Kinds Of Pollen Research Articles

Potential of a new phytoseiid species Neoseiulus setarius (Acari: Phytoseiidae) as a biocontrol agent: Biological and demographic parameters on prey and non-prey foods

Neoseiulus setarius Ma, Meng & Fan is a newly described phytoseiid species found in Inner Mongolia of China. To evaluate the potential of N. setarius as a biocontrol agent, we studied life table parameters of N. setarius reared on four food resources, including western flower thrips Frankliniella occidentalis Pergande, eriophyoid mite Aceria pallida Keifer, cattail pollen Typha latifolia L. and poplar pollen Populus alba L. Neoseiulus setarius fed on two prey species developed faster and produced more eggs than those fed with two kinds of pollen. Neoseiulus setarius had the shortest juvenile development time on A. pallida (5.38 days), and the highest daily fecundity on F. occidentalis (2.43 eggs/female/day). The juvenile development time of N. setarius was similar on cattail pollen and poplar pollen, but the fecundity of N. setarius was significantly higher on cattail pollen. There were significant differences in the demographic parameters of N. setarius reared on the four different diets. The highest intrinsic rate of increase (rm) was on F. occidentalis (0.178 day−1), followed by A. pallida (0.159 day−1), cattail pollen (0.127 day−1) and poplar pollen (0.092 day−1). Neoseiulus setarius showed higher fitness in development and reproduction on prey (F. occidentalis and A. pallida) and cattail pollen. These results suggest that N. setarius could be a promising biocontrol agent for the management of thrips and gall mites.

Allergen Immunotherapy: Current and Future Trends.

Allergen immunotherapy (AIT) is the sole disease-modifying treatment for allergic rhinitis; it prevents rhinitis from progressing to asthma and lowers medication use. AIT against mites, insect venom, and certain kinds of pollen is effective. The mechanism of action of AIT is based on inducing immunological tolerance characterized by increased IL-10, TGF-β, and IgG4 levels and Treg cell counts. However, AIT requires prolonged schemes of administration and is sometimes associated with adverse reactions. Over the last decade, novel forms of AIT have been developed, focused on better allergen identification, structural modifications to preserve epitopes for B or T cells, post-traductional alteration through chemical processes, and the addition of adjuvants. These modified allergens induce clinical-immunological effects similar to those mentioned above, increasing the tolerance to other related allergens but with fewer side effects. Clinical studies have shown that molecular AIT is efficient in treating grass and birch allergies. This article reviews the possibility of a new AIT to improve the treatment of allergic illness.

Hay fever and the effect of influenza vaccines

Hay fever is an increasing disease in Japan, and the prevalence of cedar pollinosis exceeds 20% nationwide. More than 50 kinds of pollen have been reported so far in Japan. Pollinosis often complicated other allergic conditions. Since patients with allergic diseases have lower s-IgA levels than healthy subjects, patients with hay fever have less weak mucosal immunity so that it would affect the efficacy of the influenza vaccine. Eight thousand three hundred thirty-seven (3885 men and 4452 women) participated in this survey to clarify the relationship between allergic diseases and the influenza vaccine's efficacy. In the no hay fever group, the effective vaccine rate against influenza disease was 0.2%, and in the hay fever group, it was 0.21%. No effect of the influenza vaccine was present in this population. Rather, vaccination seemed to increase influenza incidence in people with hay fever. The basic presence of allergic condition influenza vaccination increased susceptibility to influenza infection. (12.9% vs. 13.89%) (p<0.001). A tailor-made strategy for these patients should be necessary for preventing influenza.

Identification of cattail pollen, pine pollen and bee pollen by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and two-dimensional correlation infrared spectroscopy

