First, an announcement: published poet and contributor Tao Yucheng would like to host and judge a poetry contest open to all readers of Synchronized Chaos Magazine.

Synchronized Chaos Poetry Contest

We seek short, powerful, imaginative, and strange poetry. While we welcome all forms of free verse and subject matter, we prefer concise work that makes an impact.

Guidelines: Submit up to five poems per person to taoyucheng921129@proton.me. Each poem should not exceed one page (ideally half a page or less). All styles and themes welcome. Deadline for submissions will be in early March.

Prizes: First Place: $50 Second Place: $10, payable via online transfer. One Honorable Mention. Selected finalists will be published in Synchronized Chaos Magazine.

A second announcement: poet and regular contributor J.J. Campbell has a new book out, to live your dreams.

From the back of the book: J.J. Campbell’s work is an unflinching look into a life spent alone with the bottle and the page readily at hand. It is raw, honest, and uncompromising in every sense of the word. You are keyed into the fact that this is a writer who doesn’t sugarcoat a single line to ever soften the blow. Campbell’s work is perfect in that sense, and in this newest collection, you are getting a writer at the top of his form.

Now, for our first issue of 2026. This issue explores what makes us who we are, physically and psychologically, as individuals and as communities and nations.

Nicholas Gunther explores what makes him human, where in his body his consciousness might be located. Kassandra Aguilera also speculates about her consciousness, considering what makes her feel alive.

Xudoyberdiyeva Mohiniso explores some Eastern and Western philosophical conceptions of what it means to live a conscious human life. Morley Cacoethes’ haikus also explore where and how we find inner wisdom and knowledge. Nilufar Mo’ydinova outlines themes of free will and the search for truth through experience in Goethe’s Faust.

Brian Michael Barbeito crafts a lyrical winter meditation on a person’s holding onto nature and his identity in an alienating new world. Satimboyeva Risolat echoes the importance of maintaining one’s personal values. Mahbub Alam urges people to draw on the wisdom they possess to make the world more just and healthier. Türkan Ergör considers the unpredictable nature of our lives and the need to choose kindness. Zeki Celic reminds us to make the most of the limited time we each have on earth as Stephen Jarrell Williams depicts characters choosing freedom, peace, and love.

Aliyeva Aziza Utkirovna points to the eyes as a place where humans reveal their inner feelings. Nurbek Norchayev’s evocative piece celebrates the power of poetry to convey emotion and sensibility. Aliyeva Zulaykho highlights the role of breath in vocal expression while reading texts.

Chloe Schoenfeld delves into Walter Gramatte’s painting of German artist, art historian, and social activist Rosa Schapire. She wonders how much of the craft of creating a likeness is about the subject and how much is about the associations the artist draws on to help them imagine and understand the person.

Shomurodova Dilafro’z Bahodir qizi explores approaches to Uzbek linguistics that focus more on the people creating texts rather than merely on the texts as isolated objects. Fayziyeva Hafiza Alisher qizi also looks at human life and culture’s influence upon languages.

J.K. Durick reflects on the seasons of life where we are observers, contemplating those around us or what has happened. Taylor Dibbert considers his own role in the dissolution of his marriage. Bill Tope’s short story depicts family pulled apart, then back together, then apart again.

Dr. Jernail Singh urges parents to let their young adult children learn and work for their own dreams in life. Also, he reminds us to consider the legacies we leave behind for the rest of the world once we become successful enough to care for ourselves and our families. Tolqinova Marifatoi Shavkatjon qizi outlines research into approaches to social and vocational training for young adults.

Lan Qyqalla recollects his romance with his late wife as Adalat Eroglu versifies about a tender romance and Özcan İşler urges his love to remember him. Nasser Alshaikh Ahmed Arabia’s poetic mind wanders through the jasmine-scented depths and alleyways of love. Ramona Yolanda-Montiel considers an old and warm poncho as a sign of her family’s love. J.J. Campbell writes his way through another lonely, disillusioned holiday, wishing he had love and a close family.

Aleksandra Soltysiak wonders at gentle miracles at Christmas, within nature and within families. Gabriel Bates reflects on the ways he distracts and enjoys himself during holiday celebrations. S. Afrose sings of the joys of the Christmas season. Til Kumari Sharma highlights the beauty and value of the Christian faith at Christmas as Maja Milojkovic expresses gratitude to the archangel Michael. Kalipada Ghosh celebrates life, faith, love, and joy at the holiday season. Sardar Makhmudova’s short story shares how a little girl’s brave adventure lets her discover the meaning of the season, sharing love with others. Dr. Prasanna Kumar Dalai goes into poetic rapture about romantic love, world peace, and personal stillness.

