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Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and response severely impacted people living with non-communicable diseases (PLWNCDs) globally. It exacerbated pre-existing health inequalities, severely disrupted access to care, and worsened clinical outcomes for PLWNCDs, who were at higher risk of morbidity and mortality from the virus. The pandemic's effects were likely magnified in humanitarian settings, where there were pre-existing gaps in continuity of care for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). We sought to explore factors affecting implementation of NCD care in crisis settings during the COVID-19 pandemic and the adaptations made to support implementation. Methods: Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, we undertook an online survey of 98 humanitarian actors from multiple regions and organization types (March-July 2021), followed by in-depth interviews with 13 purposively selected survey respondents (October-December 2021). Survey data were analysed using descriptive statistics, while interview data were analysed thematically, using both deductive and inductive approaches. Results: Initially, humanitarian actors faced challenges influenced by external actors' priorities, such as de-prioritisation of NCD care by governments, travel restrictions and supply chain interruptions. With each infection wave and lockdown, humanitarian actors were better able to adapt and maintain NCD services. The availability of COVID-19 vaccines was a positive turning point, especially for the risk management of people with NCDs and protection of health workers. Key findings include that, despite pre-existing challenges, humanitarian actors largely continued NCD services during the crisis. Enabling factors that supported continuity of NCD services included the ability to quickly pivot to remote means of communication with PLWNCDs, flexibility in medicine dispensing, and successful advocacy to prioritize NCD management within health systems. Key lessons learned included the importance of partnerships and cooperation with other health actors, and the mobilisation or repurposing of community health workers/volunteer networks. Conclusions: The COVID-19 experience should prompt national and global health stakeholders to strengthen inclusion of NCDs in emergency preparedness, response, and resilience planning. Key lessons were learned around remote care provision, including adapting to NCD severity, integrating community health workers, providing context-adapted patient information, combating misinformation, and strengthening cross-sectoral partnerships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose Methods Results Conclusions Patients presenting at the emergency room (ER) with headache often encounter a hostile atmosphere and experience delays in diagnosis and treatment. The aim of this study was to design a protocol for the ER with the goal of optimizing the care of patients with urgent headache to facilitate diagnosis and expedite treatment.A narrative literature review was conducted via a MEDLINE search in October 2021. The “Code Headache” protocol was then developed considering the available characteristics and resources of the ER at a tertiary care center within the Spanish National Public Health system.The Code Headache protocol comprises three assessments: two scales and one checklist. The assessments identify known red flags and stratify patients based on suspected primary/secondary headaches and the need for pain treatment. Initial assessments, performed by the triage nurse, aim to first exclude potentially high morbidity and mortality etiologies (HEAD1 scale) and then expedite appropriate pain management (HEAD2 scale) based on scoring criteria. HEAD1 evaluates vital signs and symptoms of secondary serious headache disorders that can most benefit from earlier identification and treatment, while HEAD2 assesses symptoms indicative of status migrainosus, pain intensity, and vital signs. Subsequently, ER physicians employ a third assessment that reviews red flags for secondary headaches (grouped under the acronym ‘PEACE’) to guide the selection of complementary tests and aid diagnosis.The Code Headache protocol is a much needed tool to facilitate quick clinical assessment and improve patient care in the ER. Further validation through comparison with standard clinical practice is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The recent crises of bushfires, floods, and the COVID-19 pandemic on the southeast coast of Australia were unprecedented in their extent and intensity. Few studies have investigated responses to cumulative disasters in First Nations communities, despite acknowledgement that these crises disproportionately impact First Nations people. This study was conducted by Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal researchers in partnership with Waminda, South Coast Women's Health and Wellbeing Aboriginal Corporation, an Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (ACCHO). It investigated the collective experiences of people affected by cumulative disasters to identify the practices that support healing, and recovery for Aboriginal communities. The study addresses a knowledge gap of how Waminda, designs, manages and delivers responses to address complex health and social issues in the context of cumulative disasters. Methods: Underpinned by practice theory this study employed Indigenous-informed, narrative inquiry. Culturally-appropriate, multiple interpretive methods were used to collect data including: observations; yarns with Aboriginal community members, yarns with Waminda practitioners, management and board members; interviews-to-the-double, visual images and documentation. The data were collated and analysed using the phases of reflexive thematic analysis. Results: The paper articulates a suite of culturally safe and place-based