A quantitative risk assessment model to evaluate effective border control measures for rabies prevention.

Border control is the primary method to prevent rabies emergence. This study developed a quantitative risk model incorporating stochastic processes to evaluate whether border control measures could efficiently prevent rabies introduction through importation of cats and dogs using Taiwan as an example. Both legal importation and illegal smuggling were investigated.

Electrophysiological mapping and histological examinations of the swine atrium with sustained (> or =24 h) atrial fibrillation: a suitable animal model for studying human atrial fibrillation.

Objectives: Interventional elimination of chronic persistent atrial fibrillation (AFib) remains difficult. An animal model mimicking the clinical situation is important.

Methods And Results: Twenty-five adult pigs were implanted with a high-speed atrial pacemaker.

Influence of Age on the Electrocardiographic Waves in Taiwanese Lan-Yu Miniature Pigs.

The purpose of the study reported here was to determine baseline information of the electrocardiogram (ECG) and the influence of age on cardiac function in Taiwanese Lan-Yu (TLY) miniature pigs. Non-anesthetized TLY minipigs (from birth to 6 months of age) were placed on a webbed stanchion, simulating a standing position, for acquisition of an ECG, using six limb leads (I, II, III, aVR, aVL, and aVF), with each as a single-channel ECG recorder. The P and T waves obtained from leads I, III, and aVL were useful in determining the subtle cardiac changes during maturation of TLY minipigs.

Effective synthetic peptide vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease in swine.

We have designed a peptide-based vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) effective in swine. The peptide immunogen has a G-H loop domain from the VP1 capsid protein of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) and a novel promiscuous T helper (Th) site for broad immunogenicity in multiple species. The G-H loop VP1 site was optimised for cross-reactivity to FMDV by the inclusion into the peptide of cyclic constraint and adjoining sequences.