Cattail pollen (CP) and pine pollen (PP) are traditional Chinese medicine, which are used for bleeding blood and immunity enhancement activity respectively. Due to the economic benefits, they are occasionally adulterated with bee pollen. In this study, CP, PP and 6 kinds of bee pollen (dandelion pollen, sunflower pollen, lotus pollen, rhus pollen, buckwheat pollen, corn pollen) were collected and observed by the scanning electron microscope. And then, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and two-dimensional correlation infrared (2D-IR) spectroscopy were used to identify and analyze these 8 kinds of pollens. It is found that PP and CP could be identified from bee pollen through the position, intensity and shape of saccharide and protein characteristic peaks in the FT-IR spectra. The FT-IR spectra of PP, CP and bee pollen are almost similar. 2D-IR spectra exhibited significant differences in automatic peak positions, especially in the range of 760–1400 cm−1. CP and PP have three consistently strong automatic peaks around 1150, 1204, and 1233 cm−1. The sequences of the absorption intensities of them all are 1204 cm−1 > 1233 cm−1 > 1150 cm−1. While CP has no obvious strong automatic peaks compared with PP in the range of 830–1140 cm−1. In conclusion, FT-IR and 2D-IR technology are the effective method for distinguish CP and PP from these 6 kinds of bee pollen.

The 1st step initiation essential for allergen-specific IgE antibody production upon the 2nd step: Induction of non-specific IgE+ small B cells containing secondly-sensitized allergen-specific ones in mice firstly-sensitized with an allergen.

There was a significant amount of non-specific, but not of allergen (e.g., papain, mite feces and four kinds of pollen)-specific, IgE antibodies (Abs) in the sera of normal mice. An i.n. injection of each allergen without adjuvant into mice caused an increase in total IgE Ab titers with a similar time course in the serum. However, the stage of initiation of allergy varied from allergen to allergen. Submandibular lymph node cells from normal mice contained papain-, but not mite feces- or pollen-specific IgE+ cells and an i.n. injection of papain induced papain-specific IgE Abs in the serum. In contrast, one (i.n.) or two (i.n. and s.c) injections of mite feces induced neither mite feces-specific IgE+ cells in the lymph nodes nor mite feces-specific IgE Abs in the serum. I.n. sensitization with cedar pollen induced cedar pollen-specific IgE+ small B cells in the lymph nodes on Day 10, when non-specific IgE Ab titers reached a peak in the serum, implying induction of related allergen-specific IgE+ small cells as well. In fact, a second (s.c.) injection of ragweed (or cedar) pollen into mice sensitized i.n. once with cedar (or ragweed) pollen, but not with mite feces, induced a large amount of ragweed (or cedar) pollen-specific IgE Abs in the serum. These results indicate that when firstly-sensitized non-specific IgE+ small B cells in mouse lymph nodes include some secondly-sensitized allergen-specific ones, mice produce IgE Abs specific for the secondly-injected allergen.

Comparison of the efficacy and safety of pollen allergen extracts using skin prick testing and serum specific IgE as references

Allergen extracts may be different due to the difference in dissemination of allergen-containing species in various geographical areas. Therefore, we wish to develop our own extracts to ensure the precision and quality of diagnosis. To compare the efficacy and safety of our locally prepared pollen allergen extracts to imported ones, using skin prick testing (SPT) and serum specific IgE (sIgE) as references. This prospective, randomized, double-blinded, self-controlled study was performed in respiratory allergic adult volunteers who are sensitized to at least one kind of pollen. Each subject was pricked with our Bermuda grass, Johnson grass and careless weed pollen allergen extracts, and also with the imported ones. sIgE levels were measured by using ImmunoCAP?. In 68 volunteers, our Bermuda, Johnson and careless weed extracts showed 91.2%, 45.6% and 54.4% positive SPTs, respectively, while for the imported ones 73.5%, 45.6% and 54.4% SPTs were positive, respectively. No adverse reaction was found in all procedures. The concentration of 10,000 BAU/mL of Bermuda grass, 1 : 20 w/v or 10,000 PNU/mL of Johnson grass and 1 : 40 w/v or 10,000 PNU/mL of careless weed yielded the most positive SPT results. There was no significant difference in mean wheal diameter (MWD) yielded from using local and imported extracts. Significant correlation was found between MWDs of imported pollen extracts and serum sIgE levels (p < 0.01). No significant difference between SPT results of local and imported pollen allergen extracts was found. Significant correlation was found between MWDs of imported pollen extract SPT and serum sIgE levels.

