Advanced intelligent control is a rapidly developing, complex and challenging field with significant practical importance and potential applications. The authors aim to stimulate advancements in science and technology by addressing this field and presenting new trends in the design, control and applications of real-time intelligent sensor system control using advanced intelligent control methods and techniques. The purpose of the Special Issue is to promote in-depth research and communication regarding these topics. The authors focus on innovative multi-sensor fusion techniques integrated into robots, which are combined with computer vision, virtual and augmented reality (VR&AR) and intelligent communication including remote control, adaptive sensor networks and human-robot (H2R) interaction systems. Special attention is given to advancements in sensors, actuators, computation technology and communication networks that provide the necessary tools for implementing intelligent control hardware. These advancements are targeted toward various scientific research fields, including machine learning (such as deep learning), bio-inspired algorithms, recurrent neural networks, neuro-fuzzy control and artificial intelligence in general. The Special Issue includes original research papers that report on the recent advancements in intelligent control using intelligent sensors. It serves as a further extension of the previously successful Special Issue, "Advanced Intelligent Control through Versatile Intelligent Portable Platforms".
This Special Issue focuses on a variety of nanotechnology platforms, including liposomes, which are used for the delivery of therapeutics and vaccines in order to solve the world's most critical health issues and to support environmental sustainability.
Comparative pathology, translational research, and clinical trials involving domestic animals have the ultimate goal of advancing our medical knowledge of both human and veterinary species. Companion, laboratory (from mouse to non-human primates), and wildlife animals play a pivotal role in our understanding of infectious diseases-particularly those with a zoonotic component. This reprint focuses on fundamental and applied research on the comparative pathology and immunohistochemistry of veterinary species. A total of 11 high-quality papers addressing different areas of pathology have been contributed by 62 authors from seven countries, comprising 9 research articles and 2 communications.
This book is a collection of articles focused on recent research covering a species which is emblematic of scientific and commercial interest-the dromedary.The dromedary economy and its sustainability are of a capital importance for the future development of humanity. This research highlights camel productions systems and rearing practices, camel biodiversity and genetics, camel breeding and feeding, dromedary pathologies, anatomy particularities in dromedary, therapeutic virtues of camel products, as well as the industry's contribution to food security.
This second volume on the subject of intervertebral disc (IVD) regeneration ranges from in vitro IVD cell culture studies on cytokines, such as TGF¿3, GDF5, GDF6, ANG1, and ANG2, to diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) to novel advances in the diagnosis of painful discs in reports using natural language processing (NLP). This diverse issue consists of seven articles that provide a comprehensive overview of recently applied research insights. Three original articles focus on the effects of cytokines in primary cell culture. Then, two original articles report on transcriptomics data, i.e., single-cell RNA-sequencing data of in vivo rat animal models of IVD degeneration, and human prime PCR data comparing trauma versus DISH-IVDs. One original article addresses the correct diagnosis of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV) in scoliotic patients, and another original article addresses the usage of NLP to improve the diagnosis of painful IVDs. The Special Issue is concluded with a review on the importance of the relatively recent "hot topic" of extracellular vesicles (EVs) for regenerative purposes in IVDs.
Photonics has emerged as crucial for enabling communication and sensing applications, revolutionizing industries such as data centers, autonomous driving, and 5G/6G networks. This reprint includes thirteen articles showcasing the transformative potential of photonics in supporting emerging technologies. It presents the recent advancements and future challenges in these technologies, focusing on optical performance monitoring, photonic sensors and devices, optical signal processing subsystems, and digital signal processing (DSP) for optical transmission systems. Optical performance monitoring encompasses a self-attention mechanism-based quality-of-transmission estimator for optical networks, optical-label-based monitoring for wavelength division multiplexing networks, and a key distribution scheme for enhanced security. Advancements in photonic devices include optimized silicon nitride waveguides and hybrid phase-change metasurface carpet cloaks for efficient optical signal processing. Moreover, plasmonic sensors that utilize plasmons and alternative materials like aluminum nitride are explored for sensing and detection applications. Optical signal processing subsystems, which feature an enhanced optical analog-to-digital converter, two-tone signal generation, and a programmable photonics spectral processor, as well as DSP techniques for chromatic dispersion estimation, coherent communication, are presented to support reliable optical transmission.
