The fall 2016 Conversations in and out of the Disciplines series concludes Friday, December 2, when Ted P. Schmidt, associate professor of economics and finance, presents "Hungry Capital: How Wall Street Impacts the Price of Food" at 3:00 p.m. in Ketchum Hall 320. A Q&A and short wine-and-cheese reception will follow the talk. Everyone is welcome.

Stay tuned for our spring 2017 series, when we will be joined by Ann Emo, chair and associate professor of theater; Robert Warren, associate professor of biology; and Cynthia Conides, associate professor of history and social studies education.

The staff of Butler Library will be removing old interlibrary loan transaction records to keep the Illiad interlibrary loan system running smoothly. Starting Monday, January 11, we will systematically remove completed transactions from 2009 up to 2011. This means that any finished transactions older than five years will be deleted. This cleanup will have no impact on current or open transactions. No action is required on the part of interlibrary loan users.

If you wish to retain a record of your finished interlibrary loan transactions before 2011, please log in to Illiad and copy the transaction details:

• Log in to https://buffalostate.illiad.oclc.org/illiad/logon.html.
• Click on "All Requests."
• Copy any transaction details or the entire table that you wish to preserve, and then paste into Microsoft Word or another text program.

If you have any questions, please contact Joe Riggie, information systems librarian, 878-6320.

A training workshop on Blackboard Learn 9.1: Enterprise Surveys will be held Wednesday, November 30, at 2:30 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center 122. Please register online through the Workshop Registration System.

Enterprise Surveys is a system tool that provides a way to collect feedback from specified groups of people. Surveys can be sent to any selection of courses or departments or to the entire institution. Surveys can also be sent to e-mail addresses outside the system. This training will focus on how to create a survey in Blackboard, how to deploy it in the most efficient manner, and how to create a report to analyze the results. This workshop is suitable for staff or departments that would like to deploy a global survey.

Brent Peterson, Fidelity director and retirement planner, will be on campus to meet with Buffalo State faculty and staff members on Tuesday, December 6, between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. in Cleveland Hall 416. Appointments are required.

Fidelity has built its reputation on helping people create the future they envision. Put that experience to work for you. Fidelity understands that you are busy managing multiple financial priorities, which can make planning for retirement a challenge. Take advantage of this opportunity to review your retirement portfolio, get answers to all your pre-retirement questions, and ensure that you are saving enough for retirement.

Don’t delay. Schedule your free one-on-one appointment today. Call (844) FOR-SUNY or register online.

Join us in celebrating Computer Science Education Week on Thursday, December 8, during Bengal Pause (12:15–1:30 p.m.) in the Technology Building Main Lobby.

Encourage your students to stop by to play video games or interact with digital stories, visit multimedia websites, or try out the apps—all developed by freshman students. Recognize the tremendous job growth in the computer industry, which is causing a shortage of computing professionals in the United States. Discover what women and minorities have contributed to computer science and find out how you can get involved with the Women in Computing Club. Stop by for refreshments and enter your name in a raffle prize drawing sponsored by McGraw Hill.

The Burchfield Penney Art Center is again taking part in the Artists in Buffalo Inc. Holiday Open Studios and Galleries this year with more than 40 artists featured at the center on Friday, December 2, from 5:00 to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, December 3 and 4, from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

More artists and gift ideas in the Museum Store—and holiday specials in Burchfield's Cafe, including Jerry's famous eggnog! Twenty percent of all sales will be donated to the Burchfield Penney Art Center. RSVP on Facebook and invite your friends.

Featured artists:

Alison E. Kurek
Antimony Designs by Julia Skop
Aremel Soaps by Robin Lenhard
Art FX Glass by Catherine O’Connor
At 88 textile designs
AVALON
BAM Pottery by Bruce A McCausland
Banyon Bags by Nancy R. Hesketh
Baun Galleries by John Baun 
Blessings by Nature by Paula D'Amico
Buffalo Etchings by Tim Kosowski
Buffalo Gal Organics by Kasia Cummings
BuffaloHistoryBuff by Lauren and Eric Woods
Buffalo Roots by Eta Rottenberg
Christine's Wild Imagination by Christine Kellemen
CoyoteCandles by Beth Ann Sullivan
Dayna Banka Slone
dna jewelry designs by Donna Angelo
Everyday Earthware by Sarah Cozzemera
Gizmo's Creations by Lisa Paolucci
Gretchen Cole Jewelry
Heather Mordaunt
Jodi Waller’s JLynne pottery
Joyfulenergy Jewelry by Jayne Hughes
Junko McGee’s Earth Art
Just Beachy by Sandy Amoia
Kissed by the Sun Spice Co by Rick Fickhesen
Lewiston Jellies by James Malley
Lily-Kat Designs by Judy Liberante
Little Wood People by Barbara Hart
Lynn Schwab Jewelry
Missy Crowell
Mundo Images by Ann Peterson
Raveloe Fibers by Linda Collignon
roadkiln by Shaun Silverwood
Rosanna's Art Clay
Sarah Blackman
The Sparkwork Studio by Catherine Southwick
Susan Hettrich Makoczy
Wise Woman Designs by Michelle Collins
ZanieCrafts by Suzanne O'Brien
ZenJoy by Jackie LoVullo

The 20th annual Student Art Sale will be held in the Czurles-Nelson Gallery in Upton Hall on Wednesday, December 7, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Thursday, December 8, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Please plan on attending!

