ARBEITSBEREICH WISSENSBASIERTE SYSTEME TEAM PROGRAMMING IN GOLOG UNDER PARTIAL OBSERVABILITY

Abstract. We present and explore the agent programming language TEAMGOLOG, which is a novel approach to programming a team of cooperative agents under partial observability. Every agent is associated with a partial control program in Golog, which is completed by the TEAMGOLOG interpreter in an optimal way by assuming a decision-theoretic semantics. The approach is based on the key concepts of a synchronization state and a communication state, which allow the agents to passively resp. actively coordinate their behavior, while keeping their belief states, observations, and activities invisible to the other agents. We show the practical usefulness of the TEAMGOLOG approach in a rescue simulated domain. We describe the algorithms behind the TEAMGOLOG interpreter and provide a prototype implementation. We also show through experimental results that the TEAMGOLOG approach outperforms a standard greedy one in the rescue simulated domain

Adoption of kits at different litter sizes in an alternative rabbit rearing system

Apenas se ha investigado la adopción de gazapos en conejares alternativos con pocas reproductoras, donde la ocurrencia de pocos partos agrupados dificulta homogeneizar el tamaño de camada. El objetivo de este estudio fue investigar el efecto de la homogeneización de camadas a números de gazapos diferentes sobre la mortalidad de gazapos en un sistema alternativo de producción de conejos de raza Leprino de Viterbo en celdas semienterradas. Las unidades experimentales fueron 314 camadas obtenidas entre febrero de 2006 y mayo de 2007 en una granja comercial italiana. Se registró el número de gazapos tras el parto, de gazapos donados o recibidos en adopción, de gazapos en la camada tras la adopción y la mortalidad hasta el destete. Se hizo un análisis de varianza y tablas de contingencia calculando tests chi-cuadrado. El 58.6 % de las camadas fueron homogeneizadas, recibiendo gazapos el 53.8 % de ellas. El tamaño de camada más frecuente tras la homogeneización fue 8 gazapos, y también hubo camadas de 7 y 9. No hubo diferencias (p>0.05) en la mortalidad predestete para ningún tamaño de camada tras la adopción, en la proporción de camadas que destetaron todos los gazapos presentes tras la adopción, ni en la de camadas en las que muere uno, dos, tres o más gazapos durante la lactancia, según que las camadas hubieran donado, recibido o permanecido con el mismo número de gazapos nacidos vivos. En conejares alternativos es viable equilibrar las camadas a tamaños diferentes, en especial entre 7 y 9 gazapos, sin afectar su mortalidad.There has hardly been done any research into adoption of kits in alternative rabbit farms with few does, where the occurrence of few grouped births makes it difficult to standardize litter size. The objective of this study was to research into the effect of litter standardization to different numbers of kits on mortality of kits in an alternative rearing system of Leprino of Viterbo breed in semi-underground cells. Three hundred and fourteen litters, obtained between February 2006 and May 2007 on an Italian commercial farm, were the experimental units. The number of kits after birth, of kits donated or received in adoption, of kits in litter after adoption, and mortality until weaning were recorded. An analysis of variance and contingency tables were made, calculating chi-square tests. Fifty-eight point six percent of the litters were standardized, 53.8 % of them receiving kits. The most frequent litter size after standardization was 8 kits; also there were litters to 7 and 9 kits. There were no differences (p>0.05) in pre-weaning mortality for any litter size after adoption, in proportion of litters weaning all the kits present after adoption, neither of those where one, two, three, or more kits die during lactation, with respect to the litters having donated, received, or kept the same number of live-born kits. In alternative rabbit farms, it is viable to standardize the litters to different sizes, especially between 7 and 9 kits, without affecting their mortality

Influencia de la adopción de gazapos sobre la viabilidad al destete en la producción alternativa de conejos en celdas semienterradas

