Natural Systems Research Articles

Natural diterpene carrier-free hydrogel enhances antigen presentation and intensifies T cell activation for tumor immunotherapy

Although immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment, the low immunogenicity, insufficient T cells intratumoral infiltration and defective antigen presentation in the “cold” tumor microenvironment limit its clinical application. To address this challenge, enlightened by the clinical combined application of antitumor herb medicines, we developed a carrier-free hydrogel KEEM by integrating multiple natural active lipophilic components with manganese ions into a natural co-assembled ternary system. The KEEM hydrogel induced the formation of hydroxyl radicals by Fenton-like reactions, leading to apoptosis, while simultaneously inducing tumor cell ferroptosis through the system xc−-GSH-GPX4 axis. Subsequent release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) proved the emergence of immunogenic cell death (ICD). Additionally, manganese ions could directly activate the cGAS-STING pathway, further amplifying the immunostimulatory effects. This synergistic effect promoted dendritic cell maturation thus enhancing antigen presentation, and mediating the change of tumor microenvironment (TME) from “cold” to “hot”. In hepatoma ascites and melanoma models, KEEM combined with immune checkpoint blockade and adoptive T cell therapy respectively demonstrated promising anti-tumor effects in vivo, meanwhile showing excellent biocompatibility and biosafety. Thus, the combination of this multi-diterpenoids carrier-free hydrogel with immunotherapy offers a new strategy for clinical immune-refractory tumor treatment.

An analytical framework based on social-ecological systems for identifying priority areas for ecological restoration in coastal regions

Owing to rapid urbanization, coastal regions worldwide are experiencing immense resource and environmental stress. Ecological restoration is vital for maintaining and sustainably developing coastal regions. This study proposed a method for delineating priority areas for ecological restoration based on the social-ecological systems (SES) theory. First, an analytical model was established based on three dimensions: ecosystem function, social system pressure, and SES evolution, for analyzing the social and natural systems of coastal regions. Second, based on the modes of land–sea interaction relevant to ecological restoration, auxiliary marine factors were incorporated to aid the delineation of priority areas for ecological restoration. A case study was conducted on the Dapeng New District of Shenzhen City to validate our method. The marine areas of the Dapeng New District have significantly poorer ecosystem function than its terrestrial areas because of the natural geography of this area and human activities. A total of 43.4% of marine areas require artificially assisted ecological restoration, and inland areas 1.5 km from the shoreline are significant for ecological conservation and restoration. Additionally, estuaries and artificial shorelines should be the focus of ecological restoration work in the study area. This case study proved the efficacy of our method. The findings will serve as a reference for the planning and implementation of ecological restoration plans in coastal regions.

The comprehensive analysis of magnetohydrodynamic Casson fluid flow with rectangular porous medium through expanding/contracting channel

PurposeThis study examines fluid flow within a rectangular porous medium bounded by walls capable of expansion or contraction. It focuses on a non-Newtonian fluid with Casson characteristics, incompressibility, and electrical conductivity, demonstrating temperature-dependent impacts on viscosity.Design/methodology/approachThe flow is two-dimensional, unsteady, and laminar, influenced by a small electromagnetic force and electrical conductivity. The Hybrid Analytical and Numerical Method (HAN method) resolves the constitutive differential equations.FindingsThe fluid’s velocity is influenced by the Casson parameter, viscosity variation parameter, and resistive force, while the fluid’s temperature is affected by the radiation parameter, Prandtl number, and power-law index. Increasing the Casson parameter from 0.1 to 50 results in a 4.699% increase in maximum fluid velocity and a 0.123% increase in average velocity. Viscosity variation from 0 to 15 decreases average velocity by 1.42%. Wall expansion (a from −4 to 4) increases maximum velocity by 19.07% and average velocity by 1.09%. The average fluid temperature increases by 100.92% with wall expansion and decreases by 51.47% with a Prandtl number change from 0 to 7.Originality/valueUnderstanding fluid dynamics in various environments is crucial for engineering and natural systems. This research emphasizes the critical role of wall movements in fluid dynamics and offers valuable insights for designing systems requiring fluid flow and heat transfer. The study presents new findings on heat transfer and fluid flow in a rectangular channel with two parallel, porous walls capable of expansion and contraction, which have not been previously reported.

