Recent Progress in Sustainability and Durability of Concrete and Mortar Composites
Given the fast rise of urbanization in recent decades, environmental sustainability is a critical element that researchers and the building industry should not overlook. The growing level of concrete production worldwide, which uses a lot of natural resources, demonstrates the need for a sustainable approach via the use of alternative materials and lowering the CO2 footprint. The global concept of sustainable development covers all areas: from development policy to adequate waste management, research and development, the environment, industrial development, and the transition from a linear economy to a circular one. In this context, the creation of eco-friendly cementitious composites with applicability in the construction industry, which is intelligently designed and has durability characteristics superior to conventional composites, must be a permanent focus of researchers worldwide.
Advanced Inorganic Semiconductor Materials
This Reprint is based on the Special Issue with the same title in Inorganics. It aims to immerse the reader in the most current research and ideas in inorganic semiconductors, from traditional to novel two-dimensional semiconductor materials and one-dimensional quantum dots. In this Reprint, leading experts in the field summarize contemporary findings and share their insights, research findings, and visions for the future. It contains diverse studies, including those on experimental fabrication and characterization as well as the electronic, electrical, magnetic, optoelectronic, and thermal properties of inorganic semiconductors.In total, 11 contributions were published, of which 9 are original papers and 2 are topical reviews. These contributions will help readers increase their knowledge in the field of inorganic semiconductor materials and be a new source of inspiration for novel, focused investigations, which we sincerely hope will contribute to the next edition of this Special Issue, "Advanced Inorganic Semiconductor Materials: 2nd Edition".
Advances in the Processing and Application of Polymer and Its Composites II
Polymeric materials and their composites have been widely utilized in previously unimagined areas due to their light weight, high flexibility, and excellent processing ability. Along with the fast increase in the consumption of polymeric materials in recent years, the demand for advanced polymer processing technology is ever increasing. Advanced polymer processing, including 3D printing, electrospinning, extrusion, injection molding, compression molding, casting, injection molding, etc., can convert polymeric materials into various useful products. Obviously, the processing conditions, properties, and structures of polymeric materials and their composites have a close relationship with each other. The aim of this Special Issue is to present a collection of research or review papers that depict the recent progress in the processing and application of polymeric materials and their composites.
Size-Dependent Effects in Materials for Environmental Protection and Energy Application
The concept of size-dependent material properties becomes dominant in the materials science community. Understanding the size-dependent properties of materials is the most challenging issue in advanced material science. To a great extent, this is a result of the technological requirements concerning the development of materials with controlled properties, as well as of the recent progress in materials science, nanotechnology, and computational chemistry. The aim of this Special Issue was to discuss the dimensional effects of materials for environmental protection and clean energy production as an innovative approach for the development of innovative materials with improved properties. The Special Issue comprises, but is not limited to, the following three main classes of advanced inorganic materials that form the basis of modern technologies: (1) materials and thin films for environmental protection; (2) materials for clean energy storage; and (3) ceramics/bioceramics and glasses for better living (with applications in optics, molecular electronics, and medicine).
Qualitative and Quantitative Analysis of Phytochemicals
Kachchh district's unique geographic features, situated near the Tropic of Cancer and encompassing one of Gujarat's Gulfs, result in diverse environmental conditions throughout the year. The region, predominantly rural, is rich in traditional plant-based folk medicine, reflecting its high biodiversity and ecological value. Understanding the therapeutic potential of medicinal plants in this semi-arid area necessitated phytochemical investigations. Extraction using twelve solvents revealed varying extractive values, with methanol and water yielding the highest for APL and GTL, respectively. Qualitative and quantitative analyses showed the presence of various bioactive compounds, with polar solvents extracting higher amounts of phenols, flavonoids, and proanthocyanidins. These findings suggest a correlation between secondary phytochemicals, indicating the potential for extracting bioactive compounds from these medicinal plants using polar solvents.
New Developments in Boron Chemistry
This Special Issue is dedicated to all aspects of boron chemistry, including all fields of inorganic boron chemistry from oxidoborates to hydrido(hetero)borane derivatives (including boranes, carboranes, metallaboranes, and metallacarboranes), transition metal complexes of boron-containing ligands, organic and bio-organic boron chemistry (including boron-based Lewis acids, boronic acids, benzoxaboroles, aminoboranes, and the application of boron reagents in organic synthesis), boron in materials (including polymers, dendrimers, ionic liquids, liquid crystals, hydrogen storage, and catalysis), and boron in medicine (including boron neutron capture of cancer, carborane pharmacophores, boron-containing drugs, and boronic acid-based sugar sensors).
