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CDK8 and CDK19 form a conserved cyclin‐dependent kinase subfamily that interacts with the essential transcription complex, Mediator, and also phosphorylates the C‐terminal domain of RNA polymerase II. Cells lacking either CDK8 or CDK19 are viable and have limited transcriptional alterations, but whether the two kinases redundantly control cell proliferation and differentiation is unknown. Here, we find in mice that CDK8 is dispensable for regulation of gene expression, normal intestinal homeostasis, and efficient tumourigenesis, and is largely redundant with CDK19 in the control of gene expression. Their combined deletion in intestinal organoids reduces long‐term proliferative capacity but is not lethal and allows differentiation. However, double‐mutant organoids show mucus accumulation and increased secretion by goblet cells, as well as downregulation of expression of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and functionality of the CFTR pathway. Pharmacological inhibition of CDK8/19 kinase activity in organoids and in mice recapitulates several of these phenotypes. Thus, the Mediator kinases are not essential for cell proliferation and differentiation in an adult tissue, but they cooperate to regulate specific transcriptional programmes. Synopsis: The Mediator kinases CDK8 and CDK19 are dispensable for intestinal cell proliferation and differentiation, but they cooperate to regulate cell lineage‐specific programs. In the intestinal epithelium, their loss of function promotes mucus production and secretion. Mice with an intestinal CDK8 knockout have a normal phenotypeCDK8 and CDK19 are dispensable for intestinal cell proliferation and differentiationCDK8 and CDK19 are largely redundant in transcriptional controlLoss of CDK8 and CDK19 in the intestine downregulates CFTR and causes a cystic fibrosis‐like phenotype [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined children's reasoning about gender- and religion-based exclusion in the context of single-gender and single-faith schools and play contexts. Young people (twenty-three 8- to 10-year-olds and fifty-three 12- to 14-year-olds) were asked to judge and reason about the acceptability of exclusion based on gender and religion by children and school principals. Participants rated exclusion based on gender as more acceptable than exclusion based on religion. Exclusion from school contexts was rated as more acceptable than exclusion from play contexts. Participants tended to invoke moral reasons to condemn exclusion when reasoning about religion, whereas they tended to invoke social conventional reasons when reasoning about gender. Young people's greater support for religiously inclusive schooling compared to gender inclusive schooling suggests that societal and governmental acceptance of religious diversity has support from future generations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined gender differences in emotion word use during mother-child and father-child conversations. Sixty-five Spanish mothers and fathers and their 4- ( M = 53.50, SD = 3.54) and 6-year-old ( M = 77.07, SD = 3.94) children participated in this study. Emotion talk was examined during a play-related storytelling task and a reminiscence task (conversation about past experiences). Mothers mentioned a higher proportion of emotion words than did fathers. During the play-related storytelling task, mothers of 4-year-old daughters mentioned a higher proportion of emotion words than did mothers of 4-year-old sons, whereas fathers of 4-year-old daughters directed a higher proportion of emotion words than did fathers of 4-year-old sons during the reminiscence task. No gender differences were found with parents of 6-year-old children. During the reminiscence task daughters mentioned more emotion words with their fathers than with their mothers. Finally, mothers' use of emotion talk was related to whether children used emotion talk in both tasks. Fathers' use of emotion talk was only related to children's emotion talk during the reminiscence task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]