Search results

1 – 10 of 175
Article
Publication date: 22 September 2021

Sayed Mahmood Bakhshayesh, Abbas Ahmadi and Azadeh Mohebi

Many search engines in digital libraries are restricted to the terms presented in users’ queries. When users cannot represent their information needs in terms of keywords in a…

Abstract

Purpose

Many search engines in digital libraries are restricted to the terms presented in users’ queries. When users cannot represent their information needs in terms of keywords in a query, the search engine fails to provide appropriate results. In addition, most search engines do not have the ability to visualize search results for users to help them in their information journey. The purpose of this paper is to develop a new approach for search result visualization in digital libraries. The visualization approach enables subject-based visualization of search results and search queries.

Design/methodology/approach

To enable subject-based visualization of search results in digital libraries, new subject-based document retrieval is proposed in which each document is represented as a vector of subjects as well. Then, using a vector space model for information retrieval, along with the subject-based vector, related documents to the user’s query are retrieved, whilst each document is visualized through a ring chart, showing the inherent subjects within each document and the query.

Findings

The proposed subject-based retrieval and visualization approach is evaluated from various perspectives to amplify the impact of the visualization approach from users’ opinions. Users have evaluated the performance of the proposed subject-based retrieval and search result visualization, whilst 67% of users prefer subject-based document retrieval and 80% of them believe that the proposed visualization approach is practical.

Research limitations/implications

This research has provided a subject-based representation scheme for search result visualization in a digital library. The implication of this research can be viewed from two perspectives. First, the subject-based retrieval approach provides an opportunity for the users to understand their information needs, beyond the explicit terms in the query, leading to results, which are semantically relevant to the query. Second, the simple subject-based visualization scheme, helps users to explore the results easily, whilst allowing them to build their knowledge experience.

Originality/value

A new vectorized subject-based representation of documents and queries is proposed. This representation determines the semantic and subject-based relationship between a given query and documents within a digital scientific library. In addition, it also provides a subject-based representation of the retrieved documents through which users can track the semantic relationship between the query and retrieve documents, visually.

Article
Publication date: 14 June 2021

Farnoush Bayatmakou, Azadeh Mohebi and Abbas Ahmadi

Query-based summarization approaches might not be able to provide summaries compatible with the user’s information need, as they mostly rely on a limited source of information…

Abstract

Purpose

Query-based summarization approaches might not be able to provide summaries compatible with the user’s information need, as they mostly rely on a limited source of information, usually represented as a single query by the user. This issue becomes even more challenging when dealing with scientific documents, as they contain more specific subject-related terms, while the user may not be able to express his/her specific information need in a query with limited terms. This study aims to propose an interactive multi-document text summarization approach that generates an eligible summary that is more compatible with the user’s information need. This approach allows the user to interactively specify the composition of a multi-document summary.

Design/methodology/approach

This approach exploits the user’s opinion in two stages. The initial query is refined by user-selected keywords/keyphrases and complete sentences extracted from the set of retrieved documents. It is followed by a novel method for sentence expansion using the genetic algorithm, and ranking the final set of sentences using the maximal marginal relevance method. Basically, for implementation, the Web of Science data set in the artificial intelligence (AI) category is considered.

Findings

The proposed approach receives feedback from the user in terms of favorable keywords and sentences. The feedback eventually improves the summary as the end. To assess the performance of the proposed system, this paper has asked 45 users who were graduate students in the field of AI to fill out a questionnaire. The quality of the final summary has been also evaluated from the user’s perspective and information redundancy. It has been investigated that the proposed approach leads to higher degrees of user satisfaction compared to the ones with no or only one step of the interaction.

Originality/value

The interactive summarization approach goes beyond the initial user’s query, while it includes the user’s preferred keywords/keyphrases and sentences through a systematic interaction. With respect to these interactions, the system gives the user a more clear idea of the information he/she is looking for and consequently adjusting the final result to the ultimate information need. Such interaction allows the summarization system to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the user’s information needs while expanding context-based knowledge and guiding the user toward his/her information journey.

Details

Information Discovery and Delivery, vol. 50 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2398-6247

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 20 January 2023

Ali Hassanpour, Nematollah Azizi, Abbas Ahmadi, Isa Gholizadeh and Seyedeh Golafrooz Ramezani

Considering the role that students’ diverse identifications play in education, this paper aims to contribute to the developing discourse on multicultural education concerning the…

Abstract

Purpose

Considering the role that students’ diverse identifications play in education, this paper aims to contribute to the developing discourse on multicultural education concerning the status of ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity in Iranian upstream educational documents (UEDs).

