Generalized model of blockage in particulate flow limited by channel carrying capacity

We investigate stochastic models of particles entering a channel with a random time distribution. When the number of particles present in the channel exceeds a critical value $N$, a blockage occurs and the particle flux is definitively interrupted. By introducing an integral representation of the $n$ particle survival probabilities, we obtain exact expressions for the survival probability, the distribution of the number of particles that pass before failure, the instantaneous flux of exiting particle and their time correlation. We generalize previous results for $N=2$ to an arbitrary distribution of entry times and obtain new, exact solutions for $N=3$ for a Poisson distribution and partial results for $N\ge 4$.Comment: 13 pages, 9 figure

Genetic Changes Over Breeding Generations of \u3cem\u3eFestulolium\u3c/em\u3e

Festulolium hybrids are a valuable breeding source for tolerance to abiotic stress and to make grass more persistent under drought and in cold environments. In 2004, the EU Commission enlarged the definition of Festulolium which may now include all hybrids between Lolium sp. and Festuca sp. and not only those between L. multiflorum and F. pratensis. We here report allele frequencies at two unlinked PCR-based marker loci in populations derived from tetraploid (2n=4x=28) L. multiflorum x F. glaucescens hybrids where breeding history enables us to test the effects of selection vs that of genetic drift

The Effect of Blue Light on Leaf Growth and Plant Development in Two Morphologically Contrasted Perennial Ryegrass Genotypes: Cellular Basis and Ecological Implications

Several major plant responses to competition for light are determined by responses to light signals, in particular to red/far-red ratio (R/FR) and blue light, besides responses mediated through photosynthesis and carbon assimilation (Gautier et al., 1999). These responses to light signals allow plants to react to the presence of neighbours and to anticipate the impact of light competition on photosynthesis. The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of blue light on leaf growth and its cellular basis, on two short and long leaved populations (FC and FL respectively), which were shown to have different competitive ability (Hazard et al., 1996)

Experimental study of granular surface flows via a fast camera: a continuous description

Depth averaged conservation equations are written for granular surface flows. Their application to the study of steady surface flows in a rotating drum allows to find experimentally the constitutive relations needed to close these equations from measurements of the velocity profile in the flowing layer at the center of the drum and from the flowing layer thickness and the static/flowing boundary profiles. The velocity varies linearly with depth, with a gradient independent of both the flowing layer thickness and the static/flowing boundary local slope. The first two closure relations relating the flow rate and the momentum flux to the flowing layer thickness and the slope are then deduced. Measurements of the profile of the flowing layer thickness and the static/flowing boundary in the whole drum explicitly give the last relation concerning the force acting on the flowing layer. Finally, these closure relations are compared to existing continuous models of surface flows.Comment: 20 pages, 11 figures, submitted to Phys. FLuid

Development and Use of a Tool for Automated Alignments of Genes in the Rice BAC\u27s GenBank Card Against Other Species

In many cases, the analysis of the genetic bases of any trait requires molecular markers and if possible co-dominant PCR-based ones. In perennial fodder species, the number of publicly available markers (microsatellites and Sequence Tagged Site (STS)) is limited. Our goal is to use sequences from model grass species, i.e. rice, wheat, maize, barley, in L. perenne in order to develop STS markers in interesting regions such as under a QTL (Quantitative Trait Loci) or around a candidate gene,. As the genome sequence of rice is now available, the objective was to use the sequences of genes included in the BAC’s GenBank card from rice. As there are almost no available sequences in L. perenne, we are designing consensus primers from an alignment of at least two different species. The problem is that for all the genes included in a BAC, just a few have their sequences known in at least two species. It is very laborious to check “by hand” if each gene has an homologous sequence known in another species

