Resolving Cross-Sensitivity Effect in Fluorescence Quenching for Simultaneously Sensing Oxygen and Ammonia Concentrations by an Optical Dual Gas Sensor.

Simultaneous sensing of multiple gases by a single fluorescent-based gas sensor is of utmost importance for practical applications. Such sensing is strongly hindered by cross-sensitivity effects. In this study, we propose a novel analysis method to ameliorate such hindrance. The trial sensor used here was fabricated by coating platinum(II) meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin (PtTFPP) and eosin-Y dye molecules on both sides of a filter paper for sensing O2 and NH3 gases simultaneously. The fluorescent peak intensities of the dyes can be quenched by the analytes and this phenomenon is used to identify the gas concentrations. Ideally, each dye is only sensitive to one gas species. However, the fluorescent peak related to O2 sensing is also quenched by NH3 and vice versa. Such cross-sensitivity strongly hinders gas concentration detection. Therefore, we have studied this cross-sensitivity effect systematically and thus proposed a new analysis method for accurate estimation of gas concentration. Comparing with a traditional method (neglecting cross-sensitivity), this analysis improves O2-detection error from -11.4% ± 34.3% to 2.0% ± 10.2% in a mixed background of NH3 and N2.

Pattern of physical activity and associated sociodemographic factors: A community based study using Global Physical Activity questionnaire

Introduction: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) account for nearly half of the overall global burden of disease. Physical inactivity has been reported to be a major independent "modifiable" risk factor for NCDs. Assessment of pattern of physical activity and associated factors would help in informing the participants and policy makers for appropriate interventions. Methodology: A community based cross sectional study in Doiwala block of Dehradun district, in a state of north India, was conducted among early middle-aged adults i.e., 30-50 years of age. Based on the prevalence of 26.1% recommended physical activity, the sample size was calculated to be 296. Standard Global Physical activity questionnaire (GPAQ) was used to assess physical activity pattern. Results: Mean age of the respondents was 39 years. The proportion of people engaged in vigorous activities, at work or for recreation was only 8.5%. Moderate activity at work (16.7% vs 9.5%) and walking/ bicycling while travel to and from places (63.9% vs 38.5%) was more common in rural areas as compared to urban areas. Moderate activity for recreation was however more common in urban areas (31.8% vs 14.6%). Sedentary habits of women in urban areas were unhealthier as compared to women in rural areas as well as men in urban areas. Conclusions: Integration of physical activity at work of people engaged in skilled and professional jobs by instituting minor modifications in the working environment is recommended.

Development of novel topical drug delivery system containing cisplatin and imiquimod for dual therapy in cutaneous epithelial malignancy.

CONTEXT: Strategy of dual therapy has been proposed to minimize the amount of each drug and to achieve the synergistic effect for cancer therapies. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to develop an effective drug delivery system for the simultaneous topical delivery of two anti-tumor agents, cisplatin and imiquimod. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The preformulation studies were carried out in terms of tests for identification, solubility profile, determination of partition coefficient and simultaneous estimation of both drugs by UV-Visible spectrophotometer and High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Drug-drug and drug-excipients interactions were examined by thin layer chromatography, infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Provesicular drug delivery system (protransfersome gel formulation) have been prepared and characterized by in vitro and in vivo parameters. RESULTS: The mean size, poly dispersity index (PDI) and zeta potential of transfersomal vesicles formed by protransfersome hydration were 429.5 nm, 0.631 and -68.1 Mv, respectively. The prepared formulation showed toxicity on cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma cell line (A-431) at 200 µg (cisplatin) and 1 mg (imiquimod) concentration of drug in combination against control. The cisplatin- and imiquimod-loaded provesicular dual-drug delivery system achieved an optimal antitumor effect, increase in lifespan, antiviral, and toxicity reduction, revealing the advantage of site specific drug delivery and the modified combination therapy. DISCUSSION: Cisplatin delivery through protransfersome gel in combination with imiquimod may potentiate the activity against solid tumors of epidermal origin. CONCLUSION: Data revealed that combination therapy considerably enhances antitumor efficacy of the drug for skin-cited malignancies.

Screening of Lithium Substituted Ag-TiO2 Nanoparticle Coating for Antibiofilm Application.

