A link between people with visually impaired and pictorial art

Las personas con discapacidad visual por su condición, están apartadas de las obras artísticas, y su único acceso a éstas es por medio de la descripción oral de algún acompañante. Una opción para el conocimiento de la pintura artística, es la propuesta de los materiales háptico gráficos, que de provee de información valiosa a través del tacto a éstos usuarios a través de la forma, la dimensión y la textura. En este trabajo se presenta un resumen de las reglamentaciones, las características del proyecto de los materiales háptico gráficos y el trabajo con los modelos para una futura aplicación. Palabras clave: Personas con discapacidad visual, Pintura, diseño háptico gráfico

La responsabilidad social de la universidad y la generación de proyectos

La responsabilidad social como parte de las tareas que la universidad debe llevar a cabo, es uno de los valores que esta debe impulsar por medio de investigaciones aplicadas que generen un cúmulo de conocimientos que vayan dirigidos principalmente al apoyo de diversos grupos vulnerables

THE STATE MANAGEMENT CAPACITY INDEX IN MEXICO: A TOOL FOR MEASURING PUBLIC POLICIES IN LOCAL GOVERNMENTS

The main purpose of this paper is to present the results of the construction of a methodological instrument called the Subnational Local Governance Index (ISGL). This Index was built to contribute to the assessments of institutional capacities of local governments, in order to resolve public problems in Mexico. The construction of the Index was founded on four main features: 1) The lack of public policy in education, health, public services and housing quality, measured by the level of social backwardness, 2) the structure of government and administration, measured by the institutional capacities, 3) the quality of local government, measured by the level of credibility of the citizens through subnational governance and 4) the local financial capacity, measured by the ability to generate income and to manage the public debt. Basically, the following questions have been used to build the Index: What is the level of social backwardness at the local level? What kind of institutional structure exists at the local level? What is the profile of the public policy managers at the local level? What is the capacity to generate income? What is the level of citizens’ confidence in local governance

Pertinencia social y tercera misión en las universidades públicas: una primera comparación entre sus enfoques

El enfoque de la pertinencia social exige a la universidades públicas, el compromiso de coadyuvar al desarrollo de las comunidades locales y situar sus funciones sustantivas en la complejidad y dinamismo del proceso de globalización con el fin de reafirmar su papel científico en la sociedad (Garrocho, 2012). Por su parte, la universidad emprendedora busca la innovación en su trabajo, y a la vez, una transformación sustancial para lograr un mejor posicionamiento futuro (Clark, 1998). El presente estudio lleva a cabo una primera exploración para comparar ambos enfoques. Mediante el estudio del caso del Concurso Emprendedor de la Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México se describe la relación entre estudiantes, escuela, los sectores sociales y las empresas privadas. Finalmente, se exploran los efectos positivos y negativos de esta clase de interacciones en la actualidad

NGF modulates trkANGFR/p75NTR in αsMA-expressing conjunctival fibroblasts from human ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP)

OBJECTIVE: In a previous study, we reported the upregulation of Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) and trkANGFR expression in Ocular Cicatricial Pemphigoid (OCP), an inflammatory and remodeling eye disease. Herein, we hypothesize a potential NGF-driven mechanism on fibroblasts (FBs) during OCP remodeling events. To verify, human derived OCP-FBs were isolated and characterized either at baseline or after NGF exposure. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Conjunctival biopsies were obtained from 7 patients having OCP and 6 control subjects (cataract surgery). Both conjunctivas and primary FB cultures were characterised for αSMA, NGF and trkANGFR/p75NTR expression. Subcultures were exposed to NGF and evaluated for αSMA, NGF, trkANGFR/p75NTR expression as well as TGFβ1/IL4 release. For analysis, early and advanced subgroups were defined according to clinical parameters. RESULTS: OCP-conjunctivas showed αSMA-expressing FBs and high NGF levels. Advanced OCP-FBs showed higher αSMA expression associated with higher p75NTR and lower trkANGFR expression, as compared to early counterparts. αSMA expression was in keeping with disease severity and correlated to p75NTR. NGF exposure did not affect trkANGFR levels in early OCP-FBs while decreased both αSMA/p75NTR expression and TGFβ1/IL4 release. These effects were not observed in advanced OCP-FBs. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, these data are suggestive for a NGF/p75NTR task in the potential modulation of OCP fibrosis and encourages further studies to fully understand the underlying mechanism occurring in fibrosis. NGF/p75NTR might be viewed as a potential therapeutic target