Uncovering the Hidden Disease - Endometriosis Experiences Through the Documentary Lens

This paper explores the use of documentary-style video to support and explore Troubling Design in the field of the gender biased health care system. Women have been neglected within the health care system for centuries and their physical concerns are often not taken seriously by a respective doctor. This research project aims to co-design a film with women suffering from endometriosis. This approach is a way to produce evidence of women’s experiences and contrasts it to the evidence within research and the health care system to explore the connection and potential of documentary film for co-designing practices within the field of Troubling Design. At the same time, the documentary film is a story-telling tool to represent these women's neglected voices and communicate their narratives to the public. It attempts to highlight the advantages of the medium film within complex settings, such as the health care system. Thereby, it translates different ways of knowing about endometriosis to varying stakeholders involved while suggesting possibilities for an improved handling of the disease within the medical encounter. The study represents how qualitative research can inform the creation of a documentary film that reflects specific users’ experiences and solutions for their health care situation while offering the option for a more ethical approach to research at the intersection of filmmaking

Uncovering the Hidden Disease - Endometriosis Experiences Through the Documentary Lens

This paper explores the use of documentary-style video to support and explore Troubling Design in the field of the gender biased health care system. Women have been neglected within the health care system for centuries and their physical concerns are often not taken seriously by a respective doctor. This research project aims to co-design a film with women suffering from endometriosis. This approach is a way to produce evidence of women’s experiences and contrasts it to the evidence within research and the health care system to explore the connection and potential of documentary film for co-designing practices within the field of Troubling Design. At the same time, the documentary film is a story-telling tool to represent these women's neglected voices and communicate their narratives to the public. It attempts to highlight the advantages of the medium film within complex settings, such as the health care system. Thereby, it translates different ways of knowing about endometriosis to varying stakeholders involved while suggesting possibilities for an improved handling of the disease within the medical encounter. The study represents how qualitative research can inform the creation of a documentary film that reflects specific users’ experiences and solutions for their health care situation while offering the option for a more ethical approach to research at the intersection of filmmaking

HERC5 downregulation in non-small cell lung cancer is associated with altered energy metabolism and metastasis

Abstract Background Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related death in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. We previously showed that low HERC5 expression predicts early tumor dissemination and a dismal prognosis in NSCLC patients. Here, we performed functional studies to unravel the mechanism underlying the “metastasis-suppressor” effect of HERC5, with a focus on mitochondrial metabolism pathways. Methods We assessed cell proliferation, colony formation potential, anchorage-independent growth, migration, and wound healing in NSCLC cell line models with HERC5 overexpression (OE) or knockout (KO). To study early tumor cell dissemination, we used these cell line models in zebrafish experiments and performed intracardial injections in nude mice. Mass spectrometry (MS) was used to analyze protein changes in whole-cell extracts. Furthermore, electron microscopy (EM) imaging, cellular respiration, glycolytic activity, and lactate production were used to investigate the relationships with mitochondrial energy metabolism pathways. Results Using different in vitro NSCLC cell line models, we showed that NSCLC cells with low HERC5 expression had increased malignant and invasive properties. Furthermore, two different in vivo models in zebrafish and a xenograft mouse model showed increased dissemination and metastasis formation (in particular in the brain). Functional enrichment clustering of MS data revealed an increase in mitochondrial proteins in vitro when HERC5 levels were high. Loss of HERC5 leads to an increased Warburg effect, leading to improved adaptation and survival under prolonged inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation. Conclusions Taken together, these results indicate that low HERC5 expression increases the metastatic potential of NSCLC in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, HERC5-induced proteomic changes influence mitochondrial pathways, ultimately leading to alterations in energy metabolism and demonstrating its role as a new potential metastasis suppressor gene