Opening Phase Research Articles

Destruction, delay and déjà vu: the restoration of Dublin’s O’Connell Street after the Irish civil war, 1922–1933

Abstract During the opening phase of the Irish civil war, Dublin’s O’Connell Street was subjected to large-scale destruction of properties and businesses for the second time since the 1916 Rising. Utilizing newly available compensation claims as well as state and local government records, this article examines four aspects of the post-civil war restoration of O’Connell Street for the first time: the scale of the destruction; the compensation scheme devised by the Irish government which accorded O’Connell Street a unique status in the Damage to Property Compensation Act of 1923; the context of the town-planning regulations introduced, as well as the concerns of property owners, the local authority and central government; and the process of reconstruction – how compensation was paid, what properties were rebuilt, in what manner and when.

Three-Dimensional Simulation of Cavitating Flow in Reciprocating Positive Displacement Pumps With Fluid-Actuated Valves

Abstract An in-house compressible three-dimensional (3D) finite volume computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method, with statistical turbulence model and moving grid capabilities, is presented and applied to the suction stroke of a simplex plunger positive displacement pump. The approach utilizes a pressure-based implicit solution algorithm and a mass transfer cavitation model. Fluid-actuated valve dynamics are approximated using a fluid-structure interaction algorithm. The closed valve and early phase of valve opening are approximated by a permeable wall. A circular segment model is introduced, significantly reducing computing time. Experimental validation is performed by time-resolved pressure and flow rate measurements, as well as high-speed visualizations of the valve dynamics. A speed variation is conducted to investigate harmless advanced and erosive distinctive partial cavitation. The simulation reproduces the delay of cavity collapse, observed with increasing speed, and reveals distinctive void patterns related to the chamber pressure time progression. These void patterns are fundamental for understanding the cavitation dynamics and potential erosion risk in the system. Deviations from data remain in the flow phase subsequent to the collapse due to overestimated wave reflection at the inlet boundary in the suction pipe.

3D reconstruction of vocal fold dynamics with laser high-speed videoendoscopy in children.

The objective of this study is to evaluate three-dimensional vertical motion of the superior surface of the vocal folds in vivo in (a) typically developing children as a function of vocal frequency variations and (b) a child with vocal nodules. A custom developed laser endoscope coupled with high-speed videoendoscopy was used to obtain 3D parameters from 2 healthy children, one child with vocal nodules, and 23 vocally healthy adults (females = 11, males = 12). Parameters of amplitude (mm), maximum opening/closing velocity (mm/s), and mean opening/closing velocity (mm/s) were computed for the lateral and vertical vibratory motion along the anterior, middle, and posterior sections of the vocal folds were computed. We provide for the first time, absolute measurements of vertical amplitude and maximum/ mean velocity during the opening and closing phases, in vivo in children. Overall, the vertical motion was larger in vocally normal children compared with the lateral motion, especially along the visible posterior section of the vocal folds and during low pitch phonation. The opening phase dynamics were consistently large along the posterior section in the child with vocal nodules. The study findings establish the feasibility of capturing 3D motion in a clinical setting and provide proof of concept for the application of the proposed 3D laser in the pediatric population. Future large sample size studies are needed to establish the diagnostic potential of examining the closing phase vertical motion to evaluate vibratory development in children with normal voice and investigating the opening phase vertical motion in children with nodules. N/A.

Fractional and Fatty Acid Composition of Lipids from the Bud Parts of Plants of the Betula L. Genus by Opening Phases

Fractional and Fatty Acid Composition of Lipids from the Bud Parts of Plants of the Betula L. Genus by Opening Phases

Methods for parturition monitoring in the mare - an overview

Various systems are available for birth monitoring in horses, whereby a distinction must be made between methods for more accurate prediction of the date of birth in order to intensify monitoring of the mare in a timely manner as well as methods for detecting individuals that are in labor. Basically, it should be noted that there are almost no studies that compare different methods on the same population of mares. As the time of birth approaches, physiological parameters of mare and fetus change, but their variability is too high to predict the exact parturition time point prospectively. The best method currently available is the detection of a decrease in the pH value and an increase in the calcium concentration of the udder secretions.Continuous camera monitoring is currently the method of choice for the detection of the start of the parturition process. However, the downside of this method is that the recordings have to be evaluated by a human.Recent developments based on the use of artificial intelligence could provide significant improvement. Before these methods are ready for practical use, the combination of camera monitoring and a sensor that is sewn into the vulva and activated during the opening phase of parturition is the safest method.

