Journal of Rehman Medical Institute

Laboratory Analysis of Sexual Assault Cases: A Five-Year Retrospective Review of Forensic Laboratory Findings

shahid iqbal

ABSTRACT:

Introduction:

Sexual assault remains a substantial public health, social, and legal concern worldwide. The collection and analysis of forensic Trace evidence play a crucial role in the investigation and prosecution of any sexual assault cases. Laboratory examination of all trace biological and non-biological specimens provides objective evidence that may corroborate victim accounts and strengthen the judicial proceedings.

Objective:

To evaluate the pattern and laboratory outcomes of sexual assault cases received at the forensic science laboratory of the Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Bacha Khan Medical College, Mardan, over a five-year period.

Materials and Methods:

This retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the forensic science regional Laboratory of the Department of Forensic Medicine & Toxicology, Bacha Khan Medical College, Mardan Medical Complex, Mardan, Khyber Pukhtoon Khawa, Pakistan. Records of sexual assault and related forensic laboratory cases were received between 1^st January 2021 and 31^st December 2025. Data regarding forensic laboratory workload, sexual assault cases, blood identification, toxicological analysis, and chemical analysis were extracted and analysed; descriptive statistics such as frequencies and percentages were calculated.

Results:

A total of 1,090 eligible cases were analysed in the regional forensic science laboratory during the study period from January 2021 to December 2025. sexual assault cases received during the study period were 326 (29.9%). The positivity results of the laboratory findings were around 80% of cases, while the positive result regarding the sexual assault cases was 24.54% of cases. The highest positivity rate was in sexual assault cases observed in the year 2023, which was 34.72%. Blood identification analysis demonstrated the highest positivity rate among all forensic laboratory investigations, with 281 positive cases out of 306 examined cases (92%), followed by the toxicological analysis positivity rate of around 58.46%. Phosphine was the most frequently detected toxicological agent during the study periods, followed by organochlorine compounds, amphetamine, benzodiazepine, morphine and tetrahydrocannabinol.

Conclusion: Sexual assault cases formed a significant portion of the workload of the regional forensic science laboratory during the five-year study period. Although the number of cases increased steadily over the years, positive laboratory findings were detected in only about one-quarter of the sexual assault cases received during the study period. This highlights the importance of timely reporting, proper collection of biological and non-biological trace evidence, and correct preservation of specimens. Strengthening the regional forensic laboratory services, improving evidence collection practices, and maintaining the chain of custody may increase the recovery of biological evidence and improve the quality of medico-legal investigation in Pakistan.

KEYWORDS: Sexual Offense, Forensic Sciences, Biological Evidence, Semen, Forensic Serology, Toxicology, Medico-legal Systems.

Anthropometric Evaluation of the Nutritional Status of School Going Children of Private Schools in District Peshawar: A Cross-Sectional Study

Muhammad Mussiab

Introduction: Nutritional status is the result of the complex interaction among food intake, overall health, and the social and physical environment, influencing an individual's survival, growth, health, and well-being. In 2020, an estimated 149.2 million children under five years were afflicted by stunting. 45.4 million were wasted, and 38.9 million were overweight. While the prevalence of stunting is steadily declining in most regions, it remains a persistent issue in Africa. More than half of the global burden of wasting is concentrated in Southern Asia, and together with the rest of Asia, accounts for over three-quarters of all severe wasting cases.

Objectives: The objective of this study is “To assess nutritional status among school-going children using anthropometric measures in Peshawar, Pakistan”.

Materials & Methods: Cross-sectional study design. Although the calculated sample size was 384 at 95% confidence level, 50% anticipated frequency, and 5% margin of error, a feasible sample size of 300 students was included, taking into consideration the availability of time and resources. The study was conducted in Schools in the District of Peshawar. Subjects for the study were school-going children between the ages of 10 and 17 years in Classes 6 to 10. Data were collected as socio-demographic data and anthropometric measures. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Outcome measures were Body Mass Index and Mid Upper Arm Circumference.

Results: There was a total of 300 school-going children, with 150 male and 150 female participants. The results indicate that 141 students have a healthy BMI and 248 have normal MUAC. There was also an association between the outcome variables (BMI and MUAC) and some of the independent variables (gender, class, and age).

