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Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Progressive familial heart block type II (PFHBII) is an inherited cardiac conduction disorder of unknown aetiology, which has been described in a South African family. The disorder was mapped to a 2.9 centimorgan (cM) locus on chromosome 1q32.2-32.3. Clinically, PFHBII manifests cardiac conduction aberrations, that progress to a disease of the heart muscle, dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). DCM is also reported as an end phase in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), another heart muscle disorder. These cardiomyopathies are genetically heterogeneous with some of the genes reported as causes of both disorders. Therefore, genes identified as causes of HCM and DCM were considered plausible candidates for PFHBII mutation analysis. Additionally, this study provided an opportunity to assess potential modifiers of HCM. HCM exhibits marked phenotypic variability, observed within and between families harbouring the same causative mutation. Genes within the PFHBII locus were selected for PCR-SSCP analysis based on homology to genes previously reported as causing conduction system disorders associated with arrhythmias, DCM and/or HCM. Results were confirmed by direct sequencing and association between the detected variants and HCM parameters was assessed using a quantitative transmission disequilibrium test (QTDT). Eleven plausible candidate genes were selected within the PFHBII locus and two of the genes, PFKFB2 and ATF3, that encode for 6-phosphofructo-2,6-bisphosphatase (PFK-2/FBPase-2) and activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3), respectively, were analysed for PFHBII-causing and HCM main locus and/or HCM modifying mutations. Mutation analysis of PFKFB2 and ATF3 in the PFHBII family revealed no PFHBII causal mutation. PFKFB2 and ATF3 were later localised outside the PFHBII locus, and, therefore, were excluded as PFHBII plausible candidates. Further analysis of the two genes for HCM main locus and/or HCM modifying mutations in the HCM panel identified several sequence variants. QTDT analysis of these variants showed no significant association. Completion of the Human Genome Project (HGP) and annotation of new genes within the PFHBII locus allowed the identification of more PFHBII plausible candidate genes. Identification of causal mutations in plausible PFHBII candidate genes will allow molecular diagnosis of PFHBII pathophysiology. Furthermore, identification of both HCM-modifying and HCM-causing genes will give insight into the phenotypic variability noted among South African HCM-affected individuals and into the molecular cause of the disease among individuals with HCM-like clinical features. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Progressiewe familiële hartblok tipe II (PFHBII) is ʼn oorgeërfde hart geleidingsiekte van onbekende etiologie wat in ʼn Suid-Afrikaanse familie beskryf is. Die siekte is ʼn 2.9 sentimorgan (cM) lokus op chromosoom 1q32.2-32.3 gekarteer. Klinies presenteer PFHBII met geleidingsfwykings wat uitloop op gedilateerde kardiomiopatie (DCM). DCM word ook gerapporteer as ʼn endfase in hipertrofiese kardiomiopatie (HCM), ʼn ander hartspiersiekte. Die kardiomiopatieë is geneties heterogeen, met ʼn aantal gene wat as oorsaak van altwee siektetoestande gerapporteer word. Daarom is alle gene wat geïdentifiseer is as oorsake van DCM en HCM, as moontlike kandidaatgene vir PFHBII mutasieanaliese beskou. Bykomend het hierdie studie die geleentheid gebied om potensiële modifiseerders van HCM te assesseer. HCM toon beduidende fenotipiese variasie binne en tussen families wat dieselfde siekteveroorsakende mutasie het. Gene binne die PFHBII-lokus is geselekteer vir PCR-SSCP-analiese gebaseer op homologie met gene wat voorheen gerapporteer is om betrokke te wees by geleidingsiesisteemsiektes, geassosieerde arritmieë, DCM en/of HCM. Resultate is bevestig deur volgordebepaling. Assosiasie tusssen ontdekte variante en die siekteparameter is bepaal met ʼn kwantitatiewe transmissie disekwilibrium toets (QTDT). Elf moontlike kandidaatgene in die PFHBII-lokus is geselekteer en twee van die gene, PFKFB2 en ATF3, wat kodeer vir 6-fosfofrukto-2,6-bifosfatase (PFK-2/FBPase-2) en aktiveringstranskripsiefaktor 3 (ATF3) respektiewelik, is vir PFHBII-oorsakende en HCMhooflokus en/of HCM-modifiseerende mutasies ondersoek. Mutasie-analiese van PFKFB2 en ATF3 in die PFHBII-familie het nie ʼn siekteveroorsakende mutasie onthul/uitgelig nie. PFKFB2 en ATF3 is later buite die PFHBII-lokus geplaas en dus ook as moontlike PFHBII-kandidate uitgesluit. Verdere ondersoek van díe twee gene vir HCM-hooflokus en/of HCM-modifiserende mutasies in die HCM-paneel het ʼn aantal volgorde variante geïdentifiseer. QTDT-analiese van die variante het geen beduidende assosiasies aangetoon nie. Voltooiing van die Menslike Genoom Projek (HGP) en annotasie van nuwe gene in die PFHBIIlokus het tot die identifikasie van verdere moontlike PFHBII-kandidaatgene gelei. Identifikase van siekte-veroorsaakende mutasies in die moontlike PFHBII-kandidaatgene sal die molekulêre diagnose van PFHBII toelaat en insig in die patofisiologie van die siekte gee. Verder, identifikasie van beide HCM-veroorsakende of HCM-modifiserende gene kan insig gee in die fenotipiese varieerbaarheid wat onder Suid-Afrikaanse HCM-geaffekteerde individue waargeneem word en ook in die molekulêre oorsake van die siekte in individue met HCMsoortige kliniese kenmerke.

In this study, new design approaches are introduced for the seismic design of block type quay walls after reviewing the conventional methodologies. Within the development of the new design approaches an inverse triangular dynamic pressures distributions are applied to define both seismic earth pressures and seismic surcharge pressures. Differently from the conventional design methodology, the hydrodynamic forces are taken into consideration while dynamic forces are specified and equivalent unit weight concept is used during the both static and dynamic calculations Compatibility of this new design approaches are tested by case studies for the site and it is seen that the numerical results are in good agreement qualitatively with field measurements.

Block type quay walls are commonly used as berthing structures both in Turkey and worldwide. In this study, stability analysis of block type quay wall is carried out using pseudo-static method. A computer program named QSAP (using Excel spreadsheet) has been developed for the design of block type quay walls. QSAP has been prepared based on the rules of Turkish Seismic Design Codes for Coastal Structures, 2008. Reliability of this program is verified by a comparative study of Derince Port block type quay wall, damaged in Marmara earthquake (1999), with manual solution and field measurements. A newly introduced placement methodology &ldquo / Knapsack&rdquo / is also studied with QSAP and the results are compared with the conventional placement method.