School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Research in Medicine 1735-5311 49 1 2025 5 1 Investigating the effect of Probiotic supplement and 8 weeks of moderate resistance training on the serum concentration of lipid profile and liver gene expression of GRP78 in male Wistar rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease 1 14 FA Akram Bargir Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Farshad Gazalian Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Hossein Keyvani Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Hossein Abed Natanzy Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Mandana Gholami Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran. Background and Aim: Non- alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a prevalent metabolic liver disorder characterized by excessive triglyceride (TG) accumulation in hepatocytes and elevated hepatic free fatty acid flux. Aerobic and resistance training have been shown to reduce hepatic fat content, while probiotics may influence lipid metabolism by modifying energy extraction, synthesizing short- chain fatty acids, and improving the blood lipid profile. This study aimed to investigate the effects of moderate-intensity resistance training (MRT) and Lactobacillus reuteri supplementation on serum triglyceride and total cholesterol levels, as well as GRP78 gene expression in the livers of NAFLD- induced male Wistar rats. Methods: In this experimental study, 32 male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to four groups: control, probiotic supplement, MRT, and MRT + probiotic. NAFLD was induced prior to intervention. The intervention lasted for 8 weeks. Serum triglyceride and total cholesterol levels were measured using ELISA. Hepatic GRP78 gene expression was assessed using PCR. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post hoc tests for group comparisons (p < 0.05 considered significant). Results: Eight weeks of combined MRT and probiotic supplementation significantly increased GRP78 gene expression in liver tissue (from 0.06 to 1.01; p < 0.001). A significant reduction in total cholesterol was observed in the control (16.61 to 16.01 mg/dL) and probiotic (9.15 to 7.58 mg/dL) groups, while triglyceride levels decreased notably in the control group (41.5 to 28.68 mg/dL) (p < 0.05). The combined treatment group showed the most pronounced improvements in both lipid profile and gene expression. Conclusion: Probiotic supplementation alone effectively reduced serum cholesterol levels, while its combination with MRT further enhanced the reduction in triglyceride levels. Moreover, the combined intervention significantly upregulated hepatic GRP78 expression, which may contribute to reduced lipogenesis and fat accumulation in the liver, suggesting potential therapeutic benefits in managing NAFLD.  

School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Research in Medicine 1735-5311 49 1 2025 5 1 Effect of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Artemisia sieberi Leaves at Different Doses on Oxalate Crystal Formation and Expression of Fibronectin and TGF-β in Male Rats 15 23 FA Malihe Maleki Department of Biology, Ma.C, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran Maryam Tehranipour Department of Biology, Ma.C, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran Saeedeh Zafar Balanezhad Department of Biology, Ma.C, Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran Background and Aim: Urinary stones are polycrystalline aggregates composed of varying proportions of crystalloid materials and organic matrix. Overexpression of fibronectin and transforming growth factor- beta (TGF-β) genes contributes to stone formation. Artemisia sieberi, a plant from the Asteraceae family, possesses antibacterial, anti- inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. Given these pharmacological effects, this study aimed to investigate the preventive role of hydroalcoholic extract of Artemisia sieberi leaves on oxalate crystal formation and the expression of fibronectin and TGF-β genes in male rats. Methods: A hydroalcoholic extract of Artemisia leaves was prepared using the Soxhlet method. Thirty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups (n = 6 per group): a healthy control, a negative control receiving ethylene glycol to induce urolithiasis, and three treatment groups receiving extract doses of 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg intraperitoneally for 30 days. On day 30, rats were sacrificed, and kidney tissues were collected. Total RNA was extracted, cDNA was synthesized, and the expression levels of fibronectin and TGF-β genes were analyzed. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test in Minitab, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The negative control group exhibited a significant increase in crystal deposition compared to the healthy control (p < 0.001). The 50 mg/kg treatment group showed a significant reduction in crystal number compared to the negative control (p < 0.001). Although crystal numbers were also reduced in the 100 and 200 mg/kg groups, the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Additionally, fibronectin and TGF-β gene expression levels were significantly reduced in all treatment groups compared to the negative control (p = 0.000). Conclusion: The hydroalcoholic extract of Artemisia sieberi appears to reduce calcium oxalate crystal accumulation and mitigate tubular and calyceal damage in the kidneys. These findings suggest its potential as a preventive agent for individuals at risk of oxalate kidney stone formation.

