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This Reprint brings together selected contributions from the Special Issue “Computational Intelligence and Machine Learning: Models and Applications”, showcasing recent advances at the intersection of intelligent algorithms and real-world problem solving. The collected papers reflect the growing maturity of computational intelligence and machine learning as core technologies driving innovation across science, engineering, and society. This Reprint highlights methodological advances in distributed, semi-supervised, and weakly supervised learning, addressing challenges such as data uncertainty, decentralization, and limited labeling. It also presents application-driven studies showing how modern models adapt to domains including agriculture, cybersecurity, sports analytics, and document intelligence. Further emphasis is placed on human-centered AI, examining trust, interpretability, user behavior, and technology acceptance. By combining theoretical insights with domain-specific applications, this Reprint emphasizes a shift toward scalable, context-aware, and interpretable machine learning solutions. The contributions collectively illustrate current trends in computational intelligence, including multimodal learning, edge and distributed computing, and responsible AI design. This Reprint is intended for researchers, practitioners, and graduate students working in machine learning, data science, and applied artificial intelligence, as well as for readers interested in how advanced models translate into impactful applications across domains.

In recent years, peptides generated from various marine organisms have attracted wide attention due to their diverse chemical structures and bioactivities, including antioxidant, immune-modulating, angiotensin-I-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory, hypotensive, hypolipidemic, antiviral, cytotoxic, neurotoxic, anticoagulant, and antifreeze activities. Moreover, bioactive peptides can serve as additional functional components used in health foods, nutraceuticals, bio-preservatives, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. The Special Issue “Marine Bioactive Peptides—Structure, Function, and Application 2.0” aimed to collect papers on up-to-date information regarding the preparation, structural identification, activity, and functional evaluation, as well as the application of marine bioactive peptides.

The title, “Is Online Technology the Hope in Uncertain Times for Higher Education?”,  provides the purpose of this volume, which is to offer insights into the future of higher education in light of significant advances in online technology that affect all human endeavors. These advances have evolved as a result of the natural development of new technologies as provided by global corporations, the aftereffects of the COVID pandemic, and recent advances in artificial intelligence that portend to redefine how organizations will function in a new world order. Thirty-one experts offered their research as a basis for considering the question posed in this volume. From their work, it is clear that colleges and universities are rapidly migrating to online technology in order to support instruction, research, counseling, academic services, and administrative efficiency.  As this migration evolves, consider what Drew Faust, the former president of Harvard University, has stated: “As the landsc

The delivery of genome sequences for most livestock species over the past 10–15 years has generated the potential to revolutionise livestock production globally, by providing farmers with the ability to match individual animals to rapidly changing climates, production systems and markets. Initially, technologies such as marker-assisted selection, functional genomics, gene expression, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics were hailed as technologies with the greatest promise of delivering on that potential. To date, however, their potential for the delivery of practical solutions for livestock farmers is still to be realised, though they do provide supportive evidence of value to other approaches. Gene editing using tools such as CRISPR-Cas9 also show strong promise, but face regulatory hurdles before practical applications can be delivered for use by farmers. The technology that has had the greatest impact to date is genomic selection. This year marks 20 years since genomic se

Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS) is a complex genomic imprinting disorder associated with a spectrum of medical, cognitive, behavioural, and psychiatric problems and is also the most common cause of life-threatening obesity that can be effectively treated with hormone therapy and restricted diet, if detected early. PWS is usually caused by the loss of the paternally inherited 15q11.2-q13 region and abnormal expression of genes within that region and beyond. While some genotype–phenotype correlations with delineation of clinical characteristics and natural history have emerged when comparing the three main molecular classes of PWS (maternal uniparental disomy (UPD) 15, imprinting centre defect, and deletion of paternal 15q11-q13), better awareness and informative biomarkers are still needed. These could facilitate early diagnosis, counseling, prognostic testing, as well as patient stratification for clinical trials, to improve outcomes for the affected children and their families. This Sp

