The Rotterdam Study: 2012 objectives and design update

The Rotterdam Study is a prospective cohort study ongoing since 1990 in the city of Rotterdam in The Netherlands. The study targets cardiovascular, endocrine, hepatic, neurological, ophthalmic, psychiatric, dermatological, oncological, and respiratory diseases. As of 2008, 14,926 subjects aged 45 years or over comprise the Rotterdam Study cohort. The findings of the Rotterdam Study have been presented in over a 1,000 research articles and reports (see www.erasmus-epidemiology.nl/rotterdamstudy). This article gives the rationale of the study and its design. It also presents a summary of the major findings and an update of the objectives and methods

Analyzing the Unsteady Dynamic Behaviour of a Small Wind Turbine for Urban Applications

The use of wind energy in urban areas is challenging especially for the unsteadiness of the resource on very short time scales. This makes the full conversion of the resource almost impossible because the wind turbine is not able to optimally follow the wind fluctuations exactly balancing the production and the load. Therefore the analysis and the development of conversion systems specifically suited for urban areas need to be faced with a different approach with respect to large wind power plants. In this work, a new experimental and numerical approach is proposed and tested for the development and the characterization of a small horizontal axis wind turbine. The method is aimed at studying how the turbine and the control system are able to react to a controlled turbulent wind generated experimentally in the “R. Balli” Wind tunnel at the University of Perugia. This new experimental approach is able to give useful information on how the system design can be adjusted to the specific urban conditions improving the aerodynamic and control system dynamic performance

Evaluation of a National Curriculum Reform Effort for the Medicine Core Clerkship

BACKGROUND: In 1995, the Society of General Internal Medicine (SGIM) and the Clerkship Directors in Internal Medicine (CDIM) developed and disseminated a new model curriculum for the medicine core clerkship that was designed to enhance learning of generalist competencies and increase interest in general internal medicine. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dissemination and use of the resulting SGIM/CDIM Core Medicine Clerkship Curriculum Guide. DESIGN: Survey of internal medicine clerkship directors at the 125 medical schools in the United States. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The questionnaire elicited information about the use and usefulness of the Guide and each of its components, barriers to effective use of the Guide, and outcomes associated with use of the Guide. Responses were received from 95 clerkship directors, representing 88 (70%) of the 125 medical schools. Eighty-seven (92%) of the 95 respondents were familiar with the Guide, and 80 respondents had used it. The 4 components used most frequently were the basic generalist competencies (used by 83% of those familiar with the Guide), learning objectives for these competencies (used by 83%), learning objectives for training problems (used by 70%), and specific training problems (used by 67%); 74% to 85% of those using these components found them moderately or very useful. The most frequently identified barriers to use of the Guide were insufficient faculty time, insufficient number of ambulatory care preceptors and training sites, and need for more faculty development. About 30% or more of those familiar with the Guide reported that use of the Guide was associated with improved ability to meet clerkship accreditation criteria, improved performance of students on the clerkship exam, and increased clerkship time devoted to ambulatory care. CONCLUSION: This federally supported initiative that engaged the collaborative efforts of the SGIM and the CDIM was successful in facilitating significant changes in the medicine core clerkship across the United States