Critical Connections Research Articles

Sufficiently dense Kuramoto networks are globally synchronizing.

Consider any network of n identical Kuramoto oscillators in which each oscillator is coupled bidirectionally with unit strength to at least μ(n-1) other oscillators. There is a critical value of the connectivity, μc, such that whenever μ>μc, the system is guaranteed to converge to the all-in-phase synchronous state for almost all initial conditions, but when μ<μc, there are networks with other stable states. The precise value of the critical connectivity remains unknown, but it has been conjectured to be μc=0.75. In 2020, Lu and Steinerberger proved that μc≤0.7889, and Yoneda, Tatsukawa, and Teramae proved in 2021 that μc>0.6838. This paper proves that μc≤0.75 and explain why this is the best upper bound that one can obtain by a purely linear stability analysis.

Unemployment and Monetary Policy Dynamics in Pakistan: Evidence from Cointegration Analysis

This study examined the impact of monetary policy on unemployment in Pakistan. The time-series data for 1977 to 2019 was taken and the ARDL technique is used for estimation. Unemployment was used as a dependent variable along with other control variables while the money supply was the core independent variable of the research. It was concluded that money related arrangement not just contributes to observing past patterns and additionally future projections of superficial factors of real factors also. The outcomes show that there is a critical and negative connection between spending Deficit and unemployment. The gross domestic product development rate is decidedly identified with unemployment. Populace development rate is adversely identified with unemployment. The consumer price index is contrarily identified with unemployment.

Hearing and Listening: Bridging the Leadership Divide between School Connectedness and Students’ Lived Realities

The purpose of this research was to examine the disconnect between urban school expectations and actual lived realities of marginalized students. Taking into consideration the conversation surrounding the definitions of urban education, and the importance of school connectedness with youth, we chose to focus on the lives of five former high students navigating their education. Our qualitative study found that the students’ lives presented challenges to linear pathways to school success. Drawing from the student’s stories, recommendations are proposed to disrupt the deficit definition of urban education and educational leaders initiate critical school connections to students lived realities.

Enhanced Fenton Reaction for Xenobiotic Compounds and Lignin Degradation Fueled by Quinone Redox Cycling by Lytic Polysaccharide Monooxygenases.

The Fenton reaction is considered to be of great significance in the initial attack of lignocellulose in wood-decaying fungi. Quinone redox cycling is the main way to induce the Fenton reaction in fungi. We show that lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases (LPMOs), through LPMO-catalyzed oxidation of hydroquinone, can efficiently cooperate with glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) to achieve quinone redox cycling. The LPMO/GDH system can enhance Fe3+-reducing activity, H2O2 production, and hydroxyl radical generation, resulting in a fueled Fenton reaction. The system-generated hydroxyl radicals exhibited a strong capacity to decolorize different synthetic dyes and degrade lignin. Our results reveal a potentially critical connection between LPMOs and the Fenton reaction, suggesting that LPMOs could be involved in xenobiotic compound and lignin degradation in fungi. This new role of LPMOs may be exploited for application in biorefineries.

Distinct Basal Brain Functional Activity and Connectivity in the Emotional-Arousal Network and Thalamus in Patients With Functional Constipation Associated With Anxiety and/or Depressive Disorders.

Functional constipation (FC) is a common gastrointestinal disorder. Anxiety and/or depressive disorders are common in patients with FC (FCAD). Brain dysfunction may play a role in FC, but the contribution of comorbid anxiety and/or depression in patients with FC is poorly understood. Sixty-five FC patients and 42 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited, and a hierarchical clustering algorithm was used to classify FC patients into FCAD and patients without anxiety/depressive status (FCNAD) based on neuropsychological assessment. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging measures including fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and functional connectivity were used to investigate brain functional differences. Thirty-seven patients were classified as FCAD, and 28 patients were classified as FCNAD; as compared with HC, both groups showed decreased activity (fALFF) in the perigenual anterior cingulate cortex (pACC), dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC), and precuneus; enhanced precentral gyrus-thalamus connectivity and attenuated precuneus-thalamus connectivity in FCAD/FCNAD highlighted the thalamus as a critical connectivity node in the brain network (pFWE < .05). In comparison with FCNAD/HC, the FCAD group also had decreased fALFF in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) and thalamus, and increased OFC-hippocampus connectivity. In the FCNAD group, brain activities (pACC/DMPFC) and connection (precuneus-thalamus) had correlations only with symptoms; in the FCAD group, brain activities (OFC, pACC/DMPFC) and connectivities (OFC-hippocampus/precentral gyrus-thalamus) showed correlations with both constipation symptoms and anxiety/depressive status ratings. Mediation analysis indicated that the relationship between abdominal distension and OFC activity was completely mediated by anxiety in FCAD. These findings provide evidence of differences in brain activity and functional connectivity between FCAD and FCNAD, potentially providing important clues for improving treatment strategies.

