scholarly journals Airborne Cupressaceae Pollen and Its Major Allergen, Cup a 1, in Urban Green Areas of Southern Iberian Peninsula

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 254
Author(s):  
Concepción De Linares ◽  
Maria Pilar Plaza ◽  
Ana M. Valle ◽  
Purificación Alcázar ◽  
Consuelo Díaz de la Guardia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Airborne Pollen ◽  
Allergic Sensitization ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Sampling Period ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Major Allergen ◽  
Andersen Cascade Impactor ◽  
Pollen Concentrations ◽  
Minimum Requirements

Cupressaceae pollen is responsible for winter respiratory allergies in the Mediterranean area. Pollen grains of this diverse family share the same characteristics under light microscopy. Consequently, the partial contribution of each Cupressaceae species to the airborne pollen spectrum cannot be determined with conventional aerobiological methods. Studies on major aeroallergens offer better information on the allergic sensitization and appearance of symptoms in patients sensitized to airborne pollen and spores. Our aim was to determine if airborne Cupressaceae pollen concentrations correspond to aerodynamics of the major allergen of Cupressus (Cup a 1), as well as the aeroallergen correlation with different-sized particles. The air was sampled in two cities of Southern Spain (Granada and Córdoba) using the Hirst-type volumetric sampler for airborne pollen detection during 2006 to 2008 and the Andersen Cascade Impactor for aeroallergen detection during the main pollination period of Cupressaceae in the same period. The samples were analyzed by the methodology proposed by the Spanish Aerobiology Network (REA), the minimum requirements of the European Aeroallergen Society (EAS) for pollen, and by ELISA immunoassay to detect airborne Cup a 1. The distribution patterns of airborne Cupressaceae pollen and Cup a 1 were observed throughout the sampling period, although with some irregular oscillations. Cupressaceae pollen and Cup a 1 showed positive and significant correlation during the period of maximum concentrations (January to March). However, the results of this study showed that the period of exposure of aeroallergens depends on the Cupressus species and their abundance in cities. According to the allergy potential obtained, species like C. arizonica could release more allergens than other species like C. sempervirens.

scholarly journals Neural networks for increased accuracy of allergenic pollen monitoring

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcel Polling ◽  
Chen Li ◽  
Lu Cao ◽  
Fons Verbeek ◽  
Letty A. de Weger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neural Networks ◽  
Airborne Pollen ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Allergenic Pollen ◽  
Herbarium Specimens ◽  
Pollen Monitoring ◽  
Pollen Concentrations ◽  
Source Of Information ◽  
Urticaceae Pollen

AbstractMonitoring of airborne pollen concentrations provides an important source of information for the globally increasing number of hay fever patients. Airborne pollen is traditionally counted under the microscope, but with the latest developments in image recognition methods, automating this process has become feasible. A challenge that persists, however, is that many pollen grains cannot be distinguished beyond the genus or family level using a microscope. Here, we assess the use of Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) to increase taxonomic accuracy for airborne pollen. As a case study we use the nettle family (Urticaceae), which contains two main genera (Urtica and Parietaria) common in European landscapes which pollen cannot be separated by trained specialists. While pollen from Urtica species has very low allergenic relevance, pollen from several species of Parietaria is severely allergenic. We collect pollen from both fresh as well as from herbarium specimens and use these without the often used acetolysis step to train the CNN model. The models show that unacetolyzed Urticaceae pollen grains can be distinguished with > 98% accuracy. We then apply our model on before unseen Urticaceae pollen collected from aerobiological samples and show that the genera can be confidently distinguished, despite the more challenging input images that are often overlain by debris. Our method can also be applied to other pollen families in the future and will thus help to make allergenic pollen monitoring more specific.

scholarly journals The late flowering of invasive species contributes to the increase of Artemisia allergenic pollen in autumn: an analysis of 25 years of aerobiological data (1995–2019) in Trentino-Alto Adige (Northern Italy)

