Abstract: This thesis revolves around Metarhizium, fungi well-known for their entomopathogenic nature but recently discovered to have multifaceted lifestyles. They thrive in soil as saprophytes and engage in plant rhizospheres, positively impacting plant health. However, the mechanisms underlying these interactions remain elusive. The thesis examines Metarhizium brunneum's connections with plants, insects, and pathogens through five distinct chapters. These chapters entail: 1) identifying fungal isolates' differences and their efficacy as biocontrol agents, 2) exploring their association with crops, particularly oilseed rape and potatoes, and understanding their effects on insect pests and plant diseases, 3) studying the impact on herbivores like Psylliodes chrysocephala, Myzus persicae, and Brevicoryne brassicae feeding on Brassica napus plants, 4) evaluating their influence on the cabbage root fly (Delia radicum) and the mechanisms involved in plant defense pathways, and 5) examining their ability to protect oilseed rape plants against Verticillium longisporum, dissecting the mechanisms through in vitro and greenhouse experiments. These research aspects collectively elucidate the potential applications of Metarhizium brunneum and contribute to a deeper understanding of its role in agricultural systems. Resumen: Esta tesis gira en torno a Metarhizium, hongos bien conocidos por su naturaleza entomopatógena, pero de los que recientemente se ha descubierto que tienen estilos de vida polifacéticos. Prosperan en el suelo como saprofitos y se introducen en las rizosferas de las plantas, influyendo positivamente en su salud. Sin embargo, los mecanismos que subyacen a estas interacciones siguen siendo elusivos. La tesis examina las conexiones de Metarhizium brunneum con plantas, insectos y patógenos a través de cinco capítulos distintos. Estos capítulos comprenden: 1) identificar las diferencias de los aislados fúngicos y su eficacia como agentes de biocontrol, 2) explorar su asociación con los cultivos, en particular la colza y la patata, y comprender sus efectos sobre las plagas de insectos y las enfermedades de las plantas, 3) estudiar el impacto sobre herbívoros como Psylliodes chrysocephala, Myzus persicae, y Brevicoryne brassicae que se alimentan de plantas de Brassica napus, 4) evaluar su influencia en la mosca de la raíz de la col (Delia radicum) y los mecanismos implicados en las vías de defensa de las plantas, y 5) examinar su capacidad para proteger las plantas de colza oleaginosa contra Verticillium longisporum, diseccionando los mecanismos mediante experimentos in vitro y en invernadero. Estos aspectos de la investigación dilucidan colectivamente las aplicaciones potenciales de Metarhizium brunneum y contribuyen a una comprensión más profunda de su papel en los sistemas agrícolas.

Abstract: The forthcoming industrial environments will require a high level of automation to be flexible. In this sense, Industry 4.0 encourages the integration of new autonomous systems digitally interconnected that can interact with humans. This thesis is developed at CIM 4.0 in the frame of the FIXIT project aiming to produce an autonomous system integrated by a UAV and a UGV. As a result, a combined system that complies with the Industry 4.0 requirements is created and mainly serves an operator by performing inspection tasks. This work is focused on redesigning the UAV airframe. Normally these structures are manufactured with some conventional techniques like molding which limits building complex structures and presents high costs in most cases. In this sense, the scope is to create a personalized structure at a lower price than the standard airframes by implementing one of the industry 4.0 pillars: additive manufacturing. The topology optimization method is integrated into the design process to create a mass-customized structure with optimum structural properties. The role of Additive manufacturing in this work is crucial to obtain an innovative, customized system with an optimum cost considering the prices on the market. The thesis is performed in different phases, starting from the definition of the UAV configuration and the propulsion system. Then a multi-material comparison and the analysis of different airframe designs are performed considering the cost and structural performance. Following this is the detailed design, in which other necessary features like the landing system, devices’ supports, and protection structures are designed. Finally, is performed the manufacturing phase in which a functional prototype is printed through FDM technology. The result is a lightweight customized airframe with good mechanical properties and optimum cost that is well integrated with the electronic components and landing system, enabling its autonomous performance characterized by repeatability and effectiveness. Esta tesis se desarrolla en el marco del proyecto FIXIT en el Centro de Manufactura Integrada (CIM) 4.0 con el objetivo de crear un sistema autónomo integrado por un Vehículo Aéreo No Tripulado (UAV) y un Vehículo Terrestre No Tripulado (UGV). Resultado: Como resultado, se crea un sistema combinado que cumple con los requisitos de la Industria 4.0 y que principalmente sirve a un operador para realizar tareas de inspección. En este sentido, el objetivo de este proyecto de tesis es crear una estructura personalizada a un precio inferior al de las estructuras estándar mediante la implementación de uno de los pilares de la Industria 4.0: la fabricación aditiva. El método de optimización de la topología se integra en el proceso de diseño para crear una estructura personalizada con propiedades estructurales óptimas. El papel de la fabricación aditiva en este trabajo es crucial para obtener un sistema innovador y personalizado con un costo óptimo, teniendo en cuenta los precios del mercado. La tesis se realiza en diferentes fases, comenzando desde la definición de la configuración del UAV y el sistema de propulsión. Luego se realiza una comparación de materiales múltiples y se analizan diferentes diseños de la estructura del UAV teniendo en cuenta el costo y el rendimiento estructural. A continuación, se lleva a cabo el diseño detallado, en el que se diseñan otras características necesarias como el sistema de aterrizaje, los soportes de dispositivos y las estructuras de protección. Finalmente, se realiza la fase de fabricación en la que se imprime un prototipo funcional mediante la tecnología de Fabricación por Deposición Fundida (FDM). El resultado es una estructura personalizada y ligera con buenas propiedades mecánicas y un costo óptimo que se integra bien con los componentes electrónicos y el sistema de aterrizaje, lo que permite su funcionamiento autónomo caracterizado por la repetibilidad y la efectividad.