"Multilingualism: Consequences for brain and mind" brings together state-of-the art papers that examine the cognitive and neurological consequences of multilingualism through an exploration of how two or more languages are processed, represented, and/or controlled in one brain/mind.
"Zeolites and Porous Materials: Applications in Catalysis and Adsorption Processes" provides a comprehensive exploration of the remarkable sphere of zeolites and porous materials, and their wide-ranging applications in catalysis and adsorption processes. Written by experts in the field, this Reprint offers a valuable resource for researchers, scientists, engineers, and students seeking to understand the fundamental principles, synthesis methods, characterization techniques, and cutting-edge applications of these materials.In addition to highlighting achievements and breakthroughs, this Special Issue Reprint addresses the current challenges and future directions in the field. It presents innovative strategies to overcome limitations and paves the way for new research and development opportunities. Furthermore, the Reprint emphasizes the significance of sustainability and green chemistry, demonstrating how zeolites and porous materials can contribute to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future.Overall, "Zeolites and Porous Materials: Applications in Catalysis and Adsorption Processes" provides an up-to-date examination of zeolites and porous materials. With its diverse perspectives, and its emphasis on cutting-edge applications, this Reprint serves as an invaluable resource for anyone interested in understanding, utilizing, and pushing the boundaries of these exceptional materials.
In total, this Special Issue includes 11 papers. Firstly, Qi et al. conducted research on the large-scale non-uniform parallel solution of the two-dimensional Saint-Venant equations for flood behavior modeling. Zhang et al. proposed an efficient deep learning-based mineral identification method. Subsequently, Huang et al. proposed a named entity recognition method for geological news based on BERT model. Yang et al. proposed an automatic landslide identification method to solve the problem of the time-consuming nature and low efficiency of traditional landslide identification methods. Du et al. analyzed the potential of unsupervised machine learning methods for submarine landslide prediction. Wang et al. performed parallel computations on the inversion algorithm of the two-dimensional ZTEM. Xu et al. used the sliding window method and gray relational analysis to extract features from multi-source real-time monitoring data of landslides. Furthermore, Cao et al. proposed a new method called dual encoder transform (DualET) for the short-term prediction of photovoltaic power. Hao et al. conducted a series of parallel optimizations and large-scale parallel simulations on the high-resolution ocean model. Wang et al. proposed a time series prediction model for landslide displacements using mean-based low-rank autoregressive tensor completion. Finally, Yang et al. developed a measure of site-level gross primary productivity (GPP) using the GeoMAN model.
This Special Issue addresses philosophical questions regarding various non-classical religious beliefs. The contemporary philosophy of religion includes an active and venerable tradition of arguments concerning religious beliefs. While some new approaches address different questions, the vast majority address the belief in and nature of God. Frequently, 'God' is defined as a perfect being: a supernatural being with the greatest powers and qualities (omniscience, omnibenevolence, necessity, omnipresence, etc.) who created the universe. This concept of God is often labeled as 'classical theism.'While defining 'God' as a perfect being is fairly common in Abrahamic religious traditions, it is far less prevalent in non-Western traditions. In Indian religions, Gods are bound by karma and therefore not omnipotent. In Afro-American traditions, vodoun or loa are sometimes regarded as localized and therefore not omni-present. Many adherents of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism also hold beliefs on 'intermediary' supernatural beings that lack perfection, such as angels, demons, and Jinn.This Special Issue contains publications that discuss various topics pertaining to non-classical religious beliefs, including the epistemic features of belief in spirits or demons, belief in angels, belief in animism, process theism, Indian beliefs and practices, Chinese philosophy of religion, Afro-Brazilian practices, and neo-pagan spirituality.
