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PubMed1995

Effects of batting performance feedback on motivational factors and batting performance in youth baseball.

The effects of batting feedback on motivational factors and batting of young baseball players were investigated. Hypotheses were that, compared to participants receiving feedback or no feedback on their batting average, those receiving contact average would exhibit (a) a greater increase in batting efficacy, (b) more enjoyment, satisfaction, and persistence, and (c) superior batting performance. Participants were 78 children from nine teams. Although analyses did not support the hypotheses, performance-to-efficacy correlations as well as other data provided tentative evidence for the premise that contact average may be more appropriate feedback for young players because (compared to batting average) it is less ambiguous and is based on a more realistic definition of success. Limitations and implications for coaches were discussed.

Baseball↗
PubMed2002

European bat lyssavirus infection in Spanish bat populations.

From 1992 to 2000, 976 sera, 27 blood pellets, and 91 brains were obtained from 14 bat species in 37 localities in Spain. Specific anti-European bat lyssavirus 1 (EBL1)-neutralizing antibodies have been detected in Myotis myotis, Miniopterus schreibersii, Tadarida teniotis, and Rhinolophus ferrumequinum in the region of Aragon and the Balearic Islands. Positive results were also obtained by nested reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction on brain, blood pellet, lung, heart, tongue, and esophagus-larynx-pharynx of M. myotis, Myotis nattereri, R. ferrumequinum, and M. schreibersii. Determination of nucleotide sequence confirmed the presence of EBL1 RNA in the different tissues. In one colony, the prevalence of seropositive bats over time corresponded to an asymmetrical curve, with a sudden initial increase peaking at 60% of the bats, followed by a gradual decline. Banded seropositive bats were recovered during several years, indicating that EBL1 infection in these bats was nonlethal. At least one of this species (M. schreibersii) is migratory and thus could be partially responsible for the dissemination of EBL1 on both shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Australian bat lyssavirus infection in three fruit bats from north Queensland.

We report the case findings of Australian bat lyssavirus infection in two black flying foxes (Pteropus alecto) and one little red flying fox (Pteropus scapulatus) from north Queensland between January 1995 and August 1996. Although the P. alecto case in January 1995 is the first recognised case of Australian bat lyssavirus infection in Australia, this was a retrospective diagnosis made after identification of the index case at Ballina in May 1996. Eight persons had exposure to the three bats. Serum antibodies to classical rabies virus were measured in six of these persons; the only one seropositive was a veterinarian who had previously been vaccinated against rabies. Six persons received rabies vaccine following exposure. None of the in-contact humans developed signs of lyssavirus infection. For people exposed to Australian bat lyssavirus-positive bats who have not been scratched or bitten or had mucosal contamination by these bats, we suggest a post-exposure regime of five inoculations of the human diploid cell inactivated rabies vaccine.

Animals↗
PubMed1988

Distribution of catecholamine fibers in the cochlear nucleus of horseshoe bats and mustache bats.

The glyoxylic-acid-induced fluorescence technique was applied to demonstrate patterns of catecholaminergic innervation within the auditory brainstem of echolocating bats and the house mouse. In the cochlear nucleus of the rufous horseshoe bat (Rhinolophus rouxi) and the mustache bat (Pteronotus parnellii), species-specific catecholaminergic innervation patterns are found that contrast with the relatively homogeneous innervation in the rodent. In both bats the subnuclei of the cochlear nucleus receive a differentially dense supply of catecholaminergic fibers, and within the subnuclei, the catecholamine innervation densities can be correlated with the tonotopic frequency representation. The areas devoted to the high-frequency echolocation calls are less densely innervated than those regions which are responsive to lower frequencies. Apart from this common scheme, there are noteworthy distinctions between the two bats which correlate with specialized cytoarchitectural features of the cochlear nucleus. The marginal cell group, located medially to the anteroventral cochlear nucleus of Pteronotus, receives the densest supply of catecholaminergic fibers of all auditory nuclei. This plexus is formed by a morphologically distinct population of catecholaminergic fibers.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Complete mitochondrial genome of a neotropical fruit bat, Artibeus jamaicensis, and a new hypothesis of the relationships of bats to other eutherian mammals.

