Healthcare Expansion of Scope

The healthcare system of OhioHealth has a reputation for providing quality care. As with any healthcare system, there are some populations who are underserved. There are several changes OhioHealth can make to enlarge its customer base. Some of the techniques OhioHealth can use involve increasing its scope of practice in these areas: complementary and alternative medicine (CAM), long-term care, men’s bone health, and social media. The need for long-term care will continue to increase as the population ages. OhioHealth can merge with a long-term care company to provide OhioHealth with the facilities. This strategy is more likely to be successful because it would provide the needed expertise to operate the long-term care facilities. There are also opportunities in CAM, which is relatively inexpensive and therefore would not be a tremendous risk. OhioHealth can integrate these services through horizontal integration, where the competitors will be acquired by or become affiliated with OhioHealth. The bone health care program can be expanded by offering more services friendly to men. There are simple solutions, including having clinics that are aesthetically pleasing by using blue colors, and the hiring of more male bone health specialists. OhioHealth should also be sure to improve access to those with cultural or physical problems. There are opportunities through new technology to reach the increasing Hispanic population of Columbus. This can be accomplished by the use of social media that translates between patients and healthcare workers. A patient may also be inconvenienced from physically being at a clinic or hospital. There are opportunities to reduce these unnecessary patient visits. When a patient has a concern about visible ailments, the patient can show these to a physician through social media. The organization can be on the cutting edge in the use of making it possible to receive medical evaluations through social media, which will reduce costs and save time. *Outstanding Student Poster: 2nd Place Winnerhttps://fuse.franklin.edu/ss2014/1071/thumbnail.jp

The Impact of Parthenium Weed-Amended Substrates on the Germination and Early Growth of a Range of Pasture and Crop Species

Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) is an internationally important invasive weed native to the tropical and sub-tropical Americas, and invasive in more than 30 countries. This weed has serious adverse influences on rangeland and agricultural crop production, on human and animal health, and on the biodiversity of natural communities. Parthenium weed leaf litter can reduce seedling emergence and affect the early growth of a wide range of pasture and crop species. Soil collected from a heavily infested parthenium weed area was shown to reduce seedling emergence of a wide range of test plants (lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), maize (Zea mays L.), curly windmill grass (Enteropogon acicularis L.), and liverseed grass (Urochloa panicoides P.Beauv.)) by between 20 to 40%; however, the soil had no effect on the subsequent growth of the surviving test plants. Soil amended with dried parthenium weed leaf litter reduced the emergence of test species by ca. 20 to 40%, but it had no effect on the growth of the surviving test plants. One week after emergence, the growth of all test species was stimulated by 9 to 86% in the leaf litter-amended soil with the increased growth matching the increased amounts leaf litter amended. In parthenium weed-infested landscapes, the substrate (soil) is affected by the plant during the growing season by the release of allelopathic chemicals. However, the plant’s litter can affect the community outside of the growing season, first through a residual allelopathic activity, but also by a fertilizing effect as litter breakdown occurs. This study demonstrates the significant ability of parthenium weed to affect plant communities throughout the year and, when considered over several years, this may lead to the creation of a complete monoculture of the weed. View Full-Tex

The Impact of Parthenium Weed-Amended Substrates on the Germination and Early Growth of a Range of Pasture and Crop Species

Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) is an internationally important invasive weed native to the tropical and sub-tropical Americas, and invasive in more than 30 countries. This weed has serious adverse influences on rangeland and agricultural crop production, on human and animal health, and on the biodiversity of natural communities. Parthenium weed leaf litter can reduce seedling emergence and affect the early growth of a wide range of pasture and crop species. Soil collected from a heavily infested parthenium weed area was shown to reduce seedling emergence of a wide range of test plants (lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), maize (Zea mays L.), curly windmill grass (Enteropogon acicularis L.), and liverseed grass (Urochloa panicoides P.Beauv.)) by between 20 to 40%; however, the soil had no effect on the subsequent growth of the surviving test plants. Soil amended with dried parthenium weed leaf litter reduced the emergence of test species by ca. 20 to 40%, but it had no effect on the growth of the surviving test plants. One week after emergence, the growth of all test species was stimulated by 9 to 86% in the leaf litter-amended soil with the increased growth matching the increased amounts leaf litter amended. In parthenium weed-infested landscapes, the substrate (soil) is affected by the plant during the growing season by the release of allelopathic chemicals. However, the plant’s litter can affect the community outside of the growing season, first through a residual allelopathic activity, but also by a fertilizing effect as litter breakdown occurs. This study demonstrates the significant ability of parthenium weed to affect plant communities throughout the year and, when considered over several years, this may lead to the creation of a complete monoculture of the weed. View Full-Tex

Response of wild oats to environmental stresses

Take home message • When under heat and water stress, wild oat plants can mature 3 weeks earlier than non-stressed plants • Stressed plants produce 30% fewer seeds; additionally, these seeds are 40% smaller and show less dormancy than seeds from non-stressed plants • Seed dormancy can differ between biotypes and between the two types of seeds (primary and secondary) produced by wild oat plants • Early plant maturation can cause early seed shedding depending on the severity of heat and water stress • If the occurrence of late season environmental stresses becomes more frequent as forecast under a changing climate, the efficacy of strategies such as harvest weed seed control may further diminish for wild oats

Impact of Soil Water Stress at Seed Development Stage on Phenology, Fecundity and Seed Dormancy of Avena sterilis ssp. ludoviciana

