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O tema deste trabalho é a metodologia Seis Sigma. O objetivo principal é apresentar e desenvolver uma metodologia para aplicação do Seis Sigma e desenvolver estudo aplicado. Inicialmente, é realizada uma revisão bibliográfica, enfocando os temas qualidade, satisfação do cliente e Seis Sigma. Na seqüência, é apresentada uma proposta de modelo para a aplicação do Seis Sigma em processos industriais. O modelo proposto aborda a estrutura para aplicação do Seis Sigma, os treinamentos e as principais atividades e ferramentas do ciclo DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve e Control). O modelo proposto é aplicado através de uma série de projetos. Um desses projetos é descrito detalhadamente, ilustrando o modelo proposto. Os resultados apresentados na aplicação do Seis Sigma são amplamente positivos. Os resultados obtidos abrangem melhorias radicais de qualidade, produtividade e custos. As atividades e ferramentas que apresentaram melhores resultados são destacadas. Apesar do Seis Sigma estar associado à aplicação intensiva de estatística, verifica-se que, de um modo geral, o Seis Sigma pode ser aplicado de um modo mais simplificado. / The subject of this work is the Six Sigma methodology. The main purpose is to present and develop a methodology for Six Sigma application, illustrating through a case study. First, a literature review, focusing on the items quality, customer satisfaction and Six Sigma methodology, is carried out. Next, a model proposed for Six Sigma application in industrial processes is presented. The proposed model deals with the structure for Six Sigma application, the training of the people involved and the main activities and tools of the DMAIC cycle (Define, Measure, Analysis, Improve, Control). The proposed model is applied to many projects. One of these projects is described in detail, illustrating the proposed model. The results achieved with Six Sigma are very positive. The results include breakthrough improvements in quality, productivity and costs. The activities and tools that show best results are emphasized. Despite the association of Six Sigma with intensive statistical application, it is possible to verify that this methodology can be applied in a more simplified way.

O tema deste trabalho é a metodologia Seis Sigma. O objetivo principal é apresentar e desenvolver uma metodologia para aplicação do Seis Sigma e desenvolver estudo aplicado. Inicialmente, é realizada uma revisão bibliográfica, enfocando os temas qualidade, satisfação do cliente e Seis Sigma. Na seqüência, é apresentada uma proposta de modelo para a aplicação do Seis Sigma em processos industriais. O modelo proposto aborda a estrutura para aplicação do Seis Sigma, os treinamentos e as principais atividades e ferramentas do ciclo DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve e Control). O modelo proposto é aplicado através de uma série de projetos. Um desses projetos é descrito detalhadamente, ilustrando o modelo proposto. Os resultados apresentados na aplicação do Seis Sigma são amplamente positivos. Os resultados obtidos abrangem melhorias radicais de qualidade, produtividade e custos. As atividades e ferramentas que apresentaram melhores resultados são destacadas. Apesar do Seis Sigma estar associado à aplicação intensiva de estatística, verifica-se que, de um modo geral, o Seis Sigma pode ser aplicado de um modo mais simplificado. / The subject of this work is the Six Sigma methodology. The main purpose is to present and develop a methodology for Six Sigma application, illustrating through a case study. First, a literature review, focusing on the items quality, customer satisfaction and Six Sigma methodology, is carried out. Next, a model proposed for Six Sigma application in industrial processes is presented. The proposed model deals with the structure for Six Sigma application, the training of the people involved and the main activities and tools of the DMAIC cycle (Define, Measure, Analysis, Improve, Control). The proposed model is applied to many projects. One of these projects is described in detail, illustrating the proposed model. The results achieved with Six Sigma are very positive. The results include breakthrough improvements in quality, productivity and costs. The activities and tools that show best results are emphasized. Despite the association of Six Sigma with intensive statistical application, it is possible to verify that this methodology can be applied in a more simplified way.