Food Analysis in the 21st Century
This reprint of the Special Issue "Food Analysis in the 21st Century: Challenges and Possibilities" presents eleven regular papers that have been already published between December 2021 and February 2024 in the Molecules journal.
Sodium Pump Regulated Phosphate Transport
Document from the year 2024 in the subject Chemistry - Bio-chemistry, language: English, abstract: An astonishing scientific story is presented in this booklet: how do cells maintain their volume and how do they fire signals in nerve fibers? Indeed, these two processes are performed by a single biological system, one of the most complex and sophisticated ones in nature: the sodium pump or sodium-potassium-activated adenosine triphosphatase (Na, K-ATPase), which is embedded in the membrane of each living cell. It is a combination of a motor and a battery underlying the organization of life itself. The current account is historical and shows how the author was involved herself in this fundamental research and found a transport system for phosphate ions linked to the activity of the sodium pump. This historical account is interesting for all scientists working on membrane processes who wish to understand better how our current knowledge of the Na, K-ATPase has been built up slowly but surely, patiently adding piece after piece to a complicated puzzle.
Exploring Natural Flocculants in Solving the Global Water Crisis
The world is at the threshold of severe water crisis and the situation is going to be dreadful in the near future. The fresh water sources are also depleting very fast. In this scenario, treatment of waste water from domestic, agricultural and industrial origins is of great importance to deal with the water crisis. Reverse osmosis, UV purification and slow sand filtration are among the popular techniques used nowadays. but, all of thses methods have some drawbacks. Flocculation is a trivial yet a very easy and cost-effective process to remove undesirable particles from the waste water. It requires a very few apparatuses and wastage of water is very minimal. Natural flocculants are of great interest now-a-days as these provide many advantages over synthetic flocculants such as cost-effective, readily available, low toxicity etc. Chitosan, Guar gum, Starch, Xanthan Gum, Moringa Oleifera etc are quite efficient as natural flocculants for water treatment process. This book deals with the above-mentioned water crisis problem mainly in India and different methods to overcome this problem.
Some Experiments Concerning Mercury
Some Experiments Concerning Mercury, a classical book, has been considered important throughout the human history, and so that this work is never forgotten we at Alpha Editions have made efforts in its preservation by republishing this book in a modern format for present and future generations. This whole book has been reformatted, retyped and designed. These books are not made of scanned copies of their original work and hence the text is clear and readable.
Feature Papers to Celebrate the Inaugural Issue of Standards
Standards can be international, national, regional, or corporate. They cover production and consumption, social responsibility, health and safety, quality management, laboratories, diverse devices, and equipment, to mention the most popular ones. They are the basis for our everyday activities: air, water, and food quality, information security, codes, accounting, reporting, etc. Despite the great number of existing standards, new and improved ones are appearing daily. The standardization process includes development, acceptance, and implementation of new or improved standards. The stakeholders can be companies, standardization institutions, governments, users, interest groups, professionals, and scientists. The international organization for standardization, ISO, has a guidance document on new work with three parts: 1) new standardized areas, 2) new fields of work, and 3) new work item proposals within existing committees. New standards need to be inspected, verified, and their quality assessed. In addition to technical standards, other standards and norms exist, e.g., patents, certificates, permits. They improve quality, reliability, efficiency, durability, and other properties of goods and services. They can be voluntary or obligatory, used internally or externally. A rapid development of standards is expected in the future. Climate change, sustainability, and demographic trends will require rigorous changes to the ways in which we live, behave, produce, and use energy. Standardization will play an important role in process and product design, production, distribution, consumption, and recovery.
Software and Programming Tools in Pharmaceutical Research
Software and Programming Tools in Pharmaceutical Research is a detailed primer on the use for computer programs in the design and development of new drugs. Chapters offer information about different programs and computational techniques in pharmacology. The book will help readers to harness computer technologies in pharmaceutical investigations. Readers will also appreciate the pivotal role that software applications and programming tools play in revolutionizing the pharmaceutical industry. The book includes nine structured chapters, each addressing a critical aspect of pharmaceutical research and software utilization. From an introduction to pharmaceutical informatics and computational chemistry to advanced topics like molecular modeling, data mining, and high-throughput screening, this book covers a wide range of topics. Key Features: -Practical Insights: Presents practical knowledge on how to effectively utilize software tools in pharmaceutical research. -Interdisciplinary Approach: Bridges the gap between pharmaceutical science and computer science -Cutting-Edge Topics: Covers the latest advancements in computational drug development, including data analysis and visualization techniques, drug repurposing, pharmacokinetic modelling and screening. -Recommendations for Tools: Includes informative tables for software tools -Referenced content: Includes scientific references for advanced readers The book is an ideal primer for students and educators in pharmaceutical science and computational biology, providing a comprehensive foundation for this rapidly evolving field. It is also an essential resource for pharmaceutical researchers, scientists, and professionals looking to enhance their understanding of software tools and programming in drug development.
