Quality Management Plan Research Articles

Influence of Builders Execution and Control Tools on Building Production Performance in Nigeria: Part Two

This part two evaluates the influence of three least used builders' execution and control tools on performance of building production, with a view to enlightening stakeholders for enhanced sustainable development of the construction industry in Nigeria. The objectives are to assess the factors militating against the use of the least significant control documents observed in part one, evaluate the performance of projects with the present use of the documents and relationship between documents' usage and projects performance. A survey of 142 purposively sampled professionals resulted in 120 valid structured questionnaire used for analysis. Data were analysed using descriptive analysis, severity index, Kruskal-Wallis and Spearman correlation tests. It was concluded that some factors significantly hinder the preparation and use of the production documents. The low extent of use has resulted in moderate cost, time quality and satisfaction performance of the projects. The perception of factor influencing documents and the performance of projects managed with the production tools do not vary significantly (p-values range=0.862-0.986>0.05). Quality management plan and information requirement schedule have weak influence on cost, quality and satisfaction of projects, the low usage level of early warning system plan has no significant influence on the cost and time performance, but promotes low quality work and stakeholders dissatisfaction. The study therefore recommends the prioritization and harmonization of the factors aecting each production document during their preparation and use. All the documents should be made mandatory by development control organs, adequate retraining of personnel on the preparation and use of the documents, government should pass the bill to enforce the building code.

Sustainability Evaluation of Surface Water Quality Management Options in Developing Countries: Multicriteria Analysis Using Fuzzy UTASTAR Method

The natural rivers in developing countries have not been meeting their desirable water quality objectives due to discharge of untreated wastewater from domestic and industrial sources for a long time; and thus need to implement rational water quality management (WQM) plans. Overall sustainability of proposed WQM options should not be overlooked during the planning phase due to lack or absence of data. In this research, a framework is proposed for the evaluation of different WQM options to meet the water quality objectives of natural rivers. Five main sustainability criteria (SSC) are considered, including cost (capital, land and operational), land requirements, operation and maintenance issues, environmental impacts, and socio-economic impacts. In addition, several sub-criteria (impacts) have also been included to rationally justify the assessment of SSC by the decision makers (DM). The values of cost and land requirement criteria are calculated; whereas, the other SSC are subjective in nature. However, both types possess uncertainties associated with calculation errors, inherent assumptions, and the differences in DM’s opinions. Further, due to data limitations in developing countries, the ranking order of WQM options established by the DM should be preferred. To deal with such uncertainties and the DM preferences, the Fuzzy UTASTAR multicriteria analysis method (based on linear programing) has been used for sustainability evaluation. To appraise the practicality of the proposed framework, it has been applied to the WQM of the Ravi River in Pakistan. The minimal difference between the DM’s top ranked options affirms the effectiveness of the proposed framework.

Microbiological Diversity and Prevalence of Spoilage and Pathogenic Bacteria in Commercial Fermented Alcoholic Beverages (Beer, Fruit Wine, Refined Rice Wine, and Yakju)

The present study examined 469 commercially available fermented alcoholic beverages (FABs), including beer (draft, microbrewed, and pasteurized), fruit wine (grape and others), refined rice wine, and yakju (raw and pasteurized). Samples were screened for Escherichia coli and eight foodborne pathogens (Bacillus cereus, Campylobacter jejuni, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, and Yersinia enterocolitica), and the aerobic plate count, lactic acid bacteria, acetic acid bacteria, fungi, and total coliforms were also enumerated. Microbrewed beer contained the highest number of microorganisms (average aerobic plate count, 3.5; lactic acid bacteria, 2.1; acetic acid bacteria, 2.0; and fungi, 3.6 log CFU/ml), followed by draft beer and yakju (P < 0.05), whereas the other FABs contained <25 CFU/25 ml microorganisms. Unexpectedly, neither microbial diversity nor microbial count correlated with the alcohol content (4.7 to 14.1%) or pH (3.4 to 4.2) of the product. Despite the harsh conditions, coliforms (detected in 23.8% of microbrewed beer samples) and B. cereus (detected in all FABs) were present in some products. B. cereus was detected most frequently in microbrewed beer (54.8% of samples) and nonpasteurized yakju (50.0%), followed by pasteurized yakju (28.8%), refined rice wine (25.0%), other fruit wines (12.3%), grape wine (8.6%), draft beer (5.6%), and pasteurized beer (2.2%) (P < 0.05). The finding that spore-forming B. cereus and coliform bacteria can survive the harsh conditions present in alcoholic beverages should be taken into account (alongside traditional quality indicators such as the presence of lactic acid–producing bacteria, acetic acid– producing bacteria, or both) when developing manufacturing systems and methods to prolong the shelf life of high-quality FAB products. New strategic quality management plans for various FABs are needed.

