Applicability and Improvement of Different Evapotranspiration Methods of Reference Crops in Jiangxi Province

To achieve accurate evaluation of evapotranspiration of reference crops (ET0) in Jiangxi, China in the absence of systematic climatological data, with reference to the FAO-56 Penman-Monteith (P-M) equation, the Pristley-Taylor (P-T) method, the Makkink method, the Hargreaves-Samani (H-S) method, the Irmak-Allen (I-A) method, the Penman1948 (48PM) method, the Penman-Van Bavel (PVB) method, the Baier-Robertson (B-R) method, the improved Baier-Robertson (M-B-R) method, the Schendel (Sch) method, the Turc method, the Jensen-Haise (J-H) method, and the Brutsaert-Stricker (B-S) method were used to evaluate the daily climatological data collected by 26 weather stations in Jiangxi, China and 17 weather stations in adjacent provinces. The results were compared with each other and parameter rate determination was conducted. The results indicated that the Turc method exhibited optimized applicability before parameter rate determination and the average root mean square error (RMSE) and the average normalized root mean square error (NRMSE) by this method were 0.39 mm/d and 0.157 mm, respectively. However, parameter rate determination led to negligible improvement in accuracy for this method. The Turc method could be directly applied in Jiangxi (except Nanchang). For special distribution of error after parameter rate determination, all methods exhibited significant errors in Northern Jiangxi. Herein, the 48PM method and the B-S method showed good applicability after parameter rate determination and RMSE and NRMSE of data by these methods ranged in 0.06 ~ 0.34 mm/d and 0.08 ~ 0.27, 8 ~ 27% respectively, and their d-indices were close to 1. The annual over-estimations in weather stations in Jiangxi were below 30 mm. In the absence of data about relative humidity and wind speed, the P-T method was an appropriate simplified method for Jiangxi. In this case, α was slightly lower than the default value (1.05 ~ 1.18), RMSE was within 0.21 ~ 0.66 mm/d, and NRMSE was within 0.08 ~ 0.308 ~ 30%. Accuracy of RMSE, d-index, and NRMSE of data by the P-T method, the I-A method, and the PVB method were consistent with all stations, while that by the Mak method was slightly lower, which could be attributed to severe over-estimation in July and August. RMSE of the H-S method, the B-R method, the M-B-R method, the J-H method, and the Sch method were above 0.75 mm/d and these methods were not suitable for accurate evaluation of ET0 in Jiangxi, China. The annual ET0 was calculated by various methods (except the 48PM method and the B-S method) exhibited significant variation around 2003. This may be attributed to significant changes in certain meteorological factors over recent years.

The Truncated Burr X-G Family of Distributions: Properties and Applications to Actuarial and Financial Data

In this article, the “truncated-composed” scheme was applied to the Burr X distribution to motivate a new family of univariate continuous-type distributions, called the truncated Burr X generated family. It is mathematically simple and provides more modeling freedom for any parental distribution. Additional functionality is conferred on the probability density and hazard rate functions, improving their peak, asymmetry, tail, and flatness levels. These characteristics are represented analytically and graphically with three special distributions of the family derived from the exponential, Rayleigh, and Lindley distributions. Subsequently, we conducted asymptotic, first-order stochastic dominance, series expansion, Tsallis entropy, and moment studies. Useful risk measures were also investigated. The remainder of the study was devoted to the statistical use of the associated models. In particular, we developed an adapted maximum likelihood methodology aiming to efficiently estimate the model parameters. The special distribution extending the exponential distribution was applied as a statistical model to fit two sets of actuarial and financial data. It performed better than a wide variety of selected competing non-nested models. Numerical applications for risk measures are also given.

Predictive Model of Nail Consistency Using Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-Ray

The nail plate is made up of tightly packed keratin-rich cells. Factors such as the special distribution of the intermediate filaments in each layer (dorsal, intermediate, and ventral), the relative thickness of the layers, and their chemical composition define the characteristics of each nail. The main objective of this study is to determine nail consistency by calculating a predictive model based on elemental composition analysis using scanning electron microscopy. Nail consistency was determined in 57 participants (29 women and 28 men) in two age groups (young people and adults). Elemental composition was analysed in each layer using scanning SEM-EDS, and nail plate thickness was measured by image analysis. A total of 12 elements were detected in nail plates, of which carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulphur, and calcium showed significant differences between layers (p-values ≤ 0.01). The level of calcium in the dorsal layer was the main predictive variable in calculating the predictive model of consistency, with 75.4% correctly classified cases. Elemental analysis in each layer of the nail plate by SEM-EDS can be used to develop a predictive model of nail consistency that will help health professionals to objectively determine nail consistency.

NOVEL EVALUATION INDEX OF CROSS-SCALE DISCRETIZATION UNCERTAINTY BASED ON LOCAL STANDARD SCORE

Optimal discretization of continuously valued attributes is an uncertainty problem. The uncertainty of discretization is propagated and accumulated in the process of data mining, which has a direct influence on the usability and operation of the output results for mining. To address the limitations of existing discretization evaluation indices in describing accuracy and operation efficiency, this work suggests a discretization uncertainty index based on individuals. This method takes the local standard score as the general similarity measure in and between the intervals and evaluates discretization reliability according to the relative position of individuals in each interval. The experiment shows the new evaluation index is consistent with commonly used metrics. Under the premise of guaranteeing the validity of discrete evaluation, the proposed method has greater description accuracy and operation efficiency than extant approaches; it also has more advantages for massive data processing and special distribution detection.

