Production of W-bosons in p-Pb collisions measured with ALICE at the LHC

W bosons are produced in hard scattering processes of partons in collisions of hadrons and they do not interact strongly with the medium produced in high-energy heavy-ion collisions. Therefore, in p-Pb collisions the measurement of W-boson yields represents a standard candle to check the validity of binary-collision scaling and can provide important constraints on the parton distribution functions, which can be modified in nuclei with respect to protons or neutrons. At the LHC, ALICE (A Large Ion Collider Experiment) is dedicated to the study of ultrarelativistic heavy-ion collisions, in which a hot and dense strongly-interacting medium is formed. At forward rapidities ALICE is equipped with a muon spectrometer that allows measurements of dimuon decays of quarkonia, muons from heavy-flavour hadron decays and also W bosons via their single-muon decay. In ALICE W-boson cross sections were measured in p-Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s_{NN}}$ = 5.02 TeV via the contribution of their muonic decays to the inclusive $p_\mathrm{T}$-differential muon yield measured at forward (2.03 < $y_{cms}$ < 3.53) and backward rapidity (-4.46 < $y_{cms}$ < -2.96) in various event-activity intervals. Recent results obtained from these measurements will be presented and the measured cross sections will be compared to perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics calculations at next-to-leading order.Comment: Proceedings of Science,XXIII International Workshop on Deep-Inelastic Scattering,Dallas, Texas 27 April - 1 May 201

Gender, labor, and prime-age adult mortality: evidence from South Africa

"This paper assesses the impact of prime-age mortality on human capital formation and labor markets by examining, first, the impact on adolescents, who may leave school in order to enter the labor market, and second, the impact on adult females who, upon the loss of a breadwinner, may decide to seek a job outside of the home." Authors' AbstractSouth Africa, Gender, Labor supply, Schooling, Prime-age adult mortality, Human capital,

School-based support team responses to the care and support of learners with same-sex sexual orientations in a township school

Abstract: The School-Based Support Teams are designed to ensure that inclusive policies are executed at school level. The aim of this structure is to provide care and support for all learners (including learners with same-sex sexual orientations). The school should be an affirming space, where homosexuals are embraced and where the status quo (heterosexuality) is not the only sexual orientation that is accepted. However, through this study it is evident that the school studied is still lacking in terms of the implementation of inclusive education. For instance, data revealed that the school does not embrace sexual diversity. As a result, the welfare of learners with same-sex sexual orientations in this educational setting is compromised because of the compulsory heteronormative culture that is dominant in these institutions. This study explores the responses of members in the School-Based Support Team (SBST) to the care and support of learners with same-sex sexual orientations in a township school. The researcher took a qualitative approach with a constructivist paradigm. In this study, data was collected by means of face-to-face interviews with ten selected participants. All of these members were in SBSTs. Themes then developed from the data. The first theme showed that educators in the SBST do not perceive learners with same-sex sexual orientations as learners who require care and support. According to them, learners who need support are those with medical deficits. The second theme shows that the educators in the SBST are nonresponsive when it comes from discrimination and prejudice faced by learners with same-sex sexual orientations. The last theme revealed that many educators are perpetrators of homophobia and violence. The findings from this research provide evidence that through intensive inservice training it is possible for the SBST and educators to fight forms of oppression against learners with same-sex sexual orientations. The main conclusion from this study is that educators in the SBST lack knowledge on how to care for and support learners with same-sex sexual orientations. Thus, the SBST must be trained and developed in order to respond to the needs of learners with same-sex sexual orientations.M.A. (Education

A critical analysis of the production pipeline developed for the Bun and Bunee short format animation series with reference to local production norms

Masters of Arts: Digital Animation (By Coursework and Research report) Research reportThis paper critically analyzes the streamlining of production norms and pipelines of CGI animated projects in order to lower costs and increase productivity. The production pipeline of Bun and Bunee is used as a case study. Bun and Bunee by Luma Creative Studios consists of fifty two one-minute shorts. The shorts first aired on December 5, 2009 on one of South Africa’s public broadcast stations SABC 3. The purpose of this paper is not to strictly define production practices. Rather the aim is to explore those production practices which can be considered production norms, and to demonstrate that these norms can be streamlined to improve the production process. Therefore the question this paper poses is – “Can local animation production pipeline norms be improved upon, and if so how?” Currently there is a lack of academic literature on short form animation production, even more so on South African short form animation production. This necessitates the use of international examples and examples from feature length animation production practices

