Single Housing Research Articles

Clinical and functional characteristics of young adults living in single room occupancy housing: preliminary findings from a 10-year longitudinal study.

Young adults living in single room occupancy (SRO) hotels, a form of low-income housing, are known to have complex health and substance problems compared to their peers in the general population. The objective of this study is to comprehensively describe the mental, physical, and social health profile of young adults living in SROs. This study reports baseline data from young adults aged 18-29years, as part of a prospective cohort study of adults living in SROs in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Baseline and follow-up data were collected from 101 young adults (median follow-up period 1.9years [IQR 1.0-3.1]). The comprehensive assessment included laboratory tests, neuroimaging, and clinician- and patient-reported measures of mental, physical, and social health and functioning. Three youth died during the preliminary follow-up period, translating into a higher than average mortality rate (18.6, 95% CI 6.0, 57.2) compared to age- and sex-matched Canadians. High prevalence of interactions with the health, social, and justice systems was reported. Participants were living with median two co-occurring illnesses, including mental, neurological, and infectious diseases. Greater number of multimorbid illnesses was associated with poorer real-world functioning (ρ = - 0.373, p < 0.001). All participants reported lifetime alcohol and cannabis use, with pervasive use of stimulants and opioids. This study reports high mortality rates, multimorbid illnesses, poor functioning, poverty, and ongoing unmet mental health needs among young adults living in SROs. Frequent interactions with the health, social, and justice systems suggest important points of intervention to improve health and functional trajectories of this vulnerable population.

Teardown Index: Impact of property values on carbon dioxide emissions of single family housing in Vancouver

Buildings are significant drivers of climate change, generating one third of global greenhouse gas emissions. When new buildings are constructed to high performance standards, increased rates of building replacement spurred by rising property values can raise the operating efficiency of building stocks. However, it can take years before the embodied greenhouse gas emissions associated with new construction are offset by more efficient operations. This paper calculates the carbon dioxide emission payback period of newly constructed efficient single family homes in Vancouver, British Columbia. The average carbon dioxide emission payback period of 168 years for a typical high efficiency new home renders it unlikely that emission savings will be realized before it is replaced. A statistical model called the Teardown Index is presented, which indicates that replacing older poorly performing homes with new high efficiency homes in Vancouver will result in 1.3–2.8 million tonnes of additional carbon dioxide equivalent emissions between 2017 and 2050. For each percent increase to the compound annual growth rate of property values, an additional 150 thousand tonnes of CO2e will be released between 2017-2050. The findings suggest that current policies aimed at reducing emissions through new high efficiency buildings should be reconsidered.

The Antimicrobial Peptide CRAMP Is Essential for Colon Homeostasis by Maintaining Microbiota Balance.

Commensal bacteria are critical for physiological functions in the gut, and dysbiosis in the gut may cause diseases. In this article, we report that mice deficient in cathelin-related antimicrobial peptide (CRAMP) were defective in the development of colon mucosa and highly sensitive to dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-elicited colitis, as well as azoxymethane-mediated carcinogenesis. Pretreatment of CRAMP-/- mice with antibiotics markedly reduced the severity of DSS-induced colitis, suggesting CRAMP as a limiting factor on dysbiosis in the colon. This was supported by observations that wild-type (WT) mice cohoused with CRAMP-/- mice became highly sensitive to DSS-induced colitis, and the composition of fecal microbiota was skewed by CRAMP deficiency. In particular, several bacterial species that are typically found in oral microbiota, such as Mogibacterium neglectum, Desulfovibrio piger, and Desulfomicrobium orale, were increased in feces of CRAMP-/- mice and were transferred to WT mice during cohousing. When littermates of CRAMP+/- parents were examined, the composition of the fecal microbiota of WT pups and heterozygous parents was similar. In contrast, although the difference in fecal microbiota between CRAMP-/- and WT pups was small early on after weaning and single mouse housing, there was an increasing divergence with prolonged single housing. These results indicate that CRAMP is critical in maintaining colon microbiota balance and supports mucosal homeostasis, anti-inflammatory responses, and protection from carcinogenesis.

