A Collaborative Model to Improve Farmers' Skill Level by Investments in an Uncertain Context

[EN] Some small farms are forced to waste a part of their harvests for not reaching the quality standards fixed by consumers. Meanwhile, modern retailers (MR) are interested in selling more quality products to increase their profits. MR could invest in a collaboration program so the small farmers could have access to better technologies and formation to increase the proportion of quality products. Unfortunately, the demand, the quantity of harvest, the proportion of harvest being of quality, and its increase with each investment are uncertain parameters. A fuzzy model considering these uncertainties is proposed to determine the investments that MR should made to maximize the profits of the supply chain in a collaboration context. A method to transform the fuzzy model into an equivalent crisp model and an interactive resolution method are applied.The first author acknowledges the partial support of the Programme of Formation of University Professors of the Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture, and Sport (FPU15/03595). The other authors acknowledge the partial support of Project 691249, "RUCAPS: Enhancing and implementing Knowledge based ICT solutions within high Risk and Uncertain Conditions for Agriculture Production Systems", funded by the EU under its funding scheme H2020-MCSA-RISE-2015.Esteso, A.; Alemany Díaz, MDM.; Ortiz Bas, Á.; Guyon, C. (2018). A Collaborative Model to Improve Farmers' Skill Level by Investments in an Uncertain Context. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. 534:590-598. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-99127-6_51S590598534Zhao, G., Liu, S., Lopez, C.: A literature review on risk sources and resilience factors in agri-food supply chains. In: Camarinha-Matos, Luis M., Afsarmanesh, H., Fornasiero, R. (eds.) PRO-VE 2017. IFIP AICT, vol. 506, pp. 739–752. Springer, Cham (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65151-4_66Esteso, A., Alemany, M.M.E., Ortiz, A.: Improving vegetables quality in small-scale farms through stakeholders collaboration. In: 12th International Conference on Industrial Engineering and Industrial Management (in Press)Sutopo, W., Hisjam, M., Yuniaristanto: An agri-food supply chain model to empower farmers for supplying deteriorated product to modern retailer. In: Yang, G.C., Ao, S.I., Huang, X., Castillo, O. (eds.) IAENG Transactions on Engineering Technologies. LNEE, vol 186, pp. 189–202. Springer, Dordrecht (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-5651-9_14Sutopo, W., Hisjam, M., Yuniaristanto, Kurniawan, B.: A goal programming approach for assessing the financial risk of corporate social responsibility programs in agri-food supply chain network. In: Proceedings of the World Congress on Engineering 2013, pp. 732–736 (2013)Sutopo, W., Hisjam, M., Yuniaristanto: An agri-food supply chain model for cultivating the capabilities of farmers accessing market using social responsibility program. Int. Sch. Sci. Res. Innov. 5(11), 1588–1592 (2011)Sutopo, W., Hisjam, M., Yuniaristanto: An agri-food supply chain model to enhance the business skills of small-scale farmers using corporate social responsibility. Makara J. Technol. 16(1), 43–50 (2012)Sutopo, W., Hisjam, M., Yuniaristanto: Developing an agri-food supply chain application for determining the priority of CSR program to empower farmers as a qualified supplier of modern retailer. In: 2013 World Congress on Engineering and Computer Science, pp. 1180–1184 (2013)Wahyudin, R.S., Hisjam, M., Yuniaristanto, Kurniawan, B.: An agri-food supply chain model for cultivating the capabilities of farmers in accessing capital using corporate social responsibility program. In: Proceedings of the International MultiConference of Engineers and Computer Scientists, pp. 877–882 (2015)Jiménez, M., Arenas, M., Bilbao, A., Rodríguez, M.V.: Linear programming with fuzzy parameters: an interactive method resolution. Eur. J. Oper. Res. 177, 1599–1609 (2007)Peidro, D., Mula, J., Jiménez, M., Botella, M.M.: A fuzzy linear programming based approach for tactical supply chain planning in an uncertainty environment. Eur. J. Oper. Res. 205, 65–80 (2010)Esteso, A., Alemany, M.M.E., Ortiz, A.: Conceptual framework for managing uncertainty in a collaborative agri-food supply chain context. In: Camarinha-Matos, Luis M., Afsarmanesh, H., Fornasiero, R. (eds.) PRO-VE 2017. IFIP AICT, vol. 506, pp. 715–724. Springer, Cham (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-65151-4_6

Antígenos leucocitarios como genes candidatos para mejorar la respuesta inmune en cerdos

Leukocyte antigens (CD) have functions related to immune response and are of interest as classical candidate genes for health. Polymorphisms (e.g. SNPs) in these genes may be associated with variation in the immune response and consequently in disease response. This approach is being taken in search of susceptibility genes for swine disease. In addition, these genes may vary between populations, especially where specific adaptation to pathogens has occurred, and are of potential interest in characterising pig biodiversity.Los antígenos leucocitarios (CD) tienen funciones relacionadas con la respuesta inmune y son de interés con genes candidatos clásicos para la salud. Los Polimorfismos (ej. SNPs) en estos genes pueden estar asociados con variaciones en la respuesta inmune y consecuentemente con la respuesta a la enfermedad. Este ensayo se está desarrollando en la búsqueda de susceptibilidades genéticas a enfermedades porcinas. Adicionalmente, estos genes pueden variar entre poblaciones, especialmente en la que han ocurrido adaptaciones a patógenos, y suponen un interés potencial para la caracterización de la biodiversidad porcina

Binary Mutual Diffusion Coefficients of Isoniazid Aqueous Solutions at (298.15 and 310.15) K

