Prospects for immunocontraception in feral horse population control: exploring novel targets for an equine fertility vaccine

2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (7) ◽  
pp. 853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aleona Swegen ◽  
R. John Aitken
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Population Control ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Horse Population ◽  
Feral Horses ◽  
Feral Horse ◽  
Species Specific ◽  
Free Ranging

Feral horses populate vast land areas and often induce significant ecological and economic damage throughout the landscape. Non-lethal population control methods are considered favourable in light of animal welfare, social and ethical considerations; however, no single effective, safe and species-specific contraceptive agent is currently available for use in free-ranging wild and feral horses. This review explores aspects of equine reproductive physiology that may provide avenues for the development of specific and long-lasting immunocontraceptive vaccines and some of the novel strategies that may be employed to facilitate appropriate antigen discovery in future research. Potential antigen targets pertaining to spermatozoa, the ovary and oocyte, as well as the early conceptus and its associated factors, are reviewed in the context of their suitability for immunocontraceptive vaccine development.

Seasonal mountain lion predation on a feral horse population

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (5) ◽  
pp. 929-934 ◽  
Author(s):  
John W. Turner Jr. ◽  
Michael L. Wolfe ◽  
Jay F. Kirkpatrick
Keyword(s):  
Survival Rate ◽  
First Year ◽  
Horse Population ◽  
Feral Horses ◽  
Mountain Lions ◽  
Mountain Lion ◽  
Felis Concolor ◽  
Feral Horse ◽  
Annual Cohort ◽  
Demographic Impact

A population of feral horses (Equus caballus) was studied from 1986 to 1991 to determine the demographic impact of predation by the mountain lion (Felis concolor). The population, inhabiting a 600-km2 area on the central California – Nevada border comprised approximately 162 individuals > 1 year old, with an average of 9 yearlings, 8 two-year-olds, and 144 adults. Numbers of horses varied by only 4–8% and showed no consistent trend. The parturition peak spanned May and June, when 80% of foaling occurred. One-third of the average annual cohort of 33 foals was missing by July and only half of the cohort remained by October. The mean first-year survival rate estimated from the differential incidence of foals and yearlings in successive years was 0.27, which was less than one-third of the foal survival rate reported for other feral horse populations. A minimum of four adult mountain lions used the study area each year between May and October. Of 28 foal carcasses located from May to mid-July, at least 82% were the result of mountain lion kills. No evidence of predation on older horses was observed, but mountain lions preyed on mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) during winter. We conclude that the growth of this horse population is limited by predation.

scholarly journals Feral Horse Distribution, Habitat Use and Population Dynamics in Theodore Roosevelt National Park

1990 ◽  
Vol 14 ◽  
pp. 123-125
Author(s):  
Clayton Marlow ◽  
Leonard Gagnon ◽  
Elena Hovland ◽  
Lynn Irby
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Home Range Size ◽  
Home Ranges ◽  
Theodore Roosevelt ◽  
Horse Population ◽  
Feral Horses ◽  
Population Growth Rates ◽  
Feral Horse ◽  
Theodore Roosevelt National Park ◽  
Reproductive Rates

Description of the ecological niche feral horses fill in Theodore Roosevelt National Park requires information on reproductive rates, home range size, individual and band affinity to home ranges, food and shelter requirements and seasonal diets. Therefore, the initial objectives will be to: 1. identify the number, size and location of home ranges for harem and bachelor stallion bands; 2. describe daily and seasonal movements of bands within identified home ranges; 3. describe the vegetation habitat types and landform types used by horses for mating, foaling, foraging, and resting cover; 4. describe seasonal horse diets; and 5. collect data on sex, age and social hierarchy within respective bands to facilitate estimation of horse population growth rates. Ultimately, this information will be used to accomplish the project goal; integrate horse requirements with those of elk, bison and the Park's vegetation communities to determine the large ungulate carrying capacity of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Estimating distribution and abundance of feral horses (Equus caballus) in a coniferous plantation in Australia, using line-transect surveys of dung

2016 ◽  
Vol 43 (7) ◽  
pp. 604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena A. Zabek ◽  
David M. Berman ◽  
Simon Blomberg ◽  
John Wright
Keyword(s):  
Population Distribution ◽  
Decay Rates ◽  
Line Transect ◽  
Population Abundance ◽  
Horse Population ◽  
Feral Horses ◽  
Feral Horse ◽  
Coniferous Plantation ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Strip Transect

