Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Grid and Utility Computing

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Grid and Utility Computing are now available here for free:

• Complex networks applied to the analysis of the dynamics of social systems
• Performance comparison of various machine learning classifiers using fusion of LBP, intensity and GLCM feature extraction techniques for thyroid nodules classification
• A page weight-based replacement algorithm to enhance the performance of buffer management in flash memory
• Detection of crop disorder using deep learning
• Optimisation of the hybrid grey wolf method in cluster-based wireless sensor network using edge computing
• Developing software predictive model for examining the software bugs using machine learning
• Target imaging technology of wireless orbital communication radar
• Performance evaluation using throughput and latency of a blockchain-enabled patient centric secure and privacy preserve EHR based on IPFS
• A deep learning-inspired IoT-enabled hybrid model for predicting structural changes in CNC machines based on thermal behaviour

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Management and Enterprise Development are now available here for free:

• The mediation role of top management support in the adoption of cloud computing in Malaysian SMEs
• Growth management of digital service startups in the Brazilian context
• Bridging the gap: the mediating effect of cloud-based ERP adoption intention on entrepreneurial orientation and marketing performance in South Indian SMEs
• Acceptance and effectiveness of Industry 4.0 internal and external organisational initiatives in Malaysian firms

Come together, online

Research in the International Journal of Computational Science and Engineering has developed a new approach to addressing ideological polarisation on social media. The problem of users generally encountering only like-minded perspectives and so reinforcing their own beliefs even in the face of conflicting evidence is highly divisive.

The phenomenon, known as the “echo chamber” effect or referred to as “filter bubbles”, arises in part because the algorithms driving the position of content in one’s social media apps. This, in turn, is driven largely by the need to keep users active and engaged on a particular platform. Too many contrary updates might drive users away, and that will ultimately reflect negatively on the advertising and other revenue streams for the companies that operate the platforms. By contrast, an echo chamber effect that reinforces their viewpoints will, for many people, be more attractive than one that doesn’t.

Zaka Ul Mustafa and Muhammad Amir of the International Islamic University Islamabad, Manal Mustafa of Zaman Technologies Pvt Limited, Pakistan, and Muhammad Adnan Anwar of Ulisboa, Portugal, suggest that the social media platforms could benefit from the use of genetic algorithms (GAs). Such computational techniques inspired by the principles of evolutionary natural selection could reduce polarisation and the echo chamber effect but still respect the organic nature of online interactions, and so keep users engaged without being so divisive.

The team explains that current strategies to counter polarisation often involve connecting disparate groups (edge addition) or altering expressed views (opinion flipping). These methods are not only static, but also raise ethical concerns about the platforms interfering with user autonomy. A GA-based approach instead identifies influential nodes in the online social network and only subtly adjusts their highlighted connections to reduce polarisation. The critical contribution of the work lies in identifying network elements that disproportionately contribute to ideological divides, and then encouraging more diversity of interaction with minimal disruption to the organic nature of social media.

The team has tested their approach on real-world datasets that focus on polarised US political discourse. The datasets have communities clustered around distinct ideological groups, and so can provide a useful test for how well the method precludes polarisation and division. The results showed that the GA approach could foster connections between disparate groups, and this led to a measurable decrease in polarisation without fundamentally altering the network’s overall structure.

Ul Mustafa, Z., Amir, M., Mustafa, M. and Anwar, M.A. (2025) ‘Harmony amidst division: leveraging genetic algorithms to counteract polarisation in online platforms’, Int. J. Computational Science and Engineering, Vol. 28, No. 7, pp.1–17.

