Books published by Mdpi AG

In pregnancy, maternal nutrition sustains and nourishes the developing child. Imbalances in either the direction of nutritional excess or deficiency can have adverse consequences for child health. In addition, more research now suggests that good pregnancy nutrition influences child health beyond pregnancy and delivery. This includes modifying the risk of child health outcomes as they enter childhood and adulthood through influences on placental development, hormonal pathways, and organ structure and function. Poor pregnancy nutrition may also compromise maternal health during pregnancy, which may have long-term consequences for women’s health. Understanding the biological and social mechanisms operating during pregnancy can help in the design of better clinical and public health interventions. This Special Issue on “The Role of Pregnancy Nutrition in Maternal and Offspring Health” includes etiological and mechanistic studies of pregnancy nutrition with short- and long-term maternal and child health outcomes, including original research, narrative reviews, and systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Together, this body of work provides important insights into the influence of dietary patterns, food groups, and nutrients on pregnancy outcomes, and long-term neurodevelopmental, respiratory, and metabolic health in the children. It also highlights nutritional consequences for specific groups of women, including those with pregnancy complications and eating disorders.

The building industry is influenced by many factors and trends reflecting the current situation and developments in social, economic, technical, and scientific fields. One of the most important trends seeks to minimize the energy demand. This can be achieved by promoting the construction of buildings with better thermal insulating capabilities of their envelopes and better efficiency in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Any credible assessment of building energy performance includes the identification and simulation of heat and mass transfer phenomena in both the building envelope and the interior of the building. As the interaction between design elements, climate change, user behavior, heating effectiveness, ventilation, air conditioning systems, and lighting is not straightforward, the assessment procedure can present a complex and challenging task. The simulations should then involve all factors affecting the energy performance of the building in questions.However, the appropriate choice of physical model of heat and mass transfer for different building elements is not the only factor affecting the output of building energy simulations. The accuracy of the material parameters applied in the models as input data is another potential source of uncertainty. For instance, neglecting the dependence of hygric and thermal parameters on moisture content may affect the energy assessment in a significant way. Boundary conditions in the form of weather data sets represent yet another crucial factor determining the uncertainty of the outputs. In light of recent trends in climate change, this topic is vitally important.This Special Issue aims at providing recent developments in laboratory analyses, computational modeling, and in situ measurements related to the assessment of building energy performance based on the proper identification of heat and mass transfer processes in building structures.Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:Development, calibration, and validation of advanced mathematical models for the description of heat and mass transfer in building materials and structuresComputational modeling of heat and mass transfer in building materials and structures aimed at energy performance assessmentBoundary conditions for building energy performance simulations in light of climate change trendsAdvanced experimental techniques for the determination of heat and mass transport and the storage properties of building materialsOn site monitoring and verification of building energy performanceResearch and development of new materials with high potential to improve the energy performance of buildings

The Special Issue “Refrigeration Systems and Applications” aims to encourage researchers to address the concerns associated with climate change and the sustainability of artificial cold production systems, and to further the transition to the more sustainable technologies and methodologies of tomorrow through theoretical, experimental, and review research on the different applications of refrigeration and associated topics.

Artificial materials have been widely studied and used in photonics and microwaves in the last few decades. Recent research has proven that the introduction of specific higher symmetries in each cell of a periodic medium is an effective approach to obtain unprecedented exotic behaviors and to overcome the current limitations of these devices. For example, simple symmetries of a purely spatial type (glide or twist transformations) can have a huge impact on the properties of the resulting materials, thus defining wideband behaviors for flat lenses or large stop bands for novel EBG materials.This Special Issue opens with a novel discussion on the effect of time-reversal symmetries in antenna theory and presents new structures exploiting symmetries for antenna and microwave components, such as flat lenses, helix antennas, and gap-waveguides.Finally, new modeling methods are discussed for the study of wave propagation along glide surfaces and twist lines.

This collection of research and review papers is aimed at depicting the state of the art on the possible correlations between processing variables, obtained structure and special properties which this structure induces on the plastic part. The extraordinary capacity of plastics to modify their properties according to a particular structure is evidenced for several transformation processes and for many applications. The final common goal is to take profit of this peculiar capacity of plastics by inducing, through a suitable processing, a specific spatial organization.

