bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enhancing values of roofs albedo for lowering cities’ air temperature and electric demand of buildings: a simple economic evaluation
Authors: Lorenzo Diletta Di , Casto Barbara Maini Lo , Peri Giorgia , Rizzo Gianfranco , Scaccianoce Gianluca , Tambani Chiara
Published: October 2019

In cities vegetated roofs are becoming more popular because they can mitigate Urban Heat Island phenomena by decreasing the outdoor air temperature in summer. This decrease reduces the electric energy demand for climatization of buildings, which, in front of a milder climate, will recur less to mechanical tools for guaranteeing thermal comfort conditions to occupants. Cities can registered another indirect positive effect: the reduced cooling energy demand, limits the heat released by the climatization systems’ external unities toward the urban open spaces, thus lowering the outdoor air temperature. Therefore, the outdoor surface temperature of green, as well as cool roofs, can be assumed as an important design parameter for guaranteeing the sustainability of buildings and their approach toward an nZEB path. Obviously, designers and city planners must have at their disposal simple and effective tools for evaluating the economic feasibility of these two choices. This paper proposes a simple method to assess the economic effectiveness of green or cool roofs. It relies on the appraisal of the number of hours during which a building requires a cooling mechanical support for maintaining the indoor comfort conditions. This duty period of the cooling system is then simply converted into the cost of the needed electric energy.
Optimization of daylighting and energy performance in hot - arid climate
Authors: Abd-Rabo L M , Al-Temmamy M Z
Published: October 2019

The daylighting performance, besides the thermal comfort of the buildings is extraordinarily needed to be determined at the early phases of design. In addition, the building envelope is playing a vital mediator between the building and other the surrounding conditions whether perceptible as climate change or intangible like cultural heritage identity. So that, studying responsive architecture for sustainable buildings by developing the daylighting performance, and reducing the energy consumption of the buildings are important scopes for getting rid of Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to adapt and mitigate climate change and occupants’ satisfaction.

Currently, the hot-desert countries are carrying out the design strategies based on the fully glazed office buildings as in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is called ‘the International Style’, was established for another climate. This causes an inefficient building performance coupled with identity crises. Furthermore, the artificial lighting and thermal comfort are two of the primary energy demands in the office buildings. In terms of both productivity and human comfort, the occupants ‘satisfaction with their surrounding workplace is vital. So that, any strategy aims at decreasing exaggerated solar radiations and improving availability of daylight is deemed a sustainable strategy for design. Furthermore, there are limited performance evaluation tools offered to architects at the early phases of design. In this light, the state-of-the-art “Digital Age“has applied smarter and more interactive “building envelopes “to ensure environmental control and comfort. So that, this paper focuses on this problem in Hot - Arid countries.
Solutions sets for cost optimisation of nearly zero energy buildings (NZEBs) in four European countries
Authors: Wittchen Kim B. , Thomsen Kirsten Engelund , Mørck Ove , Erhorn-Kluttig Heike , Erhorn Hans , Illner Micha , Gutierrez Miriam Sanchez Mayoral , Zinzi Michele , Mattoni Benedetta , Fasano Gaetano , Šijanec-Zavrl Marjana , Jacimovic Marko
Published: October 2019

Nearly zero energy buildings (NZEBs) are required as the minimum standard for all new buildings in Europe by January 2021. NZEBS should, according to the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) [1], be cost optimal, i.e. the cost of constructing and operating the building over its lifetime should be at its minimum. The EU Horizon2020 research project CoNZEBs, identify and assess technology solution sets that lead to cost reductions of new NZEBs in four EU member states. Focussing on buildings that comply with national NZEB requirements, designers can easily ignore alternative solutions that make the building cheaper while remaining within national requirements. This is not done intentionally, but primarily due to use of a traditional design thinking where optimisation is done on component level instead of a more holistic approach. Changing one building component may influence the cost and performance of other components. These alternative solutions take offset in a typical national multi-family building design and analyses the different lifetime costs in terms of costs for construction, and energy. Analyses of costs in different countries reveals different solutions sets being optimal. In CoNZEBs we compare different solution sets and investigate the possibility for “exporting” solution sets from one country to another.
The energy retrofit of building façades in 22@ innovation district of Barcelona: energy performance and cost-benefit analysis.
Authors: Mauro Manca , Zuzana Prochazkova , Umberto Berardi , Silvana Flores Larsen , Felipe Pich-Aguilera , Teresa Batlle
Published: October 2019

Under the current Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, EU countries must set building energy renovation as a goal for future development of the cities. The 22@ district of Barcelona is one of the most thriving innovation districts of Europe with an increasing market for office buildings. In this framework, the present paper evaluates the effectiveness of a series of strategies considered the real case project of the energy retrofit of an existing building in 22@. In particular, the study presents the results of different scenarios of building retrofits, where simulations of dynamic envelopes are performed, with the inclusion of a conventional ventilated façade, Living Green Walls and Phase Change Material (PCM) for thermal energy storage. The different scenarios are compared in terms of energy performance, enhanced comfort and cost-benefit analysis. The benefits of latent thermal energy storage, improved thermal inertia and evapotranspiration of the vegetated elements are also assessed. Eventually this study helps understanding the feasibility of the implementation of the nZEB standard in energy retrofit of buildings in the specific context of Barcelona and Spain.
Analysing the challenges of designing Nearly Zero Energy Buildings and retrofitting of the existing housing stuck in Nigeria: A study of South-Eastern Nigeria.
Authors: Iwuagwu B U , Onyegiri I
Published: October 2019

