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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to describe a novel method to compromise between planned (regulated) maintenance and outage initiation and unplanned (unregulated) maintenance and to find an economic model using which one can perform maintenance adequately and in the most optimal state.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, a system consisting of similar components is considered, and the role of each component in the system is explained. Then, the cost pertaining to failure in each asset is determined. Costs such as energy not supplied, penalties, human resources to resolve the defect and replacing assets are taken into account. Finally, a new comprehensive objective is proposed, and optimization is performed for a sample system.FindingsIn this paper, some graphs have been plotted from which plenty of information may be extracted. This is mentioned in the Conclusion.Originality/valueIn this paper, some graphs have been plotted from which plenty of information may be extracted. This is mentioned in the Conclusion.

Background: There are increasing reports regarding macrolide resistance in Mycoplasma pneumoniae, particularly in Asia. Indiscriminate consumption of macrolide could be an alarming sign worldwide. We aimed to systematically review and analyze the prevalence and pattern of resistance in Mycoplasma pneumoniaeaccording to the recent studies. Methods: We searched authentic scientific sources and databases, and reference lists of relevant articles from January 1, 2017, to April 1, 2022. Meta-analyses were accomplished on the extracted and evaluated epidemiological data for proportion outcome variables, which included factors associated with Macrolide resistance, A2063G and A2064G. Results: Most of the included studies were conducted in Asia (a total number of 10353 patients). Twenty-nine qualified studies were included in order to evaluation of macrolide resistance. The overall pooled prevalence was 52% (38%-65%), I2=100%; pConclusion: While the prevalence of macrolide-resistant MP is quite low in America, it is a great dilemma in East Asia and the low prevalence in most countries could be underestimated. This study revealed an increasing trend in macrolide resistance. Indiscriminate and improper use of macrolides may be a warning in this regard.

Introduction: Haemophilus. influenzae and Moraxella. catarrhalis are two common pathogens in respiratory tract infections. Antimicrobial resistance to these pathogens occurs over years. Therefore, we decided to carry out a systematic review to investigate the antibiotic resistance and sensitivity of these pathogens in Iran.Material and method: All recent original articles and studies related to the antimicrobial resistance in H. influenza and M. cattarhalis in Iran up to 2022 were investigated in English and Persian databases. Result: The prevalence of antibiotic susceptibility in H. influenza to levofloxacin (100%), cefotaxim (78.8%), clarithromycin (71.4%) and ceftriaxone (71.4-80%) was upmost. Resistances to ciprofloxacin were varied. In addition, about 50% of isolated had resistant to ampicillin. The prevalence of M. cattarhalis resistance in Iran including penicillin was 70-100%, erythromycin was 0%, and in three of our study of our studies, the resistance rate of ciprofloxacin was 0% whereas in one study 70% of isolated M.cattarhalis had resistance to ciprofloxacin also, resistances to amoxicillin/clavulanate were varied.Conclusion: According to the study, most isolates of H. influenzae are sensitive to levofloxacin, but resistance to macrolides and third generation cephalosporins are increasing; and the majority of M. cattarhalis was resistant to penicillin.

Background: There has been no study in Kabul on reasons for permanent tooth extraction. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and reasons for tooth loss in a sample from two dental clinics in the west of Kabul. Methods: During a 6-month period (April-September 2019), the reasons for every extraction of a permanent tooth were recorded. Different reasons for tooth extraction were assigned, such as, dental caries, periodontal disease, eruption problems, trauma, orthodontics and others. The data requested for each extraction were: patient age, gender, previous treatment, educational level, type of tooth removed and the reason for its extraction. Results: young people aged between 20 - 29 years old had the highest percentage of extraction. Periodontal disease (39%) followed by caries (20%) was the most common reason for tooth extraction. Maxillary and mandibular first molars were removed most frequently (31%). 29% of patients have treated their teeth before extraction and RCT (Root Canal Treatment) (19%) is the most common previous treatment. Tooth loss has an opposite relationship with education level. People with high education level, loose their tooth less (14%). Conclusion: periodontal disease was the most common reason for tooth loss in Kabul, Afghanistan and a high percentage of tooth loss is seen among young people. Educating and preventive programs need to be implemented in order to reduce tooth loss.

