Iranian Legal Medicine Organization

This article provides a legal analysis of digital mechanisms ensuring socially responsible business conduct in the context of economic digitalisation and the strengthening of regulatory requirements for sustainability, human rights, and environmental protection. It argues that contemporary digital technologies, such as algorithmic systems, digital ESG reporting, due diligence platforms, blockchain solutions, the Internet of Things, and platform accountability infrastructures, are no longer merely optional managerial tools. Instead, they increasingly acquire normative significance as integral components of compliance with legally binding obligations. The study applies a doctrinal, comparative, and functional methodology to examine digital mechanisms not only as technological solutions, but as functionally institutionalised forms of external control embedded in modern regulatory regimes. Particular attention is devoted to the regulatory framework of the European Union, including recent legal acts on corporate sustainability, due diligence, artificial intelligence, and digital services, which reflect a shift from ex post supervision towards preventive and continuous accountability implemented through digital infrastructures. The analysis demonstrates that digitalisation reshapes the functional structure of legal responsibility by transforming compliance into an ongoing, evidence-based, and technologically embedded process. The Ukrainian context is examined separately, with a focus on European integration and post-war recovery. The article identifies existing institutional preconditions for digital transparency in Ukraine, as well as systemic gaps hindering the formation of an integrated ecosystem of socially responsible business. It concludes that the integration of digital accountability mechanisms into legal regulation is a necessary condition for strengthening business responsibility, attracting sustainable investment, and aligning national regulatory frameworks with European Union standards. Keywords: socially responsible management, sustainable development, legal regulation, business, supply chains, artificial intelligence, digital technologies (solutions), ESG, due diligence, blockchain.

Nasal bone fractures are among the most prevalent indications for referral to forensic medicine centers for examination and certification. The objective of this study was to ascertain the frequency of diagnostic discrepancies in nasal bone fractures between public hospitals and forensic medicine experts in East Tehran zfrom 2018 to 2019. In this prospective quantitative study, 200 patients referred to the East Tehran Forensic Medicine Center in 2018 were selected based on available files. A survey was conducted to assess the frequency of unconfirmed nasal fracture diagnoses from public hospitals. These diagnoses were then analyzed in conjunction with the opinions of forensic experts. The results indicated that fractures were not confirmed in 59 patients (29.5%), suggesting a substantial discrepancy ( p < .05). The underlying causes for non-confirmation included an initial diagnosis that was either incorrect or missing (55.9%), the presence of old fractures (35.6%), and post-rhinoplasty conditions (8.5%). The study’s findings indicate that approximately one-third of nasal bone fracture diagnoses from public hospitals were not in accordance with the evaluations of forensic experts. The primary etiologies of these discrepancies were identified as diagnostic errors, pre-existing fractures, and post-surgical alterations. To address these concerns, it is advisable to place greater emphasis on the following: (a) the utilization of early and precise radiographic imaging, (b) comprehensive clinical documentation, and (c) the prompt referral of patients to forensic centers for expert evaluation.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) induces secondary neurodegeneration by interdependent inflammatory and oxidative processes. While cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeO2) exhibit antioxidant potential, regulation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-driven neuroinflammation remains to be disclosed. The current study investigates the neuroprotective function of CeO2 in rat models of diffuse TBI focusing on the modulation of the TLR4 signaling pathway. Thirty-six male Wistar rats (n = 6/group) were randomly assigned to six groups: Sham, DMSO, TBI, and three TBI groups receiving CeO2 at 0.1, 0.5, or 1 µg/kg. Neuroinflammation (TLR4, TNF-α, IL-1β), markers of oxidative stress (MDA, NO, SOD, GPx), functional recovery through Veterinary Coma Scale (VCS), and histopathological changes were examined. CeO2 treatment demonstrated significant TLR4 suppression, corresponding with reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine release. The nanoparticles also concurrently inhibited oxidative damage by enhancing endogenous antioxidants. These molecular effects improved neural function, and treated animals were more responsive in motor and alertness tests. Histological analysis showed a reduction in edema in the CeO2 treated groups compared to the TBI group. The study establishes that CeO2 exert neuroprotection through following mechanisms: (1) TLR4-mediated anti-inflammatory action and (2) catalytic ROS scavenging. Notably, we identify TLR4 modulation as a previously unrecognized therapeutic target of CeO2 in TBI. These findings position CeO2 as a promising multitarget nanotherapeutic for TBI that can treat neuroinflammation and oxidative stress - two principal drivers of secondary injury simultaneously. This research provides groundbreaking evidence for the development of CeO2 based neuroprotective strategies and offers potential advantages over current pharmacological approaches under clinical evaluation.

