Most symposia on chronic inflammatory bowel disease during the last few years have focused on new aspects of aetiology and pathophysiology. However, based on such new aspects, changes in diagnosis and treatment have been developed over the last few years and some others are currently under investigation. This book, the proceedings of Falk Symposium 97, `Clinical Challenges in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases - Diagnosis, Prognosis and Treatment', held in Lugano, Switzerland, 18-19 April 1997, summarizes these changes and new developments, discusses their value and defines further new approaches. The topics include primary diagnosis, definition of different patient groups, special problems of these patients in daily life and very new therapeutic principles. This volume opens new possibilities of diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease to physicians and provides stimulation for further development.

The RO MAN SY Symposia have played an important role in the development of the theory and, to a lesser extent, the practice of manipulators, walking machines and robots. Based on past experience of previous symposia, which have been held over the last 10 years, the problem arose as to what to do in the future. In other words, in what direction should further symposia be organized? A panel discussion called 'Role of RO MAN SY Symposia' was held on 29 June 1984 during the final plenary session at CISM, Udine, Italy. The Members of the Organizing Committee, Professors Konstantinov, Morecki, Roth, Vukobratovic and Vertut, and other participants were asked to give their opinions on the follow ing important questions: * should we organize future symposia? if we continue, which form should we choose?: small (60-70 participants, * 35-40 invited papers); big (100-150 participants, 60-80 papers) * what kind of topics should be included?: the more theoretical-oriented; more practical-oriented; both (what proportion?) * how frequently should RO MAN SY Symposia be organized?: every other year; every third year is working well and what should be maintained? * what * what is not working well and what should be changed to increase the impact of the symposia? would like to underline that most of the participants agree that we should con tinue to hold our symposia every other year, but to limit their small form, with invited papers at high theoretical level only in mechanics, control of motion,

The CISM-IFToMM RoManSy Symposia have played a dynamic role in the development of the theory and practice of robotics. The proceedings of the eleven symposia to date present a world view of the state of the art. The proceedings of this eleventh edition focus mainly on problems of mechanical engineering and control.

The CISM-IFToMM Symposia have played a dynamic role in the development of the theory and practice of robotics. The proceedings of the Tenth Symposia present a world view to date of the state-of-the-art, including a unique record of the results achieved in central and eastern Europe.

As in previous years, the editors have selected topics which are rapidly developing and for which there is a need to communicate new information. For Roma 99 they have chosen nine topics, each subject to a pair of presentations, the first on new disease mechanisms and the second on recent development in clinical management.

Questo quinto volume della Collana raccoglie 12 contributi che spaziano su diversi temi delle malattie esofagee benigne; i due capitoli in inglese (P. Kahrilas e E. Klinkenberg-Knol) sono dedicati all'importanza patogenetica dell'ernia jatale nel GERD e alla terapia di mantenimento dell'esofagite, rispettivamente. I rimanenti capitoli, in italiano, si occupano di temi vari, che vanno dall'uso degli antagonisti recettoriali della CCK, all'inquadramento dei cosiddetti disordini aspecifici della motilitA, all'acantosi glicogenica, alle stenosi da caustici, all'esofagite da reflusso non erosiva. Il libro A] completato da due contributi sulla giunzione esofago-gastrica, dal punto di vista ultra-strutturale e microscopico, da una esposizione sui dati di lungo periodo relativi all'intervento di Nissen in laparoscopia e da una revisione aggiornata sulla sindrome di Mallory-Weiss. Infine, viene fatto il punto sulla terapia con Argon plasma nel Barrett, un tema di cui certamente si parlerA ancora molto nei prossimi anni, anche nei prossimi volumi della Collana.