Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics For Studying Gut Microbiota-Derived Metabolites In Biological Samples,
2026
School of Pharmacy, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
Mass Spectrometry-Based Metabolomics For Studying Gut Microbiota-Derived Metabolites In Biological Samples, Ya-Ting Lin, Huai-Hsuan Chiu, Chih-Ning Cheng, Ching-Hua Kuo
Journal of Food and Drug Analysis
Gut microbiota produces a wide range of metabolites and plays a critical role in maintaining host health. Dysregulation of these metabolites can influence host metabolism through systemic circulation, contributing to the development of various diseases, including immunological, neurological and cancer-related disorders. Chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (MS) has emerged as a powerful analytical approach, offering high sensitivity and resolution for studying gut microbiota-related metabolites. This review provides a comprehensive overview of chromatographic MS-based methods applied to the study of the gut microbial metabolome. We summarize strategies for sample collection, storage, and preparation of commonly analyzed sample types, including feces, plasma/serum, …
Special Issue: Analytical Technologies In Metabolomics: Applications And Future Prospects,
2026
Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan
Special Issue: Analytical Technologies In Metabolomics: Applications And Future Prospects, Sung-Fang Chen
Journal of Food and Drug Analysis
No abstract for this article type.
Comparison Of Heavy Metal Accumulation In Soil And Wood Core Within Tallassee And Tuskegee, Alabama,
2026
Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama
Comparison Of Heavy Metal Accumulation In Soil And Wood Core Within Tallassee And Tuskegee, Alabama, Alicia R. Wilson, Brianna Smith, Latricia Miller, Rashidah Farid
Professional Agricultural Workers Journal
Heavy metals are natural components of the environment and can be relatively non-impactful in low concentrations. However, high concentrations of heavy metal toxicity can result in air, water, and soil contamination that adversely impacts environmental, human, and wildlife health. This study focuses on detecting the presence of heavy metals in soil, Loblolly Pine tree bark, and wood core samples from sites near a landfill in the Tallassee, Alabama, community and a post-agricultural site in Tuskegee, Alabama. It has been hypothesized that heavy metals are present in soil, tree bark, and the tree’s wood core from sampling sites. Samples were taken …
Seafood, Mercury, And Human Health In Coastal South Carolina: Findings From A Community-Based Study,
2026
Coastal Carolina University
Seafood, Mercury, And Human Health In Coastal South Carolina: Findings From A Community-Based Study, Russell Fielding, Julia Saltzman, Rylee-Jade Bean, Jenna Monroe, Theodore R. Them Ii
Honors College Faculty Publications
Mercury (Hg), an environmental pollutant, can harm human health. Seafood consumption is a major way that people are exposed to Hg and the analysis of human hair is a standard method to measure Hg exposure. This community-based study identified demographic and dietary factors associated with elevated Hg concentrations and health outcomes of individuals with elevated Hg concentrations throughout two coastal South Carolina (SC) counties. We collected hair samples (n = 85) at local barbershops and salons; participants completed an online survey with questions on demographics, diet, and health histories; and we analyzed hair samples using a DMA-80. Between 4.9–8.4% of …
Trophic Structure And Mercury Bioaccumulation In Walleye And Yellow Perch In The Upper And Lower Red Lake Basins,
2026
Bemidji State University
Trophic Structure And Mercury Bioaccumulation In Walleye And Yellow Perch In The Upper And Lower Red Lake Basins, Marissa Pribyl
Biology Graduate Theses
Mercury is a persistent global contaminant that biomagnifies through aquatic food webs, with dietary and environmental factors serving as the primary drivers of accumulation in fishes. Trophic structure and methylmercury dynamics in Walleye (ogaa; Sander vitreus) and Yellow Perch (asaawens; Perca flavescens) were investigated in the Upper and Lower Red Lake basins in Red Lake, Minnesota, during 2024-2025. Diets of Walleye and Yellow Perch were assessed through stomach dissections, and tissue samples from both species were analyzed for total mercury concentrations. Additional analyses included shiners (gigoozens; Notropis spp., Hudsonius spp.) along with a variety of freshwater fish and …
Conditioned Feed Aversion As A Means Of Conditioning Livestock To Avoid Consuming Toxic Plants Growing In South Africa : An Overview,
2026
Toxicology and EVM, ARC-Onderstepoort Veterinary Institute, Private Bag X05, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
Conditioned Feed Aversion As A Means Of Conditioning Livestock To Avoid Consuming Toxic Plants Growing In South Africa : An Overview, Leendert D. Snyman, Frederick D. Provenza
Poisonous Plant Research (PPR)
Significant economic losses to the livestock industry are caused by the ingestion of toxic plants in South Africa, among which the most dangerous ones are Moraea pallida (geeltulp), Urginea/Drimea sanguinea (rooislangkop), Senecio latifolius (Staggers Ragwort), and Geigeria ornativa (vermeerbos). Conditioned feed aversion is a potential means to address this issue. Treating animals with an aversive substance along with an extract of the sensory characteristics of a specific plant conditions animals to avoid the plant. Geigeria ornativa, unlike the other three plants, is non-aversive. Following treatment for aversion, the induced aversion fades with time and eventually breaks down. Continuous exposure …
Analysis Of Active Ingredients In Medicinal Herbs With High-Performance Liquid Chromatography And Related Technologies: A Review,
2026
Taiwan Food and Drug Administration
Analysis Of Active Ingredients In Medicinal Herbs With High-Performance Liquid Chromatography And Related Technologies: A Review, T.-H. Tsai, C.-Y. Hong, C.-F. Chen
Journal of Food and Drug Analysis
An increasing number of analytical techniques have been brought to bear on the herbal drugs used in traditional Chinese medicine. This in turn has led to improved quality control of medicinal herbs, ingredient stability and shelf-life tests, ensurement of the concentrations of herbal drug ingredients in biological fluids, and pharmacokinetic studies. In the past decades, gas chromatography has been the method of choice for the analysis of volatile compounds, while liquid chromatography is a highly successful separation technique for nonvolatile molecules. Recently, high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with various column and detection systems have become some of the most important techniques …
Feeding Performance And Survival Of Louisiana Poeciliid Fishes Exposed To Residential Wastewater Effluent,
2026
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Feeding Performance And Survival Of Louisiana Poeciliid Fishes Exposed To Residential Wastewater Effluent, Jonathan Chapman
Masters Theses
Mosquitoes are a primary transmitter of vector-borne disease, and their larvae can thrive within shallow pools of stagnant water. Rainwater drainage ditches are a common sight in many communities, and in Louisiana, they are dually used as outlets for onsite residential wastewater discharge in neighborhoods disassociated from municipal sewage treatment. However, when discharge systems malfunction, the water becomes uninhabitable to mosquito predators, allowing mosquitoes to thrive. This research examines the predation performance of mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis), sailfin mollies (Poecilia latipinna), and least killifish (Heterandria formosa), the primary biological control agents utilized to combat mosquitoes within ditch communities. Individuals were captured …
Evaluation Of Pulmonary Toxicity To Inhaled Erbium Oxide Nanoparticles In Golden Syrian Hamsters,
2026
Saint John's University, Jamaica New York
Evaluation Of Pulmonary Toxicity To Inhaled Erbium Oxide Nanoparticles In Golden Syrian Hamsters, Randy Liang
Theses and Dissertations
Erbium oxide nanoparticles (Er2O3 NPs) are used in various products from simple pottery to semiconductors and such usage leads to an elevated risk of accidental occupational exposure. In the present study, the pulmonary toxicity of Er2O3 NPs was assessed by examining tissues and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from the lungs of Golden Syrian Hamsters following inhalation exposure. The study’s goal was to determine the severity and mechanism of toxicity upon exposure to inhaled Er2O3 NPs. Animals were divided into 4 groups all being exposed for 4 hours a day for 8 days: Group-1: room air, Group-2: vehicle control (water), Group-3: …
