bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Approach for Handling Immortal Time Bias in Observational Studies
Authors: A Victor Kiri , Messina Paolo
Published: July 2023

Purpose: To propose the Entry-time Comparability Retention (ETCR)
method- a novel methodology that uses propensity scores (PS) as a design
tool to minimize immortal time bias- a bias that occurs when the
determination of a patient’s treatment status involves a period prior to
treatment initiation that is unaccounted for in the assessment of
treatment effect. Methods: The treatment status of each member of a
cohort is classified at cohort entry, based on whether or not the
patient initiated treatment at any time during the study period- namely,
as either ever-treated or never-treated. Two sets of propensity scores
are derived on each patient: 1) at cohort entry to construct blocks of
comparable patients by propensity scores matching each ever-treated
patient to the never-treated patients who survived up to the
ever-treated patient’s time of treatment initiation, which are then
retained and assigned the same start of follow-up to address the
immortal time bias, and 2) at treatment initiation, to derive the second
set of propensity scores to address confounding. Using simulated data,
the performance of a simplified form of the ETCR method, that is based
on simple blocks of 1:n greedy matching, is compared with two of the
leading approaches- the Landmark and time-dependent Cox methods.
Results: The ETCR method consistently yielded the lowest mean percentage
of residual bias across the different scenarios in our simulation.
Conclusions: The ETCR results suggest the propensity scores as an
effective design tool for creating and retaining comparable treatment
groups to minimize immortal time bias.
4K® score test in the time of COVID-19 quarantine - implications for timely diagnosis of high-risk prostate cancer
Authors: Friedman Boris , Neuberger Ami , Ephrat Omer , Manaster Yoav , Freifeld Yuval , Dekel Yoram
Published: July 2023

The diagnosis of clinically significant prostate cancer is often
challenging. The 4K® score test may assist in evaluating the risk of
significant malignancy and avoid biopsies in non-significant disease.
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a remarkable disruption in managing
patients with suspected prostate cancer. The aim of this study is to
evaluate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on 4K ®score test results
by comparing tests performed in Israel between April to July 2020 to a
control group of the same period in 2019. During the COVID-19 era there
were few quarantine periods in which citizens were allowed to leave
their homes for specific reasons only (eg, medical consultations).
Meanwhile, medical clinics were operating in limited schedule with
intention to treat emergent cases only. We assumed that focusing on
coping with the pandemic and its implications will decrease prostate MRI
tests and prostate biopsies and as a result, there will an increase in
the 4K score blood tests as well as a change in the pre-biopsies
prostate risk stratification.
Invasion risk of the currently cultivated alien flora in Southern Africa is predicted to decline under climate change
Authors: Omer Ali , Essl Franz , Dullinger Stefan , Lenzner Bernd , García-Rodríguez Adrián , Moser Dietmar , Fristoe Trevor , Dawson Wayne , Weigelt Patrick , Kreft Holger , Pergl Jan , Pysek Petr , Kleunen Mark van , Wessely Johannes
Published: July 2023

Alien species can have massive impacts on native biodiversity and
ecosystem functioning. Assessing which species from currently cultivated
alien floras may escape into the wild and naturalize is hence essential
for ecosystem management and biodiversity conservation. Climate change
has promoted the naturalization of many alien plants in temperate
regions, but whether outcomes are similar in (sub)tropical areas is
insufficiently known. In this study, we used species distribution models
to evaluate the current naturalization risk of 1,527 cultivated alien
plants in 10 countries of Southern Africa and how their invasion risk
might change due to climate change. We assessed changes in climatic
suitability across the different biomes of Southern Africa. Moreover, we
assessed whether climatic suitability for cultivated alien plants varied
with their naturalization status and native origin. The results of our
study indicate that a significant proportion (53.9%) of the species are
projected to lack suitable climatic conditions in Southern Africa, both
currently and in the future. Based on the current climate conditions,
10.0% of Southern Africa is identified as an invasion hotspot (here
defined as the top 10% of grid cells that provide suitable climatic
conditions to the highest numbers of species). This percentage is
expected to decrease slightly to 7.1% under moderate future climate
change and shrink considerably to 2.0% under the worst-case scenario.
This decline in climatic suitability is observed across most native
origins, particularly under the worst-case climate change scenario. Our
findings indicate that climate change is likely to have an opposing
effect on the naturalization of currently cultivated average plants in
(sub)tropical Southern Africa compared to colder regions. Specifically,
the risk of these plants’ naturalizing is expected to decrease due to
the region’s increasingly hot and dry climate, which will be challenging
for the persistence of both native and alien plant species.
Polyamide nanofilms through a non-isothermal-controlled interfacial polymerization: “Kill three birds with one stone”
Authors: Zhao Guangjin , Gao Haiqi , Zhao Zhi-Jian , Liu Lulu , Pang Zifan , Pei Chunlei , Qu Zhou , Dong Liangliang , Caro Juergen , Meng Hong
Published: July 2023

