana Seikkula-Leino, Mats Westerberg, Priti Verma, Maria Salomaa
Governance, Regulation and Management of Global Sport Organisations
Sports management International institutions
This book is a bold and ambitious analysis of the challenges facing global sport in the 21st century and how those challenges can be met through good governance, management and regulation. Connecting the political and managerial dimensions of sport, from international governing bodies such as the International Olympic Committee through to national governing bodies, leagues and professional sport organisations, the book offers a new way of thinking about the trajectory of contemporary sport.
This anthology brings together a set of 10 critical analyses of the intersection of sociology, politics, and policy within the contested terrain of sport. The concept of contested terrain is used to capture the uniqueness and complexity of sport as a site for discussion, debate, negotiation, and conflict involving diverse interest groups with varying levels of resources and contrasting, competing sets of ideas and beliefs. The contested terrain of sport includes the politics of recognition and legitimacy for new sports, as witnessed by the entry of breakdancing into the 2024 Paris Olympics and the increasing pressure to include e-sports.
Gender, Class, and Respectability in Leisure
This book interrogates the role of gender and class in shaping women’s everyday leisure practices. Drawing on empirical research in urban Turkey, the book explores how leisure is perceived and practised by women within their communities. The book examines the relationship of women’s leisure to their labour, women’s access to and uses of public leisure spaces, and the dynamics of their everyday sociability within their neighbourhoods. It is the first book to apply Skegg’s concept of ‘respectability’ – socially recognised judgments and standards which label the ‘right’ practices, that hold morality and power in a given context – as a theoretical tool with which to understand leisure in a country in which modernisation and Westernisation have been a central dynamic shaping political, social, and cultural life.
This open access book explores the linkages between geopolitics and hosting mega-events. It encompasses and transcends the international and domestic dimensions of soft power to unpack how mega-events shape cities and societies through notions of unity and greatness, but also investigates local developments beneath the Potemkin surface of the global spectacle. Drawing on a global range of case studies from Eastern Europe, Western Europe, North America, South America, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia, this volume features the sensitivity of grounded local research framed within geopolitical perspectives.
Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is a common but complicated condition that is often associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This book is an essential resource for healthcare professionals, combining expert knowledge with practical strategies for managing the challenges of VTE in various clinical contexts.
This Special Issue focuses on novel and scarcely investigated topics in relation to atrial fibrillation (AF), from the role of f-wave harmonic spectral structures in improving the preoperative prediction of catheter ablation outcomes in AF to the design of a study to investigate the effectiveness of a hand-held device in screening for AF when embedded into the handles of supermarket trolleys.
Statistical Methods in Data Science and Applications
The rise of big data has significantly elevated the significance of data science, catalyzing extensive research across multiple fields, including mathematics, statistics, computer science, and artificial intelligence. Data science encompasses modeling, computation, and learning processes to transform data into information, information into knowledge, and knowledge into actionable decisions.
Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Intervention Strategies for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Disease
Medicine and Nursing Cardiovascular medicine
This reprint provides insights into the cardiovascular risk landscape, emphasizing the impact of major risk factors and their interaction with the cardiovascular system. In this Special Issue, the role of other less established risk factors such as uric acid, sleep disorders, or blood pressure variability has been taken into consideration. Evidence-based strategies to prevent the detrimental consequences of these risk factors have been focused on in this Special Issue, with particular emphasis on glycemic control, lipid management, hypertension diagnosis, blood pressure regulation, and implementation of lifestyle modifications. By implementing the most modern strategies and fostering collaboration across disciplines, we can reduce the cardiovascular risk, thereby avoiding adverse outcomes.
Nonlinear Dynamics in Cardiovascular Signals
The cardiovascular system involves many regulatory mechanisms that maintain the stability of blood pressure by interacting strongly with other vital systems (including the respiratory, endocrine, and autonomous nervous systems). Non-invasive measurements of cardiovascular signals have enhanced the study of the cardiovascular system, providing deeper insights into its physiological modulation, the pathophysiology of cardiovascular and other chronic diseases, and new methods to improve their diagnosis and prognosis.