Free Open Access article available: "The development of a product-layer perceived value scale for the online experience products of young Chinese consumers: take online apparel as an example"

The following paper, "The development of a product-layer perceived value scale for the online experience products of young Chinese consumers: take online apparel as an example" (International Journal of Data Science 10(5) 2025), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Continuing Engineering Education and Life-Long Learning are now available here for free:

• Sustaining college students' continuance intention toward online learning in the post-COVID-19 era
• Study on abnormal behaviour recognition of MOOC online English learning based on multi-dimensional data mining
• An intelligent statistical method of real-time status of English teaching assistance resources from the perspective of MOOCs
• An intelligent integration method of AI English teaching resources information under multi-agent cooperation
• Mining method of students' learning behaviour characteristics in online classroom of colleges and universities based on dense clustering method
• A balanced allocation of network teaching resources in higher vocational colleges based on demand prediction
• English information teaching resource sharing based on deep reinforcement learning
• Study on multimedia network aided English teaching resource integration system based on cloud storage
• Optimisation of regional higher education resources search method based on attribute description matching
• Evaluation method of English flipped classroom teaching effect based on entropy weight method
• A construction of online teaching quality evaluation model based on big data mining

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Exergy

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Exergy are now available here for free:

• Comprehensive exergy analysis of dandelion root during physical pre-treatment by convective solar drying
• Experimental investigation and energy-exergy analysis of indirect liquid jaggery-making system based on parabolic dish concentrator
• Energy and exergy analysis of two solar-geothermal assisted biomass-driven hybrid cycles to produce power, heat, and distilled water
• Analysis of Kalina cycle for recovering waste heat from flue gas exhaust in pressurised pulverised combined cycle
• Energy and exergy analysis of a steam power plant to replace the boiler with a heat recovery steam generator

Free sample articles newly available from Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal

The following sample articles from Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal are now available here for free:

• Investigation of kinetics of thin layer drying of fruits using computational fluid dynamics
• Numerical analysis of superoleophilic-superhydrophobic filtration system for emulsions separation using lattice Boltzmann method
• Investigation of the flow topology evolution between two tandem cylinders using a discontinuous Galerkin method
• The dynamics of supersonic flow past a new cusped leading edge airfoil

Research pick: No longer banking on the shipping forecast: AI on the horizon - "Research on a ship target detection method in remote sensing images at sea"

As international trade and global security become more reliant on marine resources, the demand for advanced maritime surveillance and port management has never been greater. One of the big challenges in this area is the detection of ships in complex environments, a task that has traditionally relied on manual techniques. These methods, while functional, are often inadequate in dynamic, cluttered marine conditions, where varying sea states, weather patterns, and ship sizes can easily confound detection efforts.

Research in the International Journal of Information and Communication Technology has introduced a new approach to ship target detection. The research combines several cutting-edge deep learning techniques, “You Only Look Once” version 4 (YOLOv4), the Convolutional Block Attention Module (CBAM), and the transformer mechanism. The team of Weiping Zhou, Shuai Huang, and Qinjun Luo of Jiangxi Polytechnic University in JiuJiang, and Lisha Yu of Shanghai Cric information Technology Co. Ltd. In Shanghai, China, have combined these into a single algorithmic program that is both accurate and reliable in the identification of vessels in challenging conditions.

Modern, fast deep-learning models such as YOLOv4 out-class traditional methods by cutting out the multiple steps needed to process an image. YOLOv4 can scan and classify objects in a single pass, making it ideal for real-time surveillance over large expanses.

CBAM is a feature-enhancing technique that works by focusing the model’s attention on the most important elements within a given image. This allows the hybrid system to identify ships even if they are surrounded by other vessels, docks, flotsam, and even rough seas. Conventional techniques often failed in distinguishing vessel from background in such images. The transformer mechanism is a powerful system that further improves the capacity of the model to process features at different levels, ensuring that important detail are not missed.

The team explains that this combined effort allows their system to outperform earlier models, particularly in the detection of smaller vessels and ships in complex maritime environments. They tested the approach on the Ship Sea Detection Dataset (SSDD), which includes remote sensing images of various marine conditions. Their results demonstrated superior speed and precision, especially when identifying minor or obscured targets. Given the critical importance of timely and accurate detection in maritime security, the implications of this improvement are significant.

Zhou, W., Huang, S., Luo, Q. and Yu, L. (2024) ‘Research on a ship target detection method in remote sensing images at sea’, Int. J. Information and Communication Technology, Vol. 25, No. 12, pp.29–45.

