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AFMN Biomedicine is an international, peer-reviewed, open-access journal dedicated to publishing high-quality original research and review articles in basic, translational, and clinical biomedicine, emphasizing discoveries of broad significance for the health sciences.

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Vol. 43, No. 1 (2026):

Published: 15.03.2026.

AFMN BIOMEDICINE

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Artificial intelligence (AI) represents a global phenomenon changing all spheres of human life. Biomedical engineering is no exception, as many AI systems are applied to biomedical engineering inventions. The European Union has enacted the new EU AI Act, one of the world’s first laws on AI. The main topic of this research is to examine what changes this new regulation brings to AI development in the field of biomedical engineering. An AI system applied in biomedical engineering is often considered a high-risk AI system, which means that AI developers are bound by a set of requirements and obligations to achieve a trustworthy, human-centric AI system. The authors analyze the impact and appropriateness of these requirements for developing AI systems in biomedical engineering using the legal dogmatic method, as well as by analyzing the secondary sources in the literature. The authors aim to present the current situation in AI regulation and make suggestions for further development.

Review article Online first
THERAPEUTIC POTENTIAL OF MEDICINAL PLANTS IN POLYCYSTIC OVARY SYNDROME: A NARRATIVE REVIEW

By Gala Žarković, Vladimir Jakovljević, Saša Raičević, Angela Ćorić, Rosa Čukić Ćorović, Nikola Jović, Jovana Joksimović Jović

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a complex endocrine disorder that affects the reproductive, metabolic, and psychological health of women of reproductive age. Conventional therapies for PCOS primarily focus on symptom management; however, their associated side effects have led many women to explore complementary approaches. This review aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of herbal medicines in the management of PCOS based on data from clinical trials and preclinical models. An extensive literature search was conducted using PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and the Cochrane Library, covering studies published between 1995 and 2025. Inclusion criteria encompassed clinical trials and randomized controlled trials investigating herbal interventions for PCOS, as well as relevant in vivo and in vitro preclinical studies. The main outcomes analyzed were hormonal regulation, insulin sensitivity, ovarian function, and anti-inflammatory effects. Numerous herbs demonstrated therapeutic potential in PCOS management, including Nigella sativa L. (Ranunculaceae), Vitex agnus-castus L. (Lamiaceae), Trigonella foenum-graecum L. (Fabaceae), and Cinnamomum verum J.Presl (Lauraceae). These herbs exhibited diverse mechanisms of action, including modulation of insulin signaling pathways, reduction of oxidative stress, hormonal regulation, and anti-androgenic effects. Clinical studies reported improvements in menstrual regularity, insulin resistance, and hirsutism, with generally favorable safety profiles. Herbal medicine appears to be a promising adjunctive or alternative strategy for the management of PCOS. However, while existing evidence supports its efficacy, variability in study designs, dosage regimens, and outcome measures limits definitive conclusions. Future standardized, high-quality clinical trials are needed to confirm these therapeutic benefits and safety profiles.

Original article Online first
TRANSITION CHALLENGE: THE ROUGH ROAD TO ADULTHOOD IN JUVENILE IDIOPATHIC ARTHRITIS—EXPERIENCE FROM TWO CENTERS

By Dragana Lazarević, Hristina Stamenković, Stefan Đorđević, Dušica Novaković, Maja Zečević, Gordana Sušić

The transition process to adulthood is a challenging but crucial period for the future well-being of patients with chronic diseases. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether specific clinical variables and disease activity status are associated with improved transition readiness among patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and their parents. JIA patients aged 12–18 years were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Patient characteristics and laboratory data were collected, and disease activity was assessed using the Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score (JADAS-10 and JADAS-27). All patients and their parents completed the Serbian version of the Transition Readiness Assessment Questionnaire (TRAQ) simultaneously. A total of 91 JIA patients (including 27 males and 64 females; median age 15.32 years, range 11.58–18 years), along with their respective parents, were enrolled in the study. Our results demonstrated that increased patient age and the use of biologic therapy, particularly etanercept, were significantly associated with higher TRAQ scores and improved transition readiness in both JIA patients (p < 0.001; p = 0.038) and their parents (p < 0.001; p = 0.035). Patient and parent TRAQ scores showed a strong positive correlation (ρ = 0.676, p < 0.001). No significant associations were found between other clinical variables (gender, JIA disease subtype, disease duration, disease activity status, extraarticular comorbidities, and autoimmune diseases in the patient’s family) and transition readiness. Older patient age and the use of biologic therapy, particularly etanercept, are positively associated with transition readiness in both JIA patients and their parents.