Advances in Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance
Medicine and Nursing Cardiovascular System - Medicine
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide. Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is a versatile and non-invasive imaging modality that accurately diagnoses and characterizes cardiovascular disease. CMR is widely accepted as the gold standard for the evaluation of cardiac function. CMR can also characterize various conditions affecting myocardial tissue such as inflammation, edema, necrosis, and fibrosis. Recently, new techniques including T1 mapping, extracellular volume fraction, myocardial strain, 4D flow, DWI/DTI, and chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) have further expanded the role of CMR in the diagnosis, risk stratification, and management of cardiovascular diseases.
Modern Pharmaceutics for Cardiovascular Diseases
Although various non-pharmaceutical strategies addressed to the primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases such as tobacco control policies, reducing the consumption of harmful food, and increasing physical activity still represent a key strategy, often they are not sufficient. Moreover, despite the availability of a plethora of pharmaceutic approaches specifically targeting mechanisms involved in cardiovascular diseases over recent years, the burden of these pathologies has only been marginally alleviated.
New Insights into Cardiovascular and Exercise Physiology
This reprint aims to provide insights into recent knowledge on the cardiovascular system and its adaptation to different diseases and exogenous conditions. Considering the increasing incidence of cardiovascular diseases, a major cause of death worldwide, and the need to attain treatment strategies, knowledge of the physiological processes behind them remains the basis for future research and is a prerequisite for improved clinical studies. Physical exercise is increasingly being regarded as one of the potentially beneficial measures to improve cardiovascular health, interfering with numerous elements of the cardiovascular system and affecting a multitude of potential mechanisms.
This book provides a comprehensive review of inflammatory myocardial diseases. It is organized into three sections: (1) Pathobiology of Myocardial Inflammatory Diseases; (2) Imaging for Inflammatory Myocardial Diseases; and (3) Interventions for Inflammatory Myocardial Diseases. Chapters address topics including inflammatory diseases in rheumatological patients; acute and recurrent pediatric pericarditis; clinical detection methods; imaging methods, including cardiac magnetic resonance in scleroderma; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for fulminant myocarditis complicated with cardiogenic shock and surgical interventions.
Renin-Angiotensin System in Cardiovascular Biology
Medicine and Nursing Cardiovascular Biology
The renin–angiotensin system (RAS) plays an important role in maintaining the salt and water balance of very diverse animal species under very diverse conditions. Angiotensin II (Ang II) is a hormone with much more complex actions than is typical for other agonists with heterotrimeric G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Its principal receptor, angiotensin type 1 receptor (AT1R), is distributed in many cells of the body in diverse organs, controlling the water and salt balance, vascular contractility, and blood pressure.
Mária Szekeres, György L. Nádasy, András Balla
C-Reactive Protein and Cardiovascular Disease : Clinical Aspects
This Special Issue focuses on the clinical relevance of the C-reactive protein. Most physicians are familiar with it as a diagnostic biomarker. Only a few have realized that it can be a pathomolecule. After all, the biomarker is, of course, not a physiological function. The main task of CRP is to mark cells to be disposed of, which has been shown for decades in various animal models and has been broken down into molecular detail. The articles presented in this Special Issue reveal a broad spectrum of indications with CRP involvement.
Advancements in Cardiovascular and Antidiabetic Drug Therapy
The aim of this reprint is to immerse the reader in the transformative advancements in drug-based therapies for cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, two major contributors to global morbidity and mortality. From the groundbreaking use of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors in heart failure and diabetes management to the development of novel incretin therapies and innovative insulin delivery systems, this collection examines the potential and promise of these cutting-edge pharmacological strategies.
Sympathetic Nerves and Cardiovascular Diseases
This Special Issue aims to assemble the latest perspectives and research findings to illuminate the role of altered sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) in cardiovascular disease (CVD) pathogenesis. It comprises one editorial article, five review articles, and six original research articles, which collectively emphasize the significance of SNA in the pathogenesis of various CVDs, including hypertension, atherosclerosis, heart failure, peripheral artery disease, diabetic wound healing, and chronic pain-associated CVDs.
The Special Issue “Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Cardiorenometabolic Syndrome and Its Components”, guest-edited by Dr. Andrej Belančić, Prof. Bojan Jelaković, and Dr. Martina Matovinović, explored the complex interrelationship between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and the global burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This interdisciplinary collection examined how insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, central obesity, and hypertension—core components of MetS—converge to elevate the risk of T2DM and cardiovascular disease, the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide.
