Aspects Of Mobility Research Articles

Predicting the impact of public events and mobility in Smart Cities

AbstractThe ubiquitous presence of smartphones and the ever‐expanding Internet of Things are generating a treasure trove of data on human movement. We harness the power of Artificial Intelligence to extract knowledge within this data, in particular for predicting people flows and density in a Smart City. This predictive ability holds immense potential for a multitude of applications, from optimising people flow to streamlining event planning, while offering a powerful tool for pre‐emptive identification of situations that may lead to crowd disasters. In this paper, we tackle two crucial aspects of people mobility using data from public events and an Italian mobile phone network: to predict both event attendance and future crowd density in specific areas. The event details (location, time etc.) are automatically gathered and stored in a structured format. Next, we handle these problems are treated in a “supervised learning” setting, and various state‐of‐art Machine Learning techniques are tested to find the best model for each task. The obtained models will be encapsulated into a Policy Support System contributing to foster planning actions of mobility services.

Hidden Water's Influence on Rhodopsin Activation.

Structural biology relies on several powerful techniques, but these tend to be limited in their ability to characterize protein fluctuations and mobility. Over-reliance on structural approaches can lead to omission of critical information regarding biological function. Currently there is a need for complementary biophysical methods to visualize these mobile aspects of protein function. Here we review hydrostatic and osmotic pressure-based techniques to address this shortcoming for the paradigm of rhodopsin. Hydrostatic and osmotic pressure data contribute important examples which are interpreted in terms of an energy landscape for hydration-mediated protein dynamics. We find that perturbations of rhodopsin conformational equilibria by force-based methods are not unrelated phenomena; rather they probe various hydration states involving functional proton reactions. Hydrostatic pressure acts on small numbers of strongly interacting structural or solvent-shell water molecules with relatively high energies, while osmotic pressure acts on large numbers of weakly interacting bulk-like water molecules with low energies. Local solvent fluctuations due to the hydration shell and collective water interactions affect hydrogen-bonded networks and domain motions that are explained by a hierarchical energy landscape model for protein dynamics.

Vertical Mobility and Mental Gap of Scheduled Caste Students in West Bengal

This study investigates the complex relationship between vertical mobility and the mental gap experienced by Scheduled Caste (SC) students in West Bengal. Vertical mobility refers to the process by which individuals or groups ascend the social hierarchy, while the mental gap represents psychological barriers that often impede SC students from realizing their full potential. This research aims to elucidate various aspects of vertical mobility, examine the factors contributing to the mental gap experienced by SC students in higher education, and explore strategies to address these challenges to promote both personal development and upward mobility. To accomplish this objective, we employed qualitative documentary analysis and conducted a comprehensive review of existing literature, policy documents, and relevant case studies to gain a deeper understanding of the socioeconomic realities and educational trajectories of SC students. Our findings indicate that vertical mobility encompasses multiple dimensions, including educational attainment, career progression, and diverse social perspectives. Furthermore, we identified key contributors to the mental gap, such as internalized biases, economic constraints, and the pervasive influence of caste consciousness. By elucidating these critical factors, this study sought to propose effective strategies for bridging mental gaps and enhancing upward mobility among SC students. Ultimately, this research aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse surrounding social equity and empowerment for marginalized communities, emphasizing the urgent need for targeted interventions that facilitate the full integration of SC students into mainstream educational and social spheres.

GPS-Based Hidden Markov Models to Document Pastoral Mobility in the Sahel.

In agrarian systems where animal mobility is crucial for feed management, nutrient cycles and household economy, there is a notable lack of precise data on livestock mobility and herding practices. We introduce a methodology leveraging GPS-based behavioural models to analyse and document pastoral mobility in the Sahel. Over 2.5 years, we conducted a continuous collection of GPS data from transhumant and resident cattle herds in the Senegalese agropastoral semiarid rangelands. We developed a Hidden Markov Model robustly fitted to these data to classify recordings into three states of activity: resting (47% overall), foraging (37%) and travelling (16%). We detail our process for selecting the states and testing data subsets to guide future similar endeavours. The model describes state changes and how temperature affects them. By combining the resulting dataset with satellite-based land-use data, we show the distribution of activities across landscapes and seasons and within a day. We accurately reproduced key aspects of cattle mobility and characterised rarely documented features of Sahel agropastoral practices, such as transhumance phases, nocturnal grazing and in-field rainy season paddocking. These results suggest that our methodology, which we make available, could be valuable in addressing issues related to the future of Sahelian pastoralism.

