Forming a Rural Health Partnership Network

Walker County, Alabama, population 70,713, typifies health challenges in rural America. The county is poor with per capita income $10,000 below the national average. It lacks an adequate health care infrastructure — 4 physicians per 10,000 population compared to 7 nationally. The county has severe chronic health problems. For example, there are 67 heart failure deaths per 10,000 population compared to 20 nationally (Alabama Community Health Resource Guide, 2008). There are many other similar statistics, but a new conjunction of health care providers and leaders offers promise for a united approach in Walker County

Photoperiodism in Relation to Hormones as Factors in Floral Initiation and Development

1. A description is given of a simple method whereby one portion of a plant may be subjected to one photoperiod while another portion of the same plant is being subjected to another photoperiod. 2. Floral initiation in Xanthium pennsylvanicum results if plants are subjected to photoperiods shorter than 15 hours with accompanying dark periods of longer than 8 hours. If Xanthium plants are subjected continuously to photoperiods longer than 16 hours with accompanying dark periods shorter than 8 hours they remain strictly vegetative. 3. The initial effect of the photoperiodic stimulus is perceived by the leaves which are subjected to short photoperiod. However, this stimulus, resulting in floral initiation, may be transported from these leaves to other portions of the same plant which are maintained under conditions of long photoperiod and may also move across a diffusion contact from a plant subjected to short photoperiod to a plant subjected to long photoperiod. The stimulus to floral initiation may therefore be attributed to a substance or substances manufactured in leaves subjected to short photoperiod. 4. The response of Xanthium to photoperiod is primarily a response to length of dark period rather than to duration of photoperiod. Thus reactions resulting in the formation of floral initiation substances may take place during the dark period. These reactions are adversely affected by light and by low temperature. 5. Fully expanded leaves on receptor branches subjected to long photoperiod may exert some influence inhibitory to floral initiation; under similar circumstances young expanding leaves exert a promotive effect on floral initiation and flower development. 6. In Xanthium the development of mature flowers and fruits from floral primordia is also promoted by a substance or substances formed in portions of the plant which are exposed to short photoperiod and which may move across a diffusion contact. Whether or not this substance or substances is identical with the floral initiation substance has not as yet been determined. 7. A portion of a plant maintained under long photoperiod may be influenced by a portion of the same plant subjected to short photoperiods in such a way that it may behave as though it has been photoperiodically induced by direct exposure to short photoperiod. Flowers and fruits continue to develop on such portions of a branch which has never itself been subjected to short photoperiods. 8. Evidence is presented that the floral initiation substance is not identical with any of the following known plant growth factors: vitamins B₁, B₂, and B₆, ascorbic acid, nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid, theelin, theelol, inositol, or indoleacetic acid

Photoperiodism in Relation to Hormones as Factors in Floral Initiation and Development

1. A description is given of a simple method whereby one portion of a plant may be subjected to one photoperiod while another portion of the same plant is being subjected to another photoperiod. 2. Floral initiation in Xanthium pennsylvanicum results if plants are subjected to photoperiods shorter than 15 hours with accompanying dark periods of longer than 8 hours. If Xanthium plants are subjected continuously to photoperiods longer than 16 hours with accompanying dark periods shorter than 8 hours they remain strictly vegetative. 3. The initial effect of the photoperiodic stimulus is perceived by the leaves which are subjected to short photoperiod. However, this stimulus, resulting in floral initiation, may be transported from these leaves to other portions of the same plant which are maintained under conditions of long photoperiod and may also move across a diffusion contact from a plant subjected to short photoperiod to a plant subjected to long photoperiod. The stimulus to floral initiation may therefore be attributed to a substance or substances manufactured in leaves subjected to short photoperiod. 4. The response of Xanthium to photoperiod is primarily a response to length of dark period rather than to duration of photoperiod. Thus reactions resulting in the formation of floral initiation substances may take place during the dark period. These reactions are adversely affected by light and by low temperature. 5. Fully expanded leaves on receptor branches subjected to long photoperiod may exert some influence inhibitory to floral initiation; under similar circumstances young expanding leaves exert a promotive effect on floral initiation and flower development. 6. In Xanthium the development of mature flowers and fruits from floral primordia is also promoted by a substance or substances formed in portions of the plant which are exposed to short photoperiod and which may move across a diffusion contact. Whether or not this substance or substances is identical with the floral initiation substance has not as yet been determined. 7. A portion of a plant maintained under long photoperiod may be influenced by a portion of the same plant subjected to short photoperiods in such a way that it may behave as though it has been photoperiodically induced by direct exposure to short photoperiod. Flowers and fruits continue to develop on such portions of a branch which has never itself been subjected to short photoperiods. 8. Evidence is presented that the floral initiation substance is not identical with any of the following known plant growth factors: vitamins B₁, B₂, and B₆, ascorbic acid, nicotinic acid, pantothenic acid, theelin, theelol, inositol, or indoleacetic acid

