Zeta functions of the 3-dimensional almost-Bieberbach groups

The subgroup zeta function and the normal zeta function of a finitely generated virtually nilpotent group can be expressed as finite sums of Dirichlet series admitting Euler product factorization. We compute these series except for a finite number of local factors when the group is virtually nilpotent of Hirsch length 3. We deduce that they can be meromorphically continued to the whole complex plane and that they satisfy local functional equations. The complete computation (with no exception of local factors) is presented for those groups that are also torsion-free, that is, for the 3-dimensional almost-Bieberbach groups.

Flood Hazard Casting and Predictions of Climate Change Impressions

Climate change is a word that we have heard hundreds of times, but what is it? Is it happening or is it something made by us? There are thousands of such questions, thoughts, doubt which come to our minds as soon as we hear the words “climate change.” Even though there are hundreds of research works and many more proofs stating that the climate change is happening, there is a side which has been generally overlooked, and that is what if the climate change that we look is just something made by us. Climate change refers to long-lasting changes in temperature, clouds, humidity, and rainfall around the world. Both local and global factors cause regional climate change. This difference is significant because if a regional climate change occurs on account of local factors, then these changes can be mitigated by local actions. This chapter explores flood hazard casting prediction of climate change impressions.

Dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 Variants of Concern in Brazil, Early 2021

Brazil is the country with the second-largest number of deaths due to the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Two variants of concern (VOCs), Alpha (B.1.1.7) and Gamma (P.1), were first detected in December 2020. While Alpha expanded within an expected rate in January and February 2021, its prevalence among new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cases started to decrease in March, which coincided with the explosion of Gamma variant incidence all over the country, being responsible for more than 95% of the new cases over the following months. A significantly higher viral load [i.e., mean cycle threshold (Ct) values] for Gamma in comparison to non-VOC samples was verified by the analysis of a large data set of routine reverse transcription–PCR (RT–PCR) exams. Moreover, the rate of reinfections greatly increased from March 2021 onward, reinforcing the enhanced ability of Gamma to escape the immune response. It is difficult to predict the outcomes of competition between variants since local factors like frequency of introduction and vaccine coverage play a key role. Genomic surveillance is of uttermost importance for the mitigation of the pandemic.

Multiscalar Architectures

Many of the great advances in modern computing are supplied by modeling architectures that practice a crucial division in descriptive labor by asking distinct forms of submodeling to work together in cooperative harmony without engaging in a straightforward amalgamation of conclusions. Commonly these distinct submodels are aligned with characteristic scale lengths within their target systems so that a preliminary modeling (Δ‎H) that calculates how a system normally behaves upon a macroscopic scale becomes subjected to corrective suggestions arising from a lower-scale modeling (Δ‎L) that focuses upon the local factors that occasionally upset the behavioral presumptions codified within the Δ‎H scheme. The syntactic safeguards within this technique that avert inconsistency and an unmanageable explosion in computational complexity keep their various levels of submodeling isolated from one another. They only pass corrective messages of a specialized character (called “homogenizations”) amongst themselves without attempting to fully amalgamate their localized conclusions into a shared narrative. The computational architecture merely demands that the various submodels reach accord with respect to the homogenization messages that they exchange amongst themselves. This book argues that unnoticed reasoning arrangements of this kind provide the proper diagnosis of the “Mystery of Physics 101” tensions that troubled Hertz (the distinct usages of “force” he noticed operate upon distinct size scales in the manner of a modern multiscalar scheme). It is then suggested that the natural development of many forms of linguistic attainment lead to reasoning architectures of this general character, although we often fail to recognize the subtle strategies that undergird their operations.

Iconography and Roman Religion

Roman iconography depicts religious practices, divine figures, mortal worshippers, and beliefs about the gods. Religious imagery reflects the importance of religion in Roman conceptions of the past, the fashioning of self-identity, and discursive practices. Representations of sacred spaces and occasions often emphasize their topographic arrangement within landscapes, giving religious imagery a strong sense of place. Inside sanctuaries, decorative imagery is augmented by iconography that facilitates ritual activity, illustrates cult-specific details, and shapes the experience of visitors. Religious iconography also highlights the contested natures of artifacts as well as the ways images enacted and reacted to social tensions. Although legal experts attempted to categorize the sacrality of images and artifacts, thoughts about an image’s status were mutable and rooted in personal experience and local factors. Many sacred images possessed agentive and talismanic properties, and manifested divine powers and presence.

