Toxicology Commons^™

Rapid Determination Of Benzophenone Derivatives In Cereals Using Fapex Coupled With Ultra–High-Performance Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Yu-Fang Huang, Jui-Ting Chien, Hsin-Chang Chen, Xuan-Rui Liu, Jui-Pin Chang, Jun-Jie Huang

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

A robust and sensitive analytical method was developed and validated for the simultaneous analysis of the levels of 10 benzophenone derivatives (BPs; BP, BP-1, BP-2, BP-3, BP-8, 2-hydroxybenzophenone [2-OHBP], 4-hydroxybenzophenone [4-OHBP], 4-methylbenzophenone [4-MBP], methyl-2-benzoylbenzoate [M2BB], and 4-benzoylbiphenyl [PBZ]) in 54 breakfast cereal samples. A fast pesticide extraction (FaPEx) technique coupled with isotope-labeled internal standards ultraehigh-performance liquid chromatographyetandem mass spectrometry was employed. The developed method exhibited satisfactory linearity (R2 > 0.998), high precision (intraday and interday relative standard deviations in the ranges of 1.4%e20.8% and 3.2%e23.9%, respectively), and a limit of detection ranging from 0.001 to 0.122 ng/g. BP and 4-MBP were …

Assessment Of Lemon Juice Quality And Adulteration By Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometry With Interactive And Interpretable Machine Learning, Weiting Lyu, Bo Yuan, Siyu Liu, James E. Simon, Qingli Wu

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

A total of 81 lemon juices samples were detected using an optimized UHPLC-QqQ-MS/MS method and colorimetric assays. Concentration of 3 organic acids (ascorbic acid, malic acid and citric acid), 3 saccharides (glucose, fructose and sucrose) and 6 phenolic acids (trans-p-coumaric acid, 3-hydroxybenzoic acid, 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid) were quantified. Their total polyphenol, antioxidant activity and Ferric reducing antioxidant power were also measured. For the prediction of authentic and adulterated lemon juices and commercially sourced lemonade beverages based on the acquired metabolic profile, machine learning models including linear discriminant analysis, Gaussian naïve Bayes, lasso-regularized logistic regression, random forest (RF) …

Ursolic Acid Restores Sensitivity To Gemcitabine Through The Rage/Nf-Κb/Mdr1 Axis In Pancreatic Cancer Cells And In A Mouse Xenograft Model, Zih-Ying Lia, Sheng-Yi Chena, Gow-Chin Yen

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Gemcitabine (GEM) is a first-line drug for pancreatic cancer therapy, but GEM resistance is easily developed in patients. Growing evidence suggests that cancer chemoprevention and suppression are highly associated with dietary phytochemical and microbiota composition. Ursolic acid (UA) has anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects; however, its role in improving cancer drug resistance in vivo remains unclear. In this study, the aim was to explore the role of UA in managing drug resistance-associated molecular mechanisms and the influence of gut microbiota. The in vitro results showed that receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), nuclear factor kappa B p65 (NF-κB/p65), and multidrug …

Determination Of Phytochemical Compounds In Chicken Breast By Gas Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry, Federico Cozzi, Irene Eder-Neuhauser, Klaus Teichmann, Mathias Zaunschirm

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

A gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC–MS/MS) method was developed for the simultaneous detection and quantification of five phytogenic compounds (carvone, menthol, thymol, carvacrol and methyl salicylate) in chicken breast. Chicken breast samples were analyzed using a QuEChERS (Quick, Easy, Cheap, Effective, Rugged and Safe) approach using acetonitrile as extraction solvent, followed by a d-SPE (dispersive-solid phase extraction) clean up step. The linearities for the 5 substances were studied in the range between 2 and 100 µg/L and the coefficients of determination (R2) were always > 0.995. Matrix effects were also assessed by comparing the slopes obtained in solvent and chicken breast …

Application Of A Comprehensive Metabolomics Approach For The Selection Of Flaxseed Varieties With The Highest Nutritional And Medicinal Attributes, Mohamed A. Salem, Shahira M. Ezzat, Patrick Giavalsico, Essam Abdel Sattar, Nebal El Tanbouly

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Flaxseed is considered an indispensable generally recognized as safe (GRAS) source of polyphenolic lignans, poly-unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), fibers as well as minerals and vitamins. The metabolite content of flaxseed reflects its nutritional and medicinal value. Therefore, the selection of flaxseed variety for food industry is dependent on its metabolome. A metabolomics approach based on liquid or gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry, has been applied to discriminate different flaxseed cultivars that are commercially available in Egypt. The available Sakha cultivars were subjected to a comprehensive metabolomics and lipidomics approach for investigation of their metabolomes. Our results showed that among …