O tema deste trabalho é a metodologia Seis Sigma. O objetivo principal é apresentar e desenvolver uma metodologia para aplicação do Seis Sigma e desenvolver estudo aplicado. Inicialmente, é realizada uma revisão bibliográfica, enfocando os temas qualidade, satisfação do cliente e Seis Sigma. Na seqüência, é apresentada uma proposta de modelo para a aplicação do Seis Sigma em processos industriais. O modelo proposto aborda a estrutura para aplicação do Seis Sigma, os treinamentos e as principais atividades e ferramentas do ciclo DMAIC (Define, Measure, Analyse, Improve e Control). O modelo proposto é aplicado através de uma série de projetos. Um desses projetos é descrito detalhadamente, ilustrando o modelo proposto. Os resultados apresentados na aplicação do Seis Sigma são amplamente positivos. Os resultados obtidos abrangem melhorias radicais de qualidade, produtividade e custos. As atividades e ferramentas que apresentaram melhores resultados são destacadas. Apesar do Seis Sigma estar associado à aplicação intensiva de estatística, verifica-se que, de um modo geral, o Seis Sigma pode ser aplicado de um modo mais simplificado. / The subject of this work is the Six Sigma methodology. The main purpose is to present and develop a methodology for Six Sigma application, illustrating through a case study. First, a literature review, focusing on the items quality, customer satisfaction and Six Sigma methodology, is carried out. Next, a model proposed for Six Sigma application in industrial processes is presented. The proposed model deals with the structure for Six Sigma application, the training of the people involved and the main activities and tools of the DMAIC cycle (Define, Measure, Analysis, Improve, Control). The proposed model is applied to many projects. One of these projects is described in detail, illustrating the proposed model. The results achieved with Six Sigma are very positive. The results include breakthrough improvements in quality, productivity and costs. The activities and tools that show best results are emphasized. Despite the association of Six Sigma with intensive statistical application, it is possible to verify that this methodology can be applied in a more simplified way.

<div>Excessive phosphorus (P) is a threat to water quality and aquatic life, and one of the governing causes of eutrophication in water systems. It has been the object of much research that led to the implementation of P best management practices, aimed at curbing P export from agricultural and urban landscapes. However, these efforts are somewhat insufficient to mitigate and control dissolved P transport, a P pool 100% bioavailable for aquatic biota. Recent developments in nutrient management research highlight the ability of P removal structures to sequester dissolved P from flowing water, e.g., runoff and subsurface drainage, before it reaches water bodies. Phosphorus removal is accomplished through the use of reactive filter media, which are either manufactured, mined, or industrial by-products. These media, also referred to as P sorption materials (PSMs), vary in P removal ability, due to their origin, chemical and physical properties, or the conditions under which they operate. Consequently, there is a need to fully distinguish the characteristics of PSMs and their behavior in P removal structures that result in a superior P removal performance. In this study, six different types of PSMs were characterized according to their chemical and physical nature, and PSM-P interactions. To evaluate the variability of P removal capacity of steel slag, a series of flow-through experiments were conducted, using 18 different samples from different origins and generation processes. Phosphorus removal was evaluated on uncoated and aluminum(Al)-coated steel slag samples under two residence times. After chemically characterizing the samples, we found that, for the uncoated steel slags, electrical conductivity (EC), bulk density, particle density and magnesium (Mg) content could explain around 70% of the variability of P removal. Steel slags showed a high variability in their P removal ability, but such variability could be considerably decreased when coating the slags with Aluminum (Al). The Al-coating also allowed a significantly better P removal performance under shorter residence times. Flow-through experiments were also conducted to evaluate the ability to regenerate the P removal capacity of iron(Fe)- and Al-rich PSMs across two cycles of sorption-desorption with potassium hydroxide (KOH). This study found an average P recovery of 81%, 79% and 7% for Alcan, Biomax and PhosRedeem, Fe/Al-rich PSMs commercialized for contaminant removal. The most effective regeneration treatment was characterized by the largest KOH volume (20 pore volumes) and no recirculation, with up to 100\% reported P recovery, although a more economical/feasible use of 5 pore volumes of 1M KOH with recirculation was also found to perform well. The results suggested that the use of Al/Fe-dominated PSMs in P removal structures can be extended through the demonstrated regeneration technique. Iron-rich PSMs were further evaluated in regards to their behavior under anoxic conditions, a scenario that can be found in P removal structures with bottom-upward flow regimes. To evaluate the interference of redox-induced changes on P removal, PSM samples were incubated in a biogeochemical reactor in the presence of tile drainage water. Measurements of Eh throughout the incubation period indicated that PSMs, similar to soils, developed anoxic conditions. After incubation, the dissolved P concentrations in P-loaded and original PSMs were equally low, demonstrating the stability of P retention of PSMs under anoxic conditions. Additionally, the P removal ability of the original PSMs was not significantly altered by undergoing anoxic conditions, as determined from flow-through experiments following incubation. Anoxic-induced changes did not result in any limitations to the implementation of P removal structures with bottom-upward flow. These studies demonstrated the variability in P removal capacity of PSMs as a function of chemical and physical properties, the dominant P removal mechanism, and the operational characteristics of the P removal structure. The experimental data suggests that P removal structures are an effective and environmentally safe best management practice (BMP) that, in conjunction with traditional BMPs, are critical for the mitigation of dissolved P export to water systems. </div>

