Out of the ashes : an innovative service response following a hostel fire

When the Earlsferry Hostel, a home for twenty one people with an intellectually disability, was severely damaged by fire in 1989, the Authority for Intellectually Handicapped Persons (Alli) decided to provide alternative living arrangements which most ideally suited the needs and aspirations of the individual residents. This decision was in line with the Alli Home Environment Services Plan. This monograph describes the organisation of these living arrangements which included a transition program to independent living, living with supportive neighbours, shared housing rented from the State Housing Authority, Homeswest, and living in a coresidency situation. The monograph also looks at the assessment of client and staff outcomes and the costs of the project compared to running the Hostel. Finally, it discusses the issues which were crucial to the project\u27s success and which would be of benefit to those undertaking a similar transition

Novel dimeric β-helical model of an ice nucleation protein with bridged active sites

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Ice nucleation proteins (INPs) allow water to freeze at high subzero temperatures. Due to their large size (>120 kDa), membrane association, and tendency to aggregate, an experimentally-determined tertiary structure of an INP has yet to be reported. How they function at the molecular level therefore remains unknown.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here we have predicted a novel β-helical fold for the INP produced by the bacterium <it>Pseudomonas borealis</it>. The protein uses internal serine and glutamine ladders for stabilization and is predicted to dimerize via the burying of a solvent-exposed tyrosine ladder to make an intimate hydrophobic contact along the dimerization interface. The manner in which <it>Pb</it>INP dimerizes also allows for its multimerization, which could explain the aggregation-dependence of INP activity. Both sides of the <it>Pb</it>INP structure have tandem arrays of amino acids that can organize waters into the ice-like clathrate structures seen on antifreeze proteins.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Dimerization dramatically increases the 'ice-active' surface area of the protein by doubling its width, increasing its length, and presenting identical ice-forming surfaces on both sides of the protein. We suggest that this allows sufficient anchored clathrate waters to align on the INP surface to nucleate freezing. As <it>Pb</it>INP is highly similar to all known bacterial INPs, we predict its fold and mechanism of action will apply to these other INPs.</p

Constitutive expression of Yes-associated protein (Yap) in adult skeletal muscle fibres induces muscle atrophy and myopathy

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Moisture Buffer Potential of Experimental Wall Assemblies Incorporating Formulated Hemp-lime

Experiments were carried out according to the Nordtest protocol to study the moisture buffer potential of hemp-lime walls with a range of different internal linings and surface treatments. It was observed that the moisture buffer value was ‘Excellent’ when the inner surface of hemp-lime was exposed. ‘Excellent’ moisture buffer values were also obtained for hemp-lime with lime plaster. All other assemblies demonstrated ‘Good’ moisture buffer value. Moisture buffer values of the assemblies, after application of paint on the upper surfaces, were also determined. It was observed that application of synthetic pigment based trade paint could reduce the moisture buffer performance of the assembly consisting of hemp-lime and lime-plaster from ‘Excellent’ to ‘Good’ while between 61-69% reduction of moisture buffer value was observed for the other assemblies. However, the reduced buffer values of the assemblies are still comparable with other moisture buffering building materials. It was further observed that moisture buffer performance was improved when clay based organic paint was used instead of trade paint

In situ assessment of the fabric and energy performance of five conventional and non-conventional wall systems using comparative coheating tests

Comparative coheating tests have been carried out in five test buildings with walls constructed of Concrete Block Masonry and timber framed Hemp-lime composite, Polyisocyanurate (PIR), Wood Fibre and Mineral Wool. Five different methods of determining heat loss coefficient (HLC) were applied during the data analysis. While some variability in HLC values was observed between the different forms of construction, the hierarchy of HLC values among the test buildings were consistent, with the Concrete Block Masonry exhibiting the highest and Wood Fibre test building exhibiting the lowest HLC values. Except for the Concrete Block Masonry, there was good agreement between the calculated HLC values and those derived by applying the method 5 where the analysis incorporated both the effects of solar radiation and thermal mass. The in-situ U-value for the Concrete Block wall, determined by the average method, was 32.8% higher than its design value, whilst the other wall systems showed marginally lower U-values than their corresponding design U-values.<br/