Proper Connection Research Articles

Heterozygous DSP in-frame deletion in a poodle with syndromic ichthyosis involving additional hair and tooth abnormalities.

Ichthyoses comprise a large heterogeneous group of skin disorders, characterized by generalized scaly and hyperkeratotic skin. We investigated a miniature poodle with early onset generalized scaling, dry and irregularly thickened skin, paw pad hyperkeratosis and abnormalities in hair and teeth. The clinical signs of ichthyosis were confirmed by histopathological examination, which revealed mild epidermal hyperplasia and lamellar orthokeratotic hyperkeratosis. A hereditary condition was suspected and a genetic investigation was initiated. We sequenced the whole genome of the affected dog and searched for potentially causative variants in functional candidate genes for the observed phenotype. The analysis revealed a heterozygous in-frame deletion in DSP, NC_049256.1:g.8804542_8804544del resulting from a de novo mutation event as evidenced by genotyping leukocyte DNA from both parents. The 3 bp deletion is predicted to remove one aspartic acid without disrupting the open reading frame (XM_038584124.1:c.1821_1823del, XP_038440052.1:p.(Asp608del)). The DSP gene encodes desmoplakin, a desmosomal plaque protein, responsible for cell-cell adhesion to provide resistance to mechanical stress in epidermal and cardiac tissues. We hypothesize that the deletion of one amino acid in the N-terminal globular head domain acts in a dominant negative manner and thus impairs the proper connection with other proteins. Several variants in DSP in humans and cattle have been described to result in different phenotypes associated with hair and skin abnormalities, sometimes in combination with variable cardiac and/or dental manifestations. In conclusion, we characterized a new syndromic ichthyosis phenotype in a dog and identified a de novo 3 bp deletion in the DSP gene as causal variant.

Discussion on “School is Society” and Its Enlightenment to the Construction of University Environment

The principle of “school is society” indicates that controlling the environment is the only educational method. By transforming the school into a microcosm of society, we can cultivate individuals who possess a social spirit and adaptability, preparing them to thrive in real-world social situations. By analyzing the social performance of colleges and universities in terms of their training objectives for society, research concepts for the development of society, and service consciousness for the improvement of society, as well as the current demand for a proper connection with society, it can be found that taking “school is society” as the guiding ideology for the construction of the university environment tends to be simplified, purified, balanced, broadened, and provided with practical space. This will be beneficial to the development of higher education.

The proximal centriole-like structure maintains nucleus-centriole architecture in sperm.

Proper connection between the sperm head and tail is critical for sperm motility and fertilization. Head-tail linkage is mediated by the head-tail coupling apparatus (HTCA), which secures the axoneme (tail) to the nucleus (head). However, the molecular architecture of the HTCA is poorly understood. Here, we use Drosophila to investigate formation and remodeling of the HTCA throughout spermiogenesis by visualizing key components of this complex. Using structured illumination microscopy, we demonstrate that key HTCA proteins Spag4 and Yuri form a 'centriole cap' that surrounds the centriole (or basal body) as it invaginates into the surface of the nucleus. As development progresses, the centriole is laterally displaced to the side of the nucleus while the HTCA expands under the nucleus, forming what we term the 'nuclear shelf'. We next show that the proximal centriole-like (PCL) structure is positioned under the nuclear shelf, functioning as a crucial stabilizer of centriole-nucleus attachment. Together, our data indicate that the HTCA is a complex, multi-point attachment site that simultaneously engages the PCL, the centriole and the nucleus to ensure proper head-tail connection during late-stage spermiogenesis.

A deficiency screen identifies genomic regions critical for sperm head-tail connection.

A stable connection between the sperm head and tail is critical for fertility in species with flagellated sperm. The head-tail coupling apparatus (HTCA) serves as the critical link between the nucleus (head) and the axoneme (tail) via the centriole. To identify regions of the Drosophila melanogaster genome that contain genetic elements that influence HTCA formation, we undertook a two part screen using the Drosophila deficiency (Df) kit. For this screen, we utilized a sensitized genetic background that overexpresses the pericentriolar material regulatory protein Pericentrin-Like Protein (PLP). We had previously shown that PLP overexpression (PLPOE) disrupts the head-tail connection in some spermatids, but not to a degree sufficient to reduce fertility. In the first step of the screen we tested for Dfs that in combination with PLPOE cause a reduction in fertility. We ultimately identified 11 regions of the genome that showed an enhanced fertility defect when combined with PLP overexpression. In the second step of the screen we tested these Dfs for their ability to enhance the HTCA defect caused by PLPOE, finding six. We then tested smaller Dfs to narrow the region of the genome that contained these enhancers. To further analyze the regions of the genome removed by these Dfs, we examined the expression patterns of the genes within these Dfs in publicly available datasets of RNAseq of Drosophila tissues and snRNAseq of Drosophila testes. In total, our analysis suggests that some of these Dfs may contain a single gene that might influence HTCA formation and / or fertility, while others appear to be regions of the genome especially rich in testis-expressed genes that might affect the HTCA because of complex, multi-gene interactions.

