Announcements

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:

• Biology and Life Sciences;
• Chemistry and Materials Sciences;
• Engineering;
• Environmental and Earth Sciences;
• Medicine and Pharmacology;
• Public Health and Healthcare;
• Others.

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.

We are very pleased to announce an impressive interview conducted with Dr. Gerda de Kuijper, who has recently published an outstanding article in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: 1660-4601). In this interview, we delve into the latest advancements, challenges, and future directions pertaining to her research.

Name: Dr. Gerda de Kuijper
Affiliation: ¹Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ Groningen, the Netherlands; ²Mental Healthcare Drenthe, Department Centre for Intellectual Disability and Mental Health, Middenweg 19, 9404 LL Assen, the Netherlands
Interest: psychopharmacology; mental illness; intellectual disabilities; clinical assessment; dual (psychiatry) diagnosis

Paper:

“Integrative Care for Challenging Behaviors in People with Intellectual Disabilities to Reduce Challenging Behaviors and Inappropriate Psychotropic Drug Prescribing Compared with Care as Usual: A Cluster-Randomized Trial”
by Gerda de Kuijper, Josien Jonker, Karlijn Kouwer, Pieter J. Hoekstra and Annelies de Bildt
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(7), 950; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21070950
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/7/950

The following is an interview with Dr. Gerda de Kuijper:

I live in the Netherlands, in the northeast of the Netherlands, and I am an intellectual disability physician, but also a researcher. I'm affiliated to a center for intellectual disability and mental healthcare and the Academic Collaborative on Intellectual Disability and Mental Health, Medical Centre University Groningen, Netherlands. It's important to know that in the Netherlands the care for people with intellectual disability is organized separately from the care for people with mental health problems, so our center and the research activities of the Academic Collaborative, at the cutting edge of mental healthcare and intellectual disability care is rather unique in the Netherlands.

My current area of research is people with intellectual disability and comorbid mental disorders. I'm especially interested in challenging behaviors, because there are a lot of underlying causes of these behaviors, including somatic causes but also mental disorders and environmental circumstances. Often people with intellectual disability get treatments with psychotropic drugs for challenging behavior, but often that may be not a very good choice because underlying causes are not treated.

People with intellectual disability form a very interesting study population, and they are nice people to engage with. Currently, I have no clinical practice anymore, but I have ample clinical experience and practiced for many years with people with intellectual disability as my patients. This patient group shows a large variety i.e., when you have someone who has a mild intellectual disability, you often can't see anything on the outside, but when you talk with that person you have to use simple language. When people have a more severe intellectual disability, then you have to talk with the parents, the family, the support professionals, et cetera.

Yes, it may be very difficult to carry out a research project in the intellectual disability care field. Because people who work in this care sector are often not very interested in research or have no time to cooperate. Their priorities lie in the care of their clients. Also, they are not used to registering in a standardized way what they are doing, how the patient’s health is, or how the patients behave. And often they have a day-to-day business which is more important to them than carrying out a research project. So, it is difficult to collect data.

I think, regarding people with a disability, have you got what is a good living situation for them? In the Netherlands, there are lots of institutions and there may be groups of people living with behavior problems congregated in one institution. Well, the advantage may be the specialized care they receive, the disadvantage is that they may harm each other and often cannot rely on each other, so I think it's better when people with intellectual disabilities live in small living facilities in the community. In the Netherlands, that is difficult to do, but when they live in the community, it's difficult to organize the right kind of care for them because all the specialized professionals are in the institutions and they are not available for the community. And that's a problem not only in the Netherlands, but also in other countries.

It's environmental, and I told you about the importance of the environment for people with intellectual disabilities. And it's also a public health issue. My area of research also is how you organize your care, which is a public health issue. So, I think it's a very good journal for the paper I've published.

It's more accessible for a lot of students and clinicians.