Pollen grain sporoderm and types of dispersal units

The pollen of gymnosperms and angiosperms may be dispersed in monads, tetrads, polyads, massulae or compact pollinia. The monads and tetrads may form larger clumps of pollen because filiform pollen is tangled while other kinds of pollen can be glued by means of different devices. Exine and intine modify their structure to adapt to pollen dispersing units, exine in some cases can be absent. An additional layer, a thin callosic wall, can be present in some species beneath the intine; this occurs when pollen grains are slightly dehydrated before dispersal.

Seasonal allergic rhinitis in the Komi Republic

Background. Seasonal allergic rhinitis (SAR) presents a great problem of public health all over the world, being widespread among allergic diseases. SAR considerably impacts on social and economic aspects of life. The prevalence rate of SAR and it’s etiology need to be studied to develop the preventive measures and qualified medical attendance. There is limited knowledge concerning the prevalence rate of SAR in Russian Federation. This article presents the results of epidemiological study of pollen allergy, including SAR, in Komi Republic (KR) among adolescents and adults. We found out that SAR is the most widespread pollen allergy, and it’s prevalence rate is 12%. The most frequent etiological factors of SAR are tree pollen and cereals, but the polyvalent sensitization to all kinds of pollen is the most prevalent. The results of studying of epidermal and domestic allergens etiology role are also presented. Objective. To evaluate the prevalence rate and main etiological factors of SAR in KR. Methods. The epidemiological study was carried out in KR within the framework of international program GA2LEN. During questioning we included 2002 respondents, 1038 of them with mentioned allergy reactions in questionnaire underwent allergological examination, including skin scratch tests (men 49,3% and women 50,7%; rural dwellers 18,5% and city dwellers 81,5%). Results. Of the 1038 patients surveyed, 253 were diagnosed with SAR, with a total prevalence rate of 12,6%. There was no significant difference in sex between rural and city dwellers. In 50% of cases allergic conjunctivitis accompanies SAR. The most prevalent sensitization was to tree pollen and cereals. In 44% of SAR we estimated polyvalent sensitization to tree pollen, weeds and cereals. About 50% of patients with SAR were also diagnosed with perennial allergic rhinitis and 20% of them had sensitization to epidermal and domestic allergens. Conclusion. We evaluated the prevalence rate of SAR in KR, that is considerably higher than official data. The most prevalent etiological factors of SAR were also revealed.

Life-table parameters of Neoseiulus womersleyi (Schicha) and Euseius ovalis (Evans) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) feeding on six food sources

Reproduction, sex ratio and life-table parameters of the predatory mites Neoseiulus womersleyi and Euseius ovalis feeding on the spider mites (Tetranychus urticae, T. kanzawai, Oligonychus mangiferus and Panonychus citri) as well as on maize and Chinese loofah pollen at 25°C were studied. Among all of the food sources tested, the fecundity of N. womersleyi was high (33.57 eggs/female) on T. urticae, but low on P. citri (17.63 eggs/female), whereas E. ovalis was high (35.86 eggs/female) on O. mangiferus and low (8.89 eggs/female) on T. kanzawai. Sex ratio differed among food sources and ranged from 0.67 to 0.78 for N. womersleyi and from 0.68 to 0.78 for E. ovalis. The highest net reproductive rate (R 0 = 24.86 offspring/individual) and intrinsic rate of natural increase (rm = 0.254/day) were found in N. womersleyi feeding on T. urticae and T. kanzawai, respectively; the lowest R 0 (9.88 offspring/individual) was recorded on O. mangiferus and the lowest rm (0.179/day) was on loofah pollen. When feeding on O. mangiferus, E. ovalis had a higher R 0 (26.46 offspring/individual) and rm (0.256/day) than those fed on other food sources. Since N. womersleyi feeding on T. urticae or T. kanzawai had showed the higher rates of fecundity, female sex ratio and intrinsic rate of natural increase, we concluded that T. urticae and T. kanzawai were suitable food sources for N. womersleyi, whereas O. mangiferus and T. urticae were suitable food sources for E. ovalis. Both predatory mites developed, oviposited normally and population increased in a high rate when feeding on the two kinds of pollen, suggesting that these pollens may be a useful food supplement for the two predators.

