This research examines the conduct and consequences of the use of participatory rural appraisal techniques in four rural development projects in The Gambia. The research included a review of literature on PRA and the identification of a series of key themes that would allow an assessment of its utility. Fieldwork in The Gambia included reviews of project documentation, key informant interviews,...

1. A gene-drug interaction has been indicated between β₁-adrenoceptor-selective beta-blockers and the Arg389Gly polymorphism (rs1801253) in the adrenergic beta-1 receptor gene (ADRB1). In the present study, we investigated the effect of the ADRB1 Arg389Gly polymorphism on plasma renin activity (PRA) and heart rate (HR), as well as genotype-dependent responses to metoprolol and exercise. 2. Twen...

The ovarian hormone progesterone is essential for normal breast development and function. However, it is also implicated in breast cancer development. Progesterone signals through two nuclear receptors [progesterone receptor A (PRA) and progesterone receptor B (PRB)], which display striking differences in transcriptional activity when analyzed separately. The two species are coexpressed equally...

Protosappanin A (PrA), an immunosuppressive ingredient of the medicinal herb Caesalpinia sappan L, prolongs heart allograft survival in rats, possibly by impairing the function of antigen-presenting cells (APCs). We examined the effects of PrA on the maturation and function of dendritic cells (DCs), a potent class of APCs, and the downstream cell-cell and intracellular signaling pathways mediat...

Theoretical and numerical analyses of waveguide branches in a photonic crystal are presented. Conditions for perfect transmission and zero reflection are discussed. Based upon these conditions, numerical simulations of electromagnetic-wave propagation in photonic crystals are performed to identify structures with near-complete transmission. © 2001 Optical Society of America OCIS codes: 130.1750...

Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) is an adrenal disorders due to impaired activity of one of the enzymes required for cortisol and aldosterone biosynthesis. One of the subtypes of CAH is the salt-wasting (SW) form which there is a renal salt loss due to aldosterone deficiency. Plasma Renin Activity (PRA) is the main index used to evaluate the mineralocorticoid control in CAH. PRA testing is ...

Progesterone receptor (PR) and progestins affect mammary tumorigenesis; however, the relative contributions of PR isoforms A and B (PRA and PRB, respectively) in cancer cell migration remains elusive. By using a bi-inducible MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell line expressing PRA and/or PRB, we analyzed the effect of conditional PR isoform expression. Surprisingly, unliganded PRB but not PRA strongly...

OBJECTIVE In this study, we aimed to investigate the incidence, dynamics and profiles of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-directed antibodies developed after transplantation and their impact on graft rejection and outcome in kidney recipients. STUDY DESIGN Prospective follow-up study. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 56 kidney recipients were monitored at 1(st), 6(th) and 12(th) months for the ...

Background Pravastatin (Pra) exerts protective effects on preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is a multifactorial and pathogenic pathway syndrome. The present study compared the effects of Pra on clinical manifestations of preeclampsia in different pathogenic pathways. Methods Two different preeclampsia-like mouse models used in this study were generated with Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) ...

To determine the effect of diabetes mellitus on the renin-aldosterone system, independent of age, nephropathy, or hypertension, 16 normotensive diabetics with long-term disease (mean duration, 15 years) and no (14) or minimal (2) proteinuria, were compared to nine age-matched, normotensive controls. Plasma renin activity (PRA) measured supine and after 4 hours of quiet ambulation, both on an ad...