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In this study, local tsunami hazard due to seismic sources is evaluated in a stochastic framework. Several assumptions such as static passive generation, constant rake angle and source centroid (among others) are relaxed. Spatial uncertainties are modeled in a large set of scenarios. The proposed methodology is easy to implement and can be combined with other types of sources or hazards. Application in the Kuril-Kamchatkah trench shows a straightforward use of our methodology, producing simple hazard maps, which can be replicated in any region of the world.

Background Dengue is a widely spread vector-borne disease. Dengue cases in the Americas have increased over the last few decades, affecting various urban spaces throughout these continents, including the tourism-oriented city of Girardot, Colombia. Interactions among mosquitoes, pathogens and humans have recently been examined using different temporal and spatial scales in attempts to determine the roles that social and ecological systems play in dengue transmission. The current work characterizes the spatial and temporal behaviours of dengue in Girardot and discusses the potential territorial dynamics related to the distribution of this disease. Methods Based on officially reported dengue cases (2012–2015) corresponding to epidemic (2013) and inter-epidemic years (2012, 2014, 2015), space (Getis-Ord index) and space-time (Kulldorff’s scan statistics) analyses were performed. Results Geocoded dengue cases ( n  = 2027) were slightly overrepresented by men (52.1%). As expected, the cases were concentrated in the 0- to 15-year-old age group according to the actual trends of Colombia. The incidence rates of dengue during the rainy and dry seasons as well as those for individual years (2012, 2013 and 2014) were significant using the global Getis-Ord index. Local clusters shifted across seasons and years; nevertheless, the incidence rates clustered towards the southwest region of the city under different residential conditions. Space-time clusters shifted from the northeast to the southwest of the city (2012–2014). These clusters represented only 4.25% of the total cases over the same period ( n  = 1623). A general trend was observed, in which dengue cases increased during the dry seasons, especially between December and February. Conclusions Despite study limitations related to official dengue records and available fine-scale demographic information, the spatial analysis results were promising from a geography of health perspective. Dengue did not show linear association with poverty or with vulnerable peripheral spaces in intra-urban settings, supporting the idea that the pathogenic complex of dengue is driven by different factors. A coordinated collaboration of epidemiological, public health and social science expertise is needed to assess the effect of “place” from a relational perspective in which geography has an important role to play.

In this work, the problem of tsunamis generated by underwater landslides is addressed. Two new solutions are derived in the framework of the linear shallow water equations and linear potential wave theory, respectively. Those solutions are analytical (1 + 1D) and another is semi-analytical (2 + 1D). The 1 + 1D model considers a solid body sliding over a sloping beach at a constant speed, and the 2 + 1D model considers a solid landslide that moves at a constant velocity on a flat bottom. The solution 1 + 1D is checked numerically using a different finite scheme. The 2 + 1D model examines the kinematic and geometric features of the landslide at a constant ocean depth and its influence on the generation of tsunamis. Landslide geometry significantly influences run-up height. Our results reveal a power law relationship between normalized run-up and landslide velocity within a realistic range and a negative power law for the landslide length–thickness. Additionally, a critical aspect ratio between the length and width of the sliding body is identified, which enhances the tsunamigenic process. Finally, the results show that the landslide shape does not have a decisive influence on the pattern of tsunami wave generation and propagation.

This review aims to characterize the current landscape of exoskeletons designed to promote medical care and occupational safety in industrial settings. Extensive exploration of scientific databases spanning industries, health, and medicine informs the classification of exoskeletons according to their distinctive attributes and specific footholds on the human physique. Within the scope of this review, a comprehensive analysis is presented, contextualizing the integration of exoskeletons based on different work activities. The reviewers extracted the most relevant articles published between 2008 and 2023 from IEEE, Proquest, PubMed, Science Direct, Scopus, Web of Science, and other databases. In this review, the PRISMA-ScR checklist was used, and a Cohen’s kappa coefficient of 0.642 was applied, implying moderate agreement among the reviewers; 75 primary studies were extracted from a total of 344. The future of exoskeletons in contributing to occupational health and safety will depend on continued collaboration between researchers, designers, healthcare professionals, and industries. With the continued development of technologies and an increasing understanding of how these devices interact with the human body, exoskeletons will likely remain valuable for improving working conditions and safety in various work environments.