Aerobiologia ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 669-682 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonella Cristofori ◽  
Edith Bucher ◽  
Michele Rossi ◽  
Fabiana Cristofolini ◽  
Veronika Kofler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Invasive Species ◽  
Pollen Season ◽  
Airborne Pollen ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Late Summer ◽  
Natura 2000 ◽  
Allergenic Pollen ◽  
Pollen Concentration ◽  
Pollen Concentrations ◽  
Negative Impacts

AbstractArtemisia pollen is an important aeroallergen in late summer, especially in central and eastern Europe where distinct anemophilous Artemisia spp. produce high amounts of pollen grains. The study aims at: (i) analyzing the temporal pattern of and changes in the Artemisia spp. pollen season; (ii) identifying the Artemisia species responsible for the local airborne pollen load.Daily pollen concentration of Artemisia spp. was analyzed at two sites (BZ and SM) in Trentino-Alto Adige, North Italy, from 1995 to 2019.The analysis of airborne Artemisia pollen concentrations evidences the presence of a bimodal curve, with two peaks, in August and September, respectively. The magnitude of peak concentrations varies across the studied time span for both sites: the maximum concentration at the September peak increases significantly for both the BZ (p < 0.05) and SM (p < 0.001) site. The first peak in the pollen calendar is attributable to native Artemisia species, with A. vulgaris as the most abundant; the second peak is mostly represented by the invasive species A. annua and A. verlotiorum (in constant proportion along the years), which are causing a considerable increase in pollen concentration in the late pollen season in recent years.. The spread of these species can affect human health, increasing the length and severity of allergenic pollen exposure in autumn, as well as plant biodiversity in both natural and cultivated areas, with negative impacts on, e.g., Natura 2000 protected sites and crops.

scholarly journals Tree Pollen Spectra and Pollen Allergy Risk in the Osijek-Baranja County

2013 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Sikora ◽  
Marina Valek ◽  
Zdenka Šušić ◽  
Vera Santo ◽  
Dario Brdarić
Keyword(s):  
Airborne Pollen ◽  
Pollen Allergy ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Weather Conditions ◽  
Research Information ◽  
Tree Pollen ◽  
Pollen Concentrations ◽  
North Eastern ◽  
Measuring Site ◽  
Monitoring Stations

The forests of north-eastern Croatia, as well as various plants and trees in the parks and streets of the Osijek-Baranja County, produce large amounts of pollen during the pollen season, which can cause allergy symptoms in pollen sensitive individuals. The aim of this study was to determine the most frequent types of pollen in this area and estimate possible health risks, especially the risk of allergy. In 2009 and 2010, the staff of the Health Ecology Department of the Osijek Public Health Institute monitored tree pollen concentrations in four cities from the Osijek - Baranja County (Osijek, Našice, Đakovo and Beli Manastir) using a Burkard volumetric instrument. The results were affected by weather conditions. Windy and sunny days facilitated the transfer of pollen, whereas during rainy days, the concentration of pollen grains decreased. High pollen concentrations of Cupressaceae/Taxaceae, Betulaceae, Salicaceae and Aceraceae could be the cause for symptoms of pollen allergy. In 2009, conifers, birch and poplar pollen were dominant at all monitoring stations with 5000 pollen grains (PG), 3188 PG and 3113 PG respectively. The highest number of pollen grains was recorded at measuring site Osijek. The variations in airborne pollen concentration between pollen seasons were recorded at all monitoring stations. The most obvious variations were recorded at measuring site Osijek. The usual pollination period lasts two to three months, which means that most pollen grains remain present from February to early June. However, the Cupressaceae / Taxaceae pollination periods last the longest and their pollen grains remain present until the end of summer. The risk of allergy was determined at four monitored measuring stations and the obtained data confirmed that the largest number of days with a high health risk was at the Đakovo measuring station for a species of birch. The research information aims to help allergologists and individuals allergic to plant pollen develop preventive measures and proper treatment therapies.

scholarly journals Land-Use and Height of Pollen Sampling Affect Pollen Exposure in Munich, Germany