Response Surface Methodology for Optimisation of Parameter on Water Absorption of Natural Fibre Hybrid Composite in Boat Construction

Today, the utilisation of natural or green fibre has supplanted engineered fibre as fibreglass has become a pattern in composite boat producing and other gears because of its lightweight, excellent relative mechanical properties, and more significant elements. For example, it is eco-accommodating, has manageable materials, and has lower costs compared to fibreglass. The utilisation of fibreglass is costly and has a high effect on the natural biological system. It also gets over the area of ecological contamination, word-related well-being, and security concerns. This study used the Woven Kenaf/fibreglass as reinforcement and polyester as matric to fabricate hybrid composite coupons. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) of Box-Behnken Design (BBD) was applied to optimise fibre contents (35 to 75 wt%) and water absorption performance for the development of Woven Kenaf/fibreglass to polyester hybrid composite material based on the parameters. The BBD revealed that 45% Woven Kenaf/fibreglass to polyester performed the optimum fibre content and water absorption. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) showed that the model satisfactorily correlated the parameters. After immersion, 45% Woven Kenaf/fibreglass to polyester composite also gained 9.48% weight.

Nuove ecologie / Nuovi significati

In December 2022, the COP15 for Biodiversity approved the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, a protocol for the protection of planetary ecosystems that complements the Paris Agreement on Climate Change with the aim of preventing the collapse of the biosphere. A global network of areas with different degrees of naturalness and anthropization, capable of halting the loss of biodiversity and reducing the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, is projected to extend over 30% of the Earth by 2030 to be further consolidated by 2050. The agreement raises a multiplicity of issues that landscape design engages: the conservation of species and ecosystems of the biosphere; the environmental requalification of degraded terrestrial and marine areas; the equitable management of ancestral lands and the rights of indigenous populations; the protection of cultural landscapes and the support of local communities; the abandonment of both the unsustainable exploitation of territories and the musealizations and vernacularizations at the service of global tourism; the enhancement of the ecological contributions of degraded, exploited or underutilized areas, on the inhabited margins or in the operational hinterlands of planetary urbanization; the stwewardship of contemporary anthro-ecological systems towards new forms of equilibrium, conventionally defined by the terms of sustainability and resilience. In short, the Kunming-Montreal agreement requires us to imagine new forms and structures for the evolution of urban and rural space and, at once, new areas for the resurgence of nature. In the colossal, collective undertaking envisaged, the trans-disciplinary design of the contemporary landscape seems to have the opportunity to conquer vast fields of operation and a key role that goes beyond both the technical action of environmental engineering and the taxidermy of natural and cultural conservation. The design of the landscape is in fact called upon to implant a new meaning on portions of the planet, tiny fragments hidden in forgotten interstices, vast settlement or productive expanses, logistical corridors or segments of natural systems. This issue of Ri-Vista collects reflections, experiences, and cases, from the local to the geographical scale, in which the landscape design is capable to establish new ecologies and new ecosystemic balances, while transcribing in situ new narratives and new topologies, scenarios of re-signification of places and dynamics between society and nature, and, with that, new meanings of our living on Earth.

Planetary Health: a public health answer to climate change and other Anthropocene challenges

Abstract Although in the last century, humanity achieved extraordinary outcomes in terms of health, social and economic improvements, the Earth ecosystems around us suffer of high levels of degradation. This issue poses our recent public health and development gains at risk. The Anthropocene, a new geological era we are living in since mid 20th century, is indeed characterized by humanity’s dramatic impact on Earth’s biophysical conditions. Planetary Health is a relatively new field, oriented to solutions, based on transdisciplinarity and social movement, focused on analyzing and addressing the impacts of human disruptions to Earth’s natural systems on human health and all life on Earth. In this presentation, a brief overview of the main issues related to the Anthropocene in the public health perspective will be provided and new tools for the analysis of planetary health challenges will be proposed, citing relevant case studies for discussion.