MIKE 11 model-based water quality model as a tool for the evaluation of water quality management plans

Water quality models are important tools to test the effectiveness of alternative management plans on the water quality of water bodies. The main aim of this study was to develop and demonstrate use of a water quality model as a tool for evaluation of alternative water management scenarios for the river basin of Beijing, China. Considering Lao Hewan river landscape water circulation patterns and water quality protection programme, hydrodynamic module, structure operation module, advection/dispersion module and ECOlab module in the MIKE 11 model system, the circulating water drainage system and water quality model have been developed for water protection measures. Modelled results indicate the simulated biochemical oxygen demand, chemical oxygen demand, ammonia and total phosphorus concentration evolve in a general increasing trend for the first scenario since there are no water purification measures taken in this scenario; for the second scenario, the simulated water quality showed a slight decreasing trend in both sites, and better than that of scenario I due to considering the water circulation with a volume of 40,000 m 3 /d in both sites and the purification function of the wetlands of the Centre Lake. Simulated concentrations of pollutants in scenario III are lower than in scenarios I and II, due to the strengthened purification measures (horizontal subsurface flow wetland and surface flow wetland) implemented.

Urban air quality management-A review

Urban air quality management plan (UAQMP) is an effective and efficient tool employed in managing acceptable urban air quality. However, the UAQM practices are specific to a country’s needs and requirements. Majority of the developed countries have full–fledged UAQMP with a regulatory management framework. However, developing countries are still working in formulating the effective and efficient UAQMPs to manage their deteriorating urban air environment. The first step in the process of formulation of UAQMP is to identify the air quality control regions based on ambient air quality status and second, initiate a time bound program involving all stakeholders to develop UAQMPs. The successful implementation of UAQMPs depends on the strength of its key components, e.g. goal/objective, monitoring network, emission inventory, air quality modeling, control strategies and public participation. This paper presents a comprehensive review on UAQMPs, being implemented worldwide at different scales e.g., national (macro), city (medium), and local (micro).

An assessment of enhanced biogenic emissions influence on ozone formation in central Alberta, Canada

Emissions from biogenic sources are the primary source of isoprene and monoterpene that contribute to the formation of ozone and secondary organic aerosol (SOA). In this study, we used a regional air quality model to examine the sensitivity of simulated ozone to biogenic emission estimates. We created a new regional database of plant functional type (PFT) and land use and land cover (LULC) based on two satellite data products, the Alberta Vegetation Inventory (AVI) and Earth Observation for Sustainable Development of forests (EOSD).The Model for Emissions for Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN) biogenic emissions model was used with the new PFT data as well as the default Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) PFT to generate biogenic emissions in Alberta. The comparison revealed that the new LULC increased isoprene (ISOP) emissions by 30–40 %, decreased monoterpene emissions by 7–8 %, and increased NO emissions by 65–90 % associated with the new regional plant functional type fractional (PFTf) database. This study further investigated the impact of using Alberta-specific biogenic emission on ambient ozone concentration through the Community Multi-scale Air Quality (CMAQ) modeling system against the default MEGAN emissions. In addition, the result from using the new LULC on the predicted fourth highest daily maximum 8-h ozone concentration were examined, which showed a substantial reduction (6 ppb) in ozone in the urbanized capital region area when compared to the default the LULC with less ozone changes in the rural areas. This is likely due to ozone formation in the urban areas being more sensitive to changes in volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions than the rural areas. As CMAQ tended to overestimate the observed ozone peaks in the urban areas, the use of the enhanced LULC resulted in improved model performance compared to the default LULC database. This study results will be primarily used to understand impact of biogenic emission into air on ambient air quality and secondary to provide strategic advice on air quality management plan and initiatives regarding air issues (e.g., ozone) in the region. Results also can be implied to the relationship between climate change-induced increases in biogenic VOC emissions and ozone concentrations.

