Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Telemedicine and Clinical Practices

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Telemedicine and Clinical Practices are now available here for free:

• Histogram-based adaptive learning for background modelling: moving object detection in video surveillance
• Deterministic risk analysis smart health model for heart ailments using neural networks
• Rapid mHealth - a mobile healthcare application development framework
• ECG data compression algorithm for tele-monitoring of cardiac patients
• Enabler for success in information technology implementation: a case discussion of telemedicine of Odisha
• E-learning through telemedicine in neurosurgical teaching and patient care

New Editor for International Journal of Adaptive and Innovative Systems

Associate Prof. Tao Song from China University of Petroleum in China has been appointed to take over editorship of the International Journal of Adaptive and Innovative Systems.

Research Pick: The gender innovation gap - "R&D team composition and product innovation: gender diversity makes a difference"

Management research has presented conflicting views on the relationship between gender diversity and business performance, particularly in terms of innovation.

Now, a team from Spain hopes to address the issue and has used social cognitive theory to investigate how innovation in research and development teams can be fostered by a combination of the specific context of R&D tasks and the participation of mixed gender teams. They have data from 3540 manufacturing companies and their findings suggest that gender diversity has a non-linear impact on innovation.

In other words, moderate levels of gender diversity boost innovation, but lower or higher levels lead to less optimal results. However, the data also point to environmental factors having a strong influence.

González-Moreno, Á., Díaz-García, C. and Sáez-Martínez, F.J. (2018) ‘R&D team composition and product innovation: gender diversity makes a difference‘, European J. International Management, Vol. 12, No. 4, pp.423-446.

Special issue published: "Seismic Analysis and Rehabilitation Methods 0f Monumental Masonry Constructions: from Past Procedures to Future Advances"

International Journal of Masonry Research and Innovation 3(3) 2018

• Textile reinforced mortars systems: a sustainable way to retrofit structural masonry walls under tsunami loads
• Numerical modelling of a composite pentamode comprising a shear-thickening fluid
• Seismic-volcanic vulnerability and retrofitting of a cultural heritage masonry palace in the Vesuvius area
• Experimental ambient vibration tests and numerical investigation on the Sidoni Palace in Castelnuovo of San Pio (L'Aquila, Italy)
• Crack patterns identification in masonry structures with a C° displacement energy method
• From 2D digital imaging to finite element analysis using the ENEAGRID high performance computing infrastructure for the preservation of historical masonry structures

Special issue published: "New Energy Materials and Nanotechnology: Modelling and Experiment – Part 1"

International Journal of Nanomanufacturing 14(3) 2018

• Research on the preparation of urchin-like CuO-H2O nanofluids and its application in heat pipe
• Synthesis and characterisation of rutin-calcium
• Study on the preparation and properties of puffing glutinous rice starch
• NiO/Ag-nanowire composites with three-dimensional structure for high performance supercapacitor electrodes
• Investigation on the preparation and thermal properties of Ag-H2O nanofluids with different morphology
• Preparation of tungsten trioxide film with mesoporosity by anodisation
• Synthesis and characterisation of amine-grafted graphene oxide-TiO2 crystal/plate composite and its crystal growth
• Progressive failure analysis of Z-pinned composite laminates under tension loading
• In situ nanofibrillar reinforced biodegradable composites based on thermoplastic poly (vinyl alcohol)/poly (lactic acid)

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties are now available here for free:

• Silicone oil as corrosion inhibitor for aluminium alloy in saline medium
• On the role of magnetising frequency and magnetic field intensity on hysteresis loop characteristics
• Development of Cu-6Sn-5Ni-xTi and to analyse their mechanical and wear properties in as-cast condition
• Effect of tool rotational and transverse speed on mechanical properties of friction stir welded AA5086-H32 aluminium alloy
• Evaluation of internal defects in reinforced concrete by means of innovative AE tomography
• Mechanical properties and chemical reaction of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane of polypropylene, recycle acrylonitrile butadiene rubber and sugarcane bagasse composites
• Investigation on microstructure and mechanical properties on varying surface region of a service-exposed IN738 turbine blade
• A study on microhardness and microstructural evolution of titanium/zirconium diboride cermet coatings with varying scan speeds during laser cladding on Ti6Al4V substrate
• Effect of processing parameters on electrical properties of polypropylene/graphite composite plates
• Hot forging behaviour of medium carbon and microalloyed steel: a comparative study

Special Issues published: "Advanced Power Electronics for Distributed Generation and Microgrids" and "Dc Microgrids and Lvdc Distribution Networks"

International Journal of Power Electronics 9(3) 2018

• TSFLC based DC link voltage regulation of grid connected DC micro grid
• Implementation and performance analysis of cascaded multilevel inverter using modified SVPWM techniques
• Solar-DC micro-grids for multi-storied building complexes in emerging nations
• Overview paper on: low voltage direct current (LVDC) distribution system standards
• Overview on faults and protections in LVDC microgrids connected to the AC utility

International Journal of Digital Culture and Electronic Tourism to invite expanded papers from International Conference on Gender Research for potential publication

Extended versions of papers presented at the International Conference on Gender Research (11-12 April 2019, Rome, Italy will be invited for review and potential publication by the International Journal of Digital Culture and Electronic Tourism.

Special issue published: "Wireless Networks and The Internet of Things"

International Journal of Internet Technology and Secured Transactions 8(2) 2018

• TRAM-based VM handover with dynamic scheduling for improved QoS of cloud environment
• Improved scrum method through staging priority and cyclomatic complexity to enhance software process and quality
• Intelligent intrusion detection system using temporal analysis and type-2 fuzzy neural classification
• Wireless camera network with enhanced SIFT algorithm for human tracking mechanism
• BMAQR: balanced multi attribute QoS aware replication in HDFS
• Generating various kolam patterns using new kolam picture grammar
• Hilbert fast-SAMP with different channel estimation schemes of BER analysis in MIMO-OFDM system
• Impact of wave frequency in underwater wireless sensor network route discovery

Additional papers

• Managing incident response in the industrial internet of things
• A dependable and lightweight trust proliferation approach for the collaborative IoT systems

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Mechatronics and Automation

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

• Analysis and compensation of hysteresis of PZT micro-actuator used in high precision dual-stage servo system
• A modified integral resonant control scheme for vibration suppression of parallel kinematic mechanisms with flexible links
• Machining robot for foamed polystyrene materials using fuzzy feed rate controller
• Autonomous reverse parking system - vision approach through ridge detector and Kalman filter
• Preliminary concept of a novel spherical underwater robot
• Vascular elasticity determined mass-spring model for virtual reality simulators

Special issue published: "Optimisation Problems in Manufacturing and Supply Chains"

