Fork-Tailed Drongos (Dicrurus adsimilis) use different types of mimicked alarm calls in response to different alarm threats

Includes bibliographical references.Vocal mimicry is a fascinating phenomenon in the animal kingdom, noted in scientific research as early as the 18th century. Approximately 20% of bird species use vocal mimicry, yet very little is understood regarding why species use vocal mimicry, whether it provides functional benefits and in which contexts vocal mimicry is produced. I propose that some of these species produce alarm mimicry in the appropriate alarm contexts, matching the context of call production by the model species whose calls are mimicked. Previous research suggests that alarm mimicry in the appropriate context could provide heterospecifics with information regarding predators that are in the area. Aerial alarm call mimicry could indicate that an aerial predator is present and may cause individuals to flee, while terrestrial mob call mimicry could indicate the presence of a terrestrial predator and could prompt heterospecifics to aid in the mobbing of the predator. I investigate this possibility in the Fork-Tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis), a species renowned for its use of mimicry of other species alarm calls. Natural alarm responses to predators show that drongos produce alarm mimicry in alarms and never in non-alarm contexts. Overall drongos were more likely to mimic alarms in response to terrestrial predators. I then explored whether drongos use mimicked aerial and terrestrial ‘mobbing’ alarm calls in appropriate aerial or terrestrial predator alarm contexts using recordings of responses by drongos both to natural predators, and to experimental presentations of aerial and terrestrial predator and control models . Drongos were more likely to mimic aerial than ‘mob’ terrestrial alarm calls in response to natural and experimentally presented aerial predators. Conversely, they were more likely to mimic ‘mob’ terrestrial than aerial alarm calls in response to natural and experimentally presented terrestrial predators. Comparison of aerial and mob alarm call mimicry with the drongos production of their own equivalent aerial and terrestrial ‘drongo-specific’ alarm calls, revealed that mimicked and drongo-specific alarm calls were produced in similar contexts. These results support research showing that some bird species produce context-dependent alarm mimicry and the implications for the possible function of alarm call mimicry are discussed

The Grass Isn\u27t Always Greener: A Qualitative Study of Indian International Students Attending a Comprehensive University

The purpose of this present study was to explore the problems that Indian subcontinent students who participated in international study programs encountered in their travel abroad. Using a qualitative research methodology, four graduate-level Indian students were interviewed via a semi-structured interview protocol. Participants were asked to share problems they were currently facing or had faced while studying at a midsized, comprehensive institution in the Midwest. Using cross-comparative analysis, verbal interview data were analyzed for common codes and categories and were then grouped into themes. Five themes were apparent: Homesickness, Culture Shock, Discrimination, Language Barriers and Educational Differences, and Other Issues. The Indian participants were also asked for suggestions that might alleviate some of the identified problems. The study provides readers with an inside look into the \u27voices\u27 of the Indian international participants while offering recommendations for both Student Affairs practitioners and future researchers

Informed consent and placebo effects: a content analysis of information leaflets to identify what clinical trial participants are told about placebos

BackgroundPlacebo groups are used in randomised clinical trials (RCTs) to control for placebo effects, which can be large. Participants in trials can misunderstand written information particularly regarding technical aspects of trial design such as randomisation; the adequacy of written information about placebos has not been explored. We aimed to identify what participants in major RCTs in the UK are told about placebos and their effects.Methods and FindingsWe conducted a content analysis of 45 Participant Information Leaflets (PILs) using quantitative and qualitative methodologies. PILs were obtained from trials on a major registry of current UK clinical trials (the UKCRN database). Eligible leaflets were received from 44 non-commercial trials but only 1 commercial trial. The main limitation is the low response rate (13.5%), but characteristics of included trials were broadly representative of all non-commercial trials on the database. 84% of PILs were for trials with 50:50 randomisation ratios yet in almost every comparison the target treatments were prioritized over the placebos. Placebos were referred to significantly less frequently than target treatments (7 vs. 27 mentions, p<001) and were significantly less likely than target treatments to be described as triggering either beneficial effects (1 vs. 45, p<001) or adverse effects (4 vs. 39, p<001). 8 PILs (18%) explicitly stated that the placebo treatment was either undesirable or ineffective.ConclusionsPILs from recent high quality clinical trials emphasise the benefits and adverse effects of the target treatment, while largely ignoring the possible effects of the placebo. Thus they provide incomplete and at times inaccurate information about placebos. Trial participants should be more fully informed about the health changes that they might experience from a placebo. To do otherwise jeopardises informed consent and is inconsistent with not only the science of placebos but also the fundamental rationale underpinning placebo controlled trials