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Jerome Amir Singh's affiliation was erroneously given as: Centre for Medical Ethics and Law, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Thecorrect affiliation is: School of Law, Howard College, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. The error appears in the Discussion Document by Adams et al. [https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2021/10933] on Page 1 under Affiliations (no. 22) and on Page 11 in the table under Authors' information, as well as in the accompanying Commentary by Adams et al. [https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2021/10935] in Table 1 on Page 3.

The POPIA Code of Conduct for Research, as it is currently being considered, pertains to research conducted in South Africa, which, as part of the research process, uses personal information as defined under POPIA. This Discussion Document outlines the main areas relating to the processing of personal information for research purposes which the proposed Code will address, including what consent models would be permissible under POPIA; the issues in relation to genetic research and the processing of personal information contained in inherited characteristics; the use of information matching programmes by researchers; and the use of personal information obtained from social media platforms for research. With ongoing and wide consultation with the scientific community in South Africa and all relevant stakeholders, it is hoped that the Code will provide guidance in supporting the lawful and responsible use of personal information while conducting scientific research in South Africa. The purpose and scope of the Code of Conduct for Research are set out in the accompanying Commentary available at https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2021/10935

Additional file 1: Overview of study designs used during the Pre-Implementation Phase [43].

Additional file 2: Overview of the cascaded training model.

Delairea odorata Lemaire, Cape ivy (Asteraceae: Senecioneae), is native to South Africa but invasive in several countries. The plant is a target for biological control in the USA (California and Ha...

The aim of this study was to explore the influence of perceived authentic leadership on followers’ citizenship behaviour and their intention to quit their jobs, and to examine the indirect effect of psychological ownership in the relevant relationships. The study used a cross-sectional survey design to gather data from a sample of South African service industry employees ( N = 384). It employed structural equation modelling to test the hypotheses formulated. The study found that psychological ownership indirectly affected the relationship between authentic leadership and employees’ organisational citizenship behaviour and intention to quit. This study enables organisations to gain a better understanding of how a contextual resource such as authentic leadership behaviours can influence followers’ organisational citizenship and intention to quit through increasing feelings of ownership of the organisation.

Native to southern Africa, Senecio madagascariensis Poir. (fireweed, Asteraceae) has invaded agricultural lands and disturbed areas in several countries worldwide and is currently a target ...

Background During the perinatal period, common mental disorders (CMDs) such as depression and anxiety are highly prevalent, especially in low-resource settings, and are associated with domestic violence, poverty, and food insecurity. Perinatal CMDs have been associated with several adverse maternal and child outcomes. While the Department of Health in South Africa provides healthcare workers with the tools to detect psychological distress and experiences of domestic violence, few healthcare workers routinely screen pregnant women at clinic visits, citing discomfort with mental health issues and the lack of standardised referral pathways as the key barriers. The aim of this study is to select and evaluate a set of health systems strengthening (HSS) interventions aimed at improving the care and outcomes for perinatal women with CMDs and experiences of domestic violence, attending public healthcare facilities in Cape Town. Methods This study consists of a pre-implementation, development, and implementation phase. Contextual barriers identified during the pre-implementation phase included poor patient knowledge and health-seeking behaviour, high levels of stigma, and poor detection, referral, and treatment rates. Implementation science determinant frameworks were applied to findings from the pre-implementation phase to identify determinants and gaps in delivering high-quality evidence-informed care. A participatory Theory of Change workshop was used to design a HSS programme, consisting of awareness raising, detection, referral, and treatment. HSS interventions selected to support the delivery of the HSS programme includes training, health promotion, change to the healthcare environment, task-sharing, audit and feedback, and performance monitoring. The implementation phase will be used to assess several implementation and clinical outcomes associated with the delivery of the HSS programme, which will be piloted at three healthcare facilities. Qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to evaluate the implementation and clinical outcomes. Discussion This pilot implementation study will inform us about a range of implementation and clinical outcome measures that are relevant for assessing HSS interventions for perinatal women with depression, anxiety, or experiences of domestic violence in low-resource settings. Lessons learnt from the pilot study will be incorporated into the design of a cluster randomised control trial for which further funding will be sought.

