Building Shared Experience to Advance Practical Application of Pathway-Based Toxicology: Liver Toxicity Mode-of-Action

PubMed Central

Willett, Catherine; Rae, Jessica Caverly; Goyak, Katy O.; Minsavage, Gary; Westmoreland, Carl; Andersen, Melvin; Avigan, Mark; Duché, Daniel; Harris, Georgina; Hartung, Thomas; Jaeschke, Hartmut; Kleensang, Andre; Landesmann, Brigitte; Martos, Suzanne; Matevia, Marilyn; Toole, Colleen; Rowan, Andrew; Schultz, Terry; Seed, Jennifer; Senior, John; Shah, Imran; Subramanian, Kalyanasundaram; Vinken, Mathieu; Watkins, Paul

2016-01-01

Summary A workshop sponsored by the Human Toxicology Project Consortium (HTPC), “Building Shared Experience to Advance Practical Application of Pathway-Based Toxicology: Liver Toxicity Mode-of-Action” brought together experts from a wide range of perspectives to inform the process of pathway development and to advance two prototype pathways initially developed by the European Commission Joint Research Center (JRC): liver-specific fibrosis and steatosis. The first half of the workshop focused on the theory and practice of pathway development; the second on liver disease and the two prototype pathways. Participants agreed pathway development is extremely useful for organizing information and found that focusing the theoretical discussion on a specific AOP is helpful. It is important to include several perspectives during pathway development, including information specialists, pathologists, human health and environmental risk assessors, and chemical and product manufacturers, to ensure the biology is well captured and end use is considered. PMID:24535319

Emerging approaches in predictive toxicology.

PubMed

Zhang, Luoping; McHale, Cliona M; Greene, Nigel; Snyder, Ronald D; Rich, Ivan N; Aardema, Marilyn J; Roy, Shambhu; Pfuhler, Stefan; Venkatactahalam, Sundaresan

2014-12-01

Predictive toxicology plays an important role in the assessment of toxicity of chemicals and the drug development process. While there are several well-established in vitro and in vivo assays that are suitable for predictive toxicology, recent advances in high-throughput analytical technologies and model systems are expected to have a major impact on the field of predictive toxicology. This commentary provides an overview of the state of the current science and a brief discussion on future perspectives for the field of predictive toxicology for human toxicity. Computational models for predictive toxicology, needs for further refinement and obstacles to expand computational models to include additional classes of chemical compounds are highlighted. Functional and comparative genomics approaches in predictive toxicology are discussed with an emphasis on successful utilization of recently developed model systems for high-throughput analysis. The advantages of three-dimensional model systems and stem cells and their use in predictive toxicology testing are also described. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Emerging Approaches in Predictive Toxicology

PubMed Central

Zhang, Luoping; McHale, Cliona M.; Greene, Nigel; Snyder, Ronald D.; Rich, Ivan N.; Aardema, Marilyn J.; Roy, Shambhu; Pfuhler, Stefan; Venkatactahalam, Sundaresan

2016-01-01

Predictive toxicology plays an important role in the assessment of toxicity of chemicals and the drug development process. While there are several well-established in vitro and in vivo assays that are suitable for predictive toxicology, recent advances in high-throughput analytical technologies and model systems are expected to have a major impact on the field of predictive toxicology. This commentary provides an overview of the state of the current science and a brief discussion on future perspectives for the field of predictive toxicology for human toxicity. Computational models for predictive toxicology, needs for further refinement and obstacles to expand computational models to include additional classes of chemical compounds are highlighted. Functional and comparative genomics approaches in predictive toxicology are discussed with an emphasis on successful utilization of recently developed model systems for high-throughput analysis. The advantages of three-dimensional model systems and stem cells and their use in predictive toxicology testing are also described. PMID:25044351

History of Japanese Society of Toxicology.

PubMed

Satoh, Tetsuo

2016-01-01

Founded in 1981, the Japanese Society of Toxicology (JSOT) has grown into an organization of nearly 3,000 members working together to advance the nation's scientific knowledge and understanding of toxicology through the implementation of planning that ensures a systematic and efficient expenditure of energies and resources, and is closely aligned with a strategy for accomplishing the Society's long-range plans. To promote public education in toxicology, the Society organizes public lectures during each year's annual meeting. Other activities include hosting scientific conferences, promoting continuing education, and facilitating international collaboration. Internally, the JSOT operates five standing committees: General Affairs, Educational, Editorial, Finance, and Science and Publicity to handle its necessary relationships. To bestow official recognition, the Society established its Toxicologist Certification Program in 1997, and has certified 536 members as Diplomat Toxicologists (DJSOT) as of May 1, 2016. Furthermore, on the same date, 43 JSOT members were certified as Emeritus Diplomats of the JSOT (EDJSOT). The Society has launched two official journals, the "Journal of Toxicological Sciences (JTS)" in 1981 and "Fundamental Toxicological Sciences (Fundam. Toxicol. Sci.)" in 2014. As for participation in the international organizations, the JSOT (then known as the Toxicological Research Group) joined the International Union of Toxicology as a charter member in 1980, and became a founding member of the Asian Society of Toxicology at its inauguration in 1994. Into the future, the JSOT will continue working diligently to advance knowledge and understanding of toxicology and secure its place among the interdisciplinary fields of science, humane studies, and ethics.

Adverse outcome pathway networks II: Network analytics.

PubMed

Villeneuve, Daniel L; Angrish, Michelle M; Fortin, Marie C; Katsiadaki, Ioanna; Leonard, Marc; Margiotta-Casaluci, Luigi; Munn, Sharon; O'Brien, Jason M; Pollesch, Nathan L; Smith, L Cody; Zhang, Xiaowei; Knapen, Dries

2018-06-01

Toxicological responses to stressors are more complex than the simple one-biological-perturbation to one-adverse-outcome model portrayed by individual adverse outcome pathways (AOPs). Consequently, the AOP framework was designed to facilitate de facto development of AOP networks that can aid in the understanding and prediction of pleiotropic and interactive effects more common to environmentally realistic, complex exposure scenarios. The present study introduces nascent concepts related to the qualitative analysis of AOP networks. First, graph theory-based approaches for identifying important topological features are illustrated using 2 example AOP networks derived from existing AOP descriptions. Second, considerations for identifying the most significant path(s) through an AOP network from either a biological or risk assessment perspective are described. Finally, approaches for identifying interactions among AOPs that may result in additive, synergistic, or antagonistic responses (or previously undefined emergent patterns of response) are introduced. Along with a companion article (part I), these concepts set the stage for the development of tools and case studies that will facilitate more rigorous analysis of AOP networks, and the utility of AOP network-based predictions, for use in research and regulatory decision-making. The present study addresses one of the major themes identified through a Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Horizon Scanning effort focused on advancing the AOP framework. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1734-1748. © 2018 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America. © 2018 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. This article is a US government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the

Advanced Stoichiometric Analysis of Metabolic Networks of Mammalian Systems

PubMed Central

Orman, Mehmet A.; Berthiaume, Francois; Androulakis, Ioannis P.; Ierapetritou, Marianthi G.

2013-01-01

Metabolic engineering tools have been widely applied to living organisms to gain a comprehensive understanding about cellular networks and to improve cellular properties. Metabolic flux analysis (MFA), flux balance analysis (FBA), and metabolic pathway analysis (MPA) are among the most popular tools in stoichiometric network analysis. Although application of these tools into well-known microbial systems is extensive in the literature, various barriers prevent them from being utilized in mammalian cells. Limited experimental data, complex regulatory mechanisms, and the requirement of more complex nutrient media are some major obstacles in mammalian cell systems. However, mammalian cells have been used to produce therapeutic proteins, to characterize disease states or related abnormal metabolic conditions, and to analyze the toxicological effects of some medicinally important drugs. Therefore, there is a growing need for extending metabolic engineering principles to mammalian cells in order to understand their underlying metabolic functions. In this review article, advanced metabolic engineering tools developed for stoichiometric analysis including MFA, FBA, and MPA are described. Applications of these tools in mammalian cells are discussed in detail, and the challenges and opportunities are highlighted. PMID:22196224

Recent advances in materials toxicology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russo, D. M.

1979-01-01

An overview of the fire toxicology program, its principal objectives and approach, is outlined. The laboratory methods of assessing pyrolysis product toxicity for two experiments are presented. The two experiments are: a comparison of test end points; and an evaluation of operant techniques. A third experiment is outlined for a comparison of full-scale and laboratory toxicity tests, with the purpose of determining animal survivability in full-scale tests. Future research plans are also outlined.

Advancing adverse outcome pathways for integrated toxicology and regulatory applications

EPA Science Inventory

Recent regulatory efforts in many countries have focused on a toxicological pathway-based vision for human health assessments relying on in vitro systems and predictive models to generate the toxicological data needed to evaluate chemical hazard. A pathway-based vision is equally...

Advancements in zebrafish applications for 21st century toxicology

PubMed Central

Garcia, Gloria R.; Noyes, Pamela D.; Tanguay, Robert L.

2016-01-01

The zebrafish model is the only available high-throughput vertebrate assessment system, and it is uniquely suited for studies of in vivo cell biology. A sequenced and annotated genome has revealed a large degree of evolutionary conservation in comparison to the human genome. Due to our shared evolutionary history, the anatomical and physiological features of fish are highly homologous to humans, which facilitates studies relevant to human health. In addition, zebrafish provide a very unique vertebrate data stream that allows researchers to anchor hypotheses at the biochemical, genetic, and cellular levels to observations at the structural, functional, and behavioral level in a high-throughput format. In this review, we will draw heavily from toxicological studies to highlight advances in zebrafish high-throughput systems. Breakthroughs in transgenic/reporter lines and methods for genetic manipulation, such as the CRISPR-Cas9 system, will be comprised of reports across diverse disciplines. PMID:27016469

Human Environmental Disease Network: A computational model to assess toxicology of contaminants.

PubMed

Taboureau, Olivier; Audouze, Karine

2017-01-01

During the past decades, many epidemiological, toxicological and biological studies have been performed to assess the role of environmental chemicals as potential toxicants associated with diverse human disorders. However, the relationships between diseases based on chemical exposure rarely have been studied by computational biology. We developed a human environmental disease network (EDN) to explore and suggest novel disease-disease and chemical-disease relationships. The presented scored EDN model is built upon the integration of systems biology and chemical toxicology using information on chemical contaminants and their disease relationships reported in the TDDB database. The resulting human EDN takes into consideration the level of evidence of the toxicant-disease relationships, allowing inclusion of some degrees of significance in the disease-disease associations. Such a network can be used to identify uncharacterized connections between diseases. Examples are discussed for type 2 diabetes (T2D). Additionally, this computational model allows confirmation of already known links between chemicals and diseases (e.g., between bisphenol A and behavioral disorders) and also reveals unexpected associations between chemicals and diseases (e.g., between chlordane and olfactory alteration), thus predicting which chemicals may be risk factors to human health. The proposed human EDN model allows exploration of common biological mechanisms of diseases associated with chemical exposure, helping us to gain insight into disease etiology and comorbidity. This computational approach is an alternative to animal testing supporting the 3R concept.

Overview of Forensic Toxicology, Yesterday, Today and in the Future.

PubMed

Chung, Heesun; Choe, Sanggil

2017-01-01

The scope of forensic toxicology has been tremendously expanded over the past 50 years. From two general sections forensic toxicology can be further classified into 8-9 sections. The most outstanding improvement in forensic toxicology is the changes brought by instrumental development. The field of forensic toxicology was revolutionized by the development of immunoassay and benchtop GC-MS in the 1980's and LC-MS-MS in 2000's. Detection of trace amounts of analytes has allowed the use of new specimens such as hair and oral fluids, along with blood and urine. Over a longer period of time, continuous efforts have been made to efficiently extract and separate drug and poison from biological fluids. International endeavors to develop high quality standards and guidelines for drugs and poisons in biological specimens and to promote them in order to increase reliability of laboratories are also part of the recent advancement of forensic toxicology. Interpretation of postmortem toxicology encompasses various factors including postmortem redistribution and stability. Considering the recent trend, the interpretation of toxicological results should account for autopsy findings, crime scene information, and related medical history. The fields of forensic toxicology will continuously develop to improve analysis of target analytes from various specimens, quality assurance program, and results interpretation. In addition, the development of analytical techniques will also contribute further advancement of forensic toxicology. The societies of forensic toxicologists, such as TIAFT, will play an important role for the advancement of forensic toxicology by collaborating and sharing ideas between toxicologists from both developed and developing countries. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Analytical toxicology.

PubMed

Flanagan, R J; Widdop, B; Ramsey, J D; Loveland, M

1988-09-01

1. Major advances in analytical toxicology followed the introduction of spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques in the 1940s and early 1950s and thin layer chromatography remains important together with some spectrophotometric and other tests. However, gas- and high performance-liquid chromatography together with a variety of immunoassay techniques are now widely used. 2. The scope and complexity of forensic and clinical toxicology continues to increase, although the compounds for which emergency analyses are needed to guide therapy are few. Exclusion of the presence of hypnotic drugs can be important in suspected 'brain death' cases. 3. Screening for drugs of abuse has assumed greater importance not only for the management of the habituated patient, but also in 'pre-employment' and 'employment' screening. The detection of illicit drug administration in sport is also an area of increasing importance. 4. In industrial toxicology, the range of compounds for which blood or urine measurements (so called 'biological monitoring') can indicate the degree of exposure is increasing. The monitoring of environmental contaminants (lead, chlorinated pesticides) in biological samples has also proved valuable. 5. In the near future a consensus as to the units of measurement to be used is urgently required and more emphasis will be placed on interpretation, especially as regards possible behavioural effects of drugs or other poisons. Despite many advances in analytical techniques there remains a need for reliable, simple tests to detect poisons for use in smaller hospital and other laboratories.

Advancements in zebrafish applications for 21st century toxicology.

PubMed

Garcia, Gloria R; Noyes, Pamela D; Tanguay, Robert L

2016-05-01

The zebrafish model is the only available high-throughput vertebrate assessment system, and it is uniquely suited for studies of in vivo cell biology. A sequenced and annotated genome has revealed a large degree of evolutionary conservation in comparison to the human genome. Due to our shared evolutionary history, the anatomical and physiological features of fish are highly homologous to humans, which facilitates studies relevant to human health. In addition, zebrafish provide a very unique vertebrate data stream that allows researchers to anchor hypotheses at the biochemical, genetic, and cellular levels to observations at the structural, functional, and behavioral level in a high-throughput format. In this review, we will draw heavily from toxicological studies to highlight advances in zebrafish high-throughput systems. Breakthroughs in transgenic/reporter lines and methods for genetic manipulation, such as the CRISPR-Cas9 system, will be comprised of reports across diverse disciplines. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Current role of ICP-MS in clinical toxicology and forensic toxicology: a metallic profile.

PubMed

Goullé, Jean-Pierre; Saussereau, Elodie; Mahieu, Loïc; Guerbet, Michel

2014-08-01

As metal/metalloid exposure is inevitable owing to its omnipresence, it may exert toxicity in humans. Recent advances in metal/metalloid analysis have been made moving from flame atomic absorption spectrometry and electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry to the multi-elemental inductively coupled plasma (ICP) techniques as ICP atomic emission spectrometry and ICP-MS. ICP-MS has now emerged as a major technique in inorganic analytical chemistry owing to its flexibility, high sensitivity and good reproducibility. This in depth review explores the ICP-MS metallic profile in human toxicology. It is now routinely used and of great importance, in clinical toxicology and forensic toxicology to explore biological matrices, specifically whole blood, plasma, urine, hair, nail, biopsy samples and tissues.

RNA interference: Applications and advances in insect toxicology and insect pest management.

PubMed

Kim, Young Ho; Soumaila Issa, Moustapha; Cooper, Anastasia M W; Zhu, Kun Yan

2015-05-01

Since its discovery, RNA interference (RNAi) has revolutionized functional genomic studies due to its sequence-specific nature of post-transcriptional gene silencing. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the recent literature and summarize the current knowledge and advances in the applications of RNAi technologies in the field of insect toxicology and insect pest management. Many recent studies have focused on identification and validation of the genes encoding insecticide target proteins, such as acetylcholinesterases, ion channels, Bacillus thuringiensis receptors, and other receptors in the nervous system. RNAi technologies have also been widely applied to reveal the role of genes encoding cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, carboxylesterases, and glutathione S-transferases in insecticide detoxification and resistance. More recently, studies have focused on understanding the mechanism of insecticide-mediated up-regulation of detoxification genes in insects. As RNAi has already shown great potentials for insect pest management, many recent studies have also focused on host-induced gene silencing, in which several RNAi-based transgenic plants have been developed and tested as proof of concept for insect pest management. These studies indicate that RNAi is a valuable tool to address various fundamental questions in insect toxicology and may soon become an effective strategy for insect pest management. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Toxicology in Asia--Past, present, and future.

PubMed

Satoh, T

2015-12-01

The Asian Society of Toxicology (ASIATOX), which consists of the seven national toxicology member societies of Japan, Korea, China, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, and Iran, now boasts of more than 3,000 members from a variety of industries, academia, and regulatory organizations. ASIATOX congresses are spaced three years apart and rotated among the member societies. In 1995, ASIATOX joined the International Union of Toxicology (IUTOX) as a regional society, and now serves as the scientific voice of toxicology in Asia under the IUTOX umbrella. Since its inauguration, the society has worked diligently to handle matters deemed essential to promoting the vision set fourth by its founders. Future perspectives of ASIATOX include the establishment of education and training programs, and the certification and accreditation of toxicologists. As the leading voice of toxicology in Asia, the society seeks to extend knowledge of toxicological issues to developing nations in Asia based on the following missions and goals: (1) to provide leadership as a worldwide scientific organization that objectively addresses global issues involving the toxicological sciences, (2) to broaden the geographical base of toxicology as a discipline and profession to all countries of the world, and (3) to pursue capacity building in toxicology, particularly in developing countries, while utilizing its global perspective and network to contribute to the enhancement of toxicology education and the career development of young toxicologists. © The Author(s) 2015.

2007 TOXICOLOGY AND RISK ASSESSMENT ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has announced The 2007 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference Cincinnati Marriott North, West Chester (Cincinnati), OHApril 23- 26, 2007 - Click to register!The Annual Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference is a unique meeting where several Government Agencies come together to discuss toxicology and risk assessment issues that are not only of concern to the government, but also to a broader audience including academia and industry. The theme of this year's conference is Emerging Issues and Challenges in Risk Assessment and the preliminary agenda includes: Plenary Sessions and prominent speakers (tentative) include: Issues of Emerging Chemical ContaminantsUncertainty and Variability in Risk Assessment Use of Mechanistic data in IARC evaluationsParallel Sessions:Uncertainty and Variability in Dose-Response Assessment Recent Advances in Toxicity and Risk Assessment of RDX The Use of Epidemiologic Data for Risk Assessment Applications Cumulative Health Risk Assessment:

Reviews of environmental contamination and toxicology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ware, G.

2007-07-01

Review of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology attempts to provide concise, critical reviews of timely advances, philosophy and significant areas of accomplished or needed endeavour in the total field of xenobiotics, in any segment of the environment, as well as toxicological implications. This edition contains a paper 'Health effects of arsenic, fluorine and selenium from indoor burning of Chinese coal, by Liu Guijian, Zheng Liugen, Nurdan S. Duzgoren-Aydin, Gao Lianfen, Liu Junhua, and Peng Zicheng. Other papers are: Chemistry and fate of simazine; Ethanol production: energy, economic, and environmental losses; Arsenic behaviour from groundwater and soil to crops: impacts on agriculturemore » and food safety; Mercury content of hair in different populations relative to fish consumption; and Toxicology of 1,3-butadiene, chloroprene, and isoprene. 15 ills.« less

CAROLINA CENTER FOR COMPUTATIONAL TOXICOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

The Center will advance the field of computational toxicology through the development of new methods and tools, as well as through collaborative efforts. In each Project, new computer-based models will be developed and published that represent the state-of-the-art. The tools p...

Computational Toxicology at the US EPA

EPA Science Inventory

Computational toxicology is the application of mathematical and computer models to help assess chemical hazards and risks to human health and the environment. Supported by advances in informatics, high-throughput screening (HTS) technologies, and systems biology, EPA is developin...

Forensic toxicology in drug-facilitated sexual assault.

PubMed

Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge; Magalhães, Teresa

2013-09-01

The low rates of reporting, prosecution and conviction that characterize sexual assault, is likely even more evident in drug-facilitated cases. Typically, in these crimes, victims are incapacitated and left unable to resist sexual advances, unconscious, unable to fight off the abuser or to say "no" and unable to clearly remember the circumstances surrounding the events due to anterograde amnesia. The consequence is the delay in performing toxicological analysis aggravated by the reluctance of the victim to disclose the crime. Moreover since "date rape drugs" are often consumed with ethanol and exhibit similar toxicodynamic effects, the diagnosis is erroneously performed as being classical ethanol intoxication. Therefore, it is imperative to rapidly consider toxicological analysis in drug-facilitated sexual assaults. The major focus of this review is to harmonize practical approaches and guidelines to rapidly uncover drug-facilitated sexual assault, namely issues related to when to perform toxicological analysis, toxicological requests, samples to be collected, storage, preservation and transport precautions and xenobiotics or endobiotics to be analyzed.

Advancing environmental toxicology through chemical dosimetry: External exposures versus tissue residues

USGS Publications Warehouse

McCarty, L.S.; Landrum, P.F.; Luoma, S.N.; Meador, J.P.; Merten, A.A.; Shephard, B.K.; van Wezelzz, A.P.

2011-01-01

The tissue residue dose concept has been used, although in a limited manner, in environmental toxicology for more than 100 y. This review outlines the history of this approach and the technical background for organic chemicals and metals. Although the toxicity of both can be explained in tissue residue terms, the relationship between external exposure concentration, body and/or tissues dose surrogates, and the effective internal dose at the sites of toxic action tends to be more complex for metals. Various issues and current limitations related to research and regulatory applications are also examined. It is clear that the tissue residue approach (TRA) should be an integral component in future efforts to enhance the generation, understanding, and utility of toxicity testing data, both in the laboratory and in the field. To accomplish these goals, several key areas need to be addressed: 1) development of a risk-based interpretive framework linking toxicology and ecology at multiple levels of biological organization and incorporating organism-based dose metrics; 2) a broadly applicable, generally accepted classification scheme for modes/mechanisms of toxic action with explicit consideration of residue information to improve both single chemical and mixture toxicity data interpretation and regulatory risk assessment; 3) toxicity testing protocols updated to ensure collection of adequate residue information, along with toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics information, based on explicitly defined toxicological models accompanied by toxicological model validation; 4) continued development of residueeffect databases is needed ensure their ongoing utility; and 5) regulatory guidance incorporating residue-based testing and interpretation approaches, essential in various jurisdictions. ??:2010 SETAC.

From Classical Toxicology to Tox21: Some Critical Conceptual and Technological Advances in the Molecular Understanding of the Toxic Response Beginning From the Last Quarter of the 20th Century.

PubMed

Choudhuri, Supratim; Patton, Geoffrey W; Chanderbhan, Ronald F; Mattia, Antonia; Klaassen, Curtis D

2018-01-01

Toxicology has made steady advances over the last 60+ years in understanding the mechanisms of toxicity at an increasingly finer level of cellular organization. Traditionally, toxicological studies have used animal models. However, the general adoption of the principles of 3R (Replace, Reduce, Refine) provided the impetus for the development of in vitro models in toxicity testing. The present commentary is an attempt to briefly discuss the transformation in toxicology that began around 1980. Many genes important in cellular protection and metabolism of toxicants were cloned and characterized in the 80s, and gene expression studies became feasible, too. The development of transgenic and knockout mice provided valuable animal models to investigate the role of specific genes in producing toxic effects of chemicals or protecting the organism from the toxic effects of chemicals. Further developments in toxicology came from the incorporation of the tools of "omics" (genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, interactomics), epigenetics, systems biology, computational biology, and in vitro biology. Collectively, the advances in toxicology made during the last 30-40 years are expected to provide more innovative and efficient approaches to risk assessment. A goal of experimental toxicology going forward is to reduce animal use and yet be able to conduct appropriate risk assessments and make sound regulatory decisions using alternative methods of toxicity testing. In that respect, Tox21 has provided a big picture framework for the future. Currently, regulatory decisions involving drugs, biologics, food additives, and similar compounds still utilize data from animal testing and human clinical trials. In contrast, the prioritization of environmental chemicals for further study can be made using in vitro screening and computational tools. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology 2017. This work is written by US Government employees and is in the

Data governance in predictive toxicology: A review

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Due to recent advances in data storage and sharing for further data processing in predictive toxicology, there is an increasing need for flexible data representations, secure and consistent data curation and automated data quality checking. Toxicity prediction involves multidisciplinary data. There are hundreds of collections of chemical, biological and toxicological data that are widely dispersed, mostly in the open literature, professional research bodies and commercial companies. In order to better manage and make full use of such large amount of toxicity data, there is a trend to develop functionalities aiming towards data governance in predictive toxicology to formalise a set of processes to guarantee high data quality and better data management. In this paper, data quality mainly refers in a data storage sense (e.g. accuracy, completeness and integrity) and not in a toxicological sense (e.g. the quality of experimental results). Results This paper reviews seven widely used predictive toxicology data sources and applications, with a particular focus on their data governance aspects, including: data accuracy, data completeness, data integrity, metadata and its management, data availability and data authorisation. This review reveals the current problems (e.g. lack of systematic and standard measures of data quality) and desirable needs (e.g. better management and further use of captured metadata and the development of flexible multi-level user access authorisation schemas) of predictive toxicology data sources development. The analytical results will help to address a significant gap in toxicology data quality assessment and lead to the development of novel frameworks for predictive toxicology data and model governance. Conclusions While the discussed public data sources are well developed, there nevertheless remain some gaps in the development of a data governance framework to support predictive toxicology. In this paper, data governance is

Data governance in predictive toxicology: A review.

PubMed

Fu, Xin; Wojak, Anna; Neagu, Daniel; Ridley, Mick; Travis, Kim

2011-07-13

Due to recent advances in data storage and sharing for further data processing in predictive toxicology, there is an increasing need for flexible data representations, secure and consistent data curation and automated data quality checking. Toxicity prediction involves multidisciplinary data. There are hundreds of collections of chemical, biological and toxicological data that are widely dispersed, mostly in the open literature, professional research bodies and commercial companies. In order to better manage and make full use of such large amount of toxicity data, there is a trend to develop functionalities aiming towards data governance in predictive toxicology to formalise a set of processes to guarantee high data quality and better data management. In this paper, data quality mainly refers in a data storage sense (e.g. accuracy, completeness and integrity) and not in a toxicological sense (e.g. the quality of experimental results). This paper reviews seven widely used predictive toxicology data sources and applications, with a particular focus on their data governance aspects, including: data accuracy, data completeness, data integrity, metadata and its management, data availability and data authorisation. This review reveals the current problems (e.g. lack of systematic and standard measures of data quality) and desirable needs (e.g. better management and further use of captured metadata and the development of flexible multi-level user access authorisation schemas) of predictive toxicology data sources development. The analytical results will help to address a significant gap in toxicology data quality assessment and lead to the development of novel frameworks for predictive toxicology data and model governance. While the discussed public data sources are well developed, there nevertheless remain some gaps in the development of a data governance framework to support predictive toxicology. In this paper, data governance is identified as the new challenge in

4th Annual Predictive Toxicology Summit 2012.

PubMed

Cui, Zhanfeng

2013-08-01

This meeting report presents a brief summary on the 4th Annual Predictive Toxicology Summit 2012, which was held on 15 - 16 February 2012 in London. The majority of presentations came from global pharmaceutical companies, although small and medium enterprise (SME) and academic researchers were represented too. Major regulatory bodies were also present. The article highlights the summit, which was considered a good learning opportunity to catch up on the recent advances in predictive toxicology. Predictive toxicology has become more and more important due to social and economic pressure and scientific reasons. Technological developments are rapid, but there is a gulf between the technology developers and the pharmaceutical end users; hence, early engagement is desirable. Stem cell-derived cell-based assays as well as three-dimensional in vitro tissue/organ model development are within the reach now, but a lot needs to be done to optimise and validate the developed protocols and products. The field of predictive toxicology needs fundamental research of interdisciplinary nature, which requires much needed trained personnel and funding.

Advanced networks and computing in healthcare

PubMed Central

Ackerman, Michael

2011-01-01

As computing and network capabilities continue to rise, it becomes increasingly important to understand the varied applications for using them to provide healthcare. The objective of this review is to identify key characteristics and attributes of healthcare applications involving the use of advanced computing and communication technologies, drawing upon 45 research and development projects in telemedicine and other aspects of healthcare funded by the National Library of Medicine over the past 12 years. Only projects publishing in the professional literature were included in the review. Four projects did not publish beyond their final reports. In addition, the authors drew on their first-hand experience as project officers, reviewers and monitors of the work. Major themes in the corpus of work were identified, characterizing key attributes of advanced computing and network applications in healthcare. Advanced computing and network applications are relevant to a range of healthcare settings and specialties, but they are most appropriate for solving a narrower range of problems in each. Healthcare projects undertaken primarily to explore potential have also demonstrated effectiveness and depend on the quality of network service as much as bandwidth. Many applications are enabling, making it possible to provide service or conduct research that previously was not possible or to achieve outcomes in addition to those for which projects were undertaken. Most notable are advances in imaging and visualization, collaboration and sense of presence, and mobility in communication and information-resource use. PMID:21486877

Three lessons for genetic toxicology from baseball analytics.

PubMed

Dertinger, Stephen D

2017-07-01

In many respects the evolution of baseball statistics mirrors advances made in the field of genetic toxicology. From its inception, baseball and statistics have been inextricably linked. Generations of players and fans have used a number of relatively simple measurements to describe team and individual player's current performance, as well as for historical record-keeping purposes. Over the years, baseball analytics has progressed in several important ways. Early advances were based on deriving more meaningful metrics from simpler forerunners. Now, technological innovations are delivering much deeper insights. Videography, radar, and other advances that include automatic player recognition capabilities provide the means to measure more complex and useful factors. Fielders' reaction times, efficiency of the route taken to reach a batted ball, and pitch-framing effectiveness come to mind. With the current availability of complex measurements from multiple data streams, multifactorial analyses occurring via machine learning algorithms have become necessary to make sense of the terabytes of data that are now being captured in every Major League Baseball game. Collectively, these advances have transformed baseball statistics from being largely descriptive in nature to serving data-driven, predictive roles. Whereas genetic toxicology has charted a somewhat parallel course, a case can be made that greater utilization of baseball's mindset and strategies would serve our scientific field well. This paper describes three useful lessons for genetic toxicology, courtesy of the field of baseball analytics: seek objective knowledge; incorporate multiple data streams; and embrace machine learning. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 58:390-397, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

SINET3: advanced optical and IP hybrid network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urushidani, Shigeo

2007-11-01

This paper introduces the new Japanese academic backbone network called SINET3, which has been in full-scale operation since June 2007. SINET3 provides a wide variety of network services, such as multi-layer transfer, enriched VPN, enhanced QoS, and layer-1 bandwidth on demand (BoD) services to create an innovative and prolific science infrastructure for more than 700 universities and research institutions. The network applies an advanced hybrid network architecture composed of 75 layer-1 switches and 12 high-performance IP routers to accommodate such diversified services in a single network platform, and provides sufficient bandwidth using Japan's first STM256 (40 Gbps) lines. The network adopts lots of the latest networking technologies, such as next-generation SDH (VCAT/GFP/LCAS), GMPLS, advanced MPLS, and logical-router technologies, for high network convergence, flexible resource assignment, and high service availability. This paper covers the network services, network design, and networking technologies of SINET3.

Translational toxicology: a developmental focus for integrated research strategies.

PubMed

Hughes, Claude; Waters, Michael; Allen, David; Obasanjo, Iyabo

2013-09-30

Given that toxicology studies the potential adverse effects of environmental exposures on various forms of life and that clinical toxicology typically focuses on human health effects, what can and should the relatively new term of "translational toxicology" be taken to mean? Our assertion is that the core concept of translational toxicology must incorporate existing principles of toxicology and epidemiology, but be driven by the aim of developing safe and effective interventions beyond simple reduction or avoidance of exposure to prevent, mitigate or reverse adverse human health effects of exposures.The field of toxicology has now reached a point where advances in multiple areas of biomedical research and information technologies empower us to make fundamental transitions in directly impacting human health. Translational toxicology must encompass four action elements as follows: 1) Assessing human exposures in critical windows across the lifespan; 2) Defining modes of action and relevance of data from animal models; 3) Use of mathematical models to develop plausible predictions as the basis for: 4) Protective and restorative human health interventions. The discussion focuses on the critical window of in-utero development. Exposure assessment, basic toxicology and development of certain categories of mathematical models are not new areas of research; however overtly integrating these in order to conceive, assess and validate effective interventions to mitigate or reverse adverse effects of environmental exposures is our novel opportunity. This is what we should do in translational toxicology so that we have a portfolio of interventional options to improve human health that include both minimizing exposures and specific preventative/restorative/mitigative therapeutics.

The ADVANCE network: accelerating data value across a national community health center network

PubMed Central

DeVoe, Jennifer E; Gold, Rachel; Cottrell, Erika; Bauer, Vance; Brickman, Andrew; Puro, Jon; Nelson, Christine; Mayer, Kenneth H; Sears, Abigail; Burdick, Tim; Merrell, Jonathan; Matthews, Paul; Fields, Scott

2014-01-01

The ADVANCE (Accelerating Data Value Across a National Community Health Center Network) clinical data research network (CDRN) is led by the OCHIN Community Health Information Network in partnership with Health Choice Network and Fenway Health. The ADVANCE CDRN will ‘horizontally’ integrate outpatient electronic health record data for over one million federally qualified health center patients, and ‘vertically’ integrate hospital, health plan, and community data for these patients, often under-represented in research studies. Patient investigators, community investigators, and academic investigators with diverse expertise will work together to meet project goals related to data integration, patient engagement and recruitment, and the development of streamlined regulatory policies. By enhancing the data and research infrastructure of participating organizations, the ADVANCE CDRN will serve as a ‘community laboratory’ for including disadvantaged and vulnerable patients in patient-centered outcomes research that is aligned with the priorities of patients, clinics, and communities in our network. PMID:24821740

Green toxicology.

PubMed

Maertens, Alexandra; Anastas, Nicholas; Spencer, Pamela J; Stephens, Martin; Goldberg, Alan; Hartung, Thomas

2014-01-01

Historically, early identification and characterization of adverse effects of industrial chemicals was difficult because conventional toxicological test methods did not meet R&D needs for rapid, relatively inexpensive methods amenable to small amounts of test material. The pharmaceutical industry now front-loads toxicity testing, using in silico, in vitro, and less demanding animal tests at earlier stages of product development to identify and anticipate undesirable toxicological effects and optimize product development. The Green Chemistry movement embraces similar ideas for development of less toxic products, safer processes, and less waste and exposure. Further, the concept of benign design suggests ways to consider possible toxicities before the actual synthesis and to apply some structure/activity rules (SAR) and in silico methods. This requires not only scientific development but also a change in corporate culture in which synthetic chemists work with toxicologists. An emerging discipline called Green Toxicology (Anastas, 2012) provides a framework for integrating the principles of toxicology into the enterprise of designing safer chemicals, thereby minimizing potential toxicity as early in production as possible. Green Toxicology`s novel utility lies in driving innovation by moving safety considerations to the earliest stage in a chemical`s lifecycle, i.e., to molecular design. In principle, this field is no different than other subdisciplines of toxicology that endeavor to focus on a specific area - for example, clinical, environmental or forensic toxicology. We use the same principles and tools to evaluate an existing substance or to design a new one. The unique emphasis is in using 21st century toxicology tools as a preventative strategy to "design out" undesired human health and environmental effects, thereby increasing the likelihood of launching a successful, sustainable product. Starting with the formation of a steering group and a series of workshops

Forensic toxicology.

PubMed

Davis, Gregory G

2012-01-01

Toxicologic analysis is an integral part of death investigation, and the use or abuse of an unsuspected substance belongs in the differential diagnosis of patients who have a sudden, unexpected change in their condition. History and physical findings may alter suspicion that intoxication played a role in a patient's decline or death, but suspicions cannot be confirmed and is performed, analysis unless toxicologic no toxicologic analysis is possible unless someone collects the proper specimens necessary for analysis. In a hospital autopsy the only specimens that can rightfully be collected are those within the restrictions stated in the autopsy permit. Autopsies performed by the medical examiner do not have these restrictions. Sometimes the importance of toxicologic testing in a case is not evident until days or weeks after the change in the patient's status, thus retaining the appropriate specimens until investigation of that case has ended is important. Proper interpretation of toxicologic findings requires integrating the clinical setting and findings with the toxicologic results in a way that makes medical sense. If called upon to testify concerning findings, answer the questions truthfully, politely, and in a way that is understandable to someone who has no special training in toxicology.

Space Toxicology Challenges and Ethical Considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, John T.

2010-01-01

Before delineating specific ways that nanotechnology enterprises might contribute to better management of toxicological risks during spaceflight, I will show how ethical considerations and several theories of justice can be applied to nanotechnology strategic plans. The principles that guide an ethical technical enterprise include autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, veracity and justice. Veracity (truth) is the underpinning principle; however, beyond this, proponents of nanotechnology must think carefully about balancing conflicting principles. For example, autonomy must yield to beneficence when fearful individuals simply lack knowledge to appreciate nanotechnology's beneficial advances. Justice is a complex topic upon which I will place six models: utilitarian, distributive, free-exchange/choice, individual dignity (social participation), equity vs. greed, and liberation of the poor. After briefly summarizing each model, I will present what I call an iterative-hybrid model of justice to show specifically how our thinking can be applied to nanotechnology enterprises. Within that broad landscape, I will discuss a single feature: how our early effort to understand health risks of carbon nanotubes fits into the iterative model. Finally, I will suggest ways that nanotechnology might advance our management of toxicological risks during spaceflight, but always with an eye toward how such advances might result in a more just world.

Cornerstones of Toxicology.

PubMed

Hayes, A Wallace; Dixon, Darlene

2017-01-01

The 35th Annual Society of Toxicologic Pathology Symposium, held in June 2016 in San Diego, California, focused on "The Basis and Relevance of Variation in Toxicologic Responses." In order to review the basic tenants of toxicology, a "broad brush" interactive talk that gave an overview of the Cornerstones of Toxicology was presented. The presentation focused on the historical milestones and perspectives of toxicology and through many scientific graphs, data, and real-life examples covered the three basic principles of toxicology that can be summarized, as dose matters (as does timing), people differ, and things change (related to metabolism and biotransformation).

Toxicology and Epidemiology: Improving the Science with a Framework for Combining Toxicological and Epidemiological Evidence to Establish Causal Inference

PubMed Central

Adami, Hans-Olov; Berry, Sir Colin L.; Breckenridge, Charles B.; Smith, Lewis L.; Swenberg, James A.; Trichopoulos, Dimitrios; Weiss, Noel S.; Pastoor, Timothy P.

2011-01-01

Historically, toxicology has played a significant role in verifying conclusions drawn on the basis of epidemiological findings. Agents that were suggested to have a role in human diseases have been tested in animals to firmly establish a causative link. Bacterial pathogens are perhaps the oldest examples, and tobacco smoke and lung cancer and asbestos and mesothelioma provide two more recent examples. With the advent of toxicity testing guidelines and protocols, toxicology took on a role that was intended to anticipate or predict potential adverse effects in humans, and epidemiology, in many cases, served a role in verifying or negating these toxicological predictions. The coupled role of epidemiology and toxicology in discerning human health effects by environmental agents is obvious, but there is currently no systematic and transparent way to bring the data and analysis of the two disciplines together in a way that provides a unified view on an adverse causal relationship between an agent and a disease. In working to advance the interaction between the fields of toxicology and epidemiology, we propose here a five-step “Epid-Tox” process that would focus on: (1) collection of all relevant studies, (2) assessment of their quality, (3) evaluation of the weight of evidence, (4) assignment of a scalable conclusion, and (5) placement on a causal relationship grid. The causal relationship grid provides a clear view of how epidemiological and toxicological data intersect, permits straightforward conclusions with regard to a causal relationship between agent and effect, and can show how additional data can influence conclusions of causality. PMID:21561883

Computational Toxicology as Implemented by the US EPA ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Computational toxicology is the application of mathematical and computer models to help assess chemical hazards and risks to human health and the environment. Supported by advances in informatics, high-throughput screening (HTS) technologies, and systems biology, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA is developing robust and flexible computational tools that can be applied to the thousands of chemicals in commerce, and contaminant mixtures found in air, water, and hazardous-waste sites. The Office of Research and Development (ORD) Computational Toxicology Research Program (CTRP) is composed of three main elements. The largest component is the National Center for Computational Toxicology (NCCT), which was established in 2005 to coordinate research on chemical screening and prioritization, informatics, and systems modeling. The second element consists of related activities in the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) and the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL). The third and final component consists of academic centers working on various aspects of computational toxicology and funded by the U.S. EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program. Together these elements form the key components in the implementation of both the initial strategy, A Framework for a Computational Toxicology Research Program (U.S. EPA, 2003), and the newly released The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Strategic Plan for Evaluating the T

Developmental toxicology: adequacy of current methods.

