Validation of Ultra High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (UHPLC) with Pre-column Derivatization Method for Quantitative Analysis of Histamine in Fish and Fishery Products

A pre-column derivatization-ultra high performance liquid chromatographic (UHPLC) method is described for the determination of histamine in fish and fishery products. The homogenized samples were extracted with trichloroacetic acid (TCA) solution and derivatized with o-phthaldialdehyde. Histamine was separated using reversed-phase column and determined using UHPLC with fluorescence detection. The linear calibration range was 10 to 60 µg/mL with a correlation coefficient of 0.9993. Good recoveries were observed for the histamine under investigation at all spiking levels, and average recoveries were higher than 89% with a precision smaller than 8.46%. The detection and quantification limit were 2.7 and 8.3 µg/g, respectively. The uncertainty was estimated to be ± 0.45. The performance of the proposed method was checked with a proficiency test sample from the Food Analysis Performance Assessment Scheme (FAPAS) as external quality control; the resulting z-score was -0.2, which was found within acceptable range of -2 ≤ z ≤ 2. The results indicated that this HPLC method was reliable, sensitive, reproducible, and practical for the routine analysis of histamine in fish and fishery products

Diabetes Treatments and Related Comorbidities as Factors Influencing Hospitalization: A Cross-Sectional Study

Diet modification, as well as oral medication, are good measures to manage Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Even so, there is limited study in this particular area. Specifically, few evaluated the association of the aforementioned treatments to hospitalization. Hence, this study investigates the influence of DM treatments and their related comorbidities on the odds of hospitalization. A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis was employed. Logistic regression was performed to assess the association between the DM patient treatment and the chance of hospitalization. This study utilized data from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) in 2018 (n= 30,461), a program of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). The results showed that after adjusting for potential confounders, DM patients who were treated with only dietary modification had 1.40 times the odds of being hospitalized compared to those treated with oral medications. However, there is an observed protective effect of the combined treatments (medication and diet), to around OR=0.69, 95% CI: 0.49-0.97, as compared to a single treatment. In addition, the presence of at least one comorbidity among DM patients could significantly double the odds for hospitalization (OR=2.54, CI: 1.15-5.60). It is recommended that the DM treatments should incorporate both oral medication and diet modification to reduce the odds of hospitalization among DM patients.Keywords: dietary modification, oral medication, hospitalization, DM treatments, DM patient

Ciguatera in the Philippines: Examining Reef Fish Vectors and Its Causative Benthic Dinoflagellates in Visayan and Sibuyan Seas

Ciguatera Fish Poisoning (CFP) is primarily caused by ingesting reef fishes contaminated with ciguatoxins (CTX) produced by the Gambierdiscus species. The unpredictability of this type of food poisoning poses risks to public health and adversely affecting the fish trade industry. This study aimed to provide useful information on ciguatera in the Philippines. Different reef fish species and host-macroalgae for benthic dinoflagellates were collected in Visayan and Sibuyan Seas. Ciguatoxins were extracted from reef fish samples, and toxicity was determined qualitatively using mouse bioassay. Meanwhile, cell density estimation of toxic benthic dinoflagellates isolated from the host-macroalgae was done through microscopy. It was observed that 4.46% of the total reef fish samples were positive with ciguatoxins. Spatially, Carles, Iloilo in Visayan sea had the highest number of toxic specimens belonging to Epinephelus merra, Lethrinus lentjan, Lutjanus campechanus, Scarus quoyi, Siganus guttatus, and Sphyraena barracuda. Based on data gathered from three sampling sites, fish toxin occurrence is observed to be site-specific. Geographical conditions affect the frequency of toxic samples. Moreover, fish weight is not a good predictor of fish toxicity. For toxic benthic dinoflagellates, Gambierdiscus spp. were observed to have the lowest cell density count among other dinoflagellates averaging 7-115 cells per 100 g macroalgae. On the other hand, Ostreopsis spp. had the highest average cell density of 118-1,455 cells per 100 g macroalgae, followed by Prorocentrum spp. (207-594 cells per 100 g macroalgae). Fish toxicity is directly proportional to the occurrence of benthic dinoflagellates in areas as seen during dry season. Monitoring and management of CFP on identified reef fish vectors and its causative benthic dinoflagellates in the area are necessary to promote food safety and fair trade practice