BackgroundChronic obstructive pulmonary disease has been associated with exposures in the workplace. We aimed to assess the association of respiratory symptoms and lung function with occupation in the Burden of Obstructive Lung Disease study.MethodsWe analysed cross-sectional data from 28 823 adults (≥40 years) in 34 countries. We considered 11 occupations and grouped them by likelihood of exposure to organic dusts, inorganic dusts and fumes. The association of chronic cough, chronic phlegm, wheeze, dyspnoea, forced vital capacity (FVC) and forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/FVC with occupation was assessed, per study site, using multivariable regression. These estimates were then meta-analysed. Sensitivity analyses explored differences between sexes and gross national income.ResultsOverall, working in settings with potentially high exposure to dusts or fumes was associated with respiratory symptoms but not lung function differences. The most common occupation was farming. Compared to people not working in any of the 11 considered occupations, those who were farmers for ≥20 years were more likely to have chronic cough (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.19–1.94), wheeze (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.16–1.63) and dyspnoea (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.53–2.20), but not lower FVC (β=0.02 L, 95% CI −0.02–0.06 L) or lower FEV1/FVC (β=0.04%, 95% CI −0.49–0.58%). Some findings differed by sex and gross national income.ConclusionAt a population level, the occupational exposures considered in this study do not appear to be major determinants of differences in lung function, although they are associated with more respiratory symptoms. Because not all work settings were included in this study, respiratory surveillance should still be encouraged among high-risk dusty and fume job workers, especially in low- and middle-income countries.

The POPIA Code of Conduct for Research, as it is currently being considered, pertains to research conducted in South Africa, which, as part of the research process, uses personal information as defined under POPIA. This Discussion Document outlines the main areas relating to the processing of personal information for research purposes which the proposed Code will address, including what consent models would be permissible under POPIA; the issues in relation to genetic research and the processing of personal information contained in inherited characteristics; the use of information matching programmes by researchers; and the use of personal information obtained from social media platforms for research. With ongoing and wide consultation with the scientific community in South Africa and all relevant stakeholders, it is hoped that the Code will provide guidance in supporting the lawful and responsible use of personal information while conducting scientific research in South Africa. The purpose and scope of the Code of Conduct for Research are set out in the accompanying Commentary available at https://doi.org/10.17159/sajs.2021/10935

A planner aims to target individuals who exceed a threshold in a characteristic, such as wealth or ability. The individuals can rank their friends according to the characteristic. We study a strategy-proof mechanism for the planner to use the rankings for targeting. We discuss how the mechanism works in practice, when the rankings may contain errors., Forthcoming in AEA Papers & Proceedings

Introduced from Central America for agroforestry, Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) De Wit (Fabaceae) has become invasive in several tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. The seed beetle Acanthoscelides macrophthalmus (Schaeffer) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae) was released in South Africa in 1999 to curb the plant’s high seed production. Monthly sampling was conducted during 2011/2012 at four sites in KwaZulu-Natal Province to determine the reproductive phenology of L. leucocephala populations, the levels of seed damage inflicted by A. macrophthalmus, and the extent to which the beetle has recruited native parasitoids. There were typically two podding cycles annually, with variations in peak pod production between sites and periods of very low seed availability. The levels of pre-dispersal seed damage on canopy-held pods were erratic, fluctuating greatly between months and sites, and seldom exceeding 50%. Levels of post-dispersal damage on soil-surface seeds were substantially lower, seldom exceeding 5%. Parasitism of the larval/pupal stages of A. macrophthalmus also varied between months and sites, reaching a maximum of 45%. There was a moderate but significant negative correlation between percentage seed damage and seed availability, indicating higher damage during periods of seed scarcity. In contrast, there was no significant correlation between percentage parasitism and seed infestation by A. macrophthalmus. These trends suggest that neither A. macrophthalmus nor its recruited parasitoids are tracking resource availability, ensuring a negligible impact on seedling recruitment. Additional seed-reducing agents, particularly insects that exploit green pods, are required to regulate L. leucocephala populations in South Africa.

