Habitat fragmentation is a serious threat for the sustainability of species. Thus, the identification of effective linkages to connect valuable ecological units is an important issue in conservation biology. The design of effective linkages should take into account that areas which are adequately permeable for some species’ dispersal may act as obstructions for other species. The determination of minimum cost effective linkages is a generalization of both node-weighted Steiner tree and node-weighted Steiner forest problems. We compare the performance of different procedures for this problem using large real and simulated instances.

Net Zero-Energy Buildings (NZEBs) have received increased attention in recent years as a result of constant concerns about energy supply constraints, decreasing energy resources, increasing energy costs and the rising impact of greenhouse gases on world climate. Promoting whole building strategies that employ passive measures together with energy efficient systems and technologies using renewable energy became a European political strategy following the publication of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive recast in May 2010 by the European Parliament and Council. However designing successful NZEBs represents a challenge because the definitions are somewhat generic while assessment methods and monitoring approaches remain under development and the literature is relatively scarce about the best sets of solutions for different typologies and climates likely to deliver an actual and reliable performance in terms of energy balance (consumed vs generated) on a cost-effective basis. Additionally the lessons learned from existing NZEB examples are relatively scarce. The authors of this paper, who are participants in the IEA SHC Task 40-ECBCS Annex 52, "Towards Net Zero Energy Solar Buildings", are willing to share insights from on-going research work on some best practice leading NZEB residential buildings. Although there is no standard approach for designing a Net Zero-Energy Building (there are many different possible combinations of passive and efficient active measures, utility equipment and on-site energy generation technologies able to achieve the net-zero energy performance), a close examination of the chosen strategies and the relative performance indicators of the selected case studies reveal that it is possible to achieve zero-energy performance using well known strategies adjusted so as to balance climate drivendemand for space heating/cooling, lighting, ventilation and other energy uses with climate-driven supply from renewable energy resources.

Lean and green have moved from a trend to a business imperative to improve the supply chain. This research aims to focus on providing the basic mechanisms for a lean-green business model implementation. Based on standardized management business models, several {"}near common{"} categories were defined as key criteria for lean-green supply chain implementation including leadership, people, strategic planning, stakeholders, processes and results. The fundamental research question is how lean-green supply chain can be integrated in and compatible, using initiatives that support both, a lean and a green approach, in all selected categories. To attain the paper objective, in a first stage, a conceptual framework was proposed to define the lean-green initiatives. In a second stage, multiple case studies in automotive supply chain were performed to test qualitatively the validity of the proposed conceptual framework, testing how these initiatives are being implemented in real world. From the case study, a model is suggested, which involves a roadmap to achieve a successful lean-green implementation. The proposed model can be the basis for further research in lean-green supply chain contributing to understand in which moment the lean and green initiatives should be relevant.

Going lean and green is a trend that identifies new business opportunities for organizational improvement and for competitiveness. Besides, there are quality awards to assist organizations to improve their performance among them the Shingo Prize, the Malcom Baldrige National Quality Award, the European Foundation for Quality Management. The aim of this study is to develop a conceptual framework for lean and green business organizations. To attain the paper objective in a first stage a comparison between quality awards is developed to provide a comprehensive understanding of each framework and to explore how they assist to modeling a lean and green organization. After defining lean and green management approaches, it seeks to cross-reference between the awards frameworks and lean and green culture; a number of assessment guidelines and criteria were designed to connect and integrate lean and green principles and tools. It is proposed seven different criteria and respective criterion score to assess a lean-green business organization.

Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus is a marine bacterium widespread in the Mediterranean sea and Atlantic Ocean, and growing at temperate temperatures. This bacterium can perform complete denitrification, reducing nitrate to molecular nitrogen under anaerobic conditions. Here the nitrite concentration, pH and nitrous oxide reductase activity was monitored during bacterial growth, showing that this bacterium can also perform complete denitrification under low oxygen tension, using lactate as carbon source, in the presence of nitrate as alternative electron acceptor. Nitrous oxide reductase activity was observed after 7 h of growth under low oxygen tensions, and is maintained constant after 48h. Nitrite concentration reaches its maximum at mid-exponential phase and in the stationary phase, at lower oxygen tensions is almost non-existent.