Human Breast Milk-Based Nutritherapy: A Blueprint For Pediatric Healthcare, Pravin Shende, Bhakti Khanolkar

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Human Breast Milk (HBM) is a storehouse of micronutrients, macronutrients, immune factors, microbiota and numerous other bioactive macromolecules. Fulfilment of optimum nutritional requirements of more than 240 million malnourished infants worldwide is possible via adequate amount (570-900 mL/d) of breast milk administration to infants in first few years of life. Technological advancements enable study of multiple components of HBM like stem cells, bioactive proteins, micro RNAs, immunoglobulins and epithelial cells to understand their role in enhancement of nutritional value of HBM. Furthermore, immunological and protective functions of HBM against various illnesses like diabetes, anemia, respiratory and cardiovascular abnormalities, otitis media …

Current And Potential Applications Of Simultaneous Dsc-Ftir Microspectroscopy For Pharmaceutical Analysis, Shan-Yang Lin

Journal of Food and Drug Analysis

Quality control (QC) is the most important key issue in the pharmaceutical industry to ensure the quality of drug products. Many analytical instruments and techniques in pharmaceutical analysis are applied to assess the quality and quantity of the drugs. In the current and future trends, a combination of digitization, automation and hyphenation with high throughput on-line performance will be the topics for the future of pharmaceutical QC. The hyphenated analytical techniques have recently received great attention as unique means to solve complex analytical problems in a short period of time. This review article is an update on the recent potential …

In Situ Arsenic Speciation Using Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy And The Coffee Ring Effect, Valery Liamtsau

FIU Electronic Theses and Dissertations

The coffee ring effect (CRE) phenomenon is originated from the nonuniform solvent evaporation of a sessile droplet deposited onto the flat substrate. Once the evaporation starts, the droplet suspended particles move outwards by the radial flow and concentrate in the edge region of the evaporating droplet, resulting in the formation of the so-called CRE stains. In this work we have expanded the applications of the CRE from separation of particles and macromolecules to small molecules, in particular, coupled to surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). Herein, we have developed a theoretical framework to describe the CRE-driven separation process of small molecules, using …

Evaluating Toxicity Of Varroa Mite (Varroa Destructor)-Active Dsrna To Monarch Butterfly (Danaus Plexippus) Larvae, Niranjana Krishnan, Maura J. Hall, Richard L. Hellmich, Joel R. Coats, Steven P. Bradbury

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Varroa mites (Varroa destructor) are parasitic mites that, combined with other factors, are contributing to high levels of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colony losses. A Varroa-active dsRNA was recently developed to control Varroa mites within honey bee brood cells. This dsRNA has 372 base pairs that are homologous to a sequence region within the Varroa mite calmodulin gene (cam). The Varroa-active dsRNA also shares a 21-base pair match with monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) calmodulin mRNA, raising the possibility of non-target effects if there is environmental exposure. We chronically exposed the entire monarch …

Developmental Ethanol Exposure Causes Central Nervous System Dysfunction And May Slow The Aging Process In A Drosophila Model Of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, Khaoula Belhorma, Nahed Darwish, Elizabeth Benn-Hirsch, Annalisa Duenas, Hillary Gates, Navneet Sanghera, Jodie Wu, Rachael L. French

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Alcohol is a known teratogen, and developmental exposure to ethanol results in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). Children born with FASD can exhibit a range of symptoms including low birth weight, microcephaly, and neurobehavioral problems. Treatment of patients with FASD is estimated to cost 4 billion dollars per year in the United States alone, and 2 million dollars per affected individual's lifetime. We have established Drosophila melanogaster as a model organism for the study of FASD. Here we report that mutations in Dementin (Dmtn), the Drosophila ortholog of the Alzheimer's disease-associated protein TMCC2, convey sensitivity to developmental ethanol exposure, …

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus Plexippus) Life-Stage Risks From Foliar And Seed-Treatment Insecticides, Niranjana Krishnan, Yang Zhang, Melanie E. Aust, Richard L. Hellmich, Joel R. Coats, Steven P. Bradbury

