Search

The safety and impact on the environment of transgenic crops are important issues, and studies have shown that pollen from transgenic Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) corn (Zea mays L.) may kill nontarget insects. To develop an algorithm for assessing the environmental effect of transgenic crops, we arranged a field experiment in Tsukuba, Japan. Pollen dispersal and deposition were measured inside and outside a cornfield throughout the flowering period. Weather conditions such as wind speed and direction were measured at the same time. Pollen dispersal peaked 1 week after the start of flowering and continued for 12 days thereafter. The variation in daily pollen dispersal was similar at all observation points. Both pollen dispersal and deposition decreased exponentially with distance from the cornfield on all days. We estimated potential pollen deposition with a quasi-mechanistic model that incorporates the effects of wind direction, wind speed, and flowering intensity. The daily potential deposition was summed over the flowering period, and then the relationship between distance from the cornfield and the integrated potential deposition was estimated. It was possible to show the effective area of the environmental risk zone posed by genetically modified pollen by combining the distance/deposition relationship with the dose/response relationship derived from a laboratory assay. The algorithm described here can be applied to various wind-pollinated plants to estimate both potential and integrated pollen deposition.

After collection of airborne particles with a seven-day recording volumetric spore trap (Burkard model) using optically clear, pressure sensitive acrylic adhesive tapes, a dry PVDF membrane was pressed down firmly onto the adhesive tape, antigen-antibody reaction was performed in full contact with the tapes and PVDF membrane. Dark purple spots from airborne pollen allergens were examined under a light microscope to evaluate the form of pollens and particles wit h the antigenicity. It is clarified that identification of the form of pollens with the antigencity is possible not only pollens with the antigenicity but a pollen has already lost its shape, and it is also clarified that some airborne particular matters have the pollen antigencity. Airborne samples were collected during the Cryptomeria japonica or grass pollen season. Samples collected during the C. japonica pollen season were treated with anti-Cry j 1 monoclonal antibody, and those during the grass pollen season with anti-Dac g rabbit IgG. Samples collected during the C. japonica and the grass pollen peak season were treated with antibodies from sera of pollinosis patients. Spots originated not only from relevant pollen grains but also from parts of airborne particular matter have the pollen antigenicity and some spots could not observed for any kind of particles.

To examine the possibility of real-time measurement system for the concentration of airborne pollen allergens, Cry j 1 was chosen as an example to establish the system. Airborne pollen allergens were collected using Cyclone sampler from Burkard Co. Ltd. England. Cry j 1 was extracted from airborne samples with 10 mM HEPES buffer containing 0.125 M NH4HCO3 and measured with Biacore 3000 and Biacore Q. The sensitivity of the system was 5 ng/ml, and 0.1 ml sample volume and at least 500 pg of Cry j 1 was required for each measurement. Amounts of Cry j 1 can be obtained ca. 40 min after collection, that is, 15 min for extraction, 10 min for separation and 10 min for measurement.

About 40% of cedar pollinosis patients living in the Yamagata Prefecture showed pollinosis symptoms before the first day of the pollen season, which was determined by Durham samplers, the standard sampler for pollen information in Japan. The amount of Cry j 1 (major cedar pollen allergen) per cedar pollen is reported to be six pg. This amount is difficult to measure using the ELISA method, so we applied the highly sensitive ESR radical immunoassay method to measure the allergen; now we can provide information for sensitive patients. It revealed that Cry j 1 exists in orbicles and tapetum. It is presumed that it is smaller than pollen, so it comes from a place where cedar are already in bloom. It is desirable to obtain real-time information on an hourly basis. Currently, information from automatic cedar pollen monitors is becoming main-stream. However, this monitor may count during snowfalls, Asian dust flying, etc., even when there was no apparent pollen examined with a microscope. This paper describes the current status of automatic cedar pollen monitors, their usefulness, and their advantages and disadvantages in comparison with results obtained by other methods of measurement. Lastly, the paper describes expectations for cedar pollen information in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Some patients with Japanese cedar (JC) pollinosis already show pollinosis symptoms before the first day of the pollen season as determined by microscopic pollen counts. Methods: Airborne pollen allergen (Cry j 1) levels were measured by electron spin resonance radical immunoassay, a highly-sensitive method for Cry j 1 with a sensitivity 10-100-fold higher than conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The symptom data from patients with JC pollinosis were collected from a mobile phone site, "pollen check sheet", and the onset times of the patients' symptoms were analyzed. Results: The relationship between airborne Cry j 1 levels and the onset time of pollinosis symptoms was investigated. The symptoms of some patients began at the time airborne Cry j 1 levels fluctuated at 1 to 3 pg/m³ and symptom scores increased at the time of sudden increase in Cry j 1 levels. About 40% of patients began to show symptoms until the first day of the pollen season and the time nearly corresponds to the time of sudden increase in Cry j 1 levels. Conclusions: Pollinosis symptoms of some patients began at the time airborne Cry j 1 levels fluctuated at 1 to 3 pg/m³ and symptom scores increased at the time of sudden increase in Cry j 1 levels. The latter time nearly corresponds to the first day of the pollen season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Micronic antigens penetrate to the lower respiratory tract and cause serious lung problems. The existence of micronic antigens in pollinosis-caused pollen has been reported. We examined the appearance and the relationship of micronic particles of birch pollen antigens and birch pollen grains. Airborne particles were collected with a tandem filter system sampler composed of a 5 µm pore filter and a 0.3 µm pore ­Millipore filter in springtime at the Stockholm Uni­versity campus in Stockholm. A fairly good correlation was observed between numbers of birch pollen and the amount of birch pollen antigens above 5 µm in diameter. In contrast, a good correlation was not observed between the amount of birch pollen antigens collected in 5 µm pore filters and the amount of the antigens passing through 5 µm pore filters and collected on Millipore filters. The appearance of a maximum value of birch pollen antigens collected on Millipore filters seemed to be delayed a few days after a maximum values had been obtained for birch pollen on a Burkard sampler or birch pollen antigens on 5 µm pore filters. Almost all birch pollen antigens were found during the birch pollen season and recogniz­able amounts of birch pollen antigens were not detectable after the birch pollen season. Most of the birch pollen antigens collected on 5 µm pore filters originated from birch pollen grains. In contrast, the antigens passing through 5 µm pore filters and collected on Millipore filters did not originate from pollen grains themselves, but were micronic particles, and appeared a few days after maximum values of birch pollen had been obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This study examined the effects of snowfall on the beginning day of Cryptomeria japonica pollen release and predicted it under global climate change. We used a statistical method in order to investigate when the pollen release would start and how much sooner it would be, by using data on predicted meteorological conditions under global warming in Yamagata City, Japan. Estimation accuracy was improved by multiple regression by using the mean air temperature from January to February and snowfall depth in February. Adding snowfall depth yielded more accurate estimates of the beginning day of pollen release than using air temperature alone. It is possible that the effects of heat insulation and cooling by snow delay the flowering day. Under the predicted global climate change, we expect the beginning day of pollen release to become earlier in Yamagata City. The date would be 8 February in approximately 100 years, compared with 20 February at the earliest now. Eighty years from now the date could be earlier than any date recorded so far. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]