Ahmed Miqdad laments the cold winter endured by Palestinian refugees in a call for global peace and justice. Pat Doyne reflects on the United States’ gun violence epidemic and the lack of progress to tackle it. Also, she speaks to the political chaos in America and its negative effects on consumer prices. Giulia Mozzati Zacco mourns the deaths of children in school shootings through the ancient form of the ghazal. Ziyoda Muradilova reflects on cultural pressures that social media has placed on the craft of journalism, to be fast, interactive, and appealing to readers, and how that poses challenges to the task of delivering truth.

Eva Petropoulou Lianou reminds us that true freedom is a society where people can live safely together, not merely the chance to serve ourselves at others’ expense. Dr. Jernail Singh reminds us that what goes around, comes around, both in terms of the legal system and the religious concept of karma. Duane Vorhees points out that concepts such as justice and poetry and perception should not remain purely abstract but carry practical meanings in the real world.

Abdulrazaq Godwin Omeiza considers how formal education taught him the facts of history, but poetry showed him how to survive it. Ruqaya Mehran, interviewed by poet Eva Petropoulou Lianou, discusses her work as a museum guide, influencer, and historian of ancient Egypt. Dylan Lloyd speaks to the emerging, burgeoning magic of creativity. Taro Hokkyo’s short story illustrates the power of self-belief in overcoming oppression and obstacles. Zaxina Tohirova highlights the lessons we can learn from failure and perseverance. Aziza Xasamova urges us through piercing prose not to give up, whatever happens in our lives.

Ahmed Farooq Baidoon revels in togetherness and merriment at the New Year. Kujtim Hajdari expresses high hopes and dreams for the New Year as Imran Khan moves forward into 2026 with optimism and Jacques Fleury tosses in his New Year wishes for all of our readers. Bruce Roberts contributes a splash of whimsy in his Wacky New Year poem. Valentina Yordanova’s poetry, translated by Yoana Konstantinova, reflects on the joy of Christmas and the self-reflection encouraged in the New Year as Dr. Ratan Bhattacharjee marches forth into 2026 with hope and strength. JoyAnne O’Donnell renews her hopes and dreams as time marches forward. Argentinian poet Graciela Noemi Villaverde takes joy in her December 21st birthday, the summer solstice where she lives, and Fernando Jose Martinez Alderete reflects on nature’s rest and preparation for regrowth during winter.

Elza Hansen celebrates the maternal and paternal love at the heart of the Christmas holiday. Abu Rayhan Beruni connects the importance of strong families to a strong nation.

Dildora Khojyozova highlights the cultural renaissance of the nation of Uzbekistan as Diyorbek Elmirzayev looks at Uzbekistan’s increasing government debt as an outgrowth of economic growth and investments in modernization. Lolaxon Sodiqxonova highlights the importance of gender equality and initiatives to empower Uzbek women in economics and education. Dilshoda Nodir qizi Nurboboyeva presents strategies for educating and raising children without gender stereotypes. Priyanka Neogi urges women around the world to move forward with self-respect, creativity, and independence. Ashraf Al-Mismar provides a literary analysis of gender, identity, and migration in his novel Soul Shards.

Communication is integral to intercultural understanding and migration. Shaxriniso Savranboyeva outlines various approaches to translating idioms across languages and cultures. Saminjon Khakimov points to how language instructors can harness the phenomenon of code-switching, reverting to one’s native tongue, in the classroom. Abdurashidova Sabina Eldarovna highlights teen code-switching, from normal language to chat-speak and slang. Eshpo’latova Xilola highlights the role of audiovisual teaching aids in enhancing students’ foreign language acquisition. Ruziyeva Sitora outlines why and how English is still considered a global language as Ubaydullayeva Saodat discusses the role of English in international travel.

Abdullayeva Feruza suggests visual activities that help accentuate young children’s learning. Yusupov Otajon Ulug’bek ogli outlines various creative approaches to teaching and learning foreign languages. Gulsevar Amirqulova encourages teachers to practice and develop their own creativity as part of professional development. Jo’ranazova Dilobar Dilmurod qizi highlights different ways to teach young children their mother tongue. Nasulloyeva Feruzabonu expounds on the value of science and technology education for society in ways that go above and beyond the practical. Dr. Jernail Singh Anand urges society and our educational system to teach wisdom and the humanities rather than simply focusing on speeding up students’ financial success. Bahora Akmalova considers approaches to teaching preschool children social skills in a classroom setting. Rupa Rao interviews writing mentor Balachandran Nair about his work with emerging authors.

