La mutación de la biblioteca en los inicios del siglo XXI

El papel que las bibliotecas desempeñan en la actualidad ha sido cuestionado en numerosas ocasiones, a causa de la revolución tecnológica a la que se está asistiendo, la cual pondría en amenaza el papel básico que hasta ahora tenían éstas. Pero la realidad es que se observa una tendencia en la que cada vez se construyen más bibliotecas y más complejas. Por lo que se torna harto interesante descubrir hacia dónde camina la arquitectura en este sentido. A este respecto, se advierte un cambio de paradigma respecto al papel que juega la biblioteca en la actualidad, provocando a su vez una respuesta en cuanto a la arquitectura bibliotecaria. Los cambios sociales que se han producido de la mano del desarrollo de la tecnología, se han visto implicados de forma directa e indirecta en este cambio de paradigma, presentando los desafíos a los que se enfrenta la arquitectura actual. Debido a la incertidumbre que se presenta de cara a este nuevo periodo, en base a los constantes cambios que se manifiestan debido a la rápida evolución que sufren las nuevas tecnologías, y de cara a las demandas de esta nueva sociedad, se torna fundamental la aplicación del principio de la flexibilidad en los nuevos espacios bibliotecarios, pero se rehúye de la clásica solución espacial donde el espacio se vuelve uniforme, sin apenas expresión plástica ni variedad. Por otro lado, se presentan los temidos efectos que la globalización tiene sobre el planeta, a cualquier escala, y que parecen llevar todo hacia una tendencia universalista. Por lo que se hace interesante el estudio de la arquitectura bibliotecaria desde diferentes ópticas a nivel cultural, tomando como referencia la cultura occidental, debido a su importante papel de cara al origen de este proceso, así como la cultura oriental, definida prácticamente como la antítesis de ésta. Sobre la base de lo planteado, la presente investigación, a modo de primera toma de contacto, ha pretendido abrir un campo de estudio a través del cual se puedan identificar nuevas formas de aplicar la flexibilidad en los espacios bibliotecarios, de cara a que éstos no se vuelvan caducos en cuanto al diseño que presentan, además de poner el causa los procesos de globalización que pretenden reducir la realidad actual, en base a procesos de homogeneización; por lo que se busca identificar procesos de hibridación en la arquitectura actual, a través de los cuales poder identificar si se producen diferencias entre las distintas culturas, valorando en qué medida se incluyen las cuestiones de carácter local en las obras que representan cada una de estas culturas. A través de la metodología empleada, basada en los estudios de caso individual y en el análisis comparativo de éstos, se han podido evidenciar líneas que muestran esa evolución de la arquitectura actual, en la que se torna evidente la importancia que tiene la flexibilidad en el nuevo escenario, así como la posibilidad de aplicarla de diversa manera, además de reconocerse los mencionados procesos de hibridación, permitiendo establecer diferencias entre las dos culturas, desmontando así la ambiciosa visión de carácter unilateral que se tenía sobre la globalización.Abstract: The role played by libraries nowadays has been frequently questioned in view of the technological revolution currently underway, which would seem to threaten the basic function libraries had up until now. However, what we are actually seeing is a trend in which a growing number of increasingly complex libraries are being built. Therefore, it is of interest to take a look at where architecture in this sector is heading. The truth is, a change can be observed in what is considered to be the model role of libraries today, which in turn leads to a different response in terms of their architecture. The social changes that have taken place as a result of developments in technology have played both a direct and indirect role in such a change of model and represent the challenges facing current architecture. Given the uncertainty that exists these days due to the constant changes occurring as a result of the rapid evolution of new technologies and of society’s new demands, it has become essential to build a flexibility component into all new library design concepts, while shying away from the classic solution of uniform spaces with little plastic variety or expression. On the other hand, the effects of globalisation present at all scales of life on this planet inevitably arise and tend to drive everything towards a common universality. So it is interesting to study the architecture of libraries from different cultural perspectives, firstly in Western culture, given the important role it has played in the origin of this process, and subsequently from the viewpoint of Oriental culture, practically defined as the antithesis of the former. On the basis of the above premises, this paper seeks to stand as the initial contact in a line of research that identifies new ways of applying flexibility into the architecture of libraries so that they do not become obsolete in terms of their design, as well as identifying the globalisation processes that seek to reduce current reality through homogenisation procedures. Therefore, it aims to identify hybridisation processes in current architecture that serve to ascertain whether distinctions occur between different cultures and to assess the extent to which local issues find a place in iconic buildings representing each of those cultures. By means of the methodology used, based on individual case studies and comparative analysis of each, certain traits have been revealed that show an evolution in contemporary architecture, in which greater importance is given in this new scenario to flexibility and the ability to apply it in different ways, as well as acknowledging the aforementioned hybridization processes, enabling differences between the two cultures to be identified and thus any narrow-minded view of globalization as a unilateral phenomenon to be dismantled

Volcanic impacts on the Holocene vegetation history of Britain and Ireland? A review and meta-analysis of the pollen evidence

