Search Results (122)

Analyses of student mobility are typically conducted in an urban environment and are informed by socio-demographic or trip attributes. The prevailing focus is on individual modes of transport, different groups of commuters travelling to campus, students’ behavioural perceptions, and the totality of student trips. This paper starts with the identification of the determinants of student mobility that have received insufficient research attention. Utilising surveys, the study captures the mobility patterns of a sample of 1014 students and calculates their carbon footprint (CF; in kg/academic year) to assess whether the factors neglected in previous studies influence differences in the actual environmental load of student commuting. A regression analysis is employed to ascertain the significance of these factors as predictors of sustainable student mobility. This study exclusively focuses on the group of student commuters to campus and analyses the trips associated with compulsory activities at a suburban campus that is distant from the university centre and student facilities, which changes the mobility context in terms of commuting options. The under-researched factors identified in this research have not yet been quantified as CF. The findings confirm that only some of the factors neglected in previous research are statistically significant predictors of the local environmental load of student mobility. Specifically, variables such as student employment, frequency of class attendance, and propensity for ride-sharing could be utilised to forecast and regulate students’ mobility towards more sustainable patterns. However, all of the under-researched factors (including household size, region of origin (i.e., past experiences), residing at term-time accommodation while studying, and the availability of a family car) have an influence on the differences in CF magnitude in the studied campus. Full article

Climate change poses a significant challenge to global tourism, influencing destination choices and traveller behaviour. This study examines the awareness of individuals regarding the impact of climate change on tourism destinations and their decision-making processes. Through a qualitative research design, semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed in NVivo 15 to explore the extreme natural events, environmental concerns, and sustainability considerations that can shape travel preferences. Findings from the literature and 20 interviews indicate that climate change is increasingly perceived as a barrier to destination selection, with tourists prioritising safety, environmental resilience, and sustainability. Additionally, transportation choices reflect a balance between efficiency and ecological impact, with a growing inclination toward sustainable travel alternatives. This research highlights the need for policy frameworks that address climate-related risks in the tourism sector, with a focus on adaptation strategies and responsible travel practices. The study contributes to the discourse on climate change and tourism by highlighting behavioural trends and proposing measures for enhanced awareness and sustainable decision-making. Full article