PubMed

Peters, P W

1998-01-01

Toxicology embraces several disciplines such as carcinogenicity, mutagenicity and reproductive toxicity. Reproductive toxicology is concerned with possible effects of substances on the reproductive process, i.e. on sexual organs and their functions, endocrine regulation, fertilization, transport of the fertilized ovum, implantation, and embryonic, fetal and postnatal development, until the end-differentiation of the organs is achieved. Reproductive toxicology is divided into areas related to male and female fertility, and developmental toxicology. Developmental toxicology can be further broken down into prenatal and postnatal toxicology. Today, much new information is available about the origins of developmental disorders resulting from chemical exposure. While these findings seem to promise important new developments in methodology and research, there is a danger of losing sight of the precepts and principles established in the light of existing knowledge. There is also a danger that we may fail to correct shortcomings in our existing procedures and practice. The aim of this presentation is to emphasize the importance of testing substances for their impact in advance of their use and to underline that we must use the best existing tools for carrying out risk assessments. Moreover, it needs to be stressed that there are many substances that are never assessed with respect to reproductive and developmental toxicity. Similarly, our programmes for post-marketing surveillance with respect to developmental toxicology are grossly inadequate. Our ability to identify risks to normal development and reproduction would be much improved, first if a number of straightforward precepts were always followed and second, if we had a clearer understanding of what we mean by risk and acceptable levels of risk in the context of development. Other aims of this paper are: to stress the complexity of the different stages of normal prenatal development; to note the principles that are

Cornerstones of Toxicology

PubMed Central

Hayes, A. Wallace; Dixon, Darlene

2016-01-01

The 35th Annual Society of Toxicologic Pathology Symposium, held in June 2016 in San Diego, CA, focused on “The Basis and Relevance of Variation in Toxicologic Responses. In order to review the basic tenants of toxicology a ‘broad brush” interactive talk was presented that gave an overview of the Cornerstones of Toxicology. The presentation focused on the historical milestones and perspectives of toxicology and through many scientific graphs, data, and real-life examples covered the three basic principles of toxicology that can be summarized as dose matters (as does timing), people differ, and things change (related to metabolism and biotransformation). PMID:28068892

Food for thought ... A toxicology ontology roadmap.

PubMed

Hardy, Barry; Apic, Gordana; Carthew, Philip; Clark, Dominic; Cook, David; Dix, Ian; Escher, Sylvia; Hastings, Janna; Heard, David J; Jeliazkova, Nina; Judson, Philip; Matis-Mitchell, Sherri; Mitic, Dragana; Myatt, Glenn; Shah, Imran; Spjuth, Ola; Tcheremenskaia, Olga; Toldo, Luca; Watson, David; White, Andrew; Yang, Chihae

2012-01-01

Foreign substances can have a dramatic and unpredictable adverse effect on human health. In the development of new therapeutic agents, it is essential that the potential adverse effects of all candidates be identified as early as possible. The field of predictive toxicology strives to profile the potential for adverse effects of novel chemical substances before they occur, both with traditional in vivo experimental approaches and increasingly through the development of in vitro and computational methods which can supplement and reduce the need for animal testing. To be maximally effective, the field needs access to the largest possible knowledge base of previous toxicology findings, and such results need to be made available in such a fashion so as to be interoperable, comparable, and compatible with standard toolkits. This necessitates the development of open, public, computable, and standardized toxicology vocabularies and ontologies so as to support the applications required by in silico, in vitro, and in vivo toxicology methods and related analysis and reporting activities. Such ontology development will support data management, model building, integrated analysis, validation and reporting, including regulatory reporting and alternative testing submission requirements as required by guidelines such as the REACH legislation, leading to new scientific advances in a mechanistically-based predictive toxicology. Numerous existing ontology and standards initiatives can contribute to the creation of a toxicology ontology supporting the needs of predictive toxicology and risk assessment. Additionally, new ontologies are needed to satisfy practical use cases and scenarios where gaps currently exist. Developing and integrating these resources will require a well-coordinated and sustained effort across numerous stakeholders engaged in a public-private partnership. In this communication, we set out a roadmap for the development of an integrated toxicology ontology

Advanced Networks in Motion Mobile Sensorweb

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ivancic, William D.; Stewart, David H.

2011-01-01

Advanced mobile networking technology applicable to mobile sensor platforms was developed, deployed and demonstrated. A two-tier sensorweb design was developed. The first tier utilized mobile network technology to provide mobility. The second tier, which sits above the first tier, utilizes 6LowPAN (Internet Protocol version 6 Low Power Wireless Personal Area Networks) sensors. The entire network was IPv6 enabled. Successful mobile sensorweb system field tests took place in late August and early September of 2009. The entire network utilized IPv6 and was monitored and controlled using a remote Web browser via IPv6 technology. This paper describes the mobile networking and 6LowPAN sensorweb design, implementation, deployment and testing as well as wireless systems and network monitoring software developed to support testing and validation.

Advances in exposure and toxicity assessment of particulate matter: An overview of presentations at the 2009 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gunasekar, Palur G., E-mail: palur.gunasekar@wpafb.af.mil; Stanek, Lindsay W., E-mail: Stanek.Lindsay@epa.gov

2011-07-15

The 2009 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference (TRAC) session on 'Advances in Exposure and Toxicity Assessment of Particulate Matter' was held in April 2009 in West Chester, OH. The goal of this session was to bring together toxicology, geology and risk assessment experts from the Department of Defense and academia to examine issues in exposure assessment and report on recent epidemiological findings of health effects associated with particulate matter (PM) exposure. Important aspects of PM exposure research are to detect and monitor low levels of PM with various chemical compositions and to assess the health risks associated with these exposures.more » As part of the overall theme, some presenters discussed collection methods for sand and dust from Iraqi and Afghanistan regions, health issues among deployed personnel, and future directions for risk assessment research among these populations. The remaining speakers focused on the toxicity of ultrafine PM and the characterization of aerosols generated during ballistic impacts of tungsten heavy alloys.« less

Advances in exposure and toxicity assessment of particulate matter: an overview of presentations at the 2009 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference.

PubMed

Gunasekar, Palur G; Stanek, Lindsay W

2011-07-15

The 2009 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference (TRAC) session on "Advances in Exposure and Toxicity Assessment of Particulate Matter" was held in April 2009 in West Chester, OH. The goal of this session was to bring together toxicology, geology and risk assessment experts from the Department of Defense and academia to examine issues in exposure assessment and report on recent epidemiological findings of health effects associated with particulate matter (PM) exposure. Important aspects of PM exposure research are to detect and monitor low levels of PM with various chemical compositions and to assess the health risks associated with these exposures. As part of the overall theme, some presenters discussed collection methods for sand and dust from Iraqi and Afghanistan regions, health issues among deployed personnel, and future directions for risk assessment research among these populations. The remaining speakers focused on the toxicity of ultrafine PM and the characterization of aerosols generated during ballistic impacts of tungsten heavy alloys. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measuring Impact of EPAs Computational Toxicology Research (BOSC)

EPA Science Inventory

Computational Toxicology (CompTox) research at the EPA was initiated in 2005. Since 2005, CompTox research efforts have made tremendous advances in developing new approaches to evaluate thousands of chemicals for potential health effects. The purpose of this case study is to trac...

Advances in Toxico-Cheminformatics: Supporting a New Paradigm for Predictive Toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

EPA’s National Center for Computational Toxicology is building capabilities to support a new paradigm for toxicity screening and prediction through the harnessing of legacy toxicity data, creation of data linkages, and generation of new high-throughput screening (HTS) data. The D...

Transgenic mice in developmental toxicology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Woychik, R.P.

1992-12-31

Advances in molecular biology and embryology are being utilized for the generation of transgenic mice, animals that contain specific additions, deletions, or modifications of genes or sequences in their DNA. Mouse embryonic stem cells and homologous recombination procedures have made it possible to target specific DNA structural alterations to highly localized region in the host chromosomes. The majority of the DNA structural rearrangements in transgenic mice can be passed through the germ line and used to establish new genetic traits in the carrier animals. Since the use of transgenic mice is having such an enormous impact on so many areasmore » of mammalian biological research, including developmental toxicology, the objective of this review is to briefly describe the fundamental methodologies for generating transgenic mice and to describe one particular application that has direct relevance to the field of genetic toxicology.« less

Transgenic mice in developmental toxicology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Woychik, R.P.

1992-01-01

Advances in molecular biology and embryology are being utilized for the generation of transgenic mice, animals that contain specific additions, deletions, or modifications of genes or sequences in their DNA. Mouse embryonic stem cells and homologous recombination procedures have made it possible to target specific DNA structural alterations to highly localized region in the host chromosomes. The majority of the DNA structural rearrangements in transgenic mice can be passed through the germ line and used to establish new genetic traits in the carrier animals. Since the use of transgenic mice is having such an enormous impact on so many areasmore » of mammalian biological research, including developmental toxicology, the objective of this review is to briefly describe the fundamental methodologies for generating transgenic mice and to describe one particular application that has direct relevance to the field of genetic toxicology.« less

National Toxicology Program

MedlinePlus

... develops and applies tools of modern toxicology and molecular biology to identify substances in the environment that may ... application of new technologies for modern toxicology and molecular biology. A world leader in toxicology research, NTP has ...

Integrating Personalized Technology in Toxicology: Sensors, Smart Glass, and Social Media Applications in Toxicology Research.

PubMed

Carreiro, Stephanie; Chai, Peter R; Carey, Jennifer; Chapman, Brittany; Boyer, Edward W

2017-06-01

Rapid proliferation of mobile technologies in social and healthcare spaces create an opportunity for advancement in research and clinical practice. The application of mobile, personalized technology in healthcare, referred to as mHealth, has not yet become routine in toxicology. However, key features of our practice environment, such as frequent need for remote evaluation, unreliable historical data from patients, and sensitive subject matter, make mHealth tools appealing solutions in comparison to traditional methods that collect retrospective or indirect data. This manuscript describes the features, uses, and costs associated with several of common sectors of mHealth research including wearable biosensors, ingestible biosensors, head-mounted devices, and social media applications. The benefits and novel challenges associated with the study and use of these applications are then discussed. Finally, opportunities for further research and integration are explored with a particular focus on toxicology-based applications.

Stem cell-derived systems in toxicology assessment.

PubMed

Suter-Dick, Laura; Alves, Paula M; Blaauboer, Bas J; Bremm, Klaus-Dieter; Brito, Catarina; Coecke, Sandra; Flick, Burkhard; Fowler, Paul; Hescheler, Jürgen; Ingelman-Sundberg, Magnus; Jennings, Paul; Kelm, Jens M; Manou, Irene; Mistry, Pratibha; Moretto, Angelo; Roth, Adrian; Stedman, Donald; van de Water, Bob; Beilmann, Mario

2015-06-01

Industrial sectors perform toxicological assessments of their potential products to ensure human safety and to fulfill regulatory requirements. These assessments often involve animal testing, but ethical, cost, and time concerns, together with a ban on it in specific sectors, make appropriate in vitro systems indispensable in toxicology. In this study, we summarize the outcome of an EPAA (European Partnership of Alternatives to Animal Testing)-organized workshop on the use of stem cell-derived (SCD) systems in toxicology, with a focus on industrial applications. SCD systems, in particular, induced pluripotent stem cell-derived, provide physiological cell culture systems of easy access and amenable to a variety of assays. They also present the opportunity to apply the vast repository of existing nonclinical data for the understanding of in vitro to in vivo translation. SCD systems from several toxicologically relevant tissues exist; they generally recapitulate many aspects of physiology and respond to toxicological and pharmacological interventions. However, focused research is necessary to accelerate implementation of SCD systems in an industrial setting and subsequent use of such systems by regulatory authorities. Research is required into the phenotypic characterization of the systems, since methods and protocols for generating terminally differentiated SCD cells are still lacking. Organotypical 3D culture systems in bioreactors and microscale tissue engineering technologies should be fostered, as they promote and maintain differentiation and support coculture systems. They need further development and validation for their successful implementation in toxicity testing in industry. Analytical measures also need to be implemented to enable compound exposure and metabolism measurements for in vitro to in vivo extrapolation. The future of SCD toxicological tests will combine advanced cell culture technologies and biokinetic measurements to support regulatory and

The State of the Art of the Zebrafish Model for Toxicology and Toxicologic Pathology Research—Advantages and Current Limitations

PubMed Central

Spitsbergen, Jan M.; Kent, Michael L.

2007-01-01

The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is now the pre-eminent vertebrate model system for clarification of the roles of specific genes and signaling pathways in development. The zebrafish genome will be completely sequenced within the next 1–2 years. Together with the substantial historical database regarding basic developmental biology, toxicology, and gene transfer, the rich foundation of molecular genetic and genomic data makes zebrafish a powerful model system for clarifying mechanisms in toxicity. In contrast to the highly advanced knowledge base on molecular developmental genetics in zebrafish, our database regarding infectious and noninfectious diseases and pathologic lesions in zebrafish lags far behind the information available on most other domestic mammalian and avian species, particularly rodents. Currently, minimal data are available regarding spontaneous neoplasm rates or spontaneous aging lesions in any of the commonly used wild-type or mutant lines of zebrafish. Therefore, to fully utilize the potential of zebrafish as an animal model for understanding human development, disease, and toxicology we must greatly advance our knowledge on zebrafish diseases and pathology. PMID:12597434

Advance reservation access control using software-defined networking and tokens

DOE PAGES

Chung, Joaquin; Jung, Eun-Sung; Kettimuthu, Rajkumar; ...

2017-03-09

Advance reservation systems allow users to reserve dedicated bandwidth connection resources from advanced high-speed networks. A common use case for such systems is data transfers in distributed science environments in which a user wants exclusive access to the reservation. However, current advance network reservation methods cannot ensure exclusive access of a network reservation to the specific flow for which the user made the reservation. We present in this paper a novel network architecture that addresses this limitation and ensures that a reservation is used only by the intended flow. We achieve this by leveraging software-defined networking (SDN) and token-based authorization.more » We use SDN to orchestrate and automate the reservation of networking resources, end-to-end and across multiple administrative domains, and tokens to create a strong binding between the user or application that requested the reservation and the flows provisioned by SDN. Finally, we conducted experiments on the ESNet 100G SDN testbed, and demonstrated that our system effectively protects authorized flows from competing traffic in the network.« less

Advance reservation access control using software-defined networking and tokens

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chung, Joaquin; Jung, Eun-Sung; Kettimuthu, Rajkumar

Advance reservation systems allow users to reserve dedicated bandwidth connection resources from advanced high-speed networks. A common use case for such systems is data transfers in distributed science environments in which a user wants exclusive access to the reservation. However, current advance network reservation methods cannot ensure exclusive access of a network reservation to the specific flow for which the user made the reservation. We present in this paper a novel network architecture that addresses this limitation and ensures that a reservation is used only by the intended flow. We achieve this by leveraging software-defined networking (SDN) and token-based authorization.more » We use SDN to orchestrate and automate the reservation of networking resources, end-to-end and across multiple administrative domains, and tokens to create a strong binding between the user or application that requested the reservation and the flows provisioned by SDN. Finally, we conducted experiments on the ESNet 100G SDN testbed, and demonstrated that our system effectively protects authorized flows from competing traffic in the network.« less

Advance reservation access control using software-defined networking and tokens

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chung, Joaquin; Jung, Eun-Sung; Kettimuthu, Rajkumar

Advance reservation systems allow users to reserve dedicated bandwidth connection resources from advanced high-speed networks. A common use case for such systems is data transfers in distributed science environments in which a user wants exclusive access to the reservation. However, current advance network reservation methods cannot ensure exclusive access of a network reservation to the specific flow for which the user made the reservation. We present here a novel network architecture that addresses this limitation and ensures that a reservation is used only by the intended flow. We achieve this by leveraging software-defined networking (SDN) and token-based authorization. We usemore » SDN to orchestrate and automate the reservation of networking resources, end-to-end and across multiple administrative domains, and tokens to create a strong binding between the user or application that requested the reservation and the flows provisioned by SDN. We conducted experiments on the ESNet 100G SDN testbed, and demonstrated that our system effectively protects authorized flows from competing traffic in the network. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.« less

Aviation combustion toxicology: an overview.

PubMed

Chaturvedi, Arvind K

2010-01-01

Aviation combustion toxicology is a subspecialty of the field of aerospace toxicology, which is composed of aerospace and toxicology. The term aerospace, that is, the environment extending above and beyond the surface of the Earth, is also used to represent the combined fields of aeronautics and astronautics. Aviation is another term interchangeably used with aerospace and aeronautics and is explained as the science and art of operating powered aircraft. Toxicology deals with the adverse effects of substances on living organisms. Although toxicology borrows knowledge from biology, chemistry, immunology, pathology, physiology, and public health, the most closely related field to toxicology is pharmacology. Economic toxicology, environmental toxicology, and forensic toxicology, including combustion toxicology, are the three main branches of toxicology. In this overview, a literature search for the period of 1960-2007 was performed and information related to aviation combustion toxicology collected. The overview included introduction; combustion, fire, and smoke; smoke gas toxicity; aircraft material testing; fire gases and their interactive effects; result interpretation; carboxyhemoglobin and blood cyanide ion levels; pyrolytic products of aircraft engine oils, fluids, and lubricants; and references. This review is anticipated to be an informative resource for aviation combustion toxicology and fire-related casualties.

Good cell culture practices &in vitro toxicology.

PubMed

Eskes, Chantra; Boström, Ann-Charlotte; Bowe, Gerhard; Coecke, Sandra; Hartung, Thomas; Hendriks, Giel; Pamies, David; Piton, Alain; Rovida, Costanza

2017-12-01

Good Cell Culture Practices (GCCP) is of high relevance to in vitro toxicology. The European Society of Toxicology In Vitro (ESTIV), the Center for Alternatives for Animal Testing (CAAT) and the In Vitro Toxicology Industrial Platform (IVTIP) joined forces to address by means of an ESTIV 2016 pre-congress session the different aspects and applications of GCCP. The covered aspects comprised the current status of the OECD guidance document on Good In Vitro Method Practices, the importance of quality assurance for new technological advances in in vitro toxicology including stem cells, and the optimized implementation of Good Manufacturing Practices and Good Laboratory Practices for regulatory testing purposes. General discussions raised the duality related to the difficulties in implementing GCCP in an academic innovative research framework on one hand, and on the other hand, the need for such GCCP principles in order to ensure reproducibility and robustness of in vitro test methods for toxicity testing. Indeed, if good cell culture principles are critical to take into consideration for all uses of in vitro test methods for toxicity testing, the level of application of such principles may depend on the stage of development of the test method as well as on the applications of the test methods, i.e., academic innovative research vs. regulatory standardized test method. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Toxicology ontology perspectives.

PubMed

Hardy, Barry; Apic, Gordana; Carthew, Philip; Clark, Dominic; Cook, David; Dix, Ian; Escher, Sylvia; Hastings, Janna; Heard, David J; Jeliazkova, Nina; Judson, Philip; Matis-Mitchell, Sherri; Mitic, Dragana; Myatt, Glenn; Shah, Imran; Spjuth, Ola; Tcheremenskaia, Olga; Toldo, Luca; Watson, David; White, Andrew; Yang, Chihae

2012-01-01

The field of predictive toxicology requires the development of open, public, computable, standardized toxicology vocabularies and ontologies to support the applications required by in silico, in vitro, and in vivo toxicology methods and related analysis and reporting activities. In this article we review ontology developments based on a set of perspectives showing how ontologies are being used in predictive toxicology initiatives and applications. Perspectives on resources and initiatives reviewed include OpenTox, eTOX, Pistoia Alliance, ToxWiz, Virtual Liver, EU-ADR, BEL, ToxML, and Bioclipse. We also review existing ontology developments in neighboring fields that can contribute to establishing an ontological framework for predictive toxicology. A significant set of resources is already available to provide a foundation for an ontological framework for 21st century mechanistic-based toxicology research. Ontologies such as ToxWiz provide a basis for application to toxicology investigations, whereas other ontologies under development in the biological, chemical, and biomedical communities could be incorporated in an extended future framework. OpenTox has provided a semantic web framework for the implementation of such ontologies into software applications and linked data resources. Bioclipse developers have shown the benefit of interoperability obtained through ontology by being able to link their workbench application with remote OpenTox web services. Although these developments are promising, an increased international coordination of efforts is greatly needed to develop a more unified, standardized, and open toxicology ontology framework.

Computational Toxicology at the US EPA | Science Inventory ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Computational toxicology is the application of mathematical and computer models to help assess chemical hazards and risks to human health and the environment. Supported by advances in informatics, high-throughput screening (HTS) technologies, and systems biology, EPA is developing robust and flexible computational tools that can be applied to the thousands of chemicals in commerce, and contaminant mixtures found in America’s air, water, and hazardous-waste sites. The ORD Computational Toxicology Research Program (CTRP) is composed of three main elements. The largest component is the National Center for Computational Toxicology (NCCT), which was established in 2005 to coordinate research on chemical screening and prioritization, informatics, and systems modeling. The second element consists of related activities in the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) and the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL). The third and final component consists of academic centers working on various aspects of computational toxicology and funded by the EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program. Key intramural projects of the CTRP include digitizing legacy toxicity testing information toxicity reference database (ToxRefDB), predicting toxicity (ToxCast™) and exposure (ExpoCast™), and creating virtual liver (v-Liver™) and virtual embryo (v-Embryo™) systems models. The models and underlying data are being made publicly available t

US long distance fiber optic networks: Technology, evolution and advanced concepts. Volume 3: Advanced networks and economics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

This study projects until 2000 the evolution of long distance fiber optic networks in the U.S. Volume 1 is the executive Summary. Volume 2 focuses on fiber optic components and systems that are directly related to the operation of long-haul networks. Optimistic, pessimistic and most likely scenarios of technology development are presented. The activities of national and regional companies implementing fiber long haul networks are also highlighted, along with an analysis of the market and regulatory forces affecting network evolution. Volume 3 presents advanced fiber optic network concept definitions. Inter-LATA traffic is quantified and forms the basis for the construction of 11-, 15-, 17-, and 23-node networks. Using the technology projections from Volume 2, a financial model identifies cost drivers and determines circuit mile costs between any two LATAs. A comparison of fiber optics with alternative transmission concludes the report.

US long distance fiber optic networks: Technology, evolution and advanced concepts. Volume 3: Advanced networks and economics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1986-10-01

This study projects until 2000 the evolution of long distance fiber optic networks in the U.S. Volume 1 is the executive Summary. Volume 2 focuses on fiber optic components and systems that are directly related to the operation of long-haul networks. Optimistic, pessimistic and most likely scenarios of technology development are presented. The activities of national and regional companies implementing fiber long haul networks are also highlighted, along with an analysis of the market and regulatory forces affecting network evolution. Volume 3 presents advanced fiber optic network concept definitions. Inter-LATA traffic is quantified and forms the basis for the construction of 11-, 15-, 17-, and 23-node networks. Using the technology projections from Volume 2, a financial model identifies cost drivers and determines circuit mile costs between any two LATAs. A comparison of fiber optics with alternative transmission concludes the report.

Evidence-Based Toxicology.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Sebastian; Hartung, Thomas; Stephens, Martin

Evidence-based toxicology (EBT) was introduced independently by two groups in 2005, in the context of toxicological risk assessment and causation as well as based on parallels between the evaluation of test methods in toxicology and evidence-based assessment of diagnostics tests in medicine. The role model of evidence-based medicine (EBM) motivated both proposals and guided the evolution of EBT, whereas especially systematic reviews and evidence quality assessment attract considerable attention in toxicology.Regarding test assessment, in the search of solutions for various problems related to validation, such as the imperfectness of the reference standard or the challenge to comprehensively evaluate tests, the field of Diagnostic Test Assessment (DTA) was identified as a potential resource. DTA being an EBM discipline, test method assessment/validation therefore became one of the main drivers spurring the development of EBT.In the context of pathway-based toxicology, EBT approaches, given their objectivity, transparency and consistency, have been proposed to be used for carrying out a (retrospective) mechanistic validation.In summary, implementation of more evidence-based approaches may provide the tools necessary to adapt the assessment/validation of toxicological test methods and testing strategies to face the challenges of toxicology in the twenty first century.

Proceedings of the 2010 National Toxicology Program Satellite Symposium

PubMed Central

Adams, E. Terence; Auerbach, Scott; Blackshear, Pamela E.; Bradley, Alys; Gruebbel, Margarita M.; Little, Peter B.; Malarkey, David; Maronpot, Robert; McKay, Jennifer S.; Miller, Rodney A.; Moore, Rebecca R.; Morrison, James P.; Nyska, Abraham; Ramot, Yuval; Rao, Deepa; Suttie, Andrew; Wells, Monique Y.; Willson, Gabrielle A.; Elmore, Susan A.

2011-01-01

The 2010 annual National Toxicology Program (NTP) Satellite Symposium, entitled “Pathology Potpourri,” was held in Chicago, Illinois, in advance of the scientific symposium sponsored jointly by the Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP) and the International Federation of Societies of Toxicologic Pathologists (IFSTP). The goal of the annual NTP Symposium is to present current diagnostic pathology or nomenclature issues to the toxicologic pathology community. This article presents summaries of the speakers' presentations, including diagnostic or nomenclature issues that were presented, along with select images that were used for voting or discussion. Some topics covered during the symposium included a comparison of rat and mouse hepatocholangiocarcinoma, a comparison of cholangiofibrosis and cholangiocarcinoma in rats, a mixed pancreatic neoplasm with acinar and islet cell components, an unusual preputial gland tumor, renal hyaline glomerulopathy in rats and mice, eosinophilic substance in the nasal septum of mice, INHAND nomenclature for proliferative and nonproliferative lesions of the CNS/PNS, retinal gliosis in a rat, fibroadnexal hamartoma in rats, intramural plaque in a mouse, a treatment-related chloracne-like lesion in mice, and an overview of mouse ovarian tumors. PMID:21177527

Latin America's present and future challenges in toxicology education

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Rojas, M.

2005-09-01

Industrialization that Latin America has experienced during the past 50 years, the increase of population and the growth of chemical-related industries has generated a variety of environmental problems that must be addressed. After assessing these profound changes, greater emphasis should be placed on the study of environmental health and toxicology. Latin American countries face many problems that are common to other developing nations. Therefore, there is a demand for safety assessment and regulatory control of chemicals that create a need for increasing numbers of toxicologists. To meet this demand, educational programs in toxicology have to be designed. This paper utilizesmore » a consultation questionnaire that includes toxicology-network members, scientists and educational institutions where toxicology is taught. An analysis of the information collected is made, with an emphasis on what we currently lack and on future challenges for toxicology professionals. Although the response from the study institutions was 65% (13 countries out of 20), the paper aims to assess the present situation of toxicology. The convenience for a certification/recognition for toxicologists is also evaluated. Action needs to be taken to promote scientific development based on regional specific needs that require increasing at the number of toxicology programs, and promoting of cooperation between academics and researchers. Among the limitations we have are the variability of curricula, objectives and priorities. The increasing globalization of markets and regulations requires the harmonization of graduate/postgraduate programs to ensure that risk assessment and management are dealt with uniformly. Cooperation among our countries and international assistance should play a more prominent role in the promotion of regional integration and the more efficient utilization of international experience in defining educational policies.« less

Forensic Toxicology: An Introduction.

PubMed

Smith, Michael P; Bluth, Martin H

2016-12-01

This article presents an overview of forensic toxicology. The authors describe the three components that make up forensic toxicology: workplace drug testing, postmortem toxicology, and human performance toxicology. Also discussed are the specimens that are tested, the methods used, and how the results are interpreted in this particular discipline. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

COMPUTATIONAL TOXICOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

Over the last several years, there has been increased pressure to utilize novel technologies derived from computational chemistry, molecular biology and systems biology in toxicological risk assessment. This new area has been referred to as "Computational Toxicology". Our resear...

Poison control centers in developing countries and Asia's need for toxicology education

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Makalinao, Irma R.; Awang, Rahmat

2005-09-01

Poison control centers (PCCs) in developing countries have been set up in response to the challenge of decreasing mortality and morbidity from poisoning. The services range from poison information to actual clinical treatment mostly of acute cases. Lately, PCCs have expanded from their traditional role to one that actively engages in community health studies, toxicovigilance along with treatment of chronic poisoning. Recognizing that types of poisoning and specific needs may vary from country to country, toxicology education that addresses these unique regional issues has become more necessary. Toxicology education, both formal and informal, exists in various stages of development inmore » Asia. Clearly, there are gaps that need to be addressed especially in areas where there are no poison centers or where strengthening is necessary. Collaboration between PCCs in developing countries can help augment available resources including human, analytical and technical expertise. The critical mass of trained toxicologists will fill in the demand for clinical and regulatory specialists and educators as well. This paper highlights the experiences and resources available to the Philippine and Malaysian poison centers and the strengths generated by networking and collaboration. The role of Asia Pacific Association of Medical Toxicology (APAMT) as the Science NGO representative to the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS) forum standing committee in promoting chemical safety at the regional level will be discussed. The 'Clearinghouse on the Sound Management of Chemicals', a platform for engaging multi-stakeholder and interdisciplinary partnerships, will be described as a possible model for capacity building to advance chemical safety through education and training not only in developing countries in Asia but globally as well.« less

Green Toxicology: a strategy for sustainable chemical and material development.

PubMed

Crawford, Sarah E; Hartung, Thomas; Hollert, Henner; Mathes, Björn; van Ravenzwaay, Bennard; Steger-Hartmann, Thomas; Studer, Christoph; Krug, Harald F

2017-01-01

Green Toxicology refers to the application of predictive toxicology in the sustainable development and production of new less harmful materials and chemicals, subsequently reducing waste and exposure. Built upon the foundation of "Green Chemistry" and "Green Engineering", "Green Toxicology" aims to shape future manufacturing processes and safe synthesis of chemicals in terms of environmental and human health impacts. Being an integral part of Green Chemistry, the principles of Green Toxicology amplify the role of health-related aspects for the benefit of consumers and the environment, in addition to being economical for manufacturing companies. Due to the costly development and preparation of new materials and chemicals for market entry, it is no longer practical to ignore the safety and environmental status of new products during product development stages. However, this is only possible if toxicologists and chemists work together early on in the development of materials and chemicals to utilize safe design strategies and innovative in vitro and in silico tools. This paper discusses some of the most relevant aspects, advances and limitations of the emergence of Green Toxicology from the perspective of different industry and research groups. The integration of new testing methods and strategies in product development, testing and regulation stages are presented with examples of the application of in silico, omics and in vitro methods. Other tools for Green Toxicology, including the reduction of animal testing, alternative test methods, and read-across approaches are also discussed.

The inhalation toxicology of p-aramid fibrils.

PubMed

Donaldson, Ken

2009-01-01

The pandemic of lung disease caused by asbestos has cast suspicion on any industrial fibrous material that can become airborne in respirable form in workplaces, such that the respirable fibres might be inhaled. Fibre toxicology arose as a sub-specialty of particle toxicology to address the specialised nature of fibre effects and has evolved substantially in the last 25 years. It has yielded valuable information on the dosimetry, structure-activity relationships, and mechanism involved in toxicological effects of a range of fibrous materials, including asbestos, other naturally occurring fibrous materials, and synthetic vitreous fibres. A robust structure/activity paradigm has emerged from this research that highlights fibre length, thinness, and biopersistence as major factors in determining the pathogenicity of a fibre. p-Aramid is a manufactured fibre composed of synthetic polyamide (poly paraphenylene terephthalamide) manufactured on a commercial scale since 1970 by polymerisation and spinning steps. It is used as an advanced composite and in fabrics, body armour, friction materials, etc. Respirable fibrils of p-aramid can be released from the fibres during working and can become airborne. A considerable body of research has been carried out into the hazard posed by inhaled p-aramid fibrils, and this review considers this body of literature and summarises the state-of-the-science in the toxicology of p-aramid fibrils in the light of the existing overarching fibre toxicology paradigm. The peer-reviewed studies demonstrate that p-aramid fibrils can be long and thin but that the fibrils are not biopersistent. Residence in the milieu of the lungs leads to fibre shortening, allowing efficient and complete phagocytosis and effective clearance. Subsequently the p-aramid hazard is low, and this is confirmed in animal studies. The mechanism of shortening of p-aramid fibrils is not well-understood, but may involve the action of macrophages on the fibrils following

Imaging mass spectrometry in drug development and toxicology.

PubMed

Karlsson, Oskar; Hanrieder, Jörg

2017-06-01

During the last decades, imaging mass spectrometry has gained significant relevance in biomedical research. Recent advances in imaging mass spectrometry have paved the way for in situ studies on drug development, metabolism and toxicology. In contrast to whole-body autoradiography that images the localization of radiolabeled compounds, imaging mass spectrometry provides the possibility to simultaneously determine the discrete tissue distribution of the parent compound and its metabolites. In addition, imaging mass spectrometry features high molecular specificity and allows comprehensive, multiplexed detection and localization of hundreds of proteins, peptides and lipids directly in tissues. Toxicologists traditionally screen for adverse findings by histopathological examination. However, studies of the molecular and cellular processes underpinning toxicological and pathologic findings induced by candidate drugs or toxins are important to reach a mechanistic understanding and an effective risk assessment strategy. One of IMS strengths is the ability to directly overlay the molecular information from the mass spectrometric analysis with the tissue section and allow correlative comparisons of molecular and histologic information. Imaging mass spectrometry could therefore be a powerful tool for omics profiling of pharmacological/toxicological effects of drug candidates and toxicants in discrete tissue regions. The aim of the present review is to provide an overview of imaging mass spectrometry, with particular focus on MALDI imaging mass spectrometry, and its use in drug development and toxicology in general.

Respiratory Toxicology: 1981

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

AFAMRL-TR-81-81 D /a , 𔄁 RESPIRATORY TOXICOLOGY Annual Technical Report: 1981 P. E. NEWTON, Ph.D. UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE OVERLOOK BRANCH...OF REPORT & PERIOD COVERED RESPIRATORY TOXICOLOGY: 1981 Annual Technical June 1980 through May 198 Ś. PERFORMING ORG. REPORT NUMBER 7. AUTHOR(s) 8...ABSTRACT (Continue on reverse side if necessary and Identify by block number) The Respiratory Toxicology research programs conducted at the Toxic Hazards

78 FR 45253 - National Toxicology Program Scientific Advisory Committee on Alternative Toxicological Methods...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-26

... Scientific Advisory Committee on Alternative Toxicological Methods; Announcement of Meeting; Request for... Toxicological Methods (SACATM). SACATM advises the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM), the National Toxicology Program (NTP) Interagency Center for the Evaluation of...

Metabonomics and toxicology.

PubMed

Zhao, Liang; Hartung, Thomas

2015-01-01

Being an emerging field of "omics" research, metabonomics has been increasingly used in toxicological studies mostly because this technology has the ability to provide more detailed information to elucidate mechanism of toxicity. As an interdisciplinary field of science, metabonomics combines analytical chemistry, bioinformatics, statistics, and biochemistry. When applied to toxicology, metabonomics also includes aspects of patho-biochemistry, systems biology, and molecular diagnostics. During a toxicological study, the metabolic changes over time and dose after chemical treatment can be monitored. Therefore, the most important use of this emerging technology is the identification of signatures of toxicity-patterns of metabolic changes predictive of a hazard manifestation. This chapter summarizes the current state of metabonomics technology and its applications in various areas of toxicological studies.

Recent Advances in Particulate Matter and Nanoparticle Toxicology: A Review of the In Vivo and In Vitro Studies

PubMed Central

Nemmar, Abderrahim; Holme, Jørn A.; Rosas, Irma; Schwarze, Per E.

2013-01-01

Epidemiological and clinical studies have linked exposure to particulate matter (PM) to adverse health effects, which may be registered as increased mortality and morbidity from various cardiopulmonary diseases. Despite the evidence relating PM to health effects, the physiological, cellular, and molecular mechanisms causing such effects are still not fully characterized. Two main approaches are used to elucidate the mechanisms of toxicity. One is the use of in vivo experimental models, where various effects of PM on respiratory, cardiovascular, and nervous systems can be evaluated. To more closely examine the molecular and cellular mechanisms behind the different physiological effects, the use of various in vitro models has proven to be valuable. In the present review, we discuss the current advances on the toxicology of particulate matter and nanoparticles based on these techniques. PMID:23865044

Prospects for Applying Synthetic Biology to Toxicology: Future Opportunities and Current Limitations for the Repurposing of Cytochrome P450 Systems.

PubMed

Behrendorff, James B Y H; Gillam, Elizabeth M J

2017-01-17

The 30 years since the inception of Chemical Research in Toxicology, game-changing advances in chemical and molecular biology, the fundamental disciplines underpinning molecular toxicology, have been made. While these have led to important advances in the study of mechanisms by which chemicals damage cells and systems, there has been less focus on applying these advances to prediction, detection, and mitigation of toxicity. Over the last ∼15 years, synthetic biology, the repurposing of biological "parts" in systems engineered for useful ends, has been explored in other areas of the biomedical and life sciences, for such applications as detecting metabolites, drug discovery and delivery, investigating disease mechanisms, improving medical treatment, and producing useful chemicals. These examples provide models for the application of synthetic biology to toxicology, which, for the most part, has not yet benefited from such approaches. In this perspective, we review the synthetic biology approaches that have been applied to date and speculate on possible short to medium term and "blue sky" aspirations for synthetic biology, particularly in clinical and environmental toxicology. Finally, we point out key hurdles that must be overcome for the full potential of synthetic biology to be realized.

Mass Spectrometry Applications for Toxicology

PubMed Central

Mbughuni, Michael M.; Jannetto, Paul J.

2016-01-01

Toxicology is a multidisciplinary study of poisons, aimed to correlate the quantitative and qualitative relationships between poisons and their physiological and behavioural effects in living systems. Other key aspects of toxicology focus on elucidation of the mechanisms of action of poisons and development of remedies and treatment plans for associated toxic effects. In these endeavours, Mass spectrometry (MS) has become a powerful analytical technique with a wide range of application used in the Toxicological analysis of drugs, poisons, and metabolites of both. To date, MS applications have permeated all fields of toxicology which include; environmental, clinical, and forensic toxicology. While many different analytical applications are used in these fields, MS and its hyphenated applications such as; gas chromatography MS (GC-MS), liquid chromatography MS (LC-MS), inductively coupled plasma ionization MS (ICP-MS), tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS and MSn) have emerged as powerful tools used in toxicology laboratories. This review will focus on these hyphenated MS technologies and their applications for toxicology. PMID:28149262

Recent advances of liquid chromatography-(tandem) mass spectrometry in clinical and forensic toxicology.

PubMed

Peters, Frank T

2011-01-01

Liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) or tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) has become increasingly important in clinical and forensic toxicology as well as doping control and is now a robust and reliable technique for routine analysis in these fields. In recent years, methods for LC-MS(/MS)-based systematic toxicological analysis using triple quadrupole or ion trap instruments have been considerably improved and a new screening approach based on high-resolution MS analysis using benchtop time-of-flight MS instruments has been developed. Moreover, many applications for so-called multi-target screening and/or quantification of drugs, poisons, and or their metabolites in various biomatrices have been published. The present paper will provide an overview and discuss these recent developments focusing on the literature published after 2006. Copyright © 2010 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

ACToR-AGGREGATED COMPUTATIONAL TOXICOLOGY ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

One goal of the field of computational toxicology is to predict chemical toxicity by combining computer models with biological and toxicological data. predict chemical toxicity by combining computer models with biological and toxicological data

Distance learning and toxicology: new horizons for Paracelsus.

PubMed

Huggins, Jane; Morris, John; Peterson, C Erik

2005-09-01

Distance learning offers many advantages to students and teachers of almost any scientific discipline. Toxicology is no exception. For example, should Paracelsus be interested in learning more about toxicology at Drexel University, he would have the opportunity to take two courses in this subject utilizing the content management software, WebCT. The two courses would offer a website from which he could view and/or download his notes for each class. He could correspond with the instructor as well as fellow students, participate in discussions about timely topics, and make presentations to the class, all via electronic communication. Moreover, his examinations would also be computerized. Although he might have the option of attending traditional "face-to-face" lectures with other students in the class, he could also access these lectures at any time from a remote location by using the archive of taped lectures on the class website. Overall, Paracelsus would have access to many tools to enhance his understanding of toxicology, and he probably would never have to worry about parking before class (!). The two WebCT modules in toxicology that we have developed at Drexel represent the successful migration of two courses from a traditional "face-to-face" model of classroom instruction to hybrid models that combine "face-to-face" interaction with online instruction. Student and faculty evaluations of these courses have been very positive. Future plans include linking the two modules together so that students in the advanced class can do "review" or "remedial" work in the basic module. Furthermore, a library of video clips is also planned in which researchers will be discussing their work on various toxicologic topics. Students will be able to access these clips as resources from which to write research papers.

