Search

Background: Rabies virus (RABV) is the etiologic agent of rabies, a fatal brain disease in mammals. Rabies circulation has historically involved the dog has the main source of human rabies worldwide. Nevertheless, in Colombia, cats (Felis catus) have become a relevant species in the epidemiology of rabies. Aims: To characterize rabies cases in humans in Colombia in the last three decades in the context of the epidemiology of the aggressor animal. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective longitudinal epidemiological study of human rabies caused by cats' aggression, collecting primary and secondary information. Variables considered included the demography of the patient, symptoms, information about the aggressor animal as the source of infection and the viral variant identified. Results: We found that the distribution of rabies incidence over the years has been constant in Colombia. Nevertheless, between 2003 and 2012 a peak of cases occurred in rural Colombia where cats were the most frequent aggressor animal reported. Most cats involved in aggression were unvaccinated against rabies. Cat's clinical signs at the time of the report of the human cases included hypersalivation and changes in behaviour. Human patients were mostly children and female and the exposure primarily corresponded to bite and puncture lacerations in hands. The RABV lineage detected in most cases corresponded to variant 3, linked to the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus). The geographical presentation of cat borne RABV in humans occurred along the Andes mountains, epidemiologically known as the rabies red Andean corridor. Discussion: By finding cats as the primary source of rabies spillover transmission in Colombia, this report highlights the importance of revising national rabies control and prevention protocol in countries in the Andes region. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that rabies vaccination for outdoor cats needs to prioritize to reduce the number of rabies‐related human deaths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last decade, bat conservation guidance has received increasing attention, as many United States bat species are in decline due to white‐nose syndrome and have been listed or considered for federal endangered species status. Research on how these species are impacted by forestry management decisions has advanced to provide specific conservation actions for these imperiled species. We set out to better understand the level of knowledge land managers had in relation to forestry techniques and their impact on wildlife conservation in order to more effectively strategize how we can efficiently provide educational resources. We surveyed 78 land managers in Illinois to identify their priorities for management and how familiar they were with forestry management guidelines for bat conservation. We followed up with a subset of voluntary participants with semistructured phone interviews to generate more in‐depth responses. Using these tools, we reveal that a top priority for most managers in Illinois is invasive species management. Most have some familiarity with bat conservation actions, but few were confident in their knowledge of threatened and endangered species. Thirteen of the twenty phone interviews identified a preference for talking to/hearing from experts to receive information on bat conservation. These results highlighted where there are information gaps on best practices for forestry management from a conservation perspective, and identified how we can best address these through partnerships with land managers. Implementation of these practices is likely how recovery of these vulnerable species will happen—through protection of their basic needs, including availability of roosts, abundance of prey, and access to uncontaminated water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial light at night has been considered an emerging threat to global biodiversity. However, the impacts of artificial light on foraging behavior in most wild animals remain largely unclear. Here, we aimed to assess whether artificial light affects foraging behavior in Asian parti‐colored bats (Vespertilio sinensis). We manipulated the spectra of light‐emitting diode (LED) lighting in a laboratory. Using video and audio recording, we monitored foraging onset, total foraging time, food consumption, freezing behavior (temporary cessation of body movement), and echolocation vocalizations in triads of bats under each lighting condition. Analyses showed that the foraging activities of experimental bats were reduced under LED light. Green, yellow, and red light had greater negative effects on bats' foraging onset, total foraging time, and food consumption than white and blue light. LED light of different spectra induced increased freezing time and echolocation vocalizations in captive bats, except for the white light. The peak wavelength of light emission correlated positively with freezing time, estimated echolocation pulse rate (the number of echolocation pulses per minute), and foraging onset, but negatively with total foraging time and food consumption. These results demonstrate that artificial light disturbs foraging behavior in Asian parti‐colored bats. Our findings have implications for understanding the influencing mechanism of light pollution on bat foraging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Wireless sensor networks consist of several autonomous nodes that are outfitted with sensors, radio, processors, memory storage, and power sources. These nodes track, sense, and send data using radio. While establishing a network, the two most essential characteristics are coverage and connectivity. For better connectivity and a longer network life, it's important to make the coverage area as big as possible with the fewest number of sensor nodes. The goal of this research is to make a connected sensor network that uses less energy and can be used in situations where the sensors need to be placed in the best way to make the network last as long as possible. The probabilistic sensing model is used, and improved network lifetime is the goal of the research work by using problem‐specific intelligent optimization techniques like BAT, ACO, and JOA to maximize the coverage area with respect to energy and points of interest. This work introduces a novel approach that optimizes both coverage and connectivity. The modified binary bat algorithm overcomes computational complexities and local optima observed in existing methods. Uniquely, it models the three states of each sensor node and includes innovative features like a greedy initialization and a weighted cost function for improving network efficiency. After investigation, it was analyzed that the proposed solution significantly improves network lifetime by over 10% to 12% compared to existing methods like JOA and ACO. The proposed approach converges faster and performs more efficiently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basophil activation test (BAT) or the mast cell activation test (MAT) are two in vitro tests that are currently being studied in food allergy as diagnostic tools as an alternative to oral food challenges (OFCs). We conducted a meta‐analysis on BAT and MAT, assessing their specificity and sensitivity in diagnosing peanut allergy. Six databases were searched for studies on patients suspected of having peanut allergy. Studies using BAT or MAT to peanut extract and/or component as diagnostic tools with results given in percentage of CD63 activation were included in this meta‐analysis. Study quality was evaluated with the QUADAS‐2 tool. On the 11 studies identified, eight focused exclusively on children, while three included a mixed population of adults and children. Only one study provided data on MAT, precluding us from conducting a statistical analysis. The diagnostic accuracy of BAT was higher when stimulated with peanut extract rather than Ara h 2 with a pooled specificity of 96% (95% CI: 0.89–0.98) and sensitivity of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.74–0.93). The sensitivity and specificity of BATs in discriminating between allergic and sensitized patients were studied as well, with pooled analysis revealing a sensitivity of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.74; 0.93) and a specificity of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.94, 0.98). BATs, when stimulated with peanut extracts, exhibit a satisfactory sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of peanut allergy and can help to discriminate between allergic individuals and those only sensitized to peanuts. More investigations on the potential for MATs diagnostic methods are warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitochondria are required for energy production and even give brown adipose tissue (BAT) its characteristic color due to their high iron content and abundance. The physiological function and bioenergetic capacity of mitochondria are connected to the structure, folding, and organization of its inner‐membrane cristae. During the aging process, mitochondrial dysfunction is observed, and the regulatory balance of mitochondrial dynamics is often disrupted, leading to increased mitochondrial fragmentation in aging cells. Therefore, it is hypothesized that significant morphological changes in BAT mitochondria and cristae will be present with aging. A quantitative 3D electron microscopy approach is developed to map cristae network organization in mouse BAT to test this hypothesis. Using this methodology, the 3D morphology of mitochondrial cristae is investigated in adult (3‐month) and aged (2‐year) murine BAT tissue via serial block face‐scanning electron microscopy (SBF‐SEM) and 3D reconstruction software for manual segmentation, analysis, and quantification. Upon investigation, an increase is found in mitochondrial volume, surface area, and complexity and decreased sphericity in aged BAT, alongside significant decreases in cristae volume, area, perimeter, and score. Overall, these data define the nature of the mitochondrial structure in murine BAT across aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broad‐spectrum antivirals (BSAs) have the advantageous property of being effective against a wide range of viruses with a single drug, offering a promising therapeutic solution for the largely unmet need in treating both existing and emerging viral infections. In this review, we summarize the current strategies for the development of novel BSAs, focusing on either targeting the commonalities during the replication of multiple viruses or the systemic immunity of humans. In comparison to BSAs that target viral replication, these immuno‐modulatory agents possess an expanded spectrum of antiviral activity. However, antiviral immunity is a double‐edged sword, and maintaining immune homeostasis ultimately dictates the health status of hosts during viral infections. Therefore, establishing an ideal goal for immuno‐modulation in antiviral interventions is crucial. Herein we propose a bionic approach for immuno‐modulation inspired by mimicking bats, which possess a more robust immune system for combating viral invasions, compared to humans. In addition, we discuss an empirical approach to treat diverse viral infections using traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), mainly through bidirectional immuno‐modulation to restore the disrupted homeostasis. Advancing our understanding of both the immune system of bats and the mechanisms underlying antiviral TCMs will significantly contribute to the future development of novel BSAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The connections of climatic variables to zoonotic and wildlife diseases remain uncertain. Here, we compiled a systematic database for the prevalence of 121 pathogenic microbial taxa in birds (ca 376 species) and bats (ca 39 species), including 11 939 observations from over 450 000 individuals across Europe and surrounding regions. We modelled the potential connection of climatic variables with the prevalence of 75 pathogenic microbial taxa at a multi‐pathogenic‐taxa level and of 17 most‐studied pathogenic taxa at a single‐pathogenic‐taxon level. According to the multi‐taxa model, the prevalence of bacterial taxa was positively associated with temperature, while this association was significantly weaker for eukaryotes and viruses. The prevalence of bacterial taxa was negatively associated with rainfall, while viruses showed a positive association with rainfall. These associations between climatic variables and prevalence of pathogenic taxa were not different between bird and bat hosts. According to the single‐taxon models, the prevalence of influenza A viruses, Plasmodium, and several bacterial taxa in birds and bats was positively associated with temperature. Rainfall showed positive associations with the prevalence of Usutu, Sindbis and Influenza A viruses but the directions of significant associations varied among bacterial taxa. Strikingly, this was evidenced also between bacterial taxa that share hosts and transmission mechanism hinting towards hitherto unknown features on pathogen ecology, e.g. Salmonella versus Campylobacter and Anaplasma versus Borrelia. Our results suggest that rising temperature and increasing precipitation will accelerate the threat of bird‐ and bat‐associated bacterial and viral pathogens to wildlife, domesticated animals and humans, respectively. However, the idiosyncratic relationships with climatic conditions among pathogenic taxa highlight the need for pathogen‐specific predictive models to understand future pathogen distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollinator shifts are often related to speciation in angiosperms, and the relationship between them has been discussed in several plant taxa. Although limited information on plants pollinated by non‐flying mammals in Central and South America and Africa is available, related research has not been conducted in Asia. Herein, I summarize the available knowledge of pollination in Asian Mucuna (Fabaceae), a genus mainly distributed in the tropics, and discuss the evolution of plants pollinated by non‐flying mammals in Asia. Nineteen pollinator species have been recorded and pollination systems have been categorized into four types. An examination of the relationship between Mucuna species and their pollinators from the lineage perspective revealed that all species in Mucuna, subgenus Macrocarpa, which are distributed in Asia, are pollinated exclusively by non‐flying mammals. Additionally, plants pollinated by non‐flying mammals were found to have diverged from bat‐pollinated and non‐flying mammal‐pollinated plants, while plants pollinated by non‐flying mammals have evolved multiple times. This is a unique example of evolutionary transition. I hypothesize that the diversification of squirrel species in tropical Asia may have led to the speciation and diversification of Mucuna in Asia. Furthermore, the behavioural and ecological characteristics of bats and birds in Asia differ from the characteristics of those in other regions, implying that Asian Mucuna species do not rely on bat or bird pollinators. The adaptation of floral characteristics to pollinators is not well understood in Asia. Mammal‐pollinated plants in Asia may have evolved differently from those in other regions and have unique pollination systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The affordability, storage and power capacity of compact modern recording hardware have evolved passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) of animals and soundscapes into a non‐invasive, cost‐effective tool for research and ecological management particularly useful for bats and toothed whales that orient and forage using ultrasonic echolocation. The use of PAM at large scales hinges on effective automated detectors and species classifiers which, combined with distance sampling approaches, have enabled species abundance estimation of toothed whales. But standardized, user‐friendly and open access automated detection and classification workflows are in demand for this key conservation metric to be realized for bats.We used the PAMGuard toolbox including its new deep learning classification module to test the performance of four open‐source workflows for automated analyses of acoustic datasets from bats. Each workflow used a different initial detection algorithm followed by the same deep learning classification algorithm and was evaluated against the performance of an expert manual analyst.Workflow performance depended strongly on the signal‐to‐noise ratio and detection algorithm used: the full deep learning workflow had the best classification accuracy (≤67%) but was computationally too slow for practical large‐scale bat PAM. Workflows using PAMGuard's detection module or triggers onboard an SM4BAT or AudioMoth accurately classified up to 47%, 59% and 34%, respectively, of calls to species. Not all workflows included noise sampling critical to estimating changes in detection probability over time, a vital parameter for abundance estimation. The workflow using PAMGuard's detection module was 40 times faster than the full deep learning workflow and missed as few calls (recall for both ~0.6), thus balancing computational speed and performance.We show that complete acoustic detection and classification workflows for bat PAM data can be efficiently automated using open‐source software such as PAMGuard and exemplify how detection choices, whether pre‐ or post‐deployment, hardware or software‐driven, affect the performance of deep learning classification and the downstream ecological information that can be extracted from acoustic recordings. In particular, understanding and quantifying detection/classification accuracy and the probability of detection are key to avoid introducing biases that may ultimately affect the quality of data for ecological management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterogeneous pathogenic stress can shape major histocompatibility complex (MHC) diversity by influencing the functional plasticity of the immune response. Therefore, MHC diversity could reflect environmental stress, demonstrating its importance in uncovering the mechanisms of adaptive genetic variation. In this study, we combined neutral microsatellite loci, an immune‐related MHC II‐DRB locus, and climatic factors to unravel the mechanisms affecting the diversity and genetic differentiation of MHC genes in the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum), a species with a wide geographical distribution that has three distinct genetic lineages in China. First, increased genetic differentiation at the MHC locus among populations compared using microsatellites indicated diversifying selection. Second, the genetic differentiation of MHC and microsatellites were significantly correlated, suggesting that demographic processes exist. However, MHC genetic differentiation was significantly correlated with geographical distance among populations, even after controlling for the neutral markers, suggesting a major effect of selection. Third, although the MHC genetic differentiation was larger than that for microsatellites, there was no significant difference in the genetic differentiation between the two markers among genetic lineages, indicating the effect of balancing selection. Fourth, combined with climatic factors, MHC diversity and supertypes showed significant correlations with temperature and precipitation, but not with the phylogeographic structure of R. ferrumequinum, suggesting an effect of local adaptation driven by climate on MHC diversity. Moreover, the number of MHC supertypes varied between populations and lineages, suggesting regional characteristics and support for local adaptation. Taken together, the results of our study provide insights into the adaptive evolutionary driving forces at different geographic scales in R. ferrumequinum. In addition, climate factors may have played a vital role in driving adaptive evolution in this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical forests harbour the highest levels of terrestrial biodiversity and represent some of the most complex ecosystems on Earth, with a significant portion