Estimation of Nutrient Load from Aquaculture Farms in Manila Bay, Philippines

Waste from aquaculture is considered as one of the possible causes of water quality deterioration in Manila Bay. Aquaculture in the area accounts for almost 30% of the total production in the Philippines. This high production entails intensified application of inputs that could possibly contribute to the nutrient (nitrogen, N and phosphorus, P) load in the bay. Thus, estimation of the N, P and SO4 loaded from aquaculture farms is necessary to develop more responsive intervention to reduce nutrient load in Manila Bay. Water samples were collected throughout the rearing period from different aquaculture systems in Cavite, Bulacan, Pampanga, and Bataan. The annual estimated N and P loaded from aquaculture farms were 12, 696.66 MT and 2, 363.01 MT, respectively. Fish pens/cages recorded the highest contribution accounting for 88% N and 86% P of the total load. It can be attributed to the direct release of uneaten feeds into the bodies of water. Roughly, 12% N and 14% P were obtained from the fishponds. Furthermore, the annual SO4 loaded from fishponds was estimated at 36,917.54 MT. Results of the study suggested that there should be an extensive monitoring of the environmental impacts and annual load of aquaculture farms for the sustainable regulations and management of aquaculture activities to reduce nutrient load and improve the aquaculture production as well. Finally, strict compliance to the regulatory guidelines and ordinances must be imposed to achieve the effluent quality standards

Spatial and Seasonal Nutrient Trends in Manila Bay Aquaculture Farms

Sampling was done in duplicates during dry (May 2014 and February 2015) and wet season (September 2014 and November 2014) following the blocking scheme for the nutrient trends. As for the nutrient loading, water samples were collected in three ponds after flooding (water intrusion) and prior to draining (water release). Colorimetric analyses by UV-Vis Spectroscopy following the US EPA standard methods were used to determine the samples’ nutrient levels specifically, ammonia, nitrate, nitrite, and phosphorus. Results showed that ammonia had the highest levels followed by phosphorus, nitrate, and nitrite. Geographically, higher concentration of nitrogen and phosphorus were observed in Eastern Bulacan aquaculture farms, which is attributed to the farmers’ disregard of the important pond preparation activities. Varying seasonal trends were noted among nutrient species due to the different reactions of each analyte under changing climatic conditions. Nutrient levels in sediments were several folds higher than that in the water column. Results of correlation analyses of nutrients in water and sediments showed: a) a good correlation for phosphorus, b) weak correlation for ammonia, and c) no correlation for nitrites and nitrates, implying that sediments maybe a possible contributor of phosphorus and ammonia in water but not nitrite and nitrate. Ammonia and TKN were significantly higher during the flooding suggesting that water coming in to the pond already contains high levels of said nutrients possibly due to higher organic load. Conversely, nitrite and nitrate levels were significantly higher during the draining suggesting transformation of ammonia into these less toxic substances by nitrifying bacteria

Heavy Metal Contamination in Water and Fishery Resources in Manila Bay Aquaculture Farms