School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Research in Medicine 1735-5311 49 1 2025 5 1 Antibacterial and Cytotoxic Effects of Graphene Oxide Nanosheets: Evaluation on Gram- Positive and Gram- Negative Bacteria and Skin Fibroblasts 24 39 FA Mohammad Reza Nejadmoghaddam Nanobiotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran. Fatemeh Mozafari Nanobiotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran. Ramin Ghahremanzadeh Nanobiotechnology Research Center, Avicenna Research Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran. Background and Aim: Graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets have attracted considerable interest in biomedical applications due to their notable antibacterial and biological properties. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial efficacy and cytotoxicity of GO nanosheets against both Gram- positive and Gram-negative bacteria, as well as human skin fibroblast cells (AGO1522). Methods: GO nanosheets were synthesized via a modified Hummer’s method and characterized using Fourier- transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Antibacterial activity was determined by measuring the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), while cytotoxicity was assessed using the MTT assay to calculate the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀). Apoptotic effects were evaluated using Annexin V-FITC/PI staining followed by flow cytometry. Statistical analysis was performed using one- way ANOVA with Bonferroni correction, and significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Successful synthesis and characterization of GO nanosheets were confirmed. XRD revealed an interlayer spacing of 8.52 Å, while FTIR confirmed the presence of hydrophilic functional groups. AFM indicated nanosheet thickness ranging from 0.34 to 1.2 nm, and DLS measurements showed a zeta potential of -34.7 mV. Antibacterial testing showed greater efficacy of GO nanosheets against Gram- positive bacteria compared to Gram- negative strains, although the difference was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). The MTT assay determined an IC₅₀ of 0.8605 ± 0.21 mg/mL, with cell viability exceeding 70% at concentrations below 0.3 mg/mL. Apoptosis analysis at 0.3 mg/mL revealed 5% early apoptosis and 7% late apoptosis among fibroblast cells. Conclusion: GO nanosheets demonstrated promising antibacterial activity, particularly against Gram- positive bacteria, and exhibited dose- dependent cytotoxicity. At lower concentrations, they maintained effective antibacterial properties while preserving cell viability. These findings suggest potential applications of GO nanosheets in wound healing and biomedical devices; however, further in vivo and long- term studies are needed to validate their safety and efficacy under physiological conditions.

School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Research in Medicine 1735-5311 49 1 2025 5 1 Diagnosis of Diabetic Retinopathy Using Deep Neural Network and Evolutionary Algorithms 40 50 FA Mahdi Ramezani Master's Student, Information Technology Engineering, K.N Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. Mohammad Jafar Tarokh Department of Information Technology Engineering, Faculty of Industrial Engineering, K.N Toosi University of Technology, Tehran, Iran. Background and Aim: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness worldwide, resulting in visible structural changes in the retina. Early-stage detection significantly improves the chances of treatment and vision preservation. Recent advances have highlighted the role of artificial intelligence (AI), particularly deep learning, in the diagnosis of DR. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and accuracy of AI-based methods in determining the severity of diabetic retinopathy. Methods: A publicly available dataset containing 13,673 retinal images from 9,598 patients- originally compiled by Taveli et al. in 2019 under the supervision of seven physicians- was used to train convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The images, categorized into six classes based on disease severity and image quality, were often characterized by noise and low contrast, especially those captured using a fluorescent oscilloscope. To address this, we applied a contrast enhancement technique using constrained adaptive histogram equalization. To further improve model performance, the Archimedes metaheuristic optimization algorithm was employed to fine-tune CNN parameters. The algorithm was run with an initial population of 20 and 50 iterations. Results: By combining image preprocessing with parameter optimization via the Archimedes algorithm, the proposed CNN model achieved an accuracy of 79% and a precision of 82% in classifying images into six severity categories. The optimized preprocessing and parameter tuning contributed significantly to enhancing the model’s performance. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that accurate feature extraction from retinal images, coupled with intelligent parameter optimization using metaheuristic algorithms, can significantly improve the performance of AI-based DR diagnosis systems. The proposed model presents a promising alternative to existing CNN-based methods for classifying the severity of diabetic retinopathy.