of this diversity above ground. Although the vertical dimension is a central aspect of the ecology of forest communities, there is little consensus as to prominence, evenness, and consistency of community‐level stratification from ground to canopy. Here, we gather the results of 62 studies across the tropics to synthesise and assess broad patterns of vertical stratification of abundance and richness in vertebrates, the best studied taxonomic group for which results have not been collated previously. Our review of the literature yielded sufficient data for bats, small mammals, birds and amphibians. We show that variation in the stratification of abundance and richness exists within and among all taxa considered. Bat richness stratification was variable among studies, although bat abundance was weighted towards the canopy. Both bird richness and abundance stratification were variable, with no overriding pattern. On the contrary, both amphibians and small mammals showed consistent patterns of decline in abundance and richness towards the canopy. We descriptively characterise research trends in drivers of stratification cited or investigated within studies, finding local habitat structure and food distribution/foraging to be the most commonly attributed drivers. Further, we analyse the influence of macroecological variables on stratification patterns, finding latitude and elevation to be key predictors of bird stratification in particular. Prominent differences among taxa are likely due to taxon‐specific interactions with local drivers such as vertical habitat structure, food distribution, and vertical climate gradients, which may vary considerably across macroecological gradients such as elevation and biogeographic realm. Our study showcases the complexity with which animal communities organise within tropical forest ecosystems, while demonstrating the canopy as a critical niche space for tropical vertebrates, thereby highlighting the inherent vulnerability of tropical vertebrate communities to forest loss and canopy disturbance. We recognise that analyses were constrained due to variation in study designs and methods which produced a variety of abundance and richness metrics recorded across different arrangements of vertical strata. We therefore suggest the application of best practices for data reporting and highlight the significant effort required to fill research gaps in terms of under‐sampled regions, taxa, and environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The species of the genus Leishmania are protozoa that are widely distributed from Asia to the Americas, affecting humans and wild and domestic animals. Little is known about infection by Leishmania in bats in the state of Maranhão, Brazil. The objective of this study was to investigate the presence of Leishmania in bats in Maranhão. Blood samples were collected from bat species for parasitological diagnosis. Samples of spleen and liver were collected for molecular analysis. All the blood cultures were negative. In two blood smears, organisms similar to amastigotes of Leishmania sp. were detected. Of the 116 samples, two spleen samples were positive and showed similarity to Leishmania infantum. Therefore, further studies are needed to elucidate whether bats take part in the epidemiological chain of leishmaniasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transfer of mitochondrial DNA to the nuclear genome gives rise to the nuclear DNA sequences of mitochondrial origin (NUMTs), considered as a driving force in genome evolution. In this study, NUMTs in 23 bat genomes were investigated and compared systematically. The results showed that NUMTs existed in 22 genomes except for Noctilio leporinus, suggesting that mitochondrial fragment insertion in the nuclear genome was a common event in bat genomes. However, remarkable variations in NUMTs number, cumulative length, and proportion in the nuclear genome were discovered across bat species. Further orthologous NUMT loci analysis of the Phyllostomidae family indicated that the NUMTs insertion events in bat genomes were homoplasy‐free. The NUMTs were mainly inserted into the intergenic regions, particularly, co‐localized with repetitive sequences (especially transposable elements). However, several NUMTs were inserted into genes, some of which were in the exon region of functional genes. One NUMT in the genome of Pteropus alecto surprisingly matched with cDNA of ATP8B3 that provided evidence of NUMTs with coding function. Phylogenic analysis on NUMTs originating from COXI and COXII loci highlighted 2 clusters of Yinpterochiroptera and Yangochiroptera for Chiroptera. Seven NUMTs from Rhinolophus ferrumequinum were amplified, and the sequencing results confirmed the reliability of the NUMT analysis. One of them was polymorphic for the presence or absence of the NUMT insertion, and each genotype of NUMT loci showed a distinct regional distribution pattern. The information obtained in this study provides novel insights into the NUMT organization and features in bat genomes and establishes a basis for further studying of the evolution of bat species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human–bat interactions are now the source of the majority of locally acquired human lyssavirus infections in many high‐income countries without hematophagous or 'vampire' bat species. This study aims to identify the most common types and circumstances of bat exposures occurring among members of the general public in high‐income countries with no hematophagous bats, and to describe the health‐seeking behaviours associated with exposures in these settings. We conducted a scoping review of relevant academic and grey literature on bat exposures and confirmed bat lyssavirus infections among members of the general public in Australia, Canada, the United States and high‐income European countries from 1996 to 2019. Case studies and population‐based studies were included for analysis, and findings were extracted and synthesized by the literature type and geographic region. A total of 63 publications were identified, including: 47 case studies and 16 population‐based studies. Overall, most exposures in Australia and Europe were intentionally initiated by humans and involved attempts to handle, touch or help a bat. In North America, however, household exposures were more common and predominantly involved a bat being found in a room or area where a person had slept. Studies also showed that a proportion of bat exposures in high‐income countries go unreported in the absence of a public health investigation and are therefore unlikely to receive prompt treatment. The results of this review suggest that the most effective strategies for preventing bat exposures vary between regions and that health‐seeking behaviours following bat exposures could be improved in high‐income settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of wind energy on bat populations is a growing concern because wind turbine blades can strike and kill bats, and wind turbine development is increasing. We tested the effectiveness of 2 management actions at 2 wind‐energy facilities for reducing bat fatalities: curtailing turbine operation when wind speeds were <5.0 m/second and combining curtailment with an acoustic bat deterrent developed by NRG Systems. We measured the effectiveness of the management actions using differences in counts of bat carcasses quantified by daily and twice‐per‐week standardized carcass searches of cleared plots below turbines, and field trials that estimated searcher efficiency and carcass persistence. We studied turbines located at 2 adjacent wind‐energy facilities in northeast Illinois, USA, during fall migration (1 Aug–15 Oct) in 2018. We estimated the effectiveness of each management action using a generalized linear mixed‐effects model with several covariates. Curtailment alone reduced overall bat mortality by 42.5% but did not reduce silver‐haired bat (Lasionycteris noctivagans) mortality. Overall bat fatality rates were 66.9% lower at curtailed turbines with acoustic deterrents compared to turbines that operated at manufacturer cut‐in speed. Curtailment and the deterrent reduced bat mortality to varying degrees between species, ranging from 58.1% for eastern red bats (Lasiurus borealis) to 94.4 for big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus). Hoary (Lasiurus cinereus) and silver‐haired bat mortality was reduced by 71.4% and 71.6%, respectively. Our study lacked a deterrent‐only treatment group because of the expense of acoustic deterrents. We estimated the additional reduction in mortality with concurrent deployment of the acoustic deterrent and curtailment under the assumption that curtailment and the acoustic deterrent would have reduced mortality by the same percentage at adjacent wind‐energy facilities. Acoustic deterrents resulted in 31.6%, 17.4%, and 66.7% additional reductions of bat mortality compared to curtailment alone for eastern red bat, hoary bat, and silver‐haired bat, respectively. The effectiveness of acoustic deterrents for reducing bat mortality at turbines with rotor‐swept area diameters >110 m is unknown because high frequency sound attenuates quickly, which reduces coverage of rotor‐swept areas. Management actions should consider species differences in the ability of curtailment and deterrents to reduce bat mortality and increase energy production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expansion of anthropogenic noise poses an emerging threat to the survival and reproductive success of various organisms. Previous investigations have focused on the detrimental effects of anthropogenic noise on the foraging behavior in some terrestrial and aquatic animals. Nevertheless, the role of airport noise in impairing foraging activities of most wild animals has been neglected. Here, we aimed to assess whether foraging behavior in free‐living Japanese pipistrelle bats (Pipistrellus abramus) can be disturbed by airport noise. We used audio recording to monitor foraging activities of bats at 11 sites around the runway of a municipal airport. We quantified noise level and spectra, aircraft