Xavier Conlan

• Deakin University

Phenolics are an important class of signaling compounds involved in plant-microbe interactions. This study investigated crucial phenolics involved during plant-mycorrhizal symbiosis in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) host and non-host in vitro root cultures with the model arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi Rhizophagus irregularis. An integrated approa...

The terrestrial decomposition of remains and associated insect colonisation have been highly researched, and recently studies have expanded to investigate the aquatic decomposition of remains. However, there are instances where remains may experience both terrestrial and aquatic conditions simultaneously due to partial submersion in tidal areas, or...

An investigation into whether the addition of a commonly used anti‐coagulant agent like ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) has an impact on the adhesion potential of blood to non‐porous substrates was conducted. Two non‐porous substrates (aluminum and polypropylene) exhibiting six different surface roughness categories (R1–R6) were used as test...

Emerging contaminants are widely distributed and arise because of various anthropogenic activities which leads to a significant impact on birdlife. These contaminants negatively influence the environment as they are known to be persistent in the food chains with transmission through interconnected species. To provide evidence of contaminant exposu...

Artificially augmented photosynthesis in nano‐bionic plants requires tunable nano‐antenna structures with physiochemical and optoelectronic properties, as well as unique light conversion capabilities. The use of nanomaterials to promote light capture across photosystems, primarily by carbon dots, has shown promising results in enhancing photosynthe...

It is a commonly held belief that drug residues may affect the integrity of DNA and/or interfere with DNA analysis, and therefore DNA on drug paraphernalia and the associated drugs may be overlooked as a source of evidence. This study investigated whether DNA could be isolated from a drug residue-bearing surface to ascertain whether a forensically...

A STEM-based faculty in an Australian university leveraged online educational technology to help address student and academic concerns associated with team-based assessment. When engagement and contribution of all team members cannot be assured, team-based assessment can become an unfair and inaccurate measure of student competency. This case study...

Several research studies have shown that lichens are productive organisms for the synthesis of a broad range of secondary metabolites. Lichens are a self-sustainable stable microbial ecosystem comprising an exhabitant fungal partner (mycobiont) and at least one or more photosynthetic partners (photobiont). The successful symbiosis is responsible fo...

An in-depth study into the physical substrate characteristics such as substrate surface roughness, topography, and physicochemical characteristics like wettability and surface free energy (SFE) was conducted to investigate the impact on the deposition and adherence of touch and salivary deposits on aluminium and polypropylene. A robust protocol was...

The design of semiconducting metal oxide heterojunctions is promising to overcome conventional limitations associated to photocatalysis or electrocatalysis, such as fast recombination of electron-hole pairs and poor long-term stability leading to low catalytic performance. A route to tackle this issue is to design catalysts at the atomic levels by...

Q fever is caused by the bacterium Coxiella burnetii and is spread to humans from infected animals especially goats, sheep and cattle, predominantly when giving birth. There is an effective human vaccine (Q-VAX) against Q fever, and although Q fever is a worldwide problem, the vaccine is only used in Australia due to difficulties associated with it...

Differential sperm chemotaxis describes differences among male–female pairings in chemotactic responses of sperm to egg (or female)-derived chemical attractants. Microfluidic devices provide powerful platforms in which to study this complex gamete interaction. Here, we describe key challenges and potential solutions in applying this state-of-the-ar...

Despite its forensic importance as trace evidence, soil is under-utilised by forensic scientists due to a lack of research into the suitability of analytical approaches and a subsequent lack of understanding of the soil composition. Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography was used to analyse acetonitrile extractions from 210 soil samples taken...

The remediation of persistent organic pollutants in surface and ground water represents a major environmental challenge worldwide. Conventional physico-chemical techniques do not efficiently remove such persistent organic pollutants and new remediation techniques are therefore required. Photo-electro catalytic membranes represent an emerging soluti...

Necrophagous insect species are used in forensic entomology to assist with the estimation of the minimum post-mortem interval (PMImin). However, chemical substances applied to a corpse in a bid to conceal remains may affect the attractiveness of a corpse to insects and consequently the insect succession and decomposition. This study investigated th...

UHPLC/ESI/MS/MS profiling followed by bioactivity guided isolation of Pseudevernia furfuracea (P. furfuracea) extract yielded two polyphenolic molecules, Methyl haematommate (PF-1) and Atraric acid (PF-2). These molecules were evaluated for bioactivity against five cancerous cell lines. The results revealed that atraric acid showed significant acti...

