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Over 30 million ton of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) is produced each year and no more than 60% of all PET bottles are reclaimed for recycling due to material property deteriorations during the mechanical recycling process. Herein, a sustainable approach is proposed to produce redox-active nanoparticles via the chemical upcycling of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) waste for application in energy storage. Redox-active nanoparticles of sizes lower than 100 nm were prepared by emulsion polymerization of a methacrylic-terephthalate monomer obtained by a simple methacrylate functionalization of the depolymerization product of PET (i.e., bis-hydroxy(2-ethyl) terephthalate, BHET). The initial cyclic voltammetry results of the depolymerization product of PET used as a model compound show a reversible redox process, when using a 0.1 M tetrabutylammonium hexafluorophosphate/dimethyl sulfoxide electrolyte system, with a standard redox potential of −2.12 V vs. Fc/Fc+. Finally, the cycling performance of terephthalate nanoparticles was investigated using a 0.1 M TBAPF6 solution in acetonitrile as electrolyte in a three-electrode cell. The terephthalate anode electrode displays good cycling stability and performance at high C-rate (i.e., ≥5C), delivering a stable specific discharge capacity of 32.8 mAh.g−1 at a C-rate of 30 C, with a capacity retention of 94% after 100 cycles. However, a large hysteresis between the specific discharge and charge capacities and capacity fading are observed at lower C-rate (i.e., ≤2C), suggesting some irreversibility of redox reactions associated with the terephthalate moiety, in particular related to the oxidation process.

Europe's Bologna Process has been identified as a pioneering approach in regional cooperation with respect to the area of higher education. To address the challenges of African higher education, policymakers are recommending regional cooperation that uses the Bologna Process as a model. Based on these recommendations, the African Union Commission (AUC) in 2007 developed a strategic document on higher education harmonization. As higher education reforms are context-specific, the question arises as to how the policy of harmonization of higher education systems in Africa can be implemented in a way that fosters greater regional integration, taking into consideration the context of African higher education systems. This research, which is based mainly on a review of European and African official documents, focuses on the reform issues proposed by the AUC in the harmonization process and compares them with those of the Bologna Process.

Cisplatin is a potent chemotherapeutic drug that is widely used in the treatment of various solid cancers. However, its clinical effectiveness is strongly limited by frequent severe adverse effects, in particular nephrotoxicity and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy. Thus, there is an urgent medical need to identify novel strategies that limit cisplatin-induced toxicity. In the present study, we show that the FDA-approved adenosine A2A receptor antagonist istradefylline (KW6002) protected from cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity and neuropathic pain in mice with or without tumors. Moreover, we also demonstrate that the antitumoral properties of cisplatin were not altered by istradefylline in tumor-bearing mice and could even be potentiated. Altogether, our results support the use of istradefylline as a valuable preventive approach for the clinical management of patients undergoing cisplatin treatment.

The monolithic churches of Lalibela are commonly regarded as evidence for the shift of the Christian kingdom of Ethiopia from Aksum to the Ethiopian Highlands during the thirteenth century AD. Recent research, however, has shown that the rock-cut churches were not created ex nihilo. New archaeological evidence has emerged for an earlier, local troglodytic culture, particularly at Washa Mika'el, further illuminating the cosmopolitan society that existed in medieval Ethiopia. This article considers the role played by this troglodytic culture in the Christianisation of the Ethiopian Highlands and how it attests continuity with its predecessors, especially in the way that sculpted decor are perpetuated and transformed in the frame of a new religious background. Keywords: Ethiopia, Lalibela, Washa Mika'el, Christianisation, troglodytism, rock-cut church, Introduction The history of Ethiopia between the fall of the kingdom of Aksum (seventh century AD) and the rise of the Zagwe Dynasty (eleventh to late thirteenth centuries) remains clouded [...]

Ambulatory instrumented insoles are widely used in real-time monitoring of the plantar pressure in order to calculate balance indicators such as Center of Pressure (CoP) or Pressure Maps. Such insoles include many pressure sensors; the required number and surface area of the sensors used are usually determined experimentally. Additionally, they follow the common plantar pressure zones, and the quality of measurement is usually strongly related to the number of sensors. In this paper, we experimentally investigate the robustness of an anatomical foot model, combined with a specific learning algorithm, to measure the static displacement of the center of pressure (CoP) and the center of total pressure (CoPT), as a function of the number, size, and position of sensors. Application of our algorithm to the pressure maps of nine healthy subjects shows that only three sensors per foot, with an area of about 1.5 × 1.5 cm2, are needed to give a good approximation of the CoP during quiet standing when placed on the main pressure areas.

Benzo[1,3,2]dithiazole‐1,1,3‐trioxides are bench‐stable and easy‐to‐use reagents. In photoredox catalysis, they generate methyl and perdeuteromethyl radicals which can add to a variety of radical acceptors, including olefins, acrylamides, quinoxalinones, isocyanides, enol silanes, and N‐Ts acrylamide. As byproduct, a salt is formed which can be regenerated to the original methylating agent. Flow chemistry provides an option for reaction scale‐up further underscoring the synthetic usefulness of these methylation reagents. Mechanistic investigations suggest a single‐electron transfer (SET) pathway induced by photoredox catalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amid the current environmental crisis caused by plastic accumulation, one of the proposed solutions to manage this problem is using biodegradable polymers. However, the impact of adding biodegradable polymers to the well-established circular economy of recyclable polymers, such as HDPE, has not been fully considered. Therefore, there is a need to reconsider the way we consume, dispose of, and manage biodegradable polymers after use. This study evaluates the effect of varying the contents of a biodegradable polymer, taking poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as a model biodegradable polymer, on the thermal and mechanical properties of HDPE. The study highlights the importance of identifying and disposing of biodegradable polymers to avoid mixtures with HDPE, in order not to affect mechanical performance when considering reprocessing and a new life cycle of this conventional polymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The increasing incidence of fluoroquinolones (FQ) resistance may lower its efficacy in preventing UTI following transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy (TRUS-PB). We assessed the efficacy and safety of FQ and fosfomycin-trometamol (FT) in patients undergoing TRUS-PB. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted between April 2017 and June 2019 and enrolled men undergoing TRUS-PB and receiving a single-dose of FQ (FQ-arm) or FT (FT-arm) for UTI prophylaxis per physician’s choice. The primary efficacy endpoint was self-reported TRUS-PB UTI. We assessed baseline factors associated with UTI with logistic regression. Results: A total of 222 men were enrolled, 141/222 (64%) received FQ, and 81/222 (36%) FT. The median age was 67.6 years [IQR, 61.4–72.1] and the Charlson score was 3 [IQR, 3–5]. The overall incidence of self-reported TRUS-PB UTI was 12% (24/197, (95%CI, 8%–17%)): 15% (17/116, (95% CI, 10%–17%)) in FQ-arm, versus 9% (7/81, 95% CI (5%–13%)) in FT-arm (RR = 0.55 (95% CI, 0.22–1.40), p-value = 0.209). No baseline characteristic was significantly associated with TRUS-PB UTI. Safety was similar between the arms: the rate of the reported adverse event was 31% (36/116, (95% CI, 25%–37%) in the FQ-arm versus 36% (28/81, (95% CI, 28%–41%)) in the FT-arm (RR = 1.17 (95% CI, 0.64–2.15), p = 0.602). Conclusions: TRUS-PB UTI prophylaxis with FT and FQ has similar efficacy and safety. A randomized comparison of these two antibiotics is warranted.