Bücher veröffentlicht von Mdpi AG

Mathematical models of various natural processes are described by differential equations, systems of partial differential equations and integral equations. In most cases, the exact solution to such problems cannot be determined; therefore, one has to use grid methods to calculate an approximate solution using high-performance computing systems. These methods include the finite element method, the finite difference method, the finite volume method and combined methods. In this Special Issue, we bring to your attention works on theoretical studies of grid methods for approximation, stability and convergence, as well as the results of numerical experiments confirming the effectiveness of the developed methods. Of particular interest are new methods for solving boundary value problems with singularities, the complex geometry of the domain boundary and nonlinear equations. A part of the articles is devoted to the analysis of numerical methods developed for calculating mathematical models in various fields of applied science and engineering applications. As a rule, the ideas of symmetry are present in the design schemes and make the process harmonious and efficient.

In geodesy and geoinformation science, as well as in many other technical disciplines, it is often not possible to directly determine the desired target quantities. Therefore, the unknown parameters must be linked with the measured values by a mathematical model which consists of the functional and the stochastic models. The functional model describes the geometrical-physical relationship between the measurements and the unknown parameters. This relationship is sufficiently well known for most applications. With regard to the stochastic model, two problem domains of fundamental importance arise: 1. How can stochastic models be set up as realistically as possible for the various geodetic observation methods and sensor systems? 2. How can the stochastic information be adequately considered in appropriate least squares adjustment models? Further questions include the interpretation of the stochastic properties of the computed target values with regard to precision and reliability and the use of the results for the detection of outliers in the input data (measurements). In this Special Issue, current research results on these general questions are presented in ten peer-reviewed articles. The basic findings can be applied to all technical scientific fields where measurements are used for the determination of parameters to describe geometric or physical phenomena.

Membranes play an enormous role in our life. Biological cell membranes control the fluxes of substances in and out of cells. Artificial membranes are widely used in numerous applications including "green" separation processes in chemistry, agroindustry, biology, medicine; they are used as well in energy generation from renewable sources. They largely mimic the structure and functions of biological membranes. The similarity in the structure leads to the similarity in the properties and the approaches to study the laws governing the behavior of both biological and artificial membranes. In this book, some physico-chemical and chemico-physical aspects of the structure and behavior of biological and artificial membranes are investigated.

Climate change is becoming visible today, and so this book-through including innovative solutions and experimental research as well as state-of-the-art studies in challenging areas related to sustainable energy development based on hybrid energy systems that combine renewable energy systems with fuel cells-represents a useful resource for researchers in these fields. In this context, hydrogen fuel cell technology is one of the alternative solutions for the development of future clean energy systems. As this book presents the latest solutions, readers working in research areas related to the above are invited to read it.

Research on human body composition has gained relevance given the recognized health impact of several body components. Many contemporary scientists have contributed to the field of body composition research as it exists today, even though interest in the topic extends back several thousand years. Quantifying human body composition in sports practice plays an important role in monitoring athletes'' health status, performances, and training regimens. Such analysis can be performed in different contexts and with different approaches-e.g., in cross-sectional studies that aim to characterize sporting group samples and in longitudinal research finalized to define short-term or long-term changes and implications for physical health and performance. Body composition is also fundamental for a correct interpretation of body mass and weight status to plan specific interventions. This book adds new information on the effect of body composition on physical health and sport performance, current body composition measurement techniques and strategies for improving physical health through sports practice. 

In the last decade, research on cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) has significantly advanced our understanding of the effect of CAP on cancer cells and their potential for cancer treatment. This effect is due to the reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) created by plasma. This has been demonstrated for different cancer cell lines and the first clinical trials showed promising results. In addition, plasma could be combined with other treatments-such as immunotherapy-to boost its anticancer activity. The addition of new research tools to study the response of cancer cells to CAP-such as 3D in vitro, in ovo, and in vivo models and in silico approaches-as well as the use of -OMICS technologies could aid in unravelling the underlying mechanisms of CAP in cancer treatment. In order to progress towards widespread clinical application of CAP, an integrated study of the multidimensional effect of CAP in cancer treatment is essential. In this book, reviews and original research papers are published that provide new insights into the mechanisms of cold atmospheric plasma in cancer treatment, based on in vitro and in vivo experiments, clinical studies, as well as computer modeling.

This book focuses on the design of polymeric delivery systems for biomedical and nanomedicine applications as well as on understanding how such biomaterials interact in the physiological environment. The reader will find an encompassing view on the state-of-the-art of polymeric carriers, showing how current research deals with new stimuli-responsive systems for cancer therapies and biomedical challenges, namely overcoming the skin barrier. The published papers cover topics ranging from novel production methods and insights on hybrid polymers to applications as diverse as nanoparticles, hydrogels and microneedles for antifungal skin therapy, peptide and siRNA delivery, enhanced skin absorption of bioactive molecules, and anticancer therapy. The book comprises one review paper and nine research papers.

