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9 December 2024
Meet Us at the 18th International Conference on Biomedical Engineering (ICBME 2024), 9–12 December 2024, Singapore


Conference: 
18th International Conference on Biomedical Engineering (ICBME 2024)
Organization: National University of Singapore and the Biomedical Engineering Society (Singapore)
Place: NUS College of Design and Engineering, Singapore
Date: 9–12 December 2024
Booth ID: #B6

We are excited to announce that MDPI journals will participate as exhibitors at ICBME 2024, hosted at the NUS College of Design and Engineering, Singapore, from 9 to 12 December 2024. This prestigious event has been a cornerstone in the biomedical engineering field since 1983, now drawing over 600 delegates from 30+ countries.

ICBME 2024 will feature an exciting program, including plenary and keynote lectures, scientific talks, exhibitions, and specialized symposia like the APBEC Young Scholars Symposium and Women in Engineering Symposium. With competitions, awards, and ample networking opportunities, it offers a vibrant platform for collaboration and the exchange of cutting-edge ideas.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you will be attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://icbme2024.org/.

6 December 2024
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #18 - MDPI UK, Basel Job Fair, CETEF'24

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.

In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.


Opening Thoughts

MDPI’s First UK Summit Held in Manchester

On 29 November, we hosted our first annual MDPI UK Summit, bringing together over 30 Chief Editors and Editorial Board Members (EBMs) to discuss MDPI’s mission, achievements, and collaborations in the UK.

Throughout the day we had talks from several members of MDPI, roundtable discussions on the peer-review process and upholding research integrity, and an engaging presentation from the Editor-in-Chief (EiC) of MDPI journal Mathematics, Francisco Chiclana, about his involvement with the Research Excellence Framework.

“This was a great first summit for MDPI UK and received excellent feedback”

 In the following I highlight some of the sessions and the discussion topics covered in each session.

Session 1: Opening Speech and Introduction to MDPI

I shared an overview of MDPI’s mission, achievements, and commitment to quality. The Q&A touched on key topics such as perception and reputation management, expanding our arts and humanities portfolio, and funding challenges for open access (OA) in the UK.

A takeaway from this session was that in 2025, we will circulate a mini annual report to all editors, helping them understand MDPI’s mission and achievements beyond the context of their specific journals.

Session 2: MDPI and the Research Excellence Framework (REF)
Prof. Francisco Chiclana (EiC of Mathematics) highlighted MDPI’s role in REF, its purpose, and future directions.

Session 3: Editorial Process, Ethics, and Research Integrity
Dr. Giulia Stefenelli presented on the various editorial roles and responsibilities, quality metrics, and procedures for dealing with misconduct. The Q&A centred on AI in publishing, institutional roles in research integrity, and better data management practices.

Session 4: Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP)
Becky Castellon presented on IOAP benefits, including MDPI’s partnership with JISC, which includes more than 60 UK institutions, and highlighted the advantages of pure OA over transformative agreements.

Session 5: Round Table Discussion
Colleagues from our MDPI Manchester office Jaime Anderson and Dr. Michael O’Sullivan, along with colleagues from our Basel office Damaris Critchlow and Giulia Stefenelli, discussed innovations in peer review, challenges in maintaining scientific integrity, and future solutions.

Session 6: MDPI PR and the Voice of the Customer
I recapped our customer satisfaction drivers, including speed and editorial support. I also spoke about tackling misinformation about OA and MDPI in general, and outlined a way forward for us all to participate in advocating for open science.

This was a great first summit for MDPI UK and received excellent feedback from our EiCs, SEiCs, and EBMs. A BIG thank-you to our Manchester team (pictured below) and everyone else involved in organizing this event. Their hard work and dedication are much appreciated!

Impactful Research

MDPI and UK Publications

The UK is an important market for MDPI, ranking ninth in total submissions to MDPI and eighth in total MDPI publications, with over 72,200 publications to date. As at October 2024, there were more than 3,600 EBMs from the UK, 48% of whom have an H-index above 26. We also have 46 EiCs, and 63 SEiCs in the UK, some of whom joined us in Manchester for the UK Summit.

The UK is a strong advocate of OA publishing, with nearly three quarters of all articles in 2023 published on open access platforms. The country enjoys a large academic market, producing high-quality papers, and is home to some of the world’s top universities. Among MDPI’s 825 IOAP agreements, over 60 of these are in the UK, facilitated through our partnership with JISC.

“The UK is a strong advocate of OA publishing”

 Visit to MDPI’s Manchester Office

Last week, I visited our Manchester office to see the expanding office space, connect with our staff, and present at the MDPI UK Summit held in Manchester.

Throughout the day, I met with various teams to better understand their work and discuss their future development plans in greater depth. Hearing from group leads about the progress we have made and the challenges we face offered many valuable insights. I also had the chance to connect personally with members of the content team. It’s great to see how this young and ambitious team is coming together.

I also took the opportunity to address the entire office about the role of MDPI UK within the wider company. During this session, I answered questions about growth and public relations initiatives. Giulia Stefenelli joined us to address questions about the role of AI in MDPI’s future.

Jaime Anderson (Office Manager) and the Manchester team have done a great job of growing the office since its establishment in 2019. Today, it has around 150 staff members across various departments, including English editing, editorial services, marketing and communications, and IOAP. The team is highly active in local marketing initiatives, such as author training sessions, scholar visits, and conferences.

For more information and updates on our Manchester office, follow MDPI UK on LinkedIn.

Inside MDPI

Basel Job Fair

In November, the HR team from our Basel office connected with over 300 young professionals at the Basel Job Fair 2024. This is my biased opinion, of course, but we had the best branded booth and merchandise, which drew a lot of attention from young talent wanting to learn about current and future job opportunities at MDPI.

Our HR team also helped review CVs on the spot, providing advice on how to improve them and making a positive impression on the future workforce in Basel.

This is a reminder that MDPI is not only focused on supporting young researchers but that we also recruit and develop young talent. We have seen MDPI HR do this really well throughout all of our offices, from Asia Pacific to Europe and North America.

HR plays an important role in our growing company, helping us meet our recruitment targets as well as providing support for local teams, guidance on management and best practices, a safe space for employees, and brand recognition for MDPI, among many other things.

“MDPI is not only focused on supporting young researchers: we also recruit and develop young talent”

This is a quick appreciation post to all HR staff working to support MDPI and our colleagues, cultivating talent and supporting careers at every stage. Thanks HR staff, keep up the great work!

Coming Together for Science

Pharmaceuticals 2024 – Recent Advances in Pharmaceutical Sciences Towards a Healthy Life (The 20th Anniversary)

I am pleased to share that the Pharmaceuticals 2024 – Recent Advances in Pharmaceutical Sciences Towards a Healthy Life took place from 27 to 29 November 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. It was chaired by Prof. Dr. Amelia Pilar Rauter from the Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal; Dr. Alfredo Berzal Herranz from Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López-Neyra (IPBLN) CSIC, Spain; and Prof. Dr. Mary Jane Meegan from Trinity College Dublin, Ireland.

The conference took place in Casa Convalescència, a part of the Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site. The three-day event included three plenary sessions and eight invited speakers, from eight countries, and 29 selected talks. Of the presentations on site, there were 32 posters and 29 oral presentations.

The main goal of the ‘Pharmaceuticals 2024’ international conference was to cover the newest technologies and research areas including medicinal chemistry, natural products, organic synthesis, radiopharmaceuticals, pharmacology, toxicology, and biomolecular and glycosciences, in a meeting that brought together experts to present their latest findings on combatting infection, inflammation, pain, and neurodegeneration, to mention just a few of the topics that were discussed.

“The main goal of ‘Pharmaceuticals 2024’ was to cover the newest technologies and research areas”

20th Anniversary of Pharmaceuticals

The year 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of Pharmaceuticals – a journal dedicated to medicinal chemistry and related drug sciences, which is published monthly online by MDPI. To honour this milestone, we are reflecting on our past accomplishments and embarking on an exciting new chapter. This celebration is also one of the reasons why we organized the conference Pharmaceuticals 2024. With an Impact Factor of 4.3 and a CiteScore of 6.1, the journal is covered in Scopus, SCIE (Web of Science), PubMed, PMC, Embase, CAPlus/SciFinder, and other databases. Pharmaceuticals has published over 6,000 papers from more than 37,000 authors. More than 10,000 reviewers have reviewed for it at least once.

20th Anniversary of Pharmaceuticals: The Video

This video captures the experiences of the conference chairs, honorary guests and committee members of the conference.

 

Thank you to our partnering societies

A special thank-you is due to our partnering societies the Spanish Society Of Medicinal Chemistry (SEQT) and the Spanish Society For Biochemistry And Molecular Biology (SEBBM) for their support of the Pharmaceuticals 2024 conference. I am also pleased to report that we presented two awards, sponsored by the journal Pharmaceuticals, including the Best Presentation Award and the Best Oral Presentation Award, recognizing the contributions of our participants.

Closing Thoughts

Presenting at the 4th Central European Technology Forum

I visited Krakow, Poland in November to participate in the 4th Central European Technology Forum (CETEF’24), which took place on 18 and 19 November.

CETEF is an international conference that has been jointly organized since 2014 by the Polish Chamber of Commerce for Advanced Technologies (IZTECH) and the Polish Federation of Engineering Associations, with the support of the European Parliament and the European Commission, in cooperation with universities, research institutes and the high-tech industry. The 2024 event focused on presentation to advance the European science and technology agenda for 2025–2030.

MDPI participated as a key publishing sponsor. We had an exhibition booth and held two key presentations during the conference. On Monday, I presented MDPI’s vision, purpose, and achievements.

On Tuesday, Dr. Giulia Stefenelli shared how MDPI supports advancements in high technology and energy transition, highlighting our portfolio, services, tools and initiatives for promoting progress and interdisciplinary collaboration.

We received positive feedback from scientists and government representatives in attendance.

A big thank-you goes to our colleagues from the Krakow office for their support in organizing our participation and managing the MDPI booth.

Special thanks are owing to Weronika Gorka-Kumik, Igor Matic, Vincent Di, Agnieszka Rydz, Ksenia Shubenkova, Anna Krakowka and Klaudia Kasprowicz.

Below is a photo with the President of the Polish Chamber of Commerce conference (centre), along with MDPI colleagues Giulia Stefenelli, Weronika Gorka-Kumik, and Igor Matic (left to right).

“This year’s event focused on ideas and proposals to advance the European science and technology agenda for 2025–2030”

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

4 December 2024
685 MDPI Editors Named Highly Cited Researchers in 2024


We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 685 Editorial Board Members of our journals – from 39 different countries and territories – who have been recognized as Highly Cited Researchers for 2024 by Clarivate. This distinction highlights their exceptional scientific achievements and significant contributions, which transcend academic boundaries to advance global knowledge, sustainability, security, and well-being.

Clarivate's annual Highly Cited Researcher™ list identifies the most influential scientists of the past decade, whose work has had a profound and widespread impact across various scientific and social science disciplines. Their impactful papers rank among the top 1% by citations in one or more of the 21 fields analyzed within the "Essential Science Indicators," marking them as leaders in their respective domains.

"Highly Cited Researchers have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their field(s) of research," according to Clarivate. In 2024, a total of 6,886 Highly Cited Researcher designations were awarded to 6,636 individuals.

The following is a list of MDPI's Editorial Board Members named Highly Cited Researchers in 2024. We congratulate them for their achievement and their contributions to advancing knowledge in their respective fields.


Abate, Antonio
Abbate, Antonio
Aguilera, Ruth V.
Ahmed, Warish
Ahn, Myung-Ju
Ambretti, Simone
Anasori, Babak
Andersson, Dan I.
Annabi, Nasim
Antinori, Spinello
Arbabi, Amir
Ariga, Katsuhiko
Astruc, Didier
Bajpai, Vivek K.
Balaj, Leonora
Balsamo, Gianpaolo
Bando, Yoshio
Banks, William A.
Barnes, Peter J.
Barnholtz-Sloan, Jill S.
Barros, Lillian
Bashir, Ali Kashif
Basit, Abdul W.
Bassetti, Matteo
Batley, Jacqueline
Battino, Maurizio
Benediktsson, Jon Atli
Bjarnsholt, Thomas
Blaschke, Thomas
Blay, Jean-Yves
Blumwald, Eduardo
Blunt, John W.
Bonomo, Robert A.
Bourke, Paula
Boyd, Robert W.
Boyer, Cyrille
Bruyere, Olivier
Bu, Wenbo
Bush, Ashley I.
Byrd, John C.
Cabeza, Luisa F.
Cai, Baoping
Cai, Lei
Cai, Xingjuan
Cambria, Erik
Cao, Guozhong
Cao, Xingzhong
Carvalho, Andre F.
Chan, Jasper Fuk-Woo
Chan, Timothy A.
Chao, Dongliang
Chen, Bin
Chen, Bo
Chen, Chaoji
Chen, Fahu
Chen, Hualan
Chen, Jun
Chen, Kunsong
Chen, Lidong
Chen, Lingxin
Chen, Mou
Chen, Peng
Chen, Qianwang
Chen, Shaowei
Chen, Shuai
Chen, Shuangming
Chen, Xiangyu
Chen, Xiao
Chen, Xiaobo
Chen, Xu
Chen, Yimin
Chen, Yulin
Cheng, Gong
Cheng, Huanyu
Cheng, Laifei
Cheng, Qiang
Chiclana, Francisco
Choi, Wonyong
Choi, Young Hae
Chowdhary, Anuradha
Clevers, Hans
Collins, Maurice N.
Cortes, Javier
Cortes, Jorge
Cottin, Vincent
Creutzig, Felix
Crommie, Michael F.
Cuadrado, Antonio
Cui, Yi
Dai, Hongjie
Dai, Shifeng
Daiber, Andreas
Davis, Steven J.
Davis, Thomas P.
Dawson, Ted M.
de Vries, Rory D.
de Vries, Wim
Deng, Xiangzheng
Desneux, Nicolas
Ding, Aijun
Ding, Jianxun
Dokmeci, Mehmet Remzi
Dolgui, Alexandre
Dou, Shi Xue
Dragicevic, Tomislav
Du, Bo
Du, Qian
Du, Yonghua
Duan, Xidong
Dufresne, Alain
Dummer, Reinhard
Ebi, Kristie L.
Edwards, David
Enjuanes, Luis
Fabbro, Doriano
Facchetti, Antonio
Fan, Junliang
Fan, Kelong
Fan, Xiulin
Fang, Chuanglin
Fang, Jingyun
Fang, Yongjin
Fasano, Alessio
Felser, Claudia
Feng, Xuning
Ferdinandy, Péter
Filippi, Massimo
Flavian, Carlos
Fortino, Giancarlo
Fowler, Michael
Franceschi, Claudio
Fu, Gengtao
Fu, Yongshuo
Fujita, Hamido
Gagaoua, Mohammed
Gai, Francesco
Gaisford, Simon
Galano, Annia
Galluzzi, Lorenzo
Galvano, Fabio
Gao, Huijun
Gao, Huile
Gao, Junkuo
Gao, Peng
Garbe, Claus
Garcia, Hermenegildo
Gasbarrini, Antonio
Genevet, Patrice
Geng, Yong
Gerdts, Gunnar
Geschwind, Daniel H.
Ghaffari, Roozbeh
Ghamisi, Pedram
Giampieri, Francesca
Gobbetti, Marco
Godos, Justyna
Gogotsi, Yury
Golding, Nick
Gong, Jinlong
Gong, Peng
Gotor, Cecilia
Govindan, Kannan
Grancini, Giulia
Grant, William B.
Graus, Francesc
Green, Douglas R.
Greenberg, Dan
Grigoriev, Igor
Grosso, Giuseppe
Gu, Zhanjun
Guan, Cao
Gueimonde, Miguel
Gui, Guan
Guo, Hengyu
Guo, Jianping
Guo, Jinghua
Guo, Song
Guo, Zaiping
Gutzmer, Ralf
Győrffy, Balázs
Haase, Dagmar
Hagger, Martin S.
Han, Buxing
Han, Fudong
Han, Heesup
Hanes, Justin
Hao, Junnan
He, Bao-Jie
He, Chi
He, Debiao
He, Hongwen
He, Jiaqing
He, Jr-Hau
He, Ping
He, Xiangming
He, Xijun
He, Zhili
Heinrich, Michael
Heneka, Michael Thomas
Henry, Brandon Michael
Herrera, Francisco
Herrera-Estrella, Luis
Hilal, Nidal
Hong, Danfeng
Hossain, Ekram
Hu, Enyuan
Hu, Jin-Song
Hu, Wenbin
Hu, Xiaosong
Huang, Bo
Huang, Haitao
Huang, Hongwei
Huang, Jianping
Huang, Qing
Huang, Yan
Huang, Yu
Hubacek, Klaus
Hwang, Jinsoo
Italiano, Antoine
Iwata, Hiroji
Izzo, Angelo A.
Jaiswal, Amit K.
Jankovic, Joseph
Jelezko, Fedor
Jeon, Byong-Hun
Ji, Jian
Ji, Xiaobo
Ji, Xiaoyuan
Jiang, Lei

Jiang, Lianzhou
Jiang, Shibo
Jiang, Yuji
Jiang, Yuyan
Jiang, Zhongyi
Jiao, Licheng
Jin, Hailing
Jin, Yuanxiang
Jin, Zhengyu
Jin, Zhong
Jing, Qingshen
Kalantar-zadeh, Kourosh
Kamal, Mohammad Amjad
Kaneti, Yusuf Valentino
Kang, Xudong
Kang, Zhenhui
Karagiannidis, George K.
Karki, Rajendra
Karniadakis, George Em
Kataoka, Kazunori
Katritch, Vsevolod
Kawi, Sibudjing
Kepp, Oliver
Khademhosseini, Ali
Kiessling, Fabian
Kim, Jong Seung
Kim, Jong-Hoon
Kim, Sung-Bae
Kim, Sunghwan
Kirkwood, John M.
Kivshar, Yuri
Klein, Christian
Klenk, Hans-Peter
Koh, Lenny
Kong, Baohua
Krause, Robert
Kroemer, Guido
Kudo, Masatoshi
Kumar, Anil
Kumar, Prashant
Kumar, Sudhir
Kurths, Juergen
Kurzrock, Razelle
Kyrpides, Nikos C.
La Vecchia, Carlo
Lam, Tommy Tsan-Yuk
Lan, Ke
Lancellotti, Patrizio
Landi, Francesco
Landi, Marco
Lavie, Carl J.
Lee, Chengkuo
Lee, Jin-Wook
Lee, Pooi See
Lehmann, Johannes
Lei, Yaguo
Li, Bing
Li, Chunzhong
Li, Dawei
Li, Dongfang
Li, Dongsheng
Li, Jingchao
Li, Jing-Feng
Li, Jinghong
Li, Linlin
Li, Meng
Li, Neng
Li, Ning
Li, Shutao
Li, Xiang
Li, Xuecao
Li, Yaping
Li, Yat
Li, Yong
Li, Yonghui
Li, Yurui
Liang, Hanfeng
Liang, Shuquan
Lin, Jun
Lin, Yi
Lin, Yuehe
Lippi, Giuseppe
Liu, Chengmei
Liu, Feng
Liu, Hong
Liu, Hongyu
Liu, Jian-Kui (Jack)
Liu, Meilin
Liu, Min
Liu, Shujuan
Liu, Xianhu
Liu, Xiaoping
Liu, Xuejun
Liu, Yu
Loh, Xian Jun
Long, Guankui
Long, Hualou
Long, Ying
Lu, Jianquan
Lu, Junling
Lu, Nanshu
Lu, Shun
Lu, Yingying
Lugato, Emanuele
Lund, Henrik
Luo, Jie
Luo, Jingshan
Luo, Yangchao
Luo, Zisheng
Lutolf, Matthias P.
Lv, Wei
Lyons, Timothy W.
Ma, Chao
Ma, Tianyi
Ma, Yanming
Mahmood, Nasir
Mahmoudi, Morteza
Mandalà, Mario
Mao, Jianfeng
Mao, Like
Martin-Belloso, Olga
Martinez, Luis
Mateos, Maria Victoria
Mathiesen, Brian Vad
Matyjaszewski, Krzysztof
McCauley, Darren
Mei, Lin
Melenhorst, Jan Joseph
Melero, Ignacio
Meyerholz, David K.
Miao, Song
Miroshnichenko, Andrey E.
Mittler, Ron
Montagne, Axel
Moreau, Philippe
Mu, Shichun
Muhammad, Khan
Mulligan, Mark J.
Mumtaz, Shahid
Nauen, Ralf
Nemeroff, Charles B.
Niaura, Raymond S.
Nussinov, Ruth
Oganov, Artem R.
Oh, Deog Hwan
O'Reilly, Eileen M.
Ouyang, Minggao
Ozcan, Aydogan
Pacher, Pal
Pan, Anlian
Pan, Anqiang
Pan, Caofeng
Pan, Genxing
Pan, Xiaoqing
Parati, Gianfranco
Peng, Qiang
Peng, Qing
Peng, Shushi
Perlin, David S.
Perlman, Stanley
Petruzzelli, Antonio Messeni
Peyrin-Biroulet, Laurent
Pitt, Bertram
Pöhlmann, Stefan
Polasky, Stephen
Pommier, Yves
Poor, H. Vincent
Portincasa, Piero
Potenza, Marc N.
Prinsep, Michele R.
Pu, Hongbin
Pu, Kanyi
Putnik, Predrag
Qi, Jianping
Qiang, Yujie
Qin, Yuanwei
Qiu, Jieshan
Qu, Xiaogang
Ragauskas, Arthur J.
Ramkissoon, Haywantee
Ran, Jingrun
Rao, Zhonghao
Ren, Jinsong
Rengel, Zed
Rezania, Shahabaldin
Rho, Junsuk
Riahi, Keywan
Ribeiro-Soriano, Domingo
Richardson, Paul G.
Rignot, Eric
Robert, Caroline
Rocca, Maria A.
Rodriguez-Manas, Leocadio
Rojas, Orlando J.
Rojo, Teofilo
Rossolini, Gian Maria
Saad, Walid
Saif, Linda J.
Saliba, Michael
Sander, Chris
Saso, Luciano
Scaldaferri, Franco
Schafer, Alexandra
Schatzberg, Alan F.
Schwab, Matthias
Scolyer, Richard A.
Scorrano, Luca
Scott, Stuart A.
Serruys, Patrick W.
Shao, Minhua
Shao, Shuai
Shao, Zongping
Shen, Guozhen
Shen, Liyin
Shen, Zexiang
Shi, Kai
Shi, Pei-Yong
Shi, Peng
Shi, Yi
Shin, Hyeon Suk
Shin, Su Ryon
Siano, Pierluigi
Simões, Manuel
Simpson, Richard J.
Sing, Swee Leong
Singh, Vijay P.
Skouta, Rachid
Smagghe, Guy

Song, Jibin
Song, Yanlin
Sood, Anil K.
Souto, Eliana B.
Speiser, Daniel E.
Stadler, Marc
Stephanopoulos, Gregory
Sternberg, Cora N.
Stoumpos, Constantinos C.
Su, Chao
Su, Dong
Sun, Cuixia
Sun, Fengchun
Sun, Guangyong
Sun, Jian
Sun, Litao
Sun, Xian
Sun, Zaicheng
Sun, Zhipei
Sureda, Antoni
Svenning, Jens-Christian
Tan, Chaoliang
Tang, Ben Zhong
Tang, Chuan-He
Tang, Chuyang
Tang, Dianping
Tang, Yawen
Tang, Yongbing
Tanzi, Rudolph E.
Tao, Yang
Teichmann, Sarah
Telenti, Amalio
Tian, He
Tian, He
Timsit, Jean-Francois
Tohge, Takayuki
Tran, Lam-Son Phan
Tress, Wolfgang
Trivedi, Pankaj
Tsao, Rong
Tsuda, Kenichi
Tukker, Arnold
Tung, Chen-Ho
van der Werf, Guido
Van Mierlo, Joeri
Vandenbroucke, Roosmarijn E.
Varsani, Arvind
Vatanen, Tommi
Verbeke, Kristin
Verpoorte, Robert
Vieta, Eduard
Vincent, Jean-Louis
Vinu, Ajayan
Vita, Antonio
Wagner, Wolfgang
Walters, William
Wan, Jiafu
Wanek, Wolfgang
Wang, Chunsheng
Wang, Dawei
Wang, Dongdong
Wang, Fang
Wang, Fayuan
Wang, Gongming
Wang, Guoxiu
Wang, Haihui
Wang, Huanting
Wang, John
Wang, Joseph
Wang, Lianzhou
Wang, Lihui
Wang, Qi
Wang, Qingsong
Wang, Rui
Wang, Shaojian
Wang, Sibo
Wang, Tao
Wang, Wenguan
Wang, Yanbo
Wang, Yong
Wang, Yonghong
Wang, Yu
Wang, Zhiyu
Wang, Zhong Lin
Wang, Zhongrui
Wang, Zifa
Wang, Ziyun
Wang, Zuankai
Wedzicha, Jadwiga
Wei, Haotong
Wei, Leyi
Wei, Mingyang
Wei, Zhixiang
Wei, Zhongbao
Weiskirchen, Ralf
Weissleder, Ralph
Wen, Guanghui
Wenwu, Yu
Wesemael, Bas van
Witlox, Frank
Wu, Di
Wu, Haijun
Wu, Hao
Wu, Hao Bin
Wu, Jianzhong
Wu, Lifeng
Wu, Qinglin
Wu, Shuilin
Wu, Tom
Wu, Yongning
Wu, Yongzhen
Wu, Yuping
Wu, Zheng-Guang
Wu, Zhong-Shuai
Xia, Jianguo (Jeff)
Xia, Xinhui
Xia, Xiufang
Xia, Yongyao
Xia, Zhiguo
Xiang, Quanjun
Xin, Sen
Xing, Wei
Xiong, Rui
Xu, Jianping
Xu, Li Da
Xu, Ping
Xu, Wu
Xu, Xiaomin
Xu, Xiaopeng
Xu, Zhenjiang Zech
Yan, Chong
Yan, Jun
Yan, Qingyu
Yang, Chenguang
Yang, Hongshun
Yang, Jianping
Yang, Shihe
Yang, Wei
Yang, Xin-She
Yang, Xinsong
Yang, Yongqing
Yang, Yun-Gui
Yao, Yonggang
Ye, Jun
Yin, Shen
Yin, Shou-Wei
Yin, Yulong
Yin, Zongyou
Yokoya, Naoto
Young, Allan H.
Yu, Bin
Yu, Guihua
Yu, Minghao
Yu, Shu-Hong
Yuan, Qiangqiang
Yuan, Yifei
Yue, Dong
Yue, Wenze
Zeadally, Sherali
Zeng, Xiaoxiong
Zhai, Guangtao
Zhai, Tianyou
Zhang, Anna Jinxia
Zhang, Bin
Zhang, Fang
Zhang, Fucang
Zhang, Fusuo
Zhang, Guangyu
Zhang, Guoqing
Zhang, Hengjie
Zhang, Jian
Zhang, Kai
Zhang, Lefei
Zhang, Liangpei
Zhang, Linqi
Zhang, Qiaobao
Zhang, Shanqing
Zhang, Shaoqing
Zhang, Shujun
Zhang, Tierui
Zhang, Wenjun
Zhang, Xian-Ming
Zhang, Xiaodong
Zhang, Xiaoling
Zhang, Yi-Zhou
Zhang, Yong-Wei
Zhang, Yu Shrike
Zhang, Yu-Dong
Zhang, Yue-Jun
Zhang, Yuelin
Zhang, Zhien
Zhao, Biao
Zhao, Guochun
Zhao, Jie
Zhao, Kangning
Zhao, Li-Dong
Zhao, Qing
Zhao, Yi
Zhavoronkov, Alex
Zheng, Hao
Zheng, Weitao
Zheng, Yufeng
Zhong, Cheng
Zhong, Yanfei
Zhou, Di
Zhou, Feng
Zhou, Jizhong
Zhou, Kun
Zhou, Lei
Zhou, Liang
Zhou, Peng
Zhou, Weijia
Zhou, Weiqi
Zhou, Yanhong
Zhou, Yuyu
Zhou, Zhigang
Zhu, Chengzhou
Zhu, Hongwei
Zhu, Junfa
Zhu, Jun-Jie
Zhu, Yongfa
Zhu, Zhe
Zhuang, Xiaodong
Zipfel, Stephan
Zou, Guoqiang
Zou, Ruqiang
Zoulim, Fabien
Zuo, Chao

2 December 2024
Applied Sciences | Invitation to Read the Updated Editor’s Choice Articles Published in 2023–2024


The goal of the Editor’s Choice Articles project is to promote high-quality articles published in Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417). Please find below the list of articles carefully handpicked by the scientific editors of the journal, which we believe will be of interest to you. The full list of Editor's Choice Articles can be viewed at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/editors_choice.

1. “Ceramic Matrix Composites for Aero Engine Applications—A Review”
by George Karadimas and Konstantinos Salonitis
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3017; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053017
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3017

2. “Evaluation and Current State of Primary and Secondary Zinc Production—A Review”
by Henryk Kania and Mariola Saternus
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 2003; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13032003
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/2003

3. “Operational Performance and Energy Efficiency of MEX 3D Printing with Polyamide 6 (PA6): Multi-Objective Optimization of Seven Control Settings Supported by L27 Robust Design”
by Constantine David, Dimitrios Sagris, Markos Petousis, Nektarios K. Nasikas, Amalia Moutsopoulou, Evangelos Sfakiotakis, Nikolaos Mountakis, Chrysa Charou and Nectarios Vidakis
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8819; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158819
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/15/8819

4. “Implicit to Explicit Algorithm for ABAQUS Standard User-Subroutine UMAT for a 3D Hashin-Based Orthotropic Damage Model”
by M. R. T. Arruda, M. Trombini and A. Pagani
Appl. Sci 2023, 13(2), 1155; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13021155
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/1155

5. “Mineral Characterization Using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM): A Review of the Fundamentals, Advancements, and Research Directions”
by Asif Ali, Ning Zhang and Rafael M. Santos
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(23), 12600; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132312600
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/23/12600

6. “Green Corrosion Inhibitors Based on Plant Extracts for Metals and Alloys in Corrosive Environment: A Technological and Scientific Prospection”
by Williams Raphael de Souza Morais, Jaceguai Soares da Silva, Nathalia Marcelino Pereira Queiroz, Carmen Lúcia de Paiva e Silva Zanta, Adriana Santos Ribeiro and Josealdo Tonholo
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7482; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137482
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7482

7. “Development of Cementitious Mortars for Aerial Additive Manufacturing”
by Barrie Dams, Binling Chen, Paul Shepherd and Richard J. Ball
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 641; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010641
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/641

8. “Debris Management in Turkey Provinces Affected by the 6 February 2023 Earthquakes: Challenges during Recovery and Potential Health and Environmental Risks”
by Spyridon Mavroulis, Maria Mavrouli, Emmanuel Vassilakis, Ioannis Argyropoulos, Panayotis Carydis and Efthymis Lekkas
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8823; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158823
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/15/8823

9. “Hydrological Drought Frequency Analysis in Water Management Using Univariate Distributions”
by Cristian Gabriel Anghel and Cornel Ilinca
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3055; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053055
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3055

10. “Spatial Assessment of Soil Erosion Risk Using RUSLE Embedded in GIS Environment: A Case Study of Jhelum River Watershed”
by Muhammad Waseem, Fahad Iqbal, Muhammad Humayun, Muhammad Umais Latif, Tayyaba Javed and Megersa Kebede Leta
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3775; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063775
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3775

11. “Incorporating Foreshocks in an Epidemic-like Description of Seismic Occurrence in Italy”
by Giuseppe Petrillo and Eugenio Lippiello
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 4891; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084891
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/4891

12. “How Does the Metaverse Shape Education? A Systematic Literature Review”
by Fabio De Felice, Antonella Petrillo, Gianfranco Iovine, Cinzia Salzano and Ilaria Baffo
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(9), 5682; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13095682
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/9/5682

13. “A Perspective on Ethernet in Automotive Communications—Current Status and Future Trends”
by Lucia Lo Bello, Gaetano Patti and Luca Leonardi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1278; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031278
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1278

14. “Effects of Heat Treatment and Diamond Burnishing on Fatigue Behaviour and Corrosion Resistance of AISI 304 Austenitic Stainless Steel”
by Jordan Maximov, Galya Duncheva, Angel Anchev, Vladimir Dunchev, Yaroslav Argirov and Maria Nikolova
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2570; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042570
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2570

15. “Effectiveness of Machine-Learning and Deep-Learning Strategies for the Classification of Heat Treatments Applied to Low-Carbon Steels Based on Microstructural Analysis”
by Jorge Muñoz-Rodenas, Francisco García-Sevilla, Juana Coello-Sobrino, Alberto Martínez-Martínez and Valentín Miguel-Eguía
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3479; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063479
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3479

16. “Human-Focused Digital Twin Applications for Occupational Safety and Health in Workplaces: A Brief Survey and Research Directions”
by Jin-Sung Park, Dong-Gu Lee, Jesus A. Jimenez, Sung-Jin Lee and Jun-Woo Kim
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4598; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074598
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4598

17. “A Vision Detection Scheme Based on Deep Learning in a Waste Plastics Sorting System”
by Shengping Wen, Yue Yuan and Jingfu Chen
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4634; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074634
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4634

18. “Simulating a Digital Factory and Improving Production Efficiency by Using Virtual Reality Technology”
by Michal Hovanec, Peter Korba, Martin Vencel and Samer Al-Rabeei
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 5118; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13085118
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/5118

19. “Improvement of Electrical and Mechanical Properties of PLA/PBAT Composites Using Coconut Shell Biochar for Antistatic Applications”
by Justin George, Daeseung Jung and Debes Bhattacharyya
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 902; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020902
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/902

20. “Review of Flexible Supercapacitors Using Carbon Nanotube-Based Electrodes”
by Yurim Han, Heebo Ha, Chunghyeon Choi, Hyungsub Yoon, Paolo Matteini, Jun Young Cheong and Byungil Hwang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3290; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053290
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3290

21. “An Updated Review: Opuntia ficus indica (OFI) Chemistry and Its Diverse Applications”
by Rizwan Shoukat, Marta Cappai, Giorgio Pia and Luca Pilia
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7724; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137724
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7724

22. “Noble Metal-Based Heterogeneous Catalysts for Electrochemical Hydrogen Evolution Reaction”
by Huajie Niu, Qingyan Wang, Chuanxue Huang, Mengyang Zhang, Yu Yan, Tong Liu and Wei Zhou
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2177; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042177
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2177

23. “Mitigation of Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory and Antiretroviral Drugs as Environmental Pollutants by Adsorption Using Nanomaterials as Viable Solution—A Critical Review”
by Sisonke Sigonya, Thabang Hendrica Mokhothu, Teboho Clement Mokhena and Talent Raymond Makhanya
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 772; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020772
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/772

24. “The Use of Coagulation–Flocculation for Industrial Colored Wastewater Treatment—(I) The Application of Hybrid Materials”
by Carmen Zaharia, Corina-Petronela Musteret and Marius-Alexandru Afrasinei
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(5), 2184; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14052184
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/5/2184

We would like to thank all of the research groups that authored these exceptional papers for their contribution. We sincerely hope you find these articles of Applied Sciences as useful and as insightful as we have found them.

27 November 2024
Meet Us at The Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences 2025 (XMAS 2025), 14–17 January 2025, Xiamen, China


Conference: The Xiamen Symposium on Marine Environmental Sciences 2025 (XMAS 2025)
Date: 14–17 January 2025
Location: Xiamen, China

MDPI will be attending XMAS 2025, which will be held from 14 to 17 January 2025 in Xiamen, China.

XMAS started in 2014 and has grown into one of the largest marine science conferences in Asia, aiming to exchange research interests in the global and regional oceans. The symposium will include interdisciplinary, cutting-edge sessions covering physical, chemical, and biological oceanography and marine toxicology. In addition, workshops on emerging topics in marine environmental science, such as ocean carbon removal, ocean governance and sustainability, ocean economy, ocean education and outreach, as well as a special session on women in science and mentoring future scientists, will be held to promote interdisciplinary research in marine environmental science and lay the foundation for training the next generation of marine scientists.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you plan to attend the conference, we encourage you to visit our booth and speak to our representatives. We are eager to meet you in person and assist you with any queries that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the official website: https://melmeeting.xmu.edu.cn/xmas/.

25 November 2024
The 5th International Conference on Symmetry (Symmetry 2025)—Open for Submissions


We are pleased to announce that the 5th International Conference on Symmetry (Symmetry 2025) is scheduled to take place from 16 to 19 May 2025 in Hangzhou, China. The conference, organized by MDPI’s Symmetry (ISSN: 2073-8994, Impact Factor: 2.2), aims to gather researchers, professionals, and experts interested in this field to share their latest research findings, innovations, and experiences.

For this upcoming event, we are proud to announce the following conference chairs and plenary speakers.

Conference Chairs:

  • Dr. Sergei D. Odintsov, Institute of Space Sciences, Spain;
  • Dr. Changzheng Qu, Ningbo University, China;
  • Dr. Jihuan He, Soochow University, China.

Plenary Speakers:

  • Dr. Ronggen Cai, Ningbo University, China;
  • Dr. Sergei D. Odintsov, Institute of Space Sciences, Spain;
  • Dr. Jiping Zhang, Peking University, China.

Topics of Interest and Session Chairs:
S1. Physics

  • Session Chair: Shin'ichi Nojiri, Nagoya University, Japan;
  • Session Chair: Prof. Tianjun Li, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Henan Normal University, China;
  • Session Chair: Prof. Yuxiao Liu, Lanzhou University, China.

S2. Mathematics

  • Session Chair: Prof. Qingwen Wang, Shanghai University, China;
  • Session Chair: Prof. Shoufeng Shen, Zhejiang University of Technology, China.

S3. Chemistry

  • Session Chair: György Keglevich, Budapest University of Technology and Economics, Hungary;
  • Session Chair: Prof. Weihua Tang, Xiamen University, China.

S4. Engineering

  • Session Chair: Prof. Chong Wang, Beihang University China, China;
  • Session Chair: Prof. Deming Lei, Wuhan University of Technology, China.

S5. Computer Science

  • Session Chair: Prof. Hu Xiong, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, China;
  • Session Chair: Prof. Kuo-Hui Yeh, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taiwan.

S6. Symmetry Applications

  • Session Chair: Prof. Jihuan He, Soochow University, China;
  • Session Chair: Prof. Chunli Zhang, Zhejiang University, China.

Conference Awards:

  • Best Oral Presentation Award;
  • Best Poster Award;
  • Best Speaker Award.

Number of winners: 23.

Prizes:
CNY 1500 (5 winners); a full Article Processing Charge (APC) waiver for Symmetry (6 winners); a 50% APC waiver for Symmetry (12 winners); and a certificate celebrating this achievement (all winners).

Guide for Authors:
To submit your abstract, please click on the following link:
https://sciforum.net/user/submission/create/1219.

To register for the event, please click on the following link:
https://sciforum.net/event/symmetry2025?section=#registration.

For more information, you may refer to the following:
https://sciforum.net/event/symmetry2025?section=#instructions.

Important Dates:
Abstract Submission Deadline: 16 February 2025
Notification of Acceptance: 9 March 2025
Early-Bird Registration: 16 March 2025
Registration Deadline: 16 May 2025

We look forward to receiving your contribution to Symmetry 2025.

Conference Chairs
Symmetry 2025 Organizing Team ([email protected])

14 November 2024
Applied Sciences Webinar | Advanced Vibrational Spectroscopy Technology: Emerging Trends in Biomedical Applications, 27 November 2024


Vibrational spectroscopy is one of the key instrumentations that allows for the non-invasive investigation of the structural and chemical composition of both organic and inorganic materials. In recent years, relevant progress has been achieved within the biospectroscopy field, with applications mainly being in clinical chemistry (disease pattern recognition, non-invasive assays, or the screening of neurodegenerative diseases), medical diagnostics (in particular, cancer vs. healthy), or the characterization of biomaterials (e.g., cartilage or bone composition). Instrumental developments with regard to components include fiber lasers, quantum cascade lasers as tunable radiation sources, components for bedside patient monitoring, and instruments for microscopy and imaging.

In precision medicine, spectral histopathology and cytopathology have advanced to deliver results that are ready for application in intraoperative decisions. Spectral data handling for tissue classification poses the challenge of an enormous amount of data, which requires efficient algorithms, chemometric methods, and high computer power with appropriate data storage. Machine learning and deep learning algorithms have been successfully applied to manage large datasets originating from the applications of such techniques.

The related Special Issue, “Advanced Vibrational Spectroscopy Technology: Emerging Trends in Biomedical Applications”, aims to collect and publish recent advances in this interdisciplinary area. Research articles, as well as reviews, dealing with innovative measurement techniques, instrumentation development, and novel applications of all parts of vibrational spectroscopy and AI methods are invited for submission. Manuscripts referring to the analysis of biofluid or tissue biopsy samples, cellular and subcellular investigations, or integral tissue characterization and related innovative methods of data analysis are welcome.