Andrej Belancic, Bojan Jelakovic, Martina Matovinović
Periodontitis: Current Status and the Future
Periodontitis is a common inflammatory disease, in which the composition of the oral biofilm and the individual immune response have significant impacts. Severe periodontitis is one of the most prevalent conditions in the world, leading to periodontitis being a public health concern. It is widely accepted that periodontitis may be a modifiable risk factor/modulator for several systemic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, adverse pregnancy outcomes, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic kidney disease.
Oxidative stress (OS) is recognized as a pivotal contributor to the pathogenesis of various, chronic human ailments, including cardiovascular and renal diseases, diabetes, neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, inflammatory conditions, and the aging process. It manifests as an imbalance between the generation and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) within cells and tissues. OS occurs when the production of these species surpasses the detoxification capacity of the biological system.
Calcified aortic valve disease (CAVD) affects over six million Americans and is associated with changes in the mechanical properties of valve leaflets, resulting in impaired valvular blood flow. CAVD is a fibrocalcific disease with multifactorial risk factors that are related to the complex environment where the aortic valve (AV) resides. This special issue focuses on the field of heart disease, exploring the relationship between heart valve disease, arrhythmia, kidney disease, and cardiovascular disease, as well as research progress on new treatment strategies and risk prediction.
Medicinal Plants Alternative Medicine - Therapuetics
For centuries, plants have been humanity's most reliable and accessible source of healing. From ancient civilizations to modern herbal medicine, medicinal plants have provided remedies for countless ailments, both physical and mental. They hold within them the power to treat, prevent, and promote health naturally, making them an integral part of human survival and wellness. Medicinal Plants - Harnessing the Healing Power of Plants is a comprehensive exploration of the rich heritage of plant-based medicine.
Gel-Based Materials for Biomedical Engineering
This Special Issue, entitled “Gel-Based Materials for Biomedical Engineering”, presents recent advances in the design, fabrication, and biomedical application of gel-based materials. Gels, particularly hydrogels, have attracted considerable attention in tissue engineering, wound healing, drug delivery, and regenerative medicine due to their high water content, biocompatibility, and structural tunability. The contributions in this collection highlight a variety of gel systems, including natural and synthetic polymer-based hydrogels, nanocomposite gels, and stimuli-responsive materials.
The aim of this Special Issue on Landscape Heritage: Geomorphology, Geoheritage and Geoparks is to expose to the international scientific community the most innovative studies that are being developed in the field of applied geomorphology, especially those related to the conservation, protection and sustainable management of abiotic heritage and its relationship with other territorial aspects (ecosystemic, historical–cultural, educational and divulgation) and exceptional landscapes.
Rafael Becerra-Ramírez, Javier Dóniz-Páez
Advances in Disease Diagnostics and Pathogen Biocontrol of Horticulture Crops
This Special Issue addresses current challenges in the plant health of horticultural crops, highlighting the role of biocontrol agents as sustainable alternatives to the overuse of chemical pesticides. In a context where pathogens threaten global agricultural productivity, this collection of studies offers innovative approaches. The included articles range from region-specific epidemiological analyses, such as the study of downy mildew in Spanish vineyards, to findings on new diseases, such as the occurrence of Botrytis cinerea on pecan nuts in China.
Graciela Dolores Ávila-Quezada, Irasema Vargas-Arispuro
Chemical and Biochemical Processes for Energy Sources
This Issue illustrates the variety of contributions made by chemical and biochemical processes to the production of energy carriers, mostly renewables, to carbon dioxide processing (the capturing, storage, and recycling of value-added chemicals), and to some auxiliary unit operations make the recovery of the main product possible. The main renewable fuels considered are ethanol, biodiesel, biogas, and methane production, as well as hydrogen production based on chemical catalysis and biological processes.
Biochemical Interactions of Iron Nutrition in Plants
Iron is an essential micronutrient. Plants acquire iron from the soil, and its uptake, transport, and assimilation have been intensively studied for the last few decades. The basic mechanisms of root iron uptake, the biochemical processes of iron assimilation, and the major components of the genetic background of iron homeostasis and its regulation have been revealed. Important topics have emerged, such as the correction of iron deficiency, biofortification, the interaction of iron with other elements, and the interaction of plants with fungi and bacteria affecting iron acquisition.