Se investigó el efecto de la homogeneización de camadas en un sistema alternativo de producción al aire libre de conejos Leprino de Viterbo en celdas semienterradas. El 54% de las camadas intervinieron en la homogeneización, donando gazapos el 45% de las mismas y recibiéndolos el resto. El tamaño de camada más frecuente tras la homogeneización fue de 8 gazapos, pero también se homogeneizaron camadas a tamaños de 7 y de 9 gazapos, y algunas quedaron con tamaños de camada inferiores a 7 gazapos. No hubo diferencias significativas ni en el porcentaje de mortalidad de gazapos durante la lactancia para ninguno de los tamaños de camada tras la adopción, ni en la proporción de camadas que destetaron todos los gazapos presentes tras la adopción, en función de que las conejas hubieran donado, recibido o permanecido con el mismo número de gazapos que parieron vivos. Se concluye que en granjas alternativas con pequeño número de reproductoras, en las que con frecuencia no es posible homogeneizar con precisión el tamaño de camada tras el parto, se puede equilibrar de manera viable las camadas de una misma o de distintas bandas a tamaños dispares, pero parecidos cuando lo requiera el manejo.The effect of the cross-fostering after birth to heterogeneous numbers of kits by litter was studied in the alternative rabbit keeping system that bred the Leprino of Viterbo breed in outdoors underground cells. Fifty four per cent of the litters take part in the equalisation, 45% of them giving kits and the rest receiving kits. The most frequent litter size after equalisation was 8 kits, although many litters were equalised to 7 and between 9 kits, and another remained with litter sizes below 7 kits. There were no differences in the percentage of kits mortality until weaning for every litter size after equalisation, nor n the proportion of litters that weaned all the kits present after the equalisation, in function of the does had given kits, received kits, or remained with the same number of kits born alive. In conclusion, in alternative farms with a low number of does, in which often is not possible to do a precise equalisation of the litters after birth, it is viable to equalise efficiently the litters of the same or different bands to heterogeneous, but similar, litter sizes when required by the management circumstances

Incidência de coccidiosis em diferentes sistemas de criação de coelhos

Amostras fecais de coelhos foram examinadas pela técnica de flutuação para a presença e contagem de oocistos do gênero Eimeria, de acordo com a técnica McMaster, em uma investigação com o objetivo de comparar um sistema alternativo não medicamentoso de criação de coelhos e sistemas convencionais com diferentes níveis de controle higiênico. A presença de oocistos nas diferentes explorações foi baixa, mas muito variável. As maiores concentrações de oocistos foram encontradas nas explorações cujas condições higiênicas não foram boas, independentemente do tratamento ou não com anticoccidiano, ou do sistema de criação. Os melhores resultados foram observados no sistema alternativo com boas condições higiênicas. Neste sistema, a concentração de oocistos nos láparos desmamados, que deveriam apresentar máxima susceptibilidade à infecção por Eimeria, foi muito baixa. Estes resultados indicam que o estrito respeito às condições higiênicas é suficiente para o controle da coccidiose e que a profilaxia farmacológica poderia ser evitada sempre que fossem adotadas altas condições higiênicas so sistema criatório ao ar livre, baseado em células subterrâneas exploráveis (tocas

ET-1 plasma levels, choroidal thickness and multifocal electroretinogram in retinitis pigmentosa

Aim To assess the relationship between both photoreceptor function and choroidal thickness and endothelin-1 (ET-1) plasma levels in patients with early stage retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Main methods We compared 24 RP patients (14 males and 10 females), 25 to 42 years of age (mean age: 34 ± 7 years) with 24 healthy controls (12 males and 12 females) aged between 28 and 45 years (mean 36 ± 6.8 years). All patients underwent visual field test, electroretinogram and multifocal-electroretinogram and choroidal thickness measurement by using spectral domain optical coherence tomography. Key findings RP patients had a visual acuity of 0.95, a mean defect of the visual field of − 7.90 ± 1.75 dB, a pattern standard deviation index of 6.09 ± 4.22 dB and a b-wave ERG amplitude of 45.08 ± 8.24 μV. Notably RP subjects showed significantly increased ET-1 plasma levels and reduced choroidal thickness compared with controls: respectively, 2.143 ± 0.258 pg/ml vs. 1.219 ± 0.236 pg/ml; p < 0.002 and 226.75 ± 76.37 μm vs. 303.9 ± 39.87 μm; p < 0.03. Spearman's correlation test highlighted that the increase of ET-1 plasma levels was related with the decrease of choroidal thickness (r = − 0.702; p < 0.023) and the increase of implicit time in both ring 2 (r = − 0.669; p < 0.034) and ring 3 (r = − 0.883; p < 0.007) of mfERG. Significance Increased ET-1 plasma levels may play a key role in the impairment of retinal and choroidal blood flow due to the vasoconstriction induced by ET-1. This could lead to worsening of the abiotrophic process of the macular photoreceptors

Steady-state pattern electroretinogram and frequency doubling technology in anisometropic amblyopia