Medicinal plants have been globally exploiting as an alternative to chemical drugs in the treatment of several diseases due to low unwanted side effects, environmentally friendly nature, and low production costs. Therefore, it is important to analyze the therapeutic properties of various medicinal plants to understand their potential bioactivity. Uncaria tomentosa is one of these medicinal plants with many health-promoting effects. Although the geographical resources of cat's claw go back to the remote tropics of the Amazon, industrialized countries use the plant extensively in trade. Various parts of the plants such as flowers, leaves, Stem, hooks, and seeds are mainly used medicinally to treat inflammation, asthma, allergies, skin impurities, microbial infections, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, cirrhosis, gastrointestinal disorders, arthritis, heart disease, rheumatism, and fever. The endpoint of this review article is to prospectively scrutinize in vitro and in vivo the therapeutic potential of this plant, especially in terms of its nutritional applications and healthbeneficial effects. © 2022 Bentham Science Publishers., (undefined), info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Medicinal plants, many of which are wild, have recently been under the spotlight worldwide due to growing requests for natural and sustainable eco-compatible remedies for pathological conditions with beneficial health effects that are able to support/supplement a daily diet or to support and/or replace conventional pharmacological therapy. The main requests for these products are: safety, minimum adverse unwanted effects, better efficacy, greater bioavailability, and lower cost when compared with synthetic medications available on the market. One of these popular herbs is hawthorn (Crataegus spp.), belonging to the Rosaceae family, with about 280 species present in Europe, North Africa, West Asia, and North America. Various parts of this herb, including the berries, flowers, and leaves, are rich in nutrients and beneficial bioactive compounds. Its chemical composition has been reported to have many health benefits, including medicinal and nutraceutical properties. Accordingly, the present review gives a snapshot of the in vitro and in vivo therapeutic potential of this herb on human health., The authors acknowledge the support of the research project: Nutraceutica come supporto nutrizionale nel paziente oncologico, CUP: B83D18000140007. E. B. Souto acknowledges the sponsorship of the projects M-ERA-NET-0004/2015-PAIRED and UIDB/04469/2020 (strategic fund), receiving support from the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation, Ministry of Science and Education (FCT/MEC) through national funds, and co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020., info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Mycotoxin contamination continues to be a food safety concern globally, with the most toxic being aflatoxins. On-farm aflatoxins, during food transit or storage, directly or indirectly result in the contamination of foods, which affects the liver, immune system and reproduction after infiltration into human beings and animals. There are numerous reports on aflatoxins focusing on achieving appropriate methods for quantification, precise detection and control in order to ensure consumer safety. In 2012, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, M1 and M2 as group 1 carcinogenic substances, which are a global human health concern. Consequently, this review article addresses aflatoxin chemical properties and biosynthetic processes; aflatoxin contamination in foods and feeds; health effects in human beings and animals due to aflatoxin exposure, as well as aflatoxin detection and detoxification methods., (undefined), info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Over the last few years, the application of nanotechnology to nutraceuticals has been rapidly growing due to its ability to enhance the bioavailability of the loaded active ingredients, resulting in improved therapeutic/nutraceutical outcomes. The focus of this work is nanoprebiotics and nanoprobiotics, terms which stand for the loading of a set of compounds (e.g., prebiotics, probiotics, and synbiotics) in nanoparticles that work as absorption enhancers in the gastrointestinal tract. In this manuscript, the main features of prebiotics and probiotics are highlighted, together with the discussion of emerging applications of nanotechnologies in their formulation. Current research strategies are also discussed, in particular the promising use of nanofibers for the delivery of probiotics. Synbiotic-based nanoparticles represent an innovative trend within this area of interest. As only few experimental studies on nanoprebiotics and nanoprobiotics are available in the scientific literature, research on this prominent field is needed, covering effectiveness, bioavailability, and safety aspects., The authors acknowledge the support of the research project: Nutraceutica come supporto nutrizionale nel paziente oncologico, CUP: B83D18000140007. E. B. Souto acknowledges the sponsorship of the projects M-ERA-NET-0004/2015-PAIRED and