Efficient thin film composite polyamide (PA) membranes require
optimization of interfacial polymerization (IP) process. However, it is
challengeable because of its ultrafast reaction rate coupling with mass
and heat transfer, resulting in PA membranes with low performance. Here,
we propose a non-isothermal-controlled IP strategy to fabricate highly
permeable and selective PA membrane by engineering the IP process at
cryogenic aqueous phase (CAP). In this strategy, CAP allows the phase
transition of aqueous solution from liquid to solid state, which not
only achieves synchronous control of heat and mass transfer in
interfacial region but also enriches understanding of the mechanisms
involved different phase state on IP process. Our PA membrane exhibits
excellent separation performance with ultrahigh water permeance (42.9 L
m-2 h-1 bar-1) and antibiotic desalination efficiency (antibiotic/NaCl
selectivity of 159.3). Our study provides a new dimension for deep
understanding of exact mechanism linking the IP to the targeting
membrane performance.
Cervicothoracic Spine Posture Evaluation Among Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgeons
Authors: Tekumalla Sruti , Kumar Ayan , Chandna Megha , Barbarite Eric , Krein Howard , Spiegel Joseph , Curry Joseph , Heffelfinger Ryan
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Head and neck surgeons at high risk for strain
and subsequent complications related to poor posture. We aim to evaluate
current ergonomic practices among otolaryngology head and neck surgeons
and report cervicothoracic spine posture data from the operating room
(OR). Methods: A validated questionnaire evaluating current
ergonomic practices was given to participants. A wearable posture
device, was calibrated and worn around the neck with the sensor
positioned at the mid-scapular region of the upper back. After a full
day in the OR, percentage of upright time for the day was recorded.
Results: 8 head and neck surgeons, 12 residents, and 4 fellows
in training participated in our survey of current ergonomic practices.
Over a 2-month period, posture data from the OR was acquired from 5
attendings, 3 fellows and 5 residents on the head and neck service.
Changing body position, ignoring discomfort, and specialized footwear
were most used to relieve musculoskeletal discomfort while operating.
83.3% of surgeons reported not receiving any formal ergonomics training
and were unaware of related guidelines. After morning preparation,
posture significantly declined during intraoperative time (p
<0.001). There were no significant posture differences by
level of training (p= 0.19), or hours spent in the OR (p=0.92).
Conclusion: Surgical ergonomics is rarely considered as a point
of intervention, but its lack thereof can have serious consequences
leading to injury and unresolved day-to-day discomfort. There is a role
for ergonomics in case planning, as it has potential to vastly improve
surgeon quality of life and career longevity.
Double H-bonds multimer absorbent design for H2S absorption
Authors: Liang Peng-Ju , Wu Qi-Xiang , Chang Chun-Ran , Chu Guang-Wen , Zou Hai-Kui , Sun Bao-Chang , Chen Jianfeng
Published: July 2023

A novel double H-bonds multimer absorbent for H2S absorption was
designed via intermolecular self-assembly using DBU and EG under the
guidance of QCC. The formation mechanisms of multimer absorbents and the
absorption mechanisms between those absorbents and H2S were explored by
QCC and experiments. It was found that the formed DBU-2EG multimer
absorbent at the DBU/EG molar ratio of 1:2 has two intermolecular
H-bonds with different strengths between DBU and EG, which can combine
with H2S via weak H-bond. Furthermore, the characteristics analysis of
multimer absorbents confirmed the above mechanisms. Experimental results
indicated that the DBU-2EG has the highest H2S solubility of 2.64mol
mol-1 with a low viscosity value of 15.12 mPa·s at 25 ℃ and desorption
temperature below 60℃ at 100 kPa. The multimer absorbent exhibits great
potential in the H2S capture process. In addition, this research
provides an effective strategy for the design of new absorbents.
Stable Metal Coordination Assisted Fe-Ni Double Hydroxides Surface Imprinted Nanorods with High Adsorption Capacity
Authors: Wang Ting , Lyu Yanting , Zhao Kehan , Ahmad Mudasir , Zhang Qiuyu , Zhang Baoliang
Published: July 2023

Inspired by the stable interactions between metal ions and proteins,
high external surface iron-nickel double hydroxides (Fe-Ni LDH) derived
from metal-organic framework (MOFs) was selected as carriers to develop
high performance surface bovine serum albumin (BSA) imprinted
iron-nickel double hydroxides nanorods (Fe-Ni LDH@MIP). A hexagonal
hollow structure Fe-Ni LDH was synthesized with nanosheets stacked on
the surface by etching MIL-88A with Ni2+. The etching of Ni2+ increased
the surface roughness of MIL-88A and the rough surface of the carrier
was conducive to improving the anchorage amount of BSA, thus providing
more effective imprinting sites. Controlled coating of the imprinted
polymer layer on the surface of Fe-Ni LDH was obtained by aqueous phase
precipitation polymerization. The protein adsorption amount reached to
329.8 ± 7.8 mg/g in 60 min with an imprinting factor of 2.86. The
experimental showed that Fe-Ni LDH@MIP had good selectivity and
stability, which enriched the protein imprinting materials.
Plasma-catalytic synthesis of acrylonitrile from methane and nitrogen
Authors: Page Colin , Peralta Abner , Ponukumati Aditya , Foston Marcus , Thimsen Elijah
Published: July 2023

In this work, we demonstrate plasma-catalytic synthesis of hydrogen and
acrylonitrile (AN) from CH and N. The
process involves two steps: 1) plasma synthesis of
CH and HCN in a nominally 1:1
stoichiometric ratio with high yield up to 90% and high methane
conversion > 90%; and 2) downstream thermocatalytic
reaction of these intermediates to make AN. The effect of process
parameters on product distributions and specific energy requirements are
reported. If the catalytic conversion of
CH and HCN in the downstream
thermocatalytic step to AN were perfect, which will require further
improvements in the thermocatalytic reactor, then at the maximum output
of our 1 kW radiofrequency 13.56 MHz transformer, a specific energy
requirement of 73 kWh kgANwas determined. The
expectation is that scaling up the process to higher throughputs would
result in decreases in specific energy requirement into the predicted
economically viable range less than 10 kWh kgAN.
Spatial organisation affects the pathway to precipitation in simulated trade-wind convection
Authors: Radtke Jule , Vogel Raphaela , Ament Felix , Naumann Ann Kristin
Published: July 2023

