Mobilization Strategies Research Articles

The impact of intersecting crises on recent intra‐EU mobilities: The case of Spaniards in the UK and Germany

AbstractThis article contributes to two interconnected fields of study: recent literature on intra‐EU migration, specifically South–North flows; and scholarship into the impact of intersecting crises on (im)mobilities. Interest in intra‐EU mobilities has increased with the expansion of the EU and especially since the 2008 Great Recession, with a focus mostly on young people and East–West flows. However, based on a mixed‐methods research approach, this article looks at the recent migration of individuals and families from Spain to the UK and Germany, two of the main destinations in Europe. It explores the impacts on (im)mobility strategies of three intersecting “crises”: starting with emigration since 2008, including the erosion of EU mobile citizens' rights culminating in “Brexit,” and ending with the effects of COVID‐19. Our analysis situates these migrant experiences in the interplay between core‐periphery theories and the concept of liquid migration, highlighting how crises accentuate vulnerabilities but can also generate opportunities.

The effect of digital marketing on organizational agility of SACCOs in Meru Town

Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations (SACCOs) are vital drivers of economic growth in the country. SACCOs provide financial services, including deposits, loans, savings accounts, money transfers, insurance, and payment services. Even though digital media exists to improve the flexibility and the speed of business processes to improve organizational agility, its aspects are a very recent phenomenon among Savings and Credit Cooperative Organizations. An empirical inquiry was relevant to understand the domain of communication, marketing strategies, and its influence on organizational agility since the discourse of digital marketing is continuously developing. SACCOs must understand the association of digital marketing to organizational agility to embrace digital technology in their operations and stay relevant to their members while increasing their level of business resilience. The study sought to determine the effect of digital marketing (social media, mobile, and website marketing) on the organizational agility of SACCOs in Meru Town, Kenya. A descriptive research design was adopted to gather information on the relationship between the two research variables. With a target population of 5 SASRA-licensed SACCOs in Meru Town, data was collected using a semi-structured questionnaire where a stratified sampling method was utilized to attain the desired representation target population of 52 respondents. A pilot test was conducted to check the reliability and validity of the questionnaire adopted as the research instrument. The data was tabulated and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, whereby tabular, graphical, and numerical representations were utilized. Multiple linear regression was conducted to establish the inferential statistics and define the relationship between digital marketing indicators and organizational agility. The study results established that social media marketing, mobile marketing, and website marketing are positively related to the organizational agility of SACCOs. A coefficient of determination (R-squared) of 0.180 indicated that approximately 18% of the variance in organizational agility could be accounted for by the combination of social media, mobile, and website marketing strategies. The moderate level of explanatory power implies that while the chosen predictors are relevant, other factors likely influence SACCOs' organizational agility. The study's outcomes encourage decision-makers to embrace a comprehensive approach that integrates digital strategies into a wider organizational transformation and adaptation framework. The study's findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge regarding the intersection of digital marketing strategies and organizational agility. The study’s results emphasize that the benefits of these strategies extend beyond mere technological implementation, reflecting a fundamental shift in how organizations engage with their ecosystem, respond to changes, and navigate uncertainties.

Education for sustainable mobility in Slovenia: Using gamification to influence the travel habits of children

The ever-increasing mobility of modern society has a number of negative effects on space, the environment, health and quality of life. It is therefore crucial to raise awareness of the importance of sustainable mobility, part of which is effective and comprehensive education of children. The article presents some key findings of the Sustainable Mobility in Preschools and Primary Schools project, carried out in the period 2019–2021. We investigated whether gamified activities can change students' travel habits and whether the change in travel habits is influenced by their age. The study is based on the survey data from 28,043 primary school students (grades 1–9) across 220 schools (77.7% in rural, 22.3% in urban settlements). Employing paired-samples t-tests and one-way analysis of variance, the study evaluated the impact of gamified activities on travel habits. The results show that children can significantly change their traveling habits with the help of gamification. Although the greatest change in travel habits occurred during the implementation of the activity, the results suggest that more lasting effects can also be achieved. Furthermore, younger participants displayed greater responsiveness to the gamified interventions compared to their older counterparts. This research enhances the corpus of knowledge pertaining to educational strategies for sustainable mobility by providing insights from one of the largest projects to investigate the influence of gamified activities on children's commuting habits.

