Insights Into 30 Years of Top MDPI Research
This May marks MDPI’s 30th anniversary. Therefore, this month’s roundup of Top Pick articles will review some of the most highly cited and impactful research published across MDPI’s journal portfolio over the last 30 years.
We explore cornerstone research spanning MDPI’s diverse portfolio of, including research in drug development, sustainability and technology.
A Global Assessment: Can Renewable Energy Replace Fossil Fuels by 2050?
Published in Sustainability, April 2022 | New Mexico State University, USA & The Hashemite University, Jordan
Net zero 2050 is a global target adopted by many regions to collectively strive towards reducing fossil fuel emissions and prevent the worsening and catastrophic impacts of climate change.
In 2022, researchers from Jordan and USA carried out a study to assess whether fossil fuels could be replaced with renewable energy resources, such as solar energy, hydropower and wind energy, by 2050. The global meta-analysis suggested that, though this could be theoretically attainable, it would require global adherence to a strict 8-pathway strategy, implementation of stricter energy conservation policies, major lifestyle changes, and cohesive collaboration and cooperation between countries.
As part of the European Green Deal, the EU proposed a long-term strategy for climate neutrality by 2050. Similarly, the UK released their plan and progress on reaching net zero emissions by 2050. Additionally, the Paris Agreement establishes long-term sustainability goals to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and keeping global temperature increase below 2 degrees Celsius.
Since the launch of these net zero initiatives, key progress, such as financing clean investments and climate action, and agreed upon climate-related policies have been successfully implemented.
However, according to the United Nations (UN), substantial more work is needed to get back on track to reach net zero by 2050, with many countries failing to achieve commitments made as part of the Paris agreement As stated by the UN, considerable and bold action is needed to reduce emissions by 55%, and to get back on track to reach net zero by 2050.
Deep Convolutional and LSTM Recurrent Neural Networks for Multimodal Wearable Activity Recognition
Published in Sensors, January 2016 | University of Sussex, UK
Wearable technology, such as smartwatches, rings or trackers that monitor health and physical activity, became increasingly popular from the late 2000s, with the breakthrough launch of devices like the FitBit in 2009, and then the Apple Watch in 2015.
As human activity is made of series of complex motor movements and actions, tracking activity using wearable sensors requires extensive research dedicated to human activity recognition. The article published in Sensors in 2016 proposed a novel neural network algorithm for recognising activity which can be incorporated into wearable technology without expert knowledge and process data from multiple sensor inputs.
The article proposed key advantages of using such deep neural networks for activity recognition, contributing to the evolution and advancement of wearable technology.
Wearable technology has now evolved considerably both in functionality and design. Smart rings, watches, headbands and smart clothing have revolutionised the fitness industry, tracking key metrics such as daily activity, duration and quality of sleep, cardiovascular fitness including heart rate and blood pressure,
Furthermore, advanced biosensors have also made its mark in healthcare research and for individuals with conditions that require close monitoring. This includes devices such as continuous glucose monitors for people with diabetes. Although wearable technology has transformed fitness and the concept of keeping well for many, caution should be advised on the over-reliance on these devices. As a non-medical grade tracker, there is still risk of reporting inaccurate measurements. However, the technology is rapidly growing, and this exciting era of research will no doubt bring continuous refinements of these sophisticated devices.
Leveraging Digital Twin Technology in Model-Based Systems Engineering
Published in Systems, January 2019 | Intelligent Systems Technology & Under Secretary of Defence for Research & Engineering, USA
Since the concept of digital twin technology was introduced in 2002, it has been applied to industries such as healthcare, agriculture, and manufacturing. Digital twins allow researchers and engineers to model how systems perform in different real-world scenarios and help to predict failures before they occur.
In 2019, researchers from the USA explored the application of digital twins into model-based system engineering (MBSE). This approach helped address the growing complexity of modern systems by creating a centralised, shared source of truth that improves collaboration between technical teams while reducing inconsistencies and loss of information.
The study helped to bridge the concepts of digital twins and MBSE, an approach now widely used across industry. It defined the idea that the digital twin is not just a simulation but a continuously updated virtual instance of a real system. The paper also helped popularise the use of MBSE across the full product lifecycle, from design and testing to operation and maintenance. Today, these concepts are widely used by organisations such as NASA, IBM, and defence organisations worldwide
Effect of Extraction Solvent/Technique on the Antioxidant Activity of Selected Medicinal Plant Extracts
Published in Molecules, 2009 | University of Agriculture, Pakistan
In 2009, researchers from Pakistan experimented with various solvents to explore how to optimally extract the highest yield from medicinal plants.
They found that higher extract yields were obtained using aqueous organic solvents compared to absolute organic solvents. Using the former resulted in obtaining higher plant antioxidant activity and concentration of health-boosting polyphenols present in the natural product.
The use of plants for medicine dates to prehistoric times, with archaeological findings demonstrating humans’ use of plants for healing even before the development of writing. Fast forward to the 21st century, with the integration of modern technological advances, medicinal plants are now increasingly being used in conjunction with cutting edge biotechnologies, where the principles of modern drug development are applied to the screening, and extraction of natural products.
Although the importance of plants amongst the pharmaceutical industries was discounted in previous years, the crucial role of natural products in drug development and healing is becoming increasingly recognised again amongst modern pharmaceutics.
This study highlighted key extraction techniques from natural substances and how using aqueous organic solvents generally provides higher extract yields. This method is used as a foundational technique in pharmacological research and fundamental steps in herbal medicine preparation.
Does the Use of Chitosan Contribute to Oxalate Kidney Stone Formation?
Published in Marine Drugs, October 2014 | University of Rio Grande do Norte, Federal University of Parana, & Federal University of São Paulo, Brazil
Chitosan is a polysaccharide naturally found in the shells of crustaceans, such as crabs. It has numerous prominent biomedical and pharmaceutical applications, including its use in drug delivery systems. In 2014, researchers from Brazil evaluated whether chitosan impacted the formation of calcium oxalate crystals – the major component found in kidney stones.
Chitosan is increasingly being used in for drug-delivery systems due to its biodegradable and non-toxic properties, and its physiochemical properties. This makes it an excellent candidate for the sustained and controlled release of drugs. It is also used in food supplements for weight loss.
This study highlights the potential toxic side effects of consuming chitosan caused by renal accumulation. Both in vitro and in vivo experimentation showed that chitosan significantly influences of kidney stone formation, impacting the number of stones and changing their size by associating with the surface of the crystal.
However, more recent research published in 2023 shows how this interaction could actually help to remove kidney stone fragments during surgery. The study demonstrates how engineered magnetic hydrogels composed of chitosan and iron oxide nanoparticles encapsulate kidney stone fragments. These hydrogels can then be removed using a simple magnetic tool.
Moreover, further research suggests that conjugating chitosan with other components, such as gallic acid, to minimise its interaction with the surface of calcium oxalate crystals can prevent kidney stone formation and improves the antioxidant activity of chitosan.
Chitosan is a major biocompatible vehicle for controlled drug release. Previous research demonstrates its potential side effects post oral consumption. More recent research suggests this issue could be addressed by conjugating chitosan with other nanoparticles or even harnessing these interactions for the process of kidney stone fragment removal.
What began as an idea has grown into a portfolio of more than 500 fully open access journals, supported by a global community of researchers, editors and reviewers who make this exchange of knowledge possible.
Click here to learn more about MDPI’s 30th anniversary.