International Journal of Manufacturing Technology and Management 32(4/5) 2018

• Optimisation of shot peening process for AISI 4140H forged connecting rod using MADM techniques
• Experimental investigation and multi objective optimisation of Duplex 2304 drilling operation using evolutionary algorithm
• Predicting bottlenecks in manufacturing shops through capacity and demand observations from multiple perspectives
• Multi-objective optimisation of EDM process using ANN integrated with NSGA-II algorithm
• Quality cost model improvement based on 6σ management
• Benchmarking framework for internal supply chain management: a case study for comparative analysis
• An inventory decision-making model considering continuous production and detection of electric energy metering device
• Optimisation strategy of online dual-channel supply chain under differentiated products
• Examining the causes of the 'bullwhip effect': a study of the Qinhuangdao Port's coal supply chain
• Selection model and algorithm of logistics corridor based on the network utility

Research Pick: Recycling cars - "End-of-life-vehicle recycling in Germany: alternative for the reduction of CO2 emissions"

Might end-of-life recycling of cars be one way to reduce carbon dioxide emissions? Researchers in Germany hope to answer this question in the affirmative. European Union and German regulations and those elsewhere, already push to recycle cars to minimize waste. The team’s analysis shows that there can be significant reductions in carbon emissions if logistics are optimized. The research, the team says, could be used to support local authorities, recycling companies, and environmental organizations in the search for reducing the environmental impact of end-of-life vehicles.

Kuhn, C. and Nunes, K.R.A. (2018) ‘End-of-life-vehicle recycling in Germany: alternative for the reduction of CO2 emissions’, Int. J. Environment and Waste Management, Vol. 21, Nos. 2/3, pp.120–140.

Special issue published: "Electromobility: Towards a New Dominant Design?"

International Journal of Automotive Technology and Management 18(3) 2018

• The dynamics of institutional and organisational change in emergent industries: the case of electric vehicles
• Managing 'proto-ecosystems' - two smart mobility case studies
• Leadership in the electromobility ecosystem: integrators and coordinators 
• Innovative mobility in rural areas - the case of the Black Forest
• Evaluation of aggregate models of plug-in electric vehicles for primary frequency control 

Special issue published: "Quantitative Tools for Logistics Competitiveness from the Perspective of Supply Chain Management"

International Journal of Supply Chain and Operations Resilience 3(3) 2018

• Selecting the best local/internal logistic service provider in a natural disaster: a game theoretic perspective in relation to flash floods in Sri Lanka
• Analysis of network attributes: potential implementation to the Red Nacional de Caminos de México
• Supply chain: an input-output perspective. An example of application in the dairy products industry
• Genetic model for supply chain inventory optimisation
• Analysis of the impact of the increase of production volume on the material supply system and work in process through simulation scenarios

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Business Performance and Supply Chain Modelling

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Business Performance and Supply Chain Modelling are now available here for free:

• Study of mutual influence drivers in the Indian plastic industry for green supply chain management using interpretive structural modelling
• Surveying the effects of CKMP of strategic managers on supply chain performance in Iran oil industry
• Comparisons of sustainable supply chain management practices in the automotive sector
• Application of interpretive structural modelling approach for the analysis of barriers affecting lean manufacturing implementation in Indian manufacturing industry

Research Pick: Going locavore - "Examining Indian consumers belief and attitude about locavore food"

Researchers in India have investigated beliefs and attitudes to so-called “locavore” food in restaurants, food that is prepared from only locally sourced supplies. They found that most people have a positive attitude to such items on the menu. “Factors such as healthy eating, motivation to the restaurateurs, encouragement to the local food suppliers, commitment to conserve the environment have influenced the attitude,” they report. Indeed, those who frequent restaurants are more than happy to be part of the local food movement and this finding should encourage restaurateurs to “go local”.

Sudhagar, D.P. (2018) ‘Examining Indian consumers belief and attitude about locavore food’, Int. J. Business Forecasting and Marketing Intelligence, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp.322–338.

Special issue published: "Film and Contemporary Representations of the Exotic Other: Gazing Through Filmic Eyes"

International Journal of Tourism Anthropology 6(3) 2018

• Cinematic diplomacy and the exotic other in the film Tanna: implications for bilateral relations and tourism
• Journeys from the east: the popular geopolitics of film motivated Chinese tourism
• Not victims nor zoo exhibits: the film My Long Neck and listening to the 'other'
• Deconstructing the staged and existential authentic of rurality in Japan
• Other ways of seeing: film as digital materiality and interlocutor for community-based tourism relationships in Bali
• Afterword: Filmmaking as critical participant observation

Special issue published: "Induction Heating and Heat Treatment"

International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties 13(1/2) 2018

• Computer simulation of single frequency induction surface hardening of gear wheels: analysis of selected problems
• Modelling and optimisation of electromagnetically coupled solid manufacturing processes
• Numerical modelling of industrial scale high frequency welding of cladded pipes
• Optimal design of inductor addressed to a tailored heating forging process
• Three-criteria numerical optimisation as a base for designing induction mass heating
• Milliseconds pulse induction hardening
• ELTA 7.0 program for induction heat treatment of gears
• Induction clamping of high-revolution tools by rotation in a system of unmovable permanent magnets
• Technologies advancing scan and single-shot induction hardening capabilities

Special issue published: "Sustainable Technologies in Environmental Science and Engineering"

International Journal of Environment and Sustainable Development 17(2/3)

• Biodiesel production and characterisation from Punnai oil using egg shell catalyst: engine performance and emission studies
• Biodiesel production and characterisation from Pongamia oil using low cost Pisthia shell catalyst: engine performance and emission studies
• Numerical investigation of unsteady buoyancy driven indoor air flow characteristics under various range of internal heat generation

Research Pick: Alcoholic advertising - "Appeals and spiels: a comparative analysis on alcohol advertising in the USA and Ireland"

Policies and regulations for the alcohol industry a very different in Ireland and the USA. A new study has looked at whether these differences are reflected in alcohol consumption and associated problems with particular emphasis on advertising of alcoholic beverages. The researchers looked at brand, commercial name, appeal used (image, product, sex or humour), type of alcoholic beverage promoted, and the audience targeted as well as craft beer, health conscious, sports fan niches.

The type of appeal and the drink advertised did not vary in ads in the two regions. However, target audiences did vary widely as did the target audience by drink type. Many ads were obviously designed to appeal to young and even underage individuals. Successful alcohol advertisements reinforce the drink culture in both the USA and Ireland and persist in recruiting new generations of drinkers, the team reports.

Gibic, A., Natarajan, V.S. and Sen, K.C. (2018) ‘Appeals and spiels: a comparative analysis on alcohol advertising in the USA and Ireland’, Int. J. Business Forecasting and Marketing Intelligence, Vol. 4, No. 3, pp.293-310.