<p>Ecohydrological models are extensively used to evaluate land use, land management and climate change impacts on hydrology and in-stream water quality conditions. The scale at which these models operate influences the complexity of processes incorporated within the models. For instance, a large scale hydrological model such as Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) that runs on a daily scale may ignore the sub-daily scale in-stream processes. The key processes affecting in-stream solute transport such as advection, dispersion and transient storage (dead zone) exchange can have considerable effect on the predicted stream solute concentrations, especially for localized studies. To represent realistic field conditions, it is therefore required to modify the in-stream water quality algorithms of SWAT by including these additional processes. Existing reach-scale solute transport models like OTIS (One-dimensional Transport with Inflow and Storage) considers these processes but excludes the actual biochemical reactions occurring in the stream and models nutrient uptake using an empirical first-order decay equation. Alternatively, comprehensive stream water quality models like QUAL2E (The Enhanced Stream Water Quality Model) incorporates actual biochemical reactions but neglects the transient storage exchange component which is crucial is predicting the peak and timing of solute concentrations. In this study, these two popular models (OTIS and QUAL2E) are merged to integrate all essential solute transport processes into a single in-stream water quality model known as ‘Enhanced OTIS model’. A generalized model with an improved graphical user interface was developed on MATLAB platform that performed reasonably well for both experimental data and previously published data (R²=0.76). To incorporate this model into large-scale hydrological models, it was necessary to find an alternative to estimate transient storage parameters, which are otherwise derived through calibration using experimental tracer tests. Through a meta-analysis approach, simple regression models were therefore developed for dispersion coefficient (D), storage zone area (A_s) and storage exchange coefficient (α) by relating them to easily obtainable hydraulic characteristics such as discharge, velocity, flow width and flow depth. For experimental data from two study sites, breakthrough curves and storage potential of conservative tracers were predicted with good accuracy (R²>0.5) by using the new regression equations. These equations were hence recommended as a tool for obtaining preliminary and approximate estimates of D, A_s and α when reach-specific calibration is unfeasible. </p> <p> </p> <p>The existing water quality module in SWAT was replaced with the newly developed ‘Enhanced OTIS model’ along with the regression equations for storage parameters. Water quality predictions using the modified SWAT model (Mir-SWAT) for a study catchment in Germany showed that the improvements in process representation yields better results for dissolved oxygen (DO), phosphate and Chlorophyll-a. While the existing model simulated extreme low values of DO, Mir-SWAT improved these values with a 0.11 increase in R² value between modeled and measured values. No major improvement was observed for nitrate loads but modeled phosphate peak loads were reduced to be much closer to measured values with Mir-SWAT model. A qualitative analysis on Chl-<i>a</i> concentrations also indicated that average and maximum monthly Chl-<i>a</i> values were better predicted with Mir-SWAT when compared to SWAT model, especially for winter months. The newly developed in-stream water quality model is expected to act as a stand alone model or coupled with larger models to improve the representation of solute transport processes and nutrient uptake in these models. The improvements made to SWAT model will increase the model confidence and widen its extent of applicability to short-term and localized studies that require understanding of fine-scale solute transport dynamics. </p>

