Simulation Studies of Quail Hunting Success Associated with Ecological Succession of Planted Pine Stands

A concept paper of a methodology is presented for explaining past populations and predicting future populations of bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus), as a function of forest changes. The methodology is applicable to large landholdings, regions, and states. It relates, using computer technology, the number of potential covey flushes per 100 acres per day to the age of forest stands or ecological succession curves. By summing quail flush curves over a large area, area-wide yields may be obtained. Flushes are modified by a shooting-quality factor and birds per covey. The computer-generated output tables provide an inventory, a historical overview, and projected populations. The results are useful for making forestry-wildlife tradeoffs, for explaining quail declines or increases as a result of forestry operations, and for improvements in allocating money to wildlife or forestry. The method is based on a similar system for big-game forage in the Pacific Northwest (2) and is now being developed

Vaccine-mediated protection against Merbecovirus and Sarbecovirus challenge in mice

The emergence of three highly pathogenic human coronaviruses-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in 2003, Middle Eastern respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV in 2012, and SARS-CoV-2 in 2019-underlines the need to develop broadly active vaccines against the Merbecovirus and Sarbecovirus betacoronavirus subgenera. While SARS-CoV-2 vaccines protect against severe COVID-19, they do not protect against other sarbecoviruses or merbecoviruses. Here, we vaccinate mice with a trivalent sortase-conjugate nanoparticle (scNP) vaccine containing the SARS-CoV-2, RsSHC014, and MERS-CoV receptor-binding domains (RBDs), which elicited live-virus neutralizing antibody responses. The trivalent RBD scNP elicited serum neutralizing antibodies against bat zoonotic Wuhan Institute of Virology-1 (WIV-1)-CoV, SARS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 BA.1, SARS-CoV-2 XBB.1.5, and MERS-CoV live viruses. The monovalent SARS-CoV-2 RBD scNP vaccine only protected against Sarbecovirus challenge, whereas the trivalent RBD scNP vaccine protected against both Merbecovirus and Sarbecovirus challenge in highly pathogenic and lethal mouse models. This study demonstrates proof of concept for a single pan-sarbecovirus/pan-merbecovirus vaccine that protects against three highly pathogenic human coronaviruses spanning two betacoronavirus subgenera