Publications by authors named "Shiea J"

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widespread environmental contaminants that have been shown to contribute to human exposure, thereby raising a range of health concerns. In this context, human biomonitoring is essential for linking exposure levels of PFAS with their potential health risks. Mass spectrometry-based analytical techniques have been extensively adopted for the evaluation of PFAS levels across various cohorts.

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  • The study investigated the use of face masks as tools for detecting exhaled substances, specifically acetaminophen, which could be captured on different layers of the mask due to their varying polarities.
  • Using a technique called thermal desorption-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (TD-ESI/MS/MS), researchers successfully identified acetaminophen signals concentrated around the mouth and nostril regions of the mask after ingestion.
  • The findings suggest that face masks offer a non-invasive method for drug monitoring, with implications for precision medicine by tracking drug use and effects over time.
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In Asia, some herbal preparations have been found to be adulterated with undeclared synthetic medicines to increase their therapeutic efficiency. Many of these adulterants were found to be toxic when overdosed and have been documented to bring about severe, even life-threatening acute poisoning events. The objective of this study is to develop a rapid and sensitive ambient ionization mass spectrometric platform to characterize the undeclared toxic adulterated ingredients in herbal preparations.

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  • - This study aims to create a fast and reliable method for detecting toxic mushroom compounds using mass spectrometry, eliminating the need for expert identification of mushroom types.
  • - Toxins are extracted from mushrooms using a direct electrospray probe, and results are analyzed for sensitivity, precision, and turnaround time, achieving quick identification within just one minute.
  • - The method demonstrated effective limits of detection and high accuracy, showing promise for aiding emergency healthcare providers in diagnosing and treating mushroom poisoning cases promptly.
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A derivatization-free hydrophilic-interactive chromatography-mass spectrometry (HILIC-MS/MS) method was developed for quantifying low levels of alendronate in human plasma. Alendronate was separated and concentrated using calcium co-precipitation and analyzed by HILIC-MS/MS, requiring only a 300 μL plasma sample for each analysis. The method is simpler, safer, and more environmentally friendly than the conventional LC-MS/MS method that requires solid-phase extraction and derivatization steps during sample pretreatment.

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Unlabelled: Identifying the risk of ochratoxin A in our daily food has become fundamental because of its toxicity. In this work, we report a novel semi-automated in-syringe-based fast mycotoxin extraction (IS-FaMEx) technique coupled with direct-injection electrospray-ionization tandem mass spectrometer (ESI-MS/MS) detection for the quantification of ochratoxin A in coffee and tea samples. Under the optimized conditions, the results reveal that the developed method's linearity was more remarkable, with a correlation coefficient of > 0.

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In this study, we demonstrated a novel semi-automated in-syringe-based coagulant-assisted liquid-liquid microextraction (IS-CGA-LLME) as fast mycotoxin extraction (FaMEx) technique coupled with ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography connected with a tandem-mass spectrometer (UHPLC-MS/MS) for the quantification of mycotoxin (Ochratoxin A, OT-A) in coffee and tea samples. IS-CGA-LLME is a three-step extraction process that includes extraction of OT-A from sample matrix using low-volume solvent extraction, then the extractant was cleaned-up using a coagulation process, and finally, the decolorized/matrix removed sample solution was processed for LLME for target analyte's pre-concentration. The final extractant was analyzed using UHPLC-MS/MS for OT-A quantification.

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In this work, a fast mycotoxin extraction (FaMEx) technique was developed for the rapid identification and quantification of carcinogenic ochratoxin-A (OTA) in food (coffee and tea) and agricultural soil samples using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) detection. The FaMEx technique advancement is based on two plastic syringes integrated setup for rapid extraction and its subsequent controlled clean-up process. In the extraction process, a 0.

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Nicotine is the most prominent psychoactive/addictive chemical substance consumed worldwide among young players in team sports. Moreover, urinary nicotine discharge and nicotine-based products disposal in environmental waters has been unavoidable in recent years. Therefore, sensitive monitoring of nicotine content in environmental waters and human urine samples is essential.

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In this work, we demonstrated a new, environmental-friendly and effective sample preparation strategy named 'in-syringe-assisted fast pesticides extraction (FaPEx)' technique coupled with LC-MS/MS for the rapid identification and monitoring of emerging pollutant fipronil and its metabolite fipronil sulfone in chicken egg and environmental soil samples. FaPEx strategy comprising of two simple steps. Firstly, the sample was placed in the syringe and extracted using low-volume acetonitrile with NaCl and anhydrous MgSO salts.

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Unlabelled: Flame-induced atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (FAPCI) has been used to directly characterize chemical compounds on a glass rod and drug tablet surfaces. In this study, FAPCI was further applied to interface thin layer chromatography (TLC) and mass spectrometry (MS) for mixture analysis.

Methods: A micro-sized oxyacetylene flame was generated using a small concentric tube system.

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Shift work disrupts an otherwise normal circadian rhythm, which may result in sleepiness among night-shift workers. Artificial light has been shown to alter the light-dark cycle of shift workers and reset or phase shift the biological clock, improving nighttime alertness in workers. However, the effect of light therapy on improving sleepiness in nighttime workers has not been effectively confirmed in nursing clinical studies, and it is worth using relevant studies to provide the best evidence in any clinical setting.