activity, habitat type, nightly temperature, wind speed, and moon phase for each site. The analysis revealed that noise level and aircraft activity were significant negative predictors for the number of bat passes and feeding buzzes around the runway, even after controlling for the effects of other environmental factors. There was no marked spectral overlap between bat echolocation pulses and airport noise in the presence and absence of low‐flying aircraft. The spectro‐temporal parameters of echolocation vocalizations emitted by bats were dependent on noise level, aircraft activity, and habitat type. These results provide correlative evidence that airport noise can reduce foraging activities of wild pipistrelle bats. Our findings add to the current knowledge of adverse impacts of airport noise on foraging bats in artificial ecosystems and provide a basis for further research on the mechanisms behind noise pollution near airports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the current study, we propose a single‐voxel (SV) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) pulse sequence, based on intermolecular double‐quantum coherence (iDQC), for in vivo specific assessment of brown adipose tissue (BAT) at 3 T. The multilocular adipocyte, present in BAT, typically contains a large number of small lipid droplets surrounded by abundant intracellular water, while the monolocular adipocyte, present in white adipose tissue (WAT), accommodates only a single large lipid droplet with much less water content. The SV‐iDQC sequence probes the spatial correlation between water and fat spins at a distance of about the size of an adipocyte, thus can be used for assessment of BAT, even when mixed with WAT and/or muscle tissues. This sequence for measurement of water‐to‐fat (water‐fat) iDQC signals was tested on phantoms and mouse BAT and WAT tissues. It was then used to differentiate adipose tissues in the supraclavicular and subcutaneous regions of healthy youth human volunteers (n = 6). Phantom results with water‐fat emulsions demonstrated enhanced water‐fat iDQC signal with increased voxel size, increased energy level of emulsification, or increased distribution balance of water and fat spins. The animal tissue experiments resulted in obvious water‐fat iDQC signal in mouse BAT, while this signal was almost absent in the WAT spectrum. The optimal choice of the dipolar coupling distance for the observation was approximately 100 μm, as tested on both emulsion phantom and animal tissue. The water‐fat iDQC signals observed in the supraclavicular adipose tissues were higher than in the subcutaneous adipose tissues in healthy young volunteers (0.43 ± 0.36 vs. 0.10 ± 0.06, p = 0.06). It was concluded that the iDQC‐based sequence has potential for assessment of mouse and human BAT at 3 T, which is of interest for clinical research and the diagnosis of obesity and associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research Highlight: Lunn, T. J., Peel, A. J., Eby, P., Brooks, R., Plowright, R. K., Kessler, M. K., & McCallum, H. (2021). Counterintuitive scaling between population abundance and local density: Implications for modelling transmission of infectious diseases in bat populations. Journal of Animal Ecology, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365‐2656.13634. Quantifying the transmission of an infectious disease is often difficult and for natural animal systems it can be a major challenge. Animals move over time and space changing their degree of aggregation and rate of contact, which, in turn, affects the risk of infection and the onward spread of the pathogen. Capturing the fundamentals of these processes requires the identification of both the correct spatial scale at which the processes take place and what constitutes a meaningful host population unit. Lunn et al. collected data on the gregarious Pteropus (flying foxes) bats from roost sites in Australia and investigated whether total bat abundance at the roost level, the spatial scale commonly used to model pathogen spread in bat populations, was representative of bat measurements at the tree level, the scale at which pathogen transmission between bats most likely occurs. Their findings showed that bat population measurements at the sub‐plot level were strong predictors for potential transmission at the tree scale, while roost‐level measurements were less robust. This study suggests that bat abundance at roost is inadequate to capture the gregarious structure of bat populations and the fundamental processes of transmission at lower scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bats (Order: Chiroptera), including those of the genus Eptesicus, have been reported to serve as reservoirs of several zoonotic viruses. Notably, bats have been reported to lack obvious symptoms of infection with such viruses and are thought to have unique immune system responses. However, the responses of their innate immune system, the first line of immunity, remain largely unclear. Here, we comprehensively analyzed the expression profiles in two Eptesicus bat cell lines to investigate their innate immune responses. The gene expression profiles after polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid [poly (I:C)] induction were similar between the two bat cell lines, but uniquely upregulated differentially expressed genes were also identified. We also revealed that the upregulated genes of Eptesicus bat cells were distinct from those of human epithelial cells in response to induction. Moreover, the basal expression levels of several immune‐related genes were higher in bat cells than in human cells. We also identified unannotated novel transcripts that were upregulated after induction and novel microRNAs expressed in bat cells, some of which were upregulated by poly (I:C) treatment. This is the first report to illustrate the innate immune response in Eptesicus bat cells; therefore, this study provides basic and novel insights into bat innate immunity. Our data represent a valuable resource for future studies into bat immunity and the biology of Eptesicus bats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pteropine orthoreovirus (PRV) is an emerging zoonotic respiratory virus that can be transmitted from bats to humans. In Malaysia, aside from PRV2P (Pulau virus) being isolated from Pteropus hypomelanus sampled in Tioman Island, PRV3M (Melaka virus), PRV4K (Kampar virus), and PRV7S (Sikamat virus) were all isolated from samples of patients who reported having a disease spectrum from acute respiratory distress to influenza‐like illness and sometimes even with enteric symptoms such as diarrhea and abdominal pain. Screening of sera collected from human volunteers on Tioman Island in 2001–2002 demonstrated that 12.8% (14/109) were positive for PRV2P and PRV3M. Taking all these together, we aim to investigate the serological prevalence of PRV (including PRV4K and PRV7S) among Tioman Island inhabitants again with the assumption that the seroprevalence rate will remain nearly similar to the above reported if human exposure to bats is still happening in the island. Using sera collected from human volunteers on the same island in 2017, we demonstrated seroprevalence of 17.8% (28/157) against PRV2P and PRV3M, respectively. Seropositivity of 11.4% among Tioman Island inhabitants against PRV4K and PRV7S, respectively, was described in this study. In addition, the seroprevalence of 89.5% (17/19), 73.6% (14/19), 63.0% (12/19), and 73.6% (14/19) against PRV2P, PRV3M, PRV4K, and PRV7S, respectively, were observed among pteropid bats in the island. We revealed that the seroprevalence of PRV among island inhabitants remains nearly similar after nearly two decades, suggesting that potential spill‐over events in bat–human interface areas in the Tioman Island. We are unclear whether such spillover was directly from bats to humans, as suspected for the PRV3M human cases, or from an intermediate host(s) yet to be identified. There is a high possibility of the viruses circulating among the bats as demonstrated by high seroprevalence against PRV in the bats. Highlights: Seroprevalence PRV2P (Pulau virus) and PRV3M (Melala virus) remain similar among Tioman island inhabitants after almost two decades apart. Seropositivity of 12.8% was reported in in 2001‐2002. This study reported seroprevalence of 17.8% against PRV2P and PRV3M.Seroprevalence of 11.8% were reported against PRV4K (Kampar virus) and PRV7S (Sikamat virus) while 8.2% against PRV1N (Nelson Bay virus) were documented among Tioman Island inhabitants.All Pteropid bats in Tioman island has neutralizing antibody against PRVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adipose browning leads to increased energy expenditure and reduced adiposity and has, therefore, become an attractive therapeutic strategy for obesity. In this study, we elucidated the effect of green tea aqueous extract (GTAE) on the browning of inguinal white adipose tissue (Ing‐WAT) and brown adipose tissue (BAT) in high‐fat diet (HFD)‐fed mice. The main phytochemical components identified in GTAE through high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) included (−)‐gallocatechin, (−)‐epigallocatechin, (−)‐catechin, (−)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate, caffeine, (−)‐epicatechin, (−)‐gallocatechin gallate, and (−)‐epicatechin‐3‐gallate. Daily supplementation with 1% GTAE for 12 weeks markedly reduced bodyweight gain, systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, and improved insulin resistance. Additionally, histological analysis revealed that dietary supplementation with 1% GTAE reversed HFD‐induced adipocyte size and hepatic steatosis. These effects were associated with activation of browning in the Ing‐WAT and BAT, which mediate systemic metabolic dysfunction in HFD‐fed mice. Taken together, our data support the use of GTAE, a natural product, for the attenuation of obesity through the activation of fat browning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The fungal pathogen Pseudogymnoascus destructans and resultant white‐nose syndrome (WNS) continues to advance across North America, infecting new