Conclusion: The majority of the students with disabilities have a healthy Body Mass Index and Mid Upper Arm Circumference.

The Impact of Caffeine Consumption on Alertness Among Medical Students of Peshawar

Miss, Raheelah amin, Miss, Miss, Miss, Miss

Background: Medical students commonly consume caffeine to enhance concentration and academic performance, particularly during examination periods. However, the precise effects on time to peak concentration, duration of alertness, and caffeine-induced sleep disruption among Pakistani medical students remain inadequately documented.

Objective: This study investigated the associations between daily caffeine intake and self-reported alertness among medical students in Peshawar, including consumption patterns, principal sources, and impact on sleep quality.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 350 medical students (years 1-4) from public and private medical colleges in Peshawar. Data were collected via online questionnaire from June to August 2025 and analyzed using SPSS version 21. Chi-square tests assessed associations, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

Results: Respondents (92% female, n = 322) had a mean age of 21 ± 1.5 years. All participants consumed caffeine daily, primarily through tea (68%) and coffee (24%). Among consumers, 39% reported reaching peak concentration within 15-30 minutes, and 51% experienced alertness lasting 1-3 hours. A significant association was found between daily caffeine dose and time to peak alertness (χ² = 35.036, p = 0.004). Although 42% of participants reported sleep disruption, no statistically significant association was observed between caffeine intake level and sleep disturbance (χ² = 21.690, p = 0.358).

Conclusion: Caffeine consumption accelerates time to peak concentration in medical students, with dose-dependent effects on alertness onset but not duration. The high prevalence of caffeine use and substantial sleep disruption warrants educational interventions regarding optimal caffeine consumption patterns.

Keywords: Caffeine consumption, Alertness, Sleep quality, Medical students

ASSESSING USAGE PATTERNS AND DETERMINANTS OF CONTRACEPTION AMONGST FEMALES VISITING A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL LAHORE 2024

Rozina khan, Rozina Shahadat Khan

Background: Regardless of presence of different types of Contraceptive agents such as Long-Acting, Hormonal Methods, Barrier Methods and Permanent Methods, large number of women, roughly 257 million, in their reproductive age still lack access to appropriate family planning methods due to factors related to availability, accessibility, and socio-cultural constraints.

Objective: To assess patterns and identify the determinants of contraceptive use among Reproductive age group females of the study setting.

Methods: Analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in the Gynae OPD of Lahore General Hospital from June-September 2024 amongst 377 conveniently selected reproductive age group females. Data collected via structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 23. Logistic regression identified factors associated with contraceptive use (p < 0.05).

Results: Out of the 377 participants, 95.65% were married, 30.7% had completed primary education, 75.8%were unemployed, and 70.2% resided in urban areas. The majority (37.6%) belonged to the 25-34-year age group and 51.2% had three or more children. Overall, 39.4% of the women reported using some form of contraception out of which 12.1% were using Intrauterine devices, 10.6% opted tubal ligation followed by 8.7% using condoms. Several factors were identified by participants that influence their choice of contraceptive methods, including cost (5.59%), convenience (30.4%), potential Side effects (2.2%), cultural beliefs (1.24%), partner preference (7.45%), religious beliefs (0.62%) and health care provider recommendation (6.83%). Logistic regression analysis revealed three significant predictors of contraceptive use. Advancing age was associated with increased odds of contraceptive use (OR=287, 95% CI: 1.16-7.12, p=0.023). Perceived convenience had a strong positive association, with women who considered contraception convenient being far more likely to use it (OR=1277.78, 95% CI: 186.40-8759.41, p<0.001). Similarly, healthcare provider recommendation significantly increased the likelihood of contraceptive use (OR =333.94, 95% CI: 32.53-3428.22, p<0.001)

Conclusion: Contraceptive uptake remains suboptimal despite urban residency and education. Increasing age, health care provider recommendation and perceived convenience influence contraceptive use. Improved counseling and understanding barriers may enhance contraceptive uptake.

Key words: Contraception, Contraceptive agents, Reproductive health, Socio-economic status, Reproductive-age females.

