A critical analysis to untangle the Deepana and Paachana Karma

Introduction: Deepana and Paachana are the highly integral part of Ayurveda Chikitsa. The two are considered into Sapta Vidha Shamana. Paachana is one among the Dashavidha Laghana. The details of Paachana and Deepana along with their utility is scattered in the lexicons of Ayurveda. The two Upakrama are sometimes used in combination and in some conditions they are solely utilized. The two Upakrama though seem to be similar there are differentiating factors between the two. There seems to be lacunae in the knowledge of Deepana and Paachana as Karma Lakshana of the two are be well defined. Materials and Methods: In the present work the literature has been surfed to find the relevant information about Deepana and Paachana. Discussion and Conclusion: The study reveals that Agni Mahabhoota Pradhana Dravya can effectively bring about both Deepana and Paachana Karma. Both Karma share a common identity that the both enhance Agni Bala. The two differ from each other with respect to their utility. Deepana is essential to maintain the Agni in Deepta Avastha for Swasthya Rakshana, while Paachana is essential in Atura Avastha when Ama or Saamatva prevails in Shareera

Revival of Ahara Parinamakara Bhava; in quest of Ama Hetu

Introduction: Ahara which is responsible for formation and sustenance of Shareera, can itself cause numerous disorders if undergone improper Paaka (Apakva Ahara rasa). This Apakva Ahara Rasa is Ama. This Ama can independently cause disorder and also in association with Dosha. Since the Saama Dosha Avastha requires a unique line of management, there is need to know about Ama and its Hetu. This work throws light over the same. Materials and Methods: Literary reviews collected from Bruhat Trayee and Laghu Trayee followed by critical analysis to define Ama and its Hetu. Discussion and Conclusion: Ama is that component in Shareera which has not attained the Shareera Bhaava. Along with Alpa Balatva of Agni impairment in Ahara Prinamakara Bhaava are responsible for Ama Utpatti

Unusually heavy landing of King Seer fish at New Ferry Wharf, Bombay

The article reports on unusual heavy landing of King seer fish (Scomberomorus commerson, local name-'Surmai') at New Ferry Warf, Bombay during September – November months of 1986. In October only it was 2,112.4 tonnes where average annual catch is around 526.4 tonnes. Trawlers used baited hooks (size 10-15 cm) for the catch. By biological examination it was assumed that this shoal was returning after spawning and had voraceous feeding behaviour. This unusual catch benefitted the fishermen by an additional income of about Rs. 3,000 per trip

Durable remissions are rare following high dose therapy with autologous stem cell transplantation for adults with "paediatric" bone and soft tissue sarcomas

BACKGROUND: The role of high dose therapy (HDT) with autologous stem cell transplantation (AuSCT) for the treatment of bone and soft tissue sarcomas remains investigational. There are few reports examining this strategy focusing on the adult population. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed our experience of adult patients undergoing HDT and AuSCT for 'paediatric' sarcomas. RESULTS: A total of 17 patients (14 male, 3 female) with median age at transplant of 24 years (range 20 – 41) were identified. The diagnosis was Ewings sarcoma/PNET (10), osteosarcoma (5) and rhabdomyosarcoma (2). Status prior to HDT, following conventional-dose chemotherapy +/- surgery +/- radiotherapy, was complete remission (CR) (6), partial remission (PR) (6), stable disease (1) and progressive disease (4). There was no transplant-related mortality. Two patients remain disease free beyond four years and both received HDT as part of their primary therapy (CR1 and PR1) however, the median progression free survival and overall survival following AuSCT for the entire cohort was only 7 months (range: 2–92 months) and 13 months (range: 2 – 92 months), respectively. CONCLUSION: HDT and AuSCT infrequently achieves prolonged remissions in adult patients and should only be considered in patients who are in a PR or CR following conventional-dose therapy. Further studies are required to define the role of HDT with AuSCT for adult patients with sarcoma

Case History Compilation of Engineering Properties of Common Rocks in Maharashtra, India, for Database (1982-2002)

Rock samples are received from various project sites for testing at MERI. These rock samples were tested and test results were communicated to the project in charge from time to time. After carrying out tests to determine different engineering properties of various types of commonly available rocks, mostly for irrigation structures in Maharashtra, lot of historical data is available. It was felt that, this data of results may be compiled digitally in database software (M. S. Access) and analyzed suitably for use in design and construction of irrigation and other important structures in future. The results of about 1920 Rock samples tested during the period from 1982 to 2002 have been compiled in the database. Mainly the following test results are required by the construction agencies 1) %Water Absorption 2) Specific Gravity and Density of Rock 3) Compressive strength (Kg/cm2) General standards of acceptance of these rock properties are also discussed in this paper. Abstracts of results indicating Average, Minimum and Maximum values of laboratory test results on rocks are presented. Database presented in this paper is basin and sub-basin-wise, region-wise, district-wise and geological class-wise

Narrative Review of Nimesulide in Adults: Current Scenario

Nimesulide, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), has been used as an effective treatment regimen for patients aged >12 years for fever, acute pain, acute tendinitis, osteoarthritis and dysmenorrhea. It is reported to be a superior antipyretic and anti-inflammatory drug than paracetamol and aspirin, respectively, and is equal to any of the NSAIDs alone in terms of analgesia. This paper reviews the current scenario of nimesulide in adult patients, concerning clinical evidence, use in special population and expert opinion. Overall, in comparison to other NSAIDs, including coxibs, nimesulide has a promising overall efficacy, safety and tolerability profile, as well as a satisfactory benefit/risk evaluation

