Apparent Success Research Articles

Evidence of honest signalling in a suboscine bird: Southwestern willow flycatcher song frequency is positively related to apparent reproductive success

Evidence of honest signalling in a suboscine bird: Southwestern willow flycatcher song frequency is positively related to apparent reproductive success

Spatiotemporal and weather effects on the reproductive success of piping plovers on Prince Edward Island, Canada.

Piping plovers (Charadrius melodus sp.) rank among North America's most endangered shorebird species, facing compounding environmental challenges that reduce habitat availability and suppress recruitment and survival rates. Despite these challenges, research on the direct effects of climate variability and extremes on their breeding ecology remains limited. Here, we employ a spatiotemporal modelling approach to investigate how location, nest timing and weather conditions influence reproductive success rates in a small breeding population of C. m. melodus in Prince Edward Island (PEI), Canada from 2011 to 2023. Analysis of 40 years of monitoring records from a subset of nesting sites revealed that flooding and predation have been persistent sources of reproductive failures in this population, with unexplained losses increasing in recent years. Contrary to our hypotheses, our modelled results did not support a negative impact of extreme high temperatures and strong precipitation events on reproductive outcomes. Instead, we identified a positive effect of T MAX and no effect of strong precipitation, perhaps due to limited exposure to extreme high temperatures (>32°C) and context-specific risks associated with precipitation-induced flooding. However, trends in regional climate change are likely to increase exposure to-and the influence of-such factors in the near future. Our models also identified spatiotemporal variability in apparent hatch success over the study period, as well as worse hatch outcomes across popular beachgoing regions and for delayed nesting attempts. While our results offer preliminary insights into factors affecting breeding success in this population, further research will be imperative to enhance understanding of constraints on recruitment. To this end, we encourage the collection and analysis of additional time-series data of prey populations, human activities, fine-scale weather data and predator/flood risks associated with each nest on PEI.

Morphological innovation did not drive diversification in Mesozoic-Cenozoic brachiopods.

Over long spans of geological time, various groups of organisms may wax and wane, experiencing times of apparent success and contraction. These rises and falls are often said to reflect either opportunities created by climate change or the relative success of innovative characteristics. Phylum Brachiopoda was one of the most successful marine clades before the Permian/Triassic mass extinction (PTME), but after this event, they became marginal components of marine communities through to the present day. How brachiopod morphological innovations reacted to swiftly declining diversity has long remained poorly understood. Here we analyse morphological evolution over the 300 Myr (Permian-Quaternary) history of the four major Mesozoic-Cenozoic brachiopod orders (Terebratulida, Rhynchonellida, Spiriferinida, Athyridida). Unexpectedly, their disparities reached or exceeded pre-PTME levels, but were decoupled from generic richness, which was generally low. Distribution of taxa in morphospace and shifts in centroid indicate that all four orders exploited new morphospaces when adapting to post-Permian environments. A comparison of morphospace occupation and diversity evolution suggests that the high extinction rate of brachiopods and the limited diversification of new forms may have accounted for the depauperate nature of modern-day brachiopods.

Genomic characterization of infectious bursal disease virus in Argentina provides evidence of the recent transcontinental spread of Chinese genotype A2dB1b

ABSTRACT The infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is a significant pathogen affecting the poultry industry worldwide. Its epidemiological history has been marked by the emergence of strains with different antigenic, pathogenic, and genetic features, some of which have shown notable spread potential. The A2dB1b genotype, also known as novel variant, has become widespread and gained increased relevance in IBDV epidemiology. This genotype was described in China in the 2010s and rapidly spread in Asia and Africa. The present study describes the circulation of the A2dB1b genotype in Argentina. Applying a next-generation sequencing approach, we obtained the complete coding sequence of 18 Argentine viruses. The high level of genomic homogeneity observed amongst these viruses, their monophyletic clustering in both partial and complete segments A and B derived phylogenies, and their close relatedness to some Chinese strains suggest that a unique transcontinental spread event from China to Argentina occurred recently. The apparent success of the A2dB1b genotype spreading throughout Asia, Africa, and South America may partially be due to specific amino acid characteristics. Novel residues in the hypervariable region of VP2 may help A2dB1b IBDVs evade the protection elicited by the applied commercial vaccines. Our findings underscore the importance of continuous characterization of field samples and evaluation of the control measures currently applied to fight against this specific IBDV genotype.