A targeted sampling approach of latent DNA, deposited when a person makes contact with a surface, can prove challenging during crime scene or evidence processing, with the sampling of latent DNA often relying on the expert judgement from crime scene officers and forensic examiners. As such, the ability to use the quick and robust screening tool Dia...

Antibiotic proliferation in the environment and their persistent nature is an issue of global concern as they induce antibiotic resistance threatening both human health and the ecosystem. Antibiotics have therefore been categorized as emerging pollutants. Fluoroquinolone (FQs) antibiotics are an emerging class of contaminants that are used extensiv...

The estimation of post-mortem interval (PMI) is of critical importance in forensic investigations. This requires thorough knowledge of the decomposition process, with decomposition of remains in terrestrial environments extensively investigated, and aquatic environments largely neglected. In terrestrial environments, entomology is well established...

Pseudevernia furfuracea (L.) Zopf (Parmeliaceae) is a well-known epiphytic lichen commonly used in Indian spice mixtures and food preparations such as curries. This study is an attempt to find the best extraction methodology with respect to extractive yield, total polyphenolic content (TPC), total flavonoid content and antioxidant activities of lic...

Forensic science combines analytical science with the requirements of law enforcement agencies and legislation. This can often pose challenges within the development of novel analytical methods, particularly with the drive to have more in-field and in-situ applications to facilitate the investigation of criminal cases. This book will explore the sp...

Agriculture development remains the most significant and integral part of the economic growth of any country with pests, such as plant pathogens, weeds, insects, nematodes and animal, imposing a major threat to the overall productivity. Approximately 25% of the total crop production worldwide is damaged due to these weeds, animal and microbial pest...

A diverse range of non-porous substrate surfaces routinely encountered in crime scene settings were evaluated for their affinity towards deposited saliva and fingerprint residue. Raman spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy (AFM), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and water contact angle measurements were employed to quantitativel...

Antioxidants are substances that interact both inside and outside of a biological system in protecting against the damaging effects of highly reactive free radicals produced during metabolism. Among the various natural alternative sources of antioxidants, endophytic and marine fungi are good sources of potential antioxidant compounds. Fungi are pro...

With the rapid development of synthetic drugs, novel piperazine derivatives, as an increasingly important class of new psychoactive substances (NPS), have attracted global attention owing to their increasing demand in the illicit drug market. In this study, ten piperazine derivatives were analyzed in urine samples after pre‐treatment with ultrasoun...

When sampling an item or surface for DNA, the collection of 'background' DNA (bDNA) from previous use poses an issue as it may impact the detectability of 'target' DNA and the interpretation of the DNA results given alleged activities. This study investigates the prevalence and transferability of bDNA on flooring surfaces within occupied houses und...

The growing concern over the harmful effects of synthetic colorants on both the consumer and the environment has raised a strong interest in natural coloring alternatives. As a result the worldwide demand for colorants of natural origin is rapidly increasing in the food, cosmetic and textile sectors. Natural colorants have the capacity to be used f...

In 2018, the European Food Safety Authority reiterated the need for continued monitoring and reduction of opium alkaloid contamination on culinary poppy seeds. In this study, we propose acidic potassium permanganate chemiluminescence as an alternative detection strategy for the selective determination of morphine on poppy seeds. Six different brand...

Ephedrine/pseudoephedrine (EPH) is the most common precursor for the manufacture of methamphetamine and is controlled within China via criminal law and government regulations. Therefore, it is of great significance to systematically study the cases of illicit production of EPH in order to aid timely investigation into the production of precursor dr...

Solid-state 13C and 19F NMR spectroscopy offers a non-destructive, highly selective protocol for the identification of forensically relevant synthetic cannabinoids on herbal substrates. Using this technique, well resolved 13C spectra were obtained that readily enabled structural identification; in some instances complemented by 19F spectral data. T...

Microcystins are a class of toxins that are mainly produced by cyanobacteria and among them, microcystin-leucine arginine (microcystin-LR) is one of the most toxic and harmful of the fresh water toxins causing many accidents and threats to human health. The detection of microcystin-LR in drinking water and environmental water samples is therefore c...

