Los Batanes (Biescas, Spain), a roost site for horseshoe bats in the Pyrenees during the late Pleistocene

Los Batanes C4 is a cave-site in the Spanish Pyrenees, the minimum sediment calendar age was determined to be 15, 234 ± 223 cal BP by radiocarbon dating. The cave opens on the northern bank of an eastern tributary of the River Gállego, at an altitude of 1025 m. The small vertebrates recorded are mainly bats, in order of abundance Rhinolophus euryale, R. ferrumequinum, Myotis sp. and Miniopterus schreibersii. The association suggests that at the time of the accumulation the climate was reasonably similar to the current climate; we situate it within a period of local retreat of the ice-cover in the Gállego Valley during the Lateglacial. This is the highest record of these species of Rhinolophus in the Iberian Quaternary, showing that the R. euryale altitudinal range was similar to its extant range during the favourable periods of the Lateglacial. This could indicate that this taxon was relatively quick in spreading into higher regions whenever climate conditions allowed it

Electric field effects on magnetotransport properties of multiferroic Py/YMnO3/Pt heterostructures

We report on the exchange bias between antiferromagnetic and ferroelectric hexagonal YMnO3 epitaxial thin films sandwiched between a metallic electrode (Pt) and a soft ferromagnetic layer (Py). Anisotropic magnetoresistance measurements are performed to monitor the presence of an exchange bias field. When the heteroestructure is biased by an electric field, it turns out that the exchange bias field is suppressed. We discuss the dependence of the observed effect on the amplitude and polarity of the electric field. Particular attention is devoted to the role of current leakage across the ferroelectric layer.Comment: Accepted for publication in Philosophical Magazine Letters (Special issue on multiferroics

Strain-driven non-collinear magnetic ordering in orthorhombic epitaxial YMnO3 thin films

We show that using epitaxial strain and chemical pressure in orthorhombic YMnO3 and Co-substituted (YMn0.95Co0.05O3) thin films, a ferromagnetic response can be gradually introduced and tuned. These results, together with the measured anisotropy of the magnetic response, indicate that the unexpected observation of ferromagnetism in orthorhombic o-RMnO3 (R= Y, Ho, Tb, etc) films originates from strain-driven breaking of the fully compensated magnetic ordering by pushing magnetic moments away from the antiferromagnetic [010] axis. We show that the resulting canting angle and the subsequent ferromagnetic response, gradually increase (up to ~ 1.2\degree) by compression of the unit cell. We will discuss the relevance of these findings, in connection to the magnetoelectric response of orthorhombic manganites.Comment: Text + Figs Accepted in J. Appl. Phy

Electron transport measurements in liquid xenon with Xenoscope, a large-scale DARWIN demonstrator

The DARWIN observatory is a proposed next-generation experiment with 40 tonnes of liquid xenon as an active target in a time projection chamber. To study challenges related to the construction and operation of a multi-tonne scale detector, we have designed and constructed a vertical, full-scale demonstrator for the DARWIN experiment at the University of Zurich. Here, we present the first results from a several-months run with 343kg of xenon and electron drift lifetime and transport measurements with a 53cm tall purity monitor immersed in the cryogenic liquid. After 88days of continuous purification, the electron lifetime reached a value of (664±23)μs. We measured the drift velocity of electrons for electric fields in the range (25–75) V/cm, and found values consistent with previous measurements. We also calculated the longitudinal diffusion constant of the electron cloud in the same field range, and compared with previous data, as well as with predictions from an empirical model

SK channels contribution to ventricular electrophysiology in heart failure patients

Heart failure (HF) is characterized by deterioration of the electrical and contractile function of the heart due to structural and functional remodelling, leading to development of arrhythmias and increased sudden cardiac death risk. SK channels are a type of calcium-activated potassium channels that do not play a relevant role in normal ventricular electrophysiology. However, it has been hypothesized that these channels become more relevant in pathologies such as HF. Nontheless, their role in human ventricular electrophysiology is not fully characterized

Sensing Archaeology in the North: The Use of Non-Destructive Geophysical and Remote Sensing Methods in Archaeology in Scandinavian and North Atlantic Territories

In August 2018, a group of experts working with terrestrial/marine geophysics and remote sensing methods to explore archaeological sites in Denmark, Finland, Norway, Scotland and Sweden gathered together for the first time at the Workshop ‘Sensing Archaeology in The North’. The goal was to exchange experiences, discuss challenges, and consider future directions for further developing these methods and strategies for their use in archaeology. After the event, this special journal issue was arranged to publish papers that are based on the workshop presentations, but also to incorporate work that is produced by other researchers in the field. This paper closes the special issue and further aims to provide current state-of-the-art for the methods represented by the workshop. Here, we introduce the aspects that inspired the organisation of the meeting, a summary of the 12 presentations and eight paper contributions, as well as a discussion about the main outcomes of the workshop roundtables, including the production of two searchable databases (online resources and equipment). We conclude with the position that the ‘North’, together with its unique cultural heritage and thriving research community, is at the forefront of good practice in the application and development of sensing methods in archaeological research and management. However, further method development is required, so we claim the support of funding bodies to back research efforts based on testing/experimental studies to: explore unknown survey environments and identify optimal survey conditions, as well as to monitor the preservation of archaeological remains, especially those that are at risk. It is demonstrated that remote sensing and geophysics not only have an important role in the safeguarding of archaeological sites from development and within prehistorical-historical research, but the methods can be especially useful in recording and monitoring the increased impact of climate change on sites in the North

