Books published by Mdpi AG

Precision nutrition is an emerging concept encompassing an integrated action considering not only the genetic/epigenetic makeup and ethnic aspects of individuals, but other personalized phenotypical features, such as family and individual clinical issues, previous diseases and therapeutic treatments, perinatal nutrition, food likes/dislikes, allergies/intolerances, lifestyle attitudes and patterns, social and cultural circumstances or religious beliefs, etc.In this context, chronic disease prevalence is a global public health problem itself, which is also accompanied by a number of complications, including insulin resistance, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, fatty liver, inflammation, oxidative status and immunocompetence disturbances, and other adverse manifestations related to metabolic syndrome, which may need individualized nutritional approaches.Therefore, the current Special Issue attempts to provide specific nutritional strategies to prevent or treat the complications associated with metabolic syndrome features concerning diabetes, vascular events, liver diseases, dyslipemia, and cancer with a precision nutrition scope.

In recent years, advanced nanocomposites have attracted a great deal of attention from materials engineers and industrialists due to numerous advantages, including the use of a small amount of nanofillers to significantly enhance the material properties of resulting nanocomposites, widespread applications in a range of fields, such as automobiles, aerospace and aerocrafts, building structures, biomedical devices, etc., as well as easy processibility based on current manufacturing technologies, such as melt compounding, solution casting, in situ polymerisation and electrospinning. Advanced nanocomposites reinforced with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene oxides (GOs), nanoclays, nanocellulose, and nanofibres demonstrate excellent multifunctional properties, consisting of better mechanical, thermal, electrical, and barrier properties. The key issue is still the encountered challenge of homogeneous filler dispersion in morphological structures for tailored advanced nanocomposites. Hence, processing-structure-property nanocomposite relationship is crucial for their future development as innovative hybrid material systems.This Special Issue will address above-mentioned points in relation to manufacturing, characterisation, and properties of advanced nanocomposites to offer an insight into this new composite family with the incorporation of nanofillers, nanoparticles, and nanomaterials in order to eventually achieve the nanotechnological "bottom-up" scheme

Fractional calculus is allowing integrals and derivatives of any positive order (the term fractional is kept only for historical reasons). It can be considered a branch of mathematical physics that deals with integro-differential equations, where integrals are of convolution type and exhibit mainly singular kernels of power law or logarithm type.It is a subject that has gained considerably popularity and importance in the past few decades in diverse fields of science and engineering. Efficient analytical and numerical methods have been developed but still need particular attention.The purpose of this Special Issue is to establish a collection of articles that reflect the latest mathematical and conceptual developments in the field of fractional calculus and explore the scope for applications in applied sciences. 

The skin is the largest organ of the body and serves as a barrier between the inner and external environments. As such, any problems in the skin can have serious effects on systemic health and well-being. Several studies have established that both nutritional and dietary factors play an important role in the maintenance of normal skin integrity, and can execute a causative, preventative and/or treatment role in a number of skin related conditions. Nutritional factors have been studied for their involvement in skin ageing, acne, inflammation and several chronic immune-mediated disorders such as atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, diabetes, obesity, wounds and various types of skin cancer. The skin condition, in turn, can affect nutritional choices and subsequent nutritional and health status.There are a multitude of mechanisms by which nutraceuticals can counteract adverse skin conditions. Consumption of a diet rich in nutrients and vitamins (nutraceuticals and antioxidants), particularly those derived from fruits and vegetables, not only supports health in general, but also skin maintenance and repair in particular. Epidemiological evidence links consumption of these diets with prevention and mitigation of disease progression. For example, nutraceuticals with anti-oxidative or metal chelating properties are being actively evaluated as natural tools to modulate, prevent or inhibit oxidative processes or modulate advanced glycation end products. However, many other properties of dietary compounds with relevance to skin remain to be characterized.For this Special Issue of Nutrients, we have compiled invited manuscripts describing original research, or reviewing scientific literature examining the role of diets and/or specific nutraceuticals in the prevention and treatment of skin disorders. These articles describe the beneficial effects of plant extracts and plant-derived compounds and their ability to ameliorate diverse skin-related conditions including UV damage, aging, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and skin cancer. A comprehensive article summarizes the results of current clinical trials on nutraceuticals for various skin afflicitons. Finally, the outcome and research methods used for studies on nutraceuticals and skin function, and their compliance with European regulations is analyzed. Taken together, this compilation of articles provides an up-to-date view of research into the application of nutraceuticals for skin health, for the researcher and anyone interested in the application of natural, plant-derived agents for treatment of skin disease.

