Core-collapse supernovae in low-metallicity environments and future all-sky transient surveys

Aims. Massive stars in low-metallicity environments may produce exotic explosions such as long-duration gamma-ray bursts and pair-instability supernovae when they die as core-collapse supernovae (CCSNe). Such events are predicted to be relatively common in the early Universe during the first episodes of star-formation. To understand these distant explosions it is vital to study nearby CCSNe arising in low-metallicity environments to determine if the explosions have different characteristics to those studied locally in high-metallicity galaxies. Many of the nearby supernova searches concentrate their efforts on high star-formation rate galaxies, hence biasing the discoveries to metal rich regimes. Here we determine the feasibility of searching for these CCSNe in metal-poor dwarf galaxies using various survey strategies.

Supported Housing for People with Severe Mental Disorders

Background There has been a significant reduction in the number of people with severe mental illness who spend extended periods in long-stay hospitals. District health authorities, local authorities, housing associations and voluntary organisations are jointly expected to provide support for people with severe mental disorder/s. This 'support' may well involve some kind of special housing. Objectives To determine the effects of supported housing schemes compared with outreach support schemes or 'standard care' for people with severe mental disorder/s living in the community. Search methods For the 2006 update we searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group Trials Register (April 2006) and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, 2006 Issue 2). Selection criteria We included all relevant randomised, or quasi-randomised, trials dealing with people with 'severe mental disorder/s' allocated to supported housing, compared with outreach support schemes or standard care. We focused on outcomes of service utilisation, mental state, satisfaction with care, social functioning, quality of life and economic data. Data collection and analysis We reliably selected studies, quality rated them and undertook data extraction. For dichotomous data, we would have estimated relative risks (RR), with the 95% confidence intervals (CI). Where possible, we would have calculated the number needed to treat statistic (NNT). We would have carried out analysis by intention-to-treat and would have summated normal continuous data using the weighted mean difference (WMD). We would have presented scale data for only those tools that had attained pre-specified levels of quality and undertaken tests for heterogeneity and publication bias. Main results Although 139 citations were acquired from the searches, no study met the inclusion criteria. Authors' conclusions Dedicated schemes whereby people with severe mental illness are located within one site or building with assistance from professional workers have potential for great benefit as they provide a 'safe haven' for people in need of stability and support. This, however, may be at the risk of increasing dependence on professionals and prolonging exclusion from the community. Whether or not the benefits outweigh the risks can only be a matter of opinion in the absence of reliable evidence. There is an urgent need to investigate the effects of supported housing on people with severe mental illness within a randomised trial.

Slievabawnogue Housing:Two Dwellings in A Disused Quarry

This project involves the construction of a dwelling in the outskirts of Dublin City. Situated in a disused quarry, the house act as an inhabited bridge, spanning between natural and man made outcrops, service structures and a shared entrance staircase. The houses language derives from the structure necessary to achieve these spans.
The section internally is modeled to present a variety of scales of spaces. More intimate living spaces and bedrooms occur in a lower, north-facing wing. Taller living spaces address the south.

Incorporating rainwater harvesting, wood-gasifying boilers, on site wind powered electrical generation, solar thermal panels and very high levels of insulation the houses are close to energy neutral. The fact that the house is constructed in massive timber construction means that 250 tonnes of carbon are sequestered in its construction. The design includes a 25yar replanting strategy to replace the existing coniferous-forested surrounds with native species in a coppiced planting strategy to allow ongoing fuel for the house, and cash crops to be sold on.

Located in an area of outstanding natural beauty the planning and design of the house involved research into patterns of rural development, the relationship between man made interventions and the natural landscape and the technology of the vernacular. This latter research forms part of the themes being explored under the Kevin Kieran Arts Council / OPW Bursary

Aims / Objectives Questions

1 To design and construct a low energy place to dwell.
2 To investigate the relationship between man-made interventions and new construction in an area of outstanding natural beauty.
3 To derive a language of construction that is contemporary in nature but refers to precedents embedded in the vernacular.
4 To develop a low-carbon form of construction that allows the construction of the house to act to sequester carbon
5 To make a contemporary addition in sympathy with the qualities of the existing site

Climate Adaptation: The future of extra-care housing for the elderly in the United Kingdom.

This paper describes the result of a project to develop climate adaptation design strategies funded by the UK’s Technology Strategy Board. The aim of the project was to look at the effects of climate change in the distant future (2080) on a vulnerable group such as older people with special needs and see how architectural design strategies and technologies may be used today to help mitigate problems ahead caused by climate change.
Older people are the most vulnerable sector of society and are particularly at risk in extreme weather, either excess cold in winter or continual high temperatures in summer. In the UK it is predicted that average temperatures may rise by as much as 8 degrees in Summer by 2080 and there will be a 20% greater chance of extreme weather events. This will place extreme stress on the building stock which is designed for today’s mild maritime climate.
The project took a current proposal for an extra-care home for the elderly designed to 2010 regulations and developed a road map to 2080 using climate models developed by the UK Meteorological Office. This allowed the current design to be assessed using future climatic data, proposals for improvement of the scheme to be made within existing constraints and also a new scheme to be developed from first principals using this data, and projections of new technologies that will be available. By comparing these schemes, the approach allowed a reassessment of the initial scheme, and allowed a new design to be developed that offered a more flexible solution incorporating future retrofit which allows new renewable technologies for heating, cooling and water storage to be added at a later date.