Distance learning and toxicology: New horizons for Paracelsus

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huggins, Jane; Morris, John; Peterson, C. Erik

2005-09-01

Distance learning offers many advantages to students and teachers of almost any scientific discipline. Toxicology is no exception. For example, should Paracelsus be interested in learning more about toxicology at Drexel University, he would have the opportunity to take two courses in this subject utilizing the content management software, WebCT. The two courses would offer a website from which he could view and/or download his notes for each class. He could correspond with the instructor as well as fellow students, participate in discussions about timely topics, and make presentations to the class, all via electronic communication. Moreover, his examinations wouldmore » also be computerized. Although he might have the option of attending traditional 'face-to-face' lectures with other students in the class, he could also access these lectures at any time from a remote location by using the archive of taped lectures on the class website. Overall, Paracelsus would have access to many tools to enhance his understanding of toxicology, and he probably would never have to worry about parking before class ({exclamation_point}). The two WebCT modules in toxicology that we have developed at Drexel represent the successful migration of two courses from a traditional 'face-to-face' model of classroom instruction to hybrid models that combine 'face-to-face' interaction with online instruction. Student and faculty evaluations of these courses have been very positive. Future plans include linking the two modules together so that students in the advanced class can do 'review' or 'remedial' work in the basic module. Furthermore, a library of video clips is also planned in which researchers will be discussing their work on various toxicologic topics. Students will be able to access these clips as resources from which to write research papers.« less

National Toxicology Program: Review of current DHHS, DOE, and EPA research related to toxicology, Fiscal Year 1991

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1991-06-01

The report represents responses by agencies of DHHS, and by DOE and EPA, to requests by the Director of NTP for information on agency programs in basic toxicology research, toxicology testing, and toxicology methods development. Information on dollar and manpower support for agency activities in basic toxicology research, toxicology testing, and toxicology methods development, by DHHS, DOE and EPA, is summarized on pages 4 to 10. All agencies were requested to provide summary information on their programs related to toxicology methods development, whether essential or peripheral to their missions. The information provided in response to the request is summarized inmore » tables on pages 48 to 81. Information was provided on chemical compounds currently being studied for their toxicological properties in intramural laboratories, or on contracts, or through grants.« less

Advancing Health Professions Education Research by Creating a Network of Networks.

PubMed

Carney, Patricia A; Brandt, Barbara; Dekhtyar, Michael; Holmboe, Eric S

2018-02-27

Producing the best evidence to show educational outcomes, such as competency achievement and credentialing effectiveness, across the health professions education continuum will require large multisite research projects and longitudinal studies. Current limitations that must be overcome to reach this goal include the prevalence of single-institution study designs, assessments of a single curricular component, and cross-sectional study designs that provide only a snapshot in time of a program or initiative rather than a longitudinal perspective.One solution to overcoming these limitations is to develop a network of networks that collaborates, using longitudinal approaches, across health professions and regions of the United States. Currently, individual networks are advancing educational innovation toward understanding the effectiveness of educational and credentialing programs. Examples of such networks include: (1) the American Medical Association's Accelerating Change in Medical Education initiative, (2) the National Center for Interprofessional Practice and Education, and (3) the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education's Accreditation System. In this Invited Commentary, the authors briefly profile these existing networks, identify their progress and the challenges they have encountered, and propose a vigorous way forward toward creating a national network of networks designed to determine the effectiveness of health professions education and credentialing.

Spaceflight Toxicology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyers, Valerie

2008-01-01

This viewgraph presentation provides a review of NASA Johnson Space Center's Toxicology program. The mission of this program is to protect crews from toxic exposures during spaceflight. The presentation reviews some of the health hazards. A toxicological hazard level chart is presented that reviews the rating of hazard level, irritancy, systemic effects and containability. The program also participates in the Lunar Airborne Dust Toxicity Advisory Group.

Progress in computational toxicology.

PubMed

Ekins, Sean

2014-01-01

Computational methods have been widely applied to toxicology across pharmaceutical, consumer product and environmental fields over the past decade. Progress in computational toxicology is now reviewed. A literature review was performed on computational models for hepatotoxicity (e.g. for drug-induced liver injury (DILI)), cardiotoxicity, renal toxicity and genotoxicity. In addition various publications have been highlighted that use machine learning methods. Several computational toxicology model datasets from past publications were used to compare Bayesian and Support Vector Machine (SVM) learning methods. The increasing amounts of data for defined toxicology endpoints have enabled machine learning models that have been increasingly used for predictions. It is shown that across many different models Bayesian and SVM perform similarly based on cross validation data. Considerable progress has been made in computational toxicology in a decade in both model development and availability of larger scale or 'big data' models. The future efforts in toxicology data generation will likely provide us with hundreds of thousands of compounds that are readily accessible for machine learning models. These models will cover relevant chemistry space for pharmaceutical, consumer product and environmental applications. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Teaching Advanced Concepts in Computer Networks: VNUML-UM Virtualization Tool

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ruiz-Martinez, A.; Pereniguez-Garcia, F.; Marin-Lopez, R.; Ruiz-Martinez, P. M.; Skarmeta-Gomez, A. F.

2013-01-01

In the teaching of computer networks the main problem that arises is the high price and limited number of network devices the students can work with in the laboratories. Nowadays, with virtualization we can overcome this limitation. In this paper, we present a methodology that allows students to learn advanced computer network concepts through…

[Continuous challenges in Japanese forensic toxicology practice: strategy to address specific goals].

PubMed

Kageura, Mitsuyoshi

2002-09-01

In this paper, the status quo of forensic toxicology in Japan and the West is surveyed and a strategy to address future goals of Japanese forensic toxicology is proposed. Forensic toxicology in the West consists of three main areas--post-mortem forensic toxicology, human-performance forensic toxicology and forensic urine drug testing. In Japan, post-mortem forensic toxicology is practiced in university forensic medicine departments while most of the human-performance forensic toxicology is carried out in police laboratories. However, at least at present, strictly controlled workplace urine drug testing is not being performed, despite the abuse of drugs even by uniformed members of the National Defence Forces and police. For several years, the author has been introducing Western forensic toxicology guidelines and recommendations, translated into Japanese with the help of Western forensic toxicologists, to Japanese forensic toxicologists. Western forensic toxicology practice is at an advanced stage, whereas Japanese practice is in a critical condition and holds many problems awaiting solution, as exemplified by the urine drug testing in police laboratories. There is never any sample left for re-examination by the defence in all cases, though the initial volume of the urine sample available for examination is 30-50 ml. Only one organisation carries out everything from sampling to reporting and, in addition, the parent drug and its metabolites are not quantified. It is clear that the police laboratories do not work within good laboratory practice guidelines, nor do they have quality manuals or standard operating procedures manuals. A basic change in Japanese forensic toxicology practice is now essential. The author strongly recommends that, first of all, Japanese toxicologists should prepare forensic toxicology guidelines based on the Western models. The guidelines would progress the following objectives for forensic toxicology laboratories: 1) to have documented good

QUANTITATIVE TOXICOLOGIC PATHOLOGY-METHODS AND INTERPRETATION' SESSION AT THE JOINT MEETING OF SOCIETY OF TOXICOLOGIC PATHOLOGISTS AND THE INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION OF SOCIETIES OF TOXICOLOGIC PATHOLOGISTS

EPA Science Inventory

Report of the 'Quantitative Toxicologic Pathology - Methods and Interpretation' session at the Joint meeting of Society of Toxicologic Pathologists and the International Federation of Societies of Toxicologic Pathologists, Orlando, Florida, USA, June 24-28, 2001. Douglas C. Wolf,...

21 CFR 862.3200 - Clinical toxicology calibrator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Clinical toxicology calibrator. 862.3200 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Toxicology Test Systems § 862.3200 Clinical toxicology calibrator. (a) Identification. A clinical toxicology calibrator is...

21 CFR 862.3200 - Clinical toxicology calibrator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Clinical toxicology calibrator. 862.3200 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Toxicology Test Systems § 862.3200 Clinical toxicology calibrator. (a) Identification. A clinical toxicology calibrator is...

21 CFR 862.3200 - Clinical toxicology calibrator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Clinical toxicology calibrator. 862.3200 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Toxicology Test Systems § 862.3200 Clinical toxicology calibrator. (a) Identification. A clinical toxicology calibrator is...

21 CFR 862.3200 - Clinical toxicology calibrator.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Clinical toxicology calibrator. 862.3200 Section... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Toxicology Test Systems § 862.3200 Clinical toxicology calibrator. (a) Identification. A clinical toxicology calibrator is...

Toxicology research for precautionary decision-making and the role of Human & Experimental Toxicology.

PubMed

Grandjean, P

2015-12-01

A key aim of toxicology is the prevention of adverse effects due to toxic hazards. Therefore, the dissemination of toxicology research findings must confront two important challenges: one being the lack of information on the vast majority of potentially toxic industrial chemicals and the other being the strict criteria for scientific proof usually required for decision-making in regard to prevention. The present study ascertains the coverage of environmental chemicals in four volumes of Human & Experimental Toxicology and the presentation and interpretation of research findings in published articles. Links in SciFinder showed that the 530 articles published in four selected volumes between 1984 and 2014 primarily dealt with metals (126 links) and other toxicants that have received substantial attention in the past. Thirteen compounds identified by US authorities in 2006 as high-priority substances, for which toxicology documentation is badly needed, were not covered in the journal issues at all. When reviewing published articles, reliance on p values was standard, and non-significant findings were often called 'negative.' This tradition may contribute to the perceived need to extend existing research on toxic hazards that have already been well characterized. Several sources of bias towards the null hypothesis can affect toxicology research, but are generally not considered, thus adding to the current inclination to avoid false positive findings. In this regard, toxicology is particularly prone to bias because of the known paucity of false positives and, in particular, the existence of a vast number of toxic hazards which by default are considered innocuous due to lack of documentation. The Precautionary Principle could inspire decision-making on the basis of incomplete documentation and should stimulate a change in toxicology traditions and in toxicology research publication. © The Author(s) 2015.

FutureTox II: In vitro Data and In Silico Models for Predictive Toxicology

PubMed Central

Knudsen, Thomas B.; Keller, Douglas A.; Sander, Miriam; Carney, Edward W.; Doerrer, Nancy G.; Eaton, David L.; Fitzpatrick, Suzanne Compton; Hastings, Kenneth L.; Mendrick, Donna L.; Tice, Raymond R.; Watkins, Paul B.; Whelan, Maurice

2015-01-01

FutureTox II, a Society of Toxicology Contemporary Concepts in Toxicology workshop, was held in January, 2014. The meeting goals were to review and discuss the state of the science in toxicology in the context of implementing the NRC 21st century vision of predicting in vivo responses from in vitro and in silico data, and to define the goals for the future. Presentations and discussions were held on priority concerns such as predicting and modeling of metabolism, cell growth and differentiation, effects on sensitive subpopulations, and integrating data into risk assessment. Emerging trends in technologies such as stem cell-derived human cells, 3D organotypic culture models, mathematical modeling of cellular processes and morphogenesis, adverse outcome pathway development, and high-content imaging of in vivo systems were discussed. Although advances in moving towards an in vitro/in silico based risk assessment paradigm were apparent, knowledge gaps in these areas and limitations of technologies were identified. Specific recommendations were made for future directions and research needs in the areas of hepatotoxicity, cancer prediction, developmental toxicity, and regulatory toxicology. PMID:25628403

FutureTox II: in vitro data and in silico models for predictive toxicology.

PubMed

Knudsen, Thomas B; Keller, Douglas A; Sander, Miriam; Carney, Edward W; Doerrer, Nancy G; Eaton, David L; Fitzpatrick, Suzanne Compton; Hastings, Kenneth L; Mendrick, Donna L; Tice, Raymond R; Watkins, Paul B; Whelan, Maurice

2015-02-01

FutureTox II, a Society of Toxicology Contemporary Concepts in Toxicology workshop, was held in January, 2014. The meeting goals were to review and discuss the state of the science in toxicology in the context of implementing the NRC 21st century vision of predicting in vivo responses from in vitro and in silico data, and to define the goals for the future. Presentations and discussions were held on priority concerns such as predicting and modeling of metabolism, cell growth and differentiation, effects on sensitive subpopulations, and integrating data into risk assessment. Emerging trends in technologies such as stem cell-derived human cells, 3D organotypic culture models, mathematical modeling of cellular processes and morphogenesis, adverse outcome pathway development, and high-content imaging of in vivo systems were discussed. Although advances in moving towards an in vitro/in silico based risk assessment paradigm were apparent, knowledge gaps in these areas and limitations of technologies were identified. Specific recommendations were made for future directions and research needs in the areas of hepatotoxicity, cancer prediction, developmental toxicity, and regulatory toxicology. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The International Union of Toxicology (IUTOX): history and its role in information on toxicology.

PubMed

Schou, Jens S; Hodel, Christian M

2003-08-21

The International Union of Toxicology (IUTOX) was founded in 1980 in Brussels. The initiative was started by the Society of Toxicology (SOT), USA, and the European Society of Toxicology in 1975 (EST), and the foundation prepared by an Inter Society Liason Committee. Eight National Societies of Toxicology were founding members of IUTOX besides SOT and EST. It now comprises 43 national/regional Societies from all over the world, representing over 20,000 toxicologists. Information has always been a key element in toxicology. Information exchange in IUTOX has evolved from letters and phone calls to fax, e-mail and the use of the Internet. Initially, newsletters were created which were mailed and later displayed on the Web. The website has been developed as a major information tool with many useful links, thereby providing information for the scientific community, the media and the lay public.

ACToR A Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

We are developing the ACToR system (Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource) to serve as a repository for a variety of types of chemical, biological and toxicological data that can be used for predictive modeling of chemical toxicology. We are developing the ACToR system (Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource) to serve as a repository for a variety of types of chemical, biological and toxicological data that can be used for predictive modeling of chemical toxicology.

COMPUTATIONAL TOXICOLOGY-WHERE IS THE DATA? ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This talk will briefly describe the state of the data world for computational toxicology and one approach to improve the situation, called ACToR (Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource). This talk will briefly describe the state of the data world for computational toxicology and one approach to improve the situation, called ACToR (Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource).

Advanced information processing system: Input/output network management software

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nagle, Gail; Alger, Linda; Kemp, Alexander

1988-01-01

The purpose of this document is to provide the software requirements and specifications for the Input/Output Network Management Services for the Advanced Information Processing System. This introduction and overview section is provided to briefly outline the overall architecture and software requirements of the AIPS system before discussing the details of the design requirements and specifications of the AIPS I/O Network Management software. A brief overview of the AIPS architecture followed by a more detailed description of the network architecture.

Aquatic toxicology: fact or fiction?

PubMed Central

Macek, K J

1980-01-01

A brief history of the development of the field of aquatic toxicology is provided. In order to provide a perspective on the state-of-the-art in aquatic toxicology relative to classical toxicology, the two fields are compared from the standpoint of the type of scientist practicing each field, the respective objectives of each, the forces which drive the activity in each field, and the major advantages and disadvantages accruing to the practitioner of aquatic toxicology as a result of the differences in objectives and driving forces. PMID:6993200

In silico toxicology protocols.

PubMed

Myatt, Glenn J; Ahlberg, Ernst; Akahori, Yumi; Allen, David; Amberg, Alexander; Anger, Lennart T; Aptula, Aynur; Auerbach, Scott; Beilke, Lisa; Bellion, Phillip; Benigni, Romualdo; Bercu, Joel; Booth, Ewan D; Bower, Dave; Brigo, Alessandro; Burden, Natalie; Cammerer, Zoryana; Cronin, Mark T D; Cross, Kevin P; Custer, Laura; Dettwiler, Magdalena; Dobo, Krista; Ford, Kevin A; Fortin, Marie C; Gad-McDonald, Samantha E; Gellatly, Nichola; Gervais, Véronique; Glover, Kyle P; Glowienke, Susanne; Van Gompel, Jacky; Gutsell, Steve; Hardy, Barry; Harvey, James S; Hillegass, Jedd; Honma, Masamitsu; Hsieh, Jui-Hua; Hsu, Chia-Wen; Hughes, Kathy; Johnson, Candice; Jolly, Robert; Jones, David; Kemper, Ray; Kenyon, Michelle O; Kim, Marlene T; Kruhlak, Naomi L; Kulkarni, Sunil A; Kümmerer, Klaus; Leavitt, Penny; Majer, Bernhard; Masten, Scott; Miller, Scott; Moser, Janet; Mumtaz, Moiz; Muster, Wolfgang; Neilson, Louise; Oprea, Tudor I; Patlewicz, Grace; Paulino, Alexandre; Lo Piparo, Elena; Powley, Mark; Quigley, Donald P; Reddy, M Vijayaraj; Richarz, Andrea-Nicole; Ruiz, Patricia; Schilter, Benoit; Serafimova, Rositsa; Simpson, Wendy; Stavitskaya, Lidiya; Stidl, Reinhard; Suarez-Rodriguez, Diana; Szabo, David T; Teasdale, Andrew; Trejo-Martin, Alejandra; Valentin, Jean-Pierre; Vuorinen, Anna; Wall, Brian A; Watts, Pete; White, Angela T; Wichard, Joerg; Witt, Kristine L; Woolley, Adam; Woolley, David; Zwickl, Craig; Hasselgren, Catrin

2018-07-01

The present publication surveys several applications of in silico (i.e., computational) toxicology approaches across different industries and institutions. It highlights the need to develop standardized protocols when conducting toxicity-related predictions. This contribution articulates the information needed for protocols to support in silico predictions for major toxicological endpoints of concern (e.g., genetic toxicity, carcinogenicity, acute toxicity, reproductive toxicity, developmental toxicity) across several industries and regulatory bodies. Such novel in silico toxicology (IST) protocols, when fully developed and implemented, will ensure in silico toxicological assessments are performed and evaluated in a consistent, reproducible, and well-documented manner across industries and regulatory bodies to support wider uptake and acceptance of the approaches. The development of IST protocols is an initiative developed through a collaboration among an international consortium to reflect the state-of-the-art in in silico toxicology for hazard identification and characterization. A general outline for describing the development of such protocols is included and it is based on in silico predictions and/or available experimental data for a defined series of relevant toxicological effects or mechanisms. The publication presents a novel approach for determining the reliability of in silico predictions alongside experimental data. In addition, we discuss how to determine the level of confidence in the assessment based on the relevance and reliability of the information. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Opioids in the Frame of New Psychoactive Substances Network: A Complex Pharmacological and Toxicological Issue.

PubMed

Ventura, Ludovic; Carvalho, Felix; Dinis-Oliveira, Ricardo Jorge

2018-01-01

New psychoactive substances (NPS), often referred to as "legal highs" or "designer drugs", are derivatives and analogues of existing psychoactive drugs that are introduced in the recreational market to circumvent existing legislation on drugs of abuse. This systematic review aims to gather the state of the art regarding chemical, molecular pharmacology and toxicological information of opioid class of NPS. Chemical, pharmacological, toxicological and clinical effects of opioid class of NPS were searched in books and in PubMed (U.S. National Library of Medicine) without a limiting period. Within this class, fentanyl analogues are among the most frequently abused and pose several clinical concerns and therefore will be thoroughly discussed. Other opioid sub-categories of NPS frequently misused include AH-7921, MT-45, U-47700, U-50488, desomorphine, mitragynine, tramadol, tapentadol, salvinorin A and its analogue herkinorin. Due to inefficient monitoring techniques, as well as limited knowledge regarding the acute and long-term effects of opioids NPS, further clinical and forensic toxicological studies are required. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Postmortem aviation forensic toxicology: an overview.

PubMed

Chaturvedi, Arvind K

2010-05-01

An overview of the subtopic aviation combustion toxicology of the field of aerospace toxicology has been published. In a continuation of the overview, the findings associated with postmortem aviation forensic toxicology are being summarized in the present overview. A literature search for the period of 1960-2007 was performed. The important findings related to postmortem toxicology were evaluated. In addition to a brief introduction, this overview is divided into the sections of analytical methods; carboxyhemoglobin and blood cyanide ion; ethanol; drugs; result interpretation; glucose and hemoglobin A(1c); and references. Specific details of the subject matter were discussed. It is anticipated that this overview will be an outline source for aviation forensic toxicology within the field of aerospace toxicology.

Advanced optical components for next-generation photonic networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoo, S. J. B.

2003-08-01

Future networks will require very high throughput, carrying dominantly data-centric traffic. The role of Photonic Networks employing all-optical systems will become increasingly important in providing scalable bandwidth, agile reconfigurability, and low-power consumptions in the future. In particular, the self-similar nature of data traffic indicates that packet switching and burst switching will be beneficial in the Next Generation Photonic Networks. While the natural conclusion is to pursue Photonic Packet Switching and Photonic Burst Switching systems, there are significant challenges in realizing such a system due to practical limitations in optical component technologies. Lack of a viable all-optical memory technology will continue to drive us towards exploring rapid reconfigurability in the wavelength domain. We will introduce and discuss the advanced optical component technologies behind the Photonic Packet Routing system designed and demonstrated at UC Davis. The system is capable of packet switching and burst switching, as well as circuit switching with 600 psec switching speed and scalability to 42 petabit/sec aggregated switching capacity. By utilizing a combination of rapidly tunable wavelength conversion and a uniform-loss cyclic frequency (ULCF) arrayed waveguide grating router (AWGR), the system is capable of rapidly switching the packets in wavelength, time, and space domains. The label swapping module inside the Photonic Packet Routing system containing a Mach-Zehnder wavelength converter and a narrow-band fiber Bragg-grating achieves all-optical label swapping with optical 2R (potentially 3R) regeneration while maintaining optical transparency for the data payload. By utilizing the advanced optical component technologies, the Photonic Packet Routing system successfully demonstrated error-free, cascaded, multi-hop photonic packet switching and routing with optical-label swapping. This paper will review the advanced optical component technologies

TOXLINE (TOXICOLOGY INFORMATION ONLINE)

EPA Science Inventory

TOXLINE? (TOXicology information onLINE) are the National Library of Medicines extensive collection of online bibliographic information covering the pharmacological, biochemical, physiological, and toxicological effects of drugs and other chemicals. TOXLINE and TOXLINE65 together...

Applicability of computational systems biology in toxicology.

PubMed

Kongsbak, Kristine; Hadrup, Niels; Audouze, Karine; Vinggaard, Anne Marie

2014-07-01

Systems biology as a research field has emerged within the last few decades. Systems biology, often defined as the antithesis of the reductionist approach, integrates information about individual components of a biological system. In integrative systems biology, large data sets from various sources and databases are used to model and predict effects of chemicals on, for instance, human health. In toxicology, computational systems biology enables identification of important pathways and molecules from large data sets; tasks that can be extremely laborious when performed by a classical literature search. However, computational systems biology offers more advantages than providing a high-throughput literature search; it may form the basis for establishment of hypotheses on potential links between environmental chemicals and human diseases, which would be very difficult to establish experimentally. This is possible due to the existence of comprehensive databases containing information on networks of human protein-protein interactions and protein-disease associations. Experimentally determined targets of the specific chemical of interest can be fed into these networks to obtain additional information that can be used to establish hypotheses on links between the chemical and human diseases. Such information can also be applied for designing more intelligent animal/cell experiments that can test the established hypotheses. Here, we describe how and why to apply an integrative systems biology method in the hypothesis-generating phase of toxicological research. © 2014 Nordic Association for the Publication of BCPT (former Nordic Pharmacological Society).

The Evolution of Toxicology and Chemical Regulation ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Presentation for lecture for the 17th Annual Sitlington Lecture in Toxicology at Oklahoma State University Interdisciplinary Toxicology Symposium Presentation for lecture for the 17th Annual Sitlington Lecture in Toxicology at Oklahoma State University Interdisciplinary Toxicology Symposium

Analysis And Augmentation Of Timing Advance Based Geolocation In Lte Cellular Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL MONTEREY, CALIFORNIA DISSERTATION ANALYSIS AND AUGMENTATION OF TIMING ADVANCE-BASED GEOLOCATION IN LTE CELLULAR NETWORKS by...estimated to average 1 hour per response, including the time for reviewing instruction, searching existing data sources, gathering and maintaining the...AND SUBTITLE ANALYSIS AND AUGMENTATION OF TIMING ADVANCE-BASED GEOLOCA- TION IN LTE CELLULAR NETWORKS 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6. AUTHOR(S) John D. Roth 7

Some critical issues and concerns related to research advances on toxicology of chemical mixtures.

PubMed Central

Yang, R S

1998-01-01

This paper addresses some of the issues and concerns on research advances on the toxicology of chemical mixtures. Emphases will be selectively given to the following questions and answers: Can mechanistic studies be conducted on chemical mixtures? The fact that any studies, including mechanistic studies, of single chemicals are really the study of the parent chemical plus its metabolites underscores the relevance of mechanistic studies on chemical mixtures. Can predictions be made on the health effects of chemical mixtures? Some successes are already evident in the literature on simpler chemical mixtures. For more complex mixtures, it is possible and we propose an approach here. What can we learn from other disciplines (the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration)? Two aspects, the knowledge and methodologies available in clinical pharmacology and the latest advances in structure-oriented lumping in chemical engineering, are discussed in detail. Unrepeatable results: The possibility of magnification of biologic variability because of low-level exposures to chemical mixtures is suggested with special reference to some known examples, including the controversial study on synergistic interactions of endocrine disruptors. Is the driving force for scientific investigations on chemical mixtures the legislative and regulatory atmosphere? Two laws with chemical mixtures specifically in the language are quoted and discussed. Their implications regarding research funding and activities are described. What are the pitfalls of applying for research funding on investigating chemical mixtures? The dilemma at least one investigator faces in pursuing research funding is elaborated. The questions and issues listed above are not all inclusive, but they represent some of the aspects that need to be brought into the open in the scientific community for discussion and/or debate. Thus, the primary objective of this paper is to provide some momentum for the beginning of a fruitful

Using High-Content Imaging to Analyze Toxicological Tipping ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Presentation at International Conference on Toxicological Alternatives & Translational Toxicology (ICTATT) held in China and Discussing the possibility of using High Content Imaging to Analyze Toxicological Tipping Points Slide Presentation at International Conference on Toxicological Alternatives & Translational Toxicology (ICTATT) held in China and Discussing the possibility of using High Content Imaging to Analyze Toxicological Tipping Points

Biomarkers in Computational Toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

Biomarkers are a means to evaluate chemical exposure and/or the subsequent impacts on toxicity pathways that lead to adverse health outcomes. Computational toxicology can integrate biomarker data with knowledge of exposure, chemistry, biology, pharmacokinetics, toxicology, and e...

Advanced Scientific Computing Research Network Requirements: ASCR Network Requirements Review Final Report

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bacon, Charles; Bell, Greg; Canon, Shane

The Energy Sciences Network (ESnet) is the primary provider of network connectivity for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science (SC), the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. In support of SC programs, ESnet regularly updates and refreshes its understanding of the networking requirements of the instruments, facilities, scientists, and science programs that it serves. This focus has helped ESnet to be a highly successful enabler of scientific discovery for over 25 years. In October 2012, ESnet and the Office of Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) of the DOE SCmore » organized a review to characterize the networking requirements of the programs funded by the ASCR program office. The requirements identified at the review are summarized in the Findings section, and are described in more detail in the body of the report.« less

Mind the Gap! A Journey towards Computational Toxicology.

PubMed

Mangiatordi, Giuseppe Felice; Alberga, Domenico; Altomare, Cosimo Damiano; Carotti, Angelo; Catto, Marco; Cellamare, Saverio; Gadaleta, Domenico; Lattanzi, Gianluca; Leonetti, Francesco; Pisani, Leonardo; Stefanachi, Angela; Trisciuzzi, Daniela; Nicolotti, Orazio

2016-09-01

Computational methods have advanced toxicology towards the development of target-specific models based on a clear cause-effect rationale. However, the predictive potential of these models presents strengths and weaknesses. On the good side, in silico models are valuable cheap alternatives to in vitro and in vivo experiments. On the other, the unconscious use of in silico methods can mislead end-users with elusive results. The focus of this review is on the basic scientific and regulatory recommendations in the derivation and application of computational models. Attention is paid to examine the interplay between computational toxicology and drug discovery and development. Avoiding the easy temptation of an overoptimistic future, we report our view on what can, or cannot, realistically be done. Indeed, studies of safety/toxicity represent a key element of chemical prioritization programs carried out by chemical industries, and primarily by pharmaceutical companies. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

EARLINET: towards an advanced sustainable European aerosol lidar network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pappalardo, G.; Amodeo, A.; Apituley, A.; Comeron, A.; Freudenthaler, V.; Linné, H.; Ansmann, A.; Bösenberg, J.; D'Amico, G.; Mattis, I.; Mona, L.; Wandinger, U.; Amiridis, V.; Alados-Arboledas, L.; Nicolae, D.; Wiegner, M.

2014-08-01

The European Aerosol Research Lidar Network, EARLINET, was founded in 2000 as a research project for establishing a quantitative, comprehensive, and statistically significant database for the horizontal, vertical, and temporal distribution of aerosols on a continental scale. Since then EARLINET has continued to provide the most extensive collection of ground-based data for the aerosol vertical distribution over Europe. This paper gives an overview of the network's main developments since 2000 and introduces the dedicated EARLINET special issue, which reports on the present innovative and comprehensive technical solutions and scientific results related to the use of advanced lidar remote sensing techniques for the study of aerosol properties as developed within the network in the last 13 years. Since 2000, EARLINET has developed greatly in terms of number of stations and spatial distribution: from 17 stations in 10 countries in 2000 to 27 stations in 16 countries in 2013. EARLINET has developed greatly also in terms of technological advances with the spread of advanced multiwavelength Raman lidar stations in Europe. The developments for the quality assurance strategy, the optimization of instruments and data processing, and the dissemination of data have contributed to a significant improvement of the network towards a more sustainable observing system, with an increase in the observing capability and a reduction of operational costs. Consequently, EARLINET data have already been extensively used for many climatological studies, long-range transport events, Saharan dust outbreaks, plumes from volcanic eruptions, and for model evaluation and satellite data validation and integration. Future plans are aimed at continuous measurements and near-real-time data delivery in close cooperation with other ground-based networks, such as in the ACTRIS (Aerosols, Clouds, and Trace gases Research InfraStructure Network) www.actris.net, and with the

Toxicology in Addiction Medicine.

PubMed

Schwarz, Daniel A; George, M P; Bluth, Martin H

2016-12-01

Toxicology testing in addiction medicine varies across the spectrum, yet remains a powerful tool in monitoring addictive patients. There are many reference laboratories offering toxicology testing, and physicians should have some understanding of laboratory, methodology, testing portfolio, and customer support structure to aid them in selecting the best toxicology laboratory for their patients. Consultation with a clinical pathologist/toxicologist in conjunction with the consideration of monitoring large numbers of illicit and psychoactive drugs in the addictive patient may provide important clinical information for their treatment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Web tools for predictive toxicology model building.

PubMed

Jeliazkova, Nina

2012-07-01

The development and use of web tools in chemistry has accumulated more than 15 years of history already. Powered by the advances in the Internet technologies, the current generation of web systems are starting to expand into areas, traditional for desktop applications. The web platforms integrate data storage, cheminformatics and data analysis tools. The ease of use and the collaborative potential of the web is compelling, despite the challenges. The topic of this review is a set of recently published web tools that facilitate predictive toxicology model building. The focus is on software platforms, offering web access to chemical structure-based methods, although some of the frameworks could also provide bioinformatics or hybrid data analysis functionalities. A number of historical and current developments are cited. In order to provide comparable assessment, the following characteristics are considered: support for workflows, descriptor calculations, visualization, modeling algorithms, data management and data sharing capabilities, availability of GUI or programmatic access and implementation details. The success of the Web is largely due to its highly decentralized, yet sufficiently interoperable model for information access. The expected future convergence between cheminformatics and bioinformatics databases provides new challenges toward management and analysis of large data sets. The web tools in predictive toxicology will likely continue to evolve toward the right mix of flexibility, performance, scalability, interoperability, sets of unique features offered, friendly user interfaces, programmatic access for advanced users, platform independence, results reproducibility, curation and crowdsourcing utilities, collaborative sharing and secure access.

Educational Challenges in Toxicology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dixon, Robert L.

1984-01-01

Issues and topics related to educational challenges in toxicology at all levels are discussed. They include public awareness and understanding, general approach to toxicology, quality structure-activity relationships, epidemiological studies, quantification of risk, and the types of toxicants studied. (JN)

A practice analysis of toxicology.

PubMed

Wood, Carol S; Weis, Christopher P; Caro, Carla M; Roe, Amy

2016-12-01

In 2015, the American Board of Toxicology (ABT), with collaboration from the Society of Toxicology (SOT), in consultation with Professional Examination Service, performed a practice analysis study of the knowledge required for general toxicology. The purpose of this study is to help assure that the examination and requirements for attainment of Diplomate status are relevant to modern toxicology and based upon an empirical foundation of knowledge. A profile of the domains and tasks used in toxicology practice was developed by subject-matter experts representing a broad range of experiences and perspectives. An on-line survey of toxicologists, including Diplomates of the ABT and SOT members, confirmed the delineation. Results of the study can be used to improve understanding of toxicology practice, to better serve all toxicologists, and to present the role of toxicologists to those outside the profession. Survey results may also be used by the ABT Board of Directors to develop test specifications for the certifying examination and will be useful for evaluating and updating the content of professional preparation, development, and continuing education programs. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Advanced functional network analysis in the geosciences: The pyunicorn package

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donges, Jonathan F.; Heitzig, Jobst; Runge, Jakob; Schultz, Hanna C. H.; Wiedermann, Marc; Zech, Alraune; Feldhoff, Jan; Rheinwalt, Aljoscha; Kutza, Hannes; Radebach, Alexander; Marwan, Norbert; Kurths, Jürgen

2013-04-01

Functional networks are a powerful tool for analyzing large geoscientific datasets such as global fields of climate time series originating from observations or model simulations. pyunicorn (pythonic unified complex network and recurrence analysis toolbox) is an open-source, fully object-oriented and easily parallelizable package written in the language Python. It allows for constructing functional networks (aka climate networks) representing the structure of statistical interrelationships in large datasets and, subsequently, investigating this structure using advanced methods of complex network theory such as measures for networks of interacting networks, node-weighted statistics or network surrogates. Additionally, pyunicorn allows to study the complex dynamics of geoscientific systems as recorded by time series by means of recurrence networks and visibility graphs. The range of possible applications of the package is outlined drawing on several examples from climatology.

High Throughput Transcriptomics @ USEPA (Toxicology ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The ideal chemical testing approach will provide complete coverage of all relevant toxicological responses. It should be sensitive and specific It should identify the mechanism/mode-of-action (with dose-dependence). It should identify responses relevant to the species of interest. Responses should ideally be translated into tissue-, organ-, and organism-level effects. It must be economical and scalable. Using a High Throughput Transcriptomics platform within US EPA provides broader coverage of biological activity space and toxicological MOAs and helps fill the toxicological data gap. Slide presentation at the 2016 ToxForum on using High Throughput Transcriptomics at US EPA for broader coverage biological activity space and toxicological MOAs.

The Emergence of Systematic Review in Toxicology.

PubMed

Stephens, Martin L; Betts, Kellyn; Beck, Nancy B; Cogliano, Vincent; Dickersin, Kay; Fitzpatrick, Suzanne; Freeman, James; Gray, George; Hartung, Thomas; McPartland, Jennifer; Rooney, Andrew A; Scherer, Roberta W; Verloo, Didier; Hoffmann, Sebastian

2016-07-01

The Evidence-based Toxicology Collaboration hosted a workshop on "The Emergence of Systematic Review and Related Evidence-based Approaches in Toxicology," on November 21, 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland. The workshop featured speakers from agencies and organizations applying systematic review approaches to questions in toxicology, speakers with experience in conducting systematic reviews in medicine and healthcare, and stakeholders in industry, government, academia, and non-governmental organizations. Based on the workshop presentations and discussion, here we address the state of systematic review methods in toxicology, historical antecedents in both medicine and toxicology, challenges to the translation of systematic review from medicine to toxicology, and thoughts on the way forward. We conclude with a recommendation that as various agencies and organizations adapt systematic review methods, they continue to work together to ensure that there is a harmonized process for how the basic elements of systematic review methods are applied in toxicology. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology.

Proceedings of the 2011 National Toxicology Program Satellite Symposium

PubMed Central

Boorman, Gary; Crabbs, Torrie A.; Kolenda-Roberts, Holly; Latimer, Ken; Miller, Andrew D.; Muravnick, Kathleen B.; Nyska, Abraham; Ochoa, Ricardo; Pardo, Ingrid D.; Ramot, Yuval; Rao, Deepa B.; Schuh, JoAnn; Suttie, Andrew; Travlos, Greg S.; Ward, Jerrold M.; Wolf, Jeffrey C.; Elmore, Susan A.

2012-01-01

The 2011 annual National Toxicology Program (NTP) Satellite Symposium, entitled “Pathology Potpourri,” was held in Denver, Colorado in advance of the Society of Toxicologic Pathology’s 30th Annual Meeting. The goal of the NTP Symposium is to present current diagnostic pathology or nomenclature issues to the toxicologic pathology community. This article presents summaries of the speakers’ presentations, including diagnostic or nomenclature issues that were presented, along with select images that were used for audience voting or discussion. Some lesions and topics covered during the symposium include: proliferative lesions from various fish species including ameloblastoma, gas gland hyperplasia, nodular regenerative hepatocellular hyperplasia, and malignant granulosa cell tumor; spontaneous cystic hyperplasia in the stomach of CD1 mice and histiocytic aggregates in the duodenal villous tips of treated mice; an olfactory neuroblastoma in a cynomolgus monkey; various rodent skin lesions, including follicular parakeratotic hyperkeratosis, adnexal degeneration, and epithelial intracytoplasmic accumulations; oligodendroglioma and microgliomas in rats; a diagnostically challenging microcytic, hypochromic, responsive anemia in rats; a review of microcytes and microcytosis; nasal lesions associated with green tea extract and Ginkgo biloba in rats; corneal dystrophy in Dutch belted rabbits; valvulopathy in rats; and lymphoproliferative disease in a cynomolgus monkey. PMID:22089839

Proceedings of the 2013 National Toxicology Program Satellite Symposium

PubMed Central

Elmore, Susan A.; Boyle, Michael C.; Boyle, Molly H.; Cora, Michelle C.; Crabbs, Torrie A.; Cummings, Connie A.; Gruebbel, Margarita M.; Johnson, Crystal L.; Malarkey, David E.; McInnes, Elizabeth F.; Nolte, Thomas; Shackelford, Cynthia C.; Ward, Jerrold M.

2014-01-01

The 2013 annual National Toxicology Program (NTP) Satellite Symposium, entitled “Pathology Potpourri” was held in Portland, Oregon in advance of the Society of Toxicologic Pathology's 32nd annual meeting. The goal of the NTP Symposium is to present current diagnostic pathology or nomenclature issues to the toxicologic pathology community. This article presents summaries of the speakers' presentations, including diagnostic or nomenclature issues that were presented, along with select images that were used for audience voting and discussion. Some lesions and topics covered during the symposium included a caudal tail vertebra duplication in mice; nephroblastematosis in rats; ectopic C cell tumor in a hamster; granular cell aggregates/tumor in the uterus of a hamster; Pneumocystis carinii in the lung of a rat; iatrogenic chronic inflammation in the lungs of control rats; hepatoblastoma arising within an adenoma in a mouse; humoral hypercalcemia of benignancy in a transgenic mouse; acetaminophen induced hepatoxicity in rats; electron microscopy images of iatrogenic intraerythrocytic inclusions in transgenic mice; questionable hepatocellular degeneration/cell death/artifact in rats; atypical endometrial hyperplasia in rats; malignant mixed Müllerian tumors/carcinosarcomas in rats; differential diagnoses of proliferative lesions the intestine of rodents; and finally obstructive nephropathy caused by melamine poisoning in a rat. PMID:24334674

Toxicology: a discipline in need of academic anchoring--the point of view of the German Society of Toxicology.