It is becoming increasingly relevant to understand how much DNA is present on, and who might contribute to, samples collected from surfaces frequently targeted for DNA sampling in criminal investigations. This study investigates the presence of such DNA, also termed background DNA (bDNA), on common entry points in five homes occupied by known indiv...

The collection and detection of ‘background’ DNA (bDNA) from items submitted for forensic DNA sampling is a common occurrence when sampling surfaces for DNA left behind following an activity of interest. There are a number of factors that might affect the presence of bDNA on a surface, one of which is cleaning of the surface. Here, we investigate t...

A new approach to examine electrochemiluminescence (ECL), in which the potentials at both the working and counter electrodes are measured and the emitted light is detected by photomultiplier tube, camera...

This study introduces a new methodology – the Line-Up method – for the presentation of signatures for forensic comparison. This method gives one approach to reduce the potential for contextual bias that is present using the traditional Target methodology. The findings of the research showed no significant difference in the number of inconclusive op...

This study assesses the morphine content of different preparations of poppy seed tea using an acidic potassium permanganate chemiluminescence detection method. Four ‘model’ teas were prepared utilizing extractants commonly described in online drug forums and compared with a ‘control’ solution containing acetic acid. High performance liquid chromato...

This study further advances the development of a software program for the analysis of bloodstain patterns formed from a sledgehammer apparatus capable of creating reproducible blood spatter. In this work, a systematic study was performed testing the capacity of the technology to digitally extract a clear impact bloodstain pattern from a very comple...

A self- and peer-assessment strategy was implemented to support learning, teaching and assessment of undergraduate forensic science students’ capacity to work in a team. This strategy aimed to fill the gap observed in teamwork assessment, which historically focuses on the project outcome rather than an individual’s performance within a team. The on...

This project looks at the intersection between gunshot damage to road signs and the use of geographic information systems (GIS) for forensic intelligence. The project has surveyed several distinct regions in Victoria Australia (residential, semi-rural and rural) in order to establish the level and distribution of gunshot damage to signs. The study...

The antioxidant Selenoprotein S (Seps1, Selenos) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident protein associated with metabolic and inflammatory disease. While Seps1 is highly expressed in skeletal muscle, its mechanistic role as an antioxidant in skeletal muscle cells is not well characterized. In C2C12 myotubes treated with palmitate for 24 h, endog...

Markedly increased withanolide content was found in transformed roots (TR) of Withania somnifera germplasm grown in low mineral minimal media and withanolides showed high antioxidant potential when analysed using acidic potassium permanganate chemiluminescence. Transformation frequency of explants infected with Agrobacterium rhizogenes strain A4 va...

Biological samples are notoriously difficult to use within portable miniaturised devices, often due to complex sample matrices or variation between cellular samples. Herein we describe a device that utilises a correction based upon the total soluble cellular protein and absorbance measurements for the accurate quantification of cell number from equ...

Measures to control the expanding use of synthetic cannabinoids demand new analytical methodology to identify and determine compounds within this rapidly evolving class. Herein, we identify seven synthetic cannabinoids (AM-2201, UR-144, XLR-11, A796,260, 5F-AKB48, PB-22 and 5F-PB-22) present in eleven herbal products sold in Victoria, Australia, pr...

Ultrasensitive determination of the chiral nature of a molecule is important for fully understanding protein and DNA structures, and for the design, synthesis and purification of drug molecules. Consequently, development of ultrasensitive detection of chiral molecules is a grand challenge and at the heart of many of today’s research fields, includi...

Principal component analysis (PCA) loading plots were used to elucidate key differences between two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography (2D-HPLC) fingerprint data from samples collected from stages along the Papaver somniferum industrial process chemistry workflow. Data reduction was completed using a 2D-HPLC peak picking approach as...

Arbuscular mycorrhiza is a symbiotic association formed between plant roots and soil borne fungi that alter and at times improve the production of secondary metabolites. Detailed information is available on mycorrhizal development and its influence on plants grown under various edapho-climatic conditions, however, very little is known about their i...

In-silico optimisation of a two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography (2D-HPLC) separation protocol has been developed for the interrogation of methamphetamine samples including model, real world seizure, and laboratory synthesised samples. The protocol used Drylab1 software to rapidly identify the optimum separation conditions from a...

The recognition of differences between regulated large-scale mass manufactured products and the uncontrolled cultivation of tobaccos for illicit purposes plays a significant role within identification of provenance. This research highlights X-ray fluorescence and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy as useful analytical techniques for the rapid...

