Traditionally, airborne concentrations of aeroallergens are sampled in a single location by an active sampler, which requires electricity and regular maintenance. However, aeroallergen concentrations may vary widely over urban and rural environments, requiring a method that is cost-effective and scalable so that many measurements can be made across an air shed. We developed such a method that uses passive sampling and light microscopy for analysis. Inexpensive and easy to operate, passive samplers rely on the gravitational settling of particles onto microscope slides. This determines airborne pollen concentration through: 1) sample collection using a modified Durham sampler, 2) preparation of samples for microscopy and strategic sample imaging, and 3) simplified particle measurements and calculation of pollen concentration following deposition velocity models proposed by Scheppegrell [1] and Wagner and Leith [2]. This method was verified with two sampling campaigns during the ragweed season of 2020 and the tree pollen season of 2021. The concentrations determined with the passive and Burkard sampling methods were found to be well-correlated (r > 0.99, r = 0.87) and precise (%CV = 20 %, 21 %). The validation of passive samplers will enable measurements of aeroallergens over wider spatial scales and help determine where aeroallergen exposure risks are greatest. •An inexpensive and low-cost method was developed to determine airborne pollen counts.•The method was evaluated for its accuracy and reproducibility.•The method can be applied to examine the concentrations and spatial variability of airborne pollen.

BACKGROUND: To date, studies examining the effect of air pollution on skin characteristics have relied on regional pollution estimates obtained from fixed monitoring sites. Hence, there remains a need to characterize the impact of air pollution in vivo in real-time conditions. We conducted an initial investigation under real-life conditions, with the purpose of characterizing the in vivo impact of various pollutants on the facial skin condition of women living in Paris over a 6-month period.
METHODS: A smartphone application linked to the Breezometer platform was used to collect participants\' individual exposures to pollutants through the recovery of global positioning system (GPS) data over a 6-month period. Daily exposure to fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 µm and PM 10 µm), pollen, and air quality was measured. Facial skin color, roughness, pore, hydration, elasticity, and wrinkle measurements were taken at the end of the 6-month period. Participants\' cumulated pollutant exposure over 6 months was calculated. Data were stratified into two groups (lower vs. higher pollutant exposure) for each pollutant.
RESULTS: 156 women (20-60 years-old) were recruited, with 124 women completing the study. Higher PM 2.5 µm exposure was associated with altered skin color and increased roughness under the eye. Higher PM 10 µm exposure with increased wrinkles and roughness under the eye, increased pore appearance, and decreased skin hydration. Exposure to poorer air quality was linked with increased forehead wrinkles and decreased skin elasticity, while higher pollen exposure increased skin roughness and crow\'s feet.
CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests a potential correlation between air pollution and facial skin in real-life conditions. Prolonged exposure to PM, gases, and pollen may be linked to clinical signs of skin ageing. This study highlights the importance of longer monitoring over time in real conditions to characterize the effect of pollution on the skin.

Human activities associated with large-scale farms and the monocultures expose honey bees to one type of food. Moreover, there is an ongoing decline of plant species producing pollen and nectar in Europe. A poorly balanced diet affects a number of processes occurring in a bee\'s body. The fat body and hemolymph are the tissues that participate in all of them. Therefore, the aim of our study was to determine the effect of hazel, pine, rapeseed, buckwheat, phacelia and goldenrod pollen on the morphological parameters of fat body trophocytes, the diameters of cell nuclei in oenocytes and the concentrations of compounds involved in energy metabolism (glucose, glycogen, triglycerides and protein). In the cage tests, the bees were fed from the first day of life with sugar candy (control group) or candy with a 10% addition of one of the 6 pollen types. Hemolymph and fat body from various locations were collected from 1-, 7- and 14-day-old workers. Pollen produced by plant species such as hazel and pine increased glucose concentrations in the bee tissues, especially in the hemolymph. It can therefore be concluded that they are valuable sources of energy (in the form of simple carbohydrates) which are quickly used by bees. Pollen from plants blooming in the summer and autumn increased the concentrations of proteins, glycogen and triglycerides in the fat body, especially that from the third tergite. The accumulation of these compounds was associated with an increased the length and width of trophocytes as well as with enhanced metabolic activity, which was evidenced in the increasing diameter of oenocyte cell nuclei. It seems a balanced multi-pollen diet is more valuable for bees, but it is important to understand the effects of the particular pollen types in the context of a mono-diet. In the future, this will make it possible to produce mixtures that can ensure homeostasis in the apian body.