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jesús Rojo ◽  
Jose Oteros ◽  
Antonio Picornell ◽  
Franziska Ruëff ◽  
Barbora Werchan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Airborne Pollen ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Ground Level ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Dispersal Capacity ◽  
Pollen Types ◽  
Pollen Concentrations ◽  
Pollen Sources ◽  
Poaceae Pollen ◽  
The City

Airborne pollen concentrations vary depending on the location of the pollen trap with respect to the pollen sources. Two Hirst-type pollen traps were analyzed within the city of Munich (Germany): one trap was located 2 m above ground level (AGL) and the other one at rooftop (35 m AGL), 4.2 km apart. In general, 1.4 ± 0.5 times higher pollen amounts were measured by the trap located at ground level, but this effect was less than expected considering the height difference between the traps. Pollen from woody trees such as Alnus, Betula, Corylus, Fraxinus, Picea, Pinus and Quercus showed a good agreement between the traps in terms of timing and intensity. Similar amounts of pollen were recorded in the two traps when pollen sources were more abundant outside of the city. In contrast, pollen concentrations from Cupressaceae/Taxaceae, Carpinus and Tilia were influenced by nearby pollen sources. The representativeness of both traps for herbaceous pollen depended on the dispersal capacity of the pollen grains, and in the case of Poaceae pollen, nearby pollen sources may influence the pollen content in the air. The timing of the pollen season was similar for both sites; however, the season for some pollen types ended later at ground level probably due to resuspension processes that would favor recirculation of pollen closer to ground level. We believe measurements from the higher station provides a picture of background pollen levels representative of a large area, to which local sources add additional and more variable pollen amounts.

scholarly journals Analysis of airborne pollen time series originating from Hirst-type volumetric samplers—comparison between mobile sampling head oriented toward wind direction and fixed sampling head with two-layered inlet

Aerobiologia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gordan Mimić ◽  
Branko Šikoparija
Keyword(s):  
Time Series ◽  
Wind Speed ◽  
Airborne Pollen ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Meteorological Conditions ◽  
Absolute Difference ◽  
Minimum Requirement ◽  
Pollen Concentrations ◽  
Novi Sad ◽  
Hourly Basis

AbstractIn this study, we have compared time series of pollen concentration originating from two Hirst-type volumetric samplers that were equipped with different sampling heads. To collect airborne pollen, we have used classic sampler with mobile sampling head including wind vane and adapted sampler with fixed sampling head having two-layered inlet, like in Sigma-2 passive sampler. The devices were placed at the roof level, on the top of the building of the Faculty of Sciences located in Novi Sad, Serbia. The sampling of airborne pollen was performed from February until October 2019. Along with the pollen data, meteorological conditions were recorded with an automated weather station measuring solar radiation, air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and precipitation. Time series of daily pollen concentrations expressed high correlations, although there were large differences on the hourly basis. Absolute difference between hourly values showed very weak correlation with relevant meteorological parameters: temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind speed and turbulent kinetic energy, leading to the conclusion that sampling with both heads was not affected by meteorological conditions. Counting the pollen grains from the whole sample and not just from 10% of the area, which is the minimum requirement, was done for the six days in the season and proved that error introduced by subsampling during analysis was the main reason for differences in time series. To conclude, replacing mobile sampling head with fixed sampling head having two-layered inlet does not notably affect the quantity of pollen recorded by the Hirst-type volumetric method.

scholarly journals Automatic Image Classification Using Neural Networks Increases Accuracy for Allergenic Pollen Monitoring

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcel Polling ◽  
Chen Li ◽  
Lu Cao ◽  
Fons Verbeek ◽  
Letty de Weger ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Airborne Pollen ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Allergenic Pollen ◽  
Herbarium Specimens ◽  
Pollen Monitoring ◽  
Pollen Concentrations ◽  
Family Level ◽  
Source Of Information ◽  
Urticaceae Pollen

