Books published by Mdpi AG

Bridging cellular membranes is a key step in the pathogenic action of both binary and pore-forming bacterial toxins. The former use their translocation domains, containing various structural motifs, to ensure efficient delivery of the toxic component into the host cell, while the latter act on the cellular membrane itself. In either case, the integrity of the membrane is compromised via targeted protein-lipid and protein-protein interactions triggered by specific signals, such as proteolytic cleavage or endosomal acidification. This Special Issue presents recent advances in characterizing functional, structural and thermodynamic aspects of the conformational switching and membrane interactions involved in the cellular entry of bacterial protein toxins. Deciphering the physicochemical principles underlying these processes is also a prerequisite for the use of protein engineering to develop toxin-based molecular vehicles capable of targeted delivery of therapeutic agents to tumors and other diseased tissues.

Active technological development has fuelled rapid growth in the number of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms being deployed around the globe.  Novel UAV platforms, UAV-based sensors, robotic sensing and imaging techniques, the development of processing workflows, as well as the capacity of ultra-high temporal and spatial resolution data, provide both opportunities and challenges that will allow engineers and scientists to address novel and important scientific questions in UAV and sensor design, remote sensing and environmental monitoring.This work features papers on UAV sensor design, improvements in UAV sensor technology, obstacle detection, methods for measuring optical flow, target tracking, gimbal influence on the stability of  UAV images, augmented reality tools, segmentation in digital surface models for 3D reconstruction, detection, location and grasping objects, multi-target localization, vision-based tracking in cooperative multi-UAV systems, noise suppression techniques , rectification for oblique images, two-UAV communication system, fuzzy-based hybrid control algorithms, pedestrian detection and tracking  as well as a range of atmospheric,  geological, , agricultural,  ecological, reef, wildlife, building and construction, coastal area  coverage, search and rescue (SAR), water plume temperature measurements, aeromagnetic and archaeological surveys applications  

Air quality is personal. Its management is highly so. Asthmatic or air-pollutant-sensitive individuals depend on accurate air quality forecasts to help manage their daily activities.  However, the adverse effects of poor air quality on public health and visibility extend far beyond the daily time horizon. Pneumonic and cardiac vascular responses of individuals in all age groups can be both acute, episodic and short-term, as well as chronic, accumulative and long-term. Urban haze resulting from stagnant poor air can linger for many days. In this Special Issue, seven papers cover a wide range of air pollution forecasting technology and emission control responses.It is paramount to verify and improve air quality forecast modeling systems constantly by as many quality-assured and cross-calibrated measurements as possible. Improvements from national centers such as the U. S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) research arms must produce verification statistics satisfying operational center performance metrics over multiple seasons before implementation is possible. High quality, compact, and mobile monitors are a significant player in air quality and atmospheric composition continuous measurements and are poised to become even more important. Five papers in this issue provide insight on observation technological advances and data assimilation. Air quality monitoring and forecasting sciences necessarily advance in lock-step and improvements for one benefit the other. 

Active technological development has fuelled rapid growth in the number of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) platforms being deployed around the globe.  Novel UAV platforms, UAV-based sensors, robotic sensing and imaging techniques, the development of processing workflows, as well as the capacity of ultra-high temporal and spatial resolution data, provide both opportunities and challenges that will allow engineers and scientists to address novel and important scientific questions in UAV and sensor design, remote sensing and environmental monitoring.This work features papers on UAV sensor design, improvements in UAV sensor technology, obstacle detection, methods for measuring optical flow, target tracking, gimbal influence on the stability of  UAV images, augmented reality tools, segmentation in digital surface models for 3D reconstruction, detection, location and grasping objects, multi-target localization, vision-based tracking in cooperative multi-UAV systems, noise suppression techniques , rectification for oblique images, two-UAV communication system, fuzzy-based hybrid control algorithms, pedestrian detection and tracking  as well as a range of atmospheric,  geological, , agricultural,  ecological, reef, wildlife, building and construction, coastal area  coverage, search and rescue (SAR), water plume temperature measurements, aeromagnetic and archaeological surveys applications  

Fluid intake has barely been assessed, and hydration status has only rarely been measured in epidemiological studies. This hampers attempts to assess the adequacy of water intake at a population level. However, although guidelines have been established to determine how much water humans require to avoid dehydration and to optimize physical and psychological function, limited data are available on the total water and beverages intake. Therefore, the percentage of population with inadequate water intake is unknown. There is a clear need for studies in different settings around the world that quantify total water and beverage intake and explore associations between types of beverages consumed and energy intake.

Microfabricated devices and systems capable of micromanipulation are well-suited for the manipulation of cells. These technologies are capable of a variety of functions, including cell trapping, cell sorting, cell culturing, and cell surgery, often at single-cell or sub-cellular resolution. These functionalities are achieved through a variety of mechanisms, including mechanical, electrical, magnetic, optical, and thermal forces. The operations that these microdevices and microsystems enable are relevant to many areas of biomedical research, including tissue engineering, cellular therapeutics, drug discovery, and diagnostics. This Special Issue will highlight recent advances in the field of cellular manipulation. Technologies capable of parallel single-cell manipulation are of special interest.