Estimation of the Coefficient of Double-Reduction in Autotetraploid Lucerne

Polyploidy plays an important role in the evolution of species and many cultivated species, particularly in angiosperms, are polyploids (Bever and Felber, 1992; Gallais, 2003). Autopolyploid species that show a tetrasomic inheritance have complex genetics. However, some theoretical models were built for: (1) genetic mapping (Hackett et al., 1998), (2) quantitative genetics (Gallais, 2003) and (3) population genetics (Ronfort et al., 1998). But in practice, most data analyses ignore one essential feature of tetrasomic inheritance that is double-reduction. Indeed, in an autotetraploid species, homologous chromosomes can form tetravalents at meiosis. In this case, a double-reduction is observed if crossing-over occurs between a locus and its centromere, and if the sister chromatids migrate to the same pole at anaphase I. The gametes may, thus, carry a pair of sister alleles. Double-reduction frequency is represented by the index of separation (α) (Demarly, 1963; Mather, 1935; Mather, 1936). The parameter α is considered as a product of four probabilities: α = q e a s (Gallais, 2003) in which “ q ” is the probability of multivalent formation, “ e ” the probability of first equational division, related to the frequency of crossing-over, “ a ” is the probability of non-disjunction at first anaphase and “s” is the probability of having two sister chromatids in the same gamete. If separation during anaphase II is random, s = ½. Consequently, α will be low for a gene located in the vicinity of the centromere and will increase with distance between the gene and the centromere. It was demonstrated that double-reduction events alter the rate of progression towards equilibrium under inbreeding or under random mating, modify the recombination rate between loci and also alter the rate of decay of linkage disequilibrium under random mating (Bever and Felber, 1992). Current theoretical models allow drawing genetic maps taking into account double-reduction (Luo et al., 2004). Thus, it is possible to estimate α for codominant loci in tetraploid species. To date, we have few estimates of the double-reduction frequency. Haynes and Douches (1993) on potato and Julier et al. (2003) on lucerne found that double-reduction occurs sporadically. In both studies, the low number of progenies hampered a precise estimation of α. The aim of our study was to estimate the frequency of double-reduction in a mapping population of lucerne that includes a large number of individuals

Mannose-Specific Lectins from Marine Algae: Diverse Structural Scaffolds Associated to Common Virucidal and Anti-Cancer Properties.

To date, a number of mannose-specific lectins have been isolated and characterized from seaweeds, especially from red algae. In fact, man-specific seaweed lectins consist of different structural scaffolds harboring a single or a few carbohydrate-binding sites which specifically recognize mannose-containing glycans. Depending on the structural scaffold, man-specific seaweed lectins belong to five distinct structurally-related lectin families, namely (1) the griffithsin lectin family (beta-prism I scaffold); (2) the Oscillatoria agardhii agglutinin homolog (OAAH) lectin family (beta-barrel scaffold); (3) the legume lectin-like lectin family (beta-sandwich scaffold); (4) the Galanthus nivalis agglutinin (GNA)-like lectin family (beta-prism II scaffold); and, (5) the MFP2-like lectin family (MFP2-like scaffold). Another algal lectin from Ulva pertusa, has been inferred to the methanol dehydrogenase related lectin family, because it displays a rather different GlcNAc-specificity. In spite of these structural discrepancies, all members from the five lectin families share a common ability to specifically recognize man-containing glycans and, especially, high-mannose type glycans. Because of their mannose-binding specificity, these lectins have been used as valuable tools for deciphering and characterizing the complex mannose-containing glycans from the glycocalyx covering both normal and transformed cells, and as diagnostic tools and therapeutic drugs that specifically recognize the altered high-mannose N-glycans occurring at the surface of various cancer cells. In addition to these anti-cancer properties, man-specific seaweed lectins have been widely used as potent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1)-inactivating proteins, due to their capacity to specifically interact with the envelope glycoprotein gp120 and prevent the virion infectivity of HIV-1 towards the host CD4+ T-lymphocyte cells in vitro

Genetic Diversity Among Alfalfa Cultivars Using SSR Markers

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is an autotetraploid, allogamous and heterozygous species. Cultivated varieties are synthetic cultivars, usually obtained through 3 or 4 generations of panmictic reproduction of a set of various numbers of parents. The parents can be clones, half-sib or full-sib families. The breeders apply selection pressure for some agronomic traits, to induce changes in the genetic background. The objective of this study was to investigate the differentiation level among seven cultivars originating from one breeding program, and between these cultivars and the breeding pool, with eight SSR markers

QTLs for Morphogenetic Traits in Medicago Truncatula

Plant morphogenesis that includes growth, development and flowering date, drives a large number of agronomical important traits in both grain and forage crops. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping is a way to locate zones of the genome that are involved in the variations observed in a segregating population. Co-location of QTLs and candidate genes is an indication of the involvement of the genes in the variation. The objective of this study was to analyse segregation of aerial morphogenetic traits in a mapping population of recombinant inbred lines of the model legume species M. truncatula , to locate QTLs and candidate genes