#pollen grain

[bpod-bpod]

Against the Grain

The intelligent part of artificial intelligence (AI) is mimicking our thought processes – making decisions based on logic and knowledge, and perhaps learning new rules along the way to hone these choices. But as deep-learning models grow more complex, the logic driving them can be lost in the code. Pictured under a scanning electron microscope, spotting different varieties of pollen grains, is a fresh challenge for artificial intelligence. A team of computer scientists and bioengineers sort grains by their different chemical and shape (morphological) properties using a form of explainable AI (xAI) – in which the artificial ‘thought processes’ are transparent and easy to follow. Apart making an excellent testing ground for xAI methods, the team are able to compare different models for classifying pollen, which may ultimately improve how we estimate pollen counts, make forecasts and promote advice to millions of people suffering allergies worldwide.

Written by John Ankers

Image from work by Sanja Brdar and colleagues

BioSense Institute - Research Institute for Information Technologies in Biosystems, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia

Image originally published with a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)

Published in Scientific Reports, February 2023

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[snzyspencer]

Not sure if anyone would be into this but we were dissecting flowers in lab and I got some up close photos of pollen. Thought some people might want to see what’s really up there tickling peoples noses

[sitting-on-me-bum]

Depth color-coded projection showing a germinating pollen grain of a morning glory attached to the stigma.

By Igor Siwanowicz (USA).

Light Microscopy Awards

[awkwardbotany]

Another Year of Pollination: Pollenkitt

Pollination in flowering plants is the process of moving pollen grains, which carry sperm cells, from the anthers to the stigmas of either the same flower or a separate flower. If things go well from there, sperm cells will be transported via pollen tubes into the ovaries where fertilization with egg cells can take place and seeds can form. Pollen grain development occurs within the anthers, and…

[pollenallergie]

some actors i have like major crushes on… and some i just think of like the fun uncles that show up and make family gatherings actually bearable. like i am not at all attracted to these actors, they just give me big “fun at parties, but like in a paternal-adjacent kinda way” energy. a few of these actors include:

pedro pascal (massive tío energy coming from this guy. the more i learn about him, the more i begin to think that he was just born to be somebody’s like really cool uncle and then happened to become a celebrity)

ben affleck (especially after seeing the legendary dunkin fumbles and the fact that he’s just fucking incredible at communicating in spanish?? yet he’s just some white dude from boston?? like that’s so iconic of him and also incredibly uncle-coded)

bradley cooper (seems like the stoner uncle that doesn’t come around a lot, but when he does, he’s cool and like it’s always fun)

colin firth (posh spice uncle)

anthony mackie (the very definition of fun. he’s the ultimate funcle - fun uncle… but he would also [jokingly] hate when you call him that [like not really hate?? but he’d be like ‘come on, man!!’ y’know??]. absolutely gets you in trouble for laughing during some like family event or something, but he’ll always take the fall for you because funcle’s never let their niblings/nieces/nephews get in trouble, if they can help it… if they can’t, well, then they’re always there to make you laugh in the aftermath)

[kiwisoap]

lovely scorpoid raceme in your lab pic, as a california botanist I am wondering what kinds of flowers from california you’re looking at!

Hi!! sorry this took me a while to respond to, we use 4-letter codes for all the plants and I couldnt remember the actual name of the one I was working on that day and had to find the document with all the names lmaO

The lab I'm in works mainly with plants in the serpentine seeps around Lower Lake, CA! I think in total we work with around 40-ish species from that area? It's a community ecology lab so not as much on the actual plant physiology and anatomy but LOTS of stuff about pollination (particularly plant-pollinator interaction patterns).

anyway the one in the pic was Plagiobothrys stipitatus! These guys:

Some of the other plants we work with that i think are cool are Erythranthe nudata, Leptosiphon bicolor (BARELY ANY SEEDS IN THIS BITCH), Lagophylla minor, Antirrhinum vexillocalyculatum, and Zigadenus venenosus. Lots of others but i will not bore u by listing them all out kfasjdfjk

My current job of collecting seeds is in preparation for next spring when we'll be starting a greenhouse experiment to try and grow the flowers and manipulate the amount and type of pollen they receive :-)

[bettyrightnow]

my throat is KILLING ME

[geohoneyy]

Elevate Your Nutrition with Bee Pollen Grains

When it comes to natural superfoods, bee pollen grains are a powerhouse of nutrition. Packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, bee pollen offers a plethora of health benefits. In this blog post, we will explore the wonders of bee pollen and guide you on where to buy this nutritional gem to elevate your nutrition.

