004) and 111% less for propulsion (P<0.001). Amputees descended the step significantly slower (P=0.003) and performed significantly greater lead limb ankle work (P=0.017). After accounting for speed differences, initial loading at the knee was significantly higher in the lead limb of amputees versus controls.
 
  Increasing lead limb work and reducing forward velocity may be effective compensatory strategies to limit lead limb loading during a step descent, in response to reduced trailing limb work.
 Increasing lead limb work and reducing forward velocity may be effective compensatory strategies to limit lead limb loading during a step descent, in response to reduced trailing limb work.The 2019-2020 Brazil oil spill disaster affected several ecosystems and species-rich areas. The shallow-water reefs of Paiva beach are among the best-preserved coastal environments in the State of Pernambuco (NE Brazil), but were severely affected by oil arrival at the end of 2019. The reefs are densely covered by macroalgae as important biogenic substrates for benthic fauna. Based on that, herein, we provide a baseline assessment of the immediate impacts of the oil spill on the structure of epifaunal communities associated with the algae Jania capillacea and Penicillus capitatus. The benthic communities in both algae simplified (reduction of species richness and abundance) soon after oil arrival, while opportunistic taxa increased. After two months, the macrofaunal communities restructured to almost pre-disaster levels.  https://www.selleckchem.com/products/gsk484-hcl.html  However, polychaeta diversity remained low. Despite the apparently fast recovery of reef macrobenthos, a more detailed, long-term monitoring is necessary to evaluate the chronic effects.Surficial sediment quality in the Ojo de Liebre Lagoon (OLL), Mexico, was evaluated via five geochemical indices. Results indicate that concentrations of the elements Ag, As, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Sb, U, V and Zn do not exert adverse biological effects in this ecosystem. However, minor enrichment was observed for Ba (mean ± SD 1.09 ± 0.17) and Co (1.57 ± 0.22) and was moderately severe for Cd (9.3 ± 2.0), possibly due to natural processes. The adverse effect index was >1 only for Hg, suggesting that concentrations of this element are sufficiently high (0.40 to 1.13 nmol g-1) to potentially elicit adverse effects on local organisms in contact with sediments. This result is particularly important for grey whales (Eschrichtius robustus), given that they ingest large quantities of benthic organisms during their seasonal stay in the OLL.Microeukaryotes have been recognized as highly abundant and diverse both in form and function, however, data on their diversity and distribution along marine currents remain scarce. Herein, the distribution of microeukaryotes in surface seawaters was analyzed along a 9000 km stretch of the North Equatorial Current (NEC) and its bifurcation using high throughput DNA sequencing. Significant distance-decay patterns were detected, and the microeukaryote communities were further divided into Central Pacific Ocean (CPO), Western Pacific Ocean (WPO), and South China Sea (SCS) groups. Statistical analyses suggested that the microeukaryotic assembly in the WPO is maintained by the CPO community transported via the NEC. Environmental selection contributed more to community variations than spatial processes did. Temperature and salinity were the two most important environmental factors to shape the examined communities. Altogether, characterizing the microeukaryotic diversity and distribution along the NEC provided an insight into the drivers of their distribution in open oceans.We studied the abundance of microplastics from commercial table salts and table salts from salt pans at Marakkanam and Parangipettai, Tamil Nadu, India. Microplastic abundance in the salts collected from salt pans had a range of 3.67 ± 1.54 to 21.33 ± 1.53 nos./10 g of salt which were higher than the microplastics retrieved from the commercial salts which ranged from 4.67 ± 1.15 to 16.33 ± 1.53 nos./10 g of salt. All the microplastics retrieved were fibers which were secondary in origin. Black, red, blue, green, white, brown, and colorless microplastics were observed in the samples. FT-IR results showed that 4 types of polymers, namely, Nylon, Polypropylene (PP), Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE), and Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) were present in the samples. Domestic and municipal wastewater discharges into the estuaries may contribute to microplastics in the table salts. Our study proves that table salts (processed and unprocessed) are prone to microplastic contamination.Numerous researches have been conducted to study the impact of Port activities on water quality. However, investigation on the response of the inhabiting biota to Port related extrinsic factors is extremely limited. Using Canonical Correspondence Analysis, comprehensive assessment of plankton population dynamics and distribution corresponding to the spatial heterogeneity in physico-chemical characteristics of harbour and adjacent coastal water is conducted. The results revealed resource competition for nitrate, predator mediated co-existence of species favoured by active switching and Port influenced environmental filtering due to suspended solids, and oil and grease as the predominant factor to modulate the plankton community structure and succession in harbour. The higher heterogeneity in the measured environmental variables at coast revealed dispersion of nutrient and other pollutants from harbour into the adjacent coastal water during ebb tide. Our results indicate reengineering of Port infrastructures and efficient management policies including water quality standards to facilitate proper water circulation and minimize pollution with a long term goal to reconcile economic interest with ecosystem conservation.210Po concentration in thirty popular marine species (twenty five fishes, four bivalves and one crab) with different habitats, feeding types, and trophic levels at the near-shore Binh Thuan, Vietnam was analyzed using the alpha detectors. The 210Po activities were widely ranged from 3.07 ± 0.18 in a fish species (Bumpnose trevally) to 78.6 ± 5.3 Bq/kg w.w in a bivalve species (Green mussel) with the average value of 16.6 Bq/kg w.w. The results showed that the species with lower trophic level value have higher 210Po concentration. Regarding the feeding types, the 210Po concentration in the omnivorous species is about 2.9 times higher than in the carnivorous species. The species living in demersal zone accumulated a high 210Po in comparison with species living in reef-associated and pelagic-neritic zones. The calculated annual committed effective dose from 210Po due to the ingestion of seafood from demersal zone and bivalve species of the area was significant high.