Spatial analysis of HIV infections in high burden sub-districts in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.Background: Substantial spatial variations in HIV prevalence and incidence at a global, national and district levels have been shown to occur. However, only a few studies have assessed variability of these infections at a highly localised level. Aim: The aim of the study was to assess the spatial variability of HIV prevalence and HIV-1 RNA viral load in two areas within the uMgungundlovu district, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Methods: The data source for this study was from the HIV Incidence Provincial Surveillance System (HIPSS), a multi-stage random sampling of enumeration areas (EAs), households and individuals. From June 2014 to June 2015, HIPSS enrolled 9812 household-representative sample of men and women aged 15-49 years from 221 of the 591 randomly selected EAs. Briefly, the randomly selected households were identified through the global positioning system (GPS) co-ordinates. The head or designate of the selected household was provided with detailed study information, followed by verbal consent, collection of basic sociodemographic information and listing of household members. A single age eligible individual was randomly selected, provided with detailed study information, followed by written informed consent and or assent and enrolled. A questionnaire was administered to obtain demographic, psycho-social and behavioural information, biological samples for laboratory tests and GPS co-ordinates for the household were collected for each enrolled participant at the time of the interview. HIV prevalence, geometric mean viral load and prevalence of viraemia >1000 copies/ml were calculated and mapped per municipal ward using ArcGIS software version 10.3 (ESRI, USA). Micro-geographical cluster detection of HIV prevalence and prevalence of viraemia were performed using Kulldorff spatial scan statistic (SaTScan) at a significance level of p<0.05. Results: Based on the HIV viral load, the overall geometric mean viral load for individuals in the study area was 202 copies /ml, in men it was 735 copies/ml and in women it, was 130 copies /ml. In the south-east of the study area, two high viral load clusters were identified. The first cluster accounted for the overall population and the geometric mean viral load for this cluster was 327 copies/ml. The geometric mean viral load for individuals in the population outside of the high viral load cluster was 125 copies/ml resulting in a geometric mean viral load difference of 202 copies/ml (Log-likelihood ratio =18.95, p=0.001). The second-high viral load cluster accounted for women and the geometric mean viral load for this cluster was 237 copies/ml. The geometric mean viral load for women outside the high viral load cluster was 79 copies/ml and the geometric mean viral load difference was 158 copies/ml (Log-likelihood ratio =18.99, p=0.001). Both the high viral load clusters occurred to the south-east of the study area representing a peri-urban setting. A further analysis of the viral load at a threshold of >1000 copies/ml showed that viral load >1000 copies /ml exceeded 50% in 11 of the 30 Page | 2 municipal wards, and 10 of the 11 wards were located within urban areas. A single cluster was identified and was in the north-west of the study area and approximately over a three kilometre radius having a relative risk of 0.69 (p=0.02). A total of 309 HIV positive individuals contributed to this cluster indicating that 69% or 213 individuals had viral load of 1000 copies/ml. Based on the HIV prevalence analysis, a high-prevalence cluster with a relative risk of 1.75 (p=0.02) was identified in the same north-west area and the HIV prevalence in this area was 71%. Overall men compared to women had higher log10 mean viral load (Log10 mean viral load 3.21 vs 2.62; p<0.001) and higher in the age category15-24 years compared to 25-49 years, (Log10 mean viral load 3.34 vs 2.65; p<0.001). Conclusions: The findings of this study demonstrate that applying spatial analysis to the understanding of HIV epidemiology even in a hyperendemic HIV epidemic setting is a valuable tool to monitor the epidemic. Despite the unprecedented high prevalence of HIV within geographically specific areas, the promising finding of the high prevalence of viral load <1000 copies/ml underscore the importance and impact of HIV programmes that have been rolled-out in this community. Furthermore, the high HIV viral load in young women and men in this region play a significant role in sustaining the epidemic, and there is an urgent need to prioritise interventions critical to reducing the potential for HIV transmission

Motivations of Franciscan spirituality: a social scientific case study of the African province third order of the society of St. Francis.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.There have been Franciscan Tertiaries in the African Province of the Anglican Church for over forty years. This research is a social scientific case study of motivations in Franciscan spirituality in the African Province Third Order of the Society of Saint Francis of Assisi (TSSF). The rationale and significance of this study is to gain a deeper understanding and explore possible underlying motivations that make Tertiaries want to join TSSF. The study was undertaken using both primary and secondary data. Existing literature shows that there are different forms of motivations that contribute to Christians’ decision to enter religious life. The main research objectives consisted of determining the reasons given by Southern Region Tertiaries for choosing to join the Third Order of the Society of St. Francis (TSSF); discovering the most significant factors that encourage Tertiaries to continue in the Franciscan spirituality; exploring the extent to which Tertiaries are motivated to achieve the objects, aims, ways of service, and signs of the Order; and examine the reasons why some Tertiaries leave the African Province TSSF. The research study applied a qualitative research methodology and used narrative biography and explorative research designs. Non-probability purposive sampling was utilised in this study. With the intention to collect primary data, semi-structured open-ended questions, using face-to-face interviews, were put to thirteen (13) Tertiaries who live in the Southern Region (South Africa and Lesotho). Contact interviews were conducted over a period of four (4) months. Data was obtained by incorporating a qualitative research design and analysed by utilizing thematic analysis

Exploring the use of e-Learning platforms by Postgraduate Nursing students in a selected Higher Education institution.