Frequency of Breast Abscess and Its Histopathological Findings in Non-Lactating Women Presenting with Mastalgia at Tertiary Care Hospital.

Objective: Breast infection in lactating mothers is a common entity that in the majority of cases can be explained by ascending infections. However, it has been noticed that the number of non-lactating women presenting with breast abscesses is rising. To determine the frequency of breast abscess and its histopathological findings among non-lactating women presenting with mastalgia.

Study design and setting: It was a descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted at the Breast clinic of Lyari General Hospital from March, 2025 to September, 2025.

Methodology: The sample size of 281 was calculated using the WHO calculator (prevalence 24%, margin of error 5%, CI 95%), and non-probability consecutive sampling was used to enroll non-lactating women aged 15–49 years. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 24, with p≤0.05 considered statistically significant.

Results: A total of 281 non-lactating females were enrolled in the study. Median age of patient was 32 years. The frequency of breast abscess amongst the participants was 25.3% (n=71). Amongst the histological findings, granulomatous mastitis was the most frequent (47.7%). No significant difference could be observed in the presence of breast abscess, its histopathological subtypes, and various confounding variables.

Conclusion: Breast infection in non-lactating women is an infrequent but recognized clinical entity that deserves special attention. An underlying clinical condition should always be sought and treated. Indeed, in addition to cultures, radiological modalities such as ultrasonographic imaging may provide specific diagnosis and aid the management.

Frequency of secretors in blood donors visiting the blood bank of Ghurki Hospital, Lahore

Introduction: ABH secretions are controlled by (FUT2) secretor gene located on the short arm of chromosome number 19 in the form of two alleles denoted as dominant “Se” and recessive 'se”. The FUT2 gene encodes for enzyme glycosyl transferase which become active in goblet cells, and mucus glands of GIT , urogenital tract and respiratory tract as well as in the sweat, tears, milk and amniotic fluid.

Objectives: To determine the frequency of secretors in blood donors presenting in Ghurki Hospital Lahore.

Methodology: It was a cross sectional study carried out in blood bank and pathology department of Ghurki Hospital from November 2025 to March 2026. .A total of 95 blood donors, age range between 18 to 50 years were included while individuals having poor oral hygiene, Individuals having autoimmune disease and Individuals having history of infectious disease were excluded. Their ABO and Rh blood groups were determined by tube agglutination method, and their secretor status was studied by hemagglutination inhibition test. Frequency of secretors and non-secretors of blood antigens A, B, H were noted.

Results: Age range in this study was from 18 to 50 years with mean age of 33.1

± 7.77 years. Majority of the donors 56 (58.95%) were between 18 to 35 years of

age. Out of 95 donors, 55 (57.89%) were male and 40 (42.11%) were females with male to female ratio 1.4:1. In our study, frequency of secretors in blood donors was found in 65 (68.42%) donors.

Conclusion: This study concluded that the frequency of secretors in blood donors is quite high.

The Frequency of Adverse Maternal and Fetal Outcomes of Teenage Pregnancy in a Tertiary Care Hospital.

Dr. Lubna Faisal Dr Lubna Faisal

Objective: This study aims to determine the frequency of adverse outcomes of teenage pregnancy and its association with maternal and fetal health risks in a tertiary care hospital.

Background: Teenage pregnancy is associated with several adverse maternal and fetal health outcomes. As reported in existing literature, early pregnancy poses significant risks to young females, increasing their likelihood of developing complications such as preeclampsia, anemia, preterm labor, and gestational diabetes. These conditions contribute to increased maternal morbidity and mortality. Furthermore, offspring of adolescent mothers are also at risk with complications including low birth weight, preterm birth and still birth.

Study design:A cross-sectional study was conducted at Gynae and Obs department of Liaquat National Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan from July 2024 to July 2025.

Methodology: A total of 163 young females (15-19 years) which were included via convenience sampling, admitted for childbirth at Liaquat National Hospital. A structured questionnaire was used to collect quantitative data, which was analyzed using SPSS version 23, and chi-square test to assess association between adverse factors with maternal and fetal outcomes.