Optimization of multipollutant air quality management strategies: A case study for five cities in the United States

Developing regional air quality management strategies is a difficult task because formation of air pollutants is interdependent and air quality at different locations may have different responses to emissions from common sources. We developed an optimization-based model, OPtimal integrated Emission Reduction Alternatives (OPERA), which allows for identifications of least-cost control strategies for attaining multipollutant air quality targets at multiple locations simultaneously. To implement OPERA, first, sensitivities of air quality to precursor emission changes are quantified. Second, cost functions of emission reductions are estimated using a cost analysis tool that includes a pool of available control measures. The third step is to determine desired reductions in concentrations of air pollutants. The last step is to identify the optimal control strategies by minimizing costs of emission controls using the sensitivities of air pollutants to emission changes, cost functions, and constraints for feasible emission reduction ratios. A case study that investigates ozone and PM2.5 air quality in the summer of 2007 for five major cities in the eastern United States is presented in this paper. The results of the OPERA calculations show that reductions in regional NOx and VOC as well as local primary PM2.5 emissions were more cost-effective than SO2 controls for decreasing ozone and total PM2.5 concentrations in the summer of 2007. This was because reductions in SO2 emissions would only decrease PM2.5 concentrations, and reductions in primary PM2.5 emissions were more cost-effective than SO2 emission controls.Implications: We developed an optimization-based model, OPtimal integrated Emission Reduction Alternatives (OPERA), which allows for identification of least-cost emission control strategies for attaining multipollutant air quality targets at multiple locations simultaneously. A major strength of OPERA is its flexibility, which allows for changes in air quality regulations, involving agencies, study regions, and so on, to be readily incorporated. Overall, it has been demonstrated that OPERA is useful in developing least-cost emission control strategies for achieving multipollutant air quality targets at multiple locations simultaneously and could be useful for policymakers developing integrated air quality management plans.

Water Quality Management Plan for Patalganga River for Drinking Purpose and Human Health Safety

Deteriorating water quality of rivers is of major concern in India; this is especially true for rivers being used as drinking water sources. One such river considered in this study is the Patalganga, which is located about 60 km from Mumbai and is a significant source of water supply for Panvel, Alibaug and Rasayani. This paper aims to determine the polluting sources responsible for the poor water quality of the Patalganga River and to suggest a scientifically sound water quality management plan to improve the same. A total of 14 water samples from different point sources of pollution were collected and tested for physico-chemical parameters (pH, temperature, DO, BOD, COD, TSS, TDS, EC, PO4 3- , NO3-N and NH3-N), metals (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) and microbiological parameter using World Health Organization (WHO) and the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) standards. Based on, the water quality at most of the sampling stations was found to be unsuitable for drinking. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) classified the 14 sampling stations into three clusters. The HCA identified a uniform source of parameters (physico-chemical and nutrients) for all the sampling stations, excluding two sampling stations (7 and 12) that exhibited anomalous concentrations. Furthermore, as per the WQI, the water quality status of Patalganga River fell under good category, except at the sampling station 7 and 12 where the water quality index were bad (49) and medium (51) category, respectively, and were totally unfit for drinking purpose. Water quality management plan specific to the individual sites has been delineated in the paper.

Application of sigma metrics for the assessment of quality assurance using the MQ-2000 PT HbA1c analyzer.

IntroductionGlycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) concentrations measured in clinical chemistry laboratories show large differences between their interlaboratory reported values. Laboratory measurements of quality performance should be based on quantitative data. The sigma metrics model provides an objective method for the assessment of current HbA1c assays and is useful in quality management planning. The aim of our study was to evaluate the analytical performance of the MQ-2000 PT HbA1c analyzer test results in the context of our operating conditions on the sigma scale.Materials and methodsThe coefficient of variation was determined from the calculated mean and standard deviation evaluated from internal quality control (QC) (N = 168 days) (Shanghai Huachen Biological Reagent Co. Ltd, China) data, and records of external quality data (KBUDEK, İstanbul, Turkey) measured in the period from May to November 2013 were used to determine the bias. The resulting data and total allowable error rate (TEA = 10%) from the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA’88) were used to calculate the sigma level.ResultsThe calculated coefficient of variations (CVs) at the two levels, normal (QC1 = 36.6 ± 2.38 mmol/mol) and pathological (QC2 = 84.7 ± 2.68 mmol/mol), were 6.5% and 3.1%, respectively. The average bias between the external QC and MQ-2000 PT during the study period was 4.3%. The calculated average sigma value was 1.19.ConclusionsThe MQ-2000 PT HbA1c is a new analyser in the market; there is need for improvement and the method should be controlled with greater attention to ensure quality.

The Role of the Quality Production Process of the Business Entitles in Volatile Environment

The purpose of the article is to develop the conditions to improve innovation activity of the business entities and find the source of the macroeconomic dynamics. The presented article determines coordination between the positions of general and strategic management in the field of total quality management of a business entity to achieve continuous improvement in all areas of business. The foundation of the submitted work serves the idea of total quality management spread over the strategic planning inside a business structure in terms of institutional transformation of the national economy. This article describes the effects of the company’s financial improvement resulting from implementation of the quality tools into the strategic planning system of the industrial business structures. The article is intended for chief managers, executives, researchers dealing with quality management and strategic planning of the business structures.

Quality of Care in Blood and Marrow Transplantation – a Systematic Review in Order to Define a Quality Framework and Develop Quality Indicators

Introduction: Quality of health care is a major focus for providers, patients, payers and accreditors. Blood and marrow transplantation (BMT) is a complex and specialized process with unique quality needs. Accreditation bodies for BMT programs expect an implemented and coordinated management system. Currently, hospitals performing BMT have many tiers of quality evaluation from hospital accreditation, BMT accreditation, self-evaluation and in Ontario, provincial quality measurement. Hence, a quality framework with a clearly defined process of quality indicator (QI) prioritization, development and measurement is required.Methods: At Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, we conducted a structured review of the literature to identify published QI for BMT. The literature review from 1999 to 2014 focused on BMT with MESH terms including quality improvement/assurance, quality of health care, benchmarking, performance measures/indicators and standards of care. Focus was on the clinical aspects of care and laboratory/cell collection was excluded. We included Medline, Pubmed, Embase and CINAHL databases and a structured “grey zone” literature review. The identified QI were evaluated by a core expert panel and like concepts were merged and quality domains identified. Thereafter, end user engagement of the multidisciplinary team was completed through a modified Delphi Process. QI definitions were evaluated as medidata tables to link to data collection sources. Management/operational related and hospital accreditation QI were evaluated by the expert panel for relevance. A quality framework was then modeled off the Cancer System Quality Index to include the domains of safe, effective, efficient, integrated, equitable, responsive, accessible and innovative. QI were aligned to relevant domains in the framework to give an overall program evaluation and future direction.Results: Structured literature review identified 2211 citations with 111 abstracts meeting the inclusion criteria and only 20 full papers reporting on 114 QI. Grey zone literature review revealed a further 10 sources reporting on 100 QI. Of the 214 QI, 120 were quality domains or quality concepts (“Big Dot”) and not clearly defined QI. With consensus review, 214 QI were merged into 22 clinical and 12 operational/managerial “Big Dot” QI. Of the clinical QI, there were 8 only relevant to allogeneic BMT and 14 were relevant to both autologous and allogeneic BMT (see Table 1). Concurrently, mapping of QI within the framework as well as, alignment of both hospital and provincial BMT QI to the framework and to the 22 clinical QI indicators was done. .Conclusions: An integrated and comprehensive quality management plan is required for BMT which is standards based. We report a framework and strategy to align all quality endeavors occurring at local-regional to national levels as it relates to BMT. We also present a detailed literature review of QI in BMT and the need for more detailed, reproducible indicators in this area. As end-user engagement in quality improvement is necessary, the clinical multidisciplinary team will set QI prioritization for near term and future reporting though a modified Delphi exercise.Table 1:Big Dot Clinical QI in BMT for Prioritization and DevelopmentApheresis Not Performed Due to Insufficient MobilizationApheresis Not Performed Due to Other Reasons (i.e. progression)Appropriate Donor Screening and TestingComplications During ApheresisComplications During Bone Marrow HarvestDonor Outcomes (i.e. adverse events)Incidence and Measurement of Acute and Chronic Graft vs Host DiseaseIncidence of ICU TransfersLength of Stay in HospitalRoutine Chimerism AnalysisMedian Time to Engraftment (in days)Number of Patients who enter the program that are not transplantedNurse Sensitive Outcomes i.e. central venous catheter complicationsNeed for Stem Cell Boost or Second Transplant for Graft FailurePatient Satisfaction at Discharge and at TransitionsRate of Serious Bacterial, Viral and Fungal InfectionsReadmissions within 30 Days of DischargeRelapse RateOverall SurvivalTime to Find an Unrelated Compatible DonorTreatment Related MortalityWhether a Product was Collected From a Donor and Not Infused DisclosuresNo relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Health impact assessment of decreases in PM10 and ozone concentrations in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area: a basis for a new air quality management program.