Master of Nursing in Nursing Education. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2018.Background: E learning is one of the latest trends in nursing education to enhance learning and flexibility in the teaching and learning process. Literature however shows that while undergraduate students adjust easily to the use of technology, postgraduate students tend to struggle due to their lower levels of computer literacy computer literacy and unfamiliarity with eLearning. Study aim: To explore and describe the use of e-Learning platforms by postgraduate nursing students’ at a selected higher educational institution within KwaZulu-Natal. Methods: A quantitative approach and descriptive exploratory design were adopted in this study. About 60 postgraduate nursing students registered in 2016 participated in this study. Data was collected using a self-report questionnaire. Ethical clearance was obtained from the University Ethics Board; protocol number HSS/1718/016M and ethics principles were observed throughout the study. Data was analysed statistically using frequency distributions and the Chi-square test to assess the associations between each item on the perceptions and challenges with the socio-demographic factors. Results: The participants positively viewed the use of technology and e-learning in the postgraduate programme. About 70% reported exposure for the first time to Moodle at the university, 62.1% reported training in the use of Moodle, and 68.3% had access to the computer at home for learning purposes. The majority however expressed discomfort with the use of Moodle, and this was associated with the technical challenges they had due to limited IT skills. There was a statistically significant association between ability to use Moodle and proficiency in English, computer literature, availability of technical support and access to computer Conclusion: E-learning has value in a postgraduate programme and has a potential to yield positive outcomes if the students are introduced early during their undergraduate studies, if they are trained on the use of Moodle and have technical support available when necessary

On amenability properties of some closed ideals of B(X)

Master of Science in Mathematics. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2018.Abstract available in PDF file

An evaluation of succession planning effectiveness in Transnet pipeline KwaZulu Natal Durban.

Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.This study attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of succession planning so that a cohort of employees who are high flyers in terms of performance are capable of taking the organisation forward, therefore benefit from succession planning, are produced. It undertakes an analysis of factors that influence the effectiveness of succession planning. The identification of strategies that influence the evaluation of succession planning adds value in ensuring that succession planning must not be on paper only, but it must be practical and bear fruits in the organization. This study therefore exposes a potential gap in succession planning effectiveness, as a factor that influences leaders to evaluate effectiveness of succession planning which is currently not well understood. The research involved a case study methodology through a comprehensive study of Transnet Pipeline. It adopts a critical examination of the applicability of qualitative research methodology. The research design used in the study and the setting where this study was conducted, the study population, the sampling method used, the data collection instruments used and the data analysis techniques where 35 interviews with company management personnel formed the primary source of data. The findings revealed that several factors affected the identification of critical positions in the succession planning effort. Factors used for the identification of the capabilities for successful performance in key areas are: Qualifications; experience and registration with professional organization and talent Management. Management strategies that can be identified in the succession planning effort were found to be: Talent identification and management; and recruitment, training and mentorship. Tools used to expose roles and responsibilities that are identified in the action plan are: Key performance areas (KPAs), quarterly reviews, cost cutting, culture charter, and individual development plans (IDPs); management felt that it is HR’s responsibility to drive talent management and Individual Development Plans

Application of soil indigenous knowledge in rural communities of eastern South Africa.

Doctoral Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.This study investigated ethnopedological knowledge related to classification, fertility and non-agricultural uses of soil in four villages in KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Ethnographic methods elicited general soil indigenous knowledge. Ethnopedologic techniques gathered understanding of soil taxonomy, mapping and fertility, and selection and use of healing, cosmetic and geophagic soils. Local assessments of soil fertility and mapping were compared to scientific approaches. Soil samples were analysed for physicochemical properties. Soils used for non-agricultural purposes were analysed by X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Local classifications were based on observable soil morphological properties. Soil maps produced by farmers in areas with distinct geomorphic units closely correlated with scientific maps; on a floodplain the correlation was poor. Farmers assessed soil fertility using both crop and soil variables. There was poor correlation between farmers’ fertility classes and laboratory data. Farmers understood soil-crop associations which formed the basis for their soil suitability assessment and have developed specific soil use and management practices. Two soil types were identified for non-agricultural uses. Ukhethe, used for agriculture, was also used for geophagy; ibomvu for sun protection, healing and cosmetics. Geophagic soils were mainly saprolite from Leptosols. They were mostly fine-grained, had bright Munsell hues, contained mica, kaolinite, quartz and iron oxides, and elements such as Cu, Zn, Co and Pb. Ibomvu occurred in Ferralsols and was red to dark-red. Despite low sun protection factors, critical wavelengths >370 nm, the presence of TiO2 and high Fe2O3 explained its sun protection ability. The soil was fine grained, had low pH and exchangeable bases, and contained kaolinite that possibly explained its healing role. These communities applied their pedological knowledge to soil use and management. There were diverse non-agricultural uses and possible land use conflicts where a soil has more than one use. Farmers classified soils at levels that could be incorporated as higher categories in the current South African system. Farmer fertility assessment could benefit from laboratory data. Soil suitability classification systems should be used to assess both agricultural and non- agricultural uses. Valuing all local uses of soil will ensure fair and relevant land use planning