What AlpArray tells us about stress and water resources under the Alpine Region

The seismological AlpArray has shed much light on Earth`s structure and earthquakes in the Alpine region. Beside these two classical seismological applications (“events” and “structure”), a dataset of this kind can also be used for other purposes, and the geophysics group at the University of Vienna has been interested in extending the range of applications also into non-classical domains over the last years. The data have helped us understand non-tectonic phenomena that generate seismic waves in the region, both of natural (such as water, wind, rockfalls, etc.), and of human origin (such as explosions, fires, trains, etc.). This has also extended the use of seismic data across the Earth`s surface, using seismic wave coupling with infrasound. In this presentation, we focus on new applications of seismic data that extend the “structural” portfolio of seismological techniques, based on nonlinear elasticity (temporal velocity changes). “Pump-probe” approaches use a known test signal to infer subsurface properties. One such test signal is given by tidal stress, which we use as “pump” and ambient noise as “probe”, to infer the orientation of mechanical stress acting at crustal depth throughout the Alpine region. This complements the World Stress Map in regions, where we have previously not had stress data - allowing us, for example, to understand why certain major faults in the Eastern Alps (the Periadriatic Line and the Giudicarie Fault) do not rupture seismically, different from less mature, but more favorably-oriented faults. A particularly promising new application of seismic waves is the study of water in the shallow subsurface, which affects seismic wave velocities. We show that seismic waves can be used to constrain the hydraulic properties of ground water reservoirs from seismic data. Ground water level is often sensitive to air-pressure variations, and we can use the latter as “pump” to explore ground water reservoir characteristics throughout the Alpine region. The large regional variation in observed admissivity throughout Central Europe indicates the effects of thermally-related and air-pressure-related influences. The study of seismological AlpArray data shows that also changes of soil moisture can be made visible by seismic imaging. Such variations occur periodically, but there are also important long-term trends, which show different characteristics in different regions. Seismic data can fill the observational gap in soil moisture, in a wide range of distances, and importantly, in the depth range that is relevant for plant growth. This shows that seismology can give rather useful constraints for understanding the consequences of climate change

Tribological effect of palm sterin and engine oil (CMEO) on pure aluminium pin steel disc with varies speed and constant load

Palm stearin has high biodegradability and produces low pollution to the environment. This oil can be improved based on its natural behaviour and can be used as an alternative to replace widely used commercial mineral oils. Thus, the negative impact towards the environment can be reduced. The purpose of this research is to study the performance of two type of lubricants which are vegetable oil (Palm Stearin) and commercial mineral engine oil (CMEO). The sample will be tested using pin on disc tribotester machine that follows ASTM G99 standard. The materials used for this experiment are pure aluminium pin (A110) with spherical head and stainless steel disc (SKD11) with four grooves. The experiment will take approximately one hour to complete one test. The conditions that were considered before the beginning of the experiment are constant loads of 1 kg, varying sliding speeds of 1.5 m/s to 3.5 m/s with incremental 1 m/s and 2.5 ml volume of oil. The wear rate and coefficient of friction can be determined in this experiment. From the result obtained, the coefficient of friction (COF) of palm stearin is 45% higher than CMEO and also the trend for both oils are inversely proportional with sliding speed. Besides that, the wear rate of palm stearin is also higher than CMEO, which shows that CMEO has better lubrication performance when compared to palm stearin. The additives are needed for palm stearin so that the lubrication performance can compete with the CMEO. Furthermore, the results also reveal that vegetable oil shows a potential to be a commercial lubricant when the deficiencies can be overcome

Развитие профессиональной информационной и коммуникационной компетенции методом проектов в электронной среде

