Natural products against acute respiratory infections: Strategies and lessons learned

Under embargo until: 11.10.2020Ethnopharmacological relevance: A wide variety of traditional herbal remedies have been used throughout history for the treatment of symptoms related to acute respiratory infections (ARIs). Aim of the review: The present work provides a timely overview of natural products affecting the most common pathogens involved in ARIs, in particular influenza viruses and rhinoviruses as well as bacteria involved in co-infections, their molecular targets, their role in drug discovery, and the current portfolio of available naturally derived anti-ARI drugs. Materials and methods: Literature of the last ten years was evaluated for natural products active against influenza viruses and rhinoviruses. The collected bioactive agents were further investigated for reported activities against ARI-relevant bacteria, and analysed for the chemical space they cover in relation to currently known natural products and approved drugs. Results: An overview of (i) natural compounds active in target-based and/or phenotypic assays relevant to ARIs, (ii) extracts, and (iii) in vivo data are provided, offering not only a starting point for further in-depth phytochemical and antimicrobial studies, but also revealing insights into the most relevant anti-ARI scaffolds and compound classes. Investigations of the chemical space of bioactive natural products based on principal component analysis show that many of these compounds are drug-like. However, some bioactive natural products are substantially larger and have more polar groups than most approved drugs. A workflow with various strategies for the discovery of novel antiviral agents is suggested, thereby evaluating the merit of in silico techniques, the use of complementary assays, and the relevance of ethnopharmacological knowledge on the exploration of the therapeutic potential of natural products. Conclusions: The longstanding ethnopharmacological tradition of natural remedies against ARIs highlights their therapeutic impact and remains a highly valuable selection criterion for natural materials to be investigated in the search for novel anti-ARI acting concepts. We observe a tendency towards assaying for broad-spectrum antivirals and antibacterials mainly discovered in interdisciplinary academic settings, and ascertain a clear demand for more translational studies to strengthen efforts for the development of effective and safe therapeutic agents for patients suffering from ARIs.acceptedVersio

Aura versus Dialogue. Displaying Nazi Objects in the Exhibition "Disposing of Hitler: Out of the Cellar, Into the Museum"

What should we do with the remnants of Nazism? Should we dispose of them? Is it acceptable to sell them at a flea market or on the internet? At what point does memory become nostalgia, or even illegal neo-Nazi activity? Objects related to Nazism get discovered in various places and contexts – whether in one’s own basement, at flea markets or an online portal, in the estate of relatives or even in the trash. Even if one’s own family history is not entangled with the Nazi regime, such finds trigger feelings ranging from shame to detachment and even fascination. The exhibition "Disposing of Hitler. Out of the Cellar, Into the Museum", House of Austrian History ("Hitler entsorgen. Vom Keller ins Museum", Haus der Geschichte Österreich) asks about the social responsibility in dealing with relics of Nazism and explores the question of how these things can strengthen democratic consciousness in the present. What should we do with the remnants of Nazism? Should we dispose of them? Is it acceptable to sell them at a flea market or on the internet? At what point does memory become nostalgia, or even illegal neo-Nazi activity? Objects related to Nazism get discovered in various places and contexts – whether in one’s own basement, at flea markets or an online portal, in the estate of relatives or even in the trash. Even if one’s own family history is not entangled with the Nazi regime, such finds trigger feelings ranging from shame to detachment and even fascination. The exhibition "Disposing of Hitler. Out of the Cellar, Into the Museum", House of Austrian History ("Hitler entsorgen. Vom Keller ins Museum", Haus der Geschichte Österreich) asks about the social responsibility in dealing with relics of Nazism and explores the question of how these things can strengthen democratic consciousness in the present.&nbsp

Aura versus Dialogue. Displaying Nazi Objects in the Exhibition "Disposing of Hitler: Out of the Cellar, Into the Museum"

What should we do with the remnants of Nazism? Should we dispose of them? Is it acceptable to sell them at a flea market or on the internet? At what point does memory become nostalgia, or even illegal neo-Nazi activity? Objects related to Nazism get discovered in various places and contexts – whether in one’s own basement, at flea markets or an online portal, in the estate of relatives or even in the trash. Even if one’s own family history is not entangled with the Nazi regime, such finds trigger feelings ranging from shame to detachment and even fascination. The exhibition "Disposing of Hitler. Out of the Cellar, Into the Museum", House of Austrian History ("Hitler entsorgen. Vom Keller ins Museum", Haus der Geschichte Österreich) asks about the social responsibility in dealing with relics of Nazism and explores the question of how these things can strengthen democratic consciousness in the present.

COVID-19: Is There Evidence for the Use of Herbal Medicines as Adjuvant Symptomatic Therapy?

Background: Current recommendations for the self-management of SARS-Cov-2 disease (COVID-19) include self-isolation, rest, hydration, and the use of NSAID in case of high fever only. It is expected that many patients will add other symptomatic/adjuvant treatments, such as herbal medicines. Aims: To provide a benefits/risks assessment of selected herbal medicines traditionally indicated for “respiratory diseases” within the current frame of the COVID-19 pandemic as an adjuvant treatment. Method: The plant selection was primarily based on species listed by the WHO and EMA, but some other herbal remedies were considered due to their widespread use in respiratory conditions. Preclinical and clinical data on their efficacy and safety were collected from authoritative sources. The target population were adults with early and mild flu symptoms without underlying conditions. These were evaluated according to a modified PrOACT-URL method with paracetamol, ibuprofen, and codeine as reference drugs. The benefits/risks balance of the treatments was classified as positive, promising, negative, and unknown. Results: A total of 39 herbal medicines were identified as very likely to appeal to the COVID-19 patient. According to our method, the benefits/risks assessment of the herbal medicines was found to be positive in 5 cases (Althaea officinalis, Commiphora molmol, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Hedera helix, and Sambucus nigra), promising in 12 cases (Allium sativum, Andrographis paniculata, Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea purpurea, Eucalyptus globulus essential oil, Justicia pectoralis, Magnolia officinalis, Mikania glomerata, Pelargonium sidoides, Pimpinella anisum, Salix sp, Zingiber officinale), and unknown for the rest. On the same grounds, only ibuprofen resulted promising, but we could not find compelling evidence to endorse the use of paracetamol and/or codeine. Conclusions: Our work suggests that several herbal medicines have safety margins superior to those of reference drugs and enough levels of evidence to start a clinical discussion about their potential use as adjuvants in the treatment of early/mild common flu in otherwise healthy adults within the context of COVID-19. While these herbal medicines will not cure or prevent the flu, they may both improve general patient well-being and offer them an opportunity to personalize the therapeutic approaches

