Development of a model estimating root length density from root impacts on a soil profile in pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br). Application to measure root system response to water stress in field conditions.

Pearl millet is able to withstand dry and hot conditions and plays an important role for food security in arid and semi-arid areas of Africa and India. However, low soil fertility and drought constrain pearl millet yield. One target to address these constraints through agricultural practices or breeding is root system architecture.

Interfacial properties, film dynamics and bulk rheology: A multi-scale approach to dairy protein foams.

Hypothesis: The effective contribution of interfacial properties to the rheology of foams is a source of many open questions. Film dynamics during topological T1 changes in foams, essentially studied for low molecular weight surfactants, and scarcely for proteins, could connect interfacial properties to protein foam rheology.

Experiments: We modified whey protein isolate (WPI), and its purified major protein β-lactoglobulin (β-lg) by powder pre-conditioning and dry-heating in order to obtain a broad variety of interfacial properties.

Simulation of surfactant transport during the rheological relaxation of two-dimensional dry foams.

We describe a numerical model to predict the rheology of two-dimensional dry foams. The model accurately describes soap film curvature and viscous friction with the walls, and includes the transport of surfactant within the films and across the vertices where films meet. It accommodates the changes in foam topology that occur when a foam flows and, in particular, accurately represents the relaxation of the foam following a topological change.

Anatomic distribution of endometriosis: A reappraisal based on series of 1101 patients.

Objective: To reappraise the anatomic distribution of endometriosis lesions in cases with Superficial Implants (SI), Ovarian Endometrioma (OMA) and Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis (DIE).

Materials And Methods: A prospective observational study was operated between January 1989 to June 2009. A total of 1333 consecutive patients with a laparoscopic diagnosis of endometriosis, were extracted from our database.

Genome-wide association mapping for root cone angle in rice.

Background: Plant root systems play a major role in anchoring and in water and nutrient uptake from the soil. The root cone angle is an important parameter of the root system architecture because, combined with root depth, it helps to determine the volume of soil explored by the plant. Two genes, DRO1 and SOR1, and several QTLs for root cone angle have been discovered in the last 5 years.