Economic evaluation of municipal solid waste recycling in Yazd: Cost-benefit analysis

Background and aims: In every urban waste management plan, recycling and reuse is considered as an economic pattern. This study aimed to economic evaluation of municipal solid waste recycling in Yazd by cost-benefit analysis in 2015. Methods: This research is a descriptive–analytic study which in the data about quality and quantity of municipal solid waste in Yazd city were collected through the sampling and physical analysis and the data about total income and costs from the implementation of waste separation and recycling were collected by interview with recovery officials and field observations and were analyzed through the economic analysis of the cost-benefit. Results: The results indicated that the mean of waste produced annually in Yazd city was 109679.51 tons per years. The percentage of municipal waste components was organic matter (67%), plastics (7%), paper and cardboard (5%), metals (2%), wood (2%), glass (2%), leather and rubber (1%), textiles (1%) and PET containers (1%), respectively. Also, Only 2 percent of total daily production of waste were separated and recycled at source. The implementation a cost of waste separation at source on a monthly basis was 768,880,000 Rails and the benefits of it was 904,667,400 Rails and as a result, the amount of net benefit derived from the recycling scheme was 135,787,400 Rails. Conclusion: Considering the economic benefits of waste separation and recycling at source in the city of Yazd, can be in addition to compensate the many of the waste management sector costs and reduced waste disposal and management costs, Preventing environmental degradation and pollution of water, soil and air resources

Is scores derived from the most internationally applied patient safety culture assessment tool correct?

Background: Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture, known as HSOPS, is an internationally well known and widely used tool for measuring patient safety culture in hospitals. It includes 12 dimensions with positive and negative wording questions. The distribution of these questions in different dimensions is uneven and provides the risk of acquiescence bias. The aim of this study was to assess the questionnaire against this bias. Methods: Three hundred nurses were assigned into study and control groups randomly. Short form of HSOPS was distributed in the control group and totally reversed form of it was given to the study group. Percent positive scores and t-test were applied for data analysis. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS Version 16. Results: Finally a total of 272 nurses completed the questionnaire. All dimensions with positive wording items in both groups had higher scores compared with their negative worded format. The first dimension organizational learning and continued improvement which had the only statistically significant difference, got 16.2 less score in the study group comparing the other group. In addition six out of 18 differences in questions were statistically significant. Conclusion: The popular and widely used HSOPS is subject to acquiescence bias. The bias might lead to exaggerate the status of some patient safety culture composites. Balancing the number of positive and negative worded items in each composite could mitigate the mentioned bias and provide a more valid estimation of different elements of patient safety culture

Safety Evaluation of Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy Compared with Two Procedures of Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass and Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding for Individuals with Morbid Obesity: A Systemic Review

Introduction: Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding are the most common bariatric surgery procedures. Therefore, this study aims to compare the safety of the newer procedure of Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy compared to Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and Laparoscopic adjustable gastric bonding. Method: A systematic review was conducted on the most important and most relevant search data bases, including Cochrane library, Pubmed, Ovid Medline as well as Iranian sites of Magiran , Iranmedex , SID, not taking the time limit into consideration. The results found in the literature were classified and were then analyzed. Results: Out of 384 articles obtained in the search, 4 randomized clinical trials (RCT) were included in this study. There were no reports of death comparing surgical procedures of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy. Moreover, in adjustable gastric banding and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass comparison, one death was observed in each group. Regarding the side effects of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy, 10% early complications were reported in the Roux-en-Y gastric  bypass group , and 13% were observed in the sleeve gastrectomy group between which no statistically significant difference was revealed. The comparison between adjustable gastric banding and Roux-en-Y gastric bypass demonstrated that the occurrence of early and late complications was reported to be higher in the gastric bypass group, though no statistically significant difference was observed. Conclusion: The present study findings demonstrated no statistically significant difference between these methods in regard with the safety aspect. As a result, selection as well as success of the bariatric surgery procedures depend on the patient's and surgeon's preferences