Integrating behavioural thermoregulatory strategy into the animal personality framework using the common lizard, Zootoca vivipara as a model.

The study of consistent between-individual behavioural variation in single (animal personality) and across two or more behavioural traits (behavioural syndrome) is a central topic of behavioural ecology. Besides behavioural type (individual mean behaviour), behavioural predictability (environment-independent within-individual behavioural variation) is now also seen as an important component of individual behavioural strategy. Research focus is still on the 'Big Five' traits (activity, exploration, risk-taking, sociability and aggression), but another prime candidate to integrate to the personality framework is behavioural thermoregulation in small-bodied poikilotherms.

Distribution and diversity of fishes and lampreys in Transylvania (Romania): a complete survey and suggestions for new protected areas.

Freshwater fishes are in a serious state of decline across the world, making them one of the most threatened groups of vertebrates. The Danube River catchment area in Europe holds the richest freshwater fish community, but our knowledge of the current distribution of these species is limited. Transylvania, the largest region of Romania, is one of the important tributaries of the Danube, from where 77 fish and two lamprey species were recorded until now.

Limited reciprocal surrogacy of bird and habitat diversity and inconsistencies in their representation in Romanian protected areas.

Because it is impossible to comprehensively characterize biodiversity at all levels of organization, conservation prioritization efforts need to rely on surrogates. As species distribution maps of relished groups as well as high-resolution remotely sensed data increasingly become available, both types of surrogates are commonly used. A good surrogate should represent as much of biodiversity as possible, but it often remains unclear to what extent this is the case.

Effect of storage conditions on the stability and fermentability of enzymatic lignocellulosic hydrolysate.

To minimize the change of lignocellulosic hydrolysate composition during storage, the effects of storage conditions (temperature, pH and time) on the composition and fermentability of hydrolysate prepared from AFEX™ (Ammonia Fiber Expansion - a trademark of MBI, Lansing, MI) pretreated corn stover were investigated. Precipitates formed during hydrolysate storage increased with increasing storage pH and time. The precipitate amount was the least when hydrolysate was stored at 4 °C and pH 4.

Experimental H-type and L-type bovine spongiform encephalopathy in cattle: observation of two clinical syndromes and diagnostic challenges.

Background: The majority of atypical bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) cases so far identified worldwide have been detected by active surveillance. Consequently the volume and quality of material available for detailed characterisation is very limiting. Here we report on a small transmission study of both atypical forms, H- and L-type BSE, in cattle to provide tissue for test evaluation and research, and to generate clinical, molecular and pathological data in a standardised way to enable more robust comparison of the two variants with particular reference to those aspects most relevant to case ascertainment and confirmatory diagnosis within existing regulated surveillance programmes.