Allergenic activity of honey

An allergy to honey is a rare symptom. It usually occurs when people are allergic to food components, pollen and bee venom. Most often an allergy to honey is manifested by disturbances of skin and digestive system. Anaphylaxis is seldom, pollen proteins are more often the cause of an allergy to honey than honeybee ones. In particular cases an allergy can be caused by moulds, yeasts and secretion of sapsucking insects. An allergy to honey is often caused by pollen of floral plants from Compositae family (e.g.: sunflower, mugwort, marguerite, dandelion, golden rod, ragweed). It is caused more rarely by grass pollen (timothy) and trees (birch, hazel, olive). The cross allergy between two kinds of pollen of the same family (dandelion and sunflower) and between pollen of different families (sunflower and celery) is well-known. On this basis one can consider that the allergy to one monofloral honey can cause the allergy to other monoflower ones.

Sensitization Profiles of a Case of Pollen-Food Allergy Syndrome

A 13-year-old girl who had had pollinosis since the age of eight began to experience itching of the ears and vomiting after eating fresh fruits such as peach, apple and watermelon. This occurred at 10 years of age. The girl displayed positive reactions to six kinds of pollens, eleven kinds of fruits, numerous vegetables and to recombinant: rBet v2 present in specific IgE antibodies. She also reacted positively to several pollens, fruits and rBet v2 in the skin prick test. In the component-resolved diagnosis (CRD) using microarray technology, she also tested positive for profilin, a pan-allergen among plants. It is reported that profilin cross-reacts between pollen, fruits, vegetables and latex. From these results, we concluded that the allergic reactions to multiple kinds of foodstuff and pollens observed in this subject were due to cross-reactivity induced by profilin. Our results demonstrate that CRD by microarray is a reliable test in the diagnosis of PFAS.

The coexistence of bicellular and tricellular pollen in Annona cherimola (Annonaceae): Implications for pollen evolution

Most angiosperms release bicellular pollen. However, in about one-third of extant angiosperms, the second pollen mitosis occurs before anthesis such that pollen is tricellular upon release. The shift from bicellular to tricellular development has occurred several times independently, but its causes are largely unknown. In this work, we observed the coexistence of both kinds of pollen at anther dehiscence in Annona cherimola, a species that belongs to the basal angiosperm family Annonaceae. Examination of pollen cell number during anther development showed that this coexistence was due to a late mitosis starting shortly before pollen shedding. Both types of pollen germinated equally well over the course of development. Because variable proportions of bicellular and tricellular pollen were observed at different sampling times, we tested the role of temperature by performing field and growth chamber experiments, which showed that higher temperatures near anthesis advanced the time of pollen mitosis II. The results show that selection could favor the production of tricellular pollen under certain environmental circumstances that prime rapid pollen germination and provide evidence of a system in which developmental variation persists, but that can be modified by external factors such as temperature.

Single‐Cell Analysis in a Plastic Microfluidic Channel with a Hadamard Transform Microscopic Fluorescence Image System

In this report, a single‐channel chip fabricated with polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) material was applied to sampling single pollen cells stained with acridine orange (AO). A home‐made Hadamard transform (HT) microscopic fluorescence image system was used to detect the fluorescence signal emitted from the cells and obtain 511 × 512‐pixel two‐dimensional image of single cells, by which single‐cell fluorescence was measured accurately and the DNA content was determined quantitatively. The single‐cell sampling and the on‐line imaging were discussed in detail. The PMMA chip, with a suitable channel approximately 100 µm in depth and 108 µm in width, was proved suitable for single‐cell sampling. The HT instrument was well matched to the on‐line imaging due to the powerful resolving ability. The reliability of the measurement was evaluated by measuring the fluorescent intensity of AO‐stained pollens in the channel for 11 times, with a coefficient of variation (CV) of 2.78%. The method was used for quantitative measurements of DNA contents in two kinds of pollens with satisfactory results, which show that the method is rapid, accurate, and reliable in single‐cell analysis.