Power converters and electric machines represent essential components in all fields of electrical engineering. In fact, we are heading towards a future where energy will be more and more electrical: electrical vehicles, electrical motors, renewables, storage systems are now widespread. The ongoing energy transition poses new challenges for interfacing and integrating different power systems. The constraints of space, weight, reliability, performance, and autonomy for the electric system have increased the attention of scientific research in order to find more and more appropriate technological solutions. In this context, power converters and electric machines assume a key role in enabling higher performance of electrical power conversion. Consequently, the design and control of power converters and electric machines shall be developed accordingly to the requirements of the specific application, thus leading to more specialized solutions, with the aim of enhancing the reliability, fault tolerance, and flexibility of the next generation power systems.

Developing active, selective and energy-efficient heterogeneous catalysts is of paramount importance for the production of high value-added products from energy resources in a more sustainable manner. In this Special Issue of Energies, we provide a showcase of the latest progress in the development of cleaner, more efficient processes for the conversion of these feedstocks into valuable fuels, chemicals and energy. Most of the works collected are focused on the conversion of biomass which clearly reflects the paramount importance that the biorefinery concept will play in the years to come.

This book entitled "Chemical Symmetry Breaking" is a collective volume of state-of-the-art reports on unique nonlinear chemical and physical symmetry-breaking phenomena that were experimentally observed upon a thermally or photochemically induced phase transition in various organic condensed phases, such as metastable liquid crystals, crystals, amorphous solids, and colloidal polymer materials, only under nonequilibrium conditions. Each author summarizes the introductory section in simple terms but in detail for beginners in this field. We wish that many readers familiarize themselves with the general concepts and features of nonlinear and nonequilibrium (or out of equilibrium) complexity theory, which govern a variety of unique dynamic behaviors observed in chemistry, physics, life science and other fields, so that they may discover novel symmetry-breaking phenomena in their own research areas. 

Fault diagnosis has always been a concern for industry. In general, diagnosis in complex systems requires the acquisition of information from sensors and the processing and extracting of required features for the classification or identification of faults. Therefore, fault diagnosis of sensors is clearly important as faulty information from a sensor may lead to misleading conclusions about the whole system. As engineering systems grow in size and complexity, it becomes more and more important to diagnose faulty behavior before it can lead to total failure. In the light of above issues, this book is dedicated to trends and applications in modern-sensor fault diagnosis.

Metal ions are fundamental elements for the maintenance of the lifespan of plants, animals and humans. Their substantial role in biological systems was recognized a long time ago. They are essential for the maintenance of life and their absence can cause growth disorders, severe malfunction, carcinogenesis or death. They are protagonists as macro- or microelements in several structural and functional roles, participating in many bio-chemical reactions, and arise in several forms. They participate in intra- and intercellular communications, in maintaining electrical charges and osmotic pressure, in photosynthesis and electron transfer processes, in the maintenance of pairing, stacking and the stability of nucleotide bases and also in the regulation of DNA transcription. They contribute to the proper functioning of nerve cells, muscle cells, the brain and the heart, the transport of oxygen and to many other biological processes up to the point that we cannot even imagine a life without metals. In this book, the papers published in the Special Issue "The Role of Metal Ions in Biology, Biochemistry and Medicine" are summarized, providing a picture of metal ion uses in biology, biochemistry and medicine, but also pointing out the toxicity impacts on plants, animals, humans and the environment.

Over the past four decades, there has been increased attention given to the research of fluid mechanics due to its wide application in industry and phycology. Major advances in the modeling of key topics such Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids and thin film flows have been made and finally published in the Special Issue of coatings. This is an attempt to edit the Special Issue into a book. Although this book is not a formal textbook, it will definitely be useful for university teachers, research students, industrial researchers and in overcoming the difficulties occurring in the said topic, while dealing with the nonlinear governing equations. For such types of equations, it is often more difficult to find an analytical solution or even a numerical one. This book has successfully handled this challenging job with the latest techniques. In addition, the findings of the simulation are logically realistic and meet the standard of sufficient scientific value.

Cellular solids and porous metals have become some of the most promising lightweight multifunctional materials due to their superior combination of advanced properties mainly derived from their base material and cellular structure. They are used in a wide range of commercial, biomedical, industrial, and military applications. In contrast to other cellular materials, cellular metals are non-flammable, recyclable, extremely tough, and chemically stable and are excellent energy absorbers. The manuscripts of this Special Issue provide a representative insight into the recent developments in this field, covering topics related to manufacturing, characterization, properties, specific challenges in transportation, and the description of structural features. For example, a presented strategy for the strengthening of Al-alloy foams is the addition of alloying elements (e.g., magnesium) into the metal bulk matrix to promote the formation of intermetallics (e.g., precipitation hardening). The incorporation of micro-sized and nano-sized reinforcement elements (e.g., carbon nanotubes and graphene oxide) into the metal bulk matrix to enhance the performance of the ductile metal is presented. New bioinspired cellular materials, such as nanocomposite foams, lattice materials, and hybrid foams and structures are also discussed (e.g., filled hollow structures, metal-polymer hybrid cellular structures).