Evaluation Of The Mechanism Of Cell Death After Exposure To Amorphous Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles In Rat Pleural Mesothelial Cells And Golden Syrian Hamsters,
2026
Saint John's University, Jamaica New York
Evaluation Of The Mechanism Of Cell Death After Exposure To Amorphous Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles In Rat Pleural Mesothelial Cells And Golden Syrian Hamsters, Rachel P. Renda
Theses and Dissertations
Amorphous Silicon Dioxide Nanoparticles (SiO2 NPs) are widely used in the industrial processes, chemical, and cosmetics industries. Amorphous SiO2 NPs are abundant in the earth’s crust and can be released into the air through industrial and manufacturing activities. Such particles are overlooked and not as commonly studied when compared to their crystalline counterpart. Amorphous SiO2 NPs are pulmonary toxicants; however, the mechanism of toxicity is uncertain. In the current study, toxicity was assessed using both in vitro and in vivo systems to understand a possible mechanism of cell death. Rat Pleural Mesothelial Cells (RPMCs) were exposed to 50-800 μg/ml SiO2 …
Hfpo-Da Aquatic Toxicity And Bioaccumulation,
2026
Marshall University
Hfpo-Da Aquatic Toxicity And Bioaccumulation, Bailey Dawn Rappold
Theses, Dissertations and Capstones
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been detected globally in environmental media and biota. Legacy compounds PFOA and PFOS have been observed to be toxic and bioaccumulative in low doses and have been removed from production and industrial processes. Replacement PFAS chemicals are less understood and present a gap in current knowledge in their toxicological effects. This research utilized extended chronic toxicity studies to assess the impacts of HFPO-DA, a short chain replacement PFAS, on the standard aquatic toxicology organism Pimephales promelas. Organisms were exposed for 29 to 30 days at environmentally relevant concentrations of the toxicant, 7.8125 ng/L …
Rna-Sequence-Driven Identification Of Differentially Expressed Genes In Α-Crystallin-Deficient Zebrafish,
2026
Belmont University
Rna-Sequence-Driven Identification Of Differentially Expressed Genes In Α-Crystallin-Deficient Zebrafish, Kehlie Hopper
SPARK Symposium Presentations
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) is a condition that develops in infants when exposed to alcohol in utero, leading to physical impairments such as reduced eye size and disrupted retinal function. Alpha-crystallin A is a key structural protein required for proper lens development and maintenance of transparency, while Alpha-crystallin B plays a protective role against cellular stress during eye development. In this study, I compared AB wild-type (ABWT), αA-crystallin knockout (cryaa), and αB-crystallin knockout (cryaba) zebrafish to investigate how the loss of these proteins influences eye development under ethanol exposure. The cryaa mutants exhibited reduced eye size even under control conditions, …
Murder On The Menu,
2026
Belmont University
Murder On The Menu, Andrea Florian, Leslie Deleon, Angela Simpkins, Anamika Chhetri
SPARK Symposium Presentations
You're invited to a birthday party in Maryland! There will be many guests and even...seafood cuisine at a fancy restaurant! All is well until one of our guests comes down with a peculiar sickness. Do you think you can figure out what happened?
Honeymoon Horror Story,
2026
Belmont University
Honeymoon Horror Story, Andrea Florian, Aunalise Terreri, Kiley St. John, Sienna White
SPARK Symposium Presentations
On what was supposed to be a romantic honeymoon getaway, a newly married couple’s paradise quickly turns dark. The wife, Julia Harper, is found dead under mysterious circumstances, and suspicion falls on her neuroscientist husband. As lies unravel, investigators discover that this honeymoon was never about love, but revenge. In the end, all that’s left is betrayal and secrets…Can you solve this murder mystery?
The Last Ball,
2026
Belmont University
The Last Ball, Andrea Florian, Lili M. Wrenne, Mehrael Adly, Jia Howell
SPARK Symposium Presentations
Sixty-year old, billionaire, Walter Spencer has been found dead at his annual birthday celebration. Guests reported odd behavior before he passed with wild mood swings, speaking gibberish, and experiencing hallucinations. Close friends of Walter say his young 25-year-old wife was the last to see him. Are you able to solve his mystery?