Date: 27 November 2024 at 10:00 a.m. CET | 5:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 819 8482 0659

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.

Register now for free!

 Program:

Speaker/Presentation

Time in CET

Time in CST Asia

Dr Mario D’Acunto

Chair Introduction

10:00–10:10 a.m.

5:00–5:10 p.m.

Dr Mario D’Acunto

Raman Spectroscopy Applied to Biomedicine

10.10–10.30 a.m.

5:10–5:30 p.m.

Dr Francesco Conti

Topographical Machine Learning of Raman

10.30–10.50 a.m.

5:30–5:50 p.m.

Dr Gianmarco Lazzini

Cancer Grading by Raman Spectroscopy

10.50–11.10 a.m.

5:50–6:10 p.m.

Q&A Session

10.10–10.15 a.m.

6:00–6:15 p.m.

Mario D’Acunto

Closing of Webinar

11.15–11.20 a.m.

6:15–6:20 p.m.

Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:

  • Dr Mario D’Acunto (Chair), Institute of Biophysics, Italian National Research Council, Italy;
  • Dr Francesco Conti, INRIA Centre, Université Côte d'Azur, France;
  • Dr Gianmarco Lazzini, Institute of Information Science and Technologies, Italian National Research Council, Italy.

Relevant Special Issue:

Advanced Vibrational Spectroscopy Technology: Emerging Trends in Biomedical Applications
Guest Editor: Dr. Mario D’Acunto
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2025

For more information about this webinar, please visit the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/ApplSci-18.

13 November 2024
Meet Us at the 4th Central European Technology Forum, 18–19 November 2024, Krakow, Poland

MDPI will be attending the 4th Central European Technology Forum, which will be held from 18 to 19 November 2024 in Krakow, Poland.

This year’s edition of the Forum will be organized by IZTECH, AGH University of Krakow, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, City of Krakow, and the Polish Federation of Engineering Associations.

The Forum will be an ideal opportunity for stakeholders representing 16 countries in Central Europe to discuss and share novel findings and build partnerships that will shape the European technology and industry of tomorrow. The Forum is also expected to put forward some new ideas and proposals aimed at implementing the European technological and scientific agenda for 2025–2030.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the symposium:

If you are planning to attend the above-mentioned conference, we encourage you to visit our booth and speak with our representatives. We are eager to meet you in person and assist you with any queries that you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the official website: https://cetef.eu/en/main/

13 November 2024
Meet Us at the 38th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (IEEE MEMS 2025), 19–23 January 2025, Kaohsiung, Taiwan


The 38th IEEE International Conference on Micro Electro Mechanical Systems (IEEE MEMS 2025) will be held in January 2025 at the Kaohsiung Exhibition Center. This conference is one of the premier annual events reporting research results on every aspect of MEMS and microsystems technology, as well as their relevant technologies and industrial trends. In particular, IEEE MEMS 2025 will bring more industrial elements to broaden the impact of various application scenarios, showing their significance in the more-than-Moore era.

MDPI will be attending the conference as an exhibitor; we welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the symposium:

If you are planning to attend the above conference, we encourage you to visit our booth and speak to our representatives. We are eager to meet you in person and assist you with any queries that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the official website at https://www.mems25.org/.

6 November 2024
Meet Us at the Future Technologies Symposium from SENDAI, 25–28 November 2024, Sendai, Japan


The Future Technologies symposium will be held from 25 to 28 November 2024 at the Sendai International Centre Exhibition Building. This symposium is the largest symposium in Japan in the field of sensors and micromachine technology and provides a forum for the exchange of information and discussion of research results and ideas among research groups across academic and association boundaries. MDPI will be attending as an exhibitor, and we welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the symposium:

  • Sensors;
  • Micromachines;
  • Biosensors;
  • Actuators;
  • Applied Sciences;
  • Eng;
  • JETA;
  • Electronics.

If you are planning to attend the above conference, we encourage you to visit our booth and speak to our representatives. We are eager to meet you in person and assist you with any queries that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the official website at https://sensorsymposium.org/.

5 November 2024
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #17 - OA Week, Basel Open Day, Beijing Graphene Forum

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.

In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.


Opening Thoughts

Open Access Week: Forging the Future of Open Access through Global Reach and Collaboration

From 21 to 27 October, we celebrated International Open Access Week (OAW), highlighting the importance of making research accessible to everyone. This campaign reinforced our commitment to advancing open access (OA) and showcased how we are helping research communities worldwide adopt OA as their standard.

 

“OA publishing is now a cornerstone of global research”

Throughout the week, we featured MDPI’s efforts to support quality open research through blog posts on topics such as how Research Integrity Promotes OA Practices, our Preprints.org platform, and supporting societies with different OA models. These initiatives capture our commitment to making research more inclusive and accessible to all.

OA publishing is now a cornerstone of global research, with more researchers choosing OA over traditional paywalled models, and embracing new, community-driven models.

Benefits of Open Access and Open Research

  • Accelerated Discoveries: OA speeds up scientific progress by allowing immediate access to findings, enabling researchers to build on each other’s work faster.
  • Community-Led Innovation: Open research empowers communities to manage their own platforms, creating collaboration and shared knowledge.
  • Increased Visibility: OA broadens the reach of your research, leading to greater recognition, collaboration, and impact.
  • Cross-Disciplinary Connections: By removing financial and geographical barriers, OA unites diverse fields, sparking innovation across disciplines.

MDPI Singapore Celebrates Open Access Week

MDPI Singapore also hosted its first-ever OAW event at the Marina Bay Sands Convention Centre, bringing together academics, researchers, and students to discuss the future of open scholarship. Conversations focused on the potential of new publishing models, alternative funding strategies, and the importance of communicating research to wider audiences.

As OA evolves, MDPI remains a committed partner in advancing open science and creating a transparent, inclusive research environment. For a full recap of the week’s highlights and resources, visit our campaign page.

Impactful Research

MDPI Connection to Nobel-Winning Protein Research

David Baker, an American biochemist, and Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper, two scientists from Google DeepMind, have been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their groundbreaking advancements in better understanding the structure of proteins, the molecular engines of life’s processes.

One half of the prize was awarded to Professor David Baker from the University of Washington for his development of revolutionary protein design software enabling the creation of novel proteins for vaccines, nanomaterials, and sensors. Prof. Baker co-authored a 2016 paper in MDPI’s Toxins journal on protein-based therapeutics.

Meanwhile, DeepMind’s Demis Hassabis and John M. Jumper received recognition for AlphaFold, the AI model that predicts protein structures from amino acid sequences, fulfilling a long-held scientific dream.

“We congratulate this year’s Nobel laureates for their groundbreaking contributions to the study of life”

 Nobel Prize Laureates Entrust MDPI with Their Research

As at October 2024, 45 Nobel laureates had contributed to more than 115 articles across

35 MDPI journals. The privilege of hosting the research of such contributors, who significantly influence the open access movement, resonates deeply with our editorial teams.

We are proud to list the names of Pierre Agostini, Hiroshi Amano, Werner Arber, Aaron Ciechanover, Robert H. Grubbs, Oliver Hart, Gerard ‘t Hooft, Michael Houghton, Harald zur Hausen, Katalin Karikó, Jean-Marie Lehn, Gérard Mourou, Ferid Murad, Shuji Nakamura, William Nordhaus, Kostya S. Novoselov, Giorgio Parisi, Charles M. Rice, Alvin E. Roth, Donna Strickland, K. Barry Sharpless, George F. Smoot, Anne L’Huillier, Drew Weissman, Kurt Wüthrich, Ada Yonath, Tomas Lindahl, Thomas C. Südhof, Stanley B. Prusiner, Roger Kornberg, Robert F. Engle, Richard J. Roberts, Ōmura Satoshi, Kenneth J. Arrow, John B. Goodenough, Jennifer Doudna, Hamilton Othanel Smith, Eric R. Kandel, Carlo Rubbia, Bernard Feringa, Barry J. Marshall, Anthony J. Leggett, Andrew Victor Schally, and David Baker.

Notable MRNA Published in Cells

On 7 October 2024, the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was jointly awarded to Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for the discovery of microRNA and its role in post-transcriptional gene regulation.

MicroRNAs are proving to be fundamentally important for how organisms develop and function. Some interesting papers about microRNA research are published in the MDPI journal Cells. I invite you browse through the notable papers related to microRNA research in Cells.

Inside MDPI

Basel Open Day

On 21 October, we held the Basel Open Day at our headquarters, welcoming a group of journal Editors-in-Chief (EiC) and Editorial Board Members (EBMs) for a full-day workshop. The event featured presentations and discussions on MDPI’s latest editorial updates, data integrity policies, society collaborations, and local market insights.

The following MDPI journals were represented during the visit: Physics, Journal of Personalized Medicine (JPM), Sci, Remote Sensing, Animals, Cells, Buildings, Histories, Sensors, and International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH).

This was a great opportunity to showcase our new office space while gathering feedback from leading journal stakeholders. To get everyone on the same page, we took 60 minutes for round-table introductions, which helped set a collaborative tone and ground us in MDPI’s mission of disseminating open science.

“This was a great opportunity to gather feedback from leading journal stakeholders”

The general feedback from the day highlighted positive developments around our editorial and ethics policies, as well as areas for improvement, including flexibility regarding reviewer deadlines. There was a genuine appreciation and push for our ongoing efforts to share more about MDPI, including company updates and promoting high-quality research through our blog, announcements, and social media channels, which we have been growing and expanding.

Our Basel Open Day was a positive experience, bringing together key journal stakeholders and gathering insights to guide MDPI’s continued engagement with the academic community. We look forward to hosting future events of this kind and welcoming more scholars to our headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.

Coming Together for Science

ncRNA 2024 Conference in Basel

I am pleased to share that we held Non-coding RNA World 2024: Exploring Mechanisms, Designing Medicines (ICM 2024) in Basel, Switzerland this past 7–9 October.

The three-day event attracted just over 100 attendees, including two Chairs, 10 invited speakers and two keynotes from Prof. Mauro Giacca and Prof. Ling-Ling Chen. Of the presentations on site, there were 35 posters and 44 oral presentations.

The overall feedback was positive, with people enjoying the intimate event and the unique activities offered, including a guided tour around Basel’s Old Town (a must-see for anyone visiting the city) and a memorable conference dinner.

It was cool to see the winners of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine announced during the conference days. This was exciting for attendees, as the winners discovered a new class of RNA molecules (miRNAs). As one invited speaker put it, “It's exciting to be among fellows when something that important for the field is announced.”

“It's exciting to be among fellows when something that important for the field is announced”

Every attendee receives a conference survey, and I’m always pleased to see a high percentage of ‘Very Satisfied’ responses when asked about ‘treatment from conference personnel’. Kudos to our conference team for meeting our attendees’ needs. These events are a great opportunity for us to reach new audiences, as 92% of the respondents had never been to an MDPI conference, so I am thrilled to see us connecting with a new demographic of your researchers in the RNA field.

A special thank-you to our partnering societies The Epigenetics Society, The French Society of Genetics, LS2 / USGEB (Union of Swiss Societies for Experimental Biology), and The RNA Biology Group, as well as to our sponsors New England Biolabs and Arraystar for their support of the ncRNA 2024 conference. I am also pleased to report that we presented two awards, including the Best Presentation Award and two Best Poster Award, recognizing the contributions of our participants.

Upcoming In-Person Event

27–29 November 2024
Pharmaceuticals 2024 – Recent Advances in Pharmaceutical Sciences Towards a Healthy Life
Location: Barcelona, Spain

The discovery of new molecules, their properties, and actions to enhance human health and quality of life.

Find more upcoming MDPI events here.

Closing Thoughts

Beijing Graphene Forum 2024

I am pleased to share that we had a successful time at the Beijing Graphene Forum 2024, which drew around 1,000 attendees, including Konstantin Novoselov (2015 Nobel Prize in Physics) and other high-profile scholars in materials science and chemistry. It was a great opportunity to present MDPI on the big stage, with university presidents from institutions such as Peking University also in attendance.

I had the honour of awarding Prof. Zhongfan Liu, Chairman of the Chemical Science Committee, with a medal and presenting certificates to the members of the Chemical Science Committee; this is an important initiative to help expand MDPI’s journals and influence in China. These are highly respected scholars, and we enjoyed connecting with them over lunch as well.

“This is an important initiative to help expand MDPI’s journals and influence in China”

I also had the chance to speak about MDPI and open access, giving a five-minute speech during the opening ceremony and a 20-minute presentation at the close. MDPI hosted a sub-forum where both academic scholars and MDPI members shared insights, and we engaged with attendees at our MDPI booth.

This was a great opportunity to spotlight MDPI as the main publishing partner for the event, and I was proud to represent us on stage. We also met with scholars to discuss topics such as their publishing needs and institutional policies, open access, impact journals, and IOAP.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

1 November 2024
Meet Us at the 2nd International Conference on Construction Project Management and Construction Engineering, 20–23 November 2024, Sydney, Australia


MDPI will be attending the 2nd International Conference on Project Management and Construction Engineering (iCCPMCE), which will be held from 20 to 23 November 2024 in Sydney, Australia.

The iCCPMCE 2024 will feature keynote addresses by world industry and academic leaders in construction management and construction engineering. It will cover a wide range of areas within this research field, offering leading and new researchers and construction practitioners the opportunity to exchange their views and ideas.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the symposium:

If you are planning to attend the above conference, we encourage you to visit our booth and speak to our representatives. We are eager to meet you in person and assist you with any queries that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the official website at http://www.iccpmce.net.au/Home.aspx.

30 October 2024
Applied Sciences Webinar | New Challenges in Urban Underground Engineering, 11 November 2024


Welcome to this online seminar, which is technically supported by MDPI. The purpose of this online seminar is to provide a mini forum to promote scientific research on urban underground engineering that has emerged in recent years. With the increasing exploitation of underground space and construction of high-rise buildings in urban areas, numerous underground projects have emerged, constantly expanding in scale and depth. However, during the construction of urban underground engineering, various issues arise such as penetrative destruction, local dewatering, uplift pressure, and corrosivity. While research on urban land and underground space currently focuses primarily on engineering technology, a comprehensive analysis of the entire situation is necessary. To promote the scientific study on urban underground engineering, we have launched a Special Issue in Applied Science entitled “New Challenges in Urban Underground Engineering”.

We have received eight submissions and two of them have been published. We are hoping researchers and scientists who are working on issues related to this Special Issue will consider submitting their papers to this Special Issue. Today, we are happy to have three speakers join this online seminar: Dr. Qian Fang, Dr. Xuesong Cheng, and Dr. Sulei Zhang. These speakers are young doctors and have worked on urban underground engineering-related studies. They will present what they have achieved and what they have found.

Date: 11 November 2024 at 3:00 a.m. CET | 10:00 a.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 874 6557 8652

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.

Register now for free!

Program:

Speaker/Presentation

Time in CET

Time in CST Asia

Prof. Dr. Pengfei Li

Chair Introduction

03:00–03:10 a.m.

10:00–10:10 a.m.

Prof. Dr. Qian Fang

AI in Tunnel Engineering

03:10–03:30 a.m.

10:10–10:30 a.m.

Dr. Xuesong Cheng

System Safety Performance and Resilience of Deep Excavation and Underground Engineering

03:30–03:50 a.m.

10:30–10:50 a.m.

Prof. Dr. Sulei Zhang

Collapse Mechanism of the Soil–Sand–Rock Composite Strata Under Disturbance During Subway Tunnel Construction

03:50–04:10 a.m.

10:50–11:10 a.m.

Q&A Session

04:10–04:20 a.m.

11:10–11:20 a.m.

Prof. Dr. Pengfei Li

Closing of Webinar

04:20–04:30 a.m.

11:20–11:30 a.m.

Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:

  • Prof. Dr. Pengfei Li (Chair), Key Laboratory of Urban Security and Disaster Engineering of the Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Technology, China;
  • Prof. Dr. Qian Fang, Key Laboratory for Urban Underground Engineering of Ministry of Education, Beijing Jiaotong University, China;
  • Dr. Xuesong Cheng, Department of Civil Engineering, Tianjin University, China;
  • Prof. Dr. Sulei Zhang, School of Civil Engineering, Qingdao University of Technology, China.

Relevant Special Issue:
New Challenges in Urban Underground Engineering
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Pengfei Li and Prof. Dr. Qian Fang
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2025

For more information about this webinar, please visit the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/ApplSci-17.

29 October 2024
Meet Us at the 10th National Conference on Applied Geochemistry, 1–3 November 2024, Kunming, China


Conference: The 10th National Conference on Applied Geochemistry
Date: 1–3 November 2024
Location: Kunming, China

MDPI will be attending the 10th National Conference on Applied Geochemistry, which will be held from 1 to 3 November 2024 in Kunming, China.

The theme of this conference is “Improving the Level of Applied Geochemical Research to Promote a New Round of Prospecting Breakthroughs, Strategic Action, and Healthy Geological Engineering”. The conference will carry out academic exchanges on the following topics: the geochemical exploration of strategic mineral resources; the geochemical investigation and evaluation of health in geology, environment, ecology, and agriculture; geochemical responses to geological disasters; and innovative research in geochemical methods. We seek to apply the principles and methods of geochemistry to all fields of earth science, build an academic platform for sharing knowledge, inspiring innovation and active exchanges, and promote the applied research and academic exchanges of geochemistry in earth science and related fields.

The conference topics include the following:

  • The exploration and geochemical principles, methods, technologies, and innovative applications of strategic mineral resources;
  • Geochemical tracing and prospecting predictions of key minerals;
  • The investigation, evaluation, and application of environmental and ecological geochemistry;
  • Health geology and agricultural geochemistry investigation, monitoring technologies, and applications;
  • Research and innovative applications of sedimentary geochemistry and energy geochemistry in oil–gas basins;
  • Innovative applications of geochemical big data in resource management, environment, and other fields.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you are planning to attend the conference, we encourage you to visit our booth and speak to our representatives. We are eager to meet you in person and assist you with any queries that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the official website: http://www.csmpg.org.cn/tzgg2017/202405/t20240506_6967245.html.

17 October 2024
Applied Sciences Webinar | Advances in Multiphase Electric Drives and Control, 23 October 2024


The purpose of this online seminar is to provide a mini forum to promote research advances in electric drives and power conversion as agents for improving the efficiency and reliability of the systems in which they are included. This webinar focuses on the regulation of multiphase electric drives.

Addressing the global energy situation requires the application of more competitive technological solutions in both the production and consumption of energy. In this context, green energy generation, electric mobility and more electric industrial processes are considered exciting solutions to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and optimize energy consumption. All of these solutions inherently include electric drives and have thus caught the attention of researchers involved in the development of electric vehicles, energy conversion systems and high-performance industrial motor applications. These fields of work focus on enhancing the performance of electric drives from different approaches, ranging from the use of new semiconductor technology to the introduction of new control strategies and from the improved design of electrical machines to new VSC topologies. Multiphase electric drives are a compelling choice for variable-speed industrial applications with more demanding requirements as they offer enhanced fault tolerance and a reduced per-phase current rating without increasing the rated voltage; their control has led to the creation of an extensive field of research. For this reason, this webinar and the related Special Issue aim to provide insight into the state of the art and advances pertaining to electric drives and multiphase electric drives, along with their regulation schemes and other progresses in power conversion. Researchers working on topics related to this Special Issue may wish to submit papers. There will be five speakers attending this online webinar: Prof. Cruz, Dr. Gonçalves, Prof. Rodas, Prof. Ayala and Prof. Duran. They are senior researchers and have worked on multiphase electric drive-related studies.

Date: 23 October 2024 at 4:00 p.m. CEST | 10:00 a.m. EDT | 10:00 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 814 4229 3439
Webinar website: https://sciforum.net/event/ApplSci-16

Register now for free!

Program:

Speaker Presentation Title Time in CEST Time in EDT Time in CST Asia
Prof. Ignacio González-Prieto and Prof. Juan José Aciego Gallardo Chair Introduction 4:00–4:10 p.m. 10:00–10:10 a.m. 10:00–10:10 p.m.
Prof. Jorge Rodas and Prof. Magno Ayala FCS-MPC in Six-Phase Drives 4:10–4:40 p.m. 10:10–10:40 a.m. 10:10–10:40 p.m.
Prof. Sérgio M. A. Cruz and Dr. Pedro F. C. Gonçalves Multiphase PMSG 4:40–5:10 p.m. 10:40–11:10 a.m. 10:40–11:10 p.m.
Prof. Mario J. Durán Impact of High Switching Frequencies on FCS-MPC 5:10–5:40 p.m. 11:10–11:40 a.m. 11:10–11:40 p.m.
Q&A Session   5:40–6:10 p.m. 11:40 a.m.–12:10 p.m. 11:40 p.m.–12:10 a.m.
Prof. Ignacio González-Prieto and Prof. Juan José Aciego Gallardo Closing of Webinar 6:10–6:15 p.m. 12:10–12:15 p.m. 12:10–12:15 a.m.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

If you are unable to attend, register anyway and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.

Webinar Chairs and Keynote Speakers:

  • Prof. Ignacio Gonzalez Prieto, Electrical Engineering Department, Industrial Engineering School, University of Malaga, Spain;
  • Prof. Juan José Aciego-Gallardo, Electrical Engineering Department, Industrial Engineering School, University of Malaga, Spain;
  • Prof. Jorge Rodas, Laboratory of Power and Control Systems, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Asuncion, Paraguay;
  • Prof. Magno Ayala, Laboratory of Power and Control Systems, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de Asuncion, Paraguay;
  • Prof. Sérgio Cruz, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Coimbra, Portugal;
  • Dr. Pedro F. Gonçalves, Vestas Wind Systems A/S, Hedeager 42, 8200 Aarhus N, Denmark;
  • Prof. Mario J. Durán, Department of Electrical Engineering of University of Málaga, Spain.

Relevant Special Issue:
Advances in Electric Drives and Control
Guest Editors: Juan J. Aciego-Gallardo and Ignacio Gonzalez Prieto
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 January 2025

16 October 2024
MDPI's Newly Launched Journals in September 2024

Five new journals covering a diverse range of subjects launched their inaugural issue in September 2024. Like other journals in MDPI’s portfolio, these journals are dedicated to sharing the latest research through open access, reflecting our commitment to making knowledge accessible to all.

We extend our sincere gratitude to the Editorial Board Members for their dedication to the launch and development of our new journals. Each journal will ensure its high-quality output via excellent editorial and rigorous peer-review processes so that the published articles achieve significant impact and broad visibility.

We invite you to explore and learn more about these new journals below.

Journal Founding Editor-in-Chief Journal Topics (Selected)
Prof. Dr. Nejat Düzgüneş, University of the Pacific, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue biological therapy and stem-cell therapy; drug therapy; chemotherapy; radiation and other nonsurgical therapeutic strategies | view journal scope | submit an article
Prof. Dr. Magda Tsolaki, Greek Federation of Alzheimer’s Disease, Greece; Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece | Editorial | view inaugural issue surgical/procedural complications; complications; perioperative adverse events; postoperative adverse events | view journal scope | submit an article
Prof. Dr. Steven R. Fassnacht, Colorado State University, USA; Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere, USA | Editorial | view inaugural issue ice as a mineral; atmospheric ice; sea ice; freshwater ice; ice sheets; ice caps and ice shelves | view journal scope | submit an article
Dr. Francisco Epelde, Hospital Universitari Parc Tauli, Spain; University Autonoma of Barcelona, Spain | Editorial | view inaugural issue hospital management; hospital facilities; hospital services; hospital risk management; health law | view journal scope | submit an article
Prof. Dr. Nicola Ferri, University of Padova, Italy | Editorial | view inaugural issue lipids in cells and whole organisms; lipid structure and function; lipid products and processes; dietary lipids and nutrition | view journal scope | submit an article

We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. You are welcome to send an application here or contact the New Journal Committee ([email protected]) if you would like to create more new journals.

14 October 2024
Applied Sciences | World Food Day 2024—“Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future”

The global celebration of World Food Day in 2024 is scheduled for October 16th at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) headquarters, coinciding with World Food Week. The theme for this year’s event is “Right to Foods for a Better Life and a Better Future” which will amplify the voices of numerous international initiatives and campaigns advocating for change throughout October.

In honor of World Food Day 2024, we would like to share with you the following articles published in Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) this year on food processing, food analysis, food safety and quality control, functional food, and food nutrition.

1. “Application of Natural Edible Coating to Enhance the Shelf Life of Red Fruits and Their Bioactive Content”
by Michele Pellegrino, Jasper Okoro Godwin Elechi, Pierluigi Plastina and Monica Rosa Loizzo
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4552; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114552
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/11/4552

2. “Coniferous Honeydew Honey: Antibacterial Activity and Anti-Migration Properties against Breast Cancer Cell Line (MCF-7)”
by Małgorzata Dżugan, Ewa Ciszkowicz, Monika Tomczyk, Michał Miłek and Katarzyna Lecka-Szlachta
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(2), 710; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14020710
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/2/710

3. “The Baking Quality of Wheat Flour (Triticum aestivum L.) Obtained from Wheat Grains Cultivated in Various Farming Systems (Organic vs. Integrated vs. Conventional)”
by Katarzyna Wysocka, Grażyna Cacak-Pietrzak, Beata Feledyn-Szewczyk and Marcin Studnicki
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(5), 1886; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14051886
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/5/1886

4. “Impact of Different Solvents and Temperatures on the Extraction of Bioactive Compounds from Rose Fruits (Rosa rugosa) Pomace”
by Andrzej Cendrowski, Marcin Studnicki and Stanisław Kalisz
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(2), 691; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14020691
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/2/691

5. “Physico-Chemical, Sensory, and Nutritional Properties of Shortbread Cookies Enriched with Agaricus bisporus and Pleurotus ostreatus Powders”
by Aneta Sławińska, Ewa Jabłońska-Ryś and Waldemar Gustaw
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(5), 1938; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14051938
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/5/1938

6. “Enhancing the Protein, Mineral Content, and Bioactivity of Wheat Bread through the Utilisation of Microalgal Biomass: A Comparative Study of Chlorella vulgaris, Phaeodactylum tricornutum, and Tetraselmis chuii
by Nancy Mahmoud, Joana Ferreira, Anabela Raymundo and Maria Cristiana Nunes
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(6), 2483; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14062483
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/6/2483

7. “Listeria monocytogenes from Marine Fish and the Seafood Market Environment in Northern Greece: Prevalence, Molecular Characterization, and Antibiotic Resistance”
by Pantelis Peratikos, Anestis Tsitsos, Alexandros Damianos, Maria A. Kyritsi, Christos Hadjichristodoulou, Nikolaos Soultos and Vangelis Economou
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 2725; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14072725
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/7/2725

8. “Assessment of the Baking Properties of Rye Flour Based on the Polysaccharide Content and Properties”
by Sylwia Stępniewska, Grażyna Cacak-Pietrzak, Anna Szafrańska, Ewa Ostrowska-Ligęza, Agnieszka Salamon and Hanna Kowalska
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 2772; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14072772
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/7/2772

9. “Combined Sous-Vide and High Hydrostatic Pressure Treatment of Pork: Is the Order of Application Decisive When Using Minimal Processing Technologies?”
by György Kenesei, Gabriella Kiskó and István Dalmadi
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(9), 3583; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14093583
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/9/3583

10. “Protective Effects of a Combined Herbal Medicine against Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-Associated Inflammation and Oxidative Stress”
by Eun Jin Yang
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(13), 5386; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14135386
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/13/5386

11 October 2024
Meet Us at the 21st Annual Meeting of CIFST, 2–4 November 2024, Chongqing, China


MDPI will attend the 21st Annual Meeting of CIFST, which will take place from 2 to 4 November 2024 at the Chongqing Yuelai International Convention Center, Chongqing, China.

The 21st Annual Conference of the China Society of Food Science and Technology, sponsored by the China Society of Food Science and Technology, has been jointly organized by Southwest University, the Sichuan Institute of Food Science and Technology and other units.

With the support and active participation of food workers at home and abroad, this conference has been growing in scale and influence, having become one of the largest and most influential annual scientific exchange platforms in the food industry in China.

Fully leveraging its leading role in innovation, the conference will promote industrial developments through scientific and technological innovation and support the creation of new quality productive forces. It will address people's growing needs for a better life and focus on the high-quality development of the industry, with interdisciplinary and comprehensive approaches. Integrating meetings, exhibitions, poster displays, student activities and other activities, this conference provides a platform for food science and technology circles, industries and government departments to exchange ideas, discuss the latest food science and cutting-edge technologies at home and abroad, promote the training of food science and technology talents, and encourage the development of the food industry and science and technology.

We welcome you to visit the MDPI booth, where you can have face-to-face exchanges with our representatives, learn more about our open access publishing services, and acquire gifts.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you plan to attend this conference, we invite you to visit our booth and converse with our delegates at the conference venue (Chongqing Yuelai International Convention Center, booth number #B18). We are excited to meet you in person and we will address any questions that you may have. For further details about the conference, please visit the following website: http://am.cifst.org.cn/index.html.

9 October 2024
Meet Us at the ISPRS Technical Commission IV Symposium 2024, 22–25 October 2024, Fremantle, Perth, Australia


Conference: ISPRS Technical Commission IV Symposium 2024
Date: 22–25 October 2024
Location: Fremantle, Perth, Australia

MDPI will attend the ISPRS Technical Commission IV Symposium 2024 which will be held from 22 to 25 October 2024 in Perth, Australia. The ISPRS Technical Commission IV Symposium 2024 is jointly organized by UPINLBS2024, the Geospatial Council of Australia (GCA), and FOSS4G Perth. The ISPRS Technical Commission IV Symposium provides a forum where researchers and practitioners can come together and share their work and ideas, discuss opportunities and challenges, exchange developments or software tools and discuss future directions. The symposium is also a great place for networking and establishing links between academia, governments and business, and young and emerging professionals in the geospatial sciences.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you plan on attending this conference, please feel free to stop by our booth and start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit https://www.isprs.org/tc4-symposium2024/index.html.

9 October 2024
Meet Us at the 7th International Conference on Active Materials and Soft Mechatronics (AMSM 2024), 28–29 October 2024, Incheon, South Korea


Conference: The 7th International Conference on Active Materials and Soft Mechatronics (AMSM 2024)
Date: 28–29 October 2024
Location: Incheon, South Korea

MDPI will be attending the 7th International Conference on Active Materials and Soft Mechatronics (AMSM 2024) as an exhibitor which will be held from 28 to 29 October 2024, and we welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The conference is organized by The Korean Society for Composite Materials. The theme of AMSM 2024 is “Toward a Smart and Sustainable Future!”. This conference will bring together around 500 scientists and students to share research advances covering a wide range of scientific topics. The topics include, but are not limited to: sustainable energy technologies: state-of-the-art energy storage and conversion, emulating human interaction: advanced soft sensors and actuators, soft robotics and AI, and extreme and active materials.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

  • Actuators;
  • Applied Sciences;
  • Biomimetics;
  • Machines;
  • Micromachines;
  • Technologies.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please do not hesitate to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth #1 and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.amsm2024.org/main/ci_welcome.htm.

4 October 2024
MDPI Webinar | The Science Behind the Prize: 2024 Nobel Physics Roundtable, 8 October 2024


MDPI warmly invites you to participate in our upcoming forum The Science Behind the Prize: 2024 Nobel Physics Roundtable, a celebration of the groundbreaking research shaping the future of physics.

Title: The Science Behind the Prize: 2024 Nobel Physics Roundtable
Date: 8 October 2024
Time: 11:00 a.m.–12:10 p.m. (CEST)
More information available here: https://sciforum.net/event/NPR2024

Coinciding with the announcement of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics, this forum underscores the importance of recognizing outstanding achievements that push the boundaries of human knowledge and understanding. It is a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas on the advancements driving scientific progress and to inspire the next generation of gifted physicists.

General topics of discussion for this event will include the following:

  • Breakthrough research shaping the future of physics;
  • Reflecting on past Nobel-Prize-winning work and its legacy;
  • The key trends driving innovation in physics today;
  • Exploring the societal and scientific contributions of physics research.

This is a free webinar. After registration, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will let you know when the recording is available for viewing.

Register for free:

Program:

Agenda Speaker Time in CEST
Opening Remarks by Host Host 11:00–11:05 a.m.
Expert Commentary:
Breakthroughs and Future Impacts in Physics
Invited Speakers 11:05–11:45 a.m.
Announcement of Prize Winners Host 11:45–11:50 a.m.
Reflective Discussion:
What the Nobel Prize Means for Science and Society
Invited Speakers 11:50 a.m.–12:10 p.m.
Closing Remarks Host 12:10–12:15 p.m.

4 October 2024
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #16 - UNGA79 Science Summit, OASPA, Peer Review Week

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.

In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.


Opening Thoughts

MDPI Joins the Science Summit at UNGA79 (23–27 September 2024, New York)

On Friday 27 September, I had the privilege of giving the opening talk at the “Youth at the Science Summit” panel during the Science Summit conference, held in New York at the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Together, we discussed the future of science, publishing, innovation, and sustainable development.

It was a great opportunity to learn from our young leaders, whose voices must be included in the conversation as science shapes the future of artificial intelligence, climate mitigation, healthcare, technology, and more. This was also a powerful reminder of how essential global collaboration is in solving the major challenges we face. I left inspired by the dedication of these young researchers to making the world a better place!

Today’s youth are not just the leaders of tomorrow – they are already leading the change today.

Stefan Tochev (second from left) at the UNGA Science Summit 2024: “A great opportunity to learn from our young leaders.”

MDPI Supports the Future Generation of Scientists

This aligns with MDPI’s mission to support the next generation of scientists and early-career researchers by recognizing their achievements through our various MDPI awards, including the Young Investigator Awards, Best PhD Thesis Awards, Travel Awards, and more.

Our presence at this global event showed our commitment to advancing Open Science as a key driver for sustainable development. As a leading Open Access (OA) publisher, MDPI’s role at the summit was to emphasize the critical importance of democratizing scientific knowledge, making it accessible to all, and promoting global collaboration.

Through OA publishing, we aim to address pressing global challenges such as climate change, public health, and inequality, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“We aim to address pressing global challenges”

MDPI and the SDGs

In 2020, the SDG Publishers Compact was launched to accelerate implementation of the SDGs by promoting content that informs, develops, and inspires action. MDPI joined this initiative in 2021 and subsequently launched the MDPI SDG Hub in 2022, offering free access to recent research within the scope of each of the 17 SDGs.

During the summit, we highlighted the connection between Open Science and the SDG Publishers Compact, supporting the core objective to “Leave No One Behind” (LNOB). The transformative promise of the SDGs relies heavily on the Open Access model, which serves as a fundamental enabler of Open Science. We advocate for the wider adoption of Open Science practices in order to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

Impactful Research

Presenting at the 1st International Conference of Environmental Medicine

In September, MDPI and our journals IJERPH and Diseases sponsored and participated in the 1st International Conference of Environmental Medicine: Environmental Threats to Human Health: From Genetics to Epigenetics, held in Chieti, Italy.

The conference was organized in collaboration with various societies, including the Italian Society of Environmental Medicine (SIMA), one of more than 160 societies partnering MDPI journals.

The conference brought together influential figures from the Italian scholarly community, such as Antonio Felice Uricchio (President of the National Agency for University Research Assessment [ANVUR]), Alessandro Miani (President of SIMA), and Liborio Stuppia (Director of ‘Gabriele d’Annunzio’ University of Chieti-Pescara), among others.

MDPI was the sole publishing sponsor of the conference, at which I had the opportunity to present on behalf of the company. I provided an overview of MDPI, covering key facts and figures, the peer-review process, our strong collaboration with the Italian market, and insights into Nobel Prize winners who have published with MDPI, ahead of Sir Richard Roberts’ Nobel lecture.

“As at September 2024, 44 Nobel laureates have contributed to over 115 articles across 35 MDPI journals”

The keynote speaker at the event was Sir Richard Roberts, Nobel Laureate and 1993 Nobel Prize winner in Medicine, recognized for his discovery of split genes.

Nobel Laureates’ Contributions to MDPI

As at September 2024, 44 Nobel laureates have contributed to over 115 articles across 35 MDPI journals. I’ll share more details on this in the October newsletter.

Hosting such prominent figures in their respective fields, who play a significant role in advancing the OA movement, of which we are leaders in, resonates deeply with our editorial teams.

Sponsoring and supporting academic conferences is something we do on a large scale, and it continues to grow. Attending and speaking about MDPI shows our commitment by taking the time to connect with the scholarly community in person.

MDPI’s Presence in Italy

Italy ranks third globally in total MDPI publications, with nearly 130,000 contributions. We collaborate with about 12,000 Editorial Board Members in Italy, over 6,100 of whom have an H-index of more than 25.

We have 83 Editors-in-Chief and 209 Section Editors-in-Chief from Italy. We also support 20 Italian universities through our Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP) agreements with major institutions such as Sapienza University of Rome, the University of Milan, and the University of Pisa, among others.

Inside MDPI

Celebrating Peer Review Week, 23–27 September 2024

As we conclude another productive month at MDPI, I am pleased to highlight our participation in this year’s Peer Review Week (PRW), which took place from 23–27 September 2024. This global, community-driven celebration underscores the vital importance of peer review in maintaining the integrity and reliability of academic work. PRW provide a platform for institutions, publishers, and scholars to come together and reflect on the processes that uphold the quality of scholarly communication.

“We remain committed to enhancing the peer review process”

The theme for PRW 2024 was ‘Innovation and Technology in Peer Review.’ At MDPI, we were proud to contribute through various online and in-person events, including webinars from Europe, Asia-Pacific, and a roundtable discussion on innovation and technology in peer review. These events offer an opportunity to explore new tools and technologies that are shaping the future of peer review, particularly the integration of AI. As a company, we remain committed to enhancing the peer review process with innovative solutions while preserving the essential human expertise that makes it effective.

Peer Review Innovation and Technology at MDPI

Our efforts to improve peer review extend beyond the activities of this week. We also released a blog article discussing New Tools for Advancing Research Integrity and Peer Review, where we highlight two tools that MDPI has developed to support research integrity: Eureka – Reviewer Recommender and Online Proofreader. We are continually refining SuSy, our in-house submission system, to provide a seamless experience for authors and reviewers alike.

Listening to MDPI’s Authors and Reviewers

We highly value the time of our reviewers, and so do the authors who contribute to our journals. Our editorial process is bolstered by a network of dedicated reviewers, a team of over 6,000 diligent, well-trained staff members, and an in-house article submission platform designed to ensure efficient processes.

We make it a point to continually improve the experiences of both our authors and our reviewers throughout the entire editorial process, from submission to publication. This is why we regularly ask for feedback by conducting surveys. Here is what some of our respondents recently had to say about working with MDPI:

Coming Together for Science

ICM 2024 – Advances in Material Innovation

I am pleased to share that we held The 5th International Conference on Materials: Advances in Material Innovation (ICM 2024) in Basel, Switzerland this past 25–27 September.

This intimate event brought together leading scientists, researchers, and industry experts to exchange insights on recent advancements in materials characterization, processing, and manufacturing. Key focus areas included nanotechnology in material sciences and engineering, optical, electrical, and magnetic materials, soft, biological, and biomaterials, fibres, membranes, thin films, sensing materials, as well as materials and devices for energy and solar fuels. In addition, discussions featured the integration of AI and machine learning in materials research.

We received 90 abstract submissions. Over the course of the three-day event, 18 posters were displayed, and 34 talks were delivered, including three plenary speeches, seven invited talks, and 24 selected oral presentations.

A special thank-you to our partnering societies The Polish Membrane Society and The North American Thermal Analysis Society, as well as our sponsor, Nanomegas, for their support of the ICM conference. I am also pleased to share that we presented three awards, including the Best Presentation Award and two Best Poster Awards, recognizing the outstanding contributions of our participants.

Upcoming In-Person Event

7–9 October 2024
Non-coding RNA World 2024: Exploring Mechanisms, Designing Medicines
Location: Basel, Switzerland

ncRNA 2024 will explore the latest advances in the field, covering topics from basic biology to medical and technological applications.

Find more upcoming MDPI events here.

Closing Thoughts

Reflections from OASPA 2024 Conference in Lisbon (16–18 September)

Amidst my September travels, I also had pleasure of attending the OASPA 2024 Conference in Lisbon from 16–18 September. It’s the first in-person Open Access Scholarly Publishing Association (OASPA) event in five years, and being in the sunny city of Lisbon made it even better! MDPI has long been a member of OASPA, and attending this conference gave us an opportunity to connect with other key members of the organization to see the latest developments in the OA movement.

“I believe that publishers have a lot to offer in terms of data and insights”

Main Themes from OASPA 2024

The main themes covered were equity and inclusivity, diamond OA, AI and openness, OA books, research integrity, and how OA can address broader societal challenges such as climate change. While it was great to see the latest developments in these areas, it was also clear that certain voices were missing, particularly those of major publishers. Although it’s not easy to incorporate every perspective, I believe that publishers, including MDPI, have a lot to offer in terms of data and insights. During the membership meeting, a few of us raised the point that large-scale publisher input could add value to these discussions.

It’s important to participate in industry conferences such as OASPA in order to be part of the discussions and remain at the forefront of the OA movement.