Carotenoids are a group of natural pigments, consisting of more than 750 compounds. They are mostly yellow, orange, or red in color, due to the system of conjugated double bonds. This structural element is also responsible for the good antioxidant properties of many carotenoids. Carotenoids have shown numerous biological activities (not only as provitamin A), e.g., preventive properties of fruits and vegetables. As lipophilic compounds, their uptake and storage in the body are dependent on various conditions. In vitro and in vivo data showed stimulating and inhibitory effects of matrix compounds on bioaccessibility and bioavailability of carotenoids.                                                                                         This Special Issue presents the most recent advances in carotenoids research, in addition to the search for antioxidant properties. Chapters present the photoprotective properties of carotenoids as well as the activities of carotenoids related to liver health. Research data on the effect of degree of ripeness on carotenoids pattern in rosehip and possibilities to use shrimp waste as source of carotenoids are presented. Other investigations characterized apocarotenoids in microalgae and the properties of inclusion complexes of lycopene and beta-cyclodextrin. Biological activities of synthesized retinoyl-flavonolignan hybrids were also reported. In addition, the effects of in vitro digestion of human milk on the micellization of carotenoids were investigated.

The Special Issue ‘Physical Metallurgy of High Manganese Steels’ addresses the highly fascinating class of manganese-alloyed steels with manganese contents well above 3 mass%. The book gathers manuscripts from internationally recognized researchers with stimulating new ideas and original results. It consists of fifteen original research papers. Seven contributions focus on steels with manganese contents above 12 mass%. These contributions cover fundamental aspects of process-microstrcuture-properties relationships with processes ranging from cold and warm rolling over deep rolling to heat treatment. Novel findings regarding the fatigue and fracture behavior, deformation mechanisms, and computer-aided design are presented. Additionally, the Special Issue also reflects the current trend of reduced Mn content (3-12 mass%) in advanced high strength steels (AHSS). Eight contributions were dedicated to these alloys, which are often referred to as 3rd generation AHSS, medium manganese steels or quenching and partitioning (Q&P/Q+P) steels. The interplay between advanced processing, mainly novel annealing variants, and microstructure evolution has been addressed using computational and experimental approaches. A deeper understanding of strain-rate sensitivity, hydrogen embrittlement, phase transformations, and the consequences for the materials’ properties has been developed. Hence, the topics included are manifold, fundamental-science oriented and, at the same time, relevant to industrial application.

The rapid proliferation of the Internet has been driving communication networks closer and closer to their limits, while available bandwidth is disappearing due to an ever-increasing network load. Over the past decade, optical fiber communication technology has increased per fiber data rate from 10 Tb/s to exceeding 10 Pb/s. The major explosion came after the maturity of coherent detection and advanced digital signal processing (DSP). DSP has played a critical role in accommodating channel impairments mitigation, enabling advanced modulation formats for spectral efficiency transmission and realizing flexible bandwidth. This book aims to explore novel, advanced DSP techniques to enable multi-Tb/s/channel optical transmission to address pressing bandwidth and power-efficiency demands. It provides state-of-the-art advances and future perspectives of DSP as well.

Carotenoids are a group of approximately 600 compounds synthesized by photosynthetic organisms. These pigments are abundant in fruits and vegetables, as well as in certain animal products such as eggs and salmon, being responsible for their colorful appearance. The bioactive properties of certain carotenoids in human health are clear, as some of these compounds have antioxidant properties and serve as the only precursors of vitamin A in nature.The aim of this Special Issue entitled “Carotenoids and Human Health” is to provide the scientific community with an updated perspective of this exciting and growing research area. We compiled 19 papers from some of the most prominent scientists in the carotenoid field, including seven literature reviews and 12 original publication, covering topics such as cancer, obesity, vision, cognitive function, and skin health.

The prevalence of diabetes is on the increase in the UK and worldwide, partly due to changes in lifestyle which predispose individuals to overweight and obesity. It is estimated that about 90% of the currently diagnosed adults have type 2 diabetes, and based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) report, about 422 million adults were living with diabetes in 2014 compared with 108 million in 1980; this condition caused about 1.5 million deaths in 2012. In the United States of America, it is estimated that about 30.3 million adults are living with diabetes, with a further 1.5 million new diabetes cases diagnosed every year, representing an increasing prevalence of this condition. Diabetes represents a major public health challenge, despite advances in technology and the pharmaceutical industry. These problems may be in the form of acute or long-term complications.Therefore, in order to attenuate the problems of diabetes, management strategies usually include lifestyle changes such as increased physical activity and dietary interventions. Studies which evaluate the role of nutrition in the management of type 2 diabetes often involve human and animal models as these approaches enable us to have a broader and more in-depth understanding of the condition. In some cases, diabetes may co-exist with other conditions, such as stroke, and these may present unique challenges with regard to nutritional interventions.This Special Issue aims to evaluate the risk factors associated with type 2 diabetes and the role of the diet in the management of people with this condition. This evidence is drawn from both human and animal studies.

