Qualitative identification of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids using ambient ionization high resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deemed the increase in overdose fatalities, due to the use of opioids, an “opioid epidemic” in the United States. Heroin, fentanyl, and other synthetic opioids are commonly abused and are contributing to the opioid epidemic. In 2016, the Drug Enforcement Administration temporarily placed three fentanyl analogs (beta-hydroxythiofentanyl, butyryl fentanyl, and furanyl fentanyl) under Schedule I due to their imminent threat to public health. These drugs elicit analgesic effects similar to heroin making them desirable drugs to abuse. Novel fentanyl analogs and designer opioids are expected to become more prominent in forensic casework in the near future as the opioid epidemic continues. These drugs can be seen in forensic seized drug and urine casework samples either alone or mixed with other drugs of abuse. It is therefore necessary to have an efficient methodology to identify these new compounds. Currently, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is used to identify drugs of abuse and is considered the “gold standard” in forensic casework. However, analysis times can often range from 15 to 60 minutes in length. Another drawback is the need for spectral library matching, which requires analytical reference materials for identification. Therefore, the identification of novel fentanyl analogs and designer drugs is limited until a reference material becomes available. In this study, direct sample analysis time-of-flight mass spectrometry (DSA-TOFMS) was evaluated to provide rapid identification of fentanyl and other synthetic opioids in seized drug and urine casework samples. DSA is a direct ambient ionization source, which requires no chromatography and minimal sample preparation. TOFMS is a high resolution mass spectrometer that uses collision-induced dissociation (CID) to produce precursor ion and characteristic fragmentation ions, which provide additional structural and molecular formula information, allowing for the identification of compounds without a reference material. The analytes explored in this study include: heroin, 6-monoacetylmorphine (6-MAM), morphine, fentanyl, norfentanyl, 4-anilino-N-phenethylpiperidine (4-ANPP), acetyl fentanyl, beta-hydroxythiofentanyl, butyryl fentanyl, furanyl fentanyl, valeryl fentanyl, AH-7921, U-47700, buprenorphine, norbuprenorphine, desomorphine, MT-45, W-15, and W-18. Direct sample analysis time-of flight mass spectrometry (DSA-TOFMS) is a novel instrumentation that could be utilized in the forensic sciences field to qualitatively identify illicit substances in casework samples. In this study, 19 compounds of interest containing heroin, fentanyl, fentanyl analogs, and other synthetic opioids were evaluated using DSA-TOFMS. DSA-TOFMS abbreviated the workload of the analysis and was utilized to provide precursor ion and characteristic fragmentation ions within an analysis time of 20 seconds. Certified reference standards were used to optimize instrumentation settings, to determine precursor ions and characteristic fragmentation ions, and to determine the limit of detection of the instrument. A carryover study determined there were no persisting ions present when entering the capillary inlet between runs. A repeatability study revealed the DSA-TOFMS repeated results within the acceptable criteria range of above 500 counts and within 10ppm error 93% (10ppm) and 83% (1ppm). Forensic seized drug casework samples were evaluated with DSA-TOFMS and qualitatively identified. Out of the 64 samples, 89% were qualitatively identified as heroin, 4% were qualitatively identified as fentanyl, 1% was qualitatively identified as heroin and fentanyl, 3% were qualitatively identified as acetyl fentanyl, and 3% were qualitatively identified as furanyl fentanyl. The casework samples containing furanyl fentanyl were considered “true unknown unknown samples,” as the Maine Health and Environmental Testing Laboratory gas chromatography-mass spectrometry library did not have a spectrum to use for the identification of these samples. Forensic urine casework samples were evaluated with DSA-TOFMS. Samples previously confirmed to contain compounds of interest were prepared using minimal sample preparation technique (filtered using 0.45 microns syringe filters and diluted (1:10) with LC/MS grade water). Analysis displayed the limitations of DSA-TOFMS as only twelve of the forty compounds of interest were present and only three of the twelve were within the acceptable criteria range. DSA-TOFMS is a fast and reliable technique with minimal sample preparation for forensic seized drug samples. However, the concentration in complex matrixes, such as urine and blood, were unable to be qualitatively identified using this sample preparation method by DSA-TOFMS

The Digital Revolution and Higher Education

Presents survey findings about the views of college presidents and the public on the value of, prevalence of, and experience with online learning, as well as the role of the Internet and related technologies in education and prospects for future growth

A Framework of Asset-Accumulation Stages and Strategies

We propose that asset accumulation occurs in three stages. In the first stage (reallocation), current resource inflows must exceed current outflows. To meet this objective, people reallocate resources from current consumption, current leisure, or future consumption or leisure. In the second stage (conversion), people may convert resources from liquid to illiquid forms. In the third stage (maintenance), individuals resist temptations to dissave. We suggest that people adopt psychological and behavioral strategies to achieve each of these objectives. Putting the two types of strategies together with the three stages of asset accumulation results in six strategy groups. We provide examples of each strategy group and discuss implications related to encouraging account ownership among the unbanked, improving asset- accumulation programs, and improving financial-education curricula.Saving, asset accumulation, self-constraint,pyschological savings strategies

Retinitis Pigmentosa

This poster contains information on the pathophysiology of Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP). Main points of the poster include a description of the disease, the pathophysiology of RP, diagnostics, signs and symptoms, nursing implications, and the resources used to obtain the information. This topic was chosen based on my father in law, who is currently living with retinitis pigmentosa. The purpose of this was to educate myself about RP, and to recognize any signs and symptoms in the case that my husband and/or son develop the genetic diseas