It’s an opportunity to build meaningful relationships with organizations that share our commitment to OA.

While sponsorship is one way to show our support, it’s clear that being part of the conversation through participating in the OASPA groups and committee is what really makes a difference.

It took the last 20 years for more than 50% of the world's research to be published via open access. This provides a sobering reminder that flipping the remaining 50% will be a big challenge.

An important takeaway for me was that there is no "one-size-fits-all" solution for OA challenges: different regions and different stakeholders need different forms of support, whether it is infrastructure, funding, education, or policy, for example. I also enjoyed Rebecca Ross' presentation on how OA can drive action on climate. A few panellists shared the need for transparency in the peer-review process, advocating for open review reports, which is something we have been offering since 2014.

Speaking of openness, we are excited to celebrate Open Access Week 2024 with the scholarly community from 21–27 October. I look forward to sharing a recap of our activities in the next newsletter.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

30 September 2024
Meet Us at the Asia Communications and Photonics Conference (ACP), 2–5 November 2024, Beijing, China


MDPI will be attending the Asia Communications and Photonics Conference (ACP) held in Beijing from 2 to 5 November 2024. It is one of the largest conferences in the Asia-Pacific region on optical communication, photonics, and relevant technologies, which has been held annually since 2001.

State Key Lab of Information Photonics and Optical Communications (IPOC) was founded by Prof. Peida Ye in 1965. In 2011, the lab became the State Key Lab. In 2024, ACP and IPOC will be jointly held. IPOC has been held five times, and four of which were held jointly with ACP in 2013, 2015, 2020, and 2022, respectively.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you are planning to attend the conference, please visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.acpconf.com.

30 September 2024
Recruiting Early Career Editorial Board Members for Applied Sciences


In order to further enhance the international influence of the journal Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417), promote academic exchange among young scientists, and support the Editorial Board with additional expertise, Applied Sciences is inviting interested and eligible Early Career Researchers to apply for Early Career Editorial Board (ECEB) membership.

Recruitment:
We plan to recruit a total of 100 Early Career Editorial Board Members.

Application eligibility:

  • Completed their doctorate/Ph.D. degree in the past 10 years (considering exceptions for career interruptions, including medical and family leave);
  • Have a strong and impactful portfolio of publications in their field of applied natural science;
  • Researchers who are active and engaged in their community (e.g., experienced at presenting at academic conferences or involved in professional organizations).

Benefits of Early Career Editorial Board Membership include:

  • A certificate of being an Early Career Editorial Board Member will be provided. The term of Early Career Editorial Board membership is two years and can be renewed thereafter;
  • The achievements of Early Career Editorial Board Members will be publicized on the journals’ various social media platforms to improve academic visibility;
  • Opportunities to be promoted to a full Editorial Board Member will be provided contingent upon contributions;
  • The journal will regularly acknowledge those who participate in the peer review process on the journal’s website;
  • Opportunities to exchange ideas with internationally influential researchers in this field and participate in or host annual meetings and online seminars organized by the Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board Members.

Responsibilities of Early Career Editorial Board Members include:

  • Publicizing and promoting the journal at academic conferences and among their peers;
  • Selecting high-quality articles and preparing media content for their promotion;
  • Reviewing at least four manuscripts per year;
  • Identifying potential reviewers for specific papers and assessing any potential ethical or policy-based questions that might arise due to the papers’ content;
  • Supporting the development of the journal through various means, such as providing suggestions, promoting the journal via academic networks, academic conferences, and new media channels, etc.;
  • Inviting submissions from world-leading scientists in their respective research fields through both local and global networks;
  • Learning about the scholarly publishing landscape, including gaining an awareness of the manuscript review process, ethical considerations, and the strategies used by publishers.

Applications:
Please fill in the application form here.

Please send your completed application form and your academic resume to [email protected] with the subject line “Applied Sciences Early Career Editorial Board Application + Name + Institute + Research Expertise”.

Application deadline: 31 December 2024.

Selection process:
Initial screening of application materials → selection by the journal’s Editor-in-Chief and Editorial Board Members → email notification → issuing a certificate of appointment.

29 September 2024
MDPI New Journal Proposal—Invitation to Shape the Future of Open Science Together


As a leader in open access publishing, MDPI is eager to explore new collaboration opportunities, including the launch of new journals and the transfer of existing ones. At present, MDPI publishes over 400 journals, more than 160 of which have established partnerships with academic organizations. Additionally, we publish 19 association journals.

In order to enhance exchange and cooperation with scientific researchers and share the results of open science, MDPI invites experts and scholars from various fields to submit proposals for new journal collaboration opportunities. If your proposal is approved, you could take on the role of Editor-in-Chief, Deputy Editor-in-Chief, or Editorial Board Member of the journal. This position allows you to manage the manuscript review process alongside our editorial department, participate in calls for papers, strengthen your network with scholars in the field, expand scientific research cooperation, enhance your personal and academic influence internationally, and play a leading role in academia.

Once the new journal is online, MDPI will provide a variety of promotional channels to market the journal internationally.

MDPI will offer various promotional channels to enhance its visibility and promote it internationally.

How can you determine the theme of a new journal?

  • Assess research hotspots/academic frontiers;
  • Assess pioneers in the field/key research directions of universities;
  • Determine whether MDPI has already established a journal in the field.

You can browse MDPI’s existing journals at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/about/journals.

Advantages of collaborating with MDPI:

  • MDPI is a global leader in open-access publishing with extensive academic resources.
  • MDPI offers a professional publishing team that provides comprehensive support throughout the publishing process.
  • MDPI’s diverse promotional platforms and channels help journals quickly increase their international visibility and influence.

We invite you to submit new journal proposal here, and contribute to academic development! In addition, if your institution (university, institute, college, national key laboratory, society, etc.) intends to establish a journal, you can also submit a draft to MDPI on its behalf.

29 September 2024
Meet Us at the Fifth National Conference on Food Biotechnology, 26–27 October 2024, Shanghai, China


MDPI journals will be attending the Fifth National Conference on Food Biotechnology as exhibitors. This conference will be held in Shanghai, China, from 26 to 27 October 2024.

This conference focuses on artificial intelligence and biotechnology used to drive the high-quality development and new quality productivity of the food industry. The conference aims to bring together the wisdom of experts, scholars and industry representatives in the field of food biotechnology and cross-cutting areas, covering the cutting-edge hotspots, subversive technologies and development directions in this field and promoting the cross-fertilization of biotechnology and the food industry based on the intelligent base of artificial intelligence.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have.

27 September 2024
MDPI’s 2023 Travel Awards—Winners Announced


MDPI journals frequently grant travel awards to empower junior researchers to showcase their latest research at academic conferences, thereby amplifying their impact within their research fields.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 103 recipients of MDPI's 2023 Travel Awards from different countries and territories for their exceptional presentations. These outstanding individuals were selected by the journal editors based on the strength of their research proposals and the anticipated impact of their presentations at academic conferences. We commend their exceptional contributions and wish them continued success in their academic endeavors.

MDPI will continue to provide support and recognition to the academic community. To learn more about the list of awardees, please visit the following pages:

About MDPI Awards:

To reward the academic community, especially young researchers, and enhance communication among scientists, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help raise the influence of talented individuals who have been credited with outstanding achievements and are making a significant contribution to the advancement of their fields.

To explore more MDPI awards, please click here.

27 September 2024
Meet Us at the 2024 7th IEEE International Conference on Unmanned Systems, 18–20 October 2024, Nanjing, China


Conference: 2024 7th IEEE International Conference on Unmanned Systems
Date: 18–20 October 2024
Location: Nanjing, China 

The 2024 7th IEEE International Conference on Unmanned Systems (ICUS 2024) aims to provide an academic and technological exchange platform for scientists, engineers, and practitioners all over the world to discuss the latest academic and technical issues related to unmanned systems. It also offers an excellent opportunity for participants to share innovative ideas, recent findings, and best practices on unmanned systems, robotics, automation, and intelligent systems. 

MDPI will be attending the conference as an exhibitor. We welcome researchers from various backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us. 

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you plan to attend this conference, please contact us online. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at our booth and answering any questions you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://icus.c2.org.cn/index.html.

14 September 2024
Meet Us at the Biomaterials and Novel Technologies for Healthcare, 4th International Biennial Conference BioMaH, 15–18 October 2024, Rome, Italy


Conference: Biomaterials and Novel Technologies for Healthcare, 4th International Biennial Conference BioMaH

Date: 15–18 October 2024

Location: Rome, Italy

MDPI will be attending the Biomaterials and Novel Technologies for Healthcare, 4th International Biennial Conference BioMaH as an exhibitor, and we are welcoming researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

This conference has been organized by the Italian National Research Council, founded in 1923. This event, to be held in Rome in 2024, is estimated to have around 200 attendees.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you are planning on attending this conference, please do not hesitate to contact us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://biomah.ism.cnr.it/.

11 September 2024
Applied Sciences | Invitation to Read the Updated Editor's Choice Articles Published in 2023


The goal of the Editor’s Choice Articles project is to promote high-quality articles published in Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417). Please find below the list of articles carefully handpicked by the scientific editors of the journal, which we believe will be of interest to you. The full list of Editor's Choice Articles can be viewed at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/editors_choice.

1. “Crop Prediction Model Using Machine Learning Algorithms”
by Ersin Elbasi, Chamseddine Zaki, Ahmet E. Topcu, Wiem Abdelbaki, Aymen I. Zreikat, Elda Cina, Ahmed Shdefat and Louai Saker
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(16), 9288; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13169288
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/16/9288

2. “Data Augmentation Method for Plant Leaf Disease Recognition”
by Byeongjun Min, Taehyun Kim, Dongil Shin and Dongkyoo Shin
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1465; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031465
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1465

3. “Modelling and Control Methods in Path Tracking Control for Autonomous Agricultural Vehicles: A Review of State of the Art and Challenges”
by Quanyu Wang, Jin He, Caiyun Lu, Chao Wang, Han Lin, Hanyu Yang, Hang Li and Zhengyang Wu
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 7155; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13127155
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/7155

4. “Review of Studies on Emotion Recognition and Judgment Based on Physiological Signals”
by Wenqian Lin and Chao Li
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2573; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042573
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2573

5. “Variational Autoencoders for Data Augmentation in Clinical Studies”
by Dimitris Papadopoulos and Vangelis D. Karalis
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8793; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158793
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/15/8793

6. “TeleFE: A New Tool for the Tele-Assessment of Executive Functions in Children”
by Carlotta Rivella, Costanza Ruffini, Clara Bombonato, Agnese Capodieci, Andrea Frascari, Gian Marco Marzocchi, Alessandra Mingozzi, Chiara Pecini, Laura Traverso, Maria Carmen Usai et al.
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1728; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031728
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1728

7. “Review on Wearable Technology in Sports: Concepts, Challenges and Opportunities”
by Ahmet Çağdaş Seçkin, Bahar Ateş and Mine Seçkin
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(18), 10399; https://doi.org/10.3390/app131810399
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/18/10399

8. “Digital Twins: The New Frontier for Personalized Medicine?”
by Michaela Cellina, Maurizio Cè, Marco Alì, Giovanni Irmici, Simona Ibba, Elena Caloro, Deborah Fazzini, Giancarlo Oliva and Sergio Papa
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7940; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137940
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7940

9. “Speech Emotion Recognition Based on Two-Stream Deep Learning Model Using Korean Audio Information”
by A-Hyeon Jo and Keun-Chang Kwak
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2167; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042167
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2167

10. “Structural Health Monitoring and Management of Cultural Heritage Structures: A State-of-the-Art Review”
by Michela Rossi and Dionysios Bournas
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6450; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116450
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6450

11. “Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs) and Nanostructured Lipid Carriers (NLCs) as Food-Grade Nanovehicles for Hydrophobic Nutraceuticals or Bioactives”
by Chuan-He Tang, Huan-Le Chen and Jin-Ru Dong
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1726; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031726
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1726

12. “A Review of the Relationship between Gut Microbiome and Obesity”
by Dorottya Zsálig, Anikó Berta, Vivien Tóth, Zoltán Szabó, Klára Simon, Mária Figler, Henriette Pusztafalvi and Éva Polyák
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 610; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010610
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/610

13. “Pasteurization of Food and Beverages by High Pressure Processing (HPP) at Room Temperature: Inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella, and Other Microbial Pathogens”
by Filipa Vinagre M. Silva and Evelyn
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 1193; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13021193
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/1193

14. “Edible Packaging: A Technological Update for the Sustainable Future of the Food Industry”
by Surya Sasikumar Nair, Joanna Trafiałek and Wojciech Kolanowski
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(14), 8234; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13148234
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/14/8234

15. “Comparison of the Spreadability of Butter and Butter Substitutes”
by Małgorzata Ziarno, Dorota Derewiaka, Anna Florowska and Iwona Szymańska
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2600; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042600
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2600

16. “Quality Assessment of Banana Ripening Stages by Combining Analytical Methods and Image Analysis”
by Vassilia J. Sinanoglou, Thalia Tsiaka, Konstantinos Aouant, Elizabeth Mouka, Georgia Ladika, Eftichia Kritsi, Spyros J. Konteles, Alexandros-George Ioannou, Panagiotis Zoumpoulakis, Irini F. Strati et al.
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3533; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063533
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3533

17. “Comparative Analysis of Primary Photosynthetic Reactions Assessed by OJIP Kinetics in Three Brassica Crops after Drought and Recovery”
by Jasenka Antunović Dunić, Selma Mlinarić, Iva Pavlović, Hrvoje Lepeduš and Branka Salopek-Sondi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3078; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053078
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3078

18. “Teeth Segmentation in Panoramic Dental X-ray Using Mask Regional Convolutional Neural Network”
by Giulia Rubiu, Marco Bologna, Michaela Cellina, Maurizio Cè, Davide Sala, Roberto Pagani, Elisa Mattavelli, Deborah Fazzini, Simona Ibba, Sergio Papa and Marco Alì
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7947; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137947
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7947

19. “New Trends in 4D Printing: A Critical Review”
by Somayeh Vatanparast, Alberto Boschetto, Luana Bottini and Paolo Gaudenzi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7744; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137744
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7744

We would like to thank all of the research groups that authored these exceptional papers for their contribution. We sincerely hope you find these articles of Applied Sciences as useful and insightful as we have found them.

11 September 2024
MDPI’s 2023 Best PhD Thesis Awards—Winners Announced


MDPI’s Best PhD Thesis Awards are granted to promising young scholars whose PhD theses are deemed exceptional within their respective research fields. These awards aim to encourage young scholars to continue their outstanding accomplishments and further contribute to their field.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 54 winners of the 2023 Best PhD Thesis Awards and wish them success with their future research endeavors.

MDPI will continue to provide support and recognition to the academic community. To learn more about all the awardees and their research projects in your field of study, please visit the following pages:

About MDPI Awards:

To reward the academic community, especially young researchers, and enhance communication among scientists, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help raise the influence of talented individuals who have been credited with outstanding achievements and are making a significant contribution to the advancement of their fields.

To explore more MDPI awards, please click here.

3 September 2024
Applied Sciences | Top 10 Cited Papers in 2023 in the Section “Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering”

“Extraction of Novel Bioactive Peptides from Fish Protein Hydrolysates by Enzymatic Reactions”
by Rhessa Grace Guanga Ortizo, Vishal Sharma, Mei-Ling Tsai, Jia-Xiang Wang, Pei-Pei Sun, Parushi Nargotra, Chia-Hung Kuo, Chiu-Wen Chen and Cheng-Di Dong
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(9), 5768; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13095768
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/9/5768

“TeleFE: A New Tool for the Tele-Assessment of Executive Functions in Children”
by Carlotta Rivella, Costanza Ruffini, Clara Bombonato, Agnese Capodieci, Andrea Frascari, Gian Marco Marzocchi, Alessandra Mingozzi, Chiara Pecini, Laura Traverso, Maria Carmen Usai et al.
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1728; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031728
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1728

“Recent Advancements in the Valorization of Agro-Industrial Food Waste for the Production of Nanocellulose”
by Parushi Nargotra, Vishal Sharma, Mei-Ling Tsai, Shu-Ling Hsieh, Cheng-Di Dong, Hui-Min David Wang and Chia-Hung Kuo
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(10), 6159; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13106159
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/10/6159

“Variational Autoencoders for Data Augmentation in Clinical Studies”
by Dimitris Papadopoulos and Vangelis D. Karalis
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8793; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158793
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/15/8793

“Comparison of Two Cuff Inflation Protocols to Measure Arterial Occlusion Pressure in Males and Females”
by Pat R. Vehrs, Chase Blazzard, Hannah C. Hart, Nicole Kasper, Ryan Lacey, Daniela Lopez, Shay Richards and Dennis L. Eggett
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1438; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031438
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1438

“Radiation Damage on Thaumatin: A Case Study of Crystals That Are Larger Than the Microfocusing X-ray Beam”
by Ki Hyun Nam
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1876; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031876
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1876

“Obtaining Bacterial Cellulose through Selected Strains of Acetic Acid Bacteria in Classical and Waste Media”
by Justyna Płoska, Monika Garbowska, Simona Klempová and Lidia Stasiak-Różańska
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6429; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116429
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6429

“Formulation and Evaluation of Hydrogels Based on Sodium Alginate and Cellulose Derivatives with Quercetin for Topical Application”
by Beata Szulc-Musioł, Wioletta Siemiradzka and Barbara Dolińska
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7826; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137826
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7826

“An In Vitro Study of the Healing Potential of Black Mulberry (Morus nigra L.) Extract in a Liposomal Formulation”
by Adriana Ramona Memete, Florina Miere (Groza), Vasile Laslo, Cornelia Purcarea, Laura Vicas, Mariana Ganea, Angela Antonescu and Simona Ioana Vicas
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 1041; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13021041
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/1041

“Individualized Stress Mobile Sensing Using Self-Supervised Pre-Training”
by Tanvir Islam and Peter Washington
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(21), 12035; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132112035
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/21/12035

3 September 2024
Applied Sciences | Top 10 Cited Papers in 2023 in the Section “Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering”

“Artificial Neural Networks for Navigation Systems: A Review of Recent Research”
by Dah-Jing Jwo, Amita Biswal and Ilayat Ali Mir
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4475; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074475
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4475

“Artificial Intelligence Applications in Electric Distribution Systems: Post-Pandemic Progress and Prospect”    
by Sungjoo Chung and Ying Zhang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 6937; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13126937
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/6937

“A Comprehensive Review and Analysis of Nanosensors for Structural Health Monitoring in Bridge Maintenance: Innovations, Challenges, and Future Perspectives”         
by Daguang Han, Haidar Hosamo, Chunli Ying and Ruimin Nie
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(20), 11149; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132011149
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/20/11149

“Comprehensive Evaluations of NLOS and Linearization Errors on UWB Positioning”
by Yan Li, Zhouzheng Gao, Qiaozhuang Xu and Cheng Yang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(10), 6187; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13106187
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/10/6187

“Multi-Attribute Machine Learning Model for Electrical Motors Performance Prediction”           
by Maria Raluca Raia, Sebastian Ciceo, Fabien Chauvicourt and Claudia Martis
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1395; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031395
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1395

“A Declarative Application Framework for Evaluating Advanced V2X-Based ADAS Solutions”
by András Wippelhauser, András Edelmayer and László Bokor
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1392; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031392
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1392

“Polarization Effect on the Performance of On-Chip Wireless Optical Point-to-Point Links”
by Giovanna Calò, Gaetano Bellanca, Franco Fuschini, Marina Barbiroli, Velio Tralli and Vincenzo Petruzzelli
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3062; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053062
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3062

“Interacting Multiple Model Filter with a Maximum Correntropy Criterion for GPS Navigation Processing”     
by Dah-Jing Jwo, Jen-Hsien Lai and Yi Chang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1782; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031782
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1782

“Optimising a Biogas and Photovoltaic Hybrid System for Sustainable Power Supply in Rural Areas”
by Carlos Roldán-Porta, Carlos Roldán-Blay, Daniel Dasí-Crespo and Guillermo Escrivá-Escrivá
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2155; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042155
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2155

“Combined Use of LoRaWAN Medium Access Control Protocols for IoT Applications”
by Luca Leonardi, Lucia Lo Bello, Gaetano Patti, Alessio Pirri and Mattia Pirri
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2341; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042341
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2341

3 September 2024
MDPI INSIGHTS: The CEO's Letter #15 - CHORUS, Best Paper Award, August Events

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.

In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.


Opening Thoughts

I am pleased to share that MDPI is now an Affiliate Member of CHORUS, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring public access to articles reporting on U.S. government-funded research. This partnership highlights our long-standing commitment to advancing Open Access (OA) publishing and meeting funders’ open research requirements.

Read the full announcement here.

With the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) 2022 memorandum calling for immediate public access to all federally funded research by 2026, this partnership positions MDPI to further support academic institutions in adhering to national mandates while providing authors with fully compliant (CC-BY) OA journals.

The CHORUS platform went live in July 2014 and includes NASA, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the National Science Foundation.

“This partnership positions MDPI to further support academic institutions in adhering to national mandates”

Joining CHORUS perfectly aligns our mission as the leading OA publisher, which is to drive transparency and innovation in scholarly publishing, with that of CHORUS itself, which is to advance Open Access research. It will also support MDPI publications from organizations such as NASA, with 1,200 research papers published by NASA-affiliated authors as at 31 August 2024.

Impactful Research

MDPI’s Best Paper Awards—Award-Winning Papers in 2023 Announced

MDPI is committed to supporting and recognizing the academic community and is proud to announce the recipients of the 2023 Best Paper Awards, which recognize high-quality papers of significant scientific merit and impact. Each year, the editors of our journals carefully select papers that showcase outstanding scientific achievement.

This year, 115 Best Paper Awards were presented, chosen from 346 exceptional papers in a highly competitive selection process. Congratulations to the authors for their remarkable contributions!

To learn more about all the awardees and their research projects, visit the following pages:

About MDPI Awards
MDPI regularly offers various awards to recognize researchers, particularly young scientists, and to promote communication within the scientific community. These awards exist to inspire and acknowledge talented scientists who have made significant contributions to advancing their fields.

To find out more MDPI awards, please click here.

“Our awards exist to inspire and acknowledge talented scientists”

Inside MDPI

MDPI AI Team Presented at EuroSciPy 2024 in Poland

As part of the CEO Letter, I hold dear this ‘Inside MDPI’ section, where I have an opportunity to highlight various projects, teams and updates within our organization. As such, I’m happy to showcase the following presentations from members of MDPI’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) team, which were recently presented at the EuroSciPy 2024 (16th European Conference on Python in Science). This conference took place in Szczecin, Poland from 26–30 August.

“This event was a great opportunity to reinforce our commitment to innovation and excellence in publishing”

MDPI colleagues Frank Sauerburger (AI Tech Leader) and Daniele Raimondi (Senior Data Scientist) both presented at the conference. Frank discussed MDPI’s AI infrastructure, while Daniele showcased a new methodological approach we have been developing to track the journey of rejected academic manuscripts. This approach combines AI, data science and analytics to improve the identification of manuscripts and authors, enhancing our understanding of publishing dynamics.

This event was a great opportunity to reinforce our commitment to innovation and excellence in publishing. It also allowed us to contribute to the academic discussion on integrating AI and data science into scholarly communication.

From data analysis in Jupyter Notebooks to production applications: AI infrastructure at reasonable scale – Frank Sauerburger

Frank’s presentation on MDPI’s AI infrastructure provided a chance to showcase the advanced technological frameworks that power our operations. Given the technical and academic focus of EuroSciPy, this talk demonstrated how MDPI’s AI capabilities are not only cutting-edge but also central to driving efficiency and innovation in scholarly publishing. Engaging with the EuroSciPy community helps position MDPI as a leader in applying AI within the publishing industry, fostering potential collaborations and attracting interest from top researchers.

A Qdrant and Specter2 framework for tracking resubmissions of rejected manuscripts in academia – Daniele Raimondi

Daniele’s talk on the novel methodological approach that combines AI, Data Science, and Analytics was crucial in highlighting how MDPI is advancing the precision and effectiveness of manuscript and author identification. This approach is pivotal in enhancing our understanding of publishing dynamics and ensuring the quality and integrity of the academic content we manage. By presenting at EuroSciPy, we had the opportunity to engage with an audience deeply involved in scientific computing, gaining feedback and insights that could further refine our methodologies.

Thank you, Frank and Daniele, for representing MDPI so well!

I will share more about MDPI’s AI team and projects in upcoming CEO Letters, as we have a well-rounded AI and Data Team working on an exciting suite of AI products for MDPI and the scholarly community at large.

Coming Together for Science

The 1st International Conference on AI Sensors & The 10th International Symposium on Sensor Science

I am pleased to share the success of our MDPI conference The 1st International Conference on Artificial Intelligence (AI) Sensors and the 10th International Symposium on Sensor Science in Singapore this past 1–4 August.

With nearly 400 attendees, the event brought together researchers and industry experts from China, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, India and other countries to share their findings on the latest developments in sensors, sensing technology, artificial intelligence for sensing applications and AI-enhanced sensing systems.

We accepted a total of 355 abstracts, featuring 772 authors from 28 countries. Over the course of the four-day event, 66 posters were displayed and 296 talks were delivered, including 4 plenary talks, 46 keynote speeches, 122 invited talks, and 124 selected oral presentations. View the event gallery here.

I am pleased to announce the winners of the four awards, including Best Presentation and Best Poster, recognizing the contributions of our participants during the conference.

Looking ahead, the 2nd International Conference on AI Sensors and Transducers is scheduled to take place from 29 July to 5 August, 2025, in Bangkok, Thailand.

Thank you to our Conference team, including Ionut Spatar, Teodora Nicoleta Cremene, Ang Kai Lin, Benjamin Tay, Leong Jin Yue Esther, Wong Jolin, Judith Wu, Alethea Liu and Flora Li, who were involved in making this event a success. A big thank-you also goes to our local MDPI colleagues for their support: Yu Nwe Soe, Hen Chu Yang, Kwah Zhi En Watcharapong, Zephan Yang, Daphne Neo, Huimin Cheng, Nathan Li and Ting Yin.

Upcoming In-Person Event

25–27 September, 2024
The 5th International Conference on Materials: Advances in Material Innovation
Location: Basel, Switzerland

ICM 2024 will unite experts to share insights on recent advancements in Materials Characterization, Processing and Manufacturing.

7–9 October, 2024
Non-coding RNA World 2024: Exploring Mechanisms, Designing Medicines
Location: Basel, Switzerland

ncRNA 2024 will explore the latest advances in the field, covering topics from basic biology to medical and technological applications.

Find more upcoming MDPI events here.

Closing Thoughts

The 2nd Sustainable Publishing Forum

In 2022, the International Association of Scientific, Technical and Medical Publishers (STM) outlined three goals to reflect the academic community’s shared aspirations: promoting Open Science, maintaining research integrity and fulfilling social responsibility. Open Science has evolved from the Open Access movement of the early 2000s to become a preferred model in academic publishing. Publishers and academic journals play a crucial role in ensuring research integrity, with efforts to prevent misconduct markedly on the increase now.

As the world faces sustainability challenges, the academic publishing industry is increasingly committed to contributing the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Many publishers are implementing strategies to support these objectives, including ours, which you can view here.

The 2nd MDPI Sustainable Publishing Forum provided a platform for global editors and publishers to discuss these themes, aiming to strengthen collaboration and advance the contributions that scientific publishing can make to academia and society.

“Open Science has evolved to become a preferred model in academic publishing”

The 2nd Sustainable Publishing Forum

We hosted MDPI’s 2nd Sustainable Publishing Forum in Beijing, China, on 15–16 August, attracting nearly 120 attendees from local and international publishers, university presses, scientific and technical journal associations, libraries and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The event focused on promoting Open Science, maintaining research integrity, and fulfilling social responsibility.

This was an excellent opportunity for us to share more with conference attendees about the approach of our research integrity team. Our Head of Publishing, Peter Roth, also participated, speaking on how to identify and avoid predatory publishers and about the principles that underpin ethical academic publishing.

I extend my thanks to all of our conference speakers, including Hylke Koers (STM Solutions), who presented on STM Trends 2028 and shared insights on the STM Integrity Hub, of which MDPI is a member.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

27 August 2024
Interview with Mustafa Can Gursesli—Winner of the Applied Sciences 2024 Travel Award

1. Congratulations on your award! Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little bit about your fields of interest?

Hi, my name is Can. I graduated with a bachelor’s in psychology and a master’s in clinical psychology. After that, I started my Ph.D. in Information Engineering, which is quite an unusual combination. My research now focuses on how video games affect emotions.

In my Ph.D. project, I mainly work on detecting emotions while people are playing video games. To do this, we improved and applied convolutional neural networks to analyze emotions during serious games. We also collect data from users ECG and PPG biosignals to understand the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Essentially, we're trying to understand how different reactions and facial expressions are linked to video games. Our goal is to create a complex model to determine the exact impact of video games on emotions.

2. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?

That is a great question. Honestly, if you had asked me three years ago where I would be today, I wouldn’t have expected to find myself in information engineering. Even six years ago, if you had asked me, I probably would have said I would be more focused on clinical psychology, given my master’s degree. But looking back, my best advice would be to embrace a multidisciplinary approach. Science today, especially with advancements in artificial intelligence and human–computer interaction, requires a broader perspective. It is crucial to consider how technologies and applications impact human life from various dimensions. We shouldn't confine ourselves to just one area. There are many fields within science, and it is important to explore and integrate different branches. This approach is especially valuable for younger people entering the field, and even for myself, as I continue to learn and grow. But the main perspective should be more focused on socialization, especially nowadays. Scientists are increasingly expected to communicate effectively, which is more important than ever before.

For example, last year, I spent three months in Japan and three months in Korea as a research assistant, while my Ph.D. is based at the University of Florence, Italy. I found that building connections through email and communication was crucial. It is essential for improving your networking and broadening your perspective. Meeting new people and experiencing different cultures can significantly impact your outlook and career. This kind of interaction is really valuable, in my opinion.

3. How supportive might this kind of award be for researchers? Do you have any suggestions on how our journal could further support the academic community?

First of all, thank you for organizing such award programs for early career researchers like me. When you come from countries where the research budget is limited—covering just travel, conference registration, even meals—you start to realize the significance of rewards and funding. When you attend a conference, you need to eat, after all.

That is why I always advise my colleagues and new Ph.D. students to keep track of these things because they will be crucial later on. Maybe not in the first year of your Ph.D., but definitely in the final year when your budget might be exhausted from summer schools, conferences, and publications. You will need that financial support, and it is frustrating if your professor doesn’t have the budget to cover it. For instance, if your paper gets accepted at a prestigious conference, what do you do? Conference registration and travel costs are quite high these days. Sadly, it is the reality we face. Ph.D. students often need to create their own budget for research. If you need a server for testing or other resources, you might have to seek out sponsorships or other solutions. While institutions are supposed to handle these needs, the current world isn’t always ideal, so finding your own solutions is sometimes necessary.

4. Do you have any suggestions for our journal, how we could further support young researchers and the academic community?

Awards are valuable and competitive, but often they are one-time opportunities. To be honest, this is a common issue with such awards. Currently, one idea will be to support small projects through specific calls. For instance, researchers can apply for funding for small projects, which may be supported for several months. This approach provides opportunities for both new and established researchers to engage in meaningful work. If we consider implementing a system similar to annual European projects, such as Horizon 2020, it could be beneficial. By opening calls for projects on a regular basis, we would provide ongoing opportunities rather than one-off rewards. This would encourage consistent engagement from the research community.

5. What is your experience with our service from the point of view of an author and reviewer?

In my opinion, my experience with MDPI journals, such as Bioengineering and Algorithms, has generally been good. Of course, there are times when some reviewers can be a bit persistent and make the process more challenging, but that is understandable and part of the process. On the whole, the editorial progress is faster than usual, which I am quite happy about. However, I have noticed that MDPI conferences are relatively rare compared to other publishers. For example, publishers host a lot of conferences, but MDPI has only started doing so in the past five years. This limited number of conferences can decrease opportunities for researchers to connect and network.

One suggestion I have is that MDPI could increase its involvement in conferences. When you publish in a journal and then have the chance to participate in a conference supported by that journal, it creates more opportunities for collaboration and networking. Creating a community involves more than just publishing papers; it is about setting goals and fostering interactions. This way, researchers can build connections and collaborate more effectively. For instance, one of my professors is on the editorial board of Bioengineering and we share a professional connection. If MDPI wants to build a stronger community, it needs to create more opportunities for interaction. Otherwise, it risks just being a platform where people publish their work without building an engaged audience. Networking is crucial, and conferences are a great way to facilitate these connections.

6. How have you heard about this award, and do you have any suggestions to improve the visibility of this award?

OK, this is quite important. For example, how I focus and become aware of opportunities like this is through my professor, Antonio Lanata. He's a fantastic, social man and engineer. We were talking about different opportunities, and he told me to look at these awards because they are quite nice and worth winning. We discussed them, and basically, when you share information with your editorial board, it's nice, but professors receive a lot of emails.

When they get something from a journal, they might read it and forget it. This is not unexpected. In my opinion, to reach people effectively, maybe target university branches. For example, there are university clubs. European universities have this kind of culture. In my case, we had a group for Information Engineering Ph.D. students. The university itself will publish information about these opportunities because they want to support their students. It makes things much easier.

Finally, I would like to thank my supervisors and teammates Andrea Guazzini, Antonio Lanata and Mirko Duradoni who supported me and were always with me as I approached the end of my Ph.D. journey.

27 August 2024
Interview with Dr. Chetanpal Singh—Winner of the Applied Sciences 2022 Best Paper Award

1. Congratulations on winning the 2022 Best Paper Award! Could you briefly introduce yourself and the main content of the winning paper to our readers?

Hello, my name is Dr. Chetana Singh. I am currently engaged in the research field of machine-learning and artificial intelligence at Central Queensland University, Australia. I collaborate with my professors, Santoso and Shariman Grandes, on various projects. Our work primarily focuses on advancing smart crop technologies and developing machine learning applications for diagnosing skin diseases. My background is in computer science, which has significantly contributed to our exploration of these emerging technologies. Looking ahead, my research interests lie in two main areas. Firstly, I am interested in developing AI applications designed to support and assist people, ensuring that these tools provide accurate solutions rather than causing confusion. Secondly, our publications have been instrumental in highlighting the potential of these technologies in medical sciences, particularly in diagnosing and treating skin diseases, as well as addressing agricultural challenges. In agriculture, we have teams at Central Queensland University who have made significant strides in understanding and combating crop diseases. But what we are trying to achieve is solutions for the future, for our generations and for our kids. Thank you for supporting us and helping us to highlight the importance of this research field and publish our research.

2. Do you have any advice for aspiring researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?

Research is driven by personal passion and dedication. My advice to aspiring researchers is to remain committed to their interests and seek mentorship and support. It is important to collaborate and connect with experienced academics. For instance, my professors were instrumental in guiding me toward the right vision and field. Researchers should not hesitate to reach out to established academics through university emails or contact details available in research papers. Collaboration often yields better results than working in isolation. MDPI’s open access platform facilitates such connections, enabling researchers to collaborate and share their work more effectively.

3. Do you have any suggestions for our journal as to how we could further support researchers and the academic community?

MDPI offers significant support to the academic community. They provide a platform for researchers to submit proposals and abstracts, which are reviewed by experts in the field. This process ensures that only high-quality research is published. Additionally, MDPI’s open access nature allows for greater visibility and collaboration opportunities.

From my experience, MDPI has been supportive not only in publishing my work but also in recognizing it through awards and monetary prizes. This recognition motivates researchers to continue their work and strive for excellence.

One area where MDPI could enhance support for researchers is by providing access to specialized software and applications. For example, during my research, I faced challenges with processing data on standard CPUs and required GPUs. Having access to such resources would greatly benefit researchers, especially during times like the COVID-19 pandemic when travel and access to facilities were limited.

Furthermore, creating a blog-like environment within the research community could foster more interaction and collaboration. Researchers could discuss their projects, share insights, and seek advice, creating a more dynamic and supportive research ecosystem.

4. What do you think, how can we improve the visibility of this award?

I always feel that our discussions, if we could have them live with everyone involved, would be incredibly valuable. When we bring people together to talk about new fields and ideas, it can lead to groundbreaking research. It's always a pleasure for me because people are genuinely interested in these new topics and conversations.

I’ve published in a lot of journals, but MDPI stands out. The way they recognize, and honor research is something special. When an award is given, it’s truly an honorable moment for us. It brings immense joy. Personally, I was overjoyed, but my professors were even happier than I was. They insisted that I share this achievement widely and encouraged me to publish it. I joked that it was my first time experiencing something like this, but my professors reminded me of the hard work I put in. We worked diligently on this project for about a year and a half. It required immense effort, persistence, and dedication, in addition to lots of hard work, tears, and even blood. It wasn't easy at all. It's not easy, and when you receive an award after all that effort, the happiness you feel is indescribable. It's a deep, profound joy that stays with you.

5. As the winner of this award, is there something you want to express or someone you wish to thank the most?

MDPI has been an invaluable partner in my research journey. Their support and recognition have greatly contributed to my work. I encourage young researchers to take advantage of the resources and opportunities provided by MDPI, to collaborate, and to remain dedicated to their research interests. Together, we can achieve remarkable advancements in our respective fields. Thank you.

6. Have you ever encountered any difficulties conducting research and how did you overcome them?

Conducting research in the field of sentiment analysis using deep learning presents several challenges, particularly due to the inherent complexity and variability of human language. One major difficulty is handling the nuances of sentiment such as sarcasm, idioms and contextual polarity, which can significantly skew the results. Deep learning models often struggle with these subtleties because they rely heavily on the data they are trained on, and if the training data is not diverse or comprehensive enough, the models may fail to generalize well to real-world scenarios. Additionally, the requirement for large, labeled datasets to train deep learning models is another significant hurdle. Obtaining and labeling sufficient data, especially for specific domains, can be time-consuming and resource-intensive, making it difficult to build robust models.

To overcome these challenges, I focused on enhancing the quality and diversity of the training data by leveraging data augmentation techniques and incorporating domain-specific knowledge into the models. By using techniques like transfer learning, I was able to adapt pre-trained models to specific sentiment analysis tasks, reducing the need for extensive labeled datasets. Additionally, I experimented with advanced neural architectures, such as the attention mechanism, which are better at capturing long-range dependencies and context, thus improving the model’s ability to understand nuanced sentiments. Combining these approaches allowed me to build more accurate and reliable sentiment analysis models, capable of handling the complexities of human language more effectively.

7. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to submit your paper? What benefits do you think authors can gain when publishing their articles in Applied Sciences?

What appealed to me about Applied Sciences as a journal was its broad interdisciplinary focus and its commitment to advancing research that bridges the gap between fundamental science and practical applications. The journal’s emphasis on cutting-edge developments across a wide range of scientific disciplines, including engineering, computer science, and applied physics, aligns perfectly with the innovative nature of my research. Additionally, the rigorous peer-review process and the journal's reputation for publishing high-quality, impactful research were significant factors that motivated me to submit my paper. The global visibility and accessibility provided by the open-access model of Applied Sciences also assured me that my work would reach a diverse and extensive audience, further contributing to the scientific community and beyond.

Authors who publish in Applied Sciences can gain several substantial benefits. The journal’s interdisciplinary scope allows researchers to reach a broader audience, facilitating cross-disciplinary collaborations and enhancing the impact of their work. Moreover, the open access nature of the journal ensures that their research is widely accessible, increasing citation potential and visibility within the scientific community. The journal’s commitment to a swift and thorough peer review process also means that authors can expect timely feedback and publication, which is crucial for maintaining the momentum of their research projects. Overall, Applied Sciences provides a platform that not only showcases research but also amplifies its reach and impact, making it an ideal choice for authors looking to contribute to both their specific field and the broader scientific discourse.

8. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?

In the coming years, the research community in deep learning is likely to focus on several emerging and critical topics that push the boundaries of current capabilities and address key challenges. These topics include the development of more efficient and interpretable models, the integration of deep learning with other areas such as neuroscience and quantum computing, and the ethical implications of deploying AI systems. As deep learning continues to evolve, there will be a strong interest in models that require less computational power while maintaining or even improving accuracy, addressing the growing concern over the environmental impact and accessibility of AI technologies. Additionally, enhancing the interpretability and explainability of deep learning models will be crucial for increasing trust and adoption in critical sectors like healthcare and finance. The intersection of deep learning with other scientific domains also holds great promise, particularly in areas like personalized medicine and autonomous systems, where these techniques can lead to groundbreaking innovations.

Research Topics of Interest:

  • Interpretability and Explainability: Improving the transparency of deep learning models to enhance trust and usability in critical applications;
  • Quantum Machine Learning: Exploring the integration of quantum computing with deep learning for solving complex problems more efficiently;
  • Ethical AI and Bias Mitigation: Addressing the ethical implications and biases in AI systems to ensure fairness and accountability;
  • Personalized Medicine: Applying deep learning to healthcare for the development of personalized treatment plans and diagnostics;
  • AI for Climate Change: Utilizing deep learning to model, predict, and mitigate the effects of climate change.

