D,L-Lysine-Acetylsalicylate + Glycine (LASAG) Reduces SARS-CoV-2 Replication and Shows an Additive Effect with Remdesivir

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) causing the coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) is still challenging healthcare systems and societies worldwide. While vaccines are available, therapeutic strategies are developing and need to be adapted to each patient. Many clinical approaches focus on the repurposing of approved therapeutics against other diseases. However, the efficacy of these compounds on viral infection or even harmful secondary effects in the context of SARS-CoV-2 infection are sparsely investigated. Similarly, adverse effects of commonly used therapeutics against lifestyle diseases have not been studied in detail. Using mono cell culture systems and a more complex chip model, we investigated the effects of the acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) salt D,L-lysine-acetylsalicylate + glycine (LASAG) on SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro. ASA is commonly known as Aspirin^® and is one of the most frequently used medications worldwide. Our data indicate an inhibitory effect of LASAG on SARS-CoV-2 replication and SARS-CoV-2-induced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and coagulation factors. Remarkably, our data point to an additive effect of the combination of LASAG and the antiviral acting drug remdesivir on SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro.     

Functional Nanomaterials for the Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease: Recent Progress and Future Perspectives

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the main causes of dementia worldwide, whereby neuronal death or malfunction leads to cognitive impairment in the elderly population. AD is highly prevalent, with increased projections over the next few decades. Yet current diagnostic methods for AD occur only after the presentation of clinical symptoms. Evidence in the literature points to potential mechanisms of AD induction beginning before clinical symptoms start to present, such as the formation of amyloid beta (Aβ) extracellular plaques and neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Biomarkers of AD, including Aβ₄₀, Aβ₄₂, and tau protein, amongst others, show promise for early AD diagnosis. Additional progress is made in the application of biosensing modalities to measure and detect significant changes in these AD biomarkers within patient samples, such as cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and blood, serum, or plasma. Herein, a comprehensive review of the emerging nano-biomaterial approaches to develop biosensors for AD biomarkers’ detection is provided. Advances, challenges, and potential of electrochemical, optical, and colorimetric biosensors, focusing on nanoparticle-based (metallic, magnetic, quantum dots) and nanostructure-based biomaterials are discussed. Finally, the criteria for incorporating these emerging nano-biomaterials in clinical settings are presented and assessed, as they hold great potential for enhancing early-onset AD diagnostics.     

Unintended Phosphorus Doping of Nickel Nanoparticles during Synthesis with TOP: A Discovery through Structural Analysis

We report the discovery of unintentional phosphorus (P) doping when tri-n-octylphosphine (TOP) ligands are used in Ni nanoparticle synthesis, which is the most common method for monodisperse Ni nanoparticle synthesis. The nanoparticles appear pure face-centered cubic (fcc) Ni in X-ray diffraction despite the surprisingly high level (5 atomic %) of P. We find that the P doping follows a direct relationship with increased reaction time and temperature and that the P doping can be estimated with the degree of lattice expansion shown from a peak shift in the XRD spectrum. Through EXAFS modeling and density-functional (DFT) calculations of defect formation energies we find that the P atoms are preferentially located on the fcc lattice as substitutional dopants with oxidation state of zero. Magnetic and catalytic properties are shown to be greatly affected by this doping; DFT calculations show magnetization losses in the Ni system, as well as in Fe and Co systems. These findings are likely relevant for other metal syntheses that employ phosphine ligands.     

Preparation and properties of multiwalled carbon nanotube/epoxy‐amine composites

Different amounts of multiwalled carbon tubes (MWCNTs) were incorporated into an epoxy resin based on diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A and both epoxy precursor and composite were cured with 4,4′‐diamino diphenyl sulfone. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the carbon nanotubes are dispersed well in the epoxy matrix. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements confirmed the decrease in overall cure by the addition of MWCNTs. A decrease in volume shrinkage of the epoxy matrix caused by the addition of MWCNTs was observed by pressure–volume–temperature measurements. Thermomechanical and dynamic mechanical analysis were performed for the MWCNT/epoxy composites, showing that the T_g was slightly affected, whereas the dimensional stability and stiffness are improved by the addition of MWCNTs. Electrical conductivity measurements of the composite samples showed that an insulator to conductor transition takes place between 0.019 and 0.037 wt % MWCNTs. The addition of MWCNTs induces an increase in both impact strength (18%) and fracture toughness (38%) of the epoxy matrix with very low filler content. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

A compelling overview of art therapy techniques and outcomes: A review of Art therapy has many faces.