Conference: McGill International Palliative Care Congress 2024
Date: 15–18 October 2024
Location: Montreal, Canada

MDPI will be attending the McGill International Palliative Care Congress 2024 as an exhibitor (booth: 10B), and we welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

McGill University’s International Congress on Palliative Care is the longest running congress for this field. Founded in 1976 by Dr. Balfour Mount and his colleagues, it is now organized and hosted biennially by Palliative Care McGill. Over 1500 delegates, from more than 65 countries participate in making this one of the most interdisciplinary palliative care congresses. Every other year physicians, researchers, nurses, psychologists, social workers, pharmacists, music therapists, art therapists, physical therapists, spiritual care workers, volunteers and many others gather from around the globe to learn from and with each other for the betterment of palliative care. Please join us in celebrating and enriching palliative care around the world.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Cancers;
• Healthcare;
• IJERPH;
• Religions;
• Behavioral Sciences;
• Nursing Reports;
• Current Oncology;
• Social Sciences;
• Psychology International;
• Geriatrics.

If you are planning to attend the above conference, please do not hesitate to start a conversation with us. Our delegates look forward to meeting you in person and answering any questions that you may have. We welcome researchers from different backgrounds to visit and share their latest ideas with us.

For more information about the conference, please visit the following website: https://www.mcgill.ca/palliativecare/congress.

The following webinar by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: 1660-4601) is open to all who enjoy conducting any type of research on the topic of health effects of airborne pollution or are passionate about learning about this exciting and competitive research area. The webinar speakers will present new findings from basic to translational research. Any interesting ideas for topics and speakers are welcome.

Keywords: human health, air pollution, dust, aerosol
Date: 19 September 2024 at 9:20 a.m. EDT| 3:20 p.m. CEST | 9:20 p.m. CST Asia
Webinar ID: 895 3197 5601

Register now for free!

Program:

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email 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 view.

Webinar Chair and Keynote Speakers:

• Jonathan E. Thompson, School of Veterinary Medicine, Texas Tech University, Amarillo, TX, USA;
• Karin Ardon-Dryer, Department of Geosciences, Atmospheric Science Group, Texas Tech University, USA;
• Dr. Christie M. Sayes, Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX, USA.

For more information about the webinar, please visit the following link: https://sciforum.net/event/IJERPH-13.

We are very pleased to announce an impressive interview with Dr. Ian Mudway, who has just published an outstanding article in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: 1660-4601). In this interview, we delve into the latest advancements, challenges, and future directions of his research.

Name: Dr. Ian Mudway
Affiliations:
1. Wolfson Institute for Population Health, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London E1 2AB, UK;
2. MRC Centre for Environment and Health, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK;
3. NIHR Health Protection Research Unit in Environmental Exposures, Imperial College London, London W12 0BZ, UK.
Research interests: environmental exposures and health and chemical and radiation threats and hazards

Published Paper:
“Assessing the Impact of Non-Exhaust Emissions on the Asthmatic Airway (IONA) Protocol for a Randomised Three-Exposure Crossover Study”
by James Scales, Hajar Hajmohammadi, Max Priestman, Luke C. McIlvenna, Ingrid E. de Boer, Haneen Hassan, Anja H. Tremper, Gang Chen, Helen E. Wood, David C. Green, Klea Katsouyanni, Ian S. Mudway and Christopher Griffiths
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(7), 895; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21070895
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/7/895

The following is an interview with Prof. Robert J. Gregory:

1. Could you give us a brief introduction about yourself to our readers?
I am a Senior Lecturer in Environmental Toxicology at the School of Public Health at Imperial College London. I also serve as a Co-Investigator on the Impact of Non-Exhaust Emissions on the Asthmatic Airway (IONA) study.

2. Can you tell us about any research you are currently undertaking that is related to the paper?
We recently published our protocol paper for the study, known as the IONA Study, in your journal (https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/7/895). The study’s primary focus is to understand the impact of non-exhaust emissions from traffic on asthma. As regulations on tailpipe emissions from diesel and gasoline vehicles become stricter, there is a common perception that air quality will improve, potentially resolving health issues like the exacerbation of asthma symptoms related to air pollution.
However, what is less widely recognized is that a significant portion of urban air pollution actually comes from tire wear, the resuspension of road dust, and brake wear—all of which remain even as we transition to electric vehicles. Simply replacing combustion engines with electric vehicles does not eliminate pollution; it just changes its nature. The IONA Study aims to explore this issue in depth by determining whether this new form of pollution is as harmful to asthma as combustion-derived particles, or if it is safer. The study is designed specifically to address this critical question.