MAROON SOCIETIES IN BRAZIL, JAMAICA AND MEXICO

While many scholars concentrate their research on the enslavement of Africans, there are other stories to tell of Africans peoples in theWestern Hemisphere. The Maroons were fugitive slaves who developed their own communities throughout theAmericas. They were diverse peoples unified by their goal of freedom and self-determination. This Honors Thesis Project explores the historical situation of the Brazilian, Jamaican and Mexican Maroons and elucidates the similarities and differences between them. The aspects of Maroon life explored here are: lifestyle, leadership and politics. These three countries were selected to illustrate the diversity within the experiences of enslaved Africans throughout the Americas. Chapter I: Transatlantic Slave Trade and the Middle Passage outlines the journey from Africato the Western Hemisphere. Chapter II: Enslavement, discusses the cruelties of enslavement which drove African peoples to maroon, to flee. Chapter III: Marronge explains the creation and use of the word “maroon” and “Maroon” and its different forms. Chapter IV: Lifestyle explores the different aspects of everyday life of Maroons and their communities. Chapter V: Leadership elucidates Maroon leaders and their contributions. Chapter VI: External Politics examines complex Maroon political relations with African, European and Indigenous groups. Chapter VII: Internal Politics reveals interaction between different Maroons inMexico andJamaica. This inquiry revealed evidence of varied lifestyles, leadership and political relations, but no significant difference in the Maroons’ objective for freedom. Similar obstacles and methods to achieve liberty superceded any variances found in the lifestyles, leadership or political relations of the Brazilian, Jamaican and Mexican Maroons

Civic Service Worldwide: Defining a Field, Building a Knowledge Base.

In this article, the authors summarize results of a global assessment of civic service. Searching by country and using information from organizational memberships, publications, and the Internet, 210 civic service programs were identified in 57 countries

Binge Watching: Exploring the Relationship of Binge Watched Television Genres and Colleges at Clemson University

This study explores the relationship between students’ area of study at Clemson University and their choice in binge watched programming. This article focuses on the uses and gratifications theory to explain that individuals have different motivations for viewing particular media, such as television genres. This article examines how area of study and gender can influence individuals’ preferences of binged watched television content. In addition, this article discusses how the combination of online-streaming options and viewers personal television consumption preferences have resulted in an increase in overall binge watching habits. The study was conducted through an online survey using convenience sampling. A one-way ANOVA was conducted to test the significance of differences. The ANOVA reported the difference in gender for preference of binge watching fantasy genres was (F (1,38) = 4.431, p =. 042), therefore the results were statistically significant at the p\u3c. 05 level. In regards to the College of Engineering and Sciences the correlation resulted with Drama (F (4,35) = 2.228, p =. 086) and Fantasy (F (4,35) = 1.821, p = .147) both approaching significance. Specifically, the results suggest that the correlation between genre and biological sex is more significant than the correlation between genre and college

Do Honors Programs Make a Difference during the First Year of College? The Development of Critical Thinking Skills and Exposure to Good Practices in Undergraduate Education

This longitudinal study analyzed pretest-posttest data to 1) examine the influence of honors programs on first-year college students\u27 critical thinking skills, 2) to determine whether students in honors programs receive more exposure to good practices in undergraduate education than their non-honors peers, and 3) to assess the effect of good practices on critical thinking. The quasi-experimental study also investigated whether the influence of honors programs on critical thinking skills varied in direction and magnitude for male versus female students and White versus students of color. To replicate an earlier study conducted by Seifert et al. (2007), the current study utilized data from a recent national study, the Wabash National Study of Liberal Arts Education. In order to fulfill this purpose, five research questions were addressed using descriptive statistics analysis and Ordinary Least Squared multiple regression. The current study included 1,824 first-year college students from 21 institutions that offered an honors program during the first-year of college. The treatment group (honors students) consisted of 306 students, whereas the control group (non-honors students) consisted of 1,518 students. The findings indicate that honors programs did not have a statistically significant effect on honors students\u27 critical thinking or their exposure to good practices in undergraduate education. Furthermore, the effect of honors program participation did not differ in direction or magnitude for male versus female students and White versus students of color

86 Maryland Avenue historic structure report

Masters final project submitted to the Faculty of the Historic Preservation Program, School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation, University of Maryland, College Park, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Historic Preservation. HISP 710/711 final project, 2014.The purpose of this historic structure report is to provide a set of customized treatment recommendations for 86 Maryland Avenue, in the city of Annapolis, Maryland owned by the American Institute of Architects - Maryland Chapter. This building is a prime example of the dynamic development of Annapolis, and the additive nature of buildings, because the property was created from subdividing a once large, prominent eighteenth-century Annapolis estate into smaller parcels for residential use, and then the building was expanded to provide commercial space. The recommendations are based on a rehabilitation treatment approach, and were determined after thoroughly researching the building’s history, investigating and documenting the existing building conditions, and determining the character-defining elements. They will help guide future projects on the building, and ensure its preservation

Importance of School Readiness and Early Childhood Education

The need for childhood education was studied and, based upon experiences garnered as a Kindergarten teacher, Cub Club was created and implemented in order to begin to reduce the achievement gap. The program was designed to educate parents about the importance of family involvement and the benefits, lasting into adulthood, of working with children at home during their early years of learning