FutureFarm vision

This paper defines the first version of a vision of Future Farming project and also a knowledge management system used by European farms which will be designed and developed by the Future Farm project. An important part of the vision is a definition of external drivers and their influence on farm business in future. Paper is looking on a situation in three periods: short (2013), middle (2020) and long-term (2030). Our vision expects that the farming system will continuously converge to the situation of two types of farm: an industrial farm, which will guarantee both the food safety and the food security for European citizens, and multifunctional farms focused on environment protection. The recommendation proposes an architecture based on communication of interoperable services, so called Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), for easy integration of different levels and components of farm management.Farming, external drivers, future vision, knowledge management, SOA, Farm Management,

Symmetry breaking: A tool to unveil the topology of chaotic scattering with three degrees of freedom

We shall use symmetry breaking as a tool to attack the problem of identifying the topology of chaotic scatteruing with more then two degrees of freedom. specifically we discuss the structure of the homoclinic/heteroclinic tangle and the connection between the chaotic invariant set, the scattering functions and the singularities in the cross section for a class of scattering systems with one open and two closed degrees of freedom.Comment: 13 pages and 8 figure

Two-Level Systems in Evaporated Amorphous Silicon

In $e$-beam evaporated amorphous silicon ($a$-Si), the densities of two-level systems (TLS), $n_{0}$ and $\overline{P}$, determined from specific heat $C$ and internal friction $Q^{-1}$ measurements, respectively, have been shown to vary by over three orders of magnitude. Here we show that $n_{0}$ and $\overline{P}$ are proportional to each other with a constant of proportionality that is consistent with the measurement time dependence proposed by Black and Halperin and does not require the introduction of additional anomalous TLS. However, $n_{0}$ and $\overline{P}$ depend strongly on the atomic density of the film ($n_{\rm Si}$) which depends on both film thickness and growth temperature suggesting that the $a$-Si structure is heterogeneous with nanovoids or other lower density regions forming in a dense amorphous network. A review of literature data shows that this atomic density dependence is not unique to $a$-Si. These findings suggest that TLS are not intrinsic to an amorphous network but require a heterogeneous structure to form

IDENTIFICATION AND PLANT INTERACTION OF A PHYLLOBACTERIUM SP, A PREDOMINANT RHIZOBACTERIUM OF YOUNG SUGAR-BEET PLANTS

The second most abundant bacterium on the root surface of young sugar beet plants was identified as a Phyllobacterium sp. (Rhizobiaceae) based on a comparison of the results of 39 conventional identification tests, 167 API tests, 30 antibiotic susceptibility tests, and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic fingerprints of total cellular proteins with type strains of Phyllobacterium myrsinacearum and Phyllobacterium rubiacearum. It was found on 198 of 1,100 investigated plants between the 2nd and 10th leaf stage on three different fields in Belgium and one field in Spain. Densities ranged from 2 × 10(4) to 2 × 10(8) CFU/g of root. Five isolates exerted a broad-spectrum in vitro antifungal activity. DNA-DNA hybridizations showed that Phyllobacterium sp. does not contain DNA sequences that are homologous with the attachment genes chvA, chvB, the transferred-DNA (T-DNA) hormone genes iaaH and ipt from Agrobacterium tumefaciens, iaaM from A. tumefaciens and Pseudomonas savastanoi, or the nitrogenase genes nifHDK from Klebsiella pneumoniae. Phyllobacterium sp. produces indolylacetic acid in in vitro cultures and induces auxinlike effects when cocultivated with callus tissue of tobacco. When Phyllobacterium sp. was transformed with a Ti plasmid derivative, it gained the capacity to induce tumors on Kalanchoe daigremontiana. The potential role of Phyllobacterium sp. in this newly recognized niche is discussed

A state space model for exponential smoothing with group seasonality

We present an approach to improve forecast accuracy by simultaneously forecasting a group of products that exhibit similar seasonal demand patterns. Better seasonality estimates can be made by using information on all products in a group, and using these improved estimates when forecasting at the individual product level. This approach is called the group seasonal indices (GSI) approach, and is a generalization of the classical Holt-Winters procedure. This article describes an underlying state space model for this method and presents simulation results that show when it yields more accurate forecasts than Holt-Winters.Common seasonality; demand forecasting; exponential smoothing; Holt-Winters; state space model.

