The rapid growth of photovoltaic (PV) energy generation has raised concerns about premature module replacement and the resulting increase in waste with discarded modules. Circular economy strategies as reuse can extend module lifetimes, but their viability depends on verified safety and reliable performance. This study presents a technical characterization and experimental evaluation of multicrystalline silicon PV modules, originally installed in 2000, decommissioned after 22 years of off-grid operation on an island in Brazil, and screened for faults. After this screening, the modules were redeployed in southern Brazil in two independent experimental configurations: (i) two modules were monitored individually in an outdoor setup with continuous IV curve measurements, and (ii) a string of 14 modules was reinstalled in a grid-connected rooftop system. In the individual-module outdoor setup, after one year of second-life operation, the modules exhibited stable behavior, with performance consistent with annual degradation rates of 0.40–0.44%, well below the typical warranty value of 1%/year at the time of manufacturing. For the grid-connected rooftop system, after 23 years, the grid-connected PV string showed a total degradation of 14.0% and a weather-corrected Performance Ratio (PR) of 85.3%, exceeding the 80% threshold guaranteed by the manufacturer’s 20-year performance warranty. Insulation resistance and thermal inspections confirmed electrical safety, with only minor anomalies detected. The results demonstrate that second-life PV modules can operate safely and effectively after decommissioning and more than two decades after manufacture, highlighting their potential contribution to circular economy strategies in the solar sector.
Alcohol consumption is a priority public health problem among adolescents and young adults in the world. This study aimed to determine the factors associated with alcohol consumption among adolescents and young adults aged 15-24 years in the health zones (HZ) of Limete and N’sele, in Kinshasa. Several factors would be associated with early alcohol consumption among this population, including age, male gender, level of education, income-generating activity, etc. A cross-sectional analytical study involving 372 adolescents and young adults was conducted. Data was collected using the Kobocollect application and analyzed using SPSS v. 25 software. Quantitative variables were summarized as median and its interquartile range (IQR), and qualitative variables were summarized as frequencies and cross-tabulations. The Chi-Square test was performed to determine the association between alcohol consumption and independent variables. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to establish the relationship between alcohol consumption (dependent variable) and independent variables. The odds ratio (OR) and its 95% confidence interval were used to quantify the association. The age range was 14-25 years; the prevalence of alcohol consumption was 49.5%. The income-generating activity was associated with alcohol consumption, according to multivariate analysis, adjusted OR =3.26 (95% IC 2.04 to 5.2), p-value <0.001. Alcohol consumption remains a real public health problem in Limete and Nsele HZ, in Kinshasa, DRC. Efforts must be made to regulate the sale and consumption of alcohol by adolescents and young adults and to raise their awareness to help reduce this scourge. The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Kinshasa School of Public Health (approval number: ESP/CE/119/2024).
Background: Humans have used plants as a primary source of care in medicine since ancient times. Currently, about 80% of the population in southern Africa uses traditional medicine to meet their primary healthcare needs. This research was conducted with the aim of surveying ethnobotanical healing plants used by the Bambenga indigenous people of Dongo, the Democratic Republic of Congo.Methodology: The study was conducted from May to June 2022. Semi-structured questionnaires were used to conduct the survey. Data collected included local names of plants, parts used, plant life forms, methods of preparation, and administration of plant remedies. Descriptive statistics were used to present the data in tabular and graphical forms. Results: Overall, 21 medicinal plant species belonging to 8 plant families were recorded to be used by Bambenga indigenous people to heal their wounds. Trees (38%), and shrubs (28%) were the most used life forms, while the leaves (48%) and bark (38%) were the most exploited parts of the plant. Incision (38%) and local application (95%) were the main method of drug preparation and administration used for the herbal recipes, respectively. Conclusion: Herbal remedies were an important source of treatment for human ailments Dongo. Future research should explore the appropriate methods of drug preservation, preparation, and dosage of herbal remedies in order to obtain the best benefits from them.
This article analyses linguistically Achebe’s style and rhetoric in Things Fall Apart. In particular, his use of ‘’African English’’, drawing on proverbs, tales, and idioms of the Igbo culture, some borrowings from his native tongue, and some writing techniques used. This novel is written by Chinua Achebe, a Nigerian writer, and he interposes in it western linguistic forms and literary traditions in order to record and preserve African Oral traditions as well as to subvert the colonialist language and culture.
A study was conducted at Gbado-Lite city to assess the capacity of plantain macro-propagation by applying the PIF technique. To do this, the fragments of three types of banana trees: French, true horn and false horn were sown in a propagator containing sawdust. After germination, the seedlings were transplanted into polyethylene bags containing a mixture of clay and potting soil and installed under the shadehouse. With regard to the results obtained and statistical tests (at the 5% threshold), the significant difference between these three types of banana trees was only observed for the number of seedlings emitted by explant, the number of suckers weaned, the height of the plants at weaning and the mortality rate of plants in the nursery. Thus, emergence having taken place 2 weeks after sowing, after 46 days after resumption and 61 days after sowing, the French type was significantly different from two others with an average of 6 seedlings emitted and 4 suckers weaned per explant; the true and false horn being tied with 5 seedlings and 3 weaned suckers per explant. As for the height of the plants at weaning, the true horn (19.9 cm) was significantly higher than the other two (French: 17.7 cm and false horn: 19.6 cm). Finally, with 1.1% for True horn had a significantly lower mortality rate for plants in the nursery than the others (6.7% for French horn and 3.8 % for False horn). Although, the PIF technique influenced the suckering in a way strongly dependent on the cultivars, it can be popularized for these three types studied in order to promote banana cultivation in the agro-ecological conditions of Gbado-Lite.