Insulin Signaling Couples Growth and Early Maturation to Cholesterol Intake

Nutrition is one of the most important influences on growth and the timing of developmental maturation transitions including mammalian puberty and insect metamorphosis. Childhood obesity is associated with precocious puberty, but the assessment mechanism that links body fat to early maturation is unknown. During development, intake of nutrients promotes signaling through insulin-like systems that govern the growth of cells and tissues and also regulates the timely production of the steroid hormones that initiate the juvenile-adult transition. We show here that the dietary lipid cholesterol, required as a component of cell membranes and as a substrate for steroid biosynthesis, also governs body growth and maturation in Drosophila via promoting the expression and release of insulin-like peptides. This nutritional input acts via the Niemann-Pick-type-C (Npc) cholesterol sensors/transporters in the glia of the blood-brain barrier and cells of the adipose tissue to remotely drive systemic insulin signaling and body growth. Furthermore, increasing intracellular cholesterol levels in the steroid-producing prothoracic gland strongly promotes endoreduplication, leading to accelerated attainment of a nutritional checkpoint that ensures that animals do not initiate maturation prematurely. These findings couple sensing of the lipid cholesterol to growth control and maturational timing, which may help explain both the link between cholesterol and cancer as well as the critical connection between body fat (obesity) and early puberty.

Identifying and selecting critical connections for seismic response of steel moment resisting frames

In seismically designed steel moment resisting frames, it is well known that the system-level behavior does not lead to equal rotation demands on all beam-column connections, yet this observation from analysis has rarely been turned into a tool for design. In this regard, this paper examines the differences in seismically induced deformation demands on beam-column connections in steel Moment Resisting Frames (MRFs), with the goal of identifying critical beam-to-column connections for which changes to their local hysteretic behavior result in a significant change in the global probability of collapse of the frame. First, collapse fragility curves are developed for three-, six- and 12-story MRFs using reduced beam section (RBS) connections, representing current practice. The maximum rotation demands on the beam-to-column connections at each level are examined, and connections that exceed a specified mean annual frequency of exceeding the rotation at which their strength begins to degrade are defined as critical to the global performance of the frame. Next, to confirm the definition of these connections as critical, collapse fragility curves are developed for a set of frames that have high-performance low-damage self-centering sliding hinge joint (SCSHJ) connections at only the locations defined as critical, while having low-ductility pre-Northridge (PRENORTH) connections with lower rotational capacity at all other locations. Even with a limited number of connections with high ductility, these mixed connection frames surpass the performance of the frames with only RBS connections and achieve essentially the same system collapse performance as frames with SCSHJ connections at all locations. A simplified pushover analysis method for identifying critical connections is proposed and compared to the results obtained from the non-linear time history dynamic analyses. Finally, a process for selecting these critical connections is introduced, using a Direct Displacement-Based Design (DDBD) procedure to give a designer control over their locations. This paper is useful to both researchers and practitioners who seek to identify or select particular connections where increases in rotation capacity would have the greatest influence on the overall frame performance, whether for retrofit applications or to maximize the benefit of selectively applying emerging connection details that offer enhanced performance.

The lower bound of the network connectivity guaranteeing in-phase synchronization.

In-phase synchronization is a stable state of identical Kuramoto oscillators coupled on a network with identical positive connections, regardless of network topology. However, this fact does not mean that the networks always synchronize in-phase because other attractors besides the stable state may exist. The critical connectivity μc is defined as the network connectivity above which only the in-phase state is stable for all the networks. In other words, below μc, one can find at least one network that has a stable state besides the in-phase sync. The best known evaluation of the value so far is 0.6828…≤μc≤0.7889. In this paper, focusing on the twisted states of the circulant networks, we provide a method to systematically analyze the linear stability of all possible twisted states on all possible circulant networks. This method using integer programming enables us to find the densest circulant network having a stable twisted state besides the in-phase sync, which breaks a record of the lower bound of the μc from 0.6828… to 0.6838…. We confirm the validity of the theory by numerical simulations of the networks not converging to the in-phase state.