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Rationale: Thermogravimetry (TG) combined with electrospray and atmospheric chemical ionization (ESI+APCI) mass spectrometry (MS) was developed to rapidly characterize thermal decomposition products of synthetic polymers and plastic products. The ESI-based TG-MS method is useful for characterizing thermally labile, nonvolatile, and polar compounds over an extensive mass range; and the APCI-based TG-MS counterpart is useful for characterizing volatile and nonpolar compounds. Both polar and nonpolar compounds can be simultaneously detected by ESI+APCI-based TG-MS.

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We aim to develop an efficient and non-invasive strategy for monitoring of drugs and their metabolites via human skin. Probe sampling was combined with thermal desorption-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (TD-ESI/MS/MS) to characterize trace terbinafine, which was secreted on patient's skin after ingesting terbinafine tablets. The terbinafine ion signals were directly detected in the samples collected from different skin regions and the signals were monitored for 8 weeks.

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Thermal desorption-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (TD-ESI/MS/MS) was used to characterize the residual pesticides that were collectedfromthe surface of a grapewithmetallic sampling probes. Fungicides, insecticides, and miticides were detected, where results were validated by simple solvent extraction followed by gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry analyses. To explore the distribution of pesticide residues on grape surfaces, 149 locations of a grape surface were collected and followed by TD-ESI/MS/MS analysis.

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Despite the fact that carbamates and organophosphates cause acute poisoning via different mechanisms and require disparate management, they are indistinguishable by current clinical assays. Herein, direct immersion solid-phase microextraction (DI-SPME) plus thermal desorption-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (TD-ESI/MS/MS) was developed to discern them. Both pesticides spiked in human serum were extracted by SPME and analyzed by TD-ESI/MS/MS.

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In the emergency department, it is important to rapidly identify the toxic substances that have led to acute poisoning because different toxicants or toxins cause poisoning through different mechanisms, requiring disparate therapeutic strategies and precautions against contraindicating actions, and diverse directions of clinical course monitoring and prediction of prognosis. Ambient ionization mass spectrometry, a state-of-the-art technology, has been proved to be a fast, accurate, and user-friendly tool for rapidly identifying toxicants like residual pesticides on fruits and vegetables. In view of this, developing an analytical platform that explores the application of such a cutting-edge technology in a novel direction has been initiated a research program, namely, the rapid identification of toxic substances which might have caused acute poisoning in patients who visit the emergency department and requires an accurate diagnosis for correct clinical decision-making to bring about corresponding data-guided management.

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Article Synopsis
  • Ambient ionization mass spectrometry (AIMS) allows for quick identification of trace organic and biological compounds with little to no sample preparation, making the process efficient.
  • A new analytical platform using thermal desorption-electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry (TD-ESI/MS) successfully differentiates bacterial species based on lipid profiles, achieving fast results—often within 1 minute.
  • The study confirmed the effectiveness of this method through statistical analysis (PCA and HCA) and compared it to protein profiling using MALDI-TOF, showcasing its potential as a diagnostic tool in clinical settings.
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Ambient mass spectrometry thermal desorption-electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry (TD-ESI/MS) can rapidly identify chemicals without pretreatment of biological samples. This study used a rapid semi-quantitative TD-ESI/MS screening technique for the probe skin sampling of melamine workers occupationally exposed to different ambient melamine concentrations to create avatar-like body images, which were then used to study temporal and dynamic changes in nephrotoxic melamine exposure. We enrolled four voluntary melamine workers from one factory, each from one of four worksites.

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Objectives: Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) is a proteomic investigation that could be utilized for rapid identification and quantification of proteins, which we would use to identify differentially expressed proteins in treatment responsive patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

Methods: Six treatment responsive patients of MDD were recruited, and their peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) were collected before and after 4 weeks of paroxetine treatment. iTRAQ and Mascot search engine were used to detect differentially expressed proteins, which were then validated by Western blot.

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A simple flame-induced atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (FAPCI) source was developed to couple a gas chromatograph (GC) with a mass spectrometer (MS). The interface consisted of a heated transfer line and a high voltage-free ambient FAPCI source. Nitrogen gas flowing through the heated transfer line was utilized to deliver the analytes eluted from a GC column to the ionization region.

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Squalene (SQ), a highly unsaturated sebaceous lipid, plays an important role in protecting human skin. To better understand the role of SQ in clinical medicine, an efficient analytical approach is needed to comprehensively study the distribution of SQ on different parts of the skin. In this study, sebaceous lipids were collected from different epidermal areas of a volunteer with sampling probes.

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  • This study utilized MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to identify potential plasma biomarkers that differentiate major depressive disorder (MDD) patients from those with schizophrenia and healthy individuals.* -
  • Plasma samples underwent acid hydrolysis to minimize albumin interference, and the findings were validated using electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight (ESI-QTOF) mass spectrometry.* -
  • The analysis revealed that the lack of apolipoprotein C1 (Apo C1) in MDD patients serves as a potential biomarker, suggesting that simple preparation methods for MALDI-TOF make high-throughput testing feasible in clinical settings.*
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