The coexistence of psychological drivers and deterrents of consumers’ willingness to try cultured meat hamburger patties: evidence from South Africa

Abstract The widespread consumption of alternative meat products, such as plant-based alternatives in the hamburger patty market, has provided insights into the potential of commercially produced cultured meat. Evidence from previous alternative meat studies shows mixed results on whether experience with commercially available alternative protein will help to overcome or compound consumers’ concerns about cultured meat. This study investigates the effect that South African consumers’ implicit perceptions developed by experience with and from attitudes about novel products and perceptions about the product could influence their acceptance of cultured meat. South African consumers’ perceptions were estimated using opinion statements, and the level of agreement was ranked on a Likert scale. Composite indices were extracted from these data, which were regressed against consumers’ willingness to try cultured meat burger patties. Results suggest that the implicit perceptions (worldviews) promoted both neophobic and neophilic attitudes, while explicit (product-specific) perceptions indicated that concerns of anticipated social, cultural and economic disruptions may drive non-adoption. The study’s results suggest targeted marketing approaches that can utilise implicit perceptions to promote consumer adoption. Other results indicated the areas of concern that should be addressed to facilitate acceptance and the population groups that could be targeted as early adopters. These results contribute to a better understanding of the potential market for cultured meat in the world's eighth-largest per capita beef consumer and provide insights into drivers and deterrents of cultured meat in an environment that struggles with food security

Exact rotating black hole solutions for f(R) gravity by modified Newman Janis algorithm

Abstract We show that the f(R)-gravity theories with constant Ricci scalar in the Jordan/Einstein frame can be described by Einstein or Einstein–Maxwell gravity with a cosmological term and a modified gravitational constant. To obtain the rotating axisymmetric solutions for the Einstein/Einstein–Maxwell gravity with a cosmological constant, we also propose a modified Newmann–Janis algorithm which involves the non-complexification of the radial coordinate and a complexification of the polar coordinate. Using the duality between the two gravity theories we show that the stationary or static solutions for the Einstein/Einstein–Maxwell gravity with a cosmological constant will also be the solutions for the dual f(R)-gravity with constant Ricci scalar

Search for vector-boson resonances decaying into a top quark and a bottom quark using pp collisions at s s \sqrt{s} = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Abstract A search for a new massive charged gauge boson, W′, is performed with the ATLAS detector at the LHC. The dataset used in this analysis was collected from proton-proton collisions at a centre-of-mass energy of s $$\sqrt{s}$$ = 13 TeV, and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 139 fb−1. The reconstructed tb invariant mass is used to search for a W′ boson decaying into a top quark and a bottom quark. The result is interpreted in terms of a W′ boson with purely right-handed or left-handed chirality in a mass range of 0.5–6 TeV. Different values for the coupling of the W′ boson to the top and bottom quarks are considered, taking into account interference with single-top-quark production in the s-channel. No significant deviation from the background prediction is observed. The results are expressed as upper limits on the W′ → tb production cross-section times branching ratio as a function of the W′-boson mass and in the plane of the coupling vs the W′-boson mass

Exploratory factor analysis of constructs used for investigating research uptake for public healthcare practice and policy in a resource-limited setting, South Africa

Abstract Background Low-resource settings are often less capable of responding to and implementing available quality research evidence for public healthcare practice and policy development due to various factors. In most low-resource settings, limited empirical evidence is available to help deal with localised factors that contribute to low public health research uptake, particularly from the perspective of key research stakeholders. Methods Although the study initially employed a two-phase exploratory sequential approach, this paper focuses on the results generated from a quantitative approach. Considering the determining factors that affect research uptake in the context of low-resource settings, a measuring instrument was developed and its reliability and validity were assessed using an exploratory factor analysis approach. Results A total of 212 respondents, according to their job roles and titles, were identified as researchers, front-line workers, programme managers, and directors/senior managers of higher learning institutions, indicating that the three constructs applied in the questionnaire, namely (1) individual factors, (2) organisational factors, and (3) research characteristics, demonstrated relatively high reliability with a Cronbach’s alpha of greater than 0.791. Conclusion The study concludes that the instrument can potentially be used to measure factors that affect research uptake in low-resource settings

