Integration of Graph Theory and Matrix Approach with Fuzzy AHP for Equipment Selection

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is applying a new integrated method to equipment selection. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper, we proposed the new integrated approach. Proposed approach is based on fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (FAHP) and GTMA (graph theory and matrix approach) methods. FAHP method is used in determining the weights of the criteria by decision makers and then rankings of equipments are determined by GTMA method. Proposed approach is applied to a problem of selecting CNC machines to be purchased in a company. Findings and Originality/value: The outcome of this research is ranking and selecting equipment using of Fuzzy AHP and GTMA techniques. Originality/value: This paper offers a new integrated method for equipment selection.Peer Reviewe

Integration of fuzzy Shannon’s entropy with fuzzy TOPSIS for industrial robotic system section

Purpose: The aim of this study is applying a new method for Industrial robotic system selection. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper, the weights of each criterion are calculated using fuzzy Shannon’s Entropy. After that, fuzzy TOPSIS is utilized to rank the alternatives. Then we select the best Industrial Robotic System based on these results. Findings and Originality/value: The outcome of this research is ranking and selecting industrial robotic systems with the help of Fuzzy Shannon’s Entropy and Fuzzy TOPSIS techniques. Originality/value: This paper offers a new integrated method for industrial robotic system selection.Peer Reviewe

Identification of Tourism Scenarios in Turkey Based on Futures Study Approach

This study aims to identify the plausible scenarios of tourism in Antalya, Turkey. For this purpose, the drivers and key factors of the research were first identified by reviewing the literature and interviewing Turkish tourism experts. Then these factors were screened using binomial nonparametric test and eight factors were eliminated from the 19 key factors. Two key factors of government policy in the tourism field and value of country currency were selected using cross impact analysis technique in order to write plausible scenarios. Based on these two uncertainties, four scenarios of luxury tourism, cheap tourism, tourism deterioration and unplanned tourism were identified

English to Persian Translation Accuracy of “Rules and Regulations” of International Banking System

This study comparatively analyzed the English to Persian translations of “rules and regulations” of the international banking system, at lexicon, phrase, sentence and paragraph levels to find out if the translations had been semantically comparable to their English versions. The translated texts, together with their English scource texts, were handed in to raters to assess and score semantically based on a three-point scale of “incorrect”, “fair” and “correct”. According to the results, the majority (96%) of lexicons had been translated correctly into Persian, while a small percentage of translated lexicons (3%) had a fair quality and an even smaller percentage (1%) were incorrectly translated. As for the phrases, most of them (86%) had been translated correctly into Persian, while a small percentage of translated phrases (8%) had a fair quality and an even smaller percentage (6%) had been incorrectly translated. Regarding sentences, 44% of their translations had a good and 44% had fair quality, whereas some smaller numbers (12%) had been incorrectly translated. Compared to previous components, i.e. lexicon and phrases, the percentage of incorrect translations had noticeably increased at the level of sentence. Yet, the mean words in Persian sentences (i.e., 23.48) were rather similar to the source language sentences (i.e., 25.72). Regarding paragraphs, 40% of the translations had a good and 40% had a fair quality, but a significant number (20%) had incorrect translations. So, unlike the lexicons and phrases, a significant number of sentences and paragraphs had semantically been inaccurately translated. In addition, the mean number of words in Persian paragraphs (64.6) was considerably smaller than the mean words in English paragraphs (71.1).     Keywords: Semantic accuracy in translation, English to Persian, Banking rules and regulation

SPR signals enhancement by gold nanorods for cell surface marker detection

Introduction: The detection of micrometer-sized particles like cells is limited by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors because of having a depth of evanescent wave <500 nm. In this study, for the first time, we exhibited the use of streptavidin-functionalized gold nanorods (GNRs) as intensification labels for detection of cell surface markers in SPR-based biosensors. Methods: The GNRs (ʎ max: 735 nm) were modified with streptavidin using EDC/NHS coupling method and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were selected as the cell model for detecting VE-cadherin on cell surface using real-time SPR device in the 785 nm wavelength of the laser source. Results: The investigations revealed that the plasmonic field extension produced from the gold layer and GNRs resulted in multiple enhancement of SPR signals when the wavelength of laser source in SPR instrument was matched with the wavelength of maximum absorbance in GNRs. Moreover, the results showed that the growth of ∆RU value in specific and non-specific bindings for various cell number injections were produced with increasing the cell number. Conclusion: The results displayed that cell detection can be performed in real- time form without any need to a time-consuming process used in conventional methods like immunocytochemistry, flow cytometry, and western blotting