Binary mutual diffusion coefficients measured by the Taylor dispersion method in two different laboratories (University of Naples, Federico II, Italy, and University of Coimbra, Portugal) are reported for aqueous solutions of isoniazid at concentrations from (0.000 to 0.100) mol·dm−3 and at two temperatures (298.15 and 310.15) K. The hydrodynamic radii for the isoniazid in aqueous solution are calculated from the experimental results. In addition, the Hartley equation and the experimental diffusion coefficients are used to estimate activity coefficients for aqueous isoniazid at both temperature

Dependence of viscosity and diffusion on β-cyclodextrin and chloroquine diphosphate interactions

Mutual diffusion coefficients of chloroquine diphosphate (CDP) in aqueous solutions both without and with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) were measured at concentrations from (0.0000 to 0.0100) mol dm−3 and 298.15 K, using the Taylor dispersion technique. Ternary mutual diffusion coefficients (Dik) measured by the same technique are reported for aqueous CDP + β-CD solutions at 298.15 K. The presence of β CD led to relevant changes in the diffusion process, as showed by nonzero values of the cross-diffusion coefficients, D12 and D21 . β-CD concentration gradients produced significant co-current coupled flows of CDP. In addition, the effects of β-CD on the transport of CDP are assessed by comparing the binary diffusion coefficient of aqueous CDP solutions with the main diffusion coefficient (D11 ) measured for ternary {CDP(1) + β-CD(2)} solutions. These observations are supported by viscosity analysis. All data allow to have a better interpretation on the effect of cyclodextrin on the transport behavior of CDP. © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.Coimbra Chemistry Centre - FundacAo para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (FCT), Portuguese Agency for Scientific Research [UID/QUI/UI0313/2019]; COMPETE; Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic DKRVO [RP/CPS/2020/003]; University of Alcala (Spain)RP/CPS/2020/003; UID/QUI/UI0313/2019; Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, FCT; Universidad de Alcalá, UAH; Programa Operacional Temático Factores de Competitividade, POF

Transcriptome profiling of grapevine seedless segregants during berry development reveals candidate genes associated with berry weight

Indexación: Web of Science; PubMedBackground Berry size is considered as one of the main selection criteria in table grape breeding programs. However, this is a quantitative and polygenic trait, and its genetic determination is still poorly understood. Considering its economic importance, it is relevant to determine its genetic architecture and elucidate the mechanisms involved in its expression. To approach this issue, an RNA-Seq experiment based on Illumina platform was performed (14 libraries), including seedless segregants with contrasting phenotypes for berry weight at fruit setting (FST) and 6–8 mm berries (B68) phenological stages. Results A group of 526 differentially expressed (DE) genes were identified, by comparing seedless segregants with contrasting phenotypes for berry weight: 101 genes from the FST stage and 463 from the B68 stage. Also, we integrated differential expression, principal components analysis (PCA), correlations and network co-expression analyses to characterize the transcriptome profiling observed in segregants with contrasting phenotypes for berry weight. After this, 68 DE genes were selected as candidate genes, and seven candidate genes were validated by real time-PCR, confirming their expression profiles. Conclusions We have carried out the first transcriptome analysis focused on table grape seedless segregants with contrasting phenotypes for berry weight. Our findings contributed to the understanding of the mechanisms involved in berry weight determination. Also, this comparative transcriptome profiling revealed candidate genes for berry weight which could be evaluated as selection tools in table grape breeding programs.http://bmcplantbiol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12870-016-0789-

Premelting of ice adsorbed on a rock surface

Considering ice-premelting on a quartz rock surface (i.e. silica) we calculate the Lifshitz excess pressures in a four layer system with rock–ice–water–air. Our calculations give excess pressures across (1) ice layer, (2) water layer, and (3) ice–water interface for different ice and water layer thicknesses. We analyse equilibrium conditions where the different excess pressures take zero value, stabilized in part by repulsive Lifshitz interactions. In contrast to previous investigations which considered varying thickness of only one layer (ice or water), here we present theory allowing for simultaneous variation of both layer thicknesses. For a given total thickness of ice and water, this allows multiple alternative equilibrium solutions. Consequently the final state of a system will depend on initial conditions and may explain variation in experimental measurements of the thicknesses of water and ice layers

Comparison of three different staining methods for the assessment of epididymal red deer sperm morphometry by computerized analysis with ISAS®

When collection of ejaculated sperm samples is not possible, as is the case with wild species, the epididymides of sacrificed wild males become the only possible source of spermatozoa. Mature cauda epididymal spermatozoa display characteristics similar to those of ejaculated sperm cells. The present work proposes a sperm staining technique suitable for the morphometric evaluation of red deer epididymal sperm using a new computerized system. Epididymides from wild animals were extracted no later than 2 h post mortem. After epididymal sectioning, sperm samples were collected, cooled to and equilibrated at 5 °C, and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Before staining, sperm samples were thawed for 20 s at 37 °C, and used for the preparation of slides. Three different sperm stains were tested: Hemacolor, Diff-Quik, and Harris’ Hematoxylin. Morphometric analyses of sperm samples were performed using the morphologic module of the ISAS®. Two hundred spermatozoa per sample and stain were captured at random and analyzed. Sperm morphometric values were significantly affected by the staining technique used. Moreover, significant differences were observed between animals. In our study, Diff-Quik could be considered to be the best sperm staining method, as it provided the highest percentage of well automatically analyzed cells by the ISAS®, and discriminates better between animals. This sperm staining technique also proved to be a useful method for characterizing and discriminating between sperm samples of different animals.This study was partially supported by the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología, INIA (RZ01-008).Peer reviewe