26 August 2024
Meet Us at the 18th European Conference on Computer Vision, 29 September–4 October 2024, Milano, Italy


MDPI will be attending the 18th European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV 2024) in MiCo Milano, Italy, which will take place from 29 September to 4 October 2024. The European Conference on Computer Vision (ECCV) is a premier biennial research conference in Computer Vision and Machine Learning, managed by the European Computer Vision Association (ECVA). It is held on even years and gathers the scientific and industrial communities within these areas. The first ECCV was held in 1990 in Antibes, France, and the conference has subsequently been organized all over Europe.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

  • Applied Sciences;
  • Electronics;
  • AI;
  • Future Internet;
  • Inventions;
  • Journal of Imaging;
  • Machine Learning and Knowledge Extraction;
  • Mathematics;
  • Remote Sensing;
  • Technologies.

If you are attending the conference, please visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://eccv.ecva.net/.

22 August 2024
Meet Us at the 29th Ibero-American Catalysis Congress (XXIX CICAT), 23–27 September 2024, Bilbao, Spain


Conference: The 29th Ibero-American Catalysis Congress (XXIX CICAT)
Date: 23–27 September 2024
Location: Bilbao, Spain

After the last two congresses in Mexico and Brazil being entirely virtual, the XXIX CICAT will be an opportunity to gather together in the city of Bilbao, to share experiences in person, and for closer contact and collaboration between researchers, professionals, and students. This year’s theme is “Catalysis: Innovating for a Changing World” and is aimed at attaining the Sustainable Development Goals. The emphasis will be on areas of importance for the Ibero-American community.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please feel free to stop by our booth (#4) and start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://www.cicat2024.com/.

20 August 2024
Applied Sciences | Top 10 Cited Papers in 2023 in the Section “Civil Engineering”

“Research Progress and Applications of Fe-Mn-Si-Based Shape Memory Alloys on Reinforcing Steel and Concrete Bridges”
by Xuhong Qiang, Yapeng Wu, Yuhan Wang and Xu Jiang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3404; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063404
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3404

“Application of Bayesian Neural Network (BNN) for the Prediction of Blast-Induced Ground Vibration”
by Yewuhalashet Fissha, Hajime Ikeda, Hisatoshi Toriya, Tsuyoshi Adachi and Youhei Kawamura
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3128; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053128
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3128

“A Review of Detection Technologies for Underwater Cracks on Concrete Dam Surfaces”
by Dong Chen, Ben Huang and Fei Kang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3564; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063564
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3564

“A Review on the Implementation of the BIM Methodology in the Operation Maintenance and Transport Infrastructure”
by Jorge Jerez Cepa, Rubén M. Pavón, Marcos G. Alberti, Angelo Ciccone and Domenico Asprone
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3176; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053176
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3176

“Current Trends in Fluid Viscous Dampers with Semi-Active and Adaptive Behavior”
by Luca Zoccolini, Eleonora Bruschi, Sara Cattaneo and Virginio Quaglini
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(18), 10358; https://doi.org/10.3390/app131810358
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/18/10358

“Hybrid Random Forest-Based Models for Earth Pressure Balance Tunneling-Induced Ground Settlement Prediction”
by Peixi Yang, Weixun Yong, Chuanqi Li, Kang Peng, Wei Wei, Yingui Qiu and Jian Zhou
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2574; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042574
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2574

“Recycling of Macro-Synthetic Fiber-Reinforced Concrete and Properties of New Concretes with Recycled Aggregate and Recovered Fibers”
by Guanzhi Liu, Nikola Tošić and Albert de la Fuente
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2029; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042029
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2029

“A Comparative Study of Damage-Sensitive Features for Rapid Data-Driven Seismic Structural Health Monitoring”
by Yves Reuland, Panagiotis Martakis and Eleni Chatzi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2708; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042708
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2708

“Development of Geospatial Data Acquisition, Modeling, and Service Technology for Digital Twin Implementation of Underground Utility Tunnel”
by Jaewook Lee, Yonghwan Lee and Changhee Hong
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4343; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074343
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4343

“Effectiveness of Tuned Mass Damper in Reducing Damage Caused by Strong Earthquake in a Medium-Rise Building”
by Lucas Mazzon, Giada Frappa and Margherita Pauletta
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6815; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116815
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6815

19 August 2024
MDPI’s 2023 Young Investigator Awards—Winners Announced


MDPI’s Young Investigator Awards recognize promising early career scientists, acknowledge their contributions, and foster collaboration within the scientific community. We are proud to announce the recipients for 2023, who were carefully selected by the journals’ esteemed Award Evaluation Committee.

We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the 79 winners of MDPI’s 2023 Young Investigator Awards for their excellent contributions in their research field. We look forward to seeing these rising stars continue to contribute to the advancement of science.

MDPI will continue to support and recognize the academic community. To explore details about the awardees by field, please visit the individual pages listed below:

Congratulations to all the winners for their exceptional contributions and dedication to advancing scientific research.

About MDPI Awards:
To support the academic community, particularly young researchers, and to enhance communication among scientists, MDPI journals regularly offer various awards to researchers in specific fields. These awards, serving as a source of inspiration and recognition, help to elevate the profiles of talented individuals who have made outstanding achievements and are making significant contributions to advancements in their respective fields.

To find out more about MDPI awards, please click here.

13 August 2024
Meet Us at the Physical Society of Japan 2024 Annual Meeting, 16–19 September 2024, Hokkaido, Japan


MDPI will be attending the Physical Society of Japan 2024 annual meeting, which will be held from 16 to 19 September 2024 in Hokkaido, Japan.

The Physical Society of Japan (JPS) holds nationwide scientific meetings in the spring and autumn of each year and categorizes all the fields of physics into 19 divisions. During the annual meeting, recent research from all these divisions is discussed at one venue. The autumn meetings are held at different venues, covering the 13 divisions of condensed matter physics and other fields. As many as 5,000 researchers take part in both the spring and autumn meetings, where more than 3,000 presentations and active discussions take place.

The following topics will be covered:

  • Theoretical Particle Physics;
  • Experimental Particle Physics;
  • Theoretical Nuclear Physics;
  • Experimental Nuclear Physics;
  • Cosmic Rays/Astrophysics;
  • Beam Physics.

Division 1: Atomic and Molecular Physics, Quantum Electronics, Radiation;

Division 2: Plasma;

Division 3: Magnetism;

Division 4: Semiconductors, Mesoscopic Systems and Quantum Transport;

Division 5: Optical Properties of Condensed Matter;

Division 6: Metal Physics [Liquid Metals, Quasicrystals], Low Temperature Physics [Ultralow Temperatures, Superconductivity, Density Waves;

Division 7: Molecular Solids;

Division 8: Strongly Correlated Electron Systems;

Division 9: Surfaces & Interfaces, Crystal Growth;

Division 10: Structural Property(Dielectrics, Ferroelectricity, Lattice Defects and Nanostructures, Phononic Properties, and X-ray and Particle Beams);

Division 11: Fundamental Theory of Condensed Matter Physics, Statistical Mechanics, Fluid Dynamics, Applied Mathematics, Socio- and Econophysics;

Division 12: Soft Matter Physics, Chemical Physics, Biophysics;

Division 13: Physics Education, History of Physics, Environmental Physics.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the symposium:

If you are planning to attend the above conference, we encourage you to visit our booth and speak to our representatives. We are eager to meet you in person and assist you with any queries that you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the official website at https://gakkai-web.net/jps/jps_e_program/2024au/index.html.

13 August 2024
Join Us at the 2024 BMES Annual Meeting, 23–26 October 2024, Baltimore, USA


Conference: 2024 BMES Annual Meeting
Date: 23–26 October 2024
Location: Baltimore, USA

MDPI will be attending the 2024 BMES Annual Meeting as an exhibitor. We welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

Established in 1968, the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES) is a professional society for students, faculty, researchers, and industry professionals in the field of biomedical engineering. The conference aspect covers cancer treatment, heart disease, women’s health, global health disparities, and more. The meeting allows members to advocate for their innovative solutions, demonstrating their commitment to our society’s core value of health equity for all individuals. The Biomedical Engineering Society is governed by the BMES Board of Directors, and this board is elected from members of the society.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please do not hesitate to start an online conversation with us before visiting. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.bmes.org/bmes2024.

7 August 2024
MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter #14 - New Headquarters, Marketing, Poland

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.

In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.


Opening Thoughts

MDPI Moves to New Headquarters in Basel, Switzerland

I am excited to share that MDPI has moved to a new state-of-the-art office space in Basel, Switzerland. This move consolidates our operations by bringing together our two previously separated Basel offices into one central location.

We are always growing our talent pool and encourage you to view our Careers Page for the positions available in Basel and across our offices.

New Address: Grosspeteranlage 5, CH-4052 Basel, Switzerland

Effective Date: 1 July 2024

This new chapter in our company’s journey is designed to continue our mission of positioning MDPI as a leader in Open Access (OA) publishing, highlighting our commitment to making scholarly research accessible to everyone.

Boasting modern amenities, improved meeting and event spaces designed to support our growing needs, the new location provides a more collaborative and efficient working environment for our employees. The location offers convenient accessibility to public transportation and is situated near the Basel SBB railway station, with a variety of nearby services and amenities.

In fact, I can see the trains right outside of my window as I write these lines!

This move marks an exciting milestone in MDPI’s development, and I am confident that the new headquarters will serve as an inspiring and productive space for everyone. We also very much look forward to welcoming visitors here. You can read more about MDPI's history here.

“This new chapter continues our mission of positioning MDPI as a leader in OA publishing”

For Those New to MDPI

A pioneer in scholarly, Open Access publishing, MDPI has supported academic communities since 1996. MDPI is leading the transition to Open Science by making a greater proportion of the research conducted worldwide free and accessible to everyone. To date, over 3.5 million researchers have entrusted MDPI with publishing their scientific discoveries. MDPI’s editorial process is bolstered by a network of dedicated reviewers, a team of 6,000 professional, well-trained staff members, and an in-house article submission platform designed to ensure efficient processes within its 440 fully Open Access titles. MDPI supports more than 800 academic institutions worldwide, helping them adhere to national mandates while facilitating authors’ publication in fully compliant (CC BY) Open Access journals.

Impactful Research

New and Emerging MDPI Journals Making an Immediate Impact

Unpacking some of the Impact Factor updates from the June CEO Letter, I wanted to dive a little deeper into the 137 MDPI journals which received Impact Factor for the first time.

Academic authors highly value efficient publishing processes, robust editorial support, and the opportunity to publish in high-impact journals. We are proud that our newly launched journals typically achieve coverage in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) of the Web of Science within just a few years, with a median time of only three years from release to inclusion.

As part of our commitment to advancing academic research and providing high-quality OA publishing, we actively seek new research areas to expand our portfolio of journals. We have a proven track record of successfully establishing new journals.

Our dedicated teams excel in fostering dynamic editorial boards and working closely with Editors-in-Chief (EiC) to define the precise scope and focus of each new journal. Our expertise extends to collaborating with indexing services, ensuring that our journals comply with best practices and are indexed promptly in all relevant databases.

Emerging Titles Ranked for the First Time

Our commitment to excellence is reflected in the annual impact metrics released this past June. The latest edition of the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) showcases the integration of journals from the ESCI in the new unified category rankings, providing a simplified and more complete view of all journals within each subject category, including newly established titles.

Out of 137 new and developing MDPI journals ranked in the 2024 release, 79 are in the top half (Q1 or Q2) of their categories. Here is a breakdown of the number of MDPI’s ESCI-indexed journals by quartile in the JCR:

Quartile No. of journals
Q1 17 (12.4%)
Q2 62 (45.3%)
Q3 43 (31.4%)
Q4 15 (10.9%)
Not ranked (humanities-related journals) 2

These rankings highlight our success in rapidly establishing high-impact new journals. Among those that made it directly into the top 25% of their category are the International Journal of Neonatal Screening, Journal of Xenobiotics, Polysaccharides, Smart Cities, and thirteen other journals.

You can browse MDPI journals by Indexing. Simply visit our Journals page and select from the list of Indexing bodies in the top left-hand corner.

For quick reference, as at 31 July 2024:

Inside MDPI

MDPI Corporate Marketing Strategy and Team Meeting 2024

In July, I hosted the annual Corporate Marketing strategy and team-building activity with 15 of our team members.

The aim was to align the Corporate Marketing strategy with MDPI's goal of becoming the world's most trusted OA publisher. While we provide a high-level publishing experience for our authors, as seen from our surveys, we need to keep building on our transparent and open communication to foster trust within the scholarly community and continue enhancing our reputation.

The Corporate Marketing team plays an important role as the mouthpiece for all our major activities within MDPI, especially those that model what it means to be a trusted partner. The purpose of the strategy meeting was to develop a feeling of trust in one another and an understanding of how to inspire trust in the stakeholders with whom we interact.

“We need to keep building on our transparent and open communication to foster trust within the scholarly community”

We conducted a set of activities to facilitate that sense of mutual trust and trustworthiness. Examples of some activities we worked on during this strategy-building event include:

  • Exploring what trust means
    • ‘Letter to self’
    • ‘The brand I most trust’
  • Most Trusted Academic Publisher
    • ‘The brand I would like MDPI to become’
    • ‘The 2029 MDPI Annual Report’
    • Voice of Customer and Share of Voice – survey/data update on MDPI Brand Experience and Brand Perception
  • Integrate Trust-Based Objective into Marketing Plan
    • ‘Becoming the MDPI experience’
    • ‘Trusting the next steps’

While two days is not enough to finalize a marketing strategy, it is sufficient to get everyone who attended into the mindset of the direction in which we are working. From here, we will develop a program with next steps on main projects, update communications, and collaborate with team leads to incorporate this approach into our work going forward.

As a marketing team, we can communicate our messages, but trust has to be built at every touchpoint in the stakeholder journey. Just talking about it isn’t enough. We need to be about it. That’s a role each of us plays, from editorial to IT, from marketing to HR. We must build trust from the inside out. It starts with each manager and resonates out via every team member.

As a company, our goal is to give all stakeholders with whom we interact – whether internal or external – the experience of working with an organization it can trust.

Coming Together for Science

MDPI in Poland: Krakow Office

In July, I had the pleasure of visiting our Krakow office, following my recent trip to Warsaw to meet with the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

During these visits, I prioritized meeting with our Office Manager, Editorial Director, Group Leads, and members from various teams, including editorial, production, marketing, and journal relationship specialists, to understand their roles and current challenges. Instead of a formal presentation, I opted for an open discussion, sharing updates from headquarters to engage with colleagues in a more personal way.

Our Krakow office has many things to be proud of, including a large number of PhD colleagues (over a third of its staff holds a PhD degree). Krakow provides an opportunity for expanding beyond the 100 colleagues we currently have, by adding new hires in departments including editorial, production and marketing, among others.

About our Krakow office

  • Opened in 2020
  • 99 staff members as at 1 August 2024
  • Main Departments include Editorial, Production, English Department, JRS, PR

Our Krakow office participates in international conferences, conducts author trainings and scholar visits, and engages in local market outreach. The office is also a member of the Polish Chamber of Commerce for High Technology (IZTECH) and is working on expanding its local engagement.

Krakow is the second-largest city in Poland, with a population of about 800,000. It also has a large student population of around 128,000, with seven universities. This means that roughly one in every eight residents is a student.

Poland and MDPI

Poland is a crucial market for MDPI. From 2020 to June 2024, Poland ranked 7th in submissions and 5th in publications for MDPI research articles. As at 31 July 2024, Poland ranks 7th in total MDPI publications, with approximately 70,000 research papers.

Between 2020 and June 2024, 61,500 authors from Poland published with MDPI. As at 30 June 2024, there are 1,205 active Editorial Board Members (EBMs) from Poland, with 661 EBMs (55% of the total) having an H-index over 25.

We also have four Editors-in-Chief (EiC) from Poland leading our journals: Coatings, Venereology, Advances in Respiratory Medicine, and Limnological Review, along with six Section EiC.

In 2023, we received approximately 21,000 submissions from Polish-affiliated authors, of which 12,032 were published.

“Poland is a crucial market for MDPI”

Meeting with Ministry of Education

On 22 July, we visited Warsaw to meet with the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education.

We were pleased to learn that they are strong supporters of the OA publishing model and value MDPI’s approach to the peer-review process, including our high ethical standards for quality control.

In 2023 Polish authors predominantly published their papers in OA, with MDPI holding the largest market share in OA publications within the country.

Our commitment to collaborating with Polish institutions is evident through our 33 Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP) agreements with prestigious institutions such as the University of Warsaw, the University of Wroclaw, the Jagiellonian University, and Gdańsk University of Technology. Through IOAP discounts, a healthy waiver rate, and our peer-review voucher system, we provide the Polish scholarly community with significant savings in OA publishing. The Minister greatly appreciated these efforts and our commitment to offsetting some of the APC costs.

We discussed industry concerns about the threat of papermills and presented the preventive measures MDPI has in place to mitigate this risk and uphold high ethical standards. We informed them of our commitment to combating papermills, including our involvement with United2Act and the STM Research Integrity Hub, as well as our efforts to expand our research integrity team and explore proactive measures.

Closing Thoughts

MDPI Thought Leadership Op-ed on Open Access is Now Live on Politico

I am pleased to share that our thought leadership Op-ed piece on Open Access (OA) is now live on Politico. This is a nice push for continued influence and support of OA among policymakers and industry leaders.

Why Politico?

Politico's reputation as a highly credible and influential news platform makes it an important venue to reach key opinion leaders (KOL) from academia, policymakers, and thought leaders from many industries. This visibility helps promote the OA philosophy.

Open Access: A Moral Imperative for Progress

In this piece, I discuss the necessity of making scientific research freely available to all. I argue that publicly funded research should be publicly accessible, highlighting how OA democratizes scientific knowledge, accelerates research availability, and fosters collaboration.

“Open Access is a fundamental right for all citizens”

Democratizing scientific communication
The impulse to democratize scientific communication is nothing new. OA may seem like a recent innovation, but its principles have historical roots traceable to Europe in the 15th century. Just as the printing revolution accelerated the dissemination of new ideas, OA publishing unlocks new scientific insights that would otherwise only be accessible to a few.

Benefits for scholars: amplifying impact through Open Access
Authors publishing in an OA journal can expect more citations of their work, increasing its potential impact. Research findings that are freely available are more likely to be cited than those hidden behind a paywall. Freedom of access greatly increases the potential audience for each paper, fostering a sense of community among researchers worldwide. Heightened visibility can attract prospective collaborators and employers for young scientists. At MDPI, we believe that all these factors can only accelerate the advance of science. Additionally, authors retain copyright in their work instead of signing it away, permitting broader dissemination under Creative Commons licenses and increasing its capacity for impact.

The moral imperative
OA is not just a matter of scientific policy; it is a fundamental right for all citizens and a prerequisite for a brighter, more informed future. Publicly funded research should be a top priority, and I am pleased to see policy moving in this direction. Our capacity to generate transformative scientific insights has to be democratized. The question today is no longer whether we can afford to embrace OA; rather, it is whether we can afford not to.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

6 August 2024
Applied Sciences | Top 10 Cited Papers in 2023 in the Section “Mechanical Engineering”

“An Overview of Industrial Robots Control and Programming Approaches”
by Pietro Bilancia, Juliana Schmidt, Roberto Raffaeli, Margherita Peruzzini and Marcello Pellicciari
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(4), 2582; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042582
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2582

“Additive Manufacturing for Lightweighting Satellite Platform”
by Alberto Boschetto, Luana Bottini, Luciano Macera and Somayeh Vatanparast
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(5), 2809; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13052809
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/2809

“A Bearing Fault Diagnosis Method Based on Wavelet Denoising and Machine Learning”
by Shaokun Fu, Yize Wu, Rundong Wang and Mingzhi Mao
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(10), 5936; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13105936
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/10/5936

“Vibration Attenuation in a High-Rise Hybrid-Timber Building: A Comparative Study”
by Suvash Chapain and Aly Mousaad Aly
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(4), 2230; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042230
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2230

“Digitalization Trend and Its Influence on the Development of the Operational Process in Production Companies”
by Michal Adamczak, Adam Kolinski, Justyna Trojanowska and Jozef Husár
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(3), 1393; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031393
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1393

“Equivalent Stress Intensity Factor: The Consequences of the Lack of a Unique Definition”
by Sérgio M. O. Tavares and Paulo M. S. T. de Castro
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(8), 4820; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084820
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/4820

“Topology Optimization for Minimum Compliance with Material Volume and Buckling Constraints under Design-Dependent Loads”
by Yuanteng Jiang, Ke Zhan, Jie Xia and Min Zhao
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(1), 646; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010646
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/646

“Dynamical Effects of the Increase of the Axle Load on European Freight Railway Vehicles”
by Nicola Bosso, Matteo Magelli and Nicolò Zampieri
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(3), 1318; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031318
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1318

“Development of a Collaborative Robotic Platform for Autonomous Auscultation”
by Daniel Lopes, Luís Coelho and Manuel F. Silva
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(3), 1604; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031604
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1604

“Proactive Mission Planning of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Fleets Used in Offshore Wind Farm Maintenance”
by Zbigniew Banaszak, Grzegorz Radzki, Izabela Nielsen, Rasmus Frederiksen and Grzegorz Bocewicz
Applied Sciences 2023, 13(14), 8449; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13148449
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/14/8449

2 August 2024
MDPI Romania Author Training Sessions in May

In May, MDPI Romania held three author training sessions – one endorsing an external event and two stand-alone sessions.

The National Session of Scientific Student Communications took place at Technical University Cluj on 17 and 18 May 2024. MDPI Romania sponsored this event and contributed an author training session on the production of research papers and case study analyses. JRS Norbert Kiss gave a presentation called The World of Open Access to explain different open access publishing models and the benefits of open access publishing. His presentation highlighted the impact of open access publishing on scientific progress and innovation.

On 29 May 2024, MDPI Romania hosted an author training session for Ph.D. students, early career researchers, and professors at the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy. In collaboration with Prof. Andreea Arsene, JRS Ioana Paunescu prepared two presentations: The Steps of the Publishing Process and Elaboration of a Peer Review Report. In her first presentation, she delved into MDPI’s history and mission, MDPI’s editorial process, and MDPI journals of various scopes that are accepting submissions. Her second presentation outlined the types of peer review, the contents of a peer review report by an MDPI reviewer, and the responsibilities of an MDPI reviewer.

MDPI Romania also hosted an author training session at the Iasi University of Life Sciences on 29 May 2024. JRSs Laurentiu Preda and Cosmin Artan gave four presentations: Efficient Writing of an ISI-Indexed Scientific Article, Benefits of Publishing in the Open Access Model, Various Methods of Open Access Publishing, and MDPI Guide for the Article Review Process. The first three presentations offered guidance on how to improve academic writing, the fourth focused on how to write peer review reports. A highly interactive discussion followed the presentations, during which the JRSs provided extensive answers to attendees’ questions.

MDPI is grateful for all the attendees, speakers, and organizers involved in these events. Through their enthusiasm and dedication, these events were great successes.

1 August 2024
Applied Sciences | Top 10 Cited Papers in 2023 in the Section “Robotics and Automation”

“Robots in Inspection and Monitoring of Buildings and Infrastructure: A Systematic Review”
by Srijeet Halder and Kereshmeh Afsari
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2304; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042304
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2304

“A Comparative Study for Control of Quadrotor UAVs”
by Marco Rinaldi, Stefano Primatesta and Giorgio Guglieri
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3464; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063464
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3464

“Assessing the Relationship between Cognitive Workload, Workstation Design, User Acceptance and Trust in Collaborative Robots”
by Tommaso Panchetti, Luca Pietrantoni, Gabriele Puzzo, Luca Gualtieri and Federico Fraboni
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1720; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031720
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1720

“Non-Parametric Calibration of the Inverse Kinematic Matrix of a Three-Wheeled Omnidirectional Mobile Robot Based on Genetic Algorithms”
by Jordi Palacín, Elena Rubies, Ricard Bitrià and Eduard Clotet
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 1053; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13021053
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/1053

“Integrating Virtual, Mixed, and Augmented Reality to Human–Robot Interaction Applications Using Game Engines: A Brief Review of Accessible Software Tools and Frameworks”
by Enrique Coronado, Shunki Itadera and Ixchel G. Ramirez-Alpizar
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1292; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031292
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1292

“Metamodelling of Manufacturing Processes and Automation Workflows towards Designing and Operating Digital Twins”
by Panagiotis Stavropoulos, Alexios Papacharalampopoulos, Kyriakos Sabatakakis and Dimitris Mourtzis
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1945; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031945
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1945

“Robotics in Search and Rescue (SAR) Operations: An Ethical and Design Perspective Framework for Response Phase”
by Hareesh Chitikena, Filippo Sanfilippo and Shugen Ma
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1800; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031800
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1800

“Study on Actuator Performance Evaluation of Aerial Water-Powered System for Firefighting Applications”
by Thinh Huynh, Dong-Hun Lee and Young-Bok Kim
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1965; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031965
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1965

“Exploring the Influencing Factors on User Experience in Robot-Assisted Health Monitoring Systems Combining Subjective and Objective Health Data”
by Caterina Neef, Katharina Linden and Anja Richert
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3537; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063537
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3537

“We Do Not Anthropomorphize a Robot Based Only on Its Cover: Context Matters too!”
by Marion Dubois-Sage, Baptiste Jacquet, Frank Jamet and Jean Baratgin
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8743; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158743
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/15/8743

30 July 2024
Interview with Dr. Laura Clarizia—Winner of the Applied Sciences 2024 Travel Award

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Laura Clarizia, an assistant professor at the University of Naples Federico II, Italy, has won the Applied Sciences 2024 Travel Award. As the winner, she will receive an honorarium of CHF 600 and a certificate.

Name: Dr. Laura Clarizia
Affiliation: Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering (DICMaPI), University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
Research Interests: environmental protection and pollution mitigation; photocatalysis; advanced oxidation processes; solar chemical processes; hydrogen production; sustainable recovery of precious metals from waste; remedial of highly polluted soils and sediments; selective oxidations for green chemistry

The following is an interview with Dr. Laura Clarizia:

1. Congratulations on your award! Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little bit about your fields of interest?

I am an assistant professor at the University of Naples Federico II, Department of Chemical, Materials and Production Engineering. I work in the field of industrial chemistry with specific applications in wastewater treatment and energy recovery, particularly hydrogen generation through photocatalytic processes. These processes are activated by sunlight and utilize specific catalysts. My research focuses on developing efficient catalysts to recover energy from sunlight using wastewater or other waste streams, including solid waste streams.

The main goal of my research is the decontamination of contaminated matrices, such as water and soil, while simultaneously achieving energy recovery in the form of hydrogen gas. This dual objective addresses both environmental and energy concerns.

The Travel Award will provide me with the opportunity to travel and connect with other researchers, enhancing collaboration and knowledge exchange.

2. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?

For young researchers, it is important to connect with other researchers and build both a local and international network. They should also seek grants specifically for young researchers.

In my professional opinion, there are two key aspects to be considered: building a network with other young researchers and consistently looking for grants and opportunities. Additionally, spending some time abroad in other countries is crucial. I spent part of my research activity in the US at the University of Cincinnati, and it was very important for my career.

3. How supportive might these kinds of awards be for researchers? Do you have any suggestions on how our journal could further support the academic community?

This is very important because we don't have a large amount of funding available for these kinds of events. While there is funding for some research projects, there is no specific funding for traveling. Therefore, this opportunity is crucial for me to connect with my network.

4. Do you have any suggestions for our journal regarding how we could further support young researchers and the academic community?

Yes, for example, you could promote a Special Issue led by young researchers with specific expertise in a particular field. Additionally, you could promote opportunities for young women to develop their careers. As you know, it can be more difficult, especially for those with families or children, so providing more opportunities for young women is important.

In Italy, if you look at the percentage of women and men in STEM research, there is gender equality at the Ph.D. level, with 50% women and 50% men. However, at the full professor level, it is about 90% men and 10% women, which is a significant problem.

5. What is your experience with our service from the point of view of an author and reviewer?

According to my experience with MDPI journals, their service is always very quick. When we submit papers, the assistance from the journals is always prompt and efficient. Overall, my experience with MDPI has been excellent, and their email communication is outstanding.

For more information about the journal awards, please click on the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/awards.

26 July 2024
Interview with Prof. Dr. Pooya Davari—Winner of the Applied Sciences 2022 Best Paper Award

We are please to announce that Prof. Dr. Pooya Davari’s paper “Overview of Power Electronic Converter Topologies Enabling Large-Scale Hydrogen Production via Water Electrolysis” has been chosen as one of 10 articles of exceptional quality that were published in the journal during 2022 and has won the Applied Sciences 2022 Best Paper Award. As a winner, Prof. Dr. Davari will receive CHF 500, a certificate, and a voucher granting a full waiver on the article processing charge valid for one year.

The following is an interview with Prof. Dr. Pooya Davari:

1. Congratulations on winning the 2022 Best Paper Award! Could you briefly introduce yourself and the main content of the winning paper to our readers?

My name is Pooya Davari, and I am an Associate Professor and leader of Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)/Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) in Power Electronics Research Group at Aalborg University in the Department of Energy. I joined Aalborg University in 2014 as a postdoc after completing my Ph.D. at Queensland University of Technology in Australia. My research primarily focuses on power electronics, specifically on the electromagnetic compatibility of power electronics and the noise generated by power converters.

The winning paper originated from a project on hydrogen production using power electronics and was later expanded to explore other fields like electric steam methane reformer. Given the current interest in hydrogen through electrolyzers and the performance of different power converters, we aimed to provide an overview of various configurations and their potential future advancements. This paper has received positive feedback from the industry for its insights into the current and future states of power electronics.

2. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to submit your paper? What benefits do you think authors can gain when publishing their articles in Applied Sciences?

One of the things I appreciate about Applied Sciences is its efficiency. The journal has a fast peer review process, ensuring quick reviews and publication. While there are article processing charges, there are also opportunities for discounts or free publication. Additionally, Applied Sciences does a great job of increasing the visibility of the authors' work, which is crucial for both academic and industry recognition. The journal's rising impact factor also reflects its growing reputation and the high quality of work it publishes.

3. What is your current research and why did you choose this field?

My current research continues to focus on power electronics, particularly on power quality and compatibility with the power grid. With the shift towards greener technologies, power electronics play a vital role, especially in renewable energy sources like wind and Photovoltaic (PV), as well as emerging applications such as power-to-X. The unintentional noise generated by power electronics is a significant challenge, and my goal is to ensure that power converters are compatible with each other and the power grid. This field is essential for advancing sustainable energy solutions.

4. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?

Several topics are gaining attention. Power-to-X applications, data centers, and electric vehicles are key areas where power electronics can make a significant impact. Unlocking the full potential of wide band gap devices and their application in these fields is crucial. In my opinion, now we are missing advancements on magnetics. Additionally, improving the reliability and lifetime of power converters is important for sustainability.

5. Have you ever encountered any difficulties conducting research and how did you overcome them?

Research always comes with challenges. High-risk projects may not always succeed, and accurately modeling complex systems remains difficult. Simplifying models can help, but funding and finding the right team members are constant challenges. There is also a trend for researchers to prefer industry over academia due to salary differences and the daily challenges of academic research. Despite these obstacles, perseverance and adaptability are key to overcoming them.

6. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?

My advice is to be patient. Significant results take time and effort. While it may seem like others are achieving quick success, there is usually a substantial amount of work behind those achievements. Focus on your research, put in the effort, and be patient. Over time, your work will gain visibility and recognition. Stay committed to your goals, and don't be discouraged by initial setbacks.

7. Applied Sciences is an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts the authors?

I really like open access because I can see that there are some regions or areas with limitations in accessing some publishers since they have to pay for a membership and so on. Open access helps by, first of all, providing the latest work as soon as it gets published, so we stay aware of what is going on. Additionally, it's easily accessible with no restrictions, benefiting both academia and industry, which may not always afford membership fees for accessing these publications. Many journals like Applied Sciences are flexible by offering discounts or even free access in some cases, which really helps researchers to contribute.

8. As the winner of this award, is there something you want to express or someone you wish to thank most?

I’m really grateful for this award. When I saw the email, I was very surprised. We knew as a team that we did our best, but we didn’t do it just to get awards. I think I should appreciate the Department of Energy at Aalborg University because of the facilities and nice environment they provided, allowing us to conduct research on this topic. I am very grateful. And, of course, Professor Frede Blaabjerg himself has been a great mentor. I have learned a lot from him. Now, I have my own research group running, but from the beginning, I have learned a lot from his advice on how to look into the future strategically.

9. Do you have any suggestions for our journal as to how we could further support researchers and the academic community?

I think you are doing an excellent job, to be honest. Running a lot of Special Issues is quite important. Based on the impact factor increase, it shows that you are already doing great. One suggestion could be to engage more with conferences. This could help because selecting parts of the conference proceedings for publishing as Special Issues in the journal could motivate people to contribute more to Applied Sciences.

More information about journal awards could be found at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/awards.

22 July 2024
Interview with Dr. Vanni Nicoletti—Winner of Applied Sciences 2022 Best Paper Award

We are pleased to announce that Dr. Vanni Nicoletti's paper “A Good Practice for the Proof Testing of Cable-Stayed Bridges” has been chosen as one of the ten articles of exceptional quality that were published in the journal during 2022 and won the Applied Sciences 2022 Best Paper Award. As a winner, Dr. Nicoletti will receive CHF 500, a certificate, and a free voucher for article processing fees valid for one year.

The following is a short interview with winner Dr. Vanni Nicoletti:

1. Congratulations on winning the 2022 Best Paper Award! Could you briefly introduce yourself and the main content of the winning paper to our readers?

I am currently a postdoc at Università Politecnica delle Marche in Ancona, Italy, and in September 2024, I will start as an assistant professor there. The paper I wrote, together with my colleagues, is based on research that we conducted about four years ago on a newly built bridge in Italy. We conducted extensive experiments on the bridge, focusing on both its before- and after-construction phases. The paper particularly details the experimental part conducted during the proof test. It was a very detailed, two-day test campaign where we described all the tests and the main outcomes.

2. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to submit your paper? What benefits do you think authors can gain when publishing their articles in Applied Sciences?

I know Applied Sciences is a good journal with a solid ranking, which has recently increased. The journal collects high-quality papers, and one of the main benefits for authors is the fast-publishing process. The quality and speed of publishing are key points.

3. What is your current research and why did you choose this field?

My research field is mainly structural health monitoring (SHM), focusing on monitoring buildings and infrastructures, like bridges. I work mainly in the field of data-driven SHM, which involves collecting data on-site, setting up monitoring systems, and analyzing the collected data. My team and I are also starting to analyze satellite data for monitoring structures.

4. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?

Monitoring structures is an increasingly relevant topic, especially in Europe and Italy, where public programs are heavily investing in monitoring bridges. Monitoring will be a major topic, and improving methodologies to analyze and correlate data with the real conditions of structures will be crucial.

5. Have you ever encountered any difficulties conducting research and how did you overcome them?

Performing research is challenging, especially with the limited time academics have due to other responsibilities like teaching and securing funding. Finding time to dedicate to research amidst these tasks is difficult.

6. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?

Choose a research topic you like because research should be like a hobby, you need to be passionate about it. Stay updated with the current state of the art and know what other researchers around the world are doing in your field. Start from a well-established point and build upon it.

7. Applied Sciences is an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts the authors?

Open access is important because it provides easy access to articles. Academics sometimes struggle to access certain journals, so open access makes finding articles and information more convenient. Also, Applied Sciences is not as expensive as other journals, which is a strong advantage.

8. As the winner of this award, is there something you want to express or someone you wish to thank most?

I want to thank all my co-authors and colleagues who helped me with my research. The work we did was a team effort. Without their support, I could not have prepared the materials to write the paper.

9. Do you have any suggestions for our journal as to how we could further support researchers and the academic community?

Your journal already provides good support through awards and recognitions, such as best paper awards and travel awards. These initiatives support both young and experienced researchers and enhance the journal's activities.

More information about journal awards could be found at: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/awards.

19 July 2024
Meet Us at the 4th European Mineralogical Conference, 18–23 August 2024, Dublin, Ireland


Conference:
4th European Mineralogical Conference
Date: 18–23 August 2024
Location: Dublin, Ireland

MDPI will be attending the 4th European Mineralogical Conference as an exhibitor which will be held from 18 to 23 August 2024, and we welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The conference is organized by the Mineralogical Society of the UK and Ireland. The idea for a joint conference amongst the European mineralogical societies was “to foster exchange of new research results between the European countries”.

Minerals (ISSN: 2075-163X) is an international open access journal that covers the broad fields of mineralogy, mineral geochemistry and geochronology, economic mineral resources, mineral exploration, innovative mining techniques, and advances in mineral processing. Minerals will participate in this event as an exhibitor together with three other MDPI journals, among which Minerals will have journal representatives at our booth.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you are planning to attend this conference, please do not hesitate to start an online conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://emc-2024.org/.

18 July 2024
Meet Us at the International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference 2024, 25–28 August 2024, Washington, DC, USA


The ASME 2024 International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference will take place in August 2024. This year's event, IDETC/CIE 2024, will highlight emergent technologies that impact the critical engineering issues of product design and development, manufacturing, and the management and integration of information systems throughout a product’s life cycle. These events are key international meetings for design and manufacturing engineers in academia, government, and industry.

MDPI will attend the International Design Engineering Technical Conferences & Computers and Information in Engineering Conference 2024 (IDETC-CIE 2024), which will take place from 25 to 28 August 2024 at the JW Marriott Washington, Washington, DC, USA.

The divisions of the booths constitute the DED and the CIE:

  • The Design Engineering Division (DED) fosters understanding and research, covering the art, science, and application of design engineering to the product realization process, including the conception, evolution, and manufacturing of products;
  • The Computers and Information in Engineering Division (CIE) is a forum for understanding the application of emerging technologies that impact critical engineering issues of representation, product design, and product development.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you plan to attend this conference, we invite you to visit our booth and converse with our delegates at the conference venue (JW Marriott Washington). We are excited to meet you in person and address any questions that you may have. For further details about the conference, please visit the following website: https://event.asme.org/IDETC-CIE.

18 July 2024
Meet Us at the 2024 International Conference on Guidance, Navigation and Control, 9-11 August 2024, Changsha, China


Conference: The 2024 International Conference on Guidance, Navigation and Control

Date: 9−11 August 2024

Location: Changsha, China

The International Conference on Guidance, Navigation and Control (ICGNC) is a biennial event and is also one of the leading events in the field of Guidance, Navigation and Control (GNC).

MDPI will be attending the conference as an exhibitor. We welcome researchers from various backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you plan to attend this conference, please contact us online. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at our booth and answering any questions you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://icgnc.buaa.edu.cn/enindex.htm.

18 July 2024
Meet Us at the 26th IUPAC International Conference on Physical Organic Chemistry, 18–22 August 2024, Beijing, China


MDPI will be attending the 26th IUPAC International Conference on Physical Organic Chemistry in Beijing, China, that will take place from 18 to 22 August 2024. The conference is organized by Tsinghua University, China, and the venue will be the Beijing Friendship Hotel, a prestigious location for academic conferences and events. The conference will focus on four main topics: organic structure and chemical reactivity; reaction mechanism and application; supramolecular assembly, and AI and new POC frontiers.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you are participating in this conference, please feel free to contact us online prior to attendance. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth #D10 and answering any questions you may have. For more information regarding the conference, please visit the following link: https://www.icpoc26.tsinghua.edu.cn/column/home.

18 July 2024
Interview with Dr. André Furtado—Winner of the Applied Sciences 2023 Young Investigator Award

We are pleased to announce that Dr. André Furtado has won the Applied Sciences 2023 Early Career Investigator Award.  As the winner, he will receive an honorarium of CHF 1000, an offer to publish one paper free of charge in Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) after peer review before the end of 2024, and an electronic certificate.

Dr. André Furtado (World’s Top 2% Scientists list across all fields in 2021, according to scientists from Stanford University) is an Assistant Professor of structural engineering at Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal. Dr. André Furtado’s research interests focus on seismic engineering, structural engineering, experimental testing, numerical modeling, masonry infill walls, reinforced concrete structures, seismic vulnerability assessment, and retrofitting. Dr. André Furtado received his Ph.D. in 2020 and has an outstanding publication record, comprising over seven publications in peer-reviewed international journals in the last two years. Dr. André Furtado’s Scopus Scientific Citations number is 1553 and his Hirsch index is 24. He is a rising star in the field of structural engineering.

The following is a short interview with the winner Dr. André Furtado:

1. Congratulations on your award! Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and tell us a little bit about your fields of interest?

My name is André Furtado, and I’m working right now as an Assistant Professor at the Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon. So, my expertise is related to the seismic behavior of reinforced concrete structures, particularly the interaction between reinforced concrete structures and masonry infill walls. I also have another focus on my investigation–the seismic behavior of precast concrete structures.

2. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?