Background: The rise in antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is internationally recognised as a critical public health concern, with limited treatment options available. The urgency of this issue prompted the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control to establish ‘EURO-GASP’ to monitor trends in resistance and address developments. Comprehensive data on AMR strains in people living with HIV (PLHIV) is limited, especially in Cyprus. Objectives: To analyse trends in rates of resistant N. gonorrhoeae infections and identify any correlations between patient factors that may contribute to such in PLHIV in The Republic of Cyprus. Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review study on N. gonorrhoea resistance among PLHIV from the Gregorios HIV reference clinic in Larnaca, Cyprus, between 2015 and 2023. Antimicrobial susceptibility was assessed via disc diffusion or gradient strip method on GC II agar against a non-homogenous panel of antibiotic preparations, based on standard laboratory practice variation. Demographic and clinical data, including antibiograms, treatments and test of cure, were recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata v16, with significance set at p < 0.05. The study received approval from the Cyprus National Bioethics Committee. Results: A total of 45 isolates from 39 patients were analysed, with 62% of these demonstrating resistance to at least one antibiotic. Resistance rates were not shown to change over time. We identified a statistically significant linear association between a person having a history of an STI and the number of antibiotics which the isolate is resistant to (β = 1.2; p: 0.004). Notably, a single isolate demonstrated resistance to ceftriaxone, the first-line treatment currently recommended in both Europe and the United States. This finding is particularly alarming given the critical role of ceftriaxone in the management of gonorrhoea. Conclusions: Whilst there has been no increase in resistance rates over time, the detection of ceftriaxone-resistant N. gonorrhoeae is a significant public health concern. Given that having a history of an STI makes a person more likely to develop a resistant infection, PLHIV or those who engage in risky sexual behaviours are particularly vulnerable. There is a pressing need to enhance surveillance and implement routine susceptibility testing in Cyprus, given the country’s role as a major international hub for travel and migration. Molecular analysis can further improve our understanding. Additionally, the global public health community must urgently prioritise the development of novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of gonorrhoea. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic altered the holiday plans of many people. Whether it was due to travel bans or the fear of contracting the infection, people modified, among other aspects, their chosen destination, travel transport, accommodations, length of stay, and activities to be undertaken during the stay. In this context, we aim to disentangle the effect of these changes on tourist satisfaction. Previous research on the effects of COVID-19 on the tourism sector has studied the shrinkage of tourism demand, changes in tourist behaviour and adaptation processes on the supply side. Nonetheless, few works have analysed changes in tourists’ plans. Two main hypotheses have been put forward. First, tourists might be dissatisfied given that they could not attain their holiday expectations. In contrast, the second hypothesis suggests that those individuals who changed their holiday plans might be more satisfied because they diminished their perceived risk of contagion. We have used data drawn from a survey of tourists (N = 2009) who visited Costa Daurada, a very popular Mediterranean coastal destination just after the end of the Spanish lockdown. Then, statistically significant differences in satisfaction levels between the groups that altered their plans and those who did not are assessed by means of Kruskal–Wallis and Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests. Results signal that tourists were not more dissatisfied when they had modified their initial holiday plans. Indeed, the overall satisfaction of those visitors who switched their initial destination to travel to Costa Daurada was slightly lower, and the difference was significant, compared to the ones who were planning to travel there from the very beginning. Satisfaction was not significantly lower for those who changed their holiday plans in the case of the rest of the items analysed (transportation, length of stay, accommodation, and overall activities). On the contrary, in the case of activities, changes apparently contributed to mitigate the risk perception and led to a better tourist experience. Results also suggest that tourists were willing to adapt to a new situation in order not to renounce their holidays. In terms of implications for destination management and stakeholders, the main conclusion is that continuous cooperation and mutual trust are key to adapting to turbulent environments in which risk perception becomes central. Full article

Atmospheric responses to earthquakes or volcanic eruptions have become an interesting topic and can potentially contribute to future forecasting of these events. Extensive anomalies of the total electron content (TEC) are most often linked with geomagnetic storms or Earth-dependent phenomena, like earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or nuclear explosions. This study extends rarely discussed, but very frequent, interactions between tectonic plate boundaries and the ionosphere. Our investigations focus on the very frequent occurrence of TEC enhancements not exclusively linked with individual seismic phenomena but located over tectonic plate boundaries. The objective of this study is to provide a review of the global spatiotemporal distribution of TEC anomalies, facilitating the discussion of their potential relations with tectonic activity. We apply a Kriging-based UPC-IonSAT quarter-of-an-hour time resolution rapid global ionospheric map (UQRG) from the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) IonSAT group for the detection of relative vertical TEC (VTEC) changes. Our study describes global relative and normalized VTEC variations, which have spatial and temporal behaviours strongly indicating their relationship both with geomagnetic changes and the tectonic plate system. The variations in geomagnetic fields, including the storms, disturb the ionosphere and amplify TEC variations persisting for several hours over tectonic plate boundaries, mostly over the diverging ones. The seismic origin of the selected parts of these TEC enhancements and depletions and their link with tectonic plate edges are suspected from their duration, shape, and location. The changes in TEC originating from both sources can be observed separately or together, and therefore, there is an open question about the directions of the energy transfers. However, the importance of geomagnetic field lines seems to be probable, due to the frequent common occurrence of both types of TEC anomalies. This research also proves that permanent observation of global lithosphere–atmosphere–ionosphere coupling (LAIC) is also important in time periods without strong earthquake or volcanic events. The occurrence of TEC variations over diverging tectonic plate boundaries, sometimes combined with travelling anomalies of geomagnetic origin, can add to the studies on earthquake precursors and forecasting. Full article