bat hibernacula. Western North America hosts the highest bat diversity in the United States and Canada, yet little is known about hibernacula and hibernation behaviour in this region. An improved understanding of the distribution of suitable hibernacula is critical for land managers to anticipate conservation needs of WNS‐susceptible species in currently uninfected regions. Location: United States, Canada. Taxon: Bats. Methods: We estimated suitability of potential winter hibernaculum sites across five bat species' ranges. We estimated winter survival capacity from a mechanistic survivorship model based on bat bioenergetics and climate conditions. We then used boosted regression trees to relate these estimates, along with key landscape attributes, to bat occurrence data in a hybrid correlative‐mechanistic approach. Results: Winter survival capacity, topography, land cover and access to subterranean features were important predictors of winter hibernaculum selection, but the shape and relative importance of these relationships varied amongst species. This suggests that the occurrence of bat hibernacula can, in part, be predicted from readily mapped above‐ground features, not just below‐ground characteristics for which spatial data are lacking. Furthermore, our mechanistic estimate of winter survivorship was, on average, the third strongest predictor of winter occurrence probability across focal species. Main conclusions: Winter distributions of North American bat species were driven by their physiological capacity to survive winter conditions and duration in a given location, as well as selection for topographic and other landscape features but in species‐specific ways. The influence of winter survivorship on several species' distributions, the underlying influence of climate conditions on winter survivorship and the anticipated influence of WNS on bats' hibernation physiology and survivorship together suggest that North American bat distributions may undergo future shifts as these species are exposed not only to WNS but also to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitinases are capable of hydrolyzing insoluble chitin into its oligo and monomeric parts and have received increased consideration because of their wide scope of biotechnological applications. The commercial application of microbial chitinase is appealing due to the relative ease of enormous production and to meet the current world demands. This study aimed at isolation and characterization of chitin degrading bacteria from the gut of Indian tropical insectivorous black‐bearded tomb bat, Taphozous melanopogon. The isolated bacterial strains were characterized through biochemical analysis and nucleic acid‐based approaches by 16S ribosomal RNA amplification and sequencing. The BLAST (Basic Local Alignment Search Tool) and phylogenetic analysis showed that the bacterial strain exhibited a close resemblance with Escherichia fergusonii. The chitinolytic activity of the E. fergusonii AMC01 was identified using supplemented colloidal chitin with agar medium. Compiling all, these findings would facilitate in constructing a database and presumably promote the use of E. fergusonii AMC01 as an efficient strain for the chitinase production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A serological survey of human coronavirus antibodies among villagers in 10 provinces of Thailand was conducted during 2016–2018. Serum samples (n = 364) were collected from participants from the villages and tested for coronavirus antibodies using a human coronavirus IgG ELISA kit. Our results showed that 10.44% (38/364; 21 males and 17 females) of the villagers had antibodies against human coronaviruses. The odds ratio for coronavirus positivity in the villagers in the central region who were exposed to bats was 4.75, 95% CI 1.04–21.70, when compared to that in the non‐exposed villagers. The sociodemographics, knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) of the villagers were also recorded and analysed by using a quantitative structured questionnaire. Our results showed that 62.36% (227/364) of the villagers had been exposed to bats at least once in the past six months. Low monthly family income was statistically significant in increasing the risk for coronavirus seropositivity among the villagers (OR 2.91, 95% CI 1.13–7.49). In‐depth interviews among the coronavirus‐positive participants (n = 30) showed that cultural context, local norms and beliefs could influence to bat exposure activities. In conclusion, our results provide baseline information on human coronavirus antibodies and KAP regarding to bat exposure among villagers in Thailand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is involved in energy dissipation and has been linked to weight loss, insulin sensitivity, and reduced risk of atherosclerotic disease. BAT is found most often in the supraclavicular region, as well as mediastinal and paravertebral areas, and it is predominantly seen in young persons. BAT is activated by cold temperature and the sympathetic nervous system. In humans, BAT was initially detected via 2‐deoxy‐2‐[18F]fluoro‐d‐glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT), a high‐resolution molecular imaging modality used to identify and stage malignancies. Recent studies have shown that BAT can be localized using conventional imaging modalities, such as CT or magnetic resonance imaging, as well as radiotracers used for single‐photon emission CT. In this systematic review, we have summarized the evidence for BAT detection in humans using various imaging techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cultured brown adipocytes can oxidize glucose in vitro, but it is still not fully clear whether brown adipose tissue (BAT) could completely oxidize glucose in vivo. Although positron emission tomography (PET) with 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (18F‐FDG) showed a high level of glucose uptake in the activated BAT, the non‐metabolizable 18F‐FDG cannot fully demonstrate intracellular glucose metabolism. Through in vivo [U‐13C]glucose tracing, here we show that chronic cold exposure dramatically activates glucose oxidation in BAT and the browning/beiging subcutaneous white adipose tissue (sWAT). Specifically, chronic cold exposure enhances glucose flux into the mitochondrial TCA cycle. Metabolic flux analysis models that β3‐adrenergic receptor (β3‐AR) agonist significantly enhances the flux of mitochondrial pyruvate uptake through mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) in the differentiated primary brown adipocytes. Furthermore, in vivo MPC inhibition blocks cold‐induced glucose oxidation and impairs body temperature maintenance in mice. Together, mitochondrial pyruvate uptake and oxidation serve an important energy source in the chronic cold exposure activated BAT and beige adipose tissue, which supports a role for glucose oxidation in brown fat thermogenesis. Synopsis: This study shows that mitochondrial pyruvate uptake and oxidation serves an important energy source in the chronic cold exposure activated BAT and beige adipose tissue, which supports a role for glucose oxidation in brown fat thermogenesis. Chronic cold exposure promotes glucose oxidation and enhances glucose flux into the mitochondrial TCA cycle in BAT and the browning/beiging subcutaneous white adipose tissue (sWAT).β3‐adrenergic receptor (β3‐AR) agonist enhances the flux of mitochondrial pyruvate uptake through mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) in the differentiated primary brown adipocytes.In vivo MPC inhibition blocks cold‐induced glucose oxidation, and impairs body temperature maintenance in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the elimination of dog and terrestrial wild animal rabies, bat exposures remain the only source of autochthonous lyssavirus transmission to humans in Western Europe. European bats have already been found infected with several lyssaviruses, and human–bat interactions represent a risk of viral transmission and fatal encephalitis for humans. In this study, we aim to better characterize exposures to bats in metropolitan France from 2003 to 2016 and to identify circumstances associated with exposures to lyssavirus‐positive bats. Two complementary sources of data were analysed: 1/ data associated with bats responsible for human exposure received for Lyssavirus testing by the French National Reference Centre for Rabies (NRCR); and 2/ data pertaining to individuals seeking medical care through the French Anti‐Rabies Clinics network after contact with a bat. From 2003 to 2016, 425 bats originating from metropolitan France were submitted to the NRCR and 16 (4%) were found positive with a lyssavirus (EBLV‐1b was diagnosed in 9 bats, EBLV‐1a in 6 and BBLV in one specimen). The two factors associated with bat positivity in our study were the female sex and the bat belonging to the E. serotinus species. During the same study period, 1718 individuals sought care at an Anti‐Rabies Clinic after exposure to a bat resulting in an estimated incidence of human–bat interactions of 1.96 per 106 person‐years. The two most frequent circumstances of exposure were handling or bites. Interactions mostly involved one adult human being and one live and non‐sick‐looking bat. Our study provides new insights about circumstances of human–bat interactions and may be helpful to target prevention interventions to improve the awareness of the population of the risk of lyssavirus transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of detection dogs to effectively monitor bird and bat fatalities at wind farms is becoming increasingly popular. All studies to date agree that dogs outperform human searchers at finding bird and bat carcasses around wind turbines; however, it remains unclear how characteristics of the carcass and environmental conditions during the search may influence detection.We investigate the effect of carcass size, vegetation characteristics and weather conditions on the probability of detecting a carcass, for both dogs and humans, using data from the monitoring program of a wind farm in Spain.A generalized linear