Quantum Field Theory: An Introduction for Chemical Physicists
This introduction to quantum field theory (QFT) is written by a physical chemist for physical chemists, chemical physicists, and other non-physicists with knowledge of quantum theory but who want to explore ways in which they might use the power of QFT in their investigations. This book starts where many graduate courses in quantum theory that are offered to chemistry students leave off and first develops some of the necessary tools, such as Fock algebra, which is applied to solving the quantum oscillator problem. Then it is used to develop the theory of coherent states, time-dependent perturbation theory, and the treatment of bosons and fermions. With this background, the QFT of a perfect gas is derived and a connection to thermodynamics is demonstrated. Application to imperfect gases provides a new approach to modelling gas-liquid phase transitions. The book concludes with photons and their interaction with molecular ensembles, and brings us to full circle by deriving the blackbody radiation law, which started it all. The power of the QFT methodology and the breadth of its applications should fascinate the reader as it has the author.
Industrial Inorganic Chemistry
Industrial Inorganic Chemistry adds to the previously published graduate level textbooks on Industrial Chemistry by Mark A. Benvenuto. It focuses specifically on inorganic processes, from the largest industrial process for the production of major inorganic chemicals and metals, down to and including smaller niche processes that have become extremely important in maintaining the current quality of life. The book provides a survey on the production of essential elements and compounds, such as sulfuric acid, calcium carbonate, fertilizers as well as numerous metals and alloys. In addition to the fundamental scientific principles each chapter includes discussions on the environmental impacts: mining of raw materials, creation of by-products, pollution, and waste generation, all of which have become key factors for the potential implementation of greener methods. The author also highlights ways in which industry has begun to make industrial inorganic processes more environmentally benign. Examines major inorganic chemistry processes, their effect on every-day life and current efforts to improve processes or adapt "green" chemical production. Provides didactic links between theoretical lecture contents and current, largescale chemical processes. Valuable for students of Inorganic Chemistry, Industrial Chemistry, Chemical Engineering and Materials Sciences.
Cementitious Materials Science
With a focus on portland cement, the book systematically illustrates the composition, properties, and applications of different kinds of cementitious materials, and presents their reaction during the hydration and hardening process. The production technique and applied technology are also discussed with examples. Exercises are added in each chapter, making the work an essential textbook for students.
Chemistry for Higher Education
Current publication gives hands-on recommendations how to develop a successful course in either the bachelor or the master of chemistry. The author discusses different ways of course building, such as lectures, workshops, seminars and labs, explains how to identify potential improvements for the next run of the class and elucidates the tools to create an efficient learning environment that helps students to understand the nature of chemistry.
Advances in Smart and Tough Hydrogels
In this reprint, embark on a journey of smart and tough hydrogels with insights from our latest research in this field. Discover groundbreaking findings that promise to revolutionize exciting practices and foster a more eco-friendly, "soft" future.
Biodiversity
This book probes the resourcefulness and consequences in the monitoring of biodiversity challenges and implementation of its measures. It covers wide range of ecological studies compelling of both terrestrial and aquatic diversity. This book is intended to meet the knowledge and aspects related to biological diversity, comprehensively covering the various concepts of conservation dealing with general to specific aspects of the discipline as such the status of biodiversity in India. The book is edited in the most scientific way with numerous research articles and case studies of specific issues. The book is organized in way that exposes the reader in logical succession to the full gamut of complex, scientific, legal and technical aspects of biodiversity conservation. The topics covered in the book are climate change, Karyo-Systematic, plant genetics, biodiversity, phytoplanktons, conservation strategies and other related allied and applied aspects. Each and every chapter has been written by experts with experience in the topic being presented with recent case studies and relevant objectives. This book will serve the purpose of researchers, students, teachers, conservationist, and environmentalist to understand the various segments of environment and to make them aware about recent advances in this heat warming stream.