Background:This ecological cross-sectional study examines suicide incidence and identifies high- and low-risk clusters across Iranian districts from 2009 to 2023. This study aimed to determine district-specific suicide rates and map spatial risk patterns.Methods:Overall, 52,665 suicide cases of recorded in forensic medicine were analyzed, with incidence rates calculated per 100,000 population. Spatial autocorrelation techniques were used to identify clusters of high and low suicide risk, and GIS software facilitated mapping. Hanging was the most prevalent method, accounting for 50.88% of cases. Temporal trends across months were also assessed.Results:The average age of individuals who died by suicide was 33.98 years. High-incidence districts were located in parts of different provinces of Iran, including Eshtehard (Alborz), Firuzeh (Razavi Khorasan), Varzeghan (East Azerbaijan), Sahneh (Kermanshah), Famenin (Hamadan), and Miami (Semnan). High-risk clusters were primarily concentrated in the western provinces of Kermanshah and Hamadan, particularly in Sahneh and Famenin. Conversely, districts in Sistan and Baluchestan in southeastern Iran showed markedly lower suicide rates, possibly due to underreporting or systemic differences in data collection practices, which warrants cautious further investigation.Conclusion:This study highlights substantial regional disparities in suicide incidence across Iran, with specific high-risk areas identified for targeted intervention. These findings have important implications for public health policy, emphasizing the need for regionally tailored suicide prevention strategies and improved surveillance systems. Further research is needed to understand better the low suicide rates that observed in some districts and to assess potential reporting inconsistencies.

Moyamoya Disease (MMD) is a rare cerebrovascular disorder characterized by stenosis of the internal carotid arteries. To date, no studies have specifically described the characteristics of Moyamoya among Iranian populations. This study aims to examine the clinical characteristics of a case series of Iranian patients with MMD. This study prospectively identified all patients diagnosed with MMD at an institutional tertiary hospital in Tehran from 2010 to 2020. Data on demographic characteristics, disease presentations, past medical history, type of vascular lesion, treatment approaches, and outcomes during follow-up were collected. A total of 15 patients with MMD were included. Of these, 9 (60%) were female. Age distribution at diagnosis showed 6 patients were younger than 40 years. No familial patterns of MMD were observed. All patients experienced Cerebrovascular Accidents (CVA) at disease onset. A notable prevalence of comorbid conditions was observed, including hypertension (33.3%), diabetes mellitus (20%), and seizure disorders (20%). Vascular lesions were unilateral in 46.6% of patients and bilateral in 53.4%. Direct bypass surgery was performed in 40% of cases. The mean follow-up period was 16.3±1.2 months. During this time, 2 patients died and 1 experienced a new CVA. Residual symptoms were present in 13.3% of patients. This study shows distinct characteristics of MMD in an Iranian cohort, including a female predominance, frequent ischemic symptoms, and a high rate of bilateral occlusions. Further prospective studies are warranted to assess the efficacy of medical and surgical interventions in preventing recurrent symptoms in this population.