Biological Sciences Faculty Research & Creative Works

Conservation of North America's eastern monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) population would require establishment of milkweed (Asclepias spp.) and nectar plants in the agricultural landscapes of the north central United States. A variety of seed-treatment and foliar insecticides are used to manage early- and late-season pests in these landscapes. Thus, there is a need to assess risks of these insecticides to monarch butterfly life stages to inform habitat conservation practices. Chronic and acute dietary toxicity studies were undertaken with larvae and adults, and acute topical bioassays were conducted with eggs, pupae, and adults using 6 representative insecticides: beta-cyfluthrin …

Contemporary Brazilian Catholicism And Healing Practices: Notes On Environmentalism And Medicalization, Juliano F. Almeida

Journal of Global Catholicism

Anthropological studies on Brazilian Catholicism traditionally focused on popular variants of this religious practice and their relationship with the official Catholicism. Encouraged by recent anthropological perspectives, which highlight the relevance of devoting researches not only on the margins, but also on the center of social practices, this paper analyzes contemporary practices of Brazilian Catholic friars and priests on health promotion. The analysis of their publications (books that include practices and tips on health and that became best sellers etc.), as well as interviews, allows us to perceive a process of environmentalization on the contemporary Brazilian Catholicism. This process seems to …

Addressing Uncertainties Of Polychlorinated Biphenyls In Schools, Alice Fan

Master's Projects and Capstones

Despite the potential neurological health deficits resulting from polychlorinated biphenyls, there is a lack of inhalation studies and regulations to protect students and teachers who are widely exposed to PCBs in older (1950 to 1979) schools. To estimate the extent of PCB detections in Los Angeles County schools, I applied a mathematical model to estimate the range of PCB detections in schools built between 1950 and 1984. I estimate the range of 17-34% PCB detections of open schools within Los Angeles County. Next, I reviewed exposure tools provided by the US EPA to bridge the uncertainty gaps between ingestion and …

Manipulation Of The Microbiome In The Gut Of The Fruit Fly To Alleviate Cadmium Bioaccumulation, Natasya Tamba

Symposium of Student Scholars

Cadmium (Cd) poisoning contributes to severe bodily detriments characterized by kidney failure, osteomalacia, and osteoporosis, otherwise known as Itai-Itai disease. The ingestion of cadmium contaminated foods primarily causes these conditions. There are no treatments to remove cadmium once absorbed, resulting in bioaccumulation. In this study, we are developing a method to manipulate the community of microorganisms (microbiome) living within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract of the fruit fly (Drosophila melanogaster), intending to use microorganisms to reduce the availability of ingested cadmium.

The biodiversity of microorganisms within the GI tract is responsible for metabolizing substances that the body cannot perform. …

Chemical Characterization Of Toxicologically Relevant Molecules In Cannabis Concentrates And Vaporizer Aerosols, Jiries Meehan-Atrash

Dissertations and Theses

Consumption of cannabis concentrates using the relatively novel non-combustion methods dabbing and vaping has steadily grown in popularity as cannabis legalization in North America has allowed increased access to sophisticated cannabis products and technology. In order to assess the safety of these products, it is necessary to gain a chemical understanding of the decomposition reactions that occur when the active ingredients are heated in the conditions seen when dabbing or vaping. This dissertation contains a manuscript that details efforts to structurally characterize a toxic cannabis concentrate adulterant, and three manuscripts that studied the chemical decomposition of the two primary cannabis …

Stress, Alcohol Use, And Punitive Parenting During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Jennifer Price Wolf, Bridget Freisthler, Caileigh Chadwick

Faculty Research, Scholarly, and Creative Activity

Background
Emerging research suggests that parents are experiencing heightened stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Parental stress is a risk factor for harsh or punitive parenting, and this association may be exacerbated by the use of alcohol.
Objective
We examine whether parental stress is associated with use of punitive parenting, as well as whether this association is modified by drinking pattern.
Participants & setting
We used advertisements and word-of-mouth to recruit 342 parents living in Central Ohio during the initial stay-at-home order for COVID-19.
Methods
We used geographic ecological momentary assessment (gEMA) to measure parental stress and punitive parenting during three …

Determination Of Metals And Microplastics In Sediment From Oyster Reefs In The Mississippi Sound, Shelby Goza

Honors Theses

This research centers on the determination of metals (Cd, Pb, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) and microplastics (MPs) in marine sediment from oyster reefs in the Mississippi Sound Estuary. Oysters (Crassostrea virginica) are a vital part of the Gulf Coast economy, but their population has dramatically declined in recent years due to multiple stressors, including oil spills and fluctuations in salinity from flooding. Increasingly frequent flooding events also introduce high loads of MPs and sediments containing heavy metals from the Mississippi River. These pollutants can have deleterious effects on oyster biology; however, they have not been adequately …

