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Sediments of the Eckfeld maar (Eifel, Germany) bear a well-preserved Eocene fauna and flora. Biostratigraphically, Eckfeld corresponds to the Middle Eocene mammal reference level MP (Mammals Paleogene) 13 of the ELMA (European Land Mammal Age) Geiseltalian. In the maar crater, basalt fragments were drilled, representing explosion crater eruption products. By 40Ar/39Ar dating of the basalt, for the first time a direct numerical calibration mark for an Eocene European mammal locality has been established. The Eckfeld basalt inverse isochron date of 44.3 +/- 0.4 Ma suggests an age for the Geiseltalian/Robiacian boundary at 44 Ma and, together with the 1995 time scale of Berggren et al., a time span ranging from 49 to 44 Ma for the Geiseltalian and from 44 to 37 Ma for the Robiacian, respectively. Additional 40Ar/39Ar dating on a genetically related basalt occurrence close to the maar confirms a period of volcanism of ca. 0.6 m.y. in the Eckfeld area, matching the oldest Eocene volcanic activity of the Hocheifel volcanic field.

The effect of bezafibrate (200 mg t.i.d.) on renal and, to some degree, on muscular function was studied in nine patients with primary hyperlipoproteinemia. No signs of a reduction in creatinine excretion or an increase in muscular proteins could be found serving as a possible explanation for the slight increase in serum creatinine observed in a bezafibrate long-term study in more than 1,000 patients. Further studies are necessary for clarification.

A total of 60 newly admitted hospital patients with maturity onset diabetes mellitus and normal kidney function were studied. They were either treated only with a diet (group I), or also with blood-sugar lowering sulfonylureas (group II). Some patients had become insulin-dependent (group III). It was found that the mean serum concentration of lipoprotein Lp(a) was significantly increased in patients in groups II and III, but not in group I, as compared to the median of the group of 51 normal controls. All three groups of diabetics showed normal LDL cholesterol levels but lowered HDL cholesterol values, most pronouncedly in group II. Groups I and II, but not group III, showed a significant increase of the mean serum concentration of triglycerides and of the mean values for the LDL/HDL ratio as compared to normal controls. A correlation between the serum concentration of Lp(a) on the one hand, and the HbA1 value, LDL cholesterol, VLDL, HDL cholesterol, phospholipids, triglycerides and total cholesterol on the other, cannot be found for any of the three groups of diabetics.

The renal excretion of manganese is investigated for different urine flow rates in adults of both sexes with normal and disturbed kidney function. Mn is determined by emission spectral analysis. During antidiuresis with a mean urine flow rate of 0,97 +/- 0,66 ml/min (SD) the average excretion of Mn is 11,4 +/- 19,4 ng/min for 1,73 m2 body surface area. With an indifferent urine flow (4,43 +/- 2,11 ml/min) the average Mn excretion is 13,5 +/- 19,3 ng/min. For this type of diuresis Mn excretion and urine flow rate are slightly positively correlated. A further increase in urinary excretion of Mn is observed during osmotic diuresis. In this case 160,6 +/- 180,5 ng Mn/min are eliminated for an urine production of 22,2 +/- 6,8 ml/min. The difference of the mean excretion values is highly significant (P less than 0,01) between indifferent urine flow and osmotic diuresis, insignificant between antidiuresis and indifferent urine flow, and significant (P less than 0,01) between antidiuresis and osmotic diuresis. Down to a clearance value for inulin of less than 30 ml/min and for PAH of less than 200 ml/min and 1,73 m2 body surface area, the Mn excretion is largely independent of the renal hemodynamics.

In 10 patients with hepatic cirrhosis of various etiology both the insorption and the volume of distribution of tritiated water are determined. Indicator for the velocity of insorption is the time interval between the oral application of 200 mu-Ci THO distributed in 100 ml tap water and the appearance of a peak concentration of the isotope in the serum. In comparison with normal controls the insorption of THO is protracted in patients with hepatic cirrhosis from 37.0 plus or minus 4.4 min (S.E.) to a mean of 69.0 plus or minus 29.6 min. Individually the "insorption time" can be quite normal. The prolongation of the process of insorption is independent of the apparent volume of distribution of THO or of the etiology of hepatic cirrhosis. In the early phases of the insorption which are characterized by the main increase of the radioactivity in serum there is no difference between patients with hepatic cirrhosis and normal controls. Although an alteration of body fluid metabolism can not be excluded as a source of the prolonged equilibration, it is suggested that changes of the intestinal blood flow, of the tissue pressure and of the colloidosmotic pressure are due to a disturbance of the insorption of tritiated water in patients with hepatic cirrhosis.

Twenty male hyperuricaemic patients with normal kidney function were studied and it was found that the serum concentrations and excretions rates in the 24-hour urine of allopurinol and oxipurinol do not differ significantly after 9 days of oral treatment with either 300 mg allopurinol or a combination of 300 mg allopurinol and 60 mg benzbromarone daily. The sum of the excretion rates of the two pyrazolopyrimidines in the 24-hour urine represents 80.9% and 77.1%, respectively of the daily dose of allopurinol given alone or in combination with benzbromarone. As expected, the hypouricaemic effect of the combined therapy turned out to be stronger than that observed after monotherapy with allopurinol, due to the uricosuric component of benzbromarone. The difference was found to be highly significant.

Oral administration of benzbromarone at daily doses of 100 mg or 300 mg over a period of 3 or 6 days does not produce a significant change of the excretion rates of allantoin in the 24-h-urines of humans in a normouricemic or hyperuricemic state. Threrefore, the theroretically improbable assumption that benzbromarone may induce an increased elimination of uric acid by an enteral pathway cannot be accepted any longer. Failing additional direct effects upon purine metabolic pathways (Sorensen and Levinson, 1976) benzbromarone exerts its hypouricemic action solely by uricosuric properties.