Biochemistry, as an interdisciplinary science, is very dynamic, and its boundaries are very hard to define not only because they are constantly changing but also because they are dependent on the specificities of each time period and scientific environments. Nevertheless, understanding life on earth and human health are long-lasting topics in biochemistry. This reprint is based on the Special Issue titled “Feature Papers in BioChem”, which included an editorial, six articles, and four reviews.
Emerging Strategies in Drug Development and Clinical Care in the Era of Personalized and Precision Medicine
In the dynamic realm of modern medicine, we stand at a pivotal juncture where the convergence of disease, drugs, and patient individuality is shaping a new paradigm. The field is transitioning from traditional drug development towards personalized therapeutic strategies tailored to the unique physiology of each person. Over past decades, significant progress in preventive measures, diagnostic techniques, and treatment approaches has greatly improved patient care.
Cristina Manuela Dragoi, Alina Crenguța Nicolae, Lon-Bogdan Dumitrescu
Abiotic Stress Signaling and Responses in Plants
Plant responses to environmental factors are extraordinarily complex. They can be observed at various levels of plant organization, ranging from changes in the intensity of basic biochemical processes, such as respiration, photosynthesis, and transpiration, to morphological and anatomical changes in organs. However, these biochemical changes are preceded by the activation of an efficient signaling system which endures environmental fluctuations. This Special Issue showcases the latest reports on the impact of abiotic factors on plant responses. It contains 3 reviews and 9 original works and is preceded by an editorial summarizing the most important issues discussed in the publications.
Małgorzata Nykiel, Mateusz Labudda, Beata Prabucka
Chitosan and Other Edible Coatings with Antimicrobial Activity: Synthesis, Properties and Horticultural Applications
Antimicrobial edible coatings for whole or fresh-cut fruits and vegetables based on natural biopolymers that serve as carriers of antimicrobial agents or that are inherently antimicrobial, such as chitosan, are increasingly gaining interest from researchers and industry due to their potential to maintain quality and safety. Additionally, edible coatings can also function as a barrier to water vapors and gases, regulating physiological aspects in fruit.
Treatment and Management of Fusarium Disease in Wheat
Fusarium head blight (FHB), caused by several Fusarium species—mainly Fusarium graminearum, F. culmorum, and F. avenaceum—is a devastating disease of wheat which reduces both grain yield and quality. FHB affects the grain protein content by destroying starch granules, storage proteins, and cell walls and consequently decreases the quality of dough properties. It is also associated with mycotoxin contamination and is a significant threat to animal and human health.
Coagulation is a crucial and essential defense mechanism that is typically well-balanced and effective under normal circumstances. However, since Virchow’s Triad was published in the mid-19th century, its elements have inspired an overwhelming amount of innovative and cutting-edge research, much of which was initiated at the bedside and later unraveled in the laboratory. These approaches have been multidisciplinary, driven by out-of-the-box thinking, keen observation, and problem-solving.
Osteoporosis is defined as a systemic bone loss disease exemplified by the deterioration of bone tissues and low bone mineral density (BMD), subsequently leading to an enhanced risk of developing fragility-related fractures. It’s a chronic inflammatory condition and is the 4th most burdensome chronic disease after ischemic heart disease, dementia, and lung cancer, with a huge economic burden on the world economy. This skeletal disorder affects predominantly women compared to men, and the risk increases with age.
In recent years, interest in nutrition has grown, with a particular focus on the pivotal role of antioxidants in the formulation of functional diets essential for animal health and disease prevention. This comprehensive reprint offers a deep dive into the world of innovative antioxidants that can be used in animal nutrition. The key to this field lies on the oxidative balance. The inclusion of antioxidants aligns with sustainable farming practices, following the One Health principles, thus supporting health and feed and food safety
Computational Intelligence and Human–Computer Interaction
The present Special Issue contains all of the articles accepted and published in the Special Issue of MDPI’s journal Mathematics titled "Computational Intelligence and Human–Computer Interaction: Modern Methods and Applications, 2nd Edition", as a follow-up on the first edition. This Special Issue covered a wide range of topics connected to the theory and application of different computational intelligence techniques to the domain of human–computer interaction, such as automatic speech recognition, speech processing and analysis, virtual reality, emotion-aware applications, digital storytelling, natural language processing, smart cars and devices, and online learning.
