FACTORS AFFECTING THE WORK MOTIVATION OF LAWYERS AT LAW OFFICES IN QUANG NGAI PROVINCE, VIETNAM

This study is conducted to investigate which factors affect the work motivation of lawyers at law offices in Quang Ngai province. The results of data analysis from a survey of 298 lawyers show that the work motivation of lawyers is most affected by Income and Benefit policy, followed by Working conditions, Relationship with colleagues, Feeling the personal role in work, Work-life balance and finally Recognition of Achievement. Article visualizations

DEM investigation on strain localization in a dense periodic granular assembly with high coordination number

Strain localization is one of key phenomena which have been studied extensively in geomaterials and for different kinds of materials including metals and polymers. This well-known phenomenon appears when structure/material is closed to failure. Theoretical, experimental, and numerical research have been dedicated to this subject for a long while. In the numerical aspects, strain localization inside the periodic granular assembly has not been well studied in the literature. In this paper, we investigate the occurrence and development of strain localization within a dense cohesive-frictional granular assembly with high coordination number under bi-periodic boundary conditions by Discrete Element Modeling (DEM). The granular assembly is composed of 2D circular disks and subjected to biaxial loading with constant lateral pressure. The results show that the formation of shear bands is of periodic type, consistent with the boundary conditions. This formation has the origins of the irreversible losing of cohesive contacts, viewed as micro-crackings which strongly concentrated in the periodic shear zones. This micromechanical feature is therefore strongly related to the strain localization observed at the sample scale. Finally, we also show that the strain localization is in perfect agreement with the sample’s displacement fluctuation fields

Appropriate sample size and effects of microscopic parameters on the shear strength and strain localisation of 2D cohesive-frictional granular assemblies

Granular materials are made up of smaller particles, manifestation of microstructure results in a macroscopic response of granular material. Understanding the overall mechanical behaviour from microscopic parameters is one of the main challenges in many engineering fields including civil engineering. When modelling this kind of material by Discrete Element Model (DEM) using idealized circular grains, the effects of appropriate sample size and microscopic parameter changes have been a crucial subject. Previous research has primarily relied on the case of purely frictional granular materials. In this paper, we use DEM to investigate the appropriate sample size and the relationship between microscopic parameters and the macroscopic responses of cohesive-frictional granular assemblies by performing a series of biaxial tests. Our findings indicate that a minimum number of particles is required to balance between mechanical behaviour and computing time. In addition, through extensive parametric studies, the paper explores the impact of factors such as interparticle bonds, intergranular friction coefficients, and initial void index on the overall shear behaviour of granular assemblies. Also, the result reveals a strong correlation between shear band formation and the break field of cohesive contact (static variable) and the translations and rotations of grains (kinematic variable)

Do Investors Differentiate Return Components? Evidence from Asia Pacific Mutual Funds

The study aims at investigating determinants of fund performance and factors investors consider when assessing fund managers in Asia Pacific market over the period 2013-2018. Fund alphas are estimated using Single-index model (Jensen, 1968), four-factor model (Carhart, 1997) and seven-factor model (Barber et al., 2016). We find that fund size, fund age and fund’s past performance persistently exhibit explanatory power on fund performance, in which past performance is the key driver. Asia Pacific funds in this period are also documented to exhibit superior performance over the market regardless of estimate models and benchmark choices. By breaking fund returns down into different components, we find that fund alpha remains the dominant factor driving fund flows, revealing the sophistication of investors to account for various return components but only relying on fund performance when determining manager skills and making investment decisions in Asia Pacific market

Analysis of tool wear and surface roughness in high-speed milling process of aluminum alloy Al6061

In this study, the influence of cutting parameters and machining time on the tool wear and surface roughness was investigated in high-speed milling process of Al6061 using face carbide inserts. Taguchi experimental matrix (L9) was chosen to design and conduct the experimental research with three input parameters (feed rate, cutting speed, and axial depth of cut). Tool wear (VB) and surface roughness (Ra) after different machining strokes (after 10, 30, and 50 machining strokes) were selected as the output parameters. In almost cases of high-speed face milling process, the most significant factor that influenced on the tool wear was cutting speed (84.94 % after 10 machining strokes, 52.13 % after 30 machining strokes, and 68.58 % after 50 machining strokes), and the most significant factors that influenced on the surface roughness were depth of cut and feed rate (70.54 % after 10 machining strokes, 43.28 % after 30 machining strokes, and 30.97 % after 50 machining strokes for depth of cut. And 22.01 % after 10 machining strokes, 44.39 % after 30 machining strokes, and 66.58 % after 50 machining strokes for feed rate). Linear regression was the most suitable regression of VB and Ra with the determination coefficients (R2) from 88.00 % to 91.99 % for VB, and from 90.24 % to 96.84 % for Ra. These regression models were successfully verified by comparison between predicted and measured results of VB and Ra. Besides, the relationship of VB, Ra, and different machining strokes was also investigated and evaluated. Tool wear, surface roughness models, and their relationship that were found in this study can be used to improve the surface quality and reduce the tool wear in the high-speed face milling of aluminum alloy Al606