Right up their street? News media framing of the protest activities of far-right movement parties

AbstractFar-right parties have increasingly emphasised their movement-like characteristics as a novel mobilisation strategy. Existing studies of these so-called ‘far-right movement parties’ have concentrated on their internal organisation and communications to understand how they mediate between a movement and party identity through their own actions. Yet research is lacking on how this identity is constructed and presented by the news media: a crucial interface between institutional politics and public opinion. This paper pursues this enquiry with a comparative analysis of the newspaper coverage of two prominent cases—the German AfD and UKIP—and asks how coverage of their increasing involvement in protests has varied cross-nationally and evolved over time. The analysis reveals the relative salience of the protest activities of the far-right, along with the associated social movement actors, issues and frames used in the reporting. It shows that far-right party protest receives a low level of attention and tends to be accompanied by delegitimising framing, particularly when associated (extremist) movements are also present. In both cases analysed, a critical juncture generated increasing attention to far-right party protest, but also more delegitimising frames. The study provides new insights into the structures and processes which influence how the media has responded to the new far-right ‘movement party’ form in Europe, with implications for our understanding of contemporary far-right mobilisation strategies.

Exploring aspects of Neanderthal mobility in the Mani Peninsula: Evidence from Lithic Raw Material procurement and management at Kalamakia Cave, Greece

The Kalamakia cave located on the western Mani Peninsula, southern Greece is a Middle Palaeolithic site dated between ∼100,000 and >39,000 years BP. The aim of this paper is to provide insights into the Neanderthal groups’ mobility by addressing the lithic raw material procurement and management, with reference to the Kalamakia cave assemblage. The methodology included field survey and laboratory analyses, encompassing macroscopic, petrographic, and geochemical ones, for the location and identification of the sources of used lithic raw materials. Local, semi-local and allochthonous lithic raw materials were used by the Neanderthals at the Kalamakia cave to manufacture tools. The presence of various lithic raw materials used at the cave suggests diverse mobility strategies. The semi-local black/grey chert, followed by the allochthonous andesite was mostly used. Andesite transported across an east–west axis presents a long-term stability, both in terms of percentages and the different artefact types transported in both Unit III and IV of the cave. The significant quantities of andesite in the cave’s assemblage suggest non-random mobility, possibly linked to the exploitation of different ecological environments available in the region. The north-western part of the peninsula saw additional exploitation by groups moving along the coastal north–south corridor. However, cherts transported along this axis occurred occasionally, and their quantities were notably smaller in comparison to andesite. The strategic location of the cave close to the intersection of two natural movement routes, may have played a key role in the circulation of Palaeolithic inhabitants, facilitating movements along east–west and north–south axes.

Adoption of Digital Technologies as a Driver for Cost Leadership Strategy in Tour Firms within Nairobi City County, Kenya

Digital technologies play a major role in reducing the cost of operations in tour firms. The main focus of the study was to find out the adoption of digital technologies as a driver of cost leadership strategy in tour firms within Nairobi City County. The specific objective was to investigate the influence of mobile applications on cost leadership strategy in tour firms in Nairobi City County. Embedded research design was applied in the study. The study adopted the null hypothesis that mobile applications had no statistically significant influence on cost leadership strategy in tour firms within Nairobi City County. The study population was 278 tour firms obtained from the Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO) list where a sample of 164 tour firms were selected through the application of Yemane’s (1967) sample size formula. 10 tour firm mangers were selected for interviews. Systematic random sampling was utilized for the determination of the sample size of 164 tour firms. Semi-structured questionnaires and interview schedules were utilized as data instruments. Questionnaires were filled by tour consultants while interviews were conducted with tour firm managers. 133 respondents filled out the questionnaires representing 81% response rate while 7 interviewees were conducted representing 70% response rate. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used during data analysis. The study utilized both ANOVA and multiple regression tests to test the hypotheses, and influence between the adoption of digital technology and cost leadership strategy. The results of the R Square equals 0.919 therefore revealing that 91.9% of cost leadership is attributed to mobile applications. The study confirmed there was a statistical significance (p =.000) between mobile applications and cost leadership. Mobile applications as a digital technology tool accounted for a positive significant increase (B = 637) in cost leadership strategy. The study concluded that there is a positive strong influence between the adoption of mobile applications and cost leadership strategy. The study recommends that tour firms should fully adopt digital technologies to maximize cost control, minimize marketing costs, and promote operational efficiency