This study was to investigate the relationship between spring pollen distribution concentration, species and the detection results of air-borne pollen allergens in Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province during March to May 2022 and March to May 2023.A retrospective study was conducted in the Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Clinic of the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University.Pollen particles will be monitored by gravity sedimentation method on the roof of the outpatient department of the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University in downtown Taiyuan from March to May 2022-2023, and pollen species and quantity will be observed and recorded under an optical microscope.The air-borne pollen allergen detection results of all allergic rhinitis patients in the otolaryngology Head and Neck surgery Department of the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University were extracted from the relevant outpatient system. SPSS software and Pearson correlation analysis were used to compare the correlation between the allergens and the dominant air-borne pollen monitoring results. Results are as follows: (1)A total of 18 species of spring pollen in Taiyuan City were monitored in 2022-2023, with 101 177.5 grains, and the dominant airborne pollen was poplar (16.69%) and pine (29.06%) pollen. The pollen of poplar (11.96%), elm (7.89%) and cypress (8.68%) were dominant in early spring; Pine (25.16%) pollen predominated in late spring. The two peaks of pollen dispersal in Taiyuan were in late March (15 479 grains) and early and mid May (15 094/15 343 grains).(2) The positive rates of allergens in serum specific IgE detection were: wormwood (46%, 248/541 cases), tree combination (26%, 143/541 cases), ragweed (19%, 101/541 cases), humulus scandens (9%, 49/541 cases).(3)There was a linear positive correlation between the positive rate of air-borne pollen allergens in allergic rhinitis patients in the Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery in the First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University and the dominant air-borne pollen concentration in the same period (P<0.05, r=0.999). In conclusion, two spring pollen dispersal peaks were formed in late March and early to mid May in Taiyuan City, and the dominant air-borne pollens were poplar and pine pollens. The positive rate of air borne pollen allergen sIgE showed that wormwood allergy was the highest.There was a positive correlation between the concentration of air-borne pollen and the positive rate of air-borne pollen allergens in patients with allergic rhinitis in the Department of otorhinolaryngology and head and neck surgery in Taiyuan in 2022 and 2023.The monitoring of pollen distribution in spring can provide an important scientific basis for clinical workers to formulate prevention and treatment plans for patients with allergic rhinitis in the season, and provide data reference for the epidemiological investigation of allergic diseases in Taiyuan in the future.
本研究探讨山西省太原市2022年3—5月与2023年3—5月两年间春季花粉播散浓度、种类与患者气传花粉变应原检测结果的关系。采用回顾性研究方法，本研究于山西医科大学第一医院耳鼻咽喉头颈外科门诊展开。2022—2023年两年的3—5月在位于太原市中心地区的山西医科大学第一医院门诊部楼顶，利用重力沉降法监测花粉颗粒，并在光学显微镜下观察记录花粉种类和数量。从门诊相关系统中提取所有同期山西医科大学第一医院耳鼻咽喉头颈外科门诊过敏性鼻炎患者气传花粉变应原检测结果，利用SPSS软件并采用Pearson 相关性分析法比较其与优势气传花粉监测结果之间的相关性。结果显示，（1）共监测到2022—2023两年太原市春季花粉18种，101 177.5粒，优势气传花粉为杨树（16.69%）和松树（29.06%）花粉。早春以杨树（11.96%）、榆树（7.89%）、柏树（8.68%）花粉播散为主；晚春以松树（25.16%）花粉为主。太原市花粉播散两个高峰期为3月下旬（15 479粒）与5月上中旬（15 094/15 343粒）。（2）变应原血清特异性IgE检测中，变应原的检出阳性率依次是：蒿草（46%，248/541例）、树木组合（26%，143/541例）、豚草（19%，101/541例）、葎草（9%，49/541例）。（3）山西医科大学第一医院耳鼻咽喉头颈外科门诊过敏性鼻炎患者气传花粉变应原检测结果阳性率与同期优势气传花粉浓度之间存在线性正相关（P<0.05，r=0.999）。综上，太原市3月下旬与5月上中旬形成两个春季花粉播散高峰期，优势气传花粉为杨树和松树花粉；气传花粉变应原sIgE结果阳性率显示蒿草过敏阳性率最高；2022—2023年两年间太原春季优势气传花粉浓度同耳鼻咽喉头颈外科门诊过敏性鼻炎患者的气传花粉变应原检测结果阳性率呈正相关。春季花粉播散规律的监测，能为制定当季过敏性鼻炎患者预防与治疗方案提供重要依据，并为今后太原市过敏性疾病的流行病学调查提供数据参考。.

