A Review of the Biology, Ecology, and Management of the South American Locust, Schistocerca cancellata (Serville, 1838), and Future Prospects

In the first half of the twentieth century, the South American Locust (SAL), Schistocerca cancellata (Serville, 1838), was a major pest of agriculture in Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Brazil. From 1954–2014, a preventive management program appeared to limit SAL populations, with only small- to moderate-scale treatments required, limited to outbreak areas in northwest Argentina. However, the lack of major locust outbreaks led to a gradual reduction in resources, and in 2015, the sudden appearance of swarms marked the beginning of a substantial upsurge, with many swarms reported initially in Argentina in 2015, followed by expansion into neighboring countries over the next few years. The upsurge required a rapid allocation of resources for management of SAL and a detailed examination of the improvements needed for the successful management of this species. This paper provides a review of SAL biology, management history, and perspectives on navigating a plague period after a 60-year recession.

Successful management of complex scalp wounds with exposed calvarial bones by customized Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT): Case series and review of the literature

Scalp wounds with exposed calvarial bones continue to be a challenge especially when no local flap options are available and no microvascular flaps can be performed. Our prospective study looked at 19 patients (14 males) where customized negative pressure wound treatment was used till the complex scalp wounds, mostly from animal bites, were covered with healthy granulation and grafted. Scalp wounds ranged from 6 × 4 cm to 17 × 11 cm in size whereas the area of exposed bone ranged from 1 × 2 cm to 10 × 10 cm. No major complication was seen, and wounds were rapidly healed.

Symptomatic haemophilia A: management during pregnancy and the postpartum period

As an X linked disorder, the presence of severe symptomatic haemophilia A is an extremely rare disorder in women. Therefore there are no high-level evidence-based guidelines when it comes to pregnancy. Although there have been advances in the fields of prenatal counselling and maternal-fetal care, the management of these gestations continues to embody a challenge for any medical team. We report the successful management of a pregnant woman with symptomatic haemophilia A, from pregnancy to the postpartum period. Our aim is to enhance knowledge on this topic, and further improve outcomes for these mothers and their offspring.

Pharmacologic therapies for the low cardiac output syndrome in children after cardiac surgery: evidence of their efficacy and trends in their use

The low cardiac output syndrome describes the phenomenon of the reduction of cardiac output that can occur following cardiac surgery requiring cardiopulmonary bypass. If unrecognized or untreated, this condition can result in significant morbidity and mortality. Along with non-pharmacologic therapies, pharmacologic agents used to help manage the low cardiac output syndrome include catecholamine inotropes, inodilators, systemic vasodilators, pulmonary vasodilators, and other classes of medications. We summarize the rationale and key evidence supporting the use of these therapies in children. In addition, utilizing provider surveys and registry reviews, we describe the current trends in the use of these medications and the variation demonstrated between providers and centers. Given the heterogeneous etiology of low cardiac output syndrome, successful management requires that pharmacologic therapies be tailored to the physiologic derangements of each patient.