This study aimed to identify if sensor technology could be used to detect sickness-type signs (caused by a live vaccine) in laying hens compared to physiological and clinical sign scoring and behaviour observation. The experiment comprised 5 replicate batches (4 hens and 12 days per batch) using previously non-vaccinated hens (n = 20). Hens were moved on day 1 to a large experimental room with various designated zones (e.g., litter, perches, nest box), where they wore two sensors (FitBark, TrackLab). Saline was applied using ocular and nasal drops on day 3 as a control. A live vaccine (Infectious Laryngotracheitis, ILT, vaccine), applied using the same method on day 6, was used to induce mild respiratory and other responses. Physiological and clinical signs, and behaviour from videos were also recorded by a single observer. There were significant changes in body weight (p < 0.001), feed intake (p = 0.031), cloacal temperature (p < 0.001) and three out of five clinical signs (ocular discharge (p < 0.001), conjunctivitis (p < 0.001) and depression (p = 0.009)) over days. A significant decrease (p < 0.001) in activity level (FitBark) and distance travelled (both sensors) were identified over the study days, and activity and distance travelled were highly significantly associated (p < 0.001) with total clinical scores, with hens showing reduced activity and distance travelled with worsening total clinical scores. With behaviour observations from videos, the proportions of sitting, foraging and feeding behaviours (p = 0.044, 0.036 and 0.004, respectively), the proportion of total visit duration to the litter zone (p < 0.001) and perch (p = 0.037) with TrackLab and the proportions of visit counts of hens in the litter zone (p = 0.012) from video scanning changed significantly with days. This study suggests that the vaccine challenge caused associated changes in clinical/physiological signs and activity/distance travelled data from the sensors. Sensors may have a role in detecting changes in activity and movement in individual hens indicative of health or welfare problems. Full article

Physical inactivity is a leading risk factor for non-communicable diseases. Climate change is now regarded as the biggest threat to global public health. Electric micromobility (e-micromobility, including e-bikes, e-cargo bikes, and e-scooters) has the potential to simultaneously increase people’s overall physical activity while decreasing greenhouse gas emissions where it substitutes for motorised transport. The ELEVATE study aims to understand the impacts of e-micromobility, including identifying the people, places, and circumstances where they will be most beneficial in terms of improving people’s health while also reducing mobility-related energy demand and carbon emissions. A complex mixed methods design collected detailed quantitative and qualitative data from multiple UK cities. First, nationally representative (n = 2000), city-wide (n = 400 for each of the three cities; total = 1200), and targeted study area surveys (n = 996) collected data on travel behaviour, levels of physical activity, vehicle ownership, and use, as well as attitudes towards e-micromobility. Then, to provide insights on an understudied type of e-micromobility, 49 households were recruited to take part in e-cargo bike one-month trials. Self-reported data from the participants were validated with objective data-using methods such as GPS trackers and smartwatches’ recordings of routes and activities. CO₂ impacts of e-micromobility use were also calculated. Participant interviews provided detailed information on preferences, expectations, experiences, barriers, and enablers of e-micromobility. Full article

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. Full article

Transport systems are essential for the path toward sustainable urbanisation and the transition to more sustainable living. Recently, European cities have undergone substantial changes, and suburbanisation is posing new challenges. Suburban areas are often more affordable in terms of housing, but these neighbourhoods tend to be car-oriented. This leads to higher commuter costs, immobility, transport and time poverty, pollution, higher accident rates and a lack of social interactions. To offer sustainable mobility options to citizens, we must comprehensively understand, together with their individual characteristics, their specific mobility practices and the built environment where they live. This study is centred on the Barcelona Metropolitan Region, which has a public transport network that covers its entire area. The aim of this study is to examine the relationships between travel behaviour, transport mode use, individual characteristics and built environment characteristics in the place of residence using detailed information sources. Herein, we used data from the 2018 to 2021 annual travel survey conducted in the Barcelona region, together with land use and sociodemographic information. Our findings suggest that transport policies have encouraged sustainable mobility practices, particularly in the centre of Barcelona. Despite the positive results, considerable disparities exist between the inner and outer city, with a notable decline in sustainable mobility practices in the latter, due to the uneven distribution of basic services and uneven provision of public transport, together with lower density areas. Our results demonstrate that this uneven distribution reduces the available sequence profiles of inhabitants. In conclusion, the promotion of sustainable mobility policies necessitates further advances in transport, city and land-use planning that consider equity, gender, the socioeconomic profiles of citizens and mixed urban planning. Full article

