Un casal medieval amb torre: "La pabordia" de Girona

Article sobre l'edifici de 'La Pabordia' de Girona, un casal medieval amb torre. Es fa una reflexió i un estudi sobre l'estructura de l'edifici, les tècniques constructives emprades en cada fase i la relació existent entre els seus diversos àmbits i cossos, tenint en compte la documentació planimètrica, la informació gràfica a través de fotografies, i la consulta puntual de documentació medieval

Individual differences in control of language interference in late bilinguals are mainly related to general executive abilities

Background: Recent research based on comparisons between bilinguals and monolinguals postulates that bilingualism enhances cognitive control functions, because the parallel activation of languages necessitates control of interference. In a novel approach we investigated two groups of bilinguals, distinguished by their susceptibility to cross-language interference, asking whether bilinguals with strong language control abilities ('non-switchers") have an advantage in executive functions (inhibition of irrelevant information, problem solving, planning efficiency, generative fluency and self-monitoring) compared to those bilinguals showing weaker language control abilities ('switchers"). Methods: 29 late bilinguals (21 women) were evaluated using various cognitive control neuropsychological tests [e.g., Tower of Hanoi, Ruff Figural Fluency Task, Divided Attention, Go/noGo] tapping executive functions as well as four subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale. The analysis involved t-tests (two independent samples). Non-switchers (n = 16) were distinguished from switchers (n = 13) by their performance observed in a bilingual picture-naming task. Results: The non-switcher group demonstrated a better performance on the Tower of Hanoi and Ruff Figural Fluency task, faster reaction time in a Go/noGo and Divided Attention task, and produced significantly fewer errors in the Tower of Hanoi, Go/noGo, and Divided Attention tasks when compared to the switchers. Non-switchers performed significantly better on two verbal subtests of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (Information and Similarity), but not on the Performance subtests (Picture Completion, Block Design). Conclusions: The present results suggest that bilinguals with stronger language control have indeed a cognitive advantage in the administered tests involving executive functions, in particular inhibition, self-monitoring, problem solving, and generative fluency, and in two of the intelligence tests. What remains unclear is the direction of the relationship between executive functions and language control abilities.

Noves dades sobre la producció de ceràmica medieval de Barcelona. La caracterització arqueomètrica del taller del Carrer de Carders

Arran de la troballa d'un taller ceràmic al carrer de Carders de Barcelona, datat entre els segles XII i XIII, s'ha dut a terme la caracterització arqueomètrica de 31 individus per tal de definir les característiques químiques i petrogràfiques de la seva producció. A més, s'han contrastat els resultats amb els obtinguts per a l'altre taller del segle XIII conegut a la ciutat, el del carrer de l'Hospital. L'estudi ha permès de definir el grup de referència (GR) del carrer de Carders, com també indicar l'existència d"individus procedents d'aquesta excavació però que es relacionen amb la producció del carrer de l'Hospital. I a la inversa, l'existència d'individus procedents del carrer de l'Hospital que es relacionen amb el carrer de Carders. Finalment, entre els materials procedents del carrer de Carders s'han identificat dues noves produccions no conegudes anteriorment.

L'activitat quotidiana d'un mestre de cases medieval. Bernat Gual, 1405-1453

[cat] En aquest article es repassa l'activitat del mestre de cases Bernat Gual, des que va signar un contracte d'aprenentatge amb el mestre d'aixa Domingo Ferrer, l'any 1405, fi ns que desapareix de la documentació municipal, l'any 1453. En aquests quaranta-vuit anys d'activitat, Gual es va fer càrrec de grans obres (com ara l'assut de Xerta-Tivenys), però també d'una gran quantitat de petits treballs, sempre al servei del Consell de la Ciutat. La seva tasca s'emmarca en el context arquitectònic de la Tortosa medieval, determinat per la catedral i el palau del bisbe, però també pel Pont de Barques, una important infraestructura de fusta que era conservada per artesans especialitzats.

Contribució a l'estudi de l'argenteria medieval de la ciutat de Tortosa. Els argenters al servei del municipi

Aquest article és el resum, sense apèndix documental, d"un treball més extens enllestit l"estiu de l"any 2003. En aquell moment vaig contemplar l"estudi de l"argenteria del centre tortosí des dels seus incerts inicis fins a l"any 1550, ja que, malgrat que sabem que alguns dels mestres actius o presents a la ciutat durant el primer quart del segle XVI treballaren en obres «a la romana»1, el 1550 va fabricar-se el bust de sant Eulali, que és la primera obra inequívocament renaixentista, d"entre les que es conserven i estan ben datades, que duu punxó de Tortosa, tot i que el seu autor fos un argenter de Tarragona. I és que, com demostra la Custòdia d"Orta, construïda l"any 1521, bona part de les obres locals produïdes durant el primer terç del segle XVI mostren característiques «gòtiques» amb l"afegit d"elements decoratius del nou estil.