Are combi parks just as useful as regular parks for fatteners for part-time group housing of rabbit does?

[EN] Group housing of lactating rabbit does is desirable from a welfare standpoint, but agonistic behaviour can cause severe skin injuries, which are undesired for animal welfare. Park layout, creating hiding places and escape possibilities, may help redirect attention away from fighting, which could in turn help prevent skin damage. An experiment was performed to test whether more damaging behaviour would occur in a combi park (with nest box panels) after mixing, compared to a regular park for fatteners, as nest box panels would obstruct does when escaping aggressive interactions. In addition, the position of the PVC pipe underneath the platform differed between parks (longitudinal or transversal), resulting in different escape routes. Twenty-two parks were used, in which 5 does per park were grouped at 23 d of lactation until weaning at 36 d of lactation. Skin injuries were scored at 4 d after grouping and on the day before weaning. The presence of nest box panels in a combi park and the position of the PVC pipe underneath the platform did not affect the level of skin damage. Moderate to severe injuries were observed, mostly at the hind quarters, ears and head. Five to 6% of the does were severely injured (wounds). There was a positive relationship between the average skin injury per park at 4 d after grouping and at weaning. On average, average injury score per park increased from grouping to weaning, but there are differences between individual parks. From this experiment it can be concluded that group housing of lactating rabbit does involves animals getting injured. In fact, 5 to 6% of the does were severely injured (wounds). Social dynamics of group housed does are insufficiently understood and might be important to reduce damaging behaviour in group housing.This study was financed by the PPS “Duurzame konijnenhouderij” (TKI-AF-15234) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs. We thank Mr and Mrs Slegh, at whose farm the experiment was conducted. Without their help this experiment would not have been possible.Rommers, J.; De Greef, KH. (2018). Are combi parks just as useful as regular parks for fatteners for part-time group housing of rabbit does?. World Rabbit Science. 26(4):299-305. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2018.9587SWORD299305264Andrist C.A., Bigler L.M., Würbel H., Roth B.A. 2012. Effects of group stability on aggression, stress and injuries in breeding rabbits. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 142: 182-188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2012.10.017Andrist C.A., Borne van den H.P., Bigler L.M., Buchwalder T., Roth B.A. 2013. Epidemiologic survey in Swiss grouphoused breeding rabbits. Extend of lesions and potential risk factors. Preventive Veterinary Medicine, 108: 218-224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.prevetmed.2012.07.015Buijs S., Vangeyte J., Tuyttens F.A.M. 2016. Effects of communal rearing and group size on breeding rabbits'post-grouping behaviour and its relation to anogenital distance. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 182: 53-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2016.06.005Greef de K.H., Rommers J.M., Lavrijsen S. 2016. Market and society driven innovations in the Dutch Rabbit production system. In Proc.: 11th World Rabbit Congress, Qingdao (China) June 15-18, 953-956.Hoy S., Verga M. 2006. Welfare indicators. In: Recent Advances in Rabbit Sciences, L. Maertens and P. Coudert (eds). Melle: ILVO, pp 71-74.Kalle, G. 1994. Kaninchen in Gruppenhaltung. DGS, 25, 16-20.Maertens L., Buijs S. 2016. Impact of housing system (cage vs. part-time housing) and floor type on rabbit doe welfare. In: Proceedings of 11th World Rabbit Congress, Qingdao (China), 707-710.Matics Zs., Sendrö Zs., Radnai I., Farkas T.P., Kasza R. et al. 2017. ANIWA- Experimental results at Kapsvár Univeristy. In: Proc. 20th International Symposium on Housing and Diseases of Rabbits, Fur providing animals and Pet animals. Celle, 17-18 March 2017, 27-36.Rommers, J.M., de Jong, I.C. 2005. De haalbaarheid van groepshuisvesting voor voedsters in de praktijk. ASG rapport ASG 05/102047. Wageningen UR Livestock Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands.Rommers, J.M., de Jong, I.C. 2010. Haltung von Häsinnen: Gruppen- und Einzelnhaltung kombiniert. DGS Magazin, 22, 55-58.Rommers J., Gunnink H., Klop A., de Jong I. 2011. Dynamics in aggressive behaviour of rabbit does in a group housing system: a descriptive study. In Proc.: 17th International Symposium on Housing and Diseases of Rabbits, Furproviding Animals and Pet animals, 11-12 May, Celle, 75-85.Rommers J.M., Reuvekamp B.F.J., Gunnink H., de Jong I.C. 2013. Effect of different hiding places on aggression among does in a group-housing system: a pilot. In Proc.: of 18th International Symposium on Housing and Diseases of Rabbits, Furproviding Animals and Pet animals, 22-23 May, Celle, 59-68.Rommers J.M., Reuvekamp B.J.F., Gunnink H., de Jong, I.C. 2014. Effect of hiding places, straw and territory on aggression in group-housed rabbit does. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci.,157: 117- 126. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2014.05.011Rommers, J.M., de Jong, I.C., Reuvekamp, B., de Greef, K.H. 2014b. Onderzoek naar groepshuisvesting van voedsters in parken binnen de PPS duurzame konijnenhouderij. Rapport 749, Wageningen UR Livestock Research, Lelystad, The Netherlands.Rommers J., de Greef K. 2017. Towards part-time group housing of lactating rabbit does? In Proc.: 20th International Symposium on Housing and Diseases of Rabbits, Fur providing animals and Pet animals. Celle, 17-18 March 2017, 3-13.Rommers J., de Greef K. 2018. Zijn combi-parken even geschikt als parken voor parttime groepshuisvesting van voedsters? KonijnenWijzer, in press.Szendrő, Z., McNitt, J., Matics, Z., Mikó, A., Gerencsér, Z. 2016. Alternative and enriched housing systems for breeding does: a review. World Rabbit Sci., 24, 1-14. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2016.3801Vastrade F.M. 1987. Spacing behaviour of free-ranging domestic rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus L. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 18: 185-195. https://d oi.org/10.1016/0168-1591(87)90192-4Zomeño C., Birolo M., Zuffellatro A., Xiccato G., Trocino A. 2017. Aggressiveness in group-housed rabbit does: Influence of group size and pen characteristics. Appl. Anim. Behav. Sci., 194: 79-85. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2017.05.01