Multi-site Programming Offered to Promote Resilience in Military Veterans: A Process Evaluation of the Just Roll With It Bootcamps

Background and Purpose: Military and veteran suicide rates exceed those found in the general population. Veterans often reject patient identities, creating barriers to care for mental health within the clinical sector and a mandate for prevention programs. The purpose of this study was to offer a postintervention process evaluation of one peer-led resilience program offered to military veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan at three sites in 2013. Methods: Secondary analysis of survey data collected involved mixed-methods analysis of open and closed-ended questions. In total, the research team reviewed 52 electronic survey responses; participant response rate was 48.1%. Results: Descriptive data analysis found that all participants rated Just Roll With It Bootcamp content as “somewhat useful” (17.9%) or “very useful” (82.1%). Qualitative analysis of open-ended questions found that content was perceived as valuable by participants. Emergent themes included: health practices, social support, and participant quality of life or satisfaction. Comments also informed four subthemes which included: meditation/mindfulness, nutrition, physical practice, and the seminars’ physical environment. Conclusion: Culturally-informed prevention programs that emphasize social support, physical movement, and peer-leadership have a vital role to play in working to prevent suicide by promoting quality of life for veterans

Alabama Veterans Rural Health Initiative: A Preliminary Evaluation of Unmet Health Care Needs

The Alabama Veterans Rural Health Initiative aims to better understand the health care needs, health status, and barriers to care for rural veterans. Following extensive community outreach, Veteran Community Outreach Health Workers assessed 203 veterans residing in rural counties of Alabama who either: 1) had never enrolled in VA health services, or 2) had not used those services in at least two years. While 71.4 percent of participants reported having utilized non-VHA primary care within the past year, 33.5 percent reported an inability or delay in obtaining needed health care for one or more services: primary care, specialty care, mental health care, addictions treatment, dental care, or prescription medication. The most commonly cited barrier was cost. Among all participants, 56 percent screened positive for at least one Axis I mental disorder. Rurally residing, non-VHA utilizing veterans appear to have fairly good access to primary care, but need dental care, prescription medication, and mental health care

Microbiological oceanography in the region west of the Antarctic Peninsula: Microbial dynamics, nitrogen cycle and carbon flux

Microorganisms are ubiquitous in Southern Ocean habitats and playa vital role in production and ttans-fcnnation of organic matter. Compared to other coastal and oceanic habitats, however, microbial processes in antarctic marine habitats are poorly understood. One major reason is the spatially and temporally variable nature of the habitat and the general inaccessibility of selected habitats (e.g., multi-year pack ice in austral winter). Despite these limitations, the region west of the Antarctic Peninsula is beginning to provide an op-portunity for yeaHound field investigations. Progress to date has focused on the role of microorganisms in the biogeochemical cycling of carbon and associated elements, the regulation of bacterial populations and the relationships between primary production and particulate matter export from the euphotic zone. 1be emergent patterns of carbon and energy flow and of microbial population inter-actions comprise a prospectus and a challenge for future studies in this region. 1