Applying the water safety plan to water reuse: towards a conceptual risk management framework

The Water Safety Plan (WSP) is receiving increasing attention as a recommended risk management approach for water reuse through a range of research programmes, guidelines and standards. Numerous conceptual modifications of the approach – including the Sanitation Safety Plan, the Water Cycle Safety Plan, and even a dedicated Water Reuse Safety Plan – have been put forward for this purpose. However, these approaches have yet to encapsulate the full spectrum of possible water reuse applications, and evidence of their application to reuse remains limited. Through reviewing the existing evidence base, this paper investigates the potential for adapting the WSP into an approach for water reuse. The findings highlight a need for the management of risk to reflect on, and facilitate the inclusion of, broader contexts and objectives for water reuse schemes. We conclude that this could be addressed through a more integrated approach to risk management, encapsulated within an overarching risk management framework (adapted from the WHO's Framework for safe drinking water) and operationalised through the Water Reuse Safety Plan (WRSP). We also propose that the WRSP should be based on modifications to the existing WSP approach, including an increased emphasis on supporting communication and engagement, and improvements in decision support mechanisms to better account for uncertainty, risk interactions and risk prioritisation

MODELING SPATIAL DEPENDENCE AND SPATIAL HETEROGENEITY IN COUNTY YIELD FORECASTING MODELS

The implications of ignoring potential spatial dependence in county-level yield data are discussed. Spatial dependence in a county-level yield data set is identified and methods for correcting the dependence via spatial weighting matrices and generalized least squares regression are performed. The paper also examines how the spatial dependence declines as the distance between observations increases.Productivity Analysis, Research Methods/ Statistical Methods,

A Theory For The Asymmetry In The Auroral Ionization Density Profile For The Generation Of Auroral Infrasonic Waves

Thesis (Ph.D.) University of Alaska Fairbanks, 197

A Study To Examine The Effect Of Curriculum Materials On The Ability Of General Mathematics Students To Solve Verbal Problems

The Statement of the Problem. What is the effect of the type of instructional materials on the acquisition of verbal problem-solving skills of general mathematics students?;The Assumptions of the Study. The necessary assumptions for the study were: (1) Verbal problem-solving skills can be learned by the general mathematics students; (2) all students need to learn to solve verbal problems; (3) students in general mathematics classes have not been provided with adequate instruction and thus, have not been acquiring verbal problem-solving skills; (4) the experimental mathematics curriculum materials used to teach verbal problem-solving skills for this study will improve the students\u27 acquisition of these skills; and (5) although the unit of analysis for the analysis of covariance was the individual student and the independent variable (the experimental mathematics curriculum material) was randomly assigned to intact classes, there was no effect on the results of this study, and thus its outcome; Prupose of the Study. Even though there have been studies which have examined the relationship of such characteristics as: reading and verbal problem-solving skills; mathematics concepts and verbal problem-solving skills; and scholastic ability and verbal problem-solving skills, the researcher was unable to locate and evidence in the literature of a study which examined the effects of a specially designed mathematics curriculum unit on a student\u27s ability to solve verbal problems. Thus, the researcher designed this study, not only to fill the void, but hopefully, to provide information that will enable teachers of general mathematics to improve their students\u27 skills in verbal problem-solving and thus their ability to cope with the demands of today\u27s society; Procedures. Experimental mathematics curriculum materials were developed for use in this study. One hundred thirty-eight ninth grade general mathematics students in four junior high schools were selected to participate in the study. Of these 138 students, complete pre-study data from only 90 students were available. Therefore, only these 90 students were included as subjects in this study; The subjects in two of the four schools were randonly assigned to the Experimental Group and the subjects in the two remaining schools were designated the Control Group. Subjects in the Experimental Group used the experimental mathematics curriculum materials and the subjects in the Control Group continued with the current traditional program; After the completion of the experimental procedure, a posttest was administered to the 90 subjects who participated in the study. The results of the posttest were compared using Analysis of Covariance. Since intact classes were used in this study, the researcher further examined the prestudy data using discriminant analysis; Findings. The null hypothesis was tested, using the ANCOVA, and was rejected, with the experimental results significant at more than the .05 level. However, interpretation difficulties for ANCOVA, based in the non-random assignment of subjects to groups in the study, led the author to additional data considerations using the prestudy data as discriminating variables and the posttest results as a classification criterion in a discriminant analysis; The results of the discriminant analysis, using the prestudy data, were in agreement with the results of a study conducted by Chase (1960) to determine which factors were most effective in predicting success in solving verbal problems. The results of the discriminant analysis led this author to agree with earlier researchers that reading, intellectual factors, mathematics computation, and a knowledge of mathematics concepts are effective in predicting success in the acquisition of verbal problem-solving skills, and thus these variables may have influenced the outcome of the ANCOVA of this study

