Functional interaction of PkcA and PldB regulate aggregation and development in Dictyostelium discoideum.

Multicellular development in Dictyostelium discoideum involves tightly regulated signaling events controlling the entry into development, initiation of aggregation and chemotaxis, and cellular differentiation. Here we show that PkcA, a Dictyostelium discoideum Protein Kinase C-orthologue, is involved in quorum sensing and the initiation of development, as well as cAMP sensing during chemotaxis. Additionally, by epistasis analysis we provide evidence that PkcA and PldB (a Phospholipase D-orthologue) functionally interact to regulate aggregation, differentiation, and cell-cell adhesion during development.

Psychosocial Factors Associated with Subclinical Atherosclerosis in South Asians: The MASALA Study.

South Asians have the highest rates of premature atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease amongst all ethnic groups in the world; however this risk cannot be fully explained by traditional risk factors. Participants from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America Study were included in this cross-sectional analysis. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of psychosocial factors (including anger, anxiety, depressive symptoms, current and chronic stress, and everyday hassles) with carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT).