Search results for "Phleum"
showing 10 items of 15 documents
Data from: Effects of undergrowth removal and edge proximity on ground beetles and vascular plants in urban boreal forests
2019
Urban forests are regularly managed for human safety and aesthetic reasons, but they are crucial habitat for many species. Removals of undergrowth occur commonly in these forests, yet the ecological consequences of these operations are poorly understood. We sampled ground beetles (Coleoptera, Carabidae) and vascular plants along 20-m edge gradients in Finnish urban forests, in five stands treated 0.5−2.5 years earlier with undergrowth removal and in five untreated stands. We hypothesized that undergrowth removal and edge proximity would benefit opportunistic and open-habitat species, whereas shady-habitat species would be affected negatively. (1) Regarding carabids, diversity and evenness i…
An alternative allergen:adjuvant formulation potentiates the immunogenicity and reduces allergenicity of a novel subcutaneous immunotherapy product f…
2012
Background Subcutaneous specific immunotherapy (SCIT) has proven sustained clinical efficacy against allergy. The recommended regimen for SCIT is a gradual updosing over a period of weeks. Commonly, in commercial products for SCIT, the specific allergen is formulated with an adjuvant, most often in the form of aluminium hydroxide (AlOH). It has been shown that allergen-specific IgG antibodies are induced as a result of successful SIT. Objective To investigate the possibility of optimizing the formulation of AlOH-based grass-pollen allergy vaccines for SCIT in a way that allows for shorter updosing regimens while maintaining the immunogenicity of the vaccine. Methods Mice were immunized with…
Anaerobic digestion of grass silage in batch leach bed processes for methane production.
2007
Abstract Anaerobic digestion of grass silage in batch leach bed reactors, with and without a second stage upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor, was evaluated. Sixty six percent of the methane potential in grass was obtained within the 55 days solids retention time in the leach bed–UASB process without pH adjustment, whereas in the one-stage leach bed process 20% of the methane potential in grass was extracted. In two-stage operation, adjustment of the pH of influent to the leach bed reactor to 6 with HCl led to inhibition of both hydrolysis/acidogenesis and methanogenesis. In the leach bed–UASB process 39% of the carbohydrates and 58% of the acid soluble lignin were solubilised wi…
Variations in seed germination behavior ofPhleum hirsutumsubsp.ambiguumand possible applications in semi-natural grassland restoration
2015
Phleum hirsutum Honck. subsp. ambiguum (Ten.) Tzvelev is an important component of the vegetation of some semi-natural grassland habitats of central and southern Italy and especially of those referring to the 6210* habitat (Directive 92/43/EEC). Seeds of this species are required for the execution of restoration works concerning this habitat. Therefore, the recovery and the study of autochthonous germplasm are needed. This study focused on the intra-specific variations in seed mass and size and in seed germination behavior in this species since the knowledge of these aspects can be very useful in the planning of restoration projects. The present research evidenced significant differences in…
Gram-positive bacteria on grass pollen exhibit adjuvant activity inducing inflammatory T cell responses.
2011
BACKGROUND: Recently, it has been established that pollen grains contain Th2-enhancing activities besides allergens. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyse whether pollen carry additional adjuvant factors like microbes and what immunological effects they may exert. METHODS: Timothy pollen grains were collected and disseminated on agar plates, and the growing microorganisms were cultivated and defined. Furthermore, the immunologic effects of microbial products on DC and T cell responses were analysed. RESULTS: A complex mixture of bacteria and moulds was detected on grass pollen. Besides Gram-negative bacteria that are known to favour Th1-directed immune responses, moulds were ident…
Parental hay fever reinforces IgE to pollen as pre-clinical biomarker of hay fever in childhood
2014
An early IgE response to grass or birch pollen can anticipate seasonal allergic rhinitis to pollen later in life or remain clinically silent.To identify risk factors early in life that allow discriminating pathogenic from non-pathogenic IgE responses and contribute to the development of seasonal allergic rhinitis to grass pollen.The German Multicentre Allergy Study examined a birth cohort born in 1990. A questionnaire was yearly administered and blood samples collected at age 1,2,3,5,6,7,10,13 yr. The definition of the primary outcome grass- and birch-pollen-related seasonal allergic rhinitis (SARg, SARb) was based on nasal symptoms in June/July and April, respectively. Serum IgE antibodies…
Molecular spreading and predictive value of preclinical IgE response to Phleum pratense in children with hay fever.
2012
Background IgE sensitization against grass pollen is a cause of seasonal allergic rhinitis. Objective We sought to investigate the evolution at the molecular level and the preclinical predictive value of IgE responses against grass pollen. Methods The German Multicentre Allergy Study examined a birth cohort born in 1990. A questionnaire was administered yearly, and blood samples were collected at 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, and 13 years of age. Grass pollen–related seasonal allergic rhinitis (SARg) was diagnosed according to nasal symptoms in June/July. Serum IgE antibodies to Phleum pratense extract and 8 P pratense molecules were tested with immune-enzymatic singleplex and multiplex assays, res…
Planning land use for biogas energy crop production: The potential of cutaway peat production lands
2016
Each year, thousands of hectares of peatland that had been harvested are being released in Finland, which can offer an opportunity to increase energy crops and attain the bioenergy targets for non-agriculture lands. In this study, the Geographic Information System (GIS) method was used to improve the assessment of decentralized renewable energy resources. The amount of peat production lands and future cutaway areas for energy crop production was calculated as a case study by using ArcGIS and the Finnish Topographic database. There are almost 1000 km2 of peat production lands in Finland, and theoretically, approximately 300 km2 of cutaway peatlands could be used for energy crops after 30 yea…
Long-term soil feedback on plant N allocation in defoliated grassland miniecosystems
2005
Abstract Defoliation of plants is known to have effects on soil organisms and nutrient availability in grassland communities, but few studies have examined whether changes in soil attributes can further feed back to plant growth and plant nutrient content. To examine defoliation-induced soil feedbacks, we established replicated miniecosystems with a grass Phleum pratense , defoliated half of the systems, collected soil from both defoliated and non-defoliated systems and planted new seedlings into each soil. The two soils did not differ in promoting shoot and root growth. However, seedlings that grew in the soil collected from defoliated systems had higher shoot N content, allocated relative…
Do interactions with soil organisms mediate grass responses to defoliation?
2008
Abstract Defoliation-induced changes in grass growth and C allocation are known to affect soil organisms, but how much these effects in turn mediate grass responses to defoliation is not fully understood. Here, we present results from a microcosm study that assessed the role of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and soil decomposers in the response of a common forage grass, Phleum pratense L., to defoliation at two nutrient availabilities (added inorganic nutrients or no added nutrients). We measured the growth and C and N allocations of P. pratense plants as well as the abundance of soil organisms in the plant rhizosphere 5 and 19 d after defoliation. To examine whether defoliation affected…