Abstract: Older Colombians face significant adversities: poverty, violence and displacement. However, there is evidence that Latinos are often resilient. We examine resilience in older Colombians living in poverty using an ecological framework that identifies three levels: individual; community; and societal. In this paper we examine data from 16 semi-structured interviews with older Colombians that explore resilience within the context of poverty. We analyze our data using three stages: (1) modified grounded theory; (2) assignment of resilience status; (3) identification of components of the ecological framework which contribute to resilience in these participants. The most striking feature is that some participants are able to adapt to their situation, demonstrating resilience, whilst others are not. Individual characteristics such as psychological and material resources contribute to resilience. At the community level, family, social support, participation and cohesion promote resilience. Finally, at the societal level, social and welfare services, finance, religion and social policy, are important factors. These different levels of resilience are co-dependent, and we illustrate how this is so. We suggest that older Colombians living in poverty often demonstrate resilience, but that more can be done to enhance their lives. This includes interventions at the individual and community levels alongside changes in social policy.

Abstract: SEPSIS-3 IN PREGNANT WOMEN IN LABOUR Abstract Introduction: Maternal sepsis represents 10.7% of maternal deaths worldwide, ranking as the third cause of mortality after haemorrhage and hypertensive disorders. Despite its high incidence, it still lacks a gold standard diagnosis. The latest update that proposed new sepsis criteria and scores, Sepsis-3, did not mention pregnancy as part of the study population. This study aims to evaluate the inclusion or exclusion of Sepsis- 3 pregnancy. Methods: This is a literature review of the Sepsis-3 database looking for the inclusion or exclusion of pregnancy from the latest update in sepsis and the basis of current definitions and guidelines. In addition, I reported the retrospective measurement of qSOFA and SOFA scores in 100 pregnant patients in labour from the EPIFEVER-2 cohort at the Royal London Hospital compared to their infection status. Results: Sepsis-3 investigators evaluated the predictive validity of the SOFA and qSOFA score for mortality in sepsis among nearly 1 million patients, however, pregnant women were not included. The SOFA and qSOFA score overlap with the normal physiological changes of pregnancy and labour, in the EPIFEVER-2 cohort 16% of uninfected pregnant patients during labour scored 1 point on qSOFA and 17% 1 point on SOFA score. The highest SOFA score of 3 points was obtained in a patient with bleeding rather than infection. Conclusion: Pregnant patients were not included in the Sepsis-3 databases. Therefore, qSOFA and SOFA score have not been validated for use in this population. Furthermore, as they are not modified for the normal physiological changes of pregnancy, detection of patients without infection has been reported. Further validation of qSOFA or modified SOFA scores as sepsis-specific maternal warning scores is expected in future research.