PubMed

Gundert-Remy, U; Barth, H; Bürkle, A; Degen, G H; Landsiedel, R

2015-10-01

The paper describes the importance of toxicology as a discipline, its past achievements, current scientific challenges, and future development. Toxicological expertise is instrumental in the reduction of human health risks arising from chemicals and drugs. Toxicological assessment is needed to evaluate evidence and arguments, whether or not there is a scientific base for concern. The immense success already achieved by toxicological work is exemplified by reduced pollution of air, soil, water, and safer working places. Predominantly predictive toxicological testing is derived from the findings to assess risks to humans and the environment. Assessment of the adversity of molecular effects (including epigenetic effects), the effects of mixtures, and integration of exposure and biokinetics into in vitro testing are emerging challenges for toxicology. Toxicology is a translational science with its base in fundamental science. Academic institutions play an essential part by providing scientific innovation and education of young scientists.

21 CFR 862.3280 - Clinical toxicology control material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Clinical toxicology control material. 862.3280... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Toxicology Test Systems § 862.3280 Clinical toxicology control material. (a) Identification. A clinical toxicology control...

21 CFR 862.3280 - Clinical toxicology control material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Clinical toxicology control material. 862.3280... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Toxicology Test Systems § 862.3280 Clinical toxicology control material. (a) Identification. A clinical toxicology control...

21 CFR 862.3280 - Clinical toxicology control material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Clinical toxicology control material. 862.3280... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Toxicology Test Systems § 862.3280 Clinical toxicology control material. (a) Identification. A clinical toxicology control...

21 CFR 862.3280 - Clinical toxicology control material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Clinical toxicology control material. 862.3280... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Toxicology Test Systems § 862.3280 Clinical toxicology control material. (a) Identification. A clinical toxicology control...

21 CFR 862.3280 - Clinical toxicology control material.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Clinical toxicology control material. 862.3280... (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES CLINICAL CHEMISTRY AND CLINICAL TOXICOLOGY DEVICES Clinical Toxicology Test Systems § 862.3280 Clinical toxicology control material. (a) Identification. A clinical toxicology control...

42 CFR 493.1213 - Condition: Toxicology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Condition: Toxicology. 493.1213 Section 493.1213 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES....1213 Condition: Toxicology. If the laboratory provides services in the subspecialty of Toxicology, the...

42 CFR 493.1213 - Condition: Toxicology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2014-10-01 2014-10-01 false Condition: Toxicology. 493.1213 Section 493.1213 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES....1213 Condition: Toxicology. If the laboratory provides services in the subspecialty of Toxicology, the...

42 CFR 493.1213 - Condition: Toxicology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Condition: Toxicology. 493.1213 Section 493.1213 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES....1213 Condition: Toxicology. If the laboratory provides services in the subspecialty of Toxicology, the...

42 CFR 493.1213 - Condition: Toxicology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2013-10-01 2013-10-01 false Condition: Toxicology. 493.1213 Section 493.1213 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES....1213 Condition: Toxicology. If the laboratory provides services in the subspecialty of Toxicology, the...

42 CFR 493.1213 - Condition: Toxicology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... 42 Public Health 5 2012-10-01 2012-10-01 false Condition: Toxicology. 493.1213 Section 493.1213 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES....1213 Condition: Toxicology. If the laboratory provides services in the subspecialty of Toxicology, the...

ACToR A Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource (S) ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

We are developing the ACToR system (Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource) to serve as a repository for a variety of types of chemical, biological and toxicological data that can be used for predictive modeling of chemical toxicology. We are developing the ACToR system (Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource) to serve as a repository for a variety of types of chemical, biological and toxicological data that can be used for predictive modeling of chemical toxicology.

The EPA Comptox Chemistry Dashboard: A Web-Based Data Integration Hub for Toxicology Data (SOT)

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Computational Toxicology Program integrates advances in biology, chemistry, and computer science to help prioritize chemicals for further research based on potential human health risks. This work involves computational and data drive...

Interim Service ISDN Satellite (ISIS) network model for advanced satellite designs and experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pepin, Gerard R.; Hager, E. Paul

1991-01-01

The Interim Service Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) Satellite (ISIS) Network Model for Advanced Satellite Designs and Experiments describes a model suitable for discrete event simulations. A top-down model design uses the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) as its basis. The ISDN modeling abstractions are added to permit the determination and performance for the NASA Satellite Communications Research (SCAR) Program.

The Global Educational Toxicology Uniting Project (GETUP): an Analysis of the First Year of a Novel Toxicology Education Project.

PubMed

Wong, Anselm; Vohra, Rais; Ruha, Anne-Michelle; Koutsogiannis, Zeff; Graeme, Kimberlie; Dargan, Paul I; Wood, David M; Greene, Shaun L

2015-09-01

The international boundaries to medical education are becoming less marked as new technologies such as multiuser videoconferencing are developed and become more accessible to help bridge the communication gaps. The Global Educational Toxicology Uniting Project (GETUP) is aimed at connecting clinicians in countries with established clinical toxicology services to clinicians in countries without clinical toxicologists around the globe. Centers that manage or consult on toxicology cases were registered through the American College of Medical Toxicology website via Survey Monkey®. Data was analyzed retrospectively from February 2014 to January 2015. Google hangouts® was used as the main conferencing software, but some sites preferred the use of Skype®. Registration data included contact details and toxicology background and qualifications. Thirty sites in 19 different countries in Australasia, Europe, Africa, and America were registered. Twenty-eight (93 %) sites were located in a major urban center, one (3.5 %) site in a major rural center and one (3.5 %) a private practice. Expectations of GETUP included sharing toxicology cases and education (30, 100 % of sites), assistance with toxicology management guidelines (2, 7 %), assistance with providing a toxicology teaching curriculum in languages other than English (2, 7 %), and managing toxicology presentations in resource-poor settings, international collaboration, and toxicovigilance (2 sites, 7 %). Twenty-two conferences were performed during the first 12 months with a mean of 3 cases per conference. GETUP has connected countries and clinical units with and without toxicology services and will provide a platform to improve international collaboration in clinical toxicology.

Arsenic Exposure and Toxicology: A Historical Perspective

PubMed Central

Hughes, Michael F.; Beck, Barbara D.; Chen, Yu; Lewis, Ari S.; Thomas, David J.

2011-01-01

The metalloid arsenic is a natural environmental contaminant to which humans are routinely exposed in food, water, air, and soil. Arsenic has a long history of use as a homicidal agent, but in the past 100 years arsenic, has been used as a pesticide, a chemotherapeutic agent and a constituent of consumer products. In some areas of the world, high levels of arsenic are naturally present in drinking water and are a toxicological concern. There are several structural forms and oxidation states of arsenic because it forms alloys with metals and covalent bonds with hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, and other elements. Environmentally relevant forms of arsenic are inorganic and organic existing in the trivalent or pentavalent state. Metabolism of arsenic, catalyzed by arsenic (+3 oxidation state) methyltransferase, is a sequential process of reduction from pentavalency to trivalency followed by oxidative methylation back to pentavalency. Trivalent arsenic is generally more toxicologically potent than pentavalent arsenic. Acute effects of arsenic range from gastrointestinal distress to death. Depending on the dose, chronic arsenic exposure may affect several major organ systems. A major concern of ingested arsenic is cancer, primarily of skin, bladder, and lung. The mode of action of arsenic for its disease endpoints is currently under study. Two key areas are the interaction of trivalent arsenicals with sulfur in proteins and the ability of arsenic to generate oxidative stress. With advances in technology and the recent development of animal models for arsenic carcinogenicity, understanding of the toxicology of arsenic will continue to improve. PMID:21750349

42 CFR 493.937 - Toxicology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... a laboratory's responses for quantitative toxicology tests or analytes, the program must compare the... sample in toxicology is the score determined under paragraph (c)(2) of this section. (2) For quantitative...

42 CFR 493.937 - Toxicology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... a laboratory's responses for quantitative toxicology tests or analytes, the program must compare the... sample in toxicology is the score determined under paragraph (c)(2) of this section. (2) For quantitative...

42 CFR 493.937 - Toxicology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... a laboratory's responses for quantitative toxicology tests or analytes, the program must compare the... sample in toxicology is the score determined under paragraph (c)(2) of this section. (2) For quantitative...

42 CFR 493.937 - Toxicology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... a laboratory's responses for quantitative toxicology tests or analytes, the program must compare the... sample in toxicology is the score determined under paragraph (c)(2) of this section. (2) For quantitative...

42 CFR 493.937 - Toxicology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... a laboratory's responses for quantitative toxicology tests or analytes, the program must compare the... sample in toxicology is the score determined under paragraph (c)(2) of this section. (2) For quantitative...

The Emergence of Systematic Review in Toxicology

PubMed Central

Stephens, Martin L.; Betts, Kellyn; Beck, Nancy B.; Cogliano, Vincent; Dickersin, Kay; Fitzpatrick, Suzanne; Freeman, James; Gray, George; Hartung, Thomas; McPartland, Jennifer; Rooney, Andrew A.; Scherer, Roberta W.; Verloo, Didier; Hoffmann, Sebastian

2016-01-01

The Evidence-based Toxicology Collaboration hosted a workshop on “The Emergence of Systematic Review and Related Evidence-based Approaches in Toxicology,” on November 21, 2014 in Baltimore, Maryland. The workshop featured speakers from agencies and organizations applying systematic review approaches to questions in toxicology, speakers with experience in conducting systematic reviews in medicine and healthcare, and stakeholders in industry, government, academia, and non-governmental organizations. Based on the workshop presentations and discussion, here we address the state of systematic review methods in toxicology, historical antecedents in both medicine and toxicology, challenges to the translation of systematic review from medicine to toxicology, and thoughts on the way forward. We conclude with a recommendation that as various agencies and organizations adapt systematic review methods, they continue to work together to ensure that there is a harmonized process for how the basic elements of systematic review methods are applied in toxicology. PMID:27208075

Aerospace Toxicology and Microbiology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, John T.; Parmet, A. J.; Pierson, Duane L.

2007-01-01

Toxicology dates to the very earliest history of humanity with various poisons and venom being recognized as a method of hunting or waging war with the earliest documentation in the Evers papyrus (circa 1500 BCE). The Greeks identified specific poisons such as hemlock, a method of state execution, and the Greek word toxos (arrow) became the root of our modern science. The first scientific approach to the understanding of poisons and toxicology was the work during the late middle ages of Paracelsus. He formulated what were then revolutionary views that a specific toxic agent or "toxicon" caused specific dose-related effects. His principles have established the basis of modern pharmacology and toxicology. In 1700, Bernardo Ramazzini published the book De Morbis Artificum Diatriba (The Diseases of Workers) describing specific illnesses associated with certain labor, particularly metal workers exposed to mercury, lead, arsenic, and rock dust. Modern toxicology dates from development of the modern industrial chemical processes, the earliest involving an analytical method for arsenic by Marsh in 1836. Industrial organic chemicals were synthesized in the late 1800 s along with anesthetics and disinfectants. In 1908, Hamilton began the long study of occupational toxicology issues, and by WW I the scientific use of toxicants saw Haber creating war gases and defining time-dosage relationships that are used even today.

Precision toxicology based on single cell sequencing: an evolving trend in toxicological evaluations and mechanism exploration.

PubMed

Zhang, Boyang; Huang, Kunlun; Zhu, Liye; Luo, Yunbo; Xu, Wentao

2017-07-01

In this review, we introduce a new concept, precision toxicology: the mode of action of chemical- or drug-induced toxicity can be sensitively and specifically investigated by isolating a small group of cells or even a single cell with typical phenotype of interest followed by a single cell sequencing-based analysis. Precision toxicology can contribute to the better detection of subtle intracellular changes in response to exogenous substrates, and thus help researchers find solutions to control or relieve the toxicological effects that are serious threats to human health. We give examples for single cell isolation and recommend laser capture microdissection for in vivo studies and flow cytometric sorting for in vitro studies. In addition, we introduce the procedures for single cell sequencing and describe the expected application of these techniques to toxicological evaluations and mechanism exploration, which we believe will become a trend in toxicology.

Advanced Fault Diagnosis Methods in Molecular Networks

PubMed Central

Habibi, Iman; Emamian, Effat S.; Abdi, Ali

2014-01-01

Analysis of the failure of cell signaling networks is an important topic in systems biology and has applications in target discovery and drug development. In this paper, some advanced methods for fault diagnosis in signaling networks are developed and then applied to a caspase network and an SHP2 network. The goal is to understand how, and to what extent, the dysfunction of molecules in a network contributes to the failure of the entire network. Network dysfunction (failure) is defined as failure to produce the expected outputs in response to the input signals. Vulnerability level of a molecule is defined as the probability of the network failure, when the molecule is dysfunctional. In this study, a method to calculate the vulnerability level of single molecules for different combinations of input signals is developed. Furthermore, a more complex yet biologically meaningful method for calculating the multi-fault vulnerability levels is suggested, in which two or more molecules are simultaneously dysfunctional. Finally, a method is developed for fault diagnosis of networks based on a ternary logic model, which considers three activity levels for a molecule instead of the previously published binary logic model, and provides equations for the vulnerabilities of molecules in a ternary framework. Multi-fault analysis shows that the pairs of molecules with high vulnerability typically include a highly vulnerable molecule identified by the single fault analysis. The ternary fault analysis for the caspase network shows that predictions obtained using the more complex ternary model are about the same as the predictions of the simpler binary approach. This study suggests that by increasing the number of activity levels the complexity of the model grows; however, the predictive power of the ternary model does not appear to be increased proportionally. PMID:25290670

Regulatory issues in accreditation of toxicology laboratories.

PubMed

Bissell, Michael G

2012-09-01

Clinical toxicology laboratories and forensic toxicology laboratories operate in a highly regulated environment. This article outlines major US legal/regulatory issues and requirements relevant to accreditation of toxicology laboratories (state and local regulations are not covered in any depth). The most fundamental regulatory distinction involves the purposes for which the laboratory operates: clinical versus nonclinical. The applicable regulations and the requirements and options for operations depend most basically on this consideration, with clinical toxicology laboratories being directly subject to federal law including mandated options for accreditation and forensic toxicology laboratories being subject to degrees of voluntary or state government–required accreditation.

Experimental designs and risk assessment in combination toxicology: panel discussion.

PubMed

Henschler, D; Bolt, H M; Jonker, D; Pieters, M N; Groten, J P

1996-01-01

Advancing our knowledge on the toxicology of combined exposures to chemicals and implementation of this knowledge in guidelines for health risk assessment of such combined exposures are necessities dictated by the simple fact that humans are continuously exposed to a multitude of chemicals. A prerequisite for successful research and fruitful discussions on the toxicology of combined exposures (mixtures of chemicals) is the use of defined terminology implemented by an authoritative international body such as, for example, the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) Toxicology Committee. The extreme complexity of mixture toxicology calls for new research methodologies to study interactive effects, taking into account limited resources. Of these methodologies, statistical designs and mathematical modelling of toxicokinetics and toxicodynamics seem to be most promising. Emphasis should be placed on low-dose modelling and experimental validation. The scientifically sound so-called bottom-up approach should be supplemented with more pragmatic approaches, focusing on selection of the most hazardous chemicals in a mixture and careful consideration of the mode of action and possible interactive effects of these chemicals. Pragmatic approaches may be of particular importance to study and evaluate complex mixtures; after identification of the 'top ten' (most risky) chemicals in the mixture they can be examined and evaluated as a defined (simple) chemical mixture. In setting exposure limits for individual chemicals, the use of an additional safety factor to compensate for potential increased risk due to simultaneous exposure to other chemicals, has no clear scientific justification. The use of such an additional factor is a political rather than a scientific choice.

Proceedings of the 2014 National Toxicology Program Satellite Symposium

PubMed Central

Elmore, Susan A.; Cora, Michelle C.; Gruebbel, Margarita M.; Hayes, Schantel A.; Hoane, Jessica S.; Koizumi, Haruko; Peters, Rachel; Rosol, Thomas J.; Singh, Bhanu P.; Szabo, Kathleen A.

2014-01-01

The 2014 annual National Toxicology Program (NTP) Satellite Symposium, entitled “Pathology Potpourri” was held in Washington DC, in advance of the Society of Toxicologic Pathology’s 33rd annual meeting. The goal of this annual NTP Symposium is to present current diagnostic pathology or nomenclature issues to the toxicologic pathology community. This article presents summaries of the speakers’ presentations, including diagnostic or nomenclature issues that were presented, along with select images that were used for audience voting and discussion. Some lesions and topics covered during the symposium included a pulmonary mucinous adenocarcinoma in a male B6C3F1 mouse; plexiform vasculopathy in Wistar Han rats; staging of the estrous cycle in rats and mice; peri-islet fibrosis, hemorrhage, lobular atrophy and inflammation in male Sprague Dawley rats; retinal dysplasia in Wistar Han rats and B6C3F1 mice; multicentric lymphoma with intravascular microemboli and tumor lysis syndrome, and two cases of myopathy and vascular anomaly in Tg.rasH2 mice; benign thymomas in Wistar Han rats; angiomatous lesions in the mesenteric lymph nodes of Wistar Han rats; an unusual foveal lesion in a cynomolgous monkey; and finally a series of nomenclatures challenges from the endocrine International Harmonization of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria (INHAND) organ working group (OWG). PMID:25385331

Impact of online toxicology training on health professionals: the Global Educational Toxicology Uniting Project (GETUP).

PubMed

Wong, Anselm; Vohra, Rais; Dawson, Andrew H; Stolbach, Andrew

2017-11-01

The Global Educational Toxicology Uniting Project (GETUP), supported by the American College of Medical Toxicology, links countries with and without toxicology services via distance education with the aim to improve education. Due to the lack of toxicology services in some countries there is a knowledge gap in the management of poisonings. We describe our experience with the worldwide delivery of an online introductory toxicology curriculum to emergency doctors and other health professionals treating poisoned patients. We delivered a 15-module introductory Internet-based toxicology curriculum to emergency doctors and health professionals, conducted from August to December 2016. This Internet-based curriculum was adapted from one used to teach emergency residents toxicology in the United States. Modules covered themes such as pharmaceutical (n = 8), toxidromes (n = 2) and agrochemicals (n = 5) poisoning. Participants completed pre-test and post-test multiple choice questions (MCQs) before and after completing the online module, respectively, throughout the course. We collected information on participant demographics, education and training, and perception of relevance of the curriculum. Participants gave feedback on the course and how it affected their practice. One hundred and thirty-six health professionals from 33 countries participated in the course: 98 emergency doctors/medical officers, 25 physicians, eight pharmacists/poisons information specialists, two toxicologists, two medical students and one nurse. Median age of participants was 34 years. Median number of years postgraduate was seven. Ninety (65%) had access to either a poisons information centre over the phone or toxicologist and 48 (35%) did not. All participants expected the course to help improve their knowledge. Overall median pre-module MCQ scores were 56% (95%CI: 38, 75%) compared to post-module MCQ scores median 89% (95% CI: 67, 100%) (p < .0001). Our participants demonstrated an

ACToR A Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource

EPA Science Inventory

We are developing the ACToR system (Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource) to serve as a repository for a variety of types of chemical, biological and toxicological data that can be used for predictive modeling of chemical toxicology.

The Role of Toxicology in the Pharmacy Curriculum

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Autian, John; Wood, George

1976-01-01

The past history of toxicology courses, recent trends, departments or divisions of toxicology, undergraduate and graduate courses, and residency programs are described. The emphasis of clinical toxicology in the University of Tennessee program is discussed, along with the school's Drug and Toxicology Information Center. (LBH)

Proceedings of the Conference on Toxicology: Applications of Advances in Toxicology to Risk Assessment. Held at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio on 19-21 May 1992

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

animals in toxicology research, the application of pharmacokinetics and physiologically based pharmacokinetic mdels in chemical risk assessment, selected...metaplasia Neurotoxicity Nonmutagenic carcinogens Ozone P450 PBPK modeling Perfluorohexane Peroxisome proliferators Pharmacokinetics Pharmacokinetic models...Physiological modeling Physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling Polycyclic organic matter Quantitative risk assessment RAIRM model Rats

Proceedings of the Workshop on Advanced Network and Technology Concepts for Mobile, Micro, and Personal Communications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paul, Lori (Editor)

1991-01-01

The Workshop on Advanced Network and Technology Concepts for Mobile, Micro, and Personal Communications was held at NASA's JPL Laboratory on 30-31 May 1991. It provided a forum for reviewing the development of advanced network and technology concepts for turn-of-the-century telecommunications. The workshop was organized into three main categories: (1) Satellite-Based Networks (L-band, C-band, Ku-band, and Ka-band); (2) Terrestrial-Based Networks (cellular, CT2, PCN, GSM, and other networks); and (3) Hybrid Satellite/Terrestrial Networks. The proceedings contain presentation papers from each of the above categories.

Non-precautionary aspects of toxicology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grandjean, Philippe

2005-09-01

Empirical studies in toxicology aim at deciphering complex causal relationships, especially in regard to human disease etiologies. Several scientific traditions limit the usefulness of documentation from current toxicological research, in regard to decision-making based on the precautionary principle. Among non-precautionary aspects of toxicology are the focus on simplified model systems and the effects of single hazards, one by one. Thus, less attention is paid to sources of variability and uncertainty, including individual susceptibility, impacts of mixed and variable exposures, susceptible life-stages, and vulnerable communities. In emphasizing the need for confirmatory evidence, toxicology tends to penalize false positives more than falsemore » negatives. An important source of uncertainty is measurement error that results in misclassification, especially in regard to exposure assessment. Standard statistical analysis assumes that the exposure is measured without error, and imprecisions will usually result in an underestimation of the dose-effect relationship. In testing whether an effect could be considered a possible result of natural variability, a 5% limit for 'statistical significance' is usually applied, even though it may rule out many findings of causal associations, simply because the study was too small (and thus lacked statistical power) or because some imprecision or limited sensitivity of the parameters precluded a more definitive observation. These limitations may be aggravated when toxicology is influenced by vested interests. Because current toxicology overlooks the important goal of achieving a better characterization of uncertainties and their implications, research approaches should be revised and strengthened to counteract the innate ideological biases, thereby supporting our confidence in using toxicology as a main source of documentation and in using the precautionary principle as a decision procedure in the public policy arena.« less

Recent advances of liquid chromatography-(tandem) mass spectrometry in clinical and forensic toxicology - An update.

PubMed

Remane, Daniela; Wissenbach, Dirk K; Peters, Frank T

2016-09-01

Liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to mass spectrometry (MS) or tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is a well-established and widely used technique in clinical and forensic toxicology as well as doping control especially for quantitative analysis. In recent years, many applications for so-called multi-target screening and/or quantification of drugs, poisons, and or their metabolites in biological matrices have been developed. Such methods have proven particularly useful for analysis of so-called new psychoactive substances that have appeared on recreational drug markets throughout the world. Moreover, the evolvement of high resolution MS techniques and the development of data-independent detection modes have opened new possibilities for applications of LC-(MS/MS) in systematic toxicological screening analysis in the so called general unknown setting. The present paper will provide an overview and discuss these recent developments focusing on the literature published after 2010. Copyright © 2016 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Adverse Outcome Pathway Network Analyses: Techniques and benchmarking the AOPwiki

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract: As the community of toxicological researchers, risk assessors, and risk managers adopt the adverse outcome pathway (AOP) paradigm for organizing toxicological knowledge, the number and diversity of adverse outcome pathways and AOP networks are continuing to grow. This ...

Predictive Toxicology: Current Status and Future Outlook (EBI ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Slide presentation at the EBI-EMBL Industry Programme Workshop on Predictive Toxicology and the currently status of Computational Toxicology activities at the US EPA. Slide presentation at the EBI-EMBL Industry Programme Workshop on Predictive Toxicology and the currently status of Computational Toxicology activities at the US EPA.

Environmental toxicology: Interconnections between human ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This presentation will discuss what has made a career in environmental toxicology rewarding, environmental and scientific challenges for the 21st century, paradigm shift in regulatory toxicology, adverse outcome framework, interconnections between human health and ecological integrity, SOT-SETAC Pellston Workshop findings, concepts for systems thinking in environmental toxicology The Eminent Toxicologist Lectures are historically relevant, high-quality presentations appropriate for senior undergraduate students, graduate students, or the scientifically oriented general public. This series of lectures is produced by the SOT Undergraduate Subcommittee of the Education Committee in conjunction with the Eminent Toxicologist Working Group.

Defining toxicological tipping points in neuronal network development.

PubMed

Frank, Christopher L; Brown, Jasmine P; Wallace, Kathleen; Wambaugh, John F; Shah, Imran; Shafer, Timothy J

2018-02-02

Measuring electrical activity of neural networks by microelectrode array (MEA) has recently shown promise for screening level assessments of chemical toxicity on network development and function. Important aspects of interneuronal communication can be quantified from a single MEA recording, including individual firing rates, coordinated bursting, and measures of network synchrony, providing rich datasets to evaluate chemical effects. Further, multiple recordings can be made from the same network, including during the formation of these networks in vitro. The ability to perform multiple recording sessions over the in vitro development of network activity may provide further insight into developmental effects of neurotoxicants. In the current study, a recently described MEA-based screen of 86 compounds in primary rat cortical cultures over 12 days in vitro was revisited to establish a framework that integrates all available primary measures of electrical activity from MEA recordings into a composite metric for deviation from normal activity (total scalar perturbation). Examining scalar perturbations over time and increasing concentration of compound allowed for definition of critical concentrations or "tipping points" at which the neural networks switched from recovery to non-recovery trajectories for 42 compounds. These tipping point concentrations occurred at predominantly lower concentrations than those causing overt cell viability loss or disrupting individual network parameters, suggesting tipping points may be a more sensitive measure of network functional loss. Comparing tipping points for six compounds with plasma concentrations known to cause developmental neurotoxicity in vivo demonstrated strong concordance and suggests there is potential for using tipping points for chemical prioritization. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Resource Guide to Careers in Toxicology, 3rd Edition.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Society of Toxicology, Reston, VA.

This resource guide was prepared by the Tox 90's Educational Issues Task Force of the Society of Toxicology. The introduction provides information on the Society of Toxicology and financial support for graduate students in toxicology. Other sections include career opportunities in toxicology, academic and postdoctoral programs in toxicology, and…

Toxicological and chemical assessment of arsenic-contaminated groundwater after electrochemical and advanced oxidation treatments.

PubMed

Radić, Sandra; Crnojević, Helena; Vujčić, Valerija; Gajski, Goran; Gerić, Marko; Cvetković, Želimira; Petra, Cvjetko; Garaj-Vrhovac, Vera; Oreščanin, Višnja

2016-02-01

Owing to its proven toxicity and mutagenicity, arsenic is regarded a principal pollutant in water used for drinking. The objective of this study was the toxicological and chemical evaluation of groundwater samples obtained from arsenic enriched drinking water wells before and after electrochemical and ozone-UV-H2O2-based advanced oxidation processes (EAOP). For this purpose, acute toxicity test with Daphnia magna and chronic toxicity test with Lemna minor L. were employed as well as in vitro bioassays using human peripheral blood lymphocytes (HPBLs). Several oxidative stress parameters were estimated in L.minor. Physicochemical analysis showed that EAOP treatment was highly efficient in arsenic but also in ammonia and organic compound removal from contaminated groundwater. Untreated groundwater caused only slight toxicity to HPBLs and D. magna in acute experiments. However, 7-day exposure of L. minor to raw groundwater elicited genotoxicity, a significant growth inhibition and oxidative stress injury. The observed genotoxicity and toxicity of raw groundwater samples was almost completely eliminated by EAOP treatment. Generally, the results obtained with L. minor were in agreement with those obtained in the chemical analysis suggesting the sensitivity of the model organism in monitoring of arsenic-contaminated groundwater. In parallel to chemical analysis, the implementation of chronic toxicity bioassays in a battery is recommended in the assessment of the toxic and genotoxic potential of such complex mixtures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Virtual tissues in toxicology.

PubMed

Shah, Imran; Wambaugh, John

2010-02-01

New approaches are vital for efficiently evaluating human health risk of thousands of chemicals in commerce. In vitro models offer a high-throughput approach for assaying chemical-induced molecular and cellular changes; however, bridging these perturbations to in vivo effects across chemicals, dose, time, and species remains challenging. Technological advances in multiresolution imaging and multiscale simulation are making it feasible to reconstruct tissues in silico. In toxicology, these "virtual" tissues (VT) aim to predict histopathological outcomes from alterations of cellular phenotypes that are controlled by chemical-induced perturbations in molecular pathways. The behaviors of thousands of heterogeneous cells in tissues are simulated discretely using agent-based modeling (ABM), in which computational "agents" mimic cell interactions and cellular responses to the microenvironment. The behavior of agents is constrained by physical laws and biological rules derived from experimental evidence. VT extend compartmental physiologic models to simulate both acute insults as well as the chronic effects of low-dose exposure. Furthermore, agent behavior can encode the logic of signaling and genetic regulatory networks to evaluate the role of different pathways in chemical-induced injury. To extrapolate toxicity across species, chemicals, and doses, VT require four main components: (a) organization of prior knowledge on physiologic events to define the mechanistic rules for agent behavior, (b) knowledge on key chemical-induced molecular effects, including activation of stress sensors and changes in molecular pathways that alter the cellular phenotype, (c) multiresolution quantitative and qualitative analysis of histologic data to characterize and measure chemical-, dose-, and time-dependent physiologic events, and (d) multiscale, spatiotemporal simulation frameworks to effectively calibrate and evaluate VT using experimental data. This investigation presents the

Delivering The Benefits of Chemical-Biological Integration in Computational Toxicology at the EPA (ACS Fall meeting)

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract: Researchers at the EPA’s National Center for Computational Toxicology integrate advances in biology, chemistry, and computer science to examine the toxicity of chemicals and help prioritize chemicals for further research based on potential human health risks. The intent...

Toxicology of organic-inorganic hybrid molecules: bio-organometallics and its toxicology.

PubMed

Fujie, Tomoya; Hara, Takato; Kaji, Toshiyuki

2016-01-01

Bio-organometallics is a research strategy of biology that uses organic-inorganic hybrid molecules. The molecules are expected to exhibit useful bioactivities based on the unique structure formed by interaction between the organic structure and intramolecular metal(s). However, studies on both biology and toxicology of organic-inorganic hybrid molecules have been incompletely performed. There can be two types of toxicological studies of bio-organometallics; one is evaluation of organic-inorganic hybrid molecules and the other is analysis of biological systems from the viewpoint of toxicology using organic-inorganic hybrid molecules. Our recent studies indicate that cytotoxicity of hybrid molecules containing a metal that is nontoxic in inorganic forms can be more toxic than that of hybrid molecules containing a metal that is toxic in inorganic forms when the structure of the ligand is the same. Additionally, it was revealed that organic-inorganic hybrid molecules are useful for analysis of biological systems important for understanding the toxicity of chemical compounds including heavy metals.

Long Non-Coding RNAs: A Novel Paradigm for Toxicology.

PubMed

Dempsey, Joseph L; Cui, Julia Yue

2017-01-01

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are over 200 nucleotides in length and are transcribed from the mammalian genome in a tissue-specific and developmentally regulated pattern. There is growing recognition that lncRNAs are novel biomarkers and/or key regulators of toxicological responses in humans and animal models. Lacking protein-coding capacity, the numerous types of lncRNAs possess a myriad of transcriptional regulatory functions that include cis and trans gene expression, transcription factor activity, chromatin remodeling, imprinting, and enhancer up-regulation. LncRNAs also influence mRNA processing, post-transcriptional regulation, and protein trafficking. Dysregulation of lncRNAs has been implicated in various human health outcomes such as various cancers, Alzheimer's disease, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases, as well as intermediary metabolism such as glucose, lipid, and bile acid homeostasis. Interestingly, emerging evidence in the literature over the past five years has shown that lncRNA regulation is impacted by exposures to various chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene, cadmium, chlorpyrifos-methyl, bisphenol A, phthalates, phenols, and bile acids. Recent technological advancements, including next-generation sequencing technologies and novel computational algorithms, have enabled the profiling and functional characterizations of lncRNAs on a genomic scale. In this review, we summarize the biogenesis and general biological functions of lncRNAs, highlight the important roles of lncRNAs in human diseases and especially during the toxicological responses to various xenobiotics, evaluate current methods for identifying aberrant lncRNA expression and molecular target interactions, and discuss the potential to implement these tools to address fundamental questions in toxicology. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e

A primer on systematic reviews in toxicology.

PubMed

Hoffmann, Sebastian; de Vries, Rob B M; Stephens, Martin L; Beck, Nancy B; Dirven, Hubert A A M; Fowle, John R; Goodman, Julie E; Hartung, Thomas; Kimber, Ian; Lalu, Manoj M; Thayer, Kristina; Whaley, Paul; Wikoff, Daniele; Tsaioun, Katya

2017-07-01

Systematic reviews, pioneered in the clinical field, provide a transparent, methodologically rigorous and reproducible means of summarizing the available evidence on a precisely framed research question. Having matured to a well-established approach in many research fields, systematic reviews are receiving increasing attention as a potential tool for answering toxicological questions. In the larger framework of evidence-based toxicology, the advantages and obstacles of, as well as the approaches for, adapting and adopting systematic reviews to toxicology are still being explored. To provide the toxicology community with a starting point for conducting or understanding systematic reviews, we herein summarized available guidance documents from various fields of application. We have elaborated on the systematic review process by breaking it down into ten steps, starting with planning the project, framing the question, and writing and publishing the protocol, and concluding with interpretation and reporting. In addition, we have identified the specific methodological challenges of toxicological questions and have summarized how these can be addressed. Ultimately, this primer is intended to stimulate scientific discussions of the identified issues to fuel the development of toxicology-specific methodology and to encourage the application of systematic review methodology to toxicological issues.

ACTS TDMA network control. [Advanced Communication Technology Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Inukai, T.; Campanella, S. J.

1984-01-01

This paper presents basic network control concepts for the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) System. Two experimental systems, called the low-burst-rate and high-burst-rate systems, along with ACTS ground system features, are described. The network control issues addressed include frame structures, acquisition and synchronization procedures, coordinated station burst-time plan and satellite-time plan changes, on-board clock control based on ground drift measurements, rain fade control by means of adaptive forward-error-correction (FEC) coding and transmit power augmentation, and reassignment of channel capacities on demand. The NASA ground system, which includes a primary station, diversity station, and master control station, is also described.

Results of a Wildlife Toxicology Workshop held by the Smithsonian Institution ? Identification and prioritization of problem statements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grim, K.C.; Fairbrother, A.; Monfort, S.; Tan, S.; Rattner, B.A.; Gerould, S.; Beasley, V.; Aguirre, A.; Rowles, T.

2007-01-01

On March 13-15, 2007 nearly 50 scientists and administrators from the US and Canada participated in a Smithsonian-sponsored Wildlife Toxicology Workshop. Invitees were from academic, government, conservation and the private organizations and were selected to represent the diverse disciplines that encompass wildlife toxicology. The workshop addressed scientific and policy issues, strengths and weaknesses of current research strategies, interdisciplinary and science-based approaches in the study of complex contaminant issues, mechanisms for disseminating data to policy-makers, and the development of a partner network to meet the challenges facing wildlife toxicology over the next decade. Prior to the meeting, participants were asked to submit issues they deemed to be of highest concern which shaped four thematic groups for discussion: Wildlife Toxicology in Education, Risk Assessment, Multiple Stressors/Complex Mixtures, and Sub-Lethal to Population-Level Effects. From these discussion groups, 18 problem statements were developed and prioritized outlining what were deemed the most important issues to address now and into the future. Along with each problem statement participants developed potential solutions and action steps geared to move each issue forward. The workshop served as a stepping stone for action in the field of wildlife toxicology. These problem statements and the resulting action items are presented to the inter-disciplinary wildlife toxicology community for adoption, and future work and action items in these areas are encouraged. The workshop outcome looks to generate conversation and collaboration that will lead to the development of innovative research, future mechanisms for funding, workshops, working groups, and listserves within the wildlife toxicology community.

Reprint Library for Toxicology Data Bank

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Agarwal, S. N.; Khan, R. R.

1975-01-01

The Industrial Toxicology Research Center, Lucknow, India, maintains a register of toxicology and provides its research workers with current information mainly through its collection of reprints. (Author)

Ninth Triennial Toxicology Salary Survey.

PubMed

Gad, Shayne Cox; Sullivan, Dexter Wayne

2016-01-01

This survey serves as the ninth in a series of toxicology salary surveys conducted at 3-year intervals and beginning in 1988. An electronic survey instrument was distributed to 5919 individuals including members of the Society of Toxicology, American College of Toxicology, and 23 additional professional organizations. Question items inquired about gender, age, degree, years of experience, certifications held, areas of specialization, society membership, employment and income. Overall, 1293 responses were received (response rate 21.8%). The results of the 2014 survey provide insight into the job market and career path for current and future toxicologists. © The Author(s) 2016.

Eighth triennial toxicology salary survey.

PubMed

Gad, Shayne Cox; Sullivan, Dexter Wayne

2013-01-01

This survey serves as the eighth in a series of toxicology salary surveys conducted at 3-year intervals and beginning in 1988. An electronic survey instrument was distributed to 5800 individuals including members of the Society of Toxicology, American College of Toxicology, and 23 additional professional organizations. Question items inquired about gender, age, degree, years of experience, certifications held, areas of specialization, society membership, employment and income. Overall, 2057 responses were received (response rate 35.5%). The results of the 2012 survey provide insight into the job market and career path for current and future toxicologists.

Optical Multiple Access Network (OMAN) for advanced processing satellite applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mendez, Antonio J.; Gagliardi, Robert M.; Park, Eugene; Ivancic, William D.; Sherman, Bradley D.

1991-01-01

An OMAN breadboard for exploring advanced processing satellite circuit switch applications is introduced. Network architecture, hardware trade offs, and multiple user interference issues are presented. The breadboard test set up and experimental results are discussed.

Investigating Impact Metrics for Performance for the US EPA National Center for Computational Toxicology (ACS Fall meeting)

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Computational Toxicology Program integrates advances in biology, chemistry, and computer science to help prioritize chemicals for further research based on potential human health risks. This work involves computational and data drive...

The pharmacology and toxicology of three new biologic agents used in pulmonary medicine.

PubMed

Albertson, T E; Walby, W F; Allen, R P; Tharratt, R S

1995-01-01

Biological agents have played an important role in the evolution of modern medical therapeutics. Recent advances in biologicals have in part been stimulated by the biotechnology revolution seen over the last several years. Toxicologists need to be aware of the proposed mechanisms and approved and experimental uses of these new biologic agents. Further, controversies about their use, efficacy, cost issues and potential toxicities should be known. Often these drugs are designed for small patient populations thus limiting the availability of human toxicological data bases. This paper reviews the pharmacology and toxicology of three new biologics (recombinant human DNase I, alpha 1-protease inhibitor, and nitric oxide). These agents appear to have important roles in treating specific diseases or disease states seen in pulmonary medicine.

Collection analysis techniques used to evaluate a graduate-level toxicology collection.

PubMed

Crawley-Low, Jill V

2002-07-01

Collections librarians from academic libraries are often asked, on short notice, to evaluate whether their collections are able to support changes in their institutions' curricula, such as new programs or courses or revisions to existing programs or courses. With insufficient time to perform an exhaustive critique of the collection and a need to prepare a report for faculty external to the library, a selection of reliable but brief qualitative and quantitative tests is needed. In this study, materials-centered and use-centered methods were chosen to evaluate the toxicology collection of the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) Library. Strengths and weaknesses of the techniques are reviewed, along with examples of their use in evaluating the toxicology collection. The monograph portion of the collection was evaluated using list checking, citation analysis, and classified profile methods. Cost-effectiveness and impact factor data were compiled to rank journals from the collection. Use-centered methods such as circulation and interlibrary loan data identified highly used items that should be added to the collection. Finally, although the data were insufficient to evaluate the toxicology electronic journals at the U of S, a brief discussion of three initiatives that aim to assist librarians as they evaluate the use of networked electronic resources in their collections is presented.

Developmental Toxicology##

EPA Science Inventory

Developmental toxicology encompasses the study of developmental exposures, pharmacokinetics, mechanisms, pathogenesis, and outcomes potentially leading to adverse health effects. Manifestations of developmental toxicity include structural malformations, growth retardation, functi...

