Detecting ADS-B Spoofing Attacks using Deep Neural Networks

The Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) system is a key component of the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) that manages the increasingly congested airspace. It provides accurate aircraft localization and efficient air traffic management and also improves the safety of billions of current and future passengers. While the benefits of ADS-B are well known, the lack of basic security measures like encryption and authentication introduces various exploitable security vulnerabilities. One practical threat is the ADS-B spoofing attack that targets the ADS-B ground station, in which the ground-based or aircraft-based attacker manipulates the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) address (a unique identifier for each aircraft) in the ADS-B messages to fake the appearance of non-existent aircraft or masquerade as a trusted aircraft. As a result, this attack can confuse the pilots or the air traffic control personnel and cause dangerous maneuvers. In this paper, we introduce SODA - a two-stage Deep Neural Network (DNN)-based spoofing detector for ADS-B that consists of a message classifier and an aircraft classifier. It allows a ground station to examine each incoming message based on the PHY-layer features (e.g., IQ samples and phases) and flag suspicious messages. Our experimental results show that SODA detects ground-based spoofing attacks with a probability of 99.34%, while having a very small false alarm rate (i.e., 0.43%). It outperforms other machine learning techniques such as XGBoost, Logistic Regression, and Support Vector Machine. It further identifies individual aircraft with an average F-score of 96.68% and an accuracy of 96.66%, with a significant improvement over the state-of-the-art detector.Comment: Accepted to IEEE CNS 201

Application of multivariate data analysis for the classification of two dimensional gel images in Neuroproteomics

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE) still plays a key role in proteomics for exploring the protein content of complex biological mixtures. However, the development of fully automatic strategies in extracting interpretable information from gel images is still a challenging task. In this work, we present a computational strategy aiming at an automatic classification of the discriminant patterns emerging from separation images intended as fingerprints of the correspondent biological conditions. The method was applied to gel images acquired in a study on motor neuron diseases: 33 2DE maps generated from samples of cerebrospinal fluid were processed (26 pathologic and 7 control subjects). Quantitative image descriptors were extracted and fitted to a partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLSDA) assessing the chance to classify the samples. Moreover, the model was able to identify gel areas that most differ through the clinical categories. Combining multivariate statistical techniques with 2DEs may represent a valid tool to extract informative protein patterns. This kind of approach can contribute to the development of a system of screening to discriminate different clinical conditions on the basis of the overall patterns emerging from the maps, representing a useful complementary analysis in the routine of a proteomic laboratory. © 2011 Mazzara S, et al

Clinically relevant enhancement of human sperm motility using compounds with reported phosphodiesterase inhibitor activity