Eine "populistische Lektion". Emotionssensible Perspektiven für die politische Bildung

Der vorliegende Beitrag beschäftigt sich mit der Instrumentalisierung von Emotionen als Strategie rechtspopulistischer Politik und zieht daraus Schlüsse für die politische Bildung. Die negative Bewertung von Emotionen oder deren Verdrängung aus dem politischen Diskurs bilden eine Leerstelle im Politischen. Auf Basis der Theorie der Intergruppen-Emotionen zeigt der Beitrag die Funktionen von Emotionen für Identitätsstiftung und Gruppenbildung und die Risiken für eine pluralistische Gesellschaft auf. Der Beitrag plädiert für eine stärkere Thematisierung und kritische Reflexion von Emotionen in der politischen Bildung und stellt Perspektiven für eine emotionssensible politische Bildung dar. (DIPF/Orig.)This article addresses the instrumentalization of emotions as a strategy of right-wing populist politics and draws conclusions concerning civic education. The negative evaluation of emotions or their suppression from the political discourse forms a void in the political discourse. Based on the intergroup-emotions-theory the article shows the functions of emotions for identity building and group formation and the risks for a pluralistic society. The article argues for a stronger thematization and critical reflection of emotions in civic education and outlines perspectives for an emotion-sensitive civic education. (DIPF/Orig.

Assessing the socio-economic impact of Community Currencies: Cross examination of case studies with a standardized framework

Nowadays, Community Currencies (CCs) are a trending system for bringing change in communities. Changes act mainly around the 3 pillars of sustainable development (ei Economic, Social, Environmental). In the field of CC, besides Place and Bindewald’s prototype, there is no standardized impact assessment framework in academic publication yet. The present research aims at taking a look at how effective this prototype is by analysing the impact of 4 CCs. The research is based on a comparison of 4 case studies (Le Florain, Le Cairn, La Gonette and the GEM Project). The results show that the analysed CC have indeed an impact on communities in line with their objective. Regarding the framework, because of its prototypical stage, issues are still to clear up. It is recommended to create a lighter version that would be embeddable into the CC operations by volunteer and CC managers. This research is an effort to start a compendium of impact assessment case studies which can in fine help to the emergence of new initiatives as well as providing recommendation for further development of the framework. However, limitations result from the type of research methodology adopted (i.e. data collection and case study format).Master [120] en Ingénieur de gestion, Université catholique de Louvain, 201

Möglichkeiten einer emotionssensiblen Auseinandersetzung mit Rechtspopulismus im Rahmen der politischen Bildung

eingereicht von Kristina LangederLiteraturverzeichnis: Blatt 137-148Universität Salzburg, Diplomarbeit, 2019(VLID)508768

Insights into the direct anti-influenza virus mode of action of Rhodiola rosea

Background: The anti-influenza A virus activities and contents of previously isolated most active flavonoids (rhodiosin and tricin) from a standardized hydro-ethanolic R. rosea root and rhizome extract (SHR-5®), did not fully explain the efficacy of SHR-5®. Moreover, the mode of antiviral action of SHR-5® is unknown. Purpose: To determine the anti-influenza viral principle of SHR-5® we evaluated i) the combined anti-influenza virus effect of rhodiosin and tricin, ii) the impact of its tannin-enriched fraction (TE), iii) its antiviral spectrum and mode of action, and iv) its propensity for resistance development in vitro. Methods: The combined anti-influenza virus effect of rhodiosin and tricin and the impact of TE were investigated with cytopathic effect (CPE)-inhibition assays in MDCK cells. A tannin-depleted fraction (TD) and TE were prepared by polyamide column chromatography and dereplicated by LC-MS. Plaque-reduction assays provided insights into the anti-influenza virus profile, the mode of action, and the propensity for resistance development of SHR-5®. Results: Our results i) did not reveal synergistic anti-influenza A virus effects of rhodiosin and tricin, but ii) proved a strong impact of TE mainly composed of prodelphinidin gallate oligomers. iii) TE inhibited the plaque-production of influenza virus A(H1N1)pdm09, A(H3N2), and B (Victoria and Yamagata) isolates (including isolates resistant to neuraminidase and/or M2 ion channel inhibitors) with 50% inhibitory concentration values between 0.12 - 0.53 µg/ml similar to SHR-5®. Mechanistic studies proved a virucidal activity, inhibition of viral adsorption, viral neuraminidase activity, and virus spread by SHR-5® and TE. iv) No resistance development was observed in vitro. Conclusion: For the first time a comprehensive analysis of the anti-influenza virus profile of a hydro-ethanolic R. rosea extract (SHR-5®) was assessed in vitro. The results demonstrating broad-spectrum multiple direct anti-influenza virus activities, and a lack of resistance development to SHR-5® together with its known augmentation of host defense, support its potential role as an adaptogen against influenza virus infection