The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak may have affected the mental health of patients at high risk of suicide. In this study we explored the wish to die and other suicide risk factors using smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment (EMA) in patients with a history of suicidal thoughts and behaviour. Contrary to our expectations we found a decrease in the wish to die during lockdown. This is consistent with previous studies showing that suicide rates decrease during periods of social emergency. Smartphone-based EMA can allow us to remotely assess patients and overcome the physical barriers imposed by lockdown.

Here we present a new site in the Sierra de Atapuerca (Burgos, Spain): Galería de las Estatuas (GE), which provides new information about Mousterian occupations in the Iberian Plateau. The GE was an ancient entrance to the cave system, which is currently closed and sealed by a stalagmitic crust, below which a detritic sedimentary sequence of more than 2 m is found. This has been divided into five litostratigraphic units with a rich assemblage of faunal and lithic remains of clear Mousterian affinity. Radiocarbon dates provide minimum ages and suggest occupations older than 45 14C ka BP. The palynological analysis detected a landscape change to increased tree coverage, which suggests that the sequence recorded a warming episode. The macromammal assemblage is composed of both ungulates (mainly red deer and equids) and carnivores. Taphonomic analysis reveals both anthropic, and to a lesser extent, carnivore activities. The GE was occupied by Neanderthals and also sporadically by carnivores. This new site broadens the information available regarding different human occupations at the Sierra de Atapuerca, which emphasizes the importance of this site-complex for understanding human evolution in Western Europe.

We evaluated the effect of glycerol on the perinuclear theca (PT) of boar sperm. Samples from six ejaculates obtained from three different boars were incubated in the detergent Brij 36-T. Spermatozoa were treated with a glycerol concentration of either 2 or 4%, and incubated for 10 or 30 min; two other samples were treated with protease inhibitors (PI; leupeptin or an inhibitor commercial cocktail), mixed with 4% glycerol, and incubated for 30 min. A third glycerol-free group was used as the control. The samples were processed for electron microscopy evaluation. The PT remained intact in 78% of the control samples while, after addition of glycerol for 30 min, the proportion of spermatozoa with disrupted or absent PT increased (P < 0.05). PT was preserved in PI samples, but PT changes increased (P < 0.05). Differences due to treatment with glycerol (2 or 4%) at 10 or 30 min were not observed. These results show, to our knowledge for the first time, the adverse effect of glycerol on the integrity of the PT.

The yellow-headed parrot Amazona oratrix is categorized as Endangered on the IUCN Red List but little is known about its distribution, particularly along the Pacific coast of Mexico. We used ecological niche models, with presence records from museum collections and historical sightings, overlain on vegetation maps, to predict the historical range of the yellow-headed parrot along the Pacific coast of Mexico. We compared this with the current range of the species, estimated with ecological niche models using presence–absence data from surveys during 2003–2008. We estimate that the range of the yellow-headed parrot along Mexico’s Pacific coast has contracted by 79%. The current range may now cover only 18,957 km2, in three main areas. At one of these, a small isolated area on the coast of Jalisco, the species may be vulnerable to extirpation or genetic endogamy. There is a lack of conserved tropical semi-deciduous forest, which provides optimal habitat for reproduction of this parrot, within the current range of the species. Only the south, along the coast of Oaxaca, has extensive areas of this habitat. There are only three, small, protected areas within the species’ current range. Conservation strategies need to be implemented to restore connectivity between the three main areas of the current range of the yellow-headed parrot on the Pacific coast of Mexico.

This work reports the surface and in-depth resolved Raman scattering analysis of polycrystalline CuInSe2 layers grown with different chemical composition, as function of the Cu to In content ratio (0.48 ≤ × ≤ 1.14). Measurements performed at the surface of the Cu-poor layers corroborate the formation of both Cu-poor Ordered Vacancy Compound (OVC) and CuAu ordered CuInSe2 phases for compositions corresponding to x ≤ 0.82 (OCV) and x ≤ 0.66 (CuAu), respectively. In-depth resolved measurements performed on the layers with lower Cu content have allowed observing a strong decrease with the depth of the intensity of the Raman peak from the chalcopyrite ordered CuInSe2 phase. This suggests a preferential formation of both OVC and CuAu ordered phases at the region close to the interface with the back Mo layer. On the other hand, the comparison between the spectra directly measured on the front and back surfaces of the layers -after removal of the layers from the Mo coated glass substrates- suggests also a worsening of the crystalline quality at the back region of the layers in the whole range of compositions.

This work reports the use of strategies based on Raman scattering for process monitoring of electrodeposited based S rich CuIn(S,Se)2 solar cells. Main vibrational modes in the Raman spectra are sensitive to features related to the crystalline quality, chemical composition and presence of secondary phases in the chalcopyrite layers, being all these features relevant for the optoelectronic properties of the final devices. Ex-situ and in-situ measurements during the electrochemical step allow the direct assessment on the formation of Se rich secondary phases which are related to the stoichiometry of the grown precursors. The analysis of the relative intensity of the spectral contribution from these phases allows early detection of deviations of precursor stoichiometry in relation to the optimum composition range in terms of solar cell efficiency. The applicability of the technique for the in-situ monitoring of the electrodeposition process is also discussed

The CuInS2 thin film formation from a Cu/In precursor stack in the presence of elemental sulfur using a rapid thermal process under Cu-poor conditions has been studied. The process has been aborted at appropriate stages and the corresponding samples were investigated by XRD, Raman spectroscopy and SEM. The sulfurisation starts from elemental Cu and CuIn2. Elemental In and the binary phases Cu11In9 and Cu7In3 appear as intermediate phases. At the end of the sulfurisation the sample contains the ternary phases CuInS2 and CuIn5S8. CuS and β-In2S3 are detected by Raman spectroscopy at the sample surface and at distinct stages of the sulfurisation only. A difference in CuInS2 crystal quality is observed between the surface and the bottom of the samples.

This contribution compares the growth of Cu(Ga,In)S2 based thin film solar cell absorbers in rapid thermal systems using sulfur vapor Sx or H2S/Ar as reactive atmosphere, focusing on Ga-related influences on film growth and phase formation. Cu-In alloying in the precursor is kinetically hindered by the presence of Cu-Ga phases. In sulfur vapor Ga-containing samples sulfurize via an intermediate CuIn2S8 phase, thereby delaying the full sulfurization and recrystallization of the layer. In contrast, in H2S/Ar fast Ga-In interdiffusion and no intermediate chalcogenide phases are observed. The inhomogeneous Ga depth distribution usually reported for sequentially prepared Cu(In,Ga)S2 films can be assigned to the segregation of CuGaS2 prior to CuInS2.

The electrochemical deposition of Cu metal layers for Si based microactuator devices is investigated as a function of the substrate structure. For the direct deposition of Cu onto Si, a two step process involving pre-deposition of an intermediate layer under alkaline conditions has been developed. This has allowed the optimization of the process in terms of film adherence and thickness. On the other hand, for processes involving the use of dielectric sacrificial layers, the electrochemical growth of the Cu film requires a metallic seed layer. In this case, the growth of Cu onto Au coated surfaces has been investigated, and the process has been applied to the development of test microactuator structures based on the integration of Cu coils onto Si micromachined devices. The fabrication of these devices demonstrates the full compatibility of Electrochemical processes with Si standard micromachining technologies.