Abstract Monitoring of airborne pollen concentrations provides an important source of information for the globally increasing number of hay fever patients. Airborne pollen are traditionally counted under the microscope, but with the latest developments in image recognition methods, automating this process has become feasible. A challenge that persists, however, is that many pollen grains cannot be distinguished beyond the genus or family level using a microscope. Here, we assess the use of a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) to increase taxonomic accuracy for airborne pollen. As a case study we use the nettle family (Urticaceae), which contains two main genera (Urtica and Parietaria) common in European landscapes which pollen cannot be separated by trained specialists. While pollen from Urtica species have very low allergenic relevance, those from several species of Parietaria are severely allergenic. We collect pollen from both fresh as well as from herbarium specimens and use these to train the CNN model VGG16. The model shows that Urticaceae pollen can be distinguished with 98.3% accuracy. We then apply our model on Urticaceae pollen collected from aerobiological samples and show that the genera can be confidently distinguished, despite the more challenging input images that are often overlain by debris. Our method can also be applied to other pollen families in the future and will thus help to make allergenic pollen monitoring more specific.

scholarly journals Pinus Pollen Emission Patterns in Different Bioclimatic Areas of the Iberian Peninsula

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 688
Author(s):  
María Fernández-González ◽  
Beatriz Lara ◽  
Estefanía González-Fernández ◽  
Jesús Rojo ◽  
Rosa Pérez-Badia ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Iberian Peninsula ◽  
Transition Zone ◽  
Pollen Season ◽  
Airborne Pollen ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Mediterranean Areas ◽  
Main Pollen Season ◽  
Phenological Cycle ◽  
The Mediterranean

Background: In the Northern Hemisphere, pine forests predominate due to their natural distribution and silvicultural importance. Pinus tree species are large pollen producers. Nowadays, the context of climate change influences their distribution, abundance, growth and productivity. The objectives of the study were to assess the patterns of the Pinus flowering behavior regarding their pollen presence in the atmosphere and intensity in different bioclimatic areas of the Iberian Peninsula during recent years. Methods: The survey was carried out in three different biogeographic zones of Spain: Vigo (Eurosiberian region) and Ourense (transition area between the Eurosiberian and Mediterranean areas) located in northwest Spain and Toledo (Mediterranean area) placed in the center of the Iberian Peninsula. Airborne pollen was collected with volumetric traps in each study area from 1995 to 2019. Results: Pinus pollen showed a marked single pollination period during late March in the Eurosiberian region and April in the transition zone between the Eurosiberian and the Mediterranean area. Two different peaks with lower pollen intensity were detected during the pollen season in Toledo (Mediterranean area), the first during late March and the second from the end of May to the beginning of June. The trends detected revealed changes in the timing of the phenological cycle, such us longer pollen seasons and later end dates of the Main Pollen Season (MPS) in some cases. The mean Annual Pollen Integral (API) in the Eurosiberian area (Vigo) and transition zone (Ourense) was similar, with about 4400 pollen grains. In the Mediterranean area (Toledo), a lower API amount of 1618 pollen grains was recorded. A trend towards an increase of 126 and 80 pollen grains per year in the airborne pine load was detected in the transition and Mediterranean areas studied, respectively. Conclusions: The rates of the annual integral Pinus pollen percentage with respect to the total pollen of forest species in the atmosphere of the areas studied showed a decreasing percentage trend during the last years.

scholarly journals The phenology of flowering and fluctuations of airborne pollen concentrations of selected trees in Poznań, 2003-2004

2012 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 301-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alicja Stach ◽  
Magdalena Kluza-Wieloch ◽  
Alicja Zientarska
Keyword(s):  
Airborne Pollen ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Early Spring ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Salix Caprea ◽  
Long Distance Transport ◽  
Pollen Concentrations ◽  
Beginning Of Flowering ◽  
Specific Species ◽  
Distance Transport

