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Narrative media health messages have proven effective in preventing adolescents' substance use but as yet few measures exist to assess perceptions of them. Without such a measure it is difficult to evaluate the role these messages play in health promotion or to differentiate them from other message forms. In response to this need, a study was conducted to evaluate the Perception of Narrative Performance Scale that assesses perceptions of narrative health messages. A sample of 1185 fifth graders in public schools at Phoenix, Arizona completed a questionnaire rating of two videos presenting narrative substance use prevention messages. Confirmatory factor analyses were computed to identify the factor structure of the scale. Consistent with prior studies, results suggest a 3 factor structure for the Perception of Narrative Performance Scale: interest, realism, and identification (with characters). In addition, a path analysis was performed to test the predictive power of the scale. The analysis shows that the scale proves useful in predicting intent to use substances. Finally, practical implications and limitations are discussed.

The CuX (X = I, Br, Cl, CN)-mediated cyclization-halogenation and cyclization-cyanation reactions of β-hydroxyalkynes and o-alkynylphenol and -aniline derivatives give rise to 3-halo- and 3-cyanofuro[3,2-b]pyrroles, 3-iodo-, 3-bromo-, and 3-cyanobenzofurans, and 3-cyanoindoles, respectively. © 2010 American Chemical Society.

Syftet med studien var att genom gymnasielärares utsagor söka spår av grundtankar i Vygotskijs teoribildning i deras syn på lärande. Detta för att ta reda på vilka kriterier lärare utgår ifrån när de gör sina didaktiska val i undervisningen och på vilket sätt Vygotskijs grundtankar återspeglas i lärares syn på lärande. Vår studie grundar sig på kvalitativa intervjuer. I undersökningen deltog fyra lärare på två gymnasieskolor. Efter att materialet var transkriberat, gjordes en analys utifrån de fyra aspekterna som kännetecknar ett socio-kulturellt perspektiv enligt Vygotskij: de sociala, de medierande, de situerade och de kreativa med betoning på lärarroll och lärande. Vi använde oss av en hermeneutisk ansats för att analysera resultatet där vi använde relevant forskning för att förstärka vår tolkning av respondenternas utsagor. I studien framkom att lärare gav uttryck för att samspel och dialog är viktiga inslag i undervisningen. Vi har även funnit spår av de medierande aspekterna där lärare som mediator har en aktiv roll, men att de samtidigt förespråkar en traditionell katederundervisning. Vår slutsats är att lärare inte stödjer sig på någon specifik vetenskaplig teori i sin syn på lärande. Vi har emellertid tolkat det som att lärare vid sina didaktiska val i undervisningen väljer att reflektera över hur elever tillägnar sig kunskap framför vad elever ska lära och utveckla. Den syn på lärande som vi kan skönja utifrån lärares utsagor är en blandning av olika teorier som färgats av Vygotskijs teoribildning., Aim with the study was that through high teachers’ statements apply for tracks of basic thoughts of Vygotsky’s theory education in their sights on learning. This is to ascertain what criteria teachers assume when they do their didactic choices in the education and how Vygotsky’s basic thoughts are reflected in teachers’ sights on learning. Our study bases itself on qualitative interviews where four teachers from two high schools were participated. After the transcription, the analysis was done on the basis of the four aspects that characterize the socio-cultural perspective according to Vygotsky’s theory of education: the social, the mediated, the situated and the creative aspects. We chose to use the hermeneutic method for analyze of our result where we used relevant research in order to strengthen our interpretation of teachers’ statements. In the study the teachers expressed that interaction and dialogue are important elements in the education. We also have found tracks from the mediated aspects there teachers as a mediator has an active role, but that they at the same time recommend a traditional education. Our conclusion is that teachers are not based their learning on some specific scientific theory. We however have interpreted that the teachers when they choose a method, prefer to reflect over how students are getting knowledge instead of what students shall learn and develop. That sight on learning as we possibly can discern on the basis of teachers’ statements is a mixture of different theories that has been influenced by Vygotsky’s theory of education.