In recent times the aim of building has gone beyond providing shelter and security to being more sustainable and responsive. The net Zero Energy Building (nZEB) concept has recently gained prominence worldwide, however, it is still at a nascent stage in Nigeria. Use of conventional energy sources in Nigeria, such as gasoline electric power generator among others encourages nZEBs design in Nigeria to limit the effects from use of dirty energy sources. Its large scale adoption and implementation will potentially contribute greatly to greening of the building sector in Nigeria and the world at large. Notwithstanding the great need for nZEBs in Nigerian, designing and retrofitting of the existing housing stuck has been stalled by a lot of challenges. The main objective of this research is to analyse the challenges of achieving perfect nZEBs in Nigeria. Data was sourced through questionnaires administered to designers and the built environment professionals. The finding of the paper is that there is a very strong correlation at 0.000 between training on nZEBs as a professional and consideration of energy consumption in building in the study area. The paper concludes, after analysing data collected, by recommending Passive building energy strategy as a viable solution to reduce high energy use in buildings in the study area in the event where other strategies to achieve nZEBs failed. The paper also recommend that the Nigerian University Commission should as a matter of urgency include in her curriculum Nearly Zero Energy Building courses or program to increase awareness and improve quality of design professionals graduates.
A developed tool allowing the South-Mediterranean cities to establish their sustainable energy plans
Authors: Saad Sabine , Mourtada Adel , Brouche Marwan , Ghandour Mazen
Published: October 2019

In the framework of the Covenant of Mayors for mitigation and Green House Gas emissions reduction toward a sustainable future, proposed tools used in the South-Mediterranean countries have not always been sufficient. To quantify the territory emissions (Baseline Emission Inventory BEI), local authorities had to rely on inaccurate data that generated inaccurate results. Furthermore, classical tools would not allow any authority wishing to join without any technical assistance from CES-MED to identify and determine the performance of each measure in order to elaborate a feasible Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP).

A new tool is necessary to fill the gaps and lead to a more developed approach, more generalized and adapted to the regional context. The first part developed of this tool can assess the basic situation of a municipality in terms of calculating emissions. A second part of this tool is to identify priority energy efficiency measures, determine the performance of each measure and the related investment costs, in order to develop the SECAP for any authority in Lebanon and in the region.

This operational, reliable and effective tool called SECAP-SSP includes a specific database for Lebanon and the region to help municipalities calculate baseline emissions and assess the impacts of different SEAP measures. The new tool takes into account most of sectors contributing to the environmental impacts, to study their environmental performance, to succeed by modelling the determination of Optimum Energy Performance / Environmental Benefit / Costs of energy efficiency measures in the various sectors of the municipality. Depending on the magnitude of the contribution of each sector, the municipality will have the choice to decide on the measures to be implemented. A methodology for the elaboration of the “Budget Allocation Chart” is proposed.

This paper presents the results of application of this tool for the development of the SECAP’s of municipalities in Lebanon.
Mesoscopic valley filter in graphene Corbino disk containing a p–n junction
Authors: Suszalski Dominik , Rut Grzegorz , Rycerz Adam
Published: October 2019

The Corbino geometry allows one to investigate the propagation of electric current along a p–n interface in ballistic graphene in the absence of edge states appearing for the familiar Hall-bar geometry. Using the transfer matrix in the angular-momentum space we find that for sufficiently strong magnetic fields the current propagates only in one direction, determined by the magnetic field direction and the interface orientation, and the two valleys, K and K′, are equally occupied. Spatially-anisotropic effective mass may suppress one of the valley currents, selected by the external electric field, transforming the system into a mesoscopic version of the valley filter. The filtering mechanism can be fully understood within the effective Dirac theory, without referring to atomic-scale effects which are significant in proposals operating on localized edge states.
Vafa-Witten invariants for projective surfaces I: stable case
Authors: Tanaka Yuuji , Thomas Richard
Published: October 2019

On a polarised surface, solutions of the Vafa-Witten equations correspond to certain polystable Higgs pairs. When stability and semistability coincide, the moduli space admits a symmetric obstruction theory and a

C

∗

\mathbb {C}^*

action with compact fixed locus. Applying virtual localisation we define invariants constant under deformations.