We investigate whether and how spatial organisation affects the pathway
to precipitation in large-domain large-eddy simulations of the North
Atlantic trades. We decompose the formation of surface precipitation (P)
in warm shallow trade cumulus into a production phase, where cloud
condensate is converted into rain, and a sedimentation phase, where rain
falls towards the ground while some of it evaporates. With strengthened
organisation, rain forms in weaker updrafts from smaller cloud droplets
so that cloud condensate is less efficiently converted into rain. At the
same time, organisation creates a locally moister environment and
modulates the microphysical conversion processes that determine the
raindrops’ size. This reduces evaporation and more of the produced rain
reaches the ground. Organisation thus affects how the two phases
contribute to P, but only weakly affects the total precipitation
efficiency. We conclude that the pathway to precipitation differs with
organisation and suggest that organisation buffers rain development.
The influence of lithospheric thickness variations beneath Australia on seismic anisotropy and mantle flow
Authors: Eakin Caroline M , Davies D. Rhodri , Ghelichkhan Siavash , O'Donnell John Paul , Agrawal Shubham
Published: July 2023

Rapid plate motion, alongside pronounced variations in age and thickness
of the Australian continental lithosphere, make it an excellent location
to assess the relationship between seismic anisotropy and
lithosphere-asthenosphere dynamics. In this study, SKS and PKS
shear-wave splitting is conducted for 176 stations covering the
transition from the South Australian Craton to eastern Phanerozoic
Australia. Comparisons are made with models of lithospheric thickness as
well as numerical simulations of mantle flow. Splitting results show
uniform ENE-WSW aligned fast directions over the Gawler Craton and
broader South Australian Craton, similar to the orientation of crustal
structures generated during an episode of NW-SE directed compression and
volcanism ~1.6 billion years ago. We propose that heat
from volcanism weakened the lithosphere, aiding widespread lithospheric
deformation, which has since been preserved in the form of frozen-in
anisotropy. Conversely, over eastern Phanerozoic Australia, fast
directions show strong alignment with the NNE absolute plate motion.
Overall, our results suggest that when the lithosphere is thin
(<125 km), lithospheric contributions are minimal and
contributions from asthenospheric anisotropy dominate, reflecting shear
of the underlying mantle by Australia’s rapid plate motion above.
Further insights from geodynamical simulations of the regional mantle
flow-field, which incorporate Australian and adjacent upper mantle
structure, predict that asthenospheric material would be drawn in from
the south and east towards the fast-moving continental keel. Such a
mechanism, alongside interactions between the flow field and
lithospheric structure, provides a plausible explanation for
smaller-scale anomalous splitting patterns beneath eastern Australia
that do not align with plate motion.
Introducing Pour Points: Characteristics and hydrological significance of a rainfall-concentrating mechanism in a water-limited woodland ecosystem
Authors: Kunadi Ashvath Singh , Lardner Tim , Silberstein Richard , Leopold Matthias , Callow John Nikolaus , Veneklaas Erik J , Puri Aryan , Sydney Eleanor , Thompson Sally
Published: July 2023

The interception of rainfall by plant canopies alters the depth and
spatial distribution of water arriving at the soil surface, and thus the
location, volume, and depth of infiltration. Mechanisms like stemflow
are well known to concentrate rainfall and route it deep into the soil,
yet other mechanisms of flow concentration are poorly understood. This
study characterises pour points, formed by the detachment of water
flowing on the lower surface of a branch, using a combination of field
observations in Western Australian banksia woodlands and rainfall
simulation experiments on Banksia menziesii branches. We aim to
establish the hydrological significance of pour points in a
water-limited woodland ecosystem, along with the features of the canopy
structure and rainfall that influence pour point formation and fluxes.Pour points were common in the woodland and could be identified by
visually inspecting trees. Water fluxes at pour points were upto 15
times rainfall and were usually comparable to or greater than stemflow.
Soil water content beneath pour points was greater than in adjacent
control profiles, with 20-30% of seasonal rainfall volume infiltrated
into the top 1m of soil beneath pour points, compared to 5% in
controls. Rainfall simulations showed that pour points amplified the
spatial heterogeneity of throughfall, violating water balance closure
assumptions. The simulation experiments demonstrated that pour point
fluxes depend on the interaction of branch angle and foliation for a
given branch architecture. Pour points can play a significant part in
the water balance, depending on their density and rainfall concentration
ability.
GPS-SNR-based detection of severe weather events: two case studies of summer 2021 in Switzerland
Authors: Aichinger-Rosenberger Matthias , Aregger Martin , Kopp Jerome , Soja Benedikt
Published: July 2023

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) have become a valuable tool
for remote sensing, as signals can be used for monitoring soil and snow
properties as well as water vapor in the atmosphere. By using L-band
carrier frequencies, GNSS acts as an all-weather-operation system.
Nevertheless, severe weather can still have an impact on the strength of
signals received at a ground station, as we show in this study. We
investigate Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) from the Global Positioning
System (GPS) during two thunderstorm events, which produced excessive
amounts of rain and hail. We make use of a GPS-SNR-based algorithm,
developed for the detection of hail particles from volcanic eruptions.
Results indicate that the investigated thunderstorm events are visible
in SNR observations. Affected satellites show a significant SNR drop
during event periods, which are determined by weather radar
observations. Thus, results suggest the possibility of detecting severe
weather systems using GNSS-SNR observations.
Deep convection as the key to the transition from Eocene to modern Antarctic Circumpolar Current
Authors: Xing Qianjiang , Klocker Andreas , Munday David R , Whittaker Joanne M
Published: July 2023