Travel safety for women is a concern, particularly in India, where gender-based violence and harassment are significant issues. This study examines how the perception of safety influences women’s travel behaviour and assesses the potential of technology solutions to ensure their safety. Additionally, it explores how AI and machine learning techniques may be leveraged to enhance women’s travel safety. A comprehensive mobility survey was designed to uncover the complex relationship between travel behaviour, reasons for mode choice, built environment, feelings, future mobility, and technological solutions. The responses revealed that security and safety are the most critical factors affecting women’s travel mode choices, with 54% and 41%, respectively. Moreover, over 80% of women indicated a willingness to change their travel behaviour after experiencing fear, anxiety, or danger during their everyday journeys. Participants were 24% less willing to use ride-sharing services than ride-hailing services, which could affect the transition towards more sustainable transportation options. Furthermore, AI-based sentiment analysis revealed that 46% of the respondents exhibited signs of ‘anger’ regarding what could help women feel safer in transient environments. The practical implications of this study’s findings are discussed, highlighting the potential of AI to enhance travel safety and optimise future sustainable transport planning. Full article

Decarbonising holiday travel is crucial for climate change mitigation: policy interventions need to encourage less frequent trips, closer destinations, and travelling on the ground. To increase effectiveness, interventions should fit with the specific ways holidays are perceived and performed in each context. We explore the holiday behaviour of people living in a medium-sized city in Southern Switzerland (Lugano, 70,000 inhabitants), with the aim of identifying key intervention strategies for a future “community challenge” encouraging the population to take low-carbon holidays. We combine a literature review with n = 15 qualitative, semi-structured interviews that allow us to understand the reasons for taking a holiday, the favourite destination and activity types, and the transport mode choices. As Switzerland is characterised by high cultural and linguistic diversity providing the feeling of being abroad even at a short distance from home, it could be a valuable holiday destination for Swiss people themselves. Located at the centre of Europe, it is also well-connected by train with many holiday destinations abroad. Gaps between pro-environmental attitudes and holiday behaviour suggest leveraging digital carbon trackers showing how carbon emissions compare between holiday and everyday life. Also, interventions could leverage social norms via social networks, local influencers, and travel agencies. Full article

This study explores the changing dynamics of tourism in Antarctica, focusing on the impact of digitalisation and User-Generated Content on platforms like Tripadvisor. It aims to understand how online reviews influence perceptions and decisions to visit Antarctica, a region known for its pristine environment and status as ‘the last frontier’. Utilising Environmental Perception and Behaviour Geography (EPBG) principles, this research conducts a quantitative analysis of reviews from potential and current travellers. Through text mining, topic modelling, sentiment analysis, and Natural Language Processing (NLP), it investigates the emotional and perceptual discourse surrounding Antarctic tourism and its alignment with Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals. The findings reveal a detailed narrative of sustainability challenges and the emotional geography related to tourism in Antarctica, highlighting emotions such as happiness, anger, surprise, fear, disgust, and sadness among visitors. This study uncovers differences in perception based on visitors’ backgrounds, noting that individuals from nature-focused cities display strong environmental concerns, whereas those from advanced urban centres show a more positive attitude. This research contributes to the understanding of EPBG, text mining, and NLP, offering insights into sustainable tourism practices in Antarctica. Full article