Free Open Access article available: "Characteristics and models for energy improvements of cyclic transport operations in mining"

The following paper, "Characteristics and models for energy improvements of cyclic transport operations in mining" (International Journal of Mining and Mineral Engineering 15(5) 2024), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Reliability and Safety

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Reliability and Safety are now available here for free:

• Growth model for detection and removal of faults having different severity with single change point and imperfect debugging
• Recent advances in structural health monitoring: techniques, applications and future directions
• Performance analysis of client-server distributed system using Gumbel-Hougaard family Copula
• A study on step stress partially accelerated life test under adaptive type-II progressive hybrid censoring for inverse Lomax distribution

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Internet Protocol Technology

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Internet Protocol Technology are now available here for free:

• Improved network performance in CPS communication with distributed IPC mechanisms of recursive internetworking architecture (RINA)
• Research on personalised privacy-preserving model of multi-sensitive attributes
• RAD: reinforcement authentication model based on DYMO protocol for MANET
• Secure and verifiable outsourcing of Euclidean distance and closest pair of points with single untrusted cloud server
• Practical and scalable access control mechanism for wireless sensor networks
• A cross encryption scheme for data security storage in cloud computing environment

Prof. Junfeng Xia appointed as new Editor in Chief of International Journal of Computational Biology and Drug Design

Prof. Junfeng Xia from Anhui University in China has been appointed to take over editorship of the International Journal of Computational Biology and Drug Design.

Research pick: Wheels within wheels - "Mapping the practice of circular design: a survey study with industrial designers and architects in the Netherlands and Sweden"

Architects and industrial designers play an important part in what we might term the circular economy (CE). This is a sustainability framework that aims to minimize waste by reusing and regenerating resources. Research in the Journal of Design Research has surveyed practitioners in The Netherlands and Sweden to see whether there is growing enthusiasm for circular design strategies and what significant challenges remain to be overcome.

Giliam Dokter, Jonathan Edgardo Cohen, Sofie Hagejärd, Oskar Rexfelt, and Liane Thuvander of Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden, surveyed 114 professionals. They found that almost two-thirds of them engaged with CE-related projects, while a similar proportion reported that there were shifts within their organizations to support such initiatives.

The team reports that techniques such as “design for disassembly”, the crafting products or buildings for easy dismantling and reuse, are all part of this move towards greater sustainability. They point out that circular business models, emphasize regeneration over consumption and the associated principles are commonly applied in CE-focused projects undertaken by the survey participants.

It was found that architects tend to prioritize material reuse at the building level, while industrial designers have more of a focus on making it possible to disassemble products. Both groups are advancing creative solutions that reflect the principles of CE, however, even if their approaches are different and the substantial barriers they face are apparent.

The survey revealed that a lack of reliable knowledge about materials and the tools needed to evaluate environmental and economic impacts during design is one of the biggest barriers to adopting the principles of the CE in both architecture and industrial design. The research points out that choosing sustainable materials requires precise data about the lifecycle of these materials and their potential reuse. However, such information is often scarce or fragmented.

In addition to this dearth of relevant information there are also factors such as regulatory and market challenges that are beyond the immediate control of those working to CE principles and such barriers might hamper their efforts towards sustainability regardless of their efforts and focus.

Dokter, G., Cohen, J.E., Hagejärd, S., Rexfelt, O. and Thuvander, L. (2024) ‘Mapping the practice of circular design: a survey study with industrial designers and architects in the Netherlands and Sweden’, J. Design Research, Vol. 21, Nos. 3/4, pp.177–209.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Embedded Systems

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Embedded Systems are now available here for free:

• Automatic detection of contextual defects based on machine learning
• A physically unclonable function architecture with multiple responses on FPGA
• A hybrid meta-heuristic algorithm with fuzzy clustering method for IoT smart electronic applications
• A new reinforcement learning approach for improving energy trading management for smart microgrids in the internet of things
• Embedded elbow vein blood collection robot system based on artificial intelligence technology
• A rock classification system based on embedded platform
• Reliability enhancement algorithm based on budget level in cloud-edge environments
• Imbalanced COVID-19 dataset classification with bidirectional sampling based on sample correlation

Prof. Renato Pereira appointed as new Editor in Chief of International Journal of Intellectual Property Management

Prof. Renato Pereira from the University of Lisbon in Portugal has been appointed to take over editorship of the International Journal of Intellectual Property Management.