When the vanishing theorem of Vafa-Witten holds, the result is the (signed) Euler characteristic of the moduli space of instantons. In general there are other, rational, contributions. Calculations of these on surfaces with positive canonical bundle recover the first terms of modular forms predicted by Vafa and Witten.
Intergenic Spacer Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms for Genotyping Amylostereum areolatum (Russulales: Amylostereacea) Symbionts of Native and Non-native Sirex Species
Authors: Olatinwo Rabiu O , Schowalter Timothy D , Doucet Daniel , Bowman Susan , Johnson Wood C , Allison Jeremy D
Published: October 2019

In North America Amylostereum areolatum (Chaillet ex Fr.) Boidin is a fungal symbiont associated with both the non-native Sirex noctilio Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) and less commonly the native Sirex nigricornis Fabricius (Hymenoptera: Siricidae) woodwasps. The relationship between S. noctilio and A. areolatum constitutes a serious threat to pine plantation in the southern hemisphere. Studies have shown evidence of exchange of symbionts between non-native and native Sirex species. Our objectives were 1) to identify and assemble a panel of rDNA intergenic spacer–single nucleotide polymorphisms (IGS-SNPs) for genotyping strains of A. areolatum symbionts associated with Sirex species in North America, and 2) to develop genetic markers for monitoring the spread of specific A. areolatum haplotypes associated with S. noctilio across regions. The IGS-SNPs panel analyzed included haplotypes B1, B2, D1, D2 (from known IGS type B and D), E, and F. Genetic markers and haplotype-specific primers were designed to detect the IGS haplotypes D and E of A. areolatum. We found that haplotype D was absent in A. areolatum from S. nigricornis in Louisiana, while haplotype E was detected in all A. areolatum from S. nigricornis in Canada and Louisiana. Both haplotype D and E were co-detected in approximately 5% of samples from Canada. The IGS-SNP markers detected specific haplotypes accurately. Observing haplotype D in any A. areolatum from the native S. nigricornis likely indicates the presence of the potentially harmful S. noctilo-A. areolatum complex. The work highlights how IGS-SNPs can help in early detection without direct occurrence/observations of the non-native species of concern.
bWGR: Bayesian whole-genome regression
Authors: Xavier Alencar , Muir William M , Rainey Katy M
Published: October 2019

Motivation

Whole-genome regressions methods represent a key framework for genome-wide prediction, cross-validation studies and association analysis. The bWGR offers a compendium of Bayesian methods with various priors available, allowing users to predict complex traits with different genetic architectures.

Results

Here we introduce bWGR, an R package that enables users to efficient fit and cross-validate Bayesian and likelihood whole-genome regression methods. It implements a series of methods referred to as the Bayesian alphabet under the traditional Gibbs sampling and optimized expectation-maximization. The package also enables fitting efficient multivariate models and complex hierarchical models. The package is user-friendly and computational efficient.

Availability and implementation

bWGR is an R package available in the CRAN repository. It can be installed in R by typing: install.packages(‘bWGR’).

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
PhyloMagnet: fast and accurate screening of short-read meta-omics data using gene-centric phylogenetics
Authors: Schön Max E , Eme Laura , Ettema Thijs J G
Published: October 2019

Motivation

Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic sequencing have become increasingly popular tools for producing massive amounts of short-read data, often used for the reconstruction of draft genomes or the detection of (active) genes in microbial communities. Unfortunately, sequence assemblies of such datasets generally remain a computationally challenging task. Frequently, researchers are only interested in a specific group of organisms or genes; yet, the assembly of multiple datasets only to identify candidate sequences for a specific question is sometimes prohibitively slow, forcing researchers to select a subset of available datasets to address their question. Here, we present PhyloMagnet, a workflow to screen meta-omics datasets for taxa and genes of interest using gene-centric assembly and phylogenetic placement of sequences.

Results

Using PhyloMagnet, we could identify up to 87% of the genera in an in vitro mock community with variable abundances, while the false positive predictions per single gene tree ranged from 0 to 23%. When applied to a group of metagenomes for which a set of metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs) have been published, we could detect the majority of the taxonomic labels that the MAGs had been annotated with. In a metatranscriptomic setting, the phylogenetic placement of assembled contigs corresponds to that of transcripts obtained from transcriptome assembly.

Availability and implementation

PhyloMagnet is built using Nextflow, available at github.com/maxemil/PhyloMagnet and is developed and tested on Linux. It is released under the open source GNU GPL licence and documentation is available at phylomagnet.readthedocs.io. Version 0.5 of PhyloMagnet was used for all benchmarking experiments.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
SINC: a scale-invariant deep-neural-network classifier for bulk and single-cell RNA-seq data
Authors: Wang Chuanqi , Li Jun
Published: October 2019

Motivation

Scaling by sequencing depth is usually the first step of analysis of bulk or single-cell RNA-seq data, but estimating sequencing depth accurately can be difficult, especially for single-cell data, risking the validity of downstream analysis. It is thus of interest to eliminate the use of sequencing depth and analyze the original count data directly.

Results

We call an analysis method ‘scale-invariant’ (SI) if it gives the same result under different estimates of sequencing depth and hence can use the original count data without scaling. For the problem of classifying samples into pre-specified classes, such as normal versus cancerous, we develop a deep-neural-network based SI classifier named scale-invariant deep neural-network classifier (SINC). On nine bulk and single-cell datasets, the classification accuracy of SINC is better than or competitive to the best of eight other classifiers. SINC is easier to use and more reliable on data where proper sequencing depth is hard to determine.