Objective: To investigate the distribution rules of artemisia pollen and the clinical sensitization characteristics of allergic rhinitis (AR) induced by artemisia pollen in three urban and rural areas of Inner Mongolia. Methods: From March to October 2019, in 3 central cities (Chifeng, Hohhot, Ordos) and rural areas of Inner Mongolia, an epidemiological investigation method combining multi-stage stratified random sampling and face-to-face questionnaire survey was adopted to screen suspected AR patients, and skin prick test (SPT) was applied for diagnosis. At the same time, pollen monitoring was carried out in 3 areas to analyze the distribution and clinical sensitization characteristics of artemisia pollen.SPSS26.0 statistical software was used to process all the data. Chi-square test was used to compare rates among different age, sex, region and nationality, Spearman test was used to describe correlation analysis, and pairwise comparison of positive rates among multiple samples was used Bonferroni method. Results: Among the 6 393 subjects, 1 093 cases were diagnosed with AR, and the prevalence of AR was 17.10% (1 093/6 393). Among them, pollen-induced allergic rhinitis, the prevalence of PiAR was 10.97% (701/6 393), accounting for 64.14%(701/1 093).The highest incidence was in the youth group (20-39 years old), accounting for 46.94% (329/701).The diagnosed prevalence was higher in females than in males (11.35% vs. 10.64%, χ2 value 12.304, P<0.001).The prevalence rate of ethnic minority was higher than that of Han nationality (13.01% vs. 10.65%, χ2 value 6.296, P=0.008).The prevalence in urban areas was also significantly higher than that in rural areas (18.40% vs. 5.50%, χ2 value 10.497, P<0.001).There was significant difference in prevalence rate among the three regions in Inner Mongolia (6.06% in Chifeng, 13.46% in Hohhot, 16.39% in Ordos, χ2 value 70.054, P<0.001).The main clinical symptoms of artemisia PiAR were sneezing (95.58%), nasal congestion (91.73%) and nasal itching (89.30%).Allergic conjunctivitis accounted for 79.60% (558/701), chronic sinusitis for 55.63% (390/701), asthma for 23.25% (163/701).The pattern of artemisia pollen sensitization was mainly multiple sensitization, and the frequency of clinical symptoms and clinical diseases induced by hypersensitization with other allergens accounted for more than that caused by single artemisia pollen. The spread period of Artemisia pollen in the three regions was from June to October, and the peak state was in August in summer. The peak time of clinical symptoms in artemisia PiAR patients was about 2 weeks earlier than the peak time of pollen concentration, and the two were significantly positively correlated (R=0.7671, P<0.001). Conclusion: Artemisia pollens are the dominant pollens in late summer and early autumn in Inner Mongolia, and the prevalence of artemisia PiAR is high. Controlling the spread of Artemisia pollens is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of AR.
目的： 探讨内蒙古自治区3个中心城市及农村地区蒿属花粉的播散规律以及所诱导的变应性鼻炎（allergic rhinitis，AR）的临床致敏特征。 方法： 2019年3—10月期间，在内蒙古3个中心城市（赤峰、呼和浩特、鄂尔多斯）及农村地区采用多阶段分层随机抽样和面对面问卷调查相结合的流行病学调查方法，进行疑似AR患者的筛选，并为其进行皮肤点刺试验（skin prick test，SPT）以确诊，同时对3个地区进行花粉监测，分析蒿属花粉的分布规律以及临床致敏特征。采用SPSS 26.0统计学软件对全部数据进行处理。不同年龄、性别、地区、民族之间率的比较用卡方检验，采用Spearman检验描述相关性分析，多个样本阳性率的两两比较用Bonferroni法。 结果： 6 393名被调查者中有1 093例被确诊为AR，确诊AR患病率为17.10%（1 093/6 393），其中蒿属花粉诱导型鼻炎（pollen-induced allergic rhinitis，PiAR）的患病率为10.97%（701/6 393），占比为64.14%（701/1 093）；高发年龄在青年组（20~39岁），占比46.94%（329/701）；女性确诊患病率高于男性（11.35% vs. 10.64%，χ2值为12.304，P<0.001）；少数民族患病率高于汉族（13.01% vs. 10.65%，χ2值6.296，P=0.008）；城市患病率也明显高于农村（18.40% vs. 5.50%，χ2值10.497，P<0.001）；内蒙古3个地区患病率的差异有统计学意义（赤峰6.06%、呼和浩特13.46%、鄂尔多斯16.39%，χ2值为70.054，P<0.001）；蒿属PiAR的临床症状以喷嚏（95.58%）、鼻塞（91.73%）和鼻痒（89.30%）为主；合并疾病中，过敏性结膜炎占79.60%（558/701），慢性鼻窦炎占55.63%（390/701），哮喘占23.25%（163/701）；蒿属花粉致敏模式主要是多重致敏，其合并其他过敏原过敏诱发的临床症状频次及临床疾病占比较单一蒿属花粉致敏的多；3个地区蒿属花粉的播散期均为6—10月份，于夏季8月份呈现峰值状态；蒿属PiAR患者临床症状出现频次高峰时间比花粉浓度高峰时间提早约2周，且二者呈显著正相关性（R=0.7671，P<0.001）。 结论： 蒿属植物花粉是内蒙古地区夏末秋初的主要优势花粉，蒿属PiAR患病率较高，控制蒿属花粉的播散对AR 的预防与治疗具有重要意义。.

