Molecular Targeted Therapy for the Bone Loss Secondary to Pyogenic Spondylodiscitis Using Medications for Osteoporosis: A Literature Review

Pyogenic spondylodiscitis can cause severe osteolytic and destructive lesions in the spine. Elderly or immunocompromised individuals are particularly susceptible to infectious diseases; specifically, infections in the spine can impair the ability of the spine to support the trunk, causing patients to be bedridden, which can also severely affect the physical condition of patients. Although treatments for osteoporosis have been well studied, treatments for bone loss secondary to infection remain to be elucidated because they have pathological manifestations that are similar to but distinct from those of osteoporosis. Recently, we encountered a patient with severely osteolytic pyogenic spondylodiscitis who was treated with romosozumab and exhibited enhanced bone formation. Romosozumab stimulated canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling, causing robust bone formation and the inhibition of bone resorption, which exceeded the bone loss secondary to infection. Bone loss due to infections involves the suppression of osteoblastogenesis by osteoblast apoptosis, which is induced by the nuclear factor-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, and osteoclastogenesis with the receptor activator of the nuclear factor-κB ligand-receptor combination and subsequent activation of the nuclear factor of activated T cells cytoplasmic 1 and c-Fos. In this study, we review and discuss the molecular mechanisms of bone loss secondary to infection and analyze the efficacy of the medications for osteoporosis, focusing on romosozumab, teriparatide, denosumab, and bisphosphonates, in treating this pathological condition.     

Size-dependent separation of graphene oxide by deformation of packed-gel in a chromatographic column

ABSTRACT

A deformable gel-packed chromatographic column was used to separate as-synthesized graphite oxide with different sizes. The synthesized gel (56 µm) was deformed by pressure of the fluid flow and the gaps in the gels showed a range of sizes. A suspension of graphene oxide (0.1 g/L, 10 mL) was injected, and graphene oxide in the elution had a size at 0.56 μm and 0.14 μm, whereas in half upper and bottom domain of the gel layer graphene oxide had a size at 33 µm and 2.9 µm, respectively, demonstrating that graphene oxide suspension was separated by size through gel layer.     

Isolation and identification of soil bacteria resistant to surfactants in washing detergents

Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate (LAS) and polyoxyethylene lauryl ether (POLE) are the major surfactants in washing detergents. In the present study, we isolated surfactant-resistant bacteria from soil samples collected from a sports ground and a farm field. The samples were treated with 2.0% LAS or POLE at 25°C for 30 min and cultivated on agar plates at 25°C for several days, after which manifold bacterial colonies were isolated. Thereafter, we tested the ability of each bacterial isolate to resist the antibacterial activity of the surfactant. Ten LAS-resistant strains were isolated, and all were found to be Gram-negative bacteria such as Enterobacter and Pseudomonas. On the other hand, 18 POLE-resistant strains were isolated, of which 14 were Gram-positive bacteria including Bacillus and Microbacterium. Notably, one POLE-resistant strain was identified as Bacillus cereus, a potential causative agent for foodborne illness. The genera of LAS- and POLE-resistant bacteria did not overlap. Therefore, the combination of LAS and POLE could be more effective to eliminate soil bacteria from clothes and/or daily necessities.     

Autophagic Cell Death and Cancer

Programmed cell death (PCD) is a crucial process required for the normal development and physiology of metazoans. The three major mechanisms that induce PCD are called type I (apoptosis), type II (autophagic cell death), and type III (necrotic cell death). Dysfunctional PCD leads to diseases such as cancer and neurodegeneration. Although apoptosis is the most common form of PCD, recent studies have provided evidence that there are other forms of cell death. One of such cell death is autophagic cell death, which occurs via the activation of autophagy. The present review summarizes recent knowledge about autophagic cell death and discusses the relationship with tumorigenesis.     

