ABSTRACT
Mechanical properties of the cells are among the most highlighted area of interests among researchers for decades. Not only many of the cells' crucial functional characteristics such as adherence to the cellular substrate, migration abilities and morphological factors are directly influenced by their mechanical properties but also changes in these traits could have importance in diagnosis and even treatments of some serious diseases. The general mechanical properties of the cells are associated with some intercellular characteristics such as arrangement and organization of the actin fibers and cytoskeleton architecture. Any changes due to pathological conditions in the molecular and cellular processes related to these elements can alter the cells' mechanical characteristics. In this paper, the viscoelastic properties of diabetic and normal lymphocytes were analyzed and compared by application of the iron nanoparticles attached to the cellular membrane and putting the cells in a magnetic field with certain frequency and intensity. Step force was applied to the normal and diabetic lymphocytes and their membrane displacement was tracked by special software and plotted with respect to time. Fitting the experimental data on theoretical formulation of standard linear viscoelastic model, it was demonstrated that diabetic lymphocytes have significantly different viscoelastic characteristics. The results of this paper can be of importance in assessments of diabetic lymphocytes' abilities to fulfill their immune surveillance tasks.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: More than 8% of Iran's populations are elderly. The greatest challenge in this generation is improvement of health and quality of life. So we decided to perform an interventional study with the aim of promoting the health of the elderly. METHODS: This study was a community interventional in Ekbatan Complex. Subjects were elderly. At first, need assessment was done with the participation of 200 elderly by questionnaire. Based on the need assessment, we designed the educational interventions in different fields such as nutrition, mental health, and exercise and then, we compared the results. RESULTS: 0ne hundred elderly participated as interventional group. There were 86% women and 24% of men. Almost 59% were in the 60-69 age group. More than » of the subjects were university graduates. Pre and post interventional groups were matched in age, education and gender. Regarding nutrition, second priority food in women aged 60-69 was rice and after the intervention, it was changed to vegetables (P= 0.05) but in other age groups and in the men's groups no difference were noted. Aerobic exercises in women has increased after the intervention (P= 0.01). With regards to mental health, life satisfaction among women under study has increased from 68% to 90% after the intervention (P= 0.01). Feeling happy most of the time has increased from 53% to 83% in women aged 60-69 (P= 0.01) and in men from 64% to 83% (P= 0.05) respectively. CONCLUSION: Policymakers should design long-term educational programs to promote the elderly lifestyles.
