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Objective To explore the clinical therapeutic effect on premature ovarian failure (POF) treated with the combination of mild moxibustion and western medication. Methods A total of 66 patients were divided into a control group and an observation group according to random number table, 33 cases in each one. In the control group, the conventional western medication was administered. In the observation group, besides the treatment as the control group, mild moxibustion was supplemented at Guānyuan (关元CV4), Qihai (气海CV6), Pishū (脾俞BL20) (bilateral) and Shenshū (肾俞BL23) (bilateral). The duration of treatment was 3 menstrual cycles in either group. Before treatment and on the 9th day of menstruation after 3-menstrual cycle treatment, the number of antral follicles and ovarian volume were detected by color Doppler ultrasound respectively. Before treatment and on day 2 to 4 of menstruation after 3-menstrual cycle treatment, the levels of serum estrogen (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), interleukin-21 (IL-21) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were determined separately and the therapeutic effect was evaluated in two groups separately. Results The effective rate was 93.94% in the observation group and was 72.73% in the control group (P 0.05). But in the observation group, the levels of serum IL-21 and VEGF after treatment changed apparently as compared with those before treatment (both P Conclusion The combined treatment of mild moxibustion with western medication achieves the definite therapeutic effect on POF and it increases the number of antral follicles and ovarian volume and regulates sex hormone level, which is probably related to the regulation of serum IL-21 and VEGF.

Chitosan-gelatin (CG) scaffolds were fabricated with glutaraldehyde as a cross-linker by vacuum freeze-drying. Mixtures of different volumes of chitosan and glutaraldehyde were considered. Morphology, porosity, density, and water absorbency of the scaffolds were studied. Both tensile and compressive properties of the scaffolds were tested. In addition, cellular adherence, proliferation, and morphology on the scaffolds were tested to evaluate the compatibility. It was found that porosity, density, water absorbency, and mechanical properties of CG scaffolds changed with the variation of chitosan or GA content. The adequate adherence, proliferation, and morphology of HaCaT type cells on the scaffolds showed that these scaffolds can be used as carriers for culturing HaCaT. The CG scaffolds, particularly those with chitosan-gelatin volume ratios of 1:1 and adding 6% or 8% volume of 0.25 wt% GA solution, were more suitable than the others through comparing the above properties and could be promising candidates ...

Twice vacuum freeze-drying is widely used protocol to prepare chitosan-gelatin scaffolds. To obtain scaffolds with improved performance, by adjusting glutaraldehyde content in chitosan-gelatin solutions, we compared once and twice drying with respect to production, density, porosity, water absorption and compression properties. Porosity, water absorption and compression properties were increased, while density was reduced by adding glutaraldehyde. Drying times did not affect density and porosity, but they determined water absorption. Variations of compression properties were caused by neutralizing treatment. Taken together, our results suggest twice drying could be omitted when porosity, water absorption and compression properties are important.

For the first time, Au nanoparticles on graphene oxide (GO-AuNPs) were successfully fabricated without applying any additional reductants, just by the redox reaction between AuC l 4 − 1 and GO. Their structure was characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. The results show that flower-like AuNPs were successfully dispersed on GO surface. Importantly, they showed a high catalytic activity for the Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction in an aqueous medium.

ZnO nanowire array supported on the graphene surface was fabricated by thermo hydrolysis method. The ZnO nanoparticles (seed crystals) were first deposited on GO surface and then ZnO nanoparticles grew to ZnO nanowire array when the seed crystal side was hung upside down and touched with ZnO precursor solution during the process of thermo hydrolysis. The ZnO nanowire array was then coated with TiO2 precursor, hydrolyzed and turned to crystalline TiO2. The formed ZnO/TiO2/graphene composites have different structure depending on the reaction conditions and their morphology was observed with scanning electron microscopy.

Graphene oxide (GO), an oxygen-rich carbonaceous layered material, is produced by the strong oxidation of graphite. The GO aqueous suspension is very stable and can be fabricated to porous GO aerogels by a green method, unidirectional freeze-drying technology. GO shows catalytic activities in both solution and solid state. It can also act as reductant or oxidant depending on the reaction patterns. The product of the reaction was analyzed and the component change of the graphene oxide (GO) was monitored by x-ray photoelectron spectrometer, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The results confirm that GO not only acts as the reactant in the reaction, but also as the catalyst to catalyze the reaction.

Optical coherence tomography is an appropriate imaging method for biomedical science, due to its advantages of noninvasive nature, high resolution and fast imaging speed. Because most biological tissues have the characteristic of high scattering coefficient, OCT system can just obtain the structural images several millimeters below the surface of the tissues. The superficial depth of OCT's penetration limits application in dermatology field. As a common disease, the port wine stain (PWS) is a indication of OCT, because of its superficial lesion and significant expansion of blood vessels. To get deeper penetration in the skin, the authors employed 1 310 nm superluminescent diode as light source, optimized the light intensity ratio of reference delay arm and sample arm and control polarization, and the research of PWS imaging in vivo was accomplished. Besides, OCT is able to gather clear image and key characteristic parameters, such as the depth of epidermis layer, the diameter of blood vessel, etc. OCT will play an important role in the diagnosis and therapy of PWS.

To improve the management of the new generation of employees, the authors have discussed the relationship between the personal-organizational values fit and job involvement of the new generation of employees, and made perceived organizational support as a mediating variable. The empirical results found that the personal- organizational values fit had a significant positive effect on job involvement of the new generation of employees and the perceived organizational support became as the mediating variable.

The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antinociceptive interaction between paracetamol and ketoprofen. The antinociceptive effect of oral administration of the drugs alone or in combination was evaluated using the mouse abdominal constriction test. The data were interpreted by isobolographic analysis to establish the nature of the interaction. The effective dose that produced 50% antinociception (ED(50,mix)) was calculated from the log dose-response curve of fixed-ratio combinations of paracetamol with ketoprofen. This ED(50,mix) was compared to the theoretical additive ED(50,add) by isobolographic analysis. The experimental ED(50,mix) was found to be significantly smaller than the theoretically calculated ED(50,add), indicating a synergistic antinociceptive interaction between ketoprofen and paracetamol. Pharmacokinetic studies were carried out with mice treated with combined ketoprofen (12 mg/kg) and paracetamol (36 mg/kg). Plasma levels of ketoprofen were not changed by concurrent paracetamol treatment, and similarly no statistically significant difference was observed between paracetamol alone and the combination with ketoprofen. The pharmacokinetic analysis revealed that the combination of ketoprofen with paracetamol exerted a synergistic (supra-additive) interaction that was not associated with a pharmacokinetic interaction. The results of this study demonstrate significant synergism between ketoprofen and paracetamol.