University of Monastir

About: University of Monastir is a education organization based out in Monastir, Tunisia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Adsorption & Population. The organization has 5072 authors who have published 7488 publications receiving 78620 citations. The organization is also known as: UM.

Reduced peripheral availability of tryptophan and increased activation of the kynurenine pathway and cortisol correlate with major depression and suicide.

Abstract: Objectives: Patients affected by major depression (MDD) are at high risk of suicide. The metabolism of tryptophan (Trp) along the serotonin (5-HT) and kynurenine (Kyn) pathways was found dysfunctional in MDD and in suicide. However, a clear biological framework linking dysfunctions in Trp metabolism via 5-HT and Kyn, cortisol, and the activities of tryptophan and indoleamino 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO, IDO) enzymes has not been yet clarified in MDD with or without suicidal behaviours.Methods: We analysed peripheral markers of Trp via 5-HT and Kyn pathways, Kyn/Trp ratio as a measure of TDO/IDO activities, cortisol, and psychopathology in 73 non-suicidal and 56 suicidal MDD patients, and in 40 healthy controls.Results: Plasma Trp levels were lower and the ratio Kyn/Trp higher in suicidal MDD than in non-suicidal MDD patients and controls. Trp levels and the ratio Kyn/Trp correlated with suicidal ideation, and cortisol with the Kyn/Trp ratio. Finally, Trp levels discriminated controls from non-suicidal and suicidal MDD patients, and also non-suicidal from suicidal MDD patients.Conclusions: Reduced availability of Trp for 5-HT synthesis and increased activation of the Kyn pathway and cortisol correlate with depression and suicide. Low plasma Trp levels may be a biomarker of MDD and suicide in MDD.

Patient Safety Friendly Hospital Initiative: from evidence to action in seven developing country hospitals

Abstract: Quality problem. Recent evidence in the level of patient safety from hospitals in six developing countries in the Eastern Mediterranean Region has demonstrated the high prevalence of adverse events, the excessive rate of death and permanent disability and their high preventability. The Patient Safety Friendly Hospital Initiative (PSFHI) has been launched to respond to these challenges. Initial assessment. The principal approach of the PSFHI has been to develop an assessment manual that has 140 patient safety standards across five domains—leadership and management, patients and public involvement, safe evidence-based clinical practices, safe environment and lifelong learning. Choice of solution and implementation. Ministries of health of seven countries—Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, Sudan, Tunisia and Yemen were asked to nominate one hospital for assessment and then follow-up with an improvement plan. Evaluation. The standards are divided into critical (20), core (90) and developmental (30). The range of critical standards, the compulsory standards with which a hospital has to comply, achieved by participating hospitals was 8 –78%. Overall, in the domain of leadership and management the highest compliance was 47%, for patients and public involvement 25%, for safe evidence-based clinical practice 53%, for safe environment 64% and for lifelong learning 27%. Lessons learned. This is the first systematic multi-country initiative in the Eastern Mediterranean Region, which provides compelling evidence that assessment of patient safety standards is feasible and applicable in resource-poor settings and there are significant opportunities for improving the level of patient safety in these hospitals.

Computational Analysis of Three-Dimensional Unsteady Natural Convection and Entropy Generation in a Cubical Enclosure Filled with Water-Al2O3 Nanofluid

Abstract: Effects of Rayleigh number, solid volume fraction and entropy generation on the natural convection heat transfer and fluid flow inside a three-dimensional cubical enclosure filled with water-Al2O3 nanofluid have been investigated numerically using the control volume finite difference method. The enclosure left sidewall is maintained at isothermal hot temperature, while the right one is maintained at isothermal cold temperature. The other enclosure walls are considered adiabatic. The second law of thermodynamics is applied to predict the nature of irreversibility in terms of entropy generation rate. Numerical computations are carried out for Rayleigh numbers from $${(10^{3} \leq {\rm Ra} \leq 10^{6})}$$ , solid volume fraction from $${(0\% \leq \varphi\, \leq 20\%)}$$ , while the Prandtl number of water is considered constant as (Pr = 6.2). Streamlines, isothermal lines, counters of local and total entropy generation and the variation of Bejan number, local and average Nusselt numbers are presented and discussed in detail. The results explain that the average Nusselt number increases when the solid volume fraction of nanoparticles and the Rayleigh number increase. Also, the Bejan and average Nusselt numbers have a reverse behavior to each other for the same range of Rayleigh number and solid volume fraction. In addition, the results show that the entropy generation rate due to heat transfer, friction and the total entropy generation increase as the solid volume fraction increases, while it increases highly when the Rayleigh number increases especially near the hot left sidewall.