Background There are several reports on underdiagnosis of COPD, while little is known about COPD overdiagnosis and overtreatment. We describe the overdiagnosis and the prevalence of spirometrically defined false positive COPD, as well as their relationship with overtreatment across 23 population samples in 20 countries participating in the BOLD Study between 2003 and 2012. Methods A false positive diagnosis of COPD was considered when participants reported a doctor's diagnosis of COPD, but postbronchodilator spirometry was unobstructed (FEV1/FVC > LLN). Additional analyses were performed using the fixed ratio criterion (FEV1/FVC Results Among 16,177 participants, 919 (5.7%) reported a previous medical diagnosis of COPD. Postbronchodilator spirometry was unobstructed in 569 subjects (61.9%): false positive COPD. A similar rate of overdiagnosis was seen when using the fixed ratio criterion (55.3%). In a subgroup analysis excluding participants who reported a diagnosis of "chronic bronchitis" or "emphysema" (n = 220), 37.7% had no airflow limitation. The site-specific prevalence of false positive COPD varied greatly, from 1.9% in low- to middle-income countries to 4.9% in high-income countries. In multivariate analysis, overdiagnosis was more common among women, and was associated with higher education; former and current smoking; the presence of wheeze, cough, and phlegm; and concomitant medical diagnosis of asthma or heart disease. Among the subjects with false positive COPD, 45.7% reported current use of respiratory medication. Excluding patients with reported asthma, 34.4% of those with normal spirometry still used a respiratory medication. Conclusions False positive COPD is frequent. This might expose nonobstructed subjects to possible adverse effects of respiratory medication.

Studies have shown that employees react negatively towards negative supervisory behaviour. Therefore, a questionnaire that could measure the quality of various aspects of the employment relationship could be a useful tool for managing and promoting healthy employment relationships. In the light of this, the aim of this study was to develop a questionnaire that measured the perceived quality of the employment relationship from the employee’s perspective. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted on a non-probability convenience sample of 248 employees from various organisations and sectors in South Africa. Although a 39-item questionnaire was developed across four theoretical dimensions, namely trust, fairness, good faith and justice, the analysis revealed that only two dimensions, labelled social factors and compliance factors and measured by 20 items, were sufficient to measure the desired construct. This questionnaire, which measures the perceived employment relationship quality, could be used as a diagnostic tool by management and HR professionals to determine the state of supervisory relationships in an organisation, and to address any problems brought to the fore, thereby avoiding turnover costs related to negative workplace relationships.

Forensic Science practitioners in South Africa did not have a representative or a regulatory body and for many years some individuals have vocalized the need for such a representative body. In 2016...

The practice of forensic science has changed irrevocably in South Africa in 2017 with the request by the media to live-stream the State vs van Breda court case. The entire trial was broadcast and c...

This volume provides a multi-disciplinary perspective on grit, its measurement, manifestation and development. Specifically, it aims to provide a comprehensive and balanced retort to the criticises associated with the construct within the contemporary positive psychological literature. These critiques are firmly cantered around the lack of consensus in girt’s conceptualization, measurement, and management as well as how it differs from other psychological constructs such as conscientiousness, diligence or determination. This lack in consensus resulted in various new ‘theories’, psychometric instruments, and interventions to rapidly emerge from other disciplines. These developments could lead to either seminal advancements in the understanding of grit or lead grit to becoming yet another victim of the ‘jingle-jangle fallacy’. Therefore, this volume aims to provide a thorough multidisciplinary reappraisal- and consolidation of the nature, function, measurement and implications of grit in order to effectively advance the science of achievement. Written by a team of multi-disciplinary experts in fields ranging from neuroscience, sociology, and education to human resource management and psychology, this volume firmly positions Grit within the discipline of positive psychology’s nomological lexicon.