Estructura de «Torres Blancas», Madrid España

The article describes the structural aspects and discusses the loading conditions and calculation procedures of this outstanding building, for which both the vertical and horizontal systems of forces were taken into account. The vertical structure involves 46 load bearing surfaces, of various shapes and of 15 to 20 cm thickness, with folded edges. Thanks to this, among other advantages, it is possible to reduce horizontal tensile forces and increase the strength in buckling. Horizontally, the structure consists of constant thickness slabs, of 20 cm depth, with chapitel reinforcements in the terraced zones. These slabs have constant bending strength in all directions. A separate description is given of the basic structure of the top social zone and of the lower one, related to the parking spaces, the pergola and the foundations.En el artículo se describen los problemas estructurales de un edificio de viviendas, en general, analizando las condiciones de trabajo y el proceso de cálculo de esta estructura singular, para lo que se estudia separadamente la organización vertical y la horizontal. La primera está constituida por 46 pantallas resistentes —de formas diversas y espesores entre 15 y 30 cm— con plegamientos en los bordes, gracias a los cuales se logra, entre otras ventajas, reducir las tracciones horizontales y aumentar el coeficiente de seguridad al pandeo. La organización horizontal adoptada ha sido la de losas de espesores constantes —de 20 cm, con refuerzos de capiteles en las glandes zonas de terrazas— que valoran por igual cualquier dirección de flexión. Se detallan, por separado, las estructuras fundamental, del núcleo social superior, y de la zona inferior, donde existen cuatro partes importantes: muros, aparcamiento, pérgola y cimentación

State-of-the-art of spatial arch bridges

The paper describes a new form of bridge called a spatial arch bridge. This bridge type was developed in response to the demand for landmark structures, which have started to appear in the modern urban landscape to provide a symbol of originality, innovation and progress. Spatial arch bridges are defined as bridges in which the vertical deck loads produce bending moments and shear forces not contained in the arch plane, owing to their geometrical and structural configuration. Moreover, the arch itself may not be contained in a plane. The different variables and geometries that create such a structural configuration have been studied and classified. A wide compilation of examples of this bridge type has been made in chronological order, according to their construction date, from Maillarts first concrete spatial arch bridges to the latest designs and materials

The two-component system BvrR/BvrS essential for Brucella abortus virulence regulates the expression of outer membrane proteins with counterparts in members of the Rhizobiaceae

The Brucella BvrR/BvrS two-component regulatory system is homologous to the ChvI/ChvG systems of Sinorhizobium meliloti and Agrobacterium tumefaciens necessary for endosymbiosis and pathogenicity in plants. BvrR/BvrS controls cell invasion and intracellular survival. Probing the surface of bvrR and bvrS transposon mutants with monoclonal antibodies showed all described major outer membrane proteins (Omps) but Omp25, a protein known to be involved in Brucella virulence. Absence of Omp25 expression was confirmed by two-dimensional electrophoresis of envelope fractions and by gene reporter studies. The electrophoretic analysis also revealed reduction or absence in the mutants of a second set of protein spots that by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization MS and peptide mass mapping were identified as a non-previously described Omp (Omp3b). Because bvrR and bvrS mutants are also altered in cell-surface hydrophobicity, permeability, and sensitivity to surf ace-targeted bactericidal peptides, it is proposed that BvrR/BvrS controls cell envelope changes necessary to transit between extracellular and intracellular environments. A genomic search revealed that Omp25 (Omp3a) and Omp3b belong to a family of Omps of plant and animal cell-associated alpha-Proteobacteria, which includes Rhizobium leguminosarum RopB and A. tumefaciens AopB. Previous work has shown that RopB is not expressed in bacteroids, that AopB is involved in tumorigenesis, and that dysfunction of A. tumetaciens ChvI/ChvG alters surface properties. It is thus proposed that the BvrR/BvrS and Omp3 homologues of the cell-associated a-Proteobacteria play a role in bacterial surface control and host cell interactions