Additive manufacturing (AM), as an advanced manufacturing technology, has overturned the traditional concept of subtractive manufacturing. It has revolutionized advanced integrated structural design, high-performance material preparation, and the manufacturing of complex components. AM technology is changing the way products are developed, produced, and commercialized, leading to disruptive changes in the economy and society. AM technology has received extensive attention and research from the research community since its inception, and it is leading manufacturing technology and continues to be used with great effectiveness in the aerospace industry, automotive industry, medical plant applications, and many other fields. However, the development of additive manufacturing still faces demanding technical challenges; for example, due to insufficient process planning and inadequate process control, many defects are often observed in the products of AM processes, reducing production efficiency and deteriorating product quality. To promote AM technology toward high efficiency, high precision, high performance, and low cost in a green and intelligent direction, many advanced design and manufacturing technologies are in urgent need of further breakthroughs, such as numerical and analytical models for structural design, experimental methods, performance prediction, and process optimization.

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At present, the textile sector is involved in many diversified fields for the development and sustainability of novel products and polymer-based composites, with several challenges present when it comes to producing innovative, novel, and durable materials. The fabrication of textiles and polymer-based composites as advanced and multifunctional materials in applied industries is a core fundamental concept of this Special Issue, including textile materials, their structures, surface-treated textiles, nanocoated textiles, mathematical modeling, and the use of artificial intelligence (machine learning) for the predicting their most important parameters; textile material reinforcement in composites and polymer composites; and the synthesis, characterization, and applications of textile-based polymer composites for economic and environmental sustainability. This Special Issue covers the following research topics: Synthesis and characterization of functional textiles—natural, synthetic, blended, etc.; Synthesis and characterization of polymer composites—natural, synthetic, hybrid, inorganic, etc.; Analysis of developed composites—interfacial, mechanical, thermal, physical, etc.; Surface treatment of textile-based polymer composites—coating, sorption processes. etc.

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A gel is a state of matter that consists of a three-dimensional cross-linked polymer network and a large amount of solvent. Because of their structural characteristics, gels play important roles in science and technology. The science of gels has attracted much attention since the discovery of the volume phase transition by Professor Toyoichi Tanala at MIT in 1978. MDPI planned to publish a Special Issue in Gels to celebrate the 40th anniversary of this discovery, which received submissions of 13 original papers and one review from various areas of science. We believe that readers will find this Special Issue informative as to the recent advancements of gel research and the broad background of gel science.

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The direction of fiber orientation plays a crucial role in deciding the mechanical performance of textile structural composites. Unlike conventional composite materials, geometrically oriented textile structures, e.g., woven, knitted, and braided constructions, can be designed and developed for load bearing in a particular direction. Their properties can be enhanced by modifying the geometry and material composition. One major challenge in producing textile structural composites with superior mechanical properties at a reasonably lower price is cost effective prepreg. Composites constructed from reinforcement having a well-defined geometry perform better than randomly oriented fibers at a reasonable cost. Their flex fatigue is superior to conventional preforms in specific applications. This Special Issue invites research as well as review articles dealing with different types of (2D, 3D, multiaxial) woven, knitted, and braided structures for load bearing structural composite applications. Use of industrial multifilament yarns of pure and hybrid composition in textile geometrical reinforcement structures can also be included. The methods of impregnation of such structures by thermoplastic and thermoset resins should be described. The superior performance in such structural composites must be highlighted. Methods of characterizing woven, knitted, and braided textile reinforced composites is the focus of this issue. Current and future applications of advanced textile structural composites can be summarized in the submitted articles. Theoretical (computational, numerical simulation etc.) as well as experimental work can be submitted with sufficient scientific innovation.

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Various types of metallic and composite structures are used in modern engineering practice. For aerospace, car industry, and civil engineering applications, the most important are thin-walled structures made of di erent types of metallic alloys, brous composites, laminates, and multifunctional materials with a more complicated geometry of reinforcement including nanoparticles or nano bres. The current applications in modern engineering require analysis of structures of various properties, shapes, and sizes (e.g., aircraft wings) including structural hybrid joints, subjected to di erent types of loadings, including quasi-static, dynamic, cyclic, thermal, impact, penetration, etc.The advanced metallic and composite structures should satisfy multiple structural functions during operating conditions. Structural functions include mechanical properties such as strength, sti ness, damage resistance, fracture toughness, and damping. Non-structural functions include electrical and thermal conductivities, sensing, actuation, energy harvesting, self-healing capability, electromagnetic shielding, etc.The aim of this SI is to understand the basic principles of damage growth and fracture processes in advanced metallic and composite structures that also include structural joints. Presently, it is widely recognized that important macroscopic properties, such as macroscopic sti ness and strength, are governed by processes that occur at one to several scales below the level of observation. A thorough understanding of how these processes influence the reduction of sti ffness and strength forms the key to the design of improved innovative structural elements and the analysis of existing ones.