Regional Evidence-Based Policymaking Guidance for ECOW AS Countries: Pro cess of evidence use in policymaking

The present Guidance is in line with the four strategies and followed a transparent and systematic approach in its design. The Guidance is adapted to West African contexts and validated using standard scientific methods, considering all available evidence. Local factors that may influence the effects of all options recommended to address their feasibility were taken into account in its development.The production of the Guidance is largely based on knowledge translation approaches that bridge the gap between research evidence and its application to policy-making. Consequently, the Guidance will be very relevant and useful to decision-makers, as it incorporates the complex interrelations of the health system components, and the numerous contextual factors that may influence the effectiveness of policies. The main objective is to develop adapted guidance for the use of evidence in development and implementation of health policies, plans and protocols adapted to the context of ECOW AS countries.

#StopAsianHate: Understanding the Global Rise of Anti-Asian Racism from a Transcultural Communication Perspective

The rise of anti-Asian racism during the COVID-19 pandemic has been a global phenomenon. This article aims to develop a transcultural communication perspective to examine the global rise in anti-Asian violence. It discusses the intersection of global and local factors underlying the rise of anti-Asian racism in Canada, namely (1) the historical and ongoing impacts of settler colonialism (2) the flaws of Canadian multiculturalism, and (3) the insider/outsider dichotomy adopted by mass media’s framing of the pandemic. By explicating these structural factors from a transcultural communication perspective, this article argues that politicized transcultural discussions on white supremacy are urgently needed for initiating constructive conversations over anti-Asian racism worldwide.

Progressive enlargement of thoracic ossification of the ligamentum flavum in professional baseball pitchers: a report of two cases

Both systemic and local factors might influence the development of ossification of the ligamentum flavum (OLF); however, whether specific physical activities play a role in the development of OLF remains unclear. This report presents two cases of thoracic radiculopathy owing to progressive enlargement of thoracic OLF within a few years in Japanese professional baseball pitchers. Two left-handed, Japanese, professional baseball pitchers in their 20s experienced thoracic radiating pain. Mild hypesthesia of the lower thoracic vertebral levels was observed, and an increase in the size of the OLF within a few years was identified in the lower thoracic spine using computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Neither patient exhibited myelopathy and were, therefore, treated conservatively. Both patients were able to return to playing in top condition within 4 months after onset. The findings in these cases suggest that thoracic OLF might increase in size and become exacerbated in certain individuals, such as professional pitchers, who experience repeated, localized, mechanical stress on the thoracic spine, irrespective of age.

Repair Practices in Phone Conversations: A Case Study of Chinese English Speakers

Repair, one key concept in conversation analysis, usually refers to the ways of dealing with troubles of speaking, understanding, and hearing in the talk (Schegloff et al., 1977). This paper focuses on the latter two trouble sources, i.e., troubles of hearing and understanding. The study here, of a dataset of interactions concerning information inquiries between two Chinese learners of English and eight service employees in hotels or airlines, investigates how the repair is initiated and completed via phone through the perspective of conversation analysis. It mainly explores (a) how trouble sources are identified by the recipient over the phone; (b) how the repair is initiated in phone conversations; and (c) how repair strategies and repair avoidance are used based on the recipients’ identification of the trouble source type and the importance of the mistake or misunderstanding, in the service industry. The results showcase that Chinese English speakers encounter troubles of understanding and hearing in phone conversations frequently. A selection of initiators and strategies are identified, such as repair preface (e.g., ‘I mean’) and pre-framing. The analysis also illustrates that the service personnel involved tend to either accept the customer’s candidate understanding to avoid the repair or continuously make repairs on their own turns to clarify. Such empirical evidence further supports and validates Kitzinger’s (2013) idea that a) specific repair forms and practices are constrained by a range of local factors, and b) people adopt diversified methods and strategies to ‘fix’ troubles of hearing and understanding.