Tunis University

About: Tunis University is a education organization based out in Tunis, Tunisia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Thin film. The organization has 11745 authors who have published 15400 publications receiving 154900 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Tunis & UT.

Indirect Matrix Converters' Enhanced Commutation Method

Abstract: This paper introduces an enhanced commutation method applied to the indirect matrix converter topology. It is based on the detection of the load current polarity so as to cancel the turn-on delay times of the load-side converter's switches. The proposed method allows the grid-side converter devices to commutate at zero current with larger time interval widths provided for this safe commutation. Moreover, it has been shown through experimental results, carried out on a laboratory prototype of the matrix converter, that a substantial improvement of line current total harmonic distortion is achieved.

High sensitivity and ultra-compact optical biosensor for detection of UREA concentration

Abstract: In this paper, we suggest two-dimensional photonic crystal based biosensors for measurement of urea concentration in urine by means of refractive index detecting. In case of variation of urea concentration in urine, both the output peak intensity and the resonant peak center wavelength will shift. Two different structure dimensions are used to analyze the sensing characteristics of urine. The first sensor consists of a novel square ring joined to a simple waveguide with rods in air configuration. The second sensor is schemed by use of two-dimensional photonic crystals based on air hole in slab with elliptical resonant cavity in the middle of a photonic crystal waveguide. To realize sensing in both cases, we fill air area by urine sample. A high sensitivity is observed in small structures. In addition, we demonstrated a high quality factor, which is superior to those reported in recently published work discussing urine components based on photonic crystal, with small size sensors and fast response times.

Relationships Between Ion Channels, Mitochondrial Functions and Inflammation in Human Aging

Abstract: Aging is often associated with a loss of function. We believe aging to be more an adaptation to the various, and often continuous, stressors encountered during life in order to maintain overall functionality of the systems. The maladaptation of a system during aging may increase the susceptibility to diseases. There are basic cellular functions that may influence and/or are influenced by aging. Mitochondrial function is amongst these. Their presence in almost all cell types makes of these valuable targets for interventions to slow down or even reserve signs of aging. In this review, the role of mitochondria and essential physiological regulators of mitochondria and cellular functions, ion channels, will be discussed in the context of human aging. The origins of inflamm-aging, associated with poor clinical outcomes, will be linked to mitochondria and ion channel biology.

Simulation-based optimization of staffing levels in an emergency department

Abstract: We use discrete event simulation to model and analyze a real-life emergency department ED. Our approach relies on the appropriate integration of most real-life ED features to the simulation model in order to derive useful practical results. Data is supplied from the ED of the urban French hospital Saint Camille. Our purpose is to optimize the human resource staffing levels. We want to minimize the patient average length of stay LOS ¯ , by integrating the staffing budget constraint and a constraint securing that the most severe incidents will see a doctor within a specified time limit. The second constraint allows to avoid the perverse effect of only considering the LOS ¯ metric that would delay the treatment of the most urgent patients. We use simulation-based optimization, in which we perform a sensitivity analysis expressing LOS ¯ as a function of the staffing budget and also the average door-to-doctor time for urgent patients DTDT ¯ . We show that the budget has a diminishing marginal effect on the problem solution. Due to the correlation between LOS ¯ and DTDT ¯ , we also observe that the DTDT ¯ constraint may significantly affect the feasibility of the problem or the value of the optimal solution.