Behavior of the mare during parturition - a literature review

In horses, parturition is characterized by the fact that any delays may rapidly result in the death of the foal. Therefore, birth monitoring and the rapid detection of dystocia are of great importance. For this purpose, the differentiation between behavior associated with physiological parturition and activities related to difficult parturition is important. The aim of this publication is to present the physiological behavior of mares during parturition on the basis of a literature review. The behavior of mares in the opening phase of parturition is highly individual. In general, it is characterized by an increase in movement activity. In this phase of parturition, 13 different behaviors have been described (e. g. lying down and standing up, cessation of feed intake, local sweating, frequent defecation and urination). Mares show a more uniform pattern of behavior in the expulsion phase and the following phase of expulsion of the fetal membranes and placenta. More than 95% of mares give birth in the lateral position. A mare usually remains in recumbency for several minutes following the expulsion of the fetus. Immediately after standing up, the mare begins to intensely interact with the foal. The expulsion of the fetal membranes and the placenta usually takes place in a standing position. From a clinical point of view, it is important to give consideration to the difficulty in recognizing the opening phase of parturition due to the mares' individual behavior patterns.

Internal structure of the volcanic island of Surtsey and surroundings: Constraints from a dense aeromagnetic survey

Surtsey, a young basaltic island off the south coast of Iceland, was built by volcanic activity in 1963–1967 from a pre-eruption oceanic seafloor depth of 130 m. An aeromagnetic survey was carried out in October 2021 over a 60 km2 area covering Surtsey and its surroundings. It aimed to explore the internal structure and the possible existence of basaltic intrusions associated with the five vents active at different times over the 3.5 years of eruptive activity. The survey line spacing was 200 m and the flying altitude was generally 90 m a.s.l. The strongest anomalies (amplitude ∼700 nT) are caused by the 30–100 m thick subaerially erupted lava field on the southern part of Surtsey, formed in two episodes of effusive activity:1964–1965 and 1966–1967. 2D spectral analysis and Euler deconvolution indicate that the causative bodies of anomalies outside the island of Surtsey are located within the uppermost 300 m of the seafloor and their horizontal dimensions are similar to or smaller than their depth. 3D forward modeling of the island and its surroundings, constrained by observations during the formation of the island and drill cores extracted in 1979 and 2017, is consistent with an absence, at all vents, of pillow lava and therefore effusive activity in their opening phases. However, the data support the existence of a 10–20 m thick pillow lava field on the seafloor, 2.5–3 km2 in area, extending about ∼1 km to the south of Surtsey. The field is considered to have been fed by magma reaching the seafloor via channelized intrusive flow through the foreset breccia constituting the submarine part of an emerging lava delta during the early stage of effusive eruption in May–July 1964. The general scarcity of significant magnetic bodies within the edifices is consistent with magma fragmentation dominating the submarine eruptions from the onset of activity. A small magnetic anomaly is observed over the submarine edifice of Surtla, built during short-lived activity over ∼10 days in 1963–1964. This anomaly is consistent with observed subaqueous weak or moderate explosive activity that may have allowed a dyke to be preserved within the submarine tephra mound. More violent Surtseyan activity was observed at other vents, however, and may have destroyed any initial dykes that, if preserved, might have been resolved magnetically. Indications of magnetized volcanic rocks of unknown age predating the Surtsey eruption are found beneath the flank of the ephemeral island of Jólnir, the southernmost of the Surtsey vents.

A novel, continuous high-resolution palaeoecological record from central Italy suggests comparable land-use dynamics in Southern and Central Europe during the Neolithic