The complete mitochondrial genome was obtained from a microchiropteran bat, Artibeus jamaicensis. The presumptive amino acid sequence for the protein-coding genes was compared with predicted amino acid sequences from several representatives of other mammalian orders. Data were analyzed using maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and neighbor joining. All analyses placed bats as the sister group of carnivores, perissodactyls, artiodactyls, and cetaceans (e.g., 100% bootstrap value with both maximum parsimony and neighbor joining). The data strongly support a new hypothesis about the origin of bats, specifically a bat/ferungulate grouping. None of the analyses supported the superorder Archonta (bats, flying lemurs, primates, and tree shrews). Our hypothesis regarding the relationship of bats to other eutherian mammals is concordant with previous molecular studies and contrasts with hypotheses based solely on morphological criteria and an incomplete fossil record. The A. jamaicensis mitochondrial DNA control region has a complex pattern of tandem repeats that differs from previously reported chiropteran control regions.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Standard energetics of leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideridae): its relationship to intermittent- and protracted-foraging tactics in bats and birds.

Basal rates of metabolism within the insectivorous genera Hipposideros and Ascelliscus, Old World leaf-nosed bats (Hipposideridae), ranged from 58% to 77% of the mammalian standard. The larger species, Hipposideros diadema and Hipposideros maggietaylori, effectively thermoregulated at ambient temperatures down to 9 degrees C, whereas two smaller species, Hipposideros galeritus and Hipposideros cervinus, occasionally permitted body temperatures to fall below 32 degrees C. The low basal rates of metabolism in hipposiderids correlated with a predatory life-style characterized by intermittent flight from a perch to capture insects, a correlation similar to that found in nonpasserine birds. Intermittent-foraging bats and nonpasserines collectively had basal rates of metabolism that averaged 75% of those that pursue insects during protracted flight. However, no difference in basal rate was found between protracted- and intermittent-foraging passerines, which had basal rates 1.8- and 2.4-times those of protracted-foraging and intermittent-foraging bats and nonpasserines, respectively. Bats, swifts, and caprimulgids that enter torpor have basal rates that are 85% of those of similar species that do not enter torpor. Body mass, order affiliation, foraging mode, and propensity to enter into torpor collectively account for 97% of the variation in basal rate of metabolism in insectivorous bats and birds. Foraging style therefore appears to be a factor contributing to the diversity in endotherm energetics. Minimal thermal conductance in the genus Hipposideros ranged from 75% to 102% of the mammalian standard. Birds have minimal thermal conductances that are 75% of mammals and intermittent foragers have minimal conductances that are 78% of protracted foragers.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Effect of different types of cricket batting pads on the running and turning speed in cricket batting.

The aim of this study was to compare a batsman's running and turning speed during three runs while wearing either traditional batting pads or one of two models of newly designed cricket batting pads. Fifteen cricketers participated. The running and turning speeds were measured on three different days with players using the three pairs of batting pads for each trial in random order. The weights of the pads were 1.85 kg, 1.70 kg and 1.30 kg for P1, P2 and P3 respectively. Each player had to run three runs (3 x 17.68m), with the times recorded at the completion of each run, as well as the time to cover the distance from 5 m before and after the turn at the end of the first run. The fastest time from two trials for each pair of pads was retained for analysis. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) with repeated measures was used to determine the differences between the mean times of the three trials. The results showed no significant differences between the types of batting pads and the time to complete the run-three-runs test (P1 = 10.67 +/- 0.48 s; P2 = 10.67 +/- 0.43; P3 = 10.69 +/- 0.44 s), the turning time (P1 = 2.34 +/- 0.18 s; P2 = 2.32 +/- 0.18 s; P3 = 2.35 +/- 0.19 s) and to complete the third run (P1 = 3.49 +/- 0.44 s; P2 = 3.53 +/- 0.34 s; P3 = 3.51 +/- 0.36 s). Of the 45 trials of three runs used for analysis, P1 recorded the fastest time on 16 trials (36%), P2 on 19 trials (42%) and P3 on 10 trials (22%). The results showed no significant differences in the running or turning speeds, although there may be some practical relevance to using the newly designed cricket batting pads.

Biomechanical Phenomena↗
PubMed2006

Passive surveillance (1987 to 2004) of United Kingdom bats for European bat lyssaviruses.

Passive surveillance for European bat lyssaviruses (eblvs) in the uk began in 1987, and between 1987 and 2004, 4,883 bats of European origin (4,871 belonging to 17 UK resident species and 12 belonging to seven non-uk resident species) were tested. The proportions and numbers of each species submitted from different regions varied considerably, partly owing to inherent biases in the passive surveillance, and there were seasonal variations in the numbers, sex and age of the bats. Contact with cats was reported in approximately 30 per cent of the bats submitted. Daubenton's bat (Myotis daubentonii) was the only species found to be positive for lyssavirus infection, with four cases of eblv type 2 identified, in 1996, 2002, 2003 and 2004. No active infection with eblv type 1 was recorded.

