[Clinical results and complications of meniscal repair in children and adolescents]. / Resultados clínicos y complicaciones de la reparación meniscal en niños y adolescentes.

INTRODUCTION: there is scarce information on meniscal repair in the paediatric population in terms of outcomes of this technique. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes and complications of meniscal repair in paediatric population with isolated lesions, associated with ACL rupture and discoid meniscus with unstable lesions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: data from 78 patients 18 years of age, with arthroscopic diagnosis of isolated meniscal lesion, associated with ACL tear or discoid meniscus, in whom arthroscopic repair was performed, were retrospectively analyzed for demographic characteristics, surgical technique, and perioperative complications. Functional results were assessed with the Lysholm and Pedi-IKDC scales. Time to repair failure was defined as the interval between meniscal repair and revision (re-repair or subtotal meniscectomy). RESULTS: mean age was 14 years (SD 3.1, range 3-19). The patients in group C were significantly younger (15.4 years in group A vs 14.9 in group B vs 12.1 in group C, p = 0.001). The average follow-up was 33.8 months. The mean Lysholm score and Pedi-IKDC were 96.1 points (range, 76-100) and 93.8 points (range, 59.8-100), respectively. The overall failure rate was 14.1% (11/78). There were 4 (13%) failures in group A, 3 failures (12%) in group B, and 5 failures (17%) in group C (p = 0.429). We found a tendency towards a greater number of failures in bucket handle injuries (p = 0.08) and a significant association when 4 sutures were used (p = 0.041). CONCLUSION: in this series, meniscal repair demonstrated a clinical success rate of 85.9%. Patients with discoid meniscus, bucket handle injuries, and those who required a greater number of sutures had a higher risk of failure. Repair should be considered the first surgical treatment option for most meniscal injuries in children and adolescents.

INTRODUCCIÓN: existe escasa información de la reparación meniscal en la población pediátrica en cuanto a resultados de esta técnica. Los objetivos de este estudio fueron evaluar los resultados clínicos y las complicaciones de la reparación meniscal en población pediátrica con lesiones aisladas, asociadas a ruptura del LCA y menisco discoide con lesiones inestables. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: los datos de 78 pacientes 18 años de edad, con diagnóstico artroscópico de lesión meniscal aislada, asociada a rotura del ligamento cruzado anterior (LCA) o menisco discoide, en los que se realizó reparación artroscópica, se analizaron retrospectivamente. Los resultados funcionales fueron valorados con las escalas de Lysholm y Pedi-IKDC. El tiempo hasta la falla de la reparación se definió como el intervalo entre la reparación meniscal hasta la revisión artroscópica. RESULTADOS: la edad media fue de 14 años (DE 3.1, rango 3-19). Los pacientes del grupo C eran significativamente más jóvenes (15.4 años en el grupo A frente a 1.9 en el grupo B frente a 12.1 en el grupo C, p = 0.001). El seguimiento medio fue de 33.8 meses. La puntuación media de Lysholm y Pedi-IKDC fueron 96.1 puntos (rango, 76-100) y 93.8 puntos (rango, 59.8-100), respectivamente. La tasa de fallas global fue de 14.1% (11/78). Hubo 4 (13%) fallas en el grupo A, 3 fallas (12%) en grupo B, y 5 fallas (17%) en el grupo C (p = 0.429). Encontramos una tendencia a un mayor número de fallas en las lesiones por mango de cubo (p = 0.08) y una asociación significativa cuando se utilizaron 4 suturas (p = 0.041). CONCLUSIONES: la reparación meniscal demostró una tasa de éxito clínico de 85.9%. Los pacientes con menisco discoide, lesiones asa de balde y aquellos que requirieron mayor número de suturas presentaron un mayor riesgo de falla. La reparación debe considerarse como la primera opción de tratamiento quirúrgico para la mayoría de las lesiones meniscales en niños y adolescentes.

Acute exposure to perfluorooctane sulfonate exacerbates heat-induced oxidative stress in a tropical coral species.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is among the most commonly per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in environmental samples. Nevertheless, the effect of this legacy persistent organic contaminant has never been investigated on corals to date. Corals are the keystone organisms of coral reef ecosystems and sensitive to rising ocean temperatures, but it is not understood how the combination of elevated temperature and PFOS exposure will affect them. Therefore, the aims of the present study were (1) to evaluate the time-dependent bioconcentration and depuration of PFOS in the scleractinian coral Stylophora pistillata using a range of PFOS exposure concentrations, and (2) to assess the individual and combined effects of PFOS exposure and elevated seawater temperature on key physiological parameters of the corals. Our results show that the coral S. pistillata rapidly bioconcentrates PFOS from the seawater and eliminates it 14 days after ceasing the exposure. We also observed an antagonistic effect between elevated temperature and PFOS exposure. Indeed, a significantly reduced PFOS bioconcentration was observed at high temperature, likely due to a loss of symbionts and a higher removal of mucus compared to ambient temperature. Finally, concentrations of PFOS consistent with ranges observed in surface waters were non-lethal to corals, in the absence of other stressors. However, PFOS increased lipid peroxidation in coral tissue, which is an indicator of oxidative stress and enhanced the thermal stress-induced impairment of coral physiology. This study provides valuable insights into the combined effects of PFOS exposure and ocean warming for coral's physiology. PFOS is usually the most prevalent but not the only PFAS defected in reef waters, and thus it will be also important to monitor PFAS mixture concentrations in the oceans and to study their combined effects on aquatic wildlife.

Biological and structural characterization of a new PLA2 from the Crotalus durissus collilineatus venom.

In the present article we report on the biological characterization and amino acid sequence of a new basic Phospholipases A2 (PLA2) isolated from the Crotalus durissus collilineatus venom (Cdcolli F6), which showed the presence of 122 amino acid residues with a pI value of 8.3, molecular mass of 14 kDa and revealed an amino acid sequence identity of 80% with crotalic PLA2s such as Mojave B, Cdt F15, and CROATOX. This homology, however, dropped to 50% if compared to other sources of PLA2s such as from the Bothrops snake venom. Also, this PLA2 induced myonecrosis, although this effect was lower than that of BthTx-I or whole crotoxin and it was able to induce a strong blockage effect on the chick biventer neuromuscular preparation, independently of the presence of the acid subunid (crotapotin). The neurotoxic effect was strongly reduced by pre-incubation with heparin or with anhydrous acetic acid and p-BPB showed a similar reduction. The p-BPB did not reduce significantly the myotoxic activity induced by the PLA2, but the anhydrous acetic acid treatment and the pre-incubation of PLA2 with heparin reduced significantly its effects. This protein showed a strong antimicrobial activity against Xanthomonas axonopodis passiforae (Gram-negative), which was drastically reduced by incubation of this PLA2 with p-BPB, but this effect was marginally reduced after treatment with anhydrous acetic acid. Our findings here allow to speculate that basic amino acid residues on the C-terminal and molecular regions near catalytic site regions such as Calcium binding loop or beta-wing region may be involved in the binding of this PLA2 to the molecular receptor to induce the neurotoxic effect. The bactericidal effect, however, was completely dependent on the enzymatic activity of this protein.