A Sweet Deception,
2026
Belmont University
A Sweet Deception, Andrea Florian, Ellis Stafford, Bridget Mcloud, Awi Siam
SPARK Symposium Presentations
Have you ever wanted to be a detective and solve a murder? Well, here is your chance! Bradley Thompson, an investment banker at JP Morgan, was murdered in his home, and we are relying on you to piece together the toxicological clues and find his killer! This murder-mystery activity will involve selecting different toxicological tests and evaluating evidence to determine who committed this heinous crime.
Murder Of The Magic Mushroom Man,
2026
Belmont University
Murder Of The Magic Mushroom Man, Andrea Florian, Alexa Cabral, Olivia Fawkes, Emily Gomez
SPARK Symposium Presentations
Rowan Tucker is an heirloom vegetable farmer that lives in Newbury, VT on an 80-acre farm. Most of the money in Rowan’s name was from selling psilocybin mushrooms that he disguised as payments under “crop-selling”. He was found dead presenting symptoms early that morning of confusion, hallucinations, vomiting, sweating, and extreme salivation. How did he get murdered? Who did it?
Prevention Of Inflammation-Associated Neurodegeneration: Assessing The Efficacy Of N,N-Dimethylacetamide (Dma) In Lipopolysaccharide (Lps)-Induced Neuroinflammation Using C57bl/6 Mice,
2026
Saint John's University, Jamaica New York
Prevention Of Inflammation-Associated Neurodegeneration: Assessing The Efficacy Of N,N-Dimethylacetamide (Dma) In Lipopolysaccharide (Lps)-Induced Neuroinflammation Using C57bl/6 Mice, Teeshavi Devi Acosta
Theses and Dissertations
Neurological function is closely linked to both longevity and quality of life. While some degree of neurodegeneration occurs naturally with aging, pathological neurodegeneration leads to devastating functional decline. The mechanisms underlying these processes remain incompletely understood; however, neuroinflammation is recognized as a key driver of neuronal dysfunction and death. Emerging evidence indicates that neuroinflammatory cascades can precede and potentiate hallmark features of neurodegenerative diseases, including synaptic loss and cognitive decline observed in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway contributes to amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide production, further amplifying a cycle of inflammation and neuronal injury. Preclinical work from …
Neonicotinoid Bioaccumulation In Bluegill And Bullhead Within Lake Julia And Lake Zumwalde,
2026
Bemidji State University
Neonicotinoid Bioaccumulation In Bluegill And Bullhead Within Lake Julia And Lake Zumwalde, Jake Stuber
Journal of Earth and Life Science
Brown Bullhead Ameiurus nebulosus, Yellow Bullhead Ameiurus natalis, and Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus are unique in their stark differences. Bullhead are scaleless bottom feeders that can tolerate high pollution and low O2 conditions. In contrast, Bluegill are scaled, aggressive nesters and are less tolerant of high pollutants or low-oxygen conditions. Among these pollutants include a class of chemicals called neonicotinoids (hereafter referred to as neonics). Neonics are a class of insecticides primarily used within agriculture and pest management. Due to the effectiveness, application has escalated on a global scale. They have been well documented by many toxicology assessments. …
Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (Pfos)-Induced Disruption Of Mitochondrial Activity And Cell Adhesion In Liver Cells,
2026
Missouri State University
Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (Pfos)-Induced Disruption Of Mitochondrial Activity And Cell Adhesion In Liver Cells, Phuong Dam Nam Tran
Graduate Theses/Dissertations
Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a persistent environmental pollutant associated with potential hepatoxic effects and other health risks. Despite its widespread distribution, the mechanisms underlying its toxicities remain to be fully understood. To investigate PFOS toxicology, my study utilized HepG2 and THLE-2 human hepatic cell models to replicate conditions reflecting PFOS accumulation in the liver. Cell viability, cell stress, and cell death assays were conducted to assess the toxicological influence of the chemical on both cell lines. Total RNA extraction was performed, followed by cDNA sequencing, and RT-qPCR. The XTT viability assay revealed a dose-dependent decrease in number of viable cells …
