Abstract: There are too many reinforced concrete (RC) columns built before mid-1970s without sufficient transverse reinforcement. By now, we understand quite well the importance of transverse reinforcement in allowing a column to maintain its integrity under large displacement reversals in the nonlinear range of response. Poorly confined RC columns undergo a fast decay in resistance due to formation of criss-crossing inclined cracks, which can cause an abrupt failure or more gradual disintegration and trigger collapse of the structure. Those columns need to be strengthened to increase their drift capacity. Although there are several alternatives to retrofit RC columns, they often require specialized workmanship and equipment, and involved installation procedures. An easy-todesign and easyto-implement retrofit technique is examined here. It consists of external posttensioned clamps fastened around the column. Results of tests on full-scale RC columns furnished with the proposed clamps suggest the clamps can be effective in increasing column shear strength and drift capacity. Resumen: Muchas columnas de concreto reforzado construidas antes de mediados de la década de 1970 tienen insuficiente refuerzo transversal. Hace solo un par de décadas que se entendió la importancia del refuerzo transversal para permitir que una columna mantenga su integridad bajo grandes desplazamientos en el rango de respuesta no lineal. Las columnas de concreto reforzado mal confinadas sufren una rápida disminución de la resistencia debido a la formación de grietas, que pueden causar una falla abrupta o una desintegración más gradual y desencadenar el colapso de la estructura. Es necesario reforzar dichas columnas para aumentar su capacidad de deriva. Aunque existen varias alternativas para reforzar columnas de concreto reforzado, a menudo requieren mano de obra y equipo especializados, además de procedimientos de instalación complicados. Aquí se examina una técnica de reforzamiento fácil de diseñar e implementar. La técnica consta de abrazaderas presforzadas externas fijadas alrededor de la columna. Los resultados de laboratorio de las columnas de concreto reforzado a gran escala equipadas con las abrazaderas propuestas sugieren que las abrazaderas pueden ser efectivas para aumentar la resistencia al corte y la capacidad de deriva de la columna.

Abstract: Soil available water capacity (AWC) is a key function for human survival and well-being. However, its direct measurement is laborious and spatial interpretation is complex. Digital soil mapping (DSM) techniques emerge as an alternative to spatial modeling of soil properties. DSM techniques commonly apply machine learning (ML) models, with a high level of complexity. In this context, we aimed to perform a digital mapping of soil AWC and interpret the results of the Random Forest (RF) algorithm and, in a case study, to show that digital AWC maps can support agricultural planning in response to the local effects of climate change. To do so, we divided this research into two approaches: In the first approach, we showed a DSM using 1857 sample points in a southeastern region of Brazil with laboratory-determined soil attributes, together with a pedotransfer function (PTF), remote sensing and DSM techniques. In the second approach, the constructed AWC digital soil map and weather station data were used to calculate climatological soil water balances for the periods between 1917–1946 and 1991–2020. The result showed the selection of covariates using Shapley values as a criterion contributed to the parsimony of the model, obtaining goodness-of-fit metrics of R2 0.72, RMSE 16.72 mm m?1, CCC 0.83, and Bias of 0.53 over the validation set. The highest contributing covariates for soil AWC prediction were the Landsat multitemporal images with bare soil pixels, mean diurnal, and annual temperature range. Under the current climate conditions, soil available water content (AW) increased during the dry period (April to August). May had the highest increase in AW (?17 mm m?1) and decrease in September (?14 mm m?1). The used methodology provides support for AWC modeling at 30 m resolution, as well as insight into the adaptation of crop growth periods to the effects of climate change.

Architecture and Urban planning have traditionally been viewed through an adult-centric lens, focusing on adult-scale and experience. However, this approach ignores the valuable insights and perspectives that children can bring to the transformation of our cities. Assemble story began from the desire to make children active participants of society´s transformation and its platform is an instrument to realize it. This is a sample of the process and results in 10 workshops (fall 2022), the collective carried out in Berlin with children between 9-14 years old.