Desiccation survival of Listeria monocytogenes and other potential foodborne pathogens on stainless steel surfaces is affected by different food soils

Food processing environments are suspected to be the primary source of Listeria monocytogenes contamination of foods. We investigated the survival of L. monocytogenes on stainless steel that was soiled with food components (minced tuna, ground pork, and cabbage) followed by dehydration. Stainless steel coupons were inoculated with 10⁷ CFU/coupon and stored up to 30 days. In comparison with Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella Typhimurium, L. monocytogenes demonstrated the highest survivability where about 3 log CFU/coupon remained at the end of the experimental period. While survival during the early storage period was markedly affected by both food-component attachment and food type, a long dehydration period diminished the effect of those.     

Creation of Titania Artificial Interfaces with Geometric Patterns by Using Microstereolithography and Aqueous Solution Techniques

Titania micropatterns with periodic arrangements were successfully formed on glass substrates for use with electromagnetic wave energy resonance and localizations in terahertz frequency ranges. Geometric arrangements of acrylic polygonal tablets with titania particle dispersions were fabricated by using micropatterning stereolithography. Moreover, periodically arranged full anatase‐phase titania tablets were created homogeneously through liquid‐phase crystal depositions of water solvent processes, using microtemplates fabricated by using the stereolithography system. The terahertz wave properties were measured and calculated by using a time‐domain spectroscopic system and finite‐difference time‐domain method.     

Two-tone metal pattern transfer technique using a single mold surface

There is growing demand for a fine metal-patterning technique to fabricate devices of the next generation, such as patterned media, plasmon photonics, and nanoscale electrodes. Nanotransfer printing (nTP) using a nanoscale patterned stamp has recently received considerable attention because of its high throughput and high resolution. To increase the throughput of the process further, it will be necessary to be able to use the stamp repeatedly, because fabrication of the stamp is a comparatively lengthy process. However, after the first transfer process, residual metal in the concave areas of the stamp obstructs the continuation of the transfer process. We examined a two-tone metal pattern transfer technique using a single mold after the first transfer process. The obstructive gold pattern in the mold could be removed and obtained as a negative tone by using a layer of polymer as a transfer substrate.     

Incentive‐rewarding mechanism to stimulate activities in social networking services

We have developed an incentive‐rewarding mechanism that stimulates activities in social networking services (SNSs), including content uploading and link establishment. We particularly focus on changing the reward assignment ratio based on the different risks users perceive when uploading content with different privacy settings: public‐open and friend‐limited. Learning‐based simulation allowed us to observe that SNS activity, which we measured as the amount of browsed content within a certain period, can be controlled by a rewarding assignment ratio. We then analyzed how the amount of uploaded content and the increase of established links affect SNS activity. Results suggested that the optimal reward assignment ratio to maximize SNS activity changes depending on the total amount of available reward resources. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Size adjustment of spherical temperature-sensitive hydrogel beads by liquid–liquid dispersion using a Kenics static mixer

Temperature-sensitive hydrogel beads were prepared by Kenics static mixer technology. The temperature-sensitive monomer N,N-diethylacrylamide and photo-crosslinkable pre-polymer ENT were used as model hydrogel materials. Drop dispersion of high viscosity polymer material in low viscosity hexadecane was made using the static mixer. Drops of a solution of the mixed materials were rapidly photo-crosslinked by UV irradiation after mixing in the static mixer, and spherical hydrogel beads with narrow, normal size distribution were thus prepared. The Kenics static mixer is a useful device for the preparation of spherical beads of temperature-sensitive hydrogels. The Sauter Mean Diameter of the hydrogel beads swollen in deionized water at 293 K was measured. The experimentally determined dimensionless swollen hydrogel bead diameter was well correlated with the Weber number, degree of swelling and viscosity ratio. The effects of gelation and ENT addition on the bead size were evaluated from the degree of swelling. The correlation equation can be used for size adjustment of temperature-sensitive spherical hydrogel beads.