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In this paper, we introduce the probabilistic Bernstein polynomials and derive new and interesting correlations among several special functions and special number sequences such as Euler polynomials, Bernoulli polynomials of higher order, Frobenius–Euler polynomials of higher order, Stirling numbers of the second kind and Bell polynomials subject to several special random variables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prunus mira and Prunus armeniaca are the two prominent fruit-bearing plant species in the Nepal Himalaya and possess notable ethnobotanical significance. These two species represent relatively unexplored edible resources in Nepalese flora and are characterized by the presence of glands in their leaves and fruits with stony endocarp. Subsequent to an on-site investigation and personal interviews with 90 respondents, we accumulated comprehensive data related to folk nomenclature, distribution, ethnobotanical, threats, and conservation status of P. mira and P. armeniaca in the Nepal Himalaya. We recorded a total of nine vernacular names for P. mira and six for P. armeniaca. P. mira was found to be distributed in six districts at an elevation of 2200–3600 m and P. armeniaca in nine districts within the range between 1500 and 3500 m. The use reports of P. mira were more than 454 and that of P. armeniaca were 367 with significant difference (W = 5485, p < 0.05). Site-wise, the use report of P. armeniaca was significantly different (χ2 = 44.317, df = 5, p < 0.01) but the use report of P. mira was less significant. Both species are economically valuable, growing in the farmyards and homestead areas. However, the modifications to agricultural practices posed an additional threat to the survival of these species. Establishing contemporary harvesting infrastructure, developing sustainable marketing goods, and disseminating conservation awareness throughout the Nepal Himalaya areas are necessary to ensure their preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gears, including drifting fish aggregating devices (dFADs), in marine ecosystems poses significant ecological and socioeconomic concerns. The estimation of the number of dFADs in the marine environment is challenging due to the loss of tracking information when dFAD tracking buoys are remotely deactivated. For the first time, a data set of dFADs buoy positions, including those that had previously been remotely deactivated, has been made available for the period July–August 2020. Data from this period provide valuable insights into the life expectancy, spatial distribution, and status of deactivated dFAD buoys, enabling a more accurate assessment of dFAD presence and impacts. Deactivated buoys represented a 17.2% increase in the total number of tracked objects, and we estimate the in-water half-life of deactivated dFAD tracking buoys to be 101 days. Including deactivated buoys increases the number of strandings during the SP by 23.7%. Nevertheless, the representativity of these results is unknown given the limited spatio-temporal and numerical extent of our data, highlighting the importance of availability of comprehensive data on dFADs to effectively estimate their total numbers and mitigate their environmental impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work presents a new method called Dimensionless Fluctuation Balance (DFB), which makes it possible to obtain distributions as solutions of Partial Differential Equations (PDEs). In the first case study, DFB was applied to obtain the Boltzmann PDE, whose solution is a distribution for Boltzmann gas. Following, the Planck photon gas in the Radiation Law, Fermi–Dirac, and Bose–Einstein distributions were also verified as solutions to the Boltzmann PDE. The first case study demonstrates the importance of the Boltzmann PDE and the DFB method, both introduced in this paper. In the second case study, DFB is applied to thermal and entropy energies, naturally resulting in a PDE of Boltzmann's entropy law. Finally, in the third case study, quantum effects were considered. So, when applying DFB with Heisenberg uncertainty relations, a Schrödinger case PDE for free particles and its solution were obtained. This allows for the determination of operators linked to Hamiltonian formalism, which is one way to obtain the Schrödinger equation. These results suggest a wide range of applications for this methodology, including Statistical Physics, Schrödinger's Quantum Mechanics, Thin Films, New Materials Modeling, and Theoretical Physics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractional derivatives and integrals for measures and distributions are reviewed. The focus is on domains and co-domains for translation invariant fractional operators. Fractional derivatives and integrals interpreted as -convolution operators with power law kernels are found to have the largest domains of definition. As a result, extending domains from functions to distributions via convolution operators contributes to far reaching unifications of many previously existing definitions of fractional integrals and derivatives. Weyl fractional operators are thereby extended to distributions using the method of adjoints. In addition, discretized fractional calculus and fractional calculus of periodic distributions can both be formulated and understood in terms of -convolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This work presents a new method called Dimensionless Fluctuation Balance (DFB), which makes it possible to obtain distributions as solutions of Partial Differential Equations (PDEs). In the first case study, DFB was applied to obtain the Boltzmann PDE, whose solution is a distribution for Boltzmann gas. Following, the Planck photon gas in the Radiation Law, Fermi–Dirac, and Bose–Einstein distributions were also verified as solutions to the Boltzmann PDE. The first case study demonstrates the importance of the Boltzmann PDE and the DFB method, both introduced in this paper. In the second case study, DFB is applied to thermal and entropy energies, naturally resulting in a PDE of Boltzmann’s entropy law. Finally, in the third case study, quantum effects were considered. So, when applying DFB with Heisenberg uncertainty relations, a Schrödinger case PDE for free particles and its solution were obtained. This allows for the determination of operators linked to Hamiltonian formalism, which is one way to obtain the Schrödinger equation. These results suggest a wide range of applications for this methodology, including Statistical Physics, Schrödinger’s Quantum Mechanics, Thin Films, New Materials Modeling, and Theoretical Physics.