practices that enhance social, emotional and spiritual well-being following cumulative disasters. These practice bundles include: adopting a Country-centred conception of local communities; being community-led; viewing care as a collective, relational, sociomaterial accomplishment and having fluid boundaries. These practice bundles 'hang together' through organising practices including the Waminda Model of Care, staff wellbeing framework and emergency management plan which orient action and manage risks. The paper demonstrates the need for disaster responses to be community-led and culturally situated. ACCHOs are shown to play a crucial role, and their local responses to immediate community needs are grounded in contextual knowledge and use existing resources rather than relying on mainstream system-wide interventions. Conclusions: The paper suggests crafting responses that focus on assisting communities (re)gain their sense of belonging, hope for the future, control over their lives and their capacities to care for and to be cared for by Country, are key to both enhancing healing, health and well-being and harnessing the strengths of communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cold waves, as a common natural disaster, have a significant impact on economic development and living environment in coastal areas, especially in estuary regions. This paper utilizes the Delft3D software based on a rectangular grid, driven by the eight major tidal harmonic constituents of M2, S2, N2, K2, K1, O1, P1, and Q1, to construct a hydrodynamics and sediment numerical model. The study focuses on the morphodynamic changes in the Yellow River Delta (YRD) during a severe cold wave and strong wind event. By simulating the intense cold wave from November 28 to 30, 2022, the effects on the sedimentation in the YRD were analyzed. Results show that the cold wave process increases the water levels in the nearshore areas, with a general rise of more than 0.2 m in the YRD waters, particularly severe at the old Yellow River (YR) estuary and the northwest part of Laizhou Bay, reaching 0.25-0.35 m. This increase leads to intensified erosion and sedimentation in different areas near the YR estuary, especially near the old YR estuary and in the northwest part of Laizhou Bay. After a cold wave process, the erosion and sedimentation increase significantly by 0.05-0.1m. Furthermore, by comparing the flow speed differences and tidal-induced Eulerian residual currents with and without cold waves, it was found that around the YRD, from the current river estuary to the old YR estuary, the maximum flow speed increased by more than 0.35 m/s during the cold wave, and the maximum Eulerian residual currents also increased by 0.13 m/s. The direction of the residual currents changed from northwest-southeast to southnorth, further confirming the significant impact of cold waves on the morphodynamic evolution of the YRD. This study provides new perspectives and methods for understanding and predicting morphodynamic changes in estuarine regions during cold waves, which is significant for disaster prevention, mitigation, and management of estuarine areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Evidence suggests that coordination of care for people affected by rare diseases is poor. In order to improve the way that care is coordinated it is necessary to understand the preferences of people affected by these conditions, and providers. The aim of this study was to examine patient, parent and carer, and health care professional preferences for different attributes of care coordination for people affected by rare diseases. We conducted a discrete choice experiment using online surveys. There were no restrictions on participants in terms of rare conditions, demographic factors other than age, or geographical location within the UK. Choice scenarios were based on the following attributes: annual cost of attending appointments; access to health records; access to clinical expertise; support of a care coordinator; access to a specialist centre; and, the existence of a documented plan for emergency care. Data were analysed using alternative-specific conditional logit regression models. Results: Valid responses were obtained from 996 individuals (528 patients, 280 carers, 188 health care professionals) between August and December 2019. All attributes significantly influenced the type of service respondents preferred. Patients, carers and health professionals' preferences for care coordination were influenced by: the cost of attending appointments; access to health records; clinical expertise; role of care coordinators; access to specialist centres; and the existence of plan for emergency care. There were no statistically significant differences in the preferences between patients and carers. Preferences of health professionals differed to those of patients and carers. Both patients and carers selected responses which granted them a greater degree of autonomy in relation to the role of care coordinators, whereas health professionals preferred services where care coordinators had more autonomy. Health care professionals also expressed a stronger preference for a documented formal emergency plan to be in place. Conclusions: The findings highlight that people value better coordinated care, in line with policy documents emphasising commitments to coordinated care for people affected by rare diseases. This study highlights the factors that could be included in service provision as ways of improving the coordination of care for people affected by rare diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: On 6 February 2023, an Mw 7.8 earthquake struck southern and central Türkiye and north-western Syria, affecting the lives of 4.6 and 2.5 million children, respectively. In such crises, infants who are dependent on commercial milk formula (CMF) face increased vulnerability to diseases and malnutrition