Robust photosystem I activity by Cyanothece sp. (Cyanobacteria) and its role in prolonged bloom persistence in lake St Lucia, South Africa.

Worldwide, cyanobacterial blooms are becoming more frequent, exacerbated by eutrophication, anthropogenic effects, and global climate change. Environmental factors play a direct role in photosynthesis of cyanobacteria and subsequent cellular changes, growth, and bloom dynamics. This study investigated the photosynthetic functioning of a persistent bloom-forming (18 months) cyanobacterium, Cyanothece sp.

Training and support to improve ICD coding quality: A controlled before-and-after impact evaluation.

Background: The proposed National Health Insurance policy for South Africa (SA) requires hospitals to maintain high-quality International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes for patient records. While considerable strides had been made to improve ICD coding coverage by digitising the discharge process in the Western Cape Province, further intervention was required to improve data quality. The aim of this controlled before-and-after study was to evaluate the impact of a clinician training and support initiative to improve ICD coding quality.

Are central hospitals ready for National Health Insurance? ICD coding quality from an electronic patient discharge record for clinicians.

Background: South Africa (SA)'s planned National Health Insurance reforms require the use of International Statistical Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes for hospitals to purchase services from the proposed National Health Authority. However, compliance with coding at public hospitals in the Western Cape Province has been challenging. A computer application was developed to aid clinicians in integrating ICD coding into the patient hospital discharge process.

'We are left in the cold': nurses' perceptions and responses to antiretroviral treatment roll-out in the Free State, South Africa.

The unprecedented roll-out of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in South Africa is a complex process where no previous endeavour exists that can measure, predict, or direct an intervention of this scale. In the Free State province, unique characteristics and problems distinguish its ART programme, although countrywide problems also occur within the province. The Free State province faces high vacancy rates among its health-care workers, the programme has lower patient enrolment rates because of an obsession with quality to the detriment of quantity, and various incidents of ART shortages have also shook the province.

Effect of perindopril on pulse-wave velocity and endothelin-1 in black hypertensive patients.

Introduction: We investigated the effect of perindopril on pulse-wave velocity (as indicator of arterial elasticity) and endothelin-1 (ET-1) levels in black hypertensive patients.

Methods: Forty-four newly diagnosed hypertensive patients who received 4 mg perindopril daily were monitored for nine months. Pulse-wave velocity (PWV) was measured noninvasively along the carotid-femoral arterial segment (high elastic content) and the brachial-ulnar segment (low elastic content).