Original article Online first
RISK FACTORS FOR SPINAL ANESTHESIA – INDUCED HYPOTENSION DURING THE ELECTIVE CESAREAN SECTION

By Selena Djurić, Arsen Uvelin, Nikola Gvozdanović

Original article Online first
VACCINE HESITANCY IN PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH CONGENITAL UROGENITAL ANOMALIES WITH HYPOSPADIAS AND UNDESCENDED TESTIS

By Mehmet Semih Demirtas, Sıddıka Songul Yalcin, Mustafa Tusat, Ismail Ozmen, Dilek Basar, Ahmet Salih Calapoglu

Original article Online first
COMPREHENSIVE MAXILLARY ANTERIOR TEETH AESTHETICS ANALYSIS WITH DEEP LEARNING IN DENTAL ANTHROPOMETRY

By Milena Kostić, Miloš Milovančević, Nadica Đorđević, Aleksandra Ilić, Marko Igić, Marija Đorđević, Nikola Gligorijević, Jana Pešić-Stanković, Goran Jovanović

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The use of macronutrient and micronutrient foods is associated with the duration of sleep. This study aimed to determine the effect of zinc supplements on the sleep quality of older adults. The current parallel randomized clinical trial study was performed using a convenience sampling method. One hundred and fifty older adults who met the inclusion criteria were assigned to intervention and control group. The participants in the intervention group received a daily dose of 30 mg zinc supplementation pill for 70 days and the control group did not receive any supplement. Sleep quality was measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Serum zinc level in both groups was measured through the auto-analysis method. The questionnaire was completed and the serum level of zinc was measured twice, before the intervention and 70 days after the intervention. Both groups were homogeneous in terms of demographic variables, sleep quality, and serum zinc level before the intervention. Of all, 73.3% of older adults in the intervention group and 74.7% of older adults in the control group had poor sleep quality. Sleep quality in the intervention group, as compared with the control group, significantly improved after the intervention. Furthermore, serum zinc levels in older adults in the intervention group, as compared with the control group, significantly increased after the intervention. Based on the results of this study, it is recommended to utilize zinc supplementation as a new therapeutic approach for improving sleep quality in older adults.

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By Sepideh Peivandi, Samaneh Aghajanpour, Mohammad Khademloo, Keshvar Samadaee Gelehkolaee, Marzieh Zamaniyan

Approximately 50% of embryo transfer cycles are performed as frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles; however, research on the factors influencing pregnancy rates in these cycles is limited in northern Iran. The aim of this study was to identify the factors influencing the clinical pregnancy rate in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) FET cycles among infertile women. This descriptive-analytical observational study analyzed HRT FET cycles of 429 infertile couples whose embryos were obtained by microinjection at two in vitro fertilization (IVF) centers in Sari, northern Iran, from April 2015 to March 2019. Data were analyzed using SPSS software, version 22, with a significance level set at p < 0.05. The mean ± SD age of women and men was 32 ± 2.52 and 36 ± 1.62 years, respectively. The mean ± SD age of women at the time of oocyte collection was 31.06 ± 5.3 years. Among the 429 patients, 171 cases (39.9%) achieved chemical pregnancy and 156 cases (36.3%) achieved clinical pregnancy. Multivariate regression analysis revealed significant differences between the clinically pregnant and non-pregnant groups (p < 0.05) in factors such as the woman's age at oocyte retrieval, duration of infertility, occupation, body mass index (BMI), developmental stage of the transferred embryo, type of catheter used for transfer, and embryo grade. The study concluded that younger maternal age at oocyte retrieval, shorter duration of infertility, optimal BMI, higher embryo grade, and appropriate selection of transfer techniques are key determinants of achieving clinical pregnancy in HRT-FET cycles. These findings can guide specialists in optimizing FET protocols to improve pregnancy outcomes.