Comparison of two autologous hematopoietic stem cell mobilization strategies in patients with multiple myeloma: CE plus G-CSF versus G-CSF only: A single-center retrospective analysis.

Despite recent advances in the treatment of multiple myeloma, high-dose chemotherapy followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) remains an essential therapeutic keystone. As for the stem cell mobilization procedure, different regimens have been established, usually consisting of a cycle of chemotherapy followed by application of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), although febrile neutropenia is a common complication. Following national guidelines, our institution decided to primarily use G-CSF only mobilization during the COVID-19 pandemic to minimize the patients' risk of infection and to reduce the burden on the health system. In this retrospective single-center analysis, the efficacy and safety of G-CSF only mobilization was evaluated and compared to a historic control cohort undergoing chemotherapy-based mobilization by cyclophosphamide and etoposide (CE) plus G-CSF. Although G-CSF only was associated with a higher need for plerixafor administration (p < .0001) and a higher number of apheresis sessions per patient (p = .0002), we were able to collect the target dose of hematopoietic stem cells in the majority of our patients. CE mobilization achieved higher hematopoietic stem cell yields (p = .0015) and shorter apheresis sessions (p < .0001) yet was accompanied by an increased risk of febrile neutropenia (p < .0001). There was no difference in engraftment after ASCT. G-CSF only mobilization is a useful option in selected patients with comorbidities and an increased risk of serious infections, especially in the wintertime or in future pandemics.

Analysis of the Effects of Money Market Fund Mobilization on the Dynamics of Nigerian Economic Growth

Economic growth is a function of some productive efforts among which savings mobilizations is considered very vital. This study examines savings mobilization strategy and its impact on Nigeria’s economic growth during the year 2001-2022.This is vested with the objectives to investigate the effect of banking density, savings rates and money supply on economic growth. The study relies on time series data sourced from the publication of the Central Bank of Nigeria. Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate (GDPGR) was adopted as dependent variable, while Banking Density (BD), Savings Rates (SR) and Money Supply (MS) were the independent variables. Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) unit root test was employed, to test the stationarity. The Auto Regressive Distributive Lag (ADRL) was used to ascertain the relationship between the variables alongside Vector Error Correction Model (VCM). Post estimation diagnostic tools used include Breuch-Godfrey serial correlation LM test and the CUSUM test for stability. From the ARDL, β-coefficient and the associated probabilities were adopted to determine the extent and direction of relationship on economic growth. Data were tested at 5% level of significance; it was discovered that banking density and savings rates affected economic growth positively but with insignificant effects, while money supply affected economic growth negatively with insignificant effect. The study therefore recommends amongst others, that stakeholders, be directed towards entrenching higher banking density as opposed to banking desert, and that money supply should be made dynamic in accordance with economic realities.

Systematic Review of Impacts of Educational Interventions to Control Breeding Sites of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus Mosquitoes.

Community participation is a critical element in the management of Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus breeding sites. Many educational interventions have been conducted to encourage prevention and elimination of breeding sites among different community actors, such as government-run programs for vector surveillance aimed at preventing and eliminating breeding sites at the household level within a community. Getting people involved in prevention and elimination of vector breeding sites in their communities requires communication and social mobilization strategies to promote and reinforce those prevention actions that, in turn, should be effective from the entomological standpoint. Articles published in English, Spanish, and Portuguese, were reviewed to assess whether educational interventions targeting Ae. aegypti and Ae. albopictus were effective in reducing entomological indicators or in improving practices to prevent the presence of or eliminate breeding sites. The most widely used indicators were larval indices and the practices associated with reducing/eliminating breeding sites. We found that using a community-based approach adapted to eco-epidemiological and sociocultural scenarios explains the reduction of entomological indicators by educational interventions. Those who design or implement educational interventions should strengthen the evaluation of those interventions using qualitative approaches that provide a more complete picture of the social context and the barriers and facilitators to implementing vector control. Engaging school children in cross-sectorial collaboration involving the health and education spheres promotes the participation of the community in vector surveillance and reduces the risk of arboviral disease transmission.