Inderscience journals to invite expanded papers from 10th International Symposium on Cyberspace Safety and Security for potential publication

Extended versions of papers presented at the 10th International Symposium on Cyberspace Safety and Security (29-31 October 2018, Amalfi, Italy) will be invited for review and potential publication by the following journals:

• International Journal of Embedded Systems
• International Journal of High Performance Computing and Networking

Research Pick: Condensing cloud solution - "Multi-cloud storage systems for mobile devices: study and analysis"

Researchers in India point out that despite the enormously widespread use of mobile devices there remains the problem of limited storage capacity for many applications on such devices. Studies suggest that mobile cloud computing might remedy the situation. The team has now evaluated three such systems – Mult Cloud, ES File Explorer and Cloud Cube – in terms of CPU usage, battery consumption, time consumption and data usage parameters across Wi-Fi networks. They tested them using two mobile devices the Sony Xperia ZL smart phone and the Nexus 7 tablet. Their findings suggest that while the systems may solve the storage problem and they lead to lower battery consumption, they are all inefficient in CPU usage and data costs. It is time cloud developers stepped up to condense a multi-cloud solution that can address all the issues.

Bedi, R.K., Singh, J. and Gupta, S.K. (2018) ‘Multi-cloud storage systems for mobile devices: study and analysis‘, Int. J. Mobile Learning and Organisation, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp.216-239.

Research Pick: Pregnant pause for thought - "Pregnant women’s perception towards the prescription given by the doctors"

Pregnancy by all accounts can be an uncomfortable business with its ups and downs and periodic problems. Indian researchers list morning sickness, backache, bladder and bowel problems, changes in skin and hair, cramps, swelling, the emergence of varicose veins, fatigues, headache, and indigestion as some of the issues.

To that list, you could perhaps add haemorrhoids, high blood pressure, and various other conditions that might arise temporarily or persist post-partum. They point out that many women will seek advice from a qualified medical professional and a conventional prescription while others may turn away from evidence-based medicine and seek alternative therapies.

There is, however, they point out a whole raft of concerns with seeking non-prescription therapies, side effects, not least, but also the risk of harm to the unborn baby or even miscarriage. Their study shows a correlation between age and number of dependents and a woman’s attitude to prescription medicines or otherwise. The team suggests that the government has a role to play in educating women about diet and medicines during pregnancy.

Vasumathi, A. (2018) ‘Pregnant women’s perception towards the prescription given by the doctors’, Int. J. Services and Operations Management, Vol. 30, No. 3, pp.371–382.

Research Pick: Silver nanoparticles by design - "Biological fabrication of silver nanomaterials and their applications in pharmaceutical fields"

A team in India has tested the antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles generated in the presence of the common microbes Streptomyces species. They used ultraviolet spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction to assess the structures of the AgNPs. Electron microscopy revealed the particles to be spherical and 30 nanometres in diameter. The particles were active against Escherichia coli and other microbial pathogens. However, parallel tests against a laboratory breast cancer cell line showed them to be even more toxic against such cells and to open up the possibility of using such biological AgNPs in a new type of anticancer therapy.

Baskaran, B., Muthukumarasamy, A. and Maruthai, J. (2018) ‘Biological fabrication of silver nanomaterials and their applications in pharmaceutical fields’, Int. J. Computational Materials Science and Surface Engineering, Vol. 7, No. 2, pp.79–88.

New Editor for International Journal of Transitions and Innovation Systems

Prof. Luca Gnan from the University of Tor Vergata in Italy has been appointed to take over editorship of the International Journal of Transitions and Innovation Systems.

Research Pick: Shadow puppetry - "Quantitative analysis of the puppet shapes in Ngayogyakarta Wayang Kulit"

Ngayogyakarta Wayang Kulit is an ancient performance art form. Intricately carved leather puppets are commonly used to project a shadow on to an illuminated screen as a story or fable is relayed to the audience. The art form may encompass traditional, spiritual, or other types of story.

Such cultural importance is this art form from Indonesia that Wayang Kulit is UNESCO-listed. Researchers have now used various techniques to analyze the shapes of the shadow puppets and the characters that they represent with a view to facilitating conservation of the art form.

“We found that various pairs of physical variables can be used to analyze the puppet shapes: the puppet level of details, the puppet surface area, the puppet perimeter length and the puppet height. Our results demonstrate that we can classify the different types of puppet characters using the puppet shapes,” the team concludes.

Parikesit, G.O.F. (2017) ‘Quantitative analysis of the puppet shapes in Ngayogyakarta Wayang Kulit’, Int. J. Arts and Technology, Vol. 10, No. 4, pp.241–255.

Free sample articles newly available from Journal for Global Business Advancement

The following sample articles from the Journal for Global Business Advancement are now available here for free:

• Joint ventures in the real estate sector: the critical factors to consider for success
• The effects of HRM practices on organisational performance in Lebanese banks
• Four decades of academic research on product diversification-performance relationship: analysis and foresight
• Measuring brand equity of foreign fashion apparels in the Indian market
• Examining the relationships between service quality, perceived value, customer satisfaction and purchase intentions: a marketing study of Bangkok's metropolitan rapid transit system, Thailand

Special issue published: "Selected Issues in Business Research Across Emerging Countries"

Journal for Global Business Advancement 11(1) 2018

• Cultural value differences among ethnic groups in Indonesia: Are Hofstede's Indonesian findings still relevant?
• Intention towards halal logistics: a case study of Indonesian consumers
• Antecedents and consequences of customer loyalty in Qatar
• Tourism analytics: social media analytics framework for promoting Asian tourist destinations using big data approach
• How do public hospitals respond to environmental change? Evidence from Thailand
• Investigating the efficacy of techniques affecting information exchange in virtual teams

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Sustainable Strategic Management

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

• The concept of business model: evidence on non-aeronautical activities from the Italian airport industry
• Leadership in Mexico: cultural factors affecting organisational leadership
• Factors influencing business intelligence system use in decision making and organisational performance
• Russian institutional development: challenges to inbound investments and implications for government policymakers

Research Pick: Metro accessible - "A simple method to assess walkability around metro stations"

The success of any metropolitan transport service, the metro, relies on accessibility for the commuters and others who use it. If they can access it on foot or on non-powered wheeled transport, such as a bicycle, then it should be a success because it will allow people to get to and from their destination without the added pressure of vehicular congestion at either end of their metro journey. Researchers in Qatar have looked at the “walkability” of proposed metro stations in Doha. Their method of analysis is facile but provides important clues as to how planners might improve a metro system and make it even more accessible, usable, and useful.