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The present book recapitulates the articles published within the Special Issue "Cartilage Repair and Regeneration: Focus on Multi-Disciplinary Strategies", Applied Sciences, MDPI, dealing with the innovative multi-disciplinary therapeutic approaches for musculoskeletal diseases. In particular the published studies space from advanced 3D bioprinting technology to obtain a scaffold with different zonal cell densities, and biphasic scaffold (ChondroMimetic) construction, pass through the comparison of different techniques for cartilage regeneration such as of mosaicplasty and matrix-assisted autologous chondrocyte transplantation (MACT) and histopathological features of osteochondral units, and end with the considerations regarding development of bioreactors able to mimic the biomechanical load on chondrocytes in vitro, giving some interesting insights in this specific scientific field.

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Size reduction processes represent a significant part of the capital as well as the operating cost in ore processing. Advancing the understanding of and improving such processes is worthwhile since any measurable enhancement may lead to benefits, which may materialize as reductions in energy consumption or wear or improved performance in downstream processes. This book contains contributions dealing with various aspects of comminution, including those intended to improve our current level of understanding and quantification of particle breakage and ore characterization techniques that are relevant to size reduction, as well as studies involving modeling and simulation techniques. The affiliations of the authors of the articles published in this book span 14 countries around the globe, which attests to the highly international nature of research in this field. The themes of the manuscripts also vary widely, from several that are more focused on experimental studies to those that deal, in greater detail, with the development and application of modeling and simulation techniques in comminution. Size reduction technologies more directly addressed in the manuscripts include jaw crushing, vertical shaft impact crushing, SAG milling, stirred milling, planetary milling, and vertical roller milling. Ores involved directly in the investigations include those of copper, lead–zinc, gold, and iron as well as coal, talc, and quartz.

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The present collection of articles focuses on the mechanical strength properties at micro- and nanoscale dimensions of body-centered cubic, face-centered cubic and hexagonal close-packed crystal structures. The advent of micro-pillar test specimens is shown to provide a new dimensional scale for the investigation of crystal deformation properties. The ultra-small dimensional scale at which these properties are measured is shown to approach the atomic-scale level at which model dislocation mechanics descriptions of crystal slip and deformation twinning behaviors are proposed to be operative, including the achievement of atomic force microscopic measurements of dislocation pile-up interactions with crystal grain boundaries or with hard surface coatings. A special advantage of engineering designs made at such small crystal and polycrystalline dimensions is the achievement of an approximate order-of-magnitude increase in mechanical strength levels. Reasonable extrapolation of macro-scale continuum mechanics descriptions of crystal strength properties at micro- to nano-indentation hardness measurements are demonstrated, in addition to reports on persistent slip band observations and fatigue cracking behaviors. High-entropy alloy, superalloy and energetic crystal properties are reported along with descriptions of deformation rate sensitivities, grain boundary structures, nano-cutting, void nucleation/growth micromechanics and micro-composite electrical properties.

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The continuous evolution of preventive and therapeutic strategies aims to enhance oral health outcomes. Novel approaches are being developed to prevent and treat prevalent oral diseases like dental caries, periodontitis, and oral cancer. Researchers are also exploring the potential of biomaterials in regenerative dentistry, such as promoting bone growth and repairing damaged oral tissues.The ongoing research and development in dental materials and biomaterials holds great promise for improving oral health outcomes. However, it is imperative to maintain a sustained focus on research to fully leverage their potential and effectively address the existing gaps in dental care.In the special issue titled "Dental Biomaterials: From Fundamental Principles to Clinical Applications," significant findings have emerged from a variety of sources, including in vitro experiments and clinical trials. These insights have deepened our understanding of oral disease biology, resulting in the development of innovative treatment approaches like targeted drug delivery systems and gene therapy. Clinical trials have also provided evidence on the effectiveness and safety of these new treatment options.Overall, these advancements in technology and treatment offer hope for enhanced management of oral diseases. Nevertheless, it is crucial to emphasize the importance of continuous research and development in order to fully unlock the potential of these innovations and achieve significant progress in improving oral health outcomes.

