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Staphylococcus aureus infections are the primary causes of morbidity, and mortality, particularly in immuno-compromised individuals. S. aureus associated infections are acquired from community, as well as hospital settings, and difficult to treat because of the emerging resistance against available antibiotics. One of the key factors of its resistance is the biofilm formation, which can be targeted to treat S. aureus-induced infections. Currently, there is no drug available that function by targeting the biofilm. This unmet need demands the discovery of drug candidates against S. aureus biofilm. The present study was designed to evaluate coumarin derivatives 1–21 against S. aureus biofilm. The 96-well plate crystal violet assay was employed for the quantification of biofilm. Results showed that the coumarin derivatives 2–4, 10, and 17 possess potent antibiofilm activity, with MBIC values between 25–100 μg/mL. The results were further confirmed through atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron (SEM), and fluorescence microscopic studies. The quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed the downregulation of biofilm associated genes, icaA and icaD. These coumarin derivatives were also found to be non-cytotoxic to fibroblasts. This study, therefore, identifies the antibiofilm potential of coumarin derivatives that will pave the way for further research on these derivatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions. Nowadays sexual assault is considered a major public health issue all over the world, especially in developing countries. Sexual abuse is declared as a medical emergency. Sexual abuse cases are examined in Pakistan by medico-legal officers and their findings are presented to the court as evidence and medico-legal officers present to the court as witness. The objectives were to find out the prevalence of sexual assault cases presented to the forensic medicine department Khyber Medical College Peshawar and to find out the most prevalent pattern of genital and extragenital injury. To find out the association between sexual assault and its associated demographic factors such as age, gender, and drug history. Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional was conducted in the Department of Forensic Medicine and Toxicology from 1st January 2023 to 31st December 2023. All cases of any gender and age were included in the study and cases referred from other districts and with incomplete documentation were excluded. Results: In 90 subjects, the males were 35.6% (n=32), whereas females were 64.4% (n=54). Of the subjects, 72.2% (n=65) had attempts of sexual assault, out of which 43.3% (n=39) went through rape and 28.9% (n=26) went through sodomy. 17.8% (n=16) had associated genital injuries with the assault while 10.0% (n=9) had extragenital injuries. The concurrent poisoning seen was 2.2% (n=2) which was merely benzodiazepine in cases of sexual assault. Conclusion: Our data concluded that sexual assault was more prevalent in females than in males. Most of the individuals were from urban areas rather than rural areas. Of the subjects, rape was more prevalent than sodomy. The most common pattern of genital injury is anal tear while extragenital injuries vary from bruises to abrasions on various parts of the body. The most common drug used was benzodiazepines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine trends of poisoning cases in autopsy examinations conducted at Khyber Medical College, Peshawar. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study enrolled 262 cases of poisoning presented for autopsy at the Department of Forensic Medicine, Khyber Medical College from 1st January 2018 to 31st December 2022. All poison-based autopsy cases of any age and gender were included in the study. Cases with Incomplete documentation and referred from other districts were excluded from the study. Results: Our study showed males 228/262 (87%) were more prevalent than females 34/262 (13%). Moreover, 21-30 years of age were 82/262 (31.3%)individuals. Out of 262 subjects, 50.4% (n=132) were poisoned with a single drug, though 49.6% (n=130) were having multiple drugs. The poisons found in the study were morphine (58.0%, 152), methamphetamines (34.4%, 90), benzodiazepines (34.4%, 90), Tetrahydrocannabinol (19.8%, 52), amphetamines, (15.6%, 41), phosphine (8.8%, 23), Tricyclic antidepressants (8.4%, 22), carbon monoxide (3.8%, 10), methyl alcohol (1.5%, 4), ethyl alcohol (1.1%, 3), propranolol (0.8%, 2), arsenic (0.4%, 1) and tissue paper (0.4%, 1). The trends of poisoning have been looked through the period of 5 years, indicating the use of morphine, amphetamines, and methamphetamines were escalating in the meantime, whereas the frequency of usage of benzodiazepines remain sustained. Conclusion: Our study concluded that poisoning was found more prevalent in males in the middle age group. In addition, the analysis of the last five years revealed that trends of morphine and methamphetamine poisoning increased while phosphine was found to be decreased for the cause of death determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Forensic osteology, the scientific study of human skeletal remains, occupies a pivotal position in the realm of forensic science. Its significance lies in its capacity to unveil the hidden narratives within bones and offer critical insights into the identification of skeletal injuries. This research endeavors to illuminate the multifaceted role played by forensic osteology in the detection, analysis, and interpretation of injuries sustained by skeletal remains. Objective: This research explores the pivotal role of forensic osteology in assessing injuries related to the chest and pulmonology conducted at Qazi Hussain Ahmed Medical Complex, Nowshera - Pakistan. Methods: A diverse sample of 85 skeletal remains was systematically examined, incorporating techniques such as osteological assessment, radiological imaging, histological analysis, and statistical analysis. Demographic characteristics, trauma patterns, radiological findings, and histological insights were meticulously documented. Results: The findings unveiled a diverse spectrum of trauma patterns, with 49.4% of cases exhibiting skeletal