SDSU Cow/Calf Teaching and Research Unit

The SDSU Cow/Calf Unit (CCU) is a multi‐purpose facility that provides resources for Animal Science courses and research projects. Cattle produced at the facility are also utilized by Little International, Block and Bridle, and livestock judging teams. The facility is managed by Kevin Vander Wal and generally employs 4 to 5 undergraduate students

Towards a Cybersecurity Testbed for Agricultural Vehicles and Environments

In today’s modern farm, an increasing number of agricultural systems and vehicles are connected to the Internet. While the benefits of networked agricultural machinery are attractive, this technological shift is also creating an environment that is conducive to cyberattacks. While previous research has focused on general cybersecurity concerns in the farming and agricultural industries, minimal research has focused on techniques for identifying security vulnerabilities within actual agricultural systems that could be exploited by cybercriminals. Hence, this paper presents STAVE – a Security Testbed for Agricultural Vehicles and Environments – as a potential solution to assist with the identification of cybersecurity vulnerabilities within commercially available off-the-shelf components used in certain agricultural systems. This paper reports ongoing research efforts to develop and refine the STAVE testbed, along with describing initial cybersecurity experimentation which aims to identify security vulnerabilities within wireless and Controller Area Network (CAN) Bus agricultural vehicle components

Water and magmas: insights about the water solution mechanisms in alkali silicate melts from infrared, Raman, and 29 Si solid-state NMR spectroscopies

Degassing of water during the ascent of hydrous magma in a volcanic edifice produces dramatic changes in the magma density and viscosity. This can profoundly affect the dynamics of volcanic eruptions. The water exsolution history, in turn, is driven by the water solubility and solution mechanisms in the silicate melt. Previous studies pointed to dissolved water in silicate glasses and melts existing as molecules (H2Omol species) and hydroxyl groups, OH. These latter OH groups commonly are considered bonded to Si4+ but may form other bonds, such as with alkali or alkaline-earth cations, for instance. Those forms of bonding influence the structure of hydrous melts in different ways and, therefore, their properties. As a result, exsolution of water from magmas may have different eruptive consequences depending on the initial bonding mechanisms of the dissolved water. However, despite their importance, the solution mechanisms of water in silicate melts are not clear. In particular, how chemical composition of melts affects water solubility and solution mechanism is not well understood. In the present experimental study, components of such information are reported via determination of how water interacts with the cationic network of alkali (Li, Na, and K) silicate quenched melts. Results from 29Si single-pulse magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (29Si SP MAS NMR), infrared, and Raman spectroscopies show that decreasing the ionic radius of alkali metal cation in silicate melts results in decreasing fraction of water dissolved as OH groups. The nature of OH bonding also changes as the alkali ionic radius changes. Therefore, as the speciation and bonding of water controls the degree of polymerization of melts, water will have different effects on the transport properties of silicate melts depending on their chemical composition. This conclusion, in turn, may affect volcanic phenomena related to the viscous relaxation of hydrous magmas, such as for instance the fragmentation process that occurs during explosive eruptions

Towards a Cybersecurity Testbed for Agricultural Vehicles and Environments

In today’s modern farm, an increasing number of agricultural systems and vehicles are connected to the Internet. While the benefits of networked agricultural machinery are attractive, this technological shift is also creating an environment that is conducive to cyberattacks. While previous research has focused on general cybersecurity concerns in the farming and agricultural industries, minimal research has focused on techniques for identifying security vulnerabilities within actual agricultural systems that could be exploited by cybercriminals. Hence, this paper presents STAVE – a Security Testbed for Agricultural Vehicles and Environments – as a potential solution to assist with the identification of cybersecurity vulnerabilities within commercially available off-the-shelf components used in certain agricultural systems. This paper reports ongoing research efforts to develop and refine the STAVE testbed, along with describing initial cybersecurity experimentation which aims to identify security vulnerabilities within wireless and CAN Bus agricultural vehicle components

Sensors in Agriculture: Systems and Methods for Two Sensor Systems for Plant Phenotype Detection

Sensors are increasingly being used in agricultural settings to provide data on the physical characteristics of plants under field conditions. Accurate data provides researchers and producers with the ability to make decisions with a high level of confidence. This work addresses two sensing systems for measuring important plant characteristics. The first system investigates accuracy differences between two unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) camera calibration methods. The second system explores the development and testing of a novel in situ root imaging rhizotron. The UAV study compared autoexposure and fixed exposure radiometric calibration methods to a single calibrated manned aircraft image and to a ground target measured with a spectroradiometer. In a band by band comparison, the autoexposure method, which uses a pre-flight image of a single panel for calibration, produced almost twice as much radiometric error on average compared with fixed exposure using in-field targets for image calibration. When comparing the exposure methods using the Visible Atmospherically Resistant Index (VARI), the autoexposure method produced twice as much RMSE compared to the fixed exposure method. The study on the novel in situ root sensor developed a low field magnetic resonance imaging (LF-MRI) rhizotron. A scaled 8 cm bore model was designed, built and test across three types of soil, Weswood silt loam, Belk clay, and Houston black clay. The results demonstrated the viability of this technology to produce root information in clay soils. A 28 cm bore unit was designed, built and tested under field conditions. The resulting system provided root information and visualization of roots with 2-D projection images in a Weswood silt loam, and Belk clay both in situ and ex situ. In summary, (1) using a fixed exposure calibration method for UAV remote sensing improved accuracy in reflectance data, providing a better understanding of in-field plant conditions and better decision-making capability; and (2) the LF-MRI Rhizotron allowed visualization of plant roots in agricultural soils under field conditions. Both sensing systems and methods have the potential to be used as tools for improving crop production for researchers or growers

