Early warning signal reliability varies with COVID-19 waves

Early warning signals (EWSs) aim to predict changes in complex systems from phenomenological signals in time series data. These signals have recently been shown to precede the emergence of disease outbreaks, offering hope that policymakers can make predictive rather than reactive management decisions. Here, using a novel, sequential analysis in combination with daily COVID-19 case data across 24 countries, we suggest that composite EWSs consisting of variance, autocorrelation and skewness can predict nonlinear case increases, but that the predictive ability of these tools varies between waves based upon the degree of critical slowing down present. Our work suggests that in highly monitored disease time series such as COVID-19, EWSs offer the opportunity for policymakers to improve the accuracy of urgent intervention decisions but best characterize hypothesized critical transitions.

The Role of Vessel Biofouling in the Translocation of Marine Pathogens: Management Considerations and Challenges

Vessel biofouling is a major pathway for the introduction, establishment, and subsequent spread of marine non-indigenous macro-organisms. As a result, national and international regulations and guidelines have been implemented to manage the risks associated with this pathway, yet widespread enforcement and uptake are still in their infancy. By comparison, translocation of marine pathogens by vessel biofouling has received little attention despite a mounting body of evidence highlighting the potential importance of this pathway. Using molluscan pathogens as a model, this paper examines the potential for translocation of marine pathogens via the vessel biofouling pathway by reviewing: (1) examples where vessel biofouling is suspected to be the source pathway of non-indigenous pathogen introduction to new areas, and (2) the association between pathogens known to have detrimental effects on wild and farmed mollusk populations with species known to foul vessels and anthropogenic structures. The available evidence indicates that vessel biofouling is a viable and important pathway for translocating marine pathogens, presenting a risk to marine values (i.e., environmental, economic, social, and cultural). While preventive measures to minimize the translocation of macro-organisms are the most efficient way to minimize the likelihood of associated pathogen translocation, the application of reactive management measures to biofouled vessels, including post-filtration treatment, requires further and explicit consideration.

Relationships Between Systematically Observed Movement Integration and Classroom Management in Elementary Schools

Movement integration (MI), which involves incorporating physical activity into regular classroom time, is a research-supported strategy to reduce off-task behavior and support academic performance. However, teachers’ rate of adopting MI has been slow. Teachers are more likely to adopt MI if they perceive it as compatible with their current teaching practices. Accordingly, this study examined relationships between systematically observed MI and other evidence-based classroom management practices in elementary schools. Participants were classroom teachers ( n = 12) and their students ( n = 229). Classroom observations were conducted using the System for Observing Student Movement in Academic Routines and Transitions (SOSMART) and the Brief Classroom Interaction Observation–Revised (BCIO-R). Correlational analyses showed that MI was positively associated with effective instructional management and proactive management strategies, and negatively associated with reactive management strategies and disruptive student behavior. This study demonstrated that MI and other established classroom management practices are co-occurring.

Efficient cash management as a source of profit

The 2008 crisis outlined the great importance of treasury departments in companies and the change of mentality towards proactive and non-reactive management. In this work, a detailed explanation of the centralization system of the treasury, also known as cash pooling, is carried out. Nowadays this system is used by numerous companies worldwide, especially large companies with an international focus. Finally, information and communication technologies are of great importance within the company, especially in treasury management. The paper is illustrated by the case study of a water management company.

Comparative Analysis of Green Building Rating Standards for Improvement Opportunities

The development of economy and society has resulted in an unstoppable and growing consumption of natural resources and the degradation of the environment. Social problems and environmental degradation are the result of these developments. Balancing social, environment and economic is the goal of sustainable development. Many countries have developed environmental assessment standards to support sustainable development concept. This paper presents a comparative study of nine (9) green building evaluation standards from both developed and developing countries to find similarities and differences in order to make future improvement on each standard to fulfill sustainable development concept. The comparison is done by reorganize criteria listed in those standards to match BREEAM evaluation criteria for ease of study. The study found that most building evaluation systems focuses mainly on environment and then economic while pay less attention on social side and most criteria gives higher emphasis to energy and environmental mitigation issues with "proactive" measures. The future development of evaluation standard, social impact need to be improved and minimization of building material use need to be preventive more than reactive management. "This paper is the revised version of the paper that has been published in the proceedings of the Creative Construction Conference 2018 (Luangcharoenrat and Intrachooto, 2018)."