mixed model reveals a high performance of dogs (~80% detection rate), with no clear influence of any of the variables analysed. Humans, on the contrary, were markedly affected by the size of the carcass and to some extent, by the vegetation structure. Humans performed poorly at detecting small carcasses (~20% detection rate), more so in closed vegetation.Synthesis and applications. Our results provide evidence that dogs perform with high success rates at detecting bird and bat carcasses of different sizes under a wide range of environmental conditions. Humans, by contrast, were very poor at detecting all but the largest carcasses in open areas. We find the use of detection dogs at wind farms to be a robust and cost‐effective alternative to using human searchers, most notably, when the focus is on the monitoring of fatalities of small, rare or inconspicuous species in closed vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sickness triggers a series of behavioral and physiological processes collectively known as acute phase response (APR). Bats are known as reservoirs of a broad variety of pathogens and the physiological changes resulting from APR activation have been tested predominantly during the resting phase (daytime) in several species exposed to lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In contrast, behavioral consequences of sickness for bats and other wild mammals have received less attention. We examined the physiological and behavioral consequences of APR activation in a fruit‐eating bat (Carollia perspicillata) challenged with LPS during the active phase (nighttime). We measured changes in food intake, body mass, body temperature, total white blood cell counts, and the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (N/L). No fever and leukocytosis were observed in bats injected with LPS, but food intake decreased, bats lost body mass and their N/L ratio increased. The effect of LPS on daily energy balance is remarkable and, along with the increase in N/L ratio, it is assumed to be beneficial to fight disease. On the basis of our findings and those with other bats, it is probable that the physiological and behavioral components of the immune response to LPS follow circadian rhythms, but a formal test of this hypothesis is warranted. Research Highlights: 1.No fever and leukocytosis were developed in Carollia perspicillata challenged with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) during the active phase (nighttime)2.C. perspicillata had decreased food intake, reduced body mass, and increased neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio following LPS administration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In obesity, the expression level of thyroid stimulating hormone receptor in adipose tissue is reduced and the levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) are often elevated within the normal range. Purpose/Aim: To investigate the role of TSHR in brown and white adipose tissue (AT) using TSHR knockout (KO) mice and the physiological phenotypes affected by the TSHR knockout. Methods: AT‐specific TSHR KO male mice and wild type (WT) controls were given a high‐fat diet (HFD) or a control diet (CD). Body weights and food consumption were recorded for 20 weeks and body temperatures for the first 3 weeks. At termination, white and brown adipocytes were isolated. Gene expressios was investigated using real‐time PCR. In a subgroup of female KO mice, glucose tolerance was investigated. Results: TSHR were partially knocked out in KO mice, which gained more weight than WT mice when fed both a CD (p =.03) and HFD (p =.003). Body temperatures were lower in KO mice on CD (p <.001) and on HFD (p <.001) than WT controls. This was in agreement with reduced gene expression of UCP1 in brown adipocytes in the KO mice. Glucose tolerance was significantly impaired in KO mice on CD mice before termination (p <.01). Expression of adipogenic and lipolytic genes were reduced in KO mice, which was exacerbated by HFD. The mRNA levels of adipokines including ADIPOQ and LEP were altered in white adipocytes of KO mice. Conclusions: TSHR KO led to dysfunction of both white and brown AT and predisposition to excess body weight gain in mice. Our data show that TSHR in AT regulates glucose tolerance, lipid metabolism, adipokine profile, and thermogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cat predation upon bat species has been reported to have significant effects on bat populations in both rural and urban areas. The majority of research in this area has focussed on observational data from bat rehabilitators documenting injuries, and cat owners, when domestic cats present prey. However, this has the potential to underestimate the number of bats killed or injured by cats. Here, we use forensic DNA analysis techniques to analyze swabs taken from injured bats in the United Kingdom, mainly including Pipistrellus pipistrellus (40 out of 72 specimens). Using quantitative PCR, cat DNA was found in two‐thirds of samples submitted by bat rehabilitators. Of these samples, short tandem repeat analysis produced partial DNA profiles for approximately one‐third of samples, which could be used to link predation events to individual cats. The use of genetic analysis can complement observational data and potentially provide additional information to give a more accurate estimation of cat predation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Basophil activation test in cancer patient blood evaluating potential hypersensitivity to an anti-tumor IgE therapeutic candidate Keywords: basophils; BAT; IgE; MOv18; ovarian cancer EN basophils BAT IgE MOv18 ovarian cancer 1 5 5 07/29/20 20200801 NES 200801 To the Editor, Monoclonal anti-tumor IgG antibodies are used widely to treat malignancies. These include superior affinity of IgE for cognate Fc receptors and the presence in tumors of effector cell populations (eg, macrophages and mast cells) known to exert anti-tumor activities when activated by IgE. [Extracted from the article]

During the most recent decade, environmental DNA metabarcoding approaches have been both developed and improved to minimize the biological and technical biases in these protocols. However, challenges remain, notably those relating to primer design. In the current study, we comprehensively assessed the performance of ten COI and two 16S primer pairs for eDNA metabarcoding, including novel and previously published primers. We used a combined approach of in silico, in vivo‐mock community (33 arthropod taxa from 16 orders), and guano‐based analyses to identify primer sets that would maximize arthropod detection and taxonomic identification, successfully identify the predator (bat) species, and minimize the time and financial costs of the experiment. We focused on two insectivorous bat species that live together in mixed colonies: the greater horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus ferrumequinum) and Geoffroy's bat (Myotis emarginatus). We found that primer degeneracy is the main factor that influences arthropod detection in silico and mock community analyses, while amplicon length is critical for the detection of arthropods from degraded DNA samples. Our guano‐based results highlight the importance of detecting and identifying both predator and prey, as guano samples can be contaminated by other insectivorous species. Moreover, we demonstrate that amplifying bat DNA does not reduce the primers' capacity to detect arthropods. We therefore recommend the simultaneous identification of predator and prey. Finally, our results suggest that up to one‐third of prey occurrences may be unreliable and are probably not of primary interest in diet studies, which may decrease the relevance of combining several primer sets instead of using a single efficient one. In conclusion, this study provides a pragmatic framework for eDNA primer selection with respect to scientific and methodological constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess and describe the use of rabies post‐exposure prophylaxis (PEP) related to mass bat exposures (MBEs) in the literature and in the state of Rhode Island. Data on MBE events occurring between 2010 and 2016 from the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) were reviewed to determine PEP usage. For comparison, a systematic review was also performed by searching PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science using the keywords 'rabies,' 'bat' and 'exposure.' There were three MBE events in Rhode Island between 2010 and 2016 in which groups of individuals were asleep during the potential exposure. As a result, RIDOH provided PEP to those involved in the event. In a systematic review of 12 published reports, a variety of settings were involved in MBEs: camping sites, a domestic flight, a neonatal intensive care unit and dormitories. The number of potential rabies exposures ranged from five to 1,429 people. PEP recommendations for assessed persons ranged from 0% to 100% across events (median 21%). The variation in PEP recommendations following a MBE may be dependent on medical need, past precedent or preference. Federal guidance for MBE is needed to add clarity and to minimize the variability in PEP recommendations for such events in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent studies show that nsLTP sensitization is not limited to the Mediterranean basin and can present diverse clinical phenotypes. It remains challenging to predict clinical outcome when specific IgE antibodies (sIgE) to nsLTPs are present. This study compares both clinical and in vitro allergy characteristics but also diagnostic performance of a basophil activation test (BAT) and sIgG4 in nsLTP‐sensitized patients from Antwerp (ANT, Belgium) and Barcelona (BCN, Spain). Methods: Adult subjects with positive sIgE rPru p 3 and/or rMal d 3 ≥ 0.10 kUA/L (n = 182) and healthy controls (n = 37) were included. NsLTP‐sensitized individuals were stratified according to clinical symptoms with peach/apple, respectively. BAT rPru p 3 and rMal d 3 were performed and sIgG4 antibodies to both components quantified. Results: In BCN, only