From the Eocene (~50 million years ago) to today,
Southern Ocean circulation has evolved from the existence of two ocean
gyres to the dominance of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). It
has generally been thought that the opening of Southern Ocean gateways
in the late Eocene, in addition to the alignment of westerly winds with
these gateways or the presence of Antarctic ice sheet, was a sufficient
requirement for the transition to an ACC of similar strength to its
modern equivalent. Nevertheless, models representing these changes
produce only a much weaker ACC. Here we show, using an eddying ocean
model, that the missing ingredient in the transition to a modern ACC is
deep convection around the Antarctic continent. This deep convection is
caused by cold temperatures and high salinities due to sea-ice
production around the Antarctic continent, leading to both the formation
of Antarctic Bottom Water and a modern-strength ACC.
Upscaling soil organic carbon measurements at the continental scale using multivariate clustering analysis and machine learning
Authors: Wang Zhuonan , Kumar Jitendra , Weintraub-Leff Samantha Rose , Todd-Brown Katherine , Mishra Umakant , Sihi Debjani
Published: July 2023

Estimates of soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks are essential for many
environmental applications. However, significant inconsistencies exist
in SOC stock estimates for the U.S. across current SOC maps. We propose
an upscaling framework that combines unsupervised multivariate
geographic clustering (MGC) and supervised random forest regression,
improving SOC maps by capturing heterogeneous relationships with SOC
drivers. We first used MGC to divide the U.S. into 20 SOC regions based
on the similarity of covariates (soil biogeochemical, bioclimatic,
biological, and physiographic variables). Subsequently, separate random
forest models were trained for each SOC region, utilizing environmental
covariates and SOC observations. Our estimated SOC stocks for the U.S.
(52.6 + 3.2 Pg for 0-30 cm and 108.3 + 8.2 Pg 0-100 cm depths) were
within the range estimated by existing products like HWSD (46.7 Pg for
0-30 cm and 90.7 Pg 0-100 cm depth) and SoilGrids 2.0 (45.7 Pg for 0-30
cm and 133.0 Pg 0-100 cm depth). However, independent validation with
soil profile data from the National Ecological Observatory Network
showed that our approach (R2 = 0.51) outperformed the estimates obtained
from Harmonized World Soil Database (R2 = 0.23) and SoilGrids 2.0 (R2 =
0.39) for the topsoil (0-30 cm). Uncertainty analysis (e.g., low
representativeness and high coefficients of variation) identified
regions requiring more measurements, such as Alaska and the deserts of
the U.S. Southwest. Our approach effectively captures the heterogenous
relationships between widely available predictors and SOC across
regions, offering reliable gridded SOC estimates for benchmarking Earth
system models.
Global Precipitation Correction Across a Range of Climates Using CycleGAN
Authors: McGibbon Jeremy J , Clark Spencer Koncius , Henn Brian , Kwa Anna , Watt-Meyer Oliver , Perkins W. Andre , Bretherton Christopher S.
Published: July 2023

Accurate precipitation simulations for various climate scenarios are
critical for understanding and predicting the impacts of climate change.
This study employs a Cycle-generative adversarial network (CycleGAN) to
improve global 3-hour-average precipitation fields predicted by a coarse
grid (200~km) atmospheric model across a range of
climates, morphing them to match their statistical properties with
reference fine-grid (25~km) simulations. We evaluate its
performance on both the target climates and an independent ramped-SST
simulation. The translated precipitation fields remove most of the
biases simulated by the coarse-grid model in the mean precipitation
climatology, the cumulative distribution function of 3-hourly
precipitation, and the diurnal cycle of precipitation over land. These
results highlight the potential of CycleGAN as a powerful tool for bias
correction in climate change simulations, paving the way for more
reliable predictions of precipitation patterns across a wide range of
climates.
Robust weakening of the Gulf Stream during the past four decades observed in the Florida Straits
Authors: Piecuch Christopher G. , Beal Lisa M.
Published: July 2023

The Gulf Stream is a vital limb of the North Atlantic circulation that
influences regional climate, sea level, and hurricane activity. Given
the Gulf Stream’s relevance to weather and climate, many studies have
attempted to estimate trends in its volumetric transport from various
datasets, but results have been inconclusive, and no consensus has
emerged whether the current is weakening with climate change. Here we
use Bayesian analysis to jointly assimilate multiple datasets from the
Florida Straits to quantify uncertainty and change in Gulf Stream volume
transport since 1982. We find with virtual certainty (probability
$P>99\%$) that Gulf Stream volume
transport through the Florida Straits declined by $1.2
\pm 1.0$ Sv in the past 40 years (95\%
credible interval). This represents the first unequivocal evidence for a
recent multidecadal decline in this climate-relevant component of ocean
circulation.
Comparing the sources of sediment retained by beaver dams and beaver dam analogues
Authors: Westbrook Cherie J. , Cooper David J.
Published: July 2023