Results: The mean age of the participants in our study was 17.72 ± SD 1.86 years. The average gestational age at delivery was reported to be around 37.61 ± SD 3.24 weeks. The predominant complications reported in teenage mothers were preterm delivery, of about 28.2% and pre-eclampsia of 24.5%. Most of the deliveries were carried out by caesarean section in 54.0% cases. Regarding fetal outcomes 2.5% deliveries ended in stillbirth and out of live newborns 51.5% required admission to the NICU.

Conclusion: This study aims to provide insights into the maternal and fetal medical risks associated with teenage pregnancy, informing strategies for prevention and management.

Superior mesenteric artery syndrome in a 14 years ild female presenting with weight loss and postprandial vomiting

Akash kumar Arora

SMA syndrome, also known as Wilkie's syndrome, is a rare disorder that present as partial or total duodenal obstruction when the aorta and superior mesenteric artery compress the third portion of the duodenum. It often result in rapid weight loss because the aortomesenteric angle decreases, worsening the obstruction. We describe the case of a 14-year-old girl who experienced severe weight loss and frequent post-meal vomiting over the course of six months. Her aortomesenteric angle and distance were found to be narrowed, confirming the SMA syndrome diagnosis. Initially, the symptoms were managed conservatively with nasogastric decompression and nutritional supplementation. These measures did not provide symptom relief. After the failure of conservative treatment it was decided to take the patient for laparoscopic duodenojejunostomy which lead to complete resolution of her symptoms, and she was able to regain weight progressively. This casedemonstrates the importance of early SMA syndrome diagnosis and treatment in the setting of significant weight loss, gastrointestinal manifestations, and no clear diagnosis. When conservative treatment fails surgical treatment offers outstanding results , as shown in this case.

SEROLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF DENGUE FEVER AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN PATIENTS

Introduction: Dengue virus (DENV), a viral infection, is transmitted to humans primarily through bites from infected mosquitoes called Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and, to a lesser extent by the Aedes albopictus mosquitos. Globally, the incidence of dengue is increasing, with an estimated half of the world’s population at risk.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate serological indicators of dengue and associated risk factors among patients attending Hameed Latif Hospital.
Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted at Hameed Latif Hospital from 15 July 2024 to 30 September 2024.
490 patients were determined using G-POWER software. The study included all patients presenting to the emergency department with symptoms indicative of dengue during the study period. Data were analyzed with SPSS version 25. Frequency tables were presented for quantitative data, and the chi-square test was used for categorical variables (level of significance p<0.05).
Results: The overall seroprevalence of anti-DENV IgG and IgM antibodies was 23.7% and 7.6%, respectively. Of the 490 confirmed cases, 421 were male (58.8%) and 295 were female (41.2%). The highest incidence was observed in the 16–30 age group (42.0%), followed by 31–45 years (25.7%), above 46 years (18.4%), and 0–15 years (13.8%).
Conclusion: The findings suggest dengue fever is an emerging public health issue. In Pakistan, dengue prevalence has grown significantly over the past decade, with males and those aged 16–30 at higher risk. Effective monitoring, including clinical and molecular surveillance, vector control, and community engagement, is essential for prevention and management.

Outcome of Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL) for High Density Renal Stones

Objective: To compare the effects of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) in comparison with high-density renal stones (1000 Hounsfield units) with respect to stone-free rate, auxiliary procedures, and complications.

Methods: A total of one hundred and two consecutive adult patients having renal stones at most 20 mm in maximum dimension and density of 1000 HU or more with non-contrast computed tomography underwent ESWL with a third generation lithotripter. Four weeks after the last session, follow-up imaging (ultrasound imaging or X-ray KUB) was conducted. Stone-free rate which is total clearance or reduction insignificant residual stone (less than 4 mm) without further surgical intervention was the main outcome. Secondary outcome measures encompassed the need to use secondary procedures and complications. The analysis was conducted through the SPSS version 26.0, categorical variables are shown as frequencies and percentage with a confidence interval of 95% Wilson score and association by chi-square or Fisher exact test.