Assessment of passenger safety risk level on the Transjakarta public transportation system

Passenger safety is a crucial factor in public transportation, especially now when people prefer using public transport due to its cost-effectiveness compared to private vehicles. This study aims to identify and assess the hazards that can occur in the passenger cabin of a bus and the procedures to be followed in the event of an accident. The assessment of passenger safety levels is conducted using the Hazard and Operability (HAZOP) and Hazard Identification (HIRADC) methods, which are designed to identify and evaluate these potential hazards. This research, after thorough examination and study, aims to establish new protocols that can further enhance passenger safety. With the actions suggested by the author to ward off all these potential hazards, it is hoped that the hazard level will be reduced from extreme to medium and so on. The research study, “Assessment of Passenger Safety Risk on the Transjakarta Public Transportation System,” has the potential to make a substantial contribution to sustainable transportation. In line with sustainable development goals, it immediately tackles safety concerns in the Transjakarta system, improving all-around safety and promoting public transportation over private vehicles. By lowering accident-related expenses, promoting inclusiveness, and enhancing community well-being, the study also indirectly increases resource efficiency. In essence, it contributes to a more secure, egalitarian, and sustainable urban transportation system while advancing Jakarta’s sustainable mobility strategy by placing safety first.

Stem Cells Collection and Mobilization in Adult Autologous/Allogeneic Transplantation: Critical Points and Future Challenges.

Achieving successful hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) relies on two fundamental pillars: effective mobilization and efficient collection through apheresis to attain the optimal graft dose. These cornerstones pave the way for enhanced patient outcomes. The primary challenges encountered by the clinical unit and collection facility within a transplant program encompass augmenting mobilization efficiency to optimize the harvest of target cell populations, implementing robust monitoring and predictive strategies for mobilization, streamlining the apheresis procedure to minimize collection duration while ensuring adequate yield, prioritizing patient comfort by reducing the overall collection time, guaranteeing the quality and purity of stem cell products to optimize graft function and transplant success, and facilitating seamless coordination between diverse entities involved in the HSCT process. In this review, we aim to address key questions and provide insights into the critical aspects of mobilizing and collecting hematopoietic stem cells for transplantation purposes.

Advances and prerequisites for strontium isotope analyses through laser ablation in an aquatic context – Targeting Mid-Neolithic Baltic Sea harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) mobility and breeding grounds

Harp seals (Phoca groenlandicus), once present in the Baltic Sea, now stand extinct. During the Middle Neolithic period, they held significant dietary importance for the Pitted Ware Culture hunter-fisher-gatherers in Scandinavia. Because they are no longer available for ecological studies, little is known about their specific behavioural intricacies, such as diet, mobility, and reproductive strategies. Because of the seal's pivotal role in these human societies and because they provide an interesting ecological case study on post-isolation ecological adaptation to new environmental conditions, a comprehensive investigation into Baltic Sea harp seal behaviour is warranted.In this pursuit, we employ sequential analysis of strontium isotope ratios (87Sr/86Sr) in harp seal teeth sourced from archaeological contexts across three study regions. This data is harmonized with osteometric analyses from fifteen archaeological sites from the Baltic Sea area, establishing a methodological framework for comprehending the Sr isotopic pathway in a brackish water inland sea. By adopting this approach, we unveil breeding and mobility patterns of the long-extinct Baltic Sea harp seals, approximate specific breeding areas connected to each group of seals and delve into the ontogenic temporal frame governing these observed patterns. This endeavour culminates in an enriched understanding of the adaptive behaviours exhibited by Baltic Sea harp seals and equips us with the insights necessary to decipher the lifestyle of the human societies intricately intertwined with them.