Pulsed lasers are lasers with a single laser pulse width of less than 0.25 s, operating only once in every certain time interval. Commonly used pulsed lasers are nanosecond, femtosecond, and picosecond lasers. A pulsed laser produces short pulses with a short interaction time with the material, which can largely avoid impact on the thermal movement of molecules and has a minimal thermal impact on the surrounding materials, thus having significant advantages in precision microfabrication. It is now widely used in flexible electronics, chips, medicine, and other fields, such as photographic resin curing, microwelding, vision correction, heart stent manufacturing, etc. However, as an emerging processing technology, the application prospects of pulsed lasers have yet to be fully expanded, and there is still a need to continuously explore the mechanisms of interaction with materials, to manufacture advanced functional structures, and to develop advanced process technologies. Related Book

This book focuses on the “disease aspects” of classical swine fever (CSF). The epidemiological pattern of the reemergence of CSF from wild boars and its spread to neighboring domestic pigs provides useful information for policy makers. The recent advances in diagnostics and vaccines and how each type of vaccine should be appropriately used in various field situations provide useful information for practicing veterinarians and laboratory scientists, for example, whether the vaccine virus attenuated enough to not cross the placenta to avoid sequelae, how innocuous samples like serum should be cautiously treated to avoid risk of virus spread, how various genotypes of the CSF virus evolve and compete to survive in the field, and how the CSF virus molecularly manipulates normal cell biological processes for its own advantage to survive. Phylogenetic analyses help in tracing the origin of the CSF virus responsible for each outbreak. Overall, readers should be impressed by the capabilities o

This Special Issue reprint explores the complex and evolving field of polymer science and technology, with particular emphasis on the factors that influence the properties of polymer-based materials. A comprehensive understanding of the failure mechanisms in these materials is both academically significant and critical for advancing polymer science and engineering. The existing literature demonstrates that mechanical energy interacts with materials in diverse ways, contingent on environmental and operational conditions. Rigorous analysis of material responses is essential for developing mathematical models that facilitate material design optimization within a sustainability framework, aiming to prevent failures such as structural collapse or rupture. The contributions included in this Special Issue examine current and emerging trends in the investigation of the mechanical properties of polymeric materials. Collectively, the nine original articles offer valuable insights and directions for future research in this dynamic field.

We have organized this Special Issue to discuss the appropriate possibilities for skin reconstruction and regeneration. Luze et al. explained how antiseptic-loaded BNC represents a promising and effective approach for the treatment of biofilms. Korzeniowski et al. demonstrated how a bromelain-based enzymatic method offers a good, safe debridement option to improve the life quality of children with severe burns. Martinovic et al. wrote a paper titled “Objective Skin Quality Assessment after Reconstructive Procedures for Facial Skin Defects”. An interesting technique was introduced by Woo Yoo et al.—a modified mini-keystone flap technique for covering tiny volar pulp defects of the fingertip, with few complications and favorable outcomes. Russo et al. conducted a comparative study between Connettivina Bio Plus and Fitostimoline Plus. They showed that both were secure and effective for treating acute superficial skin lesions. Hwan Kim et al. published “A Prospective Randomized Trial Comparing Paste-Type Acellular Dermal Matrix to Standard Care for the Treatment of Chronic Wounds”. Korzeniowski et al. enriched the Special Issue with a systematic review titled “The Role of the Immune System in Pediatric Burns”.  Finally we presented the paper “Collection of Key Surgical Techniques for the Reconstruction of Midface Skin Defects” for the midface’s significant role in defining important facial traits. Finally, I would like to express my sincere respect to all authors for submitting excellent papers, and to reviewers for taking the time to review them.

Fish oil is considered a healthy food due to the presence of large amounts of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially EPA and DHA. Fish oil dietary supplements are usually in triacylglycerol (TAG) and ethyl ester (EE) forms. The main forms of EPA/DHA in marine foods are TAGs and phospholipids (PLs). PL forms and traditional fish oil supplements have different nutritional functions and constitute the most popular research topics within EPA/DHA-enriched structural lipids. Moreover, there is an increasing number of high-purity DHA or EPA products; therefore, it is essential to clarify the differences in physiological activity between DHA and EPA, as well as the differences in disease treatment and prevention, exploring new physiological regulatory functions and analyzing their molecular mechanisms. In recent years, researchers have also focused on the structural modification and derivatives of EPA/DHA. Such studies will contribute to the development and applications of fish oils as func

