A Study on the Control of Third Generation Spacecraft

An overview of some studies which have recently been carried out on the control of third generation spcecraft, as modelled by the MSAT space vehicle configuration, is made. This spacecraft is highly nonsymmetrical and has appendages which cannot in general be assumed to be rigid. In particular, it is desired to design a controller for MSAT which stabilizes the system and satisfies certain attitude control, shape control, and possibly stationkeeping requirements; in addition, it is desired that the resultant controller should be robust and avoid any undesirable spill over effects. In addition, the controller obtained should have minimum complexity. The method of solution adopted to solve this class of problems is to formulate the problem as a robust servomechanism problem, and thence to obtain existence conditions and a controller characterization to solve the problem. The final controller obtained for MSAT has a distributed control configuration and appears to be quite satisfactory

The Medicalization of Childbirth Within the United States

The World Bank rates the United States last amongst developed countries for maternal mortality, with 14 deaths per 100,000 live births compared to Canada and the Netherlands with 7 deaths per 100,000 live births, and the UK with 9 per 100,000 live births. This paper argues that these deaths are strongly linked to excessive use of Cesarean sections, resulting from increased access to technology, and explores the attendant medicalization of childbirth in the United States. Drawing on interviews with patients, midwives, and physicians, in addition to participant observation of hospitals and private practices within the Tristate area; I compare the medical or physician-led model to the midwifery model. In doing so, I describe distinct aspects of care each model provides to expectant mothers today, and consider the historical evolution of midwifery in the American health care system. I contend that we can improve women’s birthing experiences, regulate the provision of care, improve health outcomes, and reduce high Cesarean section rates through education

The politics of artificial dunes: Sustainable coastal protection measures and contested socio-natural objects

Worldwide, an emerging trend can be observed towards coastal management that works “with nature” – and not against it. A growing “community of practice” (Wenger 1998) is getting involved into projects of so-called “soft” coastal protection. The paper localises the emergence of this “sociotechnical imaginary” (Jasanoff 2015) at the Aotearoa New Zealand coast. It provides an ethnographic analysis of soft coastal protection as a socio-material practice, focusing on coastal dune reshaping. This technique promises a sustainable approach to coastal management that overcomes dualist meanings of coastal protection, understood either as erosion control and property protection, or as nature conservation (Cooper and McKenna 2008). Two examples from the North Island of Aotearoa New Zealand are analysed: a successful project in Whangapoua Beach (Coromandel Peninsula), where dune reshaping has been used by local houseowners as a temporary alternative to a seawall, and the “dune enhancement” part of a contested, Council-commissioned seawall construction project in Waihi Beach (Western Bay of Plenty), which has been perceived as utter failure. The cases show that when soft coastal protection projects are put into practice, the recognition and inclusion of local stakeholders can have manifest material consequences. The paper therefore argues that sustainable coastal protection is not only a technical question, but has a sociomaterial dimension. In order for artificial dunes to “work” as socio-natural objects, local understandings of the rights and responsibilities to care for the coast need to be considered

Student Global Mobility: An Analysis of International STEM Student Brain Drain

This study seeks to understand global mobility patterns of international graduate STEM students studying in the United States. Using data from the NSF Graduate Students in Science Survey (GSSS), this study investigates the political, economic, and social factors affecting students\u27 intent to stay or go, identifying differences based on students\u27 country of origin within World Bank defined categories of gross national income (GNI) per capita. Descriptive statistics identified factors affecting students\u27 intent to stay or go. Chi-square analysis, and analysis of variance (ANOVA) identified differences between factors based on students\u27 intent to stay or go, and identified differences based on students\u27 home country GNI categories

Pre-sorting and pen size effects on the stress responses at loading and unloading and transport losses in market weight pigs

The management and facility design strategies of pre-sorting prior to loading and grow to finish pen size were studied to determine their individual effects on stress responses at loading and unloading and transport losses in market weight pigs. Each trial was conducted on three commercial wean to finish sites in the Midwest. Pre-sorting market weight pigs prior to loading reduced (P \u3c 0.01) the incidence of open mouth breathing (OMB) and skin discoloration (SD) at loading, however; there were no differences (P \u3c 0.05) between pre-sorted and not pre-sorted pigs for the incidence of muscle tremors (MT) at loading, OMB, SD, or MT at unloading, or any transport loss measures at the harvest facility. Pigs raised in small pens throughout the grow to finish period had reduced (P \u3c 0.01) incidences of OMB and SD at loading compared to pigs raised in large pens. At unloading, however; pigs from large pens had a lower incidence (P \u3c 0.01) of SD and no differences (P \u3c 0.05) existed between treatments for OMB or MT. Finally, there were no differences (P \u3c 0.05) between pen size treatments for any transport loss measures at the harvest facility

First Generation International Students and the 4Ds Shaping the Future of Global Student Mobility: A Comparative Report Analysis

First generation international students are a harbinger for the coming wave of globally mobile students. This article describes trends in the 4 D’s shaping the future of global student mobility: demographics, drivers, directions, and delivery. Authors use analysis of the National Survey of College Graduates (NSCG, 2015) to illustrate these trends in first-generation international students

The Development of Social Capital Through International Students\u27 Involvement in Campus Organizations

This study examines campus organization involvement as a mechanism for social capital development. Researchers used analysis of variance (ANOVA) to examine variations in network size, strength, and composition for international students involved in different types of campus organizations. The researchers also examined the relationship of campus organization involvement to international students’ sense of attachment to the university. Students who participated in major-based organizations or leadership programs had larger, less dense, more diverse networks that lead to social networks which are particularly advantageous to social mobility. Students who participated in campus organizations related to their own cultural heritage had networks built of friends from all cultures, creating a greater sense of belonging and attachment to the university. Implications of social capital for practice and future research are discussed

Establishing Bedding Requirements on Trailers Transporting Market Weight Pigs in Warm Weather

During warm weather, incorrect bedding levels on a trailer transporting market weight pigs may result in heat stress, fatigue, and death. Two experiments were conducted in June and July of 2011; Experiment 1 used 80 loads (n = 13,887 pigs) to determine the effects of two bedding levels (3 (68.1 kg) or 6 bags (136.2 kg) of wood shavings/trailer [each bag contained 22.7 kg, 0.2 m3]) on pig measures (surface temperature, vocalizations, slips and falls, and stress signs). Experiment 2 used 131 loads (n = 22,917 pigs) to determine the effects of bedding (3 vs. 6 bags) on transport losses (dead, sum of dead- and euthanized- on arrival; non-ambulatory, sum of fatigued and injured; total transport losses sum of dead and non-ambulatory). Bedding did not affect surface temperature, vocalizations, or slips and falls (p = 0.58, p = 0.50, and p = 0.28, respectively). However, pigs transported on 6 bags/trailer had 1.5% more stress signs than pigs transported on 3 bags/trailer (p \u3c 0.01). No differences were observed between bedding levels for non-ambulatory, dead, or total transport losses (p = 0.10, p = 0.67, and p = 0.34, respectively). Within the context of these experiments, bedding level did not result in deleterious effects on pig measures or transport losses. However, using more bedding may result in higher costs to the industry. Therefore, 3 bags of bedding/trailer may be used when transporting market weight pigs during warm weather in the Midwestern U.S