Abstract: The decarbonization of energy matrices is crucial to limit global warming below 2°C this century. An alternative capable of enabling zero or even negative CO2 emissions is bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). In this sense, the Brazilian sugar–energy sector draws attention, as it would be possible to combine the production of fuel and electricity from renewable biomass. This paper is the final part of a study that aimed to research carbon capture and storage (CCS) in energy systems based on sugarcane. The case studied is CCS in thermal power plants considering two different technologies: the steam cycle based on the condensing–extraction steam turbine (CEST) and the combined cycle integrated to biomass gasification (BIG-CC). The results for the thermal power plant indicate that the CO2 capture costs may be lower than those in cogeneration systems, which were previously studied. The main reasons are the potential scale effects and the minimization of energy penalties associated with integrating the CCS system into the mills. In the best cases, capture costs can be reduced to EUR 54–65 per ton of CO2 for the CEST technology and EUR 57–68 per ton of CO2 for the BIG-CC technology.

Abstract: The emergence of digital twin technologies offers a promising avenue for improving decision-making through the integrated use of up-to-date physical or synthetically simulated data. Nevertheless, the practical implementation of digital twins in the built environment remains a significant challenge. This paper describes a system that seamlessly integrates data into digital twins of built assets. The system uses a knowledge graph to achieve data integration, which is designed to be modular, flexible, and interoperable. The graph includes BIM models, metadata from an external IoT platform, and processrelated information. The system is microservice-based and revolves around a graph database housing the knowledge graph. It employs dynamic operations to update the knowledge graph and is tested using civil engineering infrastructure examples. Results from this work can be used to create pipelines that extract and operate with data connecting computational agents integrated into the system as microservices or connected through the system API.

Abstract: The need for measurable data from physical assets to actively feed a living Digital Twin (DT) is paramount. The requirements and needs that the gathered data should fulfill in order to be practically implemented in the stream data pipeline are heterogeneous, some of them general and other case-specific. This article summarizes a set of identified challenges and requirements for a seamless infusion of well-established Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) systems within DT platforms, without the objective of solve all of them. This identification is performed based on a review of traditional SHM systems with a vast array of information sources as well as on the review of techniques for the systematic digitalization of existing assets. On the other hand, ten real demo cases belonging to Ashvin, an H2020 Research and Innovation project, are providing real world testing beds for an active development of SHM infused in DT systems. Multiple information sources are studied in those sites, which also enriches with more realism, the identification of requirements and challenges presented herein. These assets provide a perspective to researchers about practical implications of these needs.

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 generation of genetic diversity via mutagenesis is routinely used for protein engineering and pathway optimization. Current technologies for random mutagenesis often target either the whole genome or relatively narrow windows. To bridge this gap, we developed CoMuTER (Confined Mutagenesis using a Type I-E CRISPR-Cas system), a tool that allows inducible and targetable, in vivo mutagenesis of genomic loci of up to 55 kilobases. CoMuTER employs the targetable helicase Cas3, signature enzyme of the class 1 type I-E CRISPR-Cas system, fused to a cytidine deaminase to unwind and mutate large stretches of DNA at once, including complete metabolic pathways. The tool increases the number of mutations in the target region 350-fold compared to the rest of the genome, with an average of 0.3 mutations per kilobase. We demonstrate the suitability of CoMuTER for pathway optimization by doubling the production of lycopene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae after a single round of mutagenesis. Resumen: La generación de diversidad genética mediante mutagénesis es utilizada habitualmente para la ingeniería de proteínas y la optimización de vías metabólicas. Las tecnologías actuales para realizar mutagénesis aleatoria a menudo se dirigen a todo el genoma o a secuencias relativamente estrechas de ADN. Para cerrar esta brecha, desarrollamos CoMuTER (mutagénesis confinada utilizando un sistema CRISPR-Cas tipo I-E, por sus siglas en inglés), una herramienta que permite la mutagénesis in vivo inducible y dirigida de loci genómicos de hasta 55 kilobases. CoMuTER emplea la helicasa Cas3, enzima distintiva del sistema CRISPR-Cas clase 1 tipo I-E, fusionada a una citidina desaminasa para desenrollar y mutar grandes extensiones de ADN a la vez, incluidas vías metabólicas completas. La herramienta aumenta en un 350 veces el número de mutaciones en la región objetivo en comparación con el resto del genoma, con un promedio de 0,3 mutaciones por kilobase. Demostramos la idoneidad de CoMuTER para la optimización de vías al duplicar la producción de licopeno en Saccharomyces cerevisiae después de una sola ronda de mutagénesis.