Biologia reprodutiva e polinização de Senna sylvestris (Vell.) H.S. Irwin &amp; Barneby (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae)

A biologia reprodutiva de Senna sylvestris foi estudada na Estacao Ecologica do Panga (EEP), Uberlândia-MG e no distrito de Macaubas, Patrocinio-MG. S. sylvestris e um arbusto com altura maxima de 5m e periodo de floracao entre Janeiro e Abril. As flores sao hermafroditas, zigomorfas, com corola de cor amarelo intenso, dispostas em inflorescencias do tipo panicula. O estigma e do tipo umido nao papiloso e crateriforme, possuindo pelos ao seu redor. As anteras sao poricidas e o androceu e heterântero, com tres estaminodios, quatro estames menores na porcao superior da flor, dois estames maiores na porcao inferior e entre eles um estame central com antera mais delgada. S. sylvestris e auto-esteril e nao agamospermica, com auto-esterilidade envolvendo fenomenos de acao tardia. Tubos polinicos de autopolinizacoes e polinizacoes cruzadas crescem e penetram os ovulos, mas frutos e sementes so se desenvolvem apos polinizacoes cruzadas com anteras grandes. Os estames menores e o central de antera mais delgada, produzem polen inviavel. Estes estames servem apenas como pontos de fixacao durante as visitas das abelhas. O polen das anteras pequenas pode formar tubos polinicos, mas nenhum fruto resultou das polinizacoes com este tipo de polen. Os principais visitantes e polinizadores sao abelhas grandes Xylocopa brasilianorum, Oxaea flavescens, Bombus morio e especies do genero Centris que coletam polen por vibracao das anteras. Foram observadas diferencas na riqueza de especies de abelhas entre as areas e entre os anos de estudo. Menor numero de polinizadores em Macaubas pode ser explicado pelo maior grau de perturbacao da vegetacao. Entretanto diferencas na riqueza e no numero de polinizadores nao parecem explicar a producao natural de frutos, que foi baixa nas especies estudadas.

Oviposição dos ácaros predadores Agistemus floridanus Gonzalez, Euseius concordis (Chant) e Neoseiulus anonymus (Chant &amp; Baker) (Acari) em resposta a diferentes tipos de alimento

Phytoseiidae and Sigmaeidae are the most common predatory mites on rubber tree leaves in the State of Mato Grosso, associated with phytophagous mites of the families Eriophyidae, Tenuipalpidae and Tetranychidae. The aim of this work was to compare the effect of different kinds of food, including different species of mites commonly found on the rubber tree in Mato Grosso, and one kind of pollen, on the oviposition of the predators Agistemus floridanus Gonzalez, 1965 (Stigmaeidae), Euseius concordis (Chant, 1959) and Neoseiulus anonymus (Chant & Baker, 1965), both Phytoseiidae. Those predators are common on rubber tree leaves in Mato Grosso. For the tests with A. floridanus, discs of 2 cm in diameter of rubber tree leaves were used as substrate. Food provided to the predators were the mites Calacarus heveae Feres, 1992, Oligonychus gossypii (Zacher, 1921), Polyphagotarsonemus latus (Banks, 1904), Tenuipalpus heveae Baker, 1945 and Tetranychus mexicanus (McGregor, 1950), and pollen of Typha angustifolia L. Agistemus floridanus accepted a larger variety of foodthan other predators. This was the only predator with high oviposition rate when fed C. heveae and T. heveae, the phytophagous mites considered most important on rubber trees. Euseius concordis and A. floridanus had nearly the same oviposition rates when fed pollen of T. angustifolia (ca. one egg per female per day). Neoseiulus anonymus had the highest oviposition rate than other predators when fed O. gossypii and T. mexicanus. Polyphagotarsonemus latus was the least suitable food for the predators studied.

What’s in a name?: Some thoughts on pollen classification, identification, and nomenclature in Quaternary palynology

Recent developments in Quaternary palaeopalynology necessitate an increased attention to the classification and nomenclature of pollen types. This paper discusses the differences between palaeopalynological and actuo pollen morphological pollen classification and their consequences for pollen identification and for the interpretation of pollen data. The obscure character of pollen types, that leads to confusion in pollen typology and nomenclature, is analysed and various nomenclatural approaches are reviewed. It is concluded that fossil pollen can not – beyond reasonable doubt – be ascribed to recent and native taxa that produce the same kind of pollen. A pollen type should therefore be defined as a limitative collection of morphological properties (e.g. by reference to a concrete key), not as pollen of a taxon. All types distinguished have to be defined separately (e.g. by referring to a concrete key in the name of every pollen type), when various keys are used in combination or when types deviate from types in those keys. Observed pollen types and interpreted taxa should be kept clearly separated in the discussion. Finally, some suggestions are offered for putting these conclusions into practice.