Context Feral horses are a growing problem in Australia, despite implementation of management strategies. The incidence of horse sightings and horse-associated vehicle collisions within the Tuan and Toolara State Forest (TTSF), a coniferous plantation in south-eastern Queensland, has increased in the past decade, indicating an increase in population and the necessity to undertake an accurate appraisal of population abundance. Aim To determine the feasibility of using dung counts, defecation and dung-decay rates to determine the distribution and abundance of feral horse population in a managed coniferous plantation where dense vegetation prohibits the use of visual-based animal detection methods. Methods Population distribution was assessed by dung count incorporated into a vehicle strip-transect survey on 582 km of forest tracks. Population abundance was estimated from dung density, the mean defecation frequency of feral horses, and the mean number of days required for dung to decay. Dung density was obtained from on-ground distance line-transect survey that sampled all representative plantation habitats and consisted of 111 transects totalling 44.3 km. Key results The strip-transect survey clearly showed that although feral horses were dispersed across the plantation, the distribution was uneven, with the central region of the plantation being the most heavily populated. The combination of dung counts, defecation rate (mean ± s.d., 7.97 ± 8.74) over 24 h and dung-decay rate (444 ± 150.7 days) provided an estimation of the density of feral horses in various habitats and indicated that the plantation was occupied by 1321 (95% CI 940–1965) horses, which corresponded to an average density of 1.8 horses km–2. The method clearly identified variations in horse abundance among the various habitats within the surveyed areas. Open habitats, created following harvesting, showed higher occurrence rates, whereas the habitats of mature forest were scantily occupied. Key conclusions Dung counts are a simple, effective and practical technique that can provide information on distribution and abundance of feral horse population in densely forested habitats where visual-based techniques are not applicable. However, unbiased and precise defecation and decay rates must be estimated. Implications The study validated the use of dung counts to provide information on feral horse distribution and abundance in densely forested environments where direct methods of census may be difficult to obtain. The methods are applicable to a range of ecosystems, but defecation and dung-decay rates must be determined separately for each ecosystem.

scholarly journals Reinfection with SARS-CoV-2: Discrete SIR (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered) Modeling Using Empirical Infection Data

10.2196/21168 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. e21168
Author(s):  
Andrew McMahon ◽  
Nicole C Robb
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Transmission Dynamics ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Serological Testing ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Testing Strategies ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Subsequent Exposure ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Background The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the COVID-19 disease, has resulted in a global pandemic. Since its emergence in December 2019, the virus has infected millions of people, caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands, and resulted in incalculable social and economic damage. Understanding the infectivity and transmission dynamics of the virus is essential to determine how best to reduce mortality while ensuring minimal social restrictions on the lives of the general population. Anecdotal evidence is available, but detailed studies have not yet revealed whether infection with the virus results in immunity. Objective The objective of this study was to use mathematical modeling to investigate the reinfection frequency of COVID-19. Methods We have used the SIR (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered) framework and random processing based on empirical SARS-CoV-2 infection and fatality data from different regions to calculate the number of reinfections that would be expected to occur if no immunity to the disease occurred. Results Our model predicts that cases of reinfection should have been observed by now if primary SARS-CoV-2 infection did not protect individuals from subsequent exposure in the short term; however, no such cases have been documented. Conclusions This work concludes that infection with SARS-CoV-2 provides short-term immunity to reinfection and therefore offers useful insight for serological testing strategies, lockdown easing, and vaccine development.

Reinfection with SARS-CoV-2: Discrete SIR (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered) Modeling Using Empirical Infection Data (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew McMahon ◽  
Nicole C Robb
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Transmission Dynamics ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Serological Testing ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Testing Strategies ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Subsequent Exposure ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

BACKGROUND The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the COVID-19 disease, has resulted in a global pandemic. Since its emergence in December 2019, the virus has infected millions of people, caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands, and resulted in incalculable social and economic damage. Understanding the infectivity and transmission dynamics of the virus is essential to determine how best to reduce mortality while ensuring minimal social restrictions on the lives of the general population. Anecdotal evidence is available, but detailed studies have not yet revealed whether infection with the virus results in immunity. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to use mathematical modeling to investigate the reinfection frequency of COVID-19. METHODS We have used the SIR (Susceptible, Infected, Recovered) framework and random processing based on empirical SARS-CoV-2 infection and fatality data from different regions to calculate the number of reinfections that would be expected to occur if no immunity to the disease occurred. RESULTS Our model predicts that cases of reinfection should have been observed by now if primary SARS-CoV-2 infection did not protect individuals from subsequent exposure in the short term; however, no such cases have been documented. CONCLUSIONS This work concludes that infection with SARS-CoV-2 provides short-term immunity to reinfection and therefore offers useful insight for serological testing strategies, lockdown easing, and vaccine development.

