Health impacts of wind turbines

This report presents the results of a rapid, desk based analysis of peer reviewed UK and international literature from the last four years on the effects of wind turbines on human health. The review covers literature specified by the Scottish government, peer-reviewed original studies and recent peer-reviewed literature reviews. Recent original studies consist mostly of cross-sectional studies and case studies on the effects of wind turbines on local residents. All studies present evidence for annoyance due to wind turbine noise and most concur that there is evidence for sleep disturbance in the presence of wind farms but not necessarily from noise. Both results are in agreement with the effects of noise from other environmental sources. Other health effects are increasingly reported in the presence of wind turbines but the reviewed literature does not provide firm scientific evidence of a causal relationship with wind turbines or even more specifically wind turbine noise. The most widely quoted cross-sectional studies show correlations between annoyance and visual impact, economic benefit and attitude related to wind turbines. Wind turbine sound is reported to be comparatively weakly related to annoyance and inseparable from the other contributing factors. Literature on low frequency noise and infrasound (LFIS) can be categorised as reviews, sound level measurements around windfarms and discussion of mechanisms of perception and response. A Swedish review finds no evidence to support ‘wind turbine syndrome’ while another concludes that further research is required. Regarding noise measurements, there are concerns that a new generation of wind turbines will produce a sound with a spectrum shifted down in frequency. However, a study in Australia concluded that infrasound levels near windfarms were no higher than elsewhere and that higher levels in urban areas were probably due to traffic and other human activity rather than wind turbines. Some other studies found measured sound levels near wind farms to conform with a range of criteria for LFIS. Papers by Salt et al. propose that LFIS may differentially stimulate structures in the human inner ear, and may instigate health effects even when inaudible. The authors seek to build a speculative case utilising experimental data gleaned from guinea pigs and some observations on human experiences with specific pathological conditions. Based upon the documents submitted, the proposal is unproven, and would need clear data from hypothesis driven independent research in humans in order to be credible. A proposal by US consultants that motion sickness-like symptoms reported at one wind farm might be caused by acoustic excitation of the balance organs is not new and has previously been discounted as an explanation for similar reported effects not involving wind turbines. Other evidence on acoustic stimulation of the balance organs has been noted but not reviewed. Health effects from other wind turbine related sources such as shadow flicker have been reported in several studies and guidelines to be less of a problem. Careful wind farm design and operational restrictions are suggested to be sufficient to minimise the impact. The mitigation strategies have been found to vary widely internationally with some countries and federal states using fixed noise limits, others using noise limits relative to existing background levels and many like the UK using a combination of both. Set-back distances are also used internationally but have a number of disadvantages. The relevant UK guideline document ETSU-R-97 aims to provide a reasonable degree of protection to noise sensitive listeners; without unduly restricting the development of wind turbine renewable energy resources. In the international comparison the ETSU-R-97 guidelines tends to result in comparatively low noise limits although direct comparisons between fixed and relative noise limits are difficult. ETSU-R-97 has been criticised for its inconsistent implementation and relative complexity. Good practice guidelines by the Institute of Acoustics which aim to address the implementation issues are due to be published in May

Noise and vibration from building-mounted micro wind turbines Part 2: Results of measurements and analysis

Description To research the quantification of vibration from a micro turbine, and to develop a method of prediction of vibration and structure borne noise in a wide variety of installations in the UK. Objective The objectives of the study are as follows: 1) Develop a methodology to quantify the amount of source vibration from a building mounted micro wind turbine installation, and to predict the level of vibration and structure-borne noise impact within such buildings in the UK. 2) Test and validate the hypothesis on a statically robust sample size 3) Report the developed methodology in a form suitable for widespread adoption by industry and regulators, and report back on the suitability of the method on which to base policy decisions for a future inclusion for building mounted turbines in the GPDO

Extent and structure of treatment of substance abusers in multiservice mental-health agencies : a work behavior analysis

This study investigated factors which contribute to the global self-esteem of professional women assumed to be competent. Special interest was directed toward exploration of the extent to which these successful women had high self-efficacy yet low self-worth. Participants were mainly white middle class college-educated professional women between the ages of 32-46. Each of the 184 participants completed a questionnaire regarding dimensions of self-esteem and gender identity. The questionnaire on self-esteem included measures of global self-esteem, self-efficacy, and self-worth. Independent variables included gender identity status, traditional versus non-traditional fields of work, mother's encouragement of independence, and mother's employment. The effect of these factors was examined through a MANOVA, a series of ANOVAs, t-tests, and a regression analysis

