Procter & Gamble (Netherlands)

Photovoltaic energy is expected to lead renewable energy growth, but rising solar energy penetration increases vulnerability to climate-driven intermittency. Here, we examine how the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, the dominant source of seasonal-to-interannual climate variability, affects photovoltaic power output. Using four decades of reanalysis data, we show that El Niño events reduce surface solar irradiance, causing sustained solar energy deficits in regions with growing solar energy penetration, including California, the southern Atacama Desert, the Chaco Basin, the Middle East, and East China. These impacts are especially pronounced during rare Super El Niño events, of which only three have occurred since the early 1980s. Our analysis indicates that future Super El Niño events could significantly lower photovoltaic generation, increase reliance on fossil fuel backup, and temporarily raise carbon dioxide emissions by tens of millions of tons. El Niño events systematically reduce photovoltaic power potential across major solar regions, with Super El Niño episodes triggering multimonth solar energy deficits and temporary increases in carbon dioxide emissions, according to four decades of reanalysis data.

For construction and maintenance of infrastructure, a good understanding of the engineering properties of the subsoil is needed. In some areas, the subsoil contains deposits of peats and organic soils. Although many studies on the strength of peats, in the laboratory and the field, have been published, little is known on the strain-rate dependency of peat strength. In this paper, we discuss a series of triaxial and direct simple shear (DSS) tests conducted at different strain rates. The results were compared to trends observed in clays. Moreover, numerical simulations were conducted using the Creep SClay1 model. Equivalent to clay behaviour, the tested peat showed the impact of rate effects. The higher the shearing rate, the higher the undrained shear strength. The numerical simulations captured the peat behaviour reasonably well. Moreover, heterogeneity of the tested material masked a possible trend with over-consolidation ratio (OCR). The tests provided a clear starting point for further exploring rate effects in testing peats. Additional tests and numerical simulations by different constitutive models that account for viscous effects are suggested to develop an understanding of peat behaviour.

Although the 5-factor modified frailty index (mFI-5) has been shown to be an independent predictor of complications after primary total hip arthroplasty (THA), its predictive value has not been evaluated in the setting of hip fracture. We therefore assessed the utility of mFI-5 score as an independent predictor of morbidity and mortality in patients who underwent THA or hemiarthroplasty for femoral neck fracture. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement database was queried for all patients with femoral neck fractures treated with THA or hemiarthroplasty between 2006 and 2020. A multivariate logistic regression analysis was done using mFI-5 as a predictor while controlling for baseline demographic and clinical variables. In total, 45,185 patients (hemiarthroplasty: 37,645; THA: 7,540) were identified. For hemiarthroplasty patients, the mFI-5 strongly predicted risk of any complication (OR, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.2; P < 0.001), bleeding (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.3; P < 0.001), and readmission (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.3; P < 0.001). For THA patients, the mFI-5 was a strong predictor of any complication (OR, 1.2; 95% CI, 1.0 to 1.3; P = 0.023), pneumonia (OR, 1.4; 95% CI, 1.0 to 2.0; P = 0.047), and readmission (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.6; P = 0.004). The mFI-5 is an independent predictor of morbidity and complications after hemiarthroplasty and THA for femoral neck fracture. Importantly, readmission risk was predicted by the mFI-5. The mFI-5 may present a valuable clinical tool for assessment of high-risk patients who might require additional resources and specialized care after femoral neck fracture.

This Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) describes the linkage between oxidative DNA damage and irreversible genomic damage (chromosomal aberrations and mutations). DNA damage is considered an important contributor to the adverse health effects of many environmental toxicants and this AOP may thus be of widespread use to the regulatory community. Although increase in oxidative DNA damage is the molecular initiating event for this AOP, there are numerous upstream key events that can also lead to DNA oxidation. Thus, this AOP may be expanded upstream, and could be incorporated into a variety of AOP networks. Furthermore, the AOP points to critical research gaps required to establish the quantitative associations and modulating factors that connect KEs across the AOP, and highlights the utility of novel test methods in understanding and evaluating the implications of oxidative DNA damage. This AOP is referred to as AOP 296 in the Collaborative Adverse Outcome Pathway Wiki (AOP-Wiki).

