Iranian Journal of Forensic Medicine
Year:2012 | Volume:17 | Issue:4 (64)|Papers Count:10

Background: Organ transplantation is one of the effective treatments and sometimes the only treatment for advanced diseases; But, about 10-25% of transplant required patients die without receiving the organ. This study performed to determine a relationship between subjective norms and registered volunteer organ donors among college students.Method: This was a cross-sectional study among 330 students in Hamedan University of Medical Sciences, in a classified proportionate sampling method. Data collection tool was a valid and reliable questionnaire. Data were analyzed by using statistical software SPSS-16.Findings: Results showed that the age range was 18-30 years and the mean was 21.33±3.2 years. Among samples, 67.2% were female and 32.8% were male. The majority of participants (21.9%) mentioned TV was the source of their information about organ donation card, and 6.6% had a donation Card. 25.2% of them mentioned if they had the card, their family would approve it. In addition, those who had a card were in higher subjective norms (p<0.001).Conclusion: Based on our results, it seems that advertising and culturalization especially in broadcasting systems could have a positive role in decision making for being registered as an organ donor.

Background: Poor performance of a medical team to identify domestic violence is an important problem because there is not an appropriate support. On the other hand, routine screening for domestic violence leads to a rapid identification. Therefore, it may provide a wider network of prevention strategies covering primary and, more importantly, secondary and tertiary prevention. This study was conducted in 2009, aims to determine the barriers of screening domestic violence from the perspective of the medical staff in clinics and hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services.Method: A descriptive study was performed on 100 health care personnel in clinics and hospitals related to Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences and Health Services. Data for this study were collected in a questionnaire included demographic characteristics and barriers of screening domestic violence from the perspective of health care. In this study clinics and hospitals were randomly selected. The findings were analyzed using 17 SPSS version.Findings: Based on the results, the mean age of the samples was 33.81±6.38 years. Most respondents (63%) had a bachelor degree and two thirds of them (79%) were midwives and nurses. The average years of experiences of the personnel was 9.93±5.34 years. In the survey, most participants were confident in their abilities to investigate domestic violence in different areas and were satisfied of helping abused women. However, due to a lack of proper training in this area, they were hesitant to ask questions about violence against women. Also, as most of them expressed, they did not intervene personally; unless, the women themselves sought help. In the area of employment barriers, lack of sufficient time to discuss about domestic violence, lack of adequate support resources and legal consequences were expressed by most participants as barriers of the screening.Conclusion: According to the results, attention to risks of domestic violence and considering violence as a problem that needs to be screened could be useful for identification of at risk individuals and planning for women training also, to identify ways of reducing threats of violence in men.

Background: Amygdalin, with the commercial name of "Laetrile" is a cyanogenic glycoside with anti-cancer activity that its toxic effect on tissues is still in debate. The aim of the present study was to investigate the histologic effects of amygdalin on a mouse kidney.Methods: 32 adult male mice were selected and divided into 4 groups included control, injection of 10, 25 and 50 mg/kg Amygdalin. In experimental groups, the animals received 10, 25 and 50 mg/kg amygdalin injection for 30 days while the animals in control group just received saline. 3 days after last injection, all animals were anesthetized and their kidneys weighed. Then, the microscopic slides from animal kidneys were prepared. The number and size of renal corpuscle, diametere of proximal and distal convoluted tubules were determined by using Image Tool soft ware.Findings: The results of the present study did not show any significant changes in the number and size of renal glomeruli, diameter of proximal and distal tubules and even the weight of kidney in studied groups.Conclusion: The present study showed that amygdalin in concentrations of 10, 25 and 50 mg per kg can not create significant changes in histological structure of kidney.