To conduct a health impact assessment (HIA) to quantify health benefits for several PM and O3 air pollution reduction scenarios in the Mexico City Metropolitan Area (MCMA). Results from this HIA will contribute to the scientific support of the MCMA air quality management plan (PROAIRE) for the period 2011-2020. The HIA methodology consisted of four steps: 1) selection of the air pollution reduction scenarios, 2) identification of the at-risk population and health outcomes for the 2005 baseline scenario, 3) selection of concentration-response functions and 4) estimation of health impacts. Reductions of PM10 levels to 20 μg/m³ and O3 levels to 0.050ppm (98 µg/m³) would prevent 2300 and 400 annual deaths respectively. The greatest health impact was seen in the over-65 age group and in mortality due to cardiopulmonary and cardiovascular disease. Improved air quality in the MCMA could provide significant health benefits through focusing interventions by exposure zones.

The Italian debate on the role of regulatory models in the framework of the new European directives on air quality

This paper addresses some topics from the debate in Italy about the role of regulatory models in the management of air quality. It appears that an effective use of dispersion and transformation models cannot take place unless some 'external' (i.e. prejudices against models) as well as 'internal' (i.e. actual deficiencies in model evaluation and use) issues are overcome. Models play an important role as a complement to a monitoring network, and are indispensable tools in the implementation of an air quality management plan: these points should be taken into account in the new European directives on air quality presently under discussion.

Regulatory atmospheric short and medium range dispersion models in Italy

Since the (partial) acceptance in Italy of the EU Directive 85/337/EEC concerning environmental impact assessment procedures, there has been a rapid growth in the use of atmospheric dispersion simulation tools, which are also being used in air–quality management plans. This paper describes the state of the art in the development and application in Italy of the short and medium range atmospheric models, limiting the analysis to deterministic and to inert (or linear chemistry) pollutants models. A number of software packages capable of describing the concentration and dose field using analytical solutions of the advection diffusion equation exist, and they have been thoroughly used and compared with a number of field data. Among these, a brief description of DIMULA (ENEA), APC–2 (ENEL), AMETISTA (ANPA), KAPPAG (CNR) and MRBT is given. A puff model (AVACTA) is also described that takes into account the spatial and temporal variability of average wind and turbulence for rough terrain, since it was partly developed in Italy where it is extensively applied. More recently, efforts have been made by different groups in the development and assessment of Lagrangian particle models for complex terrain. They are based on the solution of the Langevin equation and are usually coupled with the output of 3–D prognostic or diagnostic flow models for the calculation of particle trajectories. Descriptions are given of ARCO (ANPA), SPRAY (ENEL–CNR) and MONTECARLO (JRC–Ispra) together with a comparison of their results with some short and mesoscale field experiments. There is at present no list of officially approved models for regulatory purposes in Italy, The recent decision to establish the Italian Environment Agency (ANPA) indicates that this important issue will soon be considered.