Availability and implementation

This source code of SINC is available at https://www.nd.edu/∼jli9/SINC.zip.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
gep2pep: a bioconductor package for the creation and analysis of pathway-based expression profiles
Authors: Napolitano Farancesco , Carrella Diego , Gao Xin , di Bernardo Diego
Published: October 2019

Pathway-based expression profiles allow for high-level interpretation of transcriptomic data and systematic comparison of dysregulated cellular programs. We have previously demonstrated the efficacy of pathway-based approaches with two different applications: the drug set enrichment analysis and the Gene2drug analysis. Here, we present a software tool that allows to easily convert gene-based profiles to pathway-based profiles and analyze them within the popular R framework. We also provide pre-computed profiles derived from the original Connectivity Map and its next generation release, i.e. the LINCS database.

Availability and implementation

The tool is implemented as the R/Bioconductor package gep2pep and can be freely downloaded from https://bioconductor.org/packages/gep2pep.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
GenoSurf: metadata driven semantic search system for integrated genomic datasets
Authors: Canakoglu Arif , Bernasconi Anna , Colombo Andrea , Masseroli Marco , Ceri Stefano
Published: October 2019

Many valuable resources developed by world-wide research institutions and consortia describe genomic datasets that are both open and available for secondary research, but their metadata search interfaces are heterogeneous, not interoperable and sometimes with very limited capabilities. We implemented GenoSurf, a multi-ontology semantic search system providing access to a consolidated collection of metadata attributes found in the most relevant genomic datasets; values of 10 attributes are semantically enriched by making use of the most suited available ontologies. The user of GenoSurf provides as input the search terms, sets the desired level of ontological enrichment and obtains as output the identity of matching data files at the various sources. Search is facilitated by drop-down lists of matching values; aggregate counts describing resulting files are updated in real time while the search terms are progressively added. In addition to the consolidated attributes, users can perform keyword-based searches on the original (raw) metadata, which are also imported; GenoSurf supports the interplay of attribute-based and keyword-based search through well-defined interfaces. Currently, GenoSurf integrates about 40 million metadata of several major valuable data sources, including three providers of clinical and experimental data (TCGA, ENCODE and Roadmap Epigenomics) and two sources of annotation data (GENCODE and RefSeq); it can be used as a standalone resource for targeting the genomic datasets at their original sources (identified with their accession IDs and URLs), or as part of an integrated query answering system for performing complex queries over genomic regions and metadata.
Morphometric analysis of the palatal shape and arch dimension in subjects with buccally displaced canine
Authors: Mucedero Manuela , Rozzi Matteo , Di Fusco Giulia , Danesi Carlotta , Cozza Paola
Published: October 2019

Objectives

To analyse morphological variations of the palate shape and maxillary arch dimension between a group of subjects with unilaterally or bilaterally buccally impacted maxillary canines and a control group (CG) by means of 3D geometric morphometric (GMM).

Materials

Pre-treatment records of 50 subjects (16 males and 34 females; mean age 13.9 years ± 1.8) with one or both canines buccally displaced were collected retrospectively. A CG of 50 subjects was selected from a list of orthodontic patients at the same dental hospital. The experimental group, buccally displaced canine (BDC) was divided in two groups: unilateral buccally displaced canine (UBDC) and bilateral buccally displaced canine (BBDC). To analyse the palate’s shape and maxillary arch dimension, study casts were scanned. To study the entirety of the palatal shape, 3D GMM analysis was used. To analyse the maxillary arch dimension, the virtual three-dimensional models were measured with a specific software (VAM, Vectra, Canfield Scientific, Fairfield, New Jersey, USA).

Results

When comparing the groups with the GMM analysis, patients with BDC showed a statistically significant narrower and higher palatal vault. About the analysis of linear measurements, the intercanine width, the anterior and posterior segment length were significantly smaller in BDC, UBDC, and BBDC subjects when compared with the controls and there were no differences between UBDC versus BBDC groups.

Conclusions

Patients with buccally displaced permanent canine tended to have maxillary transverse constriction and variation in palatal vault morphology. The morphometric variation of the palatine vault and arch dimensions can be considered a clinical factor associated with the presence of BDC.
A case for decolonizing English language instruction
Authors: Meighan Paul J
Published: October 2019

Comment is a feature that allows contributors to express a personal, and sometimes controversial, view about a matter of current concern in the profession outside the format of a reviewed academic article. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the Editor or the Publisher. Reaction to Comment features, in the form of letters to the Editor, are especially welcome.
Host specificity in diatom–bacteria interactions alleviates antagonistic effects
Authors: Stock Willem , Blommaert Lander , De Troch Marleen , Mangelinckx Sven , Willems Anne , Vyverman Wim , Sabbe Koen
Published: October 2019