The classical Rolle's theorem establishes the existence of (at least) one zero of the derivative of a continuous one-variable function on a compact interval in the real line, which attains the same value at the extremes, and it is differentiable in the interior of the interval. In this paper, we generalize the statement in four ways. First, we provide a version for functions whose domain is in a locally convex topological Hausdorff vector space, which can possibly be infinite-dimensional. Then, we deal with the functions defined in a real interval: we consider the case of unbounded intervals, the case of functions endowed with a weak derivative, and, finally, we consider the case of distributions over an open interval in the real line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce the probabilistic Bernstein polynomials and derive new and interesting correlations among several special functions and special number sequences such as Euler polynomials, Bernoulli polynomials of higher order, Frobenius–Euler polynomials of higher order, Stirling numbers of the second kind and Bell polynomials subject to several special random variables.

We assessed the richness, diversity, composition of the large mammal community in Ghamot National Park (GNP), Neelum valley Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan, and how these characteristics differed between four habitat types: forest, riparian zone, scrubland, and wetland, as well as between seasons. Across all locales with 66 line transect surveys (53km), indirect observation had the highest sampling (n=131; 76.60%) while direct observation had the lowest (n=40; 23.39). Fecal dropping was the most common type of indirect evidence (n=73; 55.72%), followed by foot prints (n=29; 9.94%) and dens/latrine (n=19; 14.50%). The Scrubland zone had the most indirect evidences (n=37) of any zone (elevation ranges between 2600-3600m).The forest zone (elevation ranges between 2700-3450m) had the second highest sampling (n=28), followed by the Alpine Zone (n=28), Riparian Zone (n=21), and Alpine Pasture Zone (n=16) (elevation 4000-4400m; habitat type high alpine pastures). By using direct and indirect field evidence, 14 species from 6 families were identified. Unfortunately, the number of species encountered directly was low in this study; four species (28.57%) were directly observed, including Canis aureus, Vulpes vulpes, Macaca mulatta, and Semnopithecus ajax, while the remaining ten (71.42%) were observed indirectly. Summer had the most direct and indirect observations (n=86; 50.29%), followed by winter (n=85; 49.70%). (4.28). Season had little effect on species richness, diversity, and composition across or within habitat types. However, the richness of species varied greatly across seasons among the four habitat types. The forest and riparian zone had the greatest similarity in species composition, both between and among seasons. Finally, our findings show that GNP has an essential influence in Pakistan mammal conservation. Our findings will provide as a baseline for park management to make effective conservation decisions, as well as a baseline for researchers conducting similar ecological studies.

Baitul Mal Unisba (BMU), a zakat-based philanthropic institution, offers scholarships to its students, aiming not only to support their tuition but also to foster exceptional character development. This research addresses a significant challenge at BMU: the inefficiency in its administrative processes due to the absence of a robust information system. The study proposes developing a management information system to optimize scholarship distribution, precision, and accuracy of managing scholarship data - from collection and recording to processing and reporting. This improvement is anticipated to support more informed decision-making in scholarship distribution. The system was built using the Rapid Application Development process, which consists of three stages: requirements planning, workshop design, and implementation. The emphasis is on the optimal use of scholarship funds, time, and manpower. This research made an important contribution by developing a prototype of a web-based scholarship information system aimed at improving the effectiveness of distribution. The newly created scholarship management information system improves these processes by removing duplicate tasks and streamlining the overall workflow. It provides comprehensive data for the decisionmaking panel, including academic performance, activity reports, and scholarship quotas. Initial testing of the prototype shows that it meets all functional requirements, suggesting its potential effectiveness in resolving the current challenges in BMU's scholarship selection and distribution process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce the index Whittaker transform as a continuous linear map from one space of Boehmian into another. The index Whittaker transform is further investigated for the compactly supported distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we presented Tauberian type results that intricately link the quasi-asymptotic behavior of both even and odd distributions to the corresponding asymptotic properties of their fractional Fourier cosine and sine transforms. We also obtained a structural theorem of Abelian type for the quasi-asymptotic boundedness of even (resp. odd) distributions with respect to their fractional Fourier cosine transform (FrFCT) (resp. fractional Fourier sine transform (FrFST)). In both cases, we quantified the scaling asymptotic properties of distributions by asymptotic comparisons with Karamata regularly varying functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we presented Tauberian type results that intricately link the quasi-asymptotic behavior of both even and odd distributions to the corresponding asymptotic properties of their fractional Fourier cosine and sine transforms. We also obtained a structural theorem of Abelian type for the quasi-asymptotic boundedness of even (resp. odd) distributions with respect to their fractional Fourier cosine transform (FrFCT) (resp. fractional Fourier sine transform (FrFST)). In both cases, we quantified the scaling asymptotic properties of distributions by asymptotic comparisons with Karamata regularly varying functions.