The Transmuted Odd Fréchet-G Family of Distributions: Theory and Applications

The last years, the odd Fréchet-G family has been considered with success in various statistical applications. This notoriety can be explained by its simple and flexible exponential-odd structure quite different to the other existing families, with the use of only one additional parameter. In counter part, some of its statistical properties suffer of a lack of adaptivity in the sense that they really depend on the choice of the baseline distribution. Hence, efforts have been made to relax this subjectivity by investigating extensions or generalizations of the odd transformation at the heart of the construction of this family, with the aim to reach new perspectives of applications as well. This study explores another possibility, based on the transformation of the whole cumulative distribution function of this family (while keeping the odd transformation intact), through the use of the quadratic rank transmutation that has proven itself in other contexts. We thus introduce and study a new family of flexible distributions called the transmuted odd Fréchet-G family. We show how the former odd Fréchet-G family is enriched by the proposed transformation through theoretical and practical results. We emphasize the special distribution based on the standard exponential distribution because of its desirable features for the statistical modeling. In particular, different kinds of monotonic and nonmonotonic shapes for the probability density and hazard rate functions are observed. Then, we show how the new family can be used in practice. We discuss in detail the parametric estimation of a special model, along with a simulation study. Practical data sets are handle with quite favorable results for the new modeling strategy.

Subpleural Lung Changes Adjacent to Enlarged Internal Mammary Artery in Patients with Coarctation of Aorta and Pulmonary Hypoplasia: Some Thoughts on an Interesting Observation

Irregular pleural interface, minimally reduced lung density and/or focal subpleural cystic lung changes were noted in two patients with coarctation of aorta and in a patient with the right pulmonary hypoplasia. Lesions were distributed in the anterior segments of upper lobes, adjacent to internal mammary arteries (IMA). In view of unusual location of lung changes with unique distribution pattern prompted us to look for ‘cause and effect’ relation of events specific to long standing vascular pulsations, thus explaining the lung changes. While there are multiple factors for cystic lung disease, special distribution the lung changes seen in our patients leads us to explore mechanical process such as water hammer effect by dilated tortuous pulsatile IMA on the lungs as an additional etiology. A brief note on clinical and imaging appearance of our patients and discussion regarding water hammer theory are presented.

Quantitative Microstructural Analysis and X-ray Computed Tomography of Ores and Rocks—Comparison of Results

Profound knowledge of the structure and texture of rocks and ores as well as the behavior of the materials under external loads is essential to further improvements in size reduction processes, particularly in terms of liberation size. New analytical methods such as computer tomography (CT) were adopted to improve the understanding of material characteristics in rocks and ores relevant to mineral processing, particular the crushing and grinding and the modelling/simulation thereof. Results obtained on the texture and structure of identical samples of rather different rocks and ores (copper ore, granodiorite, kimberlite) are compared by CT with quantitative results from traditional optical microscopy obtained by quantitative microstructural analysis (QMA). While the two approaches show a good agreement of the results in many areas, the measurements with the two different methods also exhibit remarkable differences in other areas, which are discussed further. In conclusion, both methods have their specific advantages starting from sample preparation to the accuracy of information obtained concerning certain parameters of mode and fabric. While sample preparation is faster with CT and information on special distribution of metal minerals is more reliable, the information on mode, grain size and clustering seem to be more precise with QMA. Based on the results, it can be concluded that both methods are comparable in many areas, but in in the field of spatial distribution, they are merely complementary.

Geographical Distribution and Environmental Correlates of Eleutherosides and Isofraxidin in Eleutherococcus senticosus from Natural Populations in Forests at Northeast China

Non-wood forest products (NWFPs) derived from understory plants are attracting attention about sustainable forestry development. Geographical distribution and climate correlates of bioactive compounds are important to the regional management for the natural reserves of medical plants in forests. In this study, we collected Eleutherococcus senticosus individuals from 27 plots to map the special distribution of concentrations of eleutheroside B, eleutheroside E, and isofraxidin in forests of Northeast China. Compound concentrations in both aerial and underground organs were further detected for relationships with the average of 20-year records of temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity (RH). We found higher shoot eleutheroside B concentration in populations in northern and low-temperature regions (R = −0.4394; P = 0.0218) and in eastern and high-RH montane forests (R = 0.5003; P = 0.0079). The maximum-likelihood regression indicated that both RH (Pr > Chi-square, 0.0201) and longitude (Pr > Chi-square, 0.0026) had positive contributions to eleutheroside B concentration in roots, but precipitation had strongly negative contributions to the concentrations of eleutheroside E (Pr > Chi-square, 0.0309) and isofraxidin (Pr > Chi-square, 0.0014) in roots. Both geography and climate factors had effects on the special distribution of medical compounds in E. senticosus plants in natural populations in Northeast China. The management of NWFP plants at the regional scale should consider effects from climatic geography.

Constrained Optimization of Linear Antenna Arrays using Novel Social Group Optimization Algorithm

Antenna array optimization is a major research problem in the field of electromagnetic and antenna engineering. The optimization typically involves in handling several radiation parameters like Sidelobe level (SL) and beamwidth (BW). In this paper, the linear antenna array (LAA) configuration is considered with symmetrical distribution of excitation and special distribution. The objective of the design problem considered involves in generating optimized patterns in terms of SLL and BW and check the robustness of the social group optimization algorithm (SGOA). The analysis of the design problem is carried out in terms of radiation pattern plots. The simulation is carried out in Matlab.