3.E. Scientific session: Environmental Health Tracking Systems: a tool for planetary health

Abstract Planetary health offers a good framework for better understanding the interconnection between human health and environmental changes, promoting effective cross-sector actions and partnerships, and ensuring policy coherence. Effective implementation of this conceptual framework requires monitoring and reporting on indicators relevant to planetary health that capture the scope, spatial and temporal scales of changes in natural systems that affect human health and well-being. An approach in that sense are the environmental public health tracking systems (EPHT), which imply the ongoing collection, integration, analysis, and interpretation of data at the same spatiotemporal scale about environmental hazards, and related human exposure and health effects, maintaining appropriate data protection measures. It aims to provide public-health decision makers with timely, accurate and systematic data for quantifying health impacts related to environmental factors. EPHT system are proposed as an essential tool for designing and monitoring policies and actions that prevent and reduce environmental health burdens (EHB) efficiently and cost-effectively, and as an alerting system against present and future climatic and health crisis. Pursuing such goals requires the use of health information systems that enable the monitoring and assessing of environmental health in multiple dimensions, considering specificities across different geographical and cultural settings. EPHT system requires defining a rationale on how to select the dimensions and indicators to be included. Common challenges for defining those indicators are related to the availability of data recording, data standardization, and the linkage, integration and sharing of databases. In parallel, it is also important to define a decision aiding tools in which evidence and data are understandable and inform about the extent to which specific policy goals are attained, tailoring such tools to the specific settings. Present session attends to answers to those challenges by sharing experiences from different contexts and countries Key messages • EPHT systems represent an effective tool for progressing in achieving planetary health goals and as a surveillance alerting system for future health crisis. • Adjusting EH data quality recording and analysis in EPHT systems is essential for improving resources assignment, and the effectiveness of healthy policies in reducing EHB.

The projected exposure and response of a natural barrier island system to climate-driven coastal hazards

Accelerating sea level rise (SLR) and changing storm patterns will increasingly expose barrier islands to coastal hazards, including flooding, erosion, and rising groundwater tables. We assess the exposure of Cape Lookout National Seashore, a barrier island system in North Carolina (USA), to projected SLR and storm hazards over the twenty-first century. We estimate that with 0.5 m of SLR, 47% of current subaerial barrier island area would be flooded daily, and the 1-year return period storm would flood 74%. For 20-year return period storms, over 85% is projected to be flooded for any SLR. The modelled groundwater table is already shallow (< 2 m deep), and while projected to shoal to the land surface with SLR, marine flooding is projected to overtake areas with emergent groundwater. Projected shoreline retreat reaches an average of 178 m with 1 m of SLR and no interventions, which is over 60% of the current island width at narrower locations. Compounding these hazards is subsidence, with one-third of the study area currently lowering at > 2 mm/yr. Our results demonstrate the difficulty of managing natural barrier systems such as those managed by federal park systems tasked with maintaining natural ecosystems and protecting cultural resources.

Climate change perception and mental health: the public health perspective

Abstract Climate change is increasingly recognized as a critical environmental stressor with significant psychological impacts. Despite consolidated evidence describing the impact of various aspects of climate change on numerous physical and mental health outcomes, a novel and burgeoning area of research is now assessing the association between climate change perception/awareness and health. In fact, the increasing awareness of climate change and its impacts on natural and human systems is not only a matter of environmental concern but also of significant psychological importance. Awareness of climate change involves understanding its causes, foreseeing its long-term global and local impacts, and recognizing the limited window available for effective mitigation and adaptation. This level of awareness, while necessary for proactive behavior, has been linked to various psychological responses, including chronic stress, anxiety, and feelings of helplessness and despair, collectively referred to as ‘eco-anxiety.’ The association between climate change awareness and mental health is complex and mediated by various individual and social factors. As the reality of climate change becomes more integrated into the public consciousness, it is imperative to address the accompanying psychological impacts. In this presentation, the main issues related to climate change perception/awareness and mental health will be discussed through the lens of public health.