Bacterial infections and biofilm growth are common mishaps associated with medical devices, and they contribute significantly to ill health and mortality. Removal of bacterial deposition from these devices is a major challenge, resulting in an immediate necessity for developing antibacterial coatings on the surfaces of medical implants. In this context, we developed an innovative coating strategy that can operate at low temperatures (80 °C) and preserve the devices' integrity and functionality. An innovative Ag-TiO2 based coating was developed by ion exchange between silver nitrate (AgNO3) and lithium titanate (Li4Ti5O12) on glass substrates for different periods, ranging from 10 to 60 min. The differently coated samples were tested for their antibacterial and antibiofilm efficacy.

Surface modification of medical grade biomaterials by using a low-temperature-processed dual functional Ag-TiO2 coating for preventing biofilm formation.

Biofilm development in medical devices is considered the major virulence component that leads to increased mortality and morbidity among patients. Removing a biofilm once formed is challenging and frequently results in persistent infections. Many current antibiofilm coating strategies involve harsh conditions causing damage to the surface of the medical devices. To address the issue of bacterial attachment in medical devices, we propose a novel antibacterial surface modification approach. In this paper, we developed a novel low-temperature based solution-processed approach to deposit silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) inside a titanium oxide (TiO2) matrix to obtain a Ag-TiO2 nanoparticle coating. The low temperature (120 °C)-based UV annealed drop cast method is novel and ensures no surface damage to the medical devices. Various medical-grade biomaterials were then coated using Ag-TiO2 to modify the surface of the materials. Several studies were performed to observe the antibacterial and antibiofilm properties of Ag-TiO2-coated medical devices and biomaterials. Moreover, the Ag-TiO2 NPs did not show any skin irritation in rats and showed biocompatibility in the chicken egg model. This study indicates that Ag-TiO2 coating has promising potential for healthcare applications to combat microbial infection and biofilm formation.

Correction: Surface modification of medical grade biomaterials by using a low-temperature-processed dual functional Ag-TiO2 coating for preventing biofilm formation.

Correction for 'Surface modification of medical grade biomaterials by using a low-temperature-processed dual functional Ag-TiO2 coating for preventing biofilm formation' by Lipi Pradhan et al., J. Mater. Chem. B, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TB00701H.

High-Performance Low-Voltage Thin-Film Transistors: Experimental and Simulation Validation of Atmospheric Pressure Plasma-Assisted Li5AlO4 Metal Oxide Solution Processing.

Metal oxide materials processed using solution methods have garnered significant attention due to their ability to efficiently and affordably create transparent insulating layers or active channel layers on various substrates for thin-film transistors (TFTs) used in modern electronics. The key properties of TFTs largely depend on how charge carriers behave near the thin layer at the semiconductor and dielectric interface. Effectively controlling these characteristics offers a straightforward yet effective approach to enhancing device performance. In this study, we propose a novel strategy utilizing atmospheric pressure plasma (APP) treatment to modulate the electrical properties of dielectric thin films and the interfaces between dielectric and semiconductor layers in TFTs processed by using solution methods. Through APP exposure, significant improvements in key TFT parameters were achieved for solution-processed TFTs. Interface states have been reduced from 1013 to 1011 cm-2, and the on/off current ratio has increased from 103 to 106 while maintaining a high field-effect mobility of 34 cm2 V-1 s-1. Additionally, UV-visible spectroscopy and X-ray analysis have confirmed the effectiveness of APP treatment in controlling interface states and traps, leading to overall performance enhancements in the TFTs. Furthermore, our experimental findings have been systematically validated using technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations of fabricated TFTs.

Emulating Low-Power Synaptic Plasticity in a Solution-Processed Oxide-Based Long Retention Memory Transistor with High Learning Accuracy.

The exploration of synaptic plasticity in metal-oxide-based ferroelectric thin-film transistors has been limited. As a perovskite ferroelectric material, LiNbO3 is widely studied; but its potential use as a neuromorphic device, like synaptic transistors, has not been realized. In this study, a solution-processed ferroelectric thin-film transistor (FeTFT) with an alternating layer of LiNbO3 and Li5AlO4 as a gate dielectric has been fabricated. This configuration reduces the depolarization field by leveraging the large ionic polarization of Li+ ions in the Li5AlO4 layer, while the wide bandgap helps mitigate the leakage current. FeTFT exhibits impressive transistor performance, including a saturation mobility of 0.478 cm2V-1 s-1, an on/off ratio of 3.08 × 103, and a low trap-state density of 1.3 × 1013 cm-2. Moreover, the device demonstrates good memory retention, retaining information for nearly 1 day. It successfully emulates synaptic plasticity, specifically short-term plasticity and long-term plasticity. Besides, a 94% training accuracy has been achieved through artificial neural network simulation. Notably, the FeTFT consumes minimal power, with energy consumption of approximately 3.09 nJ per synaptic event, which is remarkably low compared to other reported solution-processed FeTFT devices.

