Advances in the systematics and evolution of western Mediterranean representative species of the Pentanema conyzae clade through genetic fingerprinting

Forty-five populations of Pentanema corresponding to seven species included in the Pentanema conyzae clade have been studied using AFLP fingerprinting. The results show that allopolyploidization could have been involved in the diversification of this group, specifically in species P. langeanum and P. maletii. Molecular data confirm the presence of P. britannicum in the Iberian Peninsula and key steps are provided to identify the species that are morphologically the most challenging.     

Comments on the quantitative interpretation of biomembrane structure by Raman spectroscopy

The possibility of quantitation of information obtained from laser Raman spectra of aqueous lipid dispersions is discussed. It is shown that the all-trans chain order parameter S_T introduced by Gaber and Peticolas ((1977) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 465, 260) for the characterization of biomembrane structure is of restricted applicability. This order parameter may give adequate information if polar head groups are not affected at all by the interaction resulting in trans-gauche isomerization. To demonstrate this, data on the effects of mono- and divalent ions on the all-trans chain order parameter are given. The lateral order parameter proved to be suitable for quantitative studies even in the case of ion-head group interaction.     

Production of vanillic acid from vanillin by resting cells of Serratia marcescens.

Resting-cell suspensions of Serratia marcescens were able to convert, quantitatively, 0.3% vanillin to vanillic acid. The vanillic acid-producing activity reached a maximum after 28 h of incubation with 0.01% vanillin as an inducer.     

Complete profiling of some eicosanoids using glass capillary gas chromatography with flame ionization detection: application to biological samples

The improvement of glass capillary preparation technology has allowed the development of high-resolution and very low-bleeding gas chromatographic columns. Using an all-glass injector and a flame ionization detector, it was possible to get a complete resolution of some of the principal stable oxygenated metabolites of arachidonic acid (cyclized and aliphatic, i.e., eicosanoids). Due to the low bleeding of the column, detector limits exceed those obtained with previously prepared columns. Total profiling studies have been obtained with small amounts of activated washed platelets after only an ether extraction, allowing for the first time a complete, simultaneous survey of cycloxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways. The application has been extended with success to other cell types.     

How Can the Eco‐efficiency of a Region be Measured and Monitored?

The concept of eco-efficiency is commonly referred to as a business link to sustainable development. In this article, ecoefficiency is examined at a regional level as an approach to promoting the competitiveness of economic activities in the Finnish Kymenlaakso region and mitigating their harmful impacts on the environment. The aim is to develop appropriate indicators for monitoring changes in the eco-efficiency of the region. A starting point is to produce indicators for the environmental and economic dimensions of regional development and use them for measuring regional eco-efficiency. The environmental impact indicators are based on a life-cycle assessment method, producing different types of environmental impact indicators: pressure indicators (e.g., emissions of CO₂), impact category indicators (e.g., CO₂ equivalents in the case of climate change), and a total impact indicator (aggregating different impact category indicator results into a single value). Environmental impact indicators based on direct material input, total material input, and total material requirement of the Kymenlaakso region are also assessed. The economic indicators used are the gross domestic product, the value added, and the output of the main economic sectors of Kymenlaakso. In the eco-efficiency assessment, the economic and environmental impact indicators are monitored in the same graph. In a few cases eco-efficiency ratios can also be calculated (the economic indicators are divided by the environmental indicators). Output (= value added + intermediate consumption) is used as an economic indicator related to the environmental impact indicators, which also cover the upstream processes of the region's activities. In the article, we also discuss the strengths and weaknesses of using the different environmental impact indicators.