A topological neural network (TNN), which takes input data from a Tychonoff topological space instead of the usual finite dimensional space, is introduced. As a consequence, a distributional neural network (DNN) that takes Borel measures as data is also introduced. Combined these new neural networks facilitate things like recognizing long range dependence, heavy tails and other properties in stochastic process paths or like acting on belief states produced by particle filtering or hidden Markov model algorithms. The veracity of the TNN and DNN are then established herein by a strong universal approximation theorem for Tychonoff spaces and its corollary for spaces of measures. These theorems show that neural networks can arbitrarily approximate uniformly continuous functions (with respect to the sup metric) associated with a unique uniformity. We also provide some discussion showing that neural networks on positive-finite measures are a generalization of the recent deep learning notion of deep sets.

The paper contains information on a newly recorded genus Manoba Walker (1864), with four Laotian species (M. lativittata (Moore, 1888), M. gyulaipeteri László, Ronkay & Witt, 2010, M. dorothea László, Ronkay & Ronkay, 2014 and M. tristicta (Hampson, 1900)). Color figures of adults and genitalia of the examined species are provided.

Introduction: The utilization of facility delivery is crucial to achieve sustainable development goals by reducing maternal and neonatal deaths. This study aimed to compare the distributions and determinants of childbirth in health facilities in urban and rural regions of Bangladesh. Methods: Cross-sectional data from the 2017-2018 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey were analyzed. Multilevel logistic regression was applied. Results: A total of 4 751 women were included in the analyses. Only 50% of childbirths took place in health facilities, 63.4% and 44.6% in urban and rural regions, respectively. Overall, the odds of the association between facility delivery and the studied factors were similar. Multiparous women had significantly lower odds of facility delivery in both rural (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 0.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.2 to 0.5) and urban (AOR = 0.2, 95% CI: 0.1 to 0.5) regions. In both regions, women with higher education levels, highly educated husbands, antenatal care (ANC), and higher wealth indexes had significantly higher odds of facility delivery. Conclusion: Several common associated factors were identified. However, differences were observed regarding distributions of these factors. The differences in facility delivery utilization could result from lower ANC utilization, socioeconomic status, and transportation facilities in rural regions than urban regions; therefore, improving these conditions could increase facility delivery in these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article is the Editorial for the Special Collection 'Global plant diversity and distribution'. See https://www.newphytologist.org/global-plant-diversity for more details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study conducts a detailed review of the existing Australian research about microplastics in sediments, indoor air, road dust, fresh water, marine water, and living organisms. A summary of characteristics such as polymer type, size, shape, and abundance of microplastics in samples is also presented. Different sources, fates, and entry routes of microplastics into the terrestrial and aquatic environments are also described. The effect of microplastics on humans, organisms, and ecosystem is summarised and presented. This work provides important data to Australian government and policy makers for the development of urgent strategies and policies to reduce microplastics pollution.