Although rare, temporally and taxonomically highly-resolved palaeoecological studies with high chronological precision are essential to perform detailed comparisons with precisely dated independent evidence such as archaeological findings, historical events, or palaeoclimatic data. Using a new highly-resolved and chronologically precise sedimentary record from Lago di Mezzano (central Italy), we reconstruct decadal-scale vegetation, species diversity, and fire dynamics, aiming to better understand the linkages between climate, land use, fire, and plant communities from the Neolithic to the Copper Age (c. 5100–3100 cal. BC). Closed, mixed beech-oak forests, including evergreen Quercus ilex, dominated the landscape around Lago di Mezzano during the Neolithic and were disturbed by repeated opening phases, with important implications for lake biogeochemistry and mixing regimes. This was in conjunction with increasing fire activity to promote agro-pastoral practices, as inferred from increasing charcoal, Cerealia type, Triticum type, Hordeum type, Plantago lanceolata type, and Urtica pollen. Fires, on their turn, augmented species diversity (richness and evenness). The comparison of the Mediterranean record from Lago di Mezzano with available continuous and high-precision submediterranean and cool-temperate palynological sequences suggests comparable land use pulses across Southern and Central European regions, most likely in connection with climate change. The outcomes of this study are not only of palaeoecological and archaeological interest; they may also help to improve projections of ecosystem dynamics under future global change.

China’s development path, 1949–2022

China’s path is conceived as a transition from an economically underdeveloped and semi-colonised country of the Global South into a modern socialist country in a multipolar world where successive steps (modes of regulation) were shaped by China’s external environment (uneven and combined development) and a succession of contradictions and crises encountered along the way. Three phases are examined: a turbulent phase of socialist construction in a context of capital shortage and US embargoes; a phase of reform and opening up in an era of neoliberal globalisation, whose early roots lay in the early 1970s’ rapprochement with the US; and a New Era dating from 2017. In each phase, crises and contradictions saw waves of reform, involving successive joint transformations of economic structures and institutions, while each phase was anticipated in the years that preceded it, so opening up started in the early 1970s with the rapprochement with the US, and aspects of the New Era concern with innovation, green development, common prosperity and an equitable global order started to emerge earlier.

The generic structure potential (GSP) of STI doctor-patient interactions in southwest Nigeria

This study describes the generic structure potential (GSP) of sexually transmitted infection (STI) consultations in Nigeria. It is a further effort from previous studies not only in its consideration of the phase structure of consultations in a specific medical context, but also in its exploration of both the broad and narrow generic structure potential of the consultations. Fifty audio recordings of mixed-visit doctor-patient interactions in hospitals in three states in southwest Nigeria constitute the data. The data were analysed using Halliday and Hasan’s (1985) Generic Structure Potential theory (GSP). The analysis revealed four broad stages in the structural organisation of STI medical interactions, namely Opening (O), Diagnostic Interactions (DI), Treatment Recommendations (TR), and Closing (C). The obligatory elements in the broad catalogue are the diagnostic interactions and treatment recommendations, while the narrow GSP of the phases revealed the doctor’s problem elicitation as the obligatory element in the opening phase, the patient’s problem presentation activity was solely obligatory in DI, and the doctor’s treatment procedure, the only mandatory activity of the TP phase. The study concludes that the diagnostic interaction and treatment recommendation phases define medical consultations in STI (and HIV) encounters in Nigeria.

Gen ZY Customers and Trendy Restaurants in Metropolitan City: A Measurement of Price Fairness, Sensory Experience, and Satisfaction

The food and beverage sector in Indonesia is becoming increasingly competitive, particularly in restaurants with current themes. Several restaurants were quite enthusiastic about adding outlets during the first opening phase, but they were forced to close one by one over time. In this situation, satisfaction and loyalty can decide the restaurant's long-term viability. Based on this, this study was undertaken with the goal of studying the determinants of modern restaurant customer loyalty utilizing price fairness, sensory experience, and customer satisfaction as predictive variables. This quantitative study employs partial lease square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with Smart PLS 4.0 as an analytical tool. The findings of this study, which used purposive sampling on 190 Warunk Upnormal consumers ranging in age from generations Z to Y, demonstrate how pricing fairness and sensory experience influence happiness and loyalty. Similarly, satisfaction influences consumer loyalty. This study reveals that restaurants with a contemporary concept have key characteristics in terms of facilities that are appealing to look at and enjoy, such as the aroma of their food. However, if the target clientele for restaurants with contemporary themes are young people, the issue of pricing fairness must be addressed.

Characterization of Typical Behaviors of Mares in the Opening Phase of Parturition-Influence of Parity and Dystocia.

