El diseño de centros comerciales en América

"Hace tiempo, en las ciudades, la plaza mayor era el lugar de compras preferido. Las ciudades crecieron y el comercio quedó prisionero en ese “centro” que ya nunca sería [su centro comercial real] ... Para mucha gente, ir a comprar al centro histórico es toda una proeza y una fuente de frustraciones. Este estadio de la actividad comercial está llegando a su fin. La era del centro comercial está empezando"

Los Rockefeller: arquitectos del imaginario del consumidor lationamericano

Con el Rockefeller Center de Nueva York, John D. Rockefeller, Jr., creó un importante complejo multiusos emulado en diversos desarrollos urbanos desde la década de los años 30. Sus hijos, Nelson y David, jugaron papeles relevantes en el desarrollo de la arquitectura comercial y complejos multiusos basados en el proyecto de su padre. Este artículo explora la arquitectura comercial de la corporación IBEC de Nelson Rockefeller en Latinoamérica, donde él y su hijo Rodman, promovieron supermercados, centros comerciales, y malls de ámbito regional. La segunda parte del artículo explora el interés de David Rockefeller en los complejos multiusos, evidente en proyectos como el WTC de Nueva York y Embarcadero Square en San Francisco, así como su dispersión en Latinoamérica mediante la World Trade Center Association

Unravelling mysteries at the perivascular space: a new rationale for cerebral malaria pathogenesis

Cerebral malaria (CM) is a severe neurological complication caused by Plasmodium falciparum parasites; it is characterized by the sequestration of infected red blood cells within the cerebral microvasculature. New findings, combined with a better understanding of the central nervous system (CNS) barriers, have provided greater insight into the players and events involved in CM, including site-specific T cell responses in the human brain. Here, we review the updated roles of innate and adaptive immune responses in CM, with a focus on the role of the perivascular macrophage–endothelium unit in antigen presentation, in the vascular and perivascular compartments. We suggest that these events may be pivotal in the development of CM

The Nottingham Fatigue After Stroke (NotFAST) Study: results from follow-up six months after stroke

Background: Post-stroke fatigue is common and disabling. Objectives: The aim of NotFAST was to examine factors associated with fatigue in stroke 3 survivors without depression, six months after stroke. Methods: Participants were recruited from four UK stroke units. Those with high levels of 5 depressive symptoms (score ≥7 on Brief Assessment Schedule Depression Cards) or aphasia were excluded. Follow-up assessment was conducted at six months after stroke. They were assessed on the Fatigue Severity Scale, Rivermead Mobility Index, Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living scale, Barthel Index, Beck Anxiety Index, Brief Assessment Schedule Depression Cards, Impact of Event Scale-Revised, and Sleep Hygiene Index. Results: Of the 371 participants recruited, 263 (71%) were contacted at six months after stroke and 213 (57%) returned questionnaires. Approximately half (n=109, 51%) reported fatigue at six months. Of those reporting fatigue initially (n=88), 61 (69%) continued to report fatigue. ‘De novo’ (new) fatigue was reported by 48 (38%) of those not fatigued initially. Lower Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living scores and higher Beck Anxiety Index scores were independently associated with fatigue at six months. Conclusions: Half the stroke survivors reported fatigue at six months post-stroke. Reduced independence in activities of daily living and higher anxiety levels were associated with the level of fatigue. Persistent and delayed onset fatigue may affect independence and participation in rehabilitation, and these findings should be used to inform the development of appropriate interventions

Perivascular macrophages create an intravascular niche for CD8 + T cell localisation prior to the onset of fatal experimental cerebral malaria

Objectives: The immunologic events that build up to the fatal neurological stage of experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) are incompletely understood. Here, we dissect immune cell behaviour occurring in the central nervous system (CNS) when Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA)-infected mice show only minor clinical signs. Methods: A 2-photon intravital microscopy (2P-IVM) brain imaging model was used to study the spatiotemporal context of early immunological events in situ during ECM. Results: Early in the disease course, antigen-specific CD8+ T cells came in contact and arrested on the endothelium of post-capillary venules. CD8+ T cells typically adhered adjacent to, or were in the near vicinity of, perivascular macrophages (PVMs) that line post-capillary venules. Closer examination revealed that CD8+ T cells crawled along the inner vessel wall towards PVMs that lay on the abluminal side of large post-capillary venules. 'Activity hotspots' in large post-capillary venules were characterised by T-cell localisation, activated morphology and clustering of PVM, increased abutting of post-capillary venules by PVM and augmented monocyte accumulation. In the later stages of infection, when mice exhibited neurological signs, intravascular CD8+ T cells increased in number and changed their behaviour, actively crawling along the endothelium and displaying frequent, short-term interactions with the inner vessel wall at hotspots. Conclusion: Our study suggests an active interaction between PVM and CD8+ T cells occurs across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in early ECM, which may be the initiating event in the inflammatory cascade leading to BBB alteration and neuropathology

A comparison of infant and toddler feeding practices of mothers with and without histories of eating disorders

This preliminary study surveyed the feeding practices of mothers with eating disorder histories through evaluation of mothers' reported feeding styles, child diet composition and restrictive special approaches to feeding. For this non-randomised cohort study, 25 mothers with eating disorder histories and 25 mothers with no history of an eating disorder with children ages 6-36 months were selected such that the groups were similar based on child age group and child sex. Mothers were compared on self-reported feeding style using the Infant Feeding Styles Questionnaire and on child diet composition and special feeding approaches using a modified version of the Toddler Diet Questionnaire from the Women, Infants, and Children program. Mothers with eating disorder histories scored lower on the restrictive feeding style subscale than controls. No significant differences were detected between groups in child diet including the percentage of mothers who breastfed, duration of breastfeeding, age at solid food introduction, daily number of meals or snacks or daily frequency of consumption of fruits, vegetables or protein foods. Mothers with eating disorder histories were more likely to report taking a restrictive special approach to feeding such as limiting processed foods or feeding organic foods only. Although mothers with eating disorder histories may not differ greatly from control mothers in terms of child diet composition (smaller effects may not have been detected due to limited sample size), they may be more likely to take restrictive special approaches to feeding which mirror dietary rules common in individuals with eating disorders

Application of Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis to Determine γ-ray-induced Double-strand Breaks in Yeast Chromosomal Molecules

The frequency of DNA double-strand breaks (dsb) was determined in yeast cells exposed to γ-rays under anoxic conditions. Genomic DNA of treated cells was separated by pulsed field gel electrophoresis, and two different approaches for the evaluation of the gels were employed: (1) The DNA mass distribution profile obtained by electrophoresis was compared to computed profiles, and the number of DSB per unit length was then derived in terms of a fitting procedure; (2) hybridization of selected chromosomes was performed, and a comparison of the hybridization signals in treated and untreated samples was then used to derive the frequency of dsb