Heavy metals (HM) are high-atomic weight elements hazardous at very low concentrations. Despite the health risk HM contamination brings, studies conducted were only confined to the offshore and marine portions of the bay. Hence, this study was conducted to establish baseline information and compare the spatial and seasonal distribution of heavy metal contamination in water and fishery resources in aquaculture farms and coastal areas in Manila Bay. Water and major aquaculture commodities were collected in November 2014, February 2015 and April 2015 and were analyzed for lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), and mercury (Hg) using the following methods: (1) Graphite Furnace Atomizer-Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometry (GFA-AAS) for Pb and Cd and (2) Mercury Vaporizing Unit-AAS (MVU-AAS) for Hg. Cd (Bataan, Cavite, Bulacan, and Pampanga) and Hg (Cavite and Pampanga) in water were found significantly higher during the dry season (p < 0.05). In contrast, Pb in water was relatively higher during the wet season but levels were not significantly different with those in the dry. Several sites in Bataan, Bulacan, and Cavite, exceeded DENR regulatory limits for Pb and Hg in water by 1.35 to 1.8%. As for the fishery commodities, 2/12 milkfish samples and 1/9 exceeded regulatory limit for Pb in finfish (0.3 mg/kg) by 1.03 to 3.57% while 1/12 milkfish samples and 1/13 oyster samples exceeded the limit for Hg in bivalves (0.5 mg/kg) by 0.45 to 0.75%

Innovations in Undergraduate Research and Honors Education Proceedings of the Second Schreyer National Conference

Preface I. Making the Case for Undergraduate Research Introduction: Unpacking the Research Encyclopedia Josephine Carubia, Renata Engel How (Or Whether?) To Integrate Research into Classroom Teaching for All Students and All Higher Education Institutions—Alan Jenkins Why Involve Students in Research? —Rodney A. Erickson II. Curriculum Models that Include Undergraduate Research The Maryland Gemstone Program — William W. Destler Creating an Undergraduate Culture of Science by Integrating Inquiry, Project- based Learning and Research into the Curriculum — Richard A. Niesenbaum THE INSIDERS: Undergraduates Critically Examine the Pros and Cons of a Team-based Marine Research Program — Traci J. Heincelman, EdwardJ. Majzlik, Christie A. Robinson, Lindsey J. Wise MASS Program at Penn State — Serge Tabachnikov Issue Reaction: Honors Theses in the Creative and Performing Arts — Joanne Rutkowski III. Course Models that Include Undergraduate Research Multi-disciplinary Study, Responsible Policy-making and Problem-based Learning in Honors Courses — Michael Edwards Honors Collaborations: The Presidency in Speech and Composition — Sandy Feinstein, Jeff Kurtz Leaving Home with IT: Using Information Technology to Create Cross-national Design Teams — Richard Devon, Pierre Buvat Ancient Myths in a Modern World: A Multi-media Approach to Honors Education and Undergraduate Research — Richard Ernest Walker Honors Colloquium: Berlin in the 1940s — Charles F. Pennacchio IV. Undergraduate Research via Service Learning and Outreach Patterns of Engagement in Service Leadership: First Year to Senior Year — Josephine Carubia, Sara Faber, Soma Kedia, Nicole Sandretto, Adam Tarosky, JoAnn C. Vender Community Action Research: A Three-part Service-learning Course Model — JoAnn C. Vender Issue Reaction: Integrating Service Learning into Academic Courses — M A. Dupont-Morales Issue Reaction: Introducing Students to Social Inquiry Research — Alfred G. Mueller II Enriching the Academic Community through a Semester-long Honors Symposium — Earl Brown, Jr., Margaret C. Brown V. Learning Strategies that Support Undergraduate Research Promise, Peril, and Potential: Developing, Implementing, and Assessing Problem-based Learning at the Undergraduate Level — Carol F. Whitfield Meeting the Boyer Challenge: A Model for Team-based, Student-directed Undergraduate Research — Douglas F. Williams, Peter Sederberg, Stejka Eddins A Historical Perspective on Interdisciplinarity and Undergraduate Research in Honors Education — Julianna Chaszar Issue Reaction: Inquiry-based Learning in the College Classroom — Jill L. Lane, Joanne M Cawley The Role of Libraries in Honors Thesis Research: A Lib-rary Credit Course as a Model for Thesis Research Support — Carol A. Wright VI. The Next Challenges Diversity Issues & Honors Education — Anthony A. Pittman What\u27s Missing in Honors Education: A Theory-driven Approach — Cheryl L. Achterber

