[Experiences with the aerial distribution of baits for the oral immunization of foxes against rabies in eastern Germany]. / Erfahrungen mit der Flugzeugausbringung von Ködern zur oralen Immunisierung der Füchse gegen Tollwut in Ostdeutschland.

Since the first test in spring 1990, aerial distribution of baits has been developed as the main bait distribution variant in the new federal states of Germany. Experiences are given in respect of organisation, management and enforcement of oral immunization campaigns and cooperation between veterinary agencies and flight enterprises. Practical aspects are described to ensure bait density, preparation of maps, creation of technical preconditions and realisation of dropping rhythm. Aerial dropping in comparison with hand distribution of baits was shown to be equivalent at least in respect of bait uptake and seroconversion rate.

[Aerogenic immunization against swine erysipelas with Spirovak erysipelas vaccine "Dessau"]. / Aerogene Immunisierung gegen Rotlauf beim Schwin mit Spirovak-Rotlauf-Impfstoff "Dessau".

Reported in this paper is the use of Spirovak erysipelas live vaccine for aerogenic immunisation against swine erysipelas under conditions of floor keeping. Two different aerosol spray nozzles were used. Results which will be applicable under practice conditions were achieved by means of a vortex injector nozzle. One single aerogenic immunisation, 4 to 12 X 10(7) live germs per cubic metre, provided sufficient protection against infection.

Cryoultramicrotomy, electron probe microanalysis and STEM of myocardial tissue.

Heart muscle preparations (papillary muscles and trabeculae) were frozen at 4.2 K on metal plate under vaccum after their length-tension relationships showed that no damage had occurred during dissecting and mounting the strips on the holder. Freeze substitution of some preparations directly after freezing demonstrated that no important cell damage due to ice crystals occurred in superficial cell layers during freezing. Ultrathin cryosections obtained at -130 degrees C were freeze dried and analyzed, in the STEM mode. The better the freezing procedure, the poorer was the contrast of the sections under electron microscopy. Preliminary approaches to increasing contrast after sublimation of tissue water show that a small increase in contrast is generally obtained at the cost of the peak/background ratio due to pronounced mass loss. The results of our analyses show that C1 content in heart muscle cells is high and distributed throughout the cytoplasm. Ca is detectable and quantitable in resting muscle in SR cisternae. The Ca amount in cytoplasm is low and just at the limit of detectability under our current analysis conditions. Preliminary experiments on papillary muscles subjected to caffeine contracture showed that calcium is not detectable in the cisternae as is the case in control experiments. Only a moderate amount of Ca is detectable in mitochondria, whereas the concentrations in cytoplasm, as in resting cardiac muscle, is too low to be quantitated.