Superhydrophobic surfaces, with a water contact angle >150°, have attracted both academic and industrial interest due to their wide range of applications, such as water proofing, anti-fogging, antifouling, anti-icing, fluidic drag reduction and anti-corrosion. Currently the majority of superhydrophobic coatings are created using organic chemicals with low surface energy. However, the lack of mechanical strength and heat resistance prevents the use of these coatings in harsh environments. Quality superhydrophobic coatings developed using inorganic materials are therefore highly sought after. Ceramics are of particular interest due to their high mechanical strength, heat and corrosion resistance. Such superhydrophobic coatings have recently been successfully fabricated using a variety of ceramics and different approaches, and have shown the improved wear and tribocorrosion resistance properties. This Special Issue will focus on the recent developments in the fabrication of superhydrophobic coatings and their robustness against corrosion and wear resistance, but the original work on other properties of superhydrophobic coatings are also welcome. In particular, the topics of interest include, but are not limited to:Robust superhydrophobic coatings;Coatings with super-wettability in multifunctional applications;Wetting effects on corrosion and tribology;Hierarchical Coating for wetting and modelling

In recent years, diet- and lifestyle-related disorders have become a major health threat in Europe and worldwide. The contributions in this monograph include 2 review articles and 19 original contributions from several countries that provide new information on the existing research elucidating important aspects of children’s and adolescents’ nutrition and lifestyle behavior. The data included in this Special Issue are from large epidemiological studies, including several multicenter and multinational studies, as well as datasets from surveillance initiatives. The topics of interest of this Special Issue include the co-occurrence of multiple health behaviors in children, the role of parenting and early feeding practices, dairy consumption in childhood, validity of dietary intake data, dietary supplement use in children, as well as socioeconomic disparities and eating culture. The diverse articles in this Special Issue highlight the complexity and extent to which nutrition and physical activity behaviors may influence different health aspects of children and adolescents. As seen by the various findings and recommendations, not only is more work in this area required but the translation of this work to practice and policy is imperative if we are to address the challenges impacting the nutrition, physical activity, and health of young populations.

The connections between culture and sustainability have been in the public agenda since the 20th century. However, whilst global sustainability programmes at international institutional levels are yet to recognise the role of culture in their sustainability policies, the bid (albeit failed) in the early 2000s to formally add “culture” to the trilogy of sustainability pillars (economic, social, and environmental) mobilised a new discourse for the reframing of cultural policy narrative, which in turn urged a reassessment of methods of cultural management reflecting the same concerns among the sector’s grassroots. The idea of sustainability and culture working together and their envisioned role in future-proofing society and human development captured the imagination of cultural commentators, policy makers and practitioners alike, keen to fulfil these principles “out there”—in cultural organizations and events mega and small, in cities and regions, local and global. The papers in this Special Issue reflect this appeal.This publication covers a wide selection of issues related to sustainable cultural management, which means that it can be recommended to a varied audience. First of all, it can be recommended to managers experienced in cultural management, where success is measured more by the degree of mission accomplishment and the social benefits achieved rather than by profit. Another group comprises the employees of cultural organizations who want to improve their knowledge of sustainable cultural management. This Special Issue can also be recommended to artists, researchers, students, state and local government employees, founders and patrons of art, and all those who want to understand the importance of sustainable cultural management.

Agriculture is certainly the most important food supplier while it globally accounts for more than 70% of water used and contributes significantly to water pollution. Irrigated agriculture is facing rising competition worldwide for access to reliable, low cost, and high-quality water resources. However, irrigation as the major tool and determinant of affecting agricultural productivity and environmental resources plays a critical role in food security and environment sustainability. Innovative irrigation technologies and practices may enhance agricultural water efficiency and production, in the meantime decrease the water demand and quality issues. I am very pleased to invite you to submit manuscripts in agricultural irrigation which assess current challenges and offer improvement approaches and opportunities for future irrigation.