Beavers modify stream channels and their floodplains by building dams
that alter downstream fluxes of water and sediment. Where beavers have
been lost and stream channels degraded, beaver dam analogues (BDAs) are
being used to mimic the effects of beaver engineering. Central to the
success of these structures in accelerating stream recovery is creating
similar channel responses as beaver dams. Unknown is the importance of
beaver actions versus erosion in the catchment in generating the
retained sediment. This study tested the viability of sediment
fingerprinting to determine the source of sediment retained by beaver
dams and BDAs at a watershed in Alberta, Canada. Elemental
concentrations were determined in potential sediment sources (forest,
grassland, floodplain, stream bank, and beaver canal) and sediment
collected from the upstream face of beaver dams and BDAs. Of the 29
elements evaluated, only Se and Ti could discriminate potential sediment
sources in this watershed. Mixing models showed that about 55% of the
sediment retained by the beaver dams originated from floodplains, 23%
from upland sources, and 13% from beaver canals whereas about 89% of
sediment retained by the BDAs originated from eroding stream banks. Our
findings indicate that sediment fingerprinting is a viable technique for
identifying sources of sediment retained by beaver ponds and BDAs. The
actions of beavers, a known geomorphic agent, are important in actively
eroding the sediment that becomes retained by their dams. The study has
implications for determining the processes by which BDAs cause channel
aggradation.
Seasonal Changes in Poleward Atmospheric Heat Transport Under Increased CO2
Authors: Hahn Lily Caroline , Armour Kyle , Battisti David S. , Donohoe Aaron , Fajber Robert
Published: July 2023

Arctic warming under increased CO2 peaks in winter, but is influenced by
summer forcing via seasonal ocean heat storage. Yet changes in
atmospheric heat transport into the Arctic have mainly been investigated
in the annual mean or winter, with limited focus on other seasons. We
investigate the full seasonal cycle of poleward heat transport modelled
with increased CO2 or with individually applied Arctic sea-ice loss and
global sea-surface warming. We find that a winter reduction in dry heat
transport is driven by Arctic sea-ice loss and warming, while a summer
increase in moist heat transport is driven by sub-Arctic warming and
moistening. Intermodel spread in Arctic warming controls spread in
seasonal poleward heat transport. These seasonal changes and their
intermodel spread are well-captured by down-gradient diffusive heat
transport. While changes in moist and dry heat transport compensate in
the annual-mean, their opposite seasonality may support non-compensating
effects on Arctic warming.
In-situ Optimized Substrate Witness Plates: Ground Truth for Key Processes on the Moon and Other Planets
Authors: Saxena Prabal , Morrissey Liam S , Killen Rosemary M , McLain Jason L , Yeo Li Hsia , Curran Natalie M , Abraham Nithin S , Graham Heather , Tucker Orenthal , Sarantos Menelaos , Regberg Aaron B , Pugel Diane E , Needham Andrew W , Hasegawa Mark M , Wong Alfred J
Published: July 2023

Future exploration efforts of the Moon, Mars and other bodies are poised
to focus heavily on persistent and sustainable survey and research
efforts. This is especially true for the Moon, as additional orbital and
surface efforts have been made by a number of countries for the first
time and given the recent interest in a long-term sustainable human
presence at the Moon. Key to these efforts is understanding a number of
important processes on the lunar surface for both scientific and
operational purposes. We discuss the potential value of a powerful tool
complementary to currently used reconnaissance techniques: in-situ
artificial substrate witness plates. These tools can supplement familiar
remote sensing and sample acquisition techniques and provide a
sustainable way of monitoring processes in key locations on planetary
surfaces while also maintaining a low environmental footprint. We
examine and discuss unique case studies to show how key processes such
as water transport/hydration, presence and contamination of biologically
relevant molecules, solar activity related effects, and other processes
can be measured using small artificial substrate witness plates we call
‘biscuits’. These biscuits can yield key location sensitive, time
integrated measurements on these processes that can inform scientific
understanding of the Moon as well as enable operational goals in lunar
exploration. While we specifically demonstrate this on a simulated
traverse and for selected examples, we stress that all groups interested
in planetary surfaces in the future should consider these adaptable, low
footprint and highly informative tools for future exploration.
Anthropogenically forced shift in ENSO mean state after 1970 CE
Authors: Wilcox Paul , Mundelsee Manfred , Spötl Christoph , Edwards R Lawrence
Published: July 2023

Understanding how El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) responds to
natural variability is of key importance for future climate projections
under a warming climate. However, there is no clear consensus on what
drives ENSO’s variability on centennial timescales. Here, we find that
the epikarst in southeastern Alaska is effective at filtering ENSO and
solar irradiance signals from the Aleutian Low regional climate, which
are subsequently recorded in the speleothem proxy data. By applying a
correlation test, we find that ENSO was significantly influenced by
solar irradiance over the past ~3,500 years. This
relationship dissolved after ~1970 CE, with ENSO now
being dominated by anthropogenic forcing. This implies a new ENSO mean
state that will need to be incorporated into future climate projections.
Numerical modelling of the upwelling and associated hydrodynamics at various scales along the coral reefs at Sodwana Bay, South Africa
Authors: Wells Calvin , Pringle Justin , Stretch Derek
Published: July 2023