as safe preparation of CMF becomes difficult and sometimes impossible. The Operational Guidance on Infant and Young Child Feeding in Emergencies (OG-IFE) provides guidance on protecting and supporting recommended infant and young child feeding and minimizing the risks that come with CMF feeding. In addition, the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (the Code) ensures adequate nutrition for infants by protecting and promoting breastfeeding and ensuring the proper usage of CMF. This study aims to document violations of the Code and the OG-IFE during the earthquake relief efforts to help strengthen infant and young child feeding emergency responses and inform future disaster relief policies. Methods: Data was collected from 6 February to 10 March 2023 through Internet sources. Social media, news websites, and the Emergency Nutrition Network forum were used for data collection. Turkish content was translated into English for analysis, with a focus on donation-related information and Code violations related to baby food and infant feeding. Results: A total of 40 reports on CMF, complementary food, and feeding equipment donations were collected. Three main types of violations of the OG-IFE and the Code were identified, with the majority of them being incidences of individuals, humanitarian organizations, and government agencies seeking or accepting donations. Infant formula companies continued to violate the Code by donating large quantities of CMF and feeding equipment to the Turkish Red Crescent, government agencies, and disaster relief infant and young child feeding (IYCF) coordination authorities. Conclusions: These incidents reflected a systematic violation of the Code and non-compliance with the OG-IFE. Globally accepted IYCF standards and recommendations were not consistently followed due to fragmented early responses. There is a critical need to step up efforts to ensure appropriate and safe IYCF practice protecting and supporting breastfed and non-breastfed infants in emergencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Disasters can cause casualties and significant financial loss. In accordance with the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, areas affected by disasters must be built back better. Accurate post-disaster damage and loss assessments are critical for the success of recovery programs. This scoping review aimed to identify the components and entities of the healthcare sector's post-disaster damage and loss assessment program. Methods: An comprehensive search for relevant literature was performed using several databases, including the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, ProQuest, and Magiran. The search was limited to papers published between 2010 and 2022. In addition, we searched the grey literature for resources related to post-disaster damage and loss assessments. Study selection and data extraction were evaluated by a third reviewer. The main themes were determined through a consensus process and agreement among team members. Results: A total of 845 papers were identified, 41 of which were included in the review. The grey literature search yielded 1015 documents, 23 of which were associated with the study's purpose. The findings were classified into five main themes, 20 subthemes, and 876 codes. The main-themes include the following: Concepts and Definitions; Post-Disaster Damage and Loss Assessment Procedures; Healthcare sector procedures; Assessments Tools, and Methods; Intra-sectoral, Inter-sectoral, and cross-cutting issues. Conclusions: The existing corpus of literature on post-disaster damage and loss assessment programs within the healthcare sector offers only limited insights into the entities and components involved. It is of great importance that stakeholders have an extensive grasp of these pivotal concepts and principles, as they are fundamental in enabling effective responses to disasters, informed decision-making, and facilitating rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. Consequently, there is a considerable scope for further investigation in this area. Scoping review registration number: https://osf.io/nj3fk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the dynamics of collaborative characteristics, interpersonal reactivity, and disaster situation responses in non-face-to-face settings, a response mechanism increasingly relevant in the wake of prolonged pandemics. By examining a group of 123 university students engaged in a seven-week non-face-to-face collaborative project, the research identifies relational patterns between collaborative traits such as regulation and efficacy, interpersonal empathy, and responses to disaster situations. The research methodology employs a sophisticated analytical framework comprising factor and canonical correlation analyses to identify how empathy and collaborative efficacy significantly related with disaster response in online collaborations. The mediation and moderation models analyzed confirm mutual mediation effects of collaborative regulation and interpersonal reactivity on situational empathy without significant moderation effects. This suggests there were direct causal relationships of collaborative regulation, collaborative efficacy, interpersonal reactivity on situational empathy. The findings underscore the pivotal role of empathy in collaboration during disasters offering a nuanced understanding of the social and psychological underpinnings that enable collective responses to crises in environments lacking physical interaction and illuminating the critical role of collaborative and interpersonal skills in such settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is a major global challenge causing significant socio-economic and environmental impacts. A paradigm shift from crisis to risk management is advocated to reduce the impacts of droughts, and to build the resilience of societies, and water