Gordon Research Conference on Genetic Toxicology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Project Director Penelope Jeggo

2003-02-15

Genetic toxicology represents a study of the genetic damage that a cell can incur, the agents that induce such damage, the damage response mechanisms available to cells and organisms, and the potential consequences of such damage. Genotoxic agents are abundant in the environment and are also induced endogenously. The consequences of such damage can include carcinogenesis and teratogenesis. An understanding of genetic toxicology is essential to carry out risk evaluations of the impact of genotoxic agents and to assess how individual genetic differences influence the response to genotoxic damage. In recent years, the importance of maintaining genomic stability has becomemore » increasingly recognized, in part by the realization that failure of the damage response mechanisms underlies many, if not all, cancer incidence. The importance of these mechanisms is also underscored by their remarkable conservation between species, allowing the study of simple organisms to provide significant input into our understanding of the underlying mechanisms. It has also become clear that the damage response mechanisms interface closely with other aspects of cellular metabolism including replication, transcription and cell cycle regulation. Moreover, defects in many of these mechanisms, as observed for example in ataxia telangiectasia patients, confer disorders with associated developmental abnormalities demonstrating their essential roles during growth and development. In short, while a decade ago, a study of the impact of DNA damage was seen as a compartmentalized area of cellular research, it is now appreciated to lie at the centre of an array of cellular responses of crucial importance to human health. Consequently, this has become a dynamic and rapidly advancing area of research. The Genetic Toxicology Gordon Research Conference is biannual with an evolving change in the emphasis of the meetings. From evaluating the nature of genotoxic chemicals, which lay at the centre of the

Status of characterization techniques for carbon nanotubes and suggestions towards standards suitable for toxicological assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schweinberger, Florian F.; Meyer-Plath, Asmus

2011-07-01

Nanotechnologies promise to contribute significantly to major technological challenges of the upcoming century. Despite profound scientific progress in the last decades, only minor advances have been made in the field of nanomaterial toxicology. The International Team in Nanosafety (TITNT) is an international and multidisciplinary group of scientists, which aims at better understanding the risks of nanomaterials. Carbon nanotubes (CNT) account for one of the most promising nanomaterials and have therefore been chosen as representative material for nanoscaled particles. They are currently investigated by the different platforms of TITNT. As a starting point, the present report summarizes a literature-based study on the physico-chemical properties of CNT, as they are closely linked with toxicological properties. A brief introduction to synthesis, purification and material properties is given. Characterization methods for CNT are discussed with respect to their reliability and the information content on chemical properties. Recommendations for a set of standard characterizations mandatory for toxicological assessment are derived.

Full Service ISDN Satellite (FSIS) network model for advanced ISDN satellite design and experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pepin, Gerard R.

1992-01-01

The Full Service Integrated Services Digital Network (FSIS) network model for advanced satellite designs describes a model suitable for discrete event simulations. A top down model design uses the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) as its basis. The ACTS and the Interim Service ISDN Satellite (ISIS) perform ISDN protocol analyses and switching decisions in the terrestrial domain, whereas FSIS makes all its analyses and decisions on-board the ISDN satellite.

Nanocarbon networks for advanced rechargeable lithium batteries.

PubMed

Xin, Sen; Guo, Yu-Guo; Wan, Li-Jun

2012-10-16

Carbon is one of the essential elements in energy storage. In rechargeable lithium batteries, researchers have considered many types of nanostructured carbons, such as carbon nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and nanoporous carbon, as anode materials and, especially, as key components for building advanced composite electrode materials. Nanocarbons can form efficient three-dimensional conducting networks that improve the performance of electrode materials suffering from the limited kinetics of lithium storage. Although the porous structure guarantees a fast migration of Li ions, the nanocarbon network can serve as an effective matrix for dispersing the active materials to prevent them from agglomerating. The nanocarbon network also affords an efficient electron pathway to provide better electrical contacts. Because of their structural stability and flexibility, nanocarbon networks can alleviate the stress and volume changes that occur in active materials during the Li insertion/extraction process. Through the elegant design of hierarchical electrode materials with nanocarbon networks, researchers can improve both the kinetic performance and the structural stability of the electrode material, which leads to optimal battery capacity, cycling stability, and rate capability. This Account summarizes recent progress in the structural design, chemical synthesis, and characterization of the electrochemical properties of nanocarbon networks for Li-ion batteries. In such systems, storage occurs primarily in the non-carbon components, while carbon acts as the conductor and as the structural buffer. We emphasize representative nanocarbon networks including those that use carbon nanotubes and graphene. We discuss the role of carbon in enhancing the performance of various electrode materials in areas such as Li storage, Li ion and electron transport, and structural stability during cycling. We especially highlight the use of graphene to construct the carbon conducting

Making Waves: New Developments in Toxicology With the Zebrafish.

PubMed

Horzmann, Katharine A; Freeman, Jennifer L

2018-05-01

The laboratory zebrafish (Danio rerio) is now an accepted model in toxicologic research. The zebrafish model fills a niche between in vitro models and mammalian biomedical models. The developmental characteristics of the small fish are strategically being used by scientists to study topics ranging from high-throughput toxicity screens to toxicity in multi- and transgenerational studies. High-throughput technology has increased the utility of zebrafish embryonic toxicity assays in screening of chemicals and drugs for toxicity or effect. Additionally, advances in behavioral characterization and experimental methodology allow for observation of recognizable phenotypic changes after xenobiotic exposure. Future directions in zebrafish research are predicted to take advantage of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing methods in creating models of disease and interrogating mechanisms of action with fluorescent reporters or tagged proteins. Zebrafish can also model developmental origins of health and disease and multi- and transgenerational toxicity. The zebrafish has many advantages as a toxicologic model and new methodologies and areas of study continue to expand the usefulness and application of the zebrafish.

Toxicology: Old Art, New Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Timbrell, John A.

1983-01-01

Examines the need for a science of toxicology and training at both the undergraduate and graduate levels in response to legislation controlling drugs, food additives and toxic substances in the work environment, and concern about effects on man. Stresses need for putting toxicology on a scientific base with adequate funding. (JM)

National toxicology program review of current DHHS, DOE, and EPA research related to toxicology, fiscal year 1996

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

NONE

1996-11-01

The Annual Plan for the National Toxicology Program requires an annual review of toxicology-related research supported by DHHS agencies. Four of the five Public Health Service Agencies support research related to toxicology. Within the National Institutes of Health alone, sixteen separate institutes and several other components support relevant research. Toxicology-related research is also conducted by other Federal agencies--particularly the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). An overall review is thought to be of considerable interest to research managers for purposes of coordinating research and reducing unnecessary duplication. This is the seventeenth review responding to this requirement.more » For the fifteenth time a survey of similar research at DOE and the EPA is included.« less

Plasma Cholesterol–Induced Lesion Networks Activated before Regression of Early, Mature, and Advanced Atherosclerosis

PubMed Central

Björkegren, Johan L. M.; Hägg, Sara; Jain, Rajeev K.; Cedergren, Cecilia; Shang, Ming-Mei; Rossignoli, Aránzazu; Takolander, Rabbe; Melander, Olle; Hamsten, Anders; Michoel, Tom; Skogsberg, Josefin

2014-01-01

Plasma cholesterol lowering (PCL) slows and sometimes prevents progression of atherosclerosis and may even lead to regression. Little is known about how molecular processes in the atherosclerotic arterial wall respond to PCL and modify responses to atherosclerosis regression. We studied atherosclerosis regression and global gene expression responses to PCL (≥80%) and to atherosclerosis regression itself in early, mature, and advanced lesions. In atherosclerotic aortic wall from Ldlr−/−Apob 100/100 Mttp flox/floxMx1-Cre mice, atherosclerosis regressed after PCL regardless of lesion stage. However, near-complete regression was observed only in mice with early lesions; mice with mature and advanced lesions were left with regression-resistant, relatively unstable plaque remnants. Atherosclerosis genes responding to PCL before regression, unlike those responding to the regression itself, were enriched in inherited risk for coronary artery disease and myocardial infarction, indicating causality. Inference of transcription factor (TF) regulatory networks of these PCL-responsive gene sets revealed largely different networks in early, mature, and advanced lesions. In early lesions, PPARG was identified as a specific master regulator of the PCL-responsive atherosclerosis TF-regulatory network, whereas in mature and advanced lesions, the specific master regulators were MLL5 and SRSF10/XRN2, respectively. In a THP-1 foam cell model of atherosclerosis regression, siRNA targeting of these master regulators activated the time-point-specific TF-regulatory networks and altered the accumulation of cholesterol esters. We conclude that PCL leads to complete atherosclerosis regression only in mice with early lesions. Identified master regulators and related PCL-responsive TF-regulatory networks will be interesting targets to enhance PCL-mediated regression of mature and advanced atherosclerotic lesions. PMID:24586211

ACToR A Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource (S)

EPA Science Inventory

We are developing the ACToR system (Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource) to serve as a repository for a variety of types of chemical, biological and toxicological data that can be used for predictive modeling of chemical toxicology.

Advanced wireless mobile collaborative sensing network for tactical and strategic missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Hao

2017-05-01

In this paper, an advanced wireless mobile collaborative sensing network will be developed. Through properly combining wireless sensor network, emerging mobile robots and multi-antenna sensing/communication techniques, we could demonstrate superiority of developed sensing network. To be concrete, heterogeneous mobile robots including unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and unmanned ground vehicle (UGV) are equipped with multi-model sensors and wireless transceiver antennas. Through real-time collaborative formation control, multiple mobile robots can team the best formation that can provide most accurate sensing results. Also, formatting multiple mobile robots can also construct a multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication system that can provide a reliable and high performance communication network.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Formaldehyde (Interagency ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On June 2, 2010, the Toxicological Review of Formaldehyde and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. In the new IRIS process, introduced by the EPA Administrator, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency science consultation draft of the IRIS Toxicological Review of Formaldehyde and the charge to external peer reviewers are posted on this site. The draft Toxicological Review of Formaldehyde-Inhalation Assessment provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic inhalation exposure to formaldehyde.

Computational Toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

‘Computational toxicology’ is a broad term that encompasses all manner of computer-facilitated informatics, data-mining, and modeling endeavors in relation to toxicology, including exposure modeling, physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) modeling, dose-response modeling, ...

New developments in delivering public access to data from the National Center for Computational Toxicology at the EPA

EPA Science Inventory

Researchers at EPA’s National Center for Computational Toxicology integrate advances in biology, chemistry, and computer science to examine the toxicity of chemicals and help prioritize chemicals for further research based on potential human health risks. The goal of this researc...

Applications of Proteomic Technologies to Toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

Proteomics is the large-scale study of gene expression at the protein level. This cutting edge technology has been extensively applied to toxicology research recently. The up-to-date development of proteomics has presented the toxicology community with an unprecedented opportunit...

Advanced optical network architecture for integrated digital avionics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morgan, D. Reed

1996-12-01

For the first time in the history of avionics, the network designer now has a choice in selecting the media that interconnects the sources and sinks of digital data on aircraft. Electrical designs are already giving way to photonics in application areas where the data rate times distance product is large or where special design requirements such as low weight or EMI considerations are critical. Future digital avionic architectures will increasingly favor the use of photonic interconnects as network data rates of one gigabit/second and higher are needed to support real-time operation of high-speed integrated digital processing. As the cost of optical network building blocks is reduced and as temperature-rugged laser sources are matured, metal interconnects will be forced to retreat to applications spanning shorter and shorter distances. Although the trend is already underway, the widespread use of digital optics will first occur at the system level, where gigabit/second, real-time interconnects between sensors, processors, mass memories and displays separated by a least of few meters will be required. The application of photonic interconnects for inter-printed wiring board signalling across the backplane will eventually find application for gigabit/second applications since signal degradation over copper traces occurs before one gigabit/second and 0.5 meters are reached. For the foreseeable future however, metal interconnects will continue to be used to interconnect devices on printed wiring boards since 5 gigabit/second signals can be sent over metal up to around 15 centimeters. Current-day applications of optical interconnects at the system level are described and a projection of how advanced optical interconnect technology will be driven by the use of high speed integrated digital processing on future aircraft is presented. The recommended advanced network for application in the 2010 time frame is a fiber-based system with a signalling speed of around 2

The zebrafish embryo model in toxicology and teratology, September 2–3, 2010, Karlsruhe, Germany.

PubMed

Busch, Wibke; Duis, Karen; Fenske, Martina; Maack, Gerd; Legler, Juliette; Padilla, Stephanie; Strähle, Uwe; Witters, Hilda; Scholz, Stefan

2011-05-01

The use of fish embryos is gaining popularity for research in the area of toxicology and teratology. Particularly embryos of the zebrafish offer an array of different applications ranging from regulatory testing to mechanistic research. For this reason a consortium of two research centres and a company with the support of the COST Action EuFishBiomed has organised the Workshop “The zebrafish embryo model in toxicology and teratology”, in Karlsruhe, Germany, 2nd–3rd September 2010. The workshop aimed at bringing together experts from different areas of toxicology using the (zebra)fish embryo and stimulating networking between scientists and representatives from regulatory bodies, research institutions and industry. Recent findings, presented in various platform presentations in the area of regulatory toxicity, high throughput screening, toxicogenomics, as well as environmental and human risk assessment are highlighted in this meeting report. Furthermore, the constraints and possibilities of the model as discussed at the workshop are described. A follow up-meeting was appreciated by the about 120 participants and is planned for 2012.

Long Non-Coding RNAs: A Novel Paradigm for Toxicology

PubMed Central

Dempsey, Joseph L.; Cui, Julia Yue

2017-01-01

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are over 200 nucleotides in length and are transcribed from the mammalian genome in a tissue-specific and developmentally regulated pattern. There is growing recognition that lncRNAs are novel biomarkers and/or key regulators of toxicological responses in humans and animal models. Lacking protein-coding capacity, the numerous types of lncRNAs possess a myriad of transcriptional regulatory functions that include cis and trans gene expression, transcription factor activity, chromatin remodeling, imprinting, and enhancer up-regulation. LncRNAs also influence mRNA processing, post-transcriptional regulation, and protein trafficking. Dysregulation of lncRNAs has been implicated in various human health outcomes such as various cancers, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune diseases, as well as intermediary metabolism such as glucose, lipid, and bile acid homeostasis. Interestingly, emerging evidence in the literature over the past five years has shown that lncRNA regulation is impacted by exposures to various chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, benzene, cadmium, chlorpyrifos-methyl, bisphenol A, phthalates, phenols, and bile acids. Recent technological advancements, including next-generation sequencing technologies and novel computational algorithms, have enabled the profiling and functional characterizations of lncRNAs on a genomic scale. In this review, we summarize the biogenesis and general biological functions of lncRNAs, highlight the important roles of lncRNAs in human diseases and especially during the toxicological responses to various xenobiotics, evaluate current methods for identifying aberrant lncRNA expression and molecular target interactions, and discuss the potential to implement these tools to address fundamental questions in toxicology. PMID:27864543

Lessons from Toxicology: Developing a 21st-Century Paradigm for Medical Research

PubMed Central

Austin, Christopher P.; Balapure, Anil K.; Birnbaum, Linda S.; Bucher, John R.; Fentem, Julia; Fitzpatrick, Suzanne C.; Fowle, John R.; Kavlock, Robert J.; Kitano, Hiroaki; Lidbury, Brett A.; Muotri, Alysson R.; Peng, Shuang-Qing; Sakharov, Dmitry; Seidle, Troy; Trez, Thales; Tonevitsky, Alexander; van de Stolpe, Anja; Whelan, Maurice; Willett, Catherine

2015-01-01

Summary Biomedical developments in the 21st century provide an unprecedented opportunity to gain a dynamic systems-level and human-specific understanding of the causes and pathophysiologies of disease. This understanding is a vital need, in view of continuing failures in health research, drug discovery, and clinical translation. The full potential of advanced approaches may not be achieved within a 20th-century conceptual framework dominated by animal models. Novel technologies are being integrated into environmental health research and are also applicable to disease research, but these advances need a new medical research and drug discovery paradigm to gain maximal benefits. We suggest a new conceptual framework that repurposes the 21st-century transition underway in toxicology. Human disease should be conceived as resulting from integrated extrinsic and intrinsic causes, with research focused on modern human-specific models to understand disease pathways at multiple biological levels that are analogous to adverse outcome pathways in toxicology. Systems biology tools should be used to integrate and interpret data about disease causation and pathophysiology. Such an approach promises progress in overcoming the current roadblocks to understanding human disease and successful drug discovery and translation. A discourse should begin now to identify and consider the many challenges and questions that need to be solved. PMID:26523530

The toxicological application of transcriptomics and epigenomics in zebrafish and other teleosts.

PubMed

Williams, Tim D; Mirbahai, Leda; Chipman, J Kevin

2014-03-01

Zebrafish (Danio rerio) is one of a number of teleost fish species frequently employed in toxicology. Toxico-genomics determines global transcriptomic responses to chemical exposures and can predict their effects. It has been applied successfully within aquatic toxicology to assist in chemical testing, determination of mechanisms and environmental monitoring. Moreover, the related field of toxico-epigenomics, that determines chemical-induced changes in DNA methylation, histone modifications and micro-RNA expression, is emerging as a valuable contribution to understanding mechanisms of both adaptive and adverse responses. Zebrafish has proven a useful and convenient model species for both transcriptomic and epigenetic toxicological studies. Despite zebrafish's dominance in other areas of fish biology, alternative fish species are used extensively in toxico-genomics. The main reason for this is that environmental monitoring generally focuses on species native to the region of interest. We are starting to see advances in the integration of high-throughput screening, omics techniques and bioinformatics together with more traditional indicator endpoints that are relevant to regulators. Integration of such approaches with high-throughput testing of zebrafish embryos, leading to the discovery of adverse outcome pathways, promises to make a major contribution to ensuring the safety of chemicals in the environment.

[Clinical toxicology of the Academy: yesterday, today and tomorrow].

PubMed

Sofronov, G A; Khalimov, Iu Sh; Matveev, S Iu; Kuz'mich, V G; Fomichev, A V

2013-12-01

National toxicology school of the Kirov Military Medical Academy, demonstrates the unity of clinical and experimental approaches related to one purpose throughout its history--saving human life and health from exposure to toxic substances of chemical nature. For more than three centuries the russian science of toxicology has been steadily developing, often ahead of the world science. It helped to create the means of protection and develop methods of treatment for chemical lesions. Currently, toxicology departments of military field therapy and military toxicology and medical protection are actively involved in the current study of military medicine, restructuring policy to provide toxicological aid in the Armed Forces, the development and introduction of Innovative methods of diagnosis and treatment of victims of toxicological etiology.

Toxicological Risks During Human Space Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, John T.; Limero, T. F.; Lam, C. W.; Billica, Roger (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

The goal of toxicological risk assessment of human space flight is to identify and quantify significant risks to astronaut health from air pollution inside the vehicle or habitat, and to develop a strategy for control of those risks. The approach to completing a toxicological risk assessment involves data and experience on the frequency and severity of toxicological incidents that have occurred during space flight. Control of these incidents depends on being able to understand their cause from in-flight and ground-based analysis of air samples, crew reports of air quality, and known failures in containment of toxic chemicals. Toxicological risk assessment in exploration missions must be based on an evaluation of the unique toxic hazards presented by the habitat location. For example, lunar and Martian dust must be toxicologically evaluated to determine the appropriate control measures for exploration missions. Experience with near-earth flights has shown that the toxic products from fires present the highest risk to crew health from air pollution. Systems and payload leaks also present a significant hazard. The health risk from toxicity associated with materials offgassing or accumulation of human metabolites is generally well controlled. Early tests of lunar and Martian dust simulants have shown that each posses the potential to cause fibrosis in the lung in a murine model. Toxicological risks from air pollutants in space habitats originate from many sources. A number of risks have been identified through near-earth operations; however, the evaluation of additional new risks present during exploration missions will be a challenge.

Delivering an Informational Hub for Data at the National Center for Computational Toxicology (ACS Spring Meeting) 7 of 7

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Computational Toxicology Program integrates advances in biology, chemistry, and computer science to help prioritize chemicals for further research based on potential human health risks. This work involves computational and data drive...

40 CFR 159.165 - Toxicological and ecological studies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 24 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Toxicological and ecological studies... Information § 159.165 Toxicological and ecological studies. Adverse effects information must be submitted as follows: (a) Toxicological studies. (1) The results of a study of the toxicity of a pesticide to humans or...

40 CFR 159.165 - Toxicological and ecological studies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Toxicological and ecological studies... Information § 159.165 Toxicological and ecological studies. Adverse effects information must be submitted as follows: (a) Toxicological studies. (1) The results of a study of the toxicity of a pesticide to humans or...

Historical milestones and discoveries that shaped the toxicology sciences.

PubMed

Hayes, Antoinette N; Gilbert, Steven G

2009-01-01

Knowledge of the toxic and healing properties of plants, animals, and minerals has shaped civilization for millennia. The foundations of modern toxicology are built upon the significant milestones and discoveries of serendipity and crude experimentation. Throughout the ages, toxicological science has provided information that has shaped and guided society. This chapter examines the development of the discipline of toxicology and its influence on civilization by highlighting significant milestones and discoveries related to toxicology. The examples shed light on the beginnings of toxicology, as well as examine lessons learned and re-learned. This chapter also examines how toxicology and the toxicologist have interacted with other scientific and cultural disciplines, including religion, politics, and the government. Toxicology has evolved to a true scientific discipline with its own dedicated scientists, educational institutes, sub-disciplines, professional societies, and journals. It now stands as its own entity while traversing such fields as chemistry, physiology, pharmacology, and molecular biology. We invite you to join us on a path of discovery and to offer our suggestions as to what are the most significant milestones and discoveries in toxicology. Additional information is available on the history section of Toxipedia (www.toxipedia.org).

Principles and procedures in forensic toxicology.

PubMed

Wyman, John F

2012-09-01

The principles and procedures employed in a modern forensic toxicology lab are detailed in this review. Aspects of Behavioral and Postmortem toxicology, including certification of analysts and accreditation of labs, chain of custody requirements, typical testing services provided, rationale for specimen selection, and principles of quality assurance are discussed. Interpretation of toxicology results in postmortem specimens requires the toxicologist and pathologist to be cognizant of drug-drug interactions, drug polymorphisms and pharmacogenomics, the gross signs of toxic pathology, postmortem redistribution, confirmation of systemic toxicity in suspected overdoses, the possibility of developed tolerance, and the effects of decomposition on drug concentration.

Toxicology of chemical mixtures: Experimental approaches, underlying concepts, and some results

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang, R.S.; Long, H.L.; Boorman, G.A.

1990-07-01

The toxicology of chemical mixtures will be the toxicology of the 1990s and beyond. While this branch of toxicology most closely reflects the actual human exposure situation, as yet there is no standard protocol or consensus methodology for investigating the toxicology of mixtures. Thus, in this emerging science, experimentation is required just to develop a broadly applicable evaluation system. Several examples are discussed to illustrate the different experimental designs and the concepts behind each. These include the health effects studies of Love Canal soil samples, the Lake Ontario Coho salmon, the water samples repurified from secondary sewage in the citymore » of Denver Potable Water Reuse Demonstration Plant, and the National Toxicology Program (NTP) effort on a mixture of 25 frequently detected groundwater contaminants derived from hazardous waste disposal sites. In the last instance, an extensive research program has been ongoing for the last two years at the NTP, encompassing general toxicology, immunotoxicology, developmental and reproductive toxicology, biochemical toxicology, myelotoxicology, genetic toxicology, neurobehavioral toxicology, and hepato- and renal toxicology.« less

FutureTox: building the road for 21st century toxicology and risk assessment practices.

PubMed

Rowlands, J Craig; Sander, Miriam; Bus, James S

2014-02-01

This article reports on the outcome of FutureTox, a Society of Toxicology (SOT) Contemporary Concepts in Toxicology (CCT) workshop, whose goal was to address the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing 21st century technologies for toxicity testing, hazard identification, and risk assessment. One goal of the workshop was to facilitate an interactive multisector and discipline dialog. To this end, workshop invitees and participants included stakeholders from governmental and regulatory agencies, research institutes, academia, and the chemical and pharmaceutical industry in Europe and the United States. The workshop agenda was constructed to collectively review and discuss the state-of-the-science in these fields, better define the problems and challenges, outline their collective goals for the future, and identify areas of common agreement key to advancing these technologies into practice.

FutureTox: Building the Road for 21st Century Toxicology and Risk Assessment Practices

PubMed Central

Rowlands, J. Craig; Bus, James S.

2014-01-01

This article reports on the outcome of FutureTox, a Society of Toxicology (SOT) Contemporary Concepts in Toxicology (CCT) workshop, whose goal was to address the challenges and opportunities associated with implementing 21st century technologies for toxicity testing, hazard identification, and risk assessment. One goal of the workshop was to facilitate an interactive multisector and discipline dialog. To this end, workshop invitees and participants included stakeholders from governmental and regulatory agencies, research institutes, academia, and the chemical and pharmaceutical industry in Europe and the United States. The workshop agenda was constructed to collectively review and discuss the state-of-the-science in these fields, better define the problems and challenges, outline their collective goals for the future, and identify areas of common agreement key to advancing these technologies into practice. PMID:24204016

Modeling Signaling Networks to Advance New Cancer Therapies.

PubMed

Saez-Rodriguez, Julio; MacNamara, Aidan; Cook, Simon

2015-01-01

Cell signaling pathways control cells' responses to their environment through an intricate network of proteins and small molecules partitioned by intracellular structures, such as the cytoskeleton and nucleus. Our understanding of these pathways has been revised recently with the advent of more advanced experimental techniques; no longer are signaling pathways viewed as linear cascades of information flowing from membrane-bound receptors to the nucleus. Instead, such pathways must be understood in the context of networks, and studying such networks requires an integration of computational and experimental approaches. This understanding is becoming more important in designing novel therapies for diseases such as cancer. Using the MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) and PI3K (class I phosphoinositide-3' kinase) pathways as case studies of cellular signaling, we give an overview of these pathways and their functions. We then describe, using a number of case studies, how computational modeling has aided in understanding these pathways' deregulation in cancer, and how such understanding can be used to optimally tailor current therapies or help design new therapies against cancer.

Shuttle Lesson Learned - Toxicology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, John T.

2010-01-01

This is a script for a video about toxicology and the space shuttle. The first segment is deals with dust in the space vehicle. The next segment will be about archival samples. Then we'll look at real time on-board analyzers that give us a lot of capability in terms of monitoring for combustion products and the ability to monitor volatile organics on the station. Finally we will look at other issues that are about setting limits and dealing with ground based lessons that pertain to toxicology.

Poisonings and clinical toxicology: a template for Ireland.

PubMed

Tormey, W P; Moore, T

2013-03-01

Poisons information is accessed around the clock in the British Isles from six centres of which two are in Ireland at Dublin and Belfast accompanied by consultant toxicologist advisory service. The numbers of calls in Ireland are down to about 40 per day due to easy access to online data bases. Access to Toxbase, the clinical toxicology database of the National Poisons Information Service is available to National Health Service (NHS) health professionals and to Emergency Departments and Intensive Care units in the Republic of Ireland. There are 59 Toxbase users in the Republic of Ireland and 99 % of activity originates in Emergency Departments. All United States Poison Control Centres primarily use Poisindex which is a commercial database from Thomson Reuters. Information on paracetamol, diazepam, analgesics and psycho-active compounds are the commonest queries. Data from telephone and computer accesses provide an indicator of future trends in both licit and illicit drug poisons which may direct laboratory analytical service developments. Data from National Drug-Related Deaths Index is the most accurate information on toxicological deaths in Ireland. Laboratory toxicology requirements to support emergency departments are listed. Recommendations are made for a web-based open access Toxbase or equivalent; for a co-location of poisons information and laboratory clinical toxicology; for the establishment of a National Clinical Toxicology Institute for Ireland; for a list of accredited medical advisors in clinical toxicology; for multidisciplinary case conferences in complex toxicology cases for coroners; for the establishment of a national clinical toxicology referral out-patients service in Ireland.

2009 TOXICOLOGY AND RISK ASSESSMENT CONFERENCE

EPA Science Inventory

EPA has announced

The 2009 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference
Cincinnati Marriott North, West Chester (Cincinnati), OH
April 27-30, 2009 - Click to register!

The Annual Toxicology and Risk Ass...

2008 TOXICOLOGY AND RISK ASSESSMENT CONFERENCE

EPA Science Inventory

EPA has announced

The 2008 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference
Cincinnati Marriott North, West Chester (Cincinnati), OH
April 14 - 17, 2008 - Click to register!

The Annual Toxicology and Risk ...

2007 TOXICOLOGY AND RISK ASSESSMENT CONFERENCE

EPA Science Inventory

EPA has announced

The 2007 Toxicology and Risk Assessment Conference
Cincinnati Marriott North, West Chester (Cincinnati), OH
April 23- 26, 2007 - Click to register!

The Annual Toxicology and Risk Ass...

Graduate Training in Toxicology in Colleges of Veterinary Medicine.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robens, J. F.; Buck, W. B.

1979-01-01

Presented are an American Board of Veterinary Toxicology survey and evaluation of the training resources available in graduate programs in toxicology located in colleges of veterinary medicine. Regulatory toxicology, number of toxicologists needed, and curriculum are also discussed. (JMD)

The combined toxicological effects of titanium dioxide nanoparticles and bisphenol A on zebrafish embryos

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Environmental pollutants co-exist and exhibit interaction effects that are different from those associated with a single pollutant. As one of the more commonly manufactured nanomaterials, titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2-NPs) are most likely to bind to other contaminants in water. In this paper, we aimed to study the combined toxicological effects of TiO2-NPs and bisphenol A (BPA) on organism. First, in vitro adsorption experiments were conducted to determine the adsorptive interaction between TiO2-NPs and BPA. Second, zebrafish embryo toxicity tests were performed to monitor for changes in the toxicological effects associated with the two chemicals. The study results demonstrated that adsorptive interactions exist between the two chemicals and increased toxicity effects which included an advanced toxicological effect time, decreased survival, increased morphological abnormalities, and delayed embryo hatching. Also, we suggest that the mode of combined action has a synergistic effect. Based on this, we postulate that concomitant exposure to TiO2-NPs and BPA increased BPA bioavailability and uptake into cells and organisms. Further studies are required to understand the mechanisms of interactions of this mixture. PMID:25177222

IRIS Toxicological Review of Urea (Interagency Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On September 28, 2010, the Toxicological Review of Urea and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. In the new IRIS process, introduced by the EPA Administrator, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency science consultation draft of the IRIS Toxicological Review of Urea and the charge to external peer reviewers are posted on this site. The draft Toxicological Review of Urea provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to Urea.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On September 24, 2009, the Toxicological Review of Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. In the new IRIS process, introduced by the EPA Administrator, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency science consultation draft of the IRIS Toxicological Review of Trichloroacetic Acid and the charge to external peer reviewers are posted on this site. The draft Toxicological Review of Trichloroacetic Acid provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard identification and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to trichloroacetic acid.

Comptox Chemistry Dashboard: Web-Based Data Integration Hub for Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology Data (ACS Fall meeting 4 of 12)

EPA Science Inventory

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Computational Toxicology Program integrate advances in biology, chemistry, exposure and computer science to help prioritize chemicals for further research based on potential human health risks. This work involves computational and da...

Fire toxicology program. JSC methodology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schneider, H.; Bafus, D.

1978-01-01

Toxicological testing of spacecraft materials was initiated in 1965. Toxicological evaluations of the pyrolysis/combustion products of candidate spacecraft materials were performed using a modified 142 liter Bethlehem Chamber equipped with a Linberg Model 55031 furnace external to the chamber. In all of the assessments, lethality was chosen as the endpoint. A new pyrolysis/combustion chamber was developed for toxicological testing and ranking of both spacecraft and aircraft materials. The pyrolysis/combustion chamber permits the use of both behavior and physiological measurements as indicators of incapacitation. Methods were developed which employ high resolution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry to generate chamber atmospheric profiles which indicate the reproductibility of pyrolysate concentrations. The atmospheric volatile profiles in combination with CO, CO2, and O2 analysis indicates that small chamber equipped with an internal furnace will give reproducible results.

Advanced Communication and Networking Technologies for Mars Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhasin, Kul; Hayden, Jeff; Agre, Jonathan R.; Clare, Loren P.; Yan, Tsun-Yee

2001-01-01

Next-generation Mars communications networks will provide communications and navigation services to a wide variety of Mars science vehicles including: spacecraft that are arriving at Mars, spacecraft that are entering and descending in the Mars atmosphere, scientific orbiter spacecraft, spacecraft that return Mars samples to Earth, landers, rovers, aerobots, airplanes, and sensing pods. In the current architecture plans, the communication services will be provided using capabilities deployed on the science vehicles as well as dedicated communication satellites that will together make up the Mars network. This network will evolve as additional vehicles arrive, depart or end their useful missions. Cost savings and increased reliability will result from the ability to share communication services between missions. This paper discusses the basic architecture that is needed to support the Mars Communications Network part of NASA's Space Science Enterprise (SSE) communications architecture. The network may use various networking technologies such as those employed in the terrestrial Internet, as well as special purpose deep-space protocols to move data and commands autonomously between vehicles, at disparate Mars vicinity sites (on the surface or in near-Mars space) and between Mars vehicles and earthbound users. The architecture of the spacecraft on-board local communications is being reconsidered in light of these new networking requirements. The trend towards increasingly autonomous operation of the spacecraft is aimed at reducing the dependence on resource scheduling provided by Earth-based operators and increasing system fault tolerance. However, these benefits will result in increased communication and software development requirements. As a result, the envisioned Mars communications infrastructure requires both hardware and protocol technology advancements. This paper will describe a number of the critical technology needs and some of the ongoing research

Computational toxicology as implemented by the U.S. EPA: providing high throughput decision support tools for screening and assessing chemical exposure, hazard and risk.

PubMed

Kavlock, Robert; Dix, David

2010-02-01

Computational toxicology is the application of mathematical and computer models to help assess chemical hazards and risks to human health and the environment. Supported by advances in informatics, high-throughput screening (HTS) technologies, and systems biology, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency EPA is developing robust and flexible computational tools that can be applied to the thousands of chemicals in commerce, and contaminant mixtures found in air, water, and hazardous-waste sites. The Office of Research and Development (ORD) Computational Toxicology Research Program (CTRP) is composed of three main elements. The largest component is the National Center for Computational Toxicology (NCCT), which was established in 2005 to coordinate research on chemical screening and prioritization, informatics, and systems modeling. The second element consists of related activities in the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL) and the National Exposure Research Laboratory (NERL). The third and final component consists of academic centers working on various aspects of computational toxicology and funded by the U.S. EPA Science to Achieve Results (STAR) program. Together these elements form the key components in the implementation of both the initial strategy, A Framework for a Computational Toxicology Research Program (U.S. EPA, 2003), and the newly released The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Strategic Plan for Evaluating the Toxicity of Chemicals (U.S. EPA, 2009a). Key intramural projects of the CTRP include digitizing legacy toxicity testing information toxicity reference database (ToxRefDB), predicting toxicity (ToxCast) and exposure (ExpoCast), and creating virtual liver (v-Liver) and virtual embryo (v-Embryo) systems models. U.S. EPA-funded STAR centers are also providing bioinformatics, computational toxicology data and models, and developmental toxicity data and models. The models and underlying data are being made publicly

Invisible but Essential: The Role of Professional Networks in Promoting Faculty Agency in Career Advancement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niehaus, Elizabeth; O'Meara, KerryAnn

2015-01-01

The benefits of professional networks are largely invisible to the people embedded in them (O'Reilly 1991), yet professional networks may provide key benefits for faculty careers. The purpose of the study reported here was to explore the role of professional networks in faculty agency in career advancement, specifically focusing on the overall…

Optoelectronic advancements in analog avionics networking systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilgus, Joseph S.

1996-12-01

Over the past two decades, the types of networks used in both commercial and military systems to route information throughout a designated platform have essentially remained unchanged. Traditionally, digital networks have been used to route low data rate, low-bandwidth signals usually not exceeding 2 Ghz, amongst a variety of sensors, digital and signal processors and video displays. On the other hand, analog networks have been responsible for routing broad- banded radio-frequency signals, those ranging from 2 Ghz to well beyond 100 Ghz, between a specific antenna aperture and its designated receiver type. Current analog systems use one of either two approaches to transfer this signal information. The first approach uses microwave waveguides. This design is very efficient, albeit bulky, and has typically been used in ground-based systems. HOwever, it does not lend itself very well to airborne platforms where size and weight constraint are of primary concern. The second approach uses coaxial cable, which tends to exhibit excessive loss at higher frequencies and is much heavier than optical fiber. Like its counterpart the microwave waveguide, it too is not ideally suited for airborne platforms. However, up to now it has been the technology of choice for this particular application. This has led to other alternatives to be sought. With recent advancements being made in optoelectronics, optical fiber is becoming a viable alternative to the above mentioned approaches. It is the intent of this paper to identify airborne applications for photonic technology in analog networks and discuss the needed building blocks to implement this particular type of system.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Vanadium Pentoxide ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On September 30, 2011, the draft Toxicological Review of Vanadium Pentoxide and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. In the new IRIS process (May 2009), introduced by the EPA Administrator, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency science consultation draft of the IRIS Toxicological Review of Vanadium Pentoxide and the charge to external peer reviewers are posted on this site. EPA is reassessing its IRIS toxicological review of vanadium pentoxide (CASRN 1314-62-1). This vanadium pentoxide reassessment consists of an oral reference dose (RfD), an inhalation reference concentration (RfC), an inhalation unit risk (IUR) and a cancer weight of evidence descriptor. This is the first assessment developing an RfC or IUR for this compound. This assessment is intended to provide human health data to support agency regulatory decisions.

Toxicology Education Foundation

MedlinePlus

... public understanding of toxicology through access to objective, science-based information on the safety of chemicals and other agents encountered in daily life. TEF is celebrating our 15th year as an ...

ACToR – Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

ACToR (Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource) is a collection of databases collated or developed by the US EPA National Center for Computational Toxicology (NCCT). More than 200 sources of publicly available data on environmental chemicals have been brought together and made searchable by chemical name and other identifiers, and by chemical structure. Data includes chemical structure, physico-chemical values, in vitro assay data and in vivo toxicology data. Chemicals include, but are not limited to, high and medium production volume industrial chemicals, pesticides (active and inert ingredients), and potential ground and drinking water contaminants.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Naphthalene (1998 Final)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA announced the release of the final report, Toxicological Review of Naphthalene: in support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). The updated Summary for Naphthalene and accompanying toxicological review have been added to the IRIS Database.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Phosgene (Final Report)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA announced the release of the final report, Toxicological Review of Phosgene: in support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). The updated Summary for Phosgene and accompanying toxicological review have been added to the IRIS Database.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Acrolein (2003 Final)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA announced the release of the final report, Toxicological Review of Acrolein: in support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). The updated Summary for Acrolein and accompanying toxicological review have been added to the IRIS Database.

A SYSTEMS BIOLOGY APPROACH TO DEVELOPMENTAL TOXICOLOGY

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract
Recent advances in developmental biology have yielded detailed models of gene regulatory networks (GRNs) involved in cell specification and other processes in embryonic differentiation. Such networks form the bedrock on which a systems biology approach to developme...

Assessing the scientific research productivity of a leading toxicology journal: A case study of Human & Experimental Toxicology from 2003 to 2012.

PubMed

Zyoud, Sa'ed H; Al-Jabi, Samah W; Sweileh, Waleed M; Awang, Rahmat

2014-01-01

Bibliometric studies are increasingly being used for research assessments. Bibliometric indicators involve the application of statistical methods to scientific publications to obtain the bibliographics for each journal. The main objective of this study was to conduct a bibliometric evaluation of Human & Experimental Toxicology retrieved from the Scopus database. This study obtained data from Scopus published from 1 January 2003 till 31 December 2012. The keywords entered in Scopus to accomplish the objective of this study were 'Human', 'Experimental' and 'Toxicology' as 'Source Title'. Research productivity was evaluated based on a methodology developed and used in other bibliometric studies by analysing (a) total and trends in Human & Experimental Toxicology contributions in research between 2003 and 2012; (b) Human & Experimental Toxicology authorship patterns and productivity; (c) collaboration patterns; and (d) the citations received by the publications. There were 1229 research articles published in Human & Experimental Toxicology. Of the articles included, 947 (77.1%) were original articles and 104 (8.5%) were review articles. The Hirsch-index of the retrieved documents was 35. The largest number of publications in Human & Experimental Toxicology was from the United States (19.6%), followed by India (12.8%) and Turkey (10.9%). The total number of citations was 9119, with a median (interquartile range) of 3 (1-9) in 6797 documents. The highest median (interquartile range) number of citations was 8 (2.7-12.7) for France, followed by 7.5 (2-22.5) for Iran and 6 (3-13.5) for the United Kingdom. The country most often citing articles that were published in Human & Experimental Toxicology was the United States, which made citations in 1508 documents, followed by India with citations in 792 documents. The documents in Human & Experimental Toxicology focus principally on original data, with very few review articles. Review articles tend to have higher citation rates

Introduction to the Theme "New Methods and Novel Therapeutic Approaches in Pharmacology and Toxicology".