Revisiting Project Delivery Performance: Evidence from Swedish Transport Infrastructure

This study of Swedish road and rail project performance challenges understanding of project success and presents findings that run counter to the widely held position that transport infrastructure delivery performance and outcomes are persistently poor. Both road and rail investments proved economically profitable and were typically delivered to budget, evidence that questions theory claiming optimism bias and malicious agency dynamics such as strategic misrepresentation are endemic in decision-making during planning and persistently cause poor project performance. Summary findings on the performance of Swedish transport infrastructure projects are: 93% of road projects achieved intended benefits, 86% returned positive net present value, and cost overrun was typically 2.7%. Road projects typically achieve a net present value of 1.6 against an estimate of 0.6. 70% of rail projects achieved intended benefits, 63% returned positive net present value, and typical cost performance was -1.8% underrun. This contribution opens new avenues for research by scholars to explain this apparent success and why some projects, even in Sweden, fail.

Lactobacillus casei Shirota probiotic drinks reduce antibiotic associated diarrhoea in patients with spinal cord injuries who regularly consume proton pump inhibitors: a subgroup analysis of the ECLISP multicentre RCT

Study designThis was a sub-group analysis of a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial (ECLISP trial)ObjectivesTo assess the efficacy of a probiotic containing at least 6.5 × 109 live Lactobacillus casei Shirota (LcS) in preventing antibiotic associated diarrhoea (AAD) in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) who consumed proton pump inhibitor (PPI) regularly. LcS or placebo was given once daily for the duration of an antibiotic course and continued for 7 days thereafter. The trial was registered with ISRCTN:13119162.SettingThree SCI centres (National Spinal Injuries Centre, Midland Centre for Spinal Injuries and Princess Royal Spinal Cord Injuries Centre) in the United KingdomMethodsBetween November 2014, and November 2019, 95 eligible consenting SCI patients (median age: 57; IQ range: 43-69) were randomly allocated to receive LcS (n = 50) or placebo (n = 45). The primary outcome is the occurrence of AAD up to 30 days after finishing LcS/placebo.ResultsThe LcS group had a significantly lower incidence of AAD at 30 days after finishing the antibiotic course (28.0 v 53.3%, RR: 95% CI: 0.53, 0.31–0.89; z = 2.5, p = 0.01). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that LcS can reduce the risk of AAD at 30 days (OR: 0.36, 95% CI 0.13, 0.99, p < 0.05). No intervention-related adverse events were reported during the study.ConclusionsLcS has the potential to prevent AAD in what could be considered a defined vulnerable group of SCI patients on regular PPI. A confirmatory, randomised, placebo-controlled study is needed to confirm this apparent therapeutic success to translate it into appropriate clinical outcomes.SponsorshipYakult Honsha Co., Ltd.

‘It’s a struggle’ – the role of the school Health and Well-being Lead in supporting families in poverty

This article explores one primary school’s response to addressing poverty experienced by children and families, within a post-Covid context. It draws on a small-scale qualitative case study exploring the role of the Health and Well-being Lead (HWBL) in a primary school in a relatively affluent market town in the south-east of England. A psychoanalytical approach was taken to understand the data drawing on the researchers different situated experiences and knowledges. Participants included children, parents and staff at the school. All parent participants shared their financial challenges, which they referred to as ‘struggles’, with many relating to the impact of the cost of living and adverse unexpected events. Staff raised concerns about how cuts to support services and funding for schools had contributed to and exacerbated challenges due to long waiting lists and a lack of early intervention. The role of the HWBL was recognised by both parents and staff as an important resource within the school. Integral to this role was a non-judgemental and empathic approach, which created an open and trusting relationship with parents. Despite the apparent success of the role, it was evident that the workload and the increase in ‘struggles’ experienced by families was having an impact on both the HWBL and other staff. While we acknowledge that such a role could benefit other schools, we argue that this will only be successful and sustainable if the government also addresses the need for early intervention, funding and the workload crisis in children’s services and schools.