In this paper, the inversion formula and the continuity of the continuous Bessel wavelet transform of distributions in D L 2 ′ - type space are investigated. For the uniqueness of the inversion formula, the Bessel wavelet kernel of nonvanishing moments is considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various statistical distributions have played significant roles in financial data analytics in recent decades. Among these, elliptical modeling has gained popularity, while the study and application of skew-elliptical modeling have garnered increased attention in various domains. This paper begins by acknowledging the notable accomplishments and contributions of Professor Chris Heyde in the field of financial data modeling. We provide a comprehensive review of elliptical and skew-elliptical modeling, summarizing the latest advancements. In particular, we focus on the characteristics, estimation methods, and diagnostics of elliptical and skew-elliptical distributions in regression and time series models, as well as copula modeling. Furthermore, we discuss several related applications in regression and time series models, including estimation and diagnostic methods. The main objective of this paper is to address the critical need for accurately identifying the underlying elliptical distribution, whether it is elliptical or skew-elliptical. This identification is essential for conducting local influence diagnostics and employing appropriate regression methods using suitable elliptical modeling techniques. To illustrate this process, we present examples that demonstrate the identification of the elliptical distribution, starting with the Box–Jenkins methodology and progressing to copula modeling. The inclusion of copula modeling is motivated by its effectiveness in conjunction with elliptical and skew-elliptical distributions, as it aids in distinguishing between the two. Ultimately, the findings of this paper offer valuable insights, as correctly determining the elliptical and skew-elliptical distribution enables the application of suitable local influence and regression methods, thereby contributing to financial portfolio management, business analytics, and insurance analytics, ensuring the accurate specification of models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper it is performed, based on dynamic models, a comparative analysis of the reliability of two types of networks: serial-parallel and parallel-serial networks when the numbers of subnets and units in each subnet are predefined, constant numbers, but also when the lifetimes of the units are independent random variables. The equations for calculating the reliability of the related networks have been deduced. These functions are deduced for the dynamic model which is less studied and it is prooved to be relevant to the static model too. All equations are demonstrated and graphically illustrated in some examples. A few examples are analyzed graphically for different values of the number of units in the subnet and the number of subnets. This paper contains four different network topology models which are also analyzed by equations and graphically. The mathematical model described and the deduced equations will serve as a basis for the subsequent analysis of the dynamic networks of various topologies and various types of random variables that describe the lifetimes of the units of the analyzed system.

Abstract Introduction Rotavirus causes substantial morbidity and mortality every year, particularly among under-five children. Despite Rotavirus immunization preventing severe diarrheal disease in children, the vaccination coverage remains inadequate in many African countries including Ethiopia. Measuring rotavirus immunization coverage in a lower geographic area can provide information for designing and implementing a targeted immunization campaign. This study aimed to investigate the spatial distributions of rotavirus immunization coverage in Ethiopia. Methods Rotavirus immunization coverage data were obtained from the recent Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS 2019). Covariate data were assembled from different publicly available sources. A Bayesian geostatistics model was used to estimate the national rotavirus immunization coverage at a pixel level and to identify factors associated with the spatial clustering of immunization coverages. Result The national rotavirus immunization coverage in Ethiopia was 52.3% (95% CI: 50.3, 54.3). The immunization coverage varied substantially at the sub-national level with spatial clustering of low immunization coverage observed in the Eastern, Southeastern, and Northeastern parts of Ethiopia. The spatial clustering of the rotavirus immunization coverage was positively associated with altitude of the area [mean regression coefficient (β): 0.38; 95% credible interval (95% CrI): 0.18, 0.58] and negatively associated with travel time to the nearest cities in minutes [mean regression coefficient (β): − 0.45; 95% credible interval (95% CrI): (− 0.73, − 0.18)] and distance to the nearest health facilities [mean regression coefficient (β): − 0.71908; 95% credible interval (95% CrI): (− 1.07, − 0.37)]. Conclusions This study found that the rotavirus immunization coverage varied substantially at sub-national and local levels in Ethiopia. The spatial clustering of rotavirus immunization coverage was associated with geographic and healthcare access factors such as altitude, distance to health facilities, and travel time to the nearest cities. The immunization program should be strengthened in Ethiopia, especially in the Eastern, Southeastern, and Northeastern parts of the Country. Outreach immunization services should be also implemented in areas with low coverage.

Global Fréchet regression is an extension of linear regression to cover more general types of responses, such as distributions, networks, and manifolds, which are becoming more prevalent. In such models, predictors are Euclidean while responses are metric space valued. Predictor selection is of major relevance for regression modeling in the presence of multiple predictors but has not yet been addressed for Fréchet regression. Due to the metric space-valued nature of the responses, Fréchet regression models do not feature model parameters, and this lack of parameters makes it a major challenge to extend existing variable selection methods for linear regression to global Fréchet regression. In this work, we address this challenge and propose a novel variable selection method that overcomes it and has good practical performance. We provide theoretical support and demonstrate that the proposed variable selection method achieves selection consistency. We also explore the finite sample performance of the proposed method with numerical examples and data illustrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species' distributions are moving polewards in response to climate change, and although range expansions of relatively warm‐adapted species are widely reported, reports of range retractions in cool‐adapted species are less common. Here, we analysed species' distribution shifts for 76 cool‐adapted moths in Great Britain using citizen science occurrence records from the National Moth Recording Scheme over a 40‐year period. Although we find evidence for trailing edge shifts to higher latitudes, shifts in species' range centroids are oriented towards the north‐west, and are more closely correlated with directional changes in total precipitation than average temperature. We also found that species' local extinction risk is higher in areas where temperature is high and precipitation is low, but this risk diminishes as precipitation increases. Adaptation efforts should therefore focus on maintaining or increasing water availability as the climate continues to change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents an idea to use weak derivatives in interval global optimization. It allows using the Newton operator to narrow domains of non-differentiable functions. Preliminary computational experiments are also presented.

