Jorjani Biomedicine Journal

Editorial: Smart drug delivery system – overcoming swallowing barriers in dementia-affected seniors

Maryam Chehrehgosha

In patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), dysphagia — a condition affecting most individuals with moderate-to-severe dementia — novel drug delivery systems (NDDS), including orally disintegrating tablets, transdermal patches, and intranasal sprays, offer a promising approach to improving medication adherence. These delivery modalities enhance compliance, provide more stable drug exposure, reduce swallowing-related complications such as aspiration pneumonia, and facilitate integration with non-pharmacological interventions by eliminating the need for oral swallowing. However, their implementation faces several challenges, including skin sensitivity associated with transdermal systems, nasal irritation with intranasal formulations, regulatory hurdles related to advanced nanocarrier technologies, and the need for supportive health policies and caregiver education to ensure equitable and effective use across diverse care settings.

Diet management system (SAMAR): A software for evaluating and designing the diet of Iranians

Hasan Khorsha

Background: Dietary intake assessment is a critical component of the nutrition care process, essential for identifying nutritional deficiencies and formulating effective interventions. Accurate analysis requires access to a reliable food composition database that reflects cultural and regional dietary habits. In Iran, existing software solutions fall short in adequately representing traditional foods, highlighting the need for a localized database. The SAMAR software addresses this gap by enabling users to monitor nutrient intake and tailor dietary plans to better meet the nutritional needs of the Iranian population.
Methods: We conducted a comparative analysis of food intake data from 30 patients using the SAMAR system and the Nutritionist 4 (NUT4) system. After inputting the data into both software platforms, we compared the results. The normality of the data was assessed using the Shapiro-Wilk test, and Pearson or Spearman correlation coefficients were computed. To evaluate the relationship between the values derived from each system, we reported the linear regression model alongside the Bland-Altman diagram.
Results: The comparative analysis between the SAMAR software and NUT4 demonstrated a strong agreement in nutrient analysis results, indicating that SAMAR is suitable for nutritional assessments within Iranian contexts. SAMAR exhibited a direct correlation with NUT4 regarding energy and nutrient content. The linear regression models revealed significant relationships for the majority of the nutrients analyzed. The user-friendly interface of SAMAR, along with its compatibility with Iranian dietary patterns, renders it a valuable resource for nutritionists and researchers. Additionally, the software's capacity to incorporate local foods enhances its functionality, making it more effective than other software applications.
Conclusion: SAMAR uses the Iranian Food Database. The observed positive correlation between SAMAR and NUT4 in nutrient analysis underscores the reliability and user-friendliness of SAMAR for dietary intake assessment in Iran.

The effect of high-intensity interval training on cardiac angiogenesis and hypoxia-response in diabetic rats

Farah Nameni

Background: Adaptation to hypoxia can improve cardiac function and reduce cardiac complications of diabetes. This study aimed to determine the effect of HIIT on the expression of VEGF-A and HIF-1α in the hearts of diabetic rats.
Methods: Male Wistar rats (weighing 200–250 g and eight weeks old) were used in this study. Rats in the training group warmed up for 5 minutes, then performed a HIIT swimming protocol (14 repetitions of 20 seconds with 10 seconds of rest; eight weeks, three sessions per week). An external load equivalent to 7% of body weight was attached to the base of the tail in the first week and gradually increased by 1% in the following weeks (eighth week: load equivalent to 14% of body weight). Twenty-two rats were made diabetic by subcutaneous injection of streptozotocin. Seven days after injection, rats with blood sugar levels above 300 mg/dL were selected as diabetic samples. Eleven rats were placed in the healthy control group. After eight weeks, the rats were anesthetized and their hearts were removed for sampling. Gene expression was examined using real-time PCR. Data are presented as mean ± standard deviation; one-way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test were used.
Results: VEGF-A mRNA expression in the HIIT group increased by 60% compared to the diabetic group (p < 0.06). In the diabetic group, VEGF-A mRNA expression showed a 47% decrease compared to the control group (p < 0.001). HIF-1α mRNA expression in the HIIT group increased by about 27% compared to the diabetic group (p < 0.001). HIF-1α mRNA expression in the diabetic group decreased by about 25% compared to the control group (p < 0.001).
Conclusion: Diabetes impairs the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF-A, and HIIT increases the expression of these genes in heart tissue.