UIDB/04469/2020 (strategic fund), receiving support from the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation, Ministry of Science and Education (FCT/MEC) through national funds, and co-financed by FEDER, under the Partnership Agreement PT2020., info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The growing global interest in functional foods containing nutrients capable of adding possible beneficial health effects is rapidly increasing both interest and consumer demand. In particular, functionalized beverages for their potential positive effect on health e.g., decreasing cholesterol level, lowering sugar, high fiber content, ability to enhance the immune system, and help digestion, have recently received special attention. Among the different beverages available on the market, probiotic dairy and non-dairy products have attracted much attention because of their affordable cost and their numerous therapeutic activities. Fermented milk and yogurt are currently worth €46 billion, with 77% of the market reported in Europe, North America, and Asia. Consumption of dairy beverages has some limitations due for example to lactose intolerance and allergy to milk proteins, thereby leading consumers to use non-dairy beverages such as fruit, grains, and vegetable juices to add probiotics to diet as well as driving the manufacturers to food matrices-based beverages containing probiotic cultures. The purpose of this review article is to evaluate the therapeutic performance and properties of dairy and non-dairy beverages in terms of probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic activities., This work was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Funding UID/FIS/04650/2020, UID/BIO/04469/2020 and UID/QUI/00686/2020, and projects PTDC/BTM-MAT/28237/2017 and PTDC/EMD-EMD/28159/2017 and Associate Laboratory for Green Chemistry—LAQV, financed by national funds from FCT/MCTES (UIDB/50006/2020). The authors also thank the FCT for the SFRH/BPD/121526/2016 (DMC) grant. The authors acknowledge funding by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) through the project MAT2016-76039-C4-3-R (AEI/FEDER, UE) and from the Basque Government Industry and Education Departments under the ELKARTEK, HAZITEK and PIBA (PIBA-2018-06) programs, respectively., info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Medicinal plants are used worldwide due to their lower risk of side effects and eco-friendly, cost-effective production when compared to chemical drugs, encouraging researchers to further exploit the therapeutic potential of the former. One of the most popular medicinal plants is Vitex agnus-castus L., grown in tropical and sub-tropical regions, to which different health benefits have already been attributed. In this perspective article, the in vitro and in vivo therapeutic properties of V. agnus-castus L. have been analyzed and reviewed with a special focus on its health-promoting effects and potential nutraceutical applications., The authors acknowledge the support of the research project: Nutraceutica come supporto nutrizionale nel paziente oncologico, CUP: B83D18000140007. E.B.S. acknowledges the sponsorship of the projects M-ERA-NET-0004/2015-PAIRED and UIDB/04469/2020 (strategic fund); A.M.S. acknowledges UIDB/04033/2020 (CITAB), receiving support from the Portuguese Science and Technology Foundation, Ministry of Science and Education (FCT/MEC) through national funds, and co-financed by FEDER under the Partnership Agreement PT2020., info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

Medicinal plants always are part of folk medicine and are nowadays receiving worldwide attention for prophylaxis, management, and treatment of several diseases, as an alternative to chemical drugs. The current work provided a comprehensive overview and analysis of the Astragalus and health relationship in literature. The analysis of their therapeutic potential is thus instrumental to understand their bioactivity. Among these, the flowering medicinal plant Astragalus membranaceus has raised interest due to several beneficial health effects. This perspective review discussed the botanical, geographical, historical, and the therapeutic properties of A. membranaceus, with a special focus on its health improving effects and medicinal applications both in vitro and in vivo., Funding provided by Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II within the CRUI-CARE Agreement, info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion

The family Cactaceae (commonly known as cactus) comprises plants with a wide applications in traditional folk medicine as well as in food and pharmaceutical industries. Among the geographically spread species in Africa, America, and the Mediterranean basin, Opuntia spp. has received particular attention attributed to its valuable functional and therapeutic compounds. Phenolic acids, antioxidants, biopeptides, pigments, soluble fibers are among those compounds of pharmaceutical and nutritional value. This chapter aims to comprehensively review recent studies and methodologies used to identify these compounds in the various parts of the plant and the biomass wasted during cultivation and fruit processing.