Cardiology across continents: an interactive, case-based learning series.

Heart University [https://www.heartuniversity.org/] is a free educational website providing structured training curricula with knowledge-based testing and access to webinars and conference recordings for practicing and in-training providers of paediatric and congenital cardiac care. To date, there are over 15,000 registered website users from over 140 countries on Heart University, with over 2,000 training modules and/or recorded educational videos. Heart University has developed an "asynchronous" educational lecture series entitled "Pediatric and Congenital Cardiac Care in Resource-Limited Settings." This recorded lecture series is specifically focused on topics relevant to practicing paediatric and/or congenital cardiac care in low-resource settings.A relatively new initiative, "Cardiology Across Continents," supplements the existing educational resources for providers of paediatric and/or congenital cardiac care in low-income countries and lower-middle-income countries by providing an additional live, interactive, case-based forum. Sessions occur every 1-2 months and focus on challenging cases from diagnostic or management perspective with a view to promote collaboration between partnered institutions. "Cardiology Across Continents" is an expanding initiative that facilitates learning and collaboration between clinicians across varied practice settings via interactive case discussions. We welcome trainees and providers of paediatric and congenital cardiac care to join the sessions and invite any insight that can enhance learning for clinicians around the world. This manuscript describes "Cardiology Across Continents" and discusses the development, history, current status, and future plans of Heart University.

Epicardial Implantation of a Micra™ Pacemaker in a Premature Neonate with Congenital Complete Heart Block.

Pacemaker implantation in neonates can be challenging due to their small size. Even pulse generators adapted for pediatric patients, such as the Microny device (Abbott, Chicago, IL, USA), are proportionately large in comparison to the size of the smallest newborns. Due to anatomic considerations, such as small vascular and ventricular sizes, leadless pacemakers and transvenous implantation in the youngest neonatal population remain unsuitable. Even so, the desire for leadless devices has prompted the industry to create the smallest pacemakers available. Adapting the smaller Micra™ transcatheter leadless pacing system (Medtronic, Minneapolis, MN, USA) for an epicardial pacing application may be advantageous to the smallest patients. This case illustrates the use of a Micra™ device modified with a header block to serve as the pulse generator in a ventricular epicardial pacing system for a 1-day-old, 2.68-kg patient with complete heart block.

Prosapia bicincta (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) abundance, plant associations, and impacts on groundcover in Hawai'i Island rangelands.

The twolined spittlebug, Prosapia bicincta (Say), is a major economic pest of forage grass and turfgrass. Prosapia bicincta was first detected in rangelands on Hawai'i Island in 2016 and has since spread to an estimated 72,000 ha in the North and South Kona districts. This study aimed to quantify P. bicincta abundance, plant associations, and impacts on groundcover over time. Monthly surveys of P. bicincta nymphs and adults were conducted from February 2018 to September 2022 along 17 established 100-m transects at 4 ranches located in Kona, Hawai'i Island, spanning an elevation gradient from 519 to 1,874 m above sea level (a.s.l.). Monitoring revealed P. bicincta occurs from 519 to 1,679 m a.s.l., primarily in Kikuyu grass (Cenchrus clandestinus (Hochst. ex Chiov.)) Morrone (Poales: Poaceae) pastures. Peaks in P. bicincta abundance coincided with the wet season, with most activity occurring from April to October and little to no activity between November and March. Mid elevation (1,000-1,300 m) transects had significantly higher mean P. bicincta abundance (126 nymphs/m2) relative to low (500-999 m) (64 nymphs/m2) and high elevations (>1,300 m) (20 nymphs/m2). Sites with the highest abundance of P. bicincta were also associated with the greatest decrease in mean grass cover (30%) and were replaced by forbs, bare ground, and shrubs. Grasses accounted for 72% of the total P. bicincta detections, with the remaining plants comprised of legumes (16%), sedges (6%), and forbs (6%). Twenty new P. bicincta plant associations were found. This information will help improve the effectiveness of management to suppress populations below economic thresholds.