Try to be original and believe in your capacity. Sometimes it's not easy, and one of the things that I was wondering about during my early research career was being original and trying to put all my imagination into my papers, develop new things, and try not to copy other existing works, but instead of that, take a good inspiration from them and do different things. Also, since we are currently in a very competitive research environment, my best recommendation is to be persistent, resilient, and ambitious, believe in your skills, and learn to work as a team with colleagues.

3. How supportive might this kind of award be for researchers? Do you have any suggestions on how our journal could further support the academic community?

I think that these types of awards for young investigators are very important because they are usually targeted at senior investigators and somehow this is a recognition that the young investigators who have made huge efforts to be recognized by the scientific community can also make impactful research activities despite their shorter careers. I believe that these types of awards will stimulate many more outstanding early career investigators to improve their research and increase their impact on science and society. I also believe that this will stimulate many other early career investigators in the future to apply for this award. The journal can support the academic community by being more active in conferences and trying to have meetings with the authors or the Editorial Board Members to strengthen collaborations. Another thing that I would like to suggest, and I believe that you have started already, is to start with some webinars with specialists where you can be associated. Imagine that applied sciences are associated with a series of webinars related to earthquake engineering. This can be useful.

4. Do you have any suggestions for our journal, on how we could further support young researchers and the academic community?

One of the things you could do is focus on gender equality. Of course, there are some fields where there is an unbalanced number of genders, but the distinction with awards for all genders will stimulate the attention of all genders, attract more young researchers, and the results will be fruitful. Not only in my case for structural engineering, but I believe for other disciplines.

For more information about the journal awards, please click on the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/awards.

17 July 2024
Meet Us at the International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ICTAM2024), 25–30 August 2024, Daegu, Republic of Korea


MDPI will be participating in the upcoming International Congress of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (ICTAM2024), scheduled to take place from 25 to 30 August 2024 in Daegu, Republic of Korea.

ICTAM 2024 marks the 26th edition of this congress, held once every 4 years. The event is hosted by the International Union of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics (IUTAM), a global entity dedicated to fostering collaboration in the realms of theoretical and applied mechanics.

Anticipated to attract prominent researchers, professionals, and students from across the globe, ICTAM 2024 aims to facilitate the exchange of cutting-edge developments and progressions within the field of theoretical and applied mechanics. The congress will include a diverse array of activities such as plenary lectures, symposia, workshops, and technical sessions encompassing a wide range of topics in theoretical and applied mechanics.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you are considering attending this conference, we warmly welcome you to visit our booth and interact with our representatives. We are eager to meet you in person and assist you with any queries you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the official website at http://www.ictam2024.org/.

12 July 2024
Applied Sciences 2022 Best Paper Award Announcement and Interview with One of the Winners—Dr. Konstantinos Kotis

All papers published in 2022 in Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) were considered for this award. After a thorough evaluation of the originality and significance of the papers, citations, and downloads, the winner was selected:

Educational AI Chatbots for Content and Language Integrated Learning
by Kleopatra Mageira, Dimitra Pittou, Andreas Papasalouros, Konstantinos Kotis, Paraskevi Zangogianni and Athanasios Daradoumis
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(7), 3239; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12073239

The winners will receive CHF 500 and a chance to publish a paper free of charge after peer review in Applied Sciences in 2024.

Author names: Kleopatra Mageira, Dimitra Pittou, Andreas Papasalouros, Konstantinos Kotis, Paraskevi Zangogianni and Athanasios Daradoumis
Affiliation: University of the Aegean, Greece
Research Interests: AI chatbots; CMS; cultural informatics; digital culture; IoT; knowledge representation; linked data; semantic trajectories; semantic web; web apps

The following is a short interview with the correspondence author Dr. Konstantinos Kotis:

1. Congratulations on winning the 2022 Best Paper Award! Could you briefly introduce yourself and the main content of the winning paper to our readers?

My name is Konstantinos Kotis and I am a tenure track associate professor at the University of the Aegean, Dept. of Cultural Informatics and Communication, Intelligent Systems Lab, Greece. My research interests include knowledge engineering, semantic web technologies, semantic data management, the semantic web of things, and KG-based conversational AI (chatbots). I have published more than 100 papers in peer-reviewed international journals and conferences (Google Scholar h-index 22, citations>2200) and served as a reviewer and PC member for several journals and conference events. I have also contributed to several national and European projects, holding different roles/positions. For more, please visit http://i-lab.aegean.gr/kotis.

The main content of the winning paper is a report of an educational chatbot, designed to support content- and language-integrated learning, specifically, English and French language with cultural content learning.

2. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to submit your paper? What benefits do you think authors can gain when publishing their articles in Applied Sciences?

It has a high impact and quality and an interdisciplinary character, along with fast publishing.

3. What is your current research and why did you choose this field?

My current related research is about Large Language Models (LLMs) and chatbots, specifically how to use LLMs to automatically create dialogues from structured content, e.g., from LLM-generated Knowledge Graphs (KGs).

4. Which research topics do you think will be of particular interest to the research community in the coming years?

Large Language Models (LLMs), Robotics, AI in general (both generative and conversational AI). Neurosymbolic AI will be also developed fast and be at the forefront of future research.

5. Have you ever encountered any difficulties conducting research and how did you overcome them?

High publication fees in open access journals. Waivers are one way around this issue, grants are another.

6. Do you have any advice for aspiring young researchers looking to make a meaningful impact in their respective fields?

Always keep trying, do not quit, no matter what. Eventually, the effort will be rewarded.

7. Applied Sciences is an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts the authors?

Significantly, since results are distributed fast, making ‘things’ move faster!

8. As the winner of this award, is there something you want to express or someone you wish to thank most?

This award signifies the teamwork of the academic community, especially when this involves students and researchers at different levels and backgrounds. I would like to personally thank my postgraduate and Ph.D. students (Dimitra, Kleopatra, Paraskevi) for their persistent contributions and my colleauges (Andreas and Thanasis) for their key involvement and advice towards achieving this milestone.

9. Do you have any suggestions for our journal as to how we could further support researchers and the academic community?

  • Continous update of editors’ and reviewers’ lists of academics of high impact (h-index) or/and fame;
  • Provide more awards (e.g., returning open access fees to authors after winning the prize).

11 July 2024
Meet Us at the 9th International Building Physics Conference (IBPC 2024), 25–27 July 2024, Toronto, Canada


MDPI will be attending the 9th International Building Physics Conference (IBPC 2024) that will be held in Canada, Toronto, from 25 to 27 July 2024.

IBPC 2024 is the ninth edition of the official triennial conference of the International Association of Building Physics (IABP). The IBPC conferences unite researchers, practitioners, educators, and students from the building science and building physics sectors worldwide.

The committee meets to exchange new research and innovative technologies and to discuss current and future challenges and sustainable solutions within building physics, while we support innovative discoveries related to climate change challenges.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

Our representatives, Mr. David Hu and Mr. Zach Churcher, are eager to answer your questions and address any queries that you may have.

If you are planning to attend this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.ibpc2024.org/.

10 July 2024
MDPI's Newly Launched Journals in June 2024

Five new journals covering multiple subjects have launched their inaugural issue in June 2024. We are excited to be able to share with you the newest research rooted in the value of open access.

We would like to express our deepest appreciation to all the Editorial Board Members and each journal will ensure its high-quality output using excellent editorial and rigorous peer review processes, to ensure that the articles achieve high impact and visibility.

Please feel free to browse and discover more about the new journals below.

Journal

Founding Editor-in-Chief

Journal Topics (Selected)

Anesthesia Research Logo

Prof. Dr. Marco Ranucci, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Italy
| Editorial | view inaugural issue

anaesthetic medications; blood and fluid management; pain management; critical care; critical illness | view journal scope | submit an article

Complications Logo

Dr. Giovanni E. Cacciamani, University of Southern California, USA
| Editorial | view inaugural issue

surgical/procedural complications; complications; perioperative adverse events; postoperative adverse events | view journal scope | submit an article

Laboratories Logo

Prof. Dr.  Gassan Hodaifa, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Spain
| Editorial | view inaugural issue

laboratory management; laboratory safety; protective equipment; laboratory problems and challenges; laboratory Innovation | view journal scope | submit an article

Pets Logo

Prof. Dr. Jan S. Suchodolski, Texas A&M University, USA
| Editorial | view inaugural issue

companion animals health and disease; veterinary care and nutrition; genetics and genomics; behavior and welfare; human-animal relations | view journal scope | submit an article

Real Estate Logo

Prof. Dr. Pierfrancesco De Paola, University of Naples Federico II, Italy
| Editorial | view inaugural issue

real estate appraisal; economic and financial valuation of real estate projects; sustainable real estate; housing and urban economics | view journal scope | submit an article

We wish to thank everyone who has supported the development of open access publishing. You are welcome to send an application here, or contact the New Journal Committee ([email protected]) if you would like to create more new journals.

10 July 2024
Applied Sciences | Top 20 Cited Papers in 2023 in the Section “Food Science and Technology”

1. “A Review of the Relationship between Gut Microbiome and Obesity”
by Dorottya Zsálig, Anikó Berta, Vivien Tóth, Zoltán Szabó, Klára Simon, Mária Figler, Henriette Pusztafalvi and Éva Polyák
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 610; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010610
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/610

2. “Insight into the Impact of Food Processing and Culinary Preparations on the Stability and Content of Plant Alkaloids Considered as Natural Food Contaminants”
by Natalia Casado, Gema Casado-Hidalgo, Lorena González-Gómez, Sonia Morante-Zarcero and Isabel Sierra
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1704; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031704
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1704

3. “Comparison of the Spreadability of Butter and Butter Substitutes”
by Małgorzata Ziarno, Dorota Derewiaka, Anna Florowska and Iwona Szymańska
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2600; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042600
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2600

4. “Quality Assessment of Banana Ripening Stages by Combining Analytical Methods and Image Analysis”
by Vassilia J. Sinanoglou, Thalia Tsiaka, Konstantinos Aouant, Elizabeth Mouka, Georgia Ladika, Eftichia Kritsi, Spyros J. Konteles, Alexandros-George Ioannou, Panagiotis Zoumpoulakis, Irini F. Strati et al.
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3533; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063533
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3533

5. “Plant-Based Fish Analogs—A Review”
by Malgorzata Nowacka, Magdalena Trusinska, Paulina Chraniuk, Jagoda Piatkowska, Anna Pakulska, Karolina Wisniewska, Anna Wierzbicka, Katarzyna Rybak and Katarzyna Pobiega
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4509; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074509
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4509

6. “Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors Affecting the Color of Fresh Beef Meat—Comprehensive Review”
by Alejandro Poveda-Arteaga, Johannes Krell, Monika Gibis, Volker Heinz, Nino Terjung and Igor Tomasevic
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4382; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074382
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4382

7. “Edible Packaging: A Technological Update for the Sustainable Future of the Food Industry”
by Surya Sasikumar Nair, Joanna Trafiałek and Wojciech Kolanowski
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(14), 8234; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13148234
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/14/8234

8. “Suitability of Apples Flesh from Different Cultivars for Vacuum Impregnation Process”
by Marcin Kidoń, Elżbieta Radziejewska-Kubzdela, Róża Biegańska-Marecik and Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1528; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031528
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1528

9. “Clitoria ternatea Flower and Its Bioactive Compounds: Potential Use as Microencapsulated Ingredient for Functional Foods”
by Ribi Ramadanti Multisona, Shwetali Shirodkar, Marcellus Arnold and Anna Gramza-Michalowska
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2134; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042134
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2134

10. “Characterization of the Aroma Profile of Commercial Prosecco Sparkling Wines”
by Davide Slaghenaufi, Giovanni Luzzini, Matteo Borgato, Anita Boscaini, Andrea Dal Cin, Vittorio Zandonà and Maurizio Ugliano
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3609; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063609
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3609

11. “Electronic Nose Analysis to Detect Milk Obtained from Pasture-Raised Goats”
by Andrea Balivo, Simone Cipolletta, Raffaella Tudisco, Piera Iommelli, Raffaele Sacchi and Alessandro Genovese
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 861; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020861
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/861

12. “Determinants of Honey Consumption with Special Reference to the Influence of Nutritional Knowledge and Health Status on Consumption Habits”
by Iwona Kowalczuk, Dagmara Stangierska, Katarzyna Widera, Beata Fornal-Pieniak  and Piotr Latocha
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 979; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020979
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/979

13. “Immunomodulatory Properties of Probiotics and Their Derived Bioactive Compounds”
by Christina Thoda and Maria Touraki
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 4726; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084726
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/4726

14. “Berry Seeds—A By-Product of the Fruit Industry as a Source of Oils with Beneficial Nutritional Characteristics”
by Agata Górska, Iga Piasecka, Magdalena Wirkowska-Wojdyła, Joanna Bryś, Kinga Kienc, Rita Brzezińska and Ewa Ostrowska-Ligęza
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 5114; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13085114
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/5114

15. “Development and Characterization of N/S-Carbon Quantum Dots by Valorizing Greek Crayfish Food Waste”
by Achilleas Kechagias, Christos Lykos, Vassilios K. Karabagias, Stavros Georgopoulos, Viktoria Sakavitsi, Areti Leontiou , Constantinos E. Salmas, Aris E. Giannakas and Ioannis Konstantinou
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8730; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158730
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/15/8730

16. “Effect of Biofortification with Iodine by 8-Hydroxy-7-iodo-5-quinolinesulfonic Acid and 5-Chloro-7-iodo-8-quinolinol on the Chemical Composition and Antioxidant Properties of Potato Tubers (Solanum tuberosum L.) in a Pot Experiment”
by Joanna Krzemińska, Sylwester Smoleń, Iwona Kowalska, Joanna Pitala, Olga Sularz and Aneta Koronowicz
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 4659; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084659
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/4659

17. “PFAS: A Review of the State of the Art, from Legislation to Analytical Approaches and Toxicological Aspects for Assessing Contamination in Food and Environment and Related Risks”
by Consolato Schiavone and Chiara Portesi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6696; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116696
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6696

18. “Response Surface Methodology as a Tool for Optimization of Extraction Process of Bioactive Compounds from Spent Coffee Grounds”
by Rita Brzezińska, Agata Górska, Magdalena Wirkowska-Wojdyła and Iga Piasecka
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7634; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137634
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7634

19. “Potentialities of the Extraction Technologies and Use of Bioactive Compounds from Winery By-Products: A Review from a Circular Bioeconomy Perspective”
by Adriana Rodrigues Machado, Tugba Atatoprak, Joana Santos, Elisabete M. C. Alexandre, Manuela Estevez Pintado, Jorge A. P. Paiva and João Nunes
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7754; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137754
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7754

20. “Marine Bioactives and Their Application in the Food Industry: A Review”
by Tharindu R. L. Senadheera, Abul Hossain and Fereidoon Shahidi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(21), 12088; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132112088
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/21/12088

9 July 2024
Applied Sciences | Top 20 Cited Papers in 2023 in the Section “Computing and Artificial intelligence”

1. “Comparing Vision Transformers and Convolutional Neural Networks for Image Classification: A Literature Review”
by José Maurício, Inês Domingues and Jorge Bernardino
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(9), 5521; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13095521
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/9/5521

2. “Blockchain Integration in the Era of Industrial Metaverse”
by Dimitris Mourtzis, John Angelopoulos and Nikos Panopoulos
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 1353; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031353
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1353

3. “ChatGPT Challenges Blended Learning Methodologies in Engineering Education: A Case Study in Mathematics”
by  Luis M. Sánchez-Ruiz, Santiago Moll-López, Adolfo Nuñez-Pérez, José Antonio Moraño-Fernández and Erika Vega-Fleitas
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(10), 6039; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13106039
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/10/6039

4. “Knowing Knowledge: Epistemological Study of Knowledge in Transformers”
by Leonardo Ranaldi and Giulia Pucci
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 677; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020677
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/677

5. “Explainable AI for Machine Fault Diagnosis: Understanding Features’ Contribution in Machine Learning Models for Industrial Condition Monitoring”
by Eugenio Brusa, Luca Cibrario, Cristiana Delprete and Luigi Gianpio Di Maggio
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2038; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042038
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2038

6. “Exploring the Potential Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on International Students in Higher Education: Generative AI, Chatbots, Analytics, and International Student Success”
by Ting Wang, Brady D. Lund, Agostino Marengo, Alessandro Pagano, Nishith Reddy Mannuru, Zoë A. Teel and Jenny Pange
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6716; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116716
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6716

7. “Countering the Novelty Effect: A Tutorial for Immersive Virtual Reality Learning Environments”
by Ines Miguel-Alonso, Bruno Rodriguez-Garcia, David Checa and Andres Bustillo
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 593; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010593
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/593

8. “An Artificial Intelligence Approach for Improving Maintenance to Supervise Machine Failures and Support Their Repair”
by Izabela Rojek, Małgorzata Jasiulewicz-Kaczmarek, Mariusz Piechowski and Dariusz Mikołajewski
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 4971; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084971
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/4971

9. “Low Rate DDoS Detection Using Weighted Federated Learning in SDN Control Plane in IoT Network”
by Muhammad Nadeem Ali, Muhammad Imran, Muhammad Salah ud din and Byung-Seo Kim
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1431; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031431
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1431

10. “Is It Worth It? Comparing Six Deep and Classical Methods for Unsupervised Anomaly Detection in Time Series”
by Ferdinand Rewicki, Joachim Denzler and Julia Niebling
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1778; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031778
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1778

11. “Recent Advances in Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Ultrasound Scanning”
by Rebeca Tenajas, David Miraut, Carlos I. Illana, Rodrigo Alonso-Gonzalez, Fernando Arias-Valcayo and Joaquin L. Herraiz
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3693; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063693
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3693

12. “A Secure and Decentralized Authentication Mechanism Based on Web 3.0 and Ethereum Blockchain Technology”
by Adrian Petcu, Bogdan Pahontu, Madalin Frunzete and Dan Alexandru Stoichescu
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2231; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042231
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2231

13. “Fuzzy Logic with Deep Learning for Detection of Skin Cancer”
by Sumit Kumar Singh, Vahid Abolghasemi and Mohammad Hossein Anisi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8927; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158927
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/15/8927

14. “Blockchain-Based Decentralized Federated Learning Method in Edge Computing Environment”
by Song Liu, Xiong Wang, Longshuo Hui and Weiguo Wu
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1677; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031677
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1677

15. “Deep Learning-Based Network Intrusion Detection Using Multiple Image Transformers”
by Taehoon Kim and Wooguil Pak
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 2754; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13052754
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/2754

16. “Security and Privacy Issues in IoT-Based Big Data Cloud Systems in a Digital Twin Scenario”
by Christos L. Stergiou, Elisavet Bompoli and Konstantinos E. Psannis
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 758; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020758
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/758

17. “Crop Disease Diagnosis with Deep Learning-Based Image Captioning and Object Detection”
by Dong In Lee, Ji Hwan Lee, Seung Ho Jang, Se Jong Oh and Ill Chul Doo
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3148; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053148
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3148

18. “A Machine-Learning-Algorithm-Assisted Intelligent System for Real-Time Wireless Respiratory Monitoring”
by Chi Zhang, Lei Zhang, Yu Tian, Bo Bao and Dachao Li
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3885; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063885
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3885

19. “Control System Design and Methods for Collaborative Robots: Review”
by Ayesha Hameed, Andrzej Ordys, Jakub Możaryn and Anna Sibilska-Mroziewicz
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 675; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010675
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/675

20. “Retinex-Based Relighting for Night Photography”
by Sou Oish and Norishige Fukushima
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1719; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031719
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1719

5 July 2024
Meet Us at the CI’s 40th International Symposium—Emphasizing Energy Transition, 21–26 July 2024, Milan, Italy


MDPI will be attending the CI’s 40th International Symposium—Emphasizing Energy Transition, in Milan, Italy, which will take place from 21 to 26 July 2024. The event will be held at the Allianz MiCo Congress Center. The biennial symposium provides a scientific venue for sharing ideas and experiences on the applications of combustion.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you are participating in this conference, please feel free to engage with us online prior to attendance. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person at booth #B16 and answering any questions you may have. For more information regarding the conference, please visit the following link: https://www.combustionsymposia.org/2024/.

5 July 2024
Meet Us at the 36th International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors 2024, 28 July–2 August 2024, Ottawa, Canada


MDPI will attend the 36th International Conference on the Physics of Semiconductors (ICPS), at the Shaw Convention Centre, Ottawa, Canada, from 28 July to 2 August 2024.

The ICPS is a flagship conference of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics Commission on Semiconductors (C8). ICPS has a long tradition of bringing together scientists from around the globe working in this active and exciting field with great societal impact. The ICPS meeting is the premier forum for reporting all aspects of semiconductor physics, including their electronic, structural, optical, magnetic, and transport properties. The conference will reflect the state of the art in semiconductor physics as the basis for technology that currently permeates all our lives. In addition, recognizing the current drive in and public excitement for quantum, we plan to make quantum technology an important component of the ICPS in 2024.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you are planning on attending this conference, please do not hesitate to stop by our booth #6 and start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://uottawacpd.eventsair.com/QuickEventWebsitePortal/icps2024/info.

2 July 2024
Meet Us at the 26th International Conference on Electrical Machines (ICEM 2024), 1–4 September 2024, Turin, Italy


MDPI will be attending the 26th International Conference on Electrical Machines (ICEM 2024) in Turin, Italy, which will take place from 1 to 4 September 2024. The International Conference on Electrical Machines (ICEM) has established itself as an influential and recognized international event, being the only major international conference that is entirely devoted to electrical machines. Started in London in 1974, ICEM is now held every two years.

The 26th International Conference on Electrical Machines (ICEM 2024) will be held at Politecnico di Torino (Italy), one of the most prestigious public institutions at both the international and Italian levels in the fields of education, research, technological transfer and services in all sectors of architecture and engineering.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you are planning to attend the conference, please do visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.symposium.it/en/events/2024/26th-international-conference-on-electrical-machines-icem-2024.

1 July 2024
Meet Us at the 31st International Carbohydrate Symposium (ICS2024), 14–19 July 2024, Shanghai, China


MDPI will be attending the 31st International Carbohydrate Symposium (ICS2024), which will be held from 14 to 19 July 2024 in Shanghai, China.

ICS2024 will follow the convention of the previous ICS symposiums to provide a global forum for researchers engaging in all aspects of carbohydrates. Besides classical topics on carbohydrate chemistry, chemical glycobiology, and glycobiology, the current developments of carbohydrates and glycotechnologies in the fields of the diagnosis and therapy of diseases, nutrients and cosmetics, agriculture and biofuels, and materials will be highlighted. ICS2024 will reflect the state-of-art as well as future trends of the glycosciences and forge communication and corporations between glycoscientists from various areas and disciplines.

The following topics will be covered:

  • Glycochemistry;
  • Glycobiology;
  • Carbohydrate drugs;
  • Sugar vaccines;
  • Carbohydrate materials.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the symposium:

If you are planning to attend the above conference, we encourage you to visit our booth and speak to our representatives. We are eager to meet you in person and assist you with any queries that you may have.

For more information about the conference, please visit the official website at https://ics2024.casconf.cn/.

30 June 2024
Meet Us at the 28th International Conference on Raman Spectroscopy–ICORS 2024, 28 July–2 August 2024, Rome, Italy


MDPI will be attending the 28th International Conference on Raman Spectroscopy – ICORS 2024, in Rome, Italy, which will take place from 28 July to 2 August 2024. The XXVIII International Conference on Raman Spectroscopy will be held at Sapienza University. Building on the legacy of Enrico Fermi’s work, the conference has been committed through the years to scientific excellence, up to the recent Nobel prize in Physics awarded to Giorgio Parisi.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you are planning to attend the conference, please visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://icors2024.org/.

28 June 2024
Applied Sciences Exceptional Reviewers List 2024


We are thrilled to share the updated Exceptional Reviewers List 2024. This program was designed to recognize and honor scholars who have delivered consistently exceptional review reports to our journal. Committed to fostering rigorous research and promoting knowledge exchange, Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) recognizes the significant role our reviewers play in maintaining the quality and integrity of the articles we publish. According to recent surveys conducted in 2023, 91% of our authors rated the peer review as good or excellent, thanks to our pool of excellent reviewers.

We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all the reviewers who have generously volunteered their time and expertise to assist in Applied Sciences’ peer-review process. Their dedication and attention to detail in evaluating manuscripts, offering valuable feedback, and contributing to academic rigor are truly commendable.

The Exceptional Reviewers List was introduced in May 2024. Each quarter, we will be selecting a group of outstanding reviewers and introduce them here.

Q1

  • Prof. Dr. Krzysztof Skrzypkowski, AGH University of Krakow, Poland
    Interests: underground mining methods; rock bolting; non-destructive testing; backfilling; rock mass monitoring; model test; computer-aided design in mining and geoengineering
    “The review process is always very reliable and effective. A big advantage is the editor's care, who ensures punctuality and decision-making.”
  • Dr. Jozef Krajňák, Technical University of Košice, Slovakia
    Interests: flexible coupling; vibrations; noisiness; gaseous medium
    “I think that the articles in MDPI are of high quality, as well as the process of processing submitted articles or creating reviews. I like this idea and I will support it in the future as well.”
  • Dr. Jacek Abramczyk, Associate Professor, Rzeszow University of Technology, Poland
    Interests: buildings; structural systems

Q2

  • Dr. Tao Wang, China University of Mining and Technology, China
  • Dr. Jimmie Miller, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, USA
    “A reviewer is a sifter. A reviewer is a refiner. A reviewer is an examiner. A reviewer is an appraiser. A reviewer is an illuminator. A reviewer is a teacher. A reviewer is a mentor.”
  • Dr. Keshav Bhattarai, University of Central Missouri, USA
    “As a reviewer, I evaluate papers with respect and care, focusing on writing quality, relevance, and research credibility. My goal is to provide constructive feedback that aids both authors and editors.”

Q3

  • Dr. Carlos Marcuello, CSIC-Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain
    “The reviewing activity was pleasant and the website platform treasures of an intuitive interface that makes an excellent experience.”
  • Dr. Aristeidis Karras, University of Patras, Greece
    “I have really enjoyed reviewing for Applied Sciences, enabling this meaningful discourse alongside many who engage in impactful research in our field.”
  • Dr. Itzhak Aviv, MTA and University of Haifa, Israel
    “Reviewing for Applied Sciences has been enriching and rewarding. The review allowed me to be on top of the latest in my research work and stimulate research worldwide. Thanks to contributing to the peer-review process, I have helped consign colleagues and make sure that the best of the scientific work is elevated. I have enjoyed collaborating with the editorial team, who have created a collaborative and professional review environment. It is a privilege to be chosen to the 2024 Exceptional Reviewers List, and I'm excited to continue my efforts in the development of our scientific community by using MDPI's exceptional platform.”

27 June 2024
Applied Sciences | International Women in Engineering Day 2024—“Enhanced by Engineering”

International Women in Engineering Day is an international awareness campaign to raise the profile of women in engineering and focus attention on the amazing career opportunities available to girls and women in this exciting industry.

The theme for this year is “Enhanced by Engineering”, we will be celebrating the amazing work that women engineers around the world are doing to support lives and livelihoods every day.

To showcase the immense contribution of women in the field of engineering, Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) has collected open access academic research on the topic of engineering. We want to use this special day to share new scientific knowledge from women researchers.

1. “Chatbot-Based Natural Language Interfaces for Data Visualisation: A Scoping Review”
by Ecem Kavaz, Anna Puig and Inmaculada Rodríguez
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 7025; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13127025
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/7025

2. “In Vivo Bone Progression in and around Lattice Implants Additively Manufactured with a New Titanium Alloy”
by Anne-Françoise Obaton, Jacques Fain, Dietmar Meinel, Athanasios Tsamos, Fabien Léonard, Benoît Lécuelle and Madjid Djemaï
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 7282; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13127282
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/7282

3. “Optical Convolutional Neural Networks: Methodology and Advances (Invited)”
by Xiangyan Meng, Nuannuan Shi, Guangyi Li, Wei Li, Ninghua Zhu and Ming Li
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7523; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137523
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7523

4. “Sensory Profile, Consumers’ Perception and Liking of Wheat–Rye Bread Fortified with Dietary Fibre”
by Sylwia Żakowska-Biemans and Eliza Kostyra
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 694; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020694
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/694

5. “Design and Development of a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) with Open Source Tools for the Processing of Data Monitored in a Set of Photovoltaic (PV) Plants”
by David Trillo-Montero, Samuel Cosano-Lucena, Miguel Gonzalez-Redondo, Juan Jesus Luna-Rodriguez and Isabel Santiago
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1357; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031357
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1357

6. “Visible—Light Driven Systems: Effect of the Parameters Affecting Hydrogen Production through Photoreforming of Organics in Presence of Cu2O/TiO2 Nanocomposite Photocatalyst”
by Marica Muscetta, Laura Clarizia, Marco Race, Roberto Andreozzi, Raffaele Marotta and Ilaria Di Somma
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2337; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042337
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2337

7. “A Review of Image Reconstruction Algorithms for Diffuse Optical Tomography”
by Shinpei Okawa and Yoko Hoshi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 5016; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13085016
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/5016

8. “A Stratified Characterization of Surface Quality of Beech Processed by Profile Milling”
by Luminița-Maria Brenci and Lidia Gurău
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(1), 129; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14010129
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/1/129

9. “A New Method for Defining the Optimal Separation Gap Distance and the Acceptable Structural Pounding Risk on Multistory RC Structures”
by Maria G. Flenga and Maria J. Favvata
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 1165; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14031165
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/3/1165

10. “Hydrophobic and Photocatalytic Treatment for the Conservation of Painted Lecce stone in Outdoor Conditions: A New Cleaning Approach”
by Laura Bergamonti, Marianna Potenza, Federica Scigliuzzo, Sandro Meli, Antonella Casoli, Pier Paolo Lottici and Claudia Graiff
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(3), 1261; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14031261
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/14/3/1261

25 June 2024
Meet Us at the Conference on Complex Systems 2024, 2–6 September 2024, Exeter, UK


Conference: Conference on Complex Systems 2024
Organization: Northeastern University London and the University of Exeter
Date: 2–6 September 2024
Place: Exeter, UK

We are pleased to announce that MDPI journals will be attending the Conference on Complex Systems 2024 as an exhibitor. This meeting will be held in Exeter, UK, from 2 to 6 September 2024.

The CCS is the flagship annual meeting for the complex systems research community, operating within the framework of the Complex Systems Society. This special 20th anniversary conference is being organised through a collaboration between Northeastern University London and the University of Exeter, UK. The event is following up on previous editions that were held in Salvador da Bahia 2023, Mallorca 2022, Lyon 2021, Online 2020, Singapore 2019, Thessaloniki 2018, and Cancun 2017.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to engage with us while you are there. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions you may have. For more information about the event, please visit the following website: https://ccs24.cssociety.org/.

25 June 2024
Applied Sciences Receives an Updated Impact Factor of 2.5


We are pleased to share that Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) has received an updated Impact Factor of 2.5 in the 2023 Journal Citation Reports released by Clarivate in June 2024. Applied Sciences now ranks Q1 in the “Engineering, Multidisciplinary” category (upgraded from Q2), Q2 in the “Chemistry, Multidisciplinary” (upgraded from Q3) and “Physics, Applied” categories, and Q3 in the “Materials Science, Multidisciplinary” category.

2.5

2023 Impact Factor

44/179 (Q1)

Engineering, Multidisciplinary

125,694

Citations in 2023

For further statistics, please visit: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/stats. For more information about MDPI flagship journals’ citation metrics, please see here.

The support and dedication of all editors, reviewers, authors, and readers are an integral part of the journal’s performance. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who has contributed to the journal. 

Our journals have received over 13 million citations in the Web of Science, making us the most cited open access publisher. With over 800 institutional partners, MDPI continues to demonstrate its dedication to providing reliable and collaborative publishing services.

Applied Sciences Editorial Office

21 June 2024
Meet Us at the 50th International Micro and Nano Engineering Conference (MNE 2024), 16–19 September 2024, Montpellier, France


MDPI will be attending the 50th International Micro and Nano Engineering Conference (MNE 2024) held in Montpellier, France, from 16 to 19 September 2024.

The scientific topics of the conference cover all the domains impacted by micro/nano engineering activities:

  • T1 – METHODS and PROCESS: micro/nano fabrication methods and processes;
  • T2 – STRUCTURES and DEVICES: fabrication and integration of micro/nano structures and devices;
  • T3 – SYSTEMS: micro/nano systems for computing, communication, sensing and quantum applications;
  • T4 – BIO: micro/nano engineering for life and analytical sciences;
  • T5 (New) – SUSTAINABILITY: energy efficiency of micro/nano engineering and environmental and ecological applications.

The MNE conference is the flagship event of the International Society for Micro- and Nanotechnology (iMNEs). It has always been the leading international conference for micro- and nano-fabrication, manufacturing techniques and applications of the fabricated micro/nanostructures, devices and microsystems in electronics, photonics, energy, environment, chemistry and life sciences. The MNE brings together researchers and experts from all over the world to meet and discuss the latest research results and their applications. Furthermore, the conference aims to promote, involve and train young talent in the field of micro and nano engineering.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you plan on attending this conference, feel free to stop by our booth at #42. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person to answer any questions you may have.

For more information about the conference, please see the following link: https://mne2024.imnes.org/.

20 June 2024
2023 Impact Factors for MDPI Journals Released


MDPI is pleased to announce the inclusion of 237 journals in the 2024 release of the Journal Citation Reports (JCR) and share the key results (see above).

This year, journals covered in the Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI) received category ranks together with journals in the Science Citation Index Expanded (SCIE) and Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI). Overall, 139 MDPI journals indexed in ESCI are included in the new unified rankings for the first time.

Enhanced Comparability of Data

According to Clarivate, "the creation of unified category rankings [provides] a simpler and more complete category view for the evaluation of journal performance. [...] The category-first approach simplifies journal performance assessment with a holistic view of all journals in each subject category."

We are thrilled to announce that 72% of our ranked MDPI journals (171 of 237) are above average, in Q1 or Q2. Twenty-nine of our journals received their first Impact Factor this year, accounting for more than 5% of the journals accepted into the Web of Science last year.

MDPI Journals Ranked in JCR

The following data includes all MDPI journals indexed in SCIE, SSCI, ESCI and AHCI.

Journal

Impact Factor

Rank Quartile

Category

Acoustics

1.3

Q3

Acoustics

Actuators

2.2

Q2

Engineering, Mechanical

Q2

Instruments & Instrumentation

Administrative Sciences

3.0

Q2

Management

Advances in Respiratory Medicine

1.8

Q3

Respiratory System

Aerospace

2.1

Q2

Engineering, Aerospace

Agriculture

3.3

Q1

Agronomy

Agriengineering

3.0

Q2

Agricultural Engineering

Agronomy

3.3

Q1

Agronomy

Q1

Plant Sciences

AI

3.1

Q2

Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence

Q2

Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications

Algorithms

1.8

Q3

Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence

Q2

Computer Science, Theory & Methods

Animals

2.7

Q1

Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science

Q1

Veterinary Sciences

Antibiotics

4.3

Q1

Infectious Diseases

Q1

Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Antibodies

3.0

Q3

Immunology

Antioxidants

6.0

Q1

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Q1

Chemistry, Medicinal

Q1

Food Science & Technology

Applied Sciences

2.5

Q2

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Q1

Engineering, Multidisciplinary

Q3

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Q2

Physics, Applied

Applied System Innovation

3.8

Q2

Computer Science, Information Systems

Q2

Engineering, Electrical & Electronic

Q2

Telecommunications

Arts

0.3

N/A

Humanities, Multidisciplinary

Atmosphere

2.5

Q3

Environmental Sciences

Q3

Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences

Atoms

1.7

Q3

Physics, Atomic, Molecular & Chemical

Audiology Research

2.1

Q1

Audiology & Speech-language Pathology

Axioms

1.9

Q1

Mathematics, Applied

Batteries

4.6

Q2

Electrochemistry

Q2

Energy & Fuels

Q2

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Behavioral Sciences

2.5

Q2

Psychology, Multidisciplinary

Beverages

3.0

Q2

Food Science & Technology

Big Data and Cognitive Computing

3.7

Q2

Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence

Q2

Computer Science, Information Systems

Q1

Computer Science, Theory & Methods

Bioengineering

3.8

Q2

Engineering, Biomedical

Biology

3.6

Q1

Biology

Biomedicines

3.9

Q2

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Q2

Medicine, Research & Experimental

Q1

Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Biomimetics

3.4

Q1

Engineering, Multidisciplinary

Q3

Materials Science, Biomaterials

Biomolecules

4.8

Q1

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Biosensors

4.9

Q1

Chemistry, Analytical

Q1

Instruments & Instrumentation

Q2

Nanoscience & Nanotechnology

Biotech

2.7

Q3

Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology

Birds

1.5

Q1

Ornithology

Brain Sciences

2.7

Q3

Neurosciences

Buildings

3.1

Q2

Construction & Building Technology

Q2

Engineering, Civil

C-Journal of Carbon Research

3.9

Q2

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Cancers

4.5

Q1

Oncology

Cardiogenetics

0.5

Q4

Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems

Catalysts

3.8

Q2

Chemistry, Physical

Cells

5.1

Q2

Cell Biology

Ceramics

2.7

Q1

Materials Science, Ceramics

Q3

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Chemengineering

2.8

Q2

Engineering, Chemical

Chemistry

2.4

Q3

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Chemosensors

3.7

Q2

Chemistry, Analytical

Q2

Electrochemistry

Q1

Instruments & Instrumentation

Children

2.0

Q2

Pediatrics

Clean Technologies

4.0

Q2

Engineering, Environmental

Q2

Environmental Sciences

Q3

Green & Sustainable Science & Technology

Climate

3.0

Q2

Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences

Clinics and Practice

1.7

Q2

Medicine, General & Internal

Clocks & Sleep

2.1

Q3

Clinical Neurology

Q3

Neurosciences

Coatings

2.9

Q2

Materials Science, Coatings & Films

Q3

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Q2

Physics, Applied

Colloids and Interfaces

2.5

Q3

Chemistry, Physical

Computation

1.9

Q2

Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications

Computers

2.6

Q2

Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications

Condensed Matter

1.9

Q3

Physics, Condensed Matter

Cosmetics

3.4

Q2

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Q2

Dermatology

Cryptography

1.8

Q3

Computer Science, Information Systems

Q2

Computer Science, Theory & Methods

Crystals

2.4

Q2

Crystallography

Q3

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Current Issues in Molecular Biology