Wild oat (Avena sterilis ssp. ludoviciana (Durieu) Nyman) is considered the most difficult-to-control winter weed in the northern grain region (NGR) of Australia particularly following the adoption of no-till conservation agriculture and the enhanced reliance on herbicides for weed control. A diversity of survival mechanisms is responsible for its persistence in no-till conservation cropping. Among them long-term, variable seed dormancy is the most important. A number of environmental stresses (for example drought) are known to affect the seed dormancy status. We hypothesized that the increasing frequency of hot and dry period in late winter/early spring season in the NGR might help to mature and shed less dormant wild oat seeds before the wheat crop is harvested. This early shedding of highly germinable seed better aids persistence in no-till conservation cropping systems. Our research showed that soil water stress applied at seed development stage resulted in lower number (16–22% less) of early maturing (5–20 days earlier) less dormant (28% less) seeds compared with control plants. This observation was made for a number of biotypes either coming from within one location or between locations within the NGR. Thus, the frequent hot and dry period at the time of seed development in the NGR is responsible for production of less dormant Avena sterilis ssp. ludoviciana seeds where no-till conservation cropping is helping to retain these seeds on the top soil. Under favourable germination conditions in the following season these less dormant seeds will immediately be available to re-infest the autumn/winter-sown wheat crop

The additive effect of a stem galling moth and a competitive plant on parthenium weed under CO2 enrichment

Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus) is a highly invasive plant that has invaded many parts of world including Australia. The present study reports on the effects of rising [CO2] on the performance of one of its biological control agents, stem-galling moth (Epiblema strenuana) when combined with a competitive plant, buffel grass (Cenchrus cilliaris). The study was carried out under controlled environment facilities during 2010–11. P. hysterophorus when grown under elevated [CO2] of 550 µmol mol−1, produced a greater biomass (27%), attained greater stature (31%), produced more branches (45%) and seeds plant−1 (20%), than those grown at ambient [CO2] of 380 µmol mol−1. Buffel grass reduced the biomass and seed production of P. hysterophorus plants by 33% and 22% under ambient [CO2] and by 19% and 17% under elevated [CO2], respectively. The combined effect of buffel grass and E. strenuana reduced dry biomass and seed production by 42% and 72% under ambient [CO2] and 29% and 37% elevated [CO2], respectively. Although the suppressive effect was different between ambient and elevated [CO2], the effect is likely to be retained. Stem gall formation by E. strenuana significantly enhanced the lateral branch production in plants grown under both [CO2]. Epiblema strenuana did not reduce the seed production of P. hysterophorus under the elevated [CO2] nevertheless, our earlier study had confirmed that many of the seeds produced under such conditions are not filled. This study has highlighted that the additive suppressive effect of E. strenuana and buffel grass on P. hysterophorus growth would be retained under future atmospheric CO2 enrichment

The additive effect of a stem galling moth and a competitive plant on parthenium weed under CO2 enrichment

Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus) is a highly invasive plant that has invaded many parts of world including Australia. The present study reports on the effects of rising [CO2] on the performance of one of its biological control agents, stem-galling moth (Epiblema strenuana) when combined with a competitive plant, buffel grass (Cenchrus cilliaris). The study was carried out under controlled environment facilities during 2010–11. P. hysterophorus when grown under elevated [CO2] of 550 µmol mol−1, produced a greater biomass (27%), attained greater stature (31%), produced more branches (45%) and seeds plant−1 (20%), than those grown at ambient [CO2] of 380 µmol mol−1. Buffel grass reduced the biomass and seed production of P. hysterophorus plants by 33% and 22% under ambient [CO2] and by 19% and 17% under elevated [CO2], respectively. The combined effect of buffel grass and E. strenuana reduced dry biomass and seed production by 42% and 72% under ambient [CO2] and 29% and 37% elevated [CO2], respectively. Although the suppressive effect was different between ambient and elevated [CO2], the effect is likely to be retained. Stem gall formation by E. strenuana significantly enhanced the lateral branch production in plants grown under both [CO2]. Epiblema strenuana did not reduce the seed production of P. hysterophorus under the elevated [CO2] nevertheless, our earlier study had confirmed that many of the seeds produced under such conditions are not filled. This study has highlighted that the additive suppressive effect of E. strenuana and buffel grass on P. hysterophorus growth would be retained under future atmospheric CO2 enrichment

Early recovery signs of an Australian grassland following the management of Parthenium hysterophorus L.

Parthenium weed (Parthenium hysterophorus L.) is believed to reduce the above- and below-ground plant species diversity and the above-ground productivity in several ecosystems. We quantified the impact of this invasive weed upon species diversity in an Australian grassland and assessed the resulting shifts in plant community composition following management using two traditional approaches. A baseline plant community survey, prior to management, showed that the above-ground community was dominated by P. hysterophorus, stoloniferous grasses, with a further high frequency of species from Malvaceae, Chenopodiaceae and Amaranthaceae. In heavily invaded areas, P. hysterophorus abundance and biomass was found to negatively correlate with species diversity and native species abundance. Digitaria didactyla Willd. was present in high abundance when P. hysterophorus was not, with these two species, contributing most to the dissimilarity seen between areas. The application of selective broad leaf weed herbicides significantly reduced P. hysterophorus biomass under ungrazed conditions, but this management did not yet result in an increase in species diversity. In the above-ground community, P. hysterophorus was partly replaced by the introduced grass species Cynodon dactylon L. (Pers.) 1 year after management began, increasing the above-ground forage biomass production, while D. didactyla replaced P. hysterophorus in the below-ground community. This improvement in forage availability continued to strengthen over the time of the study resulting in a total increase of 80% after 2 years in the ungrazed treatment, demonstrating the stress that grazing was imposing upon this grassland-based agro-ecosystem and showing that it is necessary to remove grazing to obtain the best results from the chemical management approach