Endoscopy has revolutionized clinical gastroenterology. In 1961 Basil Hirschowitz published the first flexible endoscopic examination of the stomach and duodenal bulb. We moved from flexible fiberendoscopes to current video-endoscopic equip ment. Current video-endoscopes incorporate a black and white or color 'chip' at the tip of the instrument which transforms the visual image into electronic signals. The size of the pincet is constantly getting smaller, heading for 5 /Lm, further increasing the resolution. The signals are reassembled into high-quality color images in a video monitor. Endoscopes are now used to examine the entire gastrointestinal tract from esophagus to rectum, including the biliary and pancreatic ductal system. Targeted endoscopic biopsy offers rapid and precise diagnosis. Endoscopic ultrasonography is of unsurpassed accuracy in staging gastrointestinal tumors, in assessing pancreatic and biliary disease, and disorders of the rectum and anal canal. Moreover, targeted cytological sampling is possible of abnormalities of the intestinal wall or peri intestinal lymph node. Yet despite these glamorous achievements changes are to be expected in the overall emphasis of diagnostic endoscopy. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography may very well compete for a substantial fraction of diagnostic ERCP. Virtual colonoscopy or computed tomographic colography may well compete with (and take over?) screening/surveillance colonoscopy."

Proceedings of the European Membrane Society XVI Annual Summer School on Integration of Membrane Processes into Bioconversions, held August 22-27, 1999, in Veszpr m, Hungary. The purpose of this book is to give an overview of the current situation of membrane separation processes in the field of bioengineering and also to describe how their joint application possibilities can be used in both laboratory and industrial scale applications. In commercial applications, focus is centered on the fields of food industry, chemical/fine chemical industry, and environmental protection. Most of the European experts in the interdisciplinary fields of membrane processes and bioconversions have contributed to the chapters in this work, making it the most up-to-date volume currently available.

IS CROHN'S DISEASE A MYCOBACTERIAL DISEASE'! The fact that the differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease includes intestinal infections has been a source of much interest and clinical concern for many years. Since the recognition of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease as clinical entities, numerous attempts have been made to identify a specific organism resulting in the clinical and pathologic picture of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The first suggestion about a connection between Johne's disease, a chronic mycobacterial enteritis in cattle, and Crohn' s disease occurred in 1913, when Dalziel described enteritis in humans which, although resembling intestinal tuberculosis, he believed to be a new disorder. Since the work of Crohn in the thirties a few investigators attempted to look for mycobacteria in Crohn's disease. Until now the work of Van Patter, Burnham and others did not receive widespread recognition. In 1984 the isolation of M. paratuberculosis was reported by Chiodini et al. This report initiated the current interest and controversy about a mycobacterial etiology in Crohn's disease. The hypothesis "Crohn's disease is Johne's disease" did not receive widespread recognition, but has lead to the first muIticentered efforts to determine whether or not mycobacteria are associated with Crohn's disease.

Proceedings of the European Membrane Society XVI Annual Summer School on Integration of Membrane Processes into Bioconversions, held August 22-27, 1999, in Veszprem, Hungary. The purpose of this book is to give an overview of the current situation of membrane separation processes in the field of bioengineering and also to describe how their joint application possibilities can be used in both laboratory and industrial scale applications. In commercial applications, focus is centered on the fields of food industry, chemical/fine chemical industry, and environmental protection. Most of the European experts in the interdisciplinary fields of membrane processes and bioconversions have contributed to the chapters in this work, making it the most up-to-date volume currently available.

IS CROHN'S DISEASE A MYCOBACTERIAL DISEASE'! The fact that the differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease includes intestinal infections has been a source of much interest and clinical concern for many years. Since the recognition of ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease as clinical entities, numerous attempts have been made to identify a specific organism resulting in the clinical and pathologic picture of Inflammatory Bowel Disease. The first suggestion about a connection between Johne's disease, a chronic mycobacterial enteritis in cattle, and Crohn' s disease occurred in 1913, when Dalziel described enteritis in humans which, although resembling intestinal tuberculosis, he believed to be a new disorder. Since the work of Crohn in the thirties a few investigators attempted to look for mycobacteria in Crohn's disease. Until now the work of Van Patter, Burnham and others did not receive widespread recognition. In 1984 the isolation of M. paratuberculosis was reported by Chiodini et al. This report initiated the current interest and controversy about a mycobacterial etiology in Crohn's disease. The hypothesis "Crohn's disease is Johne's disease" did not receive widespread recognition, but has lead to the first muIticentered efforts to determine whether or not mycobacteria are associated with Crohn's disease.