Honey bees are important insect pollinators that provide critical pollination services to fruit and nut crops in the US. They face challenges likely due to pressures associated with agricultural intensification related habitat loss. To better understand this, pollen preferences of foraging bees and the nutritional profile of pollen brought into hives by foraging bees in crop fields and nut orchards can provide valuable information. We trained bees to forage on bee-collected pollen from hives placed for pollination services in almond orchards, sunflower fields, or mixed species from inter-row plantings. Using bees trained to a certain kind of hive pollen, we applied a binary scoring system, to test preferences of these preconditioned foragers. We also performed metabolomic analyses of the hive pollen used for training and testing to elucidate their nutritional content. Irrespective of preconditioning, bees collected all the available choice pollen types, predominantly choosing hive-collected mixed species pollen (MSP), followed by almond orchard pollen. The hive-collected MSP was chemically diverse, richest in cholesterol, vitamins, and phytochemicals quercetin, kaempferol, coumarin, and quinine, but was not consistently high for essential amino acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Although diversity in chemical profiles may not directly relate to plant species diversity, our results suggest that foragers collect a variety of pollen types when available reiterating the importance of diverse floral resources.

Bee bread is a product of honeybees, which collect and ferment pollen, that contains highly nutritious and easily digestible active substances. However, its nutritional composition varies significantly with fermentation strains and seasonal changes. To unveil the patterns of microbial community and nutritional component changes in bee bread across seasons, we employed high-throughput techniques to assess the diversity of bacteria and fungi in bee bread. The results indicated that the compositions of bacteria and fungi in bee bread undergo significant seasonal variation, with noticeable changes in the microbial diversity of bee bread from different bee species. Subsequently, metabolomic analysis revealed high activity of glycerophospholipid metabolism in bee bread. Furthermore, our analysis identifaied noteworthy differences in nutritional components, including pH values, sugar content, and free amino acid levels, in bee bread across different seasons.