Data Driven Mathematical Modeling in Agriculture
The research in this book looks at the likelihood and level of use of implemented technological components with regard to the adoption of different precision agricultural technologies. To identify the variables affecting farmers' choices to embrace more precise technology, zero-inflated Poisson and negative binomial count data regression models are utilized. Outcomes from the count data analysis of a random sample of various farm operators show that various aspects, including farm dimension, farmer demographics, soil texture, urban impacts, farmer position of liabilities, and position of the farm in a state, were significantly associated with the approval severity and likelihood of precision farming technologies.Technical topics discussed in the book include: Precision agriculture Machine learning Wireless sensor networks IoT Deep learning
Carbohydrate-Based Drugs Discovery
Carbohydrates play an essential role in the organism and have many bioactivities. Carbohydrate-based drug discovery is an up-and-coming area of research in medicinal chemistry. Bioactive carbohydrates open up a new source for drug development. More than 170 carbohydrate-based drugs have been successfully approved as anticoagulants, antitumor agents, antidiabetic agents, antibiotics, antiviral agents, and vaccines. However, most carbohydrates have low druggability. As such, new methods and strategies to improve carbohydrates' druggability are in high demand.This Special Issue aimed to serve as an open forum where researchers can share their experiences and findings on carbohydrate-based drugs, with a focus on the discovery and development of new carbohydrate-based therapeutic agents. Contributions to this issue, in the form of both original research and review articles, cover the separation, identification, synthesis, and pharmacology of bioactive carbohydrates, including monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, glycopeptides, glycoproteins, glycomimetics, and others.
10th Anniversary of Inorganics
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the journal Inorganics and its first Impact Factor (Clerivate Analytics), the "Inorganic Materials" section has taken the initiative to launch a Special Issue entitled "10th Anniversary of Inorganics: Inorganic Materials". The recent and numerous public demonstrations in support of climate and ecological justice and the recent energetic crisis revealed the actual importance of technological sustainability. The "Inorganic Materials" section in Inorganics strongly supports a transition towards a 'green' and sustainable future based on renewable energy and with closed life cycles for all used material. Therefore, this Special Issue focuses on the sustainable production of inorganic materials following alternative ecofriendly methods. In particular, the development of new protocols and strategies for the reuse of materials is important in order to save minerals and raw materials and reduce the production of waste and pollution of the environment. The aim of this Special Issue is to increase the knowledge of the latest advances, highlight challenges, address unresolved issues, and provide evidence for newly emerging areas of interest involving the sustainable use of inorganic materials.
Mass Spectrometry for Biomedical and Food Analysis
Mass spectrometry was initially developed to determine molecular weight. It is becoming more and more powerful and widely used in complex analysis. Mass-spectrometry-based technology is one of the frontiers in biomedical and food analysis, especially in the era of metabolomics, foodomics, and so on. This is a reprint of a Special Issue of Molecules titled "Mass Spectrometry for Biomedical and Food Analysis", providing an overview on recent trends. Biomedical and food analysis has always been an important topic and has received remarkably positive feedback from numerous geographically diverse scientists. The sensitive and accurate detection of related components (metabolites, proteins/peptides, drugs, nutrient contents, pesticides, and so on) is vitally important to explaining the molecular mechanisms of biological functions that guarantee food safety and people's health. As a result, five works focused on biomedical analysis and seven focused on food analysis in this reprint. In biomedical analysis, topics covered active drug and tumor biomarker discovery, metabolic pathways, novel matrices, and depressive disorder treatment. In food aspects, topics include certified reference material development, pesticide residue analysis methods, fragmentation pathways of flame retardants, as well as the identification and detection of nutritional components. All 12 contributions cover the latest advances and we hope it will benefit readers in this field.
Novel Nanoparticles and Their Enhanced Polymer Composites
The addition of functional fillers into a polymer matrix has been extensively explored and used in many applications, among which are electronics, medicine, aerospace, energy storage, sensors, etc. With the fast development of science and technology, novel particles and their composites with multiple functions have been invented to meet new requirements. Moreover, new manufacturing methods for preparing the particles and composites are also emerging. One challenge is to prepare high-performance or functional polymer composites with a low filler content employing an easy, scale-up approach. Another challenge is to integrate the function into the composite efficiently and subtly through a rational design of the particles or the particle distribution in the polymer matrix. This reprint aims to highlight the advances and cutting-edge technologies of particles and particle-reinforced functional polymer composites. Original research articles and reviews are included and the research areas encompass the synthesis and characterization of novel particles, novel manufacturing technology for particle-reinforced polymer composites, rational design of the distribution of particles in a polymer matrix, properties of composites enhanced by particles and multifunctional polymer composites.
Materials under High Pressure
The high-pressure-related problems of materials constitute a field at the confluence of several scientific disciplines. High pressure can be generated by die compression, high-velocity impact, or explosions. An understanding of materials under extreme high pressure, including flow, plastic deformation, phase transformation, fracture, temperature rise, and chemical reactions, is needed. This Special Issue on "Materials under High Pressure" collected recent research findings on the high-pressure-related problems of various materials. A collection of fourteen peer-reviewed research articles was included in this Special Issue. The main topics covered include processing technology, characterization, testing, theoretic modeling, and simulation.