In classical probability and statistics, one computes many measures of interest from mean and standard deviation. However, mean, and especially standard deviation, are overly sensitive to outliers. One way to address this sensitivity is by considering alternative metrics for deviation, skewness, and kurtosis using mean absolute deviations from the median (MAD). We show that the proposed measures can be computed in terms of the sub-means of the appropriate left and right sub-ranges. They can be interpreted in terms of average distances of values of these sub-ranges from their respective medians. We emphasize that these measures utilize only the first-order moment within each sub-range and, in addition, are invariant to translation or scaling. The obtained formulas are similar to the quantile measures of deviation, skewness, and kurtosis but involve computing sub-means as opposed to quantiles. While the classical skewness can be unbounded, both the MAD-based and quantile skewness always lies in the range [−1, 1]. In addition, while both the classical kurtosis and quantile-based kurtosis can be unbounded, the proposed MAD-based alternative for kurtosis lies in the range [0, 1]. We present a detailed comparison of MAD-based, quantile-based, and classical metrics for the six well-known theoretical distributions considered. We illustrate the practical utility of MAD-based metrics by considering the theoretical properties of the Pareto distribution with high concentrations of density in the upper tail, as might apply to the analysis of wealth and income. In summary, the proposed MAD-based alternatives provide a universal scale to compare deviation, skewness, and kurtosis across different distributions.

This note concerns a further study about Riesz-Fischer maps, already introduced by the author in a recent work, that is a notion that extends to the spaces of distributions the sequences that are known as Riesz-Fischer sequences. In particular it is proved a characterizing inequality that has as consequence the existence of the continuous inverse of the synthesis operator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conifers inhabit some of the most challenging landscapes where multiple abiotic stressors (e.g. aridity, freezing temperatures) often co-occur. Physiological tolerance to multiple stressors ('poly-tolerance') is thought to be rare because exposure to one stress generally limits responses to another through functional trade-offs. However, the capacity to exhibit poly-tolerance may be greater when combined abiotic stressors have similar physiological impacts, such as the disruption of hydraulic function imposed by drought or freezing. Here, we reviewed empirical data in light of theoretical expectations for conifer adaptations to drought and freeze–thaw cycles with particular attention to hydraulic traits of the stem and leaf. Additionally, we examined the commonality and spatial distribution of poly-stress along indices of these combined stressors. We found that locations with the highest values of our poly-stress index (PSi) are characterized by moderate drought and moderate freeze–thaw, and most of the global conifer distribution occupies areas of moderate poly-stress. Among traits examined, we found diverse responses to the stressors. Turgor loss point did not correlate with freeze–thaw or drought stress individually, but did with the PSi, albeit inverse to what was hypothesized. Leaf mass per area was more strongly linked with drought stress than the poly-stress and not at all with freeze–thaw stress. In stems, the water potential causing 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity became more negative with increasing drought stress and poly-stress but did not correlate with freeze–thaw stress. For these traits, we identified a striking lack of coverage for substantial portions of species ranges, particularly at the upper boundaries of their respective PSis, demonstrating a critical gap in our understanding of trait prevalence and plasticity along these stress gradients. Future research should investigate traits that confer tolerance to both freeze–thaw and drought stress in a wide range of species across broad geographic scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The western Amazon has the highest levels of primate sympatry in the Neotropics. These important primate communities are increasingly threatened by anthropogenic activities of hunting and habitat loss and disturbance. Sustainably managed forestry has been suggested as an economic activity that can generate income for local communities, contribute to national economies, and aid in long-term conservation of wildlife and habitats. At the request of the company LUSH, we carried out two rapid surveys (2019 and 2021) of the primate community at a forestry concession managed by the company in the Ucayali Region, Peru. We also noted threats to primates and habitat in areas surrounding the concession ad libitum. We found 12 primate taxa living in sympatry. They included threatened species such as Cacajao ucayalii, Lagothrix lagothricha, and Ateles chamek. Harvesting of Palo Rosa (Aniba rosaeodora: Lauraceae) in the concession has been suspended since 2016 due to a Peruvian government moratorium on the export of the species. The company has since maintained a skeleton staff to ensure the integrity of the concession. Illegal logging and other prohibited activities are common in the area surrounding the concession, and in downstream communities we found many primates hunted for food and for pets. Within the concession, the habitats are intact, and we found evidence of only historic logging and rare instances of hunting. The high diversity of primates at the site makes the continued implementation of sustainable logging practices of great importance, particularly in view of the current situation in the surrounding area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Weibull distribution is a popular probability distribution used to model wind speeds in order to predict wind energy production. It is a continuous probability distribution with two parameters, the shape parameter k and the scale parameter c. The Weibull distribution is often used in wind energy applications because it has a flexible shape that can fit a wide range of wind speed data. The shape parameter k controls the shape of the distribution, with smaller values of k indicating a more peaked distribution and larger values indicating a more spread-out distribution. The scale parameter c determines the location of the distribution along the wind speed axis. This article will focus on the analytical expressions used for wind data assessment and on how to fit the parameters needed for them deriving analytical expressions to fit the probability density function is way to reduce the number of parameters to characterize the probability density function and the estimate wind power resource. The Weibull and Rayleigh distributions are the most commonly used statistical functions used for wind power studies and this article have a closer look at them and reveals some commonly used method to fit their parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceria is an important technological material that finds wide application as an oxygen storage component in heterogeneous oxidation catalysis. In these applications the removal of lattice oxygen results in two reduced Ce3+ centres whose location relative to the vacancy site has a profound influence on the vacancy formation energy. Here we present DFT calculations on the bulk and surface oxygen defect formation highlighting the distribution of structures that are thermally accessible in such a situation. We also demonstrate that the Ce3+ locations influence the barrier to oxygen anion migration. [Display omitted] • Calculations on defective ceria. • Importance of cation sites in reduction. • Distribution of thermally accessible configurations. • Oxygen anion mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a new proof of Ahlfors lemma about Green Stokes formula for distributions. The proof is performed directly using test functions instead of using convolutions.

