Synthetic microplastic abundance and composition along a longitudinal gradient traversing the subtropical gyre in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Plastic pollution has been reported in the North Atlantic Ocean since the 1970s, yet limited data over subsequent decades pose challenges when assessing spatio-temporal trends in relation to global leakages and intervention strategies. This study quantified microplastics within the upper ocean along a longitudinal transect of the North Atlantic and its subtropical gyre. Microplastics were sampled from surface and subsurface (-25 m) water using a manta trawl and NIKSIN bottle respectively. The surface water polymer community varied significantly between geographic positions ('inshore', 'gyre', 'open ocean'), and was significantly influenced by fragment quantity. Compared to other positions, the North Atlantic gyre was associated with high concentrations of polyethylene, polypropylene, acrylic and polyamide fragments. Subsurface water was dominated by polyamide and polyester fibres. Backtracked 2-year Lagrangian simulations illustrated connectivity patterns. Continued monitoring of microplastics throughout the water column of the North Atlantic Ocean is required to address knowledge gaps and assess spatio-temporal trends

Spatio-Temporal Trends in Major Food Crop Yields in Rwanda

This study uses various statistical techniques in an attempt to quantify the magnitude and to determine the significance of trends in the yields major food crops at seasonal and annual timescales over Rwanda for the period 2000-2010 The magnitude derived from the slopes of the regression lines is presented spatially in the form of maps A steady rise in major food crops yields was registered There was a higher non-significant increase in beans yields in the east northern and southwestern regions and a higher nonsignificant decrease in the southern and northwestern regions A significant increase in cassava yields was observed in the central region The east southern and southwestern regions had significant decreases in cassava yields in 2000-2005 The same was witnessed in the northwestern region in 2006-2010 The central and northwestern regions had a significant increase in Irish potato yields especially in 2000-2005 and a significant reduction was registered over the southwestern western and eastern regions However the southeastern region recorded a decrease in 2000-2005 and an increase in 2006-2010 A significant decline in maize yields was observed in the western region in 2000-2005 while the rest of country had an increase especially during the period 2006-2010 A significant decrease in sweet potato yields was recorded in the southwestern and western regions in 2000-2005 and in the western northwestern and southeastern regions in 2006-2010 A significant increase in sweet potato yields was recorded in central Rwanda These spatio-temporal trends in the yields major food crops may be influenced by the variability in precipitation intensity and frequency observed recently over Rwanda in combination with the agricultural reforms undertaken since 200

Modelling of Dynamic Spatial Processes

The paper is concerned with econometric modeling of the dynamic spatial processes on the example of the GDP per capita in selected European countries. The considerations of the paper are focused on investigations of the structure of components of the spatio-temporal process. As a result of the analysis some specifications of the dynamic spatial models have been obtained. Next the issues of the estimation and verification of the models are presented. The main conclusion from the analysis is that the econometric models of the spatio-temporal processes ought to be of the dynamic character, e.g. considering the spatial and spatio-temporal trends and spatial, temporal and spatio-temporal autodependence as well.spatio-temporal trend, autocorrelation, spatial lag model, dynamic spatial model.

Spatio-temporal trends of mortality in small areas of Southern Spain

Background: Most mortality atlases show static maps from count data aggregated over time. This procedure has several methodological problems and serious limitations for decision making in Public Health. The evaluation of health outcomes, including mortality, should be approached from a dynamic time perspective that is specific for each gender and age group. At the moment, researches in Spain do not provide a dynamic image of the population’s mortality status from a spatio-temporal point of view. The aim of this paper is to describe the spatial distribution of mortality from all causes in small areas of Andalusia (Southern Spain) and evolution over time from 1981 to 2006. Methods: A small-area ecological study was devised using the municipality as the unit for analysis. Two spatiotemporal hierarchical Bayesian models were estimated for each age group and gender. One of these was used to estimate the specific mortality rate, together with its time trends, and the other to estimate the specific rate ratio for each municipality compared with Spain as a whole. Results: More than 97% of the municipalities showed a diminishing or flat mortality trend in all gender and age groups. In 2006, over 95% of municipalities showed male and female mortality specific rates similar or significantly lower than Spanish rates for all age groups below 65. Systematically, municipalities in Western Andalusia showed significant male and female mortality excess from 1981 to 2006 only in age groups over 65. Conclusions: The study shows a dynamic geographical distribution of mortality, with a different pattern for each year, gender and age group. This information will contribute towards a reflection on the past, present and future of mortality in Andalusia.Ye

