BACKGROUND Subcutaneous allergen immunotherapy (SCIT) is a well-documented treatment for allergic disease which involves injections of native allergen or modified (allergoid) extracts. The use of allergoid vaccines is a growing sector of the allergy immunotherapy market, associated with shorter-course therapy. The aim of this study was the structural and immunological characterisation of group ...

Hawaiian tropical dry forests are a unique and highly endangered ecosystem. Remaining fragments are heavily impacted by invasive plant species, particularly the perennial bunchgrass Pennisetum setaceum (Forssk.) Chiov. (fountain grass). Little is known about the impact of invasive species on carbon cycling in terrestrial ecosystems. Biomass estimates are a critical first step in understanding t...

Garry oak (Quercus garryana) meadows of the Pacific Northwest are heavily invaded but the dynamics surrounding this ecosystem transformation are poorly understood. Of particular uncertainty is the role of the invasive species in structuring the community, and the potential stability of this invasive-dominated system when disturbed. Clarifying such issues is central to restoration success for Ga...

Problem Torpedograss (Panicum repens L.) is a nonnative riparian, wetland and terrestrial plant native to Eurasia and is considered one of the World’s worst weeds. It is also known as quack grass and bullet grass. When fully matured, torpedograss can grow up to 3 feet tall and form dense monotypic stands that out compete native species and lead to a loss of diversity and overall ecological heal...

Despite their minute biomass, microbial symbionts of plants potentially alter herbivory, diversity and community structure. Infection of grasses by asexual endophytic fungi often decreases herbivore loads and alters arthropod diversity. However, most studies to date have involved agronomic grasses and often consider only infection status (infected vs. uninfected), without explicitly measuring e...

The ecological benefits of a roadside native perennial grass stand are :ompromised when invasive species become estab· lished. We evaluated the potential to regenerate existing native perennial grass stand5 populat~d with yellow starthistle (Centaurea solstitialis) on a roadside planting in the lowland hills of t1e interior Coast Range of northern California. The experiment was designed to dete...