Effect of community-based newborn care implementation strategies on access to and effective coverage of possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI) treatment for sick young infants during COVID-19 pandemic.

In Ethiopia, neonatal mortality is persistently high. The country has been implementing community-based treatment of possible serious bacterial infection (PSBI) in young infants when referral to a hospital is not feasible since 2012. However, access to and quality of PSBI services remained low and were worsened by COVID-19. From November 2020 to June 2022, we conducted implementation research to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 and improve PSBI management implementation uptake and delivery in two woredas in Ethiopia. In April-May 2021, guided by implementation research frameworks, we conducted formative research to understand the PSBI management implementation challenges, including those due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through a participatory process engaging stakeholders, we designed adaptive implementation strategies to bridge identified gaps using mechanism mapping to achieve implementation outcomes. Strategies included training and coaching, supportive supervision and mentorship, technical support units, improved supply of essential commodities, and community awareness creation about PSBI and COVID-19. We conducted cross-sectional household surveys in the two woredas before (April 2021) and after the implementation of strategies (June 2022) to measure changes in targeted outcomes. We interviewed 4,262 and 4,082 women who gave live birth 2-14 months before data collection and identified 374 and 264 PSBI cases in April 2021 and June 2022, respectively. The prevalence of PSBI significantly decreased (p-value = 0.018) from 8.7% in April 2021 to 6.4% while the mothers' care-seeking behavior from medical care for their sick newborns increased significantly from 56% to 91% (p-value <0.01). Effective coverage of severely ill young infants that took appropriate antibiotics significantly improved from 33% [95% CI: 25.5-40.7] to 62% [95% CI: 51.0-71.6]. Despite improvements in the uptake of PSBI treatment, persisting challenges at the facility and systems levels impeded optimal PSBI service delivery and uptake, including perceived low quality of service, lack of community trust, and shortage of supplies. The participatory design and implementation of adaptive COVID-19 strategies effectively improved the uptake and delivery of PSBI treatment. Support systems were critical for frontline health workers to deliver PSBI services and create a resilient community health system to provide quality PSBI care during the pandemic. Additional strategies are needed to address persistent gaps, including improvement in client-provider interactions, supply of essential drugs, and increased social mobilization strategies targeting families and communities to further increase uptake.

Parents' User Experience Accessing and Using a Web-Based Map of COVID-19 Recommendations for Health Decision-Making: Qualitative Descriptive Study.

The eCOVID19 Recommendations Map & Gateway to Contextualization (RecMap) website was developed to identify all COVID-19 guidelines, assess the credibility and trustworthiness of the guidelines, and make recommendations understandable to various stakeholder groups. To date, little has been done to understand and explore parents' experiences when accessing and using the RecMap website for COVID-19 health decision-making. To explore (1) where parents look for COVID-19 health information and why, (2) parents' user experience when accessing and using the RecMap website to make health decisions, and (3) what knowledge mobilization activities are needed to increase parents' awareness, use, and engagement with the RecMap website. We conducted a qualitative descriptive study using semistructured interviews and a think-aloud activity with parents of children aged 18 years or younger living in Canada. Participants were asked to provide feedback on the RecMap website and to "think aloud" as they navigated the website to find relevant COVID-19 health recommendations. Demographic information was collected using a web-based questionnaire. A hybrid deductive and inductive thematic approach guided analysis and data synthesis. A total of 21 participants (13/21, 62% mothers) were interviewed and participated in a think-aloud activity. The data were categorized into four sections, representative of key elements that deductively and inductively emerged from the data: (1) parent information seeking behaviors and preferences for COVID-19, (2) RecMap website usability, (3) perceived usefulness of the RecMap website, and (4) knowledge mobilization strategies to increase awareness, use, and engagement of the RecMap website. Parents primarily used the internet to find COVID-19 information and focused on sources that they determined to be credible, trustworthy, simple, and engaging. As the pandemic evolved, participants' information-seeking behaviors changed, specifically their topics of interest and search frequency. Most parents were not aware of the RecMap website before this study but found satisfaction with its concept and layout and expressed intentions to use and share it with others. Parents experienced some barriers to using the RecMap website and suggested key areas for improvement to facilitate its usability and perceived usefulness. Recommendations included a more user-friendly home page for lay audiences (separate public-facing user interface), improving the search and filter options, quicker navigation, clearer titles, more family-friendly graphics, and improving mobile-friendly access. Several strategies to disseminate the RecMap website were also expressed, including a mix of traditional and nontraditional methods (handouts and social media) in credible and high-traffic locations that parents frequent often. Overall, parents liked the concept of the RecMap website but had some suggestions to improve its usability (language, navigation, and website interface). These findings can be used to improve the RecMap website for parents and offer insight for the development and dissemination of effective web-based health information tools and resources for the general public.

