Genomic approaches to assessing ecosystem health

Shellfish are an important component of our ecosystems. As sessile filter feeders, shellfish offer a valuable resource for revealing how the nearshore can be negatively influenced by anthropogenic activity and natural processes. Research in our lab focuses on using transcriptomic approaches to interrogate physiological responses, which in turn provides important insight into environmental conditions. Several projects will be presented including lab-based trials as well as efforts to characterize natural oyster populations in Puget Sound. More recently we have developed global epigenetic and proteomic approaches that could provide new insight into contaminant exposure and physiological impact. The potential for epigenetic approaches to reveal xenobiotic exposure will be discussed in a broader taxonomic framework as we are just beginning to understand the landscape and function of epigenetic mechanisms such as DNA methylation in shellfish. New approaches and application of shotgun proteomics will also be discussed. Currently these approaches are not realistic solutions for routine monitoring of nearshore water quality, but do offer an un-biased means to develop stressor specific, simple assays for general use

Pattern-of-Life Modeling using Data Leakage in Smart Homes

This work investigates data leakage in smart homes by providing a Smart Home Automation Architecture (SHAA) and a device classifier and pattern-of-life analysis tool, CITIoT (Classify, Identify, and Track Internet of things). CITIoT was able to capture traffic from SHAA and classify 17 of 18 devices, identify 95% of the events that occurred, and track when users were home or away with near 100% accuracy. Additionally, a mitigation tool, MIoTL (Mitigation of IoT Leakage) is provided to defend against smart home data leakage. With mitigation, CITIoT was unable to identify motion and camera devices and was inundated with an average of 221 false positives per day that made it ineffective at identifying real events. Also, CITIoT was only able to recognize 8 minutes of 24 hours that the user was away from the smart home. This work closes by stressing the vulnerabilities presented through the demonstration of how an adversary can use CITIoT to crack a BLE lock and gain access to the home. Lastly, security recommendations are provided to defend against vulnerabilities presented in this work and create a safer smart home environment

Examining the Social and Emotional Impact of Substance Use on the Users\u27 Family Members

Alcohol use is a multibillion dollar problem in the United States that has been linked to higher rates of anxiety, depression and maladjustment within families. Most studies examining the impact of alcohol use in these areas focus on individuals within treatment facilities. This study extended that research to examine the effects of social and emotional effects of alcohol use on a greater sample of the population, the family members of alcohol users. This study examined the relationships between family alcohol use and higher rates of depression, anxiety, and maladjustment. The data was expected to follow one of two general patterns. First, that as reports of family alcohol use increased greater symptoms of anxiety, depression and maladjustment would be reported. Second, that the data would fit the J-shaped function often seen in medical outcomes for alcohol users in which there is a down trend between non-users and moderate users followed by increasing negative outcomes as use increases. The data collected from 177 undergraduate students at Cleveland State University fit the second model for self reports of anxiety and depression, with no significant results observed between the levels of use and adjustment. The data indicates that individuals reporting minimal and moderate levels of family alcohol use have significantly lower levels of anxiety and depression compared to those reporting high levels of alcohol use, which is consistent with the literature. More significantly, the data suggests that participants reporting minimal and moderate levels of family alcohol use experience lower levels of anxiety and depression than those reporting no family alcohol use. More research is needed to determine if low levels of alcohol use are beneficial or if confounding factors contribute to non-users higher levels of negative outcome

Analytical procedures and interpretation basis for biomarkers used in environmental effect monitoring for the water column at the Norwegian continental shelf

Prosjektleder Jonny BeyerHerein, method description documents for the biomarker parameters that are required or recommended by the current edition of the guidelines for offshore water column monitoring at the Norwegian shelf (M-300, revised version 2020) are systemised, examined and discussed. The objective of this study is to assess the quality status of open and available method and analysis descriptions, identify any significant shortages on biomarker method descriptions and method validation issues and to discuss/suggest possible correcting and improving measures.Offshore Norge (formerly NOROG, Norwegian Oil and gas)publishedVersio

A Developmental Study on Assessing the Cybersecurity Competency of Organizational Information System Users

