Overcoming the fear: an autoethnographic narrative of running with epilepsy

Through a phenomenological approach, this article explores the identity conflict that arose within a female runner after diagnosis with epilepsy. Utilising a three month autoethnography to track her experiences of returning to running, the first author narrates the effect of epilepsy on her identity formation. Providing a voice that is absent from a research area dominated by statistics, the reader is asked to involve him/herself in the world of this athlete and in turn embrace the use of narratives as a valuable coping mechanism for those with chronic disorders

Effect of Milling and Parboiling Processes on Arsenic Species Distribution in Rice Grains

This study identified the role of milling and parboiling on arsenic (As) content and its species in large numbers of rice samples. Total As contents were 108 \ub1 33 \u3bcg/kg in polished rice grains (PR), 159 \ub1 46 \u3bcg/kg in unpolished rice grains (UR), 145 \ub1 42 \u3bcg/kg in parboiled polished rice grains (PPR) and 145 \ub1 44 \u3bcg/kg in parboiled unpolished rice grains (PUR). The percentages of inorganic As (iAs) were 66% \ub1 8% in PR and from 72% to 77% in other grain categories. The polishing process reduced the As content in the rice grains, removing outer part of the UR with high amount of As, whereas the parboiling technique transferred the semimetal content within the grain. Total As and iAs contents were not significantly different in UR, PPR and PUR, homogenizing its distribution inside the grains. The results allowed to understand how different operations affect As fate and its chemical forms in grains

Decorin transfection induces proteomic and phenotypic modulation in breast cancer cells 8701-BC

Decorin is a prototype member of the small leucine-rich proteoglycan family widely distributed in the extracellular matrices of many connective tissues, where it has been shown to play multiple important roles in the matrix assembly process, as well as in some cellular activities. A major interest for decorin function concerns its role in tumorigenesis, as growth-inhibitor of different neoplastic cells, and potential antimetastatic agent. The aim of our research was to investigate wide-ranged effects of transgenic decorin on breast cancer cells. To this purpose we utilized the well-characterized 8701-BC cell line, isolated from a ductal infiltrating carcinoma of the breast, and two derived decorin-transfected clones, respectively, synthesizing full decorin proteoglycan or its protein core. The responses to the ectopic decorin production were examined by studying morphological changes, cell proliferation rates, and proteome modulation. The results revealed new important antioncogenic potentialities, likely exerted by decorin through a variety of distinct biochemical pathways. Major effects included the downregulation of several potential breast cancer biomarkers, the reduction of membrane ruffling, and the increase of cell-cell adhesiveness. These results disclose original aspects related to the reversion of malignant traits of a prototype of breast cancer cells induced by decorin. They also raise additional interest for the postulated clinical application of decori

Can water management reduce NH3 emissions from urea application in rice paddies?

Ammonia (NH3) is one of the main reactive components of the troposphere and its deposition is a major environmental treat. Rice fields are particular sensitive environment in which NH3 volatilisation can be mitigated according to water management, increasing the effectiveness of the fertiliser and reducing environmental issues. Urea is the most common N-fertiliser used for rice production and the determination of NH3 emissions from different water managements is still far from clear. A two year experiment was designed to quantify NH3 releases from two urea applications, at tillering and at panicle initiation, and with three different treatment of water managements: (i) \u201cDRY\u201d, with fertilisations on dry soil; (ii) \u201cFLD-D\u201d - water seeding continuous flooding - with fertilisations on temporally dried soil surface; (iii) \u201cFLD-W\u201d - water seeding continuous flooding - with fertilisation into standing water. Measurements were carried out on three contiguous plots, one treatment each, of 2650m2 (5053m) in Castello D\u2019Agogna (Italy) during 2015 and 2016; fertilisations provided 70+50 kg N/ha for DRY and 60+40 kg N/ha for FDL-D and FLD-W. NH3 emissions were quantified by means of concentration-based inverse dispersion modelling, applied to a multi-plot design. This low-cost method allows measuring gas concentrations above the soil surface by using integrationtime passive samplers, placed in each plot at 1 m height above soil surface (or crop canopy) and replaced each 6h during the more turbulent daylight hours and kept for 12h during calm night-time. Two additional measurement points assessed background concentration near the plots. Surface to atmosphere exchanges were quantified with the Eulerian short-range dispersion model FIDES-3D (INRA, France) in a multi-plot configuration, in order to tackle with the mutual advection from the three nearby and different sources. Flux were corrected for low turbulence and near-neutrality conditions (u <0.05m/s), jLj < 2m); 15%of the data. Water management played a key-role to control NH3 emissions both at tillering and panicle initiation. When fertilisations occurred directly on soil surface, residual surface humidity was determinant, in fact with soil water contents lower than the field capacity (DRY), the emissions were the lowest, start to emitting when the paddy was re-wetted, and following the circadian trend of air temperatures. Conversely, when the soil surface was not completely dried (i.e. drying time too short; FLD-D) and the soil water content resulting above the field capacity, an unique, intense and rapid NH3 emission peak was produced in the first 24h from the fertiliser distribution. This effect was probably due to the rapid hydrolysis combined to the urease activity on soil surface. When the fertilisation occurred directly into the water (FLD-W), emissions were prolonged over time and assumed intermediate intensities with no main peaks. Water management after the fertilisation spreading affected secondarily the emissions, outlining discrete emission phenomena only when the paddies were dried out. NH3 emissions at tillering and at panicle differentiation were, respectively DRY: 3.2 +/- 0:6% - 5:9%; FLD-D : 17:8 +/- 4:1% - 21:0 +/- 4:2%; FLD-W : 14:5 +/- 4:9% - 17:5 +/- 8:3%