Flexible Metal-Organic Frameworks
Flexible metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are a unique class of porous materials that feature stimuli-responsive flexible structures and dynamic structural transformation behaviours. Exhibiting structural changes in response to physical or chemical stimuli creates related functions that can be developed for practical applications. The specific components and architectures of flexible MOFs are key to their unique properties, so understanding their chemistry is of critical importance for more targeted construction and functional research. This book provides an accessible overview of the historical background of the chemistry of flexible MOFs and their features; in particular, design and synthesis, dynamic structure analysis, flexibility, function and theoretical treatment, and interpretation of the mechanisms as well as their applications. It gives readers a fundamental understanding of this chemistry and will be of great help to young researchers, as well as those already familiar with conventional porous materials in creating new materials.
Computer-Aided Drug Design
Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD) is a comprehensive guide designed for both beginners and experienced users in CADD. This book covers the fundamental principles and gradually delves into more advanced concepts and techniques, making it an invaluable resource to anyone interested in CADD. It begins by establishing a solid foundation, explaining the core concepts of CADD, the user interface and essential tools. It covers QSAR, molecular docking, homology modeling, virtual screening, pharmacophore modeling, ensuring that the reader can quickly become proficient in CADD. The book provides in-depth insights into 3D modeling, rendering, and parametric design. The style of the book is simple, every topic begins from the very basics and explores advanced levels with clarity. Practical examples, step-by-step tutorials and hands-on exercises, are included for better understanding.
Cambridge Lower Secondary Complete Chemistry Workbook 2nd Ed
Nanomaterials for Chemical Engineering (Volume II)
The aim of this reprint is to immerse the readers in the latest advancement of nanomaterials for chemical engineering. The superior properties of nanomaterials are helping greatly to improve and even revolutionize the development of various technology- and industry-based sectors. Nonetheless, many challenges are still present in this area, which provide fascinating yet challenging research topics. This is a reprint of the Special Issue "Nanomaterials for Chemical Engineering (Volume II)". It collects 15 original research articles and 1 comprehensive review paper by excellent scientists from relevant fields covering the topics of nanomaterials synthesis and characterization, the engineering of nanomaterials into composites with novel properties, the development of functional nanomaterials for applications in catalysis and pollutant treatment, the evaluation of the durability and environmental friendliness of the nanomaterials, etc. Moreover, this reprint is at the forefront of global scientific research by including studies on the application of machine learning in the field of nanomaterials for chemical engineering.
Commemorating 150 Years of Justus von Liebig's Legacy
Justus Freiherr (Baron) von Liebig (born 12 May 1803 - died 18 April 1873) was a renowned German chemist who made significant contributions to inorganic, organic, and agricultural chemistry. Liebig's work at the University of Giessen in Germany led to the development of modern teaching methods based on experimental laboratory-oriented work. This earned him recognition as one of the "greatest chemistry teachers of all time". He is often referred to as the "father of the fertilizer industry" from his seminal contributions on nitrogen and trace minerals as essential plant nutrients.Through these contributions and more, Liebig helped shape the field of inorganic, organic, food, and agricultural chemistry. Thus, it is more than deserved that a Special Issue of Chemistry was dedicated in 2023 to commemorate 150 Years of Justus von Liebig's Legacy. We are happy that 21 colleagues and their coworkers from all areas of chemistry accepted our invitation and contributed to this Special Issue of Chemistry in 2023. Their contributions are now also collected in this Special Issue reprint.
Soft Magnetic Materials and Their Application
This reprint is a collection of papers published in the Special Issue "Soft Magnetic Materials and Their Application". The aim of this Special Issue was to present the latest achievements in the synthesis, fundamentals, characterization, and applications of soft magnetic materials, including soft ferrites, alloys, and composites, together with their processing technology, characterization, and applications in electronics, motors, wave absorbing, sensors, communications, etc. Seventeen papers are published in this Special Issue. For convenience of reading, these papers can be divided into four categories according to the contents of their studies: I. Soft Ferrite Materials; II. Soft Magnetic Alloys and Composites; III. Characterization of Soft Magnetic Materials; and IV. Applications of Soft Magnetic Materials.
