Genetic Risk Factors in Idiopathic and Non-Idiopathic Interstitial Lung Disease: Similarities and Differences.

Recent advances in genetics and epigenetics have provided critical insights into the pathogenesis of both idiopathic and non-idiopathic interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). Mutations in telomere-related genes and surfactant proteins have been linked to familial pulmonary fibrosis, while variants in MUC5B and TOLLIP increase the risk of ILD, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and rheumatoid arthritis-associated ILD. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs such as miR-21 and miR-29, regulate fibrotic pathways, influencing disease onset and progression.

The molecular features of lung cancer stem cells in dedifferentiation process-driven epigenetic alterations.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) may be dedifferentiated somatic cells following oncogenic processes, representing a subpopulation of cells able to promote tumor growth with their capacities for proliferation and self-renewal, inducing lineage heterogeneity, which may be a main cause of resistance to therapies. It has been shown that the "less differentiated process" may have an impact on tumor plasticity, particularly when non-CSCs may dedifferentiate and become CSC-like. Bidirectional interconversion between CSCs and non-CSCs has been reported in other solid tumors, where the inflammatory stroma promotes cell reprogramming by enhancing Wnt signaling through nuclear factor kappa B activation in association with intracellular signaling, which may induce cells' pluripotency, the oncogenic transformation can be considered another important aspect in the acquisition of "new" development programs with oncogenic features.

Expression of HOXB7 in the Lung of Patients with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis: A Proof-of-Concept Study.

Background: The molecular pathways involved in the onset and progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) still need to be fully clarified as some are shared with lung cancer development. HOXB7, a member of the homeobox () gene family, has been found involved in various cancers.

Methods: Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis was run on lung tissue samples from surgical lung biopsy (SLB) of 19 patients with IPF, retrospectively selected from the IPF database of the University Hospital of Modena.

How the Effect of Virtual Reality on Cognitive Functioning Is Modulated by Gender Differences.

Virtual reality (VR) can be a promising tool to simulate reality in various settings but the real impact of this technology on the human mental system is still unclear as to how VR might (if at all) interfere with cognitive functioning. Using a computer, we can concentrate, enter a state of flow, and still maintain control over our surrounding world. Differently, VR is a very immersive experience which could be a challenge for our ability to allocate divided attention to the environment to perform executive functioning tasks.