Seismic Damage Assessment of Deficient Reinforced Concrete Frame Structures

Abstract In order to assess the seismic damage response of reinforced concrete deficient, weak beam-column connection frame structures, this study presents experimental shake table testing on representative 1/3rd reduced size and double story frame models. Two test models were considered for experimental testing, including a reference code design specimen and another frame with a similar characteristic, but was not provided with any shear reinforcement in the critical joint connection region and, was constructed with concrete having a compressive strength of 33 % less than the code specified value. The input scaled excitations were applied from 5 % to 130 % of the maximum input peak ground acceleration record, to deformed the test models from elastic to inelastic stage and then to fully plastic incipient collapse stage. The weak beam-column frame sustained plastic hinging at column bases and beam ends, with longitudinal reinforcement bar-slip and severe damageability of the joint panels upon subjected to multiple dynamic excitations. The deficient frame model was only able to resist 40 % of the maximum acceleration record as compared to the code design frame which was able to resist about 130 %.

Review: Women Rapping Revolution: Hip Hop and Community Building in Detroit, by Rebekah Farrugia and Kellie D. Hay

Review: <i>Women Rapping Revolution: Hip Hop and Community Building in Detroit</i>, by Rebekah Farrugia and Kellie D. Hay

An Ecofeminist Reading of Han Kang’s The Vegetarian

Ecofeminism depicts the movements and philosophies that establish a close relationship between women and nature. It is also an academic movement that sees a critical connection between the domination of nature and the exploitation of women. The term ‘Ecofeminism’ was coined by the French writer Francoise d’Eaubonne. This term intersects the two critical perspectives- ecology and feminism. Ecofeminist theory asserts that a feminist perspective of ecology does not place women in the dominant position. This theory can be used to explore the connection between women and nature in culture, religion, literature and thus address and bring out the parallels between the oppressions of nature and the oppressions of women. Using gender as an important factor, ecofeminism examines the conditions that cause and perpetuates the subordination of both women and nature. This analysis includes seeing men as the curators of culture and women as the curators of nature, and also how men dominate women and humans dominate nature. This paper titled, ‘An Ecofeminist Reading of Han Kang’s The Vegetarian’ discusses the term ecofeminism and how this theory can be analysed and applied in this book written by Han Kang, a South Korean writer who won the Man Booker International prize for fiction in 2016 for this particular book. The book is about a home-maker whose decision to stop eating meat after a deadly nightmare about human cruelty leads to various problems in her personal life. This paper mainly tries to bring out how women and nature are oppressed by the patriarchy and how both are showing resistance toward this dominance. It investigates how man colonizes nature and as well as women. There are various other books that can be analysed under this feminist theory but this book in a way different as the main protagonist of this book sees vegetarianism as a way of not causing any harm on anything, but asserting her identity and freedom in patriarchal society. Thus this paper brings of the various ecofeminist aspects that can be analysed in this book through the various contexts related to the protagonist.

In Vivo and In Vitro Genome-Wide Profiling of RNA Secondary Structures Reveals Key Regulatory Features in Plasmodium falciparum.

It is widely accepted that the structure of RNA plays important roles in a number of biological processes, such as polyadenylation, splicing, and catalytic functions. Dynamic changes in RNA structure are able to regulate the gene expression programme and can be used as a highly specific and subtle mechanism for governing cellular processes. However, the nature of most RNA secondary structures in Plasmodium falciparum has not been determined. To investigate the genome-wide RNA secondary structural features at single-nucleotide resolution in P. falciparum, we applied a novel high-throughput method utilizing the chemical modification of RNA structures to characterize these structures. Structural data from parasites are in close agreement with the known 18S ribosomal RNA secondary structures of P. falciparum and can help to predict the in vivo RNA secondary structure of a total of 3,396 transcripts in the ring-stage and trophozoite-stage developmental cycles. By parallel analysis of RNA structures in vivo and in vitro during the Plasmodium parasite ring-stage and trophozoite-stage intraerythrocytic developmental cycles, we identified some key regulatory features. Recent studies have established that the RNA structure is a ubiquitous and fundamental regulator of gene expression. Our study indicate that there is a critical connection between RNA secondary structure and mRNA abundance during the complex biological programme of P. falciparum. This work presents a useful framework and important results, which may facilitate further research investigating the interactions between RNA secondary structure and the complex biological programme in P. falciparum. The RNA secondary structure characterized in this study has potential applications and important implications regarding the identification of RNA structural elements, which are important for parasite infection and elucidating host-parasite interactions and parasites in the environment.

Ischemia reperfusion injury induces pyroptosis and mediates injury in steatotic liver thorough Caspase 1 activation.

