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This work utilizes a Gabor Holographic Optical Scheme integrated with a microscope objective and a thin convex plane lens. This bi-telecentric lens system corrects spherical aberration from the objective, maintains consistent magnification across various reconstruction distances, and ensures a plane incidence on CMOS. Depending on the focal lengths of the objective and lens, the final image can be enlarged or reduced compared to the classic Gabor system, resulting in high-quality reconstructed phase images without spherical aberration. This setup was employed to capture phase distribution and intensity images of planktonic objects, such as copepods, achieving superior image quality.

Abstract The aim of this research was to determine the impact of the architecture of digital technologies in university teacher training as a catalyst for change and educational innovation. Methodologically, it is framed in a quantitative approach with a pre-experimental design and an explanatory level, with a sample of 269 teachers out of a total population of 450 at the university. The results show a significant impact of the architecture of digital technologies as a catalyst for change in university teacher training, with an increase of 22.88% from pre-test to post-test. The statistical significance of the results is supported by a P-value of 0.000, which means that it is less than the established significance level (α = 0.05), leading to the acceptance of hypothesis H1: The architecture of digital technologies as a catalyst for change in university teacher education has an impact. In conclusion, the architecture of digital technologies, consisting of the two academic pillar systems: the academic management system and the virtual learning system, contribute to the development of digital skills in key areas such as digital literacy, communication and collaboration, digital content creation and problem solving in virtual environments.

Ultrasound waves have been employed to control marine biofouling but their effects on fouling organisms remain poorly understood. This study investigated the influence of ultrasound waves on barnacle (Tetraclita stalactifera cyprid larvae) pre-settlement behavior. Substrate inspection constituted most of the larval time budget, with a focus on the bottom surface rather than lateral or air–water interfaces. The frequency of substrate inspection decreased at 10 kPa when compared to higher acoustic pressures, while the time spent in the water column had an opposite trend. Various larval swimming modes were observed, including rotating, sinking, walking, and cruising, with rotating being dominant. Barnacle larvae exhibited higher speeds and less complex trajectories when subjected to ultrasound in comparison to controls. The impact of ultrasound waves on barnacle cyprid larvae behavior had a non-linear pattern, with lower acoustic pressure (10 kPa) inducing more effective substrate rejection than higher (15 and 20 kPa) intensities.

In this paper, we address the Uncapacitated Plant Cycle Location Problem. It is a location-routing problem aimed at determining a subset of locations to set up plants dedicated to serving customers. We propose a mathematical formulation to model the problem. The high computational burden required by the formulation when tackling large scenarios encourages us to develop a Greedy Randomized Adaptive Search Procedure with Probabilistic Learning Model. Its rationale is to divide the problem into two interconnected sub-problems. The computational results indicate the high performance of our proposal in terms of the quality of reported solutions and computational time. Specifically, we have overcome the best approach from the literature on a wide range of scenarios.

Este trabajo pretende problematizar dos disciplinas de las ciencias sociales —la política y la comunicación—, mostrando a manera de hipótesis cómo paradójicamente las redes sociales, en lugar de generar una esfera pública que fortalezca la democracia, diluyen sus formas y trivializan sus contenidos. Desde las últimas elecciones generales de 2021, este relato en Ecuador se expresa a escala nacional y local, vaciando de contenido tanto a las campañas políticas como al ejercicio mismo de los cargos de elección popular. Sin embargo, es precisamente este vaciamiento lo que está otorgando un nuevo sentido a la política y a la comunicación. Las redes sociales, ¿son espejismos que blindan a los políticos de sus responsabilidades concretas y endosan a los ciudadanos la gestión de los problemas de una realidad subyacente? Esa es la interrogante que guiará este trabajo. Para intentar dar una respuesta, enfocaremos esta problemática a través de un diálogo entre la sociología y la comunicación política, tomando los aportes de Bauman y Donskis sobre la modernidad líquida, así como los de Jaime Durán Barba y Santiago Nieto respecto del papel de la virtualidad en la reconfiguración de la política. Aspiramos a que este documento contribuya a generar una reflexión de largo aliento en la búsqueda del sentido del aparente sinsentido que redes sociales como Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram o TikTok están imprimiendo a la política y a la comunicación.

Summary: Background: Systems biology leveraging multi-OMICs technologies, is rapidly advancing development of precision therapies and matching patients to targeted therapies, leading to improved responses. A new pillar of precision oncology lies in the power of chemogenomics to discover drugs that sensitizes malignant cells to other therapies. Here, we test a chemogenomic approach using epigenomic inhibitors (epidrugs) to reset patterns of gene expression driving the malignant behavior of pancreatic tumors. Methods: We tested a targeted library of ten epidrugs targeting regulators of enhancers and super-enhancers on reprogramming gene expression networks in seventeen patient-derived primary pancreatic cancer cell cultures (PDPCCs), of both basal and classical subtypes. We subsequently evaluated the ability of these epidrugs to sensitize pancreatic cancer cells to five chemotherapeutic drugs that are clinically used for this malignancy. Findings: To comprehend the impact of epidrug priming at the molecular level, we evaluated the effect of each epidrugs at the transcriptomic level of PDPCCs. The activating epidrugs showed a higher number of upregulated genes than the repressive epidrugs (χ2 test p-value

Hypercalcemia is a common complication in cancer patients Mainly caused by Parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP) secretion and metastasis. Calcitriol secretion is a rare source of hypercalcemia in solid tumors, especially in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST). We present a case report of a female patient with a 23 cm gastric GIST that expressed somatostatin-receptors and presented with severe hypercalcemia due to calcitriol secretion. Calcium control was achieved with medical treatment before the use of targeted-directed therapies. Surgery was performed and allowed complete tumor resection. Two years later, patient remains free of disease. Molecular analysis revealed the mRNA expression of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1-hydroxylase (1αOHase) and vitamin-D receptors in the tumor cells, confirming the calcitriol-mediated mechanism. Furthermore, the expression of the endotoxin recognition factors CD14 and TLR4 suggests an inflammatory mediated mechanism. Finally, the expression of somatostatin-receptors, especially SST2 might have been related with clinical evolution and prognosis in this patient.

Introduction and Objectives: Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is the rate-limiting enzyme on the NAD+ salvage biosynthetic pathway and a cytokine regulator with an important role in inflammation and fibrogenesis modulation. Use of FK866 (NAMPT inhibitor) has been proposed as a treatment on inflammatory diseases and cancer. However, FK866-induced depletion of NAD may also cause major impairment of the redox and bioenergetics homeostasis of the cell within the liver, thus limiting a favorable outcome for Chronic Liver Disease (CLD), as low NAD levels have been associated with higher Oxidative Stress and increased metabolic risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of NAMPT inhibition and concomitant NAD restoration on experimental CLD in vivo. Methods and Results: NAMPT inhibition was evaluated within a CCl4-induced CLD model on male BALB/c mice and a mild improved outcome was observed on the histological and biochemical features. NAD restoration strategy was accomplished by the concomitant administration of its precursor, NMN, resulting in significant improve on the histological analysis; lower inflammatory infiltrate and fibrosis were measured by image analysis on digitalized micrographies. Lower levels of Direct Bilirubin were also observed. NAMPT inhibition and adequate NAD restoration were confirmed by a colorimetric assay of NADH and NAD+ and biochemical features were measured by routinary Liver Function Tests. Silymarin was used as a hepatoprotective control. Conclusion: This study shows that NAMPT inhibition concomitant to NAD restoration significantly attenuate experimental liver damage.The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.