While different microalgae tend to be associated with different bacteria, it remains unclear whether such specific associations are beneficial for the microalgae. We assessed the impact of bacterial isolates, derived from various marine benthic diatoms, on the growth of several strains belonging to the Cylindrotheca closterium diatom species complex. We first tested the effect of 35 different bacterial isolates on the growth of a single C. closterium strain, and then evaluated the impact of 8 of these isolates on the growth of 6 C. closterium strains and 1 Cylindrotheca fusiformis strain. Surprisingly, most interactions were neutral to antagonistic. The interactions were highly specific, with diatom growth in the presence of specific bacteria differing between Cylindrotheca strains and species, and closely related bacteria eliciting contrasting diatom growth responses. These differences could be related to the origin of the bacterial isolates, as only isolates from foreign diatom hosts significantly reduced diatom growth, implying coadaptation between different Cylindrotheca strains and their associated bacteria. Interestingly, the antagonistic effect of a Marinobacter strain was alleviated by the presence of a microbial inoculum that was native to the diatom host, suggesting that coadapted bacteria might also benefit their host indirectly by preventing the establishment of harmful bacteria.
Access to RNA-sequencing data from 1,173 plant species: The 1000 Plant transcriptomes initiative (1KP)
Authors: Carpenter Eric J , Matasci Naim , Ayyampalayam Saravanaraj , Wu Shuangxiu , Sun Jing , Yu Jun , Jimenez Vieira Fabio Rocha , Bowler Chris , Dorrell Richard G , Gitzendanner Matthew A , Li Ling , Du Wensi , K. Ullrich Kristian , Wickett Norman J , Barkmann Todd J , Barker Michael S , Leebens-Mack James H , Wong Gane Ka-Shu
Published: October 2019

Background

The 1000 Plant transcriptomes initiative (1KP) explored genetic diversity by sequencing RNA from 1,342 samples representing 1,173 species of green plants (Viridiplantae).

Findings

This data release accompanies the initiative's final/capstone publication on a set of 3 analyses inferring species trees, whole genome duplications, and gene family expansions. These and previous analyses are based on de novo transcriptome assemblies and related gene predictions. Here, we assess their data and assembly qualities and explain how we detected potential contaminations.

Conclusions

These data will be useful to plant and/or evolutionary scientists with interests in particular gene families, either across the green plant tree of life or in more focused lineages.
A ranking system based on inverse data envelopment analysis
Authors: Soleimani-Chamkhorami Khosro , Hosseinzadeh Lotfi Farhad , Jahanshahloo Gholamreza , Rostamy-Malkhalifeh Mohsen
Published: October 2019

Inverse (DEA) is an approach to estimate the expected input/output variation levels when the efficiency score reminds unchanged. Essentially, finding most efficient decision-making units (DMUs) or ranking units is an important problem in DEA. A new ranking system for ordering extreme efficient units based on inverse DEA is introduced in this article. In the adopted method, here the amount of required increment of inputs by increasing the outputs of the unit under evaluation is obtained through the proposed models. By obtaining these variations, this proposed methodology enables the researcher to rank the efficient DMUs in an appropriate manner. Through the analytical theorem, it is proved that suggested models here are feasible. These newly introduced models are validated through a data set of commercial banks and a numerical example.
Reproduction of white-tailed deer in a seasonally dry tropical forest of Costa Rica: a test of aseasonality
Authors: Fuller Todd K , Silva Alexander M , Montalvo Victor H , Sáenz-Bolaños Carolina , Carrillo J Eduardo
Published: October 2019

The reproductive season of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) has been hypothesized to be aseasonal south of about 14°–18°N latitude, where annual variation in day length is low. We tested this idea by using camera-trap data (1,336 photographed individuals identified by age and sex) collected during 2011–2017 in the dry tropical forest of Santa Rosa National Park, northwest Costa Rica, where wet and dry seasons are well-defined. We identified variation in monthly occurrence of spotted deer fawns, as well as the status of antler growth of male deer, specifically related to the very seasonal environment of the region. Year-round reproduction likely occurs, but the rainfall pattern in the area greatly influences the relative frequency of reproductive indicators, with most births occurring during the dry season, and a second peak occurring toward the latter part of the wet season. We speculate that food resources are the major influence on reproductive patterns, and that variation in types and timing of food resource availability likely account for the variation in reproductive patterns.
The effect of urban development on visitor numbers to nearby protected nature conservation sites
Authors: Weitowitz Damiano C , Panter Chris , Hoskin Rachel , Liley Durwyn
Published: October 2019

New housing development can result in impacts on nearby protected nature conservation sites, even if development is outside the site boundary. High levels of housing may be associated with adverse impacts on ecological features in protected sites from increased recreation pressure. However, few studies have investigated the spatial link between housing and visitor numbers. An understanding of the impact of housing on visitor use, especially the distances at which housing relates to recreation levels and the importance of other factors (e.g. parking provision) is essential to inform the assessment of new housing and is relevant to strategic planning of development within the UK. We use a long-term visitor dataset (2003–8) to disentangle the housing–visitor association at foot-only and parking locations on important nature conservation sites. We conclude with negative binomial regressions that model the effect of housing on visitor numbers, while controlling for habitat, parking provision and season.

