Quantifying microplastics in fjords along the Western Antarctic Peninsula.

Microplastics are ubiquitous around the world. Microplastics have been documented around the Southern Ocean, in coastal sediments and in Antarctic marine organisms, however microplastics data for Antarctic waters remain scarce. Microplastics concentrations were characterized from fjord habitats on the Western Antarctic Peninsula where most glaciers are rapidly retreating. Water samples were collected from 2017 to 2020 from surface and benthos, vacuum-filtered, quantified to determine the classification of microplastic, color, and size. Micro-FTIR spectrophotometry was utilized to confirm chemical composition. Comparisons over time and location were made for average microplastic per liter. Despite the new emergent youth and remoteness of these habitats, it was determined that all fjord habitats had microplastics present each year sampled and increased from 2017 to 2020 in each fjord. Despite physical 'barriers' such as the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (and particularly its strongest jet, the Polar Front), microplastics are clearly present and increasing in even recent habitats.

Case study: night compression use in a patient with Milroy's disease.

AIM: Lymphoedema is associated with dysfunctional lymphatics, tissue fibrosis and inflammatory changes in the skin and local tissue. Ensuring compression supports tissue health is crucial to managing lymphoedema. Providing patients with safe compression which enhances their tissue health is paramount when supporting their 24-hour self-management regimens. This case study explores the use of a new compression garment in two sitting positions in an adult with primary lymphoedema. METHOD: An 18-year-old female (body mass index 25.2 kg/m2) with Milroy's disease was recruited. She attended two separate 1-hour sessions to evaluate tissue oxygenation (StO2) in chair-sitting and long-sitting (sitting up with a supported back and legs horizontal) positions. Following removal of her usual class 2 (20-30 mmHg) flat-knit compression hosiery, StO2 was recorded for 20 minutes: pre-, during and post the application of an adjustable compression garment (Lohmann & Rauscher) to the right leg. RESULTS: In the long-sitting position, StO2 levels started high at baseline (94.5%), and were relatively maintained both during and post-a short 20-minute intervention (94.1%). In the chair-sitting position, StO2 levels were significantly lower at baseline (52%), showing a 77% increase during the intervention (92%), followed by a small 9% decrease post-intervention (83.7%). CONCLUSION: This compression garment significantly increased StO2 levels in the chair-sitting position, while maintaining the effects of the patient's compression stockings, in the long-sitting position. Similar to non-lymphoedematous limbs, the patient's normal prescription hosiery maintains StO2. Through implementation of the short intervention sessions, night compression garments may have the potential to improve tissue health in individuals with primary lymphoedema, encouraging self-management and offering a potential night compression solution where the need arises in a 24-hour management plan.

Examination of a new mobile intermittent pneumatic compression device in healthy adults.

OBJECTIVE: Intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) is an alternative method of compression treatment designed to compress the leg and mimic ambulatory pump action to actively promote venous return. This study explores the efficacy of a new portable IPC device on tissue oxygenation (StO2) in two sitting positions. METHOD: In this quantitative, healthy single cohort study, participants were screened and recruited using Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q, Canada). Participants attended two separate one-hour sessions to evaluate StO2 in an upright chair-sitting position and in a long-sitting position. StO2 was recorded for 20 minutes before, during and after a 20-minute intervention of the IPC device (Venapro, DJO Global, US). RESULTS: A total of 29 healthy volunteers took part in the study. A significant difference was seen between the two seating positions (p=0.003) with long-sitting showing a 12% higher StO2 level than chair-sitting post-intervention. A similar effect was seen in both sitting positions when analysing data over three timepoints (p=0.000). Post-hoc pairwise comparisons showed that significant improvements in StO2 (p≤0.000) were seen from baseline, throughout the intervention, continuing up to 15 minutes post-intervention, indicating a continued effect of the device after a short intervention. CONCLUSION: Increasing StO2 through short intervention sessions with this portable device has potential for use within various health and sports-based practices, improving tissue health, potentially reducing postoperative deep vein thrombosis (DVT) risk or inflammation. Such devices lend themselves to wide self-management implementation.