Relationships of post-stroke fatigue with mobility, recovery, performance, and participation-related outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Effective post-stroke mobility, recovery, performance, and participation are key goals for stroke survivors. However, these outcomes may be hindered by post-stroke fatigue (PSF), which can affect numerous aspects of post-stroke mobility, recovery, performance, functioning, community participation, and return to work. This review aimed to assess the scientific evidence on the relationship between PSF and mobility function, functional recovery, functional performance, and participation-related outcomes among stroke survivors. A comprehensive search of Cochrane Central, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science (WoS) databases was conducted from inception to December 2023. Observational, cross-sectional, and longitudinal studies were included. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed using the National Institute of Health's quality assessment tool, while the risk of bias was assessed using the Quality in Prognostic Studies tool. A total of 28 studies (n = 2,495 participants, 1,626 men, mean age ranging from 52.5 ± 9.5 to 71.1 ± 9.9 years) were included. The data analysis was conducted using narrative and quantitative synthesis. Fixed and random effects meta-analyses were conducted to explore the relationships between PSF and relevant outcomes. Chronic PSF was found to have significant negative correlations with mobility (meta r = -0.106, p < 0.001), balance performance (meta r = -0.172; 95%; p = 0.004), and quality of life (meta r = -0.647; p < 0.001). It also showed significant positive correlations with stroke impairment (meta r = 0.144, p < 0.001) and disability (meta r = 0.480, p < 0.001). Additionally, exertion/acute PSF had significantly negative correlations with walking economy (meta r = -0.627, p < 0.001) and walking endurance (meta r = -0.421, p = 0.022). The certainty of evidence was deemed moderate for these relationships. Our findings indicate that higher levels of PSF are associated with poorer mobility, balance, and participation, as well as greater disability and stroke impairment. Future studies, especially prospective longitudinal and randomized controlled trials, are warranted to substantiate our findings. PROSPERO, identifier: CRD42023492045.

Diversification of Antibodies: From V(D)J Recombination to Somatic Exon Shuffling.

Antibodies that gain specificity by a large insert encoding for an extra domain were described for the first time in 2016. In malaria-exposed individuals, an exon deriving from the leukocyte-associated immunoglobulin-like 1 (LAIR1) gene integrated via a copy-and-paste insertion into the immunoglobulin heavy chain encoding region. A few years later, a second example was identified, namely a dual exon integration from the leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor B1 (LILRB1) gene that is located in close proximity to LAIR1. A dedicated high-throughput characterization of chimeric immunoglobulin heavy chain transcripts unraveled, that insertions from distant genomic regions (including mitochondrial DNA) can contribute to human antibody diversity. This review describes the modalities of insert-containing antibodies. The role of known DNA mobility aspects, such as genomic translocation, gene conversion, and DNA fragility, is discussed in the context of insert-antibody generation. Finally, the review covers why insert antibodies were omitted from the past repertoire analyses and how insert antibodies can contribute to protective immunity or an autoreactive response.

Субъективная социальная мобильность представителей IT-специальностей: возможности качественного подхода

The labor market is undergoing modernization – many professions are disappearing, new ones are emerging in their place, and employers’ requirements are changing – the demand for competitive and mobile specialists is increasing, in this regard, the study of social and professional mobility processes is becoming relevant. Consequently, the study of social and professional mobility processes becomes highly relevant. This article explores the subjective aspects of these phenomena in the context of the digitalization of the labor market. The author examines theoretical approaches to studying subjective mobility, emphasizing its significance for understanding social processes. Based on a qualitative study conducted through biographical interviews with 22 employees of Russian enterprises, key trends in the influence of IT skills on professional mobility are identified. The results show that digital competencies have become a basic requirement for most professions, and their presence is an important factor in employment and career growth. The study also highlights the necessity of continuously updating digital skills and adapting to new work formats, such as remote employment. The article contributes to the understanding of the subjective aspects of social mobility in the context of the digital transformation of society.