Dinámica poblacional y fenología del salivazo de los pastos Zulia carbonaria ( Lallemand ) ( Homoptera: Cercopidae ) en el valle geográfico del río Cauca, Colombia / Population dynamics and phenology of the pasture spittlebug Zulia carbonaria ( Lallemand ) ( Homoptera: Cercopidae ) in the Cauca river Valley, Colombia

Se estudió la fluctuación poblacional de ninfas, adultos, huevos y enemigos naturales de Zulia carbonaria (Lallemand) (Homoptera: Cercopidae) asociado con pastos de Brachiaria dictyoneura en el valle geográfico del río Cauca, Colombia. El objetivo de este trabajo fue describir la fenología de Z. carbonaria bajo las condiciones estacionales de precipitación bimodal (marzo-mayo y septiembre-noviembre). Semanalmente, durante dos años, se cuantificaron las poblaciones del salivazo y ciertos enemigos naturales mediante pases de jama (adultos) y conteos de ninfas en masas de espuma. Para obtener huevos y estudiar su desarrollo, semanalmente se recolectaron adultos hembras que se pusieron a ovipositar en cajas de petri con papel filtro húmedo en su interior. En ambos años de muestreo se documentaron 3-4 generaciones de Z. carbonaria con un ciclo de vida promedia de 66 días. Las poblaciones fueron más abundantes en el primer semestre y disminuyeron dramáticamente en el transcurso del segundo semestre, aún en los meses lluviosos (septiembre-noviembre). Se encontró muy bajo número de huevos diapáusicos (0.5 por ciento). Los enemigos naturales encontrados fueron la mosca depredadora de las ninfas Salpingogaster nigra Schiner (Diptera: Syrphidae), ácaros parasitarios de los adultos (Acari: Erythraeidae) y hongos de varios géneros. Aunque Z. carbonaria sincroniza su ciclo de vida con las lluvias del primer semestre, no se detectó un papel de la diapausa en los huevos como es común en otras especies de salivazo en zonas bajo condiciones unimodales de precipitación. Se discuten posibles explicaciones por esa sincronización y por la escasez del insecto bajo las condiciones lluviosas del segundo semestre.

Economic damage caused by spittlebugs (Homoptera: Cercopidae) in Colombia: a first approximation of impact on animal production in Brachiaria decumbens pastures / Dano econômico da cigarrinha-das-pastagens (Homoptera: Cercopidae) na Colômbia: primeira aproximação do impacto na produção animal em pastagens de Brachiaria decumbens

Usando um modelo de simulação como ferramenta de análise, quantificou-se o impacto econômico da cigarrinha-das-pastagens em termos de produção animal na Colômbia. Três níveis de infestação (10, 25, 50 adultos/m²) e de área infestada (25, 50, 100 por cento) foram avaliados usando dados obtidos no Brasil com Notozulia entreriana (Berg) em Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. O modelo considerou sistemas de produção de duplo propósito em dois ecossistemas contrastantes: (1) trópico-seco, caracterizado por seis meses bem definidos de estação chuvosa e (2) trópico-umido, caracterizado por distribuição uniforme de chuva durante o ano. Comparada com as pastagens não infestadas, a carga animal e a produtividade de leite e carne tiveram um decréscimo de 1-8, 8-34 e 38-54 por cento, respectivamente, aos níveis de infestação baixo, intermediário e alto, dependendo da área da fazenda infestada. O custo de produção de leite e carne aumentou 0-4, 3-16 and 18-30 por cento nos mesmos níveis de infestação, causando redução no lucro da ordem de 3-16, 17-69 e 67-100 por cento. Em nível regional, o dano econômico nos 1.140.000 ha plantados com pastagens suscetíveis à cigarrinha-das-pastagens nos trópicos úmidos da Colômbia variou de US$7-25, 28-36 e 39-47 milhões/ano. Nos 4.720.000 ha de pastagens suscetíveis no trópico-seco, o prejuízo econômico foi de US$33-118, 132-175 e 228-273 milhões/ano. O investimento requerido para desenvolver variedades resistentes à cigarrinha-das-pastagens e adaptadas a solos de baixa a média fertilidade (US$6 milhões em 12 anos) é baixo quando comparado com o dano econômico causado pelas cigarrinhas-das-pastagens na Colômbia constituindo-se, assim, grande incentivo ao apoio as pesquisas em melhoramento de variedades e manejo da cigarrinha-das-pastagens.