Grigoreta Sofia Cojocar, Maja Jazvinšćak Jembrek
Patient-focused Development of Biopharmaceutical Products
Biotechnology Medicinal chemistry Pharmacology
This open access book builds the case for the business motivation, techniques, and approaches to use in development of a medicinal product for human therapy, whether delivered via an oral dose form (“pill” or solution) or a delivery system (device). It shares the growing demands by patients and caregivers, as well as regulators, for designs which are most easily understood and usable, and which can ensure the medication can be consistently delivered and will, therefore, allow best outcomes.
Robert R. Nesbitt, Ramakrishna Venugopalan, Wolfgang Fraunhofer
Development, Characterization, and Application of Bioactive Peptides, Diagnostic Biomarkers, and Pharmaceutical Proteins
As proteins and peptides are the most abundant and versatile biomolecules, playing many critical roles in nearly every life process, many proteins/peptides are also strongly associated with human health and diseases. Various protein/peptide molecules have been proposed as biomarkers with potential diagnostic or prognostic value, and renewed interests in exploring peptides/proteins as crucial targets for therapeutic purposes have arisen. Bioactive proteins/peptides including various enzymes, antibodies, and peptide hormones have been developed and serve as biopharmaceuticals for clinical use.
Effect of Processing on Sensory Quality and Bioactive Components in Food Products
In order to obtain high-quality food products, we need to control them from their origin. This ranges from the crops themselves to the reception of raw materials at the factory. The effect of industrial processing on the final quality of food is an essential factor that can guarantee its acceptance for sale, thus avoiding the losses that a rejected or withdrawn product could cause a company. In addition, preserving the integrity of bioactive ingredients during food processing is a challenge in the agri-food industry.
Antonio José Pérez-López, Luis Noguera-Artiaga
Milk Processing and Dairy Products Industry
Milk Processing and Dairy Products Industry offers a comprehensive overview of the processing and manufacturing stages involved in transforming milk into a wide range of dairy products, from the reception of raw materials to final packaging. It also addresses key aspects of quality assurance and food safety. As a unique and authoritative reference, this book bridges the gap between theoretical foundations and real-world applications. It provides readers with a thorough understanding of the technologies, processes, and quality standards that shape today’s dairy industry.
Further Research in Food Processing Safety and Quality from Field to Fork
The global population is continuously growing, increasing the demand for food production. While agricultural innovations support this goal, food safety is often overlooked. Additionally, the nutritional value of food changes during storage, highlighting the need for efficient contaminant monitoring and sensitive detection techniques to track harmful substances. Advances in green extraction methods, pesticide residue analysis, and novel sensor technologies are essential for addressing contemporary food safety challenges.
Tamara Lazarevic-Pasti, Nebojsa Potkonjak
Emerging Non-Thermal Food Processing Technologies
There is a strong consumer trend towards high-quality and healthy foods with ‘fresh‐like’ characteristics. On the other hand, thermal processing technologies, especially conventional ones, negatively affect both the sensory and nutritional properties of foods. At the same time, limited shelf-life and safety concerns of fresh foods necessitate food processing. Therefore, scientists are exploring the possibility of using nonthermal technologies for various purposes such as shelf-life extension and safety improvement. However, their applicability and scalability are still under intensive investigation.
Asgar Farahnaky, Mahsa Majzoobi, Mohsen Gavahian
Food Polysaccharides, Starch, and Protein
Natural macromolecular substances, such as polysaccharides, starch, and protein, are prevalent in the organs of plants and animals and are major types of biopolymer components in food. They not only provide people with energy and nutrition but are also used in food processing as natural additives due to their gelling, emulsifying, film-forming properties, etc. The food industry has been gaining increasing impetus recently to create desired nutritional profiles and to improve the quality of food products, and so we expect a greater emphasis will be placed on understanding the physicochemical characteristics of food polysaccharides, starch, and protein.
