A Hybrid Software Defined Network Platform for Undergraduate Research and Education

Software Defined Networks (SDNs) are leading the evolution toward network programmability and open architectures. While many corporations, nonprofits, and individuals have developed training on SDNs, the industry has a significant gap with the robustness of entrenched traditional network educational models, such as Cisco’s Networking Academy. The Department of Defense (DoD) will likely adopt some form of SDN into its global transport network at various tiers and authority boundaries. It is imperative for 21st century leaders to understand how and why the manner in which DoD provides Information Technology (IT) services to its customers is changing with such rapidity. Therefore, we developed three basic SDN course lessons as a base of knowledge and support and integrated a hybrid physical SDN research platform into existing laboratory infrastructure for faculty research and capstone projects for senior cadets. This was accomplished by leveraging existing SDN-related tutorials and resources and integrating them within a virtualized SDN simulation environment. The three lessons were developed for integration into our core networking course that describes fundamental networking concepts in the context of an SDN - with a centralized control plane, while ensuring lesson learning objectives were achievable by non-technical majors yet sufficiently comprehensive across the fundamental operations of an SDN. The hybrid research platform consists of a number of Virtual Machines (VMs) running Mininet1 - an SDN simulation environment - and hosted on a VMware vSphere cluster with direct connectivity to twelve physical openflow-capable switches. This will allow students in the networking course to plan, design, implement, and test a basic SDN topology in either a virtual, physical, or hybrid environment. In addition, it will provide topological and experimental flexibility to student and faculty researchers and senior capstone project teams alike

North Carolina public health agency accreditation and performance: the climb from good to extraordinary

The objective of this study was to determine how local public health agency accreditation impacts public health performance. Survey data collected in October 2008 from 80 local health agencies in North Carolina compared accredited and non-accredited local public health agency performance on three domains: policy development and implementation, community engagement, and leadership behavior. Secondary data analysis using performance data from the NC Center for Health Statistics compared North Carolina counties served by accredited and non-accredited local public health agencies on 13 performance indicators. Finally, key informant interviews with health directors and management team members from high performing local public health agencies supplemented findings from the surveys and performance indicator data. A cross-sectional survey design was used to assess local public health agency performance on key activities associated with the NC Local Health Department Accreditation Program. Descriptive analyses were conducted consisting of question-specific frequency distributions with p-values used to determine whether there were significant differences in scores for each domain based on the accreditation status of the responding agency. Time-series comparisons of performance improvement in accredited and non-accredited local public health agencies were conducted to describe patterns of variation in performance improvement across accredited and non-accredited agencies. A thematic analysis of transcripts from key informant interviews was conducted using across-case matrices derived from within-case summaries. Findings indicated that accredited and non-accredited local public health agencies in North Carolina differed with respect to the degree to which they demonstrated policy development and implementation and community engagement, with accredited local public health agencies demonstrating higher scores on these domains. These findings may provide valuable information to North Carolina public health leaders and the national voluntary accreditation efforts regarding ways to ensure that local public health agency accreditation drives high performance

The Vicissitudes of a Coastal Lagoon from the 19th Century to the Present Day

An account is given of the man-made alterations in the ecology of Lesina, a large (5328 ha) shallow lagoon on the south Adriatic coast of Italy, alterations motivated by the necessities of fish production, reclaiming land for agriculture, and eliminating malarial marshland. Up to 1851 the ecosystem was ruled by entirely natural forces. In that year an artificial outlet to the sea was dug in addition to the existing natural one. In 1903 a second artificial sea channel was opened. By the 1950s all the surrounding freshwater marshes (ca 1500 ha) had been drained and a dike built around the perimeter of the basin. Underwater trenches in the lagoon have been dug to facilitate water circulation. Pollution has become evident in the last fifty years. Three years ago a small harbour for sea-going fishing vessels was constructed at the entrance of one of the sea channels

Random mutagenesis of PDZOmi domain and selection of mutants that specifically bind the Myc proto-oncogene and induce apoptosis

peer reviewedOmi is a mammalian serine protease that is localised in the mitochondria and released to the cytoplasm in response to apoptotic stimuli. Omi induces cell death in a caspase-dependent manner by interacting with the Xchromosome linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein, as well as in a caspase-independent way that relies on its proteolytic activity. Omi is synthesized as a precursor polypeptide and is processed to an active serene protease with a unique PDZ domain. PDZ domains recognise the extreme carboxyl terminus of target proteins. Internal peptides that are able to fold into a b-finger are also reported to bind some PDZ domains. Using a modified yeast two-hybrid system, PDZOmi mutants were isolated by their ability to bind the carboxyl terminus of human Myc oncoprotein in yeast as well as in mammalian cells. One such PDZm domain (PDZ-M1), when transfected into mammalian cells, was able to bind to endogenous Myc protein and induce cell death. PDZ-M1-induced apoptosis was entirely dependent on the presence of Myc protein and was not observed when c-myc null fibroblasts were used. Our studies indicate that the PDZ domain of Omi can provide a prototype that could easily be exploited to target specifically and inactivate oncogenes by binding to their unique carboxyl terminus