Mechanical Properties and Microstructural Characteristics of Steel Pipes after Long-Time Hydrogen Exposure

There are three possibilities to transport hydrogen by high pressure pipeline (i) blending hydrogen into the existing natural gas pipeline system, (ii) after checking the integrity, using the natural gas transporting pipeline system to transport hydrogen, (iii) building a new pipeline system to transport pure hydrogen. In all three cases should be known the behaviour of the pipe material and its welded joints influenced under high pressure hydrogen. For this aim pipeline sections made of P355NH base material were investigated without and with hydrogen exposure, where the exposure time was 41 days. Gas metal arc welding and hybrid tungsten arc welding / gas metal arc welding were applied for preparation of the girth weld joints. Tensile, three point bending and hardness tests, furthermore microstructural investigations were performed both on base materials and girth welds of the pipeline sections. The testing results were analysed and compared with each other (base material vs. welded joints, without exposure vs. with exposure) and with limit values can be found in the literature. Conclusions were drawn on the behaviour of the investigated pipe material and its welded joints.

The sweet path of Hansel and Gretel: pollination system of Masdevallia hortensis (Orchidaceae: Pleurothallidinae) in a cloud montane forest of the Cordillera Occidental, in Colombia

Pollination by deception is assumed as the general rule among pleurothallid orchids. However, considering the exceptional diversity of this group (44 genera and over 5100 species) and the relatively limited number of available studies (pollination ecology has been assessed in only 17 genera), generalized trends about their pollination systems might disregard a wide variety of specific life-history traits and inconspicuous honest signals/rewards for pollinators. The few known associations of pleurothallid orchids with a large assortment of fly taxa further support the assumption of generalized pollination by deception. We investigated the natural pollination system of Masdevallia hortensis, a strictly endemic species of cloud forests in the Western Andes of Colombia. This species exhibited a sophisticated and unique pollination mechanism, producing sugary secretions in the lateral sepals along purple dotted patches, fed upon by different visiting species of fruit flies (Drosophilidae). The sucrose concentration in these secretions varied throughout the day and significantly decreased after pollinaria removal. Visiting fruit flies appeared to be guided towards a chamber between the mobile lip and the column, by dotted lines in the lateral sepals. During visitations, individuals of the most abundant species in our observations (Drosophila sp. 1) were singly entrapped in the chamber until eventually freeing themselves with the pollinaria attached to their bodies. We also demonstrated that M. hortensis is strictly self-incompatible, which makes fly pollination an essential process for the maintenance of natural populations of the species. The flowers of M. hortensis offer rewards for visiting insects, an aspect that should be thoroughly evaluated before making generalizations. In this way, we urge integrative ecological studies to understand the reproductive evolutionary patterns in this group of orchids.

EUCALYPTUS TERRITORIALIZATION AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS IN BRAZIL AND PORTUGAL

From a geographical view and through bibliographic and documentary research, mapping, and fieldwork, this study employed the SWOT matrix to analyze the eucalyptus environmental impacts on two study areas in these countries. We found that their physical aspects favor its growth, providing economic benefits. Extreme weather events have worsened the water deficit in the Brazilian Cerrado, leading to user conflicts. In northwestern mainland Portugal, wildfires have been more recurrent and severe, causing human and property losses and compromising the natural systems resilience.

8.C. Scientific session: Health system resilience: A Planetary Health perspective

Abstract Planetary Health is a collective and unifying approach to balance the interlinkages between human health, political, economic and social systems as well as the natural systems of our planet, the importance of which is growing in the context of climate change in European countries and beyond. Yet, there is a dearth of of research linking Planetary Health to health systems’ resilience, particularly from a public health lens. With the number of studies growing regarding impacts of climate change on health, the question remains how health systems need to be prepared, focusing for example on the emergence of infectious diseases as well as the triple crises of biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change. In addition, tools to assess climate-related risks developed at international level, such as the vulnerability, adaptation and capacity assessment developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) have rarely been piloted in European countries. In this workshop, firstly evidence is presented on the status quo of how climate change impacts health and emerging infections in Europe and at global level. Secondly, the workshop provides insights into how tools to assess vulnerability and resilience of health systems in the context of climate change may be used in the European context. Thirdly, resilience is assessed against evidence emerging from the triple environmental crises of biodiversity loss, pollution and climate change. Key messages • In a planetary health lens, using mixed methods to consider climate change vulnerability of different population groups and adaptation potentials are key to address current complex health challenges. • Synergistic solutions and joint working across climate and health offer opportunities for greater health system resilience and population health impact.

