Iranian Journal of Forensic Medicine
Year:2006 | Volume:12 | Issue:1|Papers Count:9

Background & Aim: Among the work-rated musculoskeletal disorders, those of upper limbs cover the most. This is caused because of tenderness and vulnerability of these limbs compared with lower limbs from one hand, and more involvement of these limbs to the activities from the other. As a consequence the limbs are more exposed to dangerous factors causing musculoskeletal disorders, thus more likely to be affected by musculoskeletal disorders. One of the methods to analyze the dangerous factors causing upper limbs musculoskeletal disorders is occupational repetitive actions (OCRA). The method is a job analyzing tool which is applied to perform a total and effective estimation toward various risky factors affecting upper limbs (i.e. shoulders, elbows, wrists, hands and fingers).The present study is carried out in an attempt to surveying and ergonomic analyzing the work done postures of tailors, shoe makers, saddlery and carpet makers in the some present workshops of Tehran province prisons by OCRA Index method.Materials & Methods: This study is of analytic - descriptive type which is done on a sectional basis (cross - sectional). The target population was chosen as 496 prisoners to carry out NORDIC questionnaire method and also OCRA Index. In questionnaire method four job as tailoring (203 prisoners), shoe making (211 prisoners), saddlery (67 prisoners) and carpet making (15 prisoners) were analyzed and in OCRA method, 17 job/tasks as tailoring (7tasks), shoe making (5 tasks), saddlery (4 tasks) and carpet making (1 task) were analyzed for right hand and also 17 job/tasks for left hand.Results: The results of this study that acquired by x2 test, Mc Nemar test, Kruskal- Wallis test and independent t-test, as follows; unequality in ratio of musculoskeletal disorders of upper limbs in the four mentioned jobs (P value = 0.003), unequality of means of OCRA index between the above four jobs (P value < 0.001), present a significant relationship between level of OCRA index and the kind of job, were proved. (P value < 0.001).Conclusion: The highest OCRA index numbers were achieved for the Carpet making task and Overall, Carpet making was assessed as the most dangerous job and Shoe making, Tailoring and Saddlery came in next grades of risk, respectively (P value< 0.001).

Background: Sever injuries, disabilities and deaths from road traffic accidents have unpleasant results on individual, familial and social levels. According to lack of basic information about risk factor of seventy of road traffic injury, this study conducted to examine and quantify the association between potential risk factors and injury severity in injured drivers of road traffic accidents.Materials & Methods: Study was conducted on the 175 drivers with newly road traffic injuries (those need medical or surgical services) in Qazvin-loshan road from 28 Mar to 22 Jul 2005. Association between 16 risk factor and injury severity (HISS score) was assessed Data obtained from interview with drivers, hospital records and police reports and was analyzed with two approaches: bivariate analysis (crude) and multiple linear regressions.Results: In data processing (bivariant analysis) ejection from vehicle, severity of collision, trapped in vehicle, number of crash, fall down to valley, overturning, deviation from road, length of time to assist, left side versus rear-end accident and age of driver were associated to collision severity. In multivariate analysis one unite rise in collision severity index, trapped in vehicle and ejection multiply NISS score by 4.14, 1.53 and 1.482 respectively. Trapped in automobile, ejection from vehicle, left side Vs. rear-end collision and an unit increasing in severity of collision index and age of driver increase NISS value multiplicatively by 1.531 (1.188-1.972), 1.482 (1.164 -1.892),1.585 (1.076- 2.333),4.14 (2.589 - 6.637) and 1.009 (1-1.016) respectively in the multivariate analysis.Conclusion: To reduce severity of injuries in road traffic accidents, strategies must target severity of collision by speed controlling, helmet and seat belt using and improving assistance to injured drivers.

Background & Aim: Borderline personality disorder (BPD) has been the most studied personality disorder. Some researches have examined the relationship between BPD and most axis I diagnostic classes such as mood disorders, substance related disorders and anxiety disorders. The present study was conducted to determine the differences between BPD with and without OCD, BPD with and without self-mutilation.Methods & Materials: This study is a descriptive- analytic study. A clinical interview was carried out with all patients referred to Imam Hossain hospital with BPD diagnosis and those in whom BPD diagnosis was established on the basis of DSM-IV criteria. Data about sex, education, marital status, job, self -mutilation, suicidal attempt and substance abuse were gathered by a form.Results: Totally 205 BPD patients were evaluated (62.4 %female Vs 37.6 % male). This study showed that the frequency of OCD in BPD is more than that in general population (45.29% Vs 2-3%). There was statistically. significant difference between BPD with and without OCD in terms of sex, age, history of self-mutilation and suicidal attempts and also no significant difference between BPD with and without self-mutilation in relation with substance abuse and suicidal attempts.Conclusion: OCD comorbidity with BPD especially in self-mutilated patients can help clinicians to better understand the psychopathology of BPD and prescribe appropriate medications (e.g. SSRI).

Background & Aim: Trauma is the leading cause of death in patients has 3-44 of years olds. According to the report of the International Labor Organization (ILO), 1.1 million work-related deaths occur every year. Severity and prevalence of work related hazards are more obvious in developing countries. We conducted the study for better understanding of work-related mortality in Tehran.Materials & Methods: During one year of study, 184 deaths due to work-related injuries reported to Tehran Legal Medicine Organization (TLMO), the only center for referral of trauma deaths in Tehran.Results: All of victims were males. Construction workers account for 38% of all reported deaths. The most common cause of injury was falling down (31%), Impact of Blunt object and burn with 27.2% and 13.6%, respectively. Head injury was the main cause of death with 28/8% and multiple injuries consisted second cause with 19% prevalence. Conclusion: According to the results of this study Construction and industrial worker are the main group of preventional policy from work related injury. A majority of work related injury and mortality are preventable. So prevention program like usage of physical protective equipment, educational program for safety training, supervision over work place could be effective to reduce work related mortality and morbidity.