Shaaban, K., Siam, A., Badran, A. and Shamiyah, M. (2018) ‘A simple method to assess walkability around metro stations’, Int. J. Sustainable Society, Vol. 10, No. 1, pp.1–19.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation are now available here for free:

• Studying the successful startup of a social enterprise: a case study of Lion's Thread Uganda
• Undoing gender in EU's social innovation policies?
• Social entrepreneurship through digitally networked communities - a case study of Iridium Interactive
• Creating and scaling a social innovation: case study of Support My School
• Evaluation of micro-credit facility for strengthening existing micro-enterprises
• Use of marketing in social enterprises
• Social entrepreneurship: a measurement instrument

Special issue published: "Quantifying Human Factors: Towards Analytical Human-in-the-Loop"

International Journal of Human Factors Modelling and Simulation 6(2/3) 2018

• Relevance of air-traffic controllers' tacit knowledge in enhancing air-traffic control and safety in Ghanaian airspace
• Bayesian network for the prediction of situation awareness errors
• Extracting typical incident patterns from text data
• Quantifying the roles of human error and his/her state-of-health: use of the double-exponential-probability-distribution-function
• Morphological analysis and reliability assessment: systemic-structural activity theory approach
• Human performance modelling for image analyst decision support design
• Towards a framework for reliability and safety analysis of complex space missions
• Quantitative analysis and assessment of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in human-in-the-loop incidents and prevalent early failures

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Information Systems and Change Management

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Information Systems and Change Management are now available here for free:

• Key issues of information systems management in Botswana
• Securing web applications from SQLIA using progressive detector
• Critical success factors for business intelligence system implementation in public sector organisation
• Synergies and conflicts among software quality attributes and bug fixes

Special issue published: "Energy Aspects of Tribology for Sustainable Development"

World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development 14(2/3) 2018

• Enhanced tribological properties of aluminium using laser-assisted tungsten coating
• Tribological and mechanical properties of PM Fe-Cu-Sn alloy containing graphite as a solid lubricant
• Fabrication of a dimple structure using a machining process on a metallic surface
• A brief review on friction reduction via dimple structure for piston engine
• Wear characteristics of recycled carbon fibre-filled polypropylene composites via acidic surface treatment
• Degradation behaviour of treated betelnut fibres reinforced polyester composites for tribological applications
• Investigation of the pressure ratio and efficiency of a turbocharger centrifugal compressor with a vaned diffuser

Additional papers

• Concentration of air pollutants in an urban parking garage in Kuwait
• Green industrial performance: the GIP index

Research Picks: Dam you! - "Uncertainty assessment in the results of inverse problems: applied to damage detection in masonry dams"

Masonry dams are a critical component in civil engineering infrastructure across the world acting as the stalwart of water reservoirs for drinking and hydroelectric power generation. Given this, there is a need to understand the stresses and strains that such dams face especially when structural damage occurs during and after an earth tremor earthquake. Researchers in Germany have devised a method that can reveal localised damage and identify the degree to which a masonry dam has been compromised under a given scenario. Given that lives may depend on the integrity of such a dam, it is critical to understand the changes they may undergo and the means by which they might be repaired.

Nguyen-Tuan, L., Koenke, C., Bettzieche, V. and Lahmer, T. (2018) ‘Uncertainty assessment in the results of inverse problems: applied to damage detection in masonry dams‘, Int. J. Reliability and Safety, Vol. 12, Nos. 1/2, pp.2-23.

Special issue published: "Modelling, Simulation and Computer Software Developments in Petroleum Production and Processing Industries"

International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology 18(3/4) 2018

• Pressure transient behaviours of vertical wells in low permeability reservoirs with threshold pressure gradient
• Effect of different rheological models on prediction of tri-cone bit pressure drop
• Simulation, optimisation and analysis of energy saving in crude oil distillation unit
• An analytical model for dissolution of deposited asphaltene during CO2 injection from the porous media
• Practical shale gas decline analysis in Changning shale gas play - a variable pressure drop study
• Selection of decline curve analysis method using the cumulative production incline rate for transient production data obtained from a multi-stage hydraulic fractured horizontal well in unconventional gas fields
• Investigation on support pattern of a coal mine roadway under dynamic pressure of mining - a case study
• Analytical solution of coal self-heating characteristics incorporating the effect of oxygen concentration
• Control mechanisms and design for a 'coal-backfill-gangue' support system for coal mine gob-side entry retaining
• Gob-side entry retaining formed by roof cutting without roadside support

Additional papers

• The role of geo-energy interests of Russia in secessionist conflicts in Eastern Europe
• Pore characteristics and its significance on shale gas reservoir: a case study of the Longmaxi shale in the Nanchuan region, Chongqing, South China

Research Pick: Open source movement - "Open source innovation: what makes it move?"

Researchers in Brazil are hoping to understand what motivates the so-called open source movement particularly when it comes to open source innovation (OSI). They have carried out field studies of international companies that have adopted the OSI approach.

Their study confirms earlier explanations of the motivations but also adds to our understanding in areas beyond the software industries where open source has been a common ethos for much longer than other industries. Fundamentally, OSI offers businesses a way to break free strategically from the constraints of more conventional approaches to innovation.

The team suggests that the open strategy proposed by the OSI model could empower companies to up their competitive game.

Burtet, C.G., Verschoore, J.R. and Bittencourt, A.C. (2018) ‘Open source innovation: what makes it move?‘, Int. J. Business Innovation and Research, Vol. 16, No. 3, pp.324-341.

Special issue published: "Soft Computing Techniques for Biomedical Signal and Image Processing"

International Journal of Biomedical Engineering and Technology 27(1/2) 2018

• Microfluidic device for separating mesenchymal stem cells from blood cells in amniotic fluid using cross-flow filtration technique
• Numerical modelling of ultra wide band signal propagation in human abdominal region
• Mitigation strategy against SSDF attack for healthcare in cognitive radio networks
• Bit error rate minimisation using SLM technique in TFT-OFDM for mobile large-scale MIMO systems
• A low power VLSI implementation of distortion correction in image processing ASIC
• Regenerative pixel mode and tumour locus algorithm development for brain tumour analysis: a new computational technique for precise medical imaging
• New scheme for breast cancer detection and staging using ant colony algorithm
• Dominator chromatic number of m-Splitting graph and m-Shadow graph of path graph
• A novel and efficient instrumentation technique for human blood pressure measurement using computational intelligence method
• Indoor air quality investigations in hospital patient room
• Ensemble classification approach for screening of obstructive sleep apnoea using ECG
• Time-frequency series based movement imagery classification

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Vehicle Noise and Vibration

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Vehicle Noise and Vibration are now available here for free:

• Design and characterisation of external orifice semi-active suspension system for armoured vehicle application
• Noise attenuation of the engine compartment of a vehicle
• Control and vibration of rail vehicle semi-active suspensions with comfort evaluation
• High frequency model describing the noise transfer behaviour of automotive hydraulic engine mounts
• Lumbar and seat cushions reduce whole-body vibration exposures in car driving
• Ride, eigenvalue and stability analysis of three-wheel vehicle using Lagrangian dynamics
• Analysis on hydraulic parameters of interconnected suspension based on fuzzy grey correlation

Newly announced journal: International Journal of Intelligence and Sustainable Computing

Intelligence and sustainable computing is an interdisciplinary field involving various topics such as signal processing, image computing, biomedical informatics, cognitive radio, machine learning, and energy- and thermal-aware management of computing resources. Sustainable intelligence paradigms apply diverse analytical techniques to discover sustainable information suitable for efficient decision making. The International Journal of Intelligence and Sustainable Computing publishes high-quality research papers that explore different aspects of sustainable computing, and serves as an international forum for discussion and reference in this important field.

