On Chilean Acting Training; Interview with Cristian Lagreze

Since the 1980s, European techniques have had a significant impact on actor training in Chile; however, with the restoration of democracy in the 1990s, actor training started to change. Prominent professionals such as Cristian Lagreze, who received his training outside, have brought fresh perspectives to the Chilean setting. Lagreze talks about his experience as an actor in this interview, beginning at the University of Chile. He notes that the training process, which is moulded by emotional and physical conditioning particular to the sociological and cultural dynamics of today, aids trainers in developing a sense of identity and community. Students\u27 relationships with their bodies in training are being impacted by modern challenges like the effects of technology, capitalist pressures, and the increased awareness of gender and body politics. Lagreze also draws attention to the difficulties caused by the commercialisation of education, which makes students feel like customers. His observations highlight the difficulties involved in actor training in Chile and show how instructors must strike a balance between teaching conventional methods and the changing demands of contemporary actors

State Policy and Competency-Based Education: A Practitioner-Based Case Study

Despite increased attention to competency-based education (CBE), research from a state policy perspective remains limited. This is problematic considering state policy can serve as either an incentive or barrier to implementing high-quality CBE. Using a practitioner-based case study design, this study analyzes the South Dakota Board of Technical Education\u27s (SDBOTE) development of three system-wide CBE policies: credit hour equivalency, academic calendar and term structure, and tuition and fee model. For each policy, the authors outline the options considered and describe the decision made. Two of the three authors served as the primary project managers for the SDBOTE\u27s CBE policy development, which provides first-hand knowledge into the considerations and decision-making processes. Across the three policies examined, a consistent tension between supporting educational innovation and working within existing structures is identified. Three themes that emerged from SDBOTE’s approach to managing this tension and their implications for policy development in state higher education systems are explored: evaluating capacity, identifying constraints, making intentional compromises. This study provides one example of how state higher education systems can develop system-wide CBE policies and has implications for state policymakers, state higher education system administrators, and policy researchers that are considering and evaluating CBE implementation

The role of RNA 2′-O-methylation in prostate cancer

2′-O-methylation (Nm) represents a pervasive RNA modification occurring in multiple RNA species, including messenger RNA (mRNA), ribosomal RNA (rRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA), microRNA (miRNA), and PIWI-interacting RNA (piRNA). This chemical mark exerts critical regulatory functions in RNA stability, transcriptional control, and translational efficiency. Recent advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies have enabled transcriptome-wide mapping of Nm sites, uncovering increasing evidence that aberrant Nm modifications contribute to oncogenesis and tumor progression. Prostate cancer, the second most commonly diagnosed malignancy in men in the United States, has emerged as a disease context in which dysregulated Nm-related pathways are of particular significance. As sequencing-based investigations continue to expand, delineating the activities of Nm-modifying enzymes across distinct RNA classes in prostate cancer is anticipated to provide mechanistic insights into disease biology, facilitate the discovery of novel therapeutic targets, and ultimately guide the development of Nm-centered anticancer strategies

Coexistence of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Lymphoproliferative Disorders – Analysis from a Tertiary Center

Background: The coexistence of motor neuron diseases (MNDs) and lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) has been documented historically in a few small retrospective studies but an update is lacking.   Objective: The goal of this study is to expand the database of patients with these coexisting diseases, and to describe the natural history and overall outcomes including presumed or identified cause of mortality (neurologic versus oncologic). Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients within the Cleveland Clinic diagnosed with one or more LPDs between January 1, 2012 and June 30, 2021, was performed to identify patients with a diagnosis of MND. Results: A total of 20 patients with one MND diagnosis and one coexisting LPD were included in the final analysis. Their clinical features are characterized. In 17 patients, the diagnosis of LPD was made prior to the MND diagnosis. Eighteen patients passed away with a mean survival of 49.1 (range: 6 to 128) months from the MND onset. In 16 patients, the cause of death was MND related. The incidence rates of MNDs and myasthenia gravis were examined in a group of 6,169 patients with LPDs. The incidence rate of MNDs in LPDs seems to be higher than those of the general population, appeared over-represented when comparing to the occurrence of myasthenia gravis in LPDs. Conclusion: Coexisting MND and LPD continue to occur. There seems to be an over representation of MND in patients with LPDs

Therapeutic targeting of Aurora Kinase A in advanced prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) progresses from an androgen-dependent state to a castration-resistant form (CRPC) following androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), driven by adaptations that restore androgen receptor (AR) signaling. A subset of CRPC tumors evolves into neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC), marked by AR independence, neuroendocrine marker expression, and poor prognosis. NEPC development is associated with genetic and epigenetic alterations, including loss of tumor suppressors (TP53, RB1) and activation of lineage plasticity pathways. Aurora kinase A (AURKA), a serine/threonine kinase regulating mitosis, is frequently overexpressed in NEPC and CRPC, promoting tumor aggressiveness. Recent studies highlight CXCR7\u27s role in driving enzalutamide-resistant CRPC by activating AURKA through β-arrestin recruitment. Targeting AURKA with inhibitors like alisertib shows potential but is hindered by toxicity and patient variability, emphasizing the need for biomarkers to stratify responders. AURKA inhibition is synthetically lethal with RB1 or TP53 loss and may exploit vulnerabilities in tumors with homologous recombination defects, linking AURKA activity to resistance against DNA-damaging therapies, including PARP inhibitors, AR pathway inhibitors, and chemotherapy. Further investigation into AURKA alterations in CRPC/NEPC and their correlation with therapeutic outcomes may refine treatment strategies. Targeting AURKA holds promise for overcoming resistance and improving outcomes in aggressive, treatment-refractory PCa subtypes

Light-by-light scattering in ultraperipheral collisions of heavy ions with future FoCal and ALICE 3 detectors

I present possible future studies of light-by-light scattering using FoCal@ALICE and ALICE 3 detectors. Different mechanisms are discussed. The PbPb → PbPb γγ cross section is calculated within the equivalent photon approximation in the impact parameter space. Several differential distributions are presented and discussed. We predict the cross section in the (mb-b) range for typical ALICE 3 cuts, a few orders of magnitude larger than for the current ATLAS or CMS experiments. We also consider the two-π⁰ background, which can, in principle, be eliminated in the new kinematical range for the ALICE 3 measurements by imposing dedicated cuts on diphoton transverse momentum and/or so-called vector asymmetry