La actividad académica Hackathon multidisciplinario fue aplicada a diferentes grupos de estudiantes de varios componentes de matemáticas de la Universidad Técnica Particular de Loja en el semestre octubre 2016 – marzo 2017. Los estudiantes inscritos a la actividad formaron grupos multidisciplinarios, generando propuestas a la pregunta: ¿Qué problema o necesidad social has detectado y te gustaría resolver? La actividad académica se ejecutó en 3 etapas informativas, de ensayo y evaluación. A través de la aplicación de la metodología Desing thinking los grupos de trabajo diseñaron posibles soluciones a los retos planteados. Estas soluciones fueron definidas en el ámbito tecnológico, alimentario, ambiental, farmacológico y educativo. La comisión de docentes eligió la mejor solución en base a la rúbrica de evaluación, y posteriormente, se realizó una retroalimentación a cada una de las propuestas. Los resultados obtenidos de este proyecto muestran que el estudiante conoce y aplica el uso de nuevas metodologías de aprendizaje para ser adaptadas en futuros proyectos en ciencia, medicina, educación y biotecnología.

(1) Background: Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and trends in cancer incidence and mortality are increasing over last years in Loja-Ecuador. Cancer treatment is expensive because of social and economic issues which force the patients to look for other alternatives. One such alternative treatment is ivermectin-based antiparasitic, which is commonly used in treating cattle. This paper analyzed ivermectin use as cancer treatment in the rural area of the Loja province and the medical opinion regarding the use of ivermectin in humans. (2) Methods: The study used a mixed methodology using different sampling techniques such as observation, surveys, and interviews. (3) Results: The main findings show that 19% of the participants diagnosed with cancer take medicines based on ivermectin as alternative therapy to the cancer control and treatment without leaving treatment such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or immunotherapy, while 81% use it to treat other diseases. (4) Conclusions: Finally, we identify that the interviewed not only use IVM as anticancer treatment, but it is also used as a treatment against other diseases. Although the participants’ opinions indicate that they feel improvements in their health after the third dose, the specialist considers that there is no authorization to prescribe these alternative treatments. In addition, they confirmed that currently, there is no scientific knowledge about the application of these treatments in humans and they do not recommend their application. Thus, the anticancer mechanism of ivermectin remains to be further investigated; therefore, we consider that it is important to continue with this research by proposing a new stage to evaluate and determine the pharmacological action of this type of drug through an in vitro study in different cultures of cancer cells.

Project-based learning (PBL) is a promising approach to enhance mathematics learning concepts in higher education. Here, teachers provide guidance and support to PBL implementation. The objective of this study was to develop PBL-based biotechnological projects as a strategy for mathematics learning. The methodology design was applied to 111 university students from Biochemical, Chemical Engineering and Business Administration careers. Knowledge, skills, perceptions, and engagement were measured through questionnaires, workshops, rubrics, and survey instruments. As a result, the paired comparison between tests, questionnaires and project shows significant differences (p < 0.001) between the experimental group and the control group. It is concluded that the teaching of mathematics should be oriented to the development of competencies, abilities, and skills that allow students to generate real solutions and broaden their vision of the applicability of their knowledge using new learning strategies.

Background: Ivermectin has recently garnered significant scientific attention for its potential anticancer properties. Objective: This research aims a comprehensive literature review to evaluate IVM’s chemical characteristics and assess its applicability as an alternative therapeutic strategy in oncology. Methods: The methodology involved a systematic search and critical appraisal of data from peer-reviewed scientific databases, focusing on structural analyses, such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), crystallography, and in silico modeling, as well as preclinical experimental studies. Results: The review highlights IVM’s distinct physicochemical profile, including high lipophilicity, poor aqueous solubility, and moderate acid stability, which collectively affect its bioavailability and pharmacokinetic behavior. Mechanistically, IVM has been shown to modulate multiple oncogenic signaling pathways, including Wnt/β-catenin, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, and STAT3. These interactions contribute to the induction of apoptosis, inhibition of tumor cell proliferation, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment across a range of malignancies. Despite encouraging preclinical evidence, clinical validation remains limited. Conclusions: Further investigation is needed to optimize IVM’s formulation for enhanced solubility and targeted delivery, as well as to design robust clinical trials assessing its safety and efficacy in oncology settings. This review provides a foundational framework for future interdisciplinary research on drug repurposing and highlights the potential of IVM as a cost-effective and accessible adjunct or alternative to modern cancer therapy.

Background: The delimitation of species of Tulasnella has been extensively studied, mainly at the morphological (sexual and asexual states) and molecular levels—showing ambiguity between them. An integrative species concept that includes characteristics such as molecular, ecology, morphology, and other information is crucial for species delimitation in complex groups such as Tulasnella. Objectives: The aim of this study is to test evolutionary relationships using a combination of alignment-based and alignment-free distance matrices as an alternative molecular tool to traditional methods, and to consider the secondary structures and CBCs from ITS2 (internal transcribed spacer) sequences for species delimitation in Tulasnella. Methodology: Three phylogenetic approaches were plotted: (i) alignment-based, (ii) alignment-free, and (iii) a combination of both distance matrices using the DISTATIS and pvclust libraries from an R package. Finally, the secondary structure consensus was modeled by Mfold, and a CBC analysis was obtained to complement the species delimitation using 4Sale. Results and Conclusions: The phylogenetic tree results showed delimited monophyletic clades in Tulasnella spp., where all 142 Tulasnella sequences were divided into two main clades A and B and assigned to seven species (T. asymmetrica, T. andina, T. eichleriana ECU6, T. eichleriana ECU4 T. pinicola, T. violea), supported by bootstrap values from 72% to 100%. From the 2D secondary structure alignment, three types of consensus models with helices and loops were obtained. Thus, T. albida belongs to type I; T. eichleriana, T. tomaculum, and T. violea belong to type II; and T. asymmetrica, T. andina, T. pinicola, and T. spp. (GER) belong to type III; each type contains four to six domains, with nine CBCs among these that corroborate different species.