This reprint covers 27 papers published in the Special Issue entitled “Corporate Finance, Governance, and Social Responsibility,” which examines several topics related to corporate finance, financial modeling, corporate governance, and corporate social responsibility. Corporate finance-related articles (Anton and Afloarei Nucu, 2021; Bae et al., 2023; Kedzior et al., 2020; Lääts and Lukason, 2022; Miglo, 2020; Mihail et al., 2021; Mota and Moreira, 2023; Tsolas, 2021; Tudose et al., 2021; and Wen et al., 2021) focus on the drivers of the capital structure and firm performance, the effect of working capital management on profitability, and the link between derivative use and profitability. Regarding financial modeling, stock market volatility was explored during COVID-19 (Gherghina et al., 2021). Corporate governance studies (Aluchna and Kuszewski, 2020; Ararat et al., 2021; Ding and Chea, 2021; Kjærland et al., 2020; Lourenço et al., 2021; Lukason and Camacho-Miñano, 2020; Maier and

It is important to prevent and manage the frailty of the elderly because their muscle strength and physical activity decrease in old age, making them prone to falling, depression, and social isolation. In the end, they need to be admitted to a hospital or a nursing home. When successful aging fails and motor ability declines due to illness, malnutrition, or reduced activity, frailty eventually occurs. Once frailty occurs, people with frailty do not have the power to exercise or the power to move. The functions of the heart and muscles are deteriorated more rapidly when they are not used. Consequently, frailty goes through a vicious cycle. As one’s physical fitness is deteriorated, the person has less power to exercise, poorer cognitive functions, and inferior nutrition intake. Consequently, the whole body of the person deteriorates. Therefore, in addition to observational studies to identify risk factors for preventing aging, various intervention studies have been conducted to devel

The concept of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) encompasses novel kinds of medicines for human use that are based on genes, cells or tissues. These intend to offer not only regeneration, but complete functional recovery of diseased tissues and organs using different strategies. Gene therapy, cell therapy and tissue engineering are the main areas in which promising advanced therapies are emerging. The eye is a very complex organ whose main structures, the cornea and the retina, play a pivotal role in maintaining normal vision, as severe alterations in these tissues can lead to blindness. Ocular tissues are starting to benefit from ATMPs by fighting against the enormous complexity and devastating potential of many ocular diseases. However, developments arising from this field of work face important challenges related to vectors to deliver drugs and genetic material to target tissues, suitable biomaterials to prepare cell scaffolds and cell stemness, among others—not to menti

Arboviruses have become global threats. Common to Dengue, Zika, yellow fever, chikungunya, and Mayaro viruses is their ability to be transmitted by mosquitoes. Several strategies based on transgenics or microbiology are currently being field-tested. While this approach seems hopeful, the research community needs to focus on potential backlash from these technologies to prevent failure. The aim of the Special Issue is to cover different transmission routes that are untargeted by the newly developed strategies to foresee limitations. Here, Fontenille & Powell gave their insights on how a mosquito species becomes a global vector, Yen & Failloux presented the limitations of Wolbachia-based population replacement, Pereira-dos-Santos et al. reviewed the evidence that Aedes albopictus is an important vector, and Diagne et al. gathered information about the latest emerging arbovirus: Mayaro. Manuel et al. demonstrated that in certain conditions mosquitoes efficiently transmit Zika viruses and

Natural bioactive compounds remain a major foundation of drug discovery due to their structural diversity and ability to regulate multiple disease-relevant pathways. These molecules influence key biological processes, including inflammation, fibrosis, oxidative stress, hypoxia, metabolic imbalance, angiogenesis, and dysregulated cell proliferation and migration, all of which contribute to the development and progression of human diseases. Advances in extraction, purification, and analytical technologies have reshaped the study of natural bioactives. Traditional methods are increasingly complemented by innovative and sustainable approaches, such as green and solvent-free techniques, which improve efficiency while reducing environmental impact. In parallel, omics-based strategies—including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics—have become essential tools for identifying molecular targets, defining mechanisms of action, and accelerating the translation of bioactive compounds toward therapeutic applications. This Special Issue focuses on recent progress in the discovery, characterization, and development of natural bioactives as drug candidates. Topics include novel methodologies for compound isolation and identification, mechanistic and functional evaluation of bioactivities, and integrated analytical frameworks that combine omics technologies with conventional biochemical and pharmacological assays to provide a comprehensive understanding of therapeutic potential.

