Rhena Delport

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Verified

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• PhD MSc MEd
• Associate Professor at University of Pretoria

Insights into the human mitochondrial phylogeny have been primarily achieved by sequencing full mitochondrial genomes (mtGenomes). In forensic genetics (partial) mtGenome information can be used to assign haplotypes to their phylogenetic backgrounds, which may, in turn, have characteristic geographic distributions that would offer useful informatio...

With the use of specific cardiac markers with higher sensitivity, new perspectives have emerged on the nature of myocardial necrosis and injury, which are associated with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The third universal definition of myocardial infarction1 now classifies myocardial infarction (MI), based on the relevant pathology, clinical presen...

Over the past 25 years, professionalism has emerged as a substantive and sustained theme, the operationalization and measurement of which has become a major concern for those involved in medical education. However, how to go about establishing the elements that constitute appropriate professionalism in order to assess them is difficult. Using a dis...

The insecticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) has been used for malaria vector control in the northern and eastern parts of the Vhembe District of Limpopo Province, South Africa, since 1945. Bioaccumulation of DDT raises concern because it reportedly affects thyroid function. Our objective was to investigate the association between DDT upta...

Ischaemia-modified albumin (IMA), as measured by the albumin-cobalt binding (ACB) test, has been cleared by the US Food and Drug administration as a biomarker to exclude the presence of myocardial ischaemia in patients. Although there are a number of published studies detailing the clinical utility of IMA, data on the biological variation of IMA ar...

Many studies have reported poor mental health coinciding with lockdowns and experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The harshest lockdowns tended to happen in cities, and yet differing urban forms are likely to have mediated their effects. South Africa, characterised by varying urban forms, had high levels of poor mental health pre-pandemic, and yet...

Background The inclusion of research in undergraduate medical curricula benefits students as well as the scientific community. Multiple studies report the presence of one or more barriers to research training in these curricula. Objectives This paper presents and compares three studies done regarding the teaching of research in undergraduate medic...

Residential spatial impact on increased susceptibility to coronavirus transmission is mainly reported in communities residing in high-rise residential buildings and slums or informal settlements. This study investigates differential SARS-CoV2 infection according to urban form and site—high-density apartments (HDA) in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, formal...

Aim: To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on admissions of patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) and primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PPCI) in countries participating in the Stent-Save a Life (SSL) global initiative. Methods and Results: We conducted a multicenter observational survey to collect data on patient admissions...

We conducted a study of admission rates of ACS in all Mediclinic hospitals in South Africa. The aim of the study was to quantify the extent of change in admission rates of ACS subtypes and to establish the degree of change in subtype proportions in the private sector assumed to be related to COVID-19 and/or lockdown implementation. Time intervals w...

Clinical guidelines recommend the development of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) networks at community, regional and/or national level to offer ideally primary coronary angioplasty, or, at least the best available STEMI care to all patients. However, there is a discrepancy between this clinical recommendation and daily practice, with no...

We conducted a study of admission rates of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in all Mediclinic hospitals in South Africa. The aim of the study was to quantify the extent of change in admission rates of ACS subtypes and to establish the degree of change in subtype proportions in the private sector assumed to be related to COVID-19 and/or lockdown implem...

The study investigates the association between age and ability to consent to medical management.

Background. During recent years, a shortage of medical practitioners has been reported in rural underserved areas of South Africa (SA). The Division of Family Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town (UCT), SA, implemented a voluntary 4-week rural rotation in Vredenburg, West Coast District, in 2011 in response to the need for...

Background: In 2009, an International Working Group (IWG) on the Assessment of Professionalism began collaborating and published recommendations in 2011. Nearly a decade later the IWG reconvened to take stock of the state of practice and research in professionalism and the impact of the 2011 report. Method: A bibliometric study identified all publi...

DDT [1, 1, 1-trichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethane] compounds are used for indoor residual spraying (IRS) to control malaria mosquitoes. DDT is an endocrine disruptor chemical in experimental conditions, but little is known of adverse effects related to living conditions with continual uptake across a time span by all possible means of exposure...

Background: Sympatho-adrenal responses are activated as an innate defense coping (DefS) mechanism during emotional stress. Whether these sympatho-adrenal responses drive cardiac troponin T (cTnT) increases are unknown. Therefore, associations between cTnT and sympatho-adrenal responses were assessed. Methods: A prospective bi-ethnic cohort, excl...

Background High sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) is a validated marker of myocardial damage and may reflect the degree of silent myocardial ischaemia (SMI) and ventricular strain. Our aim was to compare hs-cTnT levels in black and white South Africans taking SMI into consideration. We further explored the capability of hs-cTnT to predict th...