Thermochemical stability and nonstoichiometry of erbia-stabilized bismuth oxide

A phase study has been performed of high oxygen ion conducting erbia-stabilized bismutch oxide (1-x)Bi2O3·xEr2O3 (BE100X) using thermal analysis and X-ray powder diffraction. Investigation of the effect of a long-time (500 h) anneal of samples at 650°C in air revealed that the minimum amount of erbia needed to stabilize the high-temperature cubic ¿-Bi2O3 phase is 27.5 at%. This boundary value is much larger than the one usually reported in literature where the sluggishenss of the transformation from cubic to hexagonal at high Bi contents is not taken into account. Changes in nonstoichiometry of solid solutions Bi2-2xEr2xO3+¿ between 550°C and 850°C upon varying the ambient oxygen partial pressure are minimal for samples with 27.5 at% erbia, increasing with increasing erbia content. The parameter ¿ in pure oxygen increases from 0. 0044 for BE27.5 to 0.022 for BE50 taking the composition in nitrogen (PO2 ¿ 10¿4 atm) as stoichiometric reference (¿ = 0)

On quantum vertex algebras and their modules

We give a survey on the developments in a certain theory of quantum vertex algebras, including a conceptual construction of quantum vertex algebras and their modules and a connection of double Yangians and Zamolodchikov-Faddeev algebras with quantum vertex algebras.Comment: 18 pages; contribution to the proceedings of the conference in honor of Professor Geoffrey Maso