The Special Issue, "Advanced Thin Films and 2D Materials: Mechanism, Fabrication, Characterization and Application," delves into the intricate world of cutting-edge materials science. This collection of research articles and reviews explores the latest advancements in thin films and two-dimensional (2D) materials, focusing on their mechanisms, fabrication techniques, methods of characterization, and wide-ranging applications. Thin films and 2D materials are pivotal in the development of innovative technologies due to their unique physical and chemical properties. This Special Issue highlights breakthroughs in understanding the fundamental mechanisms that govern the behavior of these materials, enabling precise control over their properties during fabrication. It also examines state-of-the-art fabrication methods and techniques that have revolutionized the production of high-quality thin films and 2D materials. Advanced characterization techniques, such as atomic force microscopy and X-rays, are discussed, providing insights into the structural and electronic properties of these materials. This Special Issue also showcases the diverse applications of thin films and 2D materials in fields such as electronics, photonics, energy storage, and sensing, illustrating their potential to drive technological innovation and address contemporary challenges.

This Special Issue focuses on the impacts of climate change on regional hydrological resources, further improving simulation accuracy and the research system related to the impacts of climate change on water resources. High-quality research studies on observed and projected changes during the 21st century in the different components of the hydrological cycle affecting water resources such as precipitation, evapotranspiration and streamflow in different geographical regions take into account various spatial scales and methodological approaches. Related Books Climate Variability and Climate Change Impacts on Land Surface, Hydrological Processes and Water Management Environmental & Earth Sciences Climate Change and Hydrological Processes Environmental & Earth Sciences Impact of Climate-Change on Water Resources Environmental & Earth Sciences Hydrological Extremes in a Warming Climate: Nonstationarity, Uncertainties and Impacts Physical Sciences Climate Change and Hydrological Processes

This reprint includes papers from different research fields, reflecting the sectional talks presented at the 10th edition of the Scientific Conference of the Doctoral Schools of “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galaţi, which took place in June 2022. The objective of the 2022 Conference was to bring together perspectives and challenges in doctoral research in a common forum and to provide a platform enabling doctoral researchers to meet and share state-of-the-art developments in their fields. It comprises 13 papers presented at the conference from several fields, including mechanical and industrial engineering, food science and biotechnology, electrical/electronic engineering, systems engineering and information technologies, chemistry, electrochemistry, and economic models and strategies. Related Books Perspectives and Challenges in Doctoral Research Selected Papers from the 9th Edition of the Scientific Conference of the Doctoral Schools from the “Dunărea de Jos” University of Galaţi

This book covers the latest developments in the field of rheology and polymer processing, highlighting cutting-edge research focusing on the processing of advanced polymers and their composites. It demonstrates that the field of rheology and polymer processing is still gaining increased attention. Presented within are cutting-edge research results and the latest developments in the field of polymer science and engineering, innovations in the processing and characterization of biopolymers and polymer-based products, polymer physics, composites, modeling and simulations, and rheology. Related Books Polymer Processing and Surfaces Chemistry & Materials Science Advances in the Processing and Application of Polymer and Its Composites Chemistry & Materials Science ... Recent Advances in Polymer Processing Engineering Advances in Experimental and Computational Rheology, Volume II Biology & Life Sciences ... Recent Researches in Polymer and Plastic Processing Chemistry & Materials Science .

