This paper studied associations between ocular symptoms, rhinitis, throat and dermal symptoms, headache and fatigue in students by ethnicity and in relation to exposure to chemical microbial markers and fungal DNA in vacuumed dust in schools in Malaysia. A total of 462 students from 8 randomly selected secondary schools in Johor Bahru, Malaysia, participated (96% response rate). Dust was vacuumed from 32 classrooms and analysed for levels of five types of endotoxin as 3-hydroxy fatty acids (C10, C12, C14, C16 and C18 3-OH), muramic acid, ergosterol and five sequences of fungal DNA. Multiple logistic regression was applied. Totally 11.9% reported weekly ocular symptoms, 18.8% rhinitis, 15.6% throat and 11.1% dermal symptoms, 20.6% headache and 22.1% tiredness. Totally 21.1% reported pollen or furry pet allergy (atopy) and 22.0% parental asthma or allergy. Chinese students had less headache than Malay and Indian had less rhinitis and less tiredness than Malay. Parental asthma/allergy was a risk factor for ocular (odds ratio=3.79) and rhinitis symptoms (OR=3.48). Atopy was a risk factor for throat symptoms (OR=2.66), headache (OR=2.13) and tiredness (OR=2.02). There were positive associations between amount of fine dust in the dust samples and ocular symptoms (p<0.001) and rhinitis (p=0.006). There were positive associations between C14 3-OH and rhinitis (p<0.001) and between C18 3-OH and dermal symptoms (p=0.007). There were negative (protective) associations between levels of total endotoxin (LPS) (p=0.004) and levels of ergosterol (p=0.03) and rhinitis and between C12 3-OH and throat symptoms (p=0.004). In conclusion, the amount of fine dust in the classroom was associated with rhinitis and other SBS symptoms and improved cleaning of the schools is important. Endotoxin in the school dust seems to be mainly protective for rhinitis and throat symptoms but different types of endotoxin could have different effects. The ethnic differences in symptoms among the students deserve further attention.
Allergic rhinitis is the single most common chronic allergic disease affecting an estimated four million people in Malaysia. House dust mites, grass pollens and fungal spores play has been identified to play a major role in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis. However, sensitization to pollen and spores in Malaysia is not well documented. On the basis of the results of an aerobiological survey of the common mold spores and pollens in the Klang Valley, twelve local extracts of molds and two local extracts of grass pollens were prepared by the Institute for Medical Research for this study. The study evaluated the prevalence of skin prick test (SPT) reactivity to the extracts of those airborne molds and pollens in allergic rhinitis patients in the Klang Valley. A total of 85 allergic rhinitis patients were recruited. All molds and grass pollens extracts tested, elicited positive response to SPT. Among the molds extracts, Fusarium was observed to have the highest prevalence of SPT reactivity (23.5%), followed by Aspergillus flavum (21.2%), Dreselera orysae (18.8%), Alternaria sp (17.6%), Curvularis eragrostidis (17.6%), Penicillium oxa (16.5%), Pestolotriopsis gtuepini (16.5%), Rhizopphus arrhi (16.5%), Aspergilluls nigus (15.3%). Penicillium choy (12.9%), Aspergillus fumigatus (11.8%), and Cladosporium sp (4.7%). In the grass pollen, the SPT reactivity to Ischaemum and Enilia is 14.1% and 5.9% respectively. However, the prevalence of SPT reactivity was not influenced by the age, sex, ethnicity, symptomatology and concurrent allergic condition. We have documented the prevalence of skin prick test reactivity to common molds and grass pollens in the Klang valley, which is comparable to the neighboring countries. Its prevalence in our allergic rhinitis patients suggests that it has a role in pathogenesis of allergic diseases. A larger representative sample involving multi-centric centers in Malaysia should be encouraged in the near future.
Study site: ENT
Department, Pusat Perubatan University Kebangsaan Malaysia
(PPUKM)
A 16-year-old female from Rantau Panjang, Kelantan reported having diarrhoea for three months. During this period, she lost 15 lb in weight and was treated with antibiotics and anti-spasmodic tablets with no improvement. Stool examinations by private laboratories revealed "worm-like eggs". She was treated for worms with mebendazole which helped to reduce the symptoms but not completely. The patient continued passing out the abnormal "worm-like eggs" which were later identified as pollen grains.