A RESEARCH ON MULTI-OBJECTIVE OPTIMIZATION OF THE GRINDING PROCESS USING SEGMENTED GRINDING WHEEL BY TAGUCHI-DEAR METHOD

In this study, the mutil-objective optimization was applied for the surface grinding process of SAE420 steel. The aluminum oxide grinding wheels that were grooved by 15 grooves, 18 grooves, and 20 grooves were used in the experimental process. The Taguchi method was applied to design the experimental matrix. Four input parameters that were chosen for each experiment were the number of grooves in cylinder surface of grinding wheel, workpiece velocity, feed rate, and cutting depth. Four output parameters that were measured for each experimental were the machining surface roughness, the system vibrations in the three directions (X, Y, Z). The DEAR technique was applied to determine the values of the input parameters to obtaine the minimum values of machining surface roughness and vibrations in three directions. By using this technique, the optimum values of grinding wheel groove number, workpiece velocity, feed-rate, cutting depth were 18 grooves, 15 m/min, 2 mm/stroke, and 0.005 mm, respectively. The verified experimental was performed by using the optimum values of input parameters. The validation results of surface roughness and vibrations in X, Y, Z directions were 0.826 (µm), 0.531 (µm), 0.549 (µm), and 0. 646 (µm), respectively. These results were great improved in comparing to the normal experimental results. Taguchi method and DEAR technique can be applied to improve the quality of grinding surface and reduce the vibrations of the technology system to restrain the increasing of the cutting forces in the grinding process. Finally, the research direction was also proposed in this stud

Bridging Cultures in Academia: The Role of Mindfulness in Enhancing Intercultural Communication and Social Capital among Scholars

Studies that comprehensively incorporate mindfulness therapies and the theory of intercultural communication into the investigation of social capital are lacking in the body of existing literature. This restricts our comprehension of how these important components interact and affect social relationships in academic communities as a whole. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate how mindfulness practices affect cross-cultural communication and, in turn, build social capital in academic environments. A mixed method was adopted in the study. In the first stage, focused group interviews are employed in the first stage with seven groups of nine Australian alumni, for a total of 63 participants who have experience conducting research and teaching abroad or in multicultural settings. In the second stage, 149 alumni were surveyed, and Process Macro SPSS\u27s Hayes model was used to analyse the data. The results showed that those who practice mindfulness are more likely to approach cross-cultural encounters with a greater awareness of and respect for different points of view. According to the findings, mindfulness can be a potent instrument for boosting perception of the community, networking, trust and safety, scholarly participation, citizen power, life values and diverse perspectives among academics. Scholars who engage in mindfulness practices have the potential to cultivate closer ties within academic communities, which could result in joint research opportunities, information exchanges, and career assistance. This study might offer academics a fresh theoretical viewpoint that improves the conceptual frameworks for mindfulness practice for enhancing academic social capital via intercultural communication

An Advanced Logarithmic Phase Mask for Extending Depth of Field of Hybrid Optical Systems

In this paper, an advanced logarithmic phase mask is proposed and its performance is investigated. The essential performance characteristics of phase masks are shown, including the defocused modulation transfer functions (MTF), integral area of the MTF, Hilbert space angle, non-axial Strehl ratio, and decoded images. The results have demonstrated that our phase mask is highly beneficial to extend the depth of field of hybrid optical systems. The advantages of the proposed phase mask in comparison to some other masks are also pointed out

Evolution of the Continental Margin of South to Central Vietnam and Its Relationship to Opening of the South China Sea (East Vietnam Sea)

The continental margin of south to central Vietnam is notable for its high elevation plateaus many of which are covered by late Cenozoic basalt flows. It forms the westernmost margin of a wide continental rift of the South China Sea (East Vietnam Sea), and uplift has been considered a result of either rifting or younger intraplate basalt magmatism. To investigate margin development apatite thermochronometry was applied to a dense array of samples collected from across and along the margin of south to central Vietnam. Results, including thermal history models, identified a distinct regional episode of fast cooling between c. 37 and 30 Ma after which cooling rates remained low. The fast cooling coincides with a period of fast extension across the South China Sea (East Sea) region that preceded continental break-up recorded by Oligocene grabens onshore. A thermal model is used test different processes that might influence the inferred cooling including a distinct pulse of exhumation; a decrease in exhumation followed by an associated transient decrease in geothermal gradients and, underplating coincident with rifting. Thermal relaxation following Mesozoic arc magmatism is ruled out as geotherms returned to background rates within 20 Myrs of emplacement, well before the onset of fast cooling. Models support fast cooling attributed to accelerated erosion during early stages of rifting. Some additional heating from either underplating, and/or hot mantle upwellings is also possible. No evidence was found to support regional uplift associated with the intraplate magmatism, enhanced monsoon-driven erosion or seafloor spreading dynamics