Building a Quality Management Plan into Your Clinical Research Program

E nsuring the accuracy and quality of clinical research data can be challenging, and the importance of a comprehensive quality management (QM) program is often overlooked in the conduct of clinical research. A QM program can save time and resources by ensuring errors that might otherwise go

Nature of air pollution, emission sources, and management in the Indian cities

The global burden of disease study estimated 695,000 premature deaths in 2010 due to continued exposure to outdoor particulate matter and ozone pollution for India. By 2030, the expected growth in many of the sectors (industries, residential, transportation, power generation, and construction) will result in an increase in pollution related health impacts for most cities. The available information on urban air pollution, their sources, and the potential of various interventions to control pollution, should help us propose a cleaner path to 2030. In this paper, we present an overview of the emission sources and control options for better air quality in Indian cities, with a particular focus on interventions like urban public transportation facilities; travel demand management; emission regulations for power plants; clean technology for brick kilns; management of road dust; and waste management to control open waste burning. Also included is a broader discussion on key institutional measures, like public awareness and scientific studies, necessary for building an effective air quality management plan in Indian cities.

The commitment and evaluation of the quality management plan by professionals from accredited stem cell transplant centers in Spain.

The commitment and evaluation of the quality management plan by professionals from accredited stem cell transplant centers in Spain

Applying value of information methods to prioritize elements for water quality management with an example of linear alkylbenzene sulfonate in the Yodo River, Japan

Narrowing the decision space is crucial in water quality management at the meso-scale for developing countries, where a lack of data and financial budgets prevent the development of appropriate management plans and result in serious water quality degradation in many rivers. In this study, a framework for handling this task is proposed, comprising a lumped water quality model, with sensitivity and uncertainty analyses, and a management domain, including loss estimation and value of information analysis. Through a case study with linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) in the Yodo River, it is found that non-point sources and flow rate are factors that influence LAS concentration at the hot spot location. By considering the entire process of water quality management planning, we identify that the definition of the cost function of LAS treatment determines the appropriate estimation for the expected loss in reducing LAS under uncertain water quality conditions. The value of information analysis with “expected value of including uncertainty” and “expected value of perfect information” further helps estimate the benefit of including uncertainty in decision-making and the financial cost for obtaining more information regarding inputs that have been previously prioritized.

남강댐 하류유역 수질개선 필요유량 산정에 관한 연구

Despite the implementation of TMDL, the water quality in lower watershed of Nam river dam has worsened continuously since 2005. Multifarious pollution sources such as cities and industrial districts are scattered around it. Nam river downstream bed slope is very gentle towards the downstream water flow of slows it down even more, depending on the water quality deterioration is accelerated eutrophication occurs. In this study, the mainstream in lower watershed of Nam river dam region to target aquatic organic matter by phytoplankton growth contribution was evaluated by statistical analysis. and statistical evaluation of water quality and the accuracy of forecasting, model calibration and verification procedures by completing QUALKO2 it's eutrophic phenomena that occur frequently in the dam outflow through scenarios predict an increase in water quality management plans to present the best should.

Literature Survey of previous research work in Models and Methodologies in Project Management

This paper provides a survey of the existing literature and research carried out in the area of project management using different models, methodologies, and frameworks. Project Management (PM) broadly means programme management, portfolio management, practice management, project management office, etc. A project management system has a set of processes, procedures, framework, methods, tools, methodologies, techniques, resources, etc. which are used to manage the full life cycle of projects. This also means to create risk, quality, performance, and other management plans to monitor and manage the projects efficiently and effectively.