La continuidad de una obra medieval: azud, acequias, molinos y pesquera del Bajo Ebro en la época del Renacimiento

La cita que sirve de título a este epígrafe introductorio es del picapedrero aragonés Sebastián Martínez. Forma parte de un informe, redactado en 1556, sobre la construcción de una acequia en el margen izquierdo del Ebro. Y parece ser que pese a la voluntad del maestro muy poca gente, experta o no en el arte del"livell", ha sentido la necesidad de conocer las conclusiones de su estudio, como tampoco se ha sentido apenas la necesidad de estudiar el proceso constructivo del sistema de riego del curso bajo de este río, conocimiento o, más bien, desconocimiento anclado durante muchos años en las teorías que relacionaban su erección con la tecnología de época andalusí.

Transcending the self in immersive virtual reality

Cognitive neuroscientists have discovered various experimental setups that suggest that our body representation is surprisingly flexible, where the brain can easily be tricked into the illusion that a rubber hand is your hand or that a manikin body is your body. These multisensory illusions work well in immersive virtual reality (IVR). What is even more surprising is that such embodiment induces perceptual, attitudinal and behavioural changes that are concomitant with the displayed body type. Here we outline some recent findings in this field, and suggest that this offers a powerful tool for neuroscience, psychology and a new path for IVR.

Rakennukset ja rakentajat Raision Ihalassa rautakauden lopulla ja varhaisella keskiajalla

Turun yliopiston arkeologian oppiaine tutki Raision Ihalan historiallisella kylätontilla, ns. Mullin eduspellolla, asuinpaikan, josta löydettiin maamme oloissa harvinaisen hyvin säilyneitä rakennusten puuosien jäännöksiä. Löytö on ainutlaatuinen Suomen oloissa ja sillä on kansainvälistäkin merkitystä, koska hyvin säilyneet myöhemmän rautakauden ja varhaisen keskiajan maaseutuasuinpaikat, joista tavataan puujäännöksiä, ovat harvinaisia erityisesti itäisen Itämeren piirissä. Rakennukset on ennallistettu käyttäen tiukkaa paikallisen analogian (’Tight Local Analogy’) metodia, erityisesti suoraa historiallista analogista lähestymistapaa. Tätä tarkoitusta varten muodostettiin aluksi arkeologinen, historiallinen ja etnografinen lähdemalli. Tämä valittiin maantieteellisesti ja ajallisesti relevantista tutkimusaineistosta pohjoisen Itämeren piiristä. Tiedot lounaisen Suomen rakennuksista ja rakennusteknologiasta katsottiin olevan tärkein osa mallia johtuen historiallisesta ja spatiaalisesta jatkuvuudesta. Lähdemalli yhdistettiin sitten Mullin arkeologiseen aineistoon ja analyysin tuloksena saatiin rakennusten ennallistukset. Mullista on voitu ennallistaa ainakin kuusi eri rakennusta neljässä eri rakennuspaikassa. Rakennusteknologia perustui kattoa kannattaviin horisontaalisiin pitkiin seinähirsiin, jotka oli nurkissa yhdistetty joko salvoksella tai varhopatsaalla. Kaikissa rakennuksissa ulkoseinän pituus oli 5 – 7 metriä. Löydettiin lisäksi savi- ja puulattioita sekä kaksi tulisijaa, savikupoliuuni ja avoin liesi. Runsaan palaneen saven perusteella on mahdollista päätellä, että katto oli mitä todennäköisimmin kaksilappeinen vuoliaiskatto, joka oli katettu puulla ja/tai turpeella. Kaikki rakennukset olivat samaa tyyppiä ja ne käsittivät isomman huoneen ja kapean eteisen. Kaikki analysoitu puu oli mäntyä. Ulkoalueelta tavattiin lisäksi tunkioita, ojia, aitoja ja erilaisia varastokuoppia. Rakennukset on ajoitettu 900-luvun lopulta 1200-luvun lopulle (cal AD). Lopuksi tutkittiin rakennuksia yhteisöllisessä ympäristössään, niiden ajallista asemaa sekä asukkaiden erilaisia spatiaalisia kokemuksia ja yhteyksiä. Raision Ihalaa analysoidaan sosiaalisen identiteetin ja sen materiaalisten ilmenemismuotojen kautta. Nämä sosiaaliset identiteetit muodostuvat kommunikaatioverkostoista eri spatiaalisilla ja yhteisöllisillä ta¬soilla. Näitä eri tasoja ovat: 1) kotitalous arjen toimintoineen, perhe ja sukulaisuussuhteet traditioineen; 2) paikallinen identiteetti, rakennus, rakennuspaikka, asuinpaikan ympäristö ja sen käyttö, (maa)talo ja kylä; 3) Raision Ihalan kylä laajemmassa alueellisessa kontekstissaan pohjoisen Itämeren piirissä: kauppiaiden ja käsityöläisten kontaktiverkostot, uskonnollinen identiteetti ja sen muutokset.

Efficacy of virtual reality for triggering smoking craving: relation with level of presence and nicotine dependence

Virtual Reality environments that reproduce typical contexts associated with tobacco use may be useful for aiding smoking cessation. The main objective of this study was to assess the capacity of eight environments to produce the craving to smoke and determine the relation of craving to nicotine dependence and level of presence. The results show that all the environments were able to generate the desire to smoke; a direct relation was found between sense of presence and craving.