Free Open Access article available: "Use of JACK modelling software to quantify the reachability of ISO 6682"

The following paper, "Use of JACK modelling software to quantify the reachability of ISO 6682" (International Journal of Human Factors Modelling and Simulation 8(5) 2024), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free Open Access article available: "Hybrid development of physical products based on systems engineering and design thinking: towards a new process model"

The following paper, "Hybrid development of physical products based on systems engineering and design thinking: towards a new process model" (Journal of Design Research 21(3/4) 2024), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Research pick: Click the habit - "The development of a product-layer perceived value scale for the online experience products of young Chinese consumers: take online apparel as an example"

Online shopping in China, particularly among young people, is a vast enterprise. Online retail sales amounted to about 16 trillion yuan in 2024, approximately 2 trillion US dollars. Indeed, online shopping has transformed the way youngsters approach buying everything from clothing to gadgets, especially in the post-pandemic era where old shopping habits have been abandoned by many people.

Much of the research into online consumer behaviour has focused on the after-sales experience. Now, a study in the International Journal of Data Science, turns the research lens to look more closely at the pre-purchase stage. In so doing, Nanhua Duan and Jingwen Zhang of Northwestern Polytechnical University in Shaanxi, China, hoped to understand how young Chinese consumers perceive value before they hit the all-important “buy now” button when shopping online.

The team explains that the concept of Customer Perceived Value (CPV) is at the core of their research. CPV refers to the overall worth a consumer assigns to a product based on the benefits they expect in relation to the cost. For experiential products, this perception is even more complex because the product’s value is influenced by a variety of factors that may not be immediately obvious. The same is true for clothing when one cannot touch or try on an item before making a buying decision.

To home in on the factors involved, the team has proposed a new framework, which identifies six key dimensions that influence CPV when young Chinese consumers shop online for clothing and similar items. These are: word-of-mouth value, service value, aesthetic value, cost value, quality value, and brand value. Each of these, they found, plays a critical role in shaping the consumer’s expectations prior to purchase.

The findings are particularly relevant to China’s booming apparel market, which has seen rapid growth among digitally consumers. The research emphasizes that young buyers are not just concerned with the price tag or material quality alone. Indeed, they also consider factors like the reputation of the brand, the service experience, and how well a product aligns with their personal style or social status. This is where the online shopping environment differs from traditional brick-and-mortar shops, where the tactile nature of the shopping experience provides more immediate and obvious feedback and the potential for impulse buys or purchases prompted by an enthusiastic sales assistant.

For retailers and brands looking to tap into the ever-growing online market, understanding the six dimensions of CPV could offer insight into how to develop a more compelling online experience. It is, the research suggests, no longer sufficient to highlight the physical attributes of a product, companies must also now showcase the brand and its reputation as well as the quality of service.

In practical terms, the findings could mean that companies could benefit from focusing on positive reviews, clear and appealing product images, and smooth, customer-friendly websites. There might even be potential for developing innovative ways to display the products that might involve interactive elements, such as changing viewing angles, product colours and styles, and perhaps even offering options to see different models wearing the items. There is huge potential for the marketers that learn how to persuade people to click that “buy now” button.

Duan, N. and Zhang, J. (2025) ‘The development of a product-layer perceived value scale for the online experience products of young Chinese consumers: take online apparel as an example’, Int. J. Data Science, Vol. 10, No. 5, pp.1–21.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Biometrics

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Biometrics are now available here for free:

• Exemplar-based facial attribute manipulation: a review
• A secure finger vein recognition system using WS-progressive GAN and C4 classifier
• Recent trends and challenges in human computer interaction using automatic emotion recognition: a review
• Arabic offline writer identification on a new version of AHTID/MW database

Prof. Andry Sedelnikov appointed as new Editor in Chief of International Journal of Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Optimisation

Prof. Andry Sedelnikov from Samara National Research University in Russia has been appointed to take over editorship of the International Journal of Mathematical Modelling and Numerical Optimisation.