Changing value system, shifting geography of opportunity: Trajectory of migrant workers in the garment industry in Beijing

Research on the geography of metropolitan opportunities has focused on a set of opportunities in different urban areas over time to justify policy interventions. The Beijing government implemented large-scale policy interventions to achieve structural industrial changes in order to stop the downward spiral of poverty and segregation in “urban villages.” Beijing has accelerated the redevelopment of urban villages and helped tens of thousands of low-wage migrant workers in garment villages move to surrounding secondary cities or small towns in Hebei Province with better opportunities. However, low-wage migrant workers did not respond linearly to the intervention. This study analyzes the reasons underlying the response of low-wage migrant workers to these policy interventions. First, the antipoverty policy is a geographic exercise, moving low-end industries from a global center to peripheral locations. This study considers why this mobility strategy for improving opportunity has become the arena for opportunistic behavior and conceptualizes the logic of opportunism and the self-worth of low-wage migrant workers in a metropolitan area. Second, the Beijing government is attempting to disperse the low-end informal industries into formal industrial bases in Hebei. Dispersal campaigns inevitably involve circuitous mobility and the outcome of dispersal is inherently unstable. One of the crucial questions in dispersal strategies is scale. Would an upscaled Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) City Region or a downscaled “neighborhood effect” better implement the antipoverty strategy? This dispersal strategy can break up the concentration of migrants, but their perceived opportunities remain in Beijing. One of the obstacles to the full implementation of the dispersal strategy is grassroots opposition. This study uses a three-year survey conducted prior to the COVID−19 lockdown to analyze how displaced migrant workers perceive these opportunities in their processual and networked decision-making. Garment villages are important “anchor places” where migrants can mobilize their social capital and facilitate upward mobility outside a dominant institution in Beijing. This study reveals how garment workers replicated informal habitats in more remote locations in Beijing as the old habitats disappeared.

IDENTIFICATION OF MOBILITY STRATEGIES FOR SMALL AND URBANIZED BRAZILIAN MUNICIPALITIES

Due to intense urbanization and inadequate planning, various mobility problems have emerged in small Brazilian municipalities. To reverse this scenario, it is necessary to adopt sustainable mobility policies. Thus, this article aims to identify mobility strategies for small and urbanized Brazilian municipalities. Firstly, based on the literature, twenty strategies were identified. Then, experts and managers evaluated these strategies to identify the most suitable ones for small municipalities. Next, the data was analyzed to measure the reliability of the responses, the correlation, and the ranking of the strategies. Finally, the most appropriate strategies were identified using Categorical Principal Component Analysis. The results indicated that the most relevant strategies to be implemented in small Brazilian municipalities are related to policy issues, promoting active transportation, and encouraging public transportation. The findings can improve public policies and transportation planning, with implications for quality of life and sustainable development in small Brazilian municipalities.

