Popularity-Driven Networking

We investigate the growth of connectivity in a network. In our model, starting with a set of disjoint nodes, links are added sequentially. Each link connects two nodes, and the connection rate governing this random process is proportional to the degrees of the two nodes. Interestingly, this network exhibits two abrupt transitions, both occurring at finite times. The first is a percolation transition in which a giant component, containing a finite fraction of all nodes, is born. The second is a condensation transition in which the entire system condenses into a single, fully connected, component. We derive the size distribution of connected components as well as the degree distribution, which is purely exponential throughout the evolution. Furthermore, we present a criterion for the emergence of sudden condensation for general homogeneous connection rates.Comment: 5 pages, 2 figure

Clothing Calamity: A Crisis Case Study on Slave Labor Allegations Against Spanish Retailer Zara

Spanish retailer Zara, owned by Inditex fashion retail group, was founded in 1975 on the philosophies of flexibility, efficiency, and sustainability. Now one of the largest fashion retailers in the world and the best-known fashion brand in Spain, Zara has transformed the industry and has been praised for its business model. In August of 2011, tragedy struck for Zara when over 30 of its outsourced factories in São Paulo, Brazil were discovered using slave labor practices. The company denied any involvement and blamed its supplier. A year and a half later, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina, three outsourced factories were found to be forcing its employees, adults and children, to work in slave-like conditions. Zara again denied knowledge of the existing factories. A lawsuit was filed and is still pending. These crises had a severe impact on Zara's reputation. This crisis case study analyzed these two specific events. The content explored what happened, the warning signs, and how Zara and its stakeholders responded

The interplay between statins, caveolin-1, and aldosterone

Statin use is associated with lower aldosterone levels. We hypothesized that caveolin-1 may be important for the uptake of statins into the adrenal gland and would affect statin’s aldosterone-lowering effects. The aim of this study was to test whether the caveolin-1 risk allele (rs926198) would affect aldosterone levels associated with statin use. The Hypertensive Pathotype database includes healthy and hypertensive individuals who have undergone assessment of adrenal hormones. Individuals were studied off antihypertensive medications but were maintained on statins if prescribed by their personal physician. Adrenal hormones were measured at baseline and after 1 hour of angiotensin II stimulation on both high- and low-sodium diets. A mixed-model repeated-measures analysis was employed with a priori selected covariates of age, sex, body mass index, and protocol (low versus high sodium, baseline versus angiotensin II stimulated aldosterone). A total of 250 individuals were included in the study; 31 individuals were taking statins (12.4%) and 219 were not. Among statin users, carrying a caveolin-1 risk allele resulted in a 25% (95% CI, 1–43.2) lower aldosterone level (P=0.04). However, among nonstatin users, carrying a caveolin-1 risk allele resulted in no significant effect on aldosterone levels (P=0.38). Additionally, the interaction between caveolin-1 risk allele and statin use on aldosterone levels was significant (P=0.03). These findings suggest caveolin-1 risk allele carrying individuals are likely to receive the most benefit from statin’s aldosterone-lowering properties; however, due to the observational nature of this study, these findings need further investigation

Easly, J. A., The Natural Sciences and Educational Research--A Comparison, The High School Journal, 50(October, 1966), 39-50.*

Describes scientific educational research stressing the exploratory method in curriculum and instruction