With the development of society and the economy, sustainable structures and construction are becoming increasingly necessary in civil engineering. Sustainability in construction refers to eco-friendly and economical practices that occur throughout the whole life cycle of structures, including their design, construction, service and demolition. Sustainable structures include fabricated and modular structures, structures constructed using bio-based materials, as well as others. Specifically, timber, bamboo and light steel have become increasingly popular building materials. Additionally, wall panels made from eco-friendly materials can be used to reduce buildings' energy consumption and carbon emissions. Sustainable construction necessitates prefabricated construction and the recycling and reuse of materials, structures, etc. Key problems have been proposed and solved in regard to sustainable structures and construction in practice.This Special Issue provides an international forum for the presentation and discussion of the latest developments in sustainable structures and construction in civil engineering.The topics of interest include the modeling, testing and construction of sustainable structures. Original papers focused on all aspects of sustainable structures and construction have been accepted for publication.
Today, spectrometric and spectroscopic techniques are the gold standard for studying food quality and safety. They are ideal and versatile tools in the evaluation of functional components, such as proteins and lipids, as well as key components related to food safety, such as pesticide residues, pollutants, authentication, and illicit adulterants. Spectrometry and spectroscopy are also the cornerstone of many modern biochemical techniques, such as proteomics and metabolomics. This Special Issue, entitled "Recent Advances of Spectrometric and Spectroscopic Techniques in Food Quality and Safety" introduced explorations and advancements in food quality and safety and prospects for future application trends related to spectrometry and spectroscopy.
This reprint focuses on the recent advances in fluid power technology reporting results in a wide range of applications. Studies concerning the developments of pumps both at constant and variable displacement are reported. Analyses are focused on the improvement of efficiency, control, design and pressure ripple reduction.About fluid power, several applications are investigated with the aim of reducing energy losses, in particular implementations in an excavator, a hybrid transmission and a system for agricultural solutions are described. Applications are studied focusing also on the effects of a particular load holding valve, and facing the relevant aspects of the condition monitoring, failure modes and effects analysis.The fluid power covers a very wide range of application as demonstrated by the paper concerning an exoskeleton device.Finally, a particular application concerning a gas pressure regulator with lower noise emission is reported.
This Special Issue covers an important topic that has relevance not only from a scientific point of view but also from nutritional, policy, and industrial perspectives. We are currently being subjected to increasing obesogenic pressures, with sugars being hidden in many foods, creating the perfect environment for the slow but consistent progression of metabolic dysfunction. The consumption and impact of dietary sugars on the gastrointestinal system is discussed, together with the dietary sources of naturally occurring and added sugars, as well as the role of different diets and dietary regimens in preventing post-prandial sugar increases and hyperinsulinemia. The intestinal metabolism of dietary sugars, including the formation and absorption of advanced glycation end products and their impact on gut microbiota, is also considered. In terms of the impact of dietary sugars on other metabolic processes, the increased and sustained consumption of sugars causes long-term alterations in beta-cell function and the hypothalamic pathways controlling energy balance and the development of addictive behaviors, inducing mitochondrial impairment, oxidative stress, and the modulation of inflammatory pathways. Seeking to advance the development of prevention strategies to avoid the negative impact of dietary sugars, we outline the role of exercise in reducing blood markers of glucose dysmetabolism and the importance of preventing excessive sugar consumption in critical phases of development owing to its long-term consequences. Additionally, we discuss pathophysiological processes and mechanisms of disease.
The bioeconomy-using renewable bio-resources from the soil and sea to produce food, materials and energy-supports the achievement of sustainable development goals. Its scope is very broad as it involves primary production sectors (agriculture) and sectors that use these resources (manufacture of food, beverages and tobacco).This Special Issue, "Prospects and Challenges of Bioeconomy Sustainability Assessment", includes an Editorial, thirteen articles, ten reviews and one perspective with international authors. All papers are highly innovative and support the goals of a sustainable world.
This reprint of a Special Issue in the journal Algorithms is dedicated to scheduling algorithms and their various applications. In addition to the Editorial, it contains 12 papers including a survey of assembly and production line design and scheduling under uncertainty. Other topics addressed in this reprint are the energy management of power systems, cost scheduling for financial data supply chains, staff scheduling in the construction industry, various assignment problems, single-lane roundabouts, robotic arm-based batching systems with conveyor belts, as well as single-machine and flow-shop scheduling problems.