This study investigates hydrodynamics and short-term temperature
fluctuations at high-latitude coral reefs, focusing on Sodwana Bay in
South Africa. A refined hydrodynamic model nested within a global ocean
model was developed to investigate s temperature anomalies. On-reef
hydrodynamics were also measured using Tilt Current Meters over eight
months between 25/08/2021 and 16/05/2022 to describe the on-reef
hydrodynamics at Sodwana during temperature anomaly events. During
temperature anomaly events, the predominant current direction is
south-southwestward, occasionally reversing to the north with cold water
temperature anomalies. Current speeds range from 0.1 to 0.2m/s, peaking
at 0.35m/s at the shallow low rugosity site. The nested model, developed
using the Delft 3D Flexible Mesh hydrodynamic modelling suite,
successfully replicates the observed temperature anomalies in 2004. The
nested modelled better replicates the temperature anomaly amplitudes
compared to the reanalysed NEMO global ocean model due to the high model
resolution around Sodwana. A nested hydrodynamic model is necessary for
accurate analysis of short-term temperature fluctuations. A
representative anomaly in February 2004 was investigated using the
nested model. The anomaly was associated with remote upwelling of cold
water near the Delagoa Peninsula, followed by advection towards Sodwana.
As it reaches the region, the entire Sodwana region is engulfed by the
cold upwelled water. The model revealed that local upwelling occurs
within the Sodwana canyons during this event, making the water in the
canyons 1 °C colder than the surrounding water. When the locally
upwelled water spreads over the reef system, the anomaly amplitude is
enhanced by approximately 20%.
Potential Predictability of the Spring Bloom in the Southern Ocean Sea Ice Zone
Authors: Buchovecky Benjamin , MacGilchrist Graeme Alastair , Bushuk Mitchell , Haumann F. Alexander , Frölicher Thomas Lukas , Grix Natacha Le , Dunne John P. Patrick
Published: July 2023

Every austral spring when Antarctic sea ice melts, favorable growing
conditions lead to an intense phytoplankton bloom, which supports much
of the local marine ecosystem. Recent studies have found that Antarctic
sea ice is predictable several years in advance, suggesting that the
spring bloom might exhibit similar predictability. Using a suite of
perfect model predictability experiments, we find that November net
primary production (NPP) is potentially predictable seven to ten years
in advance in many Southern Ocean regions. Sea ice extent predictability
peaks in late winter, followed by absorbed shortwave radiation and NPP
with a two to three months lag. This seasonal progression of
predictability supports our hypothesis that sea ice and light limitation
control the inherent predictability of the spring bloom. Our results
suggest skillful interannual predictions of NPP may be achievable, with
implications for managing fisheries and the marine ecosystem, and
guiding conservation policy in the Southern Ocean.
Ice loss in the European Alps until 2050 using a fully assimilated, deep-learning-aided 3D ice-flow model
Authors: Cook Samuel , Jouvet Guillaume , Millan Romain , Rabatel Antoine , Zekollari Harry , Dussaillant Ines
Published: July 2023

Modelling the short-term (<50 years) evolution of glaciers is
difficult because of issues related to model initialisation and data
assimilation. However, this timescale is critical, particularly for
water resources, natural hazards, and ecology. Using a unique record of
satellite remote-sensing data, combined with a novel optimisation and
SMB-calculation method within the framework of the deep-learning-based
Instructed Glacier Model, we are able to resolve initialisation issues.
We thus model the evolution of all glaciers in the European Alps up to
2050 under present-day climate conditions, assuming no future climate
change. We find that the resulting committed ice loss exceeds a third of
the present-day ice volume by 2050, with multi-kilometre frontal
retreats for even the largest glaciers. Our results show the importance
of modelling ice dynamics to accurately retrieve the ice-thickness
distribution and to predict future mass changes. Thanks to
high-performance GPU processing, we also demonstrate our method’s global
potential.
A Machine Learning Approach to Fake News Detection Using Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Unsupervised Learning Model
Authors:   Department of Cyber Security Science Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State, Nigeria, Hosea I.G. , Waziri V.O. , Ismaila I. , Ojeniyi J. , Olalere M. , Adebayo O.
Published: July 2023

Blogging over the years have become a lucrative business, the bloggers main aim is to attract people to his or her blog. In the quest for that, many blogs or page post fake news by using enticing captions to captivate the minds of readers. The captions are mostly displayed on social media and by clicking on the captions, the reader will be redirected to the blog where the news is been posted. The posted fake news can sometimes lead to misinformation to the public, violence, inciting conflict and extreme cases, death. Many works have been done on fake news detection with good accuracy rate in terms of detecting fake news. This paper presents an effective way of detecting fake news using Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Lagrangian Duality which yielded an accuracy of 95.74%. Keywords: Machine Learning, Fake News, Detection, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Security, Unsupervised Learning Model, Bloggers, Readers Proceedings Citation Format Gungbias H.I., Waziri, V.O., Ismaila, I., Ojeniyi, J., Olalere, M. & Adebayo, O. (2022): A Machine Learning Approach to Fake News Detection Using Support Vector Machine (SVM) and Unsupervised Learning Model. Proceedings of the Cyber Secure Nigeria Conference. Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) Abuja, Nigeria. 11-12th July, 2023. Pp 11-18 https://cybersecurenigeria.org/conference-proceedings/volume-2-2023/ dx.doi.org/10.22624/AIMS/CSEAN-SMART2023P1.
Performance Evaluation of Random Forest Algorithm for DDoS Attacks Detection in Wireless Sensor Network Using Numericalization and Normalization as Feature Engineering Techniques
Authors:   Department of Computer Science1,3,4,5, Sulaiman H. ,   Department of Information Technology2 School of Information and Communication Technology Federal University of Technology, Minna, Oyefolahan I.O. , Bashir S.A. , Kolo I.M. , Ndunagu J.N.
Published: July 2023