Antioxidant Activity of Fermented Foods and Food Microorganisms
This Special Issue focuses on the antioxidant activity of fermented foods, but also on biosynthesis and mass production of antioxidants from fermented foods and food microorganisms (e.g., lactic acid bacteria, yeast, fungi, bacteria, etc.) and the evaluation of their antioxidative functions.
Aflatoxins are among the most dangerous natural contaminants affecting global food and feed systems. This book offers a concise yet comprehensive overview of recent scientific and technological advances in detecting, controlling, and mitigating aflatoxin contamination. Addressing a wide range of multidisciplinary perspectives, from food safety and toxicology to biotechnology and regulatory science, this book explores innovative strategies for minimizing risks associated with aflatoxins in agriculture and food processing.
Global Perspective on the Relationship Between Dietary Habits and Health
The relationship between lifestyle habits and health has always been and continues to be an important area of interest to public health professionals. Among the lifestyle factors, diet is considered to play a crucial role in managing physical and mental health, as well as reducing the risk of other diseases. Dietary habits and their patterns vary considerably around the globe, depending upon many factors, including cultural and religious beliefs, economic stability, technological development, and food security.
Akkinapally Venketeshwer Rao, Leticia Rao
Agricultural Land Management to Meet Future Global Food Demand
In the 21st century, global agriculture is facing two major competing issues, urgently calling for us to investigate the nexus of land–food–climate. First, food production will need to substantially increase to meet the growing demand of a larger and wealthier population. Moreover, climate change, urbanization, and several other drivers are posing challenges to food production. Farmers can increase food production either by expanding their land area or by raising existing agricultural land productivity.
This book explores the types and processing of olives, olive oil, and its by-products, which are increasingly recognized as an important supply of bioactive compounds. By using unique biotechnological processing methods, the value of olive mill by-products can be upgraded, thus establishing a sustainable circular economy. Bioactive polyphenols such as oleuropein obtained from olive industry by-products can be applied to develop innovative products such as nutraceuticals and cosmeceuticals.
Advanced Research in Inactivation Technologies of Foodborne Microorganisms
During the last few decades, alternative inactivation processes have gained increasing attention from the food industry. These involve alternative technologies to thermal treatments that have unquestioned limitations, such as the denaturation of thermolabile compounds and the substantial modification of nutritional and sensorial aspects, of which the modern consumer is increasingly aware. Indeed, they show great potential for the inactivation of foodborne microorganisms on a wide range of both solid and liquid food products, assuring their microbial safety without altering their fresh-like aspects and quality.
Advanced in Dewatering and Drying Processes
Drying and dewatering processes have many industrial applications, such as in the agricultural, energy, food, chemical, pharmaceutical, paper, and textile industries. In most drying applications, there is a need to control or improve the quality of the output product. At the same time, since the drying process is an energy-intensive operation, improvements to the existing dryer design are desirable in order to save energy. This is a motivation for further research on process intensification and energy consumption reduction, while ensuring a high-quality final product.
Application of Artificial Intelligence in Industrial Process Modelling and Optimization
Artificial Intelligence industrial process modeling
This Special Issue aims to enable readers to understand the latest technologies in artificial intelligence in industrial process modelling and optimization. The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into industrial process modelling and optimization has emerged as a transformative force. This Special Issue aims to explore the application of AI approaches in industrial process modelling and optimization.
Agribusiness Agricultural science Economics
Revitalising the way the social sciences question agri-environmental governance, this book introduces ""the everyday governance approach"" as a means to improving the sustainability of agriculture and food systems. The ""everyday"" refers to localised practices, specific networks, and practical norms that emerge in a process of interaction, translation, and reinterpretation. The authors build this approach on assemblage thinking and theory, which focuses on the collective production of the social through complex sets of connections.
Jérémie Forney, Dana Bentia, Angga Dwiartama
Evaluation and Prevention of Mycotoxin Contamination and Toxicological Effects
Over the last few decades, mycotoxins, toxic fungal secondary metabolites that frequently contaminate foods and feeds, have attracted great interest at both scientific and industrial levels. The toxicity of these compounds has led to several regulations in many countries to control and quantify these contaminants for their subsequent risk assessment.