School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Research in Medicine 1735-5311 49 1 2025 5 1 Evaluation of the Antibacterial Effects of Ambleprenin Loaded on Polydopamine- Linked Mesoporous Silica Nanoparticles (APS-NPs) 51 63 FA Sedigheh Edalatian Tavakoli Department of Biochemistry, Neyshabur Branch, Islamic Azad University, Neyshabur, Iran. Alireza Motavalizadehkakhky Department of Chemistry, Neyshabur Branch, Islamic Azad University, Neyshabur, Iran. Masoud Homayouni Tabrizi Department of Biology, Ma.C., Islamic Azad University, Mashhad, Iran. Jamshid Mehrzad Department of Biochemistry, Neyshabur Branch, Islamic Azad University, Neyshabur, Iran. Rahele Zhiani Department of Chemistry, Neyshabur Branch, Islamic Azad University, Neyshabur, Iran. Background and Aim: The global rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria has become a critical challenge in healthcare, emphasizing the need for alternative therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the antibacterial and anti-biofilm effects of umbelliferone (UMB) loaded into mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) conjugated with polydopamine (PDA) a novel nanoformulation referred to as APS-NP-investigated for the first time in this context. Methods: In this experimental study, APS-NPs were synthesized by loading umbelliferone into mesoporous silica nanoparticles, followed by conjugation with polydopamine. Particle size and morphology were characterized using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The antibacterial activity of APS-NPs was tested against Gram-positive bacteria (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) using the Kirby-Bauer agar diffusion method, as well as by determining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC). Biofilm inhibition was assessed using disk diffusion and agar diffusion methods. Statistical analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA with SPSS version 21, with significance set at p < 0.05. Results: The synthesized APS-NPs had an average size of 196.7 ± 0.21 nm and a zeta potential of -41.07 mV, exhibiting a spherical morphology. APS-NPs demonstrated potent antibacterial effects, particularly against Gram-positive strains. The MIC values for Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus were 50 µg/mL and 25 µg/mL, respectively. Additionally, APS-NPs effectively inhibited biofilm formation by Bacillus subtilis (25 ± 0.036) at 200 µg/mL and Staphylococcus aureus (5 ± 0.0) at 125 µg/mL (p < 0.05), with significant inhibition also observed at 300 µg/mL (p < 0.05). Conclusion: APS-NPs represent a promising nano-based strategy for combating antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections and inhibiting biofilm formation. These findings highlight their potential as an innovative alternative to conventional antimicrobial therapies. However, further preclinical and clinical studies are required to assess their safety, toxicity, and therapeutic efficacy in vivo.

School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Research in Medicine 1735-5311 49 1 2025 5 1 Assessment of Myelination Milestones on Brain MRI in Patients Aged 2-24 Months with Nonspecific Symptoms from 2019 to 2021 64 72 FA Elham Rahimian Radiologist, Haghighat Imaging Center, Tehran, Iran. Ebrahim Eghdami Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Imam Hossein Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran, Iran. Armin Shirvani Department of Medical Education, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran. Zeinab Shormeij Pediatric Congenital Hematologic Disorders Research Center, Research Institute for Children’s Health, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran. Mitra Khalili Department of Radiology, School of Medicine, Mofid Children’s Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Tehran,Iran. Background and Aim: White matter myelination is a critical process in neurological development and maturation, which can be reliably assessed through brain MRI. This study aimed to evaluate the pattern of brain myelination in Iranian infants and compare it with global standard references- marking the first such investigation conducted in Iran. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed existing data from 249 children under 24 months of age who underwent brain MRI for various clinical reasons but were deemed neurologically normal. Qualitative assessment of myelination was performed using T1- and T2-weighted images and FLAIR sequences. Myelination stages were compared across age groups using international standard references. For each age group, if more than 95% of cases exhibited patterns consistent with the global standards, the results were considered aligned with normal developmental milestones. Results: Signal intensity changes on T1- and T2-weighted images corresponding to key myelination landmarks were documented across different age groups. At 2, 4, 8, 18, and 24 months of age, the myelination patterns on T1- and T2-weighted images were largely consistent with global standards. However, discrepancies were noted in other age groups. Additionally, FLAIR sequences showed inconsistent findings across nearly all age groups, except for children at 24 months. Conclusion: The findings suggest that demographic factors such as ethnicity may not significantly influence the timeline of myelination. However, the variability observed in certain age groups- especially on FLAIR imaging-underscores the need for developing a region-specific nomogram for more accurate evaluation of brain myelination in Iranian children, ideally based on larger sample sizes.

School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences Research in Medicine 1735-5311 49 1 2025 5 1 Environmentally Friendly Dentistry: A Look at Educational Strategies 73 76 FA Nasim Gheshlaghi azar School of Education and Learning Technologies, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran Arezoo Alaee Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Diseases, Member of the Dental Materials Research Center, Islamic Azad University, School of Dentistry, Tehran, Iran -