Deciphering Diseases and Biological Targets for Environmental Chemicals using Toxicogenomics Networks

Exposure to environmental chemicals and drugs may have a negative effect on human health. A better understanding of the molecular mechanism of such compounds is needed to determine the risk. We present a high confidence human protein-protein association network built upon the integration of chemical toxicology and systems biology. This computational systems chemical biology model reveals uncharacterized connections between compounds and diseases, thus predicting which compounds may be risk factors for human health. Additionally, the network can be used to identify unexpected potential associations between chemicals and proteins. Examples are shown for chemicals associated with breast cancer, lung cancer and necrosis, and potential protein targets for di-ethylhexyl-phthalate, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, pirinixic acid and permethrine. The chemical-protein associations are supported through recent published studies, which illustrate the power of our approach that integrates toxicogenomics data with other data types

Arterial ischemic stroke in childhood: Risk factors and outcome in old versus new era

WOS: 000250491500007PubMed ID: 17940247Risk factors of children with arterial ischemic stroke were retrospectively evaluated. The children were grouped according to values on developing diagnostic tools: 13 in the old era (19871994) and 18 in the new era (1995-2004). The old era battery included 5 tests: protein C, protein S, antithrombin, lupus anticoagulants, and anticardiolipin antibodies. The new era battery added 5 more tests: homocystine level, factor VIII level, mutations for factor V Leiden and prothrombin G20210A, and lipoprotein (a) level. At least I risk factor was found in 5 of 13 children (38.5%) in the old era and in 8 of 18 (44.4%) in the new era. The extended battery for prothrombotic disorders revealed 7 risk factors in 4 children (22.2%) in the new era, whereas the limited battery identified a single risk factor in I child (7.7%) in the old era. For the correct etiologic identification, prothrombotic risk factors should be extensively evaluated in patients with arterial ischernic stroke

Patterns on the Fish Skins Induced by Anisotropy in Diffusion (Interfaces, Pulses and Waves in Nonlinear Dissipative Systems : RIMS Project 2000 "Reaction-diffusion systems : theory and applications")

The EURECA (European Underground Rare Event Calorimeter Array) project is aimed at searching for dark matter particles using cryogenic bolometers. The proponents of the present project have decided to pool their strengths and expertise to build a facility to house up to 1000 kg of detectors, EURECA, consisting in the first instance of germanium and CaWO 4 crystals. The shielding will be provided through a large water tank in which the cryostat with detectors will be immersed. The EURECA infrastructure will be an essential tool for the community interested in using cryogenic detectors for dark matter searches. Beyond European detectors, it will be designed to host other types of similar cryogenic detectors, requiring millikelvin operating temperatures. In particular, this includes the germanium detectors currently in use by the SuperCDMS team, following the current collaborative work performed by the EURECA and SuperCDMS collaborations. EURECA will have two stages. The first phase aims at a sensitivity of 3 . 10 −10  pb and will involve building the infrastructure, cryostat and shielding, and operating 150 kg of detectors. The second phase will be completed with 850 kg of additional detectors, the relative weight between the different detectors being decided by the collaboration according to the physics reach. A sensitivity of 2 . 10 −11 pb is aimed for at the second stage. EURECA will ideally benefit from the planned extension of the deepest underground laboratory in Europe  – LSM. With a site-independent design, it can also be hosted in other locations at similar or deeper sites such as SNOLAB