PubMed

Insel, Paul A; Amara, Susan G; Blaschke, Terrence F; Meyer, Urs A

2017-01-06

Major advances in scientific discovery and insights can result from the development and use of new techniques, as exemplified by the work of Solomon Snyder, who writes a prefatory article in this volume. The Editors have chosen "New Methods and Novel Therapeutic Approaches in Pharmacology and Toxicology" as the Theme for a number of articles in this volume. These include ones that review the development and use of new experimental tools and approaches (e.g., nanobodies and techniques to explore protein-protein interactions), new types of therapeutics (e.g., aptamers and antisense oligonucleotides), and systems pharmacology, which assembles (big) data derived from omics studies together with information regarding drugs and patients. The application of these new methods and therapeutic approaches has the potential to have a major impact on basic and clinical research in pharmacology and toxicology as well as on patient care.

Advanced Polymer Network Structures

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

double networks in a single step was identified from coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations of polymer solvents bearing rigid side chains dissolved...in a polymer network. Coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations also explored the mechanical behavior of traditional double networks and...DRI), polymer networks, polymer gels, molecular dynamics simulations , double networks 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF

Telehealth on advanced networks.

PubMed

Wilson, Laurence S; Stevenson, Duncan R; Cregan, Patrick

2010-01-01

We address advanced Internet for complex telehealth applications by reviewing four hospital-based broadband telehealth projects and identifying common threads. These projects were conducted in Australia under a 6-year research project on broadband Internet applications. Each project addressed specific clinical needs and its development was guided by the clinicians involved. Each project was trialed in the field and evaluated against the initial requirements. The four projects covered remote management of a resuscitation team in a district hospital, remote guidance and interpretation of echocardiography, virtual-reality-based instructor-student surgical training, and postoperative outpatient consultations following pediatric surgery. Each was characterized by a high level of interpersonal communication, a high level of clinical expertise, and multiple participants. Each made use of multiple high-quality video and audio links and shared real-time access to clinical data. Four common threads were observed. Each application provided a high level of usability and task focus because the design and use of broadband capability was aimed directly to meet the clinicians' needs. Each used the media quality available over broadband to convey words, gestures, body movements, and facial expressions to support communication and a sense of presence among the participants. Each required a complex information space shared among the participants, including real-time access to stored patient data and real-time interactive access to the patients themselves. Finally, each application supported the social and organizational aspects of their healthcare focus, creating and maintaining relationships between the various participants, and this was done by placing the telehealth application into a wider functioning clinical context. These findings provide evidence for a significantly enhanced role for appropriate telemedicine systems running on advanced networks, in a wider range of clinical

Veterinary Forensic Toxicology.

PubMed

Gwaltney-Brant, S M

2016-09-01

Veterinary pathologists working in diagnostic laboratories are sometimes presented with cases involving animal poisonings that become the object of criminal or civil litigation. Forensic veterinary toxicology cases can include cases involving animal cruelty (malicious poisoning), regulatory issues (eg, contamination of the food supply), insurance litigation, or poisoning of wildlife. An understanding of the appropriate approach to these types of cases, including proper sample collection, handling, and transport, is essential so that chain of custody rules are followed and proper samples are obtained for toxicological analysis. Consultation with veterinary toxicologists at the diagnostic laboratory that will be processing the samples before, during, and after the forensic necropsy can help to ensure that the analytical tests performed are appropriate for the circumstances and findings surrounding the individual case. © The Author(s) 2016.

Advanced digital signal processing for short-haul and access network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Junwen; Yu, Jianjun; Chi, Nan

2016-02-01

Digital signal processing (DSP) has been proved to be a successful technology recently in high speed and high spectrum-efficiency optical short-haul and access network, which enables high performances based on digital equalizations and compensations. In this paper, we investigate advanced DSP at the transmitter and receiver side for signal pre-equalization and post-equalization in an optical access network. A novel DSP-based digital and optical pre-equalization scheme has been proposed for bandwidth-limited high speed short-distance communication system, which is based on the feedback of receiver-side adaptive equalizers, such as least-mean-squares (LMS) algorithm and constant or multi-modulus algorithms (CMA, MMA). Based on this scheme, we experimentally demonstrate 400GE on a single optical carrier based on the highest ETDM 120-GBaud PDM-PAM-4 signal, using one external modulator and coherent detection. A line rate of 480-Gb/s is achieved, which enables 20% forward-error correction (FEC) overhead to keep the 400-Gb/s net information rate. The performance after fiber transmission shows large margin for both short range and metro/regional networks. We also extend the advanced DSP for short haul optical access networks by using high order QAMs. We propose and demonstrate a high speed multi-band CAP-WDM-PON system on intensity modulation, direct detection and digital equalizations. A hybrid modified cascaded MMA post-equalization schemes are used to equalize the multi-band CAP-mQAM signals. Using this scheme, we successfully demonstrates 550Gb/s high capacity WDMPON system with 11 WDM channels, 55 sub-bands, and 10-Gb/s per user in the downstream over 40-km SMF.

Using Computational Toxicology to Enable Risk-Based ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

presentation at Drug Safety Gordon Research Conference 2016 on research efforts in NCCT to enable Computational Toxicology to support risk assessment. Slide presentation at Drug Safety Gordon Research Conference 2016 on research efforts in NCCT to enable Computational Toxicology to support risk assessment.

Space Toxicology: Human Health during Space Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khan-Mayberry, Noreen; James, John T.; Tyl, ROchelle; Lam, Chiu-Wing

2010-01-01

Space Toxicology is a unique and targeted discipline for spaceflight, space habitation and occupation of celestial bodies including planets, moons and asteroids. Astronaut explorers face distinctive health challenges and limited resources for rescue and medical care during space operation. A central goal of space toxicology is to protect the health of the astronaut by assessing potential chemical exposures during spaceflight and setting safe limits that will protect the astronaut against chemical exposures, in a physiologically altered state. In order to maintain sustained occupation in space on the International Space Station (ISS), toxicological risks must be assessed and managed within the context of isolation continuous exposures, reuse of air and water, limited rescue options, and the need to use highly toxic compounds for propulsion. As we begin to explore other celestial bodies in situ toxicological risks, such as inhalation of reactive mineral dusts, must also be managed.

Techniques for Investigating Molecular Toxicology of Nanomaterials.

PubMed

Wang, Yanli; Li, Chenchen; Yao, Chenjie; Ding, Lin; Lei, Zhendong; Wu, Minghong

2016-06-01

Nanotechnology has been a rapidly developing field in the past few decades, resulting in the more and more exposure of nanomaterials to human. The increased applications of nanomaterials for industrial, commercial and life purposes, such as fillers, catalysts, semiconductors, paints, cosmetic additives and drug carriers, have caused both obvious and potential impacts on human health and environment. Nanotoxicology is used to study the safety of nanomaterials and has grown at the historic moment. Molecular toxicology is a new subdiscipline to study the interactions and impacts of materials at the molecular level. To better understand the relationship between the molecular toxicology and nanomaterials, this review summarizes the typical techniques and methods in molecular toxicology which are applied when investigating the toxicology of nanomaterials and include six categories: namely; genetic mutation detection, gene expression analysis, DNA damage detection, chromosomal aberration analysis, proteomics, and metabolomics. Each category involves several experimental techniques and methods.

[Forensic medicine as the cradle of toxicology in Russia].

PubMed

Popov, V L; Grebeniuk, A N; Pigolkin, Iu I; Tolmachev, I A; Bozhchenko, A P; Timoshevskiĭ, A A

2013-01-01

Modern toxicology as a science and educational subject originated from forensic medicine in the middle of the XIXth century. In the beginning, selected toxicological problems were taught in the Emperor's Medical Surgical Academy (presently S.M. Kirov Military Medical Academy, Sankt-Peterburg) and at the Medical Faculty of the Moscow University (presently I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University, Moscow). The greatest contribution to the development of toxicology was made by such outstanding scientists as professors S.A. Gromov, P.P. Pelekhin, P.P. Zablotsky-Desyatovsky, E.V. Pelikan, Ya.A. Chistovich, G.I. Blosfel'd, I.M. Sorokin, D.P. Kosorotov, A.V. Grigoriev, V.V. Andreev, A.A. Glebovich, A.N. Grigoriev, B.I. Predtechensky, V.M. Rozhkov, S.S. Vail, M.N. Lubotsky, etc. The works of these researchers predetermined the further development of toxicology in this country, its main purpose being provision of medical aid in case of poisoning and diseases of chemical etiology. Another line of toxicological research became industrial and environmental toxicology having the purpose of hygienic rating and prevention of poisoning. Nevertheless, all aspects of the multifaceted science of toxicology are related to forensic medicine as the cradle in which it originated, evolved, and turned into a self-consistent science.

Computational Toxicology (S)

EPA Science Inventory

The emerging field of computational toxicology applies mathematical and computer models and molecular biological and chemical approaches to explore both qualitative and quantitative relationships between sources of environmental pollutant exposure and adverse health outcomes. Th...

OpenTox predictive toxicology framework: toxicological ontology and semantic media wiki-based OpenToxipedia.

PubMed

Tcheremenskaia, Olga; Benigni, Romualdo; Nikolova, Ivelina; Jeliazkova, Nina; Escher, Sylvia E; Batke, Monika; Baier, Thomas; Poroikov, Vladimir; Lagunin, Alexey; Rautenberg, Micha; Hardy, Barry

2012-04-24

The OpenTox Framework, developed by the partners in the OpenTox project (http://www.opentox.org), aims at providing a unified access to toxicity data, predictive models and validation procedures. Interoperability of resources is achieved using a common information model, based on the OpenTox ontologies, describing predictive algorithms, models and toxicity data. As toxicological data may come from different, heterogeneous sources, a deployed ontology, unifying the terminology and the resources, is critical for the rational and reliable organization of the data, and its automatic processing. The following related ontologies have been developed for OpenTox: a) Toxicological ontology - listing the toxicological endpoints; b) Organs system and Effects ontology - addressing organs, targets/examinations and effects observed in in vivo studies; c) ToxML ontology - representing semi-automatic conversion of the ToxML schema; d) OpenTox ontology- representation of OpenTox framework components: chemical compounds, datasets, types of algorithms, models and validation web services; e) ToxLink-ToxCast assays ontology and f) OpenToxipedia community knowledge resource on toxicology terminology.OpenTox components are made available through standardized REST web services, where every compound, data set, and predictive method has a unique resolvable address (URI), used to retrieve its Resource Description Framework (RDF) representation, or to initiate the associated calculations and generate new RDF-based resources.The services support the integration of toxicity and chemical data from various sources, the generation and validation of computer models for toxic effects, seamless integration of new algorithms and scientifically sound validation routines and provide a flexible framework, which allows building arbitrary number of applications, tailored to solving different problems by end users (e.g. toxicologists). The OpenTox toxicological ontology projects may be accessed via the Open

ACToR: Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource (T)

EPA Science Inventory

The EPA Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource (ACToR) is a set of databases compiling information on chemicals in the environment from a large number of public and in-house EPA sources. ACToR has 3 main goals: (1) The serve as a repository of public toxicology information ...

Advanced obstacle avoidance for a laser based wheelchair using optimised Bayesian neural networks.

PubMed

Trieu, Hoang T; Nguyen, Hung T; Willey, Keith

2008-01-01

In this paper we present an advanced method of obstacle avoidance for a laser based intelligent wheelchair using optimized Bayesian neural networks. Three neural networks are designed for three separate sub-tasks: passing through a door way, corridor and wall following and general obstacle avoidance. The accurate usable accessible space is determined by including the actual wheelchair dimensions in a real-time map used as inputs to each networks. Data acquisitions are performed separately to collect the patterns required for specified sub-tasks. Bayesian frame work is used to determine the optimal neural network structure in each case. Then these networks are trained under the supervision of Bayesian rule. Experiment results showed that compare to the VFH algorithm our neural networks navigated a smoother path following a near optimum trajectory.

Effects of Organophosphorus Flame Retardants on Spontaneous Activity in Neuronal Networks Grown on Microelectrode Arrays

EPA Science Inventory

EFFECTS OF ORGANOPHOSPHORUS FLAME RETARDANTS ON SPONTANEOUS ACTIVITY IN NEURONAL NETWORKS GROWN ON MICROELECTRODE ARRAYS TJ Shafer1, K Wallace1, WR Mundy1, M Behl2,. 1Integrated Systems Toxicology Division, NHEERL, USEPA, RTP, NC, USA, 2National Toxicology Program, NIEHS, RTP, NC...

Africa's present and future needs in toxicology education: Southern African perspective.

PubMed

Gulumian, Mary; Ginsburg, Carren; Stewart, Michael J

2005-09-01

Degrees and diplomas as well as certificates that are granted by universities and technikons in South Africa in scientific disciplines, such as forensic medicine, pharmacology, marine and veterinary sciences, environmental health, and occupational hygiene, include toxicology as one of the subjects in their overall syllabus. However, aspects of toxicology included in each of these courses are biased towards that particular subdiscipline and basic level of toxicology may be taught. Educational needs in toxicology in South Africa can be summarized as follows: (a) recognition of toxicology as a discipline in its own right at these tertiary education institutions and (b) creation of opportunities to study and obtain higher degrees in one or more of the many subdisciplines of toxicology. The results from a survey conducted on the toxicology syllabi offered at these tertiary education institutions are used to substantiate these needs.

TOXICOLOGY OF PESTICIDES

EPA Science Inventory

This report includes the results of five toxicological studies of pesticide compounds conducted by the Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Zagreb, Yugoslavia. In the first study, the reactions of two groups of esterases (cholinesterases and arylesterases) with...

Advancing Underwater Acoustic Communication for Autonomous Distributed Networks via Sparse Channel Sensing, Coding, and Navigation Support

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-30

underwater acoustic communication technologies for autonomous distributed underwater networks , through innovative signal processing, coding, and...4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Advancing Underwater Acoustic Communication for Autonomous Distributed Networks via Sparse Channel Sensing, Coding, and...coding: 3) OFDM modulated dynamic coded cooperation in underwater acoustic channels; 3 Localization, Networking , and Testbed: 4) On-demand

Urine toxicology screening in an urban stroke and TIA population.

PubMed

Silver, Brian; Miller, Daniel; Jankowski, Michelle; Murshed, Nawaf; Garcia, Patricia; Penstone, Patricia; Straub, Melissa; Logan, Sean P; Sinha, Anita; Morris, Daniel C; Katramados, Angelos; Russman, Andrew N; Mitsias, Panayiotis D; Schultz, Lonni R

2013-04-30

We sought to determine the rate of urine toxicology screening, differences in testing, and outcomes among patients with stroke and TIA presenting to a tertiary care emergency department. In this retrospective cohort study, patients admitted with stroke or TIA to a single tertiary care stroke center between June 2005 and January 2007 were identified through a stroke database. Factors that predicted urine toxicology screening of patients and a positive test, and discharge outcomes of patients based on toxicology result were analyzed. Stroke severity, treatment with tissue plasminogen activator, discharge status, and stroke etiology were compared between toxicology positive and negative patients. A total of 1,024 patients were identified: 704 with ischemic stroke, 133 with intracerebral hemorrhage, and 205 with TIA. Urine toxicology screening was performed in 420 patients (40%); 11% of these studies were positive for cocaine (19% younger than 50 years and 9% 50 years or older). Factors that significantly predicted the performance of a urine toxicology screen were younger age (<50 years) and black race (<0.001). Positive toxicology screens occurred in a broad range of patients. There were no significant differences in admission NIH Stroke Scale score, stroke etiology, and discharge status between toxicology-positive and -negative patients. In this study, patients with stroke and TIA who were young and black were more likely to have urine toxicology screening. Eleven percent of all tested patients (and 9% of patients 50 years or older) were positive for cocaine. To avoid disparities, we suggest that all stroke and TIA patients be tested.

Drug screening in clinical or forensic toxicology: are there differences?

PubMed

Gerostamoulos, Dimitri; Beyer, Jochen

2010-09-01

Legal and medical practitioners need to remember that, with respect to drug analysis, there are two distinct disciplines in analytical toxicology concerned with human biological matrices, namely clinical and forensic toxicology. Both fields use similar analytical techniques designed to detect and quantify drugs, chemicals and poisons in fluids or tissues. In clinical toxicology, analytical results help to specify the appropriate treatment of a poisoned or intoxicated patient. In forensic toxicology, the results often play a vital role in determining the possible impairment or behavioural changes in an individual, or the contribution of drugs or poisons to death in a medico-legal investigation. This column provides an overview of the similarities and differences inherent in clinical and forensic toxicology.

Africa's present and future needs in toxicology education: Southern African perspective

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gulumian, Mary; Ginsburg, Carren; Stewart, Michael J.

2005-09-01

Degrees and diplomas as well as certificates that are granted by universities and technikons in South Africa in scientific disciplines, such as forensic medicine, pharmacology, marine and veterinary sciences, environmental health, and occupational hygiene, include toxicology as one of the subjects in their overall syllabus. However, aspects of toxicology included in each of these courses are biased towards that particular subdiscipline and basic level of toxicology may be taught. Educational needs in toxicology in South Africa can be summarized as follows: (a) recognition of toxicology as a discipline in its own right at these tertiary education institutions and (b) creationmore » of opportunities to study and obtain higher degrees in one or more of the many subdisciplines of toxicology. The results from a survey conducted on the toxicology syllabi offered at these tertiary education institutions are used to substantiate these needs.« less

Analysis of Statistical Methods Currently used in Toxicology Journals.

PubMed

Na, Jihye; Yang, Hyeri; Bae, SeungJin; Lim, Kyung-Min

2014-09-01

Statistical methods are frequently used in toxicology, yet it is not clear whether the methods employed by the studies are used consistently and conducted based on sound statistical grounds. The purpose of this paper is to describe statistical methods used in top toxicology journals. More specifically, we sampled 30 papers published in 2014 from Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Archives of Toxicology, and Toxicological Science and described methodologies used to provide descriptive and inferential statistics. One hundred thirteen endpoints were observed in those 30 papers, and most studies had sample size less than 10, with the median and the mode being 6 and 3 & 6, respectively. Mean (105/113, 93%) was dominantly used to measure central tendency, and standard error of the mean (64/113, 57%) and standard deviation (39/113, 34%) were used to measure dispersion, while few studies provide justifications regarding why the methods being selected. Inferential statistics were frequently conducted (93/113, 82%), with one-way ANOVA being most popular (52/93, 56%), yet few studies conducted either normality or equal variance test. These results suggest that more consistent and appropriate use of statistical method is necessary which may enhance the role of toxicology in public health.

An Examination of Two Policy Networks Involved in Advancing Smokefree Policy Initiatives.

PubMed

Moreland-Russell, Sarah; Carothers, Bobbi J

2015-09-08

This study examines smokefree policy networks in two cities—Kansas City and St. Louis, Missouri—one that was successful in achieving widespread policy success, and one that was not. Descriptive social network analyses and visual network mapping were used to compare importance and contact relationships among actors involved in the smokefree policy initiatives. In Kansas City, where policy adoption was achieved, there was a higher level of connectivity among members, with network members being in contact with an average of more than five people, compared to just over two people for the St. Louis network. For both cities, despite being recognized as important, politicians were in contact with the fewest number of people. Results highlight the critical need to actively engage a variety of stakeholders when attempting city wide public health policy change. As evident by the success in smokefree policy adoption throughout Kansas City compared to St. Louis, closer linkages and continued communication among stakeholders including the media, coalitions, public health agencies, policymakers, and other partners are essential if we are to advance and broaden the impact of public health policy. Results indicate that the presence of champions, or those that play leadership roles in actively promoting policy by linking individuals and organizations, play an important role in advancing public health policy. Those working in public health should examine their level of engagement with the policy process and implement strategies for improving that engagement through relationship building and ongoing interactions with a variety of stakeholders, including policymakers.

New Rotifer Bioassays for Aquatic Toxicology

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-07-01

Acute toxicity tests using rotifers. II. A freshwater test with Brachionus rubens. Aquatic Toxicology. 14: 81-92. Snell, T. W., B. D. Moffat, C. Janssen...24 hours with a sensitivity comparable to that of other aquatic invertebrates. 1. Standard Freshwater Medium Preparation: Carefully add 96 mg NaHCO3,60...rubens. Aquatic Toxicology. 14: 81-92. US Environmental Protection Agency 1985. Methods for measuring the acute toxicity of effluents to freshwater

[Toxicological consultation data management system based on experience of Pomeranian Center of Toxicology].

PubMed

Kabata, Piotr Maciej; Waldman, Wojciech; Sein Anand, Jacek

2015-01-01

In this paper the structure of poisonings is described, based on the material collected from tele-toxicology consults by the Pomeranian Center of Toxicology in Gdańsk and harvested from its Electronic Poison Information Management System. In addition, we analyzed conclusions drawn from a 27-month operation of the system. Data were harvested from the Electronic Poison Information Management System developed in 2012 and used by the Pomeranian Center of Toxicology since then. The research was based on 2550 tele-toxicology consults between January 1 and December 31, 2014. Subsequently the data were electronically cleaned and presented using R programming language. The Pomeranian voivodeship was the prevalent localisation of calls (N = 1879; 73.7%). Most of the calls came from emergency rooms (N = 1495; 58.63%). In the case of 1396 (54.7%) patients the time-lag between intoxication and the consult was less than 6 h. There were no differences in the age distribution between genders. Mean age was 26.3 years. Young people predominated among intoxicated individuals. The majority of intoxications were incidental (N = 888; 34.8%) or suicidal (N = 814; 31.9%) and the most of them took place in the patient's home. Information about Poison Control Center consultations access should be better spread among medical service providers. The extent of poison information collected by Polish Poison Control Centers should be limited and unified. This should contribute to the increased percentage of properly documented consultations. Additional duties stemming from the need of digital archiving of consults provided, require the involvement of additional staff, leading to the increased operation costs incurred by Poison Control Centers. This work is available in Open Access model and licensed under a CC BY-NC 3.0 PL license.

The Benefits of Making Data from the EPA National Center for Computational Toxicology available for reuse (ACS Fall meeting 3 of 12)

EPA Science Inventory

Researchers at EPA’s National Center for Computational Toxicology (NCCT) integrate advances in biology, chemistry, exposure and computer science to help prioritize chemicals for further research based on potential human health risks. The goal of this research is to quickly evalua...

Toxicology as a nanoscience? – Disciplinary identities reconsidered

PubMed Central

Kurath, Monika; Maasen, Sabine

2006-01-01

Toxicology is about to establish itself as a leading scientific discipline in addressing potential health effects of materials on the nanosize level. Entering into a cutting-edge field, has an impact on identity-building processes within the involved academic fields. In our study, we analyzed the ways in which the entry into the field of nanosciences impacts on the formation of disciplinary identities. Using the methods of qualitative interviews with particle toxicologists in Germany, Holland, Switzerland and the USA, we could demonstrate that currently, toxicology finds itself in a transitional phase. The development of its disciplinary identity is not yet clear. Nearly all of our interview partners stressed the necessity of repositioning toxicology. However, they each suggested different approaches. While one part is already propagandizing the establishment of a new discipline – 'nanotoxicology'- others are more reserved and are demanding a clear separation of traditional and new research areas. In phases of disciplinary new-orientation, research communities do not act consistently. Rather, they establish diverse options. By expanding its disciplinary boundaries, participating in new research fields, while continuing its previous research, and only vaguely defining its topics, toxicology is feeling its way into the new fields without giving up its present self-conception. However, the toxicological research community is also discussing a new disciplinary identity. Within this, toxicology could develop from an auxiliary into a constitutive position, and take over a basic role in the cognitive, institutional and social framing of the nanosciences. PMID:16646961

ACToR - Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Judson, Richard; Richard, Ann; Dix, David

2008-11-15

ACToR (Aggregated Computational Toxicology Resource) is a database and set of software applications that bring into one central location many types and sources of data on environmental chemicals. Currently, the ACToR chemical database contains information on chemical structure, in vitro bioassays and in vivo toxicology assays derived from more than 150 sources including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Centers for Disease Control (CDC), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), state agencies, corresponding government agencies in Canada, Europe and Japan, universities, the World Health Organization (WHO) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). At the EPA National Centermore » for Computational Toxicology, ACToR helps manage large data sets being used in a high-throughput environmental chemical screening and prioritization program called ToxCast{sup TM}.« less

IRIS Toxicological Review of Dichloromethane (Methylene ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On March 31, 2010, the draft IRIS Toxicological Review of Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride) external review draft document and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for public review and comment. The draft document and the charge to external peer reviewers were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. In the new IRIS process, introduced by the EPA Administrator, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency science consultation draft of the Toxicological Review of Dichloromethane (Methylene Chloride) and the charge to external peer reviewers are posted on this site. The draft Toxicological Review of Dichloromethane provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to dichloromethane.

Artificial vision by multi-layered neural networks: neocognitron and its advances.

PubMed

Fukushima, Kunihiko

2013-01-01

The neocognitron is a neural network model proposed by Fukushima (1980). Its architecture was suggested by neurophysiological findings on the visual systems of mammals. It is a hierarchical multi-layered network. It acquires the ability to robustly recognize visual patterns through learning. Although the neocognitron has a long history, modifications of the network to improve its performance are still going on. For example, a recent neocognitron uses a new learning rule, named add-if-silent, which makes the learning process much simpler and more stable. Nevertheless, a high recognition rate can be kept with a smaller scale of the network. Referring to the history of the neocognitron, this paper discusses recent advances in the neocognitron. We also show that various new functions can be realized by, for example, introducing top-down connections to the neocognitron: mechanism of selective attention, recognition and completion of partly occluded patterns, restoring occluded contours, and so on. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Advanced Platform for Biomolecular Detection and Analysis Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-02-01

AFRL-IF-RS-TR-2005-54 Final Technical Report February 2005 AN ADVANCED PLATFORM FOR BIOMOLECULAR DETECTION AND ANALYSIS SYSTEMS...SUBTITLE AN ADVANCED PLATFORM FOR BIOMOLECULAR DETECTION AND ANALYSIS SYSTEMS 6. AUTHOR(S) David J. Beebe 5. FUNDING NUMBERS G...detection, analysis and response as well as many non BC warfare applications such as environmental toxicology, clinical detection and diagnosis

Wildlife toxicology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kendall, R.J.

1982-08-01

Wildlife toxicology may be defined as the study of the effects of environmental contaminants on wildlife species, as related to their wellbeing, general health, and reproduction. Results of studies with pesticides, heavy metals, and chlorinated hydrocarbons are examined. Integrated field and laboratory studies using selected model species might lead to ways of quantifying the adverse effects of chemical contaminants. (KRM)

IRIS Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane (Interagency ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On September 9, 2011, the Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane (with inhalation update) (External Review Draft) was posted for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. In the new IRIS process, introduced by the EPA Administrator, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments with EPA's response and the interagency science consultation draft of the IRIS Toxicological Review of 1,4-dioxane and the charge to external peer reviewers are posted on this site. The Toxicological Review of 1,4-dioxane provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to 1,4-dioxane.

IRIS TOXICOLOGICAL REVIEW AND SUMMARY ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA's assessment of the noncancer health effects and carcinogenic potential of Beryllium was added to the IRIS database in 1998. The IRIS program is updating the IRIS assessment for Beryllium. This update will incorporate health effects information published since the last assessment was prepared as well as new risk assessment methods. The IRIS assessment for Beryllium will consist of an updated Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary. The Toxicological Review is a critical review of the physicochemical and toxicokinetic properties of the chemical and its toxicity in humans and experimental systems. The assessment will present reference values for noncancer effects of Beryllium (RfD and RfC) and a cancer assessment. The Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary will be subject to internal peer consultation, Agency and Interagency review, and external scientific peer review. The final products will constitute the Agency's opinion on the toxicity of Beryllium. Beryllium is a light alkaline earth metal used in metal alloys and in high-performance products in the metallurgical, aerospace, and nuclear industries. According to the Superfund database, beryllium is found in over 300 NPL sites

The road to NHDPlus — Advancements in digital stream networks and associated catchments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, Richard B.; Dewald, Thomas A.

2016-01-01

A progression of advancements in Geographic Information Systems techniques for hydrologic network and associated catchment delineation has led to the production of the National Hydrography Dataset Plus (NHDPlus). NHDPlus is a digital stream network for hydrologic modeling with catchments and a suite of related geospatial data. Digital stream networks with associated catchments provide a geospatial framework for linking and integrating water-related data. Advancements in the development of NHDPlus are expected to continue to improve the capabilities of this national geospatial hydrologic framework. NHDPlus is built upon the medium-resolution NHD and, like NHD, was developed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Geological Survey to support the estimation of streamflow and stream velocity used in fate-and-transport modeling. Catchments included with NHDPlus were created by integrating vector information from the NHD and from the Watershed Boundary Dataset with the gridded land surface elevation as represented by the National Elevation Dataset. NHDPlus is an actively used and continually improved dataset. Users recognize the importance of a reliable stream network and associated catchments. The NHDPlus spatial features and associated data tables will continue to be improved to support regional water quality and streamflow models and other user-defined applications.

Application of Zebrafish Model to Environmental Toxicology.

PubMed

Komoike, Yuta; Matsuoka, Masato

2016-01-01

Recently, a tropical freshwater fish, the zebrafish, has been generally used as a useful model organism in various fields of life science worldwide. The zebrafish model has also been applied to environmental toxicology; however, in Japan, it has not yet become widely used. In this review, we will introduce the biological and historical backgrounds of zebrafish as an animal model and their breeding. We then present the current status of toxicological experiments using zebrafish that were treated with some important environmental contaminants, including cadmium, organic mercury, 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, and tributyltin. Finally, the future possible application of genetically modified zebrafish to the study of environmental toxicology is discussed.

OpenTox predictive toxicology framework: toxicological ontology and semantic media wiki-based OpenToxipedia

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background The OpenTox Framework, developed by the partners in the OpenTox project (http://www.opentox.org), aims at providing a unified access to toxicity data, predictive models and validation procedures. Interoperability of resources is achieved using a common information model, based on the OpenTox ontologies, describing predictive algorithms, models and toxicity data. As toxicological data may come from different, heterogeneous sources, a deployed ontology, unifying the terminology and the resources, is critical for the rational and reliable organization of the data, and its automatic processing. Results The following related ontologies have been developed for OpenTox: a) Toxicological ontology – listing the toxicological endpoints; b) Organs system and Effects ontology – addressing organs, targets/examinations and effects observed in in vivo studies; c) ToxML ontology – representing semi-automatic conversion of the ToxML schema; d) OpenTox ontology– representation of OpenTox framework components: chemical compounds, datasets, types of algorithms, models and validation web services; e) ToxLink–ToxCast assays ontology and f) OpenToxipedia community knowledge resource on toxicology terminology. OpenTox components are made available through standardized REST web services, where every compound, data set, and predictive method has a unique resolvable address (URI), used to retrieve its Resource Description Framework (RDF) representation, or to initiate the associated calculations and generate new RDF-based resources. The services support the integration of toxicity and chemical data from various sources, the generation and validation of computer models for toxic effects, seamless integration of new algorithms and scientifically sound validation routines and provide a flexible framework, which allows building arbitrary number of applications, tailored to solving different problems by end users (e.g. toxicologists). Availability The OpenTox toxicological

IRIS Toxicological Review of Decabromodiphenyl Ether (Final Report)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA announced the release of the final report, Toxicological Review of Decabromodiphenyl Ether: in support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). The updated Summary for Decabromodiphenyl Ether and accompanying toxicological review have been added to the IRIS Da...

Analysis of Statistical Methods Currently used in Toxicology Journals

PubMed Central

Na, Jihye; Yang, Hyeri

2014-01-01

Statistical methods are frequently used in toxicology, yet it is not clear whether the methods employed by the studies are used consistently and conducted based on sound statistical grounds. The purpose of this paper is to describe statistical methods used in top toxicology journals. More specifically, we sampled 30 papers published in 2014 from Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, Archives of Toxicology, and Toxicological Science and described methodologies used to provide descriptive and inferential statistics. One hundred thirteen endpoints were observed in those 30 papers, and most studies had sample size less than 10, with the median and the mode being 6 and 3 & 6, respectively. Mean (105/113, 93%) was dominantly used to measure central tendency, and standard error of the mean (64/113, 57%) and standard deviation (39/113, 34%) were used to measure dispersion, while few studies provide justifications regarding why the methods being selected. Inferential statistics were frequently conducted (93/113, 82%), with one-way ANOVA being most popular (52/93, 56%), yet few studies conducted either normality or equal variance test. These results suggest that more consistent and appropriate use of statistical method is necessary which may enhance the role of toxicology in public health. PMID:25343012

US long distance fiber optic networks: Technology, evolution and advanced concepts. Volume 2: Fiber optic technology and long distance networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

1986-10-01

The study projects until 2000 the evolution of long distance fiber optic networks in the U.S. Volume 1 is the Executive Summary. Volume 2 focuses on fiber optic components and systems that are directly related to the operation of long-haul networks. Optimistic, pessimistic and most likely scenarios of technology development are presented. The activities of national and regional companies implementing fiber long haul networks are also highlighted, along with an analysis of the market and regulatory forces affecting network evolution. Volume 3 presents advanced fiber optic network concept definitions. Inter-LATA traffic is quantified and forms the basis for the construction of 11-, 15-, 17-, and 23-node networks. Using the technology projections from Volume 2, a financial model identifies cost drivers and determines circuit mile costs between any two LATAs. A comparison of fiber optics with alternative transmission concludes the report.

US long distance fiber optic networks: Technology, evolution and advanced concepts. Volume 2: Fiber optic technology and long distance networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

The study projects until 2000 the evolution of long distance fiber optic networks in the U.S. Volume 1 is the Executive Summary. Volume 2 focuses on fiber optic components and systems that are directly related to the operation of long-haul networks. Optimistic, pessimistic and most likely scenarios of technology development are presented. The activities of national and regional companies implementing fiber long haul networks are also highlighted, along with an analysis of the market and regulatory forces affecting network evolution. Volume 3 presents advanced fiber optic network concept definitions. Inter-LATA traffic is quantified and forms the basis for the construction of 11-, 15-, 17-, and 23-node networks. Using the technology projections from Volume 2, a financial model identifies cost drivers and determines circuit mile costs between any two LATAs. A comparison of fiber optics with alternative transmission concludes the report.

Toxicological aspects of fire.

PubMed

Stefanidou, M; Athanaselis, S

2004-08-01

Most fatalities from fires are not due to burns, but are a result of inhalation of toxic gases produced during combustion. Fire produces a complex toxic environment, involving flame, heat, oxygen depletion, smoke and toxic gases. As a wide variety of synthetic materials is used in buildings (insulation, furniture, carpeting, electric wiring covering, decorative items), the potential for poisoning from inhalation of products of combustion is continuously increasing. In the present review, the problems that are present in a fire event, the toxicology of the toxic substances and the specific chemical hazards to firefighters are described. Regulatory toxicology aspects are presented concerning the use of non-flammable building and furnishing materials to prevent fires and decrease of poisonings and deaths resulting from fires.

Toxicological challenges to microbial bioethanol production and strategies for improved tolerance

DOE PAGES

Akinsho, Hannah; Rydzak, Thomas; Borole, Abhijeet P.; ...

2015-09-30

Bioethanol production output has increased steadily over the last two decades and is now beginning to become competitive with traditional liquid transportation fuels due to advances in engineering, the identification of new production host organisms, and the development of novel biodesign strategies. A significant portion of these efforts has been dedicated to mitigating the toxicological challenges encountered across the bioethanol production process. From the release of potentially cytotoxic or inhibitory compounds from input feedstocks, through the metabolic co-synthesis of ethanol and potentially detrimental byproducts, and to the potential cytotoxicity of ethanol itself, each stage of bioethanol production requires the applicationmore » of genetic or engineering controls that ensure the host organisms remain healthy and productive to meet the necessary economies required for large scale production. In addition, as production levels continue to increase, there is an escalating focus on the detoxification of the resulting waste streams to minimize their environmental impact. Thus, this review will present the major toxicological challenges encountered throughout each stage of the bioethanol production process and the commonly employed strategies for reducing or eliminating potential toxic effects.« less

IRIS Toxicological Review of 2-Methylnaphthalene (2003, Final)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA announced the release of the final report, Toxicological Review of 2-Methylnaphthalene: in support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). The updated Summary for 2-Methylnaphthalene and accompanying toxicological review have also been added to the IRIS Datab...

Male Reproductive Toxicology: Environmental Exposures vs Reproductive Competence

EPA Science Inventory

Like the lecture this chapter begins with an overview of male reproductive biology and transitions into male reproductive toxicology. It ends with a brief discussion of the strengths and weaknesses in male reproductive toxicology and epidemiology today. This chapter is highly il...

Postmortem diagnosis and toxicological validation of illicit substance use

PubMed Central

Lehrmann, E; Afanador, ZR; Deep-Soboslay, A; Gallegos, G; Darwin, WD; Lowe, RH; Barnes, AJ; Huestis, MA; Cadet, JL; Herman, MM; Hyde, TM; Kleinman, JE; Freed, WJ

2008-01-01

The present study examines the diagnostic challenges of identifying ante-mortem illicit substance use in human postmortem cases. Substance use, assessed by clinical case history reviews, structured next-of-kin interviews, by general toxicology of blood, urine, and/or brain, and by scalp hair testing, identified 33 cocaine, 29 cannabis, 10 phencyclidine and 9 opioid cases. Case history identified 42% cocaine, 76% cannabis, 10% phencyclidine, and 33% opioid cases. Next-of-kin interviews identified almost twice as many cocaine and cannabis cases as Medical Examiner (ME) case histories, and were crucial in establishing a detailed lifetime substance use history. Toxicology identified 91% cocaine, 68% cannabis, 80% phencyclidine, and 100% opioid cases, with hair testing increasing detection for all drug classes. A cocaine or cannabis use history was corroborated by general toxicology with 50% and 32% sensitivity, respectively, and with 82% and 64% sensitivity by hair testing. Hair testing corroborated a positive general toxicology for cocaine and cannabis with 91% and 100% sensitivity, respectively. Case history corroborated hair toxicology with 38% sensitivity for cocaine and 79% sensitivity for cannabis, suggesting that both case history and general toxicology underestimated cocaine use. Identifying ante-mortem substance use in human postmortem cases are key considerations in case diagnosis and for characterization of disorder-specific changes in neurobiology. The sensitivity and specificity of substance use assessments increased when ME case history was supplemented with structured next-of-kin interviews to establish a detailed lifetime substance use history, while comprehensive toxicology, and hair testing in particular, increased detection of recent illicit substance use. PMID:18201295

Modern Instrumental Methods in Forensic Toxicology*

PubMed Central

Smith, Michael L.; Vorce, Shawn P.; Holler, Justin M.; Shimomura, Eric; Magluilo, Joe; Jacobs, Aaron J.; Huestis, Marilyn A.

2009-01-01

This article reviews modern analytical instrumentation in forensic toxicology for identification and quantification of drugs and toxins in biological fluids and tissues. A brief description of the theory and inherent strengths and limitations of each methodology is included. The focus is on new technologies that address current analytical limitations. A goal of this review is to encourage innovations to improve our technological capabilities and to encourage use of these analytical techniques in forensic toxicology practice. PMID:17579968

IRIS Toxicological Review of Dichloromethane (Methylene ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA is releasing the draft report, Toxicological Review of Dichloromethane, that was distributed to Federal agencies and White House Offices for comment during the Science Discussion step of the IRIS Assessment Development Process. Comments received from other Federal agencies and White House Offices are provided below with external peer review panel comments. The draft Toxicological Review of Dichloromethane provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to dichloromethane.

[Advances in sensor node and wireless communication technology of body sensor network].

PubMed

Lin, Weibing; Lei, Sheng; Wei, Caihong; Li, Chunxiang; Wang, Cang

2012-06-01

With the development of the wireless communication technology, implantable biosensor technology, and embedded system technology, Body Sensor Network (BSN) as one branch of wireless sensor networks and important part of the Internet of things has caught more attention of researchers and enterprises. This paper offers the basic concept of the BSN and analyses the related research. We focus on sensor node and wireless communication technology from perspectives of technology challenges, research advance and development trend in the paper. Besides, we also present a relative overview of domestic and overseas projects for the BSN.

