Moving Populations Event Recognition Under Re-Identification and Data Locality Constraints

For more than a decade tracking and tracing physical objects has been target of information systems within the realm of research on the Internet of Things. But application to human populations requires reconsideration of re-identification and data locality requirements due to ethical and legal constraints. For this domain, we propose a generic event recognition architecture (GERA) and evaluate its applicability for developing a sensor-based information system for recognizing moving population densities by obeying non-re-identification and data decentrality requirements. Empirical evaluations show that this information system provides mean structures for measuring event data and deriving predictions that are statistically equal to manually measured actual data. Finally, a general discussion on the integration of event recognition systems into busi-ness process environments is given

Housing markets and independence in old age: expanding the opportunities

This report highlights the benefits of specialised private retirement accommodation and recommends a number of simple policy changes at no cost to the public purse to help increase its supply and address the challenges of housing an ageing population

Residential mobility in context : Interpreting behavior in the housing market

Residential mobility is the process whereby individuals and households adjust their locations in cities. These moves, in the aggregate, change neighborhoods as well as providing specific housing outcomes for households and families as a result of the move. The literature on residential change has evolved from cross-sectional studies of family structure and their housing circumstances, to life course analyses of the motivations for moving, the contexts in which the moves occur, and the intersection of life course change and housing choice. The combined work of demographers, geographers, economists and sociologists has provided a much clearer and more nuanced understanding of behavior in the housing market than was possible with cross-sectional analyses. This paper reviews the evolution of life course approaches to residential mobility and discusses the current state of the research literature.La movilidad residencial es el proceso por el cual los individuos y hogares ajustan su localización en la ciudad. Estos cambios, de manera agregada, transforman los barrios al tiempo que producen efectos específicos sobre los hogares y las familias. La literatura sobre cambios de residencia ha evolucionado desde los planteamientos transversales sobre la estructura familiar y las condiciones de su domicilio hacia análisis desde la perspectiva del curso vital de las razones para mudarse, los contextos en que ocurren los cambios y la intersección de los cambios vitales y la elección residencial. El trabajo combinado de demógrafos, geógrafos, economistas y sociólogos ha proporcionado una comprensión más clara y matizada de lo que era posible con análisis transversales. Este artículo revisa la evolución de los acercamientos a la movilidad residencial desde el curso vital y debate el estado de la cuestión en la literatura de investigación.La mobilitat residencial és el procés pel qual els individus i les llars ajusten la seva localització a la ciutat. Aquests canvis, de manera agregada, transformen els barris alhora que produeixen efectes específics sobre les llars i les famílies. La literatura sobre canvis de residència ha evolucionat des dels plantejaments transversals sobre l'estructura familiar i les condicions del seu domicili fins a anàlisis des de la perspectiva del curs vital de les raons per mudar-se, els contextos en què s'esdevenen els canvis i la intersecció dels canvis vitals i l'elecció residencial. El treball combinat de demògrafs, geògrafs, economistes i sociòlegs ha proporcionat una comprensió més clara i matisada del que era possible amb anàlisis transversals. Aquest article revisa l'evolució dels apropaments a la mobilitat residencial des del curs vital i debat l'estat de la qüestió en la literatura d'investigació

Chesapeake Coastal Community Flood Vulnerability--Prediction and Verification

Fast moving hurricanes and stationary nor’easters have resulted in significant flood damage in Chesapeake tidewater communities. The Chesapeake Bay region is one of A m erica’s most vulnerable regions with respect to sea-level rise, which will only increase storm surge impacts over upcoming decades. While the general trends are well documented, there is limited information relevant to specific communities’ relative flood risk and response. The dearth o f data is especially troublesome given the lengthy period o f time generally needed for communities to plan and implement adaptive action. This study contributes to the regional understanding of flood and sea-level rise vulnerability by applying physical, social, and combined vulnerability indices to tidally influenced localities along the Chesapeake Bay. Unlike other combinations of physical and socioeconomic data, the physical vulnerability index for this study is calculated at a scale that can directly link into social vulnerability index information at local and regional levels. The research also considers the distribution of coastal natural capital (in the form o f marshes and forests) alongside these indices at comparable scales. By calculating the indices for conditions o f the early 2000s, this study also tested their predictive value against Hurricane Isabel, a landmark 2003 storm that flooded areas across the region. Systematic verification “hindcasts” o f past events are relatively rare for vulnerability index evaluation. By attempting to establish connections between real flooding data, socioeconomic activity, and vulnerability indices, this study questions whether theoretical vulnerability indices work as true proxies for real world conditions. The results question the true utility o f these indices by showing limited relationships between vulnerability and changes in community socio-economic activity. The research also emphasizes the need for more data collection and consideration in order to better comprehensively understand coastal flood impacts and their management implications

A case of silent invasion : citizen science confirms the presence of Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) in Central America

Harmonia axyridis (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) is a globally invasive ladybird. It has been intentionally introduced in many countries as a biological control agent, whereas it has been unintentionally released in many others. Climatic factors are important in limiting the spread of H. axyridis. For example, very few records are known from tropical or desert regions. Currently, no published reports are known from Central America. Here, we report H. axyridis from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, and Puerto Rico. Specimens were either observed by the authors, discovered in dried insect collections, or retrieved from searching through online photographs available from the citizen science project iNaturalist and the photo-sharing website Flickr. These new records and the wide distribution of H. axyridis in Latin America suggest several invasion events, which have gone unnoticed until now. We stress the need for further, large-scale monitoring and show the advantage of citizen science to assess the presence of invasive alien species