Solvent Evaporation Induced Large-Scale Synthesis of Cs4PbBr6 and CsPbBr3 Microcrystals: Optical Properties and Backlight Application for LEDs.

The contemporary work focuses on embossing the emissive nature of lead halide perovskite materials, specifically Cs4PbBr6 microcrystal powder prepared via single step bulk recrystallization method followed by the solvent evaporation route from gram to kilogram scale. The X-ray diffraction pattern confirms the formation of phase pure Cs4PbBr6 with a goodness of fit value of 1.51 calculated from Rietveld refinement and the fluorophore powder manifesting an intrinsic band gap of 3.76 eV. The experimental yield of 99.4% indicates the absence of any unreacted precursors. The fabricated flexible, free-standing Cs4PbBr6@PMMA film encompassed better moisture stability without undergoing phase transitions for 400 days. The temperature-dependent photoluminescence spectra denote that 51% of the intensity was retained when cooled back to room temperature after heating it till 180 °C. Moisture studies at two extreme humidity conditions also reveal the appreciable stability of the fluorophore film against moisture. The stability studies with respect to UV irradiation substantiate that the film retained its stability even after exposing it continuously to UV radiation for seven days. The outstanding optical properties of these microcrystals, owing to the higher exciton binding energy, make them a promising candidate as excellent fluorophores for color conversion, backlight, and light-emitting applications. The Cs4PbBr6@PMMA film was employed as the top cover of a commercial blue LED, producing a robust green emission which revealed its possible application as a phosphor material.

Coexistence of Electrochromism and Bipolar Nonvolatile Memory in a Single Viologen.

Viologens are fascinating redox-active organic compounds that have been widely explored in electrochromic devices (ECDs). However, the combination of electrochromic and resistive random-access memory in a single viologen remains unexplored. We report the coexistence of bistate electrochromic and single-resistor (1R) memory functions in a novel viologen. A high-performance electrochromic function is achieved by combining viologen (BzV2+2PF6) with polythiophene (P3HT), enabling a "push-pull" electronic effect due to the efficient intermolecular charge transfer in response to an applied bias. The ECDs show high coloration efficiency (ca. 1150 ± 10 cm2 C-1), subsecond switching time, good cycle stability (>103 switching cycles), and low-bias operation (±1.5 V). The ECDs require low power for switching the color states (55 µW cm-2 for magenta and 141 µW cm-2 for blue color). The random-access memory devices (p+2-Si/BzV2+2PF6/Al) exhibit distinct low and high resistive states with an ON/OFF ratio of ∼103, bipolar and nonvolatile characteristics that manifest good performances, and "Write"-"Read"-"Erase" (WRE) functions. The charge conduction mechanism of the RRAM device is elucidated by the Poole-Frenkel model where SET and RESET states arise at a low transition voltage (VT = ±1.7 V). Device statistics and performance parameters for both electrochromic and memory devices are compared with the literature data. Our findings on electrochromism and nonvolatile memory originated in the same viologen could boost the development of multifunctional, smart, wearable, flexible, and low-cost optoelectronic devices.

Ingenious Fabrication of Ag-Filled Porous Anodic Alumina Films as Powerful SERS Substrates for Efficient Detection of Biological and Organic Molecules.

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has been widely used to effectively detect various biological and organic molecules. This detection method needs analytes adsorbed onto a specific metal nanostructure, e.g., Ag-nanoparticles. A substrate containing such a structure (called SERS substrate) is user-friendly for people implementing the adsorption and subsequent SERS detection. Here, we report on powerful SERS substrates based on efficient fabrication of Ag-filled anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) films. The films contain many nanopores with small as-grown inter-pore gap of 15 nm. The substrates are created by electrochemically depositing silver into nanopores without an additional pore widening process, which is usually needed for conventional two-step AAO fabrication. The created substrates contain well-separated Ag-nanoparticles with quite a small inter-particle gap and a high number density (2.5 × 1010 cm-2). We use one-step anodization together with omitting additional pore widening to improve the throughput of substrate fabrication. Such substrates provide a low concentration detection limit of 10-11 M and high SERS enhancement factor of 1 × 106 for rhodamine 6G (R6G). The effective detection of biological and organic molecules by the substrate is demonstrated with analytes of adenine, glucose, R6G, eosin Y, and methylene blue. These results allow us to take one step further toward the successful commercialization of AAO-based SERS substrates.