Assessing the scientific research productivity of a leading toxicology journal: A case study of Human & Experimental Toxicology from 2003 to 2012

PubMed Central

Al-Jabi, Samah W; Sweileh, Waleed M; Awang, Rahmat

2014-01-01

Background: Bibliometric studies are increasingly being used for research assessments. Bibliometric indicators involve the application of statistical methods to scientific publications to obtain the bibliographics for each journal. The main objective of this study was to conduct a bibliometric evaluation of Human & Experimental Toxicology retrieved from the Scopus database. Methods: This study obtained data from Scopus published from 1 January 2003 till 31 December 2012. The keywords entered in Scopus to accomplish the objective of this study were ‘Human’, ‘Experimental’ and ‘Toxicology’ as ‘Source Title’. Research productivity was evaluated based on a methodology developed and used in other bibliometric studies by analysing (a) total and trends in Human & Experimental Toxicology contributions in research between 2003 and 2012; (b) Human & Experimental Toxicology authorship patterns and productivity; (c) collaboration patterns; and (d) the citations received by the publications. Results: There were 1229 research articles published in Human & Experimental Toxicology. Of the articles included, 947 (77.1%) were original articles and 104 (8.5%) were review articles. The Hirsch-index of the retrieved documents was 35. The largest number of publications in Human & Experimental Toxicology was from the United States (19.6%), followed by India (12.8%) and Turkey (10.9%). The total number of citations was 9119, with a median (interquartile range) of 3 (1–9) in 6797 documents. The highest median (interquartile range) number of citations was 8 (2.7–12.7) for France, followed by 7.5 (2–22.5) for Iran and 6 (3–13.5) for the United Kingdom. The country most often citing articles that were published in Human & Experimental Toxicology was the United States, which made citations in 1508 documents, followed by India with citations in 792 documents. Conclusion: The documents in Human & Experimental Toxicology focus principally on original data, with very few

[Development and Application of Metabonomics in Forensic Toxicology].

PubMed

Yan, Hui; Shen, Min

2015-06-01

Metabonomics is an important branch of system biology following the development of genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics. It can perform high-throughput detection and data processing with multiple parameters, potentially enabling the identification and quantification of all small metabolites in a biological system. It can be used to provide comprehensive information on the toxicity effects, toxicological mechanisms and biomarkers, sensitively finding the unusual metabolic changes caused by poison. This article mainly reviews application of metabonomics in toxicological studies of abused drugs, pesticides, poisonous plants and poisonous animals, and also illustrates the new direction of forensic toxicology research.

Environmental toxicology and risk assessment: Seventh volume

USGS Publications Warehouse

Little, Edward E.; Greenberg, Bruce M.; DeLonay, Aaron J.

1998-01-01

This publication, Environmental Toxicology and Risk Assessment: Seventh Volume, contains papers presented at the Seventh Symposium on Toxicology and Risk Assessment: Ultraviolet Radiation and the Environment, held 7-9 April, 1997 in St. Louis, MO. The symposium, the 24th in a series on environmental toxicology, was sponsored by Committee E-47. Edward E. Little, of the U.S. Geological Survey/Biological Services Division in Columbia, MO, presided as chairman of the symposium. Bruce M. Greenberg, with the Department of Biology at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, and Aaron J. DeLonay, also with the U.S. Geological Service/Biological Services Division in Columbia, MO, served as co-chairmen of the symposium. Each of these men served as editor of the resulting publication.

IRIS Toxicological Review of 2-Hexanone (Interagency ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On September 25, 2009, the IRIS Summary and Toxicological Review of 2-hexanone was finalized and loaded onto the IRIS database. The Toxicological Review of 2-hexanone was reviewed internally by EPA, by other federal agencies and White House Offices, by expert external peer reviewers, and by the public. In the new IRIS process, introduced by the EPA Administrator, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency draft of the 2-hexanone IRIS assessment are posted on this site. The draft Toxicological Review of 2-hexanone provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard identification and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to 2-hexanone.

Using High-Content Imaging to Analyze Toxicological Tipping Points (ICTATT meeting China)

EPA Science Inventory

Presentation at International Conference on Toxicological Alternatives & Translational Toxicology (ICTATT) held in China and Discussing the possibility of using High Content Imaging to Analyze Toxicological Tipping Points

Quantitative systems toxicology

PubMed Central

Bloomingdale, Peter; Housand, Conrad; Apgar, Joshua F.; Millard, Bjorn L.; Mager, Donald E.; Burke, John M.; Shah, Dhaval K.

2017-01-01

The overarching goal of modern drug development is to optimize therapeutic benefits while minimizing adverse effects. However, inadequate efficacy and safety concerns remain to be the major causes of drug attrition in clinical development. For the past 80 years, toxicity testing has consisted of evaluating the adverse effects of drugs in animals to predict human health risks. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency recognized the need to develop innovative toxicity testing strategies and asked the National Research Council to develop a long-range vision and strategy for toxicity testing in the 21st century. The vision aims to reduce the use of animals and drug development costs through the integration of computational modeling and in vitro experimental methods that evaluates the perturbation of toxicity-related pathways. Towards this vision, collaborative quantitative systems pharmacology and toxicology modeling endeavors (QSP/QST) have been initiated amongst numerous organizations worldwide. In this article, we discuss how quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR), network-based, and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling approaches can be integrated into the framework of QST models. Additionally, we review the application of QST models to predict cardiotoxicity and hepatotoxicity of drugs throughout their development. Cell and organ specific QST models are likely to become an essential component of modern toxicity testing, and provides a solid foundation towards determining individualized therapeutic windows to improve patient safety. PMID:29308440

lazar: a modular predictive toxicology framework

PubMed Central

Maunz, Andreas; Gütlein, Martin; Rautenberg, Micha; Vorgrimmler, David; Gebele, Denis; Helma, Christoph

2013-01-01

lazar (lazy structure–activity relationships) is a modular framework for predictive toxicology. Similar to the read across procedure in toxicological risk assessment, lazar creates local QSAR (quantitative structure–activity relationship) models for each compound to be predicted. Model developers can choose between a large variety of algorithms for descriptor calculation and selection, chemical similarity indices, and model building. This paper presents a high level description of the lazar framework and discusses the performance of example classification and regression models. PMID:23761761

IRIS Toxicological Review of Trichloroethylene (TCE) ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA is conducting a peer review and public comment of the scientific basis supporting the human health hazard and dose-response assessment of Trichloroethylene (TCE) that when finalized will appear on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database. The purpose of this Toxicological Review is to provide scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment in IRIS pertaining to chronic exposure to trichloroethylene. It is not intended to be a comprehensive treatise on the chemical or toxicological nature of trichloroethylene.

TOXICOLOGICAL RESEARCH INVOLVING HUMANS: ETHICAL AND REGULATORY CONSIDERATIONS

EPA Science Inventory

This paper discusses the need for the Society of Toxicology (SOT) to develop a policy for ethical research in humans, and a review for publication of these studies. Observations on human beings have been the foundation upon which toxicologic knowledge has been built since the in...

THE FUTURE OF TOXICOLOGY-PREDICTIVE TOXICOLOGY: AN EXPANDED VIEW OF CHEMICAL TOXICITY

EPA Science Inventory

A chemistry approach to predictive toxicology relies on structure−activity relationship (SAR) modeling to predict biological activity from chemical structure. Such approaches have proven capabilities when applied to well-defined toxicity end points or regions of chemical space. T...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Benzo[a]pyrene (Interagency ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On August 21, 2013, the draft Toxicological Review of Benzo[a]pyrene and the draft charge to external peer reviewers were released for public review and comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. Consistent with the May 2009 IRIS assessment development process, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices are made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency science consultation materials provided to other agencies, including interagency review drafts of the IRIS Toxicological Review of Benzo[a]pyrene and the charge to external peer reviewers, are posted on this site. EPA is undertaking an update of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) health assessment for benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). The outcome of this project is an updated Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary for BaP that will be entered into the IRIS database.

Toxicodynetics: A new discipline in clinical toxicology.

PubMed

Baud, F J; Houzé, P; Villa, A; Borron, S W; Carli, P

2016-05-01

Regarding the different disciplines that encompass the pharmacology and the toxicology, none is specifically dedicated to the description and analysis of the time-course of relevant toxic effects both in experimental and clinical studies. The lack of a discipline devoted to this major field in toxicology results in misconception and even in errors by clinicians. Review of the basic different disciplines that encompass pharmacology toxicology and comparing with the description of the time-course of effects in conditions in which toxicological analysis was not performed or with limited analytical evidence. Review of the literature clearly shows how misleading is the current extrapolation of toxicokinetic data to the description of the time-course of toxic effects. A new discipline entitled toxicodynetics should be developed aiming at a more systematic description of the time-course of effects in acute human and experimental poisonings. Toxicodynetics might help emergency physicians in risk assessment when facing a poisoning and contribute to a better assessment of quality control of data collected by poison control centres. Toxicodynetics would also allow a quantitative approach to the clinical effects resulting from drug-drug interaction. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

Integrating the Principles of Toxicology into a Chemistry Curriculum

EPA Science Inventory

Designing safer products, processes and materials requires a commitment to engaging a transdisciplinary, systems approach utilizing the principles of chemistry, toxicology, environmental sciences and other allied disciplines. Chemistry and toxicology are inherently complementary ...

Scaling of data communications for an advanced supercomputer network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levin, E.; Eaton, C. K.; Young, Bruce

1986-01-01

The goal of NASA's Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation (NAS) Program is to provide a powerful computational environment for advanced research and development in aeronautics and related disciplines. The present NAS system consists of a Cray 2 supercomputer connected by a data network to a large mass storage system, to sophisticated local graphics workstations and by remote communication to researchers throughout the United States. The program plan is to continue acquiring the most powerful supercomputers as they become available. The implications of a projected 20-fold increase in processing power on the data communications requirements are described.

Target-based optimization of advanced gravitational-wave detector network operations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szölgyén, Á.; Dálya, G.; Gondán, L.; Raffai, P.

2017-04-01

We introduce two novel time-dependent figures of merit for both online and offline optimizations of advanced gravitational-wave (GW) detector network operations with respect to (i) detecting continuous signals from known source locations and (ii) detecting GWs of neutron star binary coalescences from known local galaxies, which thereby have the highest potential for electromagnetic counterpart detection. For each of these scientific goals, we characterize an N-detector network, and all its (N  -  1)-detector subnetworks, to identify subnetworks and individual detectors (key contributors) that contribute the most to achieving the scientific goal. Our results show that aLIGO-Hanford is expected to be the key contributor in 2017 to the goal of detecting GWs from the Crab pulsar within the network of LIGO and Virgo detectors. For the same time period and for the same network, both LIGO detectors are key contributors to the goal of detecting GWs from the Vela pulsar, as well as to detecting signals from 10 high interest pulsars. Key contributors to detecting continuous GWs from the Galactic Center can only be identified for finite time intervals within each sidereal day with either the 3-detector network of the LIGO and Virgo detectors in 2017, or the 4-detector network of the LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA detectors in 2019-2020. Characterization of the LIGO-Virgo detectors with respect to goal (ii) identified the two LIGO detectors as key contributors. Additionally, for all analyses, we identify time periods within a day when lock losses or scheduled service operations could result with the least amount of signal-to-noise or transient detection probability loss for a detector network.

Downloadable Computational Toxicology Data

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA’s computational toxicology research generates data that investigates the potential harm, or hazard of a chemical, the degree of exposure to chemicals as well as the unique chemical characteristics. This data is publicly available here.

Biology and toxicology of tellurium explored by speciation analysis.

PubMed

Ogra, Yasumitsu

2017-05-24

Tellurium (Te) is widely used in industry because it has unique physicochemical properties. Although Te is a non-essential element in animals and plants, it is expected to be metabolized to organometallic compounds having a carbon-Te bond in living organisms exposed to inorganic Te compounds. Thus, the speciation and identification of tellurometabolites are expected to contribute to the depiction of the metabolic chart of Te. Speciation by elemental mass spectrometry and identification by molecular mass spectrometry coupled with separation techniques have significantly contributed to the discovery of tellurometabolites in animals and plants. The aim of this mini review is to present recent advances in the biology and toxicology of tellurium as revealed by speciation and identification by molecular mass spectrometry.

Computational Toxicology as Implemented by the U.S. EPA: Providing High Throughput Decision Support Tools for Screening and Assessing Chemical Exposure, Hazard and Risk

EPA Science Inventory

Computational toxicology is the application of mathematical and computer models to help assess chemical hazards and risks to human health and the environment. Supported by advances in informatics, high-throughput screening (HTS) technologies, and systems biology, the U.S. Environ...

The Whole Wildlife Toxicology Catalog: a Web Portal for Wildlife Toxicology Data

EPA Science Inventory

In 2007, the Smithsonian Institution sponsored a Wildlife Toxicology Workshop attended by over 50 scientists and administrators from academia, government and conservation entities, and the private sector. One of the action items from the meeting was to develop a web portal that ...

Environmental toxicology: Interconnections between human health and ecological integrity

EPA Science Inventory

This presentation will discuss what has made a career in environmental toxicology rewarding, environmental and scientific challenges for the 21st century, paradigm shift in regulatory toxicology, adverse outcome framework, interconnections between human health and ecological inte...

Advanced Mobility Handover for Mobile IPv6 Based Wireless Networks

PubMed Central

Safa Sadiq, Ali; Fisal, Norsheila Binti; Ghafoor, Kayhan Zrar; Lloret, Jaime

2014-01-01

We propose an Advanced Mobility Handover scheme (AMH) in this paper for seamless mobility in MIPv6-based wireless networks. In the proposed scheme, the mobile node utilizes a unique home IPv6 address developed to maintain communication with other corresponding nodes without a care-of-address during the roaming process. The IPv6 address for each MN during the first round of AMH process is uniquely identified by HA using the developed MN-ID field as a global permanent, which is identifying uniquely the IPv6 address of MN. Moreover, a temporary MN-ID is generated by access point each time an MN is associated with a particular AP and temporarily saved in a developed table inside the AP. When employing the AMH scheme, the handover process in the network layer is performed prior to its default time. That is, the mobility handover process in the network layer is tackled by a trigger developed AMH message to the next access point. Thus, a mobile node keeps communicating with the current access point while the network layer handover is executed by the next access point. The mathematical analyses and simulation results show that the proposed scheme performs better as compared with the existing approaches. PMID:25614890

Advanced mobility handover for mobile IPv6 based wireless networks.

PubMed

Safa Sadiq, Ali; Fisal, Norsheila Binti; Ghafoor, Kayhan Zrar; Lloret, Jaime

2014-01-01

We propose an Advanced Mobility Handover scheme (AMH) in this paper for seamless mobility in MIPv6-based wireless networks. In the proposed scheme, the mobile node utilizes a unique home IPv6 address developed to maintain communication with other corresponding nodes without a care-of-address during the roaming process. The IPv6 address for each MN during the first round of AMH process is uniquely identified by HA using the developed MN-ID field as a global permanent, which is identifying uniquely the IPv6 address of MN. Moreover, a temporary MN-ID is generated by access point each time an MN is associated with a particular AP and temporarily saved in a developed table inside the AP. When employing the AMH scheme, the handover process in the network layer is performed prior to its default time. That is, the mobility handover process in the network layer is tackled by a trigger developed AMH message to the next access point. Thus, a mobile node keeps communicating with the current access point while the network layer handover is executed by the next access point. The mathematical analyses and simulation results show that the proposed scheme performs better as compared with the existing approaches.

The New Toxicology of Sophisticated Materials: Nanotoxicology and Beyond

PubMed Central

Maynard, Andrew D.; Warheit, David B.; Philbert, Martin A.

2011-01-01

It has long been recognized that the physical form of materials can mediate their toxicity—the health impacts of asbestiform materials, industrial aerosols, and ambient particulate matter are prime examples. Yet over the past 20 years, toxicology research has suggested complex and previously unrecognized associations between material physicochemistry at the nanoscale and biological interactions. With the rapid rise of the field of nanotechnology and the design and production of increasingly complex nanoscale materials, it has become ever more important to understand how the physical form and chemical composition of these materials interact synergistically to determine toxicity. As a result, a new field of research has emerged—nanotoxicology. Research within this field is highlighting the importance of material physicochemical properties in how dose is understood, how materials are characterized in a manner that enables quantitative data interpretation and comparison, and how materials move within, interact with, and are transformed by biological systems. Yet many of the substances that are the focus of current nanotoxicology studies are relatively simple materials that are at the vanguard of a new era of complex materials. Over the next 50 years, there will be a need to understand the toxicology of increasingly sophisticated materials that exhibit novel, dynamic and multifaceted functionality. If the toxicology community is to meet the challenge of ensuring the safe use of this new generation of substances, it will need to move beyond “nano” toxicology and toward a new toxicology of sophisticated materials. Here, we present a brief overview of the current state of the science on the toxicology of nanoscale materials and focus on three emerging toxicology-based challenges presented by sophisticated materials that will become increasingly important over the next 50 years: identifying relevant materials for study, physicochemical characterization, and

Methodology for Uncertainty Analysis of Dynamic Computational Toxicology Models

EPA Science Inventory

The task of quantifying the uncertainty in both parameter estimates and model predictions has become more important with the increased use of dynamic computational toxicology models by the EPA. Dynamic toxicological models include physiologically-based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) mode...

Computational toxicology: Its essential role in reducing drug attrition.

PubMed

Naven, R T; Louise-May, S

2015-12-01

Predictive toxicology plays a critical role in reducing the failure rate of new drugs in pharmaceutical research and development. Despite recent gains in our understanding of drug-induced toxicity, however, it is urgent that the utility and limitations of our current predictive tools be determined in order to identify gaps in our understanding of mechanistic and chemical toxicology. Using recently published computational regression analyses of in vitro and in vivo toxicology data, it will be demonstrated that significant gaps remain in early safety screening paradigms. More strategic analyses of these data sets will allow for a better understanding of their domain of applicability and help identify those compounds that cause significant in vivo toxicity but which are currently mis-predicted by in silico and in vitro models. These 'outliers' and falsely predicted compounds are metaphorical lighthouses that shine light on existing toxicological knowledge gaps, and it is essential that these compounds are investigated if attrition is to be reduced significantly in the future. As such, the modern computational toxicologist is more productively engaged in understanding these gaps and driving investigative toxicology towards addressing them. © The Author(s) 2015.

IRIS Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane (with Inhalation ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On September 9, 2011, the Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane (inhalation) (External Review Draft) was posted for external peer review and public comment. Subsequently, the Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and Executive Office of the President before final public release. Based on the 2009 IRIS assessment development process, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and the Executive Office of the President will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments with EPA's response and the interagency science discussion draft of the IRIS Toxicological Review of 1,4-dioxane (with inhalation update) and the draft IRIS Summary are posted on this site. The Toxicological Review of 1,4-dioxane provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to 1,4-dioxane.

Systems toxicology identifies mechanistic impacts of 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene (2A-DNT) exposure in Northern Bobwhite.

PubMed

Gust, Kurt A; Nanduri, Bindu; Rawat, Arun; Wilbanks, Mitchell S; Ang, Choo Yaw; Johnson, David R; Pendarvis, Ken; Chen, Xianfeng; Quinn, Michael J; Johnson, Mark S; Burgess, Shane C; Perkins, Edward J

2015-08-07

A systems toxicology investigation comparing and integrating transcriptomic and proteomic results was conducted to develop holistic effects characterizations for the wildlife bird model, Northern bobwhite (Colinus virginianus) dosed with the explosives degradation product 2-amino-4,6-dinitrotoluene (2A-DNT). A subchronic 60 d toxicology bioassay was leveraged where both sexes were dosed via daily gavage with 0, 3, 14, or 30 mg/kg-d 2A-DNT. Effects on global transcript expression were investigated in liver and kidney tissue using custom microarrays for C. virginianus in both sexes at all doses, while effects on proteome expression were investigated in liver for both sexes and kidney in males, at 30 mg/kg-d. As expected, transcript expression was not directly indicative of protein expression in response to 2A-DNT. However, a high degree of correspondence was observed among gene and protein expression when investigating higher-order functional responses including statistically enriched gene networks and canonical pathways, especially when connected to toxicological outcomes of 2A-DNT exposure. Analysis of networks statistically enriched for both transcripts and proteins demonstrated common responses including inhibition of programmed cell death and arrest of cell cycle in liver tissues at 2A-DNT doses that caused liver necrosis and death in females. Additionally, both transcript and protein expression in liver tissue was indicative of induced phase I and II xenobiotic metabolism potentially as a mechanism to detoxify and excrete 2A-DNT. Nuclear signaling assays, transcript expression and protein expression each implicated peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) nuclear signaling as a primary molecular target in the 2A-DNT exposure with significant downstream enrichment of PPAR-regulated pathways including lipid metabolic pathways and gluconeogenesis suggesting impaired bioenergetic potential. Although the differential expression of transcripts and proteins

[Forensic toxicology, a growing scientific discipline].

PubMed

Augsburger, Marc; Staub, Christian

2008-07-02

Forensic toxicology has to bring evidence of substances that could have been involved directly or indirectly in the cause of death or that could influence the behaviour of somebody. The increase of the consumption of illegal and legal drugs in modern societies during last decades gave a boost to forensic toxicology. Moreover, improvement with analytical technology gave tools with high degrees of sensitivity and specificity for the screening and quantification of a large amount of substances in various biological specimens, even with very low concentration resulting of a single dose of medication.

The Effects of a Dynamic Spectrum Access Overlay in LTE-Advanced Networks

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Juan D. Deaton; Ryan E. Irwin; Luiz A. DaSilva

As early as 2014, mobile network operators’ spectral capacity will be overwhelmed by the demand brought on by new devices and applications. To augment capacity and meet this demand, operators may choose to deploy a Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) overlay. The signaling and functionality required by such an overlay have not yet been fully considered in the architecture of the planned Long Term Evolution Advanced (LTE+) networks. This paper presents a Spectrum Accountability framework to be integrated into LTE+ architectures, defining specific element functionality, protocol interfaces, and signaling flow diagrams required to enforce the rights and responsibilities of primary andmore » secondary users. We also quantify, through integer programs, the benefits of using DSA channels to augment capacity under a scenario in which LTE+ network can opportunistically use TV and GSM spectrum. The framework proposed here may serve as a guide in the development of future LTE+ network standards that account for DSA.« less

Distance learning in toxicology: Australia's RMIT program

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ahokas, Jorma; Donohue, Diana; Rix, Colin

2005-09-01

RMIT University was the first to offer a comprehensive Masters of Toxicology in Australasia 19 years ago. In 2001 the program was transformed into two stages, leading to a Graduate Diploma and Master of Applied Science in Toxicology. Now, these programs are fully online and suitable for graduates living and working anywhere in the world. The modular distance-learning courses are specifically designed to equip students with essential skills for entering fields such as chemical and drug evaluation; risk assessment of chemicals in the workplace; environmental and food toxicology. RMIT's online course delivery system has made it possible to deliver themore » toxicology programs, both nationally and internationally. The learning material and interactive activities (tests and quizzes, discussion boards, chat sessions) use Blackboard and WebBoard, each with a different educational function. Students log in to a Learning Hub to access their courses. The Learning Hub enables students to extend their learning beyond the classroom to the home, workplace, library and any other location with Internet access. The teaching staff log in to the Learning Hub to maintain and administer the online programs and courses which they have developed and/or which they teach. The Learning Hub is also a communication tool for students and staff, providing access to email, a diary and announcements. The early experience of delivering a full toxicology program online is very positive. However this mode of teaching continues to present many interesting technical, educational and cultural challenges, including: the design and presentation of the material; copyright issues; internationalisation of content; interactive participation; and the assessment procedures.« less

Toxicological perspectives of inhaled therapeutics and nanoparticles.

PubMed

Hayes, Amanda J; Bakand, Shahnaz

2014-07-01

The human respiratory system is an important route for the entry of inhaled therapeutics into the body to treat diseases. Inhaled materials may consist of gases, vapours, aerosols and particulates. In all cases, assessing the toxicological effect of inhaled therapeutics has many challenges. This article provides an overview of in vivo and in vitro models for testing the toxicity of inhaled therapeutics and nanoparticles implemented in drug delivery. Traditionally, inhalation toxicity has been performed on test animals to identify the median lethal concentration of airborne materials. Later maximum tolerable concentration denoted by LC0 has been introduced as a more ethically acceptable end point. More recently, in vitro methods have been developed, allowing the direct exposure of airborne material to cultured human target cells on permeable porous membranes at the air-liquid interface. Modifications of current inhalation therapies, new pulmonary medications for respiratory diseases and implementation of the respiratory tract for systemic drug delivery are providing new challenges when conducting well-designed inhalation toxicology studies. In particular, the area of nanoparticles and nanocarriers is of critical toxicological concern. There is a need to develop toxicological test models, which characterise the toxic response and cellular interaction between inhaled particles and the respiratory system.

The Managing Epilepsy Well Network:: Advancing Epilepsy Self-Management.

PubMed

Sajatovic, Martha; Jobst, Barbara C; Shegog, Ross; Bamps, Yvan A; Begley, Charles E; Fraser, Robert T; Johnson, Erica K; Pandey, Dilip K; Quarells, Rakale C; Scal, Peter; Spruill, Tanya M; Thompson, Nancy J; Kobau, Rosemarie

2017-03-01

Epilepsy, a complex spectrum of disorders, affects about 2.9 million people in the U.S. Similar to other chronic disorders, people with epilepsy face challenges related to management of the disorder, its treatment, co-occurring depression, disability, social disadvantages, and stigma. Two national conferences on public health and epilepsy (1997, 2003) and a 2012 IOM report on the public health dimensions of epilepsy highlighted important knowledge gaps and emphasized the need for evidence-based, scalable epilepsy self-management programs. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention translated recommendations on self-management research and dissemination into an applied research program through the Prevention Research Centers Managing Epilepsy Well (MEW) Network. MEW Network objectives are to advance epilepsy self-management research by developing effective interventions that can be broadly disseminated for use in people's homes, healthcare providers' offices, or in community settings. The aim of this report is to provide an update on the MEW Network research pipeline, which spans efficacy, effectiveness, and dissemination. Many of the interventions use e-health strategies to eliminate barriers to care (e.g., lack of transportation, functional limitations, and stigma). Strengths of this mature research network are the culture of collaboration, community-based partnerships, e-health methods, and its portfolio of prevention activities, which range from efficacy studies engaging hard-to-reach groups, to initiatives focused on provider training and knowledge translation. The MEW Network works with organizations across the country to expand its capacity, help leverage funding and other resources, and enhance the development, dissemination, and sustainability of MEW Network programs and tools. Guided by national initiatives targeting chronic disease or epilepsy burden since 2007, the MEW Network has been responsible for more than 43 scientific journal articles, two

Course constructions: A case-base of forensic toxicology.

PubMed

Zhou, Nan; Wu, Yeda; Su, Terry; Zhang, Liyong; Yin, Kun; Zheng, Da; Zheng, Jingjing; Huang, Lei; Wu, Qiuping; Cheng, Jianding

2017-08-01

Forensic toxicology education in China is limited by insufficient teaching methods and resources, resulting in students with adequate theoretical principles but lacking practice experience. Typical cases used as teaching materials vividly represent intoxication and provide students with an opportunity to practice and hone resolving skills. In 2013, the Department of Forensic Pathology at Zhongshan School of Medicine began to construct top-quality courses in forensic toxicology, with its first step, creating a base containing typical cases of intoxication. This essay reviews the construction process of said cases-base, which is intended to set an example of forensic toxicology education. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Toxicology, an STS Approach.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagner, Richard

1990-01-01

Presented are activities suggested through Project L.A.B.S. that involve the topic of toxicology. Activities include suggested research, the risk benefit seesaw, human-made compounds, legislation, a historical perspective, and health. A suggested readings list is provided. (KR)

Commemorating Toxicology at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences on the Occasion of Its 50th Anniversary

PubMed Central

Bucher, John R.; Birnbaum, Linda S.

2016-01-01

Summary: In 1978, the National Toxicology Program (NTP) was established and headquartered at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. On the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the NIEHS, this article documents some of the historical and current NTP programs and scientific advances that have been made possible through this long-standing relationship. PMID:27801649

IRIS Toxicological Review of Trichloroethylene (Interagency Science Consultation Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

On November 3, 2009, the Toxicological Review of Trichloroethylene and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White Hous...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Methyl Ethyl Ketone (2003 Final)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA announced the release of the final report, Toxicological Review of Methyl Ethyl Ketone: in support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). The updated Summary for Methyl Ethyl Ketone and accompanying toxicological review have been added to the IRIS Database....

Overview of the "epigenetic end points in toxicologic pathology and relevance to human health" session of the 2014 Society Of Toxicologic Pathology Annual Symposium.

PubMed

Hoenerhoff, Mark J; Hartke, James

2015-01-01

The theme of the Society of Toxicologic Pathology 2014 Annual Symposium was "Translational Pathology: Relevance of Toxicologic Pathology to Human Health." The 5th session focused on epigenetic end points in biology, toxicity, and carcinogenicity, and how those end points are relevant to human exposures. This overview highlights the various presentations in this session, discussing integration of epigenetics end points in toxicologic pathology studies, investigating the role of epigenetics in product safety assessment, epigenetic changes in cancers, methodologies to detect them, and potential therapies, chromatin remodeling in development and disease, and epigenomics and the microbiome. The purpose of this overview is to discuss the application of epigenetics to toxicologic pathology and its utility in preclinical or mechanistic based safety, efficacy, and carcinogenicity studies. © 2014 by The Author(s).

High-resolution mass spectrometry in toxicology: current status and future perspectives.

PubMed

Maurer, H H; Meyer, Markus R

2016-09-01

This paper reviews high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) approaches using time-of-flight or Orbitrap techniques for research and application in various toxicology fields, particularly in clinical toxicology and forensic toxicology published since 2013 and referenced in PubMed. In the introduction, an overview on applications of HRMS in various toxicology fields is given with reference to current review articles. Papers concerning HRMS in metabolism, screening, and quantification of pharmaceuticals, drugs of abuse, and toxins in human body samples are critically reviewed. Finally, a discussion on advantages as well as limitations and future perspectives of these methods is included.

Human exposure assessment and the National Toxicology Program.

PubMed Central

Lucier, G W; Schecter, A

1998-01-01

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Toxicology Program (NIEHS/NTP) is developing a new interagency initiative in exposure assessment. This initiative involves the NIEHS, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through its National Center for Environmental Health, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, the EPA, and other participating institutes and agencies of the NTP. This initiative will benefit public health and priority setting in a number of ways. First, as discussed above, it will strengthen the scientific foundation for risk assessments by the development of more credible exposure/response relationships in people by improving cross-species extrapolation, the development of biologically based dose-response models, and the identification of sensitive subpopulations and for "margin of exposure" based estimates of risk. Second, it will provide the kind of information necessary for deciding which chemicals should be studied with the limited resources available for toxicological testing. For example, there are 85,000 chemicals in commerce today, and the NTP can only provide toxicological evaluations on 10-20 per year. Third, we would use the information obtained from the exposure initiative to focus our research on mixtures that are actually present in people's bodies. Fourth, we would obtain information on the kinds and amount of chemicals in children and other potentially sensitive subpopulations. Determinations of whether additional safety factors need to be applied to children must rest, in part, upon comparative exposure analyses between children and adults. Fifth, this initiative, taken together with the environmental genome initiative, will provide the science base essential for meaningful studies on gene/environment interactions, particularly for strengthening the evaluation of epidemiology studies. Sixth, efficacy of public health policies aimed at reducing human exposure to chemical agents could be

Metabolomics in Toxicology and Preclinical Research

PubMed Central

Ramirez, Tzutzuy; Daneshian, Mardas; Kamp, Hennicke; Bois, Frederic Y.; Clench, Malcolm R.; Coen, Muireann; Donley, Beth; Fischer, Steven M.; Ekman, Drew R.; Fabian, Eric; Guillou, Claude; Heuer, Joachim; Hogberg, Helena T.; Jungnickel, Harald; Keun, Hector C.; Krennrich, Gerhard; Krupp, Eckart; Luch, Andreas; Noor, Fozia; Peter, Erik; Riefke, Bjoern; Seymour, Mark; Skinner, Nigel; Smirnova, Lena; Verheij, Elwin; Wagner, Silvia; Hartung, Thomas; van Ravenzwaay, Bennard; Leist, Marcel

2013-01-01

Summary Metabolomics, the comprehensive analysis of metabolites in a biological system, provides detailed information about the biochemical/physiological status of a biological system, and about the changes caused by chemicals. Metabolomics analysis is used in many fields, ranging from the analysis of the physiological status of genetically modified organisms in safety science to the evaluation of human health conditions. In toxicology, metabolomics is the -omics discipline that is most closely related to classical knowledge of disturbed biochemical pathways. It allows rapid identification of the potential targets of a hazardous compound. It can give information on target organs and often can help to improve our understanding regarding the mode-of-action of a given compound. Such insights aid the discovery of biomarkers that either indicate pathophysiological conditions or help the monitoring of the efficacy of drug therapies. The first toxicological applications of metabolomics were for mechanistic research, but different ways to use the technology in a regulatory context are being explored. Ideally, further progress in that direction will position the metabolomics approach to address the challenges of toxicology of the 21st century. To address these issues, scientists from academia, industry, and regulatory bodies came together in a workshop to discuss the current status of applied metabolomics and its potential in the safety assessment of compounds. We report here on the conclusions of three working groups addressing questions regarding 1) metabolomics for in vitro studies 2) the appropriate use of metabolomics in systems toxicology, and 3) use of metabolomics in a regulatory context. PMID:23665807

Development and Application of Computational/In Vitro Toxicological Methods for Chemical Hazard Risk Reduction of New Materials for Advanced Weapon Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Frazier, John M.; Mattie, D. R.; Hussain, Saber; Pachter, Ruth; Boatz, Jerry; Hawkins, T. W.

2000-01-01

The development of quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) is essential for reducing the chemical hazards of new weapon systems. The current collaboration between HEST (toxicology research and testing), MLPJ (computational chemistry) and PRS (computational chemistry, new propellant synthesis) is focusing R&D efforts on basic research goals that will rapidly transition to useful products for propellant development. Computational methods are being investigated that will assist in forecasting cellular toxicological end-points. Models developed from these chemical structure-toxicity relationships are useful for the prediction of the toxicological endpoints of new related compounds. Research is focusing on the evaluation tools to be used for the discovery of such relationships and the development of models of the mechanisms of action. Combinations of computational chemistry techniques, in vitro toxicity methods, and statistical correlations, will be employed to develop and explore potential predictive relationships; results for series of molecular systems that demonstrate the viability of this approach are reported. A number of hydrazine salts have been synthesized for evaluation. Computational chemistry methods are being used to elucidate the mechanism of action of these salts. Toxicity endpoints such as viability (LDH) and changes in enzyme activity (glutahoione peroxidase and catalase) are being experimentally measured as indicators of cellular damage. Extrapolation from computational/in vitro studies to human toxicity, is the ultimate goal. The product of this program will be a predictive tool to assist in the development of new, less toxic propellants.

Behavioral Screening for Toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

Screening for behavioral toxicity, or neurotoxicity, has been in use for decades; however, only in the past 20 years has this become a standard practice in toxicology. Current screening batteries, such as the functional observational battery (FOB), are derived from protocols use...

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) for Severe Toxicological Exposures: Review of the Toxicology Investigators Consortium (ToxIC).

PubMed

Wang, G S; Levitan, R; Wiegand, T J; Lowry, J; Schult, R F; Yin, S

2016-03-01

Although there have been many developments related to specific strategies for treating patients after poisoning exposures, the mainstay of therapy remains symptomatic and supportive care. One of the most aggressive supportive modalities is extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Our goal was to describe the use of ECMO for toxicological exposures reported to the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) Toxicology Investigators Consortium (ToxIC). We performed a retrospective review of the ACMT ToxIC Registry from January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2013. Inclusion criteria included patients aged 0 to 89 years, evaluated between January 2010 through December 2013, and received ECMO for toxicological exposure. There were 26,271 exposures (60 % female) reported to the ToxIC Registry, 10 (0.0004 %) received ECMO: 4 pediatric (< 12 years), 2 adolescent (12-18 years), and 4 adults (>18 years). Time of initiation of ECMO ranged from 4 h to 4 days, with duration from 15 h to 12 days. Exposures included carbon monoxide/smoke inhalation (2), bitter almonds, methanol, and several medications including antihistamines (2), antipsychotic/antidepressant (2), cardiovascular drugs (2), analgesics (2), sedative/hypnotics (2), and antidiabetics (2). Four ECMO patients received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during their hospital course, and the overall survival rate was 80 %. ECMO was rarely used for poisoning exposures in the ACMT ToxIC Registry. ECMO was utilized for a variety of ages and for pharmaceutical and non-pharmaceutical exposures. In most cases, ECMO was administered prior to cardiovascular failure, and survival rate was high. If available, ECMO may be a valid treatment modality.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Trimethylbenzenes (Interagency Science Consultation Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

On June 26, 2012, the draft Toxicological Review of Trimethylbenzenes and the draft charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and W...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Ammonia (Interagency Science Consultation Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

On June 1, 2012, the draft Toxicological Review of Ammonia and the draft charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House ...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Formaldehyde (Interagency Science Consultation Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

On June 2, 2010, the Toxicological Review of Formaldehyde and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Biphenyl (Interagency Science Consultation Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

On September 30, 2011, the draft Toxicological Review of Biphenyl and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Acrylonitrile (Interagency Science Consultation Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

On June 30, 2011, the draft Toxicological Review of Acrylonitrile and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Urea (Interagency Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA is releasing the draft report, Toxicological Review of Urea,, that was distributed to Federal agencies and White House Offices for comment during the Science Discussion step of the IRIS Assessment Development Process. Comments received from other Federal agencies and White House Offices are provided below with external peer review panel comments. The draft Toxicological Review of Urea provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to Urea.

New challenges and innovation in forensic toxicology: focus on the "New Psychoactive Substances".

PubMed

Favretto, Donata; Pascali, Jennifer P; Tagliaro, Franco

2013-04-26

In the recent years, new molecules have appeared in the illicit market, claimed to contain "non-illegal" compounds, although exhibiting important psychoactive effects; this heterogeneous and rapidly evolving class of compounds are commonly known as "New Psychoactive Substances" or, less properly, "Smart Drugs" and are easily distributed through the e-commerce or in the so-called "Smart Shops". They include, among other, synthetic cannabinoids, cathinones and tryptamine analogs of psylocin. Whereas cases of intoxication and death have been reported, the phenomenon appears to be largely underestimated and is a matter of concern for Public Health. One of the major points of concern depends on the substantial ineffectiveness of the current methods of toxicological screening of biological samples to identify the new compounds entering the market. These limitations emphasize an urgent need to increase the screening capabilities of the toxicology laboratories, and to develop rapid, versatile yet specific assays able to identify new molecules. The most recent advances in mass spectrometry technology, introducing instruments capable of detecting hundreds of compounds at nanomolar concentrations, are expected to give a fundamental contribution to broaden the diagnostic spectrum of the toxicological screening to include not only all these continuously changing molecules but also their metabolites. In the present paper a critical overview of the opportunities, strengths and limitations of some of the newest analytical approaches is provided, with a particular attention to liquid phase separation techniques coupled to high accuracy, high resolution mass spectrometry. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Safety pharmacology investigations in toxicology studies: an industry survey.

PubMed

Authier, Simon; Vargas, Hugo M; Curtis, Michael J; Holbrook, Mark; Pugsley, Michael K

2013-01-01

The Safety Pharmacology (SP) Society (SPS) conducted an industry survey in 2012 in an attempt to define current industry practices as they relate to inclusion of safety pharmacology (SP) endpoints into Toxicology studies. A total of 361 participants from Asia (9.1%), Europe (19.4%) and North America (71.4%) responded to the survey. The preponderance of respondents were toxicologists (53.2%) followed by safety pharmacologists (27.2%) and scientists involved in the conduct of both disciplines (19.6%). Most participants (58.6%) were from pharmaceutical companies employing more than 500 employees. A majority (68.2%) reported having experience in designing, performing or interpreting the SP component of a study when performed as part of a toxicology study. Some participants (42.0%) had submitted data to a regulatory agency where ICHS7 studies were performed as part of a toxicology study rather than as a standalone study. When comparing species that were used in studies in which SP was added to toxicology studies, canines were the most frequently reported animals used for new chemical entities (NCE) whereas non-human (NH) primates were the most frequent for the assessment of biological agents. The most frequent primary motivator for adding ICHS7 SP endpoints to regulatory toxicology studies was to generate additional data to allow for determination of an integrated risk assessment thereby testing Confidence in Safety (CIS) to better manage and/or mitigate risk. The current ability to add safety pharmacology endpoints into regulatory toxicology studies was used to address a specific concern (by 42.1% of respondents) to allow management of risk more effectively (36.8%) or to generate data that contributes to cessation of the progression of a compound (21.1%). For an NCE, SP measurements in toxicology studies were conducted in addition to standalone SP studies (by 40.6% of respondents) or in addition/instead of standalone safety pharmacology studies (by 39.8% of respondents

Advanced systems engineering and network planning support

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walters, David H.; Barrett, Larry K.; Boyd, Ronald; Bazaj, Suresh; Mitchell, Lionel; Brosi, Fred

1990-01-01

The objective of this task was to take a fresh look at the NASA Space Network Control (SNC) element for the Advanced Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (ATDRSS) such that it can be made more efficient and responsive to the user by introducing new concepts and technologies appropriate for the 1997 timeframe. In particular, it was desired to investigate the technologies and concepts employed in similar systems that may be applicable to the SNC. The recommendations resulting from this study include resource partitioning, on-line access to subsets of the SN schedule, fluid scheduling, increased use of demand access on the MA service, automating Inter-System Control functions using monitor by exception, increase automation for distributed data management and distributed work management, viewing SN operational control in terms of the OSI Management framework, and the introduction of automated interface management.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Urea (Final Report) | Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has finalized the Toxicological Review of Urea: in support of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). Now final, this assessment may be used by EPA’s program and regional offices to inform decisions to protect human health. The draft Toxicological Review of Urea provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to Urea.