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome and COVID-19 Under the Urban Hierarchy of Municipalities in the State of Rondônia (Western Amazon)

Analyzing the SARS data can provide insights into the severe form of COVID-19, contributing to short, medium, and long-term pandemic response planning. The virus entered Brazilian through air travel, spreading via airport connections. The spatial diffusion of COVID-19 transmission is linked to the territorial division of labor (referring to characteristic daily activities), as reflected in the urban hierarchical network, which serves as a framework for analyzing COVID-19 transmission. This analysis covers mobility aspects such as density, connectivity and the movement of people at different scales. The objective is to evaluate the transmission of SARS and COVID-19 in the state of Rondônia, Western Amazon, between 2020 and 2021, using geoprocessing techniques for spatiotemporal analysis. Maps depicting the urban hierarchy (understood as cities organized by size, from smallest to largest) of the municipalities of Rondônia, along with SARS incidence rates and their standard deviation, were created using QGIS program, version 2.18.20. Spatiotemporal analysis was conducted using Kulldorff statistics to identify clusters of SARS cases in each municipality. A higher concentration of SARS rates ​​was observed in municipalities in the northwestern part of the state. Six spatiotemporal clusters were identified, but no clear pattern of spatial distribution was observed. The spatial diffusion of COVID-19 transmission is linked to the territorial division of labor (i.e., the spatial classification based on the predominant economic activity in each area), as evidenced by the urban hierarchical network, which serves as a reference for analyzing COVID-19 transmission.

Analysis of Consumer Preferences for Used Cars Using K-Means Clustering as a Basis for Building Business Actions

Transportation is a crucial aspect of modern mobility, enabling the movement of goods and individuals. Private vehicles, such as motorcycles and cars, are the dominant choice for many due to their convenience and practicality. However, with numerous car options, consumers often struggle to select used cars that match their needs and preferences. In this research, data mining is employed to cluster used cars based on consumer preferences for price, rating, and performance using the K-Means Clustering algorithm. The data consists of used car information from various sources. The K-Means algorithm groups the cars into clusters based on price, rating, and performance criteria. The results reveal three consumer groups with different preferences in these areas. This information provides valuable insights for consumers to make informed decisions and offers guidance to the automotive industry for designing more effective business actions.

Quantifying local mobility patterns in urban human mobility data

Understanding fine-scale dynamics of human mobility patterns is pivotal for effective urban planning, public health strategies, and retail analysis. This study introduces a novel mobility measure – the Local Mobility Index (LMI) – combining geometry-based mobility metrics and accessibility measures. The LMI can be considered a measure of ‘relative localness’ by integrating preferences into the assessment of local mobility patterns, offering a novel measure for understanding mobility behavior in urban contexts. The LMI improves upon existing measures as it captures individual choice for local destinations through measuring whether individuals select nearby destinations; accounting for the unequal spatial distribution of urban amenities. Our contribution is mainly methodological, advancing the field by introducing a metric that captures different aspects of mobility compared to conventional mobility metrics. Leveraging mobile-phone-based GPS data, we examine the LMI using 759 individuals across three cities in England. We found that the LMI captures a new and distinct dimension of urban mobility, as evidenced by its weak correlation with established metrics. Therefore, LMI's capacity to highlight previously undetected aspects of mobility behavior, underscores its importance for advancing research and urban planning.

Emotional journeys: the pathways of African students to a Chinese higher education institution and performances of ‘emotion work’

ABSTRACT This article examines the emotional aspects of international student mobility (ISM) from African countries to a higher education institution in China. While there is increasing scholarly attention to the role of emotional experiences in ISM, most of this work has focused on Western destinations with a long history of education mobilities. Information on newly emerged, non-Western ISM destinations is comparatively limited. Drawing on ethnographic research of 15 months at a Chinese university, this article shows how emotions shape and re-shape pre-arrival aspirations, daily interactions, and post-graduation plans among students from African countries. Specifically, the study shows that many students confront emotional dissonance and perform diverse forms of ‘emotion work’ in attempts to find a sense of familiarity and belonging while studying abroad. This is significant as it speaks to students’ agentive subjectivity in contending with emotional challenges and navigating complex ‘emoscapes’. The paper argues that a focus on emotions contributes to a more nuanced, multifaceted understanding of contemporary educational mobilities. It illuminates how students’ multiple emotions are continuously articulated and circulated with and within these ISM flows apparently driven by economic forces in the global higher education market.

Effect of electroacupuncture combined with rehabilitation techniques on shoulder function in patients with rotator cuff injuries.

The rotator cuff is located below the acromion and deltoid muscles and comprises multiple tendons that wrap around the humeral head, maintaining shoulder joint stability. To explore the effect of electroacupuncture combined with rehabilitation techniques on shoulder function in patients with rotator cuff injuries. We selected 97 patients with rotator cuff injuries treated in the People's Hospital of Yuhuan from February 2020 to May 2023. Patients were grouped using the envelope method. After treatment, the study group's treatment effective rate was 94.90% (46/49 patients), significantly higher than that in the control group (79.17%, 38/48 cases; P < 0.05). Before treatment, there was no difference in Constant Murley Score (CMS) scores, shoulder mobility, or 36-Item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) scale scores (P > 0.05). Compared with those before treatment, the CMS scores (including pain, daily living ability, shoulder mobility, and muscle strength), all aspects of shoulder mobility (forward flexion, posterior extension, external rotation, internal rotation), and SF-36 scale scores (including physiological, psychological, emotional, physical, vitality, and health status) were higher in both groups after treatment and significantly higher in the study group (P < 0.05). There was no difference in the occurrence of complications between the two treatment groups (P > 0.05). Electroacupuncture combined with rehabilitation techniques has a good treatment effect on patients with rotator cuff injuries, helps accelerate the recovery of shoulder function, improves the quality of life, and is highly safe.

