Cardiovascular risk factors among Chamorros.

Background: Little is known regarding the cardiovascular disease risk factors among Chamorros residing in the United States.

Methods: The Chamorro Directory International and the CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Questionnaire (BRFSS) were used to assess the health related practices and needs of a random sample of 228 Chamorros.

Results: Inactivity, hypertension, elevated cholesterol and diabetes mellitus were more prevalent in this Chamorro sample compared to the US average.

A secreted cell number counting factor represses intracellular glucose levels to regulate group size in dictyostelium.

Developing Dictyostelium cells form evenly sized groups of approximately 2 x 10(4) cells. A secreted 450-kDa protein complex called counting factor (CF) regulates group size by repressing cell-cell adhesion and myosin polymerization and by increasing cAMP-stimulated cAMP production, actin polymerization, and cell motility. We find that CF regulates group size in part by repressing internal glucose levels.