Job Crafting and the Role of Self-efficacy and Engagement in the Academic Jobs

Introduction: Job crafting is the process of making proactive changes in the boundariescomposing a job, which are known as mental fences that individuals adopt to define their job’sphysical, emotional, or cognitive limitations. Job crafting considers the change in the natureof jobs, whether realistically in the form of task crafting and relational crafting, or as cognitiveperceptions. In this study, the role of self-efficacy as the antecedent and work engagement asthe consequence of job crafting was studied.Methods: The jobs were academic and the sample was selected from faculty members ofShiraz University of Medical Sciences. The research questionnaires were distributed amongfaculty members of Shiraz University of Medical Sciences. A PLS model is analyzed andinterpreted in two stages: the assessment of the reliability and validity of the measurementmodel, and the assessment of the structural model.Results: The results showed that self-efficacy was positively related to all dimensions ofjob crafting. Moreover, the triple dimensions of job crafting had a significant positiveeffect on work engagement. The moderating role of gender and academic level in therelationship between self-efficacy and work engagement was confirmed. However, theresults showed that gender did not moderate the relationship between self-efficacy andtask crafting.Conclusion: The main novelty of this research is the study of job crafting, self-efficacy andengagement variables considering the moderating role of gender and academic level

Designing a Model for Evaluating Marketing Channels based on the Fuzzy Best-Worst and Fuzzy EDAS Methods

Objective: Evaluation of marketing channels is a very important and complex task, so far no comprehensive model has been presented in this regard. The present study aims to provide a decision framework for evaluating marketing channels. Methods: With extensive study of literature, effective indicators were identified in the evaluation of marketing channels. Then, the newest multi-criteria decision-making method, fuzzy best-worst method was used to calculate the relative importance of indices. In addition, Fuzzy EDAS technique was applied as a multi-attribute decision-making method to rank distribution strategies in marketing channels. The statistical population of this research consists of directors and experts in the food industry, which due to their limited number, sampling was not performed. Results: Eight criteria were identified for evaluating marketing distribution channels, including trust, conflict, display, delivery, information exchange, product return cost, coordination cost, and profitability as well. Six types of marketing channels are: highlighting the importance of the sales team, expanding the sales team, distributing value added, ordinary distributors, the exclusive web channel, and the shared web channel. Conclusion:According to the result of research conducted by a food company, the strategy of expanding the sales team has first ranked among other strategies

A dermatopathic Juvenile Dermatomyositis; An Unexpected Case in Childhood

Abstract Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a rare idiopathic inflammatory disease which usually presents with skin rashes along with muscle weakness. We report a case of JDM in a 10- year-old girl with no skin manifestations.She was presented with progressive muscle weakness and fatigue. Further laboratory investigation along with a muscle biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of Adermathopathic Juvenile Dermatomyositis. The patient was treated with intravenous immunoglobulin, corticosteroids, methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, pamidronate, and Rituximab.Following treatment, patients symptoms subsided and she gained normal muscular strength over the course of a year

Applying analytic hierarchy process method for quantitative assessment of environmental health factors in hospitals using existing quality checklists: A modeling and field study

Background: Since there are various factors with different importance that determine environmental health status of hospitals, judging and prioritizing the required corrective actions using the current qualitative checklists is problematic and, in some cases, deceptive. This study explored a decision support model for hospital environmental health status to establish a quantitative method based on the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) using the Iranian National Hospital Evaluation checklist. Methods: The research was done in two separate phases; first, score weighting of the criteria and subcriteria (questions) in the existing checklist using the AHP, and second, a field study of the environmental health status of the hospitals using a weighted checklist. In the field study, the environmental health status of the studied hospitals was sored using checklist questions, and finally, the final scores of each criterion were calculated and aggregated to determine the environmental health status of the studied hospitals. Results: Among the main criteria, the infection control criteria with a final weight coefficient of 0.5371, was the most important factor, and the building criteria with a final weight coefficient of 0.0341 had the lowest weight in determining the environmental health status of the hospitals. On average, the environmental health status of the studied hospitals was about 76%, which are in a moderate status. Conclusion: The environmental health status of Iran’s hospitals has typically been evaluated only qualitatively and without considering their weight importance. The present study provides a flexible method for quantitative assessment of the environmental health status of hospitals. Keywords: Analytic hierarchy process, Environmental health, Health services, Hospitals, Infection contro