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This reprint aims to present the latest achievements in biomaterials science regarding the repair or replacement of tissue functions in the human body. In this reprint, leading experts describe their latest research in the field, including innovative methods for the design of enhanced cochlear implants, cranial implants, and bone implants (jaw, tibia, femur, knee, and hip). Other research works presented in this reprint describe novel methods for the detection of lung cancer, the monitoring of blood glucose, the use of adhesives for orthopedic applications, and the 3D printing of artificial organs.

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This reprint presents groundbreaking discoveries, practical techniques, and rigorous analyses related to the cultivation, preparation, and exploitation of mycelium composites. The papers cover a wide range of topics, including functional modifications of mycelium with inorganic particles, modifying and assessing the mechanical properties of mycelium composites, strategies for improving the flexural behaviour of composites, beehives from fungal materials, bio-welding and reinforcement of composites, bioreactors for fungal production, co-production of composites by fungi and bacteria, growing large-scale mycelium structures, sound absorption by composites, and the geometrical parameterisation of fungi. This informative compendium of techniques, methods, and insights on growing fungal material appeals to readers from all walks of life, from high school pupils to university professors, from mathematicians, computer scientists, and engineers to chemists, from craft practitioners to industrial producers of fungal materials, and from biologists to architects and artists.

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Modern holographic techniques have been successfully applied in many important areas, such as 3-D inspection, 3-D microscopy, metrology, and profilometry, augmented reality, and industrial informatics. This Special Issue covers selected pieces of cutting-edge research works, ranging from low-level acquisition, to high-level analysis, processing, and manipulation of holographic information. The Special Issue also serves as a comprehensive review of existing state-of-the-art techniques in 3-D imaging and 3-D display, as well as broad insights into the future development of these disciplines. The Special Issue contains 25 papers in the field of holography, 3-D imaging, and 3-D display. All the papers underwent substantial peer review under the guidelines of Applied Sciences.

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Hot deformation is a key method of processing metallic materials and controlling their final properties through structure-forming processes. The ability to exploit the structural potentiality of both traditional alloys and new progressive materials is crucial in terms of sustainable development and economic growth. This reprint focuses not only on conventional technologies (e.g., rolling or forging) but also on modern procedures, such as various types of complex thermomechanical processing and controlled cooling. Most papers are based on the application of advanced hot deformation simulators and structural analysis methods, as well as computer simulations of bulk-forming processes.

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Nowadays, images and videos have become the main modalities of information being exchanged in everyday life, and their pervasiveness has led the image forensics community to question their reliability, integrity, confidentiality, and security. Multimedia contents are generated in many different ways through the use of consumer electronics and high-quality digital imaging devices, such as smartphones, digital cameras, tablets, and wearable and IoT devices. The ever-increasing convenience of image acquisition has facilitated instant distribution and sharing of digital images on digital social platforms, determining a great amount of exchange data. Moreover, the pervasiveness of powerful image editing tools has allowed the manipulation of digital images for malicious or criminal ends, up to the creation of synthesized images and videos with the use of deep learning techniques. In response to these threats, the multimedia forensics community has produced major research efforts regarding the identification of the source and the detection of manipulation. In all cases (e.g., forensic investigations, fake news debunking, information warfare, and cyberattacks) where images and videos serve as critical evidence, forensic technologies that help to determine the origin, authenticity, and integrity of multimedia content can become essential tools. This book aims to collect a diverse and complementary set of articles that demonstrate new developments and applications in image and video forensics to tackle new and serious challenges to ensure media authenticity.

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This book presents a selection of papers representing current research on using field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) for realising image processing algorithms. These papers are reprints of papers selected for a Special Issue of the Journal of Imaging on image processing using FPGAs. A diverse range of topics is covered, including parallel soft processors, memory management, image filters, segmentation, clustering, image analysis, and image compression. Applications include traffic sign recognition for autonomous driving, cell detection for histopathology, and video compression. Collectively, they represent the current state-of-the-art on image processing using FPGAs.

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The celebrated information bottleneck (IB) principle of Tishby et al. has recently enjoyed renewed attention due to its application in the area of deep learning. This collection investigates the IB principle in this new context. The individual chapters in this collection: • provide novel insights into the functional properties of the IB; • discuss the IB principle (and its derivates) as an objective for training multi-layer machine learning structures such as neural networks and decision trees; and • offer a new perspective on neural network learning via the lens of the IB framework. Our collection thus contributes to a better understanding of the IB principle specifically for deep learning and, more generally, of information–theoretic cost functions in machine learning. This paves the way toward explainable artificial intelligence.