Building the Evidence for Decision-Making: The Relationship Between Local Public Health Capacity and Community Mortality

Objectives. We examined associations between local health department (LHD) spending, staffing, and services and community health outcomes in North Carolina. Methods. We analyzed LHD investments and community mortality in North Carolina from 2005 through 2010. We obtained LHD spending, staffing, and services data from the National Association of City and County Health Officials 2005 and 2008 profile surveys. Five mortality rates were constructed using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mortality files, North Carolina vital statistics data, and census data for LHD service jurisdictions: heart disease, cancer, diabetes, pneumonia and influenza, and infant mortality. Results. Spending, staffing, and services varied widely by location and over time in the 85 North Carolina LHDs. A 1% increase in full-time-equivalent staffing (per 1000 population) was associated with decrease of 0.01 infant deaths per 1000 live births (P < .05). Provision of women and children’s services was associated with a reduction of 1 to 2 infant deaths per 1000 live births (P < .05). Conclusions. Our findings, in the context of other studies, provide support for investment in local public health services to improve community health

Spatial and temporal variations of nutrients and chlorophyll a in a Mediterranean coastal lagoon: Varano lagoon, Italy

The purpose of this paper is to assess the present status of a Mediterranean lagoon (Varano lagoon, Italy), basing on nutrient and chlorophyll a data. A water sampling in Varano lagoon was performed at 7 fixed stations from February 2004 to July 2005, collecting surface water samples to analyse ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and soluble reactive silica (SRSi), chlorophyll a (chl a) and total suspended solids (TSS). Spatial and temporal distributions of chemical and biological parameters in Varano lagoon were examined to accomplish the goal of this study. Statistical tests were used to investigate the correlations between analysed variables and to characterize, from a spatial and temporal point of view, the lagoon in relation to each variable. Ammonia and nitrate did not showed good correlation (P&lt;0.05). SRP was not correlated with any nutrient (only with Chl a, P&lt;0.05). The seasonal distribution show a random pattern for soluble reactive phosphorus with relatively low mean concentrations (0.16 ± 0.03 µM) and a well-defined seasonal pattern for nitrate, with the highest mean value (34.44 ± 10.18 µM) recorded in the wet season (February 2004) and a high spatial variability. The most homogeneous chl a values were observed in both autumn and winter seasons with averages of about 1-1.5 µg . L-1; in contrast, higher mean values (5.50 µg . L-1 ) were recorded in July 2005. The ratio between the dissolved inorganic nitrogen species and SRP (N/P) in Varano lagoon was constantly high and it varied seasonally from about 300:1 during rainy seasons to 60-90:1 during dry seasons. High values of the N/P ratio in autumn and winter were accompanied by an increase in total N implying an input of nitrogen to the system probably associated with rainfall. The high fluctuation in the various chemical parameters in the lagoon during the rainy season suggested that this is the period of large variability, in which environmental processes as marine waters, freshwaters and wastewaters represent inputs that determine the spatial behaviour of the system

On the Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus Rathbun 1896) in southern European coastal waters: Time to turn a threat into a resource?

[EN] The blue crab Callinectes sapidus is native to the coastal waters of the western Atlantic Ocean, and along the US coasts the species supports an important fishery. The crab was introduced to Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. To date, the species is considered invasive and it has been extensively recorded in southern European waters (SEW), where it is starting to penetrate the shellfish market. Here, an integrated management strategy is proposed for the blue crab in SEW, including the Mediterranean and Black Sea and the eastern Atlantic coasts of the Iberian Peninsula. Taking as introductory examples two case studies represented by the red king crab Paralithodes camtschaticus and the green crab Carcinus maenas, a framework of key issues is reviewed, considering the double nature of the species as invaders and shellfish products. A SWOT analysis is eventually presented for C. sapidus, in order to perform a state-of-the-art synthesis of the proposed scenario, highlighting the potential opportunities as well as the weaknesses related with the limited knowledge of the ecological and economic impact of the species in invaded habitats. The review is concluded by an appraisal of the current trends in global and European crustacean fisheries. The ongoing expansion of C. sapidus might represent a useful management case study, where the need to control an invasive species and mitigate its ecological impact can be harmonized with the opportunity to value it as a fishery resource.Funding from FUR 2013-2014 and 2015-2016 to G. M. is acknowledged. The European Fisheries Fund (FEP) Puglia Region (Italy) supported L. C. (CIP 04/OPI/010). The Portuguese Science Foundation (FCT) supported F. R. (SFRH/BPD/46761/2008). F. R. and P. C. were also supported by the strategic MARE plan Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (UID/MAR/04292/2013). Constructive comments from two anonymous reviewers on an earlier version of the paper are gratefully acknowledged. This paper is dedicated to Sofia Mancinelli, thy eternal summer shall not fade.Mancinelli, G.; Chainho, P.; Cilenti, L.; Falco, S.; Kapiris, K.; Katselis, G.; Ribeiro, F. (2017). On the Atlantic blue crab (Callinectes sapidus Rathbun 1896) in southern European coastal waters: Time to turn a threat into a resource?. Fisheries Research. 194:1-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fishres.2017.05.002S1819

The Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus in southern European coastal waters: distribution, impact and prospective invasion management strategies

[EN] The native distribution of the blue crab Callinectes sapidus in the western Atlantic extends from Nova Scotia to Argentina. Introduced to Europe at the beginning of the 20th century, it is currently recorded almost ubiquitously in the Mediterranean and in the Black Sea. An overview of the occurrence, abundance, and ecological impact of the species in southern European waters is provided; additionally, we present a pragmatic assessment of its management scenarios, explicitly considering the dual nature of C sapidus as both an invasive species and a fishery resource. We emphasise that the ongoing expansion of C sapidus in the region may represent a stimulating challenge for the identification and implementation of future strategies in the management of invasive crustaceans. The impact of the invader could be converted into an enhancement of the services delivered by southern European coastal ecosystems, while mitigation costs could be transformed into profits for local populations. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Funding from FUR 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 to G. M. is acknowledged. The European Fisheries Fund (FEP) Puglia Region (Italy) supported L. C. (CIP 04/OPI/010) as the scientific head of the MOLEVAR project (Pilot Project for the production of soft crabs from Carcinus aestuarii in Varano lagoon). The Portuguese Science Foundation (FCT) supported F. R. (SFRH/BPD/46761/2008) with a post-doctoral research grant from the Programa Operacional Potencial Humano/Fundo Social Europeu (POPH/FSE). F. R. and P. C. were also supported by the strategic MARE plan - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (UID/MAR/04292/2013).Mancinelli, G.; Chainho, P.; Cilenti, L.; Falco, S.; Kapiris, K.; Katselis, G.; Ribeiro, F. (2017). The Atlantic blue crab Callinectes sapidus in southern European coastal waters: distribution, impact and prospective invasion management strategies. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 119(1):5-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.02.050S511119

Phylogeography of the Atlantic Blue Crab Callinectes sapidus (Brachyura: Portunidae) in the Americas versus the Mediterranean Sea: Determining Origins and Genetic Connectivity of a Large-Scale Invasion

The American blue crab Callinectes sapidus is a particularly successful invader in estuarine ecosystems worldwide. Despite increasing awareness of its potential harm, the invasion history and underlying genetic diversity of this species within the Mediterranean Sea remain unknown. This study constitutes the first large-scale approach to study phylogeographic patterns of C. sapidus in Europe, facilitated by the first comparison of all currently available COI sequence data. For this investigation, 71 individuals of C. sapidus were newly analyzed and the entire COI gene was sequenced and used for a comparative phylogeographic analyses. For the first time, two separately used adjacent regions of this gene were combined in a single dataset. This allowed emphasizing the prevalence of three geographically defined lineages within the native range: (1) eastern North America, including the Gulf of Mexico, (2) the Caribbean, and (3) Brazil. New data from the Mediterranean reveal that non-native populations of C. sapidus are characterized by a conspicuously low genetic diversity (except for Turkey, where stocking took place), and that there is surprisingly low connectivity among established populations. The occurrence of strong genetic bottlenecks suggests few founder individuals. This confirms that, even under a scenario of restricted large-scale gene flow, a very limited number of invasive individuals is sufficient for a massive impact

Litter in alien species of possible commercial interest: The blue crab (Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896) as case study

Marine litter levels were measured in the stomach contents, hepatopancreas, and gonad tissues of crustacea decapod (Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 1896; n\ua0=\ua06), a widespread alien species affecting the Lesina lagoon. Results highlight a mean of 2.5 (SD\ua0=\ua01.6) items/animal and indicate the presence of metals fragments (13%) and plastics (13% PE; 6.7% PET) in the stomach contents of collected individuals. No microplastic particles were detected in the hepatopancreas or in muscle tissue, while microplastic fibres (nylon, rayon, polyester) were found present in female specimen gonads. The presence of synthetic fibres in the investigated species reflects the relative contamination level in this habitat type and suggests that the blue crab could be considered a model organism for evaluating the contamination status of the study area