The Marvelous Benefits of Bee Pollen Grains

Bee pollen grains are tiny golden granules collected by honeybees from flowering plants. They are rich in protein, amino acids, antioxidants, and a wide range of nutrients that can support overall health and well-being. Incorporating bee pollen into your diet can provide several potential benefits: Boosted Immunity, Increased Energy,

With its impressive nutritional profile and potential health benefits, bee pollen grains can be a valuable addition to your diet. By purchasing bee pollen from Geohoney so you can ensure the quality and freshness of the product.

Embrace the wonders of bee pollen grains and elevate your nutrition to new heights. Discover the natural power of this superfood and enjoy the wide range of benefits it can provide for your overall health and well-being.

[educartmarketing]

Question:

The anther contains :

(a) sepals                                          (b) ovules

(c) pistil                                            (d) pollen grains

Answer:

(d) pollen grains

[typhlonectes]

Brazilian frog might be the first pollinating amphibian known to science

Nectar-loving tree frog likely moves pollen from flower to flower.

The creamy fruit and nectar-rich flowers of the milk fruit tree are irresistible to Xenohyla truncata, a tree frog native to Brazil. On warm nights, the dusky-colored frogs take to the trees en masse, jostling one another for a chance to nibble the fruit and slurp the nectar. In the process, the frogs become covered in sticky pollen grains—and might inadvertently pollinate the plants, too.  It’s the first time a frog—or any amphibian—has been observed pollinating a plant, researchers reported last month in Food Webs...

Read more: https://www.science.org/content/article/brazilian-frog-might-be-first-pollinating-amphibian-known-science

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

This Brazilian frog might be the first pollinating amphibian known to science

Nectar-loving tree frog likely moves pollen from flower to flower

The creamy fruit and nectar-rich flowers of the milk fruit tree are irresistible to Xenohyla truncata, a tree frog native to Brazil. On warm nights, the dusky-colored frogs take to the trees en masse, jostling one another for a chance to nibble the fruit and slurp the nectar. In the process, the frogs become covered in sticky pollen grains—and might inadvertently pollinate the plants, too. It’s the first time a frog—or any amphibian—has been observed pollinating a plant, researchers reported last month in Food Webs.

Scientists long thought only insects and birds served as pollinators, but research has revealed that some reptiles and mammals are more than up to the task. Now, scientists must consider whether amphibians are also capable of getting the job done. It’s likely that the nectar-loving frogs, also known as Izecksohn’s Brazilian tree frogs, are transferring pollen as they move from flower to flower, the authors say. But more research is needed, they add, to   confirm that frogs have joined the planet’s pantheon of pollinators.

Source.

[sciencesolutions]

[ainawgsd]

Just a reminder with spring on the horizon and gifts of flowers being more common, LILIES ARE TOXIC TO CATS!

And by TOXIC I mean even just a few pollen grains or the water from a vase holding cut lilies or even just biting into a stem or leaf can cause fatal kidney failure.

If you have cats, please keep true lilies (any plant from the genus Lilium) out of your home or garden

[catsofyore]

As Easter gets closer, please remember and spread the word that lilies are DEADLY for cats. "The entire lily plant is toxic: the stem, leaves, flowers, pollen, and even the water in a vase. Eating just a small amount of a leaf or flower petal, licking a few pollen grains off its fur while grooming, or drinking the water from the vase can cause your cat to develop fatal kidney failure in less than 3 days." Source and more info.

[awkwardbotany]

Another Year of Pollination: Viscin Threads

While we’re on the subject of pollen-gluing mechanisms, there is another material apart from pollenkitt that a limited number of flowering plant families use to link their pollen grains together. It functions, much like pollenkitt, by aiding in the attachment of pollen to visiting animals. However, unlike pollenkitt, it isn’t sticky, oily, or viscous, and is instead more like a series of threads.…

[pollenallergie]

@chrrymunson my beloved <3