Frontiers of Complexity
"SCIENCE JOURNALISM AT ITS BEST. . . An impeccably researched, amazingly up-to-date, crisply written and well-illustrated survey."--NatureAt the cutting edge of the sciences, a dynamic new concept is emerging: complexity. In this groundbreaking new book, Peter Coveney and Roger Highfield explore how complexity in mathematics, physics, biology, chemistry, and even the social sciences is transforming not only the way we think about the universe, but also the very assumptions that underlie conventional science. Complexity is a watchword for a new way of thinking about the behavior of interacting units, whether they are atoms, ants in a colony, or neurons firing in a human brain. The rise of the electronic computer provided both the key and the catalyst to our exploration of complexity. A new generation of computers that runs on light and exploits the bizarre properties of quantum mechanics promises to deepen our understanding still further. The advances we have already witnessed are spectacular. The authors take us inside laboratories where scientists are evolving the genetic molecules that enabled life to emerge on earth and generating universes teeming with virtual creatures in cyber-space. We witness the utterly realistic behavior of a school of virtual fish--computer-generated replicas that have been trained to swim gracefully, hunt for food, and scatter at the approach of a leopard shark. Compelling in its clarity, far-reaching in its implications, vibrant with the excitement of new discovery, Frontiers of Complexity is an arresting account of how far science has come in the past fifty years and an essential guide to the rapidly approaching future."[A] MARVELOUS AND COMPREHENSIVE WORK . . . Virtually any scientist or interested lay reader will find this book engrossing, edifying and inspiring."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Frontiers in Clinical Drug Research - CNS and Neurological Disorders
Frontiers in Clinical Drug Research - CNS and Neurological Disorders is a book series that brings updated reviews to readers interested in advances in the development of pharmaceutical agents for the treatment of central nervous system (CNS) and other nerve disorders. The scope of the book series covers a range of topics including the medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, molecular biology and biochemistry of contemporary molecular targets involved in neurological and CNS disorders. Reviews presented in the series are mainly focused on clinical and therapeutic aspects of novel drugs intended for these targets. Frontiers in Clinical Drug Research - CNS and Neurological Disorders is a valuable resource for pharmaceutical scientists and postgraduate students seeking updated and critical information for developing clinical trials and devising research plans in neurology and allied disciplines. The twelfth volume of this series features these reviews: Chapter 1: Recent Drugs Tested in Clinical Trials for Alzheimer's and Parkinson's Diseases Treatment: Current Approaches in Tracking New Drugs Chapter 2: Neurobiology of Placebo: Interpreting Its Evolutionary Origin, Meaning, Mechanisms, Monitoring, and Implications in Therapeutics Chapter 3: Role of Gut Microbiota in Neuroinflammation and Neurological Disorders Chapter 4: The Role of Age in Pediatric Tumors of the Central Nervous System Chapter 5: Drug Repurposing in CNS and Clinical Trials: Recent Achievements and Perspectives Focusing on Epilepsy and Related Comorbidities Chapter 6: Progress on the Development of Oxime Derivatives as a Potential Antidote for Organophosphorus Poisoning.
Obtaining essential oils and pectin from Valencia orange.
Neither pectin nor the essential oils necessary to cover the demand generated mainly by the food and pharmaceutical sectors are produced in Colombia. For this reason, valencia orange peels from the producing region in the department of Cesar were used to obtain them and observe their application in the production of gels. Initially, essential oil was extracted by steam dragging and then pectin was extracted by acid hydrolysis in order to take maximum advantage of the by-product of the orange juice industry, which can later be used to obtain fertilizer or concentrated animal feed. This work aims to contribute to the agroindustrial development of the Colombian industry and especially of the Department of Cesar to increase the profitability of the processes, reduce the importation of these products and reduce the environmental impacts caused by the non-use of these residues.
Advances in Thin Film Fabrication by Magnetron Sputtering
Magnetron sputtering technology is one of the most popular PVD methods used in the industry. Its importance is predicted to increase due to the current developments in research centers engaged in that particular domain. Developments are due to the modifications introduced into the sputtering technology itself (e.g., the use of innovative plasma sources, innovative technical means for influencing the state of the magnetron plasma, innovative approaches to the plasma's state and its control) and the production of new coating materials with functional properties that enable them to meet the needs of the modern industry. This reprint aims to present a collection of ideas describing recent advances in thin-film manufacturing technology, focusing on the influence of magnetron sputtering modification on the film synthesis conditions, parameters, and properties of the films that are produced.
Advanced Technology in Environmental Remediation and Resource Utilization
With the development of industrialization, environmental pollution problems are becoming increasingly severe. This reprint focuses on research related to the environment and energy fields and includes ten research papers and two review papers. This reprint highlights advanced oxidation processes, functional materials adsorption, and environmental microbial technology for water pollution remediation, electrostatic precipitators for air pollution purification, radioactive waste treatment, energy materials, and other topics.