Research Pick: How not to go viral - "The spread pattern on Ebola and the control schemes"

The spread of the viral disease Ebola is a major worldwide health concern. Recent outbreaks in Africa have ultimately been well controlled, but a new emergence could occur and cause significant loss of life not only to those local to the epidemic but across the globe as the disease can spread so quickly with international air travel.

Researchers in China have investigated the logistics and dynamics of how Ebola spreads with the hope that their model can inform a future response to an outbreak quickly and effectively before it spreads.

Moreover, the approach ensures minimal cost, which is important given that emergence of the lethal hemorrhagic disease commonly occurs in undeveloped and developing nations.

Zhu, J-M., Xia, W-Y., Sun, J-J., Liu, J-B. and Yu, F-H. (2018) ‘The spread pattern on Ebola and the control schemes‘, Int. J. Innovative Computing and Applications, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp.77-89.

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles are now available here for free:

• A novel two degree-of-freedom dynamic model of a full hybrid vehicle
• The electric vehicle: a review
• Powertrain analysis and dynamic performance simulation of ultra-high-speed electric vehicle
• Design and preliminary performance evaluation of a four wheeled vehicle with degraded adhesion conditions

International Journal of Intelligent Systems Technologies and Applications to invite expanded papers from 3rd International Conference on Soft Computing: Theories and Applications

Extended versions of papers presented at the 3rd International Conference on Soft Computing: Theories and Applications (21-23 December 2018, Dr B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab, India) will be invited for review and potential publication by the International Journal of Intelligent Systems Technologies and Applications.

New Editor for International Journal of Forensic Engineering and Management

Dr. M. Affan Badar from Indiana State University in the USA has been appointed to take over editorship of the International Journal of Forensic Engineering and Management.

Research pick: Forensic data retrieval - "A forensic evidence recovery from mobile device applications"

Researchers from Nigeria have looked closely at the latest tools for forensic analysis of data on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablet computers. They explain that at the moment retrieval of data from such devices remains a significant problem in terms of obtaining standardized data that will hold up in a court of law. There are also the issues of digital evidence being overwritten and so lost as new data is added to a device with its finite storage capacity as well as the possibility of a remote command being sent across a wireless or other telecommunications network to wipe and even “brick” a device before law enforcement is able to extract useful evidence in an investigation. The team’s approach, tested with retrieving data from one social media app can circumvent this problem by using a forensic peer-to-peer application that duplicates and disperses information across three servers before it can be deleted or destroyed remotely.

Alhassan, J.K., Gbolahan, A., Idris, I., Abdulhamid, S.M. and Waziri, V.O. (2018) ‘A forensic evidence recovery from mobile device applications‘, Int. J. Digital Enterprise Technology, Vol. 1, Nos. 1/2, pp.79-95.

Special issue published: "Image Processing and Analysis"

International Journal of Image Mining 3(1) 2018

• Analysis of diverse optimisation algorithms in breast cancer detection
• Object boundary detection through robust active contour based method with global information
• Generating efficient classifiers using facial components for age classification
• Computer-aided mammography techniques for detection and classification of microcalcifications in digital mammograms
• Trigonometry-based motion blur parameter estimation algorithm
• A novel method for query based image retrieval using prototype based clustering

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Vehicle Safety

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

• Abdominal injury analysis of a 6-year-old pedestrian finite element model in lateral impact
• Comparison of driving performance during the blood alcohol concentration ascending period and descending period under alcohol influence in a driving simulator
• Pedestrian safety: an overview of physical test surrogates, numerical models and availability of cadaveric data for model validation
• Road traffic accidents trends in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates during 2001-2014
• Development and validation of a head/brain FE model and investigation of influential factor on the brain response during head impact

Special issue published: "Internet Computing and its Applications"

International Journal of Advanced Intelligence Paradigms 11(1/2) 2018

• Validated agile cost management success factors in software development projects
• Pedagogical agility and agile methodologies in computer system development education
• A framework for collaborative information management in construction industry
• A software defined networking-based resilient framework combined with power-efficient PS-LTE network
• Computer forensic problem of sample size in file type analysis
• Media-aware scheduling method for transmitting signalling message over MPEG media transport-based broadcast
• Dynamic spectrum access for M2M-WANs: the African regulator's spectrum policy reform conundrum
• An automatic detection of a natural marker and augmentation of 3D models in AR with sketch-based object matching
• Low-illuminated SPOT-5 image improvement for density-based vegetation identification using three-layer colour manipulation approach
• An integrated framework for posture recognition
• An improved data pre-processing method for classification and insider information leakage detection
• A study on the security impact of the web services implementation in the Malaysian government's online applications
• A method of improving PRR for WiFi interference avoidance in ZigBee networks in indoor environments

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Image Mining

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

• Content-based image retrieval using SVD-based Eigen images
• A framework for automatic intrude object identification in paediatric foreign body aspired radiography images
• Quadtree partitioning and extended weighted finite automata-based fractal colour video coding
• Comparison of different active contour models-based image segmentation techniques for metal alloy particle analysis in material science applications
• Deep learning feature map for content based image retrieval system for remote sensing application

Special issue published: "New Paradigms of Theory and Practice in Emerging Markets: Knowledge and Innovation for Sustainable Growth"

International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets 10(3) 2018

• Distribution in emerging markets: a strategic perspective
• The stock market renaissance: the case of the clearing and settlement process
• Institutional ownership and firm performance: evidence from Indian panel data
• Corporate social responsibility in emerging economies: a case of Indian agribusiness
• Ease of doing business and foreign direct investment inflow among Sub-Sahara African countries
• Economic value added and ecology value added as a measure for disaster preparedness linked to corporate social responsibility: Japan as a test-bed bridging Asia and North America

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Environment and Pollution

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

• Potential ecological risk and speciation analysis of heavy metals in sediments from the Jialu River, China
• A mathematical and ecological analysis of the effects of petroleum oil droplets breaking up and spreading in aquatic environments
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and metals in mosquito coil and coil ash: are the concentrations alarming?
• The impact of elevated ozone on the ornamental features of two flowering plants (Tagetes erecta Linn. and Petunia hybrida Vilm.)
• Concentrations, sources and potential ecological risks of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in soils from Tajikistan
• PAHs urban concentrations maps using support vector machines