The identification of typical behaviors in stage I of parturition, the opening phase, can be used to improve birth monitoring in the mare. Therefore, this study aimed to comprehensively analyze mare behavior during the opening phase. Real-time recordings of 66 births involving 56 warmblood mares were analyzed using camera footage. Behaviors such as increased locomotor activity, pawing with front hooves, lifting the tail, rolling, kicking with the hind legs toward the abdomen, and looking at the abdomen increased significantly (p < 0.001) in the four hours preceding parturition. Within the last hour of the observation period, a statistically significant change was observed for the duration of lying in the sternal and lateral position (p < 0.001). Significant correlations were observed between parity and the total number of repetitions of lying in the sternal position (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the birth process influenced the repetitions of lying in the lateral position (p < 0.05). These findings indicate distinct behavioral patterns during the opening phase of parturition, which were evident across the observed mares. Nonetheless, notable individual differences were also identified among the mares.

Role of AGN and star formation feedback in the evolution of galaxy outflows

ABSTRACT We conducted 3D-magnetohydrodynamic simulations to investigate the feedback processes in the central 1-kpc scale of galaxies hosting both active star formation (SF) and an active galactic nucleus (AGN) wind. Our simulations naturally generated a turbulent and clumpy interstellar medium driven by SF evolution. We found that the AGN-wind duty cycle plays a crucial role in shaping the evolution of the outflows. A single duty cycle (which can repeat several times over the galaxy lifetime) consists of an active, a remnant and an inactive phase, lasting up to 1.5 Myr in our simulations. The duration of the cycle increases with larger star formation rate (SFR) and smaller AGN-wind power (tested for luminosities 1042–1044 erg s−1 and SFR = 1–1000 M⊙ yr−1). The feedback on SF, whether positive or negative, depends on various factors, including the AGN outflow opening angle, power, and phase of activity, as well as the initial SFR. The passage of the AGN wind enhances SF in a ring around it, resembling the structures observed in ULIRGs (Ultraluminous Infrared Galaxies) and LINERS (low-ionization nuclear emission-line region), and is stronger for larger AGN power or SFR. Also, a higher SFR enhances the mixing of interstellar matter with the AGN wind, resulting in a greater number of colder, denser structures with volume filling factors ∼0.02 to 0.12 and velocities comparable to those observed in Seyferts and LINERs, but smaller than those observed in ULIRGs. The efficiency of the AGN wind in transporting mass to kiloparsec distances diminishes with increasing SFR. The mass-loss rates range from 50 to 250 M⊙ yr−1 within the initial 2 Myr of evolution, which aligns with observed rates in nearby Seyferts and ULIRGs.

Validation of fluid-structure interaction simulations of the opening phase of phantom mitral heart valves under physiologically inspired conditions

Background and objectiveAtrioventricular valve disease is a common cause of heart failure, and successful surgical or interventional outcomes are crucial. Patient-specific fluid-structure interaction (FSI) modeling may provide valuable insights into valve dynamics and guidance of valve repair strategies. However, lack of validation has kept FSI modeling from clinical implementation. Therefore, this study aims to validate FSI simulations against in vitro benchmarking data, based on clinically relevant parameters for evaluating heart valve disease. MethodsAn FSI model that mimics the left heart was developed. The domain included a deformable mitral valve of different stiffnesses run with different inlet velocities. Five different cases were simulated and compared to in vitro data based on the pressure difference across the valve, the valve opening, and the velocity in the flow domain. ResultsThe simulations underestimate the pressure difference across the valve by 6.8–14 % compared to catheter measurements. Evaluation of the valve opening showed an underprediction of 5.4–7.3 % when compared to cine MRI, 2D Echo, and 3D Echo data. Additionally, the simulated velocity through the valve showed a 7.9–8.4 % underprediction in relation to Doppler Echo measurements. Qualitative assessment of the velocity profile in the ventricle and the streamlines of the flow in the domain showed good agreement of the flow behavior. ConclusionsParameters relevant to the diagnosis of heart valve disease estimated by FSI simulations showed good agreement when compared to in vitro benchmarking data, with differences small enough not to affect the grading of heart valve disease. The FSI model is thus deemed good enough for further development toward patient-specific cases.

