The Interplay of “Big Five ” Personality Factors and Metaphorical Schemas: A Pilot Study with 20 Lung Transplant Recipients

The Qualitative Report Volume 12 Number 3 September 2007 397-413 http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR12-3/goetzmann.pdf The Interplay of “Big Five ” Personality Factors and Metaphorical Schemas: A Pilot Study with 20 Lung Transplant Recipients Lutz Goetzmann University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland Karin S. Moser Roehampton University, London Esther Vetsch, Erhard Grieder, Richard Klaghofer, Rahel Naef, Erich W. Russi, Annette Boehler, and Claus Buddeberg University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland The aim of the present study was to investigate the interplay between personality factors and metaphorical schemas. The “Big Five” personality factors of 20 patients after lung transplantation were examined with the NEO-FFI. Patients were questioned about their social network , and self- and body-image. The interviews were assessed with metaphor analysis. Significant positive correlations were found between “extraversion” and metaphors for acoustics, play/sport and economy, furthermore between “openness to experience” and metaphors for acoustics, container, battle, illness. A positive correlation was also found between “openness to experience” and metaphor frequency. Significant negative correlations were found between “conscientiousness” and metaphors for illness. The results indicate that personality factors may correspond with certain implicit metaphorical schemas

Complex I assembly function and fatty acid oxidation enzyme activity of ACAD9 both contribute to disease severity in ACAD9 deficiency

Acyl-CoA dehydrogenase 9 (ACAD9) is an assembly factor for mitochondrial respiratory chain Complex I (CI), and ACAD9 mutations are recognized as a frequent cause of CI deficiency. ACAD9 also retains enzyme ACAD activity for long-chain fatty acids in vitro, but the biological relevance of this function remains controversial partly because of the tissue specificity of ACAD9 expression: high in liver and neurons and minimal in skin fibroblasts. In this study, we hypothesized that this enzymatic ACAD activity is required for full fatty acid oxidation capacity in cells expressing high levels of ACAD9 and that loss of this function is important in determining phenotype in ACAD9-deficient patients. First, we confirmed that HEK293 cells express ACAD9 abundantly. Then, we showed that ACAD9 knockout in HEK293 cells affected long-chain fatty acid oxidation along with Cl, both of which were rescued by wild type ACAD9. Further, we evaluated whether the loss of ACAD9 enzymatic fatty acid oxidation affects clinical severity in patients with ACAD9 mutations. The effects on ACAD activity of 16 ACAD9 mutations identified in 24 patients were evaluated using a prokaryotic expression system. We showed that there was a significant inverse correlation between residual enzyme ACAD activity and phenotypic severity of ACAD9-deficient patients. These results provide evidence that in cells where it is strongly expressed, ACAD9 plays a physiological role in fatty acid oxidation, which contributes to the severity of the phenotype in ACAD9-deficient patients. Accordingly, treatment of ACAD9 patients should aim at counteracting both CI and fatty acid oxidation dysfunction

The ERK and JNK pathways in the regulation of metabolic reprogramming.

Most tumor cells reprogram their glucose metabolism as a result of mutations in oncogenes and tumor suppressors, leading to the constitutive activation of signaling pathways involved in cell growth. This metabolic reprogramming, known as aerobic glycolysis or the Warburg effect, allows tumor cells to sustain their fast proliferation and evade apoptosis. Interfering with oncogenic signaling pathways that regulate the Warburg effect in cancer cells has therefore become an attractive anticancer strategy. However, evidence for the occurrence of the Warburg effect in physiological processes has also been documented. As such, close consideration of which signaling pathways are beneficial targets and the effect of their inhibition on physiological processes are essential. The MAPK/ERK and MAPK/JNK pathways, crucial for normal cellular responses to extracellular stimuli, have recently emerged as key regulators of the Warburg effect during tumorigenesis and normal cellular functions. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the roles of the ERK and JNK pathways in controlling the Warburg effect in cancer and discuss their implication in controlling this metabolic reprogramming in physiological processes and opportunities for targeting their downstream effectors for therapeutic purposes.Brunel Research Initiative & Enterprise Fund, Brunel University of London (to CB), Kay Kendall Leukemia Fund (KKL443) (to CB), 250 Great Minds Fellowship, University of Leeds (to SP), AMMF Cholangiocarcinoma Charity (to SP and PMC), and Bloodwise (17014) (to SP and CB)

Fine Violins as an Alternative Investment: Strings attached?

The continual search to reap higher risk-adjusted returns has led to a number of highly alternative assets to be considered for financial investment purposes. Recently, a number of funds have emerged to indirectly invest in the arts sector. The focus has been on fine art, wine and more recently into the possibility of investing into other collectible items and memorabilia. One such area is musical instruments. In this paper, we take a look at the violin sector in particular, which has shown steady annual growth in market value over the past half century; fuelled by a combination of a shortage in supply at the high end of the market and a continued increase in global demand. Using data collected from auction houses and private dealers, we analyse the risk-return characteristics of the violin sector, compare it to other financial assets and assess the implications for portfolio diversification and the ability of pension houses to benefit from this sector