The field of Brain–Computer Interfaces (BCIs) has grown rapidly in the last few decades, allowing the development of faster and more reliable assistive technologies based on direct links between the brain and an external device. Novel applications of BCIs have also been proposed, especially in the area of human augmentation, i.e., enabling people to go beyond human limitations in sensory, cognitive and motor tasks. Brain-imaging techniques, such as electroencephalography, have been used to extract neural correlates of various brain processes and transform them, via machine learning, into commands for external devices. Brain stimulation technology has allowed to trigger the activation of specific brain areas to enhance the cognitive processes associated to the task at hand, hence improving performance. BCIs have therefore extended their scope from assistive technologies for people with disabilities to neuro-tools for human enhancement. This Special Issue aims at showing the recent advances in BCIs for human augmentation, highlighting new results on both traditional and novel applications. These include, but are not limited to, control of external devices, communication, cognitive enhancement, decision making and entertainment.

Hydroclimatic extremes, such as floods and droughts, affect aspects of our lives and the environment including energy, hydropower, agriculture, transportation, urban life, and human health and safety. Climate studies indicate that the risk of increased flooding and/or more severe droughts will be higher in the future than today, causing increased fatalities, environmental degradation, and economic losses. Using a suite of innovative approaches this book quantifies the changes in projected hydroclimatic extremes and illustrates their impacts in several locations in North America, Asia, and Europe.

The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, also referred as 9/11, was an iconic event in US history that altered the global and political response to terrorism. The attacks, which involved two planes hitting the twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, resulted in the collapse of the buildings and over 2800 deaths of occupants of the buildings, fire, police and other responders and persons on the street in the vicinity of the collapsing buildings. The destroyed towers and the surrounding buildings have since been replaced but the health effects that resulted from the release of tons of dust, gases and debris as well as the life threat trauma are ongoing, and represent a major health burden among persons directly exposed. Hundreds of scientific publications have documented the physical and mental health effects attributed to the disaster. The current state-of-the-art in understanding the ongoing interactions of physical and mental health, especially PTSD, and the unique mechanisms by which pollutants from the building collapse, have resulted in long term pulmonary dysfunction, course of previously reported conditions, potential emerging conditions (e.g., heart disease and autoimmune diseases), as well as quality of life, functioning and unmet health care needs would be in the purview of this Special Issue on the 9/11 Disaster.

Dear Colleagues, Synthetic biology is a broad and emerging discipline that capitalizes on recent advances in molecular biology, genetics, protein and RNA engineering and omics technologies. These technologies have transformed our ability to reveal the biology of the cell and the molecular basis of disease.  This Special Issue on “Synthetic RNA and DNA Programming” features original research articles and reviews, highlighting novel aspects of basic molecular biology and the molecular mechanisms of disease that were uncovered by the application and development of novel synthetic biology-driven approaches.

Stochastic processes have wide relevance in mathematics both for theoretical aspects and for their numerous real-world applications in various domains. They represent a very active research field which is attracting the growing interest of scientists from a range of disciplines.This Special Issue aims to present a collection of current contributions concerning various topics related to stochastic processes and their applications. In particular, the focus here is on applications of stochastic processes as models of dynamic phenomena in research areas certain to be of interest, such as economics, statistical physics, queuing theory, biology, theoretical neurobiology, and reliability theory. Various contributions dealing with theoretical issues on stochastic processes are also included.

Despite being one of the most popular sports worldwide, basketball has received limited research attention compared to other team sports. Establishing a strong evidence base with high-quality and impactful research is essential in enhancing decision-making processes to optimize player performance for basketball professionals. Consequently, the book entitled Improving Performance and Practice in Basketball provides a collection of novel research studies to increase the available evidence on various topics with strong translation to practice in basketball. The book includes work by 40 researchers from 16 institutions or professional organizations from 9 countries. In keeping with notable topics in basketball research, the book contains 2 reviews focused on monitoring strategies to detect player fatigue and considerations for travel in National Basketball Association players. In addition, 8 applied studies are also included in the book, focused on workload monitoring, game-related statistics, and the measurement of physical and skill attributes in basketball players. This book also has a strong focus on increasing the evidence available for female basketball players, who have traditionally been under-represented in the literature. The outcomes generated from this book should provide new insights to inform practice in many areas for professionals working in various roles with basketball teams.