Abstract: The transition from armed conflict to post-conflict periods in tropical countries can have significant impacts on natural ecosystems and their services. Colombia, a country currently transitioning into a post-conflict period, faces significant challenges arising from the peace agreement. These challenges are related to rural land development, socio-economic recovery, stabilization of the agricultural frontier, and the conservation of its tropical forests. Therefore, understanding the role of ecosystem services becomes important for sustainable land development strategies that prioritize the well-being of local communities and the conservation of tropical forests and the services they supply. The objective of this thesis was to explore the supply of ecosystem services in a post-conflict tropical forest region and assess the implications of different rural landscape alternatives on ecosystem services supply and local communities’ livelihoods, using El Capricho Environmental Unit for Peace and Social Services (El Capricho UAPSS) from San José del Guaviare, Colombia, as a case study. To achieve the research objective, the study employed as research methods the analysis of land cover maps and ecosystem services analysis, including the bundle analysis. The data collection methods included an expert assessment through the application of an online survey and literature review. Pastures were identified as the major land cover type in the baseline landscape, followed by secondary vegetation and dense forest. Three rural landscape alternatives were determined for future landscape development: agroforestry, forest conservation, and intensification of extensive livestock farming and timber extraction, also referred to as livestock & timber intensification. The study identified 22 main ecosystem services in the study area, categorized into nine provisioning, nine regulating and maintenance, and four cultural services. The findings revealed the high importance of water supply, livestock, water cycle regulation, and crops, among other services, for local communities. The assessment of ecosystem services showed that more natural land covers, such as dense forest and fragmented forest, exhibited higher capacities to supply ecosystem services compared to highly human-modified land covers. A possible trade-off between livestock service and other ecosystem services was also observed. Furthermore, the study assessed the ecosystem services supply within the baseline landscape and the three alternatives. For the baseline landscape, it was found that the more homogenous landscape pattern benefits some ES at the expense of others, highlighting the high potential supply of livestock and carbon sequestration. The agroforestry and forest conservation alternatives, characterized by landscape heterogeneity, showed a more balanced bundle of ecosystem services with a high potential supply. In contrast, the livestock & timber intensification alternative, characterized by landscape homogeneity, showed a decline in the potential supply of most ecosystem services. The implications of these findings for local communities suggest the importance of maintaining a diverse range of ecosystem services. Recommendations for sustainable rural landscape development include the promotion of agroforestry practices, forest conservation efforts, and careful management of livestock. Additionally, other economic activities can emerge by making use of ecosystem services with high potential supply, such as nature-based tourism, nature photography, and payment for ecosystem services schemes. This can support local communities’ livelihoods and provide new income opportunities and income diversification. These recommendations, combined with community involvement and monitoring systems, can help rural areas in post-conflict tropical forests achieve a high level of rural development and preserve ecosystem services.