and environmental systems against drought. A number of drought policy and planning guidelines are developed and used to support the transition from crisis to risk management and enhancing resilience. However, research is lacking on critical reflection, evaluation and update of the available drought guidelines. For example, there is no study on assessing the correspondence of the available guidelines to the contemporary disaster risk reduction agenda. Therefore, this study evaluates twelve drought policy and planning guidelines for their alignment with the four priority areas of the SENDAI framework for disaster risk reduction 2015–2030. A qualitative evaluation matrix was developed and used in the assessment. The examined priorities and associated thematic elements were scored in the range 0–100, and classified under Very Low (0–10), Low (11–30), Medium-Low (31–50), Medium-High (51–70), High (71–90), and Very High (91–100) categories. Most guidelines achieved (medium) high to very high scores on data and information, risk assessment, and communication and dissemination elements associated with priority 1 (understanding disaster risk). Whereas, mostly very low to low coverage was found for science-policy-practice dialogue, local knowledge and practices, and research and development. Strengthening disaster risk governance to manage disaster risk (priority 2) earned high scores on most elements, notably for strategies and plans, coordination mechanisms, community representation, and policy and governance. In contrast, most elements under priority 3 (investing in disaster risk reduction) were classified under low to medium categories, which include financial allocation, risk transfer, and mainstreaming drought risk reduction into land use and rural development planning, business resilience and protection of livelihoods, and health and safety. Most elements under priority 4 (enhancing disaster preparedness) scored under medium low to medium high ranges, as sufficient information was lacking on multi-hazard early warning systems, post-disaster recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction, and resilience of critical infrastructure. Furthermore, the study outlined several strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats pertaining to the examined guidelines. In general, the study reveals an urgent need to better align drought policy and planning guidelines with the contemporary disaster risk reduction agenda outlined in the SENDAI Framework. The findings of this study can be instructive in designing the next generation of drought guidelines in support of an accelerated transition towards drought risk management, and building resilient societies and ecosystems under a changing climate and increasing anthropogenic pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An estimated 2.5 million people have been internally and externally displaced in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia in conflict and post-conflict settings. This induced a loss of access to basic and essential healthcare services. The situation was overwhelming, causing service inaccessibility, inadequate health facilities, unstable security to access the services, shortage of supplies and drugs, and medical equipment's in the region. The regional public health emergency management is one service delivery set up for the critically ill. It is characterized by weak emergency management capacities, poor coordination and integration. In addition, the system falls in to two independent sectors in the Tigray Health Bureau (THB), Tigray Health Research Institute (THRI). This leads to a fragmented system, an unclear leadership and governance role and a poor service delivery setup and tracking mechanism. The situation leads to resource duplication and poor business practice. Indeed, this type of service delivery setup secures personal and professional interest more than community interest. The situation exacerbated the occurrence of recurrent outbreaks in the region, with, for instance, zoonotic diseases (anthrax and rabies), acute watery diarrhoea, measles, malaria, yellow fever, and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) approaching to their level of epidemic. Moreover, they will spike as an epidemic in the future. All these circumstances made it evident that the system need reform to adhere with legal global, national, and regional frameworks, guidelines and proclamations. The system should have one service delivery set up at regional level. It must fall into regional public health institutes (PHIs) to adhere its service packages to the current advancements. Furthermore, integrated effort need from program implementers, relevant stakeholders and policy-makers should be committed and work together in the review and reform process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Accurate post-disaster damage and loss assessment is critical for the success of subsequent recovery programs. A comprehensive and systematic damage and loss assessment process involves evaluating the physical damage and financial impact of an event on individuals, communities, and assets. To ensure effective recovery, the various components and entities included in the program must be developed appropriately and efficiently. This study aimed to identify the components and entities of the Iranian healthcare sector's post-disaster damage and loss assessment program. Methods: A qualitative study employing purposive sampling and semi-structured individual interviews was conducted with 18 participants between October 2022 and July 2023, with continuing until data saturation was achieved. Data collection involved semi-structured interviews and observational notes with experts, including representatives from the National Disaster Management Organization (NDMO), the Iranian Red Crescent Society, and the Disaster Risk Management Department of the Ministry of Health and Medical