Screening for calreticulin mutations in a cohort of patients suspected of having a myeloproliferative neoplasm

Background. The discovery of calreticulin (CALR) has shown it to be the second most frequent mutation after the Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2) mutation in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Its structure indicates various functions, of which two are to ensure calcium homeostasis and proper folding of other target proteins. Over 36 types of CALR mutations have been identified, all causing a recurrent frameshift in the C-terminal domain affecting CALR’s localisation and calcium-binding function.Objective. To screen a cohort of 89 patients suspected of having an MPN for the CALR mutations.Methods. Capillary and gel electrophoresis were used in conjunction as confirmatory tests to screen the cohort of patients. Results. Of three samples containing a type 1 CALR mutation, two were heterozygous and one homozygous for a 52-base pair deletion in CALR.Conclusions. Most studies report CALR mutations to be present only in patients with primary myelofibrosis or essential thrombocythaemia, with mutual exclusivity to JAK2 mutations. The findings of this study indicate that JAK2 and CALR mutations are no longer considered mutually exclusive. Similarly, patients with a polycythaemia vera phenotype could also carry a CALR mutation

Screening for calreticulin mutations in a cohort of patients suspected of having a myeloproliferative neoplasm

Background. The discovery of calreticulin (CALR) has shown it to be the second most frequent mutation after the Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2) mutation in myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Its structure indicates various functions, of which two are to ensure calcium homeostasis and proper folding of other target proteins. Over 36 types of CALR mutations have been identified, all causing a recurrent frameshift in the C-terminal domain affecting CALR’s localisation and calcium-binding function.Objective. To screen a cohort of 89 patients suspected of having an MPN for the CALR mutations.Methods. Capillary and gel electrophoresis were used in conjunction as confirmatory tests to screen the cohort of patients.Results. Of three samples containing a type 1 CALR mutation, two were heterozygous and one homozygous for a 52-base pair deletion in CALR.Conclusions. Most studies report CALR mutations to be present only in patients with primary myelofibrosis or essential thrombocythaemia, with mutual exclusivity to JAK2 mutations. The findings of this study indicate that JAK2 and CALR mutations are no longer considered mutually exclusive. Similarly, patients with a polycythaemia vera phenotype could also carry a CALR mutation

The knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of healthcare students and professionals regarding the interdisciplinary health worker team at Stellenbosch University and Tygerberg Academic Hospital

Objective: To determine the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of healthcare students and qualified health professionals regarding theinterdisciplinary health worker team.Design: A cross-sectional descriptive study.Setting: Stellenbosch University (Tygerberg Campus) and Tygerberg Academic Hospital, Western Cape.Subjects: The sample (n = 529) consisted of first-year students, final-year students and working professionals in the fields of medicine,dietetics, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech-language and hearing therapy.Outcome measures: Self-administered, face-validated questionnaire.Results: There was an increase in knowledge in the final-year students when compared to the first-year students of their understanding ofeach profession. However, this improvement was not apparent when the working professionals’ understanding was compared to the finalyearstudents. The results indicated an increase in understanding of the scope of practice of allied health sciences (p-value = 0.001), andagreement that the patient would always benefit from an interdisciplinary approach. It was found that better patient prognosis was stronglyassociated with the care provided by an interdisciplinary team. This association increased from first-year students to final-year students(p-value = 0.019). Doctors were considered to be most valuable in the interdisciplinary team. The allied health sciences received comparablevalue ratings. The more advanced the years of experience, the less comfortable participants were to assume some of the roles of anotherdiscipline. Knowledge of the role of the dietitian increased from first-year students to final-year students (p-value = 0.001), but it remainedthe same for the professionals.Conclusion: There was an increase in knowledge and a positive change in the attitudes and perceptions of healthcare students and professionals in accordance with years of experience

Simulating mobility to plan for electric minibus taxis in Sub-Saharan Africa's paratransit

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is faced with the challenge to integrate e-mobility into its paratransit (its informal mass transit). Old, unsafe, fuel-inefficient, polluting minibus taxis are the cornerstone of daily commuting for millions in the region. Planning for electrification requires accurate high-frequency mobility data, which is currently unavailable. We analyse and improve on existing simulation models, which predict the energy usage with a micro-traffic simulation, SUMO, that up-samples low-frequency mobility data. We show that, compared to using measured mobility data, the current simulation approach overestimates energy expenditure. Results show a mean energy expenditure per distance overestimation of 14%, and mean energy per trip overestimation of 46%. We identify and virtualisation errors in the current driver and infrastructure models, and identify shortcomings of imposing a virtual road network with simulation software in the SSA context. We recommend and demonstrate virtualisation improvements for accurate electro-mobility planning in future

Reconstruction of an Extensive Midfacial Defect Using Additive Manufacturing Techniques

Published ArticleMalignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors are extremely rare tumors arising in peripheral nerves. Only 17 cases involving the trigeminal nerve have ever been reported. These tumors have a very poor prognosis and very high rates of recurrence and metastases. Their recommended treatment involves complete tumor resection followed by radiation. This can be problematic in the head and neck region. We present a clinical case involving a 33-year-old female patient presenting with a slow-growing, exophytic mass of the anterior maxilla. Incisional biopsy and subsequent histological examination revealed a diagnosis of a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor. Surgical resection involved a complete maxillectomy, rhinectomy, and resection of the upper lip and aspects of the left and right cheeks. Reconstruction of the subsequent defect incorporated the placement of four zygomatic oncology implants to aid in retention of a facial prosthesis. These implants, however, were subsequently lost; and an anatomical model of the hard tissues was manufactured via 3D printing. This model was used to design and manufacture a titanium frame (customized implant) for the patient. The frame was then fixated and secured intraoperative with 21 cortical screws. A maxillary denture and silicone facial prosthesis were also made to fit onto this frame. This is the first known case where additive manufacturing, via the use of rapid prototyping and 3D printing, was employed to manufacture a facial prosthesis