Factors Leading to a Lack of Leisure Time in High School Students in Croatia

For a person’s overall health, it is important to establish a proper connection between work and leisure. This paper shows the results of theoretical and empirical research on factors leading to a lack of leisure time in high school students. The main goal of this paper was to determine whether high school students have any leisure time and what activities take their leisure time away. To examine this, an empirical study was conducted among 468 students in three high schools in the city of Split (general-education high school, medical high school, and electrical engineering high school). Descriptive and inferential statistics were used in the analysis. The research has shown that parents-imposed duties are minimal and do not take away a lot of students’ leisure time. On the other hand, class-related activities, i.e. homework and learning take away the greatest part of students’ leisure time, students are not prone to participate in extracurricular and out-of-school activities. Moreover, if they do engage in such activities, their choices may be influenced by gender norms.

Determining the challenges and opportunities of virtual teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic: a mixed method study in the north of Iran.

The aim of this study was to determine the challenges and opportunities of virtual education during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study was conducted in 2022-2023 with a mixed method. During the quantitative phase, we chose 507 students from Mazandaran Province medical universities (both governmental and non-governmental) by stratified random sampling and during the qualitative phase 16 experts were collected by purposive sampling until we reached data saturation. Data collecting tools consisted of questionnaires during the quantitative phase and semi-structured interview during the qualitative phase. Data was analyzed using SPSS21 and MAXQDA10. Mean scores of the total score was 122.28±23.96. We found a significant association between interaction dimension and background variables (P < 0.001). The most important privilege of virtual education is uploading the teaching material in the system so that students can access the material constantly and the most important challenge regarding virtual education is lack of proper network connection and limited bandwidth. Virtual education proved to be a suitable alternate to traditional methods of medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic in theoretical topics, we recommend that educational policymakers would take the necessary actions to provide the requirements and facilities needed to improve the quality of virtual education.

Behavior of back-to-back mechanically stabilized earth walls as railway embankments

Twelve physical model tests were carried out to investigate the role of the type and arrangement of reinforcements on the behavior of back-to-back mechanically stabilized earth walls (BBMSEWs) supporting railway tracks. Six metal-strip reinforced BBMSEW models and six geogrid reinforced models were prepared with different reinforcement arrangements and then were vertically loaded to failure using wooden railway sleepers. The findings indicated that the reinforcement stiffness played a more prominent role in improving the bearing capacity than the pull-out capacity. The connection of two opposing walls with continuous reinforcements and the complete separation of them from each other were found to be the best and worst reinforcement arrangements, respectively, for improving the bearing capacity and reducing wall deformation in BBMSEWs. The respective use of these two arrangements mobilized the maximum and minimum forces in the reinforcements. Moreover, the creation of a proper connection between the opposing walls using continuous inextensible reinforcements or those with a sufficient overlap length were found to be efficient solutions to preventing the propagation of a failure plane across the back-to-back MSE walls.

Optimizing Current Injection Technique for Enhancing Resistivity Method

Geo-electrical resistivity methods are widely used in various fields and have significant applications in scientific and practical research. Despite the widespread use of resistivity methods, current injection is a critical step in the process of resistivity methods, and the quality of current injection significantly impacts the accuracy of the resistivity measurements. One primary challenge is optimizing current injection techniques to enhance resistivity methods. The developed current injector model for the resistivity meter instrument enhances performance by increasing the voltage source to 400 Volts, extending measurement coverage. It provides three injection current options, 0.5A, 0.8A, and 1A, for efficient accumulator use, considering electrode distances and estimating earth resistance using Contact Resistance Measurement (CRM) to estimate the earth resistance. CRM mode ensures proper electrode connection before injection, thus improving measurement efficiency. The embedded TTGO LoRa ESP32 SX1276 facilitates wireless communication over 1.5 km, addressing challenges in remote and internet-limited areas. The model demonstrates reliability, validity, and durability in CRM mode and current injection measurement. Regarding reliability, we determine the relative error of the model by carrying out measurements repeatedly. In lab-scale testing, the average Relative Error in CRM mode is 0.65%, and in earth resistance measurement testing, it is 1.58%. These relative errors are below the 2% maximum error applied in the “Supersting”, a commercial resistivity instrument. The model's validity is defined by comparing the model with the measuring instrument; we have absolute error. In lab scale testing, the average Absolute Error in CRM mode is 3.08%, and in earth resistance measurement testing, it is 3.73%. The model's durability is tested by injecting current for a minute. After one minute of current injection, the power resistor component's temperature is stable at 30°C.