This study reports Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated transformation of three cultivars of Ocimum basilicum for hairy root establishment, screening and selection for the production of rosmarinic acid and antioxidants. Hairy root development was found to be explant-specific and virulence-dependent. Distinct inter-cultivar morphological variability wa...

Chirality sensing is a very challenging task here we report a method for ultrasensitive detection of chiral molecule L/D-carnitine based on changes in the recognition tunneling current across self-assembled core-satellite gold nanoparticle (GNP) networks. The recognition tunneling technique has been demonstrated to work at the single molecule level...

Ocimum basilicum, a member of the family Lamiaceae, is a rich source of polyphenolics that have antioxidant properties. The present study describes the development and application of an online HPLC-coupled acidic potassium permanganate chemiluminescence assay for the qualitative and quantitative assessment of antioxidants in three cultivars of O. b...

The selection of two orthogonal columns for two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography (LC×LC) separation of natural product extracts can be a labour intensive and time consuming process and in many cases is an entirely trial-and-error approach. This paper introduces a blind optimisation method for column selection of a black box of con...

Australian clandestine drug laboratories are constantly utilising alternative methods to produce methamphetamine, in part as restrictions are placed by Government on, for example, chemicals such as phenyl-2-propanone (P2P) (in the early 1980s), or on pseudoephedrine-containing pharmaceuticals, from the mid-2000s. This paper discusses the nitro-aldo...

This work describes a method for two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography (2D-HPLC) that uses an isocratic mobile phase with a temperature gradient in the first dimension. Temperature programming was used to manipulate solvent elution strength in place of a mobile phase concentration gradient. This ensured that all eluent fractions tr...

Detector-based comprehensive screening analysis of complex samples of natural origin using High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) can be a complicated and time-consuming task. There are a number of ways multidetection characterization can be achieved; however, there are limitations associated with each technique. Active Flow Technology (AFT)...

As monolithic columns become more extensively used in separation based applications due to their good flow and high surface characteristics, there has arisen the need to establish simple, reliable fabrication methods for fluidic coupling and sealing. In particular, the problem of liquid tracking between a monolith’s outer surface and the sealing wa...

Widely known for its recreational use, the cannabis plant also has the potential to act as an antibacterial agent in the medicinal field. The analysis of cannabis plants/products in both pharmacological and forensic studies often requires the separation of compounds of interest and/or accurate identification of the whole cannabinoid profile. In ord...

It has previously been shown that irradiation with UV light increases the vitamin D content of certain mushroom species, but the effect on other nutrients is unknown, and is difficult to assess due to the complexity of the sample matrix. Here, an offline reversed phase × reversed phase two-dimensional liquid chromatography methodology was developed...

The selection of two high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) columns with vastly different retention mechanisms is vital for performing effective two-dimensional (2D-) HPLC. This paper reports on a systematic method to select a pair of HPLC columns that provide the most different separations for a given sample. This was completed with the aid...

This paper explores the analytical figures of merit of two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatography for the separation of antioxidant standards. The cumulative two-dimensional high-performance liquid chromatography peak area was calculated for 11 antioxidants by two different methods-the areas reported by the control software and by fitti...

This paper describes a non-destructive “peak parking” protocol in order to assess the axial heterogeneity of an in-situ modified monolithic column for high performance liquid chromatography; a “gradient stationary phase” was designed whereby the ligand density decreases along the length of the rod in the “forward flow” configuration. Results of mul...

We report, for the first time for Withania somnifera, the use of a modified in vitro system for morphological and phytochemical screening of true to type plants as compared with those grown in a conventional in situ system. Eleven germplasms of cultivated W. somnifera from different regions of India were collected to examine chemotypic variation in...

Plants are an important source for medicinal compounds. Chemical screening and selection is critical for identification of compounds of interest. Ocimum basilicum (Basil) is a rich source of polyphenolics and exhibits high diversity, therefore bioprospecting of a suitable cultivar is a necessity. This study reports on the development of a true to t...

The synthesis and chromatographic behaviour of an analytical size mixed mode bonded silica monolith was investigated. The monolith was functionalised by an in situ modification process of a bare silica rod with chloro(3-cyanopropyl)dimethyl silane and chlorodimethyl propyl phenyl silane solutions. These ligands were selected in order to combine bot...