The Sinking of HBOS: An Invaluable Lesson to the Contemporary Banking and Finance Sector

HBOS plc, a UK-based financial institution, initially appeared as a remarkable success story in the banking industry. 2001 marked a pivotal moment when Halifax and Bank of Scotland joined forces to create HBOS. For the subsequent six years, it achieved substantial double-digit profits, solidifying its position. In 2007, the bank’s market capitalization soared to an impressive £40 billion. While HBOS garnered accolades from analysts and brokers for its apparent success, beneath the surface, its business model proved susceptible to economic fluctuations due to what was identified as a flawed strategy and inadequate risk management practices. These critical shortcomings left the bank ill-prepared to navigate the global financial crisis. In October 2008, HBOS faced a severe crisis and ultimately merged with Lloyds Banking Group. This case delves into the intricacies of HBOS’s strategy, internal and external governance issues and the changing business environment. It serves as an invaluable tool for students seeking to comprehend the factors that led to the company’s downfall. Several pressing questions are raised, including the role of accounting improprieties, the effectiveness of the risk management system, internal governance and the inability of the board and auditors to foresee the impending challenges within the company.

Japan’s economic security strategy: Securitization of China’s rising economic power?

The concept of economic security has received special attention from the Japanese government since 2019: several specialized state agencies have been created, and in May 2022 the Diet approved the Act on Provision of Economic Security. Economic security-related notions have also been included in the new National Security Strategy, published in December 2022. In this document, economic security is defined as protection of ‘Japan’s national interests, such as peace, security, and economic prosperity, by carrying out economic measures.’ It shall be noted that the current understanding of economic security is different from the one previously assumed, which was largely concerned with the provision of natural resources and food. We observe the concrete measures proposed in connection with the concept of economic security and highlight that the new understanding of the concept has been introduced in relation to the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and China, in which Japan supports the U.S. in its efforts against the certain advanced-tech companies from China. From the point of view of the securitization theory, claims that certain industries of the PRC’s economy present a threat to Japan’s security could be seen as ‘speech-acts’ aiming to legitimize the employment of extraordinary political measures. We emphasize that the apparent success of such speech-acts is grounded in the Japanese experts’ assessment that there are emergent technologies with the possibility of dual commercial and military use. In conclusion, we examine the securitization of China’s economy by the Japanese government in its current regional and global context and argue that it could be interpreted both as a signal to the U.S. and as an attempt to gain leverage in the competition between the Japanese and the Chinese infrastructural projects in the Asia-Pacific.

Flash in the pan or eureka moment? What can be learned from Australia's natural experiment with basic income during COVID‐19

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic led to widespread social and economic policy experimentation as governments sought to protect household finances while locking down economies. Cash transfers emerged as one of the most popular policy measures, leading many to reflect on new possibilities for enacting universal basic income through temporary or emergency interventions. We take Australia’s pandemic response, and particularly its Coronavirus Supplement, as an example of this broader experimentation. We analyse the Supplement through the lens of an emergency basic income, arguing the measure reflected existing institutional structures and norms, forms of national and international policy learning, and vulnerabilities in Australia’s liberalized housing and labour markets. While temporary, we consider how its apparent success might suggest ongoing policy relevance, either as a form of capitalist “crisis management” or as an alternative pathway for implementing forms of basic income.

Islamic Banking's Decades-Long Institutionalisation Struggle: The Case of Pakistan

Islamic Banking (IB) still struggles to institutionalise its practices at the wider societal level. The literature, despite having covered the sector from several angles, has overlooked an objective evaluation of the root causes of its restricted institutionalisation so far. This empirical investigation into Pakistan's IB sector fills this void and investigates the sector's apparent limited success in institutionalising its practices despite having been formally accorded legitimate legal status around the world. The paper, bringing the sector's governance to the spotlight, concludes that the social practice's 'site' of development – the Islamic Shari'ah jurisprudence, has too strong a coupling of internal elements to accommodate the sector's current loose adherence to its principles and laws, and thus the sector, rather than its 'site' of its development, needs to adapt and reorient to accomplish unrestricted institutionalisation. The paper also extends Foucault's theoretical constructs in the sector's peculiar context, which stems from a unique cultural, economic, and regulatory environment. The paper aims to add a new dimension to the IB governance literature and help steer future research focus to areas with the highest marginal utility for the sector and its stakeholders.