Spatio‐temporal trends in caries: A study on children in Berlin‐Mitte

Background: Significant inequalities in caries distribution among children in Germany have been reported, but small-scale areas remain understudied. Aim: To examine spatio-temporal trends in children's dental caries at the small-area level in Berlin-Mitte. Design: Routinely collected data from Berlin's annual Health Examination Surveys were used, which also include information on age, sex, country of origin, and residential area. The study population consists of 14,866 children aged 5 to 7 between 2006 and 2014 in the district of Berlin-Mitte. Outcome variables are the dmft (decayed, missing, and filled teeth), the presence of any caries experience, untreated caries, and caries risk. The outcomes are summarized descriptively and graphically presented for 10 quarters and 41 communities within Berlin-Mitte. Results: Relevant gaps in children's dental caries were discovered between the quarters of Mitte. Three quarters in the northeast part of Mitte have consistently indicated the lowest oral health status in all four outcomes, and children having high caries risk have been increasingly concentrating in this area over time. Despite the continuous improvements in the southern part, the averages in total of Mitte for all outcomes have risen. Conclusion: Our findings confirm the spatiotemporally mounting disparities in children's oral health between the quarters in Berlin-Mitte and that particular quarters need urgent attention. The small-area approach made it easier and more effective to reveal the spatial distribution of children's dental caries at the local level. The small-area analysis should be strongly encouraged in future caries research to narrow the inequalities in children's oral health

Spatio-temporal trends of tuberculosis in Madobi local Government Area, Kano State

No Abstract

Modeling of Dynamic Spatial Processes

The paper is concerned with econometric modeling of the dynamic spatial processes on the example of the GDP per capita in selected European countries. The considerations of the paper are focused on investigations of the structure of components of the spatiotemporal process. As a result of the analysis some specifications of the dynamic spatial models have been obtained. Next the issues of the estimation and verification of the models are presented. The main conclusion from the analysis is that the econometric models of the spatio-temporal processes ought to be of the dynamic character, e.g. considering the spatial and spatio-temporal trends and spatial, temporal and spatio-temporal autodependence as well

Spatio-temporal declines in Philippine fisheries and its implications to coastal municipal fishers' catch and income

The problem of overexploitation in global fisheries is well-recognized. However, published assessment of fisheries spatio-temporal trends at the national scale is lacking for many high biodiversity developing countries, which is problematic since fisheries management is often implemented at the local or national levels. Here, we present the long-term spatio-temporal trends of Philippine fisheries production based on the landed national fish catch data (1980–2012) and fishers' interviews. We found that the total Philippine fish catch volume (Metric Tons MT) of most capture fisheries throughout the country has either stagnated or declined over the last three decades. The decline is even more prominent when evaluating fisheries trends at the provincial level, suggesting spatial serial depletion of the country's fisheries. In contrast, the total Philippine fish catch value (US Dollars US$ or Philippine Pesos PHP) has continued to increase over time, despite the declining fish catch volume. However, local municipal fishers are experiencing both low fish catch and income, contributing to observable poverty in many coastal communities in the Philippines. The various stakeholders of Philippine fisheries need to recognize the depleted state of Philippine fisheries, and learn from various experiences of collapsed and recovered fisheries from around the world, in order to recover the Philippines' capture fisheries. Lessons from the literature on collapsed fisheries offer the following options for recovery: (1) regulate or reduce fisheries exploitation and other human activities impacting the fisheries to allow fisheries to rebuild or recover, (2) enforce effective networks of marine reserves, (3) engage fishers, consumers, and other stakeholders in fisheries management, (4) improve fisheries science, monitoring, and management capacities, and (5) provide alternative livelihood, skills, and improved education to fishers and their families