Age Factors↗
PubMed2006

Terrestrial locomotion of the New Zealand short-tailed bat Mystacina tuberculata and the common vampire bat Desmodus rotundus.

Bats (Chiroptera) are generally awkward crawlers, but the common vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) and the New Zealand short-tailed bat (Mystacina tuberculata) have independently evolved the ability to manoeuvre well on the ground. In this study we describe the kinematics of locomotion in both species, and the kinetics of locomotion in M. tuberculata. We sought to determine whether these bats move terrestrially the way other quadrupeds do, or whether they possess altogether different patterns of movement on the ground than are observed in quadrupeds that do not fly. Using high-speed video analyses of bats moving on a treadmill, we observed that both species possess symmetrical lateral-sequence gaits similar to the kinematically defined walks of a broad range of tetrapods. At high speeds, D. rotundus use an asymmetrical bounding gait that appears to converge on the bounding gaits of small terrestrial mammals, but with the roles of the forelimbs and hindlimbs reversed. This gait was not performed by M. tuberculata. Many animals that possess a single kinematic gait shift with increasing speed from a kinetic walk (where kinetic and potential energy of the centre of mass oscillate out of phase from each other) to a kinetic run (where they oscillate in phase). To determine whether the single kinematic gait of M. tuberculata meets the kinetic definition of a walk, a run, or a gait that functions as a walk at low speed and a run at high speed, we used force plates and high-speed video recordings to characterize the energetics of the centre of mass in that species. Although oscillations in kinetic and potential energy were of similar magnitudes, M. tuberculata did not use pendulum-like exchanges of energy between them to the extent that many other quadrupedal animals do, and did not transition from a kinetic walk to kinetic run with increasing speed. The gait of M. tuberculata is kinematically a walk, but kinetically run-like at all speeds.

Animals↗
PubMed2002

Intensity control during target approach in echolocating bats; stereotypical sensori-motor behaviour in Daubenton's bats, Myotis daubentonii.

When approaching a prey target, bats have been found to decrease the intensity of their emitted echolocation pulses, called intensity compensation. In this paper we examine whether intensity compensation in the echolocation of bats is flexible or stereotyped. We recorded the echolocation calls of Daubenton's bats (Myotis daubentonii) while the animals attacked targets of different dimensions. Myotis daubentonii reduced the peak sound pressure level emitted by about 4dB for each halving of distance, irrespective of the target presented (mealworms and two different sizes of spheres). The absolute sound pressure level emitted by the bat is not or only a little affected by target strength. Furthermore, the decrease in emitted intensity over distance shows less scatter than the same intensity over time for the last 20 cm of target approach. The bats matched the emitted intensity to target distance equally well for the spheres (aspect-invariant target strength) as for the mealworms (aspect-dependent echo strength). We therefore conclude that intensity compensation does not rely on feedback information from received intensity, but instead follows a stereotyped pattern.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Mononucleotide repeats BAT-26 and BAT-25 accurately detect MSI-H tumors and predict tumor content: implications for population screening.

Tumors with a defective DNA mismatch repair system (MSI-H tumors) have distinct molecular and clinicopathologic profiles compared with mismatch repair-proficient tumors and are associated with a relatively favorable prognosis. There is evidence to suggest that colorectal cancer patients with MSI-H tumors respond differently to adjuvant chemotherapy. Determination of MSI status also has clinical application for assisting in the diagnosis of suspected hereditary nonpolyposis colorectal cancer cases. For these reasons, it is becoming increasingly apparent that testing for MSI should be conducted routinely in human cancer types that frequently present with such a phenotype. BAT-26 and BAT-25 are mononucleotide repeats that are widely used to establish the MSI status of human tumors. We show here that their allelic size profiles provide an estimate of the percentage of contaminating normal cells in MSI-H tumors. These markers are sensitive enough to detect instability when the tumor cell content of a sample is as low as 5-10%. MSI-H tumors contain mutations in coding repeats within genes known to be targets for instability. In cases with low tumor cell content, no mutations in any of 9 coding repeats were detected. However, when these samples were enriched for tumor cells, mutations were detected in the same target genes. Thus, BAT-26 and BAT-25 markers accurately identify MSI-H tumors without prior need for enrichment for tumor cells and indicate which samples require further purification before screening for mutations in target genes for instability. Our results have implications for large-scale screening of cancer patients to determine MSI-H status and prognosis.

Colorectal Neoplasms↗
PubMed2006

Energy metabolism and evaporative water loss in the European free-tailed bat and Hemprich's long-eared bat (Microchiroptera): species sympatric in the Negev Desert.

