How was the Hubble sequence 6 Gyrs ago?

The way galaxies assemble their mass to form the well-defined Hubble sequence is amongst the most debated topic in modern cosmology. One difficulty is to link distant galaxies to those at present epoch. We aim at establishing how were the galaxies of the Hubble sequence, 6 Gyrs ago. We intend to derive a past Hubble sequence that can be causally linked to the present-day one. We selected samples of nearby galaxies from the SDSS and of distant galaxies from the GOODS survey. We verified that each sample is representative of galaxies. We further showed that the observational conditions necessary to retrieve their morphological classification are similar in an unbiased way. Morphological analysis has been done in an identical way for all galaxies in the two samples. We found an absence of number evolution for elliptical and lenticular galaxies, which strikingly contrasts with the strong evolution of spiral and peculiar galaxies. Spiral galaxies were 2.3 times less abundant in the past, that is exactly compensated by the strong decrease by a factor 5 of peculiar galaxies. It strongly suggests that more than half of the present-day spirals had peculiar morphologies, 6 Gyrs ago, and this has to be accounted by any scenario of galactic disk evolution and formation. The past Hubble sequence can be used to test these scenarios as well as to test evolution of fundamental planes for spirals and bulges.Comment: Version accepted by Astronomy and Astrophysics, October 21 2009. Including low resolution images. 11 pages, 8 figure

Interactive Co-Design of Form and Function for Legged Robots using the Adjoint Method

Our goal is to make robotics more accessible to casual users by reducing the domain knowledge required in designing and building robots. Towards this goal, we present an interactive computational design system that enables users to design legged robots with desired morphologies and behaviors by specifying higher level descriptions. The core of our method is a design optimization technique that reasons about the structure, and motion of a robot in coupled manner in order to achieve user-specified robot behavior, and performance. We are inspired by the recent works that also aim to jointly optimize robot's form and function. However, through efficient computation of necessary design changes, our approach enables us to keep user-in-the-loop for interactive applications. We evaluate our system in simulation by automatically improving robot designs for multiple scenarios. Starting with initial user designs that are physically infeasible or inadequate to perform the user-desired task, we show optimized designs that achieve user-specifications, all while ensuring an interactive design flow.Comment: 8 pages; added link of the accompanying vide

Novel tuneable filter based on MZ and an amplified ring resonator for OFDM networks

IEEE Lasers and Electro-Optics Society. 1999 Annual Meeting. 8-11 November 1999. San Francisco, CAA novel reconfigurable fibre based tuneable filter is proposed. The module relies on a cascaded connection of Mach-Zehnders and an amplified fibre ring resonator. MHz range adjustable FHWM bandwidths and high crosstalk are achieved.Publicad

Environmental variables, habitat discontinuity and life history shaping the genetic structure of Pomatoschistus marmoratus

Coastal lagoons are semi-isolated ecosystems exposed to wide fluctuations of environmental conditions and showing habitat fragmentation. These features may play an important role in separating species into different populations, even at small spatial scales. In this study, we evaluate the concordance between mitochondrial (previous published data) and nuclear data analyzing the genetic variability of Pomatoschistus marmoratus in five localities, inside and outside the Mar Menor coastal lagoon (SE Spain) using eight microsatellites. High genetic diversity and similar levels of allele richness were observed across all loci and localities, although significant genic and genotypic differentiation was found between populations inside and outside the lagoon. In contrast to the FST values obtained from previous mitochondrial DNA analyses (control region), the microsatellite data exhibited significant differentiation among samples inside the Mar Menor and between lagoonal and marine samples. This pattern was corroborated using Cavalli-Sforza genetic distances. The habitat fragmentation inside the coastal lagoon and among lagoon and marine localities could be acting as a barrier to gene flow and contributing to the observed genetic structure. Our results from generalized additive models point a significant link between extreme lagoonal environmental conditions (mainly maximum salinity) and P. marmoratus genetic composition. Thereby, these environmental features could be also acting on genetic structure of coastal lagoon populations of P. marmoratus favoring their genetic divergence. The mating strategy of P. marmoratus could be also influencing our results obtained from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA. Therefore, a special consideration must be done in the selection of the DNA markers depending on the reproductive strategy of the species