ratios of sIgG4/sIgE rMal d 3 and BAT rMal d 3 (0.001 µg/mL) can identify clinically relevant Mal d 3 sensitization (sensitivity of 60%‐63% and a specificity of 75%‐67%, respectively). In ANT, only the sIgE/total IgE rPru p 3 ratio shows added value (sensitivity 60% and specificity 83%). Finally, it appears that symptomatic patients in BCN are more sensitive to lower allergen concentrations compared to ANT. In addition, it was shown that ANT patients were more often sensitized to pollen and that specific pollen sources differed between regions. Conclusions: NsLTP‐related allergy profiles and diagnostic performance differ significantly between regions and are component‐specific, which makes extrapolation of data difficult to do. In addition, it seems that basophil sensitivity might show geographical differences. Additional research is needed to confirm these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The peptide kisspeptin and its receptor, Kiss1r, act centrally to stimulate reproduction. Evidence indicates that kisspeptin signaling is also important for body weight (BW) and metabolism. We recently reported that Kiss1r KO mice develop obesity, along with reduced metabolism and energy expenditure, independent of estradiol levels. Outside the brain, Kiss1r is expressed in several metabolic tissues, including brown adipose tissue (BAT), but it is unknown which specific tissue is responsible for the metabolic phenotype in Kiss1r KOs. We first determined that global Kiss1r KO mice have significant alterations in body temperature and BAT thermogenic gene expression, perhaps contributing to their obesity. Next, to test whether kisspeptin signaling specifically in BAT influences BW, metabolism, or body temperature, we used Cre/lox technology to generate conditional Kiss1r knockout exclusively in BAT (BAT‐Kiss1r KO). Unlike global Kiss1r KOs, BAT‐Kiss1r KOs (lacking Kiss1r in just BAT) were not hypogonadal, as expected. Surprisingly, however, BAT‐Kiss1r KOs of both sexes displayed significantly lower BW and adiposity than controls. This novel BAT‐Kiss1r KO phenotype was of greater magnitude in females and was associated with improved glucose tolerance, increased metabolism, energy expenditure, and locomotor activity, along with increased body temperature and BAT gene expression, specifically Cox8b. Our findings suggest that the previously observed obesity and decreased metabolism in global Kiss1r KOs reflect impaired kisspeptin signaling in non‐BAT tissues. However, the novel finding of increased metabolism and body temperature and lower BW in BAT‐Kiss1r KOs reveal a previously unidentified role for endogenous kisspeptin signaling in BAT in modulating metabolic and thermogenic physiology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Al‐Khafaji is a central and well‐known point on the early third millennium BC map of the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bat, in the Sultanate of Oman. For years, Kasr al‐Khafaji ("Tower 1146") has been understood as an Umm an‐Nar (ca. 2800–2000 BCE) monument standing amid a contemporary village. However, recent excavations by the Bat Archaeological Project (BAP) reveal that the entirety of the known site—monument(s) and settlement—is situated on an anthropogenic clay mound that elevated it meters above the surrounding landscape. This paper presents the results of BAP's recent excavations, emphasising the social spaces created by architecture of various functions and scales. It also considers the implications that this new interpretation of al‐Khafaji may have for how the relationship between Umm an‐Nar towers and settlement should be understood. The paper closes with a discussion of Umm an‐Nar tower function and social meaning, concluding that the Khafaji monument(s) likely served a symbolic and possibly performative role in Umm an‐Nar society that was perceived as separate from Umm an‐Nar settlement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grooming is a common behavior of some mammals. Previous studies have shown that grooming is a means by which animals clean themselves, remove ectoparasites, and lower their body temperature. It is also involved in olfactory communication. Bats belong to the order Chiroptera and, like most mammals, are the natural host of many ectoparasites. Bat grooming, including licking and scratching, is one of the ways to reduce the adverse effects caused by ectoparasites. Bat grooming may also be induced by exogenous odor. In this study, we used lesser flat‐headed bats (Tylonycteris pachypus) to test the hypothesis that exogenous odor affects the self‐grooming behavior of bats. Results showed that external odor from distantly related species caused lesser flat‐headed bats to spend more time in self‐grooming. Lesser flat‐headed bats that received odor from humans spent the longest time in self‐grooming, followed by those that received odor from a different species of bats (T. robustula). Lesser flat‐headed bats that received odor form the same species of bats, either from the same or a different colony, spent the least amount of time in self‐grooming. These results suggest that bats can recognize conspecific and heterospecific through body scent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ecology of Ebola virus (EBV) remains largely unknown, but the previous detection of viral RNA and anti‐EBV antibodies in African bats suggests that they might play a role in the EBV reservoir. Moreover, African bats also carry other potentially zoonotic agents such as Henipah‐like viruses, coronaviruses and lyssaviruses. Today only little information is available on interactions between humans and bats. The objective of our exploratory study was to describe the extent and modes of contacts between humans and bats in southern Cameroon, considered as an area at risk for future EBV outbreaks. The survey was conducted in 11 villages of four distinct rural areas in southern Cameroon. A total of 135 respondents were interviewed using semi‐structured questionnaires, between February and May 2017. The study showed that direct contacts between bats and humans are relatively common. Bat bushmeat appeared to be an occasional meat resource; 40% of respondents consume bats with a median annual consumption of three, and 28% of respondents hunt them. About 22% of the respondents reported children catching bats. Indirect contact also appeared to be common; 55% of hunters use caves as shelters and 67% of interviewees eat fruits previously chewed by bats. Bat consumption varied significantly between regions (from 0% to 87%) and between pygmies and bantus in the extreme south‐east of Cameroon. The study revealed considerable diversity in practices among interviewees, most of them being subsistence cultivators and relying on self‐hunted bushmeat. Geographical diversity of contacts and perceptions regarding bats in Cameroon emphasizes the need to adjust zoonotic pathogen surveillance and education campaigns to the specificities of the communities and their context of interaction with wildlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

About 4200 charcoal fragments have been identified from the fourth‐ to third‐millennium BC archaeological sites of Bat and Al‐Khashbah in order to gain an understanding of plant resources available at the sites. Acacia sp., Ziziphus sp., and Tamarix sp. were the main taxa identified at both sites and indicate a similar vegetation composition as today. Phoenix sp. (date palm) charcoal also has been found at both sites. Whereas the cultivation of date palm for the 2700–2300 BC layers from Bat was likely, given other circumstantial evidence (i.e. local cereal cultivation and floodwater irrigation), it is unclear whether date palm was cultivated at Al‐Khashbah. Especially for the older periods (3300–2700 BC) it is possible that nomadic pastoralists were exploiting and/or managing wild date palms. The find of Avicennia marina at Al‐Khashbah indicates long‐distance contacts with the coast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2010–11 a pedestrian survey of the western end of Wadi al‐Hijr in northern Oman identified 1507 archaeological features in a 124 km2 area. Data were collected on each feature's architectural characteristics, associated artefact assemblages, topographic and environmental locations, condition of remains, and relations to other archaeological features. The majority of datable features belong to the third millennium BC and divide unequally between the Hafit and Umm an‐Nar periods. While the majority of these third‐millennium BC features were tombs, other feature types were identified, including towers, settlements, quarries, dams, enclosures, and possible platforms. Third‐millennium BC features were organised into clusters and ranged considerably in size, from a few features to several hundred. All of the clusters established during the Hafit period were maintained in the Umm an‐Nar period, suggesting a continuity throughout the third millennium. Some preliminary hypotheses regarding settlement patterns are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine whether Pteropine orthoreovirus (PRV) exposure has occurred in Singapore, we tested 856 individuals from an existing serum panel collected from 2005‐2013. After an initial screen with luciferase immunoprecipitation system and secondary confirmation with virus neutralization test, we identified at least seven individuals with specific antibodies against PRV in both assays. Our findings confirm that PRV spillover into human populations is relatively common in this region of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bat rabies cases are attributed in Europe to five different Lyssavirus species of 16 recognized Lyssavirus species causing rabies. One of the most genetically divergent Lyssavirus spp. has been detected in a dead Miniopterus schreibersii bat in France. Brain samples were found positive for the presence of antigen, infectious virus and viral RNA by classical virological methods and molecular methods respectively. The complete genome sequence was determined by next‐generation sequencing. The analysis of the complete genome sequence confirmed the presence of Lleida bat lyssavirus (LLEBV) in bats in France with 99.7% of nucleotide identity with the Spanish LLEBV strain (KY006983). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carcasses provide an important resource for assessing the vulnerability of bat species and sexes to threats, but the reliability of sex data derived from the external morphology (sexmorph) of bat carcasses remains uncertain. We used genetic‐based assessment of sex (sexgen) to evaluate the effect of carcass age and searcher identity on sexmorph‐based assessments of eastern red (Lasiurus borealis) and hoary (Lasiurus cinereus) bat carcasses identified by 15 different searchers at a wind‐energy facility. The proportion of carcasses for which sexmorph was unknown increased from 0.11 for those recovered within a day of death, to 0.56 within 2–3 days of death, and to ≥0.82 at ≥4 days after death. The proportion of carcasses for which sexmorph was correct decreased from 0.9 for those recovered within a day of death, to 0.65 within 2–3 days of death, and to 0.25 at ≥4 days after death. The proportion of sexmorph misidentifications of the 108 fresh carcasses (collected within 24 hours of death) varied (0.0–0.43) among searchers. These results suggest that sexmorph‐based assessments should be limited to fresh carcasses. Furthermore, additional training of people who collect and identify bat carcasses from renewable‐energy facilities may improve the accuracy of sexmorph data obtained from carcasses. © 2018 The Wildlife Society. Morphology‐based identification of the sex of bat carcasses obtained from renewable‐energy facilities should be limited to fresh (<1 day old) carcasses, and searcher training may help to further improve the accuracy of sex data obtained from such carcasses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proposals for destination‐based business cash‐flow taxes (DBCFT) that effectively combine a value‐added tax and a wage subsidy have received enormous attention in the United States and are being proposed as a major tax reform worldwide. Much controversy has focused on trade impacts, but this paper shows that a DBCFT would not create long‐term trade barriers or export subsidies if prices and wages are flexible. It would leave business profits and rents untaxed, providing an unambiguous benefit to foreign investors relative to an origin‐based corporate tax. Domestic wage earners would be compensated for higher prices by the wage deduction, while the position of domestic investors would depend on whether their gains from abolition of origin‐based taxes outweighed their losses from higher consumer prices. A key concern is small, volatile and vulnerable net revenues even with high‐tax rates. At current US consumption and labour shares, a 20% corporate cash‐flow tax with a wage subsidy would generate less than 2% of GDP in net revenues, which could be obtained with much less volatility from a 2.8% consumption tax alone. Under a DBCFT, revenues would become negative if consumption and labour shares returned to their historical norms or if difficult‐to‐tax sectors like owner‐occupied housing were excluded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship of telomere shortening and cellular ageing in cultured cells such as fibroblasts is straightforward: telomeres shorten with an increasing number of cell divisions until they trigger replicative senescence which prevents further mitotic cycles. But studies investigating the relationship between telomere shortening and ageing in whole organisms show contrasting results: while there is a clear decline in telomere length (TL) with chronological age in some species such as humans, no such decline is observed in others. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Foley et al. (2020) show that experiencing harsh weather conditions correlates with longitudinal telomere shortening in the bat species Myotis myotis, whereas chronological age does not (Foley et al., 2020). Further, the authors investigated whether genetics influence TL and find a low heritability (h2 = 0.01–0.06) again suggesting that environmental effects are the dominant drivers of variation in TL in this species. These are important findings as there is disagreement in the literature about the relative magnitude of genetic and environmental effects contributing to TL variation in different species. This paper investigating the impact of environmental effects makes a novel and important contribution to the literature on TL in free‐living mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Historically, Australia was considered free of rabies and rabieslike viruses. Thus, the identification of Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV) in 1996 in a debilitated bat found by a member of the public precipitated both public health consternation and a revision of lyssavirus taxonomy. Subsequent observational studies sought to elaborate the occurrence and frequency of ABLV infection in Australian bats. This paper describes the taxonomic diversity of bat species showing evidence of ABLV infection to better inform public health considerations. Blood and/or brain samples were collected from two cohorts of bats (wild‐caught and diagnostic submissions) from four Australian states or territories between April 1996 and October 2002. Fresh brain impression smears were tested for ABLV antigen using fluorescein‐labelled anti‐rabies monoclonal globulin (CENTOCOR) in a direct fluorescent antibody test; sera were tested for the presence of neutralising antibodies using a rapid fluorescent focus inhibition test. A total of 3,217 samples from 2,633 bats were collected and screened: brain samples from 1,461 wild‐caught bats and 1,086 submitted bats from at least 16 genera and seven families, and blood samples from 656 wild‐caught bats and 14 submitted bats from 14 genera and seven families. Evidence of ABLV infection was found in five of the six families of bats occurring in Australia, and in three of the four Australian states/territories surveyed, supporting the historic presence of the virus in Australia. While the infection prevalence in the wild‐caught cohort is evidently low, the significantly higher infection prevalence in rescued bats in urban settings represents a clear and present public health significance because of the higher risk of human exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bat wings, like other mammalian forelimbs, contain many joints within the digits. These joints collectively affect dynamic three-dimensional (3D) wing shape, thereby affecting the amount of aerodynamic force a wing can generate. Bats are a speciose group, and show substantial variation in the number of wing joints. Additionally, some bat species have joints with extensor but no flexor muscles. While several studies have examined the diversity in number of joints and presence of muscles, musculoskeletal variation in the digits has not been interpreted in phylogenetic, functional or ecological contexts. To provide this context, the number of joints and the presence/absence of muscles are quantified for 44 bat species, and are mapped phylogenetically. It is shown that, relative to the ancestral state, joints and muscles were lost multiple times from different digits and in many lineages. It is also shown that joints lacking flexors undergo cyclical flexion and extension, in a manner similar to that observed in joints with both flexors and extensors. Comparison of species with contrasting feeding ecologies demonstrates that species that feed primarily on non-mobile food (e.g. fruit) have fewer fully active joints than species that catch mobile prey (e.g. insects). It is hypothesized that there is a functional trade-off between energetic savings and maneuverability. Having fewer joints and muscles reduces the mass of the wing, thereby reducing the energetic requirements of flapping flight, and having more joints increases the assortment of possible 3D wing shapes, thereby enhancing the range and fine control of aerodynamic force production and thus maneuverability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT The Northern Great Plains (NGP) contains much of the remaining temperate grasslands, an ecosystem that is one of the most converted and least protected in the world. Within the NGP, the Prairie Pothole Region (PPR) provides important habitat for >50% of North America's breeding waterfowl and many species of shorebirds, waterbirds, and grassland songbirds. This region also has high wind energy potential, but the effects of wind energy developments on migratory and resident bird and bat populations in the NGP remains understudied. This is troubling considering >2,200 wind turbines are actively generating power in the region and numerous wind energy projects have been proposed for development in the future. Our objectives were to estimate avian and bat fatality rates for wind turbines situated in cropland- and grassland-dominated landscapes, document species at high risk to direct mortality, and assess the influence of habitat variables on waterfowl mortality at 2 wind farms in the NGP. From 10 March to 7 June 2013-2014, we completed 2,398 searches around turbines for carcasses at the Tatanka Wind Farm (TAWF) and the Edgeley-Kulm Wind Farm (EKWF) in South Dakota and North Dakota. During spring, we found 92 turbine-related mortalities comprising 33 species and documented a greater diversity of species ( n = 30) killed at TAWF (predominately grassland) than at EKWF ( n = 9; predominately agricultural fields). After accounting for detection rates, we estimated spring mortality of 1.86 (SE = 0.22) deaths/megawatt (MW) at TAWF and 2.55 (SE = 0.51) deaths/MW at EKWF. Waterfowl spring (Mar-Jun) fatality rates were 0.79 (SE = 0.11) and 0.91 (SE = 0.10) deaths/MW at TAWF and EKWF, respectively. Our results suggest that future wind facility siting decisions consider avoiding grassland habitats and locate turbines in pre-existing fragmented and converted habitat outside of high densities of breeding waterfowl and major migration corridors. © 2016 The Wildlife Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]