We compared the thermoregulatory abilities of two insectivorous bat species, Tadarida teniotis (mean body mass 32 g) and Otonycteris hemprichii (mean body mass 25 g), that are of different phylogenetic origins and zoogeographic distributions but are sympatric in the Negev Desert. At night, both were normothermic. By day, both were torpid when exposed to ambient temperatures (T(a)) below 25 degrees Celsius, with concomitant adjustments in metabolic rate (MR). Otonycteris hemprichii entered torpor at higher T(a) than T. teniotis, and, when torpid, their body temperatures (T(b)) were 1 degrees -2 degrees Celsius and 5 degrees -8 degrees Celsius above T(a), respectively; MR was correspondingly reduced. At night, the lower critical temperature of T. teniotis was 31.5 degrees Celsius, and that of O. hemprichii was 33 degrees Celsius. Mean nocturnal thermoneutral MR of T. teniotis was 37% greater than that of O. hemprichii. At high T(a), evaporative water loss (EWL) increased markedly in both species, but it was significantly higher in T. teniotis above 38 degrees Celsius. In both species, the dry heat transfer coefficient (thermal conductance) followed the expected pattern for small mammals, by day and by night. Total EWL was notably low in normothermic and torpid animals of both species, much lower than values reported for other bats, indicating efficient water conservation mechanisms in the study species. Comparing thermoregulatory abilities suggests that O. hemprichii is better adapted to hot, arid environments than T. teniotis, which may explain its wider desert distribution. By both standard and phylogenetically informed ANCOVA, we found no differences in basal metabolic rate (BMR) between desert and nondesert species of insectivorous bats, substantiating previous studies suggesting that low BMR is a characteristic common to insectivorous bats in general.

Animals↗
PubMed1993

Acoustic image representation of a point target in the bat Eptesicus fuscus: evidence for sensitivity to echo phase in bat sonar.

Echolocating bats, Eptesicus fuscus, were trained in two distinct behavioral tasks to investigate the images they perceive of a sonar point target. In the first task, bats were trained in a two-alternative forced-choice procedure to detect electronically simulated target echoes at a range of approximately 57 cm. Half of the trials in the detection task contained echoes from a stationary target (simulated by a fixed echo delay) and half contained echoes from a jittering target (simulated by an echo delay alternating between two time values over successive sonar emissions). In the second task, bats were trained in a two-alternative forced-choice procedure to discriminate between electronically simulated stationary and jittering targets, centered about a range of 57 cm. Both target detection and target jitter discrimination performance were assessed as a function of jitter magnitude, with jitter values ranging from 0-60 microseconds (corresponding to a change in distance of 0 to 10.3 mm). In both detection and discrimination tasks, the bat's performance changed cyclically with the magnitude of echo jitter. Specifically, when the phase of the playback echoes was unchanged, performance levels were poorest at 0 and 30 microseconds, and when the phase of the echoes alternated by 180 deg from one to the next, performance levels were poorest at 15 and 40-50 microseconds. The results suggest that Eptesicus is sensitive to the phase reversal of echoes and thus have implications for assessing receiver models of echolocation.

Acoustic Stimulation↗
PubMed1990

Audiovocal interactions during development? Vocalisation in deafened young horseshoe bats vs. audition in vocalisation-impaired bats.

Horseshoe bats (Rhinolophus rouxi) were deafened in their 3rd-5th postnatal week. Subsequently their vocalisations were monitored to evaluate the impact of audition on the development of echolocation pulses. Hearing impairment affected the echolocation pulses as follows: the frequency of the constant frequency (CF) component was altered by between +4 kHz and -14 kHz, and the dominance of the second harmonic of the pulses was neutralised by a relative increase in intensity of the first and third harmonics. A second experiment focused on possible influences of acoustical self-stimulation with echolocation pulses on the establishment of auditory fovea representation in the inferior colliculus (IC). Frequency control of echolocation pulses was disrupted by larynx denervation. Thereafter, the bats produced multiharmonic echolocation signals (4-11 harmonics) varying in frequency. IC tonotopy, however, as monitored by stereotaxic electrophysiology, showed the same developmental dynamics as seen in control specimens (Fig. 10). Both experiments indicate that throughout postnatal development echolocation pulses are under auditory feedback control, whereas maturation of the auditory fovea and shifts in its frequency tuning represent an innate process. The significance of this postnatal development might be the adjustment of the vocal motor system of each bat to the frequency of its 'personal' auditory fovea.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Experimental infection of big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) with Eurasian bat lyssaviruses Aravan, Khujand, and Irkut virus.