2.8

Q3

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Current Oncology

2.8

Q2

Oncology

Data

2.2

Q3

Computer Science, Information Systems

Q2

Multidisciplinary Sciences

Dentistry Journal

2.5

Q2

Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine

Dermatopathology

1.6

Q3

Dermatology

Diabetology

2.4

Q3

Endocrinology & Metabolism

Diagnostics

3.0

Q1

Medicine, General & Internal

Diseases

2.9

Q2

Medicine, Research & Experimental

Diversity

2.1

Q2

Biodiversity Conservation

Q3

Ecology

Drones

4.4

Q1

Remote Sensing

Earth

2.1

Q3

Environmental Sciences

Q3

Geosciences, Multidisciplinary

Ecologies

1.7

Q3

Ecology

Econometrics

1.1

Q3

Economics

Economies

2.1

Q2

Economics

Education Sciences

2.5

Q1

Education & Educational Research

Electronics

2.6

Q2

Computer Science, Information Systems

Q2

Engineering, Electrical & Electronic

Q2

Physics, Applied

Energies

3.0

Q3

Energy & Fuels

Entropy

2.1

Q2

Physics, Multidisciplinary

Environments

3.5

Q2

Environmental Sciences

Epigenomes

2.5

Q3

Genetics & Heredity

European Burn Journal

1.0

Q4

Critical Care Medicine

Q4

Dermatology

European Journal of Investigation in Health Psychology and Education

3.0

Q1

Psychology, Clinical

Fermentation

3.3

Q2

Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology

Fibers

4.0

Q2

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Fire

3.0

Q2

Ecology

Q1

Forestry

Fishes

2.1

Q2

Fisheries

Q2

Marine & Freshwater Biology

Fluids

1.8

Q3

Mechanics

Q3

Physics, Fluids & Plasmas

Foods

4.7

Q1

Food Science & Technology

Forecasting

2.3

Q2

Multidisciplinary Sciences

Forests

2.4

Q1

Forestry

Fractal and Fractional

3.6

Q1

Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications

Fuels

2.7

Q3

Energy & Fuels

Q3

Engineering, Chemical

Future Internet

2.8

Q2

Computer Science, Information Systems

Galaxies

3.2

Q2

Astronomy & Astrophysics

Games

0.6

Q4

Economics

Q4

Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications

Q4

Social Sciences, Mathematical Methods

Gastroenterology Insights

1.5

Q3

Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Gastrointestinal Disorders

0.9

Q4

Gastroenterology & Hepatology

Gels

5.0

Q1

Polymer Science

Genealogy

0.8

Q3

Ethnic Studies

Q4

Family Studies

Q3

Sociology

Genes

2.8

Q2

Genetics & Heredity

Geosciences

2.4

Q2

Geosciences, Multidisciplinary

Geriatrics

2.1

Q3

Geriatrics & Gerontology

Healthcare

2.4

Q2

Health Care Sciences & Services

Q2

Health Policy & Services

Hemato

0.9

Q4

Hematology

Hematology Reports

1.1

Q4

Hematology

Heritage

2.0

N/A

Humanities, Multidisciplinary

Q2

Multidisciplinary Sciences

Horticulturae

3.1

Q1

Horticulture

Humanities

0.3

N/A

Humanities, Multidisciplinary

Hydrology

3.1

Q2

Water Resources

Immuno

2.1

Q4

Immunology

Infectious Disease Reports

3.4

Q2

Infectious Diseases

Informatics

3.4

Q2

Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications

Information

2.4

Q3

Computer Science, Information Systems

Infrastructures

2.7

Q2

Construction & Building Technology

Q2

Engineering, Civil

Q2

Transportation Science & Technology

Inorganics

3.1

Q2

Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear

Insects

2.7

Q1

Entomology

International Journal of Financial Studies

2.1

Q2

Business, Finance

International Journal of Molecular Sciences

4.9

Q1

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Q2

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

International Journal of Neonatal Screening

4.0

Q1

Genetics & Heredity

Q1

Pediatrics

International Journal of Turbomachinery Propulsion and Power

1.3

Q2

Engineering, Aerospace

Q3

Engineering, Mechanical

Inventions

2.1

Q2

Engineering, Multidisciplinary

ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information

2.8

Q2

Computer Science, Information Systems

Q2

Geography, Physical

Q2

Remote Sensing

Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease

2.4

Q2

Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems

Journal of Clinical Medicine

3.0

Q1

Medicine, General & Internal

Journal of Composites Science

3.0

Q2

Materials Science, Composites

Journal of Developmental Biology

2.2

Q3

Developmental Biology

Journal of Functional Biomaterials

5.0

Q1

Engineering, Biomedical

Q2

Materials Science, Biomaterials

Journal of Functional Morphology and Kinesiology

2.6

Q1

Sport Sciences

Journal of Fungi

4.2

Q2

Microbiology

Q1

Mycology

Journal of Imaging

2.7

Q3

Imaging Science & Photographic Technology

Journal of Intelligence

2.8

Q1

Psychology, Multidisciplinary

Journal of Low Power Electronics and Applications

1.6

Q3

Engineering, Electrical & Electronic

Journal of Manufacturing and Materials Processing

3.3

Q2

Engineering, Manufacturing

Q1

Engineering, Mechanical

Q2

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering

2.7

Q1

Engineering, Marine

Q2

Engineering, Ocean

Q2

Oceanography

Journal of Personalized Medicine

3.0

Q2

Health Care Sciences & Services

Q1

Medicine, General & Internal

Journal of Sensor and Actuator Networks

3.3

Q2

Computer Science, Information Systems

Q2

Telecommunications

Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research

5.1

Q1

Business

Journal of Xenobiotics

6.8

Q1

Toxicology

Journal of Zoological and Botanical Gardens

2.1

Q2

Biodiversity Conservation

Journalism and Media

2.0

Q2

Communication

Land

3.2

Q2

Environmental Studies

Languages

0.9

N/A

Language & Linguistics

Q2

Linguistics

Laws

1.3

Q1

Law

Life

3.2

Q1

Biology

Logistics

3.6

Q2

Management

Q2

Operations Research & Management Science

Lubricants

3.1

Q2

Engineering, Mechanical

Machine Learning and Knowledge Extraction

4.0

Q2

Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence

Q2

Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications

Q2

Engineering, Electrical & Electronic

Machines

2.1

Q3

Engineering, Electrical & Electronic

Q2

Engineering, Mechanical

Magnetochemistry

2.6

Q2

Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear

Q3

Chemistry, Physical

Q3

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Marine Drugs

4.9

Q1

Chemistry, Medicinal

Q1

Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Materials

3.1

Q3

Chemistry, Physical

Q2

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Q1

Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering

Q2

Physics, Applied

Q2

Physics, Condensed Matter

Mathematical and Computational Applications

1.9

Q2

Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications

Mathematics

2.3

Q1

Mathematics

Medicina

2.4

Q1

Medicine, General & Internal

Membranes

3.3

Q2

Chemistry, Physical

Q2

Engineering, Chemical

Q2

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Q2

Polymer Science

Metabolites

3.4

Q2

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Metals

2.6

Q3

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Q2

Metallurgy & Metallurgical Engineering

Methods and Protocols

2.3

Q3

Biochemical Research Methods

Microbiology Research

2.1

Q3

Microbiology

Micromachines

3.0

Q2

Chemistry, Analytical

Q2

Instruments & Instrumentation

Q3

Nanoscience & Nanotechnology

Q2

Physics, Applied

Microorganisms

4.1

Q2

Microbiology

Minerals

2.2

Q2

Geochemistry & Geophysics

Q2

Mineralogy

Q2

Mining & Mineral Processing

Modelling

1.3

Q3

Engineering, Multidisciplinary

Molbank

0.6

Q4

Chemistry, Organic

Molecules

4.2

Q2

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Q2

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Multimodal Technologies and Interaction

2.4

Q3

Computer Science, Artificial Intelligence

Q2

Computer Science, Cybernetics

Q3

Computer Science, Information Systems

Nanomaterials

4.4

Q2

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Q2

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Q2

Nanoscience & Nanotechnology

Q2

Physics, Applied

Neurology International

3.2

Q2

Clinical Neurology

Neurosci

1.6

Q3

Clinical Neurology

Q4

Neurosciences

Nitrogen

1.6

Q4

Environmental Sciences

Non-Coding RNA

3.6

Q2

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Q2

Genetics & Heredity

Nursing Reports

2.4

Q1

Nursing

Nutrients

4.8

Q1

Nutrition & Dietetics

Oceans

1.5

Q3

Marine & Freshwater Biology

Q3

Oceanography

Optics

1.1

Q4

Optics

Organics

1.4

Q3

Chemistry, Organic

Particles

1.7

Q3

Astronomy & Astrophysics

Q2

Physics, Nuclear

Q3

Physics, Particles & Fields

Pathogens

3.3

Q2

Microbiology

Pathophysiology

2.7

Q2

Pathology

Pediatric Reports

1.4

Q3

Pediatrics

Pharmaceuticals

4.3

Q2

Chemistry, Medicinal

Q1

Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Pharmaceutics

4.9

Q1

Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Pharmacy

2.0

Q3

Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Philosophies

0.6

Q2

History & Philosophy of Science

N/A

Philosophy

Photonics

2.1

Q2

Optics

Physics

1.5

Q2

Physics, Multidisciplinary

Plants

4.0

Q1

Plant Sciences

Plasma

1.9

Q3

Physics, Fluids & Plasmas

Polymers

4.7

Q1

Polymer Science

Polysaccharides

4.7

Q1

Polymer Science

Processes

2.8

Q2

Engineering, Chemical

Prosthesis

2.8

Q4

Materials Science, Biomaterials

Proteomes

4.0

Q2

Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

Psychiatry International

1.2

Q4

Psychiatry

Publications

4.6

Q1

Information Science & Library Science

Quantum Beam Science

1.3

Q3

Instruments & Instrumentation

Q3

Materials Science, Characterization & Testing

Q4

Quantum Science & Technology

Quaternary

2.3

Q2

Geosciences, Multidisciplinary

Reactions

2.2

Q3

Chemistry, Multidisciplinary

Recycling

4.6

Q2

Green & Sustainable Science & Technology

Religions

0.7

N/A

Religion

Remote Sensing

4.2

Q2

Environmental Sciences

Q1

Geosciences, Multidisciplinary

Q2

Imaging Science & Photographic Technology

Q2

Remote Sensing

Reports

0.8

Q3

Medicine, General & Internal

Reproductive Medicine

1.1

Q4

Obstetrics & Gynecology

Q4

Reproductive Biology

Resources

3.6

Q2

Environmental Sciences

Q3

Green & Sustainable Science & Technology

Risks

2.0

Q2

Business, Finance

Robotics

2.9

Q2

Robotics

Safety

1.8

Q3

Public, Environmental & Occupational Health

Scientia Pharmaceutica

2.3

Q3

Pharmacology & Pharmacy

Sensors

3.4

Q2

Chemistry, Analytical

Q2

Engineering, Electrical & Electronic

Q2

Instruments & Instrumentation

Separations

2.5

Q3

Chemistry, Analytical

Sexes

1.2

Q2

Medicine, General & Internal

Q3

Psychology, Multidisciplinary

Q2

Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary

Q2

Womens Studies

Smart Cities

7.0

Q1

Engineering, Electrical & Electronic

Q1

Urban Studies

Social Sciences

1.7

Q2

Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary

Societies

1.7

Q2

Sociology

Soil Systems

2.9

Q2

Soil Science

Solids

2.4

Q3

Chemistry, Physical

Q3

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Sports

2.2

Q2

Sport Sciences

Stats

0.9

Q4

Mathematics, Interdisciplinary Applications

Q3

Statistics & Probability

Surfaces

2.3

Q3

Chemistry, Physical

Q3

Materials Science, Multidisciplinary

Surgical Techniques Development

0.1

Q4

Surgery

Sustainability

3.3

Q2

Environmental Sciences

Q2

Environmental Studies

Q3

Green & Sustainable Science & Technology

Symmetry

2.2

Q2

Multidisciplinary Sciences

Systems

2.3

Q1

Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary

Technologies

4.2

Q1

Engineering, Multidisciplinary

Telecom

2.1

Q3

Telecommunications

Thalassemia Reports

0.6

Q4

Hematology

Tomography

2.2

Q2

Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging

Toxics

3.9

Q2

Environmental Sciences

Q1

Toxicology

Toxins

3.9

Q2

Food Science & Technology

Q1

Toxicology

Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease

2.8

Q2

Infectious Diseases

Q2

Parasitology

Q1

Tropical Medicine

Universe

2.5

Q2

Astronomy & Astrophysics

Q2

Physics, Particles & Fields

Urban Science

2.1

Q3

Environmental Sciences

Q3

Environmental Studies

Q2

Geography

Q3

Regional & Urban Planning

Q2

Urban Studies

Vaccines

5.2

Q1

Immunology

Q1

Medicine, Research & Experimental

Vehicles

2.4

Q2

Engineering, Mechanical

Q2

Transportation Science & Technology

Veterinary Sciences

2.0

Q2

Veterinary Sciences

Vibration

1.9

Q3

Engineering, Mechanical

Q3

Mechanics

Viruses

3.8

Q2

Virology

Water

3.0

Q2

Environmental Sciences

Q2

Water Resources

World

2.0

Q2

Economics

Q2

Political Science

Q1

Social Sciences, Interdisciplinary

World Electric Vehicle Journal

2.6

Q2

Engineering, Electrical & Electronic

Q2

Transportation Science & Technology

Source: 2023 Journal Impact Factors, Journal Citation Reports TM (Clarivate, 2024)


About MDPI

A pioneer in scholarly, open access publishing, MDPI has supported academic communities since 1996. MDPI is leading the transition to open science by making more research free and accessible to everyone. Over 3.5 million researchers have entrusted MDPI with publishing their scientific discoveries. MDPI’s editorial process is bolstered by a network of dedicated reviewers, a team of 6000 professional, well-trained staff members, and an in-house article submission platform that was designed to ensure efficient processes within its 440 fully open access titles.

19 June 2024
Applied Sciences | Invitation to Read the Updated Editor's Choice Articles Published in 2022–2023


The goal of the Editor’s Choice Articles project is to promote high-quality articles published in Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417). Please find below the list of articles carefully handpicked by the scientific editors of the journal, which we believe will be of interest to you. The full list of Editor's Choice Articles can be viewed at the following link: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/editors_choice.

1. “Scalability of Mach Number Effects on Noise Emitted by Side-by-Side Propellers”
by Caterina Poggi, Giovanni Bernardini, Massimo Gennaretti and Roberto Camussi
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(19), 9507; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12199507
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/19/9507

2. “Solar Sail Orbit Raising with Electro-Optically Controlled Diffractive Film”
by Alessandro A. Quarta and Giovanni Mengali
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 7078; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13127078
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/7078

3. “A Review of Recent Progress of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) in China”
by Jia Yao, Hongdou Han, Yang Yang, Yiming Song and Guihe Li
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 1169; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13021169
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/1169

4. “Machine Learning and Deep Learning Models Applied to Photovoltaic Production Forecasting”
by Moisés Cordeiro-Costas, Daniel Villanueva, Pablo Eguía-Oller and Enrique Granada-Álvarez
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(17), 8769; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12178769
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/17/8769

5. “A Novel Hybrid Method for Short-Term Wind Speed Prediction Based on Wind Probability Distribution Function and Machine Learning Models”
by Rabin Dhakal, Ashish Sedai, Suhas Pol, Siva Parameswaran, Ali Nejat and Hanna Moussa
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(18), 9038; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12189038
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/18/9038

6. “Nature-Based Solutions in Urban Areas: A European Analysis”
by Sara Bona, Armando Silva-Afonso, Ricardo Gomes, Raquel Matos and Fernanda Rodrigues
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 168; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010168
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/168

7. “Revalorizing a Pyrolytic Char Residue from Post-Consumer Plastics into Activated Carbon for the Adsorption of Lead in Water”
by Rafael R. Solís, María Ángeles Martín-Lara, Ana Ligero, Josefa Balbís, Gabriel Blázquez and Mónica Calero
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(16), 8032; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12168032
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/16/8032

8. “Review: Renewable Energy in an Increasingly Uncertain Future”
by Patrick Moriarty and Damon Honnery
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 388; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010388
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/388

9. “Benchmarking 4G and 5G-Based Cellular-V2X for Vehicle-to-Infrastructure Communication and Urban Scenarios in Cooperative Intelligent Transportation Systems”
by Tibor Petrov, Peter Pocta and Tatiana Kovacikova
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(19), 9677; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12199677
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/19/9677

10. “Unsteady Aerodynamic Characteristics of a High-Speed Train Induced by the Sudden Change of Windbreak Wall Structure: A Case Study of the Xinjiang Railway”
by Zheng-Wei Chen, En-Ze Rui, Tang-Hong Liu, Yi-Qing Ni, Xiao-Shuai Huo, Yu-Tao Xia, Wen-Hui Li, Zi-Jian Guo and Lei Zhou
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(14), 7217; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12147217
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/14/7217

11. “HDLNIDS: Hybrid Deep-Learning-Based Network Intrusion Detection System”
by Emad Ul Haq Qazi, Muhammad Hamza Faheem and Tanveer Zia
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 4921; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084921
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/4921

12. “A Deep Learning Method for Lightweight and Cross-Device IoT Botnet Detection”
by Marta Catillo, Antonio Pecchia and Umberto Villano
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 837; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020837
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/837

13. “Design of a Smart Factory Based on Cyber-Physical Systems and Internet of Things towards Industry 4.0”
by Mutaz Ryalat, Hisham ElMoaqet and Marwa AlFaouri
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2156; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042156
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2156

14. “A Review of Deep Reinforcement Learning Approaches for Smart Manufacturing in Industry 4.0 and 5.0 Framework”
by Alejandro del Real Torres, Doru Stefan Andreiana, Álvaro Ojeda Roldán, Alfonso Hernández Bustos and Luis Enrique Acevedo Galicia
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(23), 12377; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122312377
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/23/12377

15. “An Improved Algorithm of Drift Compensation for Olfactory Sensors”
by Siyu Lu, Jialiang Guo, Shan Liu, Bo Yang, Mingzhe Liu, Lirong Yin and Wenfeng Zheng
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(19), 9529; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12199529
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/19/9529
 
16. “Improved YOLOv5: Efficient Object Detection Using Drone Images under Various Conditions”
by Hyun-Ki Jung and Gi-Sang Choi
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(14), 7255; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12147255
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/14/7255

17. “2D/3D Multimode Medical Image Alignment Based on Spatial Histograms”
by Yuxi Ban, Yang Wang, Shan Liu, Bo Yang, Mingzhe Liu, Lirong Yin and Wenfeng Zheng
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(16), 8261; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12168261
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/16/8261

18. “Comparing Vision Transformers and Convolutional Neural Networks for Image Classification: A Literature Review”
by José Maurício, Inês Domingues and Jorge Bernardino
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(9), 5521; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13095521
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/9/5521

19. “Using Chatbots as AI Conversational Partners in Language Learning”
by Jose Belda-Medina and José Ramón Calvo-Ferrer
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(17), 8427; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12178427
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/17/8427

20. “VR Games in Cultural Heritage: A Systematic Review of the Emerging Fields of Virtual Reality and Culture Games”
by Anastasios Theodoropoulos and Angeliki Antoniou
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(17), 8476; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12178476
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/17/8476

21. “Federated Learning for Edge Computing: A Survey”
by Alexander Brecko, Erik Kajati, Jiri Koziorek and Iveta Zolotova
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(18), 9124; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12189124
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/18/9124

22. “A Study of Network Intrusion Detection Systems Using Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning”
by Patrick Vanin, Thomas Newe, Lubna Luxmi Dhirani, Eoin O’Connell, Donna O’Shea, Brian Lee and Muzaffar Rao
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(22), 11752; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122211752
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/22/11752

23. “Malware Detection Using Memory Analysis Data in Big Data Environment”
by Murat Dener, Gökçe Ok and Abdullah Orman
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(17), 8604; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12178604
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/17/8604

24. “Zero-Shot Emotion Detection for Semi-Supervised Sentiment Analysis Using Sentence Transformers and Ensemble Learning”
by Senait Gebremichael Tesfagergish, Jurgita Kapočiūtė-Dzikienė and Robertas Damaševičius
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(17), 8662; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12178662
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/17/8662

25. “Knowing Knowledge: Epistemological Study of Knowledge in Transformers”
by Leonardo Ranaldi and Giulia Pucci
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 677; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020677
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/677

We would like to thank all of the research groups that authored these exceptional papers for their contribution. We sincerely hope you find these articles of Applied Sciences as useful and insightful as we have found them.

14 June 2024
Meet Us at the IAFP 2024 Annual Meeting, 14–17 July 2024, Long Beach, USA


MDPI will be attending the IAFP 2024 Annual Meeting, which will be held from 14 to 17 July 2024 in Long Beach, USA.

The conference will focus on current and emerging food safety issues, the latest research, and innovative solutions to new and recurring problems.

More than 3500 top industry, academic, and governmental food safety professionals from six continents will be in attendance. This meeting has grown over the years to become the leading food safety conference worldwide.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

  • Foods;
  • Toxics;
  • Dairy;
  • Antioxidants;
  • Applied Sciences;
  • Applied Biosciences;
  • Fishes;
  • Toxins;
  • Beverages;
  • Antibiotics;
  • Sustainability;
  • Microorganisms;
  • Applied Microbiology.

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

14 June 2024
Applied Sciences Receives an Increased CiteScore of 5.3


We are pleased to inform you that Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) has received a heightened CiteScore of 5.3.

CiteScore provides transparent metrics that enable well-informed publishing strategy, library collection development, and the benchmarking of journal performance. It is now a standard citation metric alongside SNIP and SJR that gives an up-to-date view of a journal’s impact.

The 2023 CiteScore provides an assessment of the scientific influence of journals in the 2020 to 2023 period.

This is a reflection of the excellent performance, support, and dedication of all journal editors, reviewers, authors, and readers.

Applied Sciences’ CiteScore ranks as follows:

  • Q1 (62 out of 307) in the “Engineering: General Engineering” category;
  • Q2 (42 out of 141) in the “Physics and Astronomy: Instrumentation” category;
  • Q2 (29 out of 96) in the “Chemical Engineering: Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes” category;
  • Q2 (297 out of 817) in the “Computer Science: Computer Science Applications” category;
  • Q2 (171 out of 463) in the “Materials Science: General Materials Science” category.

For more journal statistics, please visit https://www.mdpi.com/journal/applsci/stats.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the journal.

Applied Sciences Editorial Office

11 June 2024
Meet Us at the 22nd International Meeting on Lithium Batteries (IMLB), 16–21 June 2024, Hong Kong, China


MDPI will be attending the 22nd International Meeting on Lithium Batteries (IMLB) 2024 in Hong Kong, China, which will take place from 16 to 21 June 2024. IMLB 2024 is a premier international conference on lithium battery science and technology, as well as current and future applications in transportation, commercial, aerospace, biomedical, and other promising sectors. Convening in Hong Kong, the conference is expected to draw 2,000 experts, researchers, and company representatives involved in the lithium battery field. This international meeting will discuss recent progress in advanced lithium batteries for energy storage and conversion. The meeting will focus on both basic and applied research findings that have led to improved Li battery materials, and to the understanding of the fundamental processes that determine and control electrochemical performance.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth #D06. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

7 June 2024
MDPI Calls for Greater Open Access to Science for Ocean Protection

On UNESCO’s 2024 Oceans Day, MDPI encourages the scientific community to increase the accessibility of ocean research to accelerate ocean conservation.

Basel, Switzerland, June 7, 2024: MDPI, a leading open access (OA) publisher, is proud to announce its active support for World Oceans Day 2024, celebrated under UNESCO’s Ocean Decade framework. MDPI’s CEO, Stefan Tochev hopes that “the latest ocean research can be made freely accessible to help empower scientists and communities at large to save our oceans,” under UNESCO’s Ocean Decade until 2030.

Open Access: A Catalyst for Ocean Action

MDPI’s presence at the UNESCO Ocean Decade Conference 2024 highlights our unwavering commitment to using OA to advance ocean science, support research communities, and promote sustainable ocean management.

"Our involvement in the UNESCO Ocean Decade Conference underscores MDPI's commitment to the underfunded Ocean SDG. By promoting OA to scientific articles and books on SDGs, we aim to inspire critical actions," said Tochev. "Our initiatives, like the World Sustainability Award and Emerging Sustainability Award, further demonstrate our dedication to advancing sustainability.”

Showcasing MDPI’s Contributions to Ocean Research

Over the past three years, MDPI has published 30,000 papers focused on ocean research and related topics. Key MDPI journals contributing to this body of work include:

  • Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (4.9k papers)
  • Remote Sensing (2.6k papers)
  • Sustainability (2k papers)
  • International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS) (1.7k papers)
  • Marine Drugs (1.5k papers)
  • Water (1.5k papers)

These publications highlight MDPI’s contributions to ocean science, reinforcing our role in the broader sustainability agenda by promoting blue innovation and economy.

Additionally, MDPI has launched Oceans, an international, peer-reviewed forum specifically aimed at publishing studies related to all branches of oceanography with an emphasis on the functioning of the ocean and the sustainable use of its resources and ecosystem services.

Affirming MDPI’s Commitment to Ocean Science

MDPI’s commitment to OA is pivotal in addressing critical global challenges, from climate change to ocean sustainability. Our efforts resonate with Outcome 4 of the UNESCO Ocean Decade action roadmap: an accessible ocean with open and equitable access to data, information, technology, and innovation. By aligning with UNESCO’s goals, MDPI continues to contribute to shaping a sustainable future for our oceans, reinforcing our position as a forward-thinking publisher dedicated to environmental stewardship and scientific excellence.


For more information, contact Rui Duarte at [email protected] or +41764313242.


About MDPI

A pioneer in scholarly, open access publishing, MDPI has supported academic communities since 1996. MDPI is leading the transition to open science by making more research free and accessible to everyone. Over 3.5 million researchers have entrusted MDPI with publishing their scientific discoveries. MDPI’s editorial process is bolstered by a network of dedicated reviewers, a team of over 6000 professional, well-trained staff members, and an in-house article submission platform that was designed to ensure efficient processes within its 430 fully open access titles.

 

5 June 2024
MDPI Sets a New Benchmark for Publishing Excellence


95% of authors rate MDPI’s publication process as excellent or good, setting a new benchmark in scientific publishing – reveals 2023 Annual Report. 

Basel, Switzerland, June 4, 2024: MDPI, the leading open access (OA) publisher, proudly announces the release of its 2023 Annual Report, detailing remarkable achievements and reaffirming its leadership in advancing OA publishing. In 2023, MDPI received 655,065 submissions, of which 285,244 articles were published. The company now commands a 17% market share in gold open access articles, with a median publication time of six weeks.

Stefan Tochev, MDPI's CEO, stated, "As a pioneer in open access publishing, MDPI has long been a game-changer in the scholarly community, serving millions of authors around the world to ensure the latest research is freely available. Reflecting on our incredible journey at MDPI, 2023 has been marked by growth in paper submissions, ambitious projects and initiatives aimed at improving our internal processes and delivering top-notch services to our scientists."

MDPI's 2023 Annual Report highlights several key achievements:

  • 17% market share in gold open access articles across all disciplines.
  • Record satisfaction rates: 95% of authors, 82% of reviewers, and 85% of guest editors.
  • Enhanced editorial standards and feedback processes.
  • Increased reach and impact with 54 new MDPI journal inclusions in Scopus, 29 in Web of Science, and 77 in DOAJ.

MDPI’s unwavering commitment to advancing OA has transformed the landscape of scholarly publishing, making high-quality research freely accessible to the global scientific community. The continuous improvement in our editorial standards and feedback processes underscores MDPI’s dedication to ensuring academic integrity and excellence.

Global Reach and Collaboration

MDPI’s global footprint continues to expand, with authors from diverse regions: 37% from Asia/Pacific, 36% from Europe, 15% from the Americas, and 12% from other parts of the world. The company’s fully OA platform attracted nearly 14 million monthly visitors in 2023, reflecting its widespread influence in the scientific community.

Commitment to Partnerships

With over 800 institutional partners, MDPI continues to demonstrate its dedication to providing reliable and collaborative publishing services. The introduction of a transparent flat-fee model highlights MDPI's ongoing efforts to enhance affordability and support to the academic community. For more details read our 2023 Annual Report.

For more information, contact Rui Duarte at [email protected] or +41764313242.


About MDPI

A pioneer in scholarly, open access publishing, MDPI has supported academic communities since 1996. MDPI is leading the transition to open science by making more research free and accessible to everyone. Over 3.5 million researchers have entrusted MDPI with publishing their scientific discoveries. MDPI’s editorial process is bolstered by a network of dedicated reviewers, a team of over 6000 professional, well-trained staff members, and an in-house article submission platform that was designed to ensure efficient processes within its 430 fully open access titles.

 

5 June 2024
Applied Sciences | World Food Safety Day 2024–“Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected”

World Food Safety Day (WFSD) 2024, which takes place every year on 7 June, will be celebrated for the sixth time in 2024, thereby demonstrating its global importance. This year's theme is “Food Safety: Prepare for the Unexpected”. Food safety incidents can range from minor events to major international crises, such as a power cut at home, food poisoning in a local restaurant, a voluntary withdrawal of contaminated products by a manufacturer, an outbreak originating from imported products, or a natural disaster.

To further discuss research related to World Food Safety Day, Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) has collected open access academic research on the topic of food microbiology, food components and nutrition, food technology and processing, and food storage and preservation. Accordingly, we aim to share new scientific knowledge about food.

1. “A Review of the Relationship between Gut Microbiome and Obesity”
by Dorottya Zsálig, Anikó Berta, Vivien Tóth, Zoltán Szabó, Klára Simon, Mária Figler, Henriette Pusztafalvi and Éva Polyák
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 610; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010610  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/610

2. “Insight into the Impact of Food Processing and Culinary Preparations on the Stability and Content of Plant Alkaloids Considered as Natural Food Contaminants”
by Natalia Casado, Gema Casado-Hidalgo, Lorena González-Gómez, Sonia Morante-Zarcero and Isabel Sierra
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1704; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031704  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1704

3. “Comparison of the Spreadability of Butter and Butter Substitutes”
by Małgorzata Ziarno, Dorota Derewiaka, Anna Florowska and Iwona Szymańska
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2600; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042600
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2600

4. “Quality Assessment of Banana Ripening Stages by Combining Analytical Methods and Image AnalysisFCGFD”
by Vassilia J. Sinanoglou, Thalia Tsiaka, Konstantinos Aouant, Elizabeth Mouka, Georgia Ladika, Eftichia Kritsi, Spyros J. Konteles, Alexandros-George Ioannou, Panagiotis Zoumpoulakis, Irini F. Strati et al.
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3533; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063533
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3533

5. “Plant-Based Fish Analogs—A Review”
by Malgorzata Nowacka, Magdalena Trusinska, Paulina Chraniuk, Jagoda Piatkowska, Anna Pakulska, Karolina Wisniewska, Anna Wierzbicka, Katarzyna Rybak and Katarzyna Pobiega
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4509; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074509
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4509

6. “Intrinsic and Extrinsic Factors Affecting the Color of Fresh Beef Meat—Comprehensive Review”
by Alejandro Poveda-Arteaga, Johannes Krell, Monika Gibis, Volker Heinz, Nino Terjung and Igor Tomasevic
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4382; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074382  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4382

7. “Edible Packaging: A Technological Update for the Sustainable Future of the Food Industry”
by Surya Sasikumar Nair, Joanna Trafiałek and Wojciech Kolanowski
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(14), 8234; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13148234  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/14/8234

8. “Suitability of Apples Flesh from Different Cultivars for Vacuum Impregnation Process”
by Marcin Kidoń, Elżbieta Radziejewska-Kubzdela, Róża Biegańska-Marecik and Przemysław Łukasz Kowalczewski
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1528; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031528  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1528

9. “Characterization of the Aroma Profile of Commercial Prosecco Sparkling Wines”
by Davide Slaghenaufi, Giovanni Luzzini, Matteo Borgato, Anita Boscaini, Andrea Dal Cin, Vittorio Zandonà and Maurizio Ugliano
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3609; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063609
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3609

10. “Development and Characterization of N/S-Carbon Quantum Dots by Valorizing Greek Crayfish Food Waste”
by Achilleas Kechagias, Christos Lykos, Vassilios K. Karabagias, Stavros Georgopoulos, Viktoria Sakavitsi, Areti Leontiou, Constantinos E. Salmas, Aris E. Giannakas and Ioannis Konstantinou
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8730; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158730
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/15/8730

4 June 2024
Applied Sciences | Top 10 Cited Papers in 2023 in the Section “Energy Science and Technology”

1. “A Review of Recent Progress of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) in China”
by Jia Yao, Hongdou Han, Yang Yang, Yiming Song and Guihe Li
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 1169; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13021169
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/1169

2. “Modern MultiPort Converter Technologies: A Systematic Review”
by Levon Gevorkov, José Luis Domínguez-García, Lluis Trilla Romero and Àlber Filbà Martínez
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2579; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042579
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2579

3. “Load Forecasting with Machine Learning and Deep Learning Methods”
by Moisés Cordeiro-Costas, Daniel Villanueva, Pablo Eguía-Oller, Miguel Martínez-Comesaña and  Sérgio Ramos
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7933; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137933
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7933

4. “A Hybrid Grey Wolf Optimization Algorithm Using Robust Learning Mechanism for Large Scale Economic Load Dispatch with Vale-Point Effect”
by Tzu-Ching Tai, Chen-Cheng Lee and Cheng-Chien Kuo
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2727; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042727
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2727

5. “Estimating the Energy Savings of Energy Efficiency Actions with Ensemble Machine Learning Models”
by Elissaios Sarmas, Evangelos Spiliotis, Nikos Dimitropoulos, Vangelis Marinakis and Haris Doukas
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2749; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042749
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2749

6. “A Deep Reinforcement Learning Approach for Efficient, Safe and Comfortable Driving”
by Dinesh Cyril Selvaraj, Shailesh Hegde, Nicola Amati, Francesco Deflorio and Carla Fabiana Chiasserini
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(9), 5272; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13095272
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/9/5272

7. “Lithium-Ion Battery Health Estimation Using an Adaptive Dual Interacting Model Algorithm for Electric Vehicles”
by Richard Bustos, S. Andrew Gadsden, Mohammad Al-Shabi and Shohel Mahmud
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 1132; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13021132
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/1132

8. “Evaluation and Validation of Photovoltaic Potential Based on Time and Pathway of Solar-Powered Electric Vehicle”
by Chanwook Park, Haneul Park, Hwanhee Jeon, Kyoik Choi and Jangwon Suh
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 1025; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13021025
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/1025

9. “Characterization of the Products of the Catalytic Pyrolysis of Discarded COVID-19 Masks over Sepiolite”
by Francisco Ortega, María Ángeles Martín-Lara, Héctor J. Pula, Montserrat Zamorano, Mónica Calero and Gabriel Blázquez
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3188; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053188
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3188

10. “Dynamic Modelling and Energy, Economic, and Environmental Analysis of a Greenhouse Supplied by Renewable Sources”
by Francesco Calise, Francesco Liberato Cappiello, Luca Cimmino and Maria Vicidomini
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6584; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116584
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6584

4 June 2024
MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter #12 - First Term as CEO, Tu Youyou Award, Books Report

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.

In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.


Opening Thoughts

Renewed Term as CEO of MDPI

I released the first CEO Letter at the end of June 2023, reflecting on my first month as CEO. Looking back at the first release, I’m pleased to see a marked consistency of content – from talking about open access (OA) and highlighting the great work being done at MDPI, to bringing together the science community with our conferences and building relations with our editorial board members and our industry as a whole.

For example, in the first letter, I highlighted our meeting with Dr. Eric O. Freed, the founding and current Editor-in-Chief (EiC) of our journal Viruses. Meeting with Eric is a pleasure, as he has a strong commitment and clear vision for the journal. 

On 21 May, 2024 we met with EiC Prof. Dr. Antonino Carbone, and Section EiC Prof. Dr. Alberto Signore (pictured on the left), of our journal Hemato (tracked for Impact Factor, and indexed in Scopus), showing our continued and active collaboration with our chief editors to develop the visions for the journal. Over the course of the day, we gathered feedback and gained an understanding of the journal's expectations and focus on strategic growth.

Reflections on my first year as CEO: achievements and initiatives

During my first year as CEO, there have been many remarkable moments, including a strong focus on bringing people together, focusing on company communications and performance.

According to a recent study of 3,400 people across 10 countries, “Managers impact employees’ mental health (69%) more than doctors (51%) or therapists (41%) — and even the same as a partner (69%).” This is an important topic for me, and perhaps that’s why I place a high value on management culture due to its tangible impact on people’s lives.

When I joined MDPI, I created a weekly meet-up for the Corporate Marketing department and their team leads. On the final Thursday of every month, we hold a Global Marketing meet-up to present projects, share knowledge, and conduct training. For years, I’ve maintained the tradition of ending each of our monthly global calls with a group photo to boost morale, motivation, and productivity, and to finish on a positive note.

In keeping with this, when I stepped into the role of CEO, I launched a bi-weekly management meeting, chairing over 20 MDPI Management Team meetings in my first year. These sessions provide an opportunity for managers to present their team’s work, focusing on their achievements and the challenges they face, while at the same time creating space for sharing knowledge.

“I firmly believe that OA is the future of publishing”

I co-organized and co-led the 2023 MDPI Strategy Management meeting this past October, from which we established an Executive Task Force that meets monthly to prioritize projects aimed at building MDPI into the world’s most trusted publisher. To achieve our goals, we as managers need to maintain collaborative communication and connect to the bigger picture.

As CEO, I focused on leadership communication by publishing 12 CEO Letters, one for each month of my tenure, to share more about MDPI news and achievements. I also produced ten videos to help further communicate our message.

I was happy to attend eight publishing and conference events, including STM in Frankfurt and Washington, APE, and R2R, and facilitate critical company meetings with Elsevier, Web of Science, ResearchGate, DOAJ, and others. It was a pleasure to meet and have discussions with key organizations and governing bodies such as CAS in China and ANVUR in Italy.

The best part was the opportunity to visit seven MDPI offices across Europe and Asia-Pacific, meeting with local managers and colleagues and supporting them in person. As part of this, I conducted training sessions while continuing to lead the Corporate Marketing department.

Looking ahead

My goal for my second year as CEO is to continue building on the initiatives from the past, including leadership communications, public relations, educational marketing, and company culture, while representing MDPI to the best of my ability. Additionally, I have a few new projects I hope to launch that I believe will be valuable to MDPI and the industry at large.

I firmly believe that OA is the future of publishing, and I am grateful to be in a position to advocate for this belief as part of MDPI, the world's leading open access publisher.

Thank you to our staff and industry friends for your genuine support in this role.

Impactful Research

Nominations Open for the Prestigious Tu Youyou Award 2024

I am pleased to share that MDPI has opened nominations for the 2024 Tu Youyou Award, a prestigious recognition established in honour of Professor Tu Youyou, Nobel Laureate, whose work has significantly transformed the global fight against malaria.

The Tu Youyou Award offers CHF 100,000

In 2015, Professor Tu Youyou was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for her discovery of artemisinin, significantly reducing mortality rates from malaria and shaping global health policies. Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) are now the standard treatment endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO), saving countless lives, especially in regions heavily burdened by malaria.

MDPI Special Issue

To mark Professor Tu’s 80th birthday in 2009, MDPI’s journal Molecules issued a Special Issue focusing on her contributions to medical research. Recognizing her continuous contribution, MDPI created the Tu Youyou Award in 2016 to honour outstanding achievements in natural products and medicinal chemistry.

The deadline for nominations is 31 December 2024

Nominations are open to scientists excelling in natural products and medicinal chemistry. Eligible nominators include academic institutes, universities, and societies. The deadline for nominations is 31 December 2024, with the winners to be announced on 30 April 2025. The Tu Youyou Award offers CHF 100,000, split equally among the winners.

MDPI encourages the academic community to nominate individuals who have demonstrated excellence and innovation in line with Professor Tu’s legacy. This award not only honours individual achievement but also encourages further scientific exploration and discovery in critical areas of medicine.

This award embodies our deep commitment to groundbreaking research that drives societal progress and celebrates the legacy of one of the greatest medical innovators of our time.

Inside MDPI

2023 MDPI Books Report

In past CEO letters, I have highlighted our publishing process and the impactful peer-reviewed articles that represent the core output of scholarly publishing. However, scholarly books are another pillar of publishing that MDPI also services, which our core audience may not be fully aware of. In this section, I highlight the 2023 MDPI Books report, released by our MDPI Books team in May 2024.

Download the 2023 MDPI Books Report

In the report, you will find a summary of MDPI Books’ 10th anniversary, the books indexed in the Web of Science Book Citation Index, our market outreach, and our outlook for 2024.

MDPI Books celebrated its 10th anniversary in 2023

MDPI Books published its first OA Reprint, “From the Renaissance to the Modern World,” in 2013. Over the past ten years, MDPI Books has seen a significant increase in both the volume and nature of published Reprints. As of December 2023, our catalogue includes a total of 7,369 Reprints, with 1,811 of them added in 2023 alone. MDPI Books includes monographs, book series, edited books and reprints of special issues and topical collections, among other book types.

We’re also celebrating the 10-year MDPI anniversary of Laura Wagner, Head of MDPI Books.

Laura Wagner (Head of Books Division)

Laura holds a Bachelor’s degree in Art History and History from the University of Basel. After her studies, she started her career at an art gallery in Basel.

Since joining MDPI in 2014, Laura has held several roles within the company. This included editorial work, development of reprint and book services, and the temporary management of the journal Arts.

Currently Laura holds the role of Head of Books Division and is in charge of the development and strategic direction of MDPI Books.

MDPI Books indexed in Web of Science Book Citation Index

Another milestone in 2023 was the indexing of four book titles in the Web of Science Book Citation Index. The indexing of our open access books is crucial for their reach and accessibility, ensuring higher visibility within the open science community.

  1. Self-Representation in an Expanded Field: From Self-Portraiture to Selfie, Contemporary Art in the Social Media Age by editor Ace Lehner
  2. Towards Socially Integrative Cities: Perspectives on Urban Sustainability in Europe and China by editors Bernhard Müller, Jian Liu, Jianming Cai, Paulina Schiappacasse, Hans-Martin Neumann, and Baojun Yang
  3. Transitioning to Gender Equality by editors Christa Binswanger and Andrea Zimmermann
  4. Under Construction: Performing Critical Identity by editor Marie-Anne Kohl

If you would like to learn more about MDPI Books, please visit: www.mdpi.com/books

If you are thinking of writing or editing a book, you can submit your proposal at www.mdpi.com/books/publish-with-us, or email us at [email protected].

Coming Together for Science

Polymers 2024 – Polymers for a Safe and Sustainable Future

Our conference team successfully managed the Polymers 2024 – Polymers for a Safe and Sustainable Future international conference which took place from 28–31 May 2024 in Athens, Greece. The conference was chaired by Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Bikiaris and Prof. Dr. Konstantinos Triantafyllidis from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, and Dr. Ioanna Deligkiozi from AXIA Innovation, Germany. In total, the conference had 259 accepted abstracts and over 300 attendees from 22 different countries.

The conference featured three keynote speakers and 12 invited speakers, including esteemed scholars from Europe, Asia, Africa, and Canada. It included 60 selected talks and 189 posters, chosen by the 24 members of the Scientific Committee along with the three Conference Chairs. The event explored the latest scientific advancements and innovations in polymer science, focusing on creating safe, sustainable, and environmentally friendly materials. Emphasizing green polymer chemistry and the use of bioresources, the conference promoted the synthesis of biobased and biodegradable polymers.

The conference featured esteemed scholars from Europe, Asia, Africa, and Canada

Conference awards

The conference also presented three awards: two sponsored by the journal Polymers – The Best Poster Award (€500) and the Best Oral Presentation Award (€600) – and one sponsored by Ossila, the Best Student Poster Award (€500).