3. Are there any recent hot topics in your field of study?
There are two main areas of focus in this discussion. First, much of the attention is on achieving net-zero emissions and mitigating climate change. Reducing the use of combustion engines and transitioning to an electrified vehicle fleet are key targets for net zero, along with urban regeneration and city design. However, it is crucial to anticipate and avoid unintended consequences of these changes.
As we shift toward battery-powered vehicles, we must consider the entire lifecycle of these batteries and the pollutants that remain, or even increase, due to the shift in transportation methods. This study is really about looking ahead and asking whether, as we tackle the challenges of net zero and reduce CO₂ and greenhouse gas emissions, we are also being mindful of the broader impacts on public health. Specifically, the focus on non-exhaust emissions (NEEs) is a hot topic in air pollution right now. As the vehicle fleet becomes more electrified, the number of vehicles will likely remain the same or even increase, but the types of particles they emit will change.
Additionally, climate change itself is altering the chemistry of our atmosphere. As we introduce more solar energy into the air due to a warming planet, secondary chemical reactions occur, producing new pollutants and changing the types we will be exposed to in the future. So, this discussion is really about what comes next. We already know diesel and exhaust emissions are harmful—that is settled. We are now entering a phase where these emissions are being phased out, which should lead to health benefits, unless the alternatives we are introducing are equally harmful. It is essential to ensure that this is not the case.

4. What do you hope that readers will gain from reading your paper?
It is a protocol paper. The purpose of a protocol paper is to clearly outline what we are going to do, explain the motivation behind the work, and explicitly state our hypothesis and what we intend to test. Essentially, it is a pre-publication of the study's intentions, which is incredibly important in my field.
In drug trials, for instance, it is mandatory to publish the aims, objectives, and hypothesis beforehand, so that when the data is analyzed later, it is clear that the study stayed true to its original intentions. Unfortunately, in my field, there has been a history of post hoc re-evaluation, where data are generated and then papers are written to fit a hypothesis to the results. By specifying and publishing a protocol upfront in environmental health studies, we adhere more closely to the principles of clinical trials.
Our goal is to ensure that environmental health studies are as robust as drug studies. This is especially important when the data eventually reaches the public domain, which can become contentious, particularly in areas like air pollution, car ownership, and potential restrictions on driving. These are politically sensitive topics, and it is crucial to demonstrate that the scientific process has been rigorous.
This is why protocol papers matter. As subsequent papers are published, reviewers can refer back to the protocol paper to ensure that the study adhered to its original plan. This is key to maintaining robust, evidence-based science.
The IONA study, for example, is funded by the United States Health Effects Institute, which has an interesting funding model—half of their funding comes from industry, and the other half from the U.S. government. This positions them as an independent arbiter between these potentially conflicting interests, especially in areas with significant economic impact. In studies like this, there is an added layer of due diligence to ensure that everyone knows the study's objectives and that we remain true to them.

5. What advice would you give to young investigators who aspire to be where you are now?
Do not be afraid of being wrong. In fact, any scientist should expect to be wrong about 95% of the time. If you are not wrong that often, it might be a sign that something needs closer examination. No one can always be universally right. Be wary of someone who has never had a hypothesis disproved—that likely means they either knew the outcome before they started or they are not asking sufficiently challenging questions.
Science is about pushing the boundaries of knowledge, and that means accepting that you will make mistakes. Often, it is those unexpected outcomes and the mistakes you make that lead to the most valuable discoveries in your field.

6. What is your impression of the publishing experience with IJERPH?
The submission process itself was painless—or as painless as submitting to a journal can ever be. Publishing is a strange business model if you think about it. We, as researchers, need the publishers, and they need our content, so it is a symbiotic relationship.
I imagine we can be frustrating at times because we do not always meet deadlines, but we are often juggling multiple demands. Conversely, I do not think many people in the scientific community fully grasp the pressures and workload that journal editors face. This can lead to mutual frustration.
That said, I found the process of publishing with your journal to be quite straightforward. Once we passed the review stage, the editorial process, manuscript preparation, and the advice we received were all clear and easy to follow—something that is not always the case.