Crosses were made between four varieties ('Mahsuri', 'Setanjung", 'MR84" and 'MR103") of Oryza sativa L. (2n=24, AA) and one accession of O. minuta (2n= 8, BBCC). The seed set obtained ranged between 9.5% and 25.1% depending on the rice variety used. By rescuing 14-day-old embryos and culturing them on 25%-strength MS medium we obtained a total of 414 F1 hybrids. The F1s were vigorous, tillered profusely, were perennial and male-sterile. The hybrids were triploid (ABC) with 36 chromosomes and showed irregular meiosis. The average frequency and range of chromosome associations at metaphase I or early anaphase I pollen mother cells of F1 plants were 29.31(16-36) Is +3.32(0-10) IIs+0.016(0-1) IIIs+0.002(0-1) IVs. Upon backcrossing the original triploid hybrids and colchicine-treated hybrids to their respective recurrent parents, and further embryo rescue, 17 backcross-1 (BC1) plants were obtained. Of all the crosses using MR84, no BC1 plant was obtained even after pollinating 13 894 spikelets of the triploid hybrid. The BC1s were similar in appearence to the F1s and were male-sterile, their chromosome number ranged from 44 to 48. By backcrossing these BC1s and nurturing them through embryo rescue, we obtained 32 BC2 plants. Of these, however, only 18 plants grew vigorously. One of these plants has 24 chromosomes and the other 17 have chromosome numbers ranging between 30 and 37. The 24-chromosome plant was morphologically similar to the O. sativa parent and was partially fertile with a pollen and spikelet fertility of 58.8% and 12.5% respectively. All of the F1 and BC1 plants were found to be resistant to five Malaysian isolates (XO66, XO99, XO100, XO257 and XO319) of Xanthomonas campestris pv oryzae. Amongst the BC2s, the reaction varied from resistant to moderately susceptible. The 24-chromosome BC2 plant was resistant to the four isolates and moderately resistant to isolate XO100 to which the O. sativa parent was susceptible.
Pollens and seeds of Hypoestes and Rhinacanthus collected from different field localities in Taiz and Soqotra Island, Yemen were investigated by using light and scanning electron microscopes. Pollen grains of Hypoestes were prolate in equatorial view, lobate trigonal to lobate circular in polar view whereas those of Rhinacanthus were subspheroidal and rounded trigonal in polar view. The aperture was tricolporate and exine ornamentation was coarsely reticulate for all species in the two genera. Scanning electron microscopy and morphological observations showed that mature dry seeds of Hypoestes and Rhinacanthus have various sizes and shapes, the surface ornamentations observed were reticulate to cristate, an addition to the tuberculum and papillae. The three Hypoestes species differ in the seed structure which are useful for identification and their high structural diversity provides an important taxonomic value for species differentiation.
A study on the importance of Xylocopa varipuncta (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as pollination agent was conducted at the Setiu Mangrove Forest, Terengganu from September to December 2010. The objective of this study was to identify the pollens collected by carpenter bees (X. varipuncta) in the mangrove community of Setiu Wetlands. A total of 35 types of pollens were collected from the body of X. varipuncta and only 10 types of the pollens were successfully identified. The identified pollens were of Avicennia alba, Lumnitzera racemosa, Sonneratia caseolaris, S. ovata and Rhizophora apiculata from exclusive mangroves, while Suregada multiflora, Melaleuca cajuputi, Derris trifoliata, Acacia auriculiformis and Hibiscus tiliaceus were from non-exclusive mangroves. Melaleuca cajuputi was the highest number of pollen carried by X. varipuncta. This study showed that X. varipuncta is an important pollen carrier in the mangrove community of Setiu Wetlands, Terengganu.
Pollen morphology of 24 species of Vatica L. had been investigated using light and scanning electron microscopes. Vatica is a stenopalynous genus, the pollens are radially symmetrical, isopolar, subprolate to suboblate sometimes prolate rarely oblate, all tricolpate. Exine ornamentation varies from thin to medium reticulate. On the basis of pollen shape two groups of Vatica have been recognized. Within the genus pollen diversity is valuable for identification and delimiting species.