The Captive New Afrikan Nation, the Politics of Solidarity, and the Ongoing Struggle for Liberation

In 1968, the world was changing. New nation-states were forming as former colonies revised relationships between Africa, Asia, and the “West.” Some fought hard for their liberation, and some were still fighting. From Vietnam to Zimbabwe, bloody struggles against racist settlers and western capital clarified the tenacity of white supremacy and imperialism. Other nations were “peacefully” exchanging white political leadership for parties and personalities rooted in local soil. All excited the US Black left who welcomed the changes as the ideal condition for Black liberation. Among them were activists who, beginning in March 1968, decided to pursue the creation of an independent Black nation-state that would occupy land in the Deep South. Considering Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, South Carolina, and Georgia as the rightful territory of their Republic of New Afrika, those who championed independence sought to replicate the apparent successes of Tanzania and other newly formed states, while contributing to the complete overthrow of western hegemony. This contribution explores the theory of the New Afrikan struggle for land and independence. It considers how New Afrikans negotiated their African ancestry and colonized status with their distinctly North American position within geopolitics. In asserting their right to self-determination, New Afrikans complicated the meanings of captivity and Third World solidarity in ways unique to the Black Power era. Even as they built on their predecessors from the African Blood Brotherhood, UNIA, and even the CPUSA, New Afrikans helped to frame their era’s political ideas in a manner that continues to guide projects of international liberation and solidarity.

Molecular Mechanisms and the Interplay of Important Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Biomarkers Reveals Novel Therapeutic Targets.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a progressive, age-dependent, and unmet chronic inflammatory disease of the peripheral airways, leading to difficulty in exhalation. Several biomarkers have been tested in general towards the resolution for a long time, but no apparent success was achieved. Ongoing therapies of COPD have only symptomatic relief but no cure. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are highly reactive species which include oxygen radicals and nonradical derivatives, and are the prominent players in COPD. They are produced as natural byproducts of cellular metabolism, but their levels can vary due to exposure to indoor air pollution, occupational pollution, and environmental pollutants such as cigarette smoke. In COPD, the lungs are continuously exposed to high levels of ROS thus leading to oxidative stress. ROS can cause damage to cells, proteins, lipids, and DNA which further contributes to the chronic inflammation in COPD and exacerbates the disease condition. Excessive ROS production can overwhelm cellular antioxidant systems and act as signaling molecules that regulate cellular processes, including antioxidant defense mechanisms involving glutathione and sirtuins which further leads to cellular apoptosis, cellular senescence, inflammation, and sarcopenia. In this review paper, we focused on COPD from different perspectives including potential markers and different cellular processes such as apoptosis, cellular senescence, inflammation, sirtuins, and sarcopenia, and tried to connect the dots between them so that novel therapeutic strategies to evaluate and target the possible underlying mechanisms in COPD could be explored.

Silent domestication of wildlife in the Anthropocene: The mallard as a case study

In the Anthropocene, human activities have been a dominant force affecting wildlife, natural habitats, and climate worldwide. Over time, increasing incidences of wildlife-human interactions may have positive outcomes for some generalist species, but studies continue to uncover that most predictably these generalist wild species also suffer from such interactions. In particular, the line between domestic and wild continues to blur as gene flow between these groups intensifies in the Anthropocene. We explore the meaning of wildness, focusing on the mallard, currently the most abundant duck species in the world. Mallard has been connected to humans for tens of thousands of years. Considered an exemplary generalist species with the capacity to adapt to rapidly changing environments, evidence gathered from a variety of disciplines suggests that some management efforts over the last centuries have resulted in the deterioration of the mallard's prolific nature, and that the apparent success in terms of current population size and wide distribution could mask a genetic collapse. Highlighting warning signs from the mallard system, in this Perspectives paper we discuss how active management of habitats and populations runs the risk of compromising species' wildness, and we suggest precautionary and counter-measures in the context of species management and conservation.

