Topical issue on Novel Quantum Phases and Mesoscopic Physics in Quantum Gases Roberta Citro, Chiara Menotti, Anna Minguzzi and Patrizia Vignolo Eur. Phys. J. B, 68 3 (2009) 291 Published online: 18 April 2009 DOI: 10.1140/epjb/e2009-00125-4