Effective diagnosis of bladder cancer: Leveraging bioinformatics and machine learning techniques

Masoud Arabfard

Background: Bladder cancer (BC) is a life-threatening malignancy that can be successfully treated if diagnosed in its early stages. Machine learning techniques, by using large biological databases, are suggested as important approaches for identifying accurate diagnostic biomarkers. The present study aimed to introduce a simple and accurate model for the diagnosis of BC.
Methods: RNA-sequencing information of 412 primary bladder tumors versus 19 normal bladder tissues from The Cancer Genome Atlas were analyzed using the TCGAbiolinks R package to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Gene ontology properties and the corresponding pathways of DEGs were investigated using the online ShinyGO tools. To develop a diagnostic model for BC, two binary classifier machine learning algorithms, C5.0 and CHAID, were employed in three subgroups of train, test, and validation sets using SPSS Modeler version 18.1. Their efficacy was evaluated using performance measures for binary classification.
Results: Most of the identified DEGs were associated with microtubule organization, coagulation, and myelination. Based on the constructed models, four important RNAs (Tubulin Polymerization-Promoting Protein: ENSG00000171368, Proteolipid Protein-1: ENSG00000123560, RP11-473E2: ENSG00000228877, and Coagulation Factor X: ENSG00000126218) were identified as important classifiers for diagnosis in both C5.0 and CHAID models. The CHAID model demonstrated superior performance in the testing dataset, achieving an accuracy of 98.75%, an F1-score of 99.36%, and an AUC of 99.4%.
Conclusion: According to the results, machine learning algorithms are beneficial for the diagnosis of BC and potentially useful for improving personalized medicine in BC patients. The developed model may serve as a non-invasive, data-driven tool to support early diagnosis and personalized treatment planning in clinical settings. Further evaluation using laboratory tests is suggested to validate the obtained results.

Aerobic exercise and resveratrol cooperatively modulate hippocampal mitochondrial mitophagy in Alzheimer’s disease rat models

Kamal Azizbeigi

Background: Mitochondrial proteostasis disruption in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) results in impaired mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy). This study evaluated the effects of 8-week aerobic exercise training (T), resveratrol (RSV) supplementation, and their combination on mitophagy markers in an AD rat model.
Methods: In this experimental study, 35 male Wistar rats were divided into five groups: Control (NO), Alzheimer’s (AD), Alzheimer’s-Training (ADT), Alzheimer’s-Resveratrol (ADRSV), and Alzheimer’s-Training-Resveratrol (ADTRSV). RSV groups received 20 mg/kg/day orally. The aerobic exercise protocol consisted of treadmill running (6–18 m/min) five days per week for eight weeks. Hippocampal PINK1 and PARKIN expression levels were analyzed.
Results: AD induction significantly reduced PINK1 and PARKIN expression (P < 0.001). Compared to the AD group, significant increases in PINK1 and PARKIN were observed in the ADT (P = 0.043; P = 0.005), ADRSV (P = 0.033; P = 0.046), and ADTRSV (P < 0.001) groups. The ADTRSV group showed higher PINK1 expression than ADT (P = 0.036) and ADRSV (P = 0.046), and greater PARKIN expression than ADRSV (P = 0.046).
Conclusion: Exercise training and RSV supplementation improved hippocampal mitophagy in AD rats, with synergistic effects observed in the combined intervention. These findings suggest that non-pharmacological strategies may mitigate AD-related mitochondrial dysfunction.