Bradykinin (BK) is an inflammatory mediator and one of the most potent endogenous pain-inducing substances. When released at sites of tissue damage or inflammation, or applied exogenously, BK produces acute spontaneous pain and causes hyperalgesia (increased sensitivity to potentially painful stimuli). The mechanisms underlying spontaneous pain induced by BK are poorly understood. Here we report that in small nociceptive neurons from rat dorsal root ganglia, BK, acting through its B2 receptors, PLC, and release of calcium from intracellular stores, robustly inhibits M-type K+ channels and opens Ca2+-activated Cl- channels (CaCCs) encoded by Tmem16a (also known as Ano1). Summation of these two effects accounted for the depolarization and increase in AP firing induced by BK in DRG neurons. Local injection of inhibitors of CaCC and specific M-channel openers both strongly attenuated the nociceptive effect of local injections of BK in rats. These results provide a framework for understanding spontaneous inflammatory pain and may suggest new drug targets for treatment of such pain.

Class 1 integrons play a role in the emergence of multi-resistant bacteria by facilitating the recruitment of gene cassettes encoding antibiotic resistance genes. 512 E. coli strains sourced from humans (n = 202), animals (n = 304) and the environment (n = 6) were screened for the presence of the intI1 gene. In 31/79 integron positive E. coli strains, the gene cassette regions could not be PCR amplified using standard primers. DNA sequence analysis of 6 serologically diverse strains revealed atypical integrons harboured the dfrA5 cassette gene and only 24 bp of the integron 3'-conserved segment (CS) remained, due to the insertion of IS26. PCR targeting intI1 and IS26 followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis identified the integron-dfrA5-IS26 element in 27 E. coli strains of bovine origin and 4 strains of human origin. Southern hybridization and transformation studies revealed the integron-dfrA5-IS26 gene arrangement was either chromosomally located or plasmid borne. Plasmid location in 4/9 E. coli strains and PCR linkage of Tn21 transposition genes with the intI1 gene in 20/31 strains, suggests this element is readily disseminated by horizontal transfer.

Sphingolipids including sphingomyelin have been implicated as potential atherogenic lipids. Studies in apoE (apolipoprotein E)-null mice have revealed that the serine palmitoyltransferase inhibitor myriocin reduces plasma levels of sphingomyelin, ceramide, sphingosine-I-phosphate and glycosphingolipids and that this is associated with potent inhibition of atherosclerosis. Interestingly, hepatic apoA-I (apolipoprotein A-I) synthesis and plasma HDL (high-density lipoprotein)cholesterol levels were also increased in apoE-null mice treated with myriocin. Since myriocin is a known inhibitor of ERK (extracellular-signal-related kinase) phosphorylation, we assessed the possibility that myriocin may be acting to increase hepatic apoA-I production via this pathway. To address this, HepG2 cells and primary mouse hepatocytes were treated with 200 mu M myriocin for up to 48 h. Myriocin increased apoA-I mRNA and protein levels by approx. 3- and 2-fold respectively. Myriocin also increased apoA-I secretion up to 3.5-fold and decreased ERK phosphorylation by approx. 70%. Similar findings were obtained when primary hepatocytes were isolated from apoE-null mice that were treated with myriocin (intraperitoneal injection at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg body weight). Further experiments revealed that the MEK (mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase) inhibitor PD98059 potently inhibited ERK phosphorylation, as expected, and increased primary hepatocyte apoA-I production by 3-fold. These results indicate that ERK phosphorylation plays a role in regulating hepatic apoA-I expression and suggest that the anti-atherogenic mechanism of action for myriocin may be linked to this pathway.

In myo-dystrophic processes such as Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), onset of disease pathology is associated with significant loss of regenerative precursor cells. In the face of such significant cell loss, it is likely that even with the rectification of the genetic defect, some measure of cell replacement therapy will still be required to replace the large amounts muscle tissues and precursors lost during the dystrophic process.

