Enhancing Efficiency and Cost-Effectiveness: A Groundbreaking Bi-Algorithm MCDM Approach †

Numerous scholars have thoroughly studied the topic of choosing machines considering the progress and technological growth seen in machinery options. This scholarly investigation explores decision-making methods specifically designed to aid the selection of machines in manufacturing businesses. Additionally, this research emphasizes the need for decision-making frameworks in manufacturing facilities, highlighting the importance of smart machine selection strategies in those contexts. In this research, we show a dual-MCDM approach that includes DEX—decision experts—and the EDAS method that are popularly employed to solve decision-making problems in both academic and practical industries. Throughout the previous decade, business leaders and managers increasingly use MCDM solutions to overcome machine selection challenges. At this time, while various decision-support technologies and procedures have been developed and used, it is essential that we discuss the sequence of our study objectives and drive the proposed method for widening use in practical firms. In short, this research may be helpful as a literature review for MDCM studies and related topics. It will also help executives, engineers, and specialists determine which equipment or machines to create and increase product quality in manufacturing and industry

Free-living amoebae and their associated bacteria in Austrian cooling towers: a 1-year routine screening

Free-living amoebae (FLA) are widely spread in the environment and known to cause rare but often serious infections. Besides this, FLA may serve as vehicles for bacterial pathogens. In particular, Legionella pneumophila is known to replicate within FLA thereby also gaining enhanced infectivity. Cooling towers have been the source of outbreaks of Legionnaires' disease in the past and are thus usually screened for legionellae on a routine basis, not considering, however, FLA and their vehicle function. The aim of this study was to incorporate a screening system for host amoebae into a Legionella routine screening. A new real-time PCR-based screening system for various groups of FLA was established. Three cooling towers were screened every 2 weeks over the period of 1 year for FLA and Legionella spp., by culture and molecular methods in parallel. Altogether, 83.3 % of the cooling tower samples were positive for FLA, Acanthamoeba being the dominating genus. Interestingly, 69.7 % of the cooling tower samples were not suitable for the standard Legionella screening due to their high organic burden. In the remaining samples, positivity for Legionella spp. was 25 % by culture, but overall positivity was 50 % by molecular methods. Several amoebal isolates revealed intracellular bacteria.TRP 209-B20(VLID)308958

Drug-resistant Aspergillus flavus is highly prevalent in the environment of Vietnam: a new challenge for the management of Aspergillosis?

The burden of aspergillosis, especially Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis, is increasingly recognized, and the increasing presence of azole-resistant environmental Aspergillus fumigatus has been highlighted as a health risk. However, a sizable minority of aspergillosis is caused by Aspergillus flavus, which is assumed to be sensitive to azoles but is infrequently included in surveillance. We conducted environmental sampling at 150 locations in a rural province of southern Vietnam. A. flavus isolates were identified morphologically, their identity was confirmed by sequencing of the beta-tubulin gene, and then they were tested for susceptibility to azoles and amphotericin B according to EUCAST methodologies. We found that over 85% of A. flavus isolates were resistant to at least one azole, and half of them were resistant to itraconazole. This unexpectedly high prevalence of resistance demands further investigation to determine whether it is linked to agricultural azole use, as has been described for A. fumigatus. Clinical correlation is required, so that guidelines can be adjusted to take this information into account