Carbohydrate-Binding Agents: Potential of Repurposing for COVID-19 Therapy

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (11) ◽  
pp. 1085-1096 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rajesh Kumar Gupta ◽  
Girish R. Apte ◽  
Kiran Bharat Lokhande ◽  
Satyendra Mishra ◽  
Jayanta K. Pal
Keyword(s):  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Host Cells ◽  
Carbohydrate Binding ◽  
Atypical Pneumonia ◽  
The Novel ◽  
High Infection ◽  
Binding Agents ◽  
Current Scenario ◽  
Antiviral Activities ◽  
Novel Drug

: With the emergence of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the whole world is suffering from atypical pneumonia, which resulted in more than 559,047 deaths worldwide. In this time of crisis and urgency, the only hope comes from new candidate vaccines and potential antivirals. However, formulating new vaccines and synthesizing new antivirals are a laborious task. Therefore, considering the high infection rate and mortality due to COVID-19, utilization of previous information, and repurposing of existing drugs against valid viral targets have emerged as a novel drug discovery approach in this challenging time. The transmembrane spike (S) glycoprotein of coronaviruses (CoVs), which facilitates the virus’s entry into the host cells, exists in a homotrimeric form and is covered with N-linked glycans. S glycoprotein is known as the main target of antibodies having neutralizing potency and is also considered as an attractive target for therapeutic or vaccine development. Similarly, targeting of N-linked glycans of S glycoprotein envelope of CoV via carbohydrate-binding agents (CBAs) could serve as an attractive therapeutic approach for developing novel antivirals. CBAs from natural sources like lectins from plants, marine algae and prokaryotes and lectin mimics like Pradimicin-A (PRM-A) have shown antiviral activities against CoV and other enveloped viruses. However, the potential use of CBAs specifically lectins was limited due to unfavorable responses like immunogenicity, mitogenicity, hemagglutination, inflammatory activity, cellular toxicity, etc. Here, we reviewed the current scenario of CBAs as antivirals against CoVs, presented strategies to improve the efficacy of CBAs against CoVs; and studied the molecular interactions between CBAs (lectins and PRM-A) with Man9 by molecular docking for potential repurposing against CoVs in general, and SARSCoV- 2, in particular.

scholarly journals Strategies for Vaccination: Conventional Vaccine Approaches Versus New-Generation Strategies in Combination with Adjuvants

Pharmaceutics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 140
Author(s):  
Abdellatif Bouazzaoui ◽  
Ahmed A. H. Abdellatif ◽  
Faisal A. Al-Allaf ◽  
Neda M. Bogari ◽  
Saied Al-Dehlawi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Viral Vectors ◽  
Protein Production ◽  
Vaccine Development ◽  
Effective Vaccine ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Research Teams ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Rapid Spread ◽  
New Generation ◽  
Conventional Vaccine

The current COVID-19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has raised significant economic, social, and psychological concerns. The rapid spread of the virus, coupled with the absence of vaccines and antiviral treatments for SARS-CoV-2, has galvanized a major global endeavor to develop effective vaccines. Within a matter of just a few months of the initial outbreak, research teams worldwide, adopting a range of different strategies, embarked on a quest to develop effective vaccine that could be effectively used to suppress this virulent pathogen. In this review, we describe conventional approaches to vaccine development, including strategies employing proteins, peptides, and attenuated or inactivated pathogens in combination with adjuvants (including genetic adjuvants). We also present details of the novel strategies that were adopted by different research groups to successfully transfer recombinantly expressed antigens while using viral vectors (adenoviral and retroviral) and non-viral delivery systems, and how recently developed methods have been applied in order to produce vaccines that are based on mRNA, self-amplifying RNA (saRNA), and trans-amplifying RNA (taRNA). Moreover, we discuss the methods that are being used to enhance mRNA stability and protein production, the advantages and disadvantages of different methods, and the challenges that are encountered during the development of effective vaccines.

scholarly journals Modeling and Forecasting of COVID-19 Spreading by Delayed Stochastic Differential Equations