Membranes playa central role in our daily life, or as indicated by one of my foreign colleagues, Richard Bowen, 'If you are tired of membranes, you are tired of life' . Biological membranes are hardly used in industrial applications, but separations with synthetic membranes have become increasingly important. Today, membrane processes are used in a wide range of applications and their numbers will certainly increase. Therefore, there is a need for well educated and qualified engineers, chemists, scientists and technicians who have been taught the basic principles of membrane technology. However, despite the growing importance of membrane processes, there are only a few universities that include membrane technology in their regular curricula. One of the reasons for this may be the lack of a comprehensive textbook. For me, this was one of the driving forces for writing a textbook on the basic principles of membrane technology which provides a broad view on the various aspects of membrane technology. I realise that membrane technology covers a broad field but nevertheless I have tried to describe the basic principles of the various disciplines. Although the book was written with the student in mind it can also serve as a first introduction for engineers, chemists, and technicians in all kind of industries who wish to learn the basics of membrane technology.

Antarctica is the planet's fifth largest continent. It contains the Earth's largest (of two) remaining ice sheets and is considered to be one of the most important scientific laboratories on Earth. Changes in the area and volume of the two polar ice sheets in Antarctica and Greenland are intricately linked to changes in global climate, and could result in sea-level changes that could severely affect the densely populated coastal regions on Earth. This book explores the global, environmental and economic issues facing Antarctica including topics such as: species diversity of Antarctic mysids; volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons in Antarctica; the levels and trends of organochlorine pesticides in Antarctica; volcanoes in the northern Antarctic Peninsula area, remote sensing of solar influence on Antarctic terrestrial climate by GPS observations and others.

The "ULLA" series is a new and innovative series of introductory textbooks for postgraduate students in the pharmaceutical sciences. This new series is produced by the ULLA Consortium (European University Consortium for Advanced Pharmaceutical Education and Research). The Consortium is a European academic collaboration in research and teaching of the pharmaceutical sciences that is constantly growing and expanding. Before a drug substance can be tested in man, a set of toxicology studies must be carried out in animals and in vitro to ensure, as far as possible, safety for the test subjects. Toxicity studies involve assessment of acute, repeated dose and chronic toxicities, evaluation of potential effects on vital organs, reproductive and developmental toxicity studies, and carcinogenicity studies. This book covers a limited number of areas of drug toxicity which address the major issues including registration requirements of new drugs and pharmacovigilance. It also provides an overview of the methodology and requirements of pre-clinical safety assessment of new medicines. Mechanisms by which drugs cause toxic effects in living organisms, and problems in the toxicity of specific agents are covered, as are regulatory issues, pharmacovigilence, and clinical toxicology. There is no other textbook at this level dedicated to pharmaceutical toxicology, and this new title in the "ULLA" series fills a definite gap in the market.

Endoscopy has revolutionized clinical gastroenterology. In 1961 Basil Hirschowitz published the first flexible endoscopic examination of the stomach and duodenal bulb. We moved from flexible fiberendoscopes to current video-endoscopic equip ment. Current video-endoscopes incorporate a black and white or color 'chip' at the tip of the instrument which transforms the visual image into electronic signals. The size of the pincet is constantly getting smaller, heading for 5 /Lm, further increasing the resolution. The signals are reassembled into high-quality color images in a video monitor. Endoscopes are now used to examine the entire gastrointestinal tract from esophagus to rectum, including the biliary and pancreatic ductal system. Targeted endoscopic biopsy offers rapid and precise diagnosis. Endoscopic ultrasonography is of unsurpassed accuracy in staging gastrointestinal tumors, in assessing pancreatic and biliary disease, and disorders of the rectum and anal canal. Moreover, targeted cytological sampling is possible of abnormalities of the intestinal wall or peri intestinal lymph node. Yet despite these glamorous achievements changes are to be expected in the overall emphasis of diagnostic endoscopy. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography may very well compete for a substantial fraction of diagnostic ERCP. Virtual colonoscopy or computed tomographic colography may well compete with (and take over?) screening/surveillance colonoscopy.