The concept of sustainability has been expanding to all areas of economic activity, including construction. The Special Issue “Sustainability in Construction Engineering” provided a possibility for researchers to disseminate their new ideas and findings related to sustainable decisions in construction engineering as a complex discipline that involves designing, planning, construction and management of infrastructures. The topics raised interest of researchers all over the world and the current Special Issue received a great number of submissions from different institutions, countries and continents. In this Special Issue Reprint, 27 selected and peer-reviewed papers contribute to sustainable construction by offering technological, economic, social and environmental benefits through a variety of methodologies and tools, including fundamental decision-making models and methods as well as advanced multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods and techniques that proved to be very suitable for sustainability assessment. The papers are mainly concentrated in five areas: sustainable architecture; construction/reconstruction technology and sustainable construction materials; construction economics, including investments, supply, contracting and costs calculation; infrastructure planning and assessment; project risk perception, analysis and assessment with emphasis on sustainability. Due to its broad scope, the Special Issue Reprint expects to attract a large interest from the research community.

This book demonstrates the utilization of remote sensing and geospatial technologies for a wide range of public health studies.Although remote sensing and geospatial technologies have been successfully applied for more than 50 years, continuous advancements are essential to better understand the complex environment around us that impacts our health and well-being.Thankfully, the availability of spatial analytical tools and necessary data have enabled us to reveal multifaceted, obscured spatial relationships that would have been unexplored otherwise. Now, we are able to make more precise and effective public health-related decisions. However, without a proper understanding of the methodologies, applying these tools may result in inaccurate findings for decision-making.With 15 selected papers, this book covers diverse topics and discusses different methodologies that are fundamentals for spatial analysis in public health. Readers will have an opportunity to experience the advancements in spatial tools, data, and methodologies that are applicable to public health investigations.This book, Remote Sensing and Geospatial Technologies in Public Health, is expected to encourage academicians and professionals to further advance their knowledge in this sub-discipline.

Among medical imaging modalities, such as computed tomography (CT) andmagnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound imaging stands out due to itstemporal resolution. Owing to the nature of medical ultrasound imaging, it has beenused for not only observation of the morphology of living organs but also functionalimaging, such as blood flow imaging and evaluation of the cardiac function. Ultrafastultrasound imaging, which has recently become widely available, significantlyincreases the opportunities for medical functional imaging. Ultrafast ultrasoundimaging typically enables imaging frame-rates of up to ten thousand frames persecond (fps). Due to the extremely high temporal resolution, this enablesvisualization of rapid dynamic responses of biological tissues, which cannot beobserved and analyzed by conventional ultrasound imaging. This Special Issueincludes various studies of improvements to the performance of ultrafast ultrasound.

The papers included in this special issue cover a broad range of aspects ranging from genetics and breeding to crop production in the field. Climate change, intensified agriculture, modifications of land use, or pollution are often accompanied by larger fluctuations including extreme events. The growing world’s population and nutrient deficiencies in agricultural products for human or animal nutrition, or pollutants in harvested products in some regions (quality of yield), are important points to be integrated in a comprehensive analysis aimed at supporting agriculture on the way into a challenging future. It is therefore necessary to develop suitable models to identify potentials and risks. Instabilities (e.g., caused by climatic factors or pests) should be detected as early as possible to initiate corrections in the nutrient supply or in other growth conditions. Sensitive detection systems for nutrient disorders in the field can facilitate this task, and are therefore, highly desirable

The book gathers 28 quality papers containing new and important knowledge on forest operations, engineering and management. Active forest management is indeed applied through forest engineering, and careful forest tending is conditional to the implementation of sound operational methods, which may guarantee cost-effective management while protecting environmental functionality and worker health. Efficiently managed forest operations offer the highest benefit and the lowest cost, in all fields: financial, social and environmental. While maintaining a cross-disciplinary character, forest engineering represents a special sector of interest within the field of forestry and aims at increasing the overall efficiency of forest operations. Forest engineering often deals with practical issues that have a strong economic impact, and for this reason the industry has always had a strong interest in forest engineering, which explains the close connection between scientists and economic operators. The central role of forest engineering in modern forestry is demonstrated by the many sessions gathered under this general label at the IUFRO 125th Anniversary Congress, which offered a great opportunity for catching up with the latest results of sector research. Over the years, much progress has been done in the field of forest engineering, which has been supported by the dramatic technology advances of the most recent times. The 28 papers contained in this book come from many different countries and cover a large variety of subjects, from pure productivity, to resource availability, operation planning, environmental impacts and operator safety and health. Energy biomass is also represented, as a witness to the growing role of forestry in the quest for renewable energy sources.