Background: Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) is a disease associated with multiple reproductive and metabolic endocrine disorders. It is associated with cardiometabolic complications with established morbidity and mortality. Aim: We studied the pattern of these endocrine disorders associated with PCOS will aid the understanding of the pathophysiology of this relatively incompletely understood syndrome, particularly among Africans. Patients, Materials and Methods: One hundred adult females aged between 18 and 44 years, who were newly diagnosed with PCOS, and 100 age-matched non-PCOS women were involved in the study. Their serum samples were analyzed for follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin, progesterone, estradiol, testosterone, leptin, and anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) using ELISA method. Results: The mean age of the test subjects in this study was 26.4 ± 6.0 years versus 33.3 ± 6.6 years in controls. The mean weights and body mass index of the test subjects and controls were 89.1 ± 13.9 kg versus 64.7 ± 11.3 kg, P = 0.04, and 34.01 ± 3.5 kg/m2 versus 23.8 ± 3.9 kg/m2, P = 0.034, respectively. The mean serum LH was significantly higher among subjects than that of controls (11.4 ± 7.4 vs. 5.7 ± 4.8 mIU/mL, P = 0.001); similarly the mean serum LH: FSH ratio was significantly higher among subjects and controls in this study (1.9 ± 1.1 vs. 1.1 ± 0.8, P = 0.042). Serum AMH, insulin, leptin, and testosterone levels were higher among subjects than controls (7.5 ± 5.4 vs. 2.7 ± 0.4 ng/mL, P = 0.001, 21.6 ± 7.3 vs. 18.0 ± 3.01 μIU/mL, P = 0.004, and 18.6 ± 4.0 vs. 3.5 ± 1.5 ng/mL, P = 0.003, 1.0 ± 0.2 vs. 0.6 ± 0.2 ng/mL, P = 0.042, respectively). Mean serum prolactin was significantly higher among subjects when compared to controls. The prevalence of hyperinsulinemia, hyperleptinemia, and hyperandrogenemia among subjects in this study was higher when compared to controls. Conclusion: PCOS is a disease of multiple and inter-related endocrine disorders; a study of the frequencies and distributions of these associated disorders can aid the understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease particularly among Africans where limited studies have been carried out.