The objective of the study is to show advantages of the method of e-projects. According to the authors of the publication, e-project based approach is a promising form of blended learning in universities. Methods. The authors pesent the technology of professional competencies formation of future teachers during the teaching process of the discipline «English language» on the basis of the analysis and generalisation of existing sources on blended learning and the free Web application Moodle that allows organising e-training. The Expert Group Appraisal method was used to define levels and components of the competencies. Scientific novelty. Introducing e-project as a part of students’ self-study in English for Special Purposes (ESP) curriculum is especially beneficial if the following objectives are stated: strengthening cross-curriculum knowledge that implies deepening and acquiring new knowledge both in English and in disciplines that are important for future profession; and developing professional information and communication (ICT) competency. Results. This paper presents the experience of executing one of the e-projects in the educational process practice, allowing students not only to acquire professional English competency but also to learn how to create e-courses in Moodle by their own and strengthen their knowledge in modern information and communication space. The article describes the implementation of e-project based approach for teaching English for future teachers (bachelor students) in Kalashnikov Izhevsk Technical University. This paper presents the experience of executing one of the e-projects that was made by one of the students. Practical significance. The research outcomes and recommendations can be used for effective implementation of e-project based approach for teaching English in higher vocational institutions Цель статьи – показать преимущества метода электронных проектов, который, по мнению авторов публикации, является одним из самых перспективных при смешанной форме обучения в вузе. Методы. На основе анализа и обобщения существующих источников о смешанном виде получения высшего образования и на базе свободного вебприложения Moodle, позволяющего организовать электронное обучение, предложена авторская технология формирования профессиональных компетенций у будущих педагогов в процессе преподавания дисциплины «Английский язык. Профессиональный перевод». Для определения структуры и уровней развития данных компетенций использовался метод групповых экспертных оценок. Научная новизна. Показаны возможности применения электронного проектирования при организации самостоятельной работы студентов. Демонстрируется, как данный метод способствует укреплению межпредметных связей – получению и усвоению новых знаний по различным дисциплинам учебного цикла, важным для будущей профессиональной деятельности; а также развитию информационно-коммуникационной компетенции. Результаты. Разработана система электронных проектов для студентов педагогических специальностей, нацеленная на развитие важных для их специальности компетенций: умений работать с иноязычными текстами профессиональной направленности, знаний основ проектирования вэлектронной среде Moodle, способности осуществлять профессиональные обязанности в современном информационно-коммуникационном пространстве. Описан опыт использования метода электронных проектов в процессе изучения студентами бакалавриата Ижевского государственного технического университета им. М. Т. Калашникова предмета «Английский язык. Профессиональный перевод». В качестве примера подробно разбирается реализация одного из реальных электронных проектов, выполненного студентом этого вуза. Практическая значимость. Даны рекомендации по внедрению метода электронного проектирования в практику учебного процесса при преподавании английского языка в высшей профессиональной школе

Tribological performance of palm kernel oil with addition of pour point depressants as a lubricant using four-ball tribotester under variable load test

The growing of worldwide trend for promoting the use of the renewable material such as vegetable oil is due to the increasing concern about environmental damage that caused by the use of mineral oil which is not biodegradable. Vegetable oil has a potential to replace mineral oil as a lubricant because of its specific properties that is non-toxic and biodegradable. The main problem in using vegetable oil is having poor low temperature performance. In this research palm kernel oil (PKO) that behave a semi solid phase is used as a bio lubricant mixing with different weightage percentage of poor point depressant (PPD) to investigate the low temperature behaviour performance and also to determine the effect of lubricity performance when blended with different percentage of PPD (5w%, 10wt%, 20wt% and 30wt %). The experiment is according to ASTM D4172 with variation load test. The result of the experiment show that for low temperature performance, PKO with 20wt%PPD (A2-20%) and 30wt%PPD (A2-30%) show great performance which can withstand 15° C. The sample A2-20% shows good lubricity performance in terms of coefficient of friction compare to the other sample. The lubricity performance in terms of wear scar diameter (WSD) it can see that the different percentage PPD do not affect the WSD properties of the pure palm kernel oil. The most consistent and the desired value of the sample in terms of surface roughness is A2-5% and A2-10% where the surface roughness value is stable through the entire load test