Long-term metabolic cage housing increases anxiety/depression-related behaviours in adult male rats

There are several reports on unfavourable effects of metabolic cage housing on animal welfare mainly due to the characteristic structures of these cages such as single housing and grid flooring. This study was aimed to compare the effects of long-term metabolic cage housing and conventional housing (normal grouped housing in standard cages) on the anxiety/depression-like behaviours in male rats. Anxiety/depression-related behaviours were evaluated by use of forced swimming test and open field test. Swimming and climbing were significantly lower and immobility duration higher in the metabolic cage group. In the open field test, total distance, mean velocity, time spent in the central area, zone transition, grooming, and rearing scores were significantly lower in the metabolic cage. Moreover, serum corticosterone level was higher in the metabolic cage group. The results of the study indicate that long-term metabolic cage housing may cause an increase in the anxiety- and depression-related behaviours in male rats.

A Comparison of Cats (Felis silvestris catus) Housed in Groups and Single Cages at a Shelter: A Retrospective Matched Cohort Study.

Simple SummaryWhen cats are relinquished to shelters, they frequently experience a great deal of stress. Shelters often try to control certain aspects of their environment, such as housing, to help them relax. Some cats are placed in small group rooms upon entry, whereas others are placed in single cages. There are tradeoffs to both systems. We wanted to compare the experience and outcomes of cats placed in single housing and group housing in shelters. We found that their experiences while at the shelter were similar, however single-housed cats were moved to the isolation unit more frequently than group-housed cats, which reduced their visibility to the public by pulling them off the adoption floor. Single-housed cats were also sent to the offsite location more frequently, which means they spent more time in transport than group-housed cats. Both groups were adopted at approximately the same rate and after similar lengths of time. However, the rate of return was high, especially in group-housed cats, and live release rate after return was lower than after a cat’s initial stay. More research is needed to know why this is happening and how to reduce returns after adoption.The merits of various housing options for domestic cats in shelters have been debated. However, comparisons are difficult to interpret because cats are typically not able to be randomly assigned to different housing conditions. In the current study, we attempted to address some of these issues by creating a retrospective matched cohort of cats in two housing types. Cats in group housing (GH) were matched with cats in single housing (SH) that were the same age, sex, breed, coat color, and size. Altogether we were able to find a match for 110 GH cats. We compared these two groups on several measures related to their experience at the shelter such as moves and the development of behavioral problems. We also compared these groups on outcomes including length of stay, live release, and returns after adoption. We found that while the frequency of moves was similar in both groups, SH cats were more likely to be moved to offsite facilities than GH cats. SH cats also spent a smaller proportion of time on the adoption floor. Length of stay and, live release and returns after adoption did not significantly differ across groups, however GH cats were two times as likely to be returned after adoption. Future research should look at the behavioral impacts of shelter decision-making regarding moving and management of cats in different housing systems.

Investigation of potential risk factors associated with Salmonella presence in commercial laying hen farms in Nigeria

BackgroundIn 2012/13, the Federal government of Nigeria approved the surveillance of salmonellae in commercial poultry farms with the aim of generating baseline data for the development of a control programme. That baseline provided an opportunity to investigate potential risk factors in commercial layer farms. MethodsFive hundred and twenty-three farms were evaluated for the presence of Salmonella. Each farmer was interviewed through a structured questionnaire. Univariate analysis identified 26 variables potentially associated with Salmonella presence on the farms, with different levels of significance. To simultaneously evaluate the effect of these variables, a multivariable logistic regression model was implemented. ResultsFarmers that are member of the Poultry Association of Nigeria (PAN) emerged as a risk factor, as well as being farmer as exclusive occupation. The risk of Salmonella increased in farms with a combined housing system as compared to farms with a single housing system. Moreover, in terms of farm management the use of plastic egg crates had a higher risk of Salmonella presence compared to paper crates. Higher risk of contamination was also identified in farms having regular contact with animal health workers, since this could be indicative of animal health problems requiring continuous assistance. Farms with no previous outbreak of salmonellosis were associated with an increase risk, since most of the farms in this category were newly established. With regard to feeding, the use of coccidiostats and commercial feeds were associated with the spread of Salmonella. Unexpectedly, the presence of other farms at distances further than 1 km away was associated with an increase in Salmonella presence as compared to farms which were in closer proximity. Close proximity among farms could favour the application of stricter biosecurity measures. ConclusionsThe results of the survey can be considered a baseline for implementing effective measures aimed at reducing the Salmonella prevalence in Nigerian laying hen farms.