Background Long-term home non-invasive ventilation (LTH-NIV) has an impact on the health-related quality of life of patients with chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure (CRF) of different causes. There are generic and specific questionnaires for respiratory diseases. In 2003 a specific questionnaire was developed for patients with CRF in LTH-NIV, called the Severe Respiratory Insufficiency (SRI) questionnaire, which has been shown to be reproducible and reliable and has been validated in several languages. The aim of the study was to translate and culturally adapt the SRI questionnaire for adult Chilean patients under LTH-NIV, and to assess its psychometric properties. Methods The Chilean version of the SRI was obtained using the translation-back translation method, which was then applied by cross-sectional study to a non-probabilistic convenience sample of stable patients from five regions of Chile. The validated Chilean version of the SRI questionnaire and SF-36 (gold standard) questionnaire were applied, demographic and ventilatory data were collected. Reliability was analysed using Cronbach’s alpha and intraclass correlation (test–retest). Construct validity was tested using exploratory factor analysis (principal component extraction and equimax orthogonal rotation) and hypothesis testing (Mann–Whitney test). Convergent criterion validity was tested using Spearman’s rho. Results The sample comprised 248 patients, 132 women (53.2%), median age (IQR) was 62 years (51–75), 146 patients (58.9%) were 60 years or older, 40% had a low education level. The mean ± SD completion time of the questionnaire was 18.8 ± 9.1 min, and 100% of the items were answered. The questionnaire was self-applied by 46.8% of the sample. The validated Chilean version of the SRI questionnaire showed very good overall reliability (0.95) and by scales (> 0.7). It showed a good correlation with the SF-36, with equivalent scales, a rotated matrix with 8 factors and hypotheses that explain the underlying constructs. Conclusions The validated Chilean version of the SRI questionnaire has good psychometric properties. It is feasible, valid, and reliable for application to evaluate patients with CRF in LTH-NIV. It was found to be sensitive to assess the characteristics of the local population.

Plant-based data from southern Finland were used to reconstruct late Holocene warm-season temperature variability on inter-annual to longer scales. Temperature-sensitive records representing maximum latewood density of Pinus sylvestris tree rings (since AD 760) and phenological stages of several plant species (since AD 1750) explained ~60% and ~70% of instrumentally observed temperature variance, respectively. The value of a multi-proxy approach was demonstrated by statistical models including both variables, which explained ~80% of the temperature variance. Temperatures from the CRUTEM5 and Berkeley datasets had slight variations in their correlativity with proxy data, possibly resulting from their differing spatial representativeness over the proxy sites. Temperature history inferred from maximum latewood densities extended over the past millennium and correlated with previously published data from similar proxy records in Fennoscandia and adjacent areas. These data indicate that the region cooled since the Medieval Climate Anomaly and warmed markedly since the Little Ice Age/Maunder Minimum. In the study region, the magnitude of this long-term warming was 2.1 °C and 2.8 °C, calculated between the coldest and warmest 100-year and 30-year intervals, respectively. Collectively, our results display the potential of plant-based data from low-lying and mild boreal sites to extend our understanding of preindustrial and recent climatic changes.

Technological advancements have allowed for the design and development of multiple intelligent devices that monitor the health and safety status of workers in the industry in general. This paper reviews and describes the alternative technologies and their potential for monitoring risk situations, vital signs, physical variables, worker positions, and behavioral trends of workers in their work activities in the workplace. A scoping review was conducted using PRISMA ScR in which information was extracted from 99 scientific articles related to these technological advances. The operational characteristics and utilities of devices whose primary function is to control better and monitor worker safety and health were identified. It was concluded that technology strongly improves the acquisition and sending of information. This information can be used to provide alerts and feedback to workers so that they act more safely and protect their health. In addition, technological developments have resulted in devices that eliminate operational risks by replacing manual activities with automated and autonomous tasks.

The success of establishing fruit orchards has traditionally been attributed to the vigor of the nursery plant used. This study aimed to evaluate the post-transplant survival, canopy growth and fruit productivity of two sweet cherry (Prunus avium L.) cultivars (‘Lapins’/‘Colt’ and ‘Regina’/‘Gisela 12’) with different radicular basal volumes of 100%, 50% and 25% and nursery plant types: (i) bare root (BR) or (ii) bagged (B). The initial stem diameter of the plants ranged from 12 to 19 mm, and their height ranged from 1.4 to 1.8 m. Plants grafted onto ‘Colt’ rootstock exhibited twice the initial root volume compared to those grafted onto ‘Gisela 12’. Evaluations were carried out in three commercial orchards during three seasons in the Central Valley of Chile. The results indicated that root volume and nursery type did not affect plant survival and productivity. For ‘Regina’/‘Gisela 12’, only the bag treatment resulted in less trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA) and shoot length, and for ‘Lapins’/‘Colt’, the BR25 treatment showed a lower initial TCSA than other treatments, although without a negative effect on yield. Hence, the presumption about the influence of root volume and plant type on the successful establishment of a sweet cherry on ‘Colt’ and ‘Gisela 12’ rootstock can be discarded. The survival, growth and precocity of the orchard depend more on post-planting conditions and water management than on the number or type of nursery plant roots. It is important to prioritize proper post-planting care and water management for optimal orchard health.

The increment in the number of automobiles and the densification of the city has increased noise pollution rates. In addition, the lack of regulation in Chile regarding the acoustic insulation of façades is a problem of a growing concern. The main objective of the present study was to obtain a model of the Sound Insulation of housing, façades, stratified in Santiago, Chile, based on constructive variables. It is expected to serve as a basis for one future regulation for acoustic façades of houses. In the present study, tests based on the international ISO 140-5 standard were carried out in situ. An estimation model of the Standardized Level Difference Dls,2m,nT,w + C, was obtained based on the opening/façade proportion, and the type of glass used for the windows.