Sciences Universities. The interviews were conducted in the workplace of the participants. Thematic analysis, a conventional qualitative method, was employed for the analysis of the data. Following the transcription of the recorded interviews, the initial codes were extracted, reviewed for accuracy, and classified. Results: The results of this study are based on the insights and experiences of a diverse group of qualified experts in their respective fields. The findings were analysed and classification into ten main themes, 29 sub-themes, and 1,058 codes. The main themes were key concepts and principles of assessment; assessment stages; health system measures in assessment; roles and responsibilities; team composition; information and communication; coordination and collaboration; data collection and analysis; assessment tools and methods; and reporting, documentation, and recommendations. Conclusion: An understanding of key concepts and principles enables stakeholders to respond effectively to disasters, make informed decisions, and facilitate recovery and reconstruction efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic negatively affected the diagnosis and treatment of several cancer types. However, this pandemic's exact impact and extent on bone and soft tissue sarcomas need to be clarified. We aimed to investigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic and emergency declaration by the local government on consultation behavior and clinical stage at diagnosis of bone and soft tissue sarcoma. A total of 403 patients diagnosed with bone and soft tissue sarcoma who initially visited three sarcoma treatment hospitals between January 2018 and December 2021 were included. The monthly number of newly diagnosed soft tissue sarcoma patients was reduced by 25%, and the proportion of soft tissue patients with stage IV disease at diagnosis significantly increased by 9% during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the monthly number of new primary bone and soft tissue sarcoma patients significantly decreased by 43% during the state of emergency declaration. The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on soft tissue sarcoma patients' consultation behavior and increased the proportion of advanced-stage patients at initial diagnosis. An emergency declaration by the local government also negatively affected primary bone and soft tissue sarcoma patients' consultation behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different geographical zones have regional heterogeneity in underlying earth surface structure and microclimate which result in different evolution trends and their response to climate change varies in extreme rainfalls in these zones. In the Guizhou province of China, there are complex landforms, which lead to spatial redistribution of rainfall, frequent extreme rainfall, and disasters high risk of geologic disasters. Research on extreme climate in Guizhou mostly paid attention to its spatio-temporal characteristics and modeling, but lack of analysis on its characteristics of extreme rainfall variability and response to temperature changes under different subsurface conditions. This study investigated the characteristics of the extreme rainfall spatiotemporal and recurrence periods in Guizhou province and discussed the relationship between the response of extreme rainfall to temperature change. Daily rainfall data from 1990 to 2020 and 2021–2100 at 31 meteorological observation stations throughout the province were collected to calculate extreme precipitation. This research had the following results. (1) Both historical and future periods show an upward trend in extreme rainfall in Guizhou province, with a spatial distribution pattern of "high in the south and low in the north, high in the east and low in the west" and "high in the southeast and low in the northwest", respectively; the spatial distribution of extreme rainfall under each recurrence period is consistent with the non-recurrence period. (2) Both historical and future periods show an upward trend in temperature in Guizhou province, with a spatial distribution consistent with that of the extreme rainfall in the corresponding period. (3) The change in extreme rainfall intensity with increasing temperature is almost always greater than the C–C rate for different periods and underlying earth surface structure; Extreme rainfall has a Hook response structure to temperature change, and the climate response structure shifts to the right with climate warming. The results of the study can provide a basis for decision-making on regional disaster prevention and mitigation in the context of temperature change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first-order second-moment checking point method was introduced to judge the instability probability and evaluate the stability of the TCURM. The frequency–response stability calculation and the reliability results were compared, and a frequency–response stability and reliability analysis method was proposed. Taking the Zengziyan W12# unstable rock mass in Nanchuan, Chongqing, China, as an example, the calculation shows that the dynamic indexes and geological indexes decrease as the stiffness of the deterioration area decreases. According to the statistical data of the laboratory test and the field investigation, reliability theory is used to evaluate the stability of the TCURM, and the failure probabilities are 80.3% and 96.27% under natural and saturated conditions, which correspond to states of poor stability and instability, respectively. The reliability evaluation results are consistent with the conclusion of the frequency–response stability analysis. The new method can provide a theoretical basis for developing the dynamic monitoring and early warning indicators of the TCURM and disaster prevention and mitigation in mountainous areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparing with cities, rural communities especially those declining rural communities have become vulnerable to natural disasters owing to their backward socioeconomic conditions. Taking Xun County of China's Henan Province as the study area, the paper aims to evaluate rural community resilience to flood by unveiling the connection between individuals' cognition, follow-up actions and the community resilience. Research results show that: (1) The logic chain exists as individual's cognition to disaster leads to their constructive actions to cope with disaster, which contribute to community resilience. (2) At the cognition dimension, individual's knowledge reserve of disaster prevention and their recognition to local authority are playing an important role in their decision making and follow-up behaviors when disaster occurs. (3) At the action dimension, individual's familiarity with the disaster preparedness, efficient information transmission when disaster occurs and villagers' following order and their unity of action all contribute to community resilience to disaster. The paper proposes ways to improve rural community resilience to disasters based on the research findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the earthquake, prompt evaluation of the distribution of coseismic landslides and estimation of potential disaster losses are crucial for emergency response and resettlement planning. The Luding earthquake of 2022 offers a valuable opportunity to conduct a rapid assessment of coseismic landslides using various models. In this study, we utilize the Logistic Regression (LR)-based Xu2019 model, a new-generation model developed in China, alongside the Newmark model to perform the rapid hazard assessment of coseismic landslides. Assessing the accuracy and applicability of these two models based on the coseismic landslides from the Luding earthquake, we find that within intensity area of IX, the high probability area identified by the Newmark model aligns closely with the actual distribution of landslides. However, the Newmark model's prediction is overestimated in the intensity area of VIII. For the Xu2019 model, the prediction results are in good agreement with the distribution of actual landslides. Most landslides are located in high probability areas, such as Detuo town, Wandong, and Xingfu villages, indicating that the model has a higher prediction accuracy. Overall, two models have good practical utility in emergency hazard assessment of coseismic landslides. However, the Newmark model requires multi-input parameters and the assignment of these parameters will increase the uncertainty and subjectivity in the practical application of the modeling assessment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal mining in the Loess Plateau can very easily generate ground cracks, and these cracks can immediately result in ventilation trouble under the mine shaft, runoff disturbance, and vegetation destruction. Advanced UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) high-resolution mapping and DL (Deep Learning) are introduced as the key methods to quickly delineate coal mining ground surface cracks for disaster prevention. Firstly, the dataset named the Ground Cracks of Coal Mining Area Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (GCCMA-UAV) is built, with a ground resolution of 3 cm, which is suitable to make a 1:500 thematic map of the ground crack. This GCCMA-UAV dataset includes 6280 images of ground cracks, and the size of the imagery is 256 × 256 pixels. Secondly, the DRA-UNet model is built effectively for coal mining ground surface crack delineation. This DRA-UNet model is an improved UNet DL model, which mainly includes the DAM (Dual Dttention Dechanism) module, the RN (residual network) module, and the ASPP (Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling) module. The DRA-UNet model shows the highest recall rate of 77.29% when the DRA-UNet was compared with other similar DL models, such as DeepLabV3+, SegNet, PSPNet, and so on. DRA-UNet also has other relatively reliable indicators; the precision rate is 84.92% and the F1 score is 78.87%. Finally, DRA-UNet is applied to delineate cracks on a DOM (Digital Orthophoto Map) of 3 km2 in the mining workface area, with a ground resolution of 3 cm. There were 4903 cracks that were delineated from the DOM in the Huojitu Coal Mine Shaft. This DRA-UNet model effectively improves the efficiency of crack delineation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the problem of ignoring unpaved roads when planning off-road emergency rescue paths, an improved A* algorithm that incorporates road factors is developed to create an off-road emergency rescue path planning model in this study. To reduce the number of search nodes and improve the efficiency of path searches, the current node is classified according to the angle between the line connecting the node and the target point and the due east direction. Additionally, the search direction is determined in real time through an optimization method to improve the path search efficiency. To identify the path with the shortest travel time suitable for emergency rescue in wilderness scenarios, a heuristic function based on the fusion of road factors and a path planning model for off-road emergency rescue is developed, and the characteristics of existing roads are weighted in the process of path searching to bias the selection process toward unpaved roads with high accessibility. The experiments show that the improved A* algorithm significantly reduces the travel time of off-road vehicles and that path selection is enhanced compared to that with the traditional A* algorithm; moreover, the improved A* algorithm reduces the number of nodes by 16.784% and improves the search efficiency by 27.18% compared with the traditional 16-direction search method. The simulation results indicate that the improved algorithm reduces the travel time