In this paper, we prove that for a set of ten univariate stochastic orders including the usual order, a univariate stochastic order preserves either both, one or none of additivity and multiplication properties over the vector space of real-valued random variables. Then, classifying participant's quickness in a mental chronometry trial to "weakly faster" and "strongly faster", we use the above results for the usual stochastic order to establish necessary and sufficient conditions for a participant to be strongly faster than the other in terms of the fitted Wald, Exponentially modified Wald(ExW), and Exponentially modified Gaussian(ExG) distributional parameters. This research field remains uncultivated for other univariate stochastic orders and in several directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that the functions f 2 L¹.Rd whose translates along a lattice ƒ form a tiling, can be completely characterized in terms of the zero set of their Fourier transform. We construct an example of a discrete set ƒ R (a small perturbation of the integers) for which no characterization of this kind is possible: there are two functions f; g 2 L¹. whose Fourier transforms have the same set of zeros, but such that f C ƒ is a tiling while g C ƒ is not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Rotavirus causes substantial morbidity and mortality every year, particularly among under-five children. Despite Rotavirus immunization preventing severe diarrheal disease in children, the vaccination coverage remains inadequate in many African countries including Ethiopia. Measuring rotavirus immunization coverage in a lower geographic area can provide information for designing and implementing a targeted immunization campaign. This study aimed to investigate the spatial distributions of rotavirus immunization coverage in Ethiopia.Methods: Rotavirus immunization coverage data were obtained from the recent Ethiopian Demographic and Health Survey (EDHS 2019). Covariate data were assembled from different publicly available sources. A Bayesian geostatistics model was used to estimate the national rotavirus immunization coverage at a pixel level and to identify factors associated with the spatial clustering of immunization coverages.Result: The national rotavirus immunization coverage in Ethiopia was 52.3% (95% CI: 50.3, 54.3). The immunization coverage varied substantially at the sub-national level with spatial clustering of low immunization coverage observed in the Eastern, Southeastern, and Northeastern parts of Ethiopia. The spatial clustering of the rotavirus immunization coverage was positively associated with altitude of the area [mean regression coefficient (β): 0.38; 95% credible interval (95% CrI): 0.18, 0.58] and negatively associated with travel time to the nearest cities in minutes [mean regression coefficient (β): - 0.45; 95% credible interval (95% CrI): (- 0.73, - 0.18)] and distance to the nearest health facilities [mean regression coefficient (β): - 0.71908; 95% credible interval (95% CrI): (- 1.07, - 0.37)].Conclusions: This study found that the rotavirus immunization coverage varied substantially at sub-national and local levels in Ethiopia. The spatial clustering of rotavirus immunization coverage was associated with geographic and healthcare access factors such as altitude, distance to health facilities, and travel time to the nearest cities. The immunization program should be strengthened in Ethiopia, especially in the Eastern, Southeastern, and Northeastern parts of the Country. Outreach immunization services should be also implemented in areas with low coverage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Juga is a genus of freshwater snails distributed from northern Washington to central California. The taxonomy and classification of the genus has a long and complex history, driven mainly by the features of their highly variable shells. The number of recognized species has fluctuated from ~9 to 11; however, it has been claimed that the actual diversity may be three times that number. We here present a systematic revision using a recently published molecular phylogeny as a framework, which supported the interpretation that there are only nine valid species. Comprehensive review of type material and original descriptions for all available species-group names indicates that almost all species previously considered valid were para- or polyphyletic grades of organization in shell morphology. Most species previously suggested to be putatively new were confirmed to be morphological variants of species already described. Species accounts include complete synonymies and partial chresonymies; the shells and radulae are illustrated and described. Lectotypes are designated for Melania plicifera Lea, 1838, M. silicula Gould, 1847, and M. rudens Reeve, 1860. Three species, Juga caerulea sp. nov., J. canella sp. nov., and J. douglasi sp. nov., are described as new and one species is excluded from the genus. The subgenera Calibasis D.W. Taylor, 1966 and Idabasis D.W. Taylor, 1966 are synonymized with Juga.

Lutzomyia longipalpis and Nyssomyia whitmani were incriminated as vectors of Leishmania sp. Spatial heterogeneity together with seasonal changes in abundance constitute important elements for the understanding of the dynamics of vector populations, and there are fundamental for the development of adequate prevention and control strategies. The aim of this work was to compare the spatial and seasonal abundance of Lu. longipalpis and Ny. whitmani at a city spatial scale between two periods separated by three years. To study the spatial distribution, we compared the abundance distribution of these species at two warm times, 2011 with 2014. Respect to inter-annual seasonal abundance changes, we compared the four seasons of the year between two periods (2011–2012 vs 2014–2016). The spatial distribution for both species were found to be distributed mainly in the same areas of the city in both periods. We change for: Respect to the seasonal pattern of abundance, we observed that seasonal patterns showed changes between periods. Our study defines the ‘where’ and ‘when’ implement the actions to mitigate leishmaniasis cases.