Hypertension Research, official publication of the Japanese Society of Hypertension, publishes papers reporting original clinical and experimental research in the field of hypertension and related cardiovascular diseases.

The paper provides a critical review on the effectiveness of patient education post myocardial infarction on disease outcome

The variant allele of rs3798220 in the apolipoprotein(a) gene (LPA) is used to assess the risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) in Europeans, where it is associated with short alleles of the Kringle IV-2 (KIV-2) copy number variation (CNV) and high lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) concentrations. No association of rs3798220 with CAD was detected in a GWAS o...

Background. Components of professionalism in undergraduate medical studies at the University of Pretoria (UP) were previously defined as nine ‘Golden Threads’. Although specific outcomes were formulated for the threads, the need for more explicit professional standards became increasingly evident. The restructuring of the health system in South Afr...

What is becoming increasingly evident in underdeveloped countries worldwide and also in rural African regions is that the risk profile for cardiovascular disease, and in particular ischaemic heart disease, is rapidly changing. This necessitates the implementation of drastic preventative and curative treatment measures for non-communicable diseases,...

The SA Heart Association seeks to to improve the early management of ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction in South Africa. This pilot study was undertaken to establish the current time intervals present in the referral pathways to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) facilities in the Tshwane Metropole and to further identify the barriers...

The theme for the 15th Annual SA Heart Congress for 2014 of ‘Bridging the Divide’ between best practice and current challenges in the management of cardiovascular conditions inspired this editorial on the feasibility of implementing the European Society of Cardiology ‘Stent-for-Life’ initiative in sub-Saharan Africa or alternate measures of ensurin...

This paper describes the opportunities and challenges in building ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) systems of care in Stent for Life affiliated and collaborating so-called emerging countries, namely India, China, South Africa and Mexico, where CAD mortality is increasing and becoming a significant health-care problem. The Stent for...

This paper describes the opportunities and challenges in building ST-elevation acute myocardial infarction (STEMI) systems of care in Stent for Life affiliated and collaborating so-called emerging countries, namely India, China, South Africa and Mexico, where CAD mortality is increasing and becoming a significant healthcare problem. The Stent for L...

The Publisher regrets that this article is an accidental duplication of an article that has already been published, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fsigen.2013.09.007. The duplicate article has therefore been withdrawn. The full Elsevier Policy on Article Withdrawal can be found at http://www.elsevier.com/locate/withdrawalpolicy.

Insights into the human mitochondrial phylogeny have been primarily achieved by sequencing full mitochondrial genomes (mtGenomes). In forensic genetics (partial) mtGenome information can be used to assign haplotypes to their phylogenetic backgrounds, which may, in turn, have characteristic geographic distributions that would offer useful informatio...

whether such a study is viable, since homocysteine is metabolised more effectively in black subjects. Methods: Dietary intake of methionine and B-vitamins was recorded for a sub-group (n=280) of 434 subjects from the fertility study on whom plasma total homocyst(e)ine (tHcy), folate, vitamin B12, p,p’-DDE (DDE44) and p,p’-DDT (DDT44) were determin...

Summary of full mtGenome haplotypes generated by Sanger-type sequencing.

Software settings of NextGENe (SoftGenetics).

Detailed summary of observed differences between STS and PGM (variant caller).

Summary of positions that displayed deletions and substitutions in PGM variant cells.

Depiction of point heteroplasmies with STS and PGM.

10664T results STS, NextGENe.

Summary of updated sequencing primers relative to the protocol in Ref. [9].

Comparison of STS consensus haplotype and NextGENe output from PGM generated mtGenome data from sample WGS42 (200 bp chemistry).

Summary of discrepant Ion Torrent variant calls analyzed with NextGENe.

Sample WGS28 – comparison of sequence calls with STS.

456T results STS, NextGENe.

The burden of acquired heart disease in adults and children presents a very real healthcare challenge across the world. Philips Healthcare’s commitment to improving access to healthcare infrastructure in Africa was emphasised through the hosting of and participation in dialogues, discussions and workshops at the sixth World Congress on Paediatric C...

Here we provide 129 complete mitochondrial control region sequences of indigenous Khoe-San individuals from Angola to contribute to the still underrepresented pool of data from Africa. The dataset consists of exclusively African lineages with a majority of Sub-Saharan haplogroups. The probability of a random match was calculated as 0.09. The data s...

TESTOSTERONE BIOAVAILABLITY AND BODY BURDEN OF p,p'-DDE WITH NON-OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURE TO THE PESTICIDE DDT R. Delport1, M.S. Bornman2, N.H. Aneck-Hahn2 and C. de Jagert3. 1Department of Chemical Pathology, 2Department of Urology, 3School of Health Systems & Public Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa....