Penal Battalions and Genocidal Warfare: History's Warnings, Wagner's Global Footprint, and Ukraine

The expendability of penal battalions has provided genocidal regimes with ample fodder for conventional wars, genocidal warfare, and cases in which such conscripts may become either perpetrators or victims. The unresolved charges of those who massacred civilians in Bucha, Ukraine, in 2022 extend to include suspects from a private military security company (PMSC) known as the Wagner Group. Vladimir Putin's regime has regularly contracted Wagner since its founding in 2014 in operations that led to its adaptation and development as a tool for war and very likely also the world's first for-hire band of perpetrators. This study tracks histories of penal battalions before outlining the evolution of Wagner as a significant force in global politics and conflict. The findings suggest that prosecution, prevention, or intervention will become even more difficult than it already is for institutions of international law. The apparent successes and rapid growth of Wagner tend to indicate that the use of penal battalions in genocidal wars is not confined to the pages of history. The unaccountability of such suspects could increase both the recruitment of many more genocidal offenders and further risk the expendability of what Richard L. Rubenstein identified as surplus populations. By framing penal battalions that die en masse in genocidal wars, the case of the Wagner Group may ultimately include civilian victims in Ukraine, perpetrators for-hire, and victims within the group's own battalions that the Kremlin deployed to die across the war's frontlines.

IMPLICATIONS OF BEHAVIORISTIC LEARNING THEORY IN PRIMARY SCHOOL LEVEL STUDENT LEARNING

According to behavioristic theory, learning is a change in behavior and overall student personality. At the elementary school level both SD / MI, one of the apparent learning successes is the change in student behavior. Elementary / MI students have several characteristics such as: (1) full of inquiry or curiosity, (2) spontaneously responding (paying attention) to various aspects of the world around them, (3) active in doing anything even though small things, and so on. Students at the elementary school level will be more motivated to learn by giving reinforcement (reinforcement) by the teacher in the form of rewards, rather than providing motivation in the form of motivational sentences. Behavioristic theory is seen as one learning theory that has positive implications in the learning process. This is because behavioristic theory emphasizes the existence of stimulus and response, thus making the role of the teacher here very vital. The teacher acts as the center of learning activities. Before the teacher carries out learning, the teacher makes a learning plan by taking into account indicators of learning success, identifying learning objectives, conducting learning analyzes and identifying student characteristics. Then in implementing learning, the teacher provides stimulus to students in the form of motivation, reinforcement, assignments and so on. After that the teacher gives feedback at the end of learning. In addition to having positive implications, this behavioristic theory also has weaknesses in its application in the learning process, because this theory emphasizes more on what can be seen, namely behavior and not paying attention to what is happening in the mind because it cannot be seen. Thus the behavioristic learning process is considered more as a mechanical and automatic process without discussing what happens in students while learning.

Shiny Cowbird (Molothrus bonariensis) brood parasitism occurrence and impact increases with decreasing forest cover

ABSTRACT Cowbirds brood parasitism has a detrimental effect on the breeding success of their hosts. The occurrence of parasitism observed may be related to environmental features at landscape or nest-site scales. Such relationships have been assessed for the Brown-headed Cowbird (Molothrus ater) in the large forests of the northern hemisphere. Here, we present a study conducted on the Shiny Cowbird (M. bonariensis) in native forests of the southern hemisphere in Argentina. These forests are characterised as semi-open woodlands, with forest fragments of variable sizes immersed in native grasslands. We aimed to evaluate the effect of Shiny Cowbird brood parasitism on the breeding success of a native passerine, the Masked Gnatcatcher (Polioptila dumicola), and to assess the relationship of its occurrence with environmental features at landscape and nest-site scales. During three breeding seasons (2015–2018) we monitored 207 gnatcatcher nests of which 70 were parasitised. Brood parasitism was the cause of nest failure in 60% of the parasitised nests. In addition, breeding success measured by apparent nest success, egg survival, hatching success and nestling survival were significantly lower for parasitised nests than for non-parasitised nests. Brood parasitism occurrence was negatively associated with forest cover, where nests located in sites with less forest cover experienced a higher occurrence of parasitism than those with greater cover. As these native semi-open forests face a continuous decline, our results add to the evidence of negative impacts of deforestation.