Thickness Estimation of Epitaxial Graphene on SiC using Attenuation of Substrate Raman Intensity

A simple, non-invasive method using Raman spectroscopy for the estimation of the thickness of graphene layers grown epitaxially on silicon carbide (SiC) is presented, enabling simultaneous determination of thickness, grain size and disorder using the spectra. The attenuation of the substrate Raman signal due to the graphene overlayer is found to be dependent on the graphene film thickness deduced from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy of the surfaces. We explain this dependence using an absorbing overlayer model. This method can be used for mapping graphene thickness over a region and is capable of estimating thickness of multilayer graphene films beyond that possible by XPS and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES).Comment: 14 pages, 9 figure

Interaction of a poly(acrylic acid) oligomer with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine bilayers

We studied the influence of 5 kDa poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) on the phase state, thermal properties, and lateral diffusion in bilayered systems of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) using 31P NMR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), 1H NMR with a pulsed field gradient, and 1H nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (NOESY). The presence of PAA does not change the lamellar structure of the system. 1H MAS NOESY cross-peaks observed for the interaction between lipid headgroups and polyion protons demonstrated only surface PAA-biomembrane interaction. Small concentrations of PAA (up to ∼4 mol %) lead to the appearance of a new lateral phase with a higher main transition temperature, a lower cooperativity, and a lower enthalpy of transition. Higher concentrations lead to the disappearance of measurable thermal effects. The lateral diffusion coefficient of DMPC and the apparent activation energy of diffusion gradually decreased at PAA concentrations up to around 4 mol %. The observed effects were explained by the formation of at least two types of PAA-DMPC lateral complexes as has been described earlier (Fujiwara, M.; Grubbs, R. H.; Baldeschwieler, J. D. J. Colloid Interface Sci., 1997, 185, 210). The first one is characterized by a stoichiometry of around 28 lipids per polymer, which corresponds to the adsorption of the entire PAA molecule onto the membrane. Lipid molecules of the complex are exchanged with the "pure" lipid bilayer, with the lifetime of the complex being less than 0.1 s. The second type of DMPC-PAA complex is characterized by a stoichiometry of 6 to 7 lipids per polymer and contains PAA molecules that are only partially adsorbed onto the membrane. A decrease in the DMPC diffusion coefficient and activation energy for diffusion in the presence of PAA was explained by the formation of a new cooperative unit for diffusion, which contains the PAA molecule and several molecules of lipids. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Queer In AI: A Case Study in Community-Led Participatory AI

Queerness and queer people face an uncertain future in the face of ever more widely deployed and invasive artificial intelligence (AI). These technologies have caused numerous harms to queer people, including privacy violations, censoring and downranking queer content, exposing queer people and spaces to harassment by making them hypervisible, deadnaming and outing queer people. More broadly, they have violated core tenets of queerness by classifying and controlling queer identities. In response to this, the queer community in AI has organized Queer in AI, a global, decentralized, volunteer-run grassroots organization that employs intersectional and community-led participatory design to build an inclusive and equitable AI future. In this paper, we present Queer in AI as a case study for community-led participatory design in AI. We examine how participatory design and intersectional tenets started and shaped this community’s programs over the years. We discuss different challenges that emerged in the process, look at ways this organization has fallen short of operationalizing participatory and intersectional principles, and then assess the organization’s impact. Queer in AI provides important lessons and insights for practitioners and theorists of participatory methods broadly through its rejection of hierarchy in favor of decentralization, success at building aid and programs by and for the queer community, and effort to change actors and institutions outside of the queer community. Finally, we theorize how communities like Queer in AI contribute to the participatory design in AI more broadly by fostering cultures of participation in AI, welcoming and empowering marginalized participants, critiquing poor or exploitative participatory practices, and bringing participation to institutions outside of individual research projects. Queer in AI’s work serves as a case study of grassroots activism and participatory methods within AI, demonstrating the potential of community-led participatory methods and intersectional praxis, while also providing challenges, case studies, and nuanced insights to researchers developing and using participatory methods

Inactivation of Chk2 and Mus81 Leads to Impaired Lymphocytes Development, Reduced Genomic Instability, and Suppression of Cancer

Chk2 is an effector kinase important for the activation of cell cycle checkpoints, p53, and apoptosis in response to DNA damage. Mus81 is required for the restart of stalled replication forks and for genomic integrity. Mus81Δex3-4/Δex3-4 mice have increased cancer susceptibility that is exacerbated by p53 inactivation. In this study, we demonstrate that Chk2 inactivation impairs the development of Mus81Δex3-4/Δex3-4 lymphoid cells in a cell-autonomous manner. Importantly, in contrast to its predicted tumor suppressor function, loss of Chk2 promotes mitotic catastrophe and cell death, and it results in suppressed oncogenic transformation and tumor development in Mus81Δex3-4/Δex3-4 background. Thus, our data indicate that an important role for Chk2 is maintaining lymphocyte development and that dual inactivation of Chk2 and Mus81 remarkably inhibits cancer