COVID-19 prompted a significant number of employees to shift to remote work for the first time, potentially reshaping future work patterns. This study examines the post-COVID impacts on telecommuting, commuting behaviour, travel activities, and lifestyles in the city of Adelaide, South Australia. A multivariate nominal logistic regression analysis of 305 post-restriction survey responses revealed that home distance from the CBD, industry, occupation, and income significantly influence post-COVID telecommuting trends. Individuals living over 20 kilometres from the CBD, those in professional or managerial roles, and higher-income earners (>125k) are more prone to regular telecommuting, highlighting the impact of commute lengths, job flexibility, and financial resources on the ability to work remotely. The study revealed a higher adoption of telecommuting post-COVID, with more individuals working from home and telecommuting more often each week. This led to reduced usage of private cars and public transport, indicating a decrease in overall travel frequency. Respondents also adopted flexible work schedules, resulting in fewer peak-hour commutes, which would have resulted in lower congestion and emissions and led to more sustainable travel practices. The study also investigated future telecommuting perspectives, revealing a preference for remote work 3–4 days a week. Some respondents who initially could not telecommute have since considered it feasible and want to adopt it. Notably, about 25% of respondents would even change jobs for flexible, home-based work arrangements. The study’s results suggest that remote work frequency may influence individuals’ future house location preferences. These findings offer valuable insights for sustainable transport and urban planning considerations in the post-COVID era. Full article

In this work, an intelligent hybrid model is proposed to identify hazardous or inattentive driving manoeuvres on roads, with the final goal being to increase and ensure travellers’ safety and comfort. The estimation is based on the effects that road geometry may have on vehicle accelerations, displacements and dynamics. The outputs of the intelligent systems proposed are how the type of driving can be characterized as normal, careless or distracted. The intelligent system consists of an LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory) neural network in a first step that distinguishes between normal and abnormal driving behaviour and then a second module that classifies abnormal forms of driving as aggressive or inattentive, with the latter implemented with another LSTM, a CNN (convolutional neural network) or the Hotelling transform. They are applied to some of the characteristics of vehicle dynamics to estimate the driving behaviour. Smartphone inertial sensors such as GPS, accelerometers and gyroscopes are used to measure these vehicle characteristics and to identify driving events in manoeuvres. Specifically, the critical acceleration due to the influence of the road geometry can be measured with inertial sensors, and then, this road acceleration with the lateral acceleration allows us to estimate the driver’s perceived acceleration. This perceived acceleration affects the driving style and, consequently, the estimation of the appropriate speed to travel on that road. There is use of both a traditional two-lane and a motorway route located in the Madrid region of Spain. Driving behaviour is determined by considering how changes in road geometry may affect one’s driving style and, consequently, the estimation of the proper speed. The results obtained with some of the proposed configurations of the intelligent hybrid system reach an accuracy of 97.21% in detecting dangerous driving or driving with a certain risk. This could allow generating real-time alerts for potentially dangerous or inattentive manoeuvres, leading to safer and more appropriate driving. Full article

Coastal habitats are increasingly threatened by multiple anthropogenic-related activities, which include ocean warming and loss of structural habitat complexity. These two pressures have the potential to severely affect the structure and function of marine biodiversity. Early life stages of many fish species recruit to coastal habitats at the end of their pelagic phase, benefiting from access to food, shelter and protection. However, changes in temperature have been shown to influence ecologically relevant behaviours in post-settlement stage fish, and the loss of structural habitat complexity has been related to low recruitment and deleterious behaviours of fish in coastal habitats. Here, we evaluated the individual and interactive effects of prolonged exposure to increasing temperature and changed structural habitat complexity on routine swimming speed and escape response of post-settlement white seabream, Diplodus sargus (Linnaeus, 1758). Fish were reared under different temperatures (control 19 °C; high 22 °C) and structural habitat complexity (low and high) scenarios, in a cross-experimental design, and the routine swimming and escape responses were analyzed after 6 weeks of exposure. Change in temperature did not induce alterations at the behavioural level, but loss of structural habitat complexity increased speed and distance travelled during routine swimming, and responsiveness to a stimulus during the escape response behaviour. The interaction of the two factors did not influence performance. Determining how species are affected by changes in their environment, and the mechanisms that underlie these changes, will be critical to understanding the fish recruitment and populations’ fitness and survival. Full article