Eva Petropoulou Lianou interviews Dr. Reda Abdel Rahim, inspector of Egyptian antiquities at the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, about his work with artifacts of his nation’s past. Jeffrey Spahr-Summers’ digitally altered photographs glimpse a more recent past, giving homes and street scenes a hazy, nostalgic feel.

Sayani Mukherjee’s imagistic work explores nature, love, loss, and the concept of home. Natasha Leung draws on oceans and canoes as a metaphor for a couple who are separated all too often. Eleanor Hazel Hill reflects on physical mementos of summer fun. Yusufjonova O’gilxon revels in the chill pleasantries of winter. Soumen Roy looks to a river metaphor to express consistent flow, purpose, humility and resilience. Dr. Byeong-Cheol Kang evokes the resoluteness and strength of an eagle. Kujtim Hajdari highlights ecological themes in his review of Eva Petropoulou’s poetry. Axmadqulova Sapuraxon shares ideas for educating preschool children about the environment. A group of youth in China submits various short poems inspired by natural scenes. Alan Catlin patters out imagistic pieces inspired by various Japanese words for rain as O’rinboyeva Zarina speculates on life on a planet where rain is a rarity. Robert Beckvall reflects on his life’s winding path and how it deposited him on the lush big island of Hawaii. Mesfakus Salahin looks to the longer-lasting natural world for absolution from his complex memories. Riley Winters laments human exploitation of animals and the wilderness.

Mykyta Ryzhykh evokes the inextricable natures of life and death. Alyssa Trivett graphically renders the aftermath of a car accident. Nilufar Yoldoshova outlines similarities and differences between Uzbek and Korean funeral customs. Tea Russo’s work dramatizes the soul-killing effects of grief, loneliness, and shame. Gabriel Kang’s work exposes exploitation disguised as progress and love. Robin Beernaert outlines the psychological impact of a griever’s journey through poetry and prose.

Jessica Vanderwall composes an emotionally complex love letter to herself. Daniela Chourio-Soto reflects on the power of dreams to express and warn us about feelings in our waking lives. Joshua Obirija paints a lower-case portrait of the grief and lostness driving his writing.

Adrina Esparas-Hope crafts a graphic image of visceral love that could be a metaphor for creative pursuits. Brian Barbeito lets go of the need to understand everything before he can experience beauty and mystery. Texas Fontanella’s work revels in color and improvisation, reminiscent of jazz and electronica. Mark Young artistically alters geographical maps of checkerboards and Australian regions. Grant Guy intentionally erases parts of painted and typed texts as an artistic experiment. Zamira Moldiyeva Bahodirovna encourages readers and students to take up a refreshing and creative hobby. Federico Wardal explores the career and casting decisions of artists’ manager Adriano Aragozzini.

More practical fields can be creative as well. Shahlo Rustamova explores the role of discrete mathematics, particularly combinatorics, in understanding biological structures. Farangiz Musurmonova urges Uzbek accounting frameworks to match those of international professional standards. Medical student O’roqova Nargiza outlines the importance of salivary glands in the human body. Normurodova Salina Saitkulovna discusses how the medical field prepares for pandemics. Ahmedova Dilorom Mahmudovna highlights the progress of medical therapies for cancers caused by human papillomavirus.

We hope that this issue will inspire your creativity!

Storijaesoehae

the man was there inside the dream but couldn’t be seen, and I wondered after if he was part of a dream or a spirit. maybe I won’t know or maybe I will try and find out through the Akashic, the record that always documents all things everywhere about everybody. He had senility and I said to the lady, ‘I should check on him as he has wandered but would like to address him out of respect by his name.’

‘The name is Storijaesoehae.’

‘What?’

‘Say it. You can say it. And say all the vowels.’

I went to the room down the hall and just called him ‘Sir.’ He was okay. Awake. Sitting. He looked to me like an older Gurdjieff, the strange mystical teacher, or William Saroyan the writer, again, in pictures of him as older. 

then I left the doorway, and I wondered later if he was real or imagined. I thought of him as a spiritual father of the woman, a concept I’d not heard of but might have existed. she knew his name after all. 

whatever was true, they had called for a wind and snowstorm, and they were correct as it was all crashing w/confidence against the upper windows by then. The forecasts also said this one was going to be bad, worse than usual, and were issuing weather warnings. 