This study introduces a novel and sensitive method for determining organophosphorus pesticides in urine using Gas Diffusion Microextraction (GDME) combined with Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The goal is to offer an efficient, cost-effective method for extracting and analyzing these toxic compounds, which are widely used and harmful to human health and the environment. Organophosphorus pesticides, such as diazinon and chlorpyrifos, are among the most toxic and prevalent. The study aims to validate a specific, sensitive sample preparation and detection method for diazinon in urine. Urine samples from individuals not exposed to these pesticides were extracted with GDME, under optimal conditions of 60°C, 34 minutes, and 300 µL of receptor phase. Samples were analyzed using GC-MS. The method showed good linearity (0.01 to 100 µg/L) and excellent sensitivity with detection limits of 0.0058 µg/L for diazinon and 0.016 µg/L for chlorpyrifos.•Results indicate the higher sensitivity and selectivity of GDME compared to traditional methods like solid-phase microextraction.•GDME method for pesticide extraction demonstrated superior performance, with a much lower limit of detection for diazinon (0.0058 µg/L) than conventional methods (0.02 µg/L).•This study highlights GDME's potential for accurate and reliable pesticide detection.

BackgroundThis study examines epidemiology and trend of mortality rates due to traffic accidents in Iran from 2006 to 2022.MethodsData were collected from the Iranian Legal Medicine Organization and the Statistical Center of Iran. Age-standardized mortality rates were calculated using direct standardization. A Latent Class Growth Mixture Model (LCGMM) was employed to evaluate trends and identify provinces with similar patterns.ResultsFrom 2006 to 2022, Iran recorded 325,851 traffic accident deaths, with a median age of 34 years; 78.8% were male. Most deaths occurred on intercity roads (63.84%, n = 208,021), followed by urban roads (27.73%, n = 90,365) and rural roads (7.63%, n = 24,859). Mortality rates declined significantly from 38.86 per 100,000 in 2006 to 19.85 in 2017 but increased to 23.00 per 100,000 in 2022, underscoring a concerning public health issue. A reverse J-shaped trend was identified nationally using LCGMM, showing an initial decline (intercept: 48.13, SE = 1.32; slope: -3.67, SE = 0.34) followed by a significant upward trend (quadratic term: 0.14, SE = 0.02, p < 0.001). The quadratic term’s highly significant p-value highlights the importance of this non-linear pattern. At the provincial level, six distinct mortality trend classes were identified, highlighting significant regional variations. Most provinces exhibited a reverse J-shaped pattern, except Sistan and Baluchestan and Kohgiluyeh and Boyer-Ahmad, which showed U-shaped trends.ConclusionAfter a decade of decline (2006–2017), Iran’s traffic fatalities resurged post-2017, potentially linked to economic strain, aging vehicle fleets, and inconsistent enforcement of safety regulations. Targeted interventions —subsidies for safer vehicles, infrastructure upgrades, and regional policies— are urgently needed to reverse this trend and align with global road safety goals.

Chronic neurological diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS) are important risk factors for some psychological disorders, such as depression and consequently suicidal behavior. As suicidal ideation (SI) is one of the important factors in predicting suicide attempts and suicide deaths, the recognition of factors related to the occurrence of SI in patients with MS has high value. This study aims to assess the association between sociodemographic, psychological, and disease characteristics with SI in patients with MS. A sample of 400 subjects with MS was selected from a referral outpatient MS clinic in Tehran, Iran (2024). Participants completed a personal information questionnaire, the patient health questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), the hospital anxiety and depression scale (HADS), and the beck scale for suicidal ideation (BSSI). Logistic regression models (univariate and multivariate) were conducted to determine the association between each variable and SI using odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Finally, the correlation between depression, anxiety, and the SI scale was measured by bivariate Pearson correlation analyses. The sample consisted of 77% women, and the mean age was 36.91 years. Among them, 149 (37.2%) of cases were identified with suicidal ideation at some period in life. Findings in the multivariate regression model represented that an increase in age had a significant protective effect on SI (adjusted OR [AOR] 0.95, 95% CI 0.92 to 0.98, p = 0.003). Moreover, the history of previous suicide attempts doubled the odds of SI (AOR 2.18, 95% CI 1.05 to 4.54, P = 0.038). Finally, both depression score (measured by PHQ-9) and anxiety score (measured by HADS) had significant associations with SI. People with MS are highly prone to suicidal thoughts and even suicide attempts; this should not be ignored in routine clinical visits due to other physical complaints. They need to be discussed with patients, and effective psychiatric interventions should be applied to reduce the risks.