Privacy preservation and auditing for ubiquitous mobile sensing applications and services

Thesis (S.M. in Technology and Policy)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, 2012.Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.Includes bibliographical references (p. 77-79).The recent proliferation of mobile phones, with their many associated sensors, has opened the door to an entirely new range of insights and applications with a host of accompanying privacy concerns. In this thesis, we explore techniques for privacy preservation, transparency, and auditing for mobile sensing applications and services. We demonstrate the feasibility of privacy-conscious defaults with the deployment of an open-source mobile sensing framework and examine the requirements for this as a basis of a forced-transparency system. This system is then examined within the scope of present legal and policy frameworks and assessed for use in both open and closed source mobile sensing platforms and frameworks. Finally, we highlight the use of a mobile application prototyping service as a means for early trend detection for future privacy research.by George C. Sumter.S.M.in Technology and Polic

Influence of Post-AI Nutrition on Blood Urea Nitrogen, Progesterone, and Pregnancy

Research has shown that changes in nutrition can have an effect on reproductive performance. Our objective was to determine the effect of post-AI nutrition on BCS, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), progesterone, and pregnancy rates. Forage-developed Angus-cross bred heifers (n = 336) were synchronized with the Select Synch+ Controlled Internal Drug Releasing device (CIDR) protocol (d -7 100 μg GnRH and CIDR; d 0 25 mg PG and removal of CIDR). Estrus was detected for 72 h and heifers bred by AI 12 h after being detected in estrus; heifers not in detected in estrus were bred by AI and given an injection of GnRH at 72 h. Each breeding period was equally divided into three treatments: 1) heifers returned to feedlot (LOT), 2) heifers were moved to pasture (PASTURE), or 3) heifers were moved to pasture and supplemented with 5 lb/hd/d of dried distillers grains plus solubles (SUPP). Blood samples were collected on d -7, 0, 2, 14 and 42 (pregnancy determination; d 0 = AI). Body condition scores were determined on d -7 and 42. All heifers were in similar BCS (5.4 ± 0.05) on d -7, but on d 42 SUPP (5.9 ± 0.04) were in better condition than LOT (5.8 ± 0.04) which were in better condition than PASTURE (5.4 ± 0.04). All treatments had similar BUN concentrations on d -7 (129 ± 1), but on d 2, 14, and 42 SUPP had greater BUN concentrations compared to both LOT and PASTURE. There was no difference in BUN concentrations between pregnant and open heifers. Progesterone concentrations were similar among all heifers on d 0 and 2. On d 14, SUPP had greater progesterone concentrations compared to LOT, and on d 14 and 42 PASTURE had greater progesterone concentrations compared to LOT. Progesterone was similar for open and pregnant heifers on d 0 and 2, but greater in pregnant heifers on d 14 and 42. There was no difference among treatments in pregnancy rates (57, 56, and 59% for SUPP, LOT, and PASTURE; analyzed by chi-square). In summary, supplementing forage-developed heifers after insemination increased BCS and BUN concentrations but had no effect on pregnancy rates

Brainstorm Radiation Systems Inc

Many different designs have been created to immobilize patients for radiation therapy of the head and neck. Options exist which result in varying degrees of patient comfort, radiation attenuation, and limitation of movement. While one requirement can be met effectively, it is difficult to design a system which adequately meets all requirements for radiation therapy. Brainstorm Radiation Systems aims to address all of these variables and transform the patient and technician experience during radiation treatment. The requirements for our head and neck immobilization design were to immobilize the patient within 3mm of movement for at least 30 minutes, and must be repeatable over the course of several weeks. The device must limit attenuation of the radiation and be comfortable for the patient. Our team worked to address these issues, and together, went through storming, norming, and performing as a group. We learned to communicate our ideas and goals effectively and efficiently through conflict resolution and teamwork. And through visits with radiation oncologist experts, brainstorming, designing, 3D modeling, and construction of prototypes, we were able to design a system of components which accomplishes our goals. Our system, which includes a bite-block, holds the patient in place and is unaffected by weight or facial change of the patient. Our design is easily integrated with Bionix’s line of products and will create a better experience for both the patient and the technicians

Optical constants of a solar system organic analog and the Allende meteorite in the near and mid-infrared (1.5-13 {\mu}m)

Measurements of visible and near-infrared reflection (0.38-5 {\mu}m) and mid to far infrared emission (5-200 {\mu}m) from telescope and satellite remote sensing instruments make it possible to investigate the composition of planetary surfaces via electronic transitions and vibrational modes of chemical bonds. Red spectral slopes at visible and near infrared wavelengths and absorption features at 3.3 and 3.4 {\mu}m observed in circumstellar disks, the interstellar medium, and on the surfaces of solar-system bodies are interpreted to be due to the presence of organic material and other carbon compounds. Identifying the origin of these features requires measurements of the optical properties of a variety of relevant analog and planetary materials. Spectroscopic models of dust within circumstellar disks and the interstellar medium as well as planetary regoliths often incorporate just one such laboratory measurement despite the wide variation in absorption and extinction properties of organic and other carbon-bearing materials. Here we present laboratory measurements of transmission spectra in the 1.5-13 {\mu}m region and use these to derive real and imaginary indices of refraction for two samples: 1) an analog to meteoritic insoluble organic matter and 2) a powdered Allende meteorite sample. We also test our refractive index retrieval method on a previously published transmission spectrum of an Mg-rich olivine. We compare optical measurements of the insoluble organic-matter analog to those of other solar-system and extrasolar organic analogs, such as amorphous carbon and tholins, and find that the indices of refraction of the newly characterized material differ significantly from other carbonaceous samples.Comment: 16 pages, 12 figures, accepted for publication by PS