Changes in mobility pre and post first SARS-CoV-2 vaccination: findings from a prospective community cohort study including GPS movement tracking in England and Wales (Virus Watch)

Background: Some evidence suggests that individuals may change adherence to public health policies aimed at reducing contact, transmission and spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus after they receive their first SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. In this study, we aim to estimate the rate of change in average daily travel distance from a participant's registered address before and after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Method: Participants were recruited into Virus Watch starting in June 2020. Weekly surveys were sent out to participants and vaccination status was collected from January 2021 onwards. Between September 2020 and February 2021, we invited 13,120 adult Virus Watch participants to contribute towards our tracker sub-cohort which uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) to collect data on movement. We used segmented linear regression to estimate the median daily travel distance before and after the first self-reported SARS-CoV-2 vaccine dose. Results: We analysed the daily travel distance of 228 vaccinated adults. Between 157 days prior to vaccination until the day before vaccination, the median daily travel distance travelled was 8.9km (IQR: 3.50km, 24.17km). Between the day of vaccination and 100 days after vaccination, the median daily travel distance travelled was 10.30km (IQR: 4.11, 27.53km). Between 157 days prior to vaccination and the vaccination date, there was a daily median decrease in mobility of 40m (95%CI: -51m, -31m, p-value <0.001) per day. After the removal of outlier data, and between the vaccination date and 99 days after vaccination, there was a median daily increase in movement of 45.0m (95%CI: 25m, 65m, p-value = <0.001). Restricting the analysis to the 3rd national lockdown (4th of January 2021 to the 5th of April 2021), we found a median daily movement increase of 9m (95%CI: -25m, 45m, p = 0.57) in the 30 days prior to vaccination and the vaccination date, and a median daily movement increase of 10m (95%CI: -60m, 94m, p-value = 0.69) in the 30 days after vaccination. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates the feasibility of collecting high volume geolocation data as part of research projects, and the utility of these for understanding public health issues. Our results are consistent with both an increase and decrease in movement after vaccination and suggest that, amongst Virus Watch participants, any changes in movement distances post-vaccination are small.

Estimating the effect of mobility on SARS-CoV-2 transmission during the first and second wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in Switzerland: a population-based study

The effect of mobility and its value for surveillance in different waves of the COVID–19 epidemic is still unclear. In this study, we compared the role of mobility during the first and second epidemic wave in Switzerland by analysing the link between daily travel distances and the effective reproduction number Rt of SARS–CoV–2. Here we used aggregated mobile phone data from a representative panel survey of the Swiss population to measure human mobility. We estimated the effects of reductions in daily travel distance on Rt via a regression model. We compared mobility effects between the first wave (March 2–April 7, 2020) and the second wave (October 1–December 10, 2020) across mode of transport, travel purpose, sociodemographic subgroup and movement radius. We found that human mobility was associated with the effective reproduction number of SARS–CoV–2 during both the first and second epidemic wave in Switzerland. The estimated relative effects of mobility were similar in both waves for all modes of transport, travel purposes, and sociodemographic subgroups but differed by movement radius. Moreover, smaller mobility reductions in the second wave translated into smaller overall reductions of Rt. Mobility data from mobile phones have a continued potential to support real–time surveillance of COVID–19 during epidemic waves.

Grazing behavior and production for lactating cows differing in residual feed intake while grazing spring and summer rangeland

The objectives were to determine if previously classified, efficient (LRFI, low-residual-feed intake, n = 12 x 2 yr) vs inefficient (HRFI, high-residual-feed intake, n = 12 x 2 yr) lactating 2-yr-old Hereford x Angus cows differed in grazing behavior, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), and calf weaning weight while grazing rugged rangeland pastures. Cows were fitted with grazing halters containing both an accelerometer and a global-positioning-system (GPS) data logger during 14 June to 4 July 2016, 2 to 25 August 2016, 23 May to 12 June 2017, and 5 to 28 August 2017. GPS data were recorded at 7-min intervals in 2016 and 4-min intervals in 2017 and accelerometer data recorded at 25 times/s. Grazing time, resting, walking, bite rate, daily travel distance, elevation, and slope were analyzed with a mixed model that included fixed effects of RFI group, day, and RFI group x day and cow within treatment as the random effect. Cow BW, BCS, and calf weaning weight were analyzed by ANOVA with treatment as the main effect. There were no differences (P &gt; 0.10) due to RFI detected for BW, BCS, or calf weaning weights. During periods of mild heat load (MHL), HRFI cows spent more (P &lt; 0.05) time resting during the day at lower elevations (P &lt; 0.05) than LRFI cows. During a 6-d period in spring with only 2 h MHL, HRFI cows grazed 1.7 h/d longer than LRFI cows (P &lt; 0.05); commencing grazing earlier in the morning and extending the grazing bout later. During the summer with &gt; MHL, LRFI cows grazed more than HRFI cows 18% of the time (P &lt; 0.10). The HRFI cows had greater grazing time than LRFI cows only 3% of the time (P &lt; 0.10) during summer. There was no difference (P &gt; 0.10) in bite rate between HRFI and LRFI cattle. The daily travel distance tended (P &lt; 0.10) to be greater for LRFI cattle during summer 2017. Over all sample periods, HRFI had greater walking than LRFI 15% of the time and LRFI exceeded HRFI cattle for walking 3% of the time (P &lt; 0.10). The greater walking for HRFI was assumed to be associated with more search grazing. Metabolic heat load on hot summer days for HRFI cattle is presumed to have contributed to differences observed in grazing behavior. These results suggest that lactating cows with low RFI phenotypes appear to be better adapted to grazing rugged rangelands in late-summer during periods of mild heat load.

