Aims This study explores the neuroprotective effects and mechanisms of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) in mice exposed to cadmium (Cd). Methods NAC (150 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally administered to mice exposed to Cd (10-50 mg/L) in drinking water for 6 weeks. The changes of cell damage and death, reactive oxygen species (ROS), antioxidant enzymes, as well as Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway in brain neurons were assessed. To verify the role of mTOR activation in Cd-induced neurotoxicity, mice also received a subacute regimen of intraperitoneally administered Cd (1 mg/kg) with/without rapamycin (7.5 mg/kg) for 11 days. Results Chronic exposure of mice to Cd induced brain damage or neuronal cell death, due to ROS induction. Co-administration of NAC significantly reduced Cd levels in the plasma and brain of the animals. NAC prevented Cd-induced ROS and significantly attenuated Cd-induced brain damage or neuronal cell death. The protective effect of NAC was mediated, at least partially, by elevating the activities of Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, as well as the level of glutathione in the brain. Furthermore, Cd-induced activation of Akt/mTOR pathway in the brain was also inhibited by NAC. Rapamycin in vitro and in vivo protected against Cd-induced neurotoxicity. Conclusions NAC protects against Cd-induced neuronal apoptosis in mouse brain partially by inhibiting ROS-dependent activation of Akt/mTOR pathway. The findings highlight that NAC may be exploited for prevention and treatment of Cd-induced neurodegenerative diseases.

The objective of this paper was to objectively evaluate the effectiveness of home-based exercise interventions for improving health-related quality of life in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Databases including PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Ovid-Medline, and The Cochrane Library were electronically searched published from inception through October 2014 involving home-based exercise intervention in AS patients. Studies that measured the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), depression and pain as outcomes were included. Studies involving patients with multiple diseases or received combinations of other interventions were excluded. Two independent investigators screened the identified articles, extracted the data, and assessed the methodological quality of the included studies. Qualitative descriptions were conducted, and quantitative analysis was performed with RevMan software (version 5.2). A total of six studies comprising 1098 participants were included in the study. Meta-analyses showed that home-based exercise interventions significantly reduced the BASFI scores (MD = -0.39, 95 % CI -0.57, -0.20, p = 0.001), BASDAI scores (MD = -0.50, 95 % CI -0.99, -0.02, p = 0.04), depression scores (MD = -2.31, 95 % CI -3.33, -1.30, p = 0.001), and for pain scores because of different evaluation methods among these studies; therefore, a subgroup analysis should be conducted for comparison. The results show that home-based exercise interventions can effectively improve the health-related quality of life in patients with AS. The benefit and clinical performance of home-based exercise care requires further investigation by a series of multicenter, large-sample size randomized controlled trails.

Background Perioperative neurocognitive disorders (PND), including delayed neurocognitive recovery (dNCR) and postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD), are common postoperative complications in elderly patients and adversely affect their prognosis. The study was designed to explore the effects of esketamine on postoperative cognitive function in elderly patients who underwent gastrointestinal surgery under general anesthesia and its potential mechanism. Methods Eighty-four patients aged 65 and above undergoing gastrointestinal surgery were randomly divided into 2 groups: the esketamine group (group S) and the control group (group C). Group S received intravenous sub-anesthetic doses of esketamine (0.15 mg/kg) 5 minutes before the initiation of surgery, while group C received the same volume of saline. A battery of neuropsychological tests was used to assess cognitive function before surgery, 7 days, and 3 months after surgery. The primary outcome was the incidence of dNCR at 7 days postoperatively and POCD at 3 months postoperatively in both groups. The secondary outcome measures included changes in the levels of serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) and calcium-binding protein β (S100β) before and 1 day after surgery. Results The incidence of dNCR in group S was lower than that of group C (18.15% vs 38.24% P=0.033). Contrarily, there was no difference in both groups regarding POCD 3 months postoperatively (6.06% vs 14.37% P=0.247). Plasma IL-6 and S100β levels were significantly elevated in both groups on postoperative day 1 (p<0.05), but esketamine pretreatment reduced these levels to some extent compared with group C (p<0.05). Conclusion Sub-anesthetic doses of esketamine might reduce the incidence of dNCR and improve early postoperative cognitive function in elderly patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery, which might be related to the anti-neuroinflammation effects of esketamine.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic, autoimmune disorder that affects nearly all organs and tissues. As knowledge about the mechanism of SLE has increased, some immunosuppressive agents have become routinely used in clinical care, and infections have become one of the direct causes of mortality in SLE patients. To identify the risk factors indicative of infection in SLE patients, a case control study of our hospital's medical records between 2011 and 2013 was performed. We reviewed the records of 117 SLE patients with infection and 61 SLE patients without infection. Changes in the levels of T cell subsets, immunoglobulin G (IgG), complement C3, complement C4, globulin, and anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-ds-DNA) were detected. CD4+ and CD4+/CD8+ T cell levels were significantly lower and CD8+ T cell levels were significantly greater in SLE patients with infection than in SLE patients without infection. Additionally, the concentrations of IgG in SLE patients with infection were significantly lower than those in SLE patients without infection. However, complement C3, complement C4, globulin, and anti-ds-DNA levels were not significantly different in SLE patients with and without infection. Therefore, clinical testing for T cell subsets and IgG is potentially useful for identifying the presence of infection in SLE patients and for distinguishing a lupus flare from an acute infection.

How would you briefly describe your research?In this research, GL-MoS 2 /C 3 N 4 has been successfully synthesized via an easy solvothermal method. It exhibited much higher photocatalytic performance than that of GL-MoS 2 and GL-C 3 N 4 .T he faceto-face combination could promote both al ight response and electron-hole pair separation, so high photocatalytic activity could be achieved. In addition to its high stability,n on-toxicity,a nd strong photo-response, the composites could also be utilized in sensitive detection of trace amounts of Cu 2 + ions. It offered an easy technique for trace heavy-metal ion analysis and detection. What was the inspiration for this cover design?Inspired by the urgency for protecting the environment and making full use of solar energy resources, low-cost and high-photocatalytic-efficiency materials for degradation of pollutants have been designed. Presented in the cover picture, under visible-light irradiation, the layer-contacted GL-MoS 2 /C 3 N 4 composites can turn domestic waste water and industrial sewage into clean water,a nd discharge it into the environment. It shows that human beings possess the wisdom and power for solving environmental problems, and also for creating abeautiful world by our own hands. What prompted you to investigate this topic/problem?2D nanomaterials have attracted attention due to their unique electronic and optical properties. Typical 2D nanomaterials, such as GL-C 3 N 4 and GL-MoS 2 ,s howed excellent mechanical, novelty catalytic, thermal, and optical properties. GL-MoS 2 has large specific surface area, which ensures fast transport of electrons produced from GL-C 3 N 4 .B ased on this, GL-C 3 N 4 has been modified with GLMoS 2 for the improvement of the photocatalytic activity.A bove all, it intimates that the interfacial junction demonstrates as ynergetic effect.Invited for the cover of this issue is the group of Huaming Li and Hui Xu at the Jiangsu University.T he image depicts GLMoS 2 /C 3 N 4 as ak ind of stable, non-toxic,a nd highly efficient photocatalyst for the degradationo fp ollutants. Read the full text of the article at