Interpolation of Missing Precipitation Data Using Kernel Estimations for Hydrologic Modeling

Precipitation is the main factor that drives hydrologic modeling; therefore, missing precipitation data can cause malfunctions in hydrologic modeling. Although interpolation of missing precipitation data is recognized as an important research topic, only a few methods follow a regression approach. In this study, daily precipitation data were interpolated using five different kernel functions, namely, Epanechnikov, Quartic, Triweight, Tricube, and Cosine, to estimate missing precipitation data. This study also presents an assessment that compares estimation of missing precipitation data through Kth nearest neighborhood (KNN) regression to the five different kernel estimations and their performance in simulating streamflow using the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrologic model. The results show that the kernel approaches provide higher quality interpolation of precipitation data compared with the KNN regression approach, in terms of both statistical data assessment and hydrologic modeling performance

Determination of risk factors associated with surgical site infection in patients undergoing preperitoneal pelvic packing for unstable pelvic fracture

Background Several recent studies have shown that preperitoneal pelvic packing (PPP) effectively produces hemostasis in patients with unstable pelvic fractures. However, few studies have examined the rate of surgical site infections (SSIs) in patients undergoing PPP following an unstable pelvic fracture. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate factors associated with SSI in such patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of 188 patients who developed hemorrhagic shock due to pelvic fracture between April 2012 and May 2021. Forty-four patients were enrolled in this study. Results SSI occurred in 15 of 44 patients (34.1%). The SSIs occurred more frequently in cases of repacking during the second-look surgery (0 vs. 4 [26.7%], P=0.010) and combined bladder-urethra injury (1 [3.4%] vs. 4 [26.7%], P=0.039). The incidence of SSIs was not significantly different between patients undergoing depacking within or after 48 hours (12 [41.4%] vs. 5 [33.3%], P=0.603). The mean time to diagnosis of SSI was 8.1±3.9 days from PPP. The most isolated organism was Staphylococcus epidermidis. Conclusions Repacking and combined bladder-urethra injury are potential risk factors for SSI in patients with unstable pelvic fracture. Close observation is recommended for up to 8 days in patients with these risk factors. Further, 48 hours after PPP, removing the packed gauze on cessation of bleeding and not performing repacking can help prevent SSI. Additional analyses are necessary with a larger number of patients with the potential risk factors identified in this study

Exploring aryl hydrocarbon receptor expression and distribution in the tumor microenvironment, with a focus on immune cells, in various solid cancer types

IntroductionAryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a transcription factor that performs various functions upon ligand activation. Several studies have explored the role of AhR expression in tumor progression and immune surveillance. Nevertheless, investigations on the distribution of AhR expression, specifically in cancer or immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), remain limited. Examining the AhR expression and distribution in the TME is crucial for gaining insights into the mechanism of action of AhR-targeting anticancer agents and their potential as biomarkers.MethodsHere, we used multiplexed immunohistochemistry (mIHC) and image cytometry to investigate the AhR expression and distribution in 513 patient samples, of which 292 are patients with one of five solid cancer types. Additionally, we analyzed the nuclear and cytosolic distribution of AhR expression.ResultsOur findings reveal that AhR expression was primarily localized in cancer cells, followed by stromal T cells and macrophages. Furthermore, we observed a positive correlation between the nuclear and cytosolic expression of AhR, indicating that the expression of AhR as a biomarker is independent of its localization. Interestingly, the expression patterns of AhR were categorized into three clusters based on the cancer type, with high AhR expression levels being found in regulatory T cells (Tregs) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).DiscussionThese findings are anticipated to serve as pivotal evidence for the design of clinical trials and the analysis of the anticancer mechanisms of AhR-targeting therapies

Search for gravitational-lensing signatures in the full third observing run of the LIGO-Virgo network

Gravitational lensing by massive objects along the line of sight to the source causes distortions of gravitational wave-signals; such distortions may reveal information about fundamental physics, cosmology and astrophysics. In this work, we have extended the search for lensing signatures to all binary black hole events from the third observing run of the LIGO--Virgo network. We search for repeated signals from strong lensing by 1) performing targeted searches for subthreshold signals, 2) calculating the degree of overlap amongst the intrinsic parameters and sky location of pairs of signals, 3) comparing the similarities of the spectrograms amongst pairs of signals, and 4) performing dual-signal Bayesian analysis that takes into account selection effects and astrophysical knowledge. We also search for distortions to the gravitational waveform caused by 1) frequency-independent phase shifts in strongly lensed images, and 2) frequency-dependent modulation of the amplitude and phase due to point masses. None of these searches yields significant evidence for lensing. Finally, we use the non-detection of gravitational-wave lensing to constrain the lensing rate based on the latest merger-rate estimates and the fraction of dark matter composed of compact objects

Search for eccentric black hole coalescences during the third observing run of LIGO and Virgo

Despite the growing number of confident binary black hole coalescences observed through gravitational waves so far, the astrophysical origin of these binaries remains uncertain. Orbital eccentricity is one of the clearest tracers of binary formation channels. Identifying binary eccentricity, however, remains challenging due to the limited availability of gravitational waveforms that include effects of eccentricity. Here, we present observational results for a waveform-independent search sensitive to eccentric black hole coalescences, covering the third observing run (O3) of the LIGO and Virgo detectors. We identified no new high-significance candidates beyond those that were already identified with searches focusing on quasi-circular binaries. We determine the sensitivity of our search to high-mass (total mass M>70 M⊙) binaries covering eccentricities up to 0.3 at 15 Hz orbital frequency, and use this to compare model predictions to search results. Assuming all detections are indeed quasi-circular, for our fiducial population model, we place an upper limit for the merger rate density of high-mass binaries with eccentricities 0<e≤0.3 at 0.33 Gpc−3 yr−1 at 90\% confidence level

