DESCRIPTION: The overall purpose of this research project is to understand why individuals with infections receiving nutritional support develop hyperglycemia, and to determine what can be done to prevent this from occurring. The investigator uses a chronically catheterized conscious dog model, receiving continuous nutritional support. Infection is induced by implantation of a fibrinogen clot into the peritoneal cavity. There are three goals to this proposal: (1) to determine the impact of infection on hepatic glucose uptake and the influence of the route of nutrient delivery on this metabolism. (2) To determine the mechanism for the hyperglucagonemia and the role that excess glucagon and nitric oxide play in the metabolic response to nutrient support during infection. (3) To examine the influence of non glucose nutrients which may either exacerbate or correct the impairment in hepatic glucose disposal.