Using a simulation model as an analysis tool, the economic impact of spittlebugs in pastures of Colombia was quantified in terms of animal production. Three levels of abundance (10, 25, 50 adults/m²) and farm area affected (25, 50, 100 percent) were evaluated using data obtained in Brazil for Notozulia entreriana (Berg) on Brachiaria decumbens Stapf. The model considered dual-purpose production systems in two contrasting ecosystems: (1) the dry tropics, characterized by a well defined, 6-month rainy season and (2) the humid tropics, characterized by uniform rainfall distribution throughout the year. Compared to healthy pastures, stocking rate, milk and meat productivity decreased 1-8, 8-34 and 38-54 percent, respectively, at low, intermediate and high abundance levels, depending on farm area infested. The cost of producing milk and meat increased 0-4, 3-16 and 18-30 percent at the same infestation levels, causing net income to decrease 3-16, 17-69 and 67-100 percent. At the regional level, economic damage in the 1,140,000 ha sown to grasses susceptible to spittlebugs in the humid tropics of Colombia ranged from US$7-25, 28-36 and 39-47 million/yr. In the 4,720,000 ha of susceptible grasses in the dry tropics, economic damage was US$33-118, 132-175 and 228-273 million/yr. The investment required to develop grass varieties resistant to spittlebugs and adapted to soils with low to intermediate fertility (US$6 million over 12 yr) is low compared with the economic damage caused by spittlebugs in Colombia, and therefore presents a major economic incentive for support of research on varietal improvement and spittlebug management.

Alternative methods for rearing grass-feeding spittlebugs (Hemiptera: Cercopidae) / Métodos alternativos para a criação das cigarrinhas-das-pastagens (Hemiptera: Cercopidae)

Duas metodologias para criação de cigarrinhas-das-pastagens são relatadas e avaliadas, utilizando-se Aeneolamia varia (Fabricius) sobre Brachiaria ruziziensis Germ. & Evrard. Desenvolveuse uma nova unidade de criação em pequena escala para manter a cigarrinha nos seus diferentes estágios de desenvolvimento, e assim promover estudos biológicos dos insetos. A unidade possui uma bandeja de plantas com raízes, que são os locais de alimentação e desenvolvimento das ninfas, junto com uma gaiola para emergência dos adultos contendo plantas e substrato para oviposição eobtenção de ovos. Para produção em larga escala, aperfeiçoou-se um método de criação massal, reduzindo-se os insumos e agilizando-se a produção. A principal característica é uma caixa coberta com raízes e condições de microclima adequados para o desenvolvimento de ninfas. A eficiência de produção de adultos a partir de ovos foi de 45,1%, produzindo 1002 adultos/m2 por geração, com um período de desenvolvimento ninfal de 36,1 dias. A emergência de adultos foi de 70,5% em uma semana. Esse método para produção massal é uma ferramenta efetiva para produção de cigarrinhas em larga escala, podendo ser utilizado para estudos como de controle com fungos entopatógenos, resistência da plantahospedeira e outros. São discutidas as possibilidades e necessidades futuras para se melhorar a técnica e ajustá-la a outras espécies de cigarrinhas.

Two methodologies for rearing grass-feeding spittlebugs are described and were evaluated with Aeneolamia varia (Fabricius) on Brachiaria ruziziensis Germ. & Evrard. To promote biologicalstudies, a new small-scale rearing unit was developed to maintain spittlebug life stages in the greenhouse year round. This unit features a plant tray established with roots as feeding sites for nymphal development alongside an adult emergence cage with plants and oviposition substrate for egg collection. For largescale production, an improved mass-rearing colony was designed to reduce inputs and streamline production. The major feature was a covered box with root and microclimate conditions adequate for nymphal development. Efficiency of adult production from eggs was 45.1%, yield 1002 adults/m2 pergeneration, nymphal development time 36.1 d, and adult emergence 70.5% in a 1-wk period. This massrearing method is a more effective tool for reliable and high-level production of spittlebugs for massive screening required for the evaluation of control tactics such as fungal entomopathogens and host plantresistance. The possibilities for further improving these designs and tailoring them to other spittlebug species are discussed.