Housing and testing in mixed-sex rooms increases motivation and accuracy during operant testing in both male and female mice.

Operant behavior tasks are widely used in neuroscience research, but little is known about how variables such as housing and testing conditions affect rodent operant performance. We have previously observed differences in operant performance in male and female mice depending on whether mice were housed and tested in rooms containing only one sex versus rooms containing both sexes. Here, male and female mice in either single-sex or mixed sex housing rooms were trained on fixed ratio 1 (FR1) and progressive ratio (PR) tasks. For both sexes, animals in the mixed sex room had more accurate performance in FR1 and were more motivated in the PR task. We then moved the single sex housed animals to the mixed sex room and vice versa. Animals that started in mixed sex housing had no change to PR, but both sexes who started in single sex housing were more motivated after the switch. Additionally, the females that moved into single-sex housing performed less accurately in FR1. We conclude that housing and testing conditions can affect performance on FR1 and PR tasks. As these tasks are commonly used as training steps to more complex tasks, housing and testing conditions should be carefully considered during experiment design and reported in publications.

Two countries, sixteen cities, five thousand kilometres: How many housing markets?

AbstractWe examine whether a single (dynamic) housing market exists across 16 cities within Australia and New Zealand. The two countries are closely integrated but cities are up to 5,000 kilometres apart. A single housing market exhibits a common set of forces determining the long run real house price path in all cities. A strong (weak) form occurs when an innovation affects house prices across all cities to an equal (unequal) degree. The 16 cities comprise a weak form single housing market with significant spatial and dynamic complexities. Three city groups emerge with a natural interpretation in terms of economic and spatial characteristics.

Two Countries, Sixteen Cities, Five Thousand Kilometres: How Many Housing Markets?

We test whether a single housing market exists across sixteen cities covering two countries, Australia and New Zealand. Distances between these cities are vastly greater than commuting distances. We define a single housing market as one in which a single stochastic trend describes the long run path of real house prices in all cities. A strong form single housing market occurs when an innovation to the stochastic trend affects house prices across all cities multiplicatively to an equal degree. A weak form occurs when an innovation to the stochastic trend affects house prices in all cities, but not to an equal degree. We find that the sixteen housing markets are characterised by a weak form single housing market. The dynamic structure of adjustment reveals three groups of cities. House price shocks are first reflected in the price dynamics of a leading group of Australian cities (including Melbourne and Sydney), then flow to a group of follower cities comprising peripheral Australian and major New Zealand cities, and then to a group of laggard cities within New Zealand. Our theoretical model demonstrates how a weak form single housing market may arise due to differences between cities in house price responses to land prices, migration responses to house prices and/or land price responses to migration flows.

Decreased cerebral Irp-1B limits impact of social isolation in wild type and Alzheimer's disease modeled in Drosophila melanogaster.

Environmental factors, such as housing conditions and cognitively stimulating activities, have been shown to affect behavioral phenotypes and to modulate neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder affecting cognitive functions. Epidemiological evidence and experimental studies using rodent models have indicated that social interaction reduces development and progression of disease. Drosophila models of Aβ42-associated AD lead to AD-like phenotypes, such as long-term memory impairment, locomotor and survival deficits, while effects of environmental conditions on AD-associated phenotypes have not been assessed in the fly. Here, we show that single housing reduced survival and motor performance of Aβ42 expressing and control flies. Gene expression analyses of Aβ42 expressing and control flies that had been exposed to different housing conditions showed upregulation of Iron regulatory protein 1B (Irp-1B) in fly brains following single housing. Downregulating Irp-1B in neurons of single-housed Aβ42 expressing and control flies rescued both survival and motor performance deficits. Thus, we provide novel evidence that increased cerebral expression of Irp-1B may underlie worsened behavioral outcome in socially deprived flies and can additionally modulate AD-like phenotypes.