This new book entitled "Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Research 2016" covers a selection of recent research topics and current review articles in the field of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that have been recently published in a monographic Special Issue of the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS) journal. NAFLD is an “umbrella” definition that encompasses a spectrum of histopathological liver changes ranging from simple steatosis to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) with/without fibrosis, “cryptogenic” cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.  NAFLD has become one of the most common forms of chronic liver disease worldwide and its prevalence is expected to continue rising. It is now becoming increasingly clear that the clinical and economic burden of NAFLD does not only affect the liver, but also affects the risk of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, colo-rectal neoplasms, chronic kidney disease and other extra-hepatic diseases that have a considerable impact on health-care expenditures. Against this background, further research is needed to better understand the natural history, and the molecular pathogenesis of NAFLD, as well as to elucidate the underlying mechanisms by which NAFLD contributes to the increased cardiometabolic risk, and to disclose novel and effective treatment strategies for this increasingly prevalent and burdensome disease.Some of the leading international researchers in this area expressed a willingness to contribute to this book providing an updated, state-of-the-art view on the aforementioned topics, and also suggesting novel research avenues for NAFLD.

Natural secondary metabolite products, which are isolated from plants, animals, microorganisms, etc., are classified as polyketides, isoprenoids, aromatics (phenylpropanoids), alkaloids, etc. Their chemical diversity and variety of biological activities have attracted the attention of chemists, biochemists, biologists, etc. The Special Issue on "Biological Activity of Natural Secondary Metabolite Products" is intended to offer biological active natural products as candidates and/or leads for pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, functional foods, cosmetics, food additives, etc. The research fields of this Special Issue include natural products chemistry, phytochemistry, pharmacognosy, food chemistry, bioorganic synthetic chemistry, chemical biology, molecular biology, molecular pharmacology, and other related research fields of bioactive natural secondary metabolite products. Original research and review articles on all topics in these research fields are invited. I am looking forward to receiving many submissions from outstanding experts in these research fields

Natural secondary metabolite products, which are isolated from plants, animals, microorganisms, etc., are classified as polyketides, isoprenoids, steroids, aromatics, alkaloids, etc. Their chemical diversity and variety of biological activities have attracted the attention of chemists, biochemists, biologists, etc. This Special Issue on "The Molecular Aspect of Natural Secondary Metabolite Products in Health and Disease" is intended to offer biological active natural products as candidates and/or leads for pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, functional foods, cosmetics, food additives, etc. The research fields of this Special Issue include natural products chemistry, phytochemistry, pharmacognosy, food chemistry, bioorganic synthetic chemistry, molecular pharmacology, molecular nutritional sciences, and other related research fields of bioactive natural secondary metabolite products. Original research and review articles on all topics in these research fields are invited. I look forward to receiving many submissions from outstanding expert on these research fields.]

Currently, in the cosmetic industry, there is an increasing interest in natural extracts, particularly plant extracts. The inclusion of antioxidants in topical formulations may contribute to minimize skin oxidative stress, which has been associated with aging. Many herbal agents used in cosmetics have been selected by a process of ‘trial and error’ and, thus, are used on the basis of experience rather than of experimental investigation. Nevertheless, there is now a growing scientific evidence that plants possess a vast and complex arsenal of active ingredients able not only to calm or smooth but also to actively restore, heal, and protect the human skin. In addition, plant extracts may contain compounds with antimicrobial or other beneficial properties, influencing the formulation of natural and non-chemical cosmetic products. The public trend towards natural and sustainable products is ongoing. Although the term “plant extract” inherently purports their beneficial and benign properties, these products could have adverse reactions in individuals. Therefore, it is essential to ensure quality and safety of these extracts in cosmetic products before embarking on the more arduous task of ensuring efficacy.

The purpose of this Special Issue, “Prebiotics and Probiotics”, is to focus on the importance of intestinal microbiota for human health and disease and the possibilities of influencing its composition and function with probiotics and prebiotics.The goal is to clarify that the microbiome in the maternal fetal and during pediatric age, as well as the immediate changes that occur as new microbes are acquired postnatally play major roles in subsequent health and disease. Rapidly developing technologies for multi-omic analyses and systems biology are shifting paradigms in both scientific knowledge and clinical care.Finally, the idea will be to provide health professionals with comprehensive, understandable and highly readable updated information on the intestinal microbiota, probiotics and prebiotics.

The properties of atmospheric particles - often also termed aerosol - have been the subject of scientific studies for several decades because of their effects on air quality, health, visibility, propagation of electromagnetic radiation in the atmosphere, and climate. However, despite intense research efforts, several knowledge gaps remain to be filled; the reason being related also to the complexity of the physical and chemical characteristics of these particles and of their dynamic interactions with the surrounding environment. One of the frontier topics in this scientific endeavor is the subject of this special issue: the morphology and mixing of atmospheric aerosol at the single particle level.