Unveiling the Digital Shadows: Cybersecurity and the Art of Digital Forensics

This paper navigates the symbiotic relationship between cybersecurity and digital forensics, exploring the profound role of digital forensic methodologies in addressing cyber incidents. Beginning with foundational definitions and historical evolution, this study delves into diverse types of methodologies and their applications across law enforcement and cybersecurity domains. The mechanics of cyber incident response illuminates the strategic orchestration of digital forensic methodologies. Amidst triumphs, challenges emerge from the shadows: swift threat evolution, digital ecosystem complexity, standardization gaps, resource limitations, and legal intricacies. Best practices guide experts through this intricate terrain, culminating in an enhanced understanding of the inseparable bond between cybersecurity and digital forensics. Through this synthesis, cyber threats’ shadows are unveiled and mitigated, fortifying the digital landscape

Mitigating impacts of climate change in stream food webs

AbstractUnderstanding the effects of changing climates on the processes which support aquatic biodiversity is of critical importance for managing aquatic ecosystems. This research used an experimental approach to determine whether there are potential ecological surprises in terms of threshold relationships between climate and critical aquatic processes. These results were then placed in the context of the potential for riparian replanting to mitigate against these impacts.A review was carried out of climate change experiments in freshwaters, and revealed that the vast majority of studies have failed to take into account predicted increases in the frequency of extreme events (such as heatwaves) on biota. In order to include these components of changes in climate, a methodology was developed for downscaling global circulation models of climate change to generate realistic temperature data to use as an experimental treatment. Stream communities from the field were brought into experimental flumes and warmed according to the predictions of the down-scaled climate change models. Experiments were run for six weeks and responses were measured for basal processes (algal productivity and carbon dynamics) and aquatic invertebrate communities. Basal processes showed relatively small responses to the changed temperature regime, and appear to be relatively resistant for warming on the scale predicted under climate change scenarios for the next century. Aquatic invertebrate communities did show some responses, but these tended to be in terms of changes in size structure withion particular taxa rather than major impacts on patterns of biodiversity.The largest effects were seen for emerging adults of aquatic insects, were all species in the community responded in some way to our 2100 climate change treatment. Responses were species- and sex-specific. Males of all mayfly species emerged faster under 2100 temperatures compared to 1990-2000 temperatures. For the mayfly Ulmerophlebia pipinna (Leptophlebiidae), this implied a change in the sex ratio that could potentially compromise populations and, ultimately, lead to local extinctions. Furthermore, our results show a decrease in the overall community body size (average across taxa) due to a shift from bigger to smaller species.These results are in accord with the ecological rules dealing with the temperature-size relationships (in particular, Bergmann’s rule). Studies of streams in the field revealed that riparian vegetation did cool stream temperatures, and that the presence of riparian vegetation, ideally with extensive vegetation cover across the catchment, did appear to maintain higher diversity and abundance in stream invertebrate communities. Therefore it seems that restoring riparian vegetation does represent an effective means of adaptation to changing climates for temperate south eastern Australian freshwaters.Please cite this report as: Thompson, RM, Beardall, J, Beringer, J, Grace, M, Sardina, P 2013 Mitigating impacts of climate change on stream food webs: impacts of elevated temperature and CO2 on the critical processes underpinning resilience of aquatic ecosystems National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast, pp.136.Understanding the effects of changing climates on the processes which support aquatic biodiversity is of critical importance for managing aquatic ecosystems. This research used an experimental approach to determine whether there are potential ecological surprises in terms of threshold relationships between climate and critical aquatic processes. These results were then placed in the context of the potential for riparian replanting to mitigate against these impacts.A review was carried out of climate change experiments in freshwaters, and revealed that the vast majority of studies have failed to take into account predicted increases in the frequency of extreme events (such as heatwaves) on biota. In order to include these components of changes in climate, a methodology was developed for downscaling global circulation models of climate change to generate realistic temperature data to use as an experimental treatment. Stream communities from the field were brought into experimental flumes and warmed according to the predictions of the down-scaled climate change models. Experiments were run for six weeks and responses were measured for basal processes (algal productivity and carbon dynamics) and aquatic invertebrate communities. Basal processes showed relatively small responses to the changed temperature regime, and appear to be relatively resistant for warming on the scale predicted under climate change scenarios for the next century. Aquatic invertebrate communities did show some responses, but these tended to be in terms of changes in size structure withion particular taxa rather than major impacts on patterns of biodiversity.The largest effects were seen for emerging adults of aquatic insects, were all species in the community responded in some way to our 2100 climate change treatment. Responses were species- and sex-specific. Males of all mayfly species emerged faster under 2100 temperatures compared to 1990-2000 temperatures. For the mayfly Ulmerophlebia pipinna (Leptophlebiidae), this implied a change in the sex ratio that could potentially compromise populations and, ultimately, lead to local extinctions. Furthermore, our results show a decrease in the overall community body size (average across taxa) due to a shift from bigger to smaller species.These results are in accord with the ecological rules dealing with the temperature-size relationships (in particular, Bergmann’s rule). Studies of streams in the field revealed that riparian vegetation did cool stream temperatures, and that the presence of riparian vegetation, ideally with extensive vegetation cover across the catchment, did appear to maintain higher diversity and abundance in stream invertebrate communities. Therefore it seems that restoring riparian vegetation does represent an effective means of adaptation to changing climates for temperate south eastern Australian freshwaters