A perception system for accurate automatic control of an articulated bus

This paper describes the perception system for an automatic articulated bus where an accurate tracking trajectory is desired. Among the most promising transport infrastructures of the autonomous or semi-autonomous transportation systems, the articulated bus is an interesting low cost and friendly option. This platform involves a mobile vehicle and a private circuit inside CSIC premises. The perception system, presented in this work, based on 2D laser scanner as a prime sensor generates local terrain maps, where the major concern lies in detecting and tracking a tunnel guide rail built-in the circuit, by using a hybrid-efficient line extraction algorithm and the obstacle detection to guide the vehicle down the lane.The authors acknowledge partial funding of this research under: Robocity2030-II S2009/DPI-1559 and IMADE PIE/62/2008 (Comunidad de Madrid, ALDESA CONSTRUCCIONES SA, MAXIMASDE); FORTUNA D/026706/09 (Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional para el Desarrollo, AECID). Dr. Héctor Montes acknowledges support form Universidad Tecnológica de Panamá and from CSIC under grant JAE-Doc.Peer reviewe

To Develop and Evaluate Children’s Cognitive Development through An AR-Playful-Learning Approach

Augmented Reality (AR) technology have been recognised as an effective experience enhancer with a broad application range. It is challenging to explore such potentials in the area of learning and teaching by utilising AR features in behavioural stimulation and monitoring. In this study, the author aims at exploit AR technology to institute a system for cognitive development. The principle goal of such playful learning system is to improve the overall ability of toddlers to function in social environments through cognition forming and behavioural redirecting. This paper introduces an interactive training game that assists children between two and seven years old to develop their cognitive model through intuitive theory-based educational AR gami cation. A pilot study implements Montessori training theory is described in this paper

Synthesis of optical filters using sagnac interferometer in ring resonator

We propose a new synthesis method for the implementation of infinite impulse response filters, using a Sagnac interferometer within a ring resonator. This structure permits the synthesis of second-order optical functions per stage. We present the parameters of the structure, which are related to the poles position, radial and azimuthal, and the design procedure, with an example of an autorregresive filter.Publicad

A new artificial sign-space proxy for investigating the emergence of structure and categories in speech

En relación con las publicaciones presentadas en el Clabes I, donde se mencionan las nuevas estrategias implementadas para afrontar el desgranamiento, blended learning y tutorías; y Clabes II, en el que referimos a una ampliación y profundización tanto en las políticas como en las metodología a implementar desde dos niveles: Nacional desde el Rectorado de la Universidad y Local desde la Facultad Regional Resistencia; en esta oportunidad se presentan los resultados de la acción emprendida en el año 2012 en la línea de acceso e integración de alumnos a las carreras ofrecidas por la Facultad. En este sentido se puede decir que se ha reforzado la apuesta; la institución no conforme con las actividades desarrolladas al interior de la misma, organizó un ciclo de visitas a las escuelas de Nivel Medio de la Zona de influencia. La Facultad Regional Resistencia se viene desarrollando desde el año 2006 diferentes acciones tendientes a la disminución del desgranamiento de los alumnos en los primeros tramos de las carreras. Todas estas acciones, hacia adentro de la institución, es decir, saber cuáles son los motivos que llevan a los alumnos a desgranar en los primero años, realizar un seguimiento de los ingresantes a través del sistema de acción tutorial, utilizar en el seminario universitario metodologías que promuevan a la autorregulación. Todas iniciativas desarrolladas una vez que el alumno ha elegido la carrera y nuestra facultad. Si bien se han obtenido mejora en los resultados con las acciones antes mencionadas la Facultad inició un camino de articulación con el nivel medio en colaboración con las Direcciones de carrera y la Secretaría de Extensión Universitaria. Se organizaron y ejecutaron bajo el eslogan “la UTN va a las escuelas”, una serie de talleres informativos en los que participaron unos 3.000 alumnos de escuelas secundarias. Los talleres tienen como objetivos: generar un marco propicio para el ingreso y permanencia de los alumnos en la universidad, informar a los estudiantes acerca de las diferentes opciones de carrera que brinda la institución y proporcionar herramientas metodológicas que propicien una mejor inserción académica. Entendemos que estas acciones se enmarcan en la responsabilidad social que le compete a la Universidad, parafraseando a François Vallaeys (2007), la institución debe hacer una reflexión sobre sí misma de su accionar en su entorno social, un análisis de su responsabilidad y, sobre todo, de su parte de culpabilidad en los problemas crónicos de la sociedad. Los talleres se centraron en trabajar la autorregulación de los futuros estudiantes universitarios como una habilidad meta cognitiva que puede resultar clave para el éxito o el fracaso académico, según lo consideran algunos autores entre ellos Corral (2003). Si bien no se está en condiciones de afirmar cuánto influye esta habilidad en la definición de las estrategias utilizadas para la apropiación y retención de los contenidos y consecuentemente en el rendimiento academico, sin embargo los estudiantes que mayor comportamiento autorregulado demuestran obtienen un mejor rendimiento en las diferentes áreas académicas

