Scientific impact of an author and role of self-citations

Scientometrics - In bibliometric and scientometric research, the quantitative assessment of scientific impact has boomed over the past few decades. Citations, being playing a major role in...     

Design of a Compact Monopole Antenna for UWB Applications

In this paper, a low cost, highly efficient and low profile monopole antenna for ultra-wideband (UWB) applications is presented. A new inverted triangular-shape structure possessing meander lines is designed to achieve a wideband response and high efficiency. To design the proposed structure, three steps are utilized to achieve an UWB response. The bandwidth of the proposed antenna is improved with changing meander lines parameters, miniaturization of the ground width and optimization of the feeding line. The measured and simulated frequency band ranges from 3.2 to 12 GHz, while the radiation patterns are measured at 4, 5.3, 6 and 8 GHz frequency bands. The overall volume of the proposed antenna is 26 × 25 × 1.6 mm3 ; whereas the FR4 material is used as a substrate with a relative permittivity and loss tangent of 4.3 and 0.025, correspondingly. The peak gain of 4 dB is achieved with a radiation efficiency of 80 to 98% for the entire wideband. Design modelling of proposed antenna is performed in ANSYS HFSS 13 software. A decent consistency between the simulated and measured results is accomplished which shows that the proposed antenna is a potential candidate for the UWB applications.     

Profiling Casualty Severity Levels of Road Accident Using Weighted Majority Voting

To determine the individual circumstances that account for a road traffic accident, it is crucial to consider the unplanned connections amongst various factors related to a crash that results in high casualty levels. Analysis of the road accident data concentrated mainly on categorizing accidents into different types using individually built classification methods which limit the prediction accuracy and fitness of the model. In this article, we proposed a multi-model hybrid framework of the weighted majority voting (WMV) scheme with parallel structure, which is designed by integrating individually implemented multinomial logistic regression (MLR) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) classifiers using three different accident datasets i.e., IRTAD, NCDB, and FARS. The proposed WMV hybrid scheme overtook individual classifiers in terms of modern evaluation measures like ROC, RMSE, Kappa rate, classification accuracy, and performs better than state-of-the-art approaches for the prediction of casualty severity level. Moreover, the proposed WMV hybrid scheme adds up to accident severity analysis through knowledge representation by revealing the role of different accident-related factors which expand the risk of casualty in a road crash. Critical aspects related to casualty severity recognized by the proposed WMV hybrid approach can surely support the traffic enforcement agencies to develop better road safety plans and ultimately save lives.     

A New Hybrid SARFIMA-ANN Model for Tourism Forecasting

Many countries developed and increased greenery in their country sights to attract international tourists. This planning is now significantly contributing to their economy. The next task is to facilitate the tourists by sufficient arrangements and providing a green and clean environment; it is only possible if an upcoming number of tourists’ arrivals are accurately predicted. But accurate prediction is not easy as empirical evidence shows that the tourists’ arrival data often contains linear, nonlinear, and seasonal patterns. The traditional model, like the seasonal autoregressive fractional integrated moving average (SARFIMA), handles seasonal trends with seasonality. In contrast, the artificial neural network (ANN) model deals better with nonlinear time series. To get a better forecasting result, this study combines the merits of the SARFIMA and the ANN models and the purpose of the hybrid SARFIMA-ANN model. Then, we have used the proposed model to predict the tourists’ arrival in New Zealand, Australia, and London. Empirical results showed that the proposed hybrid model outperforms in predicting tourists’ arrival compared to the traditional SARFIMA and ANN models. Moreover, these results can be generalized to predict tourists’ arrival in any country or region with a complicated data pattern.     

Citation burst prediction in a bibliometric network

Scientometrics - In the field of computer science, both journal and conference publications are considered valuable. The popularity of an author is mostly determined by the paper’s high...     

Evaluating sustainable energy harvesting systems for human implantable sensors

Achieving most appropriate energy-harvesting technique for human implantable sensors is still challenging for the industry where keen decisions have to be performed. Moreover, the available polymeric-based composite materials are offering plentiful renewable applications that can help sustainable development as being useful for the energy-harvesting systems such as photovoltaic, piezoelectric, thermoelectric devices as well as other energy storage systems. This work presents an expert-based model capable of better evaluating and examining various available renewable energy-harvesting techniques in urban surroundings subject to various technical and economic, often conflicting, criteria. Wide evaluation criteria have been adopted in the proposed model after examining their suitability as well as ensuring the expediency and reliability of the model by worldwide experts’ feedback. The model includes establishing an analytic hierarchy structure with simultaneous 12 conflicting factors to establish a systematic road map for designers to better assess such techniques for human implantable medical sensors. The energy-harvesting techniques considered were limited to Wireless, Thermoelectric, Infrared Radiator, Piezoelectric, Magnetic Induction and Electrostatic Energy Harvesters. Results have demonstrated that the best decision was in favour of wireless-harvesting technology for the medical sensors as it is preferable by most of the considered evaluation criteria in the model.     

Preparation and characterization of starch‐based composite films reinforced by corn and wheat hulls

Biodegradable films, with starch as a matrix, were developed and reinforced with wheat and corn hulls. The effect of the particle size of the filler on the microstructure and mechanical and barrier properties of starch‐based films was investigated. We observed that the addition of hulls enhanced the modulus, tensile strength, and impact strength of the starch matrix at the expense of its elongation. The water‐vapor transmission rate results show that corn starch was more efficient in reducing the water‐vapor permeability than wheat hulls. Scanning electron microscopy observations indicated that the compatibility of both fillers with the matrix was quite good; this was expected because all of the components used in this study were hydrophilic and exhibited polar behavior. Optical microscopy and X‐ray diffraction observations indicated that the processing conditions did not affect the crystalline and geometric structures of the hulls. Because all of the components used in this study were from food resources, the films could also be used for edible packaging. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017 , 134, 45159.     

混杂纤维增强桥梁上部结构系统的结构性能

桥梁的上部结构采用新型混杂纤维增强复合材料与混凝土结构系统。这种系统是一种具有耐久性、结构合理和成本低的混合系统,它充分利用了纤维增强复合材料与混凝土材料之间固有和互补的特征,由纤维增强复合单元外包构成并在受压区放置混凝土薄层。对一跨长18·3m的简支单跨单孔原型桥的上部结构进行设计,通过试验和计算对结构的性能进行分析。制作了1/4原型大小的模型,对模型进行一系列荷载试验,包括破坏性试验和非破坏性试验。试验和计算分析的结果证实所提出的混杂桥上部结构系统从结构工程的角度具有良好的性能。此外,通过详细的线性有限元分析能够预测不同工况下试件的性能。     

Integrating a Decision Tree Perspective at the Operational-Level of BPM+

Decision trees are among the best-known decision-making techniques and have been used extensively for both data analysis and predictive modeling. BPM+ is a novel process modeling approach that helps represent business process models in a consistent and structured way to meet different stakeholders’ process representation needs. This paper reports on the outcomes of an ontological analysis of the potential use of decision-tree representations as a new BPM+ perspective for the operational level of abstraction. This new perspective effectively demonstrates how a specialized/operational BPM stakeholder perspective can be used to improve the existing organizational business process model repository.     

Effect of oxidised phenolic compounds on the gel property of mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) surimi

The effects of different oxidised phenolic compounds (ferulic acid, OFA; tannic acid, OTA; catechin, OCT and caffeic acid, OCF) at different levels (0-0.60% of protein content) on the properties of gels from mackerel (Rastrelliger kanagurta) surimi were investigated. Gels with addition of 0.40% OFA, 0.50% OTA, 0.50% OCF or 0.10% OCT had increases in breaking force by 45%, 115%, 46.1% and 70.3% and in deformation by 12.2, 27.5, 28.1 and 28.4%, respectively, compared with the control (without addition of oxidised phenolics). Lowered expressible moisture content without any change in the whiteness of resulting gels was found. Slightly lower myosin heavy chain (MHC) band intensity of gels added with oxidised phenolics at the optimal level was noticeable compared with that of the control. A sensory evaluation study indicated that addition of oxidised phenolic compounds had no negative impact on the colour and taste of the resulting gels (P > 0.05). Gels with addition of all oxidised phenolics had a finer matrix with smaller strands.