Pollinator syndrome is one of the most important determinants regulating pollen dispersal in tropical tree species. It has been widely accepted that the reproduction of tropical forest species, especially dipterocarps that rely on insects with weak flight for their pollination, is positively density-dependent. However differences in pollinator syndrome should affect pollen dispersal patterns and, consequently, influence genetic diversity via the mating process. We examined the pollen dispersal pattern and mating system of Shorea maxwelliana, the flowers of which are larger than those of Shorea species belonging to section Mutica which are thought to be pollinated by thrips (weak flyers). A Bayesian mating model based on the paternity of seeds collected from mother trees during sporadic and mass flowering events revealed that the estimated pollen dispersal kernel and average pollen dispersal distance were similar for both flowering events. This evidence suggests that the putative pollinators - small beetles and weevils - effectively contribute to pollen dispersal and help to maintain a high outcrossing rate even during sporadic flowering events. However, the reduction in pollen donors during a sporadic event results in a reduction in effective pollen donors, which should lead to lower genetic diversity in the next generation derived from seeds produced during such an event. Although sporadic flowering has been considered less effective for outcrossing in Shorea species that depend on thrips for their pollination, effective pollen dispersal by the small beetles and weevils ensures outcrossing during periods of low flowering tree density, as occurs in a sporadic flowering event.
The maintenance of mixed mating was studied in Shorea curtisii, a dominant and widely distributed dipterocarp species in Southeast Asia. Paternity and hierarchical Bayesian analyses were used to estimate the parameters of pollen dispersal kernel, male fecundity and self-pollen affinity. We hypothesized that partial self incompatibility and/or inbreeding depression reduce the number of selfed seeds if the mother trees receive sufficient pollen, whereas reproductive assurance increases the numbers of selfed seeds under low amounts of pollen. Comparison of estimated parameters of self-pollen affinity between high density undisturbed and low density selectively logged forests indicated that self-pollen was selectively excluded from mating in the former, probably due to partial self incompatibility or inbreeding depression until seed maturation. By estimating the self-pollen affinity of each mother tree in both forests, mother trees with higher amount of self-pollen indicated significance of self-pollen affinity with negative estimated value. The exclusion of self-fertilization and/or inbreeding depression during seed maturation occurred in the mother trees with large female fecundity, whereas reproductive assurance increased self-fertilization in the mother trees with lower female fecundity.
Currently, bee-gathered pollen (bee pollen) is commonly used worldwide as a dietary supplement and is recognized for its curative properties. Floral pollen is also important but is less recognized due to a lack of investigation. This study aims to determine the morphological characteristics and nutritional and phytochemical properties of floral maize pollen. Fresh pollen grains harvested from a farm of maize plants are yellow in colour and spheroid in shape. They change to amber and indented prismatic solid shapes when dehydrated. The main composition of floral maize pollen is carbohydrates (44.30±3.73%), followed by moisture (23.38±5.73%), crude proteins (17.16±3.13%), crude fibres (9.56±0.92%), and ash (4.98±0.11%), while the lowest content is observed for crude fats (0.62±0.06%). The predominant mineral is potassium (768.50±11.40 mg 100 g-1), followed by sodium (695.10±9.70 mg 100 g-1), calcium (147.20±12.60 mg 100 g-1), and magnesium (97.30±2.9 mg 100 g-1). The microelements (with average values) consist of iron (49.50±3.30 mg 100 g-1) and zinc (30.00±3.70 mg 100 g-1). Excellent phytochemical properties add value to floral maize pollen. Maize pollen contains a high total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC) of 783.02 mg GAE 100 g-1 and 1706.83 mg QE 100 g-1, respectively, and possesses strong antioxidant activity of 10.54 mg mL-1. Maize floral pollen and derived products can serve as future food resources for human consumption and as a source of functional and bioactive compounds in nutraceutical and pharmaceutical industries.
Homoplastic evolution of 'unique' morphological characteristics in the Schismatoglottideae - many previously used to define genera - prompted this study to compare morphology and function in connection with pollination biology for Aridarum nicolsonii, Phymatarum borneense and Schottarum sarikeense. Aridarum nicolsonii and P. borneense extrude pollen through a pair of horned thecae while S. sarikeense sheds pollen through a pair of pores on the thecae. Floral traits of spathe constriction, presence and movement of sterile structures on the spadix, the comparable role of horned thecae and thecae pores, the presence of stamen-associated calcium oxalate packages, and the timing of odour emission are discussed in the context of their roles in pollinator management. Pollinators for all investigated species were determined to be species of Colocasiomyia (Diptera: Drosophilidae).
