All The Claims

1. A method for inhibiting neuronal damage comprising administering to a person in need thereof an effective amount of a compound of the formula:
wherein R5 is OH and R1, R2, R3, and R4 are H.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the person has suffered, suffers from, or is at risk for a neurodegenerative disease.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said neurodegenerative disease is a delayed effect of stroke.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein said compound is administered during prenatal or postnatal treatment.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A platform cooling arrangement in a turbine rotor blade having a platform positioned between an airfoil and a root, wherein the rotor blade includes an interior cooling passage that extends radially outward from a connection with a coolant source in the root, wherein, along a side that coincides with a pressure side of the airfoil, a pressure side of the platform includes a topside extending from an airfoil base to a pressure side slashface, the platform cooling arrangement comprising:
a main plenum residing just inboard of the topside in the pressure side of the platform, the main plenum extending through the platform from an upstream end having an aft position to a downstream end having a forward position; and
cooling apertures;
wherein:
near the upstream end, the main plenum includes an aft switchback, and, a forward arc extending from the aft switchback and the downstream end; to
each of the cooling apertures extends from the main plenum to a port formed on the pressure side slashface.
2. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 1, further comprising:
a supply plenum that is configured to connect the upstream end of the main plenum to the interior cooling passage; and
a plurality of film cooling apertures, each connecting the main plenum to a port formed on the topside of the platform;
wherein the topside of the platform is planar and the main plenum comprises a longitudinal axis that is approximately parallel to the planar topside.
3. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 1, wherein:
the upstream end of the main plenum comprises a position near a circumferential mid-region of the platform; and
the downstream end of the main plenum comprises a position near the pressure side slashface of the platform.
4. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 3, wherein beginning at the upstream end, the aft switchback is configured to include a first section, a second section, and positioned therebetween, a switchback section;
wherein:
the first section extends circumferentially toward the pressure side slashface;
the switchback section is disposed near the pressure side slashface and includes a sharp turn of at least 150\xb0; and
the second section extends circumferentially from the switchback section toward the circumferential mid-region of the platform.
5. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 4, wherein:
the switchback section comprises a sharp turn of about 180\xb0;
the second section is forward of the first section;
the aft switchback is configured to include separating structure that separates the first section from the second section, the separating structure comprising an approximate constant width;
between the upstream end and the downstream end, the main plenum comprises an approximately constant width; and
the approximate constant width of the separating structure is significantly less than the approximate constant width of the main plenum.
6. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the aft switchback is confined to a rearward third of the pressure side of the platform.
7. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the aft switchback includes heat transfer structure that is configured to promote heat transfer between a coolant flowing through the aft switchback and the platform;
wherein the main plenum comprises a radial height defined between a floor and a ceiling, the ceiling being outboard in relation to the floor;
wherein the radial height is approximately constant from the upstream end to the downstream end of the main plenum; and
the main plenum is configured such that the ceiling resides in close proximity to the topside of the pressure side of the platform.
8. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 7, wherein the heat transfer structure within the aft switchback comprises jutting protrusions configured to increase turbulent flow within the coolant.
9. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the second section of the aft switchback connects with the forward arc near the circumferential mid-region of the platform;
wherein, extending forward from the connection with the aft switchback, the forward arc comprises a curvature that corresponds to that of a profile of the pressure side of an airfoil base under which the forward arc extends; and
wherein the downstream end of the main plenum resides at the pressure side slashface of the platform.
10. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 4, wherein the main plenum comprises an aft outlet and a forward outlet;
wherein:
the aft outlet is configured to connect the switchback section of the aft switchback to a port formed in the pressure side slashface;
the forward outlet is configured to connect the downstream end of the main plenum to a port formed in the pressure side slashface;
the forward outlet includes a non-integral plug that reduces the cross-sectional flow area of the forward outlet; and
the aft outlet includes a non-integral plug that reduces the cross-sectional flow area of the aft outlet.
11. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 10, wherein each of the forward outlet and the aft outlet comprise a printout formed during a casting of the main plenum;
wherein the non-integral plug of the forward outlet is configured to provide a predetermined cross-sectional flow area through the forward outlet that corresponds to a desired coolant impingement characteristic during operation; and
wherein the non-integral plug of the aft outlet is configured to provide a predetermined cross-sectional flow area through the aft outlet that corresponds to a desired coolant impingement characteristic during operation.
12. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 4, wherein:
the ports of the cooling apertures are spaced along the pressure side slashface;
at least a plurality of the cooling apertures connect to one of the ports to the forward arc of the main plenum and at least a plurality of the cooling apertures connect one of the ports to the aft switchback of the main plenum; and
wherein the main plenum comprises an axial length of at least 0.75 of the axial length of the airfoil.
13. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 12, wherein at least five cooling apertures connect a separate corresponding port to the forward arc of the main plenum and at least three cooling apertures connect a corresponding port to the aft switchback of the main plenum.
14. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the cooling apertures extend from the pressure side slashface to the main plenum in an approximate circumferential direction.
15. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 14, wherein each of the cooling apertures comprise a smaller cross-sectional flow area than the main plenum; and
wherein the cooling apertures are linear.