The construction industry makes a significant contribution to the global economy. Effective management of construction projects is essential to ensuring timely completion that meets quality standards within a project's prescribed scope and budget. Furthermore, assuring sustainability is crucial to reducing the impact of construction on the environment. The construction industry is also affected by globalization and increasing susceptibility to disasters highlighting the need for health and safety and resilience in the industry, especially after global pandemics and natural disasters. Digitalization and industrialization pave the way to the solution or mitigation of numerous issues in the construction industry by transforming business operations, improving productivity and safety, ensuring quality and compliance to standards, increasing sustainability, among other measures. It is imperative for project managers and other construction stakeholders to be digitally oriented.This reprint comprises of a collection of cutting-edge research articles in construction and project management that explores advances in digital, sustainable, and industrialized construction solutions for prevalent issues in construction and project management and investigates the needs of health and safety and resilience in the construction industry.
The special issue of Crystals entitled "Synthesis, Crystal Structures and Hirshfeld Surface Analysis of Coordination Compounds" (Volume II) resulted in the publication of 13 articles. The chemistry of coordination compounds plays a vital role in various areas of science, including inorganic chemistry, biochemistry, catalysis, materials science, and medicine. The main goal of this edition was the synthesis of new complex compounds with interesting properties. In order to achieve this goal, it was important to know the crystal structure and intermolecular interactions described by Hirshfeld surfaces. The crystal structure analysis plays a crucial role in predicting and correlating material properties and designing new materials. Whereas the Hirshfeld analysis provides valuable insights into the interactions between atoms in a crystal structure. It can be used to quantify and visualize intermolecular contacts, hydrogen bonding patterns, and other types of non-covalent interactions. Additionally, it can also help understand the effects of crystal packing on molecular properties, such as charge transfer, electrostatic interactions, and deformation of electron density. Overall, the chemistry of coordination compounds provides a rich framework for understanding and manipulating the properties and behavior of various substances. Its significance spans across different scientific disciplines, contributing to advancements in technology, medicine, and our understanding of the natural world. I hope, that readers will find interesting articles in this special issue of Crystals.
Integrated crop management involves several eco-friendly measures combined to sustain production. The integration of these management practices leads to improved soil health and crop productivity. However, the benefits of Integrated Crop Management are largely influenced by the environment, soil type and fertility, and crop type. Mono-cropping systems or the use of the same crop rotation have led to reduced soil quality, favoring insect pest infestation and reducing farm profits.This Special Issue focus on the impacts of Integrated Crop Management practices on soil health, crop productivity, and a reduction in the impacts of expected climate change on crop production in a sustainable manner.
Knowledge and awareness of the risks generated by natural hazards are essential requirements for the enhancement of communities' resilience to disasters. United Nations directives have recently pointed out the necessity of undertaking actions aimed at anticipating, managing, and mitigating disaster risks to reduce their economic and social impact and protect the health, socioeconomic assets, cultural heritage, and ecosystems of communities and countries. While the increasing occurrence of disasters caused by meteorological events, such as floods, storms, and droughts, can be directly ascribed to the consequence of climate change, disasters induced by earthquakes and tsunamis are increasing even if their frequency of occurrence is historically unchanged. This Special Issue addresses concepts, methods, and predictive methodologies for assessing natural hazard risks. It presents fifteen articles focusing on the single-risk assessment of a broad range of natural hazards, such as earthquakes, river/sea floods, meteotsunamis, tornados, hydrological and meteorological drought, liquefaction, as well as on multirisk assessment in the presence of multiple hazards. The adopted methodologies rely on (a) quantitative, semi-quantitative, and qualitative methods for the assessment of the risks related to natural hazards; (b) risk analysis at different scales; (c) multi-hazard risk assessment techniques; (d) real-time hazard monitoring and warning systems; (e) disaster mitigation strategies; and (f) risk management and emergency planning on multiple scales.
he is a reprint of the Special Issue 'Emerging Micro Manufacturing Technologies and Applications' published in the journal Micromachines (MDPI). It contains eleven articles, including one Editorial, nine research papers, and one review.