Results: Mean age was 41.2 ± 10.9 years and 71.6% of patients were male. Mean stone size was 13.2 ± 3.1 mm and mean density was 1185 ± 142 HU. The stone-free rate was 56.9% (58/102; 95% CI 46.9–66.4). Auxiliary procedures were required in 28.4% (29/102; 95% CI 20.1–38.1) and any complication occurred in 23.5% (24/102; 95% CI 16.0–33.0). Stone-free rate was significantly higher for stones ≤13 mm (69.1% vs 42.6%, p=0.009) and single-session treatment (75.6% vs 44.3%, p<0.001).

Conclusion: ESWL demonstrated a satisfactory stone-free rate in a well-selected patient with high-density renal stones, however, almost one-third of patients needed an auxiliary intervention in this Pakistani tertiary care population. Computerised tomography density must be done on pre-treatment and realistic counselling and resource allocation is a necessity.

Frequency of Infected Renal Stones in Patients Presenting to Institute of Kidney Diseases

ABSTRACT

Background

Infected renal stones are a clinically aggressive subtype of urolithiasis that occurs due to the ability of urease producing bacteria and frequent UTIs. There is little local data available of their prevalence in high-burden areas such as Pakistan, despite being related to rapid stone development, staghorn form, and transition to chronic kidney disease. This study was done to determine the prevalence and clinical presentation of the infected renal stones in patients who presented with renal calculi in one of the tertiary urology centers in Peshawar.

Methods

This was a prospective, single-center, cross-sectional study conducted by the researchers at the Institute of Kidney Diseases in Peshawar, Hayatabad Medical Complex. Non-probability sequential sampling was employed to sample 246 patients who had radiographic appearance of renal calculus during a 6-month time. The age of the patients was 18-75 years. Any kidney stone shortlisted as infected had to come together with indications of some infections within the urinary system and confirmed by a positive urine culture (≥105 CFU/mL) or a stone culture. Using SPSS version 29.0 we were able to analyze structured proforma data which had demographics, clinical, laboratory as well as microbiological information.

Results

Renal stones were infected in 23.6 percent (58/246). The patients were more likely to have infected stones as compared to patients who did not have the conditions (34.0% vs. 50.0% patients with diabetes mellitus, 82.8% vs. 31.4% one infection after the other) and patients seeking medical assistance were more likely to possess a stone (41.4) than those who did not seek medical assistance (34.0). Proteus species was the most predominant uropathogen at 67.2 followed by Escherichia coli with 39.7. Infected stones had a strong correlation with larger average stone size (24.8 =10.4mm vs 16.7 =8.1mm, p<0.001), higher staghorn morphology frequencies (48.3 =6.9 =0.001), increased serum creatinine, increased surgical intervention, and the prolonged hospital stay (p = 0.05).

Conclusion

Infected kidney stones can be considered responsible of approximately 25% of patients with nephrolithiasis in our case. These stones are linked to the female population, frequent UTIs, diabetes, etc. more severe illnesses. To decrease morbidity, it is necessary to screen stone patients with infections on regular basis especially in the high-risk population, culture-based therapy, and timely surgical debridement. Bigger multicentric studies are required in order to inform preventive initiatives in Pakistan in region-specific contexts.

Neuromorphic Computing: From Emerging Material and Devices to Algorithms and Implementation of Neural Networks

Dr.Sumaira Aziz

Abstract:

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to discover the recent advancements in neuromorphic computing, emphasizing the integration of new materials, devices and algorithms. It seeks to address existing gaps by offering a unified perspective on the combined potential, highlighting key challenges, and suggesting future research directions to enhance their synergy.

Methodology:

A literature review was done through (PubMed, Science Direct and Google Scholar) using key words like (neuromorphic computing, emerging material devices, neural network and algorithms). There were 38 studies from various sources; 21 studies were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Results:

Studies included in this systematic review suggested that neuromorphic computing has the power to completely transform domains like the material sciences and artificial intelligence.

Conclusion:

Neuromorphic computing emphasizes its fundamental components, critical algorithms, and transformative potential across AI and material sciences. The field of neuromorphic computation has advanced significantly, but there is still much room for advancement in terms of materials, algorithms, and neural networks used in the field.