Distributed Denial-Of-Service (DDoS) attacks in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) aims to decrease the availability of a service by exhausting the network resources available for traffic, thus preventing legitimate users from accessing the services. This paper evaluates the performance of Random Forest algorithm for distributed denial of service attacks detection in Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) with numericalization and normalization as feature engineering techniques and exploratory data analysis to build the Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks detection model. The dataset was streamlined for optimum performance of the selected algorithms. The experimental result shows the Random Forest achieved an accuracy of 90%, F1 score of 90%, precision of 91% and recall of 90%. The outcomes revealed that the random forest model performed better than the competing models in terms of accuracy, F1 score, precision, and recall. The results of this study shed light on the efficiency of machine learning models in identifying DDoS attacks and suggest areas for future study. The study stresses the significance of data preparation and cleaning in the process and offers a framework for the application of machine learning models in network intrusion detection systems. Keywords: Wireless Sensor Networks, Distributed Denial of Service, Intrusion Detection System, Random Forest, Machine Learning. Proceedings Citation Format Sulaiman, H, Oyefolahan, I.O., Bashir, S.A., Kolo, I.M. & Ndunagu J.N. (2023): Performance Evaluation of Random Forest Algorithm for DDoS Attacks Detection in Wireless Sensor Network Using Numericalization and Normalization as Feature Engineering Techniques. Proceedings of the Cyber Secure Nigeria Conference. Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) Abuja, Nigeria. 11-12th July, 2023. Pp 19-26. https://cybersecurenigeria.org/conference-proceedings/volume-2-2023/ dx.doi.org/10.22624/AIMS/CSEAN-SMART2023P2.
A Brief Overview on Applications of Multi-Criteria Decision Making Methods in Web Application Security
Authors:   Department of Computer Science  Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State, Nigeria,, Abdulraheem, A.O.  , Adepoju, S.A.  , Ojerinde, A.O.  , Abisoye, O.A
Published: July 2023

Various fields of endeavours have seen the increasing application of multi criteria decision making (MCDM) methods, this includes web application security as new challenges arise in the sector. More MCDM methods are being created and existing methods are combined to give better solutions. This paper performs a review of selected works that are related to the use of MCDM in web application security, examining the methods used, applications and results. Twenty one works were reviewed, with ten papers critically analysed, all published between 2014 and 2023. They were analysed based on MCDM techniques used and security evaluation methods. Results from this review shows that combined MCDM methods were more effective in addition to AHP, TOPSIS and fuzzy-techniques being prevalent. The review carried out in this paper provides a clear insight on various potential applications of MCDM in web application security. Keywords: Multi Criteria Decision Making (MCDM); Web Application Security; Literature Review Proceedings Citation Format Abdulraheem, A.O., Adepoju, S.A., Ojerinde A.O. & Abisoye, O.A (2023): A Brief Overview on Applications of Multi Criteria Decision Making Methods in Web Application Security. Proceedings of the Cyber Secure Nigeria Conference. Nigerian Army Resource Centre (NARC) Abuja, Nigeria. 11-12th July, 2023. Pp 59-66. https://cybersecurenigeria.org/conference-proceedings/volume-2-2023/ dx.doi.org/10.22624/AIMS/CSEAN-SMART2023P8
The Use of Internet and its Effect on Decision Making Among Urology Patient: Survey Study
Authors: Alenezi Saad , Alfahad Mohammad , Aldousari Saad , Al-shaiji Tariq , Salem Shady
Published: July 2023

Introduction: Internet access is more than 90% in gulf countries, patients more often search the internet for their disease conditions. Very few published literatures regarding frequency sources and their impact on patients’ decision. Methods: We prepared a questionnaire inquiring about internet use, sources and effect on patient’s medical decision in tertiary general hospitals and specialized urology center. Results: We received 425 responses to the questionnaire over 3 months period. With 30% response among patients in outpatient department. Mean age was 43 ± 16.3 years, 325 males (76%) and 100 female (24%) responders. 266 (62.6%) patients had college degree and 159 (37.4%) had high school or lower education. 396 patients have internet access (91.6%). 303 (70%) searched for their condition. Google was the most common search tool 299 (69%). 137 (31.8%) patients reported that the internet affected their decision. for medical information 148 (34.9%) patients followed doctors personal pages 144 (33.9%), chose official government websites and 95 (22.4%) used medical websites. Conclusion: Internet use is reality, most of the patients in our region utilize it to learn about their diseases. Thirty percent reported it affected their treatment choice.
Marketing Strategy Analysis on the Competitive Advantage of Culinary MSMEs in Makassar City
Authors:   Universitas Patompo, Rachmawaty Rachmawaty , Riesso Andi Sawe , Nurdiana Nurdiana , Hasanah Dillah Faradillah
Published: July 2023

This article analyzes the marketing strategies of culinary Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Makassar City to maintain a competitive advantage. This study aims to understand effective marketing strategies for increasing the competitiveness of culinary SMEs in the local market. The research method used is qualitative with data collection techniques with data-based mass media, ebooks, journals, and online news portals. The analysis shows that effective marketing strategies include using social media, superior product quality, product differentiation, local promotion, and partnerships with local suppliers. In the face of intense competition, culinary SMEs need to consider these factors to remain the main choice of consumers. This article provides insights and recommendations for other culinary SMEs who want to increase their competitive advantage in Makassar City.
OPTIMALISASI KEMAMPUAN LITERASI MELALUI PROGRAM KERJA TAMAN BACA DI UPT SD NEGERI 2 REJO SARI KECAMATAN NEGERI AGUNG KABUPATEN WAY KANAN
Authors:   Universitas Lampung, Komang Winatha I , Dara Puspita Elsa , Sri Wahyuni Ajeng , Yuliyanto Riyan , Damayanti Alfina
Published: July 2023