The ice nucleating ability of pollen:: Part II. Laboratory studies in immersion and contact freezing modes

Laboratory tests were conducted of the ice nucleating ability of four kinds of pollen in the immersion and the contact freezing modes. The diameters of the selected pollen were between 25 and 70 μm. The experiments were carried out at the Mainz vertical wind tunnel with freely suspended supercooled droplets at temperatures down to −28 °C. The immersion freezing experiments were conducted with drops of radii between 250 and 375 μm formed from distilled water with a defined amount of pollen added. The drops were freely floated in the wind tunnel while being supercooled. For the contact freezing experiments, a short burst of pollen was allowed to collide with freely suspended, supercooled pure water drops of 360-μm radius. The results showed that particle-free water drops in particle-free air in the wind tunnel did not freeze at temperatures above −28 °C while water drops containing pollen froze at temperatures as high as −9 °C, and water drops colliding with pollen froze at temperatures −5 °C and lower. Combined with earlier results about the ice nucleating ability of some bacteria, marine plankton, and leaf litters, the present results confirm the importance of biological aerosol particles as potential ice nuclei at relatively warm temperatures.

The ice nucleating ability of pollen: Part I: Laboratory studies in deposition and condensation freezing modes

Laboratory experiments are described where the water uptake by a variety of pollen was studied quantitatively, followed by the investigation of the ice nucleating ability of four kinds of pollen in the deposition and the condensation freezing modes. The diameters of the pollen selected for the freezing experiments were between 25 and 70 μm. The freezing experiments in the deposition mode including also pollen resuspended from decayed leaves, and crushed pollen grains were carried out at different temperatures down to −33 °C combined with various supersaturations with respect to ice up to 35%. The condensation freezing experiments were carried out at temperatures down to −18 °C at supersaturation with respect to water above 100%. The results showed that all investigated pollen were able to take up significant amounts of water from a humid environment into their interior by capillary effect. The results of the freezing experiments in the deposition mode showed that none of the investigated pollen acted as deposition ice nuclei within the investigated temperature and ice supersaturation ranges. Pollen was found to act as condensation ice nuclei at relatively warm temperatures. The initiation temperature for freezing activation of all pollen was around −8 °C, while a mean condensation freezing efficiency of 50% was reached at different temperatures between −12 and −18 °C.

Stimulatory effect of aluminum on the growth of tea pollen tubes

It is well known that when inorganic elements such as boron (B), calcium, cobalt, and manganese are added to media in combination or alone, they stimulate the germination and/or tube growth of various kinds of pollen (Schmücker 1933; Loo and Hwang 1944; Yamada 1958; Brewbaker and Kwack 1963). Among these elements, the stimulatory effect ofB is the most effective and generally recognized. Aluminum (Al) belongs along with B to Group IIIa in the periodic table, and Fähnrich and Ultlich (1964) reported that Al inhibited the germination and growth of the pollen tube of Petunia hybrida and Antirrhinum majus. However, stimulatory effects of Al on pollen germination or pollen tube growth had not been previously reported.

Pollen distribution at high elevation in Switzerland: Evidence for medium range transport

Since Switzerland has a complex topography with high mountains it was very uncertain how much and what kind of pollen can be found at high elevations. In order to study the content of air masses at high elevation a Burkard Seven Day Recording Volumetric Spore Trap was installed at the meteorological station at Gütsch (alt. 2300 m) in the Swiss Alps. Although there are no trees at all at this elevation it is amazing how much tree pollen is found. With the exception of Alnus viridis most of this pollen is transported across the Alps. Special attention is given to the pollen of Castanea which can serve as a real tracer, since this pollen originates exclusively from the southern part of Switzerland (Tessin). Grass pollen, on the other hand, has local sources, even at this elevation, once the snowy season has ended. Grass pollen and pollen of weeds, therefore, need not have been transported. The surprisingly high amount of pollen observed may also have a relevance for people with pollen sensitization because generally it is assumed that hayfever symptoms decrease quickly with increasing elevation.