The influence of product involvement and emotion on short term product demand forecasting

Sales forecasters in industries like fast-fashion face challenges posed by short and highly volatile sales time series. Computers can produce statistical forecasts, but these are often adjusted judgmentally to take into account factors such as market intelligence. We explore the effects of two potential influences on these adjustments: the forecaster\u2019s involvement with the product category and their emotional reactions to particular products. Two forecasting experiments were conducted using data from a major Italian leather fashion goods producer. The participants\u2019 judgmental adjustments tended to lower the forecast accuracy, but especially when the participants had strong preferences for particular products. This appeared to result from a false consensus effect. The most accurate forecasts were made when the participants had no knowledge of the product and only received time series information, though a high level of involvement with the product category also led to a greater accuracy

Stability and innovation in the use of forecasting systems:a case study in a supply-chain company

Computer-based demand forecasting systems have been widely adopted in supply chain companies, but little research has studied how these systems are actually used in the forecasting process. We report the findings of a case study of demand forecasting in a pharmaceutical company over a fifteen-year period. At the start of the study managers believed that they were making extensive use of their forecasting system that was marketed on the basis of the accuracy of its advanced statistical methods. Yet the majority of forecasts were obtained by using the system’s facility for judgmentally overriding the automatic statistical forecasts. Carrying out the judgmental interventions involved considerable management effort as part of an S & OP process, yet these often only served to reduce forecast accuracy. This study uses observations of the forecasting process, interviews with participants and data on the accuracy of forecasts to investigate the reasons underlying the managers’ use of the system at two levels, the individual and the organizational. This evidence is then interpreted using various theories to understand the longevity of the company’s forecasting process, despite potential economic benefits that could be achieved through change. However, 10 years after the original case observations radical transformations of the forecasting system were introduced. The paper concludes by considering the impetus for adopting the new system and processes, and the changes in organizational practices this has led to

Physiotherapy as a first point of contact in general practice: A solution to a growing problem?

Aim: To evaluate the clinical effectiveness, patient satisfaction and economic efficacy of a Physiotherapy Service providing musculoskeletal care, as an alternative to GP care. Background: There is a growing demand on general practice resources. A novel '1st Line Physiotherapy Service' was evaluated in two GP practices. Physiotherapy, as a first point of contact, was provided as an alternative to GP care for patients with musculoskeletal complaints. Participants: A convenience cohort sample of over 500 patients with a musculoskeletal complaint were assessed within the Physiotherapy Service. For the economic evaluation a cohort of 100 GP patients was retrospectively reviewed. Method: Clinical outcome measures were collected at assessment, 1-month and 6-months following assessment. Patient satisfaction was collected at assessment. An economic evaluation was undertaken on the Physiotherapy cohort of patients and compared to a retrospective cohort of patients (n=100) seen by a GP. This evaluation considered the healthcare perspective (primary and secondary care). Societal issues such as absence from employment were not considered. Results: There were no adverse events associated with the Physiotherapy Service. Patients reported high levels of satisfaction with the Physiotherapy Service. Patients managed within the 1st Line Physiotherapy Service demonstrated significant clinical improvements (EQ-5D-5L, Global Rating of Change) at the 6-month point. There was a statistically significant difference in favour of the Physiotherapy groups using a nonparametric bootstrap test £611.19 (95% bootstrap CI; £1002.93, £290.95) and £330.99 (95% bootstrap CI £671.85, £63.11) respectively). Conclusion: The Physiotherapy service appears to provide a safe and efficacious service as an alternative to usual GP care. The service is well received by patients. There appear to be significant financial implications to the health economy. Physiotherapists, as a first point of contact for patients with MSK related complaints, could contribute to the current challenges faced in primary care

Antarctic\u27s Role Pursued in Global Climate Change

The impact of Antarctica on global climate change and the impact of global climate change on Antarctica are the focal points of a current series of expeditions there, and an international, interdisciplinary array of researchers met this past spring to go over the expeditions\u27 progress. Advances were reported in describing the impact of the seasonal cycle, semiannual oscillation, and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle on Antarctic accumulation in recent decades. Difficulties still remain, however, in explaining fully the history and forcing of the Antarctic climate and the links between tropical forcing and high-latitude response. The difficulties arise largely because of the relatively short duration and sparse spatial coverage of Antarctic meteorological data