Reviews the DVD, Art therapy has many faces by Judith Aron Rubin (2004). This is an enlightening film that richly illustrates the significance and impact of art as a therapeutic tool in human lives. The film begins with a discussion of the history and diversity of the practice of art therapy. It suggests that all art is therapeutic, but the therapeutic effects can be enhanced when the art is created in the presence of a trained therapist, and shows what happens in a typical art therapy situation. The film is rich in concrete examples of different kinds of art therapy in use all over the world, and depicts clients of all ages from an array of different backgrounds. It gives convincing evidence of the relationship between the creation of art and the therapeutic transformation of the self, showing how art can help painful memories to surface to a place where they can be faced and released, and provide a means of dealing with personal issues, be they devastating crises or everyday occurrences. It demonstrated convincingly that art is a universal language, and that people engage in art naturally; the capacity and desire to engage in some form of art or another is almost intrinsically built into every individual. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Werkzeuge zur Performanceanalyse von Datenbankanwendungen am Beispiel von ADABAS D

Zusammenfassung   Performancesteigerung ist beim Einsatz von RDBMS ein Kernthema. W?hrend h?ufig noch detailliertes Know How der RDBMS-Architektur und Erfahrung dafür erforderlich sind, werden von einzelnen Datenbankherstellern Instrumente angeboten, die dem Administrator die notwendigen Analysen weitestgehend abnehmen. Dies wird am Beispiel von Adabas D und den Werkzeugen x_wizard und Diagnose Monitor gezeigt. Eingegangen am 28.10.1996, in überarbeiteter Form am 04.03.1997     

Photocatalytic performance of Al and Nb-doped TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by microwave-assisted hydrothermal method

Microwave-assisted hydrothermal synthesis of aluminum (Al)-doped TiO₂ (ALT) and niobium (Nb)-doped TiO₂ (NBT) nanoparticles were carried out. Investigations were performed to examine the crystallinity, vibrational modes, surface morphology, and composition using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), respectively. The XRD study indicated the higher crystallinity of the ALT particles compared to the Al and Nb-doped TiO₂ (ALNBT) particles, and only the presence of the anatase phase was observed in all samples. As a result of doping, the Raman mode at ∼147 cm⁻¹ is found to be shifted toward a higher wavenumber for both samples. SEM analysis showed the spherical morphology of ALT and NBT nanoparticles. The elemental composition peaks of Al, titanium, Nb, and oxygen were noticed by EDS measurements. Furthermore, both prepared nanoparticles were used as photocatalytic materials. The Nb and Al-doped samples showed an improvement in the photocatalysis response in relation to the pure TiO₂ sample, in which Al-doped sample was able to decolorize 100% of rhodamine B in 75 min of analysis.     

Dielectric and thermal studies of the segmental dynamics of poly(methyl methacrylate)/silica nanocomposites prepared by the sol–gel method

Poly(methyl methacrylate)/silica (PMMA/SiO_x) nanocomposites were synthesized via sol–gel method and studied by various techniques. The dispersion of the silica particles (10–100 nm) in the matrix was probed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), while solid‐state NMR and Raman spectroscopy detected the formation of an inorganic network with high degree of crosslinking. To elucidate the impact of the filler on the molecular dynamics of the PMMA, different methods were used; namely differential scanning calorimetry, thermally stimulated depolarization current and broadband dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. All three methods observed a significant impact of the nanoparticles on the segmental dynamics of the matrix, which was expressed as an increase of the glass transition temperature (T_g) in terms of calorimetry and as a shift of the α (segmental) relaxation to lower frequencies in terms of dielectric spectroscopy. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 2013     

Structural control of gold nanoparticles self-assemblies by layer-by-layer process

This work presents a novel way to introduce gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in a multilayer polymer produced by the layer-by-layer (LbL) assembling technique. The technique chosen shows that, depending on the pH used, different morphological structures can be obtained from monolayer or bilayer Au NPs. The MEIS and RBS techniques allowed for the modelling of the interface polymer-NPs, as well as the understanding of the interaction of LbL system, when adjusting the pH in weak polyelectrolytes. The process reveals that the optical properties of multilayer systems could be fine-tuned by controlling the addition of metallic nanoparticles, which could also modify specific polarization responses.