Here we describe the results of experimental infections of captive big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) with three newly isolated bat lyssaviruses from Eurasia (Aravan, Khujand, and Irkut viruses). Infection of E. fuscus was moderate (total, 55-75%). There was no evidence of transmission to in-contact cage mates. Incubation periods for Irkut virus infection were significantly shorter (p < 0.05) than for either Aravan or Khujand virus infections. In turn, quantification of viral RNA by TaqMan PCR suggests that the dynamics of Irkut virus infection may differ from those of Aravan/Khujand virus infection. Although infectious virus and viral RNA were detected in the brain of every rabid animal, dissemination to non-neuronal tissues was limited. Levels of viral RNA in brain of Aravan/Khujand virus-infected bats was significantly correlated with the number of other tissues positive by TaqMan PCR (p < 0.05), whereas no such relationship was observed for Irkut virus infection (where viral RNA was consistently detected in all tissues other than kidney). Infectious virus was isolated sporadically from salivary glands, and both infectious virus and viral RNA were obtained from oral swabs. The detection of viral RNA in oral swabs suggests that viral shedding in saliva occurred <5 days before the onset of clinical disease.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Nuclear gene sequences confirm an ancient link between New Zealand's short-tailed bat and South American noctilionoid bats.

Molecular and morphological hypotheses disagree on the phylogenetic position of New Zealand's short-tailed bat Mystacina tuberculata. Most morphological analyses place Mystacina in the superfamily Vespertilionoidea, whereas molecular studies unite Mystacina with the Neotropical noctilionoids and imply a shared Gondwanan history. To date, competing hypotheses for the placement of Mystacina have not been addressed with a large concatenation of nuclear protein sequences. We investigated this problem using 7.1kb of nuclear sequence data that included segments from five nuclear protein-coding genes for representatives of 14 bat families and six laurasiatherian outgroups. We employed the Thorne/Kishino method of molecular dating, allowing for simultaneous constraints from the fossil record and varying rates of molecular evolution on different branches on the phylogenetic tree, to estimate basal divergence times within key chiropteran clades. Maximum likelihood, minimum evolution, maximum parsimony, and Bayesian posterior probabilities all provide robust support for the association of Mystacina with the South American noctilionoids. The basal divergence within Chiroptera was estimated at 67mya and the mystacinid/noctilionoid split was calculated at 47mya. Although the mystacinid lineage is too young to have originated in New Zealand before it split from the other Gondwanan landmasses (80mya), the exact geographic origin of these lineages is still uncertain and will not be answered until more fossils are found. It is most probable that Mystacina dispersed from Australia to New Zealand while other noctilionoid bats either remained in or dispersed to South America.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Managing emerging diseases borne by fruit bats (flying foxes), with particular reference to henipaviruses and Australian bat lyssavirus.

Since 1994, a number of novel viruses have been described from bats in Australia and Malaysia, particularly from fruit bats belonging to the genus Pteropus (flying foxes), and it is probable that related viruses will be found in other countries across the geographical range of other members of the genus. These viruses include Hendra and Nipah viruses, members of a new genus, Henipaviruses, within the family Paramyxoviridae; Menangle and Tioman viruses, new members of the Rubulavirus genus within the Paramyxoviridae; and Australian bat lyssavirus (ABLV), a member of the Lyssavirus genus in the family Rhabdoviridae. All but Tioman virus are known to be associated with human and/or livestock diseases. The isolation, disease associations and biological properties of the viruses are described, and are used as the basis for developing management strategies for disease prevention or control. These strategies are directed largely at disease minimization through good farm management practices, reducing the potential for exposure to flying foxes, and better disease recognition and diagnosis, and for ABLV specifically, the use of rabies vaccine for pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis. Finally, an intriguing and long-term strategy is that of wildlife immunization through plant-derived vaccination.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Role of bats in the ecology of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis: the survival of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in the intestinal tract of frugivorous bat, Artibeus lituratus.

The fruit-eating bat, Artibeus lituratus, was fed known quantities of viable yeast cells and mycelial particles of Paracoccidioides brasiliensis in an attempt to assess the role of this animal in the distribution of this agent in nature. Results of mycosal cultures of the stomach, upper intestine, lower intestine and rectum clearly showed that the fungal cells were unable to survive more than 8 hours in the digestive tract of the bat. The mycelial particles were more susceptible than the yeast and were killed before passing to the rectum. The fungus died rapidly in the voided fecal material. These findings indicate the improbability of isolating P. brasiliensis from the digestive tract of wild captured bats and show that A. lituratus probably plays no role in the distribution of this fungus in nature.

Animals↗