Emotional intelligence, job satisfaction, and turnover intention of frontline employees in the insurance service industry

The retention of skilled frontline employees plays a crucial part in the insurance service industry of South Africa. An understanding of the influence of the relationship between emotional intelligence, job satisfaction, and turnover intention as manifested in a sample among frontline employees is necessary. There is an importance placed on assessing whether emotional intelligence and job satisfaction significantly and negatively predict the turnover intention construct; and whether individuals from different age, gender, and work experience groups differ significantly regarding their levels of emotional intelligence, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. The data was collected using the Assessing Emotions Scale (AES), the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire (MSQ20), and the Turnover Intention Scale (TI-6). A quantitative study was conducted on a non-probability convenience sample (n = 107) of frontline employees within an insurance company. Correlational analysis revealed a positive relationship between emotional intelligence, job satisfaction, and turnover intention. Multiple regression analysis revealed that emotional intelligence had no significant effect in predicting and explaining the variance in turnover intention. However, job satisfaction significantly predicted and explained turnover intention. No significant differences were revealed between age, gender, and work experience groups concerning emotional intelligence and job satisfaction. However, results indicated that differences do exist between age and work experience groups concerning turnover intention, but no difference in gender and turnover intention was observed. The findings of this study provides valuable knowledge that may be used to inform the retention practices of frontline employees. The study concluded with suggested recommendations for use by human resource practitioners, specifically within the insurance industry.Human Resource ManagementM. Com. (Business Management

Search for magnetic monopoles and stable particles with high electric charges in s s \sqrt{s} = 13 TeV pp collisions with the ATLAS detector

Abstract We present a search for magnetic monopoles and high-electric-charge objects using LHC Run 2 s $$\sqrt{s}$$ = 13 TeV proton-proton collisions recorded by the ATLAS detector. A total integrated luminosity of 138 fb−1 was collected by a specialized trigger. No highly ionizing particle candidate was observed. Considering the Drell-Yan and photon-fusion pair production mechanisms as benchmark models, cross-section upper limits are presented for spin-0 and spin-1/2 magnetic monopoles of magnetic charge 1gD and 2gD and for high-electric-charge objects of electric charge 20 ≤ |z| ≤ 100, for masses between 200 GeV and 4000 GeV. The search improves by approximately a factor of three the previous cross-section limits on the Drell-Yan production of magnetic monopoles and high-electric charge objects. Also, the first ATLAS limits on the photon-fusion pair production mechanism of magnetic monopoles and high-electric-charge objects are obtained

Search for direct production of winos and higgsinos in events with two same-charge leptons or three leptons in pp collision data at s s \sqrt{s} = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Abstract A search for supersymmetry targeting the direct production of winos and higgsinos is conducted in final states with either two leptons (e or μ) with the same electric charge, or three leptons. The analysis uses 139 fb−1 of pp collision data at s $$\sqrt{s}$$ = 13 TeV collected with the ATLAS detector during Run 2 of the Large Hadron Collider. No significant excess over the Standard Model expectation is observed. Simplified and complete models with and without R-parity conservation are considered. In topologies with intermediate states including either Wh or WZ pairs, wino masses up to 525 GeV and 250 GeV are excluded, respectively, for a bino of vanishing mass. Higgsino masses smaller than 440 GeV are excluded in a natural R-parity-violating model with bilinear terms. Upper limits on the production cross section of generic events beyond the Standard Model as low as 40 ab are obtained in signal regions optimised for these models and also for an R-parity-violating scenario with baryon-number-violating higgsino decays into top quarks and jets. The analysis significantly improves sensitivity to supersymmetric models and other processes beyond the Standard Model that may contribute to the considered final states