7. We are an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts authors?
Firstly, most of our research councils require that our publications appear in open access journals. For papers funded by the latest Horizon 2020 European funding mechanism, not only must they be published in open access journals, but the data also have to be released simultaneously under FAIR data principles. This has caused a lot of concern, as everyone is trying to navigate what that actually entails, but it is absolutely essential.
Additionally, because I work in public health, where studies often become quite relevant very quickly, the days of quietly publishing and moving on are over. Once a paper goes to press, it can become a significant issue almost immediately. As I mentioned earlier, transparency in the research process is crucial. However, transparency is meaningless if people do not have access to the research. Open access publication is therefore essential to maintain public trust in science. When research is hidden behind a paywall, it creates opportunities for misinformation and mistrust, with people claiming that information is being concealed or that the system is rigged.
In my field, it is absolutely essential. You simply cannot conduct public health research if the public cannot access your findings.

We are very pleased to announce an impressive interview conducted with Prof. Linda L. Chao, who has recently published an outstanding article in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH, ISSN: 1660-4601). In this interview, we delve into the latest advancements and challenges in and future directions of her research.

Published Paper:
“PON1 Status in Relation to Gulf War Illness: Evidence of Gene–Exposure Interactions from a Multisite Case–Control Study of 1990–1991 Gulf War Veterans”
by Lea Steele, Clement E. Furlong, Rebecca J. Richter, Judit Marsillach, Patricia A. Janulewicz, Maxine H. Krengel, Nancy G. Klimas, Kimberly Sullivan and Linda L. Chao
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(8), 964; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21080964
Available online: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/8/964

The following is an interview with Prof. Linda Chao:

1. Could you please give us a brief introduction of yourself and your current research topic to our readers?
My name is Linda Chao and I’m a professor of radiology and psychiatry at UCSF. I’m also a research career scientist at the San Francisco VA. I’m a cognitive neuroscientist by training, and my research examines normal aging neurodegenerative processes and how exposures to things like stress and neurotoxins affect the brain and cognition. I also study the effects of nonpharmacological interventions for conditions like mild cognitive impairment, dementia, and Gulf War illness (GWI).

2. What inspired you to pursue this field of research?
Well, I’ve always been interested in the brain and how the mind works, particularly memory, and why some people have good memories and other people can’t seem to remember anything at all. When I took my first cognitive psychology class in college and the professor broke memory down into three processes—encoding, storage, and retrieval—I found out that people were doing research to find out which parts of the brain were responsible for different parts of cognition. I thought, “That’s what I want to do”.

3. Can you tell us about any research you’re currently undertaking that is related to the paper?
GWI has been a major focus of my research for the past 25 years. I currently have a study looking at veterans who were exposed to large amounts of pesticides during the Gulf War, and I’m studying whether they’re at increased risk for Parkinson’s disease. I have another study looking at whether deployed Gulf War veterans have higher than expected rates of mild cognitive impairment, which is considered a prodromal or early stage of dementia. Finally, I have a clinical trial looking at whether we can improve symptoms of GWI by treating veterans with GWI, insomnia, and undiagnosed or untreated sleep apnea with behavioral sleep therapy and a positive airway pressure (PAP) device.

4. What do you hope that readers will get from your paper?
For the longest time, Gulf War illness was this mystery illness, and no one could figure out why the soldiers who returned from a very brief conflict in the Persian Gulf region were getting so sick. We now know that Gulf War veterans were exposed to a lot of different types of chemicals, some of which are neurotoxins, but it’s long been a mystery why certain soldiers became so sick while others, who appeared to have similar deployment-related exposures, didn't get sick.
Dr. Lea Steele, our study’s first author, had some preliminary findings early on suggesting that genetic factors may have played a role in the development of Gulf War illness. Dr. Robert Haley also published some early studies suggesting that veterans with the RR genotype PON1 enzyme, which detoxifies toxic chemicals, may be more susceptible to the adverse effects of nerve agents.
I think what’s unique about our study is that we considered all deployment-related exposures, not just chemical nerve agents. By doing so we are seeing just how complicated the etiology of Gulf War illness likely is. Our results suggest that veterans who have QQ or QR types of the PON1 enzyme, which is much more common among the Gulf War veteran population than the RR type of PON1 enzyme, were likely more susceptible to the adverse effects of skin pesticides, which nearly every Gulf War veteran used during deployment. Furthermore, our findings hint at possible interactions between Pyridostigmine bromide (PB), which was used to protect the troops against possible nerve agent exposure, and nerve agents and skin pesticides that were used during deployment. In other words, the PB pills that many soldiers were ordered to take to protect them against nerve agents may actually have made things worse. We also saw hints that being a regular smoker during deployment may have also exacerbated the effects of exposure to skin pesticides.