Organizational information system users (OISUs) that are open to cyber threats vectors are contributing to major financial and information losses for individuals, businesses, and governments. Moreover, technical cybersecurity controls may be rendered useless due to a lack of cybersecurity competency of OISUs. The main goal of this research study was to propose and validate, using subject matter experts (SMEs), a reliable hands-on assessment prototype tool for measuring the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) that comprise the cybersecurity competency of an OISU. Primarily using the Delphi methodology, this study implemented four phases of data collection using cybersecurity SMEs for proposing and validating OISU: (a) KSAs, (b) KSA measures, (c) KSA measure weights, and (d) cybersecurity competency threshold. A fifth phase of data collection occurred measuring the cybersecurity competency of 54 participants. Phase 1 proposed and validated three OISU cybersecurity abilities, 23 OISU cybersecurity knowledge units (KU), and 22 OISU cybersecurity skill areas (SA). Phase 2 proposed and validated 90 KSA measures for 47 knowledge topics (KT) and 43 skill tasks (ST). Phase 3 proposed and validated the weights for four knowledge categories (KC) and four skill categories (SC). Phase 4 proposed and validated an OISU cybersecurity competency threshold (index score) of 80%. Phase 5 of this study measured the cybersecurity competency of 54 OISUs using the MyCyberKSAsTM prototype cybersecurity competency assessment tool. Phase 5 conducted data analysis by computing levels of dispersion and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), which indicated that annual cybersecurity training and job function are significant, providing evidences for significant differences in OISU cybersecurity competency

Illinois State University Chamber Orchestra:Stories for Children

Center for the Performing Arts Thursday Evening November 6, 2003 6:00p.m

A molecular framework to identify novel modes of action of endocrine disrupting compounds in shellfish

Concern over human and wildlife health has brought increased attention to a group of emerging environmental contaminants referred to as endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs). While progress has been made in describing the effects of these compounds, there are still gaps in our understanding of alternative modes of action and physiological effects outside of the reproductive axis, particularly in invertebrates. One way that EDCs may elicit these changes is through disruptions to normal epigenetic mechanisms. Epigenetics refers to heritable processes that alter gene activity without manipulating the underlying DNA sequence. Epigenetic marks, such as DNA methylation, are important regulators of gene expression in both plants and animals. This research aims to characterize alternative modes of action of endocrine disrupting compounds by utilizing molecular tools to examine epigenetic and physiological changes in Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) exposed to the synthetic estrogen, 17α-ethinyl estradiol (EE2). In this experiment, juvenile oysters were exposed to EE2 during gonad maturation. Sex-ratio and size were evaluated after two months of exposure. Results of this exposure include a trend toward more females in the EE2 exposed. In addition, the EE2 exposed females were significantly larger than unexposed females. To investigate the molecular underpinnings of this phenotype, DNA methylation profiles of control and EE2 exposed females were directly compared using a DNA tiling microarray (MBD-ChIP) in order to test the hypothesis that invertebrate DNA methylation patterns will be altered upon exposure to EDCs. This analysis revealed a suite of genes that were differentially methylated in response to EE2. Functional annotations of these genes indicate that a number of biological pathways outside of the reproductive axis are being affected by exposure to EE2

Complex basal conditions influence flow at the onset of the Northeast Greenland Ice Stream

The onset and high upstream ice surface velocities of the North East Greenland Ice Stream (NEGIS) are not yet well reproducible in ice sheet models. A major uncertainty remains the understanding of basal sliding and a parameterization of basal conditions. In this study, we assess the slow-flowing part of the NEGIS in a systematic analysis of the basal conditions and investigate the increased ice flow. We analyze the spectral basal roughness in correlation with basal return power from an airborne radar survey with AWIs ultra-wideband radar system in 2018 and compare our results with current ice flow geometry and ice surface flow. We observe a roughness anisotropy where the ice stream widens, indicating a change from a smooth and soft bed to a harder bedrock as well as the evolution of elongated subglacial landforms. In addition, at the upstream part of the NEGIS we find a clear zoning of the bedrock return power, indicating an increased water content at the base of the ice stream. At the downstream part, we observe an increased bedrock return power throughout the entire width of the ice stream and outside its margins, indicating enhanced melting and the distribution of basal water beyond the shear zones

Mathematiklehrkräfte und -fortbildende reflektieren die Nutzung eines Chatbots zur Vorbereitung einer schulpraktischen Erprobung innovativer Lernumgebungen

Dieser Beitrag stellt die qualitative Evaluation eines Chatbots als innovatives Fortbildungsmaterial zur Unterstützung schulpraktischer Erprobungen – also Phasen situierten Lernens von Lehrkräften – in den Mittelpunkt. Dazu werden überblicksartig die Hintergründe, der bisherige Entwicklungsprozess, der methodische Rahmen sowie erste Ergebnisse der Evaluation dargestellt