Public Transport in the Disabling City: A Narrative Ethnography of Dilemmas and Strategies of People with Mobility Disabilities

Access to transport is key to people’s movement in cities, their social participation, and personal development. People with mobility disabilities (PMDs) face additional barriers when using public transport. The objective of this study is to identify the dilemmas that PMDs face in their daily mobility practices and their coping strategies, in particular the ways in which these dilemmas and strategies are influenced by both personal and environmental characteristics. We conducted ethnographic research, utilizing narrative interviews, life stories, focus groups, and participant observations. Our aim was to analyse multiple experiences of mobility in situations of disability in Quebec City, Canada. This study engages the following research question: how do PMDs navigate their social environment, considering the impact of personal, social, and physical landscape factors on their mobility strategies? Depending on the accessibility of fixed-route public buses and the availability of public paratransit services, what are the dilemmas that PMDs face and how do they shape their mobility strategies? Using the three-dimensional model of narrative analysis, we present a narrative ethnography of participants’ dilemmas and strategies about their experiences on public transport. Five dilemmas are examined. Through this methodology, we propose to extend the study of “constellations of mobility” by including the notion of strategies as an experiential outcome between personal and physical landscape factors, practices, and meanings of mobility. This offers new research perspectives both in disability and mobility studies and in the understanding of urban accessibility experiences in situations of disability.

Early Mobilization Decision after an Acute Ischemic Stroke: Protocol for an Umbrella Review.

Stroke is considered one of the greatest public health challenges worldwide, with the ischemic subtype being the most prevalent. Various acute stroke clinical guidelines recommend early rehabilitation interventions, including very early mobilization. However, despite the studies conducted in recent years regarding when to initiate mobilization after an acute stroke, there are few systematic and personalized protocols based on the factors for which patient mobilization should ideally be performed. We aim to conduct an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses to study the early mobilization decision after an acute ischemic stroke in comparison with conventional care and correlate the different approaches with patient clinical outcomes. We will perform a systematic search on PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Epistemonikos and Web of Science Core Collection databases. Retrieved studies will be independently reviewed by two authors and any discrepancies will be resolved by consensus or with a third reviewer. Reviewers will extract the data and assess the risk of bias in the selected studies. We will use the 16-item Assessment of Multiple Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR2) checklist as the critical appraisal tool to assess cumulative evidence and risk of bias of the different studies. This will be the first umbrella review that compares early mobilization approaches in post-acute ischemic stroke. This study may help to define the optimal early mobilization strategy in stroke patients. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023430494.

Land Rights Movements in Nepal: Investigating Mobilization Strategies within a Political Landscape

This paper explores nations' political influence on social movement organizations. It focuses on the activities of National Land Rights Forum (NLRF), the largest land rights organization of Nepal. Effective mobilization of movement depends on organization's ability to align with the current political landscape, but is less emphasized by the global south social movement studies, which are focused on analyzing historical triggers and socioeconomic consequences with references to state policies. This paper takes survey-based open-ended interviews with 27 stakeholders, including the leaders and participants of NLRF’s land rights movement. The NLRF’s experiences on mobilization provided a strategic understanding of its adaptation to country's political milieu by leveraging the state-initiated major political events, which could be seen as opportunities to incorporate their concerns with state agendas. Furthermore, the Maoist-led insurgency in the past had fueled for the land rights movements, particularly the NLRF’s priority in organizing and unifying individuals who had similar political and economic identities. The mobilization strategies for land rights movement highlight the contextual variation on how current political landscape shapes the adaptive systems and practices of movement organizations.

A disturbance rejection control for urban air mobility using artificial sensor-based Gaussian process regression

This paper presents a learning-based disturbance rejection control strategy for Urban Air Mobility (UAM) with vertical take-off and landing capability, which is subject to uncertainties in system parameters. The two primary sources of uncertainty during UAM operation, specifically moment of inertia uncertainty and center of gravity variation, are thoroughly analyzed as they negatively impact control performance. Building upon the analysis outcomes, a novel adaptive scheme is proposed that employs the modeling capabilities of Gaussian process regression for online learning to estimate model uncertainties. To ensure the collection of high-quality training data without relying on state derivatives, a nonlinear disturbance observer is employed as an artificial sensor. The suggested control algorithm is formulated by integrating Gaussian process regression with a baseline control derived using the feedback linearization control technique. Theoretical analysis grounded in the Lyapunov theorem reveals that the tracking error of the closed-loop system is semi-globally uniformly and ultimately bounded. Numerical simulations are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. The results obtained confirm that the proposed method can achieve superior tracking performance, even in the presence of model uncertainties and time-varying disturbances, surpassing existing approaches.