Effects of physical exercise intervention on improving physical functioning and quality of life among geriatric population: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

To assess the effectiveness of exercise intervention on elderly population's physical functioning and quality of life. The systematic review was conducted in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta- Analyses guidelines, and comprised research on Cochrane Library, PubMed, Physiotherapy Evidence Database and Web of Science for randomised controlled trials published in the English language from January 2012 to December 2021. The trials included comprised individuals of either gender aged ≥60 years who were either community-dwelling elderly or patients living in residential facilities who could walk independently with or without assistive devices. Key words used for the search included age, exercise, physical function, quality of life and cognition. A 10-point scale from the Physiotherapy Evidence Database was used for methodological evaluation. Of the 1050 studies initially found, 14(1.33%) were analysed in detail. All 14(100%) included multi-component exercise interventions, like aerobic, strength and balance, 4(28.6%) trials included cognition and quality of life as well. Only 1(7.14%) trial showed little or no improvement in terms of quality of life. Of the 2(14.3%) studies that reported the effects of exercise on falls, 1(50%) found positive impact of exercise interventions, while 1(50%) showed no improvement on the risk of fall and psychosocial factors related to fall. Overall, 9(64.3%) trials investigated the effects of exercise training on several aspects of mobility, and showed marked improvement in mobility. Also, 8(57.14%) trials studied the effect of exercise intervention on balance performance, and 1(12.5%) of them showed no effect on balance. Of the 9(64.3%) trials investigating the effects of exercise intervention on muscle strength, 5(55.5%) reported increase in muscle strength. Multi-component exercises were found to have a positive impact on functional and psychosocial health of geriatric population.

Mobility heterogeneity of urban freight areas: Geospatial evidence from shared logistics dynamics

Amid rising mobility services in cities, the logistics sector plays a crucial role in envisioning daily services for local neighborhoods. Previous research has primarily identified key freight areas (KFAs) in small-scale regions using traditional census and travel survey data. However, differing from KFAs, other areas with distinct freight patterns remain largely unexamined, and there is a lack of comprehensive indicators to evaluate the travel behaviors of large-scale freight vehicles. This study introduces a data-driven geospatial framework to characterize and understand the patterns exhibited by different freight areas through freight dynamics data collected in cities. To analyze key aspects of freight mobility within spatial units, a set of areal indicators is developed using GPS trajectories of shared freight vehicles in Hong Kong. Descriptive statistics illustrate the inherent differences across various areas and their spatial distributions. A hierarchical clustering approach groups all areas based on proposed indicators, providing a quantitative evaluation of collective spatial patterns. The analysis also explores the non-linear relationships between different categories of freight activities and the local built environments and socioeconomic conditions. The results suggest a strong spatial heterogeneity in the areal mobility profile of Hong Kong. Loading and unloading behaviors are frequently observed in districts such as Eastern Kowloon, Kwai Chung, and the Airport, highlighting prevalent freight trip origins and destinations. In contrast, areas with high transit times are mostly found in suburban regions, particularly on the periphery. This study provides essential insights for area-based planning and management of urban freight activities, with relevant practical implications.

A visit generation process for human mobility random graphs with location-specific latent-variables: From land use to travel demand

This research introduces a novel mathematical framework for understanding collective human mobility patterns, integrating mathematical modeling and data analysis. It focuses on latent-variable networks to investigate the dynamics of human mobility using stochastic models. By analyzing origin–destination data, the study uncovers scaling relations and explores the economic implications of mobility patterns, particularly regarding the income elasticity of travel demand. The mathematical analysis begins with the development of a stochastic model based on inhomogeneous random graphs, constructing a visitation model with multipurpose drivers for travel demand. Through this model, the study gains insights into the structural properties and dynamic correlations of human mobility networks, deriving analytical solutions for key network metrics: visit distribution, assortativity behavior and clustering coefficient. Empirically, the study validates the model’s assumptions and reveals scaling behaviors in origin–destination flows within a region, reproducing statistical regularities observed in real-world cases. Notably, the model’s application to estimating income elasticity of travel demand provides significant implications for urban and transport economics. Overall, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of the interplay between human mobility and regional demographics and economics. It sheds light on critical scaling relations across various aspects of collective human mobility and underscores the importance of incorporating latent-variable structures into mobility modeling for accurate economic analysis and decision-making in urban and transportation planning.