A steatotic liver is increasingly vulnerable to ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI), and the underlying mechanisms are incompletely defined. Caspases are endo-proteases, which provide critical regulatory connections between cell death and inflammation. Caspase 1 is driven by inflammasomes which are key signaling platforms, that detect sterile stressors (DAMPs), releasing the highly pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin IL-8 and IL-1β. To delineate the involvement of Caspase 1 and 11 in hepatocellular injury in steatotic liver undergoing IRI. Male C57BL6/Wild Type and Caspase 1Null, Caspase 11-/- and Caspase 1-/-/11-/- mice were fed a high fat diet (HFD) for 12weeks. These mice were subjected to 40min of ischemia followed by 2-24h of reperfusion. Hepatocellular injury was assessed by histopathologic injury scoring, serum ALT and propidium iodide (PI) uptake, mRNA levels of Caspase 1, IL-1β by RT PCR, Caspase 1 activity assay and Caspase 1. Specific Caspase 1, inhibitor experiments were carried out. All groups gained similar body weight after a 12-week HFD. Cleaved Caspase 1 protein levels, Caspase 1 mRNA levels were significantly higher in steatotic liver undergoing IRI. Executor of pyroptosis cleaved GSDMD levels were higher in HFD fed mouse compared to lean. In addition, genetic deletion of Caspase 1, Casp1Null mouse expressing Caspase-11 and Caspase 1/11 double knock out demonstrated significant reduction in serum ALT (p < 0.01), Injury Score, (p < 0.0002) but not in Caspase 11 alone. Caspase 1 is the driver of hepatocellular injury in a steatotic liver undergoing IRI, inhibition of which leads to hepatoprotection, thus providing a therapeutic target for clinical use.

Comprehensive assessment of agricultural waste effect on the thermal bridge phenomenon using ZUB ARGOS software, a case study in Iran

High energy use in buildings plays a key role in climate change and air pollution in cities of Iran. In this regard, the use of thermal insulation to reduce energy demand has been proposed as an important solution. Production of thermal insulation made from chemicals consumes high energy and their disposal has high environmental effects. Therefore, the use of agricultural waste due to their abundance in Iran, low energy consumption for production and high renewability rate, seems to be justified as an alternative to chemical-based insulation. Due to the importance of the above issues, in the present work for the first time with the aim of investigating the phenomenon of thermal bridges in traditional buildings of Iran, the ZUB ARGOS software is used to evaluate the effect of 10 different agricultural wastes (cork, cellulose fiber, meadow grass, flax, sheep wool, straw, hemp, cotton, grain granules, and cattail) as thermal insulation on the inside face of the wall, find the optimal thickness of common waste (straw) to remove the phenomenon of thermal bridges and evaluate the effect of the horizontal or vertical direction of straw fibers to the heat transfer path in the city of Yazd located in the hot and dry climate of Iran. The results of the current situation simulations showed that the thermal bridge phenomenon occurs in the building under study and the most critical connection with f = 0.48 is related to the wall-to-wall connection. Among the agricultural wastes, cork is the most suitable insulation with fmin = 0.76. The results of the 10 wastes investigation also showed that the wall-to-wall connection and the window lintel connection are according to the order the most critical and safest connections for creating a thermal bridge in the building under study. Due to the abundance of straw waste in the studied climate, this insulation was selected to optimize the current situation. The results showed that the placement of straw fibers perpendicular to the heat flow compared to its horizontal direction has a maximum advantage of 4.35%. The results showed that the optimal thickness for straw insulation is 3 cm, which means that no thermal bridge in connections occurs and cork is the most suitable insulation among the agricultural wastes studied.

Transitioning to Remote User-Centered Design Activities in the Emergency Medical Field During a Pandemic.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to transition our user-centered research and design activities in the emergency medical domain of trauma resuscitation from in-person settings to online environments. This transition required that we replicate the in-person interactions remotely while maintaining the critical social connection and the exchange of ideas with medical providers. In this paper, we describe how we designed and conducted four user-centered design activities from our homes: participatory design workshops, near-live simulation sessions, usability evaluation sessions, and interviews and design walkthroughs. We discuss the differences we observed in our interactions with participants in remote sessions, as well as the differences in the interactions among the research team members. From this experience, we draw several lessons and outline the best practices for remotely conducting user-centered design activities that have been traditionally held in person.