The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) encompasses more than 9.5 million hectares of federally managed land on the Arctic Coastal Plain of northern Alaska, where it supports a diversity of wildlife, including millions of migratory birds. Within the NPR-A, Teshekpuk Lake and the surrounding area provide important habitat for migratory birds and this area has been designated by the Bureau of Land Management as the Teshekpuk Lake Special Area (TLSA) because numerous waterfowl species use the area for breeding and molting. Our goal was to provide a mechanism for land managers to assess relative value of areas for molting waterfowl. This approach was based on the population densities of Pacific black brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) and cackling geese (Branta hutchinsii) and pre-defined thresholds for the minimum fraction of the population contained within selected areas. Prioritizations were based on long-term records of population density combined with global-positioning system data to reveal small-scale patterns of habitat use. The highest population density of the Pacific black brant was found along the Beaufort Sea coast on the eastern edge of the study area, whereas cackling geese were somewhat more widely distributed. Depending on the criteria used for prioritization and width of protective buffers placed around selected units, 52–85% of the Goose Molting Area was identified as high-priority area. The effectiveness of this approach to protection of molting birds assumes that buffers around high value units are wide enough to provide adequate protection from disturbance related to oil and gas development.

The bird community in urban areas indicates the species-specific adaptability to urban conditions such as the increase in man-made habitats. Urban adapters and urban exploiters, two groups that make up most of the urban birds, were assessed to determine their suitable habitat and explain their distribution, as well as to determine the environmental predictors for the two bird groups assemblages in Depok, one of Jakarta's satellite cities. We used the point-count method to survey the birds in three habitat types, green spaces, residentials, and roadside, and then we used Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) to analyze the species distribution modeling. We also the predicted habitat distributions for the urban adapters and urban exploiters based on several environmental predictors. Our results suggest that both urban adapters and urban exploiters were abundant in residential areas. Eurasian tree sparrows (Passer montanus) and cave swiflets (Collocalia linchi) were the most common species in all three habitat types. On average, canopy cover was most extensive in green spaces followed by residential and roadside areas. Urban exploiters were likely to have a high suitability extent compared to urban adapters. The distributions of both groups were affected by the distance to perennial water, then by land function for the urban adapters, and distance to patches for the urban exploiters. The presence of urban adapters and urban exploiters in residential areas suggests that home gardens supported critical habitats when green spaces were unavailable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activities alter ecosystems everywhere, causing rapid biodiversity loss and biotic homogenization. These losses necessitate coordinated conservation actions guided by biodiversity and species distribution spatial data that cover large areas yet have fine‐enough resolution to be management‐relevant (i.e., ≤5 km). However, most biodiversity products are too coarse for management or are only available for small areas. Furthermore, many maps generated for biodiversity assessment and conservation do not explicitly quantify the inherent tradeoff between resolution and accuracy when predicting biodiversity patterns. Our goals were to generate predictive models of overall breeding bird species richness and species richness of different guilds based on nine functional or life‐history‐based traits across the conterminous United States at three resolutions (0.5, 2.5, and 5 km) and quantify the tradeoff between resolution and accuracy and, hence, relevance for management of the resulting biodiversity maps. We summarized 18 years of North American Breeding Bird Survey data (1992–2019) and modeled species richness using random forests, including 66 predictor variables (describing climate, vegetation, geomorphology, and anthropogenic conditions), 20 of which we newly derived. Among the three spatial resolutions, the percentage variance explained ranged from 27% to 60% (median = 54%; mean = 57%) for overall species richness and 12% to 87% (median = 61%; mean = 58%) for our different guilds. Overall species richness and guild‐specific species richness were best explained at 5‐km resolution using ~24 predictor variables based on percentage variance explained, symmetric mean absolute percentage error, and root mean square error values. However, our 2.5‐km‐resolution maps were almost as accurate and provided more spatially detailed information, which is why we recommend them for most management applications. Our results represent the first consistent, occurrence‐based, and nationwide maps of breeding bird richness with a thorough accuracy assessment that are also spatially detailed enough to inform local management decisions. More broadly, our findings highlight the importance of explicitly considering tradeoffs between resolution and accuracy to create management‐relevant biodiversity products for large areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]