Have We Selected for Higher Mesophyll Conductance in Domesticating Soybean?

Soybean (Glycine max) is the single most important global source of vegetable protein. Yield improvements per unit land area are needed to avoid further expansion onto natural systems. Mesophyll conductance (gm) quantifies the ease with which CO2 can diffuse from the sub-stomatal cavity to Rubisco. Increasing gm is attractive since it increases photosynthesis without increasing water use. Most measurements of gm have been made during steady-state light saturated photosynthesis. In field crop canopies, light fluctuations are frequent and the speed with which gm can increase following shade to sun transitions affects crop carbon gain. Is there variability in gm within soybean germplasm? If so, indirect selection may have indirectly increased gm during domestication and subsequent breeding for sustainability and yield. A modern elite cultivar (LD11) was compared with four ancestor accessions of Glycine soja from the assumed area of domestication by concurrent measurements of gas exchange and carbon isotope discrimination (∆13C). gm was a significant limitation to soybean photosynthesis both at steady state and through light induction but was twice the value of the ancestors in LD11. This corresponded to a substantial increase in leaf photosynthetic CO2 uptake and water use efficiency.

Temporal variability and predictability predict alpine plant community composition and distribution patterns.

One of the most reliable features of natural systems is that they change through time. Theory predicts that temporally fluctuating conditions shape community composition, species distribution patterns, and life history variation, yet features of temporal variability are rarely incorporated into studies of species-environment associations. In this study, we evaluated how two components of temporal environmental variation-variability and predictability-impact plant community composition and species distribution patterns in the alpine tundra of the Southern Rocky Mountains in Colorado (USA). Using the Sensor Network Array at the Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research site, we used in situ, high-resolution temporal measurements of soil moisture and temperature from 13 locations ("nodes") distributed throughout an alpine catchment to characterize the annual mean, variability, and predictability in these variables in each of four consecutive years. We combined these data with annual vegetation surveys at each node to evaluate whether variability over short (within-day) and seasonal (2- to 4-month) timescales could predict patterns in plant community composition, species distributions, and species abundances better than models that considered average annual conditions alone. We found that metrics for variability and predictability in soil moisture and soil temperature, at both daily and seasonal timescales, improved our ability to explain spatial variation in alpine plant community composition. Daily variability in soil moisture and temperature, along with seasonal predictability in soil moisture, was particularly important in predicting community composition and species occurrences. These results indicate that the magnitude and patterns of fluctuations in soil moisture and temperature are important predictors of community composition and plant distribution patterns in alpine plant communities. More broadly, these results highlight that components of temporal change provide important niche axes that can partition species with different growth and life history strategies along environmental gradients in heterogeneous landscapes.

Melting and solidification in periodically modulated thermal convection

Melting and solidification in periodically time-modulated thermal convection are relevant for numerous natural and engineering systems, for example, glacial melting under periodic sun radiation and latent thermal energy storage under periodically pulsating heating. It is highly relevant for the estimation of melt rate and melt efficiency management. However, even the dynamics of a solid–liquid interface shape subjected to a simple sinusoidal heating has not yet been investigated in detail. In this paper, we offer a better understanding of the modulation frequency dependence of the melting and solidification front. We numerically investigate periodic melting and solidification in turbulent convective flow with the solid above and the melted liquid below, and sinusoidal heating at the bottom plate with the mean temperature equal to the melting temperature. We investigate how the periodic heating can prevent the full solidification, and the resulting flow structures and the quasi-equilibrium interface height. We further study the dependence on the heating modulation frequency. As the frequency decreases, we found two distinct regimes, which are ‘partially solid’ and ‘fully solid’. In the fully solid regime, the liquid freezes completely, and the effect of the modulation is limited. In the partially solid regime, the solid partially melts, and a steady or unsteady solid–liquid interface forms depending on the frequency. The interface height can be derived based on the energy balance through the interface. In the partially solid regime, the interface height oscillates periodically, following the frequency of modulation. Here, we propose a perturbation approach that can predict the dependency of the oscillation amplitude on the modulation frequency.