Background: Carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning is very common and cause numerous mortalities worldwide. Gasburning equipments, particularly gas water-heaters are suspected to produce CO. Present study is aimed to evaluate CO production by wall mounted gas water-heaters used at apartments in Arak city of Iran.Methods: 250 apartments were randomly selected and evaluated for characteristics of their water-heaters, and their flues, after consent provided by their owners. CO concentration in various parts of the apartment was measured in 5, 10, and 15 minutes after function of the water heaters. Query of the residents for common symptoms of CO poisoning was performed too. The findings were analyzed by repeated measurement assessment, one-way ANOVA, and T-test.Findings: After action of the gas water-heater, CO concentrations raised progressively in all parts of the apartment. CO concentrations were more than 9 ppm in 21% of the kitchens and bathrooms, and 6% of the bedrooms and halls after 15 minute continuous operation of the gas water-heaters. There were a meaningful rise in CO concentration correlates with years of use of the gas water-heaters in the apartments (p<0.001).Conclusion: Gas water-heaters are potential creators of CO at home. Continuous operation of gas water-heaters progressively produces more CO in the environment. It is especially true if the gas water-heater was old. It is found that gas water-heater working for 15 minutes, produces significant amount of carbon monoxide which in inappropriate air conditioning situation could be stayed for hours. So, more notice should be offered to constant check, monitoring and control of right function of gas water-heaters and proper ventilation of the environment in the home.

Background: Error of documentation in patient’s medical records is not preventable due to different documentaries. According to the medical records, as a legal document, careful notice should be taken in planning documents in order to avoid the errors and corrections be reduced to a minimum. In documentation of identification data, admitting staffs and patients both contribute to create errors. The aim of this study was determination of the rate and causes of identification errors in Shohadaye-e Yaftabbad hospital during 2010-2011.Methods: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study was done during 2010-2011. All patients who requested for a correction of identification data have participated. The present study has a check list for data collection. The check list was designed according to the aims of study and guidelines for obtaining identity data in the reference books which its validity was confirmed by experts in medical records. Variables were: kinds of admissions (elective or emergency), kinds of data for correction, causes of error in documentation, patient’s age, ethnicity, educational grade of patients and their accompanied, and job. The data was analyzed with SPSS soft ware (Ver: 15) and descriptive statistics.Findings: The results showed that during one year, 65 patients (%0.72) were referred for the correction of identification data. Only 7 of them (%0.07) were admitted in emergency. All requests for correction of data were due to legal needs, which most of them, in 33 cases (50%), were due to the use of others insurance. In addition, 39 of patient’s (65%) requested for modification of all their identification information.Conclusion: The results showed that the main cause of errors in patients identification is the performance of admission staff. Admission staff should pay attention more in admission time and notify the identification of patients. This could decrease the correction of medical records.

Forensic entomology is one of the established sciences in forensic medicine. In recent years, some scientists have done interesting investigations of the use of Mites in forensic medicine. Mites are a group of arthropods that belong to sub order: Acarina. These studies clearly prove that these arthropods can be used as a tool for detection of the place of a crime and estimation of Post-Mortem interval (PMI). Mites are scattered everywhere and they have a diversity that depends on environmental conditions; so, they can provide very valuable information about the place of murder and the place where a corpse was kept. In so many places the insects are absent, or they can’t reach the corpse; but, mites can be in such places. This new field of forensic sciences is called “forensic acarology”. This article is a review of this field studies.

Introduction: Although the coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) are common, giant aneurysms are rare. Clinical presentation, prognosis and management of giant CAA are not well defined due to a limited experience. Recently, there are increasing reports suggesting the occurrence of CAA as a complication of drug eluting stent implantation and angioplasty. The majority are atherosclerotic in origin. Other causes include connective tissue disorders, trauma, vasculitis, congenital, mycotic and idiopathic. The primary complication is myocardial ischemia or infarction, with rupture being rare. Treatment options include anticoagulation, custom made covered stents, reconstruction, resection, and exclusion with bypass.Case Presentation: A 51 year-old man was referred for autopsy, Findings in autopsy: Finding front of a heart 10×10 centimeter saccular aneurysm, originating from the right coronary artery , heart larger than normal size (460 g), calcification, atherosclerosis & stenosis in all coronary artery ,calcification in heart valve, old ischemia in left ventricle. Findings in microscopy: Infiltration hemorrhage & clot in RCA and aneurysm. There were associated calcification and severe stenosis of the RCA, LM & LAD. The past medical history was unclear, but smoking is noted.Conclusion: Right coronary artery aneurysms in adult patients are predominantly atherosclerotic in origin. The clinical presentation is due to myocardial ischemia, likely from associated embolism. Rupture is rare. Operative treatment is exclusion and revascularization.