trauma, including those relevant to the chest and pulmonary region. Radiological imaging was instrumental in uncovering hidden fractures in 32.9% of cases, with implications for chest injuries. Additionally, histological analysis allowed for the differentiation of recent and healed injuries in 53.3% of cases, shedding light on pulmonary trauma. Conclusion: Forensic osteology, as exemplified in this study, plays a crucial role in identifying skeletal injuries, particularly those related to the chest and pulmonology. Its multidisciplinary approach not only advances our understanding of trauma patterns in these regions but also significantly contributes to the resolution of forensic cases and disaster victim identification efforts. This research underscores the critical role played by forensic osteology in delivering justice, resolving unresolved cases, and providing closure to individuals and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimicrobial resistance and tolerance are natural phenomena that arose due to evolutionary adaptation of microorganisms against various xenobiotic agents. These adaptation mechanisms make the current treatment options challenging as it is increasingly difficult to treat a broad range of infections, associated biofilm formation, intracellular and host adapted microbes, as well as persister cells and microbes in protected niches. Therefore, novel strategies are needed to identify the most promising drug targets to overcome the existing hurdles in the treatment of infectious diseases. Furthermore, discovery of novel drug candidates is also much needed, as few novel antimicrobial drugs have been introduced in the last two decades. In this review, we focus on the strategies that may help in the development of innovative small molecules which can interfere with microbial resistance mechanisms. We also highlight the recent advances in optimization of growth media which mimic host conditions and genome scale molecular analyses of microbial response against antimicrobial agents. Furthermore, we discuss the identification of antibiofilm molecules and their mechanisms of action in the light of the distinct physiology and metabolism of biofilm cells. This review thus provides the most recent advances in host mimicking growth media for effective drug discovery and development of antimicrobial and antibiofilm agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the pattern of injuries in autopsy examination of road traffic accident cases at Peshawar. Material and Methods: A community-based descriptive cross-sectional study included a total of 94 candidates presented for autopsy at the forensic medicine department, Khyber medical college from 01st July 2020 to 30th June 2021. Results: The age of the subjects ranged from 2-80 years with a mean age of 36.9 ± 20.7 years. 96.8 % of subjects were having multiple injuries whereas, 3.2% were having a single injury. Overall, 94 cases had a total number of 303 injuries, out of which 90.76% were small-sized, 7.92% were medium-sized and 1.32% were large-sized including all kinds of injuries. The most common presenting injury was laceration (87.2%), preceded by abrasion (59.6%), then contusion (51.1%), fracture (23.4%), and hematoma (2.1%). The most common region involved in RTA was head & neck with 86.17%. Maximal deaths occurred within 3-6 hours following an RTA. The most common cause of death was an injury to the brain and its associated vessels. There is no significant correlation noted between the patterns of injury and the cause of death of subjects (p<0.05). Conclusion: Our study shows the pattern of injuries and causes of death via RTA, as there is no study conducted in this region. It will be useful to Law Enforcement agencies in implementing rules and regulations in preventing RTA and public awareness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the pattern and socioeconomic characteristics of medico-legal cases presented to the District Quarter Hospital Charsadda Methods: This retrospective study analysed 500 patient records from the DISTRICT HEAD QUARTER HOSPITAL CHARSADDA. It focused on various types of medicolegal cases (MLC), including firearm incidents, physical assault, poisoning, road traffic accidents, sexual assault, and sharp injuries. The study utilised a consecutive sampling technique and excluded cases with incomplete records, deceased individuals, and non-Pakistani nationals. Statistical analysis, including the Pearson Chi-Square test, was conducted to explore the patterns of MLC about gender, age, and residence. Results: The mean age was 30.7±8.6 years. The females were 251(50.20%) while the males were 249(49.80%). The pattern of Medico-Legal Cases (MLC) is presented, highlighting the frequency and percentage for each type. The most common was Road Traffic Accidents having 200(40%) followed by physical assault present in 104(20.80%). Sharp injuries were recorded in 95 cases, representing 19.00% of the total MLC. Poisoning cases were observed in 25 instances, constituting 5.00% of the total MLC. Sexual assault was reported in 56 cases, accounting for 11.20% of the total MLC. Firearm incidents accounted for 20(4%) of the total MLC. Among firearm incidents, 6.4% were female and 1.6% were males. For physical assault, 34% were female and 7.6% were male. Similarly, in poisoning and sexual assault cases, the percentages of females were higher compared to males. Sharp injuries had 26% female and 12% male. There is a significant association between gender and the MLC type (p<0.001). For firearm incidents, 5.6% occurred in rural areas and 2.4% in urban areas. A higher proportion of physical assault, poisoning, and sharp injury cases were reported in urban areas. Road traffic accidents occurred more in urban areas than in rural areas. These differences were highly significant (p=0.001). The distribution of incidents across different age groups did not show significant variation for any of the incident types (p=0.88) Conclusion: Road Traffic Accidents (RTAs) were the predominant type of Medico-Legal Cases (MLC), followed by physical assault and sharp injuries. Females were more commonly affected by physical assault, sexual assault, and poisoning, while males had a higher prevalence of RTAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]