STUDY QUESTION: Can we identify compound(s) with reported phosphodiesterase inhibitor (PDEI) activity that could be added to human spermatozoa in vitro to enhance their motility without compromising other sperm functions? SUMMARY ANSWER: We have identified several compounds that produce robust and effective stimulation of sperm motility and, importantly, have a positive response on patient samples. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: For >20 years, the use of non-selective PDEIs, such as pentoxifylline, has been known to influence the motility of human spermatozoa; however, conflicting results have been obtained. It is now clear that human sperm express several different phosphodiesterases and these are compartmentalized at different regions of the cells. By using type-specific PDEIs, differential modulation of sperm motility may be achieved without adversely affecting other functions such as the acrosome reaction (AR). STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This was a basic medical research study examining sperm samples from normozoospermic donors and subfertile patients attending the Assisted Conception Unit (ACU), Ninewells Hospital Dundee for diagnostic semen analysis, IVF and ICSI. Phase 1 screened 43 commercially available compounds with reported PDEI activity to identify lead compounds that stimulate sperm motility. Samples were exposed (20 min) to three concentrations (1, 10 and 100 µM) of compound, and selected candidates (n = 6) progressed to Phase 2, which provided a more comprehensive assessment using a battery of in vitro sperm function tests.  PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: All healthy donors and subfertile patients were recruited at the Medical Research Institute, University of Dundee and ACU, Ninewells Hospital Dundee (ethical approval 08/S1402/6). In Phase 1, poor motility cells recovered from the 40% interface of the discontinuous density gradient were used as surrogates for patient samples. Pooled samples from three to four different donors were utilized in order to reduce variability and increase the number of cells available for simultaneous examination of multiple compounds. During Phase 2 testing, semen samples from 23 patients attending for either routine diagnostic andrology assessment or IVF/ICSI were prepared and exposed to selected compounds. Additionally, 48 aliquots of prepared samples, surplus to clinical use, were examined from IVF (n = 32) and ICSI (n = 16) patients to further determine the effects of selected compounds under clinical conditions of treatment. Effects of compounds on sperm motility were assessed by computer-assisted sperm analysis. A modified Kremer test using methyl cellulose was used to assess sperm functional ability to penetrate into viscous media. Sperm acrosome integrity and induction of apoptosis were assessed using the acrosomal content marker PSA-FITC and annexin V kit, respectively. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: In Phase 1, six compounds were found to have a strong effect on poor motility samples with a magnitude of response of ≥60% increase in percentage total motility. Under capacitating and non-capacitating conditions, these compounds significantly (P ≤ 0.05) increased the percentage of total and progressive motility. Furthermore, these compounds enhanced penetration into a cervical mucus substitute (P ≤ 0.05). Finally, the AR was not significantly induced and these compounds did not significantly increase the externalization of phosphatidylserine (P = 0.6, respectively). In general, the six compounds maintained the stimulation of motility over long periods of time (180 min) and their effects were still observed after their removal. In examinations of clinical samples, there was a general observation of a more significant stimulation of sperm motility in samples with lower baseline motility. In ICSI samples, compounds #26, #37 and #38 were the most effective at significantly increasing total motility (88, 81 and 79% of samples, respectively) and progressive motility (94, 93 and 81% of samples, respectively). In conclusion, using a two-phased drug discovery screening approach including the examination of clinical samples, 3/43 compounds were identified as promising candidates for further study. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: This is an in vitro study and caution must be taken when extrapolating the results. Data for patients were from one assessment and thus the robustness of responses needs to be established. The n values for ICSI samples were relatively small. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: We have systematically screened and identified several compounds that have robust and effective stimulation (i.e. functional significance with longevity and no toxicity) of total and progressive motility under clinical conditions of treatment. These compounds could be clinical candidates with possibilities in terms of assisted reproductive technology options for current or future patients affected by asthenozoospermia or oligoasthenozoospermia

Reflecting on the Ordinary

My work is about valuing the ordinary moments in life that can be described as joyful, difficult, beautiful, painful, or even transcendent. My creativity arises from a need to tell the story of these moments, and to share my experience with others. These moments are often evidenced by the objects we leave behind. They are a testament to the life we have lived, or are now living. My attention to small, ordinary details includes honoring and remembering people who have died. They may be artists, writers, friends, or family members but it is important to me to record the unique contributions they have made to this world. To tell my stories I work with clay, paint, wood, wire, photography, jewelry, books, and found objects. I incorporate text to tell the story of the piece. I layer objects and imagery to focus the viewer\u27s attention on the mundane. I use found objects to serve as metaphorical evidence of the path we take. Many symbolic images also recur in my work, such as crows, gravestones, hands, and trees. Finally, I use grids to organize the structure of my pieces and help create a sense of order in the profusion of information. I want my art to be mindful, to elevate the ordinary, and to ask the viewer to join me in reflection on the human experience

Driver Distraction through Conversation Measured with Pupillometry

Assessing a driver´s mental workload during tasks that are not visualmanual is a challenging endeavor. Especially with the rapid development of speech systems, this is becoming increasingly important. Pupillometry promises to be a suitable physiological measurement method, sensitive to variations of cognitive workload. This driving simulator study shows that the pupillometry data indicate a significant increase in cognitive activity during conversation tasks regardless of the acoustic channel used

The Coronavirus Crisis as Catalyst for EU Legitimacy? Italian Public Opinion and the EU during the Pandemic

Over the past few years, the EU has been challenged by multiple disintegration forces sustained by a growing number of Eurosceptic citizens. In this critical scenario, Italy has emerged as a relevant case because of its transformation from a leading pro-integration country to a country where EU integration is an increasingly divisive issue. We explore the relationship between Italian public opinion and the EU, with a specific interest in understanding how the coronavirus crisis may affect such a relationship, supposing that our case study may also be revealing as to how a crisis context can produce effects on the popular legitimacy of the EU. We show that in Italy there is demand from some majoritarian segments of society for stronger cooperation in the EU. To explain the apparent paradox of why Italians decreasingly feel that their country benefits from the EU but still want to increase EU cooperation in certain areas, we turn to the argument of the public's instrumental approach to the principle of burden-sharing: citizens support deeper integration to face the costs of the most pressing crises affecting the country and the EU at large