Composition And Oxidative Potential Of Fine Particulate Matter From Pascagoula, Ms, Madison Smith

Honors Theses

Air pollution is one of the top-ranking risk factors for death and disability around the world, accounting for nearly 4.9 million deaths worldwide (State of Global Air, 2019). Specifically, fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) has been linked to many adverse effects on human health, yet there is very little known about what characteristics exactly cause these adverse health effects and how they cause them. Samples for this study were collected from Pascagoula, MS, a small town located on the Mississippi Gulf Coast that is home to many industrial yards, from September 2013 to December 2013. Black carbon (BC) analysis …

Evaluating The Chronic Effect Of Food Coloring Dyes On Biological Life Functions Of Model Organism; Caenorhabditis Elegans, Demilade Adisa

Dissertations (2016-Present)

Food coloring dyes are substances known to enhance the appearance of food or drink by imparting color when it is added. They have been in large commercial food production as well as in its use in domestic food applications and non-food applications. The toxic effects of food coloring dyes have been seen in the enzymatic breakdown of the azo linkage of the dye molecule by enzyme; azo reductase. The degradation of such food dye products give rise to increased toxic effects that affect the nervous system.

Caenorhabditis elegans is a bacterial feeder, free-living soil nematode used as a model organism …

Investigating Mechanisms Of Nanotoxicity Of A Next-Generation Lithium Cobalt Oxide Nanomaterial, Nicholas Joseph Niemuth

Theses and Dissertations

Commercial use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs; materials in the range of 1-100 nm) has grown dramatically since the discovery of the means to observe, characterize, and controllably synthesize these materials at the end of the 20th century. Today, ENMs represent a global market valued in the trillions of dollars, incorporated into products because of the unique properties they confer, including increased strength, catalytic activity, and interactions with light. In this time, ENMs have also grown from relatively simple first-generation materials, such as Au, Ag, and carbon ENMs, to complex next-generation materials incorporating numerous elements into materials with complex secondary structures, …

Health Goals For Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances (Pfas): A Review Of Branched Isomers, The Role Of Industrial Sources, And The Implications Of Pfas In Biosolids On End-Of-Life Disposal Methods, Katarina Schulz

Theses and Dissertations

Per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, have been used for over half a century, but have become an emerging contaminant of significant concern due to their newly found widespread occurrence and recalcitrance in the environment, their tendency to bioaccumulate, and the health effects now associated with a very low level of exposure. Many gaps in knowledge remain about the fate of these chemicals in the environment and the extent of their impacts on biota. This thesis aims to fill some of the recognized gaps in knowledge: differences between linear and branched isomers of PFAS, predicting the presence of PFAS …

Responses To Fine Particulate Matter (Pm2.5) Exposures In Two Wild-Type Zebrafish Strains, Connor Necaise

Honors Theses

Atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) exposure poses great health risks across the globe, causing both acute and chronic illnesses in humans. Therefore, a more complete understanding of the mechanisms in which PM_2.5 induces these adverse health effects is urgently needed. Oxidative stress due to PAHs and other common components of PM_2.5 is a proposed mechanism for its adverse health effects. However, little is known about the actual mechanisms of PM_2.5 damage in humans. This study aimed to distinguish behavioral differences in two lines of zebrafish (AB & 5D) as a result of developmental exposure to …

Comparative Analysis Of Azo Dye Restriction In The International Textile Industry, Kayla Demark

Apparel Merchandising and Product Development Undergraduate Honors Theses

Azo dyes are the most used type of dye in the textile industry. Some of these dyes have the potential to be extremely toxic to both human health and the environment. While regulations of these dyes vary across the world, it is suggested that not enough is being done to protect consumers and the environment from potentially harmful azo dyes (Rawat et al., 2016). It is the responsibility of apparel companies to ensure that their products that contain azo dyes are safe for consumers.