Field studies integrating pollination investigations with an assessment of floral scent composition and thermogenesis in tropical aroids are rather few. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the pollination biology of nine species belonging to Schismatoglottis Calyptrata Complex Clade. The flowering mechanism, visiting insect activities, reproductive system, thermogenesis and floral scent composition were examined. Anthesis for all species started at dawn and lasted 25-29 h. Colocasiomyia (Diptera, Drosophilidae) are considered the main pollinators for all the investigated species. Cycreon (Coleoptera, Hydrophilidae) are considered secondary pollinators as they are only present in seven of the nine host plants, despite the fact that they are the most effective pollen carrier, carrying up to 15 times more pollen grains than Colocasiomyia flies. However, the number of Colocasiomyia individuals was six times higher than Cycreon beetles. Chaloenus (Chrysomelidae, Galeuricinae) appeared to be an inadvertent pollinator. Atheta (Coleoptera, Staphylinidae) is considered a floral visitor in most investigated species of the Calyptrata Complex Clade in Sarawak, but a possible pollinator in S. muluensis. Chironomidae midges and pteromalid wasps are considered visitors in S. calyptrata. Thermogenesis in a biphasic pattern was observed in inflorescences of S. adducta, S. calyptrata, S. giamensis, S. pseudoniahensis and S. roh. The first peak occurred during pistillate anthesis; the second peak during staminate anthesis. Inflorescences of all investigated species of Calyptrata Complex Clade emitted four types of ester compound, with methyl ester-3-methyl-3-butenoic acid as a single major VOC (volatile organic compound). The appendix, pistillate zone, staminate zone and spathe emitted all these compounds. A mixed fly-beetle pollination system is considered an ancestral trait in the Calyptrata Complex Clade, persisting in Sarawak taxa, whereas the marked reduction of interpistillar staminodes in taxa from Peninsular Malaysia and especially, Ambon, Indonesia, is probably linked to a shift in these taxa to a fly-pollinated system.
Melaleuca cajuputi and Acacia auriculiformis trees are major sources of nectar and pollen for Apis dorsata and the colonies are a major source of honey to the rural poor, honey hunters. Honey is a supplementary income to many of these people (including school children) in the Marang district, Terengganu. In this study, Marang area with 270 square kilometers was chosen as pilot study area in Terengganu state for mapping M. cajuputi and A. auriculiformis as two dominant species in low land secondary forest in Terengganu state.To inventory and produce land use map of Melaleuca forest in Marang area, in this study SPOT-5 satellite image in multispectral mode with 10 meter resolution which is acquired in 2007 as optical satellite was utilized. Most images from optical satellites have some null data from ground because of clouds and shadow of clouds. To solve this problem, Hue, Saturation and value (HSV) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used as fusion techniques to replace null data with microwave data which taken from Radarsat-1 image in C-band with 25 meter resolution image. Accordingly, fusion technique which was used in this research not only was a technique to improve information but also caused the accuracy increasing than land use map by just only SPOT-5 image. Also between two different fusion techniques, PCA shows the better result than HSV as two different fusion techniques.
Stingless bee-collected pollen (bee bread) is a mixture of bee pollen, bee salivary enzymes, and regurgitated honey, fermented by indigenous microbes during storage in the cerumen pot. Current literature data for bee bread is overshadowed by bee pollen, particularly of honeybee Apis. In regions such as South America, Australia, and Southeast Asia, information on stingless bee bee bread is mainly sought to promote the meliponiculture industry for socioeconomic development. This review aims to highlight the physicochemical properties and health benefits of bee bread from the stingless bee. In addition, it describes the current progress on identification of beneficial microbes associated with bee bread and its relation to the bee gut. This review provides the basis for promoting research on stingless bee bee bread, its nutrients, and microbes for application in the food and pharmaceutical industries.
Pollen flow and population genetic structure among 30 potentially flowering individuals of Neobalanocarpus heimii, a tropical emergent tree, were investigated in a lowland tropical rainforest of Malaysia using microsatellite polymorphism. The 248 offspring in the vicinity of five reproductive trees of the 30 potentially flowering trees were used in paternity analysis for pollen-flow study. Four primer pairs, developed in different species of dipterocarps, were adopted to detect microsatellite polymorphism. Based upon microsatellite polymorphism, pollen flow and seed migration were detected. Pollen-flow events of more than 400 m were observed directly, based on paternity analysis in the study plot. The estimated average mating distance of the five reproductive trees was 524 m. This result suggests that reproduction of this species is mediated by a long-distance pollinator. The haplotypes of some offspring were not compatible with the nearest reproductive tree. Thus, the results suggest that some seeds are dispersed by a seed dispersal vector. Investigation of genetic structure showed significant and negative correlation of genetic relatedness and spatial distances between the 30 potentially flowering trees, but this correlation was weak. We suggest that long-distance gene flow and seed migration are responsible for the poorly developed genetic structure of this species.