This book contains a collection of peer-review scientific papers about marine engines'' performance and emissions. These papers were carefully selected for the "Marine Engines Performance and Emissions" Special Issue of the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering. Recent advancements in engine technology have allowed designers to reduce emissions and improve performance. Nevertheless, further efforts are needed to comply with the ever increased emission legislations.This book was conceived for people interested in marine engines. This information concerning recent developments may be helpful to academics, researchers, and professionals engaged in the field of marine engineering.

The Terahertz frequency range (0.1 - 10)THz has demonstrated to provide many opportunities in prominent research fields such as high-speed communications, biomedicine, sensing, and imaging. This spectral range, lying between electronics and photonics, has been historically known as "terahertz gap" because of the lack of experimental as well as fabrication technologies. However, many efforts are now being carried out worldwide in order improve technology working at this frequency range. This book represents a mechanism to highlight some of the work being done within this range of the electromagnetic spectrum. The topics covered include non-destructive testing, teraherz imaging and sensing, among others.

This book presents a collection of 13 original research articles that focus on the science of light-matter interaction. This area of science has been led to some the greatest accomplishments of the past 100 years, with the discovery of materials that perform useful operations by collecting light or generating light from an outside stimulus. These materials are at the center of a multitude of technologies that have permeated our daily life; every day we rely on quantum well lasers for telecommunication, organic light emitting diodes for our displays, complementary metal-oxide-semiconductors for our camera detectors, and of course a plethora of new photovoltaic cells that harvest sunlight to satisfy our energy needs. In this book, top-rated researchers present their latest findings in the field of nano-particles, plasmonics, semi-conductors, magneto-optics, and holography.

To be competitive, companies must develop capabilities that allow them to react rapidly to market demands. The innovation methods of the past are not adapted to the turbulence of the modern world. In the last decade, increasing globalization of markets and Industry 4.0 have caused profound changes in the best way to manage the innovation process.This e-book includes a collection of thirteen papers that discuss theoretical approaches, case studies, and surveys focused on issues related to open innovation and its mechanisms.

In recent years, lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have been increasingly contributing to the development of novel engineering systems with energy storage requirements. LIBs are playing an essential role in our society, as they are being used in a wide variety of applications, ranging from consumer electronics, electric mobility, renewable energy storage, biomedical applications, or aerospace systems. Despite the remarkable achievements and applicability of LIBs, there are several features within this technology that require further research and improvements. In this book, a collection of 10 original research papers addresses some of those key features, including: battery testing methodologies, state of charge and state of health monitoring, and system-level power electronics applications. One key aspect to emphasize when it comes to this book is the multidisciplinary nature of the selected papers. The presented research was developed at university departments, institutes and organizations of different disciplines, including Electrical Engineering, Control Engineering, Computer Science or Material Science, to name a few examples. The overall result is a book that represents a coherent collection of multidisciplinary works within the prominent field of LIBs.

Polynomials play a crucial role in many areas of mathematics including algebra, analysis, number theory, and probability theory. They also appear in physics, chemistry, and economics. Especially extensively studied are certain infinite families of polynomials. Here, we only mention some examples: Bernoulli, Euler, Gegenbauer, trigonometric, and orthogonal polynomials and their generalizations. There are several approaches to these classical mathematical objects. This Special Issue presents nine high quality research papers by leading researchers in this field. I hope the reading of this work will be useful for the new generation of mathematicians and for experienced researchers as well

This book focuses on new sensing technologies, measurement techniques, and their applications in medicine and healthcare. Specifically, the book briefly describes the potential of smart sensors in the aforementioned applications, collecting 24 articles selected and published in the Special Issue "Smart Sensors for Healthcare and Medical Applications". We proposed this topic, being aware of the pivotal role that smart sensors can play in the improvement of healthcare services in both acute and chronic conditions as well as in prevention for a healthy life and active aging. The articles selected in this book cover a variety of topics related to the design, validation, and application of smart sensors to healthcare.

Very recently, a great deal of attention has been paid by researchers and technologists to trying to eliminate metal materials in the design of products and processes in favor of plastics and composites. After a few years, it is possible to state that metal materials are even more present in our lives and this is especially thanks to their ability to evolve. This Special Issue is focused on the recent evolution of metals and alloys with the scope of presenting the state of the art of solutions where metallic materials have become established, without a doubt, as a successful design solution thanks to their unique properties.