Search for single vector-like B quark production and decay via B → bH( b b ¯ bb‾ b\overline{b} ) in pp collisions at s s \sqrt{s} = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Abstract A search is presented for single production of a vector-like B quark decaying into a Standard Model b-quark and a Standard Model Higgs boson, which decays into a b b ¯ $$b\overline{b}$$ pair. The search is carried out in 139 fb−1 of s $$\sqrt{s}$$ = 13 TeV proton-proton collision data collected by the ATLAS detector at the LHC between 2015 and 2018. No significant deviation from the Standard Model background prediction is observed, and mass-dependent exclusion limits at the 95% confidence level are set on the resonance production cross-section in several theoretical scenarios determined by the couplings cW, cZ and cH between the B quark and the Standard Model W, Z and Higgs bosons, respectively. For a vector-like B occurring as an isospin singlet, the search excludes values of cW greater than 0.45 for a B resonance mass (mB) between 1.0 and 1.2 TeV. For 1.2 TeV < mB < 2.0 TeV, cW values larger than 0.50–0.65 are excluded. If the B occurs as part of a (B, Y) doublet, the smallest excluded cZ coupling values range between 0.3 and 0.5 across the investigated resonance mass range 1.0 TeV < mB < 2.0 TeV

Search for heavy Majorana or Dirac neutrinos and right-handed W gauge bosons in final states with charged leptons and jets in pp collisions at s=13\sqrt{s}=13 s = 13 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Abstract A search for heavy right-handed Majorana or Dirac neutrinos $$N_{\textrm{R}}$$ N R and heavy right-handed gauge bosons $$W_{\textrm{R}}$$ W R is performed in events with energetic electrons or muons, with the same or opposite electric charge, and energetic jets. The search is carried out separately for topologies of clearly separated final-state products (“resolved” channel) and topologies with boosted final states with hadronic and/or leptonic products partially overlapping and reconstructed as a large-radius jet (“boosted” channel). The events are selected from pp collision data at the LHC with an integrated luminosity of 139 fb $$^{-1}$$ - 1 collected by the ATLAS detector at $$\sqrt{s} = 13$$ s = 13  TeV. No significant deviations from the Standard Model predictions are observed. The results are interpreted within the theoretical framework of a left-right symmetric model, and lower limits are set on masses in the heavy right-handed $$W_{\textrm{R}}$$ W R boson and $$N_{\textrm{R}}$$ N R plane. The excluded region extends to about $$m(W_{\textrm{R}}) = 6.4$$ m ( W R ) = 6.4  TeV for both Majorana and Dirac $$N_{\textrm{R}}$$ N R neutrinos at $$m(N_{\textrm{R}})<1$$ m ( N R ) < 1  TeV. $$N_{\textrm{R}}$$ N R with masses of less than 3.5 (3.6) TeV are excluded in the electron (muon) channel at $$m(W_{\textrm{R}})=4.8$$ m ( W R ) = 4.8  TeV for the Majorana neutrinos, and limits of $$m(N_{\textrm{R}})$$ m ( N R ) up to 3.6 TeV for $$m(W_{\textrm{R}}) = 5.2$$ m ( W R ) = 5.2 (5.0) TeV in the electron (muon) channel are set for the Dirac neutrinos. These constitute the most stringent exclusion limits to date for the model considered

Exploring implementation of the ideal clinic realisation and maintenance programme in KwaZulu-Natal rural PHC facilities

South African rural communities depend on Primary Health Care services. Ideal Clinic Realisation and Maintenance programme is implemented to improve quality of Primary Health Care services. A qualitative case study design was used to explore the Ideal Clinic Realisation and Maintenance programme’s implementation in public Primary Health Care facilities in a rural KwaZulu-Natal sub-district. Eight senior health managers and seven professional nurses were interviewed. Four themes were developed, including the organisation, barriers, facilitators and recommendations for Ideal Clinic Realisation and Maintenance programme’s implementation in a rural context. Data suggested challenges in rural Primary Health Care such as sub-optimal infrastructure, growing disease burden and resource shortage. Successful implementation of Ideal Clinic Realisation and Maintenance programme requires stakeholder support, communication and teamwork. The study’s findings can be utilised to improve implementation of Ideal Clinic Realisation and Maintenance programme in Primary Health Care, facilitate Primary Health Care re-engineering and achieve universal health coverage.Health StudiesM. A. (Public Health