Three LAMP (loop-mediated isothermal DNA amplification) assays were applied to detect Cryptosporidium species DNA in a total number of 270 fecal samples originating from cattle, sheep and horses in South Africa. DNAwas extracted from 0.5 g of fecal material. Results of LAMP detection were compared to those obtained by nested PCR targeting the Cryptosporidium 18 small subunit rRNA (18S) gene. All samples were negative by nested PCR, while up to one-third of samples were positive by LAMPassays. The SAM-1 LAMP assay, shown to detect C. parvum, C. hominis and C. meleagridis, amplified Cryptosporidium DNA in 36 of 107 cattle (33.64%), in 26 of 85 sheep (30.5%) and in 17 of 78 horses (21.79%). The HSP LAMP specific to C. muris and C. andersoni, amplified Cryptosporidium DNA in one cow (0.9%), five sheep (5.8%) and seven horses (8.9%). The gp60 LAMP assay, shown to detect C. parvum produced no amplified Cryptosporidium DNA, likely due to low sample DNA concentrations. Thespecificity of LAMP assays was confirmed by sequencing of the LAMP products generated in positive samples. Sequence products from the three LAMP assays showed high identity to the target gene sequences confirming the specificity of LAMP. In this study, the LAMP procedure was clearly superior to nested PCR in the detection of Cryptosporidium species DNA. Use of LAMP is proposed as an efficient and effective tool for epidemiologic survey studies including screening of healthy animals in which Cryptosporidium oocyst shedding is characteristically low and likely below the detection limit of PCR in conventional sample concentrates.# 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optically active composite materials were prepared by in situ polymerization of aniline in the presence of multiwalled carbon nanotubes, followed by doping with (R)-(-)-10-camphorsulfonic acid. The reduction in circular dichroism intensity with increasing nanotube loading fraction is attributed to changes in the ratio of "free" polymer versus polymer interacting with carbon nanotubes. These changes are shown to correspond to a decreasing polyaniline stereoselectivity with increasing nanotube loading fraction.

The gate-controllable Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida RKKY magnetic interaction between themagnetic impurities embedded in one- and two-dimensional electron gas in the presence of Rashbaspin-orbit coupling was analyzed theoretically. By using the eigenfunctions of the single-particleRashba Hamiltonian as the basis of second quantization, we derived the RKKY interaction by fullytaking into account the spin-orbit interaction. The dependence of the RKKY magnetic interaction onthe Rashba spin-orbit coupling strength was obtained numerically. Our results clearly indicate thatthe RKKY interaction can be significantly modified by an applied voltage via the Rashba spin-orbitcoupling.

The authors demonstrate that in single-walled carbon nanotubes, a weak impurity potential can leadto a strong above-gap absorption continuum. The total absorption is enhanced due to the intrabandand indirect transitions, as well as plasmon excitations, which are forbidden in perfect nanotubes.Such impurity induced absorption is strongly dependent on the size and chirality of the tube.

A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) procedure for the detection of Cryptosporidium in environmental and fecal samples was developed and evaluated. This is the first demonstration of LAMP applied to detection of Cryptosporidium. Due to its specificity and simplicity, the method could become a useful diagnostic tool for epidemiologic studies of Cryptosporidium presence.

A simple, cheap and versatile, polyol-mediated fabrication method has been extended to the synthesis of tin oxide nanoparticles on a large scale. Ultrafine SnO2 nanoparticles with crystallite sizes of less than 5 nm were realized by refluxing SnCl2 · 2H2O in ethylene glycol at 195 °C for 4 h under vigorous stirring in air. The as-prepared SnO2 nanoparticles exhibited enhanced Li-ion storage capability and cyclability, demonstrating a specific capacity of 400 mAh g−1 beyond 100 cycles.

Chromatin remodeling enzymes such as SWI/SNF use the hydrolysis of ATP to power the movement of nucleosomes with respect to DNA. BRG1, one of the ATPases of the SWI/SNF complex, can be recruited by both activators and repressors, although the precise role of BRG1 in mechanisms of repression has thus far remained unclear. One transcription factor that recruits BRG1 as a corepressor is the repressor element 1-silencing transcription factor (REST). Here we address for the first time the mechanism of BRG1 activity in gene repression. We found that BRG1 enhanced REST-mediated repression at some REST target genes by increasing the interaction of REST with the local chromatin at its binding sites. Furthermore, REST-chromatin interactions, mediated by BRG1, were enhanced following an increase in histone acetylation in a manner dependent on the BRG1 bromodomain. Our data suggest that BRG1 facilitates REST repression by increasing the interaction between REST and chromatin. Such a mechanism may be applicable to other transcriptional repressors that utilize BRG1.

The genome-wide mapping of gene-regulatory motifs remains a major goal that will facilitate the modelling of gene-regulatory networks and their evolution. The repressor element 1 is a long, conserved transcription factor-binding site which recruits the transcriptional repressor REST to numerous neuron-specific target genes. REST plays important roles in multiple biological processes and disease states. To map RE1 sites and target genes, we created a position specific scoring matrix representing the RE1 and used it to search the human and mouse genomes. We identified 1301 and 997 RE1s inhuman and mouse genomes, respectively, of which >40% are novel. By employing an ontological analysis we show that REST target genes are significantly enriched in a number of functional classes. Taking the novel REST target gene CACNA1A as an experimental model, we show that it can be regulated by multiple RE1s of different binding affinities, which are only partially conserved between human and mouse. A novel BLAST methodology indicated that many RE1s belong to closely related families. Most of these sequences are associated with transposable elements, leading us to propose that transposon-mediated duplication and insertion of RE1s has led to the acquisition of novel target genes by REST during evolution.