Special issue published: "Cybersecurity in the Connected World"

International Journal of Electronic Security and Digital Forensics 10(3) 2018

• Black hole attack evaluation for AODV and AOMDV routing protocols
• Information security model using decision tree for Jordanian public sector
• Should we be afraid of cyber-terrorism?
• Disclosure of cyber security vulnerabilities: time series modelling
• A security framework for node-to-node communications based on the LISP architecture

Additional papers

• Secure and efficient authentication scheme for access control in mobile pay-TV systems
• LSB based audio steganography preserving minimum sample SNR

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Business Process Integration and Management

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

• A timed semantics for web services composition
• Stochastic modelling of taxpayer assistance centre for performability evaluation
• Towards a formal framework for product level agreements
• An intelligent framework for auto-filling web forms from different web applications
• WL++: a framework to build cross-platform mobile applications and RESTful back-ends

Special issue published: "Employee-Driven Innovation"

International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management 22(4/5) 2018

• Employee-driven innovation into practice: managing the tension between organisation and innovation
• Organising routines and spaces for employee-driven innovation in global work arrangements
• Similar structures, different interpretations: perceived possibilities for employee-driven innovation in two teams within an industrial organisation
• Co-design in the prison service: a learning perspective on employee-driven innovation
• What drives different employee types of innovative behaviour? Development and test of an integrative model of employee driven innovation in German firms
• Key mechanisms for employee-driven innovation in governmental client organisations
• Fostering employee innovative behaviour through receipt of helping and voice behaviours from co-workers: the mediating roles of knowledge transfer and knowledge creation
• Conditions of implementation of employee-driven innovation
• Employee-driven innovation and reverse supply chain management
• Bottom-linked innovation: collaboration between middle managers and employees
• Do it yourself - a lean startup toolbox for employee-driven green product innovation

Research Pick: Did you mean to say that? - "Plagiarism detection based on semantic analysis"

Plagiarism, wherein an author or other creator, simply copies the original output of another and passes the work of as their own with giving due credit is on the rise, it seems, particularly in the realm of research. An author can simply copy and paste great tracts of text from another author and hope that the editor who receives their manuscript is disinterested in checking that the submitted text is entirely original or otherwise lacks the skills or inclination to check.

Most plagiarism detection software which seeks to flag such offences compares chunks of text in a larger document with documents in a database or searchable on the web. There has been little attempt to look at context and semantics. This is an ongoing problem as a plagiarist may copy and paste whole paragraphs and pages, they may also be wily enough to change some of the text order or substitute synonyms in their version of the plagiarised text for the purposes of obfuscation.
Researchers in India suggest that their semantic analysis of text reveals similarities and so could lay bare that kind of fraud.

Mukherjee, I., Kumar, B., Singh, S. and Sharma, K. (2018) ‘Plagiarism detection based on semantic analysis’, Int. J. Knowledge and Learning, Vol. 12, No. 3, pp.242–254.

Research Picks, including "Family hotels’ use of ICT in entertaining children and recommendations for inclusion of wearable devices"

Family tourism and ICT
As with almost all areas of human activity, information and communication technology (ICT) is playing an increasing part in tourism entertainment and education. Indeed, ICT is now an essential component of both industries. A new study has now looked at how ICT might benefit childhood development while on vacation. One outcome of the work might be the introduction of wearable technology that motivates children to be more physically active when on such a trip. “As contradictory as it may seem, ICT might be in function of increasing physical activity,” the team reports. Their application encourages physical activity through games and connects them using ICT tools to the entertainment programs of the hotel in which they are staying.
Ružić-Baf, M., Debeljuh, A. and Slivar, I. (2018) ‘Family hotels’ use of ICT in entertaining children and recommendations for inclusion of wearable devices‘, Int. J. Education Economics and Development, Vol. 9, No. 2, pp.124-133.

You having a laugh?
Does humour initiated by a corporate entity for the purposes of marketing pay off? Apparently, it plays an important role in driving firm-consumer conversations on social media. However, there has been little research into the mechanisms. New research looks more closely at this paradigm and shifts the emphasis. “The research opens up new paths for exploring humour on social media from a rhetorical perspective and enriches the persuasion literature,” the team reports. “It also offers tourism marketers a deep understanding of how to initiate conversations by fully leveraging the technological basis of social media.” In addition, they say, the new model can teach marketers and commercial concerns how to have a laugh and more organically appeal to their prospects.
Ge, J., Gretzel, U. and Zhu, Y. (2018) ‘Humour in firm-initiated social media conversations: a conceptual model‘, Int. J. Digital Culture and Electronic Tourism, Vol. 2, No. 4, pp.273-293.

Energy storage through phase change
Materials that undergo a phase change when heated, by sunlight, for instance, effectively absorb energy as latent heat, which can then be released when the sun no longer shines to provide warmth or do work to generate electricity for lighting etc. Researchers in India have reviewed the scientific literature on Phase Change Materials (PCM) and their potential for Thermal Energy Storage (TES). Common PCM materials include paraffin, fatty acids, hydrates, and metallic compounds. All of them have some potential, but the team concludes that composites could well be the way forward in this area of research. They point out that so far the scientific literature has focused on experimental materials in the laboratory and there is now an urgent need to find commercially viable PCMs that could be used on a large scale to store solar energy for night-time use with a view to increasing energy security and sustainability in the face of ongoing climate change.
Hadiya, J.P. and Shukla, A.K.N. (2018) ‘Thermal energy storage using phase change materials: a way forward‘, Int. J. Global Energy Issues, Vol. 41, Nos. 1/2/3/4, pp.108-127.

A very human story
To understand inequality in the modern world, we need to look at human history in detail and how we might consider that for around for 97 to 98% of our species’ existence as foragers and early agriculturalists we lived equitable lives. The origins of extreme inequality accompanied the rise of states and civilisation some 5500 years ago, US researchers suggest. Underpinning this change was the development of weapons technology that enabled the few to subjugate the many. Moreover, the question remains as to why despite political democracy in many contemporary societies, we now see extreme inequality. The researchers conclude that we must “nest” the way in which the social science of inequality is taught and that this should be done within the broad historical experience. Ultimately, this “may help break the ideological barrier to moving toward more equal societies.”

Wisman, J.D. (2018) ‘The dynamics of inequality in the human story: a brief sketch‘, Int. J. Pluralism and Economics Education, Vol. 9, Nos. 1/2, pp.4-17.