Predictors of smoking craving during virtual reality exposure

Cue exposure treatment (CET) consists of controlled and repeated exposure to drugrelated stimuli in order to reduce cue-reactivity. Virtual reality (VR) has proved to be a promising tool for exposition. However, identifying the variables that can modulate the efficacy of this technique is essential for selecting the most appropriate exposure modality. The aim of this study was to determine the relation between several individual variables and self-reported craving in smokers exposed to VR environments. Fortysix smokers were exposed to seven complex virtual environments that reproduce typical situations in which people smoke. Self-reported craving was selected as the criterion variable and three types of variables were selected as the predictor variables: related to nicotine dependence, related to anxiety and impulsivity, and related to the sense of presence in the virtual environments. Sense of presence was the only predictor of self-reported craving in all the experimental virtual environments. Nicotine dependence variables added predictive power to the model only in the virtual breakfast at home. No relation was found between anxiety or impulsivity and self-reported craving. Virtual reality technology can be very helpful for improving CET for substance use disorders. However, the use of virtual environments would make sense only insofar as the sense of presence was high. Otherwise, the effectiveness of exposure might be affected. © 2012 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Crassostrea patagonica (d'Orbigny, 1842) shell concentrations from the late Miocene Rio Negro province, NE Patagonia, Argentina

The Río Negro Formation (late Miocene-early Pliocene) mainly consists of continental deposits, but it contains a middle member of marine origin. It represents a transgressive-regressive sequence that can be seen at several outcrops along the N Patagonian coast. The taphonomical approach to the El Espigón marine deposits permits the identification of four main layers containing different kinds of skeletal accumulation, which mainly consist of oyster shells [Crassostrea patagonica (D'Orbigny, 1842)]. These concentrations display three different morphologies (pouches, pavements and bouquets) with a different taphonomic signature. These deposits were formed in shallow marine environments influenced by wave activity that produced valve concentrations of different entities. They contain several shell beds that represent event, composite, hiatal to lag skeletal concentrations. Traces of bioturbation in the sediment (Thalassinoides, Teichichnus) and bioerosion on the shells (Entobia, Gastrochaeonolites, Caulostrepsis), and encrusters (cirripeds, bryozoans), are also abundant in the outcrop and consititue common components of these Miocene materials. Layers 1 and 2 of the sequence were deposited in shoreface/foreshore environments at the beginning of a highstand systems tract, while layers 3 and 4 were deposited at the end, or at the beginning of a forced regression, in foreshore environments. A final erosional episode cut the top of the layer 4, which truncated the abundant bioturbaation developed there.

Andorra, història, documentació i arqueologia. Recerca en Època Medieval, dels darrers 30 anys.

Aquest treball de final de grau és una explicació sobre la historiografia del Principat d’Andorra, un petit país dels Pirineus Centrals, entre Espanya i França. La història, l’arqueologia i els reculls documentals que daten d’època medieval, seran l’objecte d’estudi. En aquesta època es posen els fonaments essencials per desenvolupar-se, en un futur com a un Estat. Tot ve configurat per uns pactes del 1278 i del 1288 entre els 2 cosenyors que desenvolupa la seva jurisprudència, la seva activitat econòmica, social i política, converteix els costums i la tradició en els seus valors elementals i es desenvolupa la seva vida quotidiana. I sobre aquestes disciplines s’han fet moltes interpretacions en els últims 30 anys. Saber quin és el seu objectiu, ja sigui per arribar al fet que tots els Andorrans coneguin la seva pròpia historia ,amb la iniciativa de l’Escola Andorrana en els anys 80; o per cercar una base històrica a la naturalesa jurídica i política de les Valls. També explicarem quines són les carències i quines són les recerques més abundants o predominants.

Brain-Computer Interfaces, Virtual Reality, and Videogames

Major challenges must be tackled for brain-computer interfaces to mature into an established communications medium for VR applications, which will range from basic neuroscience studies to developing optimal peripherals and mental gamepads and more efficient brain-signal processing techniques.

Brain Computer Interface for Virtual Reality Control

A brain-computer interface (BCI) is a new communication channel between the human brain and a computer. Applications of BCI systems comprise the restoration of movements, communication and environmental control. In this study experiments were made that used the BCI system to control or to navigate in virtual environments (VE) just by thoughts. BCI experiments for navigation in VR were conducted so far with synchronous BCI and asynchronous BCI systems. The synchronous BCI analyzes the EEG patterns in a predefined time window and has 2 to 3 degrees of freedom.

Cue-elicited anxiety and craving for food using virtual reality scenarios

Cue exposure therapy has been reported to be an effective intervention for reducing binge eating behavior in patients with eating disorders and obesity. However, in vivo food exposure conducted in the therapist's office presents logistical problems and lacks ecological validity. This study proposes the use of virtual reality technology as an alternative to in vivo exposure, and assesses the ability of different virtual environments to elicit anxiety and craving for food in a non-clinical sample. The results show that exposure to virtual environments provokes changes in reported craving for food. High-calorie food cues are the ones that elicit the highest increases in craving.