Ultralight vector dark matter search using data from the KAGRA O3GK run

Among the various candidates for dark matter (DM), ultralight vector DM can be probed by laser interferometric gravitational wave detectors through the measurement of oscillating length changes in the arm cavities. In this context, KAGRA has a unique feature due to differing compositions of its mirrors, enhancing the signal of vector DM in the length change in the auxiliary channels. Here we present the result of a search for U(1)B−L gauge boson DM using the KAGRA data from auxiliary length channels during the first joint observation run together with GEO600. By applying our search pipeline, which takes into account the stochastic nature of ultralight DM, upper bounds on the coupling strength between the U(1)B−L gauge boson and ordinary matter are obtained for a range of DM masses. While our constraints are less stringent than those derived from previous experiments, this study demonstrates the applicability of our method to the lower-mass vector DM search, which is made difficult in this measurement by the short observation time compared to the auto-correlation time scale of DM

Object-oriented hydrologic modeling with GIS

A prototype geographic information system (GIS) based tightly coupled object oriented framework called GIS and Hydrologic Information System Modeling Object (GHISMO) is presented in this thesis. The proposed GHISMO framework is developed within ArcGIS environment such that geographic datasets can be treated as hydrologic objects that have properties and methods to simulate a hydrologic system. The overall GHISMO framework consists of HydroShed as a super class which is composed of six sub classes, namely, HydroGrid (for grid based data such as digital elevation model), ParameterGrid (for grid based parameters such as land use type), HydroArea (for polygon features such as lakes and reservoirs), HydroCatchment (for polygon features representing catchments and watersheds), HydroLine (for polyline features such as rivers) and HydroTable (for input and output tabular data). The GHISMO framework is applied to develop a modular hydrologic modeling system called the Storage Release based Distributed Hydrologic Model (STORE DHM). The storage–release concept uses the travel time within each grid cell to compute how much water is stored or discharged to the watershed outlet at each time step. The STORE DHM is tested by simulating multiple hydrologic events in three watersheds in Indiana. In addition, the GHISMO framework is tested for its flexibility to adopt additional modules by implementing three rainfall bias correction methods to provide accurate input for the STORE DHM. Application of STORE DHM to multiple hydrologic events in three different watersheds in Indiana show that the model is able to predict runoff hydrographs for different types of events in terms of storm duration, peak flow magnitude and time–to– peak. In addition, STORE DHM output is compared with outputs from two hydrologic models including Hydrologic Engineering Center’s Hydrologic Modeling System (HEC– HMS) and time variant Spatially Distributed Direct Hydrograph travel time method (SDDH). Results from these comparisons show that the STORE DHM outperforms both HEC–HMS and SDDH in terms of overall hydrograph shape and flow magnitude. The flexibility of GHISMO framework is tested by extending it to include a rainfall bias correction module. The rainfall bias correction module is then used to correct NEXRAD radar rainfall by implanting two non–uniform bias correction techniques. Results from STORE DHM simulations using the original NEXRAD rainfall and bias-corrected rainfall created in this study shows that the model response is dictated by rainfall variations in the study area. The performance of STORE DHM output is relatively better in a larger watershed with high variable rainfall compared to a smaller watershed with uniform rainfall pattern. The findings from this study are limited by the number of watersheds used, and the quality of the data. More testing of the GHISMO framework and its modules is needed to make the proposed framework applicable for different watersheds with varying scales

Fatigue Behavior of an AM50 Die-Casting Alloy Anodized by Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation

While an anodizing process is essential for magnesium alloys to be used under corrosive environments, it sometimes stimulates a fatigue fracture that initiates at the interface between the coating layer and the substrate. In this study, a plasma electrolyte oxidation (PEO) technique was employed to provide excellent adhesion between the anodizing layer and the AM50 die-cast by applying an extremely high dielectric discharge in an alkaline phosphate electrolyte, and its effect on corrosion and fatigue behaviors was investigated. The stress intensity factor at the fatigue limit was estimated to be 0.28 MPam0.5. The specimen anodized using the PEO technique exhibits enhanced strength and corrosion resistance compared to the unanodized counterpart. Furthermore, it shows a relative fatigue life in spite of the thick anodizing layer because the crack initiates from the interface, not from the pore near the interface

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Amorphous Hydrogenated DLC-Coated Ti-6Al-4V ELI Alloy with TiCN Interlayer Prepared by rf-PECVD

The low adherence of diamond-like carbon (DLC) films on titanium (Ti) alloys can be improved by using interlayer coatings. In this study, DLC (a-C:H) films were deposited using radio-frequency plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (rf-PECVD), and a TiCN interlayer was applied between the extra low interstitial (ELI) grade of Ti-6Al-4V alloy and a-C:H film. The characteristics of the a-C:H-coated Ti-6Al-4V ELI alloy were investigated using field emission scanning electron microscopy, Vickers hardness, and scratch and wear tests. The DLC (a-C:H) films deposited by rf-PECVD had a thickness of 1.7 μm, and the TiCN interlayer hada thickness of 1.1 μm. Vickers hardness of the DLC (a-C:H) films were increased as a result of the influence of the TiCN interlayer. The resulting friction coefficient of the a-C:H-coated Ti-6Al-4V with the TiCN interlayer had an extremely low value of 0.07