Sustainable Modelling, Processes and Applications for Societal Development
This Special Issue aims to showcase innovative approaches and applications in sustainable modeling and processes contributing to societal development. Focusing on these advancements aims to bridge the gaps between societies, foster global harmony, and enrich the natural environment. Accordingly, the Special Issue includes research articles and reviews that demonstrate how sustainable modeling and processes can positively impact society. For instance, there are studies on sustainable energy production, eco-friendly manufacturing processes, and waste reduction and management via sustainable conversion. The ultimate aim is to highlight how these approaches can lead to a more harmonious global community while benefiting the environment.
Recycling and Resource Recovery from Polymers II
This compendium illuminates the path to a circular economy, spotlighting innovative research across diverse domains. Key themes include the plastics economy, energy recovery, and emissions reduction. Chapters delve into monomer recovery, hydrogen energy systems, and feedstock recycling, offering a comprehensive view of sustainable material processing. Technological advancements feature prominently, covering thermal and mechanical degradation of recycled materials, upcycling of pine branches, and the thermocatalytic conversion of plastics into liquid fuels. The multidisciplinary exploration extends from fabricating recycled polycarbonate fibers for thermal signature reduction to the valorization of waste subproducts in composite materials. The compendium serves as a valuable resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, providing insights into the intricate landscape of circular economy endeavors.
Production and Properties of Starch
This Special Issue explores the origin, structure, function, and other properties of a wide range of raw starches, including their production and application in food, industry, and the environment. This Special Issue covers the separation process, modification and other technical means of starch, and explains the relationship between the separation process, modification technology and morphology, structure, and physicochemical and functional properties of starch granules. Understanding the structural changes induced by the processing technology and the digestive and antidigestive properties of starch is an essential theme of this Special Issue. Current and emerging trends in starch applications are also presented. This Special Issue also details the microstructure of starch, the multiscale structure of starch (including the amylose/amylopectin ratio, fine structures of amylose and amylopectin, short-range ordered structures, helical structures, crystalline features, and lamellar structures), the pasting and thermal properties of starch, gelatinization, and digestibility. This Special Issue is edited by a team of experts with a solid background in starch extraction research and is intended for all those involved in research and development in the field of starch.
Morphological Design and Synthesis of Nanoparticles
The aim of this reprint is to capture some of the current trends in nanoparticle research focused on the correlation between nanoparticle morphology and function. For instance, the asymmetry of Janus nanoparticles gives them amphiphilic properties and the ability to partition at interfaces, self-assemble into superstructures, emulsify, or act as unidirectional nanomotors, among other things. However, there are countless other examples of functionality that stem from the morphological design of the nanoparticles, such as in nanoparticle catalysis, in drug delivery systems, or for nanoparticles used as technology facilitators for designing nanostructured materials, interfaces, and composites. This compilation of articles, bound in the book titled "Morphological Design and Synthesis of Nanoparticles," aims to provide a snapshot of the latest developments in the synthetic strategies of nanoparticles with unique morphologies that grant them special functions, covering a wide range of applications, from biology to catalysis, optoelectronics, and beyond. This collection of articles is committed to advancing the synthetic strategies of uniquely shaped nanoparticles, the design of materials derived from the use of functional nanoparticles, the physicochemical investigation of phenomena resulting from such nanoparticles, devices incorporating these nanoparticles as active components, and new applications.
State-of-the-Art and Progress in Metal-Hydrogen Systems
Metal hydrides are a continuously expanding and diverse class of materials with a variety of properties. This reprint presents selected, original, and recent research within advanced studies and the utilisation of metal-hydrogen systems. Novel metal hydrides are presented along with nanocomposites systems, which have been investigated as solid-state hydrogen storage materials. Some metal hydrides have demonstrated fast cationic conductivity and can act as promising battery materials and as novel types of solid-state ionic conductors. A wide range of metallic hydrides have also been investigated for hydrogen purification and compression. Detailed investigations of their physical properties quickly move the research towards demonstration and industrial utilisation. This reprint supports the development of hydrogen as a clean energy solution, including stationary and portable storage, along with a variety of related technologies.
Advanced Self-Cleaning Surfaces
Self-cleaning surfaces can be achieved using a variety of strategies, materials and technologies, and their applications are as wide as their production methods. The interdisciplinary topic "advanced self-cleaning surfaces" has collected a variety of approaches for self-cleaning, including theoretical approaches, as well as small-scale laboratory experiments and material validation in relevant environments, demonstrating how tailoring the surface for the nano- and micro-meter scale surface phenomena can affect the larger-scale phenomena. This reprint contains all articles included in the topical collection published across different journals-Materials, Membranes, Nanomaterials and Coatings-and is intended to be of help to the scientific community involved in this field to improve collaboration among diverse disciplines and promote novel insights across interdisciplinary research fields.