16. The platform cooling arrangement according to claim 12, wherein the cooling apertures and ports are configured such that, during operation, each exhausts a desired impinged flow of coolant into a slashface cavity that, upon installation, is formed between the turbine rotor blade and an adjacent turbine rotor blades.
17. A method of creating a platform cooling arrangement in a turbine rotor blade having a platform at an interface between an airfoil and a root, wherein the rotor blade includes an interior cooling passage formed therein that extends from a connection with a coolant source at the root to the platform, and wherein, along a side that coincides with a pressure side of the airfoil, a pressure side of the platform comprises a topside extending circumferentially from an airfoil base to a pressure side slashface, the method comprising the steps of:
forming a main plenum in the pressure side of the platform via a casting process, the main plenum being configured to extend through the platform from an upstream end having an aft position to a downstream end having a forward position; and
machining cooling apertures;
wherein:
near the upstream end, the main plenum includes an aft switchback, and, a forward arc extending from the aft switchback and the downstream end; to
each of the cooling apertures extends from the main plenum to a port formed on the pressure side slashface.
18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising the step of forming a supply plenum that is configured to connect the upstream end of the main plenum to the interior cooling passage;
wherein the step of forming the main plenum includes casting the main plenum within the platform;
wherein the main plenum is configured such that the upstream end of the main plenum comprises a position near a circumferential mid-region of the platform, and the downstream end of the main plenum comprises a position at the pressure side slashface of the platform; and
wherein:
beginning at the upstream end, the aft switchback is configured to include a first section, a second section, and positioned therebetween, a switchback section;
the first section that extends circumferentially toward the pressure side slashface;
the switchback section is disposed near the pressure side slashface and includes a sharp turn of about 180\xb0; and
the second section extends circumferentially from the switchback section toward the airfoil.
19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the step of casting the main plenum comprises configuring printouts that, in operation, comprise an aft outlet and a forward outlet;
wherein:
the aft outlet is configured to connect the switchback section of the aft switchback to a port formed in the pressure side slashface;
the forward outlet is configured to connect the downstream end of the main plenum to a port formed in the pressure side slashface.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of:
forming a first plug for the forward outlet, wherein the first plug is configured to reduce the cross-sectional flow area of the forward outlet such that the forward outlet comprises a predetermined cross-sectional flow area that, in operation, corresponds to a desired coolant impingement characteristic through the forward outlet;
installing the first plug into the forward outlet;
forming a second plug for the aft outlet, wherein the second plug is configured to reduce the cross-sectional flow area of the aft outlet such that the aft outlet comprises a predetermined cross-sectional flow area that, in operation, corresponds to a desired coolant impingement characteristic through the aft outlet; and
installing the second plug in the aft outlet.

1. A process for increasing toughness of glass particulates, the process comprising:
providing a glass particulate, the glass particulate generally in the form of a sphere;
heating the glass particulate to a temperature greater than 600\xb0 C. for a predetermined time; and
cooling the glass particulate to ambient temperature;
wherein heating the glass particulate alters the failure mechanism of the glass particulate from a high energy failure that produces generally fine powder to a lower energy failure that produces generally large fragments.
2. The process of claim 1, wherein the glass particulate is provided by fusing and quenching an aluminosilicate mineral.
3. The process of claim 2, wherein the aluminosilicate mineral is selected from the group consisting of rhyolite, theoliite, olivine, basalt, andesite and combinations thereof.
4. The process of claim 1, wherein the glass particulate is an amorphous glass particulate before heating the glass particulate to a temperature greater than 600\xb0 C. for a predetermined time.
5. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of heating the glass particulate is heating to a temperature between 700\xb0 C. and 1050\xb0 C., inclusive.
6. The process of claim 1, wherein heating the glass particulate nucleates and grows a crystalline phase within an amorphous glass matrix of the glass particulate.
7. The process of claim 6, wherein the glass particulate contains between 0.5-4.5 weight percent (wt %) Fe2O3, 3-13 wt % FeO and the crystalline phase is an iron oxide.
8. The process of claim 7, wherein the iron oxide is magnetite.
9. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of heating the glass particulate produces a glass particulate with a fracture toughness at least 10% greater than a glass particulate that has not been heated.
10. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of heating the glass particulate produces a glass particulate with a fracture toughness at least 25% greater than a glass particulate that has not been heated.
11. The process of claim 1, wherein the step of heating the glass particulate produces a glass particulate with a fracture toughness at least 50% greater than a glass particulate that has not been heated.
12. A process for producing proppants, the process comprising:
providing an amorphous glass particulate derived by fusing and quenching an aluminosilicate mineral, the amorphous glass particulate generally in the form of a sphere and the aluminosilicate mineral selected from the group consisting of rhyolite, theoliite, olivine, basalt, andesite and combinations thereof;
heating the glass particulate to a temperature greater than 600\xb0 C. for a predetermined time such that a crystalline phase nucleates and grows within the amorphous glass particulate and produces a devitrified glass particulate; and
cooling the devitrified glass particulate to ambient temperature;
wherein heating the devitrified glass particulate has an altered failure mechanism compared to the amorphous glass particulate, the altered failure mechanism providing a low energy failure of that produces generally large fragments from the devitrified glass particulate compared to a higher energy failure that produces generally fine powder from the amorphous glass particulate.