Axioms ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Marouane Mahrouf ◽  
Adnane Boukhouima ◽  
Houssine Zine ◽  
El Mehdi Lotfi ◽  
Delfim F. M. Torres ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real Data ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
Population Parameter ◽  
The Novel ◽  
First Case ◽  
Epidemiological Trend ◽  
Modeling And Forecasting ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Parameter Values ◽  
Stochastic Time

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pneumonia has posed a great threat to the world recent months by causing many deaths and enormous economic damage worldwide. The first case of COVID-19 in Morocco was reported on 2 March 2020, and the number of reported cases has increased day by day. In this work, we extend the well-known SIR compartmental model to deterministic and stochastic time-delayed models in order to predict the epidemiological trend of COVID-19 in Morocco and to assess the potential role of multiple preventive measures and strategies imposed by Moroccan authorities. The main features of the work include the well-posedness of the models and conditions under which the COVID-19 may become extinct or persist in the population. Parameter values have been estimated from real data and numerical simulations are presented for forecasting the COVID-19 spreading as well as verification of theoretical results.

Infant handling enhances social bonds in free-ranging rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta)

Behaviour ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 154 (7-8) ◽  
pp. 875-907 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erica S. Dunayer ◽  
Carol M. Berman
Keyword(s):  
Macaca Mulatta ◽  
Social Bonds ◽  
Rhesus Macaques ◽  
Social Characteristics ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Fitness Effects ◽  
Early Handling ◽  
Infant Handling ◽  
Free Ranging ◽  
The Relationship

Throughout the primate order, individuals are highly motivated to handle infants that are not their own. Given the differing and often conflicting interests of the various participants in handling interactions (handler, infant, and mother), most functional hypotheses are specific to particular handling roles. Here we explore one hypothesis that may apply to all participants, but that has received relatively little attention: that handling may facilitate the formation and maintenance of social bonds. Using free-ranging rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) on Cayo Santiago, we examine the relationship between infant handling in the early weeks and the strength and diversity of infant social bonds months later, when infant relationships were more independent from those of their mothers. Our results largely confirm the influence of several social characteristics (kinship, rank, sex, and age) in governing handling interactions. They also provide the first evidence that early handling is associated with later social bonds that are stronger than expected based on these social characteristics. However, the enhancement of bonds is largely confined to related handlers; frequent unrelated handlers did not generally go on to form strong bonds with infants. This suggests that kinship may be a sort of prerequisite to the enhancement of social bonds via handling. Given the adaptive benefits of strong social bonds among adult primates, future research should investigate whether early infant handling may have longer term fitness effects.

scholarly journals Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis of Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae) to Characterize Wing Formation across All Developmental Stages

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 226
Author(s):  
Siying Fu ◽  
Yujie Duan ◽  
Siqi Wang ◽  
Yipeng Ren ◽  
Wenjun Bu
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Developmental Stages ◽  
Average Length ◽  
Transcriptome Assembly ◽  
Expression Profiles ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Economic Damage ◽  
Wing Formation ◽  
Riptortus Pedestris

Riptortus pedestris (Hemiptera: Alydidae) is a major agricultural pest in East Asia that causes considerable economic losses to the soybean crop each year. However, the molecular mechanisms governing the growth and development of R. pedestris have not been fully elucidated. In this study, the Illumina HiSeq6000 platform was employed to perform de novo transcriptome assembly and determine the gene expression profiles of this species across all developmental stages, including eggs, first-, second-, third-, fourth-, and fifth-instar nymphs, and adults. In this study, a total of 60,058 unigenes were assembled from numerous raw reads, exhibiting an N50 length of 2126 bp and an average length of 1199 bp, and the unigenes were annotated and classified with various databases, such as the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COG), and Gene Ontology (GO). Furthermore, various numbers of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were calculated through pairwise comparisons of all life stages, and some of these DEGs were associated with immunity, metabolism, and development by GO and KEGG enrichment. In addition, 35,158 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 715,604 potential single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified from the seven transcriptome libraries of R. pedestris. Finally, we identified and summarized ten wing formation-related signaling pathways, and the molecular properties and expression levels of five wing development-related genes were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR for all developmental stages of R. pedestris. Taken together, the results of this study may establish a foundation for future research investigating developmental processes and wing formation in hemimetabolous insects and may provide valuable data for pest control efforts attempting to reduce the economic damage caused by this pest.

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