Our results demonstrate that more housing consistently means more visitors to protected sites, across most habitats. This is particularly the case for on-foot visitors that originate from housing within 1.5 km, highlighting that additional housing development in proximity to protected sites is likely to significantly increase recreation pressure. For visitor numbers at parking locations, levels of housing within 15 km of protected sites were also a significant predictor, but depended on habitat type. These results demonstrate that housing allocations closer to protected sites are likely to have a greater impact in terms of visitor numbers and may help underpin future assessments of strategic plans.
Educate, Try, and Share: A Feasibility Study to Assess the Acceptance and Use of Reiki as an Adjunct Therapy for Chronic Pain in Military Health Care Facilities
Authors: Gantt MeLisa , Orina Judy Ann T
Published: October 2019

Introduction

Reiki, a biofield energy therapy, continues to struggle in finding its permanent place among the portfolio of complementary and alternative medicine modalities in many military health care facilities. Although it has been shown to help in the management of pain, lack of knowledge and limited first-hand experience impact its foothold. The purpose of this feasibility study was to (1) educate participants about the concept of Reiki, (2) give participants the opportunity to experience six Reiki therapy sessions and subsequently assess outcomes on chronic pain, and (3) assess participants’ impression of and willingness to continue using and recommending Reiki therapy as adjunct for the treatment of chronic pain.

Methods

Using a prospective repeated measures pre- and postintervention design, a convenience sample of 30 military health care beneficiaries with chronic pain were educated about Reiki and received six 30-minute Reiki sessions over 2 to 3 weeks. Pain was assessed using a battery of pain assessment tools as well as assessment of impression of and willingness to share the concept of Reiki. This study was approved by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command Institutional Review Board (No. M10617).

Results

Repeated measures ANOVA analyses showed that there was significant decrease (P < 0.001) in present, average, and worst pain over the course of the six sessions with the most significant effect occurring up to the fourth session. When a variety of descriptor of pain was assessed, Reiki had a significant effect on 12 out of the 22 assessed, with the most significant effect on pain that was described as tingling/pins and needles (P = 0.001), sharp (P = 0.001), and aching (P = 0.001). Pain’s interference with general activity, walking, relationships, sleep, enjoyment of life, and stress significantly decreased (P < 0.001 to P = 0.002). Impression of improvement scores increased 27% by session 6, and one’s knowledge about Reiki improved 43%. Eighty-one percent of the participants stated that they would consider scheduling Reiki sessions if they were offered with 70% desiring at least four sessions per month.

Conclusion

A 30-minute Reiki session, performed by a trained Reiki practitioner, is feasible in an outpatient setting with possible positive outcomes for participants who are willing to try at least four consecutive sessions. Reiki has the ability to impact a variety of types of pain as well as positively impacting those activities of life that pain often interferes with. However, education and the opportunity to experience this energy healing modality are key for its acceptance in military health care facilities as well as more robust clinical studies within the military health care system to further assess its validity and efficacy.
Lack of association between modifiable exposures and glioma risk: A Mendelian randomisation analysis
Authors: Saunders Charlie N , Cornish Alex J , Kinnersley Ben , Law Philip J , Claus Elizabeth B , Il’yasova Dora , Schildkraut Joellen , Barnholtz-Sloan Jill S , Olson Sara H , Bernstein Jonine L , Lai Rose K , Chanock Stephen , Rajaraman Preetha , Johansen Christoffer , Jenkins Robert B , Melin Beatrice S , Wrensch Margaret R , Sanson Marc , Bondy Melissa L , Houlston Richard S
Published: October 2019

Background

The etiological basis of glioma is poorly understood. We have used genetic markers in a Mendelian Randomisation (MR) framework to examine if lifestyle, cardiometabolic and inflammatory factors influence the risk of glioma. This methodology reduces bias from confounding and is not affected by reverse causation.

Methods

We identified genetic instruments for 37 potentially modifiable risk factors and evaluated their association with glioma risk using data from a genome-wide association study of 12,488 glioma patients and 18,169 controls. We used the estimated odds ratio of glioma associated with each of the genetically defined traits to infer evidence for a causal relationship with the following exposures: lifestyle and dietary factors (height, plasma IGF-1, blood carnitine, blood methionine, blood selenium, blood zinc, circulating adiponectin, circulating carotenoids, iron status, serum calcium, vitamin [A1, B12, B6, E and 25-hydroxyvitamin D], fatty acids levels [mono-unsaturated, omega-3 and omega-6] and circulating fetuin-A); cardiometabolic factors (birth weight, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, total cholesterol, total triglycerides, basal metabolic rate, body fat percentage, body mass index, fasting glucose, fasting proinsulin, HbA1C levels, diastolic and systolic blood pressure, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio) were included; inflammatory factors (C-reactive protein (CRP), plasma IL-6 sRa and serum IgE).