One-dimensional ZnO nanostructure arrays: synthesis and characterization.

One-dimensional ZnO nanostructure arrays such as nanowires, nanonails, and nanotrees, have been synthesized by oxygen assisted thermal evaporation of metallic zinc on a quartz substrate over a large area. Morphological evolution of ZnO nanostructures at different time scales and different positions of the substrates have been studied by electron microscopy. A self-catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) process is believed to be responsible for the nucleation and subsequently a vapor-solid process is operative for further longitudinal growth. The photoluminescence spectrum showed a weak UV and a broad green emission peak at 3.25 and 2.49 eV, respectively. The latter was attributed to the presence of zinc interstitial defects. Electrical resistivity as a function of temperature showed activated mechanisms to be present. The electrical response of the ZnO nanonail arrays to different gases (CO, NO2, and H2S) indicated that there could be possible application as gas sensors for this material.

Role of TNF-alpha in prenatal alterations in dams of mice under thermal stress.

The possible involvement of cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) that are suspected of causing pregnancy loss and miscarriage has been investigated in dams of mice subjected to hyperthermia. Thermal stress was induced by exposing mice dams at 40+/-2 degrees C for 4 h every day during the different phases of the gestation period whereas the normothermic animals were housed at 22+/-2 degrees C. The effect of maternal thermal stress was measured in pregnant mice at different phases of the gestation period namely, blastogenesis-implantation phase (days 0-5 postconceptionem [p.c.]), organogenesis or embryogenesis phase (days 6-15 p.c.) and fetogenesis phase (days 16-20 p.c.). Uterine examination of dams subjected to hyperthermia on days 6-15 p.c. showed maximum reduction in live fetus number, gestational index and maximum pre and postimplantation loss in comparison with dams housed in normothermic environment and dams exposed to thermal stress between days 0-5 and 16-20 p.c. Maximum resorption rate and number of non-viable fetuses were observed in dams exposed to hyperthermia during days 6-15 p.c. Elevated levels of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta were observed in the amniotic fluid of dams subjected to hyperthermia during days 6-15 p.c. but IFN-gamma levels remained unaltered. Single intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of recombinant mouse TNF-alpha at a dose of 1 and 0.5 ng/mice in dams on day 6 in normothermic condition resulted in a reduced number of live fetuses. Administration of anti-TNF-alpha antibody i.p. at a dose of 10 microg/dam on day 6 p.c. and subjected to thermal stress between days 6-15 p.c. increased marginally the number of fetuses but failed to attain statistical significance in comparison with days 6-15 p.c. thermally stressed dams without antibody treatment. It is concluded that the induction of TNF-alpha, in the amniotic fluid is associated with thermal stress during pregnancy and may be linked to the reproductive performances of dams. This study will help in understanding the mechanism of thermal injury in pregnant subjects.

IL-6 gene expression in adipose tissue of postmenopausal women and its association with metabolic risk factors.

Adipose tissue secretes various kinds of adipokines that controls the glucose and lipid metabolism in humans. The abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) both are associated with metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance. IL-6 is one of the adipokines, which promotes insulin resistance and dyslipidemia in humans. The association of adipokines with metabolic syndrome at protein levels are well documented. However, their association at gene expression level are lacking. The present study was design to investigate IL-6 mRNA expression in adipose tissues (VAT and SAT) and its correlation with metabolic risk factors and insulin resistance (HOMA) in post menopausal women. A total of 108 Asian North Indian post menopausal women, 54 without metabolic syndrome (controls) and 54 with metabolic syndrome (cases) were recruited and evaluated. Overnight fasting blood samples were collected at admission and abdominal visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues were collected during open abdomen surgery. The results showed significantly (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01 or p < 0.001) higher mean SBP, glucose, insulin, HOMA, TG, VLDL and serum IL-6 while significantly (p < 0.001) lower HDL and estrogen in cases as compared to controls. In cases, the relative mean SAT IL-6 expression was also significantly (p < 0.05) higher as compared to VAT. Further, in cases, the VAT IL-6 expression showed significant (p < 0.05 or p < 0.001) and negative correlation with WC, WHR, glucose, HOMA, TC, LDL and estrogen while SAT IL-6 expression also showed significant (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01 or p < 0.001) and negative correlation with WC, WHR and estrogen. The Cox regression analysis found VAT IL-6 mRNA expression the significant (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01) an independent predictor of WC, HOMA, TC, LDL and estrogen while SAT IL-6 mRNA expression the significant (p < 0.01) an independent predictor of TG and VLDL. The study concluded that IL-6 expressions of both visceral and subcutaneous tissues may be associated with metabolic risk factors in postmenopausal Asian North Indian women.

