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The chainsaw, as a work equipment, is considered one of the most dangerous in the field of occupational health and safety. The chainsaw is especially used in the forestry sector, although it is also used in other different sectors such as agriculture, construction or gardening. This study was carried out using an ad-hoc questionnaire as a research tool in order to assess the weaknesses in the training received by workers who use chainsaws in Andalusia, Spain, since it has never been addressed before. To achieve the objective set, the questionnaire was completed by 378 operators working with chainsaw and their responses were analysed. The results of this study show that there are obvious shortcomings related to work with chainsaws in very significant aspects for the occupational health and safety. Of special importance is the lack of training detected on rescue techniques and work at height, since these are aspects of special risk for workers’ health that could cause accidents with severe injuries. Also, a common denominator in all aspects studied was the lack of safety inspections and the state of the equipment to be used. These results evidence that there is a need to regulate chainsaw operator training.

Radiation fireballs are singular phenomena which involve severe thermal radiation and, consequently, they need to be duly assessed and prevented. Although the radiative heat transfer produced by a sphere is relatively well known, the shadowing measures implemented to control the fireball’s devastating effects have frequently posed a difficult analytical instance, mainly due to its specific configuration. The objective of this article is to develop a parametric algorithm that provides the exact radiative configuration factors for the most general case in which the fireball is located at any distance and height above the ground, partially hidden by a protective wall over an affected area at different positions with respect to the said fireball. To this aim we use methods based on Computational Geometry and Algorithm-Aided Design; tools that, departing from the projected solid-angle principle, provide exact configuration factors, in all cases, even if they do not present a definite analytical solution. This implies dealing with spatially curved radiative sources which had not been addressed formerly in the literature due to their mathematical difficulties. Adequate application of this method may improve the safety of a significant number of facilities and reduce the number casualties among persons exposed to such risks. As a similar radiative problem appears in volcanic explosions; we hope that further extensions of the method can be adapted to the issue with advantage.

The purpose of this article is to disclose the hidden architectural proportions and true nature of the Korean national treasure in Seokguram Grotto, Gyeongju. The authors compare its features with those of other ancient hypogeal or ashlar constructions with the intention of rediscovering its relevant configuration and latent structural properties in order to demonstrate its uniqueness. The methods employed in the research belong initially to architectural design and composition to advance in the later stages to the nuances of stone masonry, lighting effects and especially cohesive construction. In this discussion and thorough analysis diverse philosophical and scientific subtleties are brought to the surface. The results demonstrate significant potential thanks to recent architectural developments, such as Tadao Ando’s Buddha Hill in Hokkaido (2017) and the authors’ own proposal for a Buddhist monument.

Diverse problems of radiative transfer remain as yet unsolved due to the difficulties of the calculations involved, especially if the intervening shapes are geometrically complex. The main goal of our investigation in this domain is to convert the equations that were previously derived into a graphical interface based on the projected solid-angle principle. Such a procedure is now feasible by virtue of several widely diffused programs for Algorithms Aided Design (AAD). Accuracy and reliability of the process is controlled in the basic examples by means of subroutines from the analytical software DianaX, developed at an earlier stage by the authors, though mainly oriented to closed cuboidal or curved volumes. With this innovative approach, the often cumbersome calculation procedure of lighting, thermal or even acoustic energy exchange can be simplified and made available for the neophyte, with the undeniable advantage of reduced computer time.

El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo valorar cual fue el grado de satisfacción de los estudiantes del primer y segundo año de la carrera de Ingeniería Agrícola, durante su participación en la práctica laboral investigativa, en el curso académico 2011-2012 quienes participaron en tres escenarios productivos cercanos al entorno de la Universidad, siendo necesario para ello aplicar instrumentos de carácter cualitativos. Se pudo constatar que se cumplieron los objetivos de la actividad cuando el personal directivo participa activamente en el proceso de formación, pues las mismas en estos casos, fueron provechosas y de gran interés para los estudiantes. Se observa no obstante que existen limitaciones en cuanto a la disposición de materiales e instrumentos de medición que influyen en la ejecución de dicha actividad.

En el trabajo, se realiza un análisis sobre los resultados de eficiencia y promoción en el proceso de enseñanza - aprendizaje en la Disciplina Matemática durante el período 2003 - 2010, para los años primero y segundo de las carreras Mecanización Agropecuaria e Ingeniería Agrícola donde es impartida la Disciplina en casi su totalidad, pues se analizan también los resultados de la asignatura optativa Diseño Experimental, del tercer año de la carrera Ingeniería Agrícola. Se exponen además las fortalezas y debilidades que ha presentado la Disciplina a través del período que se analiza, así como también, se ilustran algunos de los errores que cometen los alumnos de los años primero y segundo.