Please join the Chemistry and Physics departments for the seminar "Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate: Is It Exogenous or Endogenous?" presented by Hoda Moussa, candidate for the master of science degree in forensic science at Buffalo State, on Thursday, December 7, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Science and Mathematics Complex 169. All students, faculty, and staff are welcome.

Notorious for its high abuse potential, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a controversial drug that has received great public attention. Most people know it as the “date-rape” drug; however, GHB has been used in therapeutic applications and as a growth hormone booster among athletes. Interestingly, GHB is also naturally found in our bodies. How then is it possible to differentiate between exogenous and endogenous GHB post-mortem?

Investigators have used methods such as gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to establish cutoffs when discriminating between exogenous and endogenous GHB. In one study, specimens including blood, bile, and vitreous humor were analyzed to determine such cutoffs; however, with regard to bile specimens, the study concluded that it does not fit requirements for discrimination. Another study provided new data on the urine concentration-time profile and found that the duration of detection of GHB in urine is less than 12 hours. Finally, a third study validated the methods by GC-MS and LC-MS/MS when analyzing hair specimens to confirm established cutoffs. Establishing cutoffs and understanding the effects of GHB provides us with useful information in discriminating between endogenous and exogenous GHB levels, thereby minimizing the chance for potential false positives.

Please join the Chemistry and Physics departments for the seminar "The Use of The Vitreous Humor to Determine Time Since Deaths," presented by Elizabeth Vosburgh, candidate for the master of science degree in forensic science at Buffalo State, on Thursday, November 30, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Science and Mathematics Complex 169. All students, faculty, and staff are welcome.

Determining time since death is a valued aspect of forensic science, and there are many ways to do it. One such way is by searching for certain compounds in the vitreous humor of the victim. This seminar will discuss why it’s possible to use the vitreous humor in estimating postmortem interval, what techniques can be used to do so, and the most accurate compounds. Magnesium, potassium, and tryptophan will be the compounds in question. Three case studies will be used to show how useful this particular analysis is. There was correlation in all three, though not always accurate. For magnesium, 32 bodies were studied, and a correlation coefficient of r = 0.453 was found. For potassium, the study was conducted with 200 bodies, showing very slight positive correlation with a regression coefficient of 4.34. Finally, using tryptophan from 72 bodies, a high correlation coefficient of 0.9590 was found.

The Buffalo State String Collective—a collaboration among Buffalo State students, faculty, and local music educators—will perform Thursday, November 30, at 7:30 p.m. in Ciminelli Recital Hall. This annual celebration of string chamber music will feature works by Dragonetti, Haydn, Trapkus, and Handel-Halvorsen. Admission is $10; students will be admitted free.

From the Special Adviser to the Provost for Academic Research Initiatives
All faculty and staff members are invited to join colleagues to share ideas about research and creative work, to explore possible collaborations, and for end-of-the-week refreshments at a Multidisciplinary Research and Networking Event, sponsored by the Research and Economic Development Office, on Friday, December 1, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Classroom Building fourth floor conference room. Take the elevator to the fourth floor or use the west stairway. RSVP to Jimmy Xu, coordinator for pre-award outreach.

Please download the flier (PDF, 671 KB) for more information, including the dates for future research and creativity networking events.

Please join us to learn about data analytics programs in the area and to discover new data analytics tools during the Data Analytics across Disciplines mini-symposium on Saturday, December 1, from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. in Science and Mathematics Complex 263.

This mini-symposium aims to connect experts and learners from academia and industry, as well as disseminate cutting-edge tools and methods used in data analytics.

For more information and to register, please visit the symposium website.

Thank you to the first 63 faculty members who completed their information security awareness training. For those of you who cannot participate in the training until the grading period ends, the system will send you a reminder once the semester is complete. For those of you who need a break, please check out the videos, and please leave feedback. And check out the FAQ for responses to previous feedback.

Buffalo State has been informed that SUNY will launch Round 7 funding for Innovative Instruction Technology Grants (IITG). An information session will be held Wednesday, November 29, from noon to 2:00 p.m. in Butler Library 208, facilitated by Hongliang "Jimmy" Xu, coordinator for pre-award outreach; John Draeger, director of the Teaching and Learning Center; Meghan Pereira, director of RITE instructional design and training; and Melissa Miszkiewicz, director of strategic partnerships.

Lisa Stephens, SUNY senior strategist for academic innovation, will discuss new information about Round 7 funding and answer questions about ideas, use of funds, evaluation and reporting, and more. Previous Buffalo State IITG recipients will also be available to discuss their experiences.

The annual NYS Employee Health Benefits Fair, featuring representatives from Blue Cross Blue Shield of WNY, the Empire Plan, and Independent Health, will be held on Thursday, December 7, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Butler Library 210. Health insurance representatives will be available to answer any questions you may have regarding your current health insurance plan or changes in coverage for 2018.

Staff members from the Employee Benefits Office will also be present to assist employees in making changes to their health insurance coverage. Information on dental and vision benefits will also be available.

Attendees can have their blood pressure and cholesterol checked, find out their body mass and pulse index, learn the benefits of and sample massage therapy, and consult with specialists on smoking cessation and weight loss, all free of charge.

Meet the EAP coordinators and obtain helpful information regarding the Employee Assistance Program. Call Human Resource Management at 878-2421 with questions, and please stop by the Benefits Fair on December 7.

Anyone old enough to remember the original Saturday Night Live Land Shark skit? The shark’s scam went digital some time ago. Now it appears as e-mail in the form of an Amazon, FedEx, or UPS tracking number. And it looks far more convincing than the land shark sounded. CNN offers some tips on what to watch out for this season. If you’re one of the many shopping online via a mobile device, check out the FTC’s Tips for Using Public-Wi-Fi Networks and Apps to Help You Shop in Stores (read these before you shop.). Stay out of the daze and be vigilant. Protect yourself at all times.

All Buffalo State students are invited to attend a business planning session for the 2018 New York State Business Plan Competition on Friday, December 1, from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. in Buckham Hall A107. All students—both undergraduate and graduate—are invited to participate in the New York State–sponsored contest, which awards a top prize of $50,000 and additional prizes starting at $10,000. Students do not need to be in a business program to compete. The Small Business Development Center will assist all students in the preparation of their business plans and presentations. Please advise interested students to attend the business planning session. For more information, please call the Small Business Development Center at 878-4030 or e-mail smallbus@buffalostate.edu.