Inom sjukvården finns det problem med kommunikationen mellan yrkeskategorier. Denna studie studerar frågeställningarna: hur offensiv kvalitetsutveckling skulle gå att applicera på ett förbättringsarbete inom akutsjukvården, hur kommunikationsmissar sker samt hur en kombinerad kommunikationsmodell inom sjukvården skulle kunna se ut. Detta görs inom ramarna för offensiv kvalitetsutveckling, hörnstensmodellen samt PDSA som är de kvalitetstekniska teorier som används för att beskriva problemområdet och dess lösningar. Interprofessionell kommunikation är en kommunikationsteori som också appliceras på arbetet. Denna kvalitativa studie, med hermeneutisk ansats, studerar avvikelser samt genomför enkät och intervjuer. Dokumenten visar på problem kring att patienter blir hemskickade utan korrekt information, överrapportering fallerar men också otrevligt bemötande mellan medarbetare. Enkätsvaren visar övergripande mönster med behov av mer övningar som fokuserar på kommunikation. Den offensiva kvalitetsutvecklingen redan finns inom organisationen, som uppfyller många av den offensiva kvalitetsteknikens värderingar, arbetssätt och verktyg. Vidare visar analysen att de vanliga områdena för kommunikationsmissar är människo- eller metodrelaterade, som visar sig i samarbetet mellan medarbetare och efterföljandet av rutiner.   Akutkliniken är på god väg att uppfylla värderingarna inom offensiv kvalitetsutveckling samt använder redan arbetssätt och verktyg som innefattas i denna teori.  Kommunikationsmissar beskrivs inom många olika områden, mönster som kan ses är att problem eskalerar vid ökad stress och när rutiner inte följs. Interprofessionell kommunikation kan – efter djupare förståelse hos medarbetarna – med fördel introduceras som kommunikationsmodell. / In healthcare, there are problems with communication between professionals. This study examines the questions: how Total Quality Management could be applied to improvement processes in emergency health care, how communication failures occur and what a combined communication model in health care could look like. This is done within the framework of Total Quality Management, the cornerstone model and PDSA, which are the theories within quality engineering used to describe the problem area and its solutions. Interprofessional communication is a communication theory that is also applied to the study. This qualitative study, with a hermeneutic approach, studies reported incidents and conducts a survey and interviews. The incidents show problems with patients being sent home without correct information, failures in handovers, but also bad relations between employees. The survey responses show overall patterns with a need for more training that focus on communication. Total Quality Management already exists within the organization, which meets many of the values, working methods and tools of the Total Quality Management technique. Furthermore, the analysis shows that the common areas of communication failures are people- or method-related, which are reflected in the cooperation between staff members and the adherence to procedures.   The emergency department is well on its way to fulfilling the values of Total Quality Management and is already using methods and tools included in this theory.  Communication failures are described in many different areas, patterns that can be seen are that problems escalate with increased stress and when routines are not followed. Interprofessional communication can – after deeper understanding of the employees – be introduced as a communication model.

<p>Access to potable water has been identified as a basic human right, yet it is estimated that 2.2 billion people worldwide do not have access to safely managed drinking water. Many of those without access live in regions of the world with abundant sunlight, which can be utilized both directly and indirectly to disinfect drinking water. Directly it can be used in solar water disinfection (SODIS) applications, and indirectly it can be collected by solar panels to power commercially available UV reactors. Herein, we study the potential for direct and indirect water disinfection technologies to be used and adopted in developing countries, with specific insight into their application in the Dominican Republic and Kenya.</p><p>The amount of available ambient solar UV was both measured and modelled to inform design and modelling of treatment systems, and to understand whether real-time monitoring of ambient UV is required for the operation of systems directly utilizing UV for disinfection. The model both over- and under-predicted measurements of ambient UV, and did so at inconsistent rates, most likely as a result of cloud cover. This indicates that real-time monitoring of ambient UV would most likely be needed for disinfection methods directly using solar UV for inactivation in order to ensure water was always dosed properly.</p><p>The amount of available ambient solar UV was input into a raytracing model (Photopia, LTI Optics) to simulate the amplification of solar spectral irradiance within a continuous-flow compound parabolic collector (CPC). This informed design improvements that allowed for an increase in flow rate through the system, which was supported by field testing of the reactor. Further, two commercial UV reactors, one utilizing a low-pressure (LP) lamp and the other utilizing an LED source, were tested in the lab to verify their ability to inactivate <i>S. typhimurium </i>LT2. The LP-based device outperformed the LED-based device, which was unable to achieve over 2-log₁₀ units of inactivation under any of the studied conditions.</p><p>A life cycle assessment was conducted to assess the environmental impact of the three studied UV reactors against traditional chlorination and water delivery methods. Chlorine had the lowest impact in every category under all of the studied conditions, but there have been many barriers reported on the lack of adoption of chlorine. So the next lowest impact technology was evaluated at the community scale, which was the LP reactor. Therefore, the LP reactor was installed in study communities in both the Dominican Republic and Kenya. In the Dominican Republic, the systems suffered from a lack of boots on the ground, and faced technical, social, and economic barriers to adoption. In Kenya, the project suffered from similar constraints, that did not allow for project assessment. This work not only addresses the barriers faced in both of these projects, but provides suggestions for improving similar projects in the future.</p>

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