Recent research and clinical work have demonstrated that the rapid urologic innovation in minimally invasive treatment is creating exciting new horizons in endourology. This sixth volume in the series Recent Advances in Endourology brings that knowledge to a wider audience, focusing on the new concept of endourooncology, which is the merging of endourology and oncology. In the surgical treatment of urologic malignancies, bipolarization - that is, radical extended resection or organ-sparing surgery - is making remarkable advances. Further developments in sophisticated reconstructive surgery using robotic systems and image-guided ablation technology will allow surgeons to formulate minimally invasive, tailor-made procedures for each patient with urologic cancer. In this book, the current status and future prospects of these new technologies are reviewed, illuminating their roles in the future of endourooncology.

This book evaluates the conditions for the international transfer of Japanese style management and production techniques to Europe. Using an investigation of Japanese manufacturing companies with operations in Europe, the authors shed light on 'hybrid factories', which combine elements of Japanese and European management and production techniques. DU-SOP CHO Professor, Graduate School of International Development, Nagoya, University, Japan YAN-SHU HAO Professor, School of Business Administration, Meiji University, Japan HIROSHI ITAGAKI Professor, Faculty of Economics, Musashi University, Japan WOOSEOK JUHN Associate Professor, Faculty of Business Administration, Chukyo University, Japan NOBUO KAWABE Professor, School of Commerce, Waseda University, Japan TETSUJI KAWAMURA Professor, Faculty of Economics, Musashi University, Japan KUNIO KAMIYAMA Professor, Faculty of Economics, Josai University, Japan JE-WHEON OH Associate Professor of Business Management, Takaoka National College, Japan ROLF SCHLUNZE Associate Professor, Faculty of Management, Otemon Gakuin University, Japan ZHI-JIA YUAN Professor, Faculty of Economics, Rissho University, Japan MARKET 1: Academics interested in Japa

Urolithiasis is not only one of the most frequently encountered diseases at uro logical clinics; it is also the disorder whose treatment has shown the most rapid progress in the past decade. In that period, medicine has experienced a real revolution, characterized by minimally invasive treatments, improvement of the quality of life, and cost-effectiveness in treatment outcomes. In urology, the revolution started with the development of endoscopic retrograde treatment of urolithiasis in the upper urinary tract, which led to development of the percuta neous antegrade maneuver in the latter half of the 1970s. The most remarkable event occurred in 1982, when clinical use of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was introduced by the Munich group, represented by Dr. Christian Chaussy, at the 18th Congress of the International Society of Urology in San Francisco. With the advent of these new strategies, open surgery for urolithiasis has all but dis appeared. Today, with the availability of new technology and equipment, guide lines for the treatment of urolithiasis have changed in all developed countries. It is quite timely that the Meeting of International Consultation on Urolithiasis will be held in Paris in June 2001 to establish international guidelines for urolithiasis. Looking through this textbook for urolithiasis, I was greatly impressed to learn that we have already drawn up some guidelines. The book includes all the updated advances of urolithiasis presented by the most prominent and experi enced urologists from all around the world.

Recent research and clinical work have demonstrated that the rapid urologic innovation in minimally invasive treatment is creating exciting new horizons in endourology. This sixth volume in the series Recent Advances in Endourology brings that knowledge to a wider audience, focusing on the new concept of endourooncology, which is the merging of endourology and oncology. In the surgical treatment of urologic malignancies, bipolarization - that is, radical extended resection or organ-sparing surgery - is making remarkable advances. Further developments in sophisticated reconstructive surgery using robotic systems and image-guided ablation technology will allow surgeons to formulate minimally invasive, tailor-made procedures for each patient with urologic cancer. In this book, the current status and future prospects of these new technologies are reviewed, illuminating their roles in the future of endourooncology.

Urolithiasis is not only one of the most frequently encountered diseases at uro logical clinics; it is also the disorder whose treatment has shown the most rapid progress in the past decade. In that period, medicine has experienced a real revolution, characterized by minimally invasive treatments, improvement of the quality of life, and cost-effectiveness in treatment outcomes. In urology, the revolution started with the development of endoscopic retrograde treatment of urolithiasis in the upper urinary tract, which led to development of the percuta neous antegrade maneuver in the latter half of the 1970s. The most remarkable event occurred in 1982, when clinical use of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy was introduced by the Munich group, represented by Dr. Christian Chaussy, at the 18th Congress of the International Society of Urology in San Francisco. With the advent of these new strategies, open surgery for urolithiasis has all but dis appeared. Today, with the availability of new technology and equipment, guide lines for the treatment of urolithiasis have changed in all developed countries. It is quite timely that the Meeting of International Consultation on Urolithiasis will be held in Paris in June 2001 to establish international guidelines for urolithiasis. Looking through this textbook for urolithiasis, I was greatly impressed to learn that we have already drawn up some guidelines. The book includes all the updated advances of urolithiasis presented by the most prominent and experi enced urologists from all around the world.