Abstract: The exchange of water and sediments between the Magdalena River and the Zapayán wetland is regulated by the complex interactions that exist between these important water bodies. The effect of these interactions in the Zapayán Water System (ZWS) are mainly the flood propagation, the water circulation pattern and the concentration of nutrients. The ZWS plays an important role in the regulation of floods for the villages and towns located downstream of it. The Zapayán wetland and it connection channel are located on the right bank of the Magdalena River 150 km upstream of its mouth in Bocas de Ceniza. In this study hydrodynamic interactions between the Magdalena River and the Zapayán wetland are investigated gathering the proper knowledge about the responses of this wetland to the flood events in the river by a series of regression equations generated from the output of a physically based model of the ZWS. The model calibration and validation processes were carried out by comparing the observed flood extent derived from a satellite image and the flood extent generated by the model. Four hydraulic indicators of the ZWS were analyzed using the physically based model results: water level, flood extent, overtopping flow area and the river-wetland discharge, and using the water level in the Magdalena River as independent or input variable, 18 regression equations were derived to describe and quantify the river-wetland interactions. Results show that the interaction of the Magdalena River and the Zapayán wetland depends on the head differences between these water bodies and the velocity of the water ascension in the river. The proposed equations are very promising, as they can be applied in combination with data of the Forecasting and Early Warning System of Colombia, generating information that will help the local authorities, stakeholders and decision makers, to reduce flood risk in the ZWS region. Resumen: El intercambio de agua y sedimentos entre el río Magdalena y la Ciénaga de Zapayán está regulado por las complejas interacciones que existen entre estos cuerpos de agua. El efecto de estas interacciones en el Sistema Hídrico de Zapayán (SHZ) son principalmente la propagación de inundaciones, el patrón de circulación del agua y la concentración de nutrientes. El SHZ desempeña un papel importante en la regulación de las inundaciones en los pueblos y ciudades situados aguas debajo de este. La Ciénaga de Zapayán y su caño se ubican en la margen derecha del río Magdalena 150 km aguas arriba de su desembocadura en Bocas de Ceniza. En este estudio se investigan las interacciones hidrodinámicas entre el río Magdalena y la Ciénaga de Zapayán reuniendo el conocimiento adecuado sobre las respuestas de esta a las inundaciones en el río mediante una serie de ecuaciones de regresión generadas a partir de la salida de un modelo hidrodinámico del SHZ. Los procesos de calibración y validación del modelo se llevaron a cabo comparando la extensión de la inundación observada derivada de una imagen satelital y la extensión de la inundación modelada. Se analizaron cuatro indicadores hidráulicos del SHZ utilizando los resultados del modelo hidrodinámico: nivel del agua, extensión de la inundación, área de flujo desbordante y descarga río-humedal, y utilizando el nivel del agua en el río Magdalena como variable independiente o de entrada, se generaron 18 ecuaciones de regresión derivadas para describir y cuantificar las interacciones río-ciénaga. Los resultados muestran que la interacción del río Magdalena y la Ciénaga de Zapayán depende de las diferencias de cabeza hidráulica entre estos cuerpos de agua y la velocidad de ascensión del agua en el río. Las ecuaciones propuestas son muy prometedoras, ya que pueden aplicarse en combinación con datos del Sistema de Pronóstico y Alerta Temprana de Colombia, generando información que ayudará a las autoridades locales, actores y administradores, a dar mejor manejo al SHZ.

Abstract: The development of sustainability is nowadays visible in every industry. For the fashion industry, it is the foundation of the slow fashion movement, which strives for a balance between production, consumption, and impact on an economic, environmental, and social level, better understood as the triple bottom line (Fletcher,2010). This balance is reached through sustainable practices involving the community, the conscious use of natural resources, or the transition to materials less destructive to the future of fashion and the ecosystem, among others. This report will address the possibility of using fibre derived from the Cannabis plant, hemp, in the Colombian fashion market and how this would help reinforce the slow fashion movement and the market's sustainability. Following the interpretive paradigm, this research project followed a qualitative approach aimed at understanding the reality of the environment in the fashion sector in depth through semi-structured interviews with members of the local fashion industry who are knowledgeable about hemp, its characteristics and potential (Cresswell, 2018). By understanding the context of the Colombian fashion industry and sizing the current role of local sustainable brands, the potential and innovation of these emerging brands were pinpointed. However, there is a gap in education, government assistance and innovative supply that would allow for the immediate production, commercialisation, and use of hemp in Colombia. Nevertheless, due to the conditions, tools and knowledge that brands already possess today, a phased implementation can happen in the long term. This report will outline key strategies for hemp implementation considering the timeframe and the stakeholders involved, as well as bearing in mind the barriers and opportunities identified throughout the research. These recommendations were based on four key aspects: the immediate actions a local brand could take, the need for education, creating assertive marketing and establishing the government's role. Hence, this project will provide an overview of the actual status and requirements for the Colombian fashion industry to achieve a more sustainable and conscious market.

Abstract: Emotional Nature is a hands-on learning experience and toolkit that connects different tangible and intangible tools for educators to visualise, grasp and engage in a dialogue with emotions in relation to materials. The Emotional Nature toolkit is also a temporary safe space for educators and children to motivate their understanding of emotions, as well as meaningful connections with nature. The learning is enhanced through a creative and fun process combining tools like value cards, storytelling, meditation, natural inks, and mainly wood-based biomaterials. Having regular contact and meaningful connections with nature have several benefits for humans from playful learning to wellbeing, from bonding relations with other beings to inner self. This research is focused on the specific relationships between emotions and materials, and it is supported by a bigger academic context - The CHEMARTS strategy. The research process is designed in response to the main findings from the initial exploratory phase of Emotional Nature. First, biomaterials as a key tool to feel nature, as well as express and materialise emotions; second, the difficulties in dealing with emotions in the classroom; and third, the reduced availability of safe and comfortable spaces to share and transform emotions in Finnish educational context. This study is an explorative approach based on self-experimentation and participatory design research practices done mainly with teachers and field experts. The research design seeks to inspire educators to explore and grasp relationships between emotions and nature through the experimentation with biomaterials and diverse tools in Finnish School Context. The main audience for Emotional Nature Learning Experience are educators of children between 10 and 13 years old. However, based on the co-creation sessions with different populations, such as parents and postgraduate students, the hands-on learning experience also proved to beeffective for other age groups and settings.