A mutant version of the N-terminal domain of Escherichia coli DnaB helicase was used as a model system to assess the stabilization against unfolding gained by covalent cyclization. Cyclization was achieved in vivo by formation of an amide bond between the N and C termini with the help of a split mini-intein. Linear and circular proteins were constructed to be identical in amino acid sequence. Mutagenesis of Phe102 to Glu rendered the protein monomeric even at high concentration. A difference in free energy of unfolding, ΔΔG, between circular and linear protein of 2.3(±0.5) kcal mol−1 was measured at 10 °C by circular dichroism. A theoretical estimate of the difference in conformational entropy of linear and circular random chains in a three-dimensional cubic lattice model predicted ΔΔG=2.3 kcal mol−1, suggesting that stabilization by protein cyclization is driven by the reduced conformational entropy of the unfolded state. Amide-proton exchange rates measured by NMR spectroscopy and mass spectrometry showed a uniform, approximately tenfold decrease of the exchange rates of the most slowly exchanging amide protons, demonstrating that cyclization globally decreases the unfolding rate of the protein. The amide proton exchange was found to follow EX1 kinetics at near-neutral pH, in agreement with an unusually slow refolding rate of less than 4 min−1 measured by stopped-flow circular dichroism. The linear and circular proteins differed more in their unfolding than in their folding rates. Global unfolding of the N-terminal domain of E. coli DnaB is thus promoted strongly by spatial separation of the N and C termini, whereas their proximity is much less important for folding.

The Internet has provided distance education with a new delivery opportunity that tertiary institutions are rapidly deploying. However, little is known of the characteristics of effective human tutors to exploit this opportunity and what capabilities they require for particular online learning environments. This paper reports on an in-depth study examining the online learning milieu in six separate courses that incorporated the use of text-based online technologies at an Australian university. The study required a determination of the environmental factors affecting online tutor capabilities and the relationship between these capabilities and the factors. Thirteen environmental factors emerged from an analysis of the data and a set of critical online tutor capabilities based upon five categories distilled after an exhaustive review of the literature. From this a model of the mediated relationship between these capabilities and environmental factors was created and recommendations were made concerning the required capabilities of online tutors that will assist tertiary institutions in selection and training processes. Finally, the study identified a dissonance between the perceptions of tutors, students and course designers that needs careful consideration and further research.

Human papillomavirus-like particles (HPV-VLP) are a candidate vaccine for prevention of HPVinfection, and also are a candidate for an immunogenic delivery system for incorporated antigen. VLP activate in vitro generated dendritic cells (DC) but not Langerhans cells (LC); however, the mechanism of this activation is unknown. We have shown that uptake and activation of DC by VLP involves proteoglycan receptors and can be inhibited by heparin. Heparin has been shown to activate DC by signalling through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) andnuclear factor (NF)-?B. The pathway of DC activation by VLP was further investigated in the present study. Exposure to VLP induced costimulatory molecule expression, RelB translocation and IL-10 production by DC but not by LC. The lack of LC activation was reversible when TGF-?was removed from the LC medium. VLP-induced induction of costimulatory molecule expression, RelB activation and cytokine secretion by DC was blocked by inhibition of NF-?B activation, heparin or TLR4 mAb. The data provide evidence that HPV-VLP signal DC througha pathway involving proteoglycan receptors, TLR4 and NF-?B, and shed light on the mechanism by which VLP stimulate immunity in the absence of adjuvants in vivo. LC may resist activation in normal epithelium abundant in TGF-?, but not in situations in which TGF-? concentrations are reduced.

Leaf senescence that occurs in the last stage of leaf development is a genetically programmed process. It is very significant to elucidate the molecular mechanisms that control the initiation and progression of leaf senescence and the way the senescence signal is transduced. In a previous study on artificially induced soybean leaf senescence, we cloned a novel gene designatedrlpk2 (Genbank Accession No. AY687391) that encodes a leucine-rich repeat (LRR) receptor like protein kinase. The expression level ofrlpk2 gene was shown to be strongly up-regulated during both the natural leaf senescence process in this report and the artificially induced primary-leaf-senescence process in our previous work. The RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated knocking-down ofrlpk2 dramatically retarded both the natural and nutrient deficiency-induced leaf senescence in transgenic soybean. The transgenic leaves showed more cell-aggregated surface structure and higher content of chlorophyll.