We present a coarse-grained molecular model of the surface of human hair, which consists of a lipid monolayer, in the MARTINI framework. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we identify a lipid grafting distance that yields a monolayer thickness consistent with atomistic simulations and experimental measurements of hair surfaces. Coarse-grained models for fully-functionalised, partially damaged, and fully damaged hair surfaces are created by randomly replacing neutral thioesters with anionic sulfonate groups. This mimics the progressive removal of fatty acids from the hair surface by bleaching. We study the structure of the lipid monolayer at different degrees of damage using molecular dynamics simulations in vacuum as well as in polar (water) and non-polar (n-hexadecane) solvents. We also compare the wetting behaviour of water and n-hexadecane on the hair surfaces through contact angle measurements conducted using molecular dynamics simulations and experiments. Our model captures the experimentally-observed transition of the hair surface from hydrophobic (and oleophilic) to hydrophilic (and oleophobic) as the level of bleaching damage increases. By using surfaces with different damage ratios, we obtain contact angles from the simulations that are in good agreement with experiments for both solvents on virgin and bleached human hairs. In both the molecular dynamics simulations and further experiments using biomimetic surfaces, the cosine of the water contact angle increases linearly with the sulfonate group surface coverage. We expect that the proposed systems will be useful for future molecular dynamics simulations of the adsorption and tribological behaviour of hair surfaces.

Cemented total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has been considered the benchmark, with excellent clinical outcomes and low rates of aseptic loosening at the long-term follow-up. However, alterations of the bone/cement interface leading to aseptic loosening, particularly in younger and obese patients, along with increased life expectancy have led to a renewed interest in noncemented TKA fixation. Certain early noncemented designs exhibited higher rates of subsidence and component failure. Improvements in designs, materials, and surgical technique offer promise for improved results with contemporary noncemented TKA applications. In an increasing cost-conscious healthcare environment, implant cost is important to consider because press-fit prostheses are generally more expensive. However, this cost may be offset by shorter surgical times, cement costs, and the potential for osseous integration. Technological advances have improved the manufacturing of porous metals, with reported excellent midterm survivorship. Future prospective, randomized trials, and registry data are needed to delineate differences between cemented and noncemented fixation, survivorship, and patient-reported outcomes, especially in young, functionally active, and/or obese populations.

This study was designed to test the hypothesis of that students who receive virtual reality training prior to practicing on natural teeth exhibit high self-confidence levels compared to their peers who receive post-practice VR training. The Null-hypothesis is that Virtual reality training cannot totally replace the ‘traditional’ cariology teaching methods. A total number of 76 students voluntarily participated on this study during their normal cariology course practical sessions. The students were assigned into 2 groups (38 each). In the test group, students performed the caries excavation on haptic machines (Cariology software, Simodont Dental Trainer, Moog Dental Simulation, NY, USA) prior to practicing on extracted natural carious teeth. Conversely, in the control group, students were exposed to virtual reality training after practicing on extracted natural teeth. An evaluation questionnaire, prepared by professional applied psychologist, was disseminated among the students to measure their satisfactory and confidence levels. The students were informed to anonymously complete this questionnaire and they were allowed to express their feelings about overall learning experience through an open-end question at the end of the questionnaire. Students were informed that their feedback will be used for course development/research purposes. The results of chi-square test showed no significant difference in responses among the two groups (p &gt; 0.05). Nevertheless, the responses of both groups showed that virtual reality is considered as a useful educational tool, most of the students (92.5%) superiorly ranked experience gained from practicing on natural carious teeth compared to VR. Furthermore, they clearly stated that virtual reality allowed them to practice more and improve their self-confidence level as well as eye-hand coordination. In light of the results of this study, the null-hypothesis of this study was accepted. In conclusion Virtual reality is a very useful adjunct tool to conventional caries excavation practice on extracted natural teeth. Although this method has numerous advantages, it cannot provide the same tactile sensation