EXAMINING STRUCTURAL RACISM AS A CAUSE OF HEALTH INEQUITIES AMONG PACIFIC ISLAND PEOPLES IN THE UNITED STATES AND AOTEAROA NEW ZEALAND: AN EXPLORATORY COMPARATIVE CASE STUDY

Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) in the United States are known to experience profound and persistent disparities across most indicators of socioeconomic status and health when compared to the majority population. Similarly, the Indigenous Māori and Pacific peoples in Aotearoa New Zealand parallel the same experiences. Reducing disparities and improving health equity among racial/ethnic minority populations have been regarded as a national priority in both the United States and New Zealand. Improved population health data have provided insights into the social determinants of health (SDoH), which has unveiled multiple factors that contribute to health disparities, including income, education, residential segregation, stress, social and physical environment, employment, and many others. Health disparities also represent a lack of efficiency within the health system. There is an increasing recognition to “dig deeper” and understand the root causes of inequities and examine the structural factors. More explicitly, how structural racism underlies the persistence of health disparities and inequities. Structural racism is defined as the macrolevel systems, social forces, institutions, ideologies, and processes that interact with one another to generate and reinforce inequities among racial and ethnic groups. Prior research and literature suggest that structural racism exists through the evidence of racial disparities. However, verification and understanding the scope of structural racism can only be done by asking those affected about their lived experiences. The focus of the study was to examine the extent to which structural racism is a fundamental cause of the health inequities and disparities among Pacific Islanders in the United States and New Zealand. Using a mixed-methods comparative design, a document analysis of publicly available resources (N=28) and key informant interviews (N=27) were conducted to assess the patterns of health inequities and disparities among Pacific Islanders and to understand the possible explanations through multiple contexts. The results of the analysis used in this study conceptualized the ways structural racism is operationalized. The study illustrates the experiences and forces that impact Pacific Islanders and offers insights into the wider historical and socio-political context of how structural racism affects Indigenous health. It also provides analyses of current public health practices in the United States and New Zealand

Prevalence of invA Gene of Salmonella spp. in Fish and Fishery Resources from Manila Bay Aquaculture Farms Using Real-Time PCR

Manila Bay contributes significantly to the Philippines’ economy through industry, trade, tourism, and agriculture. However, microbiological contamination in the bay is putting it at risk in the present. Pathogen contamination of the water poses a serious threat to food safety, implicating public health. To address these concerns, the present study examined the prevalence of Salmonella in six different aquaculture commodities, Perna viridis (mussel), Crassostrea iridalei (oyster), Scylla serrata (crab), Penaeus spp. (shrimp), Oreochromis niloticus (tilapia), and Chanos chanos (milkfish), as well as in environmental water from growing areas. A tandem approach of culture-based and real-time PCR methods for the isolation and identification of Salmonella was carried out. To accurately identify the isolates, a real-time PCR Taqman assay based on the invA gene was used. Among the fishery resources examined, no positive samples were observed from C. chanos and O. niloticus. In addition, Salmonella was found in twenty (20) samples, representing 16.26% of all aquaculture commodities collected. Furthermore, Salmonella was found in 13.58% of the 81 environmental water samples examined. P. viridis had the highest prevalence of 55.55% out of 18 samples examined. Samples contaminated with Salmonella failed to meet the regulatory limits set by BFAR FAO 210 series 2001 and EC No. 2073/2005. In addition, it was observed that the sample matrix had a significant impact on the presence of Salmonella (p &lt; 0.05). However, the spatial and temporal distribution of Salmonella did not vary greatly (p &gt; 0.05). This study underscores the importance of imposing strict policies by regulatory bodies to prevent diseases, thus avoiding severe health implications