Impostor Phenomenon Among Family Medicine Residency Program Directors: A CERA Study.

Impostor phenomenon (IP) can be described as feelings of inadequacy that exist despite apparent success. Although IP may be related to multiple important outcomes in physicians, it has not been examined among residency program directors (PDs). The seven-item Leary Impostorism Scale (LIS) was added to the 2021 Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) PD survey. In addition to standard questions, we surveyed PDs about their likelihood to leave their role, whether they started their PD role due to an unexpected transition, their beliefs concerning workplace evaluations relative to self-assessed performance, and their perceived support in completing PD responsibilities. Of the 257 PDs included in the survey (response rate approximately 41%), 28% (N=71) reported no IP. IP did not statistically differ across gender or race. LIS scores were lower among Hispanic/Latino respondents, but only 8% of our sample (N=20) identified as Hispanic/Latino. LIS scores did not significantly differ by PD likelihood to leave their position or for PDs starting their position due to a sudden transition. Respondents who felt that evaluations overestimated actual performance had higher LIS scores, as did those with lower levels of perceived support in completing administrative responsibilities and those with less time in their PD role. Most PD respondents did not report high levels of IP. Short duration of PD role, lack of programmatic support, and negative self-evaluations were correlated with higher levels of IP. Future research should examine interventions or resources to help those with IP thrive.

Could Religions Augment Cooperation by Recruiting Hamilton’s Rule through the Use of Fictive Kinship Language?

AbstractSome scholars have raised the potential functional role of fictive kinship for religion, generally. This paper seeks to develop that idea. It is argued in this paper that fictive kinship language in religion (and some other non-religious contexts) recruits traits connected to Hamilton’s rule as it is expressed inHomo sapienspsychology. The effect is that cooperation is augmented within a population that generally shares the same religious worldview. The general position is that if religions are in the business of cooperation and this partially accounts for their evolution and preservation, then it follows that we should take particular note of any significant feature of religions that might lend itself to the cooperation account of religion’s apparent evolutionary success. Fictive kinship is one such feature.

Future directions for management and treatment of algal blooms: A case study of filamentousCyanobacteria in Dianchi Lake

In March of each year, dormant spores of filamentous cyanobacteria (Aphanizomenon flosaquae) responsible for algal blooms in Dianchi Lake start to revive as the temperature reaches around 14 degrees Celsius. The apparent succession phenomenon between filamentous cyanobacteria and microcystis algae has made it one of the dominant species of eutrophication in Dianchi Lake. So far, China has invested more than 50 billion RMB in the treatment of eutrophication in Dianchi Lake, but the situation remains far from optimistic, with water quality only being classified as Class IV. To achieve sustainable development in Dianchi Lake water quality treatment and restoration, it is important to consider the economic value of the treatment products while implementing the remediation. Filamentous cyanobacteria, one of the main pollutants of eutrophication in water bodies, can be used to extract AFA-phycocyanin, which has been identified as a complex of C-phycocyanin/allophycocyanin, phycobiliproteins (including the chromophore phycoviolobilin), AFA-photosynthetic pigments, and mycosporine-like amino acids (MAA). These extracts can be used in nutritional cosmetics and pharmaceutical compositions for the prevention or treatment of diseases, disorders, or symptoms involving acute or chronic inflammation, oxidative denaturation of cellular or tissue, or uncontrolled cell proliferation. By extracting and processing filamentous cyanobacteria, its economic value can be increased, treatment costs can be reduced, and contributions can be made to the sustainable development of algal bloom pollution control in Dianchi Lake.