I looked outside and took a deep breath, thinking, nearly always thinking…too mercurial for many reasons, mainly the star I was born under. The snow and wind increased and there was a whistle in the air, a whistle like some spirit from a novel or something. You have heard this whistle if you think about it for a moment. 

Let it all happen, I figured, for if it’s going to be winter let it be winter proper. 

____

Letter from open palms

You are an experience
that shivers away from my outstretched hands.
Dances upon my fingers, teasing me,
“I am something you will never have.”
Pulls on my arteries telling me,
“you are nothing. Nothing at all.”
Bruises the walls of my mind, tormenting me
with its laughter, singing, yelling, crying–
I am left with my blankets in the middle of the night,
looking to the figure past the glass
who says nothing,
nothing at all.

without Shame

In the absence of my cramping hands,
I run like a deer, no worries of headlights,
no Shame in my freedom.
I soak up sunlight like a sponge,
much more than what is necessary,
no Shame in my gluttony.
I let words spill out like tiny waterfalls,
no Shame in my impulsivity.
Whether that be good or bad is not up to me;
whether Shame be good or bad is not up to me.
Still, I am guilt-ridden,
I can only close my eyes and
think of a world without Shame.

The Intersection of Combinatorics and Biological Systems: A Computational and Molecular Analysis

Abstract

This paper explores the fundamental role of discrete mathematics, specifically combinatorics, in understanding biological structures. From the quaternary logic of DNA to the complex folding patterns of proteins, combinatorial optimization provides the necessary framework for modern bioinformatics. We analyze the mathematical constraints of the genetic code, De Bruijn graphs in genome assembly, and the combinatorial explosion in phylogenetics.

1. Introduction: The Digitization of Biology

Modern biology has transitioned from a descriptive science to an information science. The biological cell functions as a complex information processor where discrete units (nucleotides and amino acids) are arranged in specific sequences. Combinatorics, the study of counting, arrangement, and permutation, provides the language to decode this information.

2. Combinatorial Logic of the Genetic Code

The most striking example of combinatorics in nature is the triplet codon system.

2.1. Permutations with Repetitions

The DNA alphabet consists of four bases: \mathcal{A} = \{A, C, G, T\}. To code for 20 essential amino acids, the sequence length n must satisfy the condition 4^n \geq 20.

If n=2, then 4^2 = 16 (Insufficient).

If n=3, then 4^3 = 64 (Sufficient).

This redundancy (64 codons for 20 acids) allows for synonymous mutations, providing a combinatorial buffer against genetic errors.

3. Graph Theory and Genome Assembly

In DNA sequencing (Next-Generation Sequencing), the laboratory can only read short fragments (reads). Reconstructing the full genome is a combinatorial puzzle.

3.1. De Bruijn Graphs

To assemble a genome, bioinformaticians use De Bruijn graphs where:

Nodes represent (k-1)-mers.

Edges represent k-mers.

The problem of finding the original DNA sequence is transformed into finding an Eulerian Path (visiting every edge exactly once) within this massive graph. This reduces the complexity of searching through n! possible permutations of fragments.

4. Combinatorial Explosion in Phylogenetics

Phylogenetics aims to reconstruct the evolutionary tree of life. However, as the number of species (n) increases, the number of possible tree topologies grows factorially.

My name is Shahlo Rustamova, daughter of Ilhkom, a passionate and ambitious student born on June 8, 2007, in Shakhrisabz district, Kashkadarya Region, Uzbekistan! 

I am currently a first year student of Shahrisabz State Pedagogical Institute on the basis of a state grant. I have earned several educational grants and awards, and I am an owner of national Biology certificate.  

With a deep interest in leadership, public speaking, and writing, I continue to work hard toward achieving academic excellence and inspiring others in my community.

NEW YEAR’S RESILIENCE

In the garden of grit, where shadows stretch,

Weary vines climbed through thorns of the past,  

Each task a tempest, each moment a wave,  

But beneath the storms, the roots clenched tighter.    

Wounds like constellations, pain etched in stardust,  

I tread softly on the stars of my battles,  

With a heart forged from fire, I rise,  

A phoenix unfurling wings against the horizon.    

I glance towards the edges of humanity,  

Where houses tremble like leaves in a gale,  

And children cradle hunger like a secret,  

While hope drips like honey from the skies.   

For I carry an ember, a spark of tomorrow,  

In the crucible of compassion, I harden my resolve,  

With the sun as my compass, I stride into dawn,  

Determined to dismantle the darkness with each step.    

