Small rural ambulatory care facilities in Middle America--Titusville Area Hospital, Titusville, Pennsylvania.

This case study is focused on Titusville Area Hospital because of current/recent activities at the hospital, but it also reflects previous experience with other facilities. The rural midwestern hospital no longer needs to be a single facility located in the largest community in the area. In fact, it can no longer be that single facility; it must service its population(s) at locations convenient to patients with the services appropriate to them. It is important that the hospital not only recognize its outreach areas through a satellite facility but also build a strong outpatient and support base at the hospital.

The effects of equine somatotropin (eST) on follicular development and circulating plasma hormone profiles in cyclic mares treated during different stages of the estrous cycle.

The effects of exogenous equine somatotropin (eST) administration on ovarian activity and plasma hormone levels were evaluated on horse and pony mares. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of eST on follicular development and circulating concentrations of leutinizing hormone (LH), estradiol, progesterone, and insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in cyclic horse and pony mares. Sixteen mares received daily injections (i.m.) of eST at a concentration of 25 micrograms/kg body weight on either Days 6 through 12 (Treatment A) or 13 through 19 (Treatment B) postovulation. In addition, contemporary mares were similarly given the carrier vehicle and served as controls (Treatments C and D). Blood samples were collected at 24-hr intervals and ultrasonographic evaluations were performed on the ovaries of each mare at 48-hr intervals beginning on the first day of treatment and ending either on the day of ovulation or 5 d postovulation. Circulating levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) were increased in treated mares by Day 3 post-treatment (P < 0.05). Also, mares in Treatment B exhibited a decrease in plasma estradiol concentrations (P < 0.05) when compared with control mares on Days 1 through 5 postovulation of the post-treated estrous cycle. In addition, circulating leutinizing hormone levels were different for mares in Treatment A compared with controls on Days--8 through--1 pre-ovulation (P < 0.05). All follicles present on the ovaries of each mare were measured and placed into one of five categories based on their diameter. Neither the mean number of follicles per size category > or = 8 mm in diameter nor the mean follicular diameter within each size category differed among treatment and control mares. However, eST treatment significantly increased the number of follicles < or = 7 mm on the ovaries of mares treated early in the estrous cycle when compared with control mares on Days 3 and 7 post-treatment and at the onset of standing estrus.

Albumin synthesis in cultured hempatoma cells. Regulation by essential amino acids.

The effects of essential amino acids on albumin synthesis by a mouse hepatoma cell line have been investigated. The amino acids tested were tryptophan, phenylalanine, histidine, isoleucine and leucine. Cellular rates of synthesis (molecules albumin/cell per min) were determined from rates of [3H]leucine incorporation into immunoprecipitable albumin in the culture medium. The effects of amino acids on albumin synthesis fall into three distinct groups. The concentration of tryptophan producing half-maximal synthesis is 4 micronM. The corresponding concentration for leucine is 100 micronM. Histidine, phenylalanine and isoleucine were very similar, the half-maximal concentrations being approximately 15 micronM. The concentrations of amino acids producing half-maximal synthesis correlate directly with the amino acid composition of albumin. The levels of these essential amino acids necessary to saturate albumin synthesis have been compared with amino acid levels in normal plasma.