Membaca merupakan modal utama untuk kemajuan suatu bangsa, oleh karena itu minat baca harus ditumbuhkan pada masyarakat sejak usia dini. Taman baca masyarakat merupakan tempat yang ideal sebagai wahana bermain, belajar pengembangan minat baca dan meningkatkan literasi anak. Dengan tumbuhnya kebiasaan membaca ini dapat mendorong peningkatan kualitas hidup, kreatifitas, kemandirian, daya juang, dan daya saing di masa-masa yang akan datang. Membaca sangat diperlukan untuk menunjang pengetahuan yang harus dikuasai oleh peserta didik. Sehingga membaca tentunya menjadi kebiasaan yang harus dimiliki oleh seluruh peserta didik di Indonesia. Tujuan kegiatan ini adalah Meningkatkan kebiasaan dan gemar membaca yang dilakukan secara teratur dan berkelanjutan agar menjadi suatu kebiasaan, siswa untuk gemar membaca kapanpun dan dimanapun, Menumbuhkan rasa senang terhadap membaca dalam diri siswa sehingga siswa dapat memiliki wawasan yang luas, Menumbuh kembangkan budaya literasi sekolah dalam rangka menjadikan sekolah sebagai taman belajar yang ramah dan menyenangkan dan meningkatkan kemampuan literasi siswa. Metode yang digunakan dalam pengabdian ini adalah metode penelitian menggunakan pendekatan kualitatif. Sasaran yang dipilih yaitu siswa Sekolah Dasar UPT SDN 2 Rejo Sari. Hasil Kegiatan ini menunjukkan partisipatif dan dukungan dari pihak sekolah dan masyarakat dari aspek sosialisasi. Pembuatan Taman Baca dilaksanakan dengan memilih lokasi yang strategis yang menjadi bagian dari Sekolah, kegiatan ini melibatkan Mahasiswa KKN, Kalangan Masyarakat dan pihak sekolah.
KONTRIBUSI MAHASISWA UNILA DALAM MENINGKATKAN KEMAMPUAN MEMBACA Al-QUR’AN DAN MENUMBUHKAN KEPERCAYAAN DIRI ANAK DI DESA BANDAR DALAM
Authors: Mustika Dehana Amanda , Cesara Nurafafa Nissa , Rahayu Dwi , Yuvens Kurniawan Eduardus
Published: July 2023

Al-Qur'an merupakan kitab suci umat Islam yang berfungsi sebagai petunjuk bagi manusia dalam mengarahkan kehidupannya. Secara garis besar, al-Qur'an mengandung ajaran tentang aqidah, syariah, dan akhlak, namun al- Qur'an juga mengandung isyarat-isyarat ilmiah yakni mengandung ayat-ayat sains dan teknologi. Membaca dan Menghafal Alquran merupakan salah satu pembelajaran yang diberikan kepada anak usia dini guna mengembangkan potensi religuis yang dimiliki anak. Kemampuan yang dimiliki anak-anak perlu di asah dengan diadakannya kegiatan yang mendukung serta dapat menumbuhkan rasa percaya diri anak. KKN universitas lampung periode 1 tahun 2022 membantu TPA Al-muhajirin untuk meningkatkan rasa percaya diri anak dalam meningkatkan kemampuan yang dimiliki tentang membaca Al-Quran dan hafalan yang dimiliki. Metode yang digunakan dalam pelaksanaan kegiatan pengabdian kuliah kerja nyata yaitu metode observasi secara langsung. Adapun hasil yang ingin dicapai dalam program kerja KKN yaitu mengajar ngaji di TPA untuk dapat belajar pengenalan dan memahami serta membaca Al-Qur'an dengan baik dan benar.
STRATEGI PENINGKATAN SELF-DIRECTED LEARNING MELALUI PEMAHAMAN LITERASI PADA ONLINE LEARNING
Authors:   Universitas Lampung, Suroto Suroto , Komang Winatha I , Rahmawati Fanni
Published: July 2023

Peningkatan nalar kemampuan mahasiswa untuk berinisiatif dan memiliki tanggung jawab dengan penuh kesadaran dalam belajar secara mandiri (self directed learning) tentu menjadi perhatian saat ini. Dalam situasi pembelajaran yang dilakukan secara daring artinya tanpa tatap muka dengan pendidik secara langsung, setiap mahasiswa dituntut untuk memiliki kemampuan menentukan strategi dalam belajar, dan kemampuan evaluasi secara mandiri dengan baik, keterampilan intrapersonal tiap-tiap mahasiswa akan terlihat. Kegiatan Self directed learning tidak dapat dipisahkan dengan pemahaman akan pentingnya literasi, kemandirian mahasiswa dalam belajar secara mandiri akan mudah dicapai apabila mahasiswa telah memiliki kemampuan ketika memahami dan mengolah berbagai informasi yang ditemui ketika membaca atau menulis. Pembelajaran yang saat ini dilaksanakan secara virtual atau dalam jaringan tentu memperluas ragam informasi dan sumber belajar, pengusaan literasi berbasis data yang tidak hanya mengandalkan buku teks. Kegiatan dalam pengabdian ini difokuskan untuk mengoptimalkan kemandirian mahasiswa dalam belajar dengan meningkatkan kemampuan literasi pada pembelajaran daring.