Amidst the chaos, I gather the broken shards,  

Crafting a mosaic of dreams yet to bloom,  

The country of compassion calls me forth,  

And I answer with the drumbeat of courage in my chest.    

So let the New Year be a canvas unwritten,  

With colors of resilience, where challenges weave,  

An artist of hope, I paint my destiny,  

Knowing the dawn is only a heartbeat away.   

***

THESE DAYS OF CELEBRATION

I saw many of these festive days at the end of the year.

I saw bags weighing down hands,  

Decorations and lights that sparkled,  

And I saw the city like a bride adorned.  

I saw the sun and the moon descending to Earth,

Eyes and hearts of people igniting a rainbow,  

I saw embraces and kisses full of longing,  

Endless wishes that cannot be counted.  

I also saw the beggar’s hands like a cancer metastasis,

His statue frozen by the roadside of a noisy city,   

Eyes that remained a mist of rain of sadness,  

And his look of pain – a frost that freezes you.  

I hope that the coming New Year will see it,

And change the statue for a more beautiful one,  

To see also the indifferent, cold soul of people, 

And I wish to grant them a warmer heart.

THE TURNING OF THE PAGE

The year now fades, a closing book,

Of rushing streams and quiet corners.

We turn our heads to look behind,

At all the moments, sharp and kind.

So gather up the laughter’s chime,

The silent tears, the borrowed time.

Each thread is woven, dark and bright,

Into the fabric of the light.

We stand upon the threshold’s gleam,

And step into the newborn dream.

With lessons held and spirit worn,

We greet the coming, hopeful morn.

We Were Not Taught How to Hold the Future

They taught us dates

before they taught us consequences.

How empires fell,

but not how to catch ourselves

when hope slips on wet floors.

I grew up learning that history is past tense,

as if it doesn’t knock on our doors every morning

wearing our faces.

My country wakes up tired.

Even the sun hesitates before rising

as if asking,

are they ready today?

We are a generation fluent in survival.

We know how to laugh during blackouts,

how to fold dreams small enough

to fit into pockets with holes.

We know the price of bread

and the cost of silence.

Nobody warned us

that growing up would feel like translating pain

into productivity,

that resilience would become a compliment

used when repair is too expensive.

I write because talking fails me.

Because some truths are too heavy

for ordinary sentences.

Because poetry is the only place

I am allowed to be unsure

without being called weak.

They say the future belongs to us,

but they forgot to leave instructions.

So we improvise!

with borrowed courage,

with borrowed time,

with faith stitched together

by hands that are still shaking.

If this poem sounds unfinished,

it’s because we are.

Still becoming.

Still choosing softness

in a world that profits from our hardness.

We were not taught how to hold the future,

so we are learning

with open palms,

and hope that refuses to sit down.

The Soaring Eagle                                  

A flock of crows in dark disguise,

With jealous hearts and spiteful cries,

Ascend to claw the eagle’s flight

But falter in the blinding light.

They do not know how high he flies,

Nor see the wisdom in his eyes.

They grasp not purpose, strength, or grace

They only chase what they can’t face.

The eagle climbs in silent might,

Riding winds to endless height.

The crows grow tired, drop one by one,

Their foolish game is lost and done.

A noble soul, so pure and wide,

Will never drift with envy’s tide.

It walks alone, but walks with fire

On paths that reach forever higher.

You are the eagle, calm and wise,

Above the noise, above the lies.

You do not fight with birds below;

Your silence says what words can’t show.

No answer to their bitter breath,

No counter to their rage or death.

You rise instead beyond their call,

Where only quiet skies enthrall.

They shriek and flail, they mock and sneer,

But all dissolve when you draw near.

And with compassion, not with pride,

You watch them fall, and gently glide.

The sky is vast, the stars are few

Not all who flap can follow through.

So now I ask, with heart made true

Where do your wings carry you?

And where does your spirit settle into?

Poet Dr. Kang, Byeong-Cheol is a Korean author and poet, born in Jeju City, South Korea, in 1964. He began writing in 1993, publishing his first short story, “Song of Shuba,” at the age of twenty-nine. He released a collection of short stories in 2005 and has since won eight literature awards and published more than twelve books. From 2009 to 2014, he served as a member of The Writers in Prison Committee (WiPC) of PEN International. Additionally, he worked as an editorial writer for JeminIlbo, a newspaper in Jeju City, Korea. He holds a PhD in Political Science and currently serves as the Vice President of The Korean Institute for Peace and Cooperation and vice president of Jeju PEN. Moreover, he holds the position of founding President of the Korean Association of World Literature.