The second volume of "Osteologia" - the proceedings of the annual meetings of the German Society for Osteology - differs from the first one in two ways. In contrast to the preceding one this issue is written in English. There had been good reasons for this decision but there had been equally good arguments against it by some board members. We therefore consider this to be a trial. Being aware of the difficulties to prepare a book not in one's mother tongue the editors only made minor corrections of the authors' con tributions. Having published with the first proceedings an overview of the various fields of research on osteology in our country, the conference of the German Society for Osteology now deals with special subjects and so will this conference report. The main heading of this book being "Generalized bone diseases". One chapter will deal with new developments in the field of osteology and another presents unusual cases presented at the meeting. Our hopes are that the efforts of the German Society for Osteology, the local organizers and the editors will find some acknowledgement. Our thanks are due to the authors for their contributions as well as to the publishing house.

I. Osteoporosis

Clinical Aspects of Osteoporosis
Radiological Detection of Osteoporosis
Remarks on the Diagnosis of Osteoporosis employing Iliac Crest Biopsies. Quantitative-morphometric Studies with the Aid of an Automatic Image Analysis System
Idiopathic Juvenile Osteoporosis - Light- and Electronmicroscopic Findings in the Iliac Crest
Clinical Aspects of Measurements of Dual Photon Absorption in Healthy Persons and Patients suffering from Bone Mass Reduction
Magnetic Resonance Iamging of Bone Marrow: Effect of Osteoporosis and Age on Signal Intensity
Investigations on Age-dependent Bone Loss and on Bone Loss in Morbus Cushing - A Comparison
Combined Use of Vitamin D3, Vitamin D3 Metabolites and Vitamin C in Bone Metabolism
Is the Castrated Female Rat a Model of Osteoporosis?
Inhibition of Protein Synthesis and Amino Acid Transport by Dihydrotestosterone and 17ß-Estradiol in Chick Osteoblasts
II. Osteomalacia
Clinical and Pathophysiological Aspects of Osteomalacia
Dialysis-Osteomalacia and Renal Osteodystrophy: Pathogenesis, Diagnostic and Clinical Problems
Relation between Internal Calcium Turnover, Serum Calcium Concentration and Mineralization of Bone: A Comparative Discussion
Assessment of Stable Isotopes of Calcium for the Measurement of Intestinal Calcium Absorption
Osteomalacia in Turkish Immigrants
Synergistic Effects of l,25(OH)2D3 and l,24,25(OH)3D3 in Rachitic Chicken and Rats
Intestinal Absorption of Aluminium in Rats: Kinetics, Influence of the Uremic State and Simultaneous Administration of Fluoride
Concentration Profiles of Zinc and Lead Along the Epiphyseal Growth Plate of Normal and Rachitic Piglets as Related to Activities of Esterases
III. Ostitis Fibrosa
Primary Hyperparathyroidism
Surgical Aspectsof Hyperparathyroidism
Multicentric Giant Cell Tumor of Bone. Histogenesis and Diagnostic Differentiation
Hyperparathyroidism and Acute Pancreatitis - Rare Complications in Pregnancy
Distribution of the Parathormone Receptor in Human Kidney and Rat Bone: A Histomorphological Study
Parathyroid Hormone, Carbonic Anhydrase and Calcium Homeostasis
IV. New Trends in Osteology
Serum Concentration of Vitamin D Metabolites in Children with Phenylketonuria
Regulation of Amino Acid Transport and Protein Synthesis by 1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D3 and Dexamethasone in Chick Osteoblasts
Effects of Phosphate Infusion on Calcium Metabolism in Early Renal Failure
The Influence of Magnesium and Calcium Antagonists on the Epiphyseal Growth Plate - A Comparison
Formation of Bone by the Way of Enchondral Ossification not Impaired by Mechanical Influences
Results of Selective Arterial Digital Substraction Angiography in Femoral Head Necrosis
Effects of Mechanical Factors on Structure and Function of the Growth Plate of Long Bones
Weight Bearing System of Bone in Cementless Hip Prostheses
V. Case Reports
Severe Cystic Bone Lesions: Skeletal Manifestation of Mastocytosis or Special Kind of Primary Osteoporosis?
Absorptive Hypercalcemia
Alcohol Induced Osteopenia
Systemic Mastocytosis and Bone Disease
Metabolic Osteopathy of Uncertain Origin
Acne Conglobata, Spondylarthritis and Osteoporosis
Author Index.