Results

After correction for the testing of multiple potential risk factors and excluding associations driven by one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) no significant association with glioma risk was observed (i.e. PCorrected > 0.05).

Conclusions

This study did not provide evidence supporting any of the 37 factors examined as having a significant influence on glioma risk.
844. Engagement in HIV Care as an Avenue to Primary Care in Rural South Africa: Results from the Vukuzazi Population Health Platform
Authors: M`yambo Magodoro Itai , Oliver Stephen , Gareta Dickman , Modise Tshwaraganang H , Koole Olivier , Herbst Kobus , Pillay Deenan , Wong Emily , Siedner Mark J
Published: October 2019

Background

The healthcare infrastructure developed in response to the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa has been proposed as a model to respond to the emerging noncommunicable disease (NCD) burden in the region. However, the evidence for the effectiveness of such a strategy is equivocal.

Methods

We conducted a population-wide health screening among adults ≥15 years within a demographic and health surveillance site (DHSS) in rural South Africa. We collected blood pressure (BP), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), HIV disease indicators, and healthcare utilization data. We defined hypertension (HTN) as BP ≥140/90mmHg or use of antihypertensive medication in the past 2 weeks, and diabetes (DM) as HbA1c ≥6.5% or use of hypoglycemic medication in the past two weeks. Cascade of care indicators included: (1) awareness of NCD diagnosis, (2) seeing a provider within the past 6 months; (3) reported use of medication; and (4) disease control, defined as BP <140/90 mmHg or HbA1c <6.5%. We fit regression models to NCD care indicators between people with HIV on ART (PWHA) and HIV negatives. To make population-level estimates, we used inverse probability sampling weights derived from sex- and age-adjusted regression models drawn from the entire DHSS population.

Results

Of 7,992 individuals, 5,911 (74.2%) were HIV-negative and 2,080 (25.8%) were PWHA (Table 1). PWHA had lower prevalence of both DM (6.8% vs. 10.4%) and HTN (18.0% vs. 24.8%). In multivariable models, linkage to HIV care was associated with improved HTN care cascade indicators, but not DM indicators (Figure 1). PWHA had lower systolic BP and HbA1c than HIV negatives (Figures 2 and 3).

Conclusion

Linkage to ART programs may be associated with better HTN but not DM care in rural South Africa. Future work should explore how to translate success in ART programs to other NCDs, and for HIV-negative individuals.

Disclosures

All Authors: No reported Disclosures.
849. Reduced CIED Infections with an Antibacterial Envelope: Microbiologic Analysis of the WRAP-IT Study
Authors: Sohail Muhammad R , Corey G Ralph , Wilkoff Bruce L , Poole Jeanne , Mittal Suneet , Kennergren Charles , Greenspon Arnold J , Cheng Alan , Lande Jeff , Lexcen Daniel R , Tarakji Khaldoun
Published: October 2019

Background

Cardiovascular implantable electronic device (CIED) infections are associated with significant morbidity, mortality, and cost. There is limited evidence on antibiotic prophylactic strategies to prevent CIED infection. Recently, the TYRX Envelope, which elutes a combination of rifampin and minocycline for a minimum of 7 days, was shown to significantly reduce major CIED infections in the WRAP-IT trial. We sought to characterize the pathogens among patients who experienced an infection in the current era.

Methods

All patients undergoing CIED replacement, upgrade, revision, or de novo cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT-D) received standard of care antibiotic prophylaxis and were randomized 1:1 to receive TYRX or not. The primary endpoint was major CIED infection within 12 months of the procedure. Major infection was defined as an infection resulting in (1) system extraction or revision, (2) long-term suppressive antibiotic therapy, or (3) death. Data were analyzed using the Cox proportional hazards regression model.

Results

A total of 6,983 patients were randomized worldwide with 3,495 randomized to receive an envelope and 3,488 randomized to the control. At 12 months, 25 major infections (0.7%) were observed in the envelope group and 42 major infections (1.2%) in the control group, resulting in a 40% reduction of major infections (HR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.36–0.98, P = 0.04). Of 63 infections assayed, causative pathogens were identified in 36 infections whereas cultures were negative in 27 cases. Staphylococcus species (n = 22) were the predominate pathogens and a 53% reduction was observed with the use of TYRX (Figure 1). Moreover, there was only 1 CIED pocket infection with Staphylococcus species in the envelope group compared with 14 pocket infections in the control group. A comparison of timing of infection in the envelope group showed the presence of 11 endocarditis/bacteremia infections at 103 ± 84 days compared with 14 pocket infections presenting at 70 ± 78 days from the procedure.

Conclusion

In this large randomized trial, the use of the TYRX Envelope containing rifampin and minocycline resulted in a significant reduction of major CIED infections and was effective against staphylococcal species, which are the predominant cause of pocket infections.