Pollen micro-morphological features have proven to be helpful for the plant taxonomists in the identification and classification of plants. The utilization of this plantmayhelpfulin the areas of lignocellulosic conversion to biofuels and diversify application toward biomass. The current study was planned with the aim to evaluate the pollen features of complex Ranunculaceous flora of District Chitral, Northern Pakistan using both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Light Microscope (LM) for their taxonomic importance. Pollens of 18 Ranunculaceous species belonging to 6 genera were collected from different localities of the research area. SEM and LM were used to examine both qualitative and quantitative micro-morphological features. Sculptring of the sexine include; Scabrate, psilate, echinate, verrucate, perforate gemmate, and reticulate and so forth. Shape of the pollens was sub-spheroidal, spheroidal, prolate, subprolate and oblate and so forth. Type of pollen was ranged from mono to tricolpate and tricolporate. Quantitative characters include length/width of the pollen, colpus, exine thickness, and P/E ratio. Based on these micro-morphological features a taxonomic key was prepared for the fast and correct identification. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHT: Study of the pollen micro-morphological features of Ranunculaceous species by SEM and LM. Analysing both qualitative and quantitative characters of the pollens. Preparation of taxonomic key based on micro-morphological features for the correct and fast identification.
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a cancer treatment that employs the production of cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS), subsequently triggering tumor apoptosis and tumor size reduction. However, this approach suffers from insufficient light penetration depth. In order to mitigate this issue, pollen-structured gold clusters (PSGCs) were designed for mediating X-ray-induced PDT for radiotherapy enhancement. The structure of PSGCs provides a large surface area that is able to generate ROS upon X-ray irradiation. The synthesized PSGCs were exposed to different X-ray doses and the generated ROS was then quantified by dihydroethidium (DHE) assay. Furthermore, at the cellular level, the PDT efficacy of PSGCs was evaluated via immunofluorescence staining with γ-H2AX and comet assay. The results demonstrated that PSGCs possess a significantly high ROS-generating capacity and a remarkable PDT efficacy in the treatment of breast cancer cells, thus showing potential clinical uses in deep-tissue cancer treatment.
Pollen distribution from the pollen loads of stingless bee foragers in KampungTempinis, Besut, Terengganu was observed and recorded using optical microscope. Heterotrigona itama, one of the most common IndoMalayan stingless bee species domesticated and widely distributed throughout Malaysia was selected for this observation.The objective of this study was to have an annual bee calendar for H. itama in Besut. Pollen collection was carried out twice a month from January to June 2015. Results showed, during the six months period of observation H. itama foraged 31 different flowering plants. Different months of the year showed different floral preference by the stingless bee. The most dominant flower visited by the stingless bee in January and February is Stevia rebaudiana while March to June is Antigonon leptopus (Honolulu creeper). This observation could be useful for conservation purposes and also in planning a good beescape in Malaysia meliponiculture industry.
Melissopalynology (pollen analysis) allows the identification of floral sources, botanical and geographical origin of selected Kelulut honey samples. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine the origin of selected Kelulut honey by Geniotrigona thoracica and Heterotrigona itama farmed and harvested at Lenggong (Perak). Briefly, the honey was diluted in ddH2O and filtered to obtain the pollens. Subsequently, the morphology of the pollens was observed under scanning electron microscope (SEM) and the frequency classes of species were determined. Based on qualitative and quantitative analysis, G. thoracica honey was demonstrated to be a uni-floral honey and H. Itama honey as a multi-floral honey. A total of 7 types of pollens were observed in G. thoracica honey while 9 types in H. Itama honey. Some of the pollen were identified with the aid of pollen atlas while some were unidentified. Furthermore, the results obtained in this study suggested that the pollens present in Kelulut honey are crucial in identifying botanical resource of stingless bee honey, which assist in preserving the ecosystem.
Ultrastructural study was carried out 2 groups of pollen with numerous, arranged and spirals on convex. Five species was studied; Desmos chinensis Lour. Fl., Desmos cochinchinensis Lour Fl. , Desmos dumonsus (Roxb.) Safford. , Desmos dunalii (Hk. F. et Th.) Safford. and Desmos dasymaschalus (Bl.) Safford. Pollen was collected from UKM Herbarium specimens and fresh specimen was collected at difference area in the Malaysia. They were acetolysis and dried by CPD method. Parameter studied via scanning electron microscope are mounted pollen, were stamen material; shape, P/E, size, surface structure and calpus ornamentation. Results obtained showed that pollen was inaperturate with needle structure and solitary globus. The morphology of pollen grains of all the species is presented and an identification key base on scanning electron microscope observations is tested.