Background & Aim: Identification is one of the most important issues in forensic medicine. It has been necessitated that considering various racial and ethical traits between different populations for confident establishment of identity of human remains. Analysis of skeletalized remains become most complex particularly if important bone like pelvic, skull and long bone of extremities nonexistence. In such-situation investigation of sternum characteristic is effectual way.Materials & Methods: This has been a prospective study using 100 cadavers (50 male, 50 female) Daily following body length measurement; the sternum was removed and longitudinally halved. The length of, manubriumand and body was measured precisely. The junction of manubrium and body was studied to see if it was bony or cartilaginous, and the tesutiant data was analyzed. The aim of this survey is assessment of the relation between sternums dimension and sex, age and body length in Iranian population.Results: Correlation coefficient between the length of sternum and the sternum s body was 92% and between the length of sternum and the manubrium was 44%.The mean of sternums length was 152.5 mm in men and 135 mm in women(in 84% of men the length of sternum was more than 140mm and in 70% of women it was less than 140 mm) (sig =0/00) The average of body length was 172.5 cm in men and 152.34 cm in women.The correlation between body length and sternum s length was 59% and with the length of sternum s body was 49% (sig=0.000) this correlation was more observable in women.The mean of manubrium length to length of body of sternum ratio was 54% in men and 58% in women.According to logistic regression model (see below) it is possible in 78%of cases to determine gender on the basis of sternum length Cartilaginous or Bony structure of the junction of manubrium and body had no significant relation with age.Conclusion: In lranian population, unlike other population, the ratio of manubrium: Body didn't show any significant difference between sexes. If the sternum was longer than 140 mm. The likelihood of maleness increase significantly. Considering the average body length of men and women and the meaningful correlation between sternum lengths and ones body length (special in women), if a given sternum was longer than average, the person s length may be more than average.  

Background & Aim: Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has several features, which makes it useful for personal identification especially when there isn't enough nuclear DNA. The high copy, resistance to degradation, and short size are some of them. mtDNA has a zone that is called hypervariable region (HVR) and is divided in two regions: HV1 and HV2.Materials & Methods: 10 unrelated families in 3 sequential maternal generations (grandmother, mother, and grandchild) were selected randomly. Blood samples were taken and mtDNA extracted. Then HV2 sequence analysis was determined.Results: 49 polymorphic nucleotide positions were found in this region. The sequence of HV2 and the occurred polymorphisms were similar in each family except 5 sites of heteroplasmy. The average number of nucleotide differences between families was 2.8 nucleotides.Conclusion: mtDNA sequence analysis of the hypervariable regions is an effective tool for personal identification, especially for old, small, and highly degraded samples.

Introduction: Currently Fschemic Heart Diseases are evaluated by nuclear techniques imaging of mqocardical perfasion. Cardiologist with CPR instruments Should be Stated in all nuclear imaging Centers.Case Report: Our patient was a 56 years old woman with a history of hypertension and ischemic heart disease which was hospitalized because of acute pulmonary edema in a hospital in 2003. During hospitalization period her cardiac enzymes rose. Her lectrocardiograph showed left bundle branch block pattern and her Ejection Fraction in echocardiography was 40%. 2 days after discharge from the hospital according to her doctor advice referred to a nuclear medicine center for Dipyridamol Thalium Scan Perfusion test (SPECT) at 8.30 pm. During infusion of scan specific drug she complained of headache, cough and dyspnea which were relived with primary cares. During this period she was under observation of a cardilogist. After infusion she waited in the waiting room until the time of imaging. After one hour and a half gamma camera imaging began and at the 15th min of imaging process she complained of dyspnea and her respiratory rate began to decrease. At this time, 2 imaging technicians and one nurse which were available on her side beganprimary cardiopulmonary resuscitation and then she was transferred to the emergency center of a hospital. CPR continued and the patient was admitted to ICU At 1.30 Am of the following day she died at ICU and death certificate was issued for her at the hospital without biopsy.Following protest of her family, the case was propounded in one of the especial commissions of legal medicine organization and the final decision of the commission was declared as follows: The role of burden of disease in death of the patient: 75% The role of technical assistant of the institute in death of the patient because of not existence at the institute during the test ant not programming for attendance of a cardiologist during all phases of the test: 15% The role of cardiologist in death of the patient because of not following the patient procedure and leaving institute before the end of imaging process: 10%Conclusion: At the majority of cases, the only reason that causes our physicians in spite of their wisdom and specialty are found guilty in the courts is unawareness of their legal responsibilities. The other important point in this case is issuing the death certificate without referring the cadaver to the legal medicine center for biopsy which could change the outcome of the court.  

Introduction: The ability of asexual multiplicity (reproductions) of developed animal cells, cloning, currently is the hottest discovery (rumbustious accomplishment) in the field of science. The most successful result of scientific research activity is «dolly», the first mammal cloned from the cell of an adult animal. Primary concerned about cloning has got more serious after starting of human cloning and has confronted cloning to governmental conflict over the word.Discussion: There are different types of cloning technologies, somatic cell nuclear transfer, horticultural, Roslyn.Human cloning is the creation of a genetically identical copy of human and classified into reproductive cloning and therapeutic cloning. The medical aim of reproductive cloning is to treat infertility and reproduce human with predestinated.Therapeutic cloning is helpful to generate or transplant degenerated or damaged organs, in this technique blastocysphase cells may be used.Conclusion: Moral problems has widely restricted per productive cloning, but conflicts against the therapeutic cloning are faced to more mildness, and majority of the countries had allowed cell researches for therapeutic cloning under special supervisory protocols