Resumen: Esta investigación compara las memorias escritas en la Comisión de la Verdad de Colombia -un documento de 11 tomos resultante de la firma del Acuerdo de Paz con la guerrilla de las FARC- con otras memorias orales sobre las causas y consecuencias de la guerra urbana en Medellín entre 1977 y 2006. Los resultados del método comparativo de las memorias establecieron tres causales de la violencia en Medellín: la disputa por la tierra, el ethos social y el círculo de venganza. Además, se hallaron tres consecuencias: la creación de milicias urbanas y grupos de autodefensas, la reunión de múltiples guerras en un mismo periodo histórico (guerrillas, carteles de narcotráfico, autodefensas y grupos delincuenciales), y el desarrollo de mecanismos de resistencia civil e institucional. Este es, pues, un análisis revisionista a la diversa literatura científica sobre el conflicto en Medellín, al trabajo de la Comisión de la Verdad y a las memorias orales de organizaciones sociales, para concatenar ideas similares frente a las causas y consecuencias de la violencia. La investigación aporta, desde una perspectiva sociohistórica, a la comprensión del conflicto que marcó a Medellín como la ciudad más violenta del mundo en 1991 con más de 6 mil asesinatos. Abstract: This investigation looks to compare the written memories in the Commission of Colombian Truth with other oral memories about the causes and consequences of the war in Medellin between 1977 and 2006. Although the Colombian armed conflict was centralized in rural areas and resulted in 12,000 victims, cities like Medellin were also locations of confrontation. The results establish three causes of the violence in Medellin: the dispute over the land, the social ethos and the circle of vengeance. Furthermore, three consequences were found: the creation of urban militias, and self-defense groups, the reunion of multiple wars in a single historical period (guerillas, drug trafficking cartels, self-defense and delinquent groups), and the development of mechanisms of civil and institutional resistance. This article hopes to, from a socio-historical perspective, further understand the conflict that framed Medellin as the most violent city in the world in 1991.

Abstract: Las lesiones cerebrales agudas (LCA) se asocian con altas tasas de mortalidad y malos resultados funcionales a largo plazo. La medición de biomarcadores del líquido cefalorraquídeo ventricular (vLCR) en pacientes con LCA puede ayudar a dilucidar algunas de las vías fisiopatológicas implicadas en el pronóstico de estos pacientes. Primero realizamos una búsqueda sistemática y una revisión descriptiva (Crit Care. 5 de agosto de 2021; 25 (1): 278; DOI: 10.1186/s13054-021-03698-z) donde concluimos que en pacientes con LCA, las concentraciones alteradas de biomarcadores proteicos en el vLCR relacionados con el daño citoesquelético, la inflamación, la apoptosis y el estrés oxidativo pueden predecir peores resultados neurológicos. Debido a estos resultados, realizamos un estudio de observación prospectivo (Neurocrit Care. 2022 Oct;37(2):463-470.doi:10.1007/s12028-022-01507-1.) donde concluimos que la expresión desregulada de la proteína en el vLCR diferenciaba entre LCA y no LCA. Luego realizamos otro estudio (J Neurosurg Anesthesiol. 27 de abril de 2023. doi:10.1097/ANA.0000000000000916.) donde concluimos que la expresión de patrones moleculares asociados al peligro (DAMP) específicos del vLCR se asociaba con un aumento de episodios de hipertensión intracraneal severa y muerte. Por último, en otro estudio observacional (Crit Care. 2023 Jun 24;27(1):249. doi: 10.1186/s13054-023-04538-y.), concluimos que las concentraciones de proteínas del vLCR después de una LCA eran un factor de riesgo para el desarrollo de enfermedades neurodegenerativas crónicas después de una LCA no traumática. Los hallazgos más importantes de esta tesis fueron que la respuesta proteómica después de una LCA es homogénea entre la LCA traumática y no traumática, involucra múltiples proteínas (DAMP) y puede estar asociada con enfermedades neurodegenerativas a largo plazo también en la LCA no traumática.