Newly announced journal: International Journal of Artificial Intelligence Governance and Human Rights

 

The International Journal of Artificial Intelligence Governance and Human Rights proposes and fosters discussion on the issues, challenges and governance of artificial intelligence within the context of human rights and the welfare of human beings at large. The journal explores privacy, equality and non-discrimination in relation to artificial intelligence, as well as the protection and strengthening of human rights as a socio-economic and institutional process.

Research pick: Ergonomic for the people - "Evaluating ERAIVA – a software for video-based awkward posture identification"

Many work-related activities come with a risk of musculoskeletal problems, not least working at a desk. They are perhaps more commonly seen in the industrial or manual labour settings where repetitive movements, awkward postures, considerable muscular force and vibration, and lifting heavy objects are problematic.

A new study in the International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics introduces a tool that could be used by employers to assess the risk of such problems to their workers. The tool, the Ergonomist Assistant for Evaluation (ERAIVA), could streamline the process of identifying risky postures, which might lead to chronic pain and issues such as repetitive strain injury over time.

Where workers perform tasks that involve awkward body positions, repetitive movements, and heavy lifting there is an increased risk of debilitating conditions such as back pain and injury, carpal tunnel syndrome, and tendinitis. Previously, assessing such risks was done only on an ad hoc basis and not necessarily systematically, to the detriment of workers moreover the assessment itself was labour and time intensive, requiring experts to visually monitor workers or examine video footage of their activities.

Veeresh Elango, Lars Hanson, and Anna Syberfeldt of the University of Skövde, Staffan Hedelin and Johan Sandblad of Scania CV AB in Södertälje, and Mikael Forsman of the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden, explain that ERAIVA addresses these shortcomings by offering an automated way to analyse and annotate video recordings of industrial tasks. The technology could avoid human error in assessing work tasks and the posture and activity of individuals carrying out those tasks. Such a system could allow posture and other problems to be corrected and reduce the risk of musculoskeletal problems.

The system is easy to use and so reduces the need for expert assessment and remediation. Engineers and operators, as well as risk assessors, can all work together with the results it provides to identify and mitigate risks in the workplace.

Elango, V., Hedelin, S., Hanson, L., Sandblad, J., Syberfeldt, A. and Forsman, M. (2024) ‘Evaluating ERAIVA – a software for video-based awkward posture identification’, Int. J. Human Factors and Ergonomics, Vol. 11, No. 6, pp.1–16.

Research pick: Lessons in empathy - "Big data-driven deep mining of online teaching assessment data under affective factor conditions"

Online education is now ubiquitous and in recent years has changed fundamentally the way many people learn. Various platforms have opened up access to knowledge for millions of people. However, there remains an ongoing challenge: how to accurately measure and enhance the quality of teaching in these digital spaces.

Conventional evaluation tools focus on test scores and student satisfaction surveys. However, these often overlook the students’ emotional experience of the course. Research in the International Journal of Information and Communication Technology, proposes a new solution that could change the way online teaching is assessed, getting closer to the heart of emotional matters.

The new work by Ruiting Bai of Puyang Medical College in Puyang, China, introduces the EduSent-Dig model, which can carry out advanced sentiment analysis and use big data techniques to evaluate teaching quality. By analysing the student emotional response given in their course feedback, the model can extract the nuances of online teaching that work most effectively. Rather than flagging the feedback as simply “positive” or “negative”, EduSent-Dig identifies specific emotional undercurrents such as joy, frustration, or surprise. It does so by using analytical tools such as Bi-LSTM, a deep learning framework, and Word2Vec, which converts words into numerical representations for computational analysis.