Silica induced early fibrogenic reaction in lung of mice ameliorated by Nyctanthes arbortristis extract.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the pharmacological effect of Nyctanthes arbortristis (NAT) leaf extract in the prevention of lung injury induced by silica particles. METHOD: Lung injury was induced in Swiss mice through inhalation exposure to silica particles (< 5 mu) using a Flow Past Nose Only Inhalation Chamber at the rate of -10 mg/m3 respirable mass for 5 h. Lung bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid collected between 48 and 72 h was subjected to protein profiling by electrophoresis and cytokine evaluation by solid phase sandwich ELISA. Lung histopathology was performed to evaluate lung injury. RESULTS: Inhalation of silica increased the level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and of the 66 and 63 kDa peptides in the BAL fluid in comparison to sham-treated control. Pre-treatment of silica exposed mice with NAT leaf extract significantly prevented the accumulation of TNF-alpha in the BAL fluid, but the 66 and 63 kDa peptides remained unchanged. The extract was also effective in the prevention of silica-induced early fibrogenic reactions like congestion, edema and infiltration of nucleated cells in the interstitial alveolar spaces, and thickening of alveolar septa in mouse lung. CONCLUSION: NAT leaf extract helps in bypassing silica induced initial lung injury in mice.

SOCS3 dictates the transition of divergent time-phased events in granulocyte TNF-α signaling.

Tumor-necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-driven nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activation and apoptosis are opposing pathways; the growing recognition of these conflicting roles of TNF-α is perplexing. Here, we show that inflammation and apoptosis are time-phased events following TNF-α signaling and that emergence of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) expression limits the ongoing NF-κB activation and promotes apoptosis; further, we suggest an altered view of how inflammatory diseases are initiated and sustained. In vitro, TNF-α (50 ng/ml) induced granulocyte SOCS3 protein, inhibited nuclear accumulation of the p65NF-κB subunit and enhanced apoptosis, as shown by DNA laddering, annexin V positivity, and overexpression of caspase-3 and Bax in the late phase, whereas the early phase was marked by NF-κB activation. Conversely, SOCS3 knockdown by small interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibited granulocyte apoptosis and enhanced nuclear accumulation of p65 and 5' lipooxygenase expression in the late phase of TNF-α signaling. As apoptosis is associated with SOCS3 abundance, we suggest that these divergent TNF-α-driven events are time-phased, interconnected, opposing control mechanisms and one of the central features through which the immune system resolves pulmonary inflammation. Dysregulation may initiate mucosal inflammation, thus changing the landscape of asthma therapy.

Adiponectin mRNA in adipose tissue and its association with metabolic risk factors in postmenopausal obese women.

OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluates adiponectin mRNA in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) and also evaluates its association with metabolic risk factors in postmenopausal obese women. DESIGN: A case control study was carried out on postmenopausal women (n=68), in which 34 were obese and 34 were non-obese. Blood sample, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues were obtained. Adiponectin mRNA levels were measured by Real Time-RT PCR. RESULTS: The mean (± SEM) serum adiponectin (28.39 ± 2.52 vs. 20.56 ± 1.13), VAT (0.362 ± 0.098 vs. 0.048 ± 0.005) and SAT (0.222 ± 0.035 vs. 0.042 ± 0.007) adiponectin mRNA levels were significantly lower (p<0.001) in obese than non-obese. However, the mean VAT and SAT adiponectin mRNA levels were similar (p>0.05) between the groups. Further, the mean glucose and TG levels were significantly (p<0.01 or p<0.001) higher, while HDL was lower (p<0.01) in obese than non-obese. Furthermore, VAT adiponectin mRNA also showed significant (p<0.05) and inverse association with TG, while direct association with HDL and both the associations were independent of BMI and WC (waist circumference). CONCLUSION: The BMI and WC independent and significant association of VAT adiponectin mRNA with TG and HDL suggest its potential modulatory role in lipid metabolism in postmenopausal obese women.