13. The process of claim 12, wherein the step of heating the glass particulate is heating to a temperature between 700\xb0 C. and 1050\xb0 C., inclusive.
14. The process of claim 12, wherein the crystalline phase that nucleates and grows within the amorphous glass particulate and produces a devitrified glass particulate is an iron oxide.
15. The process of claim 14, wherein the amorphous glass particulate contains between 0.5-4.5 weight percent (wt %) Fe2O3, 3-13 wt % FeO and the iron oxide is magnetite.
16. The process of claim 12, wherein the devitrified glass particulate has a fracture toughness at least 10% greater than a fracture toughness of the amorphous glass particulate.
17. The process of claim 12, wherein the devitrified glass particulate has a fracture toughness at least 25% greater than a fracture toughness of the amorphous glass particulate.
18. The process of claim 12, wherein the devitrified glass particulate has a fracture toughness at least 50% greater than a fracture toughness of the amorphous glass particulate.
19. A proppant made from glass and having improved failure properties, said proppant comprising:
a glass particulate having a generally spherical shape with a within the range of 250 to 5000 microns;
said glass particulate having a Vickers indentation fracture resistance (VIFR) greater than 1.2 MPa\xb7\u221a{square root over (m)};
wherein said VIFR is determined by the expression:
VIFR=0.1706(H\xb7\u221a{square root over (a)})\xb7Log(4.5ac)
where:
H is a Vickers hardness value of said glass particulate;
a is a diagonal length of an indentation produced from a Vickers hardness test; and
c is a crack length extending from the indentation produced from the Vickers hardness test.
20. The proppant of claim 18, wherein said VIFR is greater than 1.5 MPa\xb7\u221a{square root over (m)}.
21. The proppant of claim 19, wherein said VIFR is greater than 1.8 MPa\xb7\u221a{square root over (m)}.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. A method comprising:
receiving two or more variations of an underlying piece of content, each variation including metadata;
using a text alignment technique to correlate the metadata of the two or more variations; and
merging multiple sets of the metadata into one multi-track set from the correlation.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the content includes one or more of digital text, digital audio and digital video.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the text alignment technique is a dynamic programming process optimizing a metric.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the metric is a metric that minimizes a number of word substitutions, insertions and deletions.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein the metric is a metric that weights different words differently.
6. The method of claim 3 wherein the metric assigns different penalties to different errors and minimizes a total weighted penalty.
7. The method of claim 3 wherein the metric is calculated in conjunction with natural language processing.
8. The method of claim 3 wherein the metric is calculated using a Viterbi dynamic programming process for finding the most likely sequence of hidden states.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving two or more variations of the underlying piece of content further comprises applying pattern-based normalization on the two or more variations.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein applying pattern-based normalization comprises removing time stamps from closed-captioning.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the one multi-track set includes external non-aligned metadata.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the external non-aligned metadata is selected based on aligned metadata.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein the content is digital audio.
14. The method of claim 13 wherein speech-to-text is performed on the digital audio.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the text alignment technique comprises text aligning to one or more time alignments to align the metadata of the two or more variations.
16. An apparatus comprising:
a local computing system linked to a network of interconnected computer systems, the local computing system comprising a processor, a memory and a storage device;
the memory comprising an operating system and a metadata alignment process, the metadata alignment process comprising:
receiving two or more variations of an underlying piece of content, each piece of content including metadata;
using a text alignment technique to correlate the metadata of the two or more variations; and
merging multiple sets of the metadata into one multi-track set from the correlation.
17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the content includes one or more of digital text, digital audio and digital video.
18. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the text alignment technique is a dynamic programming process optimizing a metric.
19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the metric is a metric that minimizes a number of word substitutions, insertions and deletions.
20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the metric is a metric that weights different words differently.
21. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the metric is calculated in conjunction with natural language processing.
22. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the metric is calculated using a Viterbi dynamic programming process for finding the most likely sequence of hidden states.
23. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein receiving two variations of the underlying piece of content further comprises applying pattern-based normalization on the two variations.
24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein applying pattern-based normalization comprises removing time stamps from closed-captioning.
25. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the one multi-track set includes external non-aligned metadata.
26. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein the external non-aligned metadata is selected based on aligned metadata.
27. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the content is digital audio.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 wherein speech-to-text is performed on the digital audio.
29. A method comprising:
receiving variations of an underlying piece of content, each piece of content including metadata;
using a text alignment technique to correlate the metadata of a first variation to a third variation, the correlated metadata including timestamps;
using the text alignment technique to correlate the metadata of a second variation to the third variation, the correlated metadata including timestamps; and
merging the correlated metadata into one multi-track set.
30. The method of claim 29 wherein the content includes one or more of digital text, digital audio and digital video.
31. The method of claim 29 wherein the text alignment technique is a dynamic programming process optimizing a metric.
32. The method of claim 29 wherein the content is digital audio.
33. The method of claim 32 wherein speech-to-text is performed on the digital audio.