Spatial genetic structure in the saddled sea bream (Oblada melanura [Linnaeus, 1758]) suggests multi-scaled patterns of connectivity between protected and unprotected areas in the Western Mediterranean Sea

Marine protected areas (MPAs) and networks of MPAs are advocated worldwide for the achievement of marine conservation objectives. Although the knowledge about population connectivity is considered fundamental for the optimal design of MPAs and networks, the amount of information available for the Mediterranean Sea is currently scarce. We investigated the genetic structure of the saddled sea bream ( Oblada melanura) and the level of genetic connectivity between protected and unprotected locations, using a set of 11 microsatellite loci. Spatial patterns of population differentiation were assessed locally (50-100 km) and regionally (500-1000 km), considering three MPAs of the Western Mediterranean Sea. All values of genetic differentiation between locations (Fst and Jost's D) were non-significant after Bonferroni correction, indicating that, at a relatively small spatial scale, protected locations were in general well connected with non-protected ones. On the other hand, at the regional scale, discriminant analysis of principal components revealed the presence of a subtle pattern of genetic heterogeneity that reflects the geography and the main oceanographic features (currents and barriers) of the study area. This genetic pattern could be a consequence of different processes acting at different spatial and temporal scales among which the presence of admixed populations, large population sizes and species dispersal capacity, could play a major role. These outcomes can have important implications for the conservation biology and fishery management of the saddled sea bream and provide useful information for genetic population studies of other coastal fishes in the Western Mediterranean Sea.This research was supported by the European project ‘InitialTraining Network for Monitoring Mediterranean Marine ProtectedAreas’ (MMMPA: FP7-PEOPLE-2011-ITN) [grant number 290056].Irene Mu˜noz was supported by Fundación Séneca (Murcia, Spain)through the Post-doctoral fellowship 19149/PD/13-N and CarlosVergara-Chen was partially supported by the “Sistema Nacionalde Investigación (SNI) of the Secretaría Nacional de Ciencia, Tec-nología e Innovación (SENACYT)” of Panama. Authors wish to thankDr. Josep Lloret (Univeristy of Girona), Prof. Patrice Francour, Prof.Patricia Pierson, Pierre Vandenbussche and Guillaume Spennato(University of Nice), Serge Moreau and Gilles Garnier (Port-Crosand Porquerolles National Park) and Chiara Adamuccio for assis-tance during field works. Authors wish to thank the editor andtwo anonymous reviewers for their useful comments which havehelped us to improve the manuscript.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Optical reconfigurable demultiplexer based on Bragg grating assisted ring resonators

A polarization independent reconfigurable optical demultiplexer with low crosstalk between adjacent channels and high number of potential allocated channels is designed on silicon on insulator technology. On to off state transitions can be implemented by changing the coupling factor or the ring length. Wavelength selective switch units are cascaded to form the demultiplexer. Crosstalks below -30dB with 50GHz channel spacing and losses below 1.5dB in the off state are obtained from simulations. Designs using carrier dispersion effect and power consumption estimations are included.This work has been sponsored by the Spanish Economy and Education Ministries through grants (Ref.TEC2012-37983-C03-02).Publicad