Design/methodology/approach

This paper explores the status of ethnic, religious and linguistic diversity in Iranian UEDs through quantitative and qualitative content analysis.

Findings

Findings show that three continuous patterns are repeated throughout the documents. (1) The so-called diversity: although there are promising and positive statements about diversity in the documents, they are indirect, and this level of attention is very superficial and limited. (2) Affirming assimilation: the documents are covered by presenting the Islamic-Iranian identity, and somehow almost all the issues raised in the documents end up in this pattern. (3) Pattern of contradictions: content analysis shows that the content of documents does not have intellectual and logical coherence.

Practical implications

This research paper points to the need for a systematic analysis of ignoring diversity operating in UEDs in Iran.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper broadens the document analysis as one of the first research to critically explore the depiction of diversity in important UEDs in Iran.

Details

Journal for Multicultural Education, vol. 17 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2053-535X

Keywords

Abstract

Details

Energy Economics
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83867-294-2

Book part
Publication date: 17 August 2011

Riaz Ahmed Shaikh

Pakistan's present war against extremists has many folds and sheds. The country's initial participation in the Afghan War in 1979 later gave birth to different extremist trends in…

Abstract

Pakistan's present war against extremists has many folds and sheds. The country's initial participation in the Afghan War in 1979 later gave birth to different extremist trends in the country. State patronage of the extremist Wahabi Islamists during the Afghan jihad opened another conflict in Pakistan, and things became more complicated. The combination of external and internal factors gave birth to the worst kind of conflict, which now has not only become dangerous for the country's own existence but also a major threat for global peace. The Afghan jihad initially started as a war against Soviet occupation and later became the hub of global jihad-war against infidels.

This chapter analyzes how external factors promoted internal contradictions in Pakistan due to which the country became not only an exporter of jihadis for the world but also the worst kind of sectarian conflicts, including. Shia–Sunni, Deobandi–Wahabi clashes, entered into in the past two decades. Such a strong link exists with Pakistan's official support to global jihad. Draft sectarian groups now head to head with their opponents have killed thousands of members of rival sectors, have strong support from external sympathizers, and have spread in the country. The well planned terrorist activities of these groups reflect the fact that support to these groups in the past is now leading to a severe crisis in Pakistan. The nexuses of these indigenous extremists like Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, and Hizb-ul-Mujahideen with external terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan of Tahir Yuldasher Chechen Guerilla War has led to several bloody clashes in the country and outside.

Details

Governance, Development and Conflict
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-0-85724-896-1

Article
Publication date: 28 August 2019

Abbas Naeimi, Mohammad Hossein Ahmadi, Milad Sadeghzadeh and Alibakhsh Kasaeian

This paper aims to determine the optimum arrangement of a reverse osmosis system in two methods of plug and concentrate recycling.

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to determine the optimum arrangement of a reverse osmosis system in two methods of plug and concentrate recycling.

Design/methodology/approach

To compare the optimum conditions of these two methods, a seawater reverse osmosis system was considered to produce fresh water at a rate of 4,000 m3/d for Mahyarkala city, located in north of Iran, for a period of 20 years. Using genetic algorithms and two-objective optimization method, the reverse osmosis system was designed.

Findings

The results showed that exergy efficiency in optimum condition for concentrate recycling and plug methods was 82.6 and 92.4 per cent, respectively. The optimizations results showed that concentrate recycling method, despite a 36 per cent reduction in the initial cost and a 2 per cent increase in maintenance expenses, provides 6 per cent higher recovery and 19.7 per cent less permeate concentration than two-stage plug method.

Originality/value

Optimization parameters include feed water pressure, the rate of water return from the brine for concentrate recycling system, type of SW membrane, feedwater flow rate and numbers of elements in each pressure vessel (PV). These parameters were also compared to each other in terms of recovery (R) and freshwater unit production cost. In addition, the exergy of all elements was analyzed by selecting the optimal mode of each system.

Details

International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, vol. 30 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0961-5539

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 April 2020

Mohammad Mehdi Pouria, Abbas Akbarpour, Hassan Ahmadi, Mohammad Reza Tavassoli and Amir Saedi Daryan

Offshore structures are among the structures exposed to fire more often. Most of these structures are likely to be associated with flammable materials. In this research, some of…

Abstract

Purpose

Offshore structures are among the structures exposed to fire more often. Most of these structures are likely to be associated with flammable materials. In this research, some of the structures constructed on top of marine decks have been studied.

Design/methodology/approach

For this purpose, the upper-bound theory of plastic analysis has been used to investigate its collapse behavior. In this way, genetic algorithm has been used for application of the combination of elementary mechanisms in the classic plastic analysis problem.