Teacher leadership behaviors and proactive influence tactics in North Carolina public schools

This study examined teacher leadership behaviors and proactive influence tactics used among interactions of teachers in North Carolina schools. All teachers are now required to demonstrate leadership in the classroom, in the school, and in the teaching profession (North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards, 2008). Since teachers hold no formal authority over one another, teachers use a variety of influence tactics to lead peers. The conceptual framework for this study used a blend of Spillane, Halverson, and Diamond’s theory of distributed leadership, Yukl’s identification of 11 proactive influence tactics, teacher leadership behaviors aligned with the North Carolina Professional Teaching Standards, and North Carolina Standards for School Executives. This framework provided insight into how teachers lead when teachers are both leaders and followers. This study answered five research questions: 1. What leadership behaviors do teachers enact in formal and informal situations? 2. What behavioral influence tactics do teachers perceive are used on them? 3. What behavioral influence tactics do teachers use? 4. What patterns of influence among teachers are associated with teacher leadership behaviors in formal and informal situations? 5. How does principal support influence teacher leadership? This study used a correlational, cross-sectional research design. The sample consisted of classroom teachers in seven school districts across the state (N = 493). A Teacher Leadership Behavior Questionnaire was used to explore specific teacher leadership behaviors and the target and agent versions of Yukl’s Influence Behavior Questionnaire (IBQ) were used to measure behavioral influence tactics used among teachers. Teacher leadership behaviors were categorized into six different groups based on situation: informal classroom, formal classroom, informal school, formal school, informal profession, and formal profession. Creating and maintaining a safe and supportive classroom environment had the highest percentage of high-frequency behavior. Conversely, few respondents said they very often develop policies or lead professional development outside of their school. The proactive influence tactic respondents reported being used most frequently on them as targets was facts and logic to make a persuasive case for a request or proposal. Proactive influence tactics that used pressure were reportedly used the least often on respondents. Demanding to carry out a request was the behavior with the lowest percentage of frequency. Similarly, as agents of influence, the most frequently used proactive influence tactic respondents reported using was facts and logic to make a persuasive case for a request or proposal. Very few respondents reported frequent use of pressure tactics or demanding a colleague carry out a request. There was a statistically significant association between pressure tactics and formal school and formal profession leadership. Agent non-pressure tactics and target 10 non-pressure tactics were both statistically significantly and positively associated with informal school, formal school, informal profession, and formal profession situations. Principal support was statistically significantly associated with teacher leadership. In all six situations of teacher leadership behavior, the means were higher when principal support was higher. Findings indicate it is incumbent upon the North Carolina State Board of Education, local school districts, principals, and teachers themselves, to develop leadership skills among teachers. In addition, if the use and acceptance of pressure tactics when leading in education increased, North Carolina public schools may experience an increase in the number of teachers leading in our schools and profession

Members' views and practices concerning the Association for Assessment in Counseling

This article reports the results of a survey of 391 Association for Assessment in Counseling (AAC) members concerning the organization's activities; its journal, Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling Development; AAC Newsnotes; strategic planning goals; and convention activities

Noise and vibration from building-mounted micro wind turbines part 3 : prediction methodology

This brief report describes a simplified method for estimation of levels of structure-borne sound in buildings to which a micro-wind turbine (MWT) is attached. The method is applicable to two specific designs of MWT, each for three lengths of mounting pole and for masonry buildings. The output gives expected noise level for given rotational speed of the MWT. Applicability and limitations of the method are described. A more general methodology is provided in companion reports but requires specialist knowledge to implement. Structure-borne sound is notoriously difficult to predict and several assumptions have been necessary in order to produce a sufficiently simple estimation method. Therefore, caution is required in relying on the predictions until sufficient confidence has been built up through experience of real installations

Sensitivity analysis of circadian entrainment in the space of phase response curves

Sensitivity analysis is a classical and fundamental tool to evaluate the role of a given parameter in a given system characteristic. Because the phase response curve is a fundamental input--output characteristic of oscillators, we developed a sensitivity analysis for oscillator models in the space of phase response curves. The proposed tool can be applied to high-dimensional oscillator models without facing the curse of dimensionality obstacle associated with numerical exploration of the parameter space. Application of this tool to a state-of-the-art model of circadian rhythms suggests that it can be useful and instrumental to biological investigations.Comment: 22 pages, 8 figures. Correction of a mistake in Definition 2.1. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1206.414