BackgroundMidwifery is one of the key professions in maintaining community health and is important in providing maternal and child healthcare. As a high-risk profession, it involves numerous occupational hazards and challenges that can affect the quality of work life. This study investigated the occupational hazards and factors related to midwives’ quality of work life.MethodThis cross-sectional study was conducted in 2023 in Iran, involving midwives working in hospitals (teaching and non-teaching) and health centers. Sampling was done in multiple stages in two large cities, Tabriz and Ahvaz. All midwifery staff meeting the inclusion criteria participated in the study. Data were collected using demographic and social information, occupational stress, work-related quality of life, Minnesota job satisfaction, and occupational hazards questionnaires. The analysis was performed using an independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and linear regression test by SPSS version 24. P-values < 0.05 were considered significant.ResultsFinally, the information of 580 participants was analyzed. The mean (± SD) age was 39.21 (± 9.09), with 83% of participants holding a bachelor’s degree in midwifery, and the majority were hospital employees. The mean (± SD) occupational hazard score was 3.76 (± 0.87), with ergonomic and biological hazards having the highest mean scores, 4.22 and 4.10, respectively, making them the most significant occupational hazards. The preliminary results showed that the mean scores for job stress, job satisfaction, and quality of work life were 232.35 (high), 41.09 (moderate), and 95.34, respectively. In the regression model, job satisfaction, age, and work experience were significantly associated with quality of work life, with job satisfaction having the strongest influence (β = 0.376, P < 0.0013). As job satisfaction increased, the quality of work life also improved. However, work experience had a negative impact, indicating that as work experience increased, the quality of work life decreased (β=-0.296, P < 0.001).ConclusionRegular assessment of working conditions and the quality of work life is essential, and special attention should be paid to reducing occupational hazards. Given the high levels of job stress and dissatisfaction, there is a need for planning and policy-making to provide psychological support to manage stress, increase professional support, optimize the work environment, and manage physical demands.

AimAddressing the need for enhanced antibacterial properties in dental materials, this study investigated the impact of integrating zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) and mesoporous ZnO NPs into resin-modified glass ionomer cement (RMGIC) on microhardness and surface roughness.Materials and MethodsSeventy disk-shaped RMGIC specimens were allocated to seven experimental groups: RMGIC (control), RMGIC with 3 wt.% ZnO NPs, 5 wt.% ZnO NPs, 7 wt.% ZnO NPs, 3 wt.% mesoporous ZnO NPs, 5 wt.% mesoporous ZnO NPs, and 7 wt.% mesoporous ZnO NPs. Surface roughness and Vickers microhardness were quantified using a surface profilometer and Vickers microhardness tester, respectively. Statistical analysis was carried out with a significance level set at p < 0.05.ResultIncorporating 5 wt.% of ZnO NPs or mesoporous ZnO NPs into the RMGIC yielded the highest microhardness values, while the control group exhibited the lowest microhardness values. Notably, the microhardness values of RMGIC with 3 and 5 wt.% ZnO NPs or mesoporous ZnO NPs were significantly higher than those of the 7 wt.% concentration. Regarding surface roughness, the control group displayed the highest roughness value, while RMGIC with 5 wt.% mesoporous ZnO NPs exhibited the lowest roughness values. Therefore, incorporating up to 5 wt.% ZnO NPs or mesoporous ZnO NPs led to decreased roughness values, with a notable increase observed at the 7 wt.% concentration, albeit still lower than the control group's roughness values.ConclusionIncorporating 5 wt.% ZnO NPs or mesoporous ZnO NPs resulted in significantly enhanced microhardness values compared to the control group and the 7 wt.% concentration. The introduction of up to 5 wt.% NPs led to reduced surface roughness, with the 7 wt.% concentration showing a slight increase in roughness. These findings highlight the importance of optimizing NP concentrations, particularly mesoporous NPs, in RMGIC to enhance mechanical properties, offering valuable insights for the development of dental materials with improved performance characteristics.