Short tandem repeat (STR) typing has become the standard technique in forensic methodology for the identification of unknown samples. National DNA databases have been established that contain STR genotypes for intelligence purposes. Due to their success, national DNA databases have been growing so fast that the number of advantageous matches may be...

DECREASED RETINOL-BINDING PROTEIN CONCENTRATIONS IN HUMANS WITH ENVIRONMENTAL EXPOSURE TO ENDOCRINE DISRUPTORS R Delport 1,2, MS Bornman 3, NH Aneck-Hahn 3, C de Jager 4 1 Department of Family Medicine, 2 Department of Chemical Pathology, 3 Department of Urology, 4 School of Health Systems & Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South A...

Skills shortage is experienced world-wide and often a skills mismatch is observed between programme content and industry needs with the result that qualifications do not secure jobs. Furthermore the distribution of qualifications in different disciplines may not necessarily be aligned with the needs of a country. This paper informs private develope...

Summary This review discusses the 1987 article by Wyndham, Seftel, Pilcher and Baker on familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH) and myocardial infarction (MI) in young Afrikaners, in terms of the significance at the time of publication, as well as the relevance of their findings versus current observations on hypercholesterolaemia in South Africa. Risk...

During recent years, many distance teaching as well as residential institutions have started to experiment with mobile learning through pilot projects as part of their e-learning and technology enhanced learning environments. The practical experience gained with the employment of strategies and approaches within distance education can assist with t...

During recent years, many distance teaching as well as residential institutions have started to experiment with mobile learning through pilot projects as part of their e-learning and technology enhanced learning environments. Because of the similar affordances of distance learning technologies and online and mobile learning, the established field o...

This paper reports on a survey investigating the role that differences in expectations and perceptions of mobile learning and mobile devices play in establishing mobile learning at an educational institution, Responses from institutions with no institutional plans for mobile learning and others that do plan or currently have developed mobile learni...

Many reports suggest that male reproductive health has deteriorated over the last decades, possibly due to environmental contaminants that act as endocrine disruptors. This hypothesis was tested in Sprague-Dawley rats using a modified Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development 415 one-generation test. Group A received cottonseed oil as c...

This paper reports on a survey investigating the role that differences in expectations and perceptions of mobile learning and mobile devices play in establishing mobile learning at an educational institution. Responses from institutions with no institutional plans for mobile learning and others that do plan or currently have developed mobile learni...

During recent years, many distance teaching as well as residential institutions have started to experiment with mobile learning through pilot projects as part of their e-learning and technology enhanced learning environments. Because of the similar affordances of distance learning technologies and online and mobile learning, the established field o...

During recent years, many distance teaching as well as residential institutions have started to experiment with mobile learning through pilot projects as part of their e-learning and technology enhanced learning environments. Mobile learning should not be regarded as a medium for distance learning. However, because of the similar affordances of dis...

To study if T-cell activation related to portasystemic shunting causes osteoclast-mediated bone loss through RANKL-dependent pathways. We also investigated if T-cell inhibition using rapamycin would protect against bone loss in rats. Portasystemic shunting was performed in male Sprague-Dawley rats and rapamycin 0.1 mg/kg was administered for 15 wk...

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is diagnosed and monitored worldwide by blood glucose (BG) and glycohemoglobin A(1c) (HbA(1c)) testing, respectively. Methods for quality assessment of clinician interpretations of changes in these laboratory results have been developed. This study uses survey responses from general practitioners (GPs) in different countries...

Aneck-Hahn NH, Delport R, Bornman MS, De Jager C.

Homocyst(e)ine is reported to increase the binding of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] to fibrin, which may increase the thrombogenic effects of Lp(a) in vivo. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is a relationship between homocyst(e)ine and Lp(a) levels and vascular disease risk, and if the relationship depends on the apo(a) isoforms. A ca...

Utermann, G.; Scholz, M.; Delport, R.; Geethanjali, FS.; Luthra, K.; Kronenberg, F.; Lemming, L.; Lingenhel, A.; Pang, RWC.; Schmidt, K.; Abe, A.; Volkova, M.; Windegger, M.; Ogorelkova, M.; Bickeboller, H.; Kraft, HG.

DNA samples of 2303 individuals from nine different population groups were screened for variant -175g-->t in the promoter region of the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene. The -175g-->t variant detected at carrier frequencies of 3-10% in different African population groups was absent in the Caucasian and Asian (Chinese) individuals studie...

Numerous variations of the methionine load test are frequently used as dynamic function tests to assess homocysteine metabolism. Lack of standardization impedes inter-laboratory comparisons. Criteria based on biological variation are suggested to standardize the methionine load test. Weekly methionine load tests (n=5) with blood sampling at 0, 4, 6...