3D Fluorescence Spectroscopy Combined With Chemometrics as a Tool for Control of Imprinted Protein Purification From Template Molecules

ABSTRACTImprinted proteins (IPs) are promising alternatives to natural recognition systems, such as biological receptors or antibodies. One of the crucial stages during development of IPs is removal of the template molecules from its complex with the protein. In this study, bovine serum albumin was imprinted in the presence of 4‐hydroxycoumarin (4‐HC); purification of IPs were carried out by dialysis, and fluorescence 3D spectroscopy was used to monitor the IP purification process. Excitation–emission matrix (EEM) was further investigated via several chemometric algorithms (principal component analysis [PCA], parallel factor analysis [PARAFAC], and independent components analysis [ICA]). We found that the models using PARAFAC and ICA worked better than those of PCA. It was shown that PARAFAC and ICA analyses allow not only to recognize IP sample with signal close to nonimprinted protein, but also to provide recommendations on the optimal dialysis time.

Development of Controllable Hetero-Pauson-Khand Polymerization to Functional Stimuli-Responsive Poly(γ-lactam)s.

Polymers containing lactam structures play a crucial role in both natural biological systems and human life, and their synthesis, functions and applications are of utmost importance for biomimetics and the creation of new materials. In this study, we developed an efficient heterogeneous Pauson-Khand polymerization (h-PKP) method for the controlled synthesis of main-chain poly(γ-lactam)s containing α, β-unsaturated γ-lactam functionalities using readily available internal alkynes and imines. The molecular weights of the resulting poly(N-Ts/γ-lactam)s can be precisely controlled by adjusting the ratio of phenyl formate and nickel. These polymers exhibit high solid-state luminescence and demonstrate rapid and sensitive dual responsiveness to light and acid stimuli. They further demonstrate strong reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation capability. The unique dual-emission peaks observed in poly(N-H/γ-lactam)s obtained through post-treatment under acidic conditions demonstrate a mechanism of aggregation-induced intermolecular excited-state proton transfer specific to lactam structures. The efficient one-pot synthetic method for poly(γ-lactam) provides a novel strategy for constructing polymers with γ-lactam structures in the main chain and the simple and efficient post-modification method offer a versatile toolbox for functionalizing poly(γ-lactam)s to expand their potential applications.

Are passive collectors effective samplers of microbes in natural aquatic systems?

Are passive collectors effective samplers of microbes in natural aquatic systems?

Introduction into natural environments shifts the gut microbiome of captivity-raised filter-feeding bivalves

Abstract The gut microbiome is influenced by host species and the environment, but how the environment influences the microbiome of animals introduced into a new ecosystem has rarely been investigated. Freshwater mussels are aquatic fauna, with some threatened or endangered species propagated in hatcheries and introduced into natural systems as part of conservation efforts. The effects of the environment on the freshwater mussel gut microbiome were assessed for two hatchery-propagated species (Lampsilis ovata, Lampsilis ornata) introduced into rivers within their natural range. Mussels were placed in rivers for eight weeks, after which one subset was collected, another subset remained in that river, and a third subset was reciprocally transplanted to another river in the same river basin for a further eight weeks. Gut microbiome composition and diversity were characterized for all mussels. After the initial eight weeks, mussels showed increased gut bacterial species richness and distinct community composition compared to hatchery mussels, but gut microbiome diversity then decreased for mussels that remained in the same river for all 16 weeks. The gut bacterial community of mussels transplanted between rivers shifted to resemble that of mussels placed initially into the recipient river and that remained there for the whole study. All mussels showed high proportions of Firmicutes in their gut microbiome after eight weeks, suggesting an essential role of this phylum in the gut of Lampsilis species. These findings show that the mussel gut microbiome shifts in response to new environments and provide insights into conservation strategies that involve species reintroductions.