An Integrated Framework for Sensing Radio Frequency Spectrum Attacks on Medical Delivery Drones

Drone susceptibility to jamming or spoofing attacks of GPS, RF, Wi-Fi, and operator signals presents a danger to future medical delivery systems. A detection framework capable of sensing attacks on drones could provide the capability for active responses. The identification of interference attacks has applicability in medical delivery, disaster zone relief, and FAA enforcement against illegal jamming activities. A gap exists in the literature for solo or swarm-based drones to identify radio frequency spectrum attacks. Any non-delivery specific function, such as attack sensing, added to a drone involves a weight increase and additional complexity; therefore, the value must exceed the disadvantages. Medical delivery, high-value cargo, and disaster zone applications could present a value proposition which overcomes the additional costs. The paper examines types of attacks against drones and describes a framework for designing an attack detection system with active response capabilities for improving the reliability of delivery and other medical applications.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figures, 5 table

Scientific publications of the Bioscience Program Division. Volume II - Environmental biology

Environmental biology bibliography, including citations on biochemistry, radiobiology, and bioinstrumentatio

Dual Frame (Landline and Cell RDD) Estimation in a National Survey of Latinos

Explores the implications of conducting surveys by both landline and cell phones for issues of survey bias and undercoverage of Latinos, among whom the cell phone-only population is growing. Discusses sampling and weighting methods

Investigation of cavitation damage of a mechanical pump impeller in high temperature potassium quarterly progress report no. 1, 7 dec. 1964 - 28 feb. 1965

Cavitation damage prediction from mixed flow centrifugal pump impeller in endurance testing in high temperature potassiu

NASA contract listings of publications under the behavioral biology program

Behavioral biology - bibliograph

Using Structural Bioinformatics to Model and Design Membrane Proteins

Cells require membrane proteins for a wide spectrum of critical functions. Transmembrane proteins enable cells to communicate with its environment, catalysis, ion transport and scaffolding. The functional roles of membrane proteins are specified by their sequence composition and precise three dimensional folding. The exact mechanisms driving folding of membrane proteins is still not fully understood. Further, the association between membrane proteins occurs with pinpoint specificity. For example, there exists common sequence features within families of transmembrane receptors, yet there is little cross talk between families. Therefore, we ask how membrane proteins dial in their specificity and what factors are responsible for adoption of native structure. Advancements in membrane protein structure determination methods has been followed by a sharp increase in three dimensional structures. Structural bioinfomatics has been utilized effectively to study water soluble proteins. The field is now entering an era where structural bioinformatics can be applied to modeling membrane proteins without structure and engineering novel membrane proteins. The transmembrane domains of membrane proteins were first categorized structurally. From this analysis, we are able to describe the ways in which membrane proteins fold and associate. We further derived sequence profiles for the commonly occurring structural motifs, enabling us to investigate the role of amino acids within the bilayer. Utilizing these tools, a transmembrane structural model was constructed of principle cell surface receptors (integrins). The structural model enabled understanding of possible mechanisms used to signal and to propose a novel membrane protein packing motif. In addition, novel scoring functions for membrane proteins were developed and applied to modeling membrane proteins. We derived the first all-atom membrane statistical potential and introduced the usage of exposed volume. These potentials allowed modeling of complex interactions in membrane proteins, such as salt bridges. To understand the geometric preferences of salt bridges, we surveyed a structural database. We learned about large biases in salt bridge orientations that will be useful in modeling and design. Lastly, we combine these structural bioinformatic efforts, enabling us to model membrane proteins in ways which were previously inaccessible

Social Emotional Competency Change During the Pandemic: Impacts of a Virtual Physical Activity Program

There is currently limited research on virtual physical activity (PA) programs and their relationship on social emotional competency (SEC). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a virtual after-school PA program has on SEC among elementary school students. The participants of this study are 122 elementary school students (Mean Age=11.69) enrolled in grades 2-6 from six elementary schools. Children registered and participated in the virtual after-school PA program Move 60!, that was offered four times per week during the pandemic (Fall 2021 from October to December). SEC was measured using the Washoe County School District (WCSD) Social and Emotional Competency Assessments-Short Form (SECAs) at the beginning and end of the Move 60! program. Data analysis included descriptive analysis of demographic variables and SEC. A dependent sample t test was used to examine changes in SEC from pre to post Move60! and Cohen’s d was computed as the effect size. Independent sample t test was used to determine changes (Δ) between boys and girls. Additionally, a chi-squared test was conducted to examine the potential association between student sex and whether the composite scores were improved (i.e., Δ \u3e 0). No differences between girls and boys were found based on premeasures of SEC. Student’s SEC significantly improved from pre to post measure. The average SEC improvement did not differ between boys and girls, although girls did report greater gains. A statistically significant association between sex and SEC improvement was found, with about 60% of girls improving SEC compared to about 40% of boys. These findings suggest that a virtual after-school PA program may enhance the SEC of elementary children. Further, girls seemed to have experienced even a greater benefit than boys by participating in such a program