Exactly 25 years after the first Nutricia Symposium was held in Groningen, the Netherlands, dealing with fundamental aspects of neonatology, the 8th Nutricia Symposium was held at nearly the opposite end of the globe and dealt with a number of most important aspects of child nutrition in South East Asia. It was the intention of this symposium to bring together a respectable number of specialists in this field from the countries involved, complemented by a number of experts from outside the area chosen because of their recognised contributions to the main topics of the symposium. In this way, a platform for discussion and cooperation was provided to bring the specific problems of child nutrition in South East Asia closer to a solution. From the contents of the papers and also the valuable discus sions, it should be clear to the reader that the goal of this symposium has been attained. It would have been difficult to find a place which was better suited for this symposium than Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The excellent work done by the several local committees in organising this symposium is greatly acknowledged, especially the efforts of Prof. H. Iskandar Wahidiyat, Prof. Darwin Karyadi, Prof. I.G.N. Gde Ranuh, Prof. Moelyono S. Trastotenoyo, Prof. S.H. Pudjiadi, Dr. Samsudin, Dr. Suharyono, Dr. Yati Sunarto and Dr. A.G. Soemantri need to be mentioned."

After 17 years, the Nutricia Symposium retumed to its horne grounds in The of the 10th Nutricia Netherlands, where the first five Symposia were held. The objective Symposium was to bring together a limited number of opinion leaders and key researchers in selected topics of infant nutrition to discuss the current state of the art based on original contributions and reviews. The discussion sessions after the papers were taped and edited and may give additional information and views. As a result of time constraints, the discussions on a few papers had to be cut short, or, unfortunately, could not take place at all. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend reading the discussion sections, such as the panel discussion on the requirements for LCPUFA for term and/or preterm infants. During the preparation of the Symposium the sad news that Professor J . H. P. Jonxis died prompted the organisers to dedicate one special lecture to the memory of the principal organiser of the first four Nutricia Symposia. This lecture entitled "What determines the production and composition ofbreast milk?" was given by Dr. Kathleen Moti . Acknowledgement should be made to the co-organizers and co-chairmen Professor Sir David HuH, Professor Pieter Sauer and Dr. Terence Stephenson for their contri bution. Finally, without mentioning names, the editors wish to thank a number of persons within the Nutricia organization without whom the Symposium and its Pro ceedings would not have been possible."

The concept of the foeto-placental unit as an integrated endocrine organ has been defined recently by many in vivo studies at the 17th- 20th week of gestation. A functioning foeto-placental unit is necessary for most of the increased oestrogen production of pregnancy and for the provision of glucocorticoids and aldosterone to the foetus. Neither the foetus nor the placenta alone have the necessary enzyme systems for the synthesis of these groups of steroids. However, when the foetus and placenta function as a unit, all of the enzyme systems are present for the synthesis of these steroids from circulating cholesterol. The placenta, but not the mid-gestation foetal adrenal, can synthesize physiologically significant amounts of pregnenolone from circulating cholesterol. Part of the pregnenolone is converted to progesterone in the placenta by the 3 -HSD system (absent in the foetus). The progesterone is transferred to the foetus where it is transformed by C-II, C-17, C-18 and C-21 hydroxylases (all absent in the placenta) to cortisol, corticosterone and aldosterone. Pregnenolone transferred from the placenta to the foetus undergoes 171X-hydroxylation, side chain splitting and sulfurylation (absent in the placenta) and is converted to DHAS. The DHAS may undergo 161X-hydroxylation (absent in the placenta) in the foetal liver and be transported to the placenta as 161X-OH-DHAS. There it is subjected to a neutral steroid sulfatase (absent in the foetus) and is converted to oestriol by action of the 3 -HSD system and the aromatizing enzyme system."

Exactly 25 years after the first Nutricia Symposium was held in Groningen, the Netherlands, dealing with fundamental aspects of neonatology, the 8th Nutricia Symposium was held at nearly the opposite end of the globe and dealt with a number of most important aspects of child nutrition in South East Asia. It was the intention of this symposium to bring together a respectable number of specialists in this field from the countries involved, complemented by a number of experts from outside the area chosen because of their recognised contributions to the main topics of the symposium. In this way, a platform for discussion and cooperation was provided to bring the specific problems of child nutrition in South East Asia closer to a solution. From the contents of the papers and also the valuable discus sions, it should be clear to the reader that the goal of this symposium has been attained. It would have been difficult to find a place which was better suited for this symposium than Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The excellent work done by the several local committees in organising this symposium is greatly acknowledged, especially the efforts of Prof. H. Iskandar Wahidiyat, Prof. Darwin Karyadi, Prof. I.G.N. Gde Ranuh, Prof. Moelyono S. Trastotenoyo, Prof. S.H. Pudjiadi, Dr. Samsudin, Dr. Suharyono, Dr. Yati Sunarto and Dr. A.G. Soemantri need to be mentioned."

After 17 years, the Nutricia Symposium retumed to its horne grounds in The of the 10th Nutricia Netherlands, where the first five Symposia were held. The objective Symposium was to bring together a limited number of opinion leaders and key researchers in selected topics of infant nutrition to discuss the current state of the art based on original contributions and reviews. The discussion sessions after the papers were taped and edited and may give additional information and views. As a result of time constraints, the discussions on a few papers had to be cut short, or, unfortunately, could not take place at all. Nevertheless, we strongly recommend reading the discussion sections, such as the panel discussion on the requirements for LCPUFA for term and/or preterm infants. During the preparation of the Symposium the sad news that Professor J . H. P. Jonxis died prompted the organisers to dedicate one special lecture to the memory of the principal organiser of the first four Nutricia Symposia. This lecture entitled "What determines the production and composition ofbreast milk?" was given by Dr. Kathleen Moti . Acknowledgement should be made to the co-organizers and co-chairmen Professor Sir David HuH, Professor Pieter Sauer and Dr. Terence Stephenson for their contri bution. Finally, without mentioning names, the editors wish to thank a number of persons within the Nutricia organization without whom the Symposium and its Pro ceedings would not have been possible."

The concept of the foeto-placental unit as an integrated endocrine organ has been defined recently by many in vivo studies at the 17th- 20th week of gestation. A functioning foeto-placental unit is necessary for most of the increased oestrogen production of pregnancy and for the provision of glucocorticoids and aldosterone to the foetus. Neither the foetus nor the placenta alone have the necessary enzyme systems for the synthesis of these groups of steroids. However, when the foetus and placenta function as a unit, all of the enzyme systems are present for the synthesis of these steroids from circulating cholesterol. The placenta, but not the mid-gestation foetal adrenal, can synthesize physiologically significant amounts of pregnenolone from circulating cholesterol. Part of the pregnenolone is converted to progesterone in the placenta by the 3~-HSD system (absent in the foetus). The progesterone is transferred to the foetus where it is transformed by C-II, C-17, C-18 and C-21 hydroxylases (all absent in the placenta) to cortisol, corticosterone and aldosterone. Pregnenolone transferred from the placenta to the foetus undergoes 171X-hydroxylation, side- chain splitting and sulfurylation (absent in the placenta) and is converted to DHAS. The DHAS may undergo 161X-hydroxylation (absent in the placenta) in the foetal liver and be transported to the placenta as 161X-OH-DHAS. There it is subjected to a neutral steroid sulfatase (absent in the foetus) and is converted to oestriol by action of the 3~-HSD system and the aromatizing enzyme system.