Low-rise intensive residential development genesis and shaping the model

The article focuses on exploring prototypic, historical examples of low – rise intensive residential developments. In terms of the form, such buildings are reminiscent of modern residential constructions in single family housing complexes, however, they are characterized by the presence of two flats in one residential segment. Such dwelling units have the size of a three-room flat as in multi-family housing but at the same time they are built on the basis of the law regulations reserved for single-family housing.

Using Artificial Intelligence in energy efficient construction

Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), genetic algorithms, case based reasoning (CBR), and hybrid systems are all methods of artificial intelligence. This dissertation presents a literature overview and its author’s achievements in methods of utilizing artificial intelligence methods in energy efficient buildings, which include: an expert system for supporting the financing of thermo-modernization investment, a method of optimizing thermo-modernization strategies for groups of buildings using genetic algorithms, and a case based reasoning system (CBR) intended to facilitate the design of energy efficient single family housing. Case based reasoning consists of comparing new problems with past problems and using a past solution. In the CBR system, previously developed single family housing designs will be described using linguistic variables defined as fuzzy sets. The designer, who wants to create the documentation for a new energy efficient building after talking with the investor about his or her expectations, enters a query, defined as linguistic variables, into the system. The system finds the documentation of already constructed buildings, most closely matching the investor’s requirements. The designer performs the required adjustments, and after the investor’s approval, places the new documentation into the database for further use.

Wind farm potential for electrical energy supply to a neighbourhood of single-family houses located at the Polish Baltic seaside

The article presents an analysis for the Polish Baltic seaside concerning wind farm potential for producing electricity for housing. The analysis includes comparison of onshore and offshore wind climate parameters important for electrical energy production. The wind turbine parameters were assumed from the datasheet for two chosen turbines while the climate conditions for an onshore and an offshore location were set from the local measuring stations. For the purposes of this article, an energy model of a neighborhood of single-family houses was defined using Energy Plus software. Selection of house types was made following the present Polish statistics concerning newly constructed buildings. The electricity load duration curve of the neighborhood was carried out. Additionally, the analysis of electrical energy supply from wind farms for the analyzed location was performed. The analysis aim is assessment of the wind farm potential for covering energy needs of single family residential housing.

Comparing construction technologies of single family housing with regard of minimizing embodied energy and embodied carbon

This article concerns the Life Cycle Assessment method of evaluation and the ways in which it can be applied as a tool facilitating the design of buildings to reduce embodied energy and embodied carbon. Three variants of a building were examined with the same functional ground plan and usable floor area of 142.6 m2. Each variant of the building was designed using different construction technologies: bricklaying technology utilizing autoclaved aerated concrete popular in Poland, wooden frame insulated with mineral wool, and the Straw-bale technology. Using digital models (Building Information Model) the building’s energy characteristics was simulated and the embodied energy and embodied carbon of the production stage (also called cradle-to-gate) were calculated. The performed calculations were used to compare the cumulative energy and embodied carbon of each variant for a 40 year long life cycle.

Development of Damage Function for Flood Damage Assessment on Single Family Housing

Development of Damage Function for Flood Damage Assessment on Single Family Housing

The Improvement Priority of Inhibitory Factor for Invigorating the Modular Building : Focused on Professional of Work Related to Modular Building

Purpose: Recently, there has been a gradual rise in interest for modular building due to its advantages of shortened construction periods, quick removal, and practical use of land. However, widespread interest has yet to present itself in the markets and actual cases of construction based on modular building has been limited to military barracks, dormitory facilities, and single housing units. In light of this, this research aims to uncover factors that will encourage greater utilization of modular building and rank such factors according to their improvement priorities. Method: The method of research of this study first involved the uncovering of factors that discourage modular building through analysis of previous research and consultation with experts. Second, expert surveys were conducted for the purpose of improving the uncovered factors that discourage modular building. Third, based on the findings of the surveys, IPA analysis was carried out to establish the improvement priority rankings of the inhibitory factors. Results: The results of the analysis indicated that the encouraging factors were concentrated in the planning and ordering phase as well as the production and manufacturing phase. Rather than focusing on the dismantling and reuse of modular building, it was found that market entry and development of housing technologies were more immediately needed. Also in order to encourage the utilization of modular building, greater efforts by relevant personnel as well as continued studies by researchers are needed.

