Sir

Here are a few examples of how the reference to a hypothetical paper entitled “Europe and Euro” would appear in different scientific journals:

Rossi, T. A., Bianchi, B. & Neri, C. Europe and Euro. J. Biol. Chem. 400, 500-512 (1998). (Nature)

Rossi TA, Bianchi B, Neri C. 1998. Europe and Euro. J. Biol. Chem. 400, 500-12. (J. Exp. Botany)

Rossi TA, Bianchi B, Neri C (1998) Europe and Euro. J Biol Chem 400: 500-512 (Planta)

Rossi TA, Bianchi B, Neri C. 1998. Europe and Euro. JBiol Chem 400 :500-512. (RNA)

Rossi, T. A., Bianchi, B. and Neri, C., Europe and Euro. J. Biol. Chem. 1998. 400: 500-512. (Eur. J. Immunol.)

Rossi,T.A., Bianchi,B. and Neri,C. (1998) Europe and Euro. J. Biol. Chem., 400, 500-512. (Embo J.)

Rossi, T. A., Bianchi, B. and Neri, C. (1998) Europe and Euro. Journal of Biological Chemistry 400, 500-512. (Toxicon)

Rossi, T.A., B. Bianchi, and C. Neri. 1998. Europe and Euro. J. Biol. Chem. 400:500-512. (J. Exp. Med.)

Rossi, T. A., B. Bianchi, and C. Neri. 1998. Europe and Euro. J. Biol. Chem. 400: 500. (J. Immunol.)

Rossi TA, Bianchi B, Neri C. Europe and Euro. JBiol Chem 1998, 400, 500-512. (Eur. J. Cancer)

Rossi TA, Bianchi B, Neri C. Europe and Euro. J Biol Chem 1998; 400:500-12. (Clin. Exp. Immunol.)

Rossi, T. A., Bianchi, B., and Neri, C. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 400, 500-512 (J. Biol. Chem.)

Rossi, T. A., Bianchi, B. and Neri, C. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 400, 500-512 (Biochem. J.)

Rossi, T.A., Bianchi, B. and Neri, C. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 400, 500-512. (FEBS Lett)

Rossi,T.A., Bianchi,B. and Neri,C. (1998) J. Biol. Chem., 400, 500-512. (Nucleic Acids Res.)

T. A. Rossi, B. Bianchi, C. Neri, J. Biol. Chem 400, 500 (1998) (Science)

The list could be longer. And we have not taken into account the two alternatives for bibliography: alphabetical list of references or numbers in order of appearance. In the latter case the numbers may be 1 or 1. or [1], etc.

We propose that the year of Euro, in which 11 countries (and we hope they will soon be more) join in the use of the same currency, should also be the year in which scientific journals in Europe (and possibly throughout the world) join in the same way of handling bibliography.