Examination of the effects of a new compression garment on skin tissue oxygenation in healthy volunteers.

OBJECTIVE: Compression devices have been shown to reduce venous stasis, increase blood flow and skin tissue oxygenation (StO2), promoting healthy tissue. This study aimed to explore the efficacy of a new compression garment in three different positions in healthy adults. METHODS: In this quantitative study, potential participants were screened and recruited using the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q, Canada). Participants attended three separate, one-hour sessions to evaluate StO2 in supine-lying, chair-sitting and long-sitting positions. StO2 was recorded for 20 minutes pre-, during and post- a 20-minute intervention using a compression garment, TributeWrap (Lohmann-Rauscher, Germany). A repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was followed by post-hoc pairwise comparisons. RESULTS: A total of 28 healthy volunteers took part (aged 24.6 ±8.4years; 13 males, 15 females). A significant difference was seen between the three positions (p<0.001). Chair-sitting had the lowest StO2 pre-intervention, increasing StO2 significantly (32.25%, p<0.001) during wear of the compression garment (24.8% higher than baseline post-intervention). No significant difference was seen between long sitting and supine-lying (p=1.000). In contrast, long-sitting and supine-lying StO2 was higher pre-intervention compared with chair-sitting and only increased post-intervention (11% and 16.8% respectively, p<0.001) compared with baseline. CONCLUSION: The compression garment significantly increased StO2 levels in both seating positions. Further studies are required to determine if increasing StO2 through short intervention sessions with this device has the potential to improve self-management of tissue health in individuals with reduced mobility, oedema or venous insufficiency.

Variation in DNA methylation is associated with migratory phenotypes of lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens in the St. Clair River, MI, USA.

Lake sturgeon Acipenser fulvescens populations show a variety of movement patterns that are poorly understood. To compare two migratory phenotypes of A. fulvescens in the St. Clair River, MI, USA, multiple data types were analysed. Individual fish were classified into migratory phenotypes based on acoustic telemetry data collected 2012-2015. Acipenser fulvescens consistently showed movement from the St. Clair River upriver into Lake Huron or downriver into Lake St. Clair. The two migratory phenotypes were then compared for differences in morphometrics, genetics and epigenetics. Morphological differences based on linear measurements were not detected between phenotypes. Microsatellite data from 11 loci suggested one population with no genetic differentiation between migratory phenotypes. Our epigenetic results indicated that the migratory phenotypes are differentially methylated (P < 0.05), thus epigenetics may be associated with migratory differences in A. fulvescens. Only one restriction site was identified to be driving the differential methylation (P < 0.05). While little evidence at neutral loci occurred for genetic differentiation of A. fulvescens, DNA methylation may play a role in the observed movement pattern variation. When combined with microsatellite and morphometric analyses, our results suggested that different migratory patterns may reflect phenotypic plasticity, allowing A. fulvescens to acclimate to short-term environmental variability. Without an integrated approach, the role of epigenetics in the migratory phenotype of A. fulvescens may have been overlooked. Further characterization of migratory phenotypes could be important for management to conserve behavioural variation across the distribution of A. fulvescens and for design of stocking guidelines.

Lymphoedema management at night: views from patients across five countries.

The aim of this study was to gain a comprehensive insight into the use of night-time compression in the management of lymphoedema in patients who had been suffering from chronic lymphoedema for over 12 months. Data were collected and analysed from 94 patients, across five countries. Understanding user characteristics provided insight and understanding into how night-time compression regimens were initiated, products were used and benefits to the patient were reported. In addition to gaining an insight into user habits and night-time compression benefits, unmet needs were also identified. Positive outcomes from the use of night-time compression were reported, with all patients identifying benefits of using night-time compression. An increase in swelling was documented in 89% of all patients in this study group when night-time compression was not used. The study provided an opportunity to explore how lymphoedema affects patients, and how night-time compression can form part of a beneficial regime.