Please join the Biology Department and the Great Lakes Center for the seminar "Signaling Mechanisms of the Fast Block to Polyspermy in Xenopus laevis," presented by Anne Carlson, assistant professor in the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Biological Sciences, today, December 5, at 4:30 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center West 2.

All faculty, staff, and students are welcome.

Abstract
Fertilization of an egg by more than one sperm, a condition known as polyspermy, presents one of the earliest and most prevalent barriers to sexual reproduction. Polyspermy induces chromosomal abnormalities and is embryonic lethal. Accordingly, most sexually reproducing species have evolved mechanisms to inhibit the entry of more than one sperm. The two most ubiquitous blocks to polyspermy, the slow and fast block, create a physical barrier to prevent additional sperm entry minutes after fertilization and induce an electrical barrier seconds after fertilization, respectively. Currently, the signaling pathways underlying the fast block have not yet been elucidated in any species. In Xenopus laevis, the fast block is known to require increase in intracellular Ca²⁺, and an efflux of Cl^- to depolarize the egg membrane. Using pharmacological approaches, we sought to identify the source of increased intracellular Ca²⁺ and the molecular identity of the Cl^- channel mediating the fast block in X. laevis. We found that blocking the de novo synthesis of inositol-trisphosphate (IP₃), as well as inhibiting IP₃ from binding to activation of its receptors, evoked Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that dramatically slowed or completely inhibited the fast block. By contrast, altering extracellular Ca²⁺ concentrations or blocking Ca^2+-permeant channels on the membrane did not alter the fast block. We also found that blocking the Ca²⁺-activated Cl^- channel, TMEM16a, similarly slowed or prevented the fast block. Together, these results indicate that fertilization signals an increase in the IP₃ content of the egg to release Ca²⁺ from the ER, which then binds to and opens the TMEM16a channel. Together these findings provide the most complete characterization of the fast block in any species.

Please join the Biology Department and the Great Lakes Center for the seminar "Signaling Mechanisms of the Fast Block to Polyspermy in Xenopus laevis," presented by Anne Carlson, assistant professor in the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Biological Sciences, on Monday, December 5, at 4:30 p.m. in Bulger Communication Center West 2.

All faculty, staff, and students are welcome.

Abstract
Fertilization of an egg by more than one sperm, a condition known as polyspermy, presents one of the earliest and most prevalent barriers to sexual reproduction. Polyspermy induces chromosomal abnormalities and is embryonic lethal. Accordingly, most sexually reproducing species have evolved mechanisms to inhibit the entry of more than one sperm. The two most ubiquitous blocks to polyspermy, the slow and fast block, create a physical barrier to prevent additional sperm entry minutes after fertilization and induce an electrical barrier seconds after fertilization, respectively. Currently, the signaling pathways underlying the fast block have not yet been elucidated in any species. In Xenopus laevis, the fast block is known to require increase in intracellular Ca²⁺, and an efflux of Cl^- to depolarize the egg membrane. Using pharmacological approaches, we sought to identify the source of increased intracellular Ca²⁺ and the molecular identity of the Cl^- channel mediating the fast block in X. laevis. We found that blocking the de novo synthesis of inositol-trisphosphate (IP₃), as well as inhibiting IP₃ from binding to activation of its receptors, evoked Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) that dramatically slowed or completely inhibited the fast block. By contrast, altering extracellular Ca²⁺ concentrations or blocking Ca^2+-permeant channels on the membrane did not alter the fast block. We also found that blocking the Ca²⁺-activated Cl^- channel, TMEM16a, similarly slowed or prevented the fast block. Together, these results indicate that fertilization signals an increase in the IP₃ content of the egg to release Ca²⁺ from the ER, which then binds to and opens the TMEM16a channel. Together these findings provide the most complete characterization of the fast block in any species.

Representatives from the Empire Plan, BlueCross BlueShield of Western New York, and Independent Health will be on campus to answers questions about health insurance plans and coverage changes in 2017 on Thursday December 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in Butler Library 210.

Staff members from the Employee Benefits Office will also be present to assist employees in making changes to health insurance coverage.

In addition to health insurance material, you will find dental and vision benefit information. 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 our EAP coordinators and obtain helpful information regarding our Employee Assistance Program. Call Human Resource Management at 878-2421 with any questions you may have and please stop by our Benefits Fair on December 8!