5. What is your impression of your publishing experience with the journal IJERPH?
I was really impressed by the fast turnaround time from submission to publication. There aren’t that many Gulf War illness researchers in the field, and sometimes journals can have a hard time finding referees with the appropriate expertise who are willing to review Gulf War illness-related papers. So, we’re appreciative of the fast turnaround time from submission to publication. I also appreciate this opportunity to talk to you about our work.

6. We are an open access journal. How do you think open access impacts authors?
I think open access journals are great, and in particular, open access makes our work and our research more visible and available to the general public, journalists, and policymakers because they can access our papers without needing a subscription to the journals, which is nice.

7. What advice would you give to young investigators who aspire to be where you are now?
If there’s a topic that interests you, pursue it with passion, even if it’s not currently a hot or trendy topic. What’s trendy in research tends to have a cyclical nature, and if you’re studying something that you’re genuinely interested in, it’ll be easy for you to put in the number of hours that’s necessary to become successful. So, don’t worry if the rest of the world doesn’t think what you’re studying is cool or interesting because they’ll eventually catch up.

MDPI will attend the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM) 101st Annual Conference. Great minds come together at the ACRM Annual Fall Conference, the place to fuel creative energy, promote innovation and spark collaboration—the kind of collaboration needed to help bring the latest science into practice faster. With 150+ inter-professional groups at ACRM, including community groups, committees, and task forces, the 100th anniversary conference is planning 4 powerful plenaries, 15+ symposia, 300+ educational sessions, symposia and lectures, and 600+ scientific papers and digital poster presentations.

The mission of ACRM is to enhance the lives of those with disabling conditions through interdisciplinary research. To optimize patient care, it is essential for researchers to effectively communicate their findings, and for clinicians to provide valuable feedback to inform and advance research efforts. The objective of the ACRM 101st annual conference is to foster engagement among attendees, encouraging discussions and collaborations that will propel the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation forward.

The following MDPI journals will be represented:

• Healthcare;
• IJERPH;
• Behavioral Sciences;
• Trauma Care;
• Nursing Reports;
• Brain Sciences;
• JFMK;
• Biomechanics;
• Prosthesis;
• EJIHPE;
• Sensors;
• Sclerosis.

If you plan on attending this conference, please feel free to stop by our booth #434 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://conference.acrm.org/.

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.

MDPI will be attending the GSA 2024 Annual Scientific Meeting (GSA 2024), which will be held from 13 to 16 of November 2024, in Seattle, USA.

The Gerontological Society of America (GSA) Annual Scientific Meeting draws professionals in the field of aging on a global scale, representing specialties including geriatrics, biological sciences, nursing, nutrition, medicine, social work, economics, policy, and psychology. The GSA is the largest and most established international, interdisciplinary scientific organization devoted to the advancement of gerontological research.

GSA 2024 offers numerous opportunities for career development and networking. Nearly 4,000 researchers, clinicians, educators, and other professionals will gather in Seattle to learn about and discuss the latest trends, research, and key issues in aging.

The following MDPI journals will be represented at the conference:

• Healthcare;
• Geriatrics;
• Nursing Report;
• Epidemiologia;
• Journal of Clinical Medicine (JCM);
• International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (IJERPH);
• European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education (EJIHPE);
• Journal of Personalized Medicine (JPM);
• Nutrients;
• Journal of Ageing and Longevity (JAL);
• International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS);
• Societies;
• Behavioral Sciences.

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 you may have. For more information about the conference, please visit the official website at https://www.gsa2024.org/.