Vision is the most important sense in higher mammals. The retina is the first step in visual processing and the window to the brain. It is not surprising that problems arising in the retina lead to moderate to severe visual impairments. We offer here a collection of reviews as well as original papers dealing with various aspects of retinal function as well as dysfunction. New approaches in retinal research are described, such as the expression and localization of the endocannabinoid system in the normal retina and the role of cannabinoid receptors that could offer new avenues of research in the development of potential treatments for retinal diseases. Moreover, new insights are offered in advancing knowledge towards the prevention and cure of visual pathologies, mainly AMD, RP, and diabetic retinopathy. Related Books Retinal Diseases Biology & Life Sciences The Molecular and Cellular Basis of Retinal Diseases Biology & Life Sciences Retinal Cell Biology in Health and Disease Biology

The first nonlinear optical effect was observed in the 19th century by John Kerr. Nonlinear optics, however, started to grow up only after the invention of the laser, when intense light sources became easily available. The seminal studies by Peter Franken and Nicolaas Bloembergen, in the 1960s, paved the way for the development of today’s nonlinear photonics, the field of research that encompasses all the studies, designs, and implementations of nonlinear optical devices that can be used for the generation, communication, and processing of information. This field has attracted significant attention, partly due to the great potential of exploiting the optical nonlinearities of new or advanced materials to induce new phenomena and achieve new functions. According to Clarivate Web of Science, almost 200,000 papers were published that refer to the topic “nonlinear optic*”. Over 36,000 papers were published in the last four years (2015–2018) with the same keyword, and over 17,000 used the

This Reprint presents a collection of cutting-edge research and review articles focusing on the integration of machine learning and deep learning theories for intelligent fault diagnosis in industrial and engineering systems. With the rapid advancement of computational intelligence, data-driven fault diagnosis has become a cornerstone of modern Prognostics and Health Management (PHM), enabling early detection, prediction, and mitigation of system failures. The contributions in this Reprint highlight innovative applications of artificial neural networks, convolutional and recurrent neural architectures, transfer learning, and hybrid intelligent systems for diagnosing faults in rotating machinery, robotic systems, power plants, and manufacturing processes. In addition, the included studies explore explainable AI models, data augmentation, and sensor fusion methods that enhance model interpretability and robustness under real-world operating conditions. By bringing together theoretical insights and practical implementations, this Reprint aims to serve as a valuable reference for researchers, engineers, and practitioners engaged in machine learning–based condition monitoring and intelligent fault diagnosis. It reflects recent trends shaping the future of autonomous and resilient industrial systems within the framework of Industry 4.0.

The rapid development of computers has stimulated growing interest in the physical foundations of computation. This interest arises from both applicative and fundamental aspects of computation. In the most general terms, computation involves transforming inputs into outputs using a specific set of instructions. The necessary questions include the following: What are the physical limitations of computation? What are the minimal energy costs of computation, and what is the maximal possible velocity of computation? The Landauer principle, addressed in this Special Issue, is one of the limiting physical principles that constrain the behavior of computing systems. The Landauer principle restricts the minimal energy necessary for the erasure of one bit of information. Rolf Landauer adopted the notion that computation is a physical process; thus, it must obey the laws of physics, and first and foremost, the laws of thermodynamics. This thinking led to a new limiting physical principle, establishing minimal energy costs for the erasure of a single memory bit for a system operating at equilibrium temperature T. According to Landauer, this energy is E=kBTln2. This Special Issue discusses the Landauer principle in the context of other physical limiting principles, such as the Mandelstam–Tamm and Margolus–Levitin limiting principles. The Special Issue addresses a diversity of problems related to the meaning and applications of the Landauer principle. It discusses the interrelation between logical and thermodynamic irreversibility and precise links between energy and information.

Food products are becoming increasingly affected by the use of antibiotics, as the transfer of residual veterinary drugs, antibiotic-resistant bacteria (ARB), and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and its genes (ARGs) occurs through unexplained mechanisms, representing a public health threat. As part of the framework proposed by One Health, it is essential to include information on animal and food chain pathogens in AMR surveillance programs, since human and animal health are interconnected. Therefore, this Special Issue will pay specific attention to human, animal, plant, food, and environment interfaces, and will try to explore intervention strategies against foodborne pathogens. Furthermore, it will characterize the variation in the composition of a healthy human gut microbiome in correlation with antibiotic usage and yoghurt consumption. The Special Issue focus on intervention strategies and food safety in light of antibiotic usage in animal and plants, and discuss ARB and ARG in fu