This application note presents a simple, user-friendly technique for a comprehensive two-dimensional analysis of complex matrices when the operator only has access to a one-dimensional liquid chromatography system. In this example an 1260 Agilent Infinity chromatograph coupled to a fraction collector was used for an offline study of biochemical com...

To achieve the greatest peak capacity in two-dimensional high performance liquid chromatography (2D-HPLC) a gradient should be operated in both separation dimensions. However, it is known that when an injection solvent that is stronger than the initial mobile phase composition is deleterious to peak performance, thus causing problems when cutting a...

High-performance liquid chromatography with chemiluminescence detection based on the reaction with acidic potassium permanganate and formaldehyde was explored for the determination of neurotransmitters and their metabolites. The neurotransmitters norepinephrine and dopamine were quantified in the left and right hemispheres of rat hippocampus, nucle...

We describe a new approach to multiplex detection for HPLC, exploiting parallel segmented outlet flow - a new column technology that provides pressure-regulated control of eluate flow through multiple outlet channels, which minimises the additional dead volume associated with conventional post-column flow splitting. Using three detectors: one UV-ab...

Herein we assess the separation space offered by a liquid chromatography system with an optimised uni-dimensional separation for the determination of the key chemical entities in the highly complex matrix of a tobacco leaf extract. Multiple modes of detection, including UV-visible absorbance, chemiluminescence (acidic potassium permanganate, mangan...

Two multidimensional HPLC separations of an Australian red wine are presented, greater than 70% of the available separation space was used. A porous graphitic carbon stationary phase was used as the first dimension in both separations with both RP core-shell and hydrophilic interaction chromatography fully porous columns used separately in the seco...

In order to discover phytochemicals that are potentially bioactive against Phytophthora cinnamomi, (a soil-borne plant pathogen) a metabolite profiling protocol for investigation of metabolic changes in Lupinus angustifolius L. plant roots in response to pathogen challenge has been established. Analysis of the metabolic profiles from healthy and P....

A range of norbornane based amphiphiles, which possess a rigid 'kink' in the centre of amphiphiles, were accessed via a concise four step synthesis. The self-assembly properties of these novel compounds were then investigated and the critical aggregation concentration (CAC), hydrodynamic diameter (DH) by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and their mor...

This study aimed to determine if 50 days of canola oil intake in the absence or presence of salt loading affects: (1) antioxidant and oxidative stress markers, (2) aortic mRNA of NADPH oxidase (NOX) subunits and superoxide dismutase (SOD) isoforms and (3) endothelial function in SHRSP rats. SHRSP rats were fed a diet containing 10 wt/wt% soybean oi...

RBC SOD activity data for individual animals. (TIF)

RBC MDA concentration data for individual animals. (TIF)

The olive oil phenolic, oleocanthal has recently received attention regarding its anti-inflammatory capacity and the thought that it is partially responsible for the beneficial health effects of the Mediterranean diet. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) containing oleocanthal is often consumed after storage for a substantial amount of time and for oleoc...

This manuscript evaluates the performance of the Eilers' smoothing algorithm by comparing the third central statistical peak moment of simulated peaks to their true value. Peaks were simulated by imposing an exponentially modified Gaussian peak profile onto a random segment of pre-recorded high performance liquid chromatography baseline. Prior to m...

This is the first report of chemiluminescence from the reaction of cannabinoids with acidic potassium permanganate, which we have applied to the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) determination of cannabidiol (CBD) in industrial-grade hemp. The intensities of the light-producing reactions with two commercially available cannabinoid stand...

The need to monitor biogenic amines levels is essential for many areas of the food industry for two main reasons: the caustic nature and potential toxicity of these amines, and the potential to use amine levels as markers for freshness and quality in foodstuffs. Optimised analysis conditions used for the determination of biogenic amines derivatised...

Speed of analysis is a significant limitation to current high-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) and ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography (UHPLC)/MS systems. The flow rate limitations of MS detection require a compromise in the chromatographic flow rate, which in turn reduces throughput, and when using modern columns...

A series of norbornane containing amphiphiles were synthesized, their lipophilicity corresponding to neutral and cationic forms were then investigated using reverse phase HPLC. This series of amphiphiles incorporated varied lipophilic chain length and also varied distances between the polar/cationic head group from the norbornane scaffold. Our inve...