Abstract: This article presents a case study with various developments of digital twinning of a sample of load tests performed on several railways bridges. The case study is located in Extremadura, South Western Spain and its aim is the generation of a validated, multi-layered information construct in the form of a digital twin as the result of a load test. This result is conceived, not only to verify the assumptions of the design of the bridge but also, to optimize future maintenance plans of the network. This particular case study is framed within a vaster European effort on digitization of the construction sector. Research and Innovation Actions within this demo case are aimed at integrating routine requirements and procedures of load tests with cutting edge digital technologies for the generation of validated virtual replica of these physical bridges. The generated twins during these load tests behaviourally match the obtained response during loading and as such, represent an ideal model for future simulations and behavioural predictions. Different data-gathering techniques and numerical models are integrated within a Common Data Environment (CDE). All efforts related to measurement, simulation, 3D modelling, assessment and validation can be wrapped up systematically for further use during regular operation of the asset.

Abstract: Metarhizium brunneum is a soil-borne fungal entomopathogen that can associate with plant roots. Previous studies have demonstrated that root colonization by beneficial fungi can directly affect soilborne pathogens through competition and antibiosis, and can activate a systemic response in plants, resulting in a primed state for a faster and/or stronger response to stressors. However, the mechanisms by which Metarhizium inoculation ameliorates symptoms caused by plant pathogens are not well known. This study evaluated the ability of M. brunneum to protect oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) plants against the soil-borne pathogen Verticillium longisporum, and investigated whether the observed effects are a result of direct interaction and/or plant-mediated effects. In vitro and greenhouse experiments were conducted to measure fungal colonization of the rhizosphere and plant tissues, and targeted gene expression analysis was used to evaluate the plant response. The results show that M. brunneum delayed pathogen colonization of plant root tissues, resulting in decreased disease symptoms. Direct competition and antibiosis were found to be part of the mechanisms, as M. brunneum growth was stimulated by the pathogen and inhibited the in vitro growth of V. longisporum. Additionally, M. brunneum changed the plant response to the pathogen by locally activating key defence hormones in the salicylic acid (SA) and abscisic acid (ABA) pathways. Using a split-root setup, it was demonstrated that there is a plant-mediated effect, as improved plant growth and decreased disease symptoms were observed when M. brunneum was in the systemic compartment. Moreover, a stronger systemic induction of the gene PR1 suggested a priming effect, involving the SA pathway. Overall, this study sheds light on the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of M. brunneum against soil-borne pathogens in oilseed rape plants, highlighting the potential of this fungal entomopathogen as a biocontrol agent in sustainable agriculture Metarhizium brunneum es un hongo entomopatógeno del suelo que puede asociarse con las raíces de las plantas. Resumen: Estudios previos han demostrado que la colonización de raíces por hongos beneficiosos puede afectar a patógenos del suelo a través de la competencia, antibiosis, y activar respuesta sistémica en las plants. Sin embargo, los mecanismos por los cuales este hongo atenúa los síntomas causados por fitopatógenos no son bien conocidos. Este estudio evaluó la capacidad de M. brunneum para proteger las plantas de colza (Brassica napus L.) contra Verticillium longisporum, e investigó si los efectos observados son el resultado de una interacción directa y/o efectos mediados por la planta. Se realizaron experimentos in vitro y en invernadero para medir la colonización fúngica de la rizosfera y los tejidos de la planta, y se midió la expresión de genes específicos relacionados con la respuesta de la planta a patógenos. Los resultados muestran que M. brunneum retrasó la colonización del patógeno en las raíces de la planta, y disminuyo los síntomas de la enfermedad. La competencia directa y la antibiosis son parte de los mecanismos, ya que el crecimiento de M. brunneum fue estimulado por el patógeno e inhibió el crecimiento in vitro de V. longisporum. Además, M. brunneum cambió la respuesta de la planta hacia el patógeno al activar localmente genes de defensa mediadas por el ácido salicílico (SA) y del ácido abscísico. Mediante un experimento de raíces divididas, se demostró que existe un efecto mediado por la planta, ya que se observó un mejor crecimiento de la planta y una disminución de los síntomas de la enfermedad cuando M. brunneum estaba en el compartimento sistémico. Además, una mayor inducción sistémica del gen PR1 sugirió un efecto de ""priming"", mediado por SA.