AMPLIFY-7P: Phase 1 and randomized phase 2 study of amphiphile immunotherapy ELI-002 7P as adjuvant treatment for subjects with G12D, G12R, G12V, G12C, G12A, G12S and G13D Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS)-mutated pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

TPS720 Background: KRAS mutations occur in 25% of human tumors, frequently in pancreatic where over 85% relapse after locoregional treatment. ELI-002 7P is a lymph node targeted immunotherapy comprised of Amphiphile (Amph)-modified G12D, G12R, G12V, G12C, G12A, G12S and G13D mutant KRAS peptides together with an Amph-modified CpG oligonucleotide adjuvant. In the first in human AMPLIFY-201 study, a two peptide G12D/G12R formulation increased KRAS-specific T cells in 87% of patients, and T cell responses 13-fold or higher over baseline correlated with outcomes including reduction in risk of relapse or death. The AMPLIFY-7P study hypothesizes that adjuvant administration of ELI-002 7P will be safe and will delay relapse compared to observation in patients with KRAS mutated pancreatic cancers who have completed curative intent locoregional treatment. Methods: This open-label, phase 1 and randomized phase 2 study is evaluating ELI-002 7P in patients with KRAS mutated pancreatic adenocarcinoma following standard of care chemotherapy and surgery. In phase 2, patients are randomized 2:1 to ELI-002 7P versus observation with crossover of the observation arm permitted at the time of confirmed radiographic relapse via iRECIST. Eligible patients must be within 6 months of completion of locoregional treatment for up-front resectable pathologically confirmed pancreatic cancer (Stage I-III) with radiographic NED (no evidence of disease). Phase 2 patients are included regardless of biomarker evidence of recurrent disease, however, those who have not recovered absolute lymphocytes to the normal range following cytotoxic therapy are excluded. The primary phase 2 objective is to compare the efficacy of ELI-002 7P versus observation, with primary endpoint disease-free survival per investigator. Secondary objectives compare biomarker response (reduction or clearance of ctDNA or if ctDNA was not detectable, serum tumor antigen CA19-9) in the subset with positive baseline values, OS, safety, and iRECIST response rate in the crossover subset. Exploratory endpoints include immunogenicity, the association of immunogenicity with high resolution HLA typing, and evaluation of tumor-infiltrating T cells and the tumor microenvironment in the event biopsy tissue is available. An Independent Data Monitoring Committee reviewed phase 1 data and recommended opening phase 2. Subsequent patients will receive up to 10 doses of Amph-peptides 7P 700 mcg each (4.9 mg total), together with Amph-CpG-7909 (10.0 mg) administered over a five-month treatment period. In Phase 2, approximately 135 patients will be enrolled in the United States. An interim analysis is planned using group sequential design for control of overall alpha 0.10. Clinical trial information: NCT05726864 .

Scheduling of parallel continuous annealing lines with alternative processing modes to optimize efficiency under tardiness constraints

Continuous annealing is a core process in steel cold-rolling facilities. It is used to set desired material properties by passing coils of flat steel through a high-temperature furnace in a precisely controlled manner. High efficiency is achieved by feeding the steel through the furnace in the form of a continuous strand. For this purpose, the coils are welded together before being fed into the furnace. Whenever two consecutive coils are incompatible, a special dummy coil called stringer is used to connect them, which reduces efficiency and adds costs and emissions. We consider the scheduling of coils with specific due dates and alternative order-specific processing modes on parallel heterogeneous lines. The problem is to simultaneously assign coils to lines and sequence them on these lines with a defined processing mode with adherence to tardiness constraints while minimizing the number of stringers needed. To address this problem, we formulate a mixed-integer linear program based on a model from the literature and propose a two-phase heuristic solution procedure. The procedure combines an opening phase using shortest path algorithms and local search with an improvement phase based on problem-specific decompositions according to the principles of an Fix-and-Optimize procedure. The results show that our heuristic outperforms a state-of-the-art commercial solver in finding good solutions in short computation time. Based on a sensitivity analysis for several industry-inspired data sets, we observe a trade-off between efficiency and tardiness which strongly depends on the operating conditions.