The availability of fresh water of good or high quality is essential for the health of people, animals and the environment. The monitoring and modelling of water resources are therefore strategic for achieving a sustainable and inclusive society. This reprint hosts research and review papers featuring different approaches ranging from engineering and environmental sciences (hydrology, ecotoxicology and remote sensing) to economic disciplines (environmental and circular economy). Contributions may be of interest to both researchers and environmental managers.
The impressive progress in commercially available computers nowadays allows the solving of complicated mathematical problems in many scientific and technical fields. This revolution has created a surge in chemical engineering science. More sophisticated approaches to catalysis, kinetics, reactor design and simulation have been developed thanks to the powerful new calculation methods available. It is well known that many chemical reactions of great interest for industrial processes and conducted on a large scale need information ranging from thermodynamics to kinetics and transport phenomena related to mass, energy and momentum. For a reliable industrial-scale reactor design, all of this information must be employed into appropriate equations and mathematical models that allow for accurate and reliable simulations for scale-up purposes. A challenge is to collect, in a measurable volume, the main advances and trends in the field of industrial chemistry thanks to the contributions of some pioneers of scientific and technological progress. We can achieve this by reviewing their past activity in the field, or providing, through original manuscripts, examples of the modern approach to the investigation of industrial chemistry reactions.
This Special Issue (SI), entitled "Application of (Big) Data Analysis in A/E/C (architecture, engineering, and construction)", in Buildings has published quality papers outlining novel contributions of the application of big data theory, modeling techniques, and methodologies as a tool for leveraging data analytics in the building industry. Contributions have covered related topics from various application domains of the global A/E/C industry, including structures/structural engineering, materials/geotechnical engineering, construction design/measure, IS/BIM, transport/energy planning and building management, etc. As can be seen in the editorial essay, some domains have been addressed with more emphasis, but some are not. In addition to the editorial essay, the published research works have also touched almost all phases of (big) data analytics, including data collection and curation, data pre-processing, data analysis, prediction, (data-driven) decision making and decision supports, etc., except that related topics about forecasting are still missing. This allows for identifying 'hot zones' of research, in which follow-up research and extended studies should be performed, and 'cold zones', awaiting the utilization and novel application of data and theories/models.
Rural development is an essential constituent of the global economy. However, within agriculture, a decrease in the quantity and quality of crop harvest and livestock productivity is observed due to a deterioration in soil fertility, environment, and irrational use of natural resources. At the same time, agricultural areas are under pressure from population growth, requiring more food production. As a result, it encourages people to move into intact primary areas in order to increase the area of crops, pastures, etc., which leads to the destruction of natural diversity. The solution to avoid disaster is increasing agricultural production efficiency to expand crop harvest and livestock productivity without deteriorating quality. It requires introducing innovative engineering technologies to agriculture. Fortunately, technology is developing rapidly nowadays, and new driving scientific forces are emerging.The Special Issue collected high-quality research and review articles from academics and industry-related researchers in the areas of Agricultural Engineering covering the following topics: harvesting and planting crops, livestock production, livestock and agrofood waste utilization, seed treatment and transportation, water treatment, agricultural robotic applications, solutions for digital and precision agriculture, hardware and software support for pest and weed control, machine learning, energy efficiency and conservation in agriculture.
The experience of a good indoor environment can result in positive perceptual outcomes, which is related to the occupant's well-being. Conversely, noise, uncomfortable temperatures and humidity, dim light, poor air quality, and pungent smells can compromise occupants' life quality, negatively affect their place experience, or even reduce personal health. In order to ensure positive indoor environments for occupants, a perceptual quality assessment has been introduced and extensively studied in recent years. Influenced by indoor environmental quality (IEQ), it is necessary and beneficial to explore how humans perceive and what effects indoor environments.It is necessary for designers and researchers to address these issues associated with indoor environmental quality. Therefore, this Special Issue aims to gather articles that discuss indoor environmental quality and occupant comfort. The articles in this Special Issue encompass different research categories, ranging from conceptual analyses and reviews to research papers. These studies have investigated the characterization and perception of both individual indoor environments and complex environmental interactions, along with their management and design implications. The focuses of these investigations include both theoretical aspects (such as the relationships between environmental quality and psychological or physiological reactions) and methodological aspects (such as protocols and procedures of gathering objective and subjective data).
Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 is a well-known, cytoprotective enzyme, responsible for the enzymatic conversion of heme into the anti-apoptotic and antioxidant by-products, biliverdin, bilirubin and carbon monoxide. However, HO-1 also regulates responses via mechanisms that are independent of the generation of heme degradation products. The current Special Issue contains research and review articles on the effect of heme oxygenase on immune-related cellular and physiological cascades and functions including effects on innate immunity, adaptive immunity, inflammation and complement activation. A description of the role of HO-1 in immune regulation directly or via its by-products is depicted on various forms of infection, viral and bacterial, immune-mediated injury such as renal injury, allergic airway inflammation, cancer and metabolism. Thus, the current Special Issue aims to serve as a detailed, analytical and up-to-date guide of the recent advances on the immunomodulatory properties of HO-1.
This reprint highlights the importance of Deep Learning (DL), which has garnered significant attention in science, industry, and academia. It draws inspiration from the functioning of the human brain and the concept of learning. Unlike traditional and machine learning methods, deep learning techniques emulate the human brain's neural networks at a lower scale, allowing them to process and analyze substantial quantities of unstructured data. The remarkable proficiency of deep learning in unveiling intricate structures within extensive datasets genuinely resembles the extraordinary aptitude of the brain to recognize patterns and form complex connections. This unique characteristic allows DL to excel in modeling and solving complex problems across various scientific and technological fields. Just as the brain learns from experience, DL architectures learn through algorithms from data by adjusting numerous parameters during training to optimize their performance and accuracy. This concept of learning and adaptation is fundamental to DL's success.This reprint serves as an excellent opportunity to disseminate current knowledge beyond academic boundaries, reaching a diverse audience encompassing academics, professionals, and the general public. This wide readership fosters the potential for meaningful connections to established projects and the cultivation of collaboration for future research endeavors.
This Special Issue contains 12 articles evidencing the state of the art of research on the evolution and genetics of reptiles. One of the main lines of research concerns the advancements in phylogenetic studies based on the more recent molecular methods and the developments in whole genome sequencing. Among the papers, topics related to the analysis of genome composition with special reference to the presence and evolution of repetitive DNA and the control of gene activity are of interest. Examples of the different roles played by chromosome variability in various evolutionary models are reported. Some of the papers regard certain peculiarities of reptiles, such as meiotic mechanisms in parthenogenetic species and the transition between genetic and environmental sex determination. Besides studies on chromosomes and the nuclear genome, two papers also investigate mitochondrial genome evolution. Particularly promising for future studies is the potentiality gained by the results obtained so far from research into the evolution and genetics of reptiles that has also been used for an intriguing tentative motion to reconstruct dinosaurs' karyotypes. The papers from this Special Issue highlight that reptiles are a good model for studying the genetic and molecular basis of certain key moments in vertebrate evolution.
Robust stress from the external environment does not only induce severe oxidative stress for aquatic animals, but also restricts the health and sustainable development of aquaculture. Oxidative stress is ubiquitous in aquatic animals, and excessive oxidative stress could induce cell and tissue damage. These phenomena manifest primarily as DNA hydroxylation, protein denaturation, lipid peroxidation and cell apoptosis. In general, endogenous and exogenous factors are the main elements that induce oxidative stress, including temperature, oxygen, life history, nutrition, food deprivation, industrial and agricultural pollutants.This Special Issue highlights and discusses the causes of oxidative stress, elucidates the underlying physiological mechanisms, and develops antioxidant resistance strategies that are of great importance for the development of aquaculture. More importantly, this Special Issue offers fresh perspectives on the expanding knowledge related to and research possibilities in the creation of antioxidant resistance in aquaculture
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