Findings

The studied structures are optimized by plastic analysis theory before and after the fire and their failure modes are compared with each other. The comparison of the results indicates significant changes in the load factor value, as well as the critical collapse mode of the structure before and after the fire.

Originality/value

Results indicate that the combination of plastic analysis and a genetic algorithm can predict the collapse mode of the structure before and after the fire accurately.

Details

Journal of Structural Fire Engineering, vol. 11 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2040-2317

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 September 2019

Pejman Ebrahimi, Mahsa Ahmadi, Abbas Gholampour and Hamidreza Alipour

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of CRM performance and technological innovation on performance of media entrepreneurs considering firm size.

1615

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the effect of CRM performance and technological innovation on performance of media entrepreneurs considering firm size.

Design/methodology/approach

This is an analytical study used to empirically test the hypotheses proposed for SEM techniques using PLS and R packages. It used two steps in this way: the assessment of the outer model and the assessment of the inner model. Moreover, a bootstrapping method was employed to test indirect effects. Data were collected by distributing 127 questionnaires between the managers and deputies of active firms across Rasht, Iran.

Findings

The effect of CRM performance on SMEs performance development is partially mediated by media entrepreneurship. Moreover, the effect of technological innovation on SMEs performance development is mediated by media entrepreneurship. Furthermore, permutation test results indicated that there is no significant difference between small- and medium-sized firms.

Research limitations/implications

This study used cross-sectional sampling method that can seriously limit result generalization. Therefore, conducting longitudinal studies is strongly recommended.

Practical implications

The results of IPMA matrix indicated the serious importance of technological innovation, as a variable with the highest importance for SMEs performance development. Nevertheless, this variable has received the lowest importance in the studied population. Therefore, SMEs’ managers should pay sufficient attention to the concepts of “product innovations” and “process innovations.”

Originality/value

This study is of high importance in that it has adopted new and effective indices for statistical analysis. IPMA matrix, permutation test, CTA and FIMIX are examples. In addition, plspm and Matrixpls packages in R were used for the first time in this study.

Details

International Journal of Emerging Markets, vol. 16 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1746-8809

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 9 October 2017

Sadegh Ahmadi Kashkoli, Ehsan Zarei, Abbas Daneshkohan and Soheila Khodakarim

Hospital responsiveness to the patient expectations of non-medical aspect of care can lead to patient satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship…

Abstract

Purpose

Hospital responsiveness to the patient expectations of non-medical aspect of care can lead to patient satisfaction. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between the eight dimensions of responsiveness and overall patient satisfaction in public and private hospitals in Tehran, Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2015. In all, 500 patients were selected by the convenient sampling method from two public and three private hospitals. All data were collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire consisted of 32 items to assess the responsiveness of hospitals across eight dimensions and four items to assess the level of overall patient satisfaction. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics and multivariate regression was performed by SPSS 18.

Findings

The mean score of hospital responsiveness and patient satisfaction was 3.48±0.69 and 3.54±0.97 out of 5, respectively. Based on the regression analysis, around 65 percent of the variance in overall satisfaction can be explained by dimensions of responsiveness. Seven independent variables had a positive impact on patient satisfaction; the quality of basic amenities and respect for human dignity were the most powerful factors influencing overall patient satisfaction.

Originality/value

Hospital responsiveness had a strong effect on overall patient satisfaction. Health care facilities should consider including efforts to responsiveness improvement in their strategic plans. It is recommended that patients should be involved in their treatment processes and have the right to choose their physician.

Details

International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, vol. 30 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0952-6862

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 11 October 2021

Amirreza Rezaei, Saba Ahmadi and Hamid Karimi

This study aims to determine the effect of online social networks on university students’ environmentally responsible behavior (ERB). This research aimed to develop and test a…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to determine the effect of online social networks on university students’ environmentally responsible behavior (ERB). This research aimed to develop and test a behavioral model in the context of online social networks, where students’ attitudes, knowledge and behavior influence their ERB.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a quasi-experiment with a pretest-posttest design and a random parallelization control group. The research used a questionnaire to assess ERB, environmental attitudes and environmental knowledge. The researcher randomly assigned 120 students to an experimental and a control group of equal size. Both groups initially completed a pretest. The experimental group was trained in environmental issues over four months (an academic semester) via an online social network.

Findings

The findings indicated that the social network had a significant effect on motivating ERB. Additionally, it improved environmental attitudes. According to the results, online social networks such as Facebook can significantly aid in teaching and learning environmental issues in formal academic settings.

Originality/value

Online social networks facilitated significant cognitive progress in environmental education. The primary objective is to educate students about ERB.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 23 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

1 – 10 of 175