A Themed Issue in Honor of Prof. Dr. Vicente Rives
Certain families of materials have been strongly investigated in the last decades. Among them, layered materials, as Layered Double Hydroxides (LDH) and clays, have received intense attention. A lot of work has been devoted to the development and improvement of their synthesis, purification and modification, on their characterization, and, on the other hand, on their applications, as adsorbents or (photo)catalysts, among other uses. The group of research on Solid State Chemistry, Materials Chemistry and Heterogeneous Catalysis, created and headed by Professor Vicente Rives at the University of Salamanca (Spain), has intensely worked on these and related subjects during the last forty years. Thus, this This Special Issue, "A Themed Issue in Honor of Prof. Dr. Vicente Rives", is dedicated to Prof. Rives on his retirement. It consists of eighteen peer-reviewed papers (six review papers and twelve research papers), in which the authors revise on the applications of different materials or report their last research results, these papers covering materials as LDH, clays, carbons, g-C3N4 or silica, and applications as catalysis and photocatalysis, capture of CO2, preparation of advanced supercapacitors or preparation of nanoparticle black pigments for ceramic industry, and conservation of Cultural Heritage. The readers may find very interesting papers written by top groups in these research fields.
Applied EPR Spectroscopy
Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy has been widely used for more than 60 years. However, in recent years, EPR spectroscopy has expanded significantly in the field of practical applications, mainly due to its advantages, such as its high sensitivity (to 1012-1013 molecules, which translates to 10-11 to 10-12 M) and selectivity (only for paramagnetic species). Moreover, it is a quick, non-destructive method, and in some cases, samples may be kept as documents for future inspection. The design of portable EPR spectrometers with small dimensions greatly facilitates the use of this method in practice. The aim of the Special Issue "Applied EPR spectroscopy" is to highlight the current status as well as trends in the development and application of EPR spectroscopy. It covers EPR research in the fields of biology and medicine, chemistry (metal complexes, polymers, and catalysis), dosimetry, geology, mineralogy, archaeology, environmental control, food technology, quantitative EPR, etc.
Artificial Intelligence-Based State-of-Health Estimation of Lithium-Ion Batteries
This reprint aims to showcase manuscripts presenting efficient SOH estimation methods using AI which exhibit good performance such as high accuracy, high robustness against the changes in working conditions, and good generalization, etc. Lithium-ion batteries have a wide range of applications, but one of their biggest problems is their limited lifetime due to performance degradation during usage. It is, therefore, essential to determine the battery's state of health (SOH) so that the battery management system can control the battery, enabling it to run in the best state and thus prolonging its lifetime. Artificial intelligence (AI) technologies possess immense potential in inferring battery SOH and can extract aging information (i.e., SOH features) from measurements and relate them to battery performance parameters, avoiding a complex battery modeling process.
Local Drug Delivery System
Site-specific drug delivery is among the main objectives for the optimization of pharmaceutical therapies. In particular, local drug delivery systems represent a way to avoid systemic administration, reducing the associated side effects and increasing patient compliance. In the design of local drug delivery systems, different strategies to overcome physiological barriers to obtain effective drug concentration at the target site without affecting adjacent tissues can be pursued. Physical and chemical enhancers, microneedles, and nanostructured drug delivery systems have been proposed as effective tools to influence drug release and partition in the target tissues. Innovative drug delivery systems could be based on natural or synthetic polymers that are biodegradable, endowed with stimuli-responsive behavior, and, if applicable, mucoadhesive properties.
10th Anniversary of Coatings
First issued in 2014, Coatings is celebrating its 10th anniversary. In this first decade, the journal has managed to attract and publish numerous innovative works related to various domains and disciplines in which the application of coatings gives an added value."Surface Characterization, Deposition and Modification" is one of the biggest sections of Coatings. Since its inception, numerous papers have been published in this section. The scope of surface characterization, deposition and modification comprises various coating deposition processes and surface treatments, as well as the characterization of microstructural properties and performance studies on modified or treated surfaces. Both experimental and theoretical studies are included in this section. Moreover, the development of novel characterization devices that are specifically designed to evaluate the properties, structural and otherwise, of modified surfaces are welcome.This Special Issue was established to mark the 10th anniversary of Coatings. It is devoted to the swift publication of scientific papers pertaining to surface and interface engineering that modifies the superficial properties of materials in order to enhance their protection in demanding contact conditions, and/or to improve their functional performance.
Design and Optimization of Pharmaceutical Gels
This Special Issue, entitled "Design and Optimization of Pharmaceutical Gels", in Gels, was established to shed light on gels in terms of material development, system construction, structural characterization, and the effect for disease treatment, since research on gels with high translational potential is particularly sought after. We received submissions from around the world, reflecting high cultural diversity.