A non-uniform predictor-observer for a networked control system

The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12555-011-0621-5This paper presents a Non-Uniform Predictor-Observer (NUPO) based control approach in order to deal with two of the main problems related to Networked Control Systems (NCS) or Sensor Networks (SN): time-varying delays and packet loss. In addition, if these delays are longer than the sampling period, the packet disordering phenomenon can appear. Due to these issues, a (scarce) nonuniform, delayed measurement signal could be received by the controller. But including the NUPO proposal in the control system, the delay will be compensated by the prediction stage, and the nonavailable data will be reconstructed by the observer stage. So, a delay-free, uniformly sampled controller design can be adopted. To ensure stability, the predictor must satisfy a feasibility problem based on a time-varying delay-dependent condition expressed in terms of Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMI). Some aspects like the relation between network delay and robustness/performance trade-off are empirically studied. A simulation example shows the benefits (robustness and control performance improvement) of the NUPO approach by comparison to another similar proposal. © ICROS, KIEE and Springer 2011.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnologia Projects DPI2008-06737-C02-01 and DPI2009-14744-C03-03, by Generalitat Valenciana Project GV/2010/018, by Universidad Politecnica de Valencia Project PAID06-08.Cuenca Lacruz, ÁM.; García Gil, PJ.; Albertos Pérez, P.; Salt Llobregat, JJ. (2011). A non-uniform predictor-observer for a networked control system. International Journal of Control, Automation and Systems. 9(6):1194-1202. doi:10.1007/s12555-011-0621-5S1194120296K. Ogata, Discrete-time Control Systems, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA, 1987.Y. Tipsuwan and M. Chow, “Control methodologies in networked control systems,” Control Eng. 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Symp. on Mathematical Theory of Networks and Systems, pp. 2163–2170, 2006.D. Davison and E. Hwang, “Automating radiotherapy cancer treatment: use of multirate observer-based control,” Proc. of American Control Conf., vol. 2, pp. 1194–1199, 2003

Three axis vector magnet set-up for cryogenic scanning probe microscopy

We describe a three axis vector magnet system for cryogenic scanning probe microscopy measurements. We discuss the magnet support system and the power supply, consisting of a compact three way 100 A current source. We obtain tilted magnetic fields in all directions with maximum value of 5T along z-axis and of 1.2T for XY-plane magnetic fields. We describe a scanning tunneling microscopy-spectroscopy (STM-STS) set-up, operating in a dilution refrigerator, which includes a new high voltage ultralow noise piezodrive electronics and discuss the noise level due to vibrations. STM images and STS maps show atomic resolution and the tilted vortex lattice at 150 mK in the superconductor β-Bi2Pd. We observe a strongly elongated hexagonal lattice, which corresponds to the projection of the tilted hexagonal vortex lattice on the surface. We also discuss Magnetic Force Microscopy images in a variable temperature insertThis work was supported by Convocatoria Doctorados en el Exterior 568-2012 COLCIENCIAS, the Spanish MINECO (FIS2011-23488, MAT2011-27470-C02-02, CSD2009-00013), by the Comunidad de Madrid through program Nanofrontmag-CM (S2013/MIT-2850) and by Marie-Curie actions under the project FP7-PEOPLE-2013- CIG-618321. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Union Seventh Framework Programme under Grant Agreement No. 604391 Graphene Flagship. We also acknowledge Banco Santander, COST MP1201. J.A. and C.M. acknowledge the FPI (BES- 2012-058600) and Juan de la Cierva (JCI-2011-08815) programs, respectivel

Microglial Activation in the Retina of a Triple-Transgenic Alzheimer’s Disease Mouse Model (3xTg-AD)

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia in the world. The main biomarkers associated with AD are protein amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and protein tau neurofibrillary tangles, which are responsible for brain neuroinflammation mediated by microglial cells. Increasing evidence has shown that the retina can also be affected in AD, presenting some molecular and cellular changes in the brain, such as microglia activation. However, there are only a few studies assessing such changes in the retinal microglia in animal models of AD. These studies use retinal sections, which have some limitations. In this study, we performed, for the first time in a triple-transgenic AD mouse model (3xTg-AD), a quantitative morphometric analysis of microglia activation (using the anti-Iba-1 antibody) in retinal whole-mounts, allowing visualization of the entire microglial cell, as well as its localization along the extension of the retina in different layers. Compared to age-matched animals, the retina of 3xTg-AD mice presents a higher number of microglial cells and a thicker microglial cell body area. Moreover, the microglia migrate, reorient, and retract their processes, changing their localization from a parallel to a perpendicular position relative to the retinal surface. These findings demonstrate clear microglia remodeling in the retina of 3xTg-AD mice

A regional approach to ancient urban studies in Greece through multi-settlement geophysical survey

The systematic exploration of large archaeological sites in the Mediterranean has evolved considerably since the “big dig” excavations. Pedestrian field surveying and remote sensing applications, including satellite and airborne image analysis, are now practical and relatively cost-efficient methods of characterizing large and diachronically diverse landscapes on regional scales. However, the use of geophysical techniques as a means for exploring manifold archaeological contexts is still in its infancy. In this paper, we highlight the advantages of archaeological geophysics to conduct regional surveys in the Mediterranean. Through a multi-site geophysical fieldwork campaign to investigate the patterns and dynamics of ancient cities in Greece, we show how geophysics offer new opportunities for characterizing the spatial attributes and regional dynamics of urban landscapes, and, in doing so, we make an argument for its wider adoption on regional survey projects