Special issue published: "Additive Manufacturing in Architecture"

International Journal of Rapid Manufacturing 7(2/3) 2018

• In and out of control: latent opportunities within an additive manufacturing process
• Fabrication-aware structural optimisation of lattice additive-manufactured with robot-arm
• Mesh optimisation for spatial wireframe robotic 3D printing
• Seeking congruency in digital optimisation and constructability in fabric formed ice shells utilising bending active frames
• PolyBrick 3.0: live signatures through DNA hydrogels and digital ceramics
• Digital porosity
• Design workflow for additive manufacturing: a comparative study
• The current state of autography

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Sustainable Aviation

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

• Winglet design and analysis for low-altitude solar-powered UAV
• Comparison of aircraft engine performance and emission analysis using alternative fuels
• Safety assessment of RNP AR approach procedures
• Evaluation of hardness and density properties of sintered Inconel 718 using palm oil-based binder
• Operational conditions influence on aircraft engine emission and pollution inside the airport

Special issue published: "Understanding and Promoting Wellbeing in Organisations: Theoretical, Cultural and Managerial Challenges"

International Journal of Environment and Health 9(2) 2018

• Wellbeing and firms: the Adriano Olivetti's model
• The human side of leadership: exploring the relationship between servant leadership, organisational facilitators and happiness at work
• Wellbeing, conflict and teamworking: the social role of the team leader - an overview
• Investing in industrial archaeology to develop knowledge and social wellbeing
• When critical purchase behaviour promotes socio-economic wellbeing: the case of Italian EPGs
• Swachh Bharat Mission: an integrative approach to attain public health in India

Research Pick: Enmeshed in networks - "Theorising social networks addiction: an empirical investigation"

Many people enjoying using online social networks and for many varied purposes from simple entertainment and education to marketing and campaigning. However, the call and response, the likes and follows, the thumbs-up and the thumbs-down are thought to invoke feelings of need in susceptible individuals that may or may not become what in more familiar contexts be described as addictions.

A study of hundreds of students at a private American University in the State of Kuwait suggests that approximately two-thirds of the students may be addicted to using online social networks. Whether or not true harm is being done to such individuals remains a question to be answered especially given how increasingly enmeshed in contemporary society are the rapidly developing tools of online social networks, including Twitter, Facebook, Snapchat, Whatsapp, Instagram and many others.
Society needs to understand and educate those who may develop problems associated with low self-esteem, withdrawal effects, habit, and depression associated with the constant use of online social networks.

Rabaa’i, A.A., Bhat, H. and Al-Maati, S.A. (2018) ‘Theorising social networks addiction: an empirical investigation‘, Int. J. Social Media and Interactive Learning Environments, Vol. 6, No. 1, pp.1-24.

Research Picks, including "The coffee shop experience and its associations with social capital and quality of life"

A happy place
US researchers describe A “first place” as one’s home, a “second place” as the work environment, and finally a “third place” as somewhere people choose to linger, a coffee shop, shopping mall, art gallery, museum, countryside, seaside, cinema, live venue, sports arena. “All three are keys to building social capital and improving quality of life,” the team reports. As such, they have investigated the ever-popular third place, the coffee shop. Their statistical analysis of experience in their local coffee shops reflects the importance of this particular “third place”. “The quality of the intangible coffee shop characteristics significantly correlate with higher levels of quality of life and social capital,” the team reports. On this basis, they suggest that “It is vital for business owners to celebrate the spirit of the place to improve the patrons’ happiness in the third place.”
Menon, R., Crawford, P., Lee, E. and Kotval-K, Z. (2018) ‘The coffee shop experience and its associations with social capital and quality of life’, Int. J. Happiness and Development, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp.159–180.

Methane munchers
Escalating atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide are to blame for forcing upward trends in global temperatures through the greenhouse effect. Yet, another carbon-containing molecule, methane, is also a potent greenhouse gas. Researchers from Australia and India are now asking whether bacteria that can “digest” methane could be used to reduce global warming? Given that there are many sources of methane that add to the atmospheric carbon burden – including emissions from livestock and the leaking of methane from the earth itself as frozen stores at the ice caps melt and release their payload – this could be a useful tool in combating climate change if geoengineering could be carried out on a sufficiently grand scale. Indeed, the team’s model of the use of methane oxidising bacteria suggests that warming could be 0.22 degrees Celsius less than it would otherwise be over the next century.
Goyal, A. and Shukla, J.B. (2018) ‘Can methane oxidising bacteria reduce global warming? A modelling study’, Int. J. Global Warming, Vol. 15, No. 1, pp.82–97.

Recycled coffee
People drink a lot of coffee. And, that means a lot of waste coffee grounds to dispose of. This organic matter could be repurposed though. An exploratory case study by researchers from Indonesia into coffee shop waste suggests that it would not be viable for an individual coffee shop to recycle its waste as the mass at this level is too small. However, a third party might be able to provide the technology and the human resources to take on such a task. Waste coffee grounds might then be converted and combined economically into useful environment-friendly materials such as agricultural or garden fertilizer. The team suggests that there is a “green” business opportunity based on collection and recycling of coffee grounds from coffee shops at least in the urban farming community of Surabaya.
Usman, I. and Nanda, P.V. (2017) ‘Green business opportunity of coffee ground waste through reverse logistics’, J. Global Business Advancement, Vol. 10, No. 6, pp.721–737.

Lifelong learning
“The more we learn and acquire knowledge, the more empowered and better would our lives become,” so suggest researchers in India who have studied the concept of lifelong learning. Their investigations suggest that people who “upgrade” themselves intellectually through ongoing education throughout their lives emerge as more emotionally resilient, better innovators and with a more positive attitude to social engagement than those who do not involve themselves in lifelong learning. “Life has to be lived not as a monotonous activity but has to be experienced from within and learning creates that path,” the team concludes.
Christie, L.G. and Kumar, G. (2018) ‘The need for lifelong learning’, Int. J. Learning and Intellectual Capital, Vol. 15, No. 2, pp.93–103.

Free sample articles newly available from World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development

The following sample articles from the World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development are now available here for free:

• Design of an economically feasible nutrient medium for microorganisms using banana waste
• Macroeconomic factors, entrepreneurial performance and economic growth in emerging markets
• Assessment of supplier selection for critical items in public organisations of Abu Dhabi
• Strategic CSR, reputational advantage and financial performance: a framework and case example
• Role of psychological contract between organisational commitment and employee retention: findings from Indian manufacturing industries
• Typology of Indian e-buyers: clustering on the basis of online shopping motives

Special issue published: "Lifecycle Management of Product-Service Systems and Smart Products" (includes free open access article)

International Journal of Product Lifecycle Management 11(2) 2018

• Using design rules to guide the PSS design in an engineering platform based on the product service lifecycle management paradigm [FREE OPEN ACCESS ARTICLE]
• Mobile apps for providing product-service systems and retrieving feedback throughout their lifecycle: a robotics use case
• Towards a method compendium for the development of digitised products - findings from a case study
• Towards (pro-)active intelligent products

