Altered regulation of Prox1-gene-expression in liver tumors

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Selective deployment of transcription factor paralogs with submaximal strength facilitates gene regulation in the immune system

In multicellular organisms, duplicated genes can diverge through tissue-specific gene expression patterns, as exemplified by highly regulated expression of Runx transcription factor paralogs with apparent functional redundancy. Here we asked what cell type-specific biologies might be supported by the selective expression of Runx paralogs during Langerhans cell and inducible regulatory T cell differentiation. We uncovered functional non-equivalence between Runx paralogs. Selective expression of native paralogs allowed integration of transcription factor activity with extrinsic signals, while non-native paralogs enforced differentiation even in the absence of exogenous inducers. DNA-binding affinity was controlled by divergent amino acids within the otherwise highly conserved RUNT domain, and evolutionary reconstruction suggested convergence of RUNT domain residues towards sub-maximal strength. Hence, the selective expression of gene duplicates in specialized cell types can synergize with the acquisition of functional differences to enable appropriate gene expression, lineage choice and differentiation in the mammalian immune system

How has internet addiction research evolved since the advent of internet gaming disorder? An overview of cyberaddictions from a psychological perspective

During the past two decades, Internet addiction (IA) has been the most commonly used term in research into online activities and their influence on the development of behavioral addictions. The aim of this review is to assess the impact of the concept of Internet gaming disorder (IGD), proposed by the American Psychiatric Association, on the scientific literature regarding IA. It presents a bibliometric analysis of the IA literature starting from the time IGD was first proposed, with the objective of observing and comparing the topics that have arisen during this period among the different IA themes researched. The findings demonstrate a steady evolution, particularly regarding publications related to the general aspects of IA: its clinical component, its prevalence and psychometric measures, the growing interest in the contextual factors promoting this addictive behavior, scientific progress in its conceptualization based on existing theoretical models, and neuropsychological studies. Nevertheless, many of the studies (22 %) focus on specific IA behaviors and show heterogeneity among the cyberaddictions, with online gaming (related to IGD) most common, followed by cybersex and social networking. Although research on the general concept of IA continues, investigators have begun to pay attention to the diverse spectrum of specific cyberaddictions and their psychological components

Etat confusionnel chez la personne agée: une detection laborieuse [Detecting delirium in the elderly: a hard task].

Delirium is a common condition in both inpatient and outpatient settings usually caused by a physical illness. Its one-year prevalence increases with age ranging from 22 to 31%. Numerous studies have shown that early diagnosis leads to rapid improvement, decreased hospital stays and long-term complications. In order to explore the agreement between the reasons of liaison consultation and final diagnosis of delirium, we performed a retrospective analysis of 1106 records corresponding to all elderly inpatients referred to the psychogeriatric liaison consultation of the University Hospitals of Geneva during one year. Among the 44 patients with suspected delirium, the diagnosis was confirmed by the liaison psychiatrist only in 41% of cases. Conversely, a final diagnosis of delirium matched to the reason of consultation only in 24.3% of cases. These observations show that the identification of delirium remains a difficult task