Aim: To provide material foundation for the transplantation of neural stem cells (NSCs) modified by cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1) gene in the treatment of central nervous system injury with the CT-1 gene modifying NSCs in rats. Methods: The experiment was performed at the Military Key Opened Laboratory, Institute of Battle Surgery, Third Military Medical University of Chinese PLA from June 2002 to June 2003. The embryos NSCs were isolated and cultured from embryo hippocampus and ependyma region in Wistar rats in order to establish the purified recombined adenovirus (rAd)-CT1 and rAd-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) carrier transfection into NSCs. The condition of growth and living was observed directly under the differential microscope. The NSCs and the special nestin, neurofilament, glial fibriliary acidic protein (GFAP) exogenous Brdu of the differentiation cells of NSCs after inducing and the mixed status of the EGFP were detected with immunocytochemical method and immunofluorescence technique, and the expression of the CT-1 gene in the NSCs was observed. Results: 1 The NSCs separated from embryo of rats could do many times of passage in vitro. The cell proliferation marker, Brdu mixture verified that the NSCs had the ability of splitting and proliferation. 2 The NSCs marker-nestin, neuron marker-neurofilament and the glial cell marker-GFAP were detected, which indicated that the NSCs had the multipotential differentiation. 3 After the transfection of rAd-CT1 and rAd-EGFP into NSCs. the CT1 and the expression of reported gene EGFP in the NSCs continuously increased significantly detected with immunohistochemical method and fluorescent tracer technique. Conclusion: 1 NSCs are isolated and cultured in the experiment successfully, and can perform passage proliferation in vitro in many times and can trans-differentiation into neurons and glial cells. 2 After the transfection of rAd-CT1 and rAd-EGFP into NSCs, the exogenous CT-1 gene and EGFP can express stablely in

This paper describes a project which integrated email communication between native speakers (NS) and non-native speakers (NNS) and the Italian daily broadcast telegiornale (tg) in the context of foreign language learning. For one semester students of Italian at the University of Wollongong regularly watched the Italian telegiornale and met once a week to discuss it with the instructor and the rest of the class. As part of the project learners participated in one-to-one email interactions with selected NS of Italian and discussed a range of topics presented in the news. This paper discusses some of the key characteristics of the project and the implications of this integrated approach in terms of learners' motivation and participation.

Combination of cis-platinum with ionizing radiation is one of the most promising anticancer treatments that appears to be more efficient than radiotherapy alone. Unlike conventional X-ray emitters, accelerators of high energy particles like synchrotrons display powerful and monochromatizable radiation that makes the induction of an Auger electron cascade in cis-platinum molecules [also called photoactivation of cis-platinum (PAT-Plat)] theoretically possible. Here, we examined the molecular consequences of one of the first attempts of synchrotron PAT-Plat, performed at the European Synchrotron Research Facility (Grenoble-France). PATPlat was found to result in an extra number of slowly repairable DNA double-strand breaks, inhibition of DNA-protein kinase activity, dramatic nuclear relocalization of RAD51, hyperphosphorylation of the BRCA1 protein, and activation of proto-oncogenic c-Abl tyrosine kinase.

The placement of monocular laser lesions in the adult cat retina produces a lesion projection zone (LPZ) in primary visual cortex (V1) in which the majority of neurons have a normally located receptive field (RF) for stimulation of the intact eye and an ectopically located RF ( displaced to intact retina at the edge of the lesion) for stimulation of the lesioned eye. Animals that had such lesions for 14 - 85 d were studied under halothane and nitrous oxide anesthesia with conventional neurophysiological recording techniques and stimulation of moving light bars. Previous work suggested that a candidate source of input, which could account for the development of the ectopic RFs, was long-range horizontal connections within V1. The critical contribution of such input was examined by placing a pipette containing the neurotoxin kainic acid at a site in the normal V1 visual representation that overlapped with the ectopic RF recorded at a site within the LPZ. Continuation of well defined responses to stimulation of the intact eye served as a control against direct effects of the kainic acid at the LPZ recording site. In six of seven cases examined, kainic acid deactivation of neurons at the injection site blocked responsiveness to lesioned-eye stimulation at the ectopic RF for the LPZ recording site. We therefore conclude that long-range horizontal projections contribute to the dominant input underlying the capacity for retinal lesion-induced plasticity in V1.