Thank you to our 16 sponsors, three partnering societies (Hellenic Polymer Society, European Polymer Federation, and North American Thermal Analysis Society [NATAS]) and eight media partners.

Upcoming in-person event

1–4 August, 2024
The 1st International Conference on AI Sensors & The 10th International Symposium on Sensor Science
Location: Singapore

The AI Sensors 2024 Conference will unite innovators and experts in the realms of sensors, sensing technology, and artificial intelligence.

Find more upcoming MDPI events here.

Closing Thoughts

3rd World Forum Principles of Scientific Publications

I’m pleased to share that MDPI sponsored and attended the 3rd World Forum on Principles of Scientific Publications, which took place from 22–24 May in Malaga, Spain. The event brought together academic professionals and leading researchers to discuss critical topics in the realm of publishing and research. Presentation topics included Open Science, AI in Publishing, Predatory Journals, Fake Publications, Challenges for Non-native English Speakers, and more.

“It was great to see strong support from MDPI authors in the audience”

MDPI presentations


Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) presenting at the 3rd World Forum Principles of Scientific Publications

I had the privilege of attending and presenting at the event, along with my colleague Dr. Enric Sayas (Business Analyst, MDPI) from our Barcelona office, who explored the ethical concerns and opportunities brought by AI in publishing.

I took the opportunity to present on Open Science, the benefits of Open Access, and MDPI’s performance, operations, and investment in ethics. Special thanks to Evan Escamilla (Project Manager, MDPI Books) and Facundo Santomé (Sr. Marketing Manager, MDPI) who also joined the conference.

It was great to see strong support from MDPI authors in the audience who shared their positive experiences publishing with us. Their story reflects the experience of the vast majority of authors who choose to work with MDPI.

We also encountered some conservative views on OA, which created an opportunity for open discussion aimed at addressing concerns about OA and MDPI. Engaging in such discussions is important, as scepticism sometimes arises from misinformation or from a misunderstanding of who we are and how we operate. When we engage in open and honest discussion, we tend to see people getting a better understanding of MDPI, which helps address any misconceptions they may have had.


Left to right: Dr. Enric Sayas (Business Analyst, MDPI), Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), Facundo Santomé (Sr. Marketing Manager, MDPI), and Evan Escamilla (Project Manager, MDPI Books) at 3rd World Forum Principles of Scientific Publications

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

31 May 2024
Meet Us at the 8th EUROBIOFILMS 2024 Meeting, 26–29 June 2024, Copenhagen, Denmark


MDPI will be attending the 8th EUROBIOFILMS 2024 meeting, which will be held from 26 to 29 June 2024 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

The program will include all aspects of biofilms, from bench to bedside, and from environment to chronic infections, presented by internationally recognized researchers.

The venue is the modern Panum Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, Copenhagen University, situated next to Rigshospitalet—both are internationally recognized centers for biofilm research and are accessible by several bus-lines and close to the center of Copenhagen.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please feel free to stop by our booth (#8) and start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://eurobiofilms2024.dk/.

31 May 2024
Meet Us at the 2024 American Control Conference, 8–12 July 2024, Toronto, Canada


MDPI will be attending the 2024 American Control Conference in Toronto, Canada, which will take place from 8 to 12 July 2024. The American Control Conference (AAC) is the annual conference of the American Automatic Control Council (AACC), the U.S. national member organization of the International Federation for Automatic Control (IFAC). ACC 2024 is committed to being not only the premier venue for the dissemination of work in automatic control and systems theory but also providing an environment that is inclusive of and supportive to all members.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://acc2024.a2c2.org/.

27 May 2024
Meet Us at the 45th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing, 10–13 June 2024, Halifax, Canada


MDPI will be attending the 45th Canadian Symposium on Remote Sensing, held in Halifax, Canada, from 10 to 13 June, at booth #11.

CSRS is an annual meeting held in Canada. The 45th CSRS is chaired by Raymond Jahncke, Forest Inventory Lidar Data Analyst, Nova Scotia Natural Resources and Renewables, and the theme of this year’s conference is “Exploring Past, Present, and Future”. The conference aims to bring together academics, practitioners, vendors, and policymakers from the remote sensing community in an informative and productive four-day event.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

Our representatives, Mr. Elvis Wang and Mr. Andy Tran, are eager to answer your questions and address any queries you may have.

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://crss-sct.ca/events/csrs2024halifax/.

23 May 2024
Transfer Service in MDPI

We are pleased to announce MDPI’s Transfer Service.

This service provides a convenient method of transferring your manuscript file, along with any reviewer comments, to another journal within our publishing portfolio.

We are committed to helping authors find the right home for their research, and we will provide authors with guidance and technical support through all stages of the transfer process. Authors will be able to choose to transfer in the following two situations:

1. Select alternative journals on submission.

2. Authors are encouraged to transfer manuscripts to other MDPI journals.

More details about the Transfer Service can be found at the following link:

https://www.mdpi.com/authors/transfer-service

17 May 2024
Tu Youyou Award—Open for Nominations

In acknowledgment of the groundbreaking achievements of Professor Tu Youyou, the Nobel laureate credited with the discovery of artemisinin, MDPI is proud to announce the Tu Youyou Award. This award, inaugurated in 2016, seeks to honor scholars who excel in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Prize:

  • CHF 100,000 in total (If there is more than one winner, the prize will be divided equally amongst the winners);
  • An award medal for each winner.

Who should be nominated?

  • Scientists with outstanding achievements and contributions in the fields of natural products chemistry and medicinal chemistry.

Who can submit a nomination?

  • Academic research institutes
  • Universities
  • Academic societies

Any personal nominations are not accepted.

How do I submit a nomination?
Candidates’ institutional affiliations need to submit their nominations for final candidates to the Tu Youyou Award Team directly by email after internal screening, and each institution can only nominate a maximum of two candidates for each edition of the Tu Youyou Award. Please note that the nominations cannot be modified once they are submitted and confirmed by the Tu Youyou Award Team.

Required nomination materials:
Nomination Form (Download)

Schedule:
Nomination deadline: 31 December 2024;
Winner announcement: 30 April 2025.

Contact:
Tu Youyou Award Team ([email protected])

More information can be found on the Tu Youyou Award official website. For any inquiries, do not hesitate to contact the Tu Youyou Award Team.

17 May 2024
Applied Sciences Webinar | Human–Machine Systems, Human–Machine Interfaces and Human Wearable Device Performance, 27 May 2024


MDPI would like to invite all experts recognized in their fields to attend the Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417) webinar Human–Machine Systems, Human–Machine Interfaces and Human Wearable Device Performance. The aim of this webinar is to discuss current research trends in the fields of interactions and interfaces between humans and advanced devices that have emerged in recent years. These advanced devices include but are not limited to VR, AR, and many other wearable devices.

We look forward to seeing you at the Applied Sciences webinar Human–Machine Systems, Human–Machine Interfaces and Human Wearable Device Performance.

Title: Human–Machine Systems, Human–Machine Interfaces and Human Wearable Device Performance
Date: 27 May 2024
Time: 10:00 a.m. CEST | 4:00 p.m. CST Asia
More information: https://sciforum.net/event/ApplSci-15

This is a free webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.

Register for free:

Program:

Speaker/Presentation

Time in CET

Time in CST Asia

Prof. Dr. Kai Way Li
Chair Introduction

10:00–10:10 a.m.

4:00–4:10 p.m.

Dr. Siu Shing Man
Are virtual reality applications effective for construction safety training and education? A systematic review and meta-analysis

10:10–10:30 a.m.

4:10–4:30 p.m.

Dr. Lu Peng
Sense to Motion: Visual and Haptic Perception Clues Play a Role in Natural Pointing Performance in Augmented Reality Environments

10:30–10:50 a.m.

4:30–4:50 p.m.

Dr. Caijun Zhao
Motion time in tapping buttons on a physical and virtual calculator panel

10:50–11:10 a.m.

4:50–5:10 p.m.

Q&A Session

11:10–11:20 a.m.

5:10–5:20 p.m.

Prof. Dr. Kai Way Li
Closing of Webinar

11:20–11:30 a.m.

5:20–5:30 p.m.

Relevant Special Issues:

“Advances in Human–Machine Systems, Human–Machine Interfaces and Human Wearable Device Performance”
Guest Editors: Prof. Dr. Kaiway Li and Dr. Lu Peng
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2024

16 May 2024
MDPI Romania Author Training Academic Events in April

MDPI Romania sponsored four events over the month of April, contributing author training sessions to each event.

The NutriSciLabs 2024 conference was held at the Carol Davila University of Medicine and Pharmacy on 12 April 2024. Organized by the Association of Students from the Faculty of Pharmacy Studies, the conference aimed to enhance students’ academic writing and research skills, and bolster their confidence in participating in the academic world. Ioana Paunescu, journal relations specialist for MDPI Romania, led the training session. Paunescu first outlined MDPI’s history and core values, then explained academic writing techniques, ethics, and similarity percentages. The presentation covered the entire editorial process, highlighting the amount of attention paid to details throughout manuscript processing. Paunescu also discussed common errors that authors make while writing, and how to avoid such errors.


On 13 April 2024, the NextGEN 2.0 Student Conference took place at the Babes-Bolyai University of Cluj-Napoca. NextGen Healthcare organized this event with the university’s European Students’ Society to discuss European and international current affairs. MDPI Romania contributed an author training session called Steps of the Publication Process. Irina Codruta Zaharia, journal relations specialist, began the session with a general introduction of MDPI before diving into different article types, different layout formats, possible journals to submit to, the MDPI submission checklist, and the MDPI editorial process. By explaining the fundamentals of writing and publishing academic papers, Zaharia imparted valuable industry knowledge to the curious minds present. Participants were eager to engage with Zaharia in the subsequent Q&A session.


Celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, the International Conference “Students for Students” has long been a gathering place for undergraduate and postgraduate students of all nationalities to present their work and exchange ideas with each other. This year’s conference was held on 18 April 2024, with MDPI Romania contributing an author training session called The World of Open Access. Key speakers included Dr. Norbert Kiss from MDPI Romania and Prof. Dragos Horvath from Strasbourg University. Dr. Kiss discussed the history of open access, differences between open access publishing and traditional publishing, and implications for open access in the future. Attendees expressed keen interest in the subject, approaching Dr. Kiss with questions about academic publishing as well as his career trajectory.


Most recently, on 26 April 2024, MDPI Romania sponsored the National Symposium of Students from Geology and Geophysics Faculties. The AAPG Students Chapter at the Babes-Bolyai University organized this event as an opportunity for geology students from all Romanian universities to present their work and confer with other researchers. Dr. Kiss gave his lecture The World of Open Access at this event as well.


MDPI is thankful to all the participants, speakers, and organizers who attended these events. Through their enthusiasm and dedication, these events were great successes.

15 May 2024
Meet Us at the 18th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering (WCEE2024), 30 June–5 July 2024, Milan, Italy


A range of MDPI journals will be attending the 18th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering in Milan, Italy, from 30 June to 5 July 2024.

The 18th World Conference on Earthquake Engineering (WCEE2024) is the world’s leading conference led by the Italian Association of Earthquake Engineering (ANIDIS) and the International Association of Earthquake Engineering (IAEE). The WCEE2024 is expected to attract more than 4000 participants, including internationally recognized academics and scientists, professional engineers and seismologists, innovative researchers and young engineers, experts and entrepreneurs from the construction industry.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to engage with us at our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit https://www.wcee2024.it/ or contact the Buildings Editorial Office at [email protected].

13 May 2024
Meet Us at the 35th Irish Signals and Systems Conference, 13–14 June 2024, Belfast, UK


MDPI will be attending the 35th Irish Signals and Systems Conference in Belfast, UK, which will take place from 13 to 14 June 2024. The conference focuses on digital signal processing, control systems, communications and related fields of ICT, and encompasses algorithms and system modeling, design, and implementation for a broad range of applications.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you are attending the conference, please visit our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following link: https://issc.ie/index.html.

13 May 2024
Meet Us at the 34th CCS Congress, 15–18 June 2024, Guangzhou, China


MDPI will attend the 34th CCS Congress, which will be held in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China, from 15 to 18 June 2024. Registration for the event opens on 14 June.

This annual congress is hosted by the Chinese Chemical Society (CCS). With the support and active participation of chemists across the country, the annual academic conference of the Chinese Chemical Society has continued to expand in scale and influence and has become a comprehensive academic exchange platform with the most comprehensive categories, the largest scale, and the highest level in chemistry and related fields. The theme of the 34th CCS Congress is “Toward Higher Quality Chemistry Research”. It has established 70 academic branches. The forms of academic exchange include conference plenary reports (PL), keynote reports (KN), invited reports (I), oral reports (O), flash reports (F), and poster reports (P). The annual meeting collects academic papers (abstracts) from chemists. Workers in scientific research, teaching, and industry in chemistry and related fields are welcome to submit papers and actively participate in the meeting.

A series of colorful forums, continuing education, and other activities will be held simultaneously during the annual meeting. An exhibition will also be held, inviting the support and active participation of relevant universities and research institutes, enterprises, book publishing, and academic journals.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you are planning on attending this conference, please do not hesitate to stop by our booth #B37 and start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.chemsoc.org.cn/meeting/34th/.

11 May 2024
Meet Us at the Engineering Mechanics Institute Conference and Probabilistic Mechanics & Reliability Conference (EMI/PMC 2024), 28–31 May 2024, Chicago, USA


A range of MDPI journals will be attending the Engineering Mechanics Institute Conference and Probabilistic Mechanics & Reliability Conference in Chicago, USA, from 28 to 31 of May 2024.

This conference will be hosted by The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago, Illinois, with an organization led by Professors Paolo Gardoni and Arif Masud. The event will provide a forum to discuss the fundamental advances in engineering mechanics, bringing together scholars from around the world to exchange and disseminate the most recent developments in engineering mechanics and probabilistic methods across wide-ranging fields related to the discipline of civil engineering, including industry applications of engineering mechanics.

This conference will attract a significant number of people from academia, research institutions, and industrial organizations. The symposium, including several networking activities, would cover the most up-to-date topics related to process systems engineering. Presentations given by world-renowned plenary and keynote speakers will offer a cutting-edge to the symposium.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

  • Buildings;
  • Fluids;
  • CivilEng;
  • Applied Sciences;
  • Infrastructures;
  • Mathematics;
  • JETA;
  • Modelling.

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to engage with us at our booth. Our delegates look forward to meeting you and answering any questions that you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit https://www.emi-conference.org/ or contact the Buildings Editorial Office.

10 May 2024
MDPI International Day of Light 2024 Webinar, 16 May 2024

MDPI would like to invite all experts recognized in their fields to attend the MDPI International Day of Light 2024 Webinar, which will be held on 16 May 2024. The aim of this webinar is to encourage researchers to come together, take action, and highlight how the exchange of findings facilitates efforts to raise awareness about the study of light. The study of light has led to promising alternative energy sources, lifesaving medical advances in diagnostics technology and treatments, light-speed internet, and many other discoveries that have revolutionized society and shaped our understanding of the universe.

We are looking forward to seeing you at the MDPI International Day of Light 2024 Webinar.

Title: MDPI International Day of Light 2024 Webinar
Date: 16 May 2024
Time: 09:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m. (CEST) | 03:00 p.m.–05:00 p.m. (CST Asia)
More Information: https://sciforum.net/event/IDL2024

This is a free webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.

Register for free:

Program:

Speaker/Presentation

Time in CEST

Time in CST Asia

Introduction

09:00 a.m.–09:10 a.m.

03:00 p.m.–03:10 p.m.

Prof. Dr. Alexey Popov

Biotissue-Mimicking Phantoms: Enabling Technology in Biophotonics

09:10 a.m.–09:30 a.m.

03:10 p.m.–03:30 p.m.

Q&A Session

09:30 a.m.–09:35 a.m.

03:30 p.m.–03:35 p.m.

Prof. Dr. Lorenzo Pavesi
Neuromorphic Photonics and Hybrid Intelligence

09:35 a.m.–09:55 a.m.

03:35 p.m.–03:55 p.m.

Q&A Session

09:55 a.m.–10:00 a.m.

03:55 p.m.–04:00 p.m.

Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Kautek
Femtosecond Laser Induced Physicochemical Processes

10:00 a.m.–10:20 a.m.

04:00 p.m.–04:20 p.m.

Q&A Session

10:20 a.m.–10:25 a.m.

04:20 p.m.–04:25 p.m.

Dr. Antonio García-Martin
Light Scattering in Resonant Nanostructures with Broken Symmetries: Chirality and Magneto-Optics

10:25 a.m.–10:45 a.m.

04:25 p.m.–04:45 p.m.

Q&A Session

10:45 a.m.–10:55 a.m.

04:45 p.m.–04:55 p.m.

Closing of Webinar

10:55 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

04:55 p.m.–05:00 p.m.

Relevant Special Issues:

Nanomaterials
Light-Matter Interaction in Nano Systems: Fundamentals and Applications
Guest Editors: Zhengkun Fu, Lianghui Huang and Mengtao Sun
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2024

Sensors
Automotive Visible Light Communications (AutoVLC)
Guest Editor: Alin-Mihai Cailean
Deadline: 30 June 2024

Recent Trends and Advances in Laser Spectroscopy and Sensing
Guest Editor: Violeta Lazic
Deadline: 20 August 2024

Feature Papers in Optical Sensors 2024
Guest Editors: Gabriele Bolognini and Yuliya Semenova
Deadline: 31 December 2024

Applied Sciences
Application of Advanced Lighting Systems in Buildings and Cities
Guest Editors: Luis Santos and M. Glória Gomes
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 June 2024

Optical Sensors: Applications, Performance and Challenges
Guest Editors: Yubing Wang, Lijun Wang and Junfeng Song
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2024

Smart Lighting and Visual Safety
Guest Editors: Yandan Lin and Minchen Wei
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 August 2024

New Trends in Next-Generation Optical Networks
Guest Editors: Gerardo Antonio Castañón-Avila
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 21 December 2024

Interdisciplinary Approaches and Applications of Optics & Photonics (AOP2024)
Guest Editors: Manuel Filipe P. C. M. Costa and Sandra Franco
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2024

Advances in Optics, Photonics and Lasers
Guest Editors: Aleksej Rodin and Sergey Y. Yurish
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 December 2024

Laser Ultrasonics and Advanced Sensing: Technologies and Applications
Guest Editor: Chenyin Ni
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2024

Ultrafast and Nonlinear Laser Applications
Guest Editor: Sergej Orlov
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2024

Diode Lasers: Materials, Devices and Application
Guest Editors: Jing Yang and Zhenfu Wang
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2024

Nanophotonics and Integrated Photonics
Guest Editors: Fanfan Lu and Zhiqiang Yang
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2024

Optics
Ultrafast Light-Matter Interaction
Guest Editor: Daria Popova-Gorelova
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 December 2024

Energies
Advances in Solar Systems and Energy Efficiency
Guest Editors: Maciej Zajkowski, Adam Idzkowski, Zbigniew Sołjan, and Stanislav Darula
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 19 June 2024

Inventions
Recent Advances in Visible Light Communication and Optical Wireless Information Systems
Guest Editor: Jupeng Ding
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2024

2 May 2024
MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter #11 - 2023 Annual Report, MDPI Awards, STM

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.

In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.


Opening Thoughts

2023 Annual Report

This is an exciting time of year at MDPI, as we have just released our annual report 2023, recapping the past year and sharing the progress and changes that took place during it.


Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI)

Reflecting on 2023, I can't help but think of the changes that have occurred not only at MDPI but also within our industry as a whole. In light of this, I’m reminded that change is the only constant, and that for a publishing enterprise that has experienced rapid growth, adapting to change becomes not only a necessity but also a catalyst for sustained success.

Looking back on the significant ground we covered in 2023, I am pleased to report that the year was marked by a rise in paper submissions, along with a range of initiatives aimed at improving our internal processes and delivering top services to our scientists.

2023 Top-line MDPI Numbers

An important priority for 2023 was to strengthen our editorial policies. Despite a notable increase in the number of papers submitted from 603,000 to 655,000 (+8.6%), there was a decrease in the number of papers published from 303,000 to 285,000 (-5.9%), consistent with the overall trend in the scholarly publishing market. MDPI’s market share in gold open access articles published reached 17% in 2023 (according to Dimensions data).

2023 Open Access Numbers

For over two decades, MDPI has been at the forefront of reshaping the academic publishing landscape, with OA surpassing subscription-based publishing in 2020. This trajectory is deeply rooted in our history and reflects our unwavering commitment to, and vision for, an open future. This momentum continued in 2023, with 39% of the 4.16 million articles and reviews published as gold full-OA, 15% as gold hybrid-OA, 8% as bronze-OA, and 3% as green-OA, relative to 35% behind a paywall. In terms of gold OA (full or hybrid) articles and reviews published, MDPI leads the way in terms of total articles published in 2023.

MDPI is the trusted and preferred OA publisher for the scholarly community

However, in 2023, we saw a downward trend in publication numbers compared to 2022. This trend was also seen in total OA publications. While the number of submissions increased, the decline in MDPI publications can be attributed to several factors, such as improved scrutiny in our peer-review process, including the evaluation of content scope and higher rejection rates, and a post-pandemic decrease in research related to COVID-19 papers.

Download 2023 MDPI Annual Report.
Access 2023 Digital Report.

Impactful Research

Recognizing Scholars – MDPI Awards

MDPI is committed to empowering young researchers as they embark on their careers. In 2023, our journals hosted a total of 400 awards, receiving 8,839 applications and nominations. The evaluation committees selected 959 winners, with the total budget for these awards amounting to CHF 546,500.

For more information about MDPI awards, applications, and winners, please click here

The following awards recognize scholars and the impact of their research, including Young Investigator Awards, Best PhD Thesis Awards, and Travel Awards for junior researchers.

MDPI Awards – The following awards require an application or a nomination.

Young Investigator Award (CHF 1000–2000 for each winner)
This award acknowledges the achievements of young investigators in research areas relevant to the journal’s scope. Candidates must have received their PhD no more than 10 years prior to the award announcement date and must be nominated.

Best PhD Thesis Award (CHF 500–800 for each winner)
This award recognizes young scholars who have completed outstanding PhD theses in research areas relevant to the journal’s scope. It aims to encourage them to continue their excellent work and make further contributions to their field.

Travel Award (CHF 500–800 for each winner)
This award encourages junior scientists to present their latest research at academic conferences relevant to the journal’s scope, thereby increasing their impact.

Distinguished Scholars
Additionally, 220 awards were granted to the most distinguished authors and reviewers in our journals through Best Paper Awards and Outstanding Reviewer Awards. The following awards are selected by the editorial staff of the journal and do not require an application or a nomination. They exemplify the excellent contributions made by our authors, reviewers, and editors.

These awards exemplify the excellent contributions made by our authors, reviewers, and editors

Best Paper Award (CHF 200–500 for each winner)
This award is granted annually to highlight publications of high quality, scientific significance, and extensive influence.

Outstanding Reviewer Award (CHF 500 for partial winners)
This award is given annually to recognize reviewers who generously contribute their time to reviewing papers and demonstrate thoroughness, professionalism, and timeliness in their reviews.

MDPI also offers awards for specific topics in various research fields:

Carbon Neutrality Award (CHF 500–800 for each winner)
Sponsored by MDPI journal Sustainability, this award recognizes applicants who have made exceptional academic or societal contributions to carbon neutrality, either in general or in relation to a specific carbon-neutrality-related issue.

Intelligent Manufacturing Award (CHF 500–800 for each winner)
Administered by MDPI journal Machines, this award is presented to an individual who has made outstanding academic or societal contributions to the field of intelligent manufacturing.

Granted: World Sustainability Awards

Inside MDPI

MDPI Opens Office in Seoul, Korea and Appoints Claude Seo as Office Manager

As CEO of the world’s leading OA publisher, I am pleased to announce the official opening of our Korean branch office. With this addition, MDPI now operates 21 offices in 12 countries worldwide, improving on our position as a truly global publisher. This expansion represents more than just an increase in our physical footprint; it is a pivotal step in our ongoing commitment to making scientific knowledge more accessible across the globe.

MDPI now operates 21 offices in 12 countries worldwide, improving on our position as a truly global publisher


Claude Seo (MDPI Korea Office Manager, Seoul)

Claude Seo, who has over 15 years of experience in the academic publishing industry, has been appointed as the Office Manager of the Seoul office. The launch of our Seoul office allows us to better support the Korean scientific community and to further promote the publication of OA journals in the region.

Reflecting on his role, Claude shared that he is:

“Delighted to have been entrusted with this position within MDPI, the no. 1 scholarly OA publisher. As we establish our presence in Korea, we are dedicated to integrating ourselves into the local community and contributing to its vibrant culture. Our commitment goes beyond business growth; it is about creating a more informed and innovative society by embracing and promoting diversity within the scientific community.”

Sungkyunkwan University Joins MDPI’s Institutional Open Access Program

Additionally, I am pleased to share that Sungkyunkwan University has joined MDPI’s Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP). This program offers free access to MDP’s online submission system for institutions and provides APC discounts to affiliated authors. Thirteen major Korean universities, including Sungkyunkwan University, Kyunghee University, Chung-Ang University, and the Catholic University of Korea, have adopted IOAP in Korea.

Learn more about MDPI’s collaboration in Korea in my previous CEO Letter, in which I recap our visit to Seoul, South Korea.

Coming Together for Science

4th MMCS: Harnessing the Power of New Drug Modalities

Our conference team successfully managed the 4th Molecules Medicinal Chemistry Symposium, held from 24–26 April in Barcelona, Spain. It was chaired by Prof. Dr. Diego Muñoz-Torrero from the Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Spain, and Prof. Dr. Simona Collina from the University of Pavia, Italy. In total, there were 84 accepted abstracts and 102 conference attendees from 22 different countries.


From left to right: Prof. Dr. Rino Ragno (Scientific Committee), Dr. Maria Emilia Sousa (Scientific Committee), Prof. Dr. Claudio Viegas Jr. (Scientific Committee), Prof. Dr. Simona Collina (Chair), Prof. Dr. Diego Muñoz-Torrero (Chair), Alvina Wu (Managing Editor, MDPI), Prof. Dr. Roman Dembinski (Scientific Committee), Prof. Dr. Mariana Spetea (Scientific Committee).

The event comprised 12 Invited Speakers, 35 Selected Talks, 10 Flash Poster Presentations, and 39 Posters. The overarching topic of the conference was the impact of the emergence of new drug modalities on drug discovery, with thematic sessions covering topics such as photoactivatable drugs, candidates targeting RNA and epigenetic targets, covalent modifiers, and the development of new anti-cancer agents, among other medicinal chemistry projects.

We are pleased to have received feedback from attendees highlighting the professional approach of the conference chairs and participants, the high quality of the talks, and the overall outstanding organization on the part of the MDPI conference team.

Thank you to the conference sponsors, Fluorochem and IBUB, and to our partnering societies, The Spanish Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (SEBBM), and the Spanish Society of Medicinal Chemistry (SEQT).

Upcoming In-Person Event

28–31 May, 2024
Polymers 2024 – Polymers for a Safe and Sustainable Future
Location:
Athens, Greece
Conference Chairs: Prof. Dr. Dimitrios Bikiaris, Prof. Dr. Konstantinos Triantafyllidis, Dr. Ioanna Deligkiozi
We look forward to welcoming experts Prof. Damià Barceló, Prof. Minna Hakkareinen, and Prof. Armando J. D. Silvestre to this event.

Find more upcoming MDPI events here.

Organize Your Event with MDPI’s Sciforum

Sciforum is MDPI’s platform dedicated to the organization of scientific events. In line with our mission to promote science, Sciforum supports scholars, societies, research networks, and universities at all stages of organizing in-person events, virtual events and webinars. Our platforms are efficient, user-friendly, and cost-effective. We handle all steps related to event management. Contact us for details.

Closing Thoughts

A Report from the Future – STM US Annual Conference 2024


Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), Dr. Giulia Stefenelli and Dr. Ioana Craciun from MDPI’s Scientific Office Board.

MDPI has for a long time been a sponsor of the STM Annual Conferences, held yearly in the US and Frankfurt, and is a trusted partner and supporter of the STM organization. While I have attended the Frankfurt conference for the past three years, this was my first time visiting the Washington, DC session, and I am glad I did.

Although it was a brief trip, I greatly appreciated the opportunity to attend in the company of my colleagues Dr. Giulia Stefenelli and Dr. Ioana Craciun from MDPI’s Scientific Office Board. They always help map some of the new industry trends against MDPI’s operational framework and guidelines. It’s a great group for kicking ideas back and forth on what we can apply at MDPI.

In my experience, STM never fails to deliver. It’s always a great conference for reconnecting with fellow publishers, industry friends, and vendors. As usual, STM this year curated a diverse range of speakers and panels, who proferred valuable knowledge and insights from outside our industry, delivering thought-provoking insights into our field. An example of this was the ‘Trust Panel’ session, which included Alan Schiffres (Managing Director, InfoLinx), who shared a number of the learnings about fraud and risk management from his 40 years in financial services, to help address some of the challenges we are currently facing in the area of publishing integrity.

Launch of STM Trends 2028 Panel

I particularly enjoyed the ‘Launch of STM Trends 2028 Panel’, which presented a report focused on the integration of humans and machines in scholarly publishing. The session highlighted themes such as AI, digitization, and the evolving research ecosystem. The report envisions a future where technology blurs the lines between human and machine involvement in research processes, with significant implications for trust, reputation, and equity. While this presents opportunities for connectivity and knowledge dissemination, it also poses challenges such as disinformation, fragmentation, and geopolitical tensions. We must rely on a wise combination of technology and human agency to navigate this complex landscape and will have to carefully examine its potential impacts on communication and scholarly publishing.

MDPI has joined the STM Integrity Hub. Click here to learn more.

While every presenter brought their own knowledge and personal touch, I was particularly pleased to encounter new speakers such as Heather Whitney (Research Assistant Professor, Radiology, University of Chicago) and Igor Grossmann (Professor of Psychology, University of Waterloo, Canada). Having studied Sociology at the University of Guelph, I have a soft spot for fellow social scientists from Canada, and I was very impressed by Igor’s presentation on ‘The Social Scientist: A View from the Future’ and his participation in the panel session ‘The Future Beyond the Article,’ which was one of my favourites from the conference, given the diversity of perspectives from the panel speakers.

Memorial Park in Washington, DC

On a personal note, this was my first-time visiting Washington, DC, and I’m glad we took an afternoon to visit the Memorial Park, with its incredible monuments to figures ranging from Martin Luther King, Jr. to Abraham Lincoln. The magnitude of the monuments is deeply impressive. I particularly appreciated the Thomas Jefferson memorial and the following quote, which I think speaks to the importance of change and adaptation. It’s something we can apply not only in our industry but also in our personal lives.

"I am not an advocate for frequent changes in laws and constitutions, but laws and institutions must go hand in hand with the progress of the human mind. As that becomes more developed, more enlightened, as new discoveries are made, new truths discovered and manners and opinions change, with the change of circumstances, institutions must advance also to keep pace with the times. We might as well require a man to wear still the coat which fitted him when a boy as a civilized society to remain ever under the regimen of their barbarous ancestors."

– Excerpted from a letter to Samuel Kercheval, July 12, 1816.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

30 April 2024
MDPI Opens Office in Seoul, Korea and Appoints Claude Seo as Office Manager

MDPI, the leading Open Access (OA) publisher, announced on Monday that it opened its Korean branch office on 29th April 2024. With this addition, MDPI now operates 21 offices in 12 countries worldwide. Claude Seo, with over 20 years of experience in the academic journal publishing industry, including Nature Publishing Group (NPG), has been appointed as the Office Manager of the Seoul office.

With the establishment of a Seoul office, MDPI aims to actively support Korea scientific communities to further promote the publication of OA journals in the region. As of the end of 2023, Korea ranked sixth worldwide in both submissions and publications of MDPI research papers. MDPI is the number one OA publisher in Korea.


Sungkyunkwan University Joins MDPI’s Institutional Open Access Program

In addition, MDPI announced that Sungkyunkwan University joined MDPI’s Institutional Open Access Program (IOAP). This program offers free access to MDPI online submission system for the institutions and APC discounts to affiliated authors. Thirteen major Korean universities, including Sungkyunkwan University, Kyung Hee University, Chung-Ang University and Catholic University of Korea, have adopted IOAP in Korea.

OA aims to break down barriers that have traditionally restricted access to science, ensuring that knowledge is available to all, regardless of financial situation or institutional affiliations. Authors, academia, and scientific communities are rapidly moving toward OA. MDPI has been at the forefront of reshaping the academic publishing landscape, with OA surpassing subscription-based publishing in 2020.


MDPI CEO Visits Seoul, Korea

In March, Stefan Tochev, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of MDPI, visited Korea and met with various stakeholders including government agencies, research and academic institutions, universities. During his visit, Stefan highlighted that MDPI continues to pave the way for a world where science is accessible to all, supporting a global community of inclusive innovation and collaborative solutions.

Stefan expressed excitement about the new venture, stating, "Today marks a significant milestone for MDPI as we celebrate the opening of our new office in Seoul, Korea. This expansion is more than just an increase in our physical footprint, it is a pivotal step in our ongoing commitment to making scientific knowledge more accessible, participatory, and inclusive across the globe."

Claude Seo, reflecting on his new role, commented, "I am delighted to have been offered this position of trust within MDPI, the no. 1 scholarly OA publisher. As we establish our presence in Korea, we are dedicated to integrating into the local community and contributing to its vibrant culture. Our commitment goes beyond business growth; it is about creating a more informed and innovative society by embracing and promoting diversity within the scientific community.”

For further inquiries, please contact our Seoul office directly.


About MDPI

A pioneer in scholarly, open access publishing, MDPI has supported academic communities since 1996. MDPI is leading the transition to open science by making more research free and accessible to everyone. Over 3.3 million researchers have entrusted MDPI with publishing their scientific discoveries. MDPI’s editorial process is bolstered by a network of dedicated reviewers, a team of 6000 diligent, well-trained staff members, and an in-house article submission platform that was designed to ensure efficient processes within its 430 fully OA titles.

22 April 2024
Prof. Dr. Giulio Cerullo Appointed Editor-in-Chief of Applied Sciences


We are pleased to announce the appointment of Prof. Dr. Giulio Cerullo as the new Editor-in-Chief of Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417).

Name: Prof. Dr. Giulio Cerullo
Affiliation: Dipartimento di Fisica, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza L. da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy
Interests: lasers; optical instruments; nonlinear optics; ultrafast optics; time-resolved spectroscopy

Prof. Dr. Giulio Cerullo is a Full Professor at the Physics Department, Politecnico di Milano, where he leads the Ultrafast Optical Spectroscopy laboratory. His research activity focuses on the generation of tunable few-optical-cycle light pulses and on their application to the study of primary photoinduced processes in molecules, nanostructures, and two-dimensional materials. He has published more than 550 papers which have received over 30000 citations (h-index 89 according to Scopus). He is a Fellow of the Optical Society of America and the European Physical Society, a member of the Accademia dei Lincei and past Chair of the Quantum Electronics and Optics Division of the European Physical Society. He was General Chair of the conferences CLEO/Europe 2017, Ultrafast Phenomena 2018 and the International Conference on Raman Spectroscopy 2022. He was the 2023 recipient of the EPS-QEOD Quantum Electronics Prize. He sits on the editorial boards of the journals Science Advances, Laser & Photonics Reviews, Journal of Physical Chemistry and Scientific Reports. He has received an ERC Advanced Grant and has participated in many European projects, including the supervision of seven Marie Curie Individual Fellowships. He is the co-founder of two spin-off companies (Cambridge Raman Imaging and NIREOS).

We are confident that his vision and leadership will steer Applied Sciences towards new heights of success.

The following is a short Q&A with Prof. Dr. Giulio Cerullo, who shared his vision for the journal with us, as well as his views of the research area and open access publishing:

1. What appealed to you about the journal that made you want to take the role as its Editor-in-Chief?
Applied Sciences is one of the largest open access journals, covering a wide range of topics, from physical and chemical sciences to biology, engineering and environmental sciences. In terms of scope, impact, and number of published papers per year, it compares to other leading open access journals such as Scientific Reports and PLOS ONE. I see, therefore, the role of Editor-in-Chief as a challenge but also a unique opportunity to make an impact on the scientific community of which I am part.

2. What is your vision for the journal?
I aim to promote the visibility and the impact of the journal by attracting the best researchers to publish their results in Applied Sciences. The visibility of the journal can be promoted, for example, by influential invited review or perspective papers or by Special Issues dedicated to emerging topics and coordinated by leading scientists. At the same time, it is important to maintain, and even increase, the rigor of the peer-review process, which is the foundation on the reputation of the journal. As an author and Editor-in-Chief of Applied Sciences, I could appreciate the rigorous and efficient peer-review procedure, which ensures high scientific quality and credibility of the published articles. Nowadays, however, new challenges to scientific integrity arise, such as for example the use of artificial intelligence for writing papers, for which adequate countermeasures need to be developed.

3.What does the future of this field of research look like?
Applied Sciences covers an extremely broad and interdisciplinary field of research, which concerns all the applied aspects of natural sciences, from biology to physics, chemistry, and engineering. Nowadays the impact of science on society is becoming greater than ever, and therefore the translation of fundamental scientific discoveries into technological and industrial applications is of key importance. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the United Nations in 2015, identified 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), whose accomplishment will ensure peace and prosperity for the people and the planet, for the present and the future. Scientific research such as the one published in Applied Sciences will play a key role in the achievement of the SDGs.

4. What do you think of the development of open access in the publishing field?
Open access is very important as it enables all researchers, especially those from emerging countries who may have limited financial resources, to access all the novel generated scientific knowledge. Many funding agencies, including the European Union, mandate open access for all the publications which stem from their funded projects. For the authors, open access is also advantageous, as it increases the penetration of their research and consequently its impact.

18 April 2024
Applied Sciences | Issue Cover Articles in 2023

The articles below have been selected as 2023 Issue Cover Articles by the Editorial Office of Applied Sciences (ISSN: 2076-3417). These articles came from multiple fields within the scope of Applied Sciences, and we hope that they can provide insights and references for scholars in related fields.