The study reveals that emotional experiences are not just peripheral to learning; they are central to it. How students feel about their coursework directly affects their motivation, engagement, and whether they complete a course. As such, the new model in identifying and interpreting sentiment accurately, can provide educators and course designers with insights into how to improve their educational offering. Moreover, real-time sentiment analysis undertaken as a course progresses might even allow teachers to fine tune their teaching dynamically, tailoring lessons to student needs on an ad hoc basis. This could transform the way courses are designed and how they are developed as the students progress through them. All in, the insights could foster a more empathetic and effective learning environment.

Bai, R. (2024) ‘Big data-driven deep mining of online teaching assessment data under affective factor conditions’, Int. J. Information and Communication Technology, Vol. 25, No. 11, pp.35–51.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Business Performance Management

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Business Performance Management are now available here for free:

• Evaluating of suppliers selection in auto parts manufacturing company using DEMATEL and TOPSIS
• Contribution of management practices to the success of innovation projects
• ERP adoption prediction using machine learning techniques and ERP selection among SMEs
• Entrepreneurs' dynamic managerial capabilities as a source of sustained competitive advantage for small and medium enterprises
• Does intellectual capital enhance firm efficiency? Evidence from Vietnam's banking sector

Research pick: Hybridising physical product development - "Hybrid development of physical products based on systems engineering and design thinking: towards a new process model"

Increasing complexity, evolving consumer expectations, and tightened development timelines means that physical product development increasingly comes unstuck when conventional methodologies are used. The predominant systems engineering frameworks have structure and predictability, but often falter when innovation is needed to fill the gap in modern markets. Companies have turned to agile approaches to help them transform their approach to software development, for instance. But, there are major obstacles to the adoption of that kind of approach for the development of physical products, where material constraints, prototyping costs, and supply chain integration are always critical factors.

A new hybrid framework is discussed in the Journal of Design Research that might address some of the issues. Frank Koppenhagen, Tobias Held, of Hamburg University of Applied Sciences in Hamburg, Tim Blümel of Porsche AG in Weissach, Paul D. Kollmer of the University of Hamburg, Germany, and Christoph H. Wecht of the New Design University in St. Pölten, Austria, describe a new model, Systematic Engineering-Design-Thinking (SEDT). In this approach, the strengths of systems engineering is combined with the user-centric, principles of design thinking to create a more adaptive and innovative product development pathway. SEDT builds on the Stanford University ME310 process, which has proven itself to some degree in academia and industry, but an expansion was always needed.

By integrating systematic exploration techniques from systems engineering, SEDT refines the ME310 framework to better support the development of solutions to problems. The result is a process capable of accommodating greater degrees of uncertainty and complexity, enabling teams to pursue transformative innovation rather than simply incremental improvement. The approach reimagines project structures to emphasize collaboration, fluidity, and cross-disciplinary interaction.

The next step is to test SEDT in both academic and industrial environments to determining its usefulness as a comprehensive framework for physical product innovation.

Koppenhagen, F., Blümel, T., Held, T., Wecht, C.H. and Kollmer, P.D. (2024) ‘Hybrid development of physical products based on systems engineering and design thinking: towards a new process model’, J. Design Research, Vol. 21, Nos. 3/4, pp.210–261.

Free Open Access article available: "Mapping the practice of circular design: a survey study with industrial designers and architects in the Netherlands and Sweden"

The following paper, "Mapping the practice of circular design: a survey study with industrial designers and architects in the Netherlands and Sweden" (Journal of Design Research 21(3/4) 2024), is freely available for download as an open access article.

It can be downloaded via the full-text link available here.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology are now available here for free:

• The legal and ethical issues in organ donation and transplantation - a bibliometric analysis
• Investigation of photocatalytic effects and extraction of genomic DNA from Staphylococcus aureus through Fe3O4/SiO2/TiO2 magnetic nanoparticles
• An advanced wavelet decomposition based denoising technique for de-speckling of all ultrasound images
• Effects of music therapy, mantra therapy, and alpha beta binaural beats on human energy fields using RFI technology
• Study of biomarker variation and severity prediction in dementia using intelligent system