of off-road vehicles by 21.298% and improves the search efficiency by 93.901% compared to the traditional A* algorithm, thus greatly enhancing off-road path planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-object tracking in satellite videos (SV-MOT) is an important task with many applications, such as traffic monitoring and disaster response. However, the widely studied multi-object tracking (MOT) approaches for general images can rarely be directly introduced into remote sensing scenarios. The main reasons for this can be attributed to the following: (1) the existing MOT approaches would cause a significant rate of missed detection of the small targets in satellite videos; (2) it is difficult for the general MOT approaches to generate complete trajectories in complex satellite scenarios. To address these problems, a novel SV-MOT approach enhanced by high-resolution feature fusion and a two-step association method is proposed. In the high-resolution detection network, a high-resolution feature fusion module is designed to assist detection by maintaining small object features in forward propagation. By utilizing features of different resolutions, the performance of the detection of small targets in satellite videos is improved. Through high-quality detection and the use of an adaptive Kalman filter, the densely packed weak objects can be effectively tracked by associating almost every detection box instead of only the high-score ones. The comprehensive experimental results using the representative satellite video datasets (VISO) demonstrate that the proposed HRTracker with the state-of-the-art (SOTA) methods can achieve competitive performance in terms of the tracking accuracy and the frequency of ID conversion, obtaining a tracking accuracy score of 74.6% and an ID F1 score of 78.9%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strong earthquakes often bring amounts of loose material, disrupting the balance of material transportation within a watershed and severely impacting the restoration of the ecological environment and human safety downstream. Therefore, it is crucial to identify the frequency and scale of these debris flow events, as well as to explore their long-term development and impact on internal and external channels. Using multi-source remote sensing images from four perspectives, hillslope, channel, accumulation fan, and their relationship with the mainstream, we reconstructed a debris flow event dataset from 2008 to 2020, explored a method for identifying these events, and analyzed their impacts on channels and accumulation fans in Mozi Gully affected by the Wenchuan earthquake. Loose matter was predominantly found in areas proximate to the channel and at lower elevations during debris flow events. Alterations in channel width, accumulation fans downstream, and their potential to obstruct rivers proved to be vital for identifying the large scale of debris flow event. Finally, we encapsulated the evolution patterns and constraints of post-earthquake debris flows. Determination in frequency and scale could offer valuable supplementary data for scenario hypothesis parameters in post-earthquake disaster engineering prevention and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sudden mountain landslides can pose substantial threats to human lives and property. On 4 June 2023, a landslide occurred in Jinkouhe District, Leshan City, Sichuan Province, resulting in 19 deaths and 5 injuries. This study, drawing on field investigations, geological data, and historical imagery, elucidates the characteristics and causes of the landslide and conducts a reverse analysis of the landslide movement process using Massflow V2.8 numerical simulation software. The results indicate that rainfall and human engineering activities are key factors that triggered this landslide. Numerical simulation shows that the landslide stopped after 60 s of sliding, with a movement distance of approximately 286 m, a maximum sliding speed of 17 m/s, and a maximum accumulation thickness of 7 m, eventually forming a loose landslide debris accumulation of approximately 5.25 × 103 m3. The findings of this study provide significant reference value for research on landslide movement characteristics and disaster prevention and mitigation in mountainous areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transportation resilience, as a component of city sustainability, plays a crucial role in the daily management and emergency response of urban road systems. With coastal cities becoming increasingly vulnerable to typhoons, rainstorms, and other disasters, it is essential to assess the resilience of urban road transportation in a refined and differentiated approach. Existing resilience assessment methods often overlook significant biases, neglecting the dynamic response of road traffic and non-stationary characteristics of traffic systems. To address these limitations, we develop a quantitative resilience assessment method for urban road transportation during rainfall that is based on the improved Resilience Triangle. The method is applied to DiDi urban traffic speed and meteorological data of Shenzhen, China, from April to September 2018, with a focus on Typhoon Mangkhut as an extreme weather case. By analyzing transportation resilience variations across road densities, road hierarchies, and rainfall scenarios, we found that road densities and rainfall intensities explain resilience variations better than road hierarchies. Specifically, as accumulative precipitation exceeds 100 mm, a substantial surge in loss of performance is observed. Typhoon rainfalls result in a greater loss in urban road traffic compared to general rainfalls. The results offer valuable insights for urban road planning, traffic emergency management, and transportation resilience construction in the face of increasingly severe weather challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]