1. “Generating Digital Twins for Path-Planning of Autonomous Robots and Drones Using Constrained Homotopic Shrinking for 2D and 3D Environment Modeling”
by Martin Denk, Sebastian Bickel, Patrick Steck, Stefan Götz, Harald Völkl and Sandro Wartzack
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(1), 105; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13010105
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/1/105

2. “State of the Art of High-Flux Compton/Thomson X-rays Sources”
by Vittoria Petrillo, Illya Drebot, Marcel Ruijter, Sanae Samsam, Alberto Bacci, Camilla Curatolo, Michele Opromolla, Marcello Rossetti Conti, Andrea Renato Rossi and Luca Serafini
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(2), 752; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13020752
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/2/752

3. “Influence of ZnO (Nano)Rods on the Dielectric Properties of DGEBF Epoxy Exposed to Progressive Artificial Weathering for VHF/Early UHF Applications”
by Georgios Papalampris, Pantelitsa Georgiou, Theodore Argyropoulos, Evangelos Hristoforou and Panayota Vassiliou
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(3), 1375; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13031375
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/3/1375

4. “Challenge Test in Catalan “Mató” Fresh Cheese to Assess the Antimicrobial Activity of Ericaria selaginoides Extracts against Bacillus cereus
by Susana Rubiño, Teresa Aymerich, César Peteiro, Sara Bover-Cid and María Hortós
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(4), 2207; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13042207
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/4/2207

5. “A Meal-Assistance Robot System for Asian Food and Its Food Acquisition Point Estimation and User Interface Based on Face Recognition”
by Iksu Choi, KwangEun Ko, Hajun Song, Byung-Jin Jung, Jung-Hoon Hwang, Hyungpil Moon and Gi-Hun Yang
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(5), 3216; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13053216
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/5/3216

6. “Connections between Metallic Nanoparticles and Chlorin e6—An Overview of Physicochemical and Biological Properties and Prospective Medical Applications”
by Tomasz Koczorowski, Arleta Glowacka-Sobotta, Maciej Michalak, Dariusz T. Mlynarczyk, Emre Güzel, Tomasz Goslinski and Lukasz Sobotta
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(6), 3933; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13063933
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/6/3933

7. “Artificial Intelligence in Symptomatic Carotid Plaque Detection: A Narrative Review”
by Giuseppe Miceli, Giuliana Rizzo, Maria Grazia Basso, Elena Cocciola, Andrea Roberta Pennacchio, Chiara Pintus and Antonino Tuttolomondo
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(7), 4321; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13074321
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/7/4321

8. “A Novel L-Shaped Metalens for Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) Antenna Gain Improvement”
by Vincenza Portosi, Antonella Maria Loconsole, Antonio Campana, Francesco Anelli and Francesco Prudenzano
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(8), 4802; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13084802
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/8/4802

9. “Improving Postural Ergonomics during Human–Robot Collaboration Using Particle Swarm Optimization: A Study in Virtual Environment”
by Mohsen Omidi, Greet Van de Perre, Roshan Kumar Hota, Hoang-Long Cao, Jelle Saldien, Bram Vanderborght and Ilias El Makrini
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(9), 5385; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13095385
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/9/5385

10. “Recycling Glass and Carbon Fibers for Reusable Components in the Automotive Sector through Additive Manufacturing”
by Alessia Romani, Stefan Caba, Raffaella Suriano and Marinella Levi
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(10), 5848; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13105848
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/10/5848

11. “A Review on the Prospects of Mobile Manipulators for Smart Maintenance of Railway Track”
by Miftahur Rahman, Haochen Liu, Isidro Durazo Cardenas, Andrew Starr, Amanda Hall and Robert Anderson
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(11), 6484; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13116484
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/11/6484

12. “Sustainable Additives for the Production of Hydrogen via Sodium Borohydride Hydrolysis”
by Lucía Gómez-Coma, Diogo L. Silva, Alfredo Ortiz, Carmen M. Rangel, Víctor Manuel Ortiz-Martínez, Alexandra M. F. R. Pinto and Inmaculada Ortiz
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(12), 6995; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13126995
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/12/6995

13. “Nonlinear Dynamics and Energy Harvesting of a Two-Degrees-of-Freedom Electromagnetic Energy Harvester near the Primary and Secondary Resonances”
by Krzysztof Kecik and Ewelina Stezycka
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7613; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137613
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/13/7613

14. “Biorefinery and Stepwise Strategies for Valorizing Coffee By-Products as Bioactive Food Ingredients and Nutraceuticals”
by Miguel Rebollo-Hernanz, Yolanda Aguilera, Alicia Gil-Ramírez, Vanesa Benítez, Silvia Cañas, Cheyenne Braojos and Maria A. Martin-Cabrejas
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(14), 8326; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13148326
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/14/8326

15. “Spatial Vulnerability Assessment of Critical Infrastructure Based on Fire Risk through GIS Systems—Case Study: Historic City Center of Guimarães, Portugal”
by Oscar Urbina, Hélder S. Sousa, Alexander Fekete, José Campos Matos and Elisabete Teixeira
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(15), 8881; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13158881
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/15/8881

16. “Prevention and Rehabilitation Gaming Support for Ankle Injuries Usable by Semi-Professional Athletes Using Commercial Off-the-Shelf Sensors”
by Jonas Galli,René Baranyi, Dominik Hoelbling, Karl Pinter, Christoph Aigner, Werner Hörner and Thomas Grechenig
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(16), 9193; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13169193
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/16/9193

17. “A Study on a Fully Integrated Coil Based on the LCCL-S Compensation Topology for Wireless EVs Charging Systems”
by Junchen Xie, Guangyao Li, Seungjin Jo and Dong-Hee Kim
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(17), 9672; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13179672
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/17/9672

18. “Examination of a Human Heart Fabricating Its 3D-Printed Cardiovascular Model and Employing Computational Technologies”
by Paschalis Charalampous, Nikolaos Kladovasilakis, Maria Zoumaki, Ioannis Kostavelis, Konstantinos Votis, Konstantinos Petsios, Dimitrios Tzetzis and Dimitrios Tzovaras
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(18), 10362; https://doi.org/10.3390/app131810362
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/18/10362

19. “Environmental Resilience Technology: Sustainable Solutions Using Value-Added Analytics in a Changing World”
by E. Natasha Stavros, Caroline Gezon, Lise St. Denis, Virginia Iglesias, Christina Zapata, Michael Byrne, Laurel Cooper, Maxwell Cook, Ethan Doyle, Jilmarie Stephens et al.
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(19), 11034; https://doi.org/10.3390/app131911034
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/19/11034

20. “Model-Based Design of Aircraft Landing Gear System”
by Cristiana Delprete, Alberto Dagna and Eugenio Brusa
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(20), 11465; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132011465
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/20/11465

21. “Dual PID Adaptive Variable Impedance Constant Force Control for Grinding Robot”
by Chong Wu, Kai Guo and Jie Sun
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(21), 11635; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132111635
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/21/11635

22. “Mushrooms as Functional Foods for Ménière’s Disease”
by Victoria Bell and Tito Horácio Fernandes
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(22), 12348; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132212348
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/22/12348

23. “Trapping and Methanation of CO2 in a Domestic Microwave Oven Using Combinations of Sorbents and Catalysts”
by Loren Acher, Tristan Laredo, Thierry Caillot, Akim Kaddouri and Frederic C. Meunier
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(23), 12536; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132312536
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/23/12536

24. “Strategies for Reducing Booming Noise Generated by the Tailgate of an Electric Sport Utility Vehicle”
by Dongju Kim, Sangmin Jeon, Jeonga Lee, Kyoungtaek Kwak, Manhee Cho, Horyul Lee, Minsik Kim and Jintai Chung
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(24), 13134; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132413134
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/13/24/13134

7 April 2024
Meet Us at the 28th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences—Micro-Total Analysis Systems (µTAS 2024), 13–17 October 2024, Montréal, Canada


MDPI will be attending the 28th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences—Micro-Total Analysis Systems (µTAS 2024) held in Montréal, Canada, from 13 to 17 October 2024.

The µTAS International Conference series is the premier forum for reporting research results in microfluidics, lab-on-a-chip, organ-on-a-chip, wearables, BioMEMS, microfabrication, 3D printing, nanotechnology, integration, materials and surfaces, analysis and synthesis, and detection technologies for chemistry, life sciences, and biomedicine. µTAS 2024 will feature plenary and keynote talks from world luminaries and will offer an opportunity for students and scientists to deliver oral and poster presentations selected from submitted abstracts to a global audience of experts in their area. µTAS 2024 will also include networking and social session for students, minorities, young faculty, and an array of industry exhibitions and presentations, as well as a wonderful cultural experience in Montréal.

During this conference, MDPI will welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest views and research with us.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

If you plan on attending this conference, feel free to stop by our booth at #50. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person to answer any questions you may have.

For more information about the conference, please see the following link: https://microtas2024.org/.

2 April 2024
MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter #10 - South Korea, IWD, U2A, Japan

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.

In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.


Opening Thoughts


Left to right: Dr. Jisuk Kang (Scientific Officer, MDPI), Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), and Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Chair of Scientific Office Board, MDPI), during media meetings at Prain Agency office in Seoul, South Korea.

Visit to Seoul, South Korea

During my recent visit to South Korea, I had the privilege of meeting various stakeholders, including representatives of government, research institutions, and academia, to understand their needs and communicate MDPI’s commitment to accessible science. Accompanied by my colleagues Dr. Giulia Stefenelli and Dr. Jisuk Kang, I engaged with the Korean scientific community, which is increasingly embracing open access (OA).

As the leading OA publisher in South Korea, MDPI is trusted by local authors and in 2023 enjoyed an approximately 30% share of the OA market. South Korea ranks sixth globally for MDPI in terms of research papers submitted and published.

MDPI and South Korea by Numbers

As at 30 March, over 76,000 MDPI articles have been authored by individuals affiliated with Korean institutions. We have over 1,800 active editorial board members (EBMs) from South Korea, with more than 880 EBMs having an H-index between 26 and 50, including 10 serving as Chief Editors.

“South Korea is the sixth-largest contributor to our total publications”

Over the past five years (2019–2023), nearly 120,000 authors affiliated with South Korean institutes have published with MDPI. Specifically in 2023, we received approximately 25,000 submissions from South Korean authors, publishing close to 13,000 articles, resulting in a rejection rate of 47.4%, which is not far below MDPI’s overall rejection rate of 56.4% in 2023.

Institutional Partnerships with South Korea

I am pleased to share that MDPI has more than 825 institutional partnerships worldwide, with 12 in South Korea, including Kyunghee University, Chung-Ang University, and Inha University, among others.


Left to right: Dr. Jisuk Kang (Scientific Officer, MDPI), Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Chair of Scientific Office Board, MDPI), and Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) fielding media questions at Prain PR Agency office in Seoul, South Korea.

Over the past three years (2021–2023), we have had some of the most prestigious academic universities ranked among the top 10 Korean institutions publishing with MDPI. Seoul National University had the highest number of publications with MDPI during those three years, publishing nearly 6,000 papers. Universities such as Korea University and Yonsei University also rank among the top 10 Korean institutions publishing with MDPI.

MDPI Hosts Seminar for Academia and Media

As the world’s leading OA publisher, MDPI is actively democratizing science. This is reflected in the seminars we hosted on 21 March to address questions about our editorial processes and ethical standards. The visit garnered media coverage, reflecting our mission to providing high-quality services and fostering open dialogue in the community.

“MDPI is actively democratizing science”

MDPI in the News


Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) leading a seminar on OA and MDPI at Prain PR Agency office in Seoul, South Korea.

Media coverage generated by our visit to Seoul included the following stories:

“Open access is an unstoppable trend…it will lead the development of the knowledge ecosystem.”

“Papers that the public needs, anyone can use quickly… low-quality publishing is a misunderstanding.”

I greatly appreciate the contributions of everyone who took the time to meet with us, share their stories, and hold us accountable for continuing to provide high-quality publishing services while identifying areas for improvement. I am also excited to announce that we have opened an MDPI office in Seoul and will release a press release on MDPI.com, with details, by the end April 2024. The purpose of the office is to establish a local presence to connect with and support the South Korean academic community through institutional partnerships, conferences, author workshops, stakeholder communications, and more.

Impactful Research

Featured Articles on Women’s Leadership and Healthcare

In celebration of International Women’s Day (8 March 2024), MDPI curated a collection of research articles on various topics, including women’s leadership, reproductive health, preventive healthcare, and a selection of articles from our journal Women.

Women’s Leadership

Women’s Reproductive Health

Women’s Preventive Healthcare

Featured Articles in MDPI Journal Women

Below are a few articles from Women, our journal focused on women’s health, the social determinants of health, and the healthcare system that serves women. The aim of Women is to encourage academics to publish their experimental and theoretical results in detail, to aid reproducibility, and in an engaging style, to aid comprehensibility.

Inside MDPI

 

Championing Women’s Healthcare and Access to Healthcare Information

MDPI colleagues from our offices joined in celebrating #IWD2024. In doing so, we emphasized key missions that encompass:

  • Empowering women to assume leadership and decision-making roles in both business and science.
  • Helping women and girls make informed decisions about their health.
  • Recruiting and developing female talent and fostering inclusive workplace environments.

“We are thrilled to recognize the accomplishments of women scientists”

I am proud to see our colleagues enthusiastically supporting the International Women’s Day call to ‘Inspire Inclusion!’ The heart-hands in the collage below symbolize our appreciation of the achievements of women researchers and the recognition of the trailblazers who have courageously made a mark on societies past and present.

We are thrilled to recognize the accomplishments of women scientists through our many MDPI awards and by highlighting success stories. As inspirational figures, female scientists are paving the way for the next generation of women aspiring to pursue careers in engineering, life sciences, computing, and various other STEM fields.

“I consider myself lucky because I work with incredibly talented women who inspire me every day.”
– Dr. Alessandra Pasut, Winner of MDPI's ‘Biology 2023 Young Investigator Award’

“It’s really important to find a supportive and enabling environment in which to do your science; it would have a big impact on you as a person and on your scientific outputs.”
– Dr. Rhea Longley, Winner of the ‘Pathogens 2023 Young Investigator Award’

Open-access publishing, in particular, allows early-career women researchers to share their work more widely, potentially attracting mentorship opportunities and collaborations. This support is crucial for career development and advancement.

Coming Together for Science

MDPI Joins United2Act in Collective Fight to Stop Paper Mills

In my February 2024 CEO Letter, I highlighted some of our recent initiatives aimed at bolstering our commitment to research integrity, including joining the STM Integrity Hub and expanding our Research Integrity and Publication Ethics team (RIPE). Continuing our efforts in coming together for science, I am pleased to share our participation in the United2Act initiative.

The text below is taken from our official announcement:

United2Act represents an international group of stakeholders in the publishing industry committed to addressing the collective challenge posed to research integrity by paper mills.

Scientists and academic publishers have increasingly noted the alarming proliferation of paper mills, recognized as fraudulent entities seeking to manipulate the publication process for financial profit. These entities engage in fraudulent practices such as falsifying or fabricating data, selling co-authorship of fake papers, manipulating peer review, and including inappropriate citations. These actions pose a significant threat to the integrity of the scholarly record, prompting widespread concern among those involved in the academic community.

MDPI has been actively contributing to combat the undermining of the scientific record. Our editors employ a set of tools to detect potential ethical breaches within a manuscript and to tackle the issue of fake papers.

United2Act’s consensus statement is the outcome of a virtual summit held in May 2023. It involved the participation of research bodies, publishers, researchers/sleuths, universities, and publishing infrastructure from 15 countries and resulted in a Consensus Statement outlining five key areas of action for all stakeholders:

  • Education and awareness
  • Improve post-publication corrections
  • Facilitate and organise research on paper mills
  • Enable the development of trust markers
  • Facilitate dialogue between stakeholders

MDPI is committed to promoting transparency and integrity in scholarly publishing and is continuing to work closely with the scientific community toward this goal.

Closing Thoughts


Left to right: Ryo Hirayama (Marketing Specialist, MDPI), Takashi Sasabe (Marketing Specialist, MDPI), Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Chair of Scientific Office Board, MDPI), Dr. Izumi Yamamoto (Marketing Manager, MDPI), and Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), at MDPI’s office in Tokyo, Japan.

Visit to Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan

In March, I had the opportunity to visit our Tokyo office and engage with stakeholders in Tokyo and Kyoto. During the visit, I also recorded a video message to welcome Japanese scholars working with MDPI and to highlight our operations in Japan.

We held meetings with Editors-in-Chief, librarians, scholars, and external consultants to gather feedback on our efforts to enhance our reputation and explore additional steps we can take in that direction. Japan's rich cultural heritage, characterized by tradition, respect, and formality, provided valuable insights into meeting the publishing needs specific to Japan.

Japan’s Open Access statistics

Over the years, we have seen a shift from subscription-only to gold OA publishing in Japan, despite the lack of an official mandate. Here are some statistics:

  • 2012: 68% of articles were subscription-only, 6% were green Open Access, and 8% were gold Open Access.
  • 2016: 55% of articles were subscription-only, 6% were green Open Access, and 20% were gold Open Access.
  • 2022: 43% of articles were subscription-only, 7% were green Open Access, and 39% were gold Open Access.

To learn more about the history of OA in Japan as well as about future trends, please read this blog post.

“Japan is the ninth-largest contributor to our total publications”


Left to right: Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), Dr. Izumi Yamamoto (Marketing Manager, MDPI), and Dr. Giulia Stefenelli (Chair of Scientific Office Board, MDPI) visiting Kyoto University in Kyoto, Japan.

MDPI and Japan by Numbers

As at 1 April, over 50,000 MDPI articles have been authored by scholars affiliated with Japanese institutions, making the country the ninth-largest contributor to our total publications. Over the past three years (2020–2023), nearly 90,000 authors affiliated with Japanese institutes have published with MDPI, and we have collaborated with over 4,600 Guest Editors from Japan.

In 2023, we published over 8,200 papers from authors associated with Japanese institutions. MDPI collaborates with 41 institutional partnerships in Japan, including the University of Tokyo, Hokkaido University, and Nagoya University. We have over 2,100 active EBMs from Japan, more than 1,050 EBMs having an H-index between 26 and 50, including 13 serving as Editors-in-Chief.

General Feedback – a side note

A general takeaway from our discussions with stakeholders from around the world is that negative perceptions of MDPI often stem from misinformation, misconceptions, or misunderstandings about MDPI and our practices. While we acknowledge our mistakes and work diligently to address them, maintaining a strong editorial procedure and robust peer-review process, I find that educating stakeholders about our how we do what we do and our ongoing improvements tends to help shift opinions.

That said, we recognize the importance of addressing individual concerns. We take feedback seriously and are continuously working to get better while not compromising the core principles that millions of authors appreciate about MDPI.

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

1 April 2024
Meet Us at the 2024 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO), 5–10 May 2024, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA


MDPI will be attending the 2024 Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO), which will be held from 5 to 10 May 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina, USA.

With a distinguished history as the industry's leading event on laser science, the Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics (CLEO) is the premier international forum for scientific and technical optics, uniting the fields of lasers and opto-electronics by bringing together all aspects of laser technology, from basic research to industry applications.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

If you are attending this conference, please feel free to start a conversation with us at our booth #817. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have.

4 March 2024
MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter #9 - Romania, Research Integrity, Viruses

Welcome to the MDPI Insights: The CEO's Letter.

In these monthly letters, I will showcase two key aspects of our work at MDPI: our commitment to empowering researchers and our determination to facilitating open scientific exchange.


Opening Thoughts


Reka Kovacs (Deputy Office Manager, MDPI), Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI), and Sandra Ana Spatariu (Office Manager, MDPI) at the MDPI office in Cluj, Romania.

MDPI’s Impact on Romania

In February, I visited our office in Cluj, Romania. I worked closely with our senior office managers and various teams, including the departments of training, marketing and conferences, as well as our journal relationship specialists, reviewing our service to the local scholarly community. During the visit, I also met with representatives from Babes-Bolyai University and the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca. Our multifunctional Romanian office plays an important role in supporting our collaborations with the local market as well as helping to meet MDPI’s overall business needs.


Feedback and strategy meeting with a group of MDPI’s Journal Relationship Specialists at the MDPI office in Cluj, Romania.

With 22,436 articles, Romania ranks as a top 20 contributing country to MDPI’s total number of papers published as at 28 February 2024. This highlights the importance of our collaboration with Romanian-affiliated authors and the growing opportunity to support their publishing needs. MDPI is one of the few academic publishers with a significant presence in Romania, boasting over 360 colleagues across our offices in Bucharest and Cluj. We are also proud to hire colleagues from local institutions to launch their careers within publishing.

Romania ranks as a top 20 contributing country.

The Numbers: 2019–2023

MDPI has seen a healthy increase in submissions from Romanian authors over the past three years, from 8,439 in 2021 to 11,866 by end of 2023, with most submissions going to journals such as Sustainability, Medicina, Diagnostics, IJMS, Applied Sciences, and JCM. From 2019 to 2023, MDPI published articles from 32,145 authors affiliated with Romanian institutions. Over those years, we have worked with Romanian Guest Editors on nearly 3,000 occasions to support their Special Issue and Topical collections.

With more than 300 Editorial Board Members from Romania, 34 appear on the board of Mathematics, 27 on Materials, 19 on Polymers, 18 on Coatings, and 16 on Molecules, while three serve as Section Editors-in-Chief (SEiC) on our journals Coatings (3.4 IF, 4.6 Citescore), Magnetochemistry (2.7 IF, 3.5 Citescore), and Chemosensors (4.2 IF, 3.9 Citescore).

Institutional Open Access Programs

Our commitment to working with institutions is evident in Romania, where we have established eight Institutional Open Access Programs (IOAP) with esteemed institutions such as the University of Bucharest, the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Cluj-Napoca, and most recently the National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics.

Our growth and presence in Romania are a true testament.

We also have IOAP agreements with Babes-Bolyai University and the Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, where I had the opportunity to meet senior stakeholders during my visit. Below are a few photos capturing our meeting with Prof. Radu Silaghi-Dumitrescu (Head of Faculty of Chemistry, Babes-Bolyai University) at the MDPI office in Cluj, Romania, along with a photo from our meeting with Vice Deans Nicoleta Cobarzan, Nicoleta Ilies, and Hoda Gavril, from the faculty of Civil Engineering at the Technical University of Cluj, Romania.


Our growth and presence in Romania are a true testament to the service we provide to the scholarly community and the relationships we foster in that region. We look forward to continuing to support Romanian scholars and institutions by providing a valuable and trusted experience with MDPI, the leader in open access publishing.

Impactful Research

MDPI Joins the STM Integrity Hub

MDPI has long been a supporter and partner of STM, with our involvement ranging from sponsoring and attending events to helping organize event programs. By joining the STM Integrity Hub, we aim to further our commitment to STM initiatives aimed at safeguarding the integrity of science.

“We are pleased to welcome MDPI as the 35th organisation participating in the Hub. This expansion is critical, as every new member enhances our capacity to prevent fraudulent submissions from entering the academic record.”

Joris van Rossum, Director of Research Integrity, STM

MDPI operates in full alignment with STM Integrity Hub's values of shared data and experiences. We strongly believe in collaboration and open exchange for the purposes of creating a holistic approach to support research integrity at MDPI itself and across the entire academic publishing industry. The Integrity Hub is an excellent example of how publishers can come together to jointly address industry-wide challenges related to research integrity, such as manuscripts that breach research integrity standards and paper-mills.

I look forward to our Research Integrity and Publication Ethics Team (RIPE) team immersing themselves in this initiative, exchanging information, best practices, and tools for the benefit of the entire scholarly ecosystem. We believe that ethical publishing standards should be implemented across the board, and we aim to be rigorous in our approach, addressing research integrity issues and improving the impact of published research.

Inside MDPI

MDPI Expands Research Integrity and Publication Ethics Team (RIPE)

In addition to external collaborations and joint initiatives aimed at further strengthening our commitment to research integrity, we are also enhancing our internal efforts. This includes improving our processes and guidelines and expanding our teams and departments to ensure quality assurance throughout our publishing process.

We are pleased to announce the expansion of our Research Integrity and Publication Ethics Team (RIPE) at MDPI. The RIPE team has recently welcomed new colleagues, each bringing unique skills and a personal commitment to prioritize ethical considerations in all our work.

The demand for research integrity and high ethical standards in academic publishing is steadily rising across our industry. Our expanded RIPE team will work to enhance and align our practices with industry best practices, ensuring excellence in research integrity and publication ethics.


Stefan Tochev (CEO, MDPI) introduces Dr. Tim Tait-Jamieson (Research Integrity Lead, MDPI) for his presentation on MDPI’s Retraction and Approval Process to a group of Journal Relationship Specialists at the MDPI office in Cluj, Romania: “The demand for research integrity and publication ethics is steadily rising across our industry.”

Introducing our Research Integrity and Publication Ethics Team

Led by Dr. Tim Tait-Jamieson (Research Integrity Lead), the RIPE team comprises Dr. Ivana Resanovic (Research Integrity Manager), Dr. Lavinia Rogojina (Research Integrity Manager), Ms. Diana Apodaritei (Research Integrity Specialist), Dr. Zoltan Mihaly (Research Integrity Specialist), Mr. Aleksandar Đukić (Research Integrity Specialist), Ms. Ana Stankovic (Research Integrity Specialist), and Ms. Anna Pena (Publication Ethics Assistant).

Please click here to access everything that you need to know about MDPI’s Research and Publication Ethics.

With this span of complementary roles, the RIPE team collaborates directly with journal editorial teams and works closely with various departments, including our Scientific Office Board and our Journal Relationship Specialists. The team’s primary objectives are to help prevent issues regarding research integrity and publication ethics during peer review, uphold MDPI’s ethics policies, adhere to industry standards, and resolve publication ethics and research integrity issues and complaints.

Quality Updates to Special Issues Oversight

At MDPI, we are committed to reviewing policies pertaining to the quality of research. In this blog post, Shaheena Patel (Communications Associate, MDPI), outlines two recent updates to MDPI journal processes. These updates pertain to Special Issue (SI) quality guidelines, in line with criteria provided by COPE and DOAJ. Alongside the SI updates, details regarding the new minor corrections policy introduced in 2024 are provided in the blog.

The two updates we implemented include greater oversight and the verification of Guest Editor credentials. These guidelines require that Editors-in-Chief (EiCs) and Editorial Board Members (EBMs) take responsibility for overseeing SIs.

PS. Thank you, James Butcher, for featuring this up in your 67th issue of the Journalogy newsletter.

Read more:

Coming Together for Science

Viruses 2024 – A World of Viruses

I am pleased to share the success of our MDPI conference Viruses 2024 – A World of Viruses, held 14-16 February, in Barcelona. With 240 registrations, this event brought together top scientists, researchers, and industry experts from 40 countries to share their findings on the latest developments in viral pathogenesis and immune responses.

Attendees gathered for the 5th edition of the Viruses’ conference, where we hosted influential keynote speeches from Nobel Prize laureate Dr. Charles M. Rice and ‘Distinguished Senior Virologist’ Prof. Luis Enjuanes, along with 14 invited speakers, 47 selected speakers, and nine flash poster presenters, to discuss the most significant issues in virology today.

Recap on the #Viruses2024 Conference

Take a look at the key moments from MDPI’s Viruses event and please join us in commemorating a gathering for global knowledge and cooperation. A heartfelt thank-you to all attendees; their passion and engagement played a crucial role in making this event an engaging success!

Below are calls to action from the keynote speakers encouraging collaboration and communication:

“There’s never been a better time than now to really take the power that we have both in terms of basic research and also in biotech and pharma to develop antiviral agents.” - Dr. Charles M. Rice, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA

“The collaboration between labs is absolutely essential. Improving initial detection and improving communication is a must for all of us working in science.” - Prof. Dr. Luis Enjuanes, National Center of Biotechnology (CNB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain

Our thanks go to our sponsors and partnering societies, our Viruses journal and editorial team, our Barcelona colleagues, and the social media, conference and other MDPI teams for making this event a memorable occasion. View the event gallery here.

Upcoming In-Person Event

24–26 April, 2024
4th MMCS – Harnessing the Power of New Drug Modalities
Location: Barcelona, Spain

Esteemed speakers at MMCS 2024 include Prof. Arun K. Ghosh, the mind behind the Darunavir molecule, and Prof. Paul Brennan, CSO of Alzheimer's Research UK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute.

Find more upcoming MDPI events here.


Organize Your Event with MDPI’s Sciforum

Sciforum is MDPI’s platform dedicated to the organization of scientific events. In line with our mission to promote science, Sciforum supports scholars, societies, research networks, and universities at all stages of organizing in-person events, virtual events and webinars. Our platforms are efficient, user-friendly, and cost-effective. We handle all steps related to event management. Contact us for details.

Closing Thoughts

Researcher to Reader (R2R) Conference

From 20–21 February 2024, I had the pleasure of attending the Researcher to Reader (R2R) conference in London, which MDPI has proudly sponsored over the years. The conference programme offered a variety of session formats, including workshops, panel discussions, debates, interviews, presentations, and lightning talks, with opportunities to discuss relevant topics.

We take pride in supporting the scientific community, bringing researchers across the world together to network, exchange ideas and share the latest in science and publishing. In 2023, MDPI invested close to 2 million CHF in sponsoring over 2,000 scientific and publishing-related conferences worldwide.

R2R Peer Review Innovations Workshop

I found the R2R conference to be engaging, with the workshops being particularly enjoyable. My colleague Giulia Stefenelli (Chair of Scientific Office Board) and I participated in the “Peer Review Innovations” workshop, which spanned four sessions over the two days. These sessions explored the future of peer review and how we can improve the peer review process for everyone involved. Notably, the large majority of attendees expressed their opinion that peer review, as currently practiced, requires significant improvement. Together, we collaborated on potential immediate and long-term improvements and innovative processes, aiming to create an ecosystem beneficial to all stakeholders by strengthening submission systems with the aim of reducing threats and making authors more responsible for their work. We also discussed the opportunity for academic institutions to better scrutinize the quality of the work produced and submitted to journals.

Our group comprised publishers, software providers, librarians, and more, bringing diverse perspectives to the discussions. These interactions were relevant to MDPI’s ongoing conversations, providing insights to our efforts. The session also made me appreciate that MDPI is doing well, as the group discussions included the subject of various quality checks that we have already embedded in our processes, ensuring that we keep abreast of industry standards.

The need for an optimized system to incentivize the activities of editors and reviewers was also a focus of discussion, as well as the support that reviewers need from publishers via the provision of strong reports through fixed forms, questionnaires and training.

At MDPI, we are currently auditing our reviewer program to improve reviewer recognition, guidelines, and methods for identifying suitable reviewers, while maintaining our commitment to quality and timeliness.

Congratulations to Mark Carden, Conference Director, and the R2R team for organizing a productive and successful event. PS: The break times were greatly appreciated as well!

Stefan Tochev
Chief Executive Officer
MDPI AG

20 February 2024
Applied Sciences Webinar | Nanophotonics in the Third Millennium, 24 February 2024


MDPI would like to invite all experts recognized in their fields to attend the webinar Nanophotonics in the Third Millennium. The aim of this webinar is to discuss current research trends in the fields of nanophotonics and metamaterials, such as topological effects in optics, two-dimensional materials, light–matter interaction in nanocavities, plasmonic circuits, thermal engineering, and quantum photonic systems.

Title: Nanophotonics in the Third Millennium
Date: 24 February 2024
Time: 10:00-12:00 (CET) | 5:00-7:00 (CST Asia)
Webinar website: https://sciforum.net/event/ApplSci-14

This is a free webinar. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information on how to join the webinar. Registrations with academic institutional email addresses will be prioritized.

Unable to attend? Register anyway and we will let you know when the recording is available to watch.

Register for free:

Program:

Speaker/Presentation

Time in CET

Time in CST Asia

Prof. Dr. Dieter Bimberg

Chair Introduction

10:00–10:10 a.m.

05:00–05:10 p.m.

Dr. Alexey R. Kovsh

Presentation Title: Quantum Dot Lasers and Amplifiers pave the way for Green Phonics

10:10–10:30 a.m.

05:10–05:30 p.m.

Q&A Session

10:30–10:35 a.m.

05:30–05:35 p.m.

Dr. Si-Cong Tian

Presentation Title: Multi-Hole Aperture VCSELs: Single Mode, High Power; Low Resistance

10:35–10:55 a.m.

05:35–05:55 p.m.

Q&A Session

10:55–11:00 a.m.

05:55–06:00 p.m.

Dr. Georgiy Sapunov

Presentation Title: High-speed MBE-grown 1550 nm wafer-fused VCSELs

11:00–11:20 a.m.

06:00–06:20 p.m.

Q&A Session

11:20–11:25 a.m.

06:20–06:25 p.m.

Prof. Dr. Dieter Bimberg

Closing of Webinar

11:25–11:30 a.m.

06:25–06:30 p.m.

Relevant Special Issue:

Applied Sciences

Metamaterials, Quantum and Nanophotonics in the Third Millenium

Edited by Prof. Dr. Eduard Babulak and Prof. Dr. Dieter Bimberg

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 29 Feb 2024

13 February 2024
Applied Sciences | Top 20 Cited Papers in 2022 in the Section “Mechanical Engineering”

1. “A Survey on Design and Control of Lower Extremity Exoskeletons for Bipedal Walking”
by Ibrahim Tijjani, Shivesh Kumar and Melya Boukheddimi
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(5), 2395; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12052395  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/5/2395

2. “Modified A-Star (A*) Approach to Plan the Motion of a Quadrotor UAV in Three-Dimensional Obstacle-Cluttered Environment”
by Ghulam Farid, Silvio Cocuzza, Talha Younas, Asghar Abbas Razzaqi, Waqas Ahmad Wattoo, Ferdinando Cannella and Hongwei Mo
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(12), 5791; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12125791
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/12/5791

3. “Gaussian Process Surrogates for Modeling Uncertainties in a Use Case of Forging Superalloys”
by Johannes G. Hoffer, Bernhard C. Geiger and Roman Kern
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 1089; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12031089
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/3/1089

4. “Numerical Performance Investigation of a Hybrid eCVT Specialized Agricultural Tractor”
by Francesco Mocera and Valerio Martini
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(5), 2438; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12052438
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/5/2438

5. “A Novel Method for Fault Diagnosis of Bearings with Small and Imbalanced Data Based on Generative Adversarial Networks”
by Qingbin Tong, Feiyu Lu, Ziwei Feng, Qingzhu Wan, Guoping An, Junci Cao and Tao Guo
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(14), 7346; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12147346
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/14/7346

6. “A Study on a New Independent Metering Valve for Hydraulic Boom Excavator”
by Thanh-Ha Nguyen, Tri-Cuong Do and Kyoung-Kwan Ahn
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(2), 605; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12020605  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/2/605

7. “Joining of Fibre-Reinforced Thermoplastic Polymer Composites by Friction Stir Welding—A Review”
by Miguel A. R. Pereira, Ivan Galvão, José Domingos Costa, Ana M. Amaro and Rui M. Leal
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(5), 2744; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12052744  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/5/2744

8. “A Numerical Aerodynamic Analysis on the Effect of Rear Underbody Diffusers on Road Cars”
by Alex Guerrero, Robert Castilla and Giorgio Eid
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(8), 3763; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12083763   
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/8/3763

9. “Deep Learning-Based Weld Contour and Defect Detection from Micrographs of Laser Beam Welded Semi-Finished Products”
by Christian Nowroth, Tiansheng Gu, Jan Grajczak, Sarah Nothdurft, Jens Twiefel, Jörg Hermsdorf, Stefan Kaierle and Jörg Wallaschek
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(9), 4645; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12094645
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/9/4645

10. “Statistical Characterization of Stress Concentrations along Butt Joint Weld Seams Using Deep Neural Networks”
by Moritz Braun, Josef Neuhäusler, Martin Denk, Finn Renken, Leon Kellner, Jan Schubnell, Matthias Jung, Klemens Rother and Sören Ehlers
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(12), 6089; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12126089
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/12/6089

11. “Infill Microstructures for Additive Manufacturing”
by Ioannis Ntintakis and Georgios E. Stavroulakis
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(15), 7386; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12157386   
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/15/7386

12. “Computational Evaluation of Shock Wave Interaction with a Liquid Droplet”
by Viola Rossano, Amedeo Cittadini and Giuliano De Stefano
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 1349; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12031349
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/3/1349

13. “Thermal–Mechanical FEM Analyses of a Liquid Rocket Engines Thrust Chamber”
by Michele Ferraiuolo, Michele Perrella, Venanzio Giannella and Roberto Citarella
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(7), 3443; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12073443  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/7/3443

14. “Development of Active Microvibration Isolation System for Precision Space Payload”
by Yuchen Qian, Yong Xie, Jianjun Jia and Liang Zhang
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(9), 4548; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12094548  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/9/4548

15. “Chatter Detection in Robotic Milling Using Entropy Features”
by Bin Yang, Kai Guo and Jie Sun
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(16), 8276; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12168276  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/16/8276

16. “Solid-State Rotary Friction-Welded Tungsten and Mild Steel Joints”
by Beata Skowrońska, Mariusz Bober, Paweł Kołodziejczak, Michał Baranowski, Mirosław Kozłowski and Tomasz Chmielewski
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(18), 9034; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12189034
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/18/9034

17. “Modeling and Validation of a Passive Truss-Link Mechanism for Deployable Structures Considering Friction Compensation with Response Surface Methods”
by Han-Sol Choi, Dong-Yeon Kim, Jeong-Hoon Park, Jae Hyuk Lim and Tae Seong Jang
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(1), 451; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12010451
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/1/451

18. “Design, Manufacture and Wind Tunnel Test of a Modular FishBAC Wing with Novel 3D Printed Skins”
by Andrés E. Rivero, Stephane Fournier, Rafael M. Heeb and Benjamin K. S. Woods
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(2), 652; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12020652  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/2/652

19. “Weak Signal Processing Methods Based on Improved HHT and Filtering Techniques for Steel Wire Rope”
by Shiwei Liu, Yanhua Sun, Lingsong He and Yihua Kang
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(14), 6969; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12146969  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/14/6969

20. “Effect of Fuel Sloshing on the Damping of a Scaled Wing Model—Experimental Testing and Numerical Simulations”
by Lucian Constantin, Joe J. De Courcy, Branislav Titurus, Thomas C. S. Rendall, Jonathan E. Cooper and Francesco Gambioli
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(15), 7860; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12157860   
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/15/7860

8 February 2024
Applied Sciences | Top 20 Cited Papers in 2022 in the Section “Food Science and Technology”

1. “Effect of Temperatures on Polyphenols during Extraction”
by Anila Antony and Mohammed Farid
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(4), 2107; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12042107  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/4/2107  

2. “Advances, Applications, and Comparison of Thermal (Pasteurization, Sterilization, and Aseptic Packaging) against Non-Thermal (Ultrasounds, UV Radiation, Ozonation, High Hydrostatic Pressure) Technologies in Food Processing”
by Viola Chiozzi, Sofia Agriopoulou and Theodoros Varzakas
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(4), 2202; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12042202  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/4/2202

3. “Auxin Response Factors Are Ubiquitous in Plant Growth and Development, and Involved in Crosstalk between Plant Hormones: A Review”
by Xiaohong Kou, Xiaoyang Zhao, Bingda Wu, Chao Wang, Caie Wu, Sen Yang, Jiaqian Zhou and Zhaohui Xue
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 1360; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12031360
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/3/1360

4. “Myths and Realities about Genetically Modified Food: A Risk-Benefit Analysis”
by Angelo Vega Rodríguez, Cristina Rodríguez-Oramas, Esther Sanjuán Velázquez, Arturo Hardisson de la Torre, Carmen Rubio Armendáriz and Conrado Carrascosa Iruzubieta
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(6), 2861; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12062861
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/6/2861

5. “Environmentally Friendly Techniques for the Recovery of Polyphenols from Food By-Products and Their Impact on Polyphenol Oxidase: A Critical Review”
by Peyman Ebrahimi and Anna Lante
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(4), 1923; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12041923  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/4/1923

6. “Alternative Methods of Bioactive Compounds and Oils Extraction from Berry Fruit By-Products—A Review”
by Iga Piasecka, Artur Wiktor and Agata Górska
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 1734; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12031734   
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/3/1734

7. “Automated Beehive Acoustics Monitoring: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature and Recommendations for Future Work”
by Mahsa Abdollahi, Pierre Giovenazzo and Tiago H. Falk
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(8), 3920; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12083920  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/8/3920

8. “An Edible, Decellularized Plant Derived Cell Carrier for Lab Grown Meat”
by Richard Thyden, Luke R. Perreault, Jordan D. Jones, Hugh Notman, Benjamin M. Varieur, Andriana A. Patmanidis, Tanja Dominko and Glenn R. Gaudette
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(10), 5155; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12105155
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/10/5155

9. “Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant and Wound Healing Potential of Three Artemisia Species: In Vitro and In Ovo Evaluation”
by Daliana Minda, Roxana Ghiulai, Christian Dragos Banciu, Ioana Zinuca Pavel, Corina Danciu, Roxana Racoviceanu, Codruta Soica, Oana Daniela Budu, Delia Muntean, Zorita Diaconeasa et al.
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 1359; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12031359
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/3/1359

10. “Application of Enzyme-Assisted Extraction for the Recovery of Natural Bioactive Compounds for Nutraceutical and Pharmaceutical Applications”
by Agnieszka Łubek-Nguyen, Wojciech Ziemichód and Marta Olech
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(7), 3232; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12073232  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/7/3232

11. “Lactic Acid Bacteria as Biocontrol Agents against Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Pathogens”
by Aleksandra Steglińska, Artur Kołtuniak, Ilona Motyl, Joanna Berłowska, Agata Czyżowska, Weronika Cieciura-Włoch, Małgorzata Okrasa, Dorota Kręgiel and Beata Gutarowska
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(15), 7763; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12157763
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/15/7763

12. “Production and Chemical Characterization of Exopolysaccharides by Antarctic Yeasts Vishniacozyma victoriae and Tremellomycetes sp.”
by Snezhana Rusinova-Videva, Manol Ognyanov, Yordan Georgiev, Margarita Kambourova, Aleksandar Adamov and Vasilena Krasteva
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(4), 1805; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12041805   
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/4/1805

13. “Application of the QuEChERS Strategy as a Useful Sample Preparation Tool for the Multiresidue Determination of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Food and Feed Samples: A Critical Overview”
by Natalia Casado, Sonia Morante-Zarcero and Isabel Sierra
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(9), 4325; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12094325  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/9/4325

14. “Biotechnological Conversions of Mizithra Second Cheese Whey by Wild-Type Non-Conventional Yeast Strains: Production of Yeast Cell Biomass, Single-Cell Oil and Polysaccharides”
by Gabriel Vasilakis, Dimitris Karayannis, Theofilos Massouras, Ioannis Politis and Seraphim Papanikolaou
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(22), 11471; https://doi.org/10.3390/app122211471  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/22/11471

15. “Features of Bread Made from Different Amaranth Flour Fractions Partially Substituting Wheat Flour”
by Ionica Coţovanu and Silvia Mironeasa
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(2), 897; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12020897  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/2/897

16. “Study on Kinetics of Trans-Resveratrol, Total Phenolic Content, and Antioxidant Activity Increase in Vine Waste during Post-Pruning Storage”
by Alina Lenuța Crăciun and Gheorghe Gutt
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 1450; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12031450  
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/3/1450

17. “The Quantification of Fatty Acids, Color, and Textural Properties of Locally Produced Bakery Margarine”
by Sergiu Pădureţ
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(3), 1731; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12031731
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/3/1731

18. “Vegetarian “Sausages” with the Addition of Grape Flour”
by Bohuslava Tremlova, Lenka Havlova, Patrik Benes, Johana Zemancova, Hana Buchtova, Karolina Tesikova, Simona Dordevic and Dani Dordevic
Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(4), 2189; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12042189   
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/12/4/21