Friction characteristic study on flat surface embedded with micro pit

Mechanical systems are always deal with wear and friction as the liability. The basic principle of the mechanical system is the surface interaction between surfaces which have a frictional force resulting in fatigue and damage to the mechanical components. Lubricant is used to minimize friction in order to solve the problem. A comparative friction characteristic analysis was then conducted to assess the coefficient of friction (COF) between Aluminum Alloy 5083 block and SKD 11 disk using two types of lubricant, that is SAE40 engine oil and RBD palm oil. The thickness of the oil film could be predicted in order to observe the influence of the different lubricants used. Pit pattern surface is required to research the function of the pit as a lubricant reservoir. The experiment was carried out in the laboratory according to the ASTM G99. Load is applied to experiments with loads of 1 kg, 5 kg and 10 kg, in order to find a COF correlation under different application condition. The rotational speed is held constant at 3m/s during the experiment. The results obtained revealed that when using RBD palm oil as a lubricant, the COF between block and disk is lower than when using SAE40 engine oil as a lubricant. The experimental result showed that RBD palm oil can minimize friction much lower than SAE40 engine oil. Based on the results of the comparison analysis on the flat surface and pit pattern surface, the finding revealed that the pit pattern may serve as a lubricant reservoir to retain and store the lubricant for longer than the flat surface that helps to reduce friction

The effectiveness of jet impingement cooling system on various flat plate surface

This manuscript present investigation the effectiveness of jet impingement cooling system on flat plate surface. Jet impingement can give high heat flux cooling effect. This type of cooling system is very useful as it may be used in a lot of machine and instruments such as piston, supercomputer, microchip, food technology and hybrid car electronic circuit. This project have three main objectives that need to achieve. Firstly, this project can determine the best distance from nozzle to plate surface and then determine the dimensionless ratio between distance from nozzle to plate surface and the diameter of circular nozzle. Next is this project can observe the best mass blow rate, ranging from laminar flow to turbulent flow. The purpose to having two types of flows is to check which flow can give the best cooling effect. Lastly, by choosing three type of materials that have different surface roughness is to study the effect of surface roughness and cooling effect. From the experiment, higher surface roughness does not give the best cooling effect while smoother surface roughness give the better results. However, just like mass blow rate, it has it range on where the best cooling effect can be achieved. If the difference between surface temperature and isothermal temperature is too high, it will be a drawback to the cooling system. For the final result, the best jet impingement cooling system can be obtained at dimensionless s/d = 10 at mass blow rate equal to 8.4 m/s using zinc plate

Cancer Cell-Derived PDGFB Stimulates mTORC1 Activation in Renal Carcinoma

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is a hypervascular tumor that is characterized by bi-allelic inactivation of the VHL tumor suppressor gene and mTOR signalling pathway hyperactivation. The pro-angiogenic factor PDGFB, a transcriptional target of super enhancer-driven KLF6, can activate the mTORC1 signalling pathway in ccRCC. However, the detailed mechanisms of PDGFB-mediated mTORC1 activation in ccRCC have remained elusive. Here, we investigated whether ccRCC cells are able to secrete PDGFB into the extracellular milieu and stimulate mTORC1 signalling activity. We found that ccRCC cells secreted PDGFB extracellularly, and by utilizing KLF6- and PDGFB-engineered ccRCC cells, we showed that the level of PDGFB secretion was positively correlated with the expression of intracellular KLF6 and PDGFB. Moreover, the reintroduction of either KLF6 or PDGFB was able to sustain mTORC1 signalling activity in KLF6-targeted ccRCC cells. We further demonstrated that conditioned media of PDGFB-overexpressing ccRCC cells was able to re-activate mTORC1 activity in KLF6-targeted cells. In conclusion, cancer cell-derived PDGFB can mediate mTORC1 signalling pathway activation in ccRCC, further consolidating the link between the KLF6-PDGFB axis and the mTORC1 signalling pathway activity in ccRCC

Strategi Semasa Berhadapan Situasi Pandemik Covid-19 Dalam Industri Perhotelan Di Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Pandemik COVID-19 memberi kesan kepada kelangsungan operasi sesebuah organisasi di mana sesetengah organisasi terpaksa menghentikan operasi harian dan mengalami kerugian sehingga terpaksa melakukan pengurangan tenaga kerja. Prestasi organisasi juga turut terjejas akibat pandemik COVID-19. Antara sektor perkhidmatan non-esesstial yang terjejas khususnya adalah industri perhotelan di Malaysia. Di samping itu, organisasi tersebut terpaksa menutup atau menghentikan sementara operasi organisasi ketika di bawah perlaksanaan Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP) dijalankan. Berdasarkan senario semasa, di mana kertas kajian ini membincangkan dimensi dalam prestasi organisasi dari perpekstif prestasi bukan kewangan dalam organisasi ketika Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP). Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan menemu-bual dua orang Pengurus Sumber Manusia dalam sektor perhotelan di sekitar Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Hasil dapatan kajian mendapati pihak pengurusan sumber manusia di organisasi hotel tersebut mengunakan pakai ketiga-tiga dimensi prestasi organisasi sebagai indikator kearah perubahan kestabilan selepas mengalami kejatuhan prestasi organisasi ketika (PKP) akibat pandemik COVID-19. Antara langkah-langkah yang diambil oleh organisasi adalah dengan melaksanakan dimensi dalam prestasi organisasi. Dimensi prestasi organisasi dari perpekstif prestasi bukan kewangan yang terdiri daripada tiga (3) dimensi iaitu: kepimpinan, komunikasi dan produktiviti organisasi. Penelitian awal ini memerlukan sokongan teoritikal, bagi melihat sejauh mana hala tuju organisasi dalam mengamalkan pendekatan dimensi prestasi organisasi dalam sesebuah organisasi semasa berhadapan dengan krisis pandemik COVID-19