Optimizing Current Injection Technique for Enhancing Resistivity Method

Geo-electrical resistivity methods are widely used in various fields and have significant applications in scientific and practical research. Despite the widespread use of resistivity methods, current injection is a critical step in the process of resistivity methods, and the quality of current injection significantly impacts the accuracy of the resistivity measurements. One primary challenge is optimizing current injection techniques to enhance resistivity methods. The developed current injector model for the resistivity meter instrument enhances performance by increasing the voltage source to 400 Volts, extending measurement coverage. It provides three injection current options, 0.5A, 0.8A, and 1A, for efficient accumulator use, considering electrode distances and estimating earth resistance using Contact Resistance Measurement (CRM) to estimate the earth resistance. CRM mode ensures proper electrode connection before injection, thus improving measurement efficiency. The embedded TTGO LoRa ESP32 SX1276 facilitates wireless communication over 1.5 km, addressing challenges in remote and internet-limited areas. The model demonstrates reliability, validity, and durability in CRM mode and current injection measurement. Regarding reliability, we determine the relative error of the model by carrying out measurements repeatedly. In lab-scale testing, the average Relative Error in CRM mode is 0.65%, and in earth resistance measurement testing, it is 1.58%. These relative errors are below the 2% maximum error applied in the “Supersting”, a commercial resistivity instrument. The model's validity is defined by comparing the model with the measuring instrument; we have absolute error. In lab scale testing, the average Absolute Error in CRM mode is 3.08%, and in earth resistance measurement testing, it is 3.73%. The model's durability is tested by injecting current for a minute. After one minute of current injection, the power resistor component's temperature is stable at 30°C.

Proper (Strong) Rainbow Connection and Proper (Strong) Rainbow Vertex Connection of Graphs with Large Clique Number

The proper rainbow vertex connection number of [Formula: see text], denoted by [Formula: see text], is the smallest number of colors needed to properly color the vertices of [Formula: see text] to make [Formula: see text] rainbow vertex connected. The proper strong rainbow vertex connection number of [Formula: see text], denoted by [Formula: see text], is the smallest number of colors needed to properly color the vertices of [Formula: see text] to make [Formula: see text] strong rainbow vertex connected. These two concepts are inspired by the concepts of proper (strong) rainbow connection number of graphs. In this paper, we determine the values of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] with large clique numbers [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. Moreover, we determine the values of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] with large clique numbers [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text].

The Ambiguity and Danger of the Concept of Border

The border is a dangerous and ambiguous concept to deal with. Following an historical-juridical analysis of the evolution of the concept of border, the author explains what in his judgment is a proper connection that the concept of border must establish: (1) to overcome barriers, in respect of both the actors of changing traditions and customs, and in order to encourage integration and growth in the society as a whole; (2) to cleanse the concept of border from nationalist and supremacist ideas, so as to achieve a multi-ethnic and multi-religious society; (3) the right to immigration as a fully recognised universal human right.

Systems thinking approach to understand Indonesia's ocean acidification

Establishing a proper connection between content and context is essential to infusing Systems Thinking (ST) into sustainable chemistry learning. Several efforts have been made to realize ST in chemistry in the context of coping with climate change through chemistry education. One potential model is connecting the interpretation of chemical reactions at the molecular level to local phenomena such as Indonesia's ocean acidification (IOA). As citizens of an archipelagic country, Indonesian students should understand the fundamental nature of particles that cause ocean acidification. In this work, we offer the perspective on scaffolding the ST competencies using the iterative cycle of Design-Based Research, particularly in the preparation and design stages. The developed ST sequences appear from identifying system components via history; relationship between component and natural world; identifying dynamic interaction and cyclic behavior; application and ownership in sustainability action. All stages above focused on carbonate and hydrogen carbonate ions as central particles in the ocean acidification context. To sum up, the current Indonesian curriculum need to apply the ST approach to equip students as climate-literate citizens of science with adequate knowledge and skills.