The purpose of this study was to understand how azo dyes and their by-products are restricted …

Pectin And Alginate Extraction To Treat Liquid Cafo Manure, Clare Sunderman

Honors Projects

For this project, various extraction methods were used to extract pectin from Pastinaca Sativa and alginate from Macrocystis. These extractions were then dried and used in treating 250mL of manure along with a CaCl₂ or FeCl₃ coagulant. It was found that CaCl₂ was not as effective as FeCl₃ in coagulating manure. But the results obtained suggest that pectin and alginate obtained with a simpler extraction method is just as effective as the highly purified and refined pectin and alginate produced for the food industry, in the treatment of CAFO manure. The liquid portion of the …

Assessing The Role Of Chronic Arsenite Exposure In Disrupting The Egfr Signaling Axis., Christine Kim

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chronic arsenic exposure is a risk factor for the development of pulmonary diseases, including lung cancer, but the exact mechanism is not yet fully understood. Many previous studies have relied on acute arsenic exposure (i.e. 1-10 uM arsenic for 24 hours) to study arsenic toxicological effects. However, acute exposure does not reflect the levels or duration of arsenic associated with environmental exposure, or drinking of contaminated well water. This dissertation differentiates the effects of acute versus chronic arsenic exposures on the EGFR signaling axis and suggests possible mechanisms for chronic arsenic-induced pulmonary diseases. The EGFR is a receptor tyrosine kinase …

Lc-Ms/Ms Method Development And Analysis Of Tricyclic Antidepressants In Human Plasma, Shahbaz Gul

Honors Theses

Depression has become one of the most prominent problems in society, disrupting both personal and social lives. Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) were first developed in the 1950’s and became some of the leading anti-depressant medications on the market later that decade. Today, newer anti-depressants have risen to the forefront, being safer and having a lower side-effect probability. Nonetheless, TCAs continue to be prescribed for severe depression, especially in cases where the newer anti-depressants have failed. However, TCAs are still highly potent, the toxicity associated with these compounds cannot be ignored. They have considerable cardiovascular and neurological toxicity, and in the event …

Effects Of Heavy Metal Pollution On The Antipredator Behavior Of Orangethroat Darters (Etheostoma Spectabile), Caleb S. O'Neal

MSU Graduate Theses

Heavy metal pollution can have numerous negative impacts on stream fishes, including both lethal and sublethal effects. Because of the sensitivity of fishes to toxins, they are excellent environmental indicators of stream and watershed health. The Tri-State Mining District is a Superfund site located in parts of Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma that offers a good opportunity to study sublethal effects of heavy metal pollutants on fish behavior. I observed the antipredator behavior of Orangethroat Darters (Etheostoma spectabile) from 3 streams that varied in the abundance of heavy metal pollutants. In the lab, darters from the most polluted site …

Association Between Stream Impairment By Mercury And Superfund Sites In The Conterminous Usa, Karessa L. Manning

Masters Theses

Mercury is a natural element that can cause harm to the brain, heart, kidneys, lungs, and immune system, especially to fetuses developing in the womb. Many natural and anthropogenic factors contribute to mercury in the environment, such as geologic deposits, landfills, gold and silver mining operations, cement production, and atmospheric deposition. Mercury has been identified as a contaminant of concern at many National Priority List (NPL) sites, however, studies on contamination at NPL sites are often only conducted on a local level. This study was to analyze the potential connection between mercury-contaminated NPL sites and the presence of mercury impaired …

Oxidative Potential And Composition Of Fine Particulate Matter At Two Locations In Mississippi, Victoria Claire Stevens

Honors Theses

Air pollution exposure has negative health effects on individuals across the globe. Negative impacts on human health have been documented in studies following both short-term and long-term exposure to air pollution, and these adverse effects have been seen even at the lowest levels of exposure. Fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) has specifically been linked to these negative health effects. These effects come from many sources, but one large contribution to the negative health effects comes from oxidative stress. In this study, samples were collected from Hernando, MS and Gulfport, MS in September 2013 and November 2013. Black carbon (BC) …

Development Of A Rapid Drug Detection Method For Insects Using Paper Spray Ionization Mass Spectrometry (Psi-Ms), Alexandria Plyler

Undergraduate Research and Scholarship Symposium

Insects have the ability to reflect the chemical environment that they have developed in. Thus, necrogenous insects can reflect the chemical environment of cadavers they have fed on. Forensic scientists can potentially utilize insect larvae as an alternate biological matrix to detect drugs in cadavers that are skeletonized, burned, or otherwise badly damaged. Analysis of insects using paper spray ionization mass spectrometry (PSI-MS), an analytical method requiring little to no sample preparation, could prove a rapid, cost-effective, and non-destructive alternative form of toxicological analysis. Traditional tissue analysis via GC and LC-MS often require lengthy sample preparation, use expensive reagents, and …