Pendekatan Strategi Pemulihan (Turnaround Strategy) yang digunakan oleh pihak majikan semasa organisasi berhadapan situasi pandemik COVID-19 di Kota Kinabalu, Sabah

Pandemik COVID-19 memberi kesan terhadap kelangsungan organisasi di mana sesetengah organisasi terpaksa menghentikan operasi perniagaan dan mengalami kerugian sehingga terpaksa melakukan pengurangan tenaga kerja. Prestasi organisasi dan keuntungan syarikat juga turut terjejas akibat pandemik COVID-19. Antara sektor yang terjejas adalah sektor pelancongan seperti industri perhotelan di Malaysia. Industri tersebut terpaksa menutup atau menghentikan operasi organisasi ketika Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP). Berdasarkan senario semasa, kertas kerja ini mengetengahkan Strategi Pemulihan semasa Perintah Kawalan Pergerakan (PKP). Kajian ini menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif dengan menemu-bual dua (2) orang Pengurus Sumber Manusia dalam industri perhotelan di sekitar Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. Hasil kajian mendapati bahawa Strategi Pemulihan adalah strategi yang berkesan, bagi menstabilkan semula prestasi organisasi demi kelangsungan organisasi. Antara langkah-langkah yang diambil oleh organisasi adalah dengan melaksanakan Strategi Pemulihan (Turnaround strategy) iaitu pengurangan aset, penjimatan kos dan penjanaan hasil. Tindakan ini memberi kesan terhadap prestasi organisasi yang dinilai dari aspek komunikasi, produktiviti dan kepimpinan dalam organisasi. Kajian lepas oleh (Mann dan Byun, 2017) dan (Santana et al., 2017) menyatakan Strategi Pemulihan adalah berkesan untuk mengekalkan kelangsungan organisasi semasa pandemik COVID-19. Dapatan awal ini memerlukan penelitian aspek teoritikal, bagi melihat bagaimana hala tuju organisasi dalam mengamalkan Strategi Pemulihan, pengurangan tenaga kerja dan impaknya terhadap prestasi sesebuah organisasi semasa berhadapan dengan krisis pandemik COVID-19

Comparative study between furnace brazing and laser brazing

Nowadays, brazing has been widely used in many industries, especially in the automotive application. The brazing process is introduced as it can be used to join the different metals together without melting the parent material. In this present study, furnace brazing and laser brazing of Ti-6Al- 4V titanium alloy and 316 L stainless steel (SS) with silver-based, BAg 8-1.5Ti filler metal were studied. There are significantly different between furnace brazing, also known as conventional brazing method and laser brazing in terms of joining strength and microstructure reaction. Furnace brazing was performed at 870°C and 880°C with 30 minutes of heating duration. Meanwhile, laser brazing was performed using a 200Watt continuous wave laser with varying laser power. Both of brazing method was conducted with a vacuum pressure of 3×10−3 Pa. Besides, to maintain the accuracy of the temperature measurement of laser brazing, an infrared thermometer is used. The tensile test was conducted to analyse the mechanical properties. The cross-sections of the brazed joints have been examined using an optical microscope. The brazed joints of the furnace brazing show an average tensile strength of 55.89 kPa for 880°C and 43.16 kPa for 870°C. Nonetheless, the maximum tensile strength of laser brazed joints was 27.95 kPa, which is lower than furnace brazed joints