Numerical investigation of a novel concrete-to-steel column splice in mixed structures in height

Buildings in which the type of structural material changes between their stories are referred to as mixed-in-height structures. Typically, these buildings have concrete structures in lower stories and steel structures in upper stories. Valuable investigations have been conducted on mixed-in-height structures to explore their seismic response and changes in structural natural period due to the sudden change in the lateral stiffness at transition level and mass irregularity, but scant attention has been given to the connection between steel and concrete structures at varying heights. Given the geometrical limitations of existing concrete structures, the dimensions of steel columns in supplementary stories must align with those of reinforced concrete columns. Consequently, building codes have not yet provided guidelines for proper connection details and effective load transfer from upper steel to lower concrete structures which is crucial due to the abrupt changes in stiffness and force transfer mechanisms in such splice connections. Thus, this study considers Numerical investigation on two full-scale laboratory tested specimens, with similar details but different axial loads, and numerical analysis of a new connection between a concrete and a steel column at the transition level. This research examines the aforementioned connection under two boundary conditions. Furthermore, after validating the numerical models with experimental specimens, axial load parameters, relative percentage of reinforcement to concrete area, and the force–displacement diagrams are presented. Finally, a numerical model of a three-story column in a frame is analyzed using finite element analysis under lateral load, and the sequence of plastic hinge formation is studied. The practicality and effectiveness of the proposed splice was verified herein. Furthermore, the average value of ductility (µ) was calculated to be 5.5, while exhibiting negligible overstrength factor (Ω). Similar response parameters were calculated for F-AL-R2 (43.2 kN/mm, 21.1 kN/mm) and F-AL-R3 (43.8 kN/mm, 22 kN/mm), indicating that the influence of increased rebar percentage diminishes at higher values. The analysis demonstrates that column connection failure did not occur, and the sequence of hinge formation was from top to bottom, validating the suitable performance of the proposed connection.

Efficacy of Clear Aligners in Treating Class III Malocclusion With Mandibular Molar Distalization: A Systematic Review.

The primary goal of orthodontic therapy in pseudo-class III is to restore the proper dental connection by rectifying the canine and molar relationship to Class I through lower molar and premolar visualization, as well as providing normal anterior overjet. The purpose of this systematic study was to determine the efficacy of clear aligners in treating class III malocclusion with mandibular molar distalization. A wide range of searches were done on various search engines like Cochrane, Web of Science, Embase,PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar to collect relevant articles related to our study. This review's article selection was guided by the PRISMA flowchart. The electronic findings provided numerous articles with nearly 78 articles regarding clear aligners in class III malocclusion with molar distalization. From this, seven full-text papers were evaluated for eligibility criteria, with two articles being rejected with justification and five articles being elaborated in the current systematic review. The current evidence of this review suggested that the clear aligners were effective in correcting class III malocclusion with molar distalization. The amount of molar distalization is about 2 to 3 mm, which helps in achieving molar and canine relationship in class I, with a high compliance level and also improvement of the facial profile.

Experimental study of innovative bolted shear connectors in demountable cold-formed steel–concrete composite beams

Although cold-formed steel (CFS) members have been widely used in structures, their application is limited due to the buckling and instability of these members. To enhance their strength and stiffness, they are often combined with other materials like concrete or timber. One of the main challenges in composite structures is ensuring proper connection between different components to facilitate safe shear load transfer. This is achieved through various types of shear connectors. Bolted shear connections are preferred over headed shear studs because they offer greater strength and can be easily dismantled. Headed shear studs welded onto a steel section are unsuitable for CFS members due to their low thickness.In this paper, we propose a novel demountable composite connection specifically designed for prefabricated CFS structures. The behavior of this connection was evaluated through fifteen push-out test specimens, with key variables including CFS section thickness and bolt diameter/strength. The ultimate load, stiffness, ductility, and failure modes of all specimens were determined. The results revealed that specimens with a higher thickness of CFS members experienced bolt fracture, exhibiting superior effective stiffness, strength, and ductility. Conversely, specimens with a lower thickness of CFS members failed due to distortional buckling of the CFS members. The test results underscore the importance of carefully designing and providing a proportionate CFS section thickness to ensure shear connectors fracture before the CFS members. This significantly improves the shear strength capacity of the composite connection with CFS sections and precast concrete slabs. Furthermore, the deconstructability of the connection at the end of its service life was investigated. The steel–concrete composite connection with precast concrete slabs and demountable bolted shear connections was also modeled using a 3D finite element method. The numerical model’s accuracy in simulating the observed structural behavior was confirmed against experimental data. Finally, appropriate and straightforward formulations for predicting the ultimate load of the CFS-concrete composite connection were proposed. It was concluded that the predictions of ultimate shear load capacity values by EC4, AISC, and AISI provisions for this composite connection are significantly less accurate.