The aim of the study was to describe the relationships between the flowering phase of selected tree species, whose pollen is known to be allergenic, and fluctuations in the pollen in the air, and to use results obtained for making allergological forecasts. Studies were conducted of five tree taxa: <i>Populus</i>, <i>Ulmus</i>, <i>Salix</i>, <i>Aesculus</i>, and <i>Tilia</i>, in the years 2003-2004. Aeropalinological analyses concerned the above mentioned genera, while in phenological studies specific species were investigated, i.e. the most common representatives of a given genus found in Poland, that is <i>Populus wilsonii</i>, <i>Ulmus laevis</i> Pall. C. K.Schneid., <i>Salix caprea</i> L., <i>Aesculus hippocastanum</i> L. and <i>Tilia cordata</i> Mill. Aerobiological monitoring was performed using a the volumetric method and phenological observations of flowering phases were made according to the Łukasiewicz method. While observing the emergence of individual phenological symptoms and measurements of the concentration of pollen of the investigated taxa in the air of Poznań, a distinct acceleration was observed in 2004, a year that was characterized by a milder winter. This applied not only to the species blooming in early spring, but also to the later ones. Pollen grains of the investigated taxa, except for <i>Aesculus</i>, appeared earlier in aeropalinological observations than the macroscopically observed beginning of flowering in selected trees. Apart from a poplar, the end of flowering in the other trees occurred each year earlier than would follow from the aerobiological observations. This may be explained by the abundance of species within a taxon, and the effect of medium - and long-distance transport.

scholarly journals Pollen Production of Quercus in the North-Western Iberian Peninsula and Airborne Pollen Concentration Trends during the Last 27 Years

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 702
Author(s):  
María Fernández-González ◽  
Estefanía González-Fernández ◽  
Helena Ribeiro ◽  
Ilda Abreu ◽  
F. Javier Rodríguez-Rajo
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Airborne Pollen ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Maximum Temperature ◽  
Pollen Production ◽  
Pollen Monitoring ◽  
Main Pollen Season ◽  
Pollen Concentrations ◽  
Oak Pollen ◽  
The Impact

Natural forests are considered a reservoir of great biological diversity constituting one of the most important ecosystems in Europe. Quercus study is essential to assess ecological conservation of forests, and also of economic importance for different industries. In addition, oak pollen can cause high sensitization rates of respiratory allergies in pollen-allergy sufferers. This study sought to know the pollen production of six oak species in the transitional area between the Eurosiberian and Mediterranean Bioclimatic Regions, and to assess the impact of climate change on airborne oak pollen concentrations. The study was conducted in Ourense (NW Spain) over the 1993–2019 period. A Lanzoni VPPS 2000 volumetric trap monitored airborne pollen. A pollen production study was carried out in ten trees randomly selected in several Quercus forest around the Ourense city. Oak pollen represented around 14% of annual total pollen registered in the atmosphere of Ourense, showing an increasing trend during the last decade. Pollen production of the six studied oak species follow the proportions 1:1:2:5:90:276 for Q. ilex, Q. faginea, Q. rubra, Q. suber, Q. pyrenaica, and Q. robur respectively. We detected a significant trend to the increase of the annual maximum temperature, whereas a decrease of the maximum and mean temperatures during three previous months to oak flowering. This could be related with the detected trend to a delay of the oak Main Pollen Season onset of 0.47 days per year. We also found significant trends to an increase of the annual pollen integral of 7.9% pollen grains per year, and the pollen peak concentration of 7.5% pollen grains per year. Quercus airborne pollen monitoring as well as the knowledge of the reproductive behavior of the main oak species, bring us an important support tool offering a promising bio-indicator to detect ecological variations induced by climate change.

scholarly journals Trends and threshold exceedances analysis of airborne pollen concentrations in Metropolitan Santiago Chile

PLoS ONE ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. e0123077 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard Toro A. ◽  
Alicia Córdova J. ◽  
Mauricio Canales ◽  
Raul G. E. Morales S. ◽  
Pedro Mardones P. ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Airborne Pollen ◽  
Pollen Concentrations ◽  
Threshold Exceedances
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