The Fate of Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products in Conventional and Engineered On-Site Wastewater Drain Fields

Utah State University Division of Environmental Engineering student, under the direction of Ms. Judith L. Sims, has investigated the fate of six pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) in conventional and engineered on-site wastewater drain fields. The presence of PPCPs in the environment, especially in aquatic environments, has raised awareness to the effects of PPCPs on aquatic life and the fate of these PPCPs, and has caused regulators to become more involved in setting requirements for the removal of PPCPs from wastewater. This research investigated the fate of caffeine, acetaminophen, carbamazepine, sulfamethoxazole, progesterone, and fluoxetine in laboratory scaled columns that simulate conventional pipe and gravel on-site wastewater drain fields as well as engineered columns similar to the pipe and gravel simulated columns, but with the addition of media below the gravel layer to enhance PPCP removal via sorption and biodegradation. Results from the month long experiment showed that sulfamethoxazole removal in the columns representing conventional systems peaked at 74%. The other PPCPs were non-detectable. Sulfamethoxazole removal increased to 81% in columns engineered with a layer of sphagnum peat moss beneath the gravel layer and below the method detection limit (5.5 ng/mL) in columns engineered with a layer of charred straw beneath the gravel layer. No other PPCPs analyzed from the engineered columns were detected. Batch experiments indicated that sorption is the main mechanism for PPCP removal with the exception of progesterone, where biodegradation is a major mechanism

Liquid film flow and solid–liquid separation on a rotating inclined surface

Some fundamental aspects of liquid film flow on rotating inclined surfaces have been investigated, together with a novel method of solid liquid separation or wet classification not based on the principles of the more conventional methods of sedimentation or filtration. The separation or classification is achieved by feeding the slurry onto a rotating device, on which it is transformed into a liquid film flowing radially outwards and finally being discharged at its extremity. The design of the rotor is such that at least part of its surface is inclined away from its axis of rotation and as the liquid film flows down this surface, solid particles are removed from the liquid film by centrifugal force according to the physical properties of the liquid and the shape and density of the solid particles. [Continues.

Deep Learning Concepts and Applications for Synthetic Biology.

Synthetic biology has a natural synergy with deep learning. It can be used to generate large data sets to train models, for example by using DNA synthesis, and deep learning models can be used to inform design, such as by generating novel parts or suggesting optimal experiments to conduct. Recently, research at the interface of engineering biology and deep learning has highlighted this potential through successes including the design of novel biological parts, protein structure prediction, automated analysis of microscopy data, optimal experimental design, and biomolecular implementations of artificial neural networks. In this review, we present an overview of synthetic biology-relevant classes of data and deep learning architectures. We also highlight emerging studies in synthetic biology that capitalize on deep learning to enable novel understanding and design, and discuss challenges and future opportunities in this space

The effects of starvation and refeeding on the musculature of the marine teleost Pollachius virens L

Chapter 1. A brief introduction is given reviewing the physiology and biochemistry of fish myotomal muscle. Aspects of protein turnover and metabolism in muscle are discussed and related with previous studies on starvation and refeeding in both mammals and fish. Chapter 2. The marine teleost Pollachius virens L. undergoes a natural starvation during the winter months, and provides a reversible, non-pathological model for studying muscle wasting. In this study fish were kept without food under laboratory conditions for up to 12 weeks. The effects of starvation on muscle fibre cross-sectional area, volume fractions of mitochondria and myofibrils, and capillary supply were determined. Mechanisms of myofibrillar degradation during muscle wasting are discussed. Chapter 3. Starvation in the winter months is followed by a period of refeeding in the late spring, and the musculature degraded during the winter is regenerated. In the present study muscle fine structure has been investigated for fish kept without food, under laboratory conditions, for 74 days, and following 10, 20, and 54 days' refeeding. Muscle fibre cross-sectional area, capillary supply, and volume fractions of myofibrils, nuclei and mitochondria were determined from electron micrographs, using digital planimetry and stereological techniques. In contrast to the starvation atrophy observed in chapter 2 the 74 day starvation reported in this chapter resulted in a decrease in the mean fibre cross-sectional area in both fast and slow muscle. Chapter 4. Experiments were performed using SDS/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, to consider the effects of starvation on the relative abundance of actin and myosin heavy chains. Both slow and fast muscle proteins were analysed from control and 66 day starved fish, using densitometric scans of comassie blue stained polyacrylamide gels. The results were expressed as the ratio of each protein relative to actin. Chapter 5. A wide range of biochemical parameters were determined to consider the metabolic effects of starvation and refeeding in saithe. Chapter 6. This chapter investigates the involvement of acid hydrolases and the lysosomal system in muscle atrophy and regeneration, during starvation and refeeding. The results suggest a role for lysosomal enzymes in the breakdown of myofibrillar proteins during starvation. Chapter 7. The results are discussed with reference to the overall strategy of fish to survive starvation immediately followed by a period of rapid muscle repair and growth, during refeeding. The mechanisms Involved in the disassembly and degradation of the myofibrillar proteins are discussed with specific reference to the involvment of the sarcoplasmic reticulum, t-tubules and proteinases. Suggestions are made for further work that may give an insight into some of the questions generated by this research