Suasana Mendung di Cempaka Sari

This work entitled “Suasana Mendung di Cempaka Sari” in terms of ideas is held through environmental experience encountered by the artist since residing in Perak (from 2001 until now). The artist lives in Seri Manjung district and works at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Perak Branch, Seri Iskandar (in Bota sub-district). Hence the daily travel distance of the artist goes back and forth from home to work and vice versa is about 100 kilometres. Through “daily activities” back and forth, the artist indirectly has been served with various shapes and visual elements pertaining to “social products” that are having “potential” to be questioned such as politics, economics, culture, religion, or environment in supporting the formation of his ideas for designing artwork.

The Role of Subcentres for Commuting and Non-Work Travel Distances and Modes in the Copenhagen Metropolitan Region

Understanding the functional geography of the metropolitan region, and developing location criteria for smart growth, requires analysis of subcentres and their effects. Subcentres were identified in the Copenhagen area based on spatial analysis of micro-level employment and retail data. Subcentres' effects on transport in addition to regional centrality were studied with regression analysis of work and nonwork travel behaviour data. Distance to employment subcentres with a minimum of 10,000 jobs and distance to subcentres identi fied from retail data and having a minimum of 400 retail jobs affects residents' daily travel distance and/or transport modes. A short distance to a subcentre allows for shorter daily travel distances and, in the case of retail subcentres, for a higher probability of using public transport or walking/cycling. However, the effects of subcentres are well below the still strong and significant effect of regional centrality upon travel distances as well as mode choice.

Predicting a Vehicle's Distance Traveled from Short-duration Data

This article uses one year’s worth of daily travel distance data for 252 Seattle households’ vehicles to ascertain that one day’s distance (plus day of week and month of year information) accounts for 10.7% of the variability in that vehicle’s annual (total) distance traveled, while two and seven consecutive days’ distance values predict 16.7% and 33.6%, respectively. In analyzing Gini coefficients (which average 0.546 + / − 0.117 across these instrumented vehicles), one finds that full-time employed females have the most stable day-to-day driving patterns, allowing for shorter-duration surveys of such households.

Movement patterns and athletic performance of leopards in the Okavango Delta

Although leopards are the most widespread of all the big cats and are known for their adaptability, they are elusive and little is known in detail about their movement and hunting energetics. We used high-resolution GPS/IMU (inertial measurement unit) collars to record position, activity and the first high-speed movement data on four male leopards in the Okavango Delta, an area with high habitat diversity and habitat fragmentation. Leopards in this study were generally active and conducted more runs during the night, with peaks in activity and number of runs in the morning and evening twilight. Runs were generally short (less than 100 m) and relatively slow (maximum speed 5.3 m s −1 , mean of individual medians) compared to other large predators. Average daily travel distance was 11 km and maximum daily travel distance was 29 km. No direct correlation was found between average daily temperature and travel distance or between season and travel distance. Total daily energy requirements based on locomotor cost and basal metabolic rate varied little between individuals and over time. This study provides novel insights into movement patterns and athletic performance of leopards through quantitative high-resolution measurement of the locomotor, energetic, spatial and temporal movement characteristics. The results are unbiased by methodological and observational limitations characteristic of previous studies and demonstrate the utility of applying new technologies to field studies of elusive nocturnal species.

Estimation of baboon daily travel distances by means of point sampling – the magnitude of underestimation

Daily travel distance (DTD), the distance an animal moves over the course of the day, is an important metric in movement ecology. It provides data with which to test hypotheses related to energetics and behaviour, e.g. impact of group size or food distribution on DTDs. The automated tracking of movements by applying GPS technology has become widely available and easy to implement. However, due to battery duration constraints, it is necessary to select a tracking-time resolution, which inevitably introduces an underestimation of the true underlying path distance. Here we give a quantification of this inherent systematic underestimation of DTDs for a terrestrial primate, the Guinea baboon. We show that sampling protocols with interval lengths from 1 to 120 min underestimate DTDs on average by 7 to 35 %. For longer time intervals (i.e. 60, 90, 120 min), the relative increase of deviation from the true trajectory is less pronounced than for shorter intervals. Our study provides first hints on the magnitude of error, which can be applied as a corrective when estimating absolute DTDs in calculations on travelling costs in terrestrial primates.

Range and Battery Depletion Concerns with Electric Vehicles

This study investigates the effects of the range of a battery electric vehicle (EV) by using questionnaire data. The concern about battery depletion changes according to charging station deployment. Firstly, the methodology for deriving the probabilistic distribution of the daily travel distance is developed, which enables us to analyze people’s tolerance of the risk of battery depletion. Secondly, the desired range of an EV is modeled. This model considers the effect of changing charging station deployment and can analyze the variation in the desired range. Then, the intention of a household to purchase an EV is analyzed by incorporating range-related variables. The results show that people can live with a risk of battery depletion of around 2% to 5%. The deployment of charging stations at large retail facilities and/or workplace parking spaces reduces the desired range of an EV. Finally, the answers to the questionnaire show that the probability of battery depletion on a driving day has little effect on the intention to purchase an EV. Instead, people tend to evaluate the range by itself or directly compare it with their desired range.