Development of Novel Inter‐module Connection for Composite Modular Tall Buildings

AbstractThe emerging modular building construction technique is gaining attention by researchers and investors because of its benefits such as short construction time, better quality control, minimal environmental effect and more economical. Composite modules have many advantages, including size reduction and improved fire resistance, over the steel modules, which encourage the application of modular construction on tall buildings. Current state‐of‐art lacks the proper connection technique for composite modular tall buildings. This paper presents novel inter‐module connection for composite modular tall buildings. Purposed inter‐module connection is very simple in geometric design, adequately strong to bear loads for tall buildings, easy to connect and disconnect, and applicable with internal joints and composite modules. Bolts through bolt holes connect modules vertically whereas gusset plate connects horizontally. Firstly, prototype is developed, and workability is confirmed. Performance and failure mechanism of proposed connector under tensile load are evaluated considering the effect of different parameters such as thickness of base plate, size and material of bolt. Results can be used to develop the design guideline for proposed inter‐module connection.

(Strong) Proper vertex connection of some digraphs

The (strong) proper vertex connection number spvc→(Γ), (s)pvc-number for short, is denoted as the smallest cardinality of colors required to color the digraph Γ so that Γ is (strong) properly vertex connected. The pvc-number and the spvc-number are calculated for some unique classes of digraphs in this paper, along with some fundamental results on these parameters. It is known that the pvc-number is not exceeding 3 for any strong digraph. For digraphs with pvc-number not exceeding 2, we provide some sufficient conditions. Furthermore, we prove that the spvc-number is at most 3 for any minimal strongly connected digraph, but it can be arbitrarily large for some strong digraphs.

Loose Edge-Connection of Graphs

In the last years, connection concepts such as rainbow connection and proper connection appeared in graph theory and obtained a lot of attention. In this paper, we investigate the loose edge-connection of graphs. A connected edge-coloured graph G is loose edge-connected if between any two of its vertices there is a path of length one, or a bi-coloured path of length two, or a path of length at least three with at least three colours used on its edges. The minimum number of colours, used in a loose edge-colouring of G, is called the loose edge-connection number and denoted {{,textrm{lec},}}(G). We determine the precise value of this parameter for any simple graph G of diameter at least 3. We show that deciding, whether {{,textrm{lec},}}(G) = 2 for graphs G of diameter 2, is an NP-complete problem. Furthermore, we characterize all complete bipartite graphs K_{r,s} with {{,textrm{lec},}}(K_{r,s}) = 2.

Vascular Effects on Cerebrovascular Permeability and Neurodegeneration.

Neurons and glial cells in the brain are protected by the blood brain barrier (BBB). The local regulation of blood flow is determined by neurons and signal conducting cells called astrocytes. Although alterations in neurons and glial cells affect the function of neurons, the majority of effects are coming from other cells and organs of the body. Although it seems obvious that effects beginning in brain vasculature would play an important role in the development of various neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative pathologies, significant interest has only been directed to the possible mechanisms involved in the development of vascular cognitive impairment and dementia (VCID) for the last decade. Presently, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke applies considerable attention toward research related to VCID and vascular impairments during Alzheimer's disease. Thus, any changes in cerebral vessels, such as in blood flow, thrombogenesis, permeability, or others, which affect the proper vasculo-neuronal connection and interaction and result in neuronal degeneration that leads to memory decline should be considered as a subject of investigation under the VCID category. Out of several vascular effects that can trigger neurodegeneration, changes in cerebrovascular permeability seem to result in the most devastating effects. The present review emphasizes the importance of changes in the BBB and possible mechanisms primarily involving fibrinogen in the development and/or progression of neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases resulting in memory decline.

Graphs with Strong Proper Connection Numbers and Large Cliques

In this paper, we mainly investigate graphs with a small (strong) proper connection number and a large clique number. First, we discuss the (strong) proper connection number of a graph G of order n and ω(G)=n−i for 1⩽i⩽3. Next, we investigate the rainbow connection number of a graph G of order n, diam(G)≥3 and ω(G)=n−i for 2⩽i⩽3.