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Manufacturing Research

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

• An approach to tool path planning for layered plunge milling of free-form surface impeller channel
• The design and development of a real-time compensation controller of thermally-induced errors for CNC machine tools
• A comprehensive and generic machine tools data model
• Energy modelling for FDM 3D printing from a life cycle perspective
• Ontology-based technology function matrix for patent analysis of additive manufacturing in the dental industry
• Commonality and performance metrics to evaluate and optimise the design of additive manufactured product families
• An interoperable knowledge base for manufacturing resource and service capability
• The configuration of social manufacturing: a social intelligence way toward service-oriented manufacturing

Research Picks, including "Personal healthcare records research: past, present and new dimensions"

Personal health records

Used properly, personal health records (PHRs) are an invaluable tool for managing healthcare provision, making interactions with patients smoother and more efficient, and in general enhancing the efficacy of medicine. However, rare is the centre, health authority, or medical practice where the full potential of PHRs is realised and of greater concern there is little connection between disparate centres that an individual patient might use. Researchers in Denmark and Pakistan have looked at the research literature into the use of PHRs and suggest that of hundreds of papers there is a small core that doesn’t offer somewhat unclear themes and blurred lines between perception, realisation and outcome. From this core, the researchers that useful new approaches to PHR design and development and ultimately application might be extracted to the benefit of patients and their healthcare workers.
Koumaditis, K. and Hussain, T. (2018) ‘Personal healthcare records research: past, present and new dimensions‘, Int. J. Healthcare Technology and Management, Vol. 17, No. 1, pp.1-28.


Self-sufficient seniors

Education plays a crucial role in how self-sufficient are people over the age of sixties, according to research from Iceland. People with a university education appear to have greater belief in their self-efficacy whereas those who left education at a lower level are often found to need great outside support. However, while older people with secondary or university education have a positive view of their abilities to control their own health, they often experience information barriers that can reduce the options available to them in terms of knowledge enhancement for healthy behaviour. “The policy implications of the findings is that health authorities and professionals need to work together to find ways to stimulate senior citizens health competence and motivation towards healthy lifestyles, as well as to make available information about healthy living that can be easily reached by them, preferably for free,” the researchers conclude.
Pálsdóttir, Á. and Einarsdóttir, S.B. (2017) ‘Senior citizens – perceived health self-efficacy and information barriers‘, Int. J. Telemedicine and Clinical Practices, Vol. 2, No. 4, pp.318-342.


I want!

Anthropomorphised animals and products nudge children to pester their parents and carers to make purchases they would not otherwise make, according to business research from business. The team has quantified this assertion through two independent studies and a scale to represent degree of anthropomorphism. Anthropomorphic animals exploited in advertising and marketing seems to be more effective in nudging children to pester, the team found. The research represents a new avenue for understanding consumerism, the team suggests, but in capturing the opinions of children aged 7-12 years and their parents, they have useful new data for further investigation.
Vandana and Kumar, V. (2018) ‘Mom I want it: impact of anthropomorphism on pester power among children‘, Int. J. Business Innovation and Research, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp.168-185.


Smears on the glass ceiling

Is the notion of a “glass ceiling” precluding certain demographic groups, ethnic and other minorities, and women from achieving greater success in business and other areas of work life a realistic metaphor. New research confirms that gender bias continues to limit career satisfaction experiences. However, masculine versus feminine personality traits represent a key individual difference that can help negate glass ceiling beliefs, the work suggests. Ultimately, how much of a barrier is represented by the glass ceiling to a person’s career seems to be reflected in how well developed are their masculine and feminine traits.
Blessie, P.R. and Supriya, M.V. (2018) ‘Masculine and feminine traits and career satisfaction: moderation effect of glass ceiling belief‘, Int. J. Business Innovation and Research, Vol. 16, No. 2, pp.155-167.

Research Pick: The bald truth about bro-science videos - "Motivations and stake management in producing YouTube ‘bro-science’ videos for baldness treatment"

Lots of people now share personal accounts of their health and wellbeing and tips on how to improve the same. Indeed, a whole sub-genre of motivational videos on systems such as Youtube has emerged in which individuals discuss their success and failures with various healthcare products. Within that sub-genre, there are also “bro-science” videos.

This sub-genre is commonly frequented by male bodybuilders looking at how to improve themselves their sport, but there are other bro-science video producers who consider products for baldness and other generally male “afflictions” and putative remedies for such conditions. UK psychologists have studied dozens of bro-science videos on this topic on Youtube with a view to understanding what motivates these amateur motivators to create their videos.

Understanding the gendered concept of bro-science videos also represents an intriguing and pertinent avenue of investigation in the social sciences, especially given that women also create and watch similar videos.

McNeill, A. and Sillence, E. (2018) ‘Motivations and stake management in producing YouTube ‘bro-science’ videos for baldness treatment‘, Int. J. Web Based Communities, Vol. 14, No. 2, pp.97-113.

Special issue published: "Impact of Technology on Societal Sustainable Development"

World Review of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development 14(1) 2018

• A literature survey on LFC in a deregulated electricity environment
• A fast approach to encrypt and decrypt of video streams for secure channel transmission
• Secure medical data transmission by using collaborative neighbour based method in WBAN
• VEERBENCH - an intelligent computing framework for workload characterisation in multi-core heterogeneous architectures
• A comprehensive review on thin film-based nano-biosensor for uric acid determination: arthritis diagnosis
• Geospatial assessment of the effects of increasing surface temperature on soil erosion in Ibadan, Nigeria
• Determinants of technology-based product adoption by consumers

Free sample articles newly available from International Journal of Knowledge Engineering and Data Mining

The following sample articles from the International Journal of Knowledge Engineering and Data Mining are now available here for free:

• Patterns: a simple but expressive data modelling formalism
• Event classification in foreign language aviation reports
• Dry fingerprint image enhancement using fuzzy morphology
• Insurance customer segmentation using clustering approach
• Context-based co-reference resolution for text document using graph model (cont-graph)

Special issue published: "Advances in Laser-Based Manufacturing"

International Journal of Mechatronics and Manufacturing Systems 11(2/3) 2018

• Intelligent scan trajectories for pulsed laser polishing
• Metallurgical and tribological investigation of micro-scale fibre laser-based surface hardening
• Effect of niobium on microstructure-property relationship in H11 hot-work tool steel via wire- and powder-based laser metal deposition
• Optimisation of laser cutting of SS 430 plate using advanced Taguchi entropy weighted-based GRA methodology
• Laser dressing of grinding wheels - a review
• An experimental investigation into fibre laser micro-drilling of quartz
• Microstructure evolution in thin sheet laser welding of titanium alloy
• Laser surface melting of Al-12Si-4Cu-1.2Mn alloy
• Advances in laser forming of metal foam: mechanism, prediction and comparison