The frequencies of mutations 677C-->T and 1298A-->C in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene, previously shown to be associated with decreased enzyme activity that may lead to hyperhomocysteinaemia and consequently increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), were determined in the South African population. HinfI (677C-->T) and Mb...

Sweat conductivity, which is equivalent to sweat NaCl concentration, is used as a screening test to identify possible cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. No data exist on the biological variation of this variable and the influence it may have on the interpretation of sweat testing. The aim of this study was to determine the components of biological vari...

This prospective descriptive study was undertaken to determine: the proportion of paediatric oncology patients with prior exposure to hepatitis B at cancer diagnosis; the risk and risk factors for acquisition of hepatitis B infection during chemotherapy; and the development of a prevention policy. Sixty African children were included in this study....

Utermann, G.; Scholz, M.; Delport, R.; Ehnholm, C.; Geethanjali, FS.; Luthra, K.; Kronenberg, F.; Lemming, L.; Lingenhel, A.; Makemaham, O.; Pang, RWCc.; Schmidt, K.; Abe, A.; Volkova, M.; Windegger, M.; Ogorelkova, M.; Bickeboeller, H.; Kraft, HG.

The cosupplementation of magnesium with calcium has been suggested to be beneficial in the prevention of osteoporosis. We investigated the effect of magnesium supplementation on parameters of bone resorption and fractional 45Ca absorption. Twenty apparently healthy women with a mean age of 39.2 +/- 9.2 years and an erythrocyte magnesium concentrati...

Stroke patients in western countries frequently have coronary artery disease (CAD). In black Africans, CAD has been reported as being rare in both stroke patients and the general population. In this study, an attempt has been made to determine the prevalence of CAD in a black South African stroke population. The prevalence of CAD was determined by...

We investigated the utility of erythrocyte magnesium concentrations as an index of magnesium status. Calculated from the analytical and biological variation, the critical difference, i.e. the difference between results from serial specimens before they can be said to be statistically different, was 22.4% (P<0.05). Magnesium supplementation of 250 m...

Vitamin B12 and to a lesser extent folate deficiencies have been associated with dementias. Both these vitamins are determinants of plasma total homocysteine concentrations. In this review the frequency distributions of plasma vitamin B12, folate and homocysteine in South African males (# 51 yrs and > 51 yrs) illustrate the lower vitamin B12 levels...

Reference ranges are used to interpret results, to confirm a diagnosis and to define levels at which a certain blood component may increase risk of a disease. Therefore care should be taken in defining the range in which the results of 95% of a healthy population would be expected to fall. Subjects should constitute a random sample of the healthy p...

Various methods are available to measure plasma total homocyst(e)ine (tHcy) concentrations, but whether plasma tHcy assays may be used interchangeably is not known. Results from three different methods [HPLC with fluorescence detection, enzyme immunoassay (EIA), and fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA)] to determine fasting (n = 163) and po...

Lipoprotein(a) (Lp(a)) represents a quantitative trait in human plasma associated with atherothrombotic disease. Large variation in the distribution of Lp(a) concentrations exists across populations which is at present unexplained. Sib-pair linkage analysis has suggested that the apo(a) gene on chromosome 6q27 is the major determinant of Lp(a) leve...

The birth incidence of neural tube defects (NTDs) in South Africa is threefold to sixfold higher in rural compared with urban blacks. We investigated whether folate deficiency and aberrant homocysteine metabolism could explain the high NTD incidence in rural black populations. Plasma folate and total homocyst(e)ine (tHcy) concentrations were determ...

The incidence of neural tube defects (NTD) among black South Africans living in urban areas is low compared with reports of _" I\TTD incidence in rural areasY A NTD incidence of 0.95 per -;:-1000 live births was reported in Cape Town,l while an incidence of 0.99 per 1 000 live births was reported in a study performed at Kalafong Academic Hospital,...

The prevalence of coronary heart disease (CAD) reported in the late seventies was high in whites by world standards in contrast to blacks, who had a very low prevalence.I;! The difference in prevalence was ascribed to differences in lifestyle and diet, as blacks were reported to take in a high-fibre and low-fat dietY Due to increased urbanisation,...

Decreased antioxidant-vitamin nutritional status may increase lipid peroxidation and susceptibility of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) to oxidative modification. The aim of this study was to evaluate the vitamin nutritional status of coronary artery disease (CAD) patients and to assess the risk of CAD related to each individual antioxidant vitamin. T...

Objective: To determine the size of reduction in homocysteine concentrations produced by dietary supplementation with folic acid and with vitamins B-12 or B-6. Design: Meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials that assessed the effects of folic acid based supplements on blood homocysteine concentrations. Multivariate regression analysis was use...