Background: Steady-state pattern electroretinogram (PERG) and frequency doubling technology (FDT) perimetry can be used to selectively investigate the activity of the M-Y ganglion cells in adult anisometropic amblyopes. Methods: Fifteen normal subjects (mean 27.8\ub14.1 years) and 15 adults with anisometropic amblyopia (mean 28.7\ub15.9 years) were analyzed using steady-state PERG and FDT. Results: The amplitude of steady-state PERG was significantly different not only among the control group and both the amblyopic eye (P=0.0001) and the sound eye group (P=0.0001), but also between the latter two groups (P=0.006). The difference in FDT mean deviation was statistically significant not only between the control group and amblyopic eye group (P=0.0002), but also between the control group and the sound eye group (P=0.0009). The FDT pattern standard deviation was significantly higher in the control group rather than in the amblyopic eye (P=0.0001) or the sound eye group (P=0.0001). A correlation was found between the reduction in PERG amplitude and the increase in FDT-pattern standard deviation index not only in amblyopic (P=0.0025) and sound (P=0.0023) eyes, but also in the healthy control group (P=0.0001). Conclusion: These data demonstrate that in anisometropic amblyopia, there is an abnormal functionality of a subgroup of the magnocellular ganglion cells (M-Y), and the involvement of these cells, together with the parvocellular pathway, may play a key role in the clinical expression of the disease

Maternal behaviour and welfare of the domestic and wild rabbit doe and its litter

El conejo europeo (Oryctolagus cuniculus), además de tener importancia faunística en el Mediterráneo occidental, es una especie ganadera relevante que es la base de un subsector pecuario industrializado orientado a la producción de carne en varios países, sobre todo europeos, mientras que en algunos pa- íses en vías de desarrollo se explota bajo sistemas alternativos orientados a la integración de renta y a la seguridad alimentaria. A la orientación cárnica se suman otras aptitudes productivas heterogéneas que configuran una gran diversidad de sistemas de producción cunícola. Este trabajo revisa el comportamiento materno de la coneja y de su camada, incluyendo su regulación endocrina, tanto en el animal silvestre como en la producción cunícola comercial y alternativa, y se relaciona con los factores de manejo, con la productividad en granja y con el bienestar de la especie. Se analizan también las implicaciones que las normativas sobre bienestar animal comportan respecto al alojamiento, manejo y satisfacción de las necesidades etológicas de las conejas reproductoras y de los gazapos durante la cría, caracterizadas, fundamentalmente, porque en algunos países tienden a proporcionar más espacio y enriquecimiento ambiental en las jaulas.The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), in addition to its faunal interest in the western Mediterranean, is a relevant species which in several European countries is the basis of a meat-oriented, industrial livestock subsector, while in many developing countries rabbits are raised under alternative systems aimed at income integration and food security. In addition to meat production, other productive orientations exist that generate a variety of rabbit production systems. This paper reviews the ethology of maternal behaviour of the breeding doe and her litter, including its endocrine regulation, both in wild animal and in industrial and alternative farming systems, and its relation to management factors, productivity and performance as well as the welfare of the species. It also discusses the implications of the regulations concerning animal welfare on housing, management and satisfaction of behavioural needs of breeding does and their litters, which in some countries tend to provide more space and environmental enrichment in cage

The Begging Strategy of Andean Dogs: An Exploratory Study

In this study, we report a particular begging strategy by Andean dogs and by humans on the unsurfaced road between the villages of Parotani and Cahiuasi in Bolivia. The positions of the dogs and humans begging and their behavioral displays were recorded. In dogs, the distance from each other was also recorded. Begging locations, for both dogs and humans, were permuted with a score, according to the higher probability of receiving food. The highest scores were assigned to the positions where cars had to slow down and the subjects were well visible, thus meriting a score corresponding to the higher probability of receiving a treat. The occurrences of the correct positioning at the external and internal parts of the bend were compared by a chi-square test. On a range of 93.3 km, the dogs were observed to always lie down at the border of the road, mainly alone (96.3%) and on hairpin bends, present due to the steep slope, obliging the vehicles to slow down. Humans were observed mainly in groups. The percentage of dogs lying on the external part of the bends was 81.2%, which was above the level of chance (p &lt; 0.01). Humans were observed at external bends in 63.6% of cases, which was at chance level. Begging locations, for both dogs and humans, were permuted with a score according to the higher probability of receiving food. The mean scores were 1.48 and 0.65 for dogs and humans, respectively, and the difference was highly significant (p &lt; 0.001)