Survey of Liner Characteristics Used in Japan

Highlights The vacuum during milking causes teat ends to suck into liners by 7 to 10 cm. Liner rubber is classified as hard or soft. Volume changes are greater in round liners than those of other shapes in the pulsation cycle. Non-round liners did not press completely during the closing phase. The liner shape had a greater effect on liner volume change than the material. ABSTRACT. A variety of liner shapes are used in the dairy industry in Japan, and it is not known which is optimal for maintaining teat-end condition, preventing mastitis, ensuring milk quality, and improving dairy cow and milking system performance. Liners can be generally classified into types based on their internal shape: round, round with ribs on the outside of the liner, triangular, clover-shaped, or square. In addition, liners can be characterized based on the position of the air vent. The optimal combination of air vent location and internal shape for the maintenance of good teat end condition has not been clarified. The aim of this study is to survey liners in Japan to determine the characteristics of liners currently in use. The depth to which the teat end is pulled into the liner during milking was investigated. An experimental vacuum device was fabricated to measure the touch-point and closure-point (the vacuum levels at which the opposite sides of the internal liner surface begin to touch, and the level at which the liner bore completely closes, respectively). In addition, the volume change of the pulsation chamber during the pulsator opening and closing phases was also investigated. The internal shape of the liner was molded when the liner was opened and closed, and the cross-sectional area was compared for each liner type. The findings showed that liner hardness could be characterized as being either soft or hard. The change in the borevolume of round liners during a pulsation cycle, i.e., between the pulsation opening phase and the closing phase, was larger than that observed with the other liners. The cross-sectional area of the molded shape tended to be wider for liners of other shapes than for round liners. This study investigated and compared the characteristics of various types of liners and found that the characteristics varied widely. It is not clear what kind of liner shape is best, and further research is needed. Keywords: Liner internal shape, Overpressure, Pulsation, Teat end condition, Teat end position.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP AND COVID 19: THE ENTREPRENEURIAL CHALLENGE IN A GLOBAL PANDEMIC

The purpose of this study is to analyze the most relevant factors affecting the development of new businesses that have been set up during the Covid-19 pandemic. The main challenges in the entrepreneurial phenomenon are identified in this study, which represent an immediate contribution to the discussion on the development and economic evolution, emphasizing the impact of creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship in sudden health emergencies. For this purpose, descriptive research and literature reviews were done, where the years 2019 -2020 - 2021, were contrasted. The growth and decrease of taxpayers in the mentioned periods were analyzed with the support of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) during the opening, closing, and suspension phases. Therefore, the researchers analyzed the factors that contributed to the decline of small and medium businesses in Ecuador during the health crisis.

Relações homem-máquina

The use of platforms based on Artificial Intelligence (AI) mechanisms entered an almost unbridled phase of opening up to the public in 2022. At the same time, the debate around where this scenario will take us has intensified, involving entrepreneurs/developers, legislators, researchers and activists. In this study, we move away from the good-bad polarity and aim to understand how this technology affects human development and our culture based on human-machine relations. These reflections are based on three theoretical approaches: technology and the psyche (Jung, 1991, 2008, 2020, 2021), signature/countersignature and hospitality to the stranger (Derrida, 2003) and mediation (Latour, 2015). We realize that the future is nothing but literacy and regulation in the face of an already established reality, which imposes risks, but carries potential that - if appropriated with ethics, coherence and otherness - can make an exceptional contribution to educational processes.

Exploring (non-)ritual patterns of phatic interaction (small talks) at different phases of social encounters in Persian linguaculture

AbstractThe current interpretive study aimed to characterize the (non-)ritual, phatic clusters of speech acts that conventionally recur around the opening/closing phases of Persian speaking students' social encounters or occur during the core (or ‘business’) phase of natural interactions as small talk in Persian. The study was conducted in Iran's Persian linguaculture where considerable social-cultural-economic changes have taken place over the last decade or so impacting the form and content of phatic interaction in all sectors of the society. The participants of the study were 97 Persian-speaking university students attending a state-run university located in the southwest of Iran. The students were asked to audio-record their natural interactions in four different social encounters varied based on the standard sociolinguistic parameters of Social Distance and Power (+/−SD, +/−P). We adopted House &amp; Kádár's (2022) pragmalinguistic and speech act-anchored model of phatic interaction to code the (non-)ritual realization patterns of small talks around the opening, closing, and core phases of interaction. The results indicate that small talks which are co-constructed by the Persian interactants at the opening and closing phases of their social encounters are highly ritualized in terms of the speech act types and pragmalinguistic structures employed. Further, interpersonal interchanges which involve differential sociolinguistic P and SD values require more tactfulness and care in adhering to the greeting and parting conventions as more face-threat is potentially implicated. In terms of the medial phase, except for a small number of ostensible realizations of different speech acts such as invites, offers, and apologies, core off-topic phaticity was perceived to be non-ritual and discursive in Persian the interpretation of which heavily relies upon shared sociopragmatic knowledge of the linguaculture.