It can be argued that social interaction is a critical factor in understanding Web-mediated communication. While the concept and domain of social interaction has been studied in several disciplines they are underdeveloped in the current Web-enabled environment. This paper adopts a social psychological point of view of conceptual and operational issues in relation to social interaction. Through a review of the literature, two domains of social interaction are identified: task and socio-emotional interaction. The literature review also addresses some problems in defmition related to socio-emotional interaction. In an attempt to fill the gap between conceptual and operational defmitions of social presence, we redefme the construct and suggest new measures for social presence relevant to the current technology enabled environment. Inspired by concepts from the CulturaHistorical Activity Theory, the authors adopt a social psychology approach to this issue. This paper aims to initiate constructive discussion about the universal defmition and measurement of social interaction, in the context of Web-mediated communication.

In recent decades the grass Phragmites australis has been aggressively invading coastal, tidal marshes of North America, and in many areas it is now considered a nuisance species. While P. australis has historically been restricted to the relatively benign upper border of brackish and salt marshes, it has been expanding seaward into more physiologically stressful regions. Here we test a leading hypothesis that the spread of P. australis is due to anthropogenic modification of coastal marshes. We did a field experiment along natural borders between stands of P. australis and the other dominant grasses and rushes (i.e., matrix vegetation) in a brackish marsh in Rhode Island, USA. We applied a pulse disturbance in one year by removing or not removing neighboring matrix vegetation and adding three levels of nutrients (specifically nitrogen) in a factorial design, and then we monitored the aboveground performance of P. australis and the matrix vegetation. Both disturbances increased the density, height, and biomass of shoots of P. australis, and the effects of fertilization were more pronounced where matrix vegetation was removed. Clearing competing matrix vegetation also increased the distance that shoots expanded and their reproductive output, both indicators of the potential for P. australis to spread within and among local marshes. In contrast, the biomass of the matrix vegetation decreased with increasing severity of disturbance. Disturbance increased the total aboveground production of plants in the marsh as matrix vegetation was displaced by P. australis. A greenhouse experiment showed that, with increasing nutrient levels, P. australis allocates proportionally more of its biomass to aboveground structures used for spread than to belowground structures used for nutrient acquisition. Therefore, disturbances that enrich nutrients or remove competitors promote the spread of P. australis by reducing belowground competition for nutrients between P. australis and the ma

In response to the call for integration of information and communication technologies (ICTs) within the skills and knowledge-base preparation of physical and health education professionals, this paper outlines the design, development and outcomes associated with two applications. The initial project included the delivery of a traditional face to face lecture-based first year health education subject utilising a Web-based delivery approach, whilst the second case study describes the enhancement of the practice teaching experience for fourth year preservice teachers. These studies demonstrate the benefits of the integration of computer-mediated communication (CMC) in supporting the development of physical and health education teachers.

Biopsies were obtained from the quadriceps femoris muscle of two male patients deficient in phosphofructokinase (PFK) 1. In the basal state the patients had markedly higher contents of UDP-glucose (~5-fold), hexose monophosphates (~7- to 13-fold), inosine monophosphate (IMP) (~15-fold), and fructose 2,6-bisphosphate (F-2,6-P 2; ~6-fold) than controls. Fructose 1,6-bisphosphate was not detectable, and phosphocreatine was lower (33 and 54 mmol/kg dry wt) than in controls [72 ?? 4 (SD)]. Patients had normal fasting plasma glucose and insulin levels and basal glucose turnover rates and responded normally to a 75-g oral glucose challenge. Patients were also studied during euglycemic hyperinsulinemia (~95 mg/dl; 40 and 400 mU ?? m -2 ?? min -1). Whole body glucose disposal rates were normal during both insulin infusion rates. Biopsies taken after the 400 mU insulin infusion showed decreases in acetylcarnitine and citrate and increases in the fractional activity of glycogen synthase. It is suggested that the high basal levels of F-2,6-P 2 are, at least partly, a consequence of the high levels of fructose 6-phosphate, which will stimulate flux through PFK- and inhibit fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase. The low phosphocreatine and high IMP contents indicate that carbohydrate availability is important for control of high-energy phosphate metabolism, even in the basal state. The insulin-mediated decreases in acetylcarnitine and citrate suggest an activation of the tricarboxylic acid cycle in skeletal muscle but an absence of the normal response to replenish these intermediates.