Resistin gene expression in visceral adipose tissue of postmenopausal women and its association with insulin resistance.

AIM: The present study evaluates resistin mRNA expression in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and its correlation with insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment) in postmenopausal obese women. MATERIALS & METHODS: A total of 68 (nonobese = 34 and obese = 34) age-matched (49-70 years) postmenopausal women were recruited for the study. Fasting blood samples were collected at admission and abdominal VAT were obtained during surgery for gall bladder stones or hysterectomy. Physical parameters (age, height, weight and BMI) were measured. Biochemical parameters (plasma insulin, plasma glucose and serum resistin) were estimated by enzymatic methods. The VAT resistin mRNA expression was evaluated by real-time PCR. RESULTS: The relative mean (± standard deviation) VAT resistin mRNA expression in postmenopausal obese women lowered significantly by 20.4% compared with postmenopausal nonobese women (0.029 ± 0.011 vs 0.023 ± 0.013; p = 0.047). Furthermore, VAT resistin mRNA expression in postmenopausal obese women was downregulated by 0.69-fold when compared with age-matched postmenopausal nonobese women. Furthermore, the relative VAT resistin mRNA expression in postmenopausal obese women showed significant inverse association with insulin resistance (r = -0.48; p < 0.01) and serum resistin (r = -0.84; p < 0.001), while in postmenopausal nonobese women it did not show any association with both insulin resistance (r = 0.03; p > 0.05) and serum resistin (r = -0.03; p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The VAT resistin mRNA expression in postmenopausal obese women is associated to insulin resistance.

Carryover of cigarette smoke effects on hematopoietic cytokines to F1 mouse litters.

Neutrophils have been implicated in the pathogenesis of COPD, being recruited into the lung in response to cigarette smoke (CS) inhalation and responsible for the release of proteases and oxidant-producing enzymes, resulting in bronchitis and emphysema. Several hematopoietic cytokines are involved in neutrophil growth and recruitment; however, little is known about the effects of CS on hematopoietic cytokines are transmitted between generations. In the present investigation we evaluate the expression of hematopoietic and proinflammatory cytokines in different organs of female F(0) mice subjected to sub-chronic CS exposure, and in F(1) litters. Virgin female Balb/c mice inhaled either air or air containing CS for 90 days. The specific resistance of the airways (sRaw) was evaluated and, thereafter, the mice were mated with unexposed adult males. The levels of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1ß and TNF-α mRNA and protein were evaluated in the bone marrow, amniotic fluid and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of F(0) dams at gestation day(14) (gd(14)) and the bone marrow, BALF and lungs of F(0) dams and F(1) littermates at post natal day(21) (pnd(21)). At gd(14), overexpression of GM-CSF, G-CSF and IL-6 mRNA and protein was observed in the bone marrow, amniotic fluid and BALF of F(0) dams. These hematopoietic cytokines were also overexpressed in the lungs of F(1) littermates compared with the control F(1) litters at pnd(21). Lineage-specific hematopoietic growth factors may play an important role in the transmission of neutrophil-associated disease susceptibility across generations.

Utilization of the health care delivery system in a district of North India.

BACKGROUND: India has one of the most extensive health infrastructures- a three-tier hierarchical referral system- for the provision of effective and efficient health services to the majority of its population. In this study we have tried to evaluate the utilization of such a wide health infrastructure and the various factors affecting it. We have also tried to find the factors that motivated the patients to visit the present health facility and the key persons who motivated them to do so. METHODS: Time bound cross-sectional study. SETTING: Three types of referral health facilities in Lucknow District. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 1265 patients were interviewed during the four months of the period of survey from these three types of referral health facilities. RESULTS: The present study revealed that majority of the patients coming to all the three referral centres were the new patients (89%), about two-thirds of whom had come there directly. Overall, only one tenth of the patients attending the secondary and tertiary level public health facilities were referred by someone. Most of the indirect patients had self referred themselves. About eight and nine percent of the indirect and referred patients could reach the present site of treatment only after more than two years of rummaging and about 13% and 11% had spent more than ten thousand rupees respectively, which in some cases even amounted to lakh rupees. CONCLUSIONS: The utilization of the referral system of the health care delivery in India needs to be augmented. Before planning future reforms such as decentralization, incorporation of the Indian system of Medicine, and other steps we need to develop mechanisms to see that the plans are materialized.