Viscous rotary vane actuator/damper

A compact viscous rotary actuator/damper for use on the Mariner '71 and Viking Programs was developed. Several functions were combined into this single mechanism to control the deployment, latching, and damping of the solar panel arrays used on these space vehicles. The design, development, and testing of the actuator/damper are described, and major problems encountered are discussed

From ‘What’s Wrong with You?’ to ‘What’s Happened to You?’: an Introduction to the Special Issue on the Power Threat Meaning Framework

The Power Threat Meaning Framework (PTMF), published by the British Psychological Society (BPS) in 2018, is an attempt to address the question of how we might understand what Harry Stack Sullivan called ‘problems in living’ other than by using psychiatric diagnostic systems. How might we best conceptualize emotional distress and behaviour which might concern or trouble others? We describe the context within which the PTMF was developed and explain some of its key elements before giving an overview of the articles in this special issue

The Power Threat Meaning Framework: Addressing Adversity, Challenging Prejudice and Stigma, and Transforming Services

Advocates of a biomedical approach have argued that: it provides an evidence-based approach to classifying and understanding the causes of problems; adopting a biomedical understanding will reduce stigma; and biomedical interventions are effective and evidence-based. This article reviews the literature and finds not only that there is little or no evidence for these assumptions but that, in fact, the research evidence points to the need for the kind of alternative approach proposed by the PTMF. Alternative causal models which recognise the role of psychosocial adversities are described and alternative approaches to diagnostic classification and destigmatisation programmes are suggested and innovative attempts to redesign services in a manner consistent with the PTMF approach are described. The article concludes by discussing implications for policy-level change

Retrofitting Urban Flood Resilience: An Investigation and Evaluation of Current Strategies

There are two trends that are creating a worldwide crisis. Firstly, cities are growing denser every day, and many of the major cities developed along the coasts or with adjacencies to water, stemming from a thriving trade industry and industrialization. On a separate track, the effects of global climate change are projected to increase sea level along with the frequency and intensity of flooding disasters. Therefore, these projections are placing cities at a highly vulnerable crux with few foreseeable solutions in sight. In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) were redrawn, and buildings that previously were not in the floodplain were suddenly faced with insurance premiums from the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). Guides have been developed by organizations such as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the American Institute of Architects (AIA), offering strategies for retrofitting flood-resistant design for single-family and non-residential buildings, but there is a gap in the knowledge of how to apply the existing strategies to buildings in a dense urban landscape. Cities face distinct challenges when absorbing and recovering from flooding disasters, especially as some were not designed for disaster preparedness of such events. Viable solutions must then be adaptable specifically for urban settings. Through this investigation, a methodology was developed to evaluate the existing retrofitting flood-resilient strategies appropriate for dense urban areas. The methodology was then tested by applying the strategies to a case study building. The results of the application determined gaps in the current knowledge and provided information to propose recommendations for future research

IMPACT OF RISK PREFERENCES ON CROP ROTATION CHOICE

Stochastic dominance analysis of five crop rotations using twenty-one years of experimental yield data returned results consistent with Pennsylvania cropping practices. The analysis incorporated yield risk, output price risk, and rotational yield effects. A rotation of two years corn and three years alfalfa hay dominated for approximately risk neutral and risk averse preferences, as did participation in government programs under the 1990 Farm Bill. Crop rotation selection appeared to impact net revenues more than the decision to participate in government programs.Crop Production/Industries, Risk and Uncertainty,

Diagnosis special issue - Introduction: Moving beyond diagnosis: Practising what we preach

John Cromby, Dave Harper and Paula Reavey introduce the special issue

Far infrared maps of the ridge between OMC-1 and OMC-2

Dust continuum emission from a 6 ft x 20 ft region surrounding OMC-1 and OMC-2 were mapped at 55 and 125 microns with 4 ft resolution. The dominant features of the maps are a strong peak at OMC-1 and a ridge of lower surface brightness between OMC-1 and OMC-2. Along the ridge the infrared flux densities and the color temperature decreases smoothly from OMC-1 to OMC-2. OMC-1 is heated primarily by several optical and infrared stars situated within or just at the boundary of the cloud. At the region of minimum column density between OMC-1 and OMC-2 the nearby B0.5 V star NU Ori may contribute significantly to the dust heating. Near OMC-2 dust column densities are large enough so that, in addition to the OMC-2 infrared cluster, the nonlocal infrared sources associated with OMC-1 and NU Ori can contribute to the heating

Building a Robust Commercial Microgravity Economy in Earth's Orbit: Economic Readiness Considerations

The reduced gravity environment of space provides a unique opportunity to further our understanding of various materials phenomena involving the molten, fluidic and gaseous states as well as life science applications where, contrary to earlier beliefs, microgravity induces changes in single cells and simple organisms; not only in large organisms with a complex overall response to gravity (or lack thereof). The potential breadth of commercial opportunities in microgravity thus spans over many verticals of the private sector with applications ranging from fiber optics, high-resolution crystals, microencapsulation, 3D organs to perfume and color dyes. Overall, products manufactured in microgravity hold the promise to have key properties surpassing their best terrestrial counterparts. Commercialization, also known as taking a new technology to market, is a journey in itself where the business, economic, market and technological components must align to generate a successful outcome. A business perspective is very different than technology maturation. In order for a technology to be ready for commercialization, it must not only be mature, but it must also have a compelling business case, and the means to scale up production must be identified and practical. Creating a robust economy in Earths orbit (Fig 1) is especially challenging because of the complexity (high risks, lack of standardization) involved in predicting future growth. This complexity can easily overwhelm the fact that many of the products have an attractive touch of space which aids with branding and marketing.This paper reviews the types of added value that can be extracted from space, with an emphasis on the microgravity environment. In addition, lessons learned from past commercialization efforts will be reviewed. While past efforts have yielded some point successes, they have as a whole failed to precipitate a sustainable LEO based marke