Sustainability of the use of critical raw materials in electric vehicle batteries: A transdisciplinary review

The expected growth of electric mobility will have major sustainability implications in societies across the globe due to a global reliance on primary natural resources and the uneven distribution of benefits and impacts. There has been a call for comprehensive assessments that account for the complex causalities between technological, environmental, social, economic, and political aspects of electric mobility. We present a literature review examining the interconnections between aspects of sustainability in the use of critical materials in electric vehicle batteries. With a holistic review of social sciences, materials science, environmental policy, and innovation management literatures, five domains of sustainability tensions were identified: 1) resource sufficiency, 2) geographical distribution and global value chains, 3) regulation and policies, 4) circular economy, and 5) emerging battery technologies. The framework explicates the wickedness and complex causalities involved in the interdependencies of multiple sustainability dimensions and the related tensions. This study extends the examination to cover political aspects and adds to techno-industrial research on battery materials, supply chains and industrial policies and land use, electricity consumption and governance in EV battery production. This study proposes pathways forward that consider various sustainability interdependencies.

What we miss when we overlook the gendered aspects of nationalist mobilisation

What we miss when we overlook the gendered aspects of nationalist mobilisation

Iranian, Afghan or Central Asian? Patterns of mobility among Persianate Jews in the 19th and early 20th centuries

ABSTRACT Focusing on aspects of mobility and daily life, this paper aims to highlight the history of nineteenth century Persian Jews as one of interconnectedness, but also separation. Various forms of interaction such as marriage, trade and the circulation of literature connected communities of Central Asian, Afghan and Iranian Jews, while they at the same time maintained or developed distinct identities. Departing from ideas of Persian Jews as isolated from their environment, I discuss aspects of interaction with different actors such as local Turkmen tribes, governors or religious authorities. The ancient city of Merv in today’s Turkmenistan, a former hub for Jews from Iran, Central Asia and Afghanistan, challenges notions of ‘center’ and ‘periphery’ and points out how Persian speaking Jews contributed to the socio-economic environments in which they were active. Their movements and activities are crucial for understanding the formation of (transregional) communities and their relevance for global history.

Override forces through clumps of small vegetation

Vegetation override is an important aspect of off-road ground vehicle mobility. For autonomous ground vehicles (AGV), path-planning in off-road environments may be informed by the predicted resistance of vegetation in the navigation environment. However, there are no prior measurements on the override resistance of small stems (<2.5 cm) and groups of small stems on medium-sized (≈1000 kg) vehicles. In this work, a series of override measurements for clumps of small vegetation that are relevant for off-road navigation by intermediate-sized AGV is presented. The development and calibration of a custom-made pushbar system with integrated load cells for directly measuring override forces is also presented, and a comparison of the results of the experiments to models developed for override of larger single stems is made. It is found that for clumps of small vegetation, the total override force is best predicted by the diameter of the largest stem in the clump. Additionally, it is found that the equations developed for larger stems under-predict the override forces exerted by smaller stems by about a factor of two.

The Franco-Algerian War: Narrating the Failure of the French Imperialist Project in Norman Lewis’s Darkness Visible (1960)

This article examines the political attitude towards representing French colonialism to Algeria during the Franco-Algerian war (1954-1962) in Darkness Visible (1960) by the Welsh-British Norman Lewis. It probes how Lewis’s novel portrays French colonial project, which was intended to bring civilization to Algerians, as a failure through raising an anti- colonial thought. In the novel, the Mission does not only fail to achieve the goals of its agenda, but also fails in the sense that it exposes more negative consequences of exploitation, oppression, and cultural destruction of the colonized people. The paper also scrutinizes Lewis’s use of immediacy of the narrative and Manicheanism in characterization as literary device to critique French colonial practices against the natives; while, in parallel, Lewis highlights the aspect of nationalist mobilization to unearth the legitimacy of the Algerians fighting for liberty. Therefore, this article ventures thematically into Darkness Visible within anti- colonial discourse parameters. Keywords: Darkness Visible, Franco-Algerian war, immediacy and Manicheanism, nationalist mobilization, Norman Lewis