East-Central Europe\'s largest shallow lake, Balaton, experienced strong eutrophication in the 1970-80s, followed by water quality improvement and oligotrophication by 2010 CE. Recently however, repeated cyanobacterial blooms occurred and warned that internal P-recycling can act similarly to external P load, therefore we need a better understanding of past water level (WL) and trophic changes in the lake. In this study we discuss the last 500-yr trophic, WL and habitat changes of the lake using paleoecological (chironomids, pollen) and geochemical (sediment chlorophyll, TOC, TS, TN, C/H ratio, major and trace element) methods. We demonstrate that the most intensive and irreversible change in the macroinvertebrate fauna occurred during the period of economic boom between the First and Second World War (∼1925-1940 CE), when large-scale built-in and leisure use of the lake has intensified. At that time, the Procladius-Microchironomus-Stempellina dominated community transformed to Procladius-Chironomus plumosus-type-Microchironomus community that coincided with land use changes, intensified erosion and water-level regulation in the lake with the maintenance of year-round high WL. This was followed by the impoverishment and population size decrease of the chironomid fauna and Procladius dominance since 1940 CE, without any recovery after 1994 CE despite the ongoing oligotrophication. Accelerated rate of change and turnover of the fauna was connected to an increase in the benthivorous fish biomass and eutrophication. The basin lost almost completely its once characteristic Stempellina species between 1927 and 1940 CE due to trophic level increase and seasonal anoxia in the Szemes Basin. Reference conditions for ecosystem improvement were assigned to 1740-1900 CE. We conclude that in spite of the ongoing oligotrophication, the re-establishment of the Procladius-Microchironomus-Stempellina assemblage is hampered, and requires fish population regulation.

This study was prompted by recent reports of the ubiquity of neonicotinoids (neonics) in environment and the likelihood of exposures and health hazards to non-target organisms. We aimed to quantify neonics levels in time- and location-match pollen and nectar samples foraged by honeybees (Apis mellifera) and characterized the temporal and spatial variations using a relative potency factor method to determine the total neonic levels, expressed as the imidacloprid-adjusted total neonics, IMIRPF (ng/g). Six pairs of pollen and nectar samples, a total of twelve samples, were collected from each of the thirty-two experimental hives during the active foraging months of March, April, and June and analyzed for eight neonics. We found 59% and 64% of pollen and nectar contained at least one neonic, respectively. Among those neonic-detected pollen and nectar samples, 45% and 77% of them contained more than one neonic, respectively. Imidacloprid and acetamiprid in pollen and clothianidin and thiamethoxam in nectar accounted for 60% and 83% detection, respectively. The highest 3-month average of IMIRPF in pollen (6.56 ng/g) and nectar (11.19 ng/g) were detected in a location with the predominant production of citrus fruit. The temporal and spatial variations of IMIRPF levels demonstrated the robustness of using paired pollen and nectar data as the bio-sensing matrices to facilitate the assessment of near-field exposure to total neonics and the delineation of risks.

Vertical transmission, the transfer of pathogens across generations, is a critical mechanism for the persistence of plant viruses. The transmission mechanisms are diverse, involving direct invasion through the suspensor and virus entry into developing gametes before achieving symplastic isolation. Despite the progress in understanding vertical virus transmission, the environmental factors influencing this process remain largely unexplored. We investigated the complex interplay between vertical transmission of plant viruses and pollination dynamics, focusing on common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). The intricate relationship between plants and pollinators, especially bees, is essential for global ecosystems and crop productivity. We explored the impact of virus infection on seed transmission rates, with a particular emphasis on bean common mosaic virus (BCMV), bean common mosaic necrosis virus (BCMNV), and cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Under controlled growth conditions, BCMNV exhibited the highest seed transmission rate, followed by BCMV and CMV. Notably, in the field, bee-pollinated BCMV-infected plants showed a reduced transmission rate compared to self-pollinated plants. This highlights the influence of pollinators on virus transmission dynamics. The findings demonstrate the virus-specific nature of seed transmission and underscore the importance of considering environmental factors, such as pollination, in understanding and managing plant virus spread.