Disclosures

All Authors: No reported Disclosures.
890. Bridging the Gap to Help Address the Opioid Crisis: A Novel Model of Care to Integrate Substance Use, Mental Health, and Infectious Disease Services
Authors: Corace Kimberly , Schubert Nicholas , Willows Melanie , Herbert Guy , Garber Gary
Published: October 2019

Background

There is a converging public health crisis as the opioid epidemic and increased injection drug use is driving rates of infectious diseases. Multidisciplinary care, integrating infectious diseases, substance use, and mental health services, is crucial to address this crisis. This study evaluated a novel rapid access care model to improve treatment access for opioid use, mental health, and related infectious diseases.

Methods

The Rapid Access Addiction Medicine (RAAM) clinic is a multidisciplinary, walk-in care model located in a mental health center in Ottawa, Canada. RAAM provides collaborative, inter-agency care, with rapid access to care facilitated through seamless care pathways (i.e., from the emergency department). RAAM offers substance use and mental health treatment, screening and care for infectious diseases, harm reduction, and connection to community services. RAAM patients (N = 411) presenting between April 2018 and January 2019 completed substance use and mental health measures upon intake and 30-day follow-ups. Clinical information was collected via chart review.

Results

Of the total sample, 20% (n = 83; 66% men) had problematic opioid use. Most patients reported high opioid dependence severity (97%), injection drug use (67%), and polysubstance use (97%), including cocaine (62%), alcohol (40%), and amphetamines (35%). Most patients reported anxiety (86%) and depression (75%). The number of patients tested for HIV, HCV, HBV, and other STIs was 29%, 27%, 28%, and 24%, respectively. Most patients tested (61%) were young adults (aged 16–29). Of those tested, 15% tested positive for HCV and treatment initiation was facilitated for 66% of patients (33% resolved spontaneously). At 30-day follow-up, patients showed significantly reduced substance use and improved depression and anxiety (Ps < 0.05).

Conclusion

Patients with problematic opioid use have multiple comorbidities, including undiagnosed infectious diseases; thus, highlighting the need for integrated care models like RAAM. Substance use treatment is an opportune setting to identify and treat infectious diseases in order to improve outcomes and reduce disease transmission. Leadership from infectious disease specialists is key to this successful integration.

Disclosures

All Authors: No reported Disclosures.
897. Prevalence of Candida auris at Body Sites, Characterization of Skin Microbiota, and Relation of Chlorhexidine Gluconate (CHG) Skin Concentration to C. auris Detection Among Patients at a High-Prevalence Ventilator-Capable Skilled Nursing Facility (vSNF) with Established CHG Bathing
Authors: Hayden Mary K , Dangana Thelma E , Yelin Rachel D , Schoeny Michael , Bell Pamela B , Stanley Mary , Preite Nailliw , Khan Nadia , Edomwande Osayuwamen , Black Stephanie R , Pacilli Massimo , Huang Xin , Deming Clay , Lin Michael Y , Segre Julia A
Published: October 2019

Background

vSNF patients are at high risk of colonization and infection with C. auris. CHG bathing has been used as an intervention to reduce nosocomial transmission of multi-drug-resistant organisms, but its effect on C. auris is unclear.

Methods

We studied a 70-bed ventilator ward in a 300-bed vSNF in Chicago, IL with a high prevalence of C. auris and established CHG bathing. Swab samples were collected from patients for culture, microbiome analysis, and CHG skin concentration testing (Table 1).

Results

We collected 2,467 samples (950 culture, 950 microbiome, 567 CHG) from 57 patients during 2 surveys conducted January–March 2019. Forty-six (81%) patients had C. auris cultured from ≥1 body site. Mean (±SD) age was 59 (±14) years, 40% were women, 70% were African American, mean (±SD) Charlson score was 3 (±2). Patients colonized with C. auris were more likely to be mechanically ventilated (50% vs. 0%, P < 0.001), have a gastrostomy tube (78% vs. 27%, P < 0.001) or have urinary catheter (72% vs. 23%, P = 0.01) than noncolonized patients. Frequency of C. auris isolation varied among 10 body sites tested (P < 0.001); colonization of anterior nares (41%) and hands (40%) was detected most often (Figure 1). By ITS1 analysis, all isolates were members of the C. auris South American clade. Skin microbiome sequencing confirmed culture Results. While Malassezia is the dominant genera observed in healthy volunteers and patients in this vSNF, C. auris was observed to dominate the fungal community of multiple skin sites, including nares, hands, inguinal, toe web (Figure 2). Other Candida spp. were also identified on the skin of patients in the current study, but at lower relative abundance. CHG was detected on skin of 52 (91%) patients (median CHG concentration 19.5 µg/mL; IQR 4.9–78.1 µg/mL). In a mixed-effects model controlling for body site and multiple measurements per patient, odds of C. auris detection by culture were less at CHG concentrations ≥625 µg/mL than at lower concentrations (Figure 3; OR 0.25, 95% CI: 0.10–0.66; P = 0.005).

Conclusion

Frequent C. auris colonization of vSNF patients’ anterior nares and hands suggests that nasal decolonization and patient hand hygiene are potential options to reduce C. auris transmission. High concentrations of CHG may be needed to suppress C. auris on skin.

Disclosures

All Authors: No reported Disclosures.