Validity of New Risk Model (McNamara et al., 2016) in Predicting In-Hospital Mortality in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Foundation: Myocardial dead tissue (MI) because of coronary supply route infection is a main source of death in the United States. Mortality from cardiovascular illness has diminished significantly in the course of recent many years. Many danger models of in-emergency clinic mortality have been produced for patients with AMI. Nonetheless, proceeded with progress in AMI care orders occasional updates to the danger models so clinics can survey their quality as contemporary consideration keeps on advancing. Destinations: To test legitimacy of another patient-level clinical danger model of in emergency clinic mortality for patients with intense myocardial localized necrosis. Patients and strategies: This cross-sectional investigation was led on 600 specific patients with intense myocardial dead tissue. All patients were exposed to history taking, full clinical assessment, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, routine research center examinations, cardiovascular troponin and other biomarkers accessible for AMI analysis. Results: The similar examination between patients with mortality and patients without mortality showed factual huge contrasts in regards to creatinine freedom, creatinine and ongoing renal disappointment and measurable high huge contrasts in regards to add up to score, systolic pulse, diastolic circulatory strain, pulse, troponin, capture and stun. There was genuinely a high critical connection between all out score and real mortality. End: The contrasts between clinics help to clarify the variety in the individual likelihood of passing on from AMI. The sort of medical clinic, the arrangement of care by a cardiology administration, and the exhibition of a percutaneous coronary intercession are factors that are freely and essentially connected with the endurance of AMI patients.

Mechanisms Underlying Neurocognitive Specialization in Adolescence

Psychopathologies including psychosis, mood disorders, and addiction predominantly emerge in adolescence as cognitive and reward processing, which undergo unique maturation at this time, are undermined. Thus, characterizing the mechanisms underlying specialization in normative adolescent neurocognitive development has the potential to inform the range of variability of normative trajectories, and thus help identify impaired trajectories. Evidence will be presented linking developmental changes in cognition and reward processing to specialization of critical brain connectivity, and neurotransmitter changes using multimodal neuroimaging approaches including task and resting state functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), Positron Emission Tomography (PET), and Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopic Imaging (MRSI).

Numerical modelling of glulam frames with buckling restrained braces

This paper presents component-based numerical models to simulate the seismic behaviour of a timber-steel hybrid structure consisting of glulam frames and buckling restrained braces (BRBs). The model is validated by existing experimental data of two full-scale BRB-braced glulam frames (BRBGFs) where dowelled connections and screwed connections were used as the critical BRB-timber interface connections, respectively. Parametric studies are also conducted by the validated model to investigate the influence of the interface connection stiffness and manufacturing tolerances on the performance of the BRBGFs. The studies showed that the interface connection relative overstrength factor γ = 1.5 was a suitable value to engage BRBs, ensure ductile behaviour and achieve a cost-effective connection design. Manufacturing tolerances had a negligible impact on the ultimate strength and energy dissipation under cyclic loading but might affect the performance under serviceability limit state loads.

Confidence and its Connection to Demography Influence

Problem proclamation: Social confidence is the primary topic in the public activity. Confidence is "the assumption that emerges inside a local area of standard, legit and agreeable conduct, in view of regularly shared standards". Advancement, social confidence and security are interlaced classifications and have cooperation to one another. Social confidence, as a primary factor in friendly capital, gives social setting to formative projects. This investigation, analyze the effect of Demography variables on the social confidence to other people. As friendly confidence is a vital factor in friendly connection, this investigation is expected to assess such factor as indicated by segment influence. Approach: This examination has been done on existing information about Iranian qualities and mentalities. A few influence like sexual orientation, age, schooling level, work circumstance, conjugal circumstance have been concentrated in this examination. A portion of these influence like training, correspondence to advancement level, particularly in friendly turn of events. Results: Findings of this examination demonstrated that there is huge connection between all of autonomous influence (Gender, age, training level, work circumstance, conjugal circumstance) and social confidence to families and family members, there is critical connection between influence like sexual orientation, schooling level, work circumstance, conjugal circumstance (free influence) and social confidence to companions. Investigating the information showed that, the occupants of less and more created urban areas have distinctive circumstance in confidence. End/Recommendations: This examination presents three kinds of confidence upon the advancement level of social orders. Confidence in Iran is an illustration of confidence structure in creating social orders.

Promoting Students’ Critical Perspectives about the World: Teacher-Researcher’s Learning Experiences

This article presents an English language arts teacher’s critical reflection on how she worked with her middle and high school students to develop perspectives about the world in her classes. The article is grounded in the idea that teachers are researchers who constantly implement new ideas and reflect on their own teaching for their own professional growth and students’ success in learning. The research questions that guided the current study are: What possibilities and challenges does the teacher encounter while developing students’ critical awareness about the world in this global era? How do students show their developing awareness through their speaking and writing? The findings show both possibilities and challenges with making critical global connections and doing more than offering opportunities for global engagement.