Developing a Patient-Specific Maxillary Implant Using Additive Manufacturing and Design

Published Conference ProceedingsMaxillectomy is the surgical removal or resection of the maxilla or upper jaw bone. A total or partial maxillectomy can be performed depending on how far the tumour has spread. This paper will discuss a patient diagnosed with an aggressive tumour in half of the top jaw who had to undergo an operation to remove the hemi-maxilla and orbital floor. Due to the extent and complexity of the defect, it was decided to manufacture an anatomical model of the hard tissues for planning a possible laser-sintered titanium implant using Additive Manufacturing (AM). The CRPM had only two weeks to design and manufacture the titanium implant, due to the severity of the tumour. The anatomical model was sent to the surgeon to cut the nylon model where the bone resection was planned. Furthermore, the prosthodontist made a wax model of the planned titanium frame that was reverse- engineered and used as reference geometry in the design software.Materialise® design suite was used to design the patient-specific maxilla and cutting jig. The EOS M280 Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) system was instrumental in achieving the direct manufacturing of the bio-compatible titanium implant. The EOS P385 system was used to manufacture the pre-operation planning model as well as the cutting jig.The process chain followed to complete this case study will be discussed showing how this intervention improved the quality of life of a SA patient. Furthermore, the proposed paper and presentation will discuss the post-operation review of the patient showing the impact AM had in accelerating patient-specific implant manufacturing. The authors seek to claim a progressed level of maturity in the proposed manufacturing value chain. The claim is based on the successful completion of the analysis and synthesis of the problem , the validated proof-of-concept of the manufacturing process and the in-vivo implementation of the final product

Factors that influence the geometric detection pattern of vehicle-based licence plate recognition camera systems

CITATION: Rademeyer, M. C., Booysen, M. J. & Barnard, A. 2018. Factors that influence the geometric detection pattern of vehicle-based licence plate recognition camera systems. In Southern African Transport Conference, 9-12 July 2018, Pretoria, South Africa.The original publication is available at http://www.satc.org.zaLicence plate recognition (LPR) systems are used to automatically extract the characters from licence plates positioned in front of a camera. The geometric detection pattern is the region within which the system can accurately recognise licence plates and is of special interest when the system is mounted in a moving vehicle. In this research, the theory surrounding camera optics was investigated and used as the basis of a software simulation model. Inspired by the simulation measurements, a real-world experimental test was conducted to further explore the influence various factors have on the geometric detection pattern. Analysis of these measurements provided greater insight how multiple factors individually contribute to the shape and size of the geometric detection pattern and serves as a guide in the design of vehicle-based LPR systems.Post-prin

Using tracking data and an electro-mobility simulator to establish the energy requirements of electric minibus taxis in Tshwane

Papers presented virtually at the 41st International Southern African Transport Conference on 10-13 July 2023.The minibus taxi (MBT) is the dominant form of public transport across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). With a growing global call for greener transport, MBTs are seen as a key sector of implementation. The electrification of MBTs entails many challenges, including limited electricity resources and the lack of understanding of MBTs’ operational behaviour. In this paper, we estimate the electricity demand for future electric MBTs in the City of Tshwane, South Africa. We use existing origin and destination mobility data, which originated from vehicle-based tracking, and a micro-mobility simulation tool with an embedded electric vehicle model, called EV-Fleet-Sim. This simulation tool uses various SUMO packages to simulate mobility and calculate energy expenditure. The mobility dataset consists of various stop locations from a MBT fleet’s daily operation. The simulator uses a routing model, a virtual map, and a virtual driver model to convert the origin and destination data to high-fidelity mobility traces. The results are used in the electro-kinetic model to estimate the vehicles’ energy needs, from which charging opportunities can be derived. To illustrate this process and outputs, eight exemplar taxis with different operational patterns are selected for analysis. The results show a minimum and maximum median daily energy usage of 56 kWh and 215 kWh respectively, based on the mean observed daily distances travelled of 94 km to 330 km. While the energy demand varies significantly according to trip length and type of operation of the sub-fleet of 8 vehicles, clear morning and afternoon peaks are identified, along with charging opportunities during midday and at night

Saving on household electric water heating : what works best and by how much?

CITATION: Nel, P. J. C., Booysen, M. J. & Van Der Merwe, B. Saving on household electric water heating : what works best and by how much?. In IEEE Innovative Smart Grid Technologies - Asia (ISGT-Asia), 4-7 December 2017, Auckland, New Zealand, doi:10.1109/ISGT-Asia.2017.8378439.The original publication is available at https://ieeexplore.ieee.orgElectric heating of water for domestic use is a substantial component of total household energy costs. Thermal energy in a water heater is either used (as warm water) or lost to the environment. Various approaches to reduce the losses and improve the efficiency of these notoriously inefficient and costly water heaters have been proposed and are employed. However, given the complex factors at play, making sense of the savings approaches and choosing the right one for the right use case is not a simple task and often misunderstood. This paper addresses this problem by comparing some of the commonly employed approaches, including schedule control, change in set temperature, use of thermal insulation, and reduction in consumed volume. We also compare the impact of environmental factors, such as changing the ambient temperature around the water heater and the cold inlet temperature. The results show that for the consumption profiles and use cases evaluated, schedule control is the most effective, followed by insulation of the tank and piping. Combined, these two interventions save up to 25%. We also find that the effect of the temperature of the cold inlet water dwarfs that of the ambient temperature, is in line with other approaches, and means the installation status quo needs to be reconsidered.https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8378439/Preprin