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Laser-based additive manufacturing (LAM) is a revolutionary advanced digital manufacturing technology developed in recent decades, which is also a key strategic technology for technological innovation and industrial sustainability. This technology unlocks the design and constraints of traditional manufacturing and meets the needs of complex geometry fabrication and high-performance part fabrication. A deeper understanding of the design, materials, processes, structures, properties and applications is desired to produce novel functional devices, as well as defect-free structurally sound and reliable LAM parts.The topics in this Special Issue reprint include macro- and micro-scale additive manufacturing with lasers, such as structure/material design, fabrication, modeling and simulation, in situ characterization of additive manufacturing processes and ex situ materials characterization and performance, with an overview that covers various applications in aerospace, biomedicine, optics and energy.In this Special Issue reprint, papers on different subjects were published after the high-quality reviewing process, with a total of 17 contributions (1 editorial, 2 review papers and 14 original research papers) and times viewed being over 13K (as of Nov 15 2022). Six articles were selected as Editor’s Choice, and one article was selected as the Issue Cover (Volume 13, Issue 8).

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Metal-based composites represent a unique way of tailoring the properties of metals, through the selection of type, size, and amount of reinforcement. In this way, the properties of metallic matrices can be adjusted depending on end applications. In view of the dynamic capabilities they can exhibit, this Special Issue will cover all aspects of metal matrix composites: synthesis (including solid, liquid, two-phase and 3D printing); secondary processing; properties (tensile, compressive, fatigue, impact, creep, tribological, etc.); corrosion behavior; and joining techniques. The main objective is to share the latest results on metal matrix composites with the research community worldwide.

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The miniaturization of industrial products is a global trend. Metal forming technology is not only suitable for mass production and excellent in productivity and cost reduction, but it is also a key processing method that is essential for products that utilize advantage of the mechanical and functional properties of metals. However, it is not easy to realize the processing even if the conventional metal forming technology is directly scaled down. This is because the characteristics of materials, processing methods, die and tools, etc., vary greatly with miniaturization. In metal micro forming technology, the size effect of major issues for micro forming have also been clarified academically. New processing methods for metal micro forming have also been developed by introducing new special processing techniques, and it is a new wave of innovation toward high precision, high degree of processing, and high flexibility. To date, several special issues and books have been published on micro-forming technology. This book contains 11 of the latest research results on metal micro forming technology. The editor believes that it will be very useful for understanding the state-of-the-art of metal micro forming technology and for understanding future trends.

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Recent advances in microsystems technology and cell culture techniques have led to the development of organ-on-chip microdevices that produce tissue-level functionality, not possible with conventional culture models, by recapitulating natural tissue architecture and microenvironmental cues within microfluidic devices.

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Elderly frailty represents the poor resolution of homeostasis following stress and an increased risk of adverse outcomes, including falls, delirium and disability. This reprint is focused on the diagnosis and treatment of fractures and orthopedic diseases among elderly people. In particular, this concerns medical, orthopaedics and rehabilitative factors. This reprint includes original articles, narrative or systematic reviews and meta-analysis, aiming to provide readers with the correct approach to these pathologies.

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The characterization of the physical and chemical properties of transition metals and their compounds under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature has always attracted the interest of a wide scientific community. Their properties have numerous implications in fields ranging from solid-state physics, chemistry, and materials science to Earth and planetary science. The present Special Issue represents a good example of such a broad interest and shows some of the latest advancements in the investigation of transition metals under extreme conditions of pressure and temperature.

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This Special Issue is a second collection of top-quality papers from some of the Editorial Board Members of Fluids, Guest Editors, and leading researchers, discussing new knowledge or new cutting-edge developments in all aspects of fluid mechanics. Research in turbulence continues to be one of the active areas; other papers focus on mixing, multiphase flows and porous media, slow (creeping) flows, potential flows, non-Newtonian fluids, fluid–structure interaction, and numerical methods.

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Mg alloy is the lightest metallic structural material and possesses the advantages of high specific strength, high specific stiffness, good electromagnetism shield, good damping capacity, good machinability, and easy recycling, etc. Therefore, it has extremely broad application prospects and has drawn considerable interest in the fields of automobile, electronics, electrical appliances, transportation, aerospace, and aviation. In addition, Mg alloys are gradually showing application potential in emerging industries, serving as biodegradable metals in the biomedical field, functional material for hydrogen storage, and so on. This Special Issue (SI), entitled “Research Progress in High-Performance Magnesium Alloy and Its Applications”, presents recent developments and excellent results in the field of Mg alloys, and includes 10 articles and one editorial covering some interesting aspects of the topic.

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