Side-specific pain responses to cosmetic botulinum toxin type A injections in 5 Azar Hospital and a private clinic in Gorgan in 2025 year: A cross-sectional study of the forehead

Ali Alishahi

Background: Botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) is widely used for cosmetic wrinkle reduction, but injection-related pain varies among patients. Given that factors such as sex, BMI, handedness, and prior injection experience may influence pain perception, this study aimed to investigate the asymmetry of pain perception in botulinum toxin injection.
Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the surgical department of 5 Azar Hospital and a private clinic in Gorgan, Iran. A total of 84 eligible subjects (68 females and 16 males) receiving botulinum toxin type A injection in the forehead were enrolled. Pain severity was assessed five minutes post-injection using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS, 0–10). Each participant provided a separate VAS score for the left and right sides of the forehead, resulting in paired measurements for analysis. Statistical analyses, including paired t-tests, Pearson correlation, and linear regression model, were employed to examine the effects of variables such as gender, age, BMI, and handedness. A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: This study included a total of 84 participants, predominantly female (81%). A paired analysis revealed that pain was generally higher on the left side, with females reporting significantly greater discomfort than males (P = 0.037). Prior injection experience was associated with reduced pain asymmetry (R = –0.227, P = 0.038). Multiple regression analysis identified sex (P = 0.025, β = 0.218) and BMI (P = 0.012, β = 0.293) as significant predictors of pain difference.
Conclusion: Adopting individualized injection strategies that consider these patient-specific factors (such as sex and BMI) is crucial for enhancing comfort and satisfaction during the procedure.

Motor skill enhancement in children with ADHD: The impact of a targeted sport-based intervention

Mohammad Jalilvand

Background: Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) frequently demonstrate significant impairments in fundamental motor skills (FMS), including locomotor and object control abilities. This study investigated the efficacy of an 8-week table tennis training program as a targeted intervention to improve FMS in this population.
Methods: In a quasi-experimental study, 30 male children with ADHD (aged 9 - 12 years) were assigned to either an experimental group (n = 15) or a control group (n = 15). The experimental group participated in a structured, 8-week table tennis training program, while the control group continued with their routine activities. The Test of Gross Motor Development-3 (TGMD-3) was administered to assess locomotor and object control skills before and after the intervention. Data were analyzed using paired t-tests and Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) in SPSS-19.
Results: Following the intervention, the experimental group exhibited significant improvements in both locomotor (from 27.93 ± 1.90 to 31.33 ± 2.29, P-value < 0.001, η² = 0.80) and object control skills (from 25.40 ± 1.91 to 29.93 ± 2.49, P-value < 0.001, η² = 0.36). The control group showed no significant changes. ANCOVA results, controlling for baseline scores, confirmed a substantial between-group difference in the total motor score (F (1, 27) = 86.06, P-value < 0.001, η² = 0.76).
Conclusion: An 8-week table tennis training program is an effective and feasible intervention for enhancing fundamental motor skills in children with ADHD. These findings support the integration of structured racket sports into physical activity programs to address motor proficiency deficits in this clinical population.

Development and validation of an instrument measuring maternal breastfeeding behavior according to the theory of planned behavior

Maryam Maghsoudlou

Background: The validity and reliability of measurement instruments are fundamental prerequisites for high-quality research. This study aimed to develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a newly designed instrument to assess maternal breastfeeding behavior based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).
Methods: This cross-sectional study involved the development of an initial 51-item questionnaire derived from a comprehensive literature review of databases including SID, Magiran, PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect. Face and content validity were assessed qualitatively through expert panel review and quantitatively using the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI). Construct validity was examined using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Reliability was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC).
Results: Quantitative content validity indices were acceptable (CVR = 0.62, CVI = 0.79). Exploratory factor analysis identified a six-factor structure — attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, self-efficacy, intention, and behavior — accounting for 62% of the total variance. The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy was 0.82. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the factor structure and demonstrated good model fit (χ²/df = 1.18, RMSEA = 0.052, CFI = 0.939, GFI = 0.93, AGFI = 0.91). The instrument also exhibited strong reliability, with ICC values ranging from 0.80 to 0.92 and Cronbach’s alpha coefficients between 0.80 and 0.93 across all constructs.
Conclusion: The findings indicate that the TPB-based questionnaire is a valid and reliable instrument for assessing maternal breastfeeding behavior and is suitable for use in future research and clinical practice.