Volcanic ash layers show that the products of Icelandic volcanism reached Britain and Ireland many times during the Holocene. Historical records suggest that at least one eruption, that of Laki in a.d. 1783, was associated with impacts on vegetation. These results raise the question: did Icelandic volcanism affect the Holocene vegetation history of Britain and Ireland? Several studies have used pollen data to address this issue but no clear consensus has been reached. We re-analyse the palynological data using constrained ordination with various representations of potential volcanic impacts. We find that the palynological evidence for volcanic impacts on vegetation is weak but suggest that this is a case of absence of evidence and is not necessarily evidence of absence of impact. To increase the chances of identifying volcanic impacts, future studies need to maximise temporal resolution, replicate results, and investigate a greater number of tephras in a broader range of locations, including more studies from lake sediments

Pregnancy and Maternal Behavior Induce Changes in Glia, Glutamate and Its Metabolism within the Cingulate Cortex

An upregulation of the astrocytic proteins GFAP and bFGF within area 2 of the cingulate cortex (Cg2) occurs within 3 hours of parturition in rats. These changes are the result of an interaction between hormonal state and maternal experience and are associated with increased dendritic spine density in this area. Here, we examined whether this upregulation of astrocytic proteins generalized to other glial markers and, in particular those associated with glutamate metabolism. We chose glial markers commonly used to reflect different aspects of glial function: vimentin, like GFAP, is a marker of intermediate filaments; glutamine synthetase (GS), and S-100beta, are used as markers for mature astrocytes and GS has also been used as a specific marker for glutamatergic enzymatic activity. In addition, we examined levels of proteins associated with glutamine synthetase, glutamate, glutamine and two excitatory amino acid transporters found in astrocytes, glt-1 and glast. S100beta immunoreactivity did not vary with reproductive state in either Cg2 or MPOA suggesting no change in the number of mature astrocytes across these conditions. Vimentin-ir did not differ across groups in Cg2, but expression of this protein decreased from Day 1 postpartum onwards in the MPOA. By contrast, GS-ir was increased within 24 h postpartum in Cg2 but not MPOA and similarly to GFAP and bFGF this upregulation of GS resulted from an interaction between hormonal state and maternal experience. Within Cg2, upregulation of GS was not accompanied by changes in the astrocytic glutamatergic transporters, glt-1 and glast, however, an increase in both glutamate and glutamine proteins were observed within the Cg2 of postpartum animals. Together, these changes suggest postpartum upregulation of glutamatergic activity and metabolism within Cg2 that is stimulated by pregnancy hormones and maternal experience

No Evidence for a Trade-Off between Reproductive Investment and Immunity in a Rodent

Life history theory assumes there are trade-offs between competing functions such as reproduction and immunity. Although well studied in birds, studies of the trade-offs between reproduction and immunity in small mammals are scarce. Here we examined whether reduced immunity is a consequence of reproductive effort in lactating Brandt's voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii). Specifically, we tested the effects of lactation on immune function (Experiment I). The results showed that food intake and resting metabolic rate (RMR) were higher in lactating voles (6≤ litter size ≤8) than that in non-reproductive voles. Contrary to our expectation, lactating voles also had higher levels of serum total Immunoglobulin G (IgG) and anti-keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) IgG and no change in phytohemagglutinin (PHA) response and anti-KLH Immunoglobulin M (IgM) compared with non-reproductive voles, suggesting improved rather than reduced immune function. To further test the effect of differences in reproductive investment on immunity, we compared the responses between natural large (n≥8) and small litter size (n≤6) (Experiment II) and manipulated large (11–13) and small litter size (2–3) (Experiment III). During peak lactation, acquired immunity (PHA response, anti-KLH IgG and anti-KLH IgM) was not significantly different between voles raising large or small litters in both experiments, despite the measured difference in reproductive investment (greater litter size, litter mass, RMR and food intake in the voles raising larger litters). Total IgG was higher in voles with natural large litter size than those with natural small litter size, but decreased in the enlarged litter size group compared with control and reduced group. Our results showed that immune function is not suppressed to compensate the high energy demands during lactation in Brandt's voles and contrasting the situation in birds, is unlikely to be an important aspect mediating the trade-off between reproduction and survival

An updated view of hypothalamic-vascular-pituitary unit function and plasticity

The discoveries of novel functional adaptations of the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary gland for physiological regulation have transformed our understanding of their interaction. The activity of a small proportion of hypothalamic neurons can control complex hormonal signalling, which is disconnected from a simple stimulus and the subsequent hormone secretion relationship and is dependent on physiological status. The interrelationship of the terminals of hypothalamic neurons and pituitary cells with the vasculature has an important role in determining the pattern of neurohormone exposure. Cells in the pituitary gland form networks with distinct organizational motifs that are related to the duration and pattern of output, and modifications of these networks occur in different physiological states, can persist after cessation of demand and result in enhanced function. Consequently, the hypothalamus and pituitary can no longer be considered as having a simple stratified relationship: with the vasculature they form a tripartite system, which must function in concert for appropriate hypothalamic regulation of physiological processes, such as reproduction. An improved understanding of the mechanisms underlying these regulatory features has implications for current and future therapies that correct defects in hypothalamic–pituitary axes. In addition, recapitulating proper network organization will be an important challenge for regenerative stem cell treatment