Quantitative evaluation of cue-induced reinstatement model for evidence-based experimental optimization.

Cue-induced reinstatement is a widely used model for investigating relapse of reward-seeking behavior with high face validity in relation to clinical observations. Yet, face validity is not sufficient to evaluate an animal model, and quantitative, evidence-based analysis is required to estimate the ultimate applicability of this paradigm. Furthermore, such analysis would allow an accurate and reproducible design of future experiments. Here, we conducted meta-analysis and cluster analysis to characterize the impact of cue type (visual, auditory, olfactory or combinations thereof), intensity (e.g. light frequency, sound volume and odor concentration), reward type (e.g. different drugs of abuse, sucrose and food pellets) and model parameters (e.g. housing condition, age, gender and strain of animals) on reinstatement levels. We selected 184 publications for meta-analysis based on inclusion criteria with a total number of 3889 rats. Our analysis suggested that the exact level of reinstatement depends on neither cue type, nor intensity nor on the type of reward. While all cues induced reinstatement to reward-seeking behavior, it is the model parameters, in particular, the housing conditions, age and strain, that defined the final reinstatement levels. In particular, single-housed, adolescent, Wistar or Lister Hooded rats showed significantly higher reinstatement than adult, Sparague-Dawley rats housed in groups. Our findings suggest that model parameters (for example, single housing) evoke stress-induced behaviors that affect reinstatement more than cue/reward factors.

Impact of land use on soils microbial activity

AbstractThe article considered the influence the various types of land use on microbial activity of soils and thus using this parameter as a universal test of soil quality. Samples for soil respiration studies were taken from agricultural areas, meadows, forests and urban areas (estate cottages). All samples were subjected to the same analytical procedure and the method of measurement was followed by a Substrate-Induced Respiration (SIR) method. Since all the samples were from neighbouring regions and were characterized by similar soil parameters, the obtained results allowed to assess the quality of the soil environment of the surveyed area and to evaluate the total rating of whole area. The obtained results allowed to observe slight divergences between soil samples taken from areas of different use. And although statistically, in this case, these differences were not significant, the characteristics of the respiration curves clearly indicate that there is a dependency between the form of use and the size and rate of soil respiration. In addition, the results have shown that single family housing does not exhibit as much anthropopression to the soil environment as it might seem.

Comparison of Telemetric Cardiovascular Parameters in Single and Pair Housing of Cynomolgus Monkeys

Comparison of Telemetric Cardiovascular Parameters in Single and Pair Housing of Cynomolgus Monkeys

Peptide YY induces characteristic meal patterns of aged mice

Background & aimChanges in eating behavior occur in the elderly due to oral and swallowing dysfunctions. We aimed to clarify the difference between basal meal patterns of young and aged mice in relation to appetite regulating hormones. MethodsThirty two of young (7-week-old) and aged (23–25-month-old) C57BL/6 male mice were acclimated to a single housing and then transferred to a highly sensitive automated feeding monitoring device. Feeding behavior was monitored from the onset of the dark phase after habituation to the device. Plasma peptide YY (PYY) levels were assessed under the several feeding status or after treatment of PYY. PYY and its receptor (NPY Y2 receptor, Y2R) antagonist were intraperitoneally administered 30min before the monitoring. ResultsAlthough the basal 24-h meal amounts did not differ by age, the total meal time and frequency of minimum feeding activity (bout) were significantly increased and the average bout size and time per bout were significantly decreased in aged mice. PYY dynamics were abnormal and the temporal reduction in food intake by exogenous PYY was more prominent in aged mice than in young mice. PYY administration to young mice induced aged-like meal patterns, and Y2R antagonist administration to aged mice induced young-like meal patterns. ConclusionsAged mice exhibited characteristic meal patterns probably due to PYY metabolism dysfunction and/or enhanced PYY-Y2R signaling, suggesting a novel method for assessing eating difficulties in aged animals and a potential target for the remedy.