IRIS Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane (Final Report)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA announced the release of the final report, Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane (CAS No. 123-91-1): In Support of Summary Information on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). The final Toxicological Review of 1,4-dioxane provides scientific support and rationa...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Urea (Interagency Science Consultation Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

On September 28, 2010, the Toxicological Review of Urea and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Of...

IRIS TOXICOLOGICAL REVIEW AND SUMMARY DOCUMENTS FOR 2-HEXANONE

EPA Science Inventory

EPA will conduct an assessment of the noncancer health effects of 2-hexanone. The IRIS program will prepare an IRIS assessment for 2-hexanone. The IRIS assessment for 2-hexanone will consist of a Toxicological Review and an IRIS Summary. The Toxicological Review is a critical ...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Biphenyl (Interagency Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On September 30, 2011, the draft Toxicological Review of Biphenyl and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. In the new IRIS process (May 2009), introduced by the EPA Administrator, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency science consultation draft of the IRIS Toxicological Review of Biphenyl and the charge to external peer reviewers are posted on this site. EPA is undertaking a new health assessment for biphenyl for the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). The outcome of this project will be a Toxicological Review and IRIS and IRIS Summary of biohenyl that will be entered on the IRIS database. IRIS is an EPA database containing Agency scientific positions on potential adverse human health effects that may result from chronic (or lifetime) exposure to chemicals in the environment. IRIS contains chemical-specific summaries of qualitative and quantitative health information to evaluate potential public health risks associated with exposure assessment information to evaluate potential public health risks associated with environmental contaminants. The IRIS database is relied on for the development of risk ass

Innovative Networking Concepts Tested on the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Friedman, Daniel; Gupta, Sonjai; Zhang, Chuanguo; Ephremides, Anthony

1996-01-01

This paper describes a program of experiments conducted over the advanced communications technology satellite (ACTS) and the associated TI-VSAT (very small aperture terminal). The experiments were motivated by the commercial potential of low-cost receive only satellite terminals that can operate in a hybrid network environment, and by the desire to demonstrate frame relay technology over satellite networks. The first experiment tested highly adaptive methods of satellite bandwidth allocation in an integrated voice-data service environment. The second involved comparison of forward error correction (FEC) and automatic repeat request (ARQ) methods of error control for satellite communication with emphasis on the advantage that a hybrid architecture provides, especially in the case of multicasts. Finally, the third experiment demonstrated hybrid access to databases and compared the performance of internetworking protocols for interconnecting local area networks (LANs) via satellite. A custom unit termed frame relay access switch (FRACS) was developed by COMSAT Laboratories for these experiments; the preparation and conduct of these experiments involved a total of 20 people from the University of Maryland, the University of Colorado and COMSAT Laboratories, from late 1992 until 1995.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA) ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA is releasing the draft report, Toxicological Review of Trichloroacetic Acid (TCA), that was distributed to Federal agencies and White House Offices for comment during the Science Discussion step of the IRIS Assessment Development Process. Comments received from other Federal agencies and White House Offices are provided below with external peer review panel comments. The draft Toxicological Review of Trichloroacetic Acid provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard identification and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to trichloroacetic acid.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Libby Amphibole Asbestos ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On August 25, 2011, the draft Toxicological Review of Libby Amphibole Asbestos and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. In the new IRIS process (May 2009), introduced by the EPA Administrator, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency science consultation draft of the IRIS Toxicological Review of Libby Amphibole Asbestos and the charge to external peer reviewers are posted on this site. The project supports OSWER and Region 8 site clean-up and related risk management initiatives at this Superfund site. As with all IRIS assessments, the draft document will undergo agency review, OMB/interagency review and independent external peer review before being included on the IRIS data base.

IRIS TOXICOLOGICAL REVIEW AND SUMMARY ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA's assessment of the noncancer health effects and carcinogenic potential of 1,2,3-trichloropropane (TCP) was added to the IRIS database in 1990. The IRIS program is updating the IRIS assessment for TCP. This update will incorporate health effects information published since the last assessment was prepared as well as new risk assessment methods. The IRIS assessment for TCP will consist of a Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary. The Toxicological Review is a critical review of the physicochemical and toxicokinetic properties of the chemical and its toxicity in humans and experimental systems. The assessment will present reference values for noncancer effects of TCP (RfD and RfC) and a cancer assessment. The Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary will be subject to internal peer consultation, Agency review, and external scientific peer review. The final products will constitute the Agency's opinion on the toxicity of TCP. EPA is undertaking an Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) health assessment for 1,2,3-trichloropropane. IRIS is an EPA database containing the Agency's consensus scientific positions on potential adverse human effects that may result from chronic (or lifetime) exposure to chemicals in the environment. IRIS contains chemical-specific summaries of qualitative and quantitative health information in support of two steps of the risk assessment process, i.e., hazard identification and dose-response evaluation. IRIS assessments are used in

IRIS TOXICOLOGICAL REVIEW AND SUMMARY ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Trichloroacetic acid is a crystalline solid with sharp, pungent odor. It is used as a soil sterilizer; and as a laboratory intermediate or reagent in the synthesis of a variety of medicinal products and organic chemicals. Trichloroacetic acid is also used industrially as an etching and pickling agent for the surface treatment of metals and as a solvent in the plastics industry. Trichloroacetic acid can be formed as a combustion byproduct of organic compounds in the presence of chlorine. It is also formed as a disinfection byproduct during water chlorination. The existing IRIS entry was added to the IRIS data base between 1994 and 1996. No RfD was developed. The IRIS program is updating the IRIS assessment for Trichloroacetic Acid. This update will incorporate health effects information published since the last assessment was prepared as well as new risk assessment methods. The IRIS assessment for Trichloroacetic Acid will consist of a Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary. The Toxicological Review is a critical review of the physicochemical and toxicokinetic properties of the chemical and its toxicity in humans and experimental systems. The assessment will present reference value for noncancer effects of Trichloroacetic Acid (RfD) and a cancer assessment. The Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary will be subject to internal peer consultation, Agency review and external scientific peer review. The final products will constitute the Agency's opinion on the

ALiEM Blog and Podcast Watch: Toxicology.

PubMed

Zaver, Fareen; Craddick, Michael; Sanford, Audrey; Sefa, Nana; Hughes, George; Lin, Michelle

2017-10-01

The WestJEM Blog and Podcast Watch presents high-quality open-access educational blogs and podcasts in emergency medicine based on the ongoing Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM) Approved Instructional Resources (AIR) and AIR-Professional (Pro) series. Both series critically appraise open-access educational blogs and podcasts in EM using an objective scoring instrument. This installment of the blog and podcast watch series curated and scored relevant posts in the specific topic of toxicology emergencies from the AIR-Pro Series. The AIR-Pro Series is a continuously building curriculum covering a new subject area every two months. For each area, eight EM chief residents identify 3-5 advanced clinical questions. Using FOAMsearch.net and FOAMSearcher to search blogs and podcasts, relevant posts are scored by eight reviewers from the AIR-Pro editorial board, which is comprised of EM faculty and chief residents at various institutions across North America. The scoring instrument contains five measurement outcomes based on seven-point Likert scales: recency, accuracy, educational utility, evidence based, and references. The AIR-Pro label is awarded to posts with a score of ≥28 (out of 35) points. An "honorable mention" label is awarded if board members collectively felt that the blogs were valuable and the scores were > 25. A total of 31 blog posts and podcasts were included. Key educational pearls from the six high-quality AIR-Pro posts and four honorable mentions are summarized. The WestJEM ALiEM Blog and Podcast Watch series is based on the AIR and AIR-Pro Series, which attempts to identify high-quality educational content on open-access blogs and podcasts. This series provides an expert-based, crowdsourced approach towards critically appraising educational social media content for EM clinicians. This installment focuses on toxicology emergencies.

ALiEM Blog and Podcast Watch: Toxicology

PubMed Central

Zaver, Fareen; Craddick, Michael; Sanford, Audrey; Sefa, Nana; Hughes, George; Lin, Michelle

2017-01-01

Introduction The WestJEM Blog and Podcast Watch presents high-quality open-access educational blogs and podcasts in emergency medicine based on the ongoing Academic Life in Emergency Medicine (ALiEM) Approved Instructional Resources (AIR) and AIR-Professional (Pro) series. Both series critically appraise open-access educational blogs and podcasts in EM using an objective scoring instrument. This installment of the blog and podcast watch series curated and scored relevant posts in the specific topic of toxicology emergencies from the AIR-Pro Series. Methods The AIR-Pro Series is a continuously building curriculum covering a new subject area every two months. For each area, eight EM chief residents identify 3–5 advanced clinical questions. Using FOAMsearch.net and FOAMSearcher to search blogs and podcasts, relevant posts are scored by eight reviewers from the AIR-Pro editorial board, which is comprised of EM faculty and chief residents at various institutions across North America. The scoring instrument contains five measurement outcomes based on seven-point Likert scales: recency, accuracy, educational utility, evidence based, and references. The AIR-Pro label is awarded to posts with a score of ≥28 (out of 35) points. An “honorable mention” label is awarded if board members collectively felt that the blogs were valuable and the scores were > 25. Results A total of 31 blog posts and podcasts were included. Key educational pearls from the six high-quality AIR-Pro posts and four honorable mentions are summarized. Conclusion The WestJEM ALiEM Blog and Podcast Watch series is based on the AIR and AIR-Pro Series, which attempts to identify high-quality educational content on open-access blogs and podcasts. This series provides an expert-based, crowdsourced approach towards critically appraising educational social media content for EM clinicians. This installment focuses on toxicology emergencies. PMID:29085545

The NIEHS Predictive-Toxicology Evaluation Project.

PubMed Central

Bristol, D W; Wachsman, J T; Greenwell, A

1996-01-01

The Predictive-Toxicology Evaluation (PTE) project conducts collaborative experiments that subject the performance of predictive-toxicology (PT) methods to rigorous, objective evaluation in a uniquely informative manner. Sponsored by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, it takes advantage of the ongoing testing conducted by the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP) to estimate the true error of models that have been applied to make prospective predictions on previously untested, noncongeneric-chemical substances. The PTE project first identifies a group of standardized NTP chemical bioassays either scheduled to be conducted or are ongoing, but not yet complete. The project then announces and advertises the evaluation experiment, disseminates information about the chemical bioassays, and encourages researchers from a wide variety of disciplines to publish their predictions in peer-reviewed journals, using whatever approaches and methods they feel are best. A collection of such papers is published in this Environmental Health Perspectives Supplement, providing readers the opportunity to compare and contrast PT approaches and models, within the context of their prospective application to an actual-use situation. This introduction to this collection of papers on predictive toxicology summarizes the predictions made and the final results obtained for the 44 chemical carcinogenesis bioassays of the first PTE experiment (PTE-1) and presents information that identifies the 30 chemical carcinogenesis bioassays of PTE-2, along with a table of prediction sets that have been published to date. It also provides background about the origin and goals of the PTE project, outlines the special challenge associated with estimating the true error of models that aspire to predict open-system behavior, and summarizes what has been learned to date. PMID:8933048

IRIS Toxicological Review of Benzo[a]pyrene (Interagency ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In January 2017, EPA finalized the IRIS assessment of Benzo[a]pyrene. The Toxicological Review was reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. Consistent with the May 2009 IRIS assessment development process, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices are made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency science discussion materials provided to other agencies, including interagency review drafts of the IRIS Toxicological Review of Benzo[a]pyrene are posted on this site. EPA is undertaking an update of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) health assessment for benzo[a]pyrene (BaP). The outcome of this project is an updated Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary for BaP that will be entered into the IRIS database.

Operational Toxicology Research

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-01

Activity Relationships CQSARs) assessments of Air Force chemicals. Assay samples Completed collected for biochemical and molecular endpoints and...techniques for perchlorate in water, groundwater, soil and biological matrices such as blood, urine , milk. thyroid and other tissues required for...in vivo laboratory animal experiments with a l710D70ll Toxicological Response in Urine Using variety of known target organ toxicants, collect urine

Toxicology and Chemical Safety.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Stephen K.

1983-01-01

Topics addressed in this discussion of toxicology and chemical safety include routes of exposure, dose/response relationships, action of toxic substances, and effects of exposure to chemicals. Specific examples are used to illustrate the principles discussed. Suggests prudence in handling any chemicals, whether or not toxicity is known. (JN)

Advanced Models and Algorithms for Self-Similar IP Network Traffic Simulation and Performance Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Radev, Dimitar; Lokshina, Izabella

2010-11-01

The paper examines self-similar (or fractal) properties of real communication network traffic data over a wide range of time scales. These self-similar properties are very different from the properties of traditional models based on Poisson and Markov-modulated Poisson processes. Advanced fractal models of sequentional generators and fixed-length sequence generators, and efficient algorithms that are used to simulate self-similar behavior of IP network traffic data are developed and applied. Numerical examples are provided; and simulation results are obtained and analyzed.

Potential impurities in drug substances: Compound-specific toxicology limits for 20 synthetic reagents and by-products, and a class-specific toxicology limit for alkyl bromides.

PubMed

Bercu, J P; Galloway, S M; Parris, P; Teasdale, A; Masuda-Herrera, M; Dobo, K; Heard, P; Kenyon, M; Nicolette, J; Vock, E; Ku, W; Harvey, J; White, A; Glowienke, S; Martin, E A; Custer, L; Jolly, R A; Thybaud, V

2018-04-01

This paper provides compound-specific toxicology limits for 20 widely used synthetic reagents and common by-products that are potential impurities in drug substances. In addition, a 15 μg/day class-specific limit was developed for monofunctional alkyl bromides, aligning this with the class-specific limit previously defined for monofunctional alkyl chlorides. Both the compound- and class-specific toxicology limits assume a lifetime chronic exposure for the general population (including sensitive subpopulations) by all routes of exposure for pharmaceuticals. Inhalation-specific toxicology limits were also derived for acrolein, formaldehyde, and methyl bromide because of their localized toxicity via that route. Mode of action was an important consideration for a compound-specific toxicology limit. Acceptable intake (AI) calculations for certain mutagenic carcinogens assumed a linear dose-response for tumor induction, and permissible daily exposure (PDE) determination assumed a non-linear dose-response. Several compounds evaluated have been previously incorrectly assumed to be mutagenic, or to be mutagenic carcinogens, but the evidence reported here for such compounds indicates a lack of mutagenicity, and a non-mutagenic mode of action for tumor induction. For non-mutagens with insufficient data to develop a toxicology limit, the ICH Q3A qualification thresholds are recommended. The compound- and class-specific toxicology limits described here may be adjusted for an individual drug substance based on treatment duration, dosing schedule, severity of the disease and therapeutic indication. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Toxicological effects of chlorpyrifos on growth, enzyme activity and chlorophyll a synthesis of freshwater microalgae.

PubMed

Chen, Shangchao; Chen, Mindong; Wang, Zhuang; Qiu, Weijian; Wang, Junfeng; Shen, Yafei; Wang, Yajun; Ge, Shun

2016-07-01

This paper aims to acquire the experimental data on the eco-toxicological effects of agricultural pollutants on the aquatic plants and the data can support the assessment of toxicity on the phytoplankton. The pesticide of Chlorpyrifos used as a good model to investigate its eco-toxicological effect on the different microalgae in freshwater. In order to address the pollutants derived from forestry and agricultural applications, freshwater microalgae were considered as a good sample to investigate the impact of pesticides such as Chlorpyrifos on aquatic life species. Two microalgae of Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Merismopedia sp. were employed to evaluate toxicity of Chlorpyrifos in short time and long time by means of measuring the growth inhibition rate, the redox system and the content of chlorophyll a, respectively. In this study, the results showed that EC50 values ranging from 7.63 to 19.64mg/L, indicating the Chlorpyrifos had a relatively limited to the growth of algae during the period of the acute toxicity experiment. Moreover, when two kinds of algae were exposed to a medium level of Chlorpyrifos, SOD and CAT activities were importantly advanced. Therefore, the growth rate and SOD and CAT activities can be highly recommended for the eco-toxicological assessment. In addition, chlorophyll a also could be used as a targeted parameter for assessing the eco-toxicity of Chlorpyrifos on both Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Merismopedia sp. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Methanol (Noncancer) (Interagency Science Discussion Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

On May 3, 2013, the Toxicological Review of Methanol (noncancer) (Revised External Review Draft) was posted for public review and comment. Subsequently, the draft Toxicological Review, Appendices, and draft IRIS Summary were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agenci...

Toward the Rational Use of Exposure Information in Mixtures Toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

Of all the disciplines of toxicology, perhaps none is as dependent on exposure information as Mixtures Toxicology. Identifying real world mixtures and replicating them in the laboratory (or in silico) is critical to understanding their risks. Complex mixtures such as cigarett...

Collection of biological samples in forensic toxicology.

PubMed

Dinis-Oliveira, R J; Carvalho, F; Duarte, J A; Remião, F; Marques, A; Santos, A; Magalhães, T

2010-09-01

Forensic toxicology is the study and practice of the application of toxicology to the purposes of the law. The relevance of any finding is determined, in the first instance, by the nature and integrity of the specimen(s) submitted for analysis. This means that there are several specific challenges to select and collect specimens for ante-mortem and post-mortem toxicology investigation. Post-mortem specimens may be numerous and can endow some special difficulties compared to clinical specimens, namely those resulting from autolytic and putrefactive changes. Storage stability is also an important issue to be considered during the pre-analytic phase, since its consideration should facilitate the assessment of sample quality and the analytical result obtained from that sample. The knowledge on degradation mechanisms and methods to increase storage stability may enable the forensic toxicologist to circumvent possible difficulties. Therefore, advantages and limitations of specimen preservation procedures are thoroughfully discussed in this review. Presently, harmonized protocols for sampling in suspected intoxications would have obvious utility. In the present article an overview is given on sampling procedures for routinely collected specimens as well as on alternative specimens that may provide additional information on the route and timing of exposure to a specific xenobiotic. Last, but not least, a discussion on possible bias that can influence the interpretation of toxicological results is provided. This comprehensive review article is intented as a significant help for forensic toxicologists to accomplish their frequently overwhelming mission.

Preparation and characterization of "Libby Amphibole" toxicological testing material

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lowers, Heather; Wilson, Stephen A.; Hoefen, Todd M.; Benzel, William M.; Meeker, Gregory P.

2012-01-01

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) began work in Libby, Mont. in 1999 when an Emergency Response Team was sent to investigate local concern and media reports regarding asbestos-contaminated vermiculite. Since that time, the site has been granted Superfund status and site remediation to a safe level of asbestos has been ongoing. The amphibole asbestos from the Vermiculite Mountain vermiculite deposit near Libby, Mont. (Libby amphibole) is unusual in the sense that it is currently not classified as one of the regulated six asbestos minerals—chrysotile (a serpentine mineral) and the amphibole minerals amosite (asbestiform cummingtonite-grunerite), crocidolite (asbestiform riebeckite), asbestiform anthophyllite, asbestiform tremolite, and asbestiform actinolite. The amphiboles from the Vermiculite Mountain vermiculite deposit, primarily winchite and richterite, are related to tremolite and in the past have been referred to as sodium-rich tremolite or soda tremolite (Larsen, 1942; Boettcher, 1966; Wylie and Verkouteren, 2000; Gunter and others, 2003; Meeker and others, 2003). The public health issues in Libby, Mont. have brought to light many of the inconsistencies in the literature regarding fiber characteristics, nomenclature, and toxicology. To better understand the toxicological characteristics of the Libby amphibole, investigators require a sufficient quantity of material representing the range of fibrous amphiboles present in the vicinity of Vermiculite Mountain to use in toxicology studies. The material collected in 2000 (Meeker and others, 2003) has been exhausted and a second collection and preparation effort, funded by the USEPA, was conducted in 2007. Both the 2000 (LA2000) and 2007 (LA2007) materials were generated to support research needs identified by the USEPA and the National Toxicology Program, and new in-vivo and in-vitro toxicology studies are underway. This Open-File Report describes the process of preparation and summarizes the

Toxicology and methods of committing suicide other than overdose.

PubMed

Coklo, Miran; Stemberga, Valter; Cuculic, Drazen; Sosa, Ivan; Bosnar, Alan

2009-11-01

Suicide represents a serious public health problem throughout the world. Toxicology plays a crucial role in the investigation of suicide. Psychoactive substances are recognized in the literature as the main suicide-generating stimuli. Ethanol is known to produce disinhibition and increased self-confidence. Other psychoactive substances can predominantly be central nervous system (CNS) stimulants or depressors. In cases of overdose as a method of suicide, the link between toxicology and the method of suicide is a matter of common sense and requires no additional explanation. On the other hand, in cases of non-overdose suicides this link is much more complex, and has not yet been extensively elucidated. We hypothesize a close relationship between toxicology and the choice of the method of committing suicide other than overdose. Negative findings may reflect either poor prescribed drug compliance in psychiatric patients, or suggest the role of other (non-toxicological) suicide-generating stimuli. On the other hand, positive findings influence the choice of the suicide method in a way that it depends on the prevalence of either stimulation or depression of the CNS, and consequent degree of behavioral aggression. Simplified, if the prevailing effect is CNS stimulation (with an increase in aggression), the method would be more drastic and more immediately fatal one, while with the CNS depression the method would be less immediately fatal and less drastic. There are only a few studies on the prevalence of psychoactive substances amongst completed suicides and even fewer studies have attempted to examine the relationship between substances used and the circumstances surrounding suicide. In evaluation of our hypothesis, we suggest thorough studies of toxicology and the choice of methods of committing suicides other than overdose. The scientific knowledge gained this way will eventually make toxicology a useful target in suicide prevention, especially amongst younger

Toxicology in Australia: a key component of environmental health.

PubMed

Priestly, Brian G; Di Marco, Peter; Sim, Malcolm; Moore, Michael R; Langley, Andrew

2007-10-01

Managing public concerns relating to chemical exposures can consume substantial public health resources, particularly as the scientific basis around these issues is often contentious. Toxicology remains underrecognized as a public health discipline in Australia, although Australian toxicologists are making significant contributions from academia, government, and the commercial sector toward assessing the level of risk and protecting the community from environmental hazards. Internationally, the growth of environmental toxicology and the promotion of sound science in risk assessment as a basis for making regulatory decisions have been, to some extent, driven by the outcomes of the 1992 UNCED Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio Summit) and its Chapter 19 Agenda 21 activities. The promotion of safe chemical management practices and the need for global strengthening of capabilities in toxicology are among the initiatives of the Intergovernmental Forum on Chemical Safety (IFCS), which was formed after the Rio Summit to manage these programs. This article describes some of the initiatives in capacity building that marked the development of environmental toxicology in Australia since 1992 in response to these international environmental health initiatives.

Environmental Monitoring Networks Optimization Using Advanced Active Learning Algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kanevski, Mikhail; Volpi, Michele; Copa, Loris

2010-05-01

The problem of environmental monitoring networks optimization (MNO) belongs to one of the basic and fundamental tasks in spatio-temporal data collection, analysis, and modeling. There are several approaches to this problem, which can be considered as a design or redesign of monitoring network by applying some optimization criteria. The most developed and widespread methods are based on geostatistics (family of kriging models, conditional stochastic simulations). In geostatistics the variance is mainly used as an optimization criterion which has some advantages and drawbacks. In the present research we study an application of advanced techniques following from the statistical learning theory (SLT) - support vector machines (SVM) and the optimization of monitoring networks when dealing with a classification problem (data are discrete values/classes: hydrogeological units, soil types, pollution decision levels, etc.) is considered. SVM is a universal nonlinear modeling tool for classification problems in high dimensional spaces. The SVM solution is maximizing the decision boundary between classes and has a good generalization property for noisy data. The sparse solution of SVM is based on support vectors - data which contribute to the solution with nonzero weights. Fundamentally the MNO for classification problems can be considered as a task of selecting new measurement points which increase the quality of spatial classification and reduce the testing error (error on new independent measurements). In SLT this is a typical problem of active learning - a selection of the new unlabelled points which efficiently reduce the testing error. A classical approach (margin sampling) to active learning is to sample the points closest to the classification boundary. This solution is suboptimal when points (or generally the dataset) are redundant for the same class. In the present research we propose and study two new advanced methods of active learning adapted to the solution of

Highlight report: Launch of a large integrated European in vitro toxicology project: EU-ToxRisk.

PubMed

Daneshian, Mardas; Kamp, Hennicke; Hengstler, Jan; Leist, Marcel; van de Water, Bob

2016-05-01

The integrated European project, EU-ToxRisk, proudly sees itself as "flagship" exploring new alternative-to-animal approaches to chemical safety evaluation. It promotes mechanism-based toxicity testing and risk assessment according to the principles laid down for toxicology for the twenty-first century. The project was officially launched in January 2016 with a kickoff meeting in Egmond aan Zee, the Netherlands. Over 100 scientists representing academia and industry as well as regulatory authorities attended the inaugural meeting. The project will integrate advances in in vitro and in silico toxicology, read-across methods, and adverse outcome pathways. EU-ToxRisk will continue to make use of the case study strategy deployed in SEURAT-1, a FP7 initiative ended in December 2015. Even though the development of new non-animal methods is one target of EU-ToxRisk, the project puts special emphasis on their acceptance and implementation in regulatory contexts. This €30 million Horizon 2020 project involves 38 European partners and one from the USA. EU-ToxRisk aims at the "development of a new way of risk assessment."

Application of omics data in regulatory toxicology: report of an international BfR expert workshop.

PubMed

Marx-Stoelting, P; Braeuning, A; Buhrke, T; Lampen, A; Niemann, L; Oelgeschlaeger, M; Rieke, S; Schmidt, F; Heise, T; Pfeil, R; Solecki, R

2015-11-01

Advances in omics techniques and molecular toxicology are necessary to provide new perspectives for regulatory toxicology. By the application of modern molecular techniques, more mechanistic information should be gained to support standard toxicity studies and to contribute to a reduction and refinement of animal experiments required for certain regulatory purposes. The relevance and applicability of data obtained by omics methods to regulatory purposes such as grouping of chemicals, mode of action analysis or classification and labelling needs further improvement, defined validation and cautious expert judgment. Based on the results of an international expert workshop organized 2014 by the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment in Berlin, this paper is aimed to provide a critical overview of the regulatory relevance and reliability of omics methods, basic requirements on data quality and validation, as well as regulatory criteria to decide which effects observed by omics methods should be considered adverse or non-adverse. As a way forward, it was concluded that the inclusion of omics data can facilitate a more flexible approach for regulatory risk assessment and may help to reduce or refine animal testing.

Systematic approaches to toxicology in the zebrafish.

PubMed

Peterson, Randall T; Macrae, Calum A

2012-01-01

As the current paradigms of drug discovery evolve, it has become clear that a more comprehensive understanding of the interactions between small molecules and organismal biology will be vital. The zebrafish is emerging as a complement to existing in vitro technologies and established preclinical in vivo models that can be scaled for high-throughput. In this review, we highlight the current status of zebrafish toxicology studies, identify potential future niches for the model in the drug development pipeline, and define the hurdles that must be overcome as zebrafish technologies are refined for systematic toxicology.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Acrylamide (External Review ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has conducted a peer review by EPA’s Science Advisory Board (SAB) of the scientific basis supporting the human health hazard and dose-response assessment of acrylamide that once finalized will appear on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database. Peer review is meant to ensure that the science is used credibly and appropriately in derivation of the dose-response assessments and toxicological characterization. The draft Toxicological Review of Acrylamide provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard identification and dose-response assessment pertaining to a chronic exposure to acrylamide.

The Impact of Novel Assessment Methodologies in Toxicology on Green Chemistry and Chemical Alternatives.

PubMed

Rusyn, Ivan; Greene, Nigel

2018-02-01

The field of experimental toxicology is rapidly advancing by incorporating novel techniques and methods that provide a much more granular view into the mechanisms of potential adverse effects of chemical exposures on human health. The data from various in vitro assays and computational models are useful not only for increasing confidence in hazard and risk decisions, but also are enabling better, faster and cheaper assessment of a greater number of compounds, mixtures, and complex products. This is of special value to the field of green chemistry where design of new materials or alternative uses of existing ones is driven, at least in part, by considerations of safety. This article reviews the state of the science and decision-making in scenarios when little to no data may be available to draw conclusions about which choice in green chemistry is "safer." It is clear that there is no "one size fits all" solution and multiple data streams need to be weighed in making a decision. Moreover, the overall level of familiarity of the decision-makers and scientists alike with new assessment methodologies, their validity, value and limitations is evolving. Thus, while the "impact" of the new developments in toxicology on the field of green chemistry is great already, it is premature to conclude that the data from new assessment methodologies have been widely accepted yet. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Advancing the adverse outcome pathway framework - An international horizon scanning approach (presentation)

EPA Science Inventory

In preparation for a Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Pellston Workshop titled “Advancing the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) Concept: An International Horizon Scanning Approach,” a horizon scanning effort was undertaken to gather input from the global ...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Cerium Oxide and Cerium ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On September 29, 2009, the IRIS Summary and Toxicological Review of Cerium Oxide and Cerium Compounds was finalized and loaded onto the IRIS database. The Toxicological Review of Cerium Oxide and Cerium Compounds was reviewed internally by EPA, by other federal agencies and White House Offices, by expert external peer reviewers, and by the public. In the new IRIS process, introduced by the EPA Administrator, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency draft of the Cerium Oxide and Cerium Compounds IRIS assessment are posted on this site. The draft Toxicological Review of Cerium Oxide and Cerium Compounds provides scientific support and rationale for the hazard identification and dose-response assessment pertaining to chronic exposure to cerium oxide and cerium compounds.

Solvents and Parkinson disease: A systematic review of toxicological and epidemiological evidence

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lock, Edward A., E-mail: e.lock@ljmu.ac.uk; Zhang, Jing; Checkoway, Harvey

2013-02-01

Parkinson disease (PD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative motor disorder, with its motor symptoms largely attributable to loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. The causes of PD remain poorly understood, although environmental toxicants may play etiologic roles. Solvents are widespread neurotoxicants present in the workplace and ambient environment. Case reports of parkinsonism, including PD, have been associated with exposures to various solvents, most notably trichloroethylene (TCE). Animal toxicology studies have been conducted on various organic solvents, with some, including TCE, demonstrating potential for inducing nigral system damage. However, a confirmed animal model of solvent-induced PD has not been developed.more » Numerous epidemiologic studies have investigated potential links between solvents and PD, yielding mostly null or weak associations. An exception is a recent study of twins indicating possible etiologic relations with TCE and other chlorinated solvents, although findings were based on small numbers, and dose–response gradients were not observed. At present, there is no consistent evidence from either the toxicological or epidemiologic perspective that any specific solvent or class of solvents is a cause of PD. Future toxicological research that addresses mechanisms of nigral damage from TCE and its metabolites, with exposure routes and doses relevant to human exposures, is recommended. Improvements in epidemiologic research, especially with regard to quantitative characterization of long-term exposures to specific solvents, are needed to advance scientific knowledge on this topic. -- Highlights: ► The potential for organic solvents to cause Parkinson's disease has been reviewed. ► Twins study suggests etiologic relations with chlorinated solvents and Parkinson's. ► Animal studies with TCE showed potential to cause damage to dopaminergic neurons. ► Need to determine if effects in animals are relevant to human

Caenorhabditis elegans: An Emerging Model in Biomedical and Environmental Toxicology

PubMed Central

Leung, Maxwell C. K.; Williams, Phillip L.; Benedetto, Alexandre; Au, Catherine; Helmcke, Kirsten J.; Aschner, Michael; Meyer, Joel N.

2008-01-01

The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has emerged as an important animal model in various fields including neurobiology, developmental biology, and genetics. Characteristics of this animal model that have contributed to its success include its genetic manipulability, invariant and fully described developmental program, well-characterized genome, ease of maintenance, short and prolific life cycle, and small body size. These same features have led to an increasing use of C. elegans in toxicology, both for mechanistic studies and high-throughput screening approaches. We describe some of the research that has been carried out in the areas of neurotoxicology, genetic toxicology, and environmental toxicology, as well as high-throughput experiments with C. elegans including genome-wide screening for molecular targets of toxicity and rapid toxicity assessment for new chemicals. We argue for an increased role for C. elegans in complementing other model systems in toxicological research. PMID:18566021

Predictive Models and Computational Toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

Understanding the potential health risks posed by environmental chemicals is a significant challenge elevated by the large number of diverse chemicals with generally uncharacterized exposures, mechanisms, and toxicities. The ToxCast computational toxicology research program was l...

In silico toxicology for the pharmaceutical sciences

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Valerio, Luis G., E-mail: Luis.Valerio@fda.hhs.go

2009-12-15

The applied use of in silico technologies (a.k.a. computational toxicology, in silico toxicology, computer-assisted tox, e-tox, i-drug discovery, predictive ADME, etc.) for predicting preclinical toxicological endpoints, clinical adverse effects, and metabolism of pharmaceutical substances has become of high interest to the scientific community and the public. The increased accessibility of these technologies for scientists and recent regulations permitting their use for chemical risk assessment supports this notion. The scientific community is interested in the appropriate use of such technologies as a tool to enhance product development and safety of pharmaceuticals and other xenobiotics, while ensuring the reliability and accuracy ofmore » in silico approaches for the toxicological and pharmacological sciences. For pharmaceutical substances, this means active and impurity chemicals in the drug product may be screened using specialized software and databases designed to cover these substances through a chemical structure-based screening process and algorithm specific to a given software program. A major goal for use of these software programs is to enable industry scientists not only to enhance the discovery process but also to ensure the judicious use of in silico tools to support risk assessments of drug-induced toxicities and in safety evaluations. However, a great amount of applied research is still needed, and there are many limitations with these approaches which are described in this review. Currently, there is a wide range of endpoints available from predictive quantitative structure-activity relationship models driven by many different computational software programs and data sources, and this is only expected to grow. For example, there are models based on non-proprietary and/or proprietary information specific to assessing potential rodent carcinogenicity, in silico screens for ICH genetic toxicity assays, reproductive and developmental toxicity

IRIS TOXICOLOGICAL REVIEW OF HEXAVALENT CHROMIUM (INTERAGENCY SCIENCE CONSULTATION DRAFT)

EPA Science Inventory

On Septemeber 30, 2010, the draft Toxicological Review of Hexavalent Chromium and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agenc...

IRIS Toxicological Review of 2-Hexanone (Interagency Science Discussion Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

On September 25, 2009, the IRIS Summary and Toxicological Review of 2-hexanone was finalized and loaded onto the IRIS database. The Toxicological Review of 2-hexanone was reviewed internally by EPA, by other federal agencies and White House Offices, by expert external peer revie...

IRIS Toxicological Review of n-Butanol (Interagency Science Consultation Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

On September 8, 2011, the Toxicological Review of n-Butanol (External Review Draft) was released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public re...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Vanadium Pentoxide (Interagency Science Consultation Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

On September 30, 2011, the draft Toxicological Review of Vanadium Pentoxide and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and W...

BEHAVIORAL TOXICOLOGY: AN EMERGING DISCIPLINE

EPA Science Inventory

The book contains the proceedings of a symposium entitled Behavioral Toxicology: An Emerging Discipline, held in conjunction with the Southwest Psychological Association meetings, April 30, 1976 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Authors of formal presentations later reviewed and enlarg...

Application of Model Animals in the Study of Drug Toxicology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yagang; Miao, Mingsan

2018-01-01

Drug safety is a key factor in drug research and development, Drug toxicology test is the main method to evaluate the safety of drugs, The body condition of an animal has important implications for the results of the study, Previous toxicological studies of drugs were carried out in normal animals in the past, There is a great deviation from the clinical practice.The purpose of this study is to investigate the necessity of model animals as a substitute for normal animals for toxicological studies, It is expected to provide exact guidance for future drug safety evaluation.

Nano-technology and nano-toxicology.

PubMed

Maynard, Robert L

2012-01-01

Rapid developments in nano-technology are likely to confer significant benefits on mankind. But, as with perhaps all new technologies, these benefits are likely to be accompanied by risks, perhaps by new risks. Nano-toxicology is developing in parallel with nano-technology and seeks to define the hazards and risks associated with nano-materials: only when risks have been identified they can be controlled. This article discusses the reasons for concern about the potential effects on health of exposure to nano-materials and relates these to the evidence of the effects on health of the ambient aerosol. A number of hypotheses are proposed and the dangers of adopting unsubstantiated hypotheses are stressed. Nano-toxicology presents many challenges and will need substantial financial support if it is to develop at a rate sufficient to cope with developments in nano-technology.

Nano-technology and nano-toxicology

PubMed Central

Maynard, Robert L.

2012-01-01

Rapid developments in nano-technology are likely to confer significant benefits on mankind. But, as with perhaps all new technologies, these benefits are likely to be accompanied by risks, perhaps by new risks. Nano-toxicology is developing in parallel with nano-technology and seeks to define the hazards and risks associated with nano-materials: only when risks have been identified they can be controlled. This article discusses the reasons for concern about the potential effects on health of exposure to nano-materials and relates these to the evidence of the effects on health of the ambient aerosol. A number of hypotheses are proposed and the dangers of adopting unsubstantiated hypotheses are stressed. Nano-toxicology presents many challenges and will need substantial financial support if it is to develop at a rate sufficient to cope with developments in nano-technology. PMID:22662021

76 FR 10906 - Proposed Substances To Be Evaluated for Set 25 Toxicological Profiles

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-28

...-269] Proposed Substances To Be Evaluated for Set 25 Toxicological Profiles AGENCY: Agency for Toxic... comments on the proposed substances to be evaluated for Set 25 toxicological profiles. SUMMARY: ATSDR is initiating the development of its 25th set of toxicological profiles (CERCLA Set 25). This notice announces...

Toxicology of Biodiesel Combustion products

EPA Science Inventory

1. Introduction The toxicology of combusted biodiesel is an emerging field. Much of the current knowledge about biological responses and health effects stems from studies of exposures to other fuel sources (typically petroleum diesel, gasoline, and wood) incompletely combusted. ...

Case Study IV: Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching's Networked Improvement Communities (NICs)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coburn, Cynthia E.; Penuel, William R.; Geil, Kimberly E.

2015-01-01

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is a nonprofit, operating foundation with a long tradition of developing and studying ways to improve teaching practice. For the past three years, the Carnegie Foundation has initiated three different Networked Improvement Communities (NICs). The first, Quantway, is addressing the high…

Nanotechnology: toxicologic pathology.

PubMed

Hubbs, Ann F; Sargent, Linda M; Porter, Dale W; Sager, Tina M; Chen, Bean T; Frazer, David G; Castranova, Vincent; Sriram, Krishnan; Nurkiewicz, Timothy R; Reynolds, Steven H; Battelli, Lori A; Schwegler-Berry, Diane; McKinney, Walter; Fluharty, Kara L; Mercer, Robert R

2013-02-01

Nanotechnology involves technology, science, and engineering in dimensions less than 100 nm. A virtually infinite number of potential nanoscale products can be produced from many different molecules and their combinations. The exponentially increasing number of nanoscale products will solve critical needs in engineering, science, and medicine. However, the virtually infinite number of potential nanotechnology products is a challenge for toxicologic pathologists. Because of their size, nanoparticulates can have therapeutic and toxic effects distinct from micron-sized particulates of the same composition. In the nanoscale, distinct intercellular and intracellular translocation pathways may provide a different distribution than that obtained by micron-sized particulates. Nanoparticulates interact with subcellular structures including microtubules, actin filaments, centrosomes, and chromatin; interactions that may be facilitated in the nanoscale. Features that distinguish nanoparticulates from fine particulates include increased surface area per unit mass and quantum effects. In addition, some nanotechnology products, including the fullerenes, have a novel and reactive surface. Augmented microscopic procedures including enhanced dark-field imaging, immunofluorescence, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and confocal microscopy are useful when evaluating nanoparticulate toxicologic pathology. Thus, the pathology assessment is facilitated by understanding the unique features at the nanoscale and the tools that can assist in evaluating nanotoxicology studies.

Nanotechnology: Toxicologic Pathology

PubMed Central

Hubbs, Ann F.; Sargent, Linda M.; Porter, Dale W.; Sager, Tina M.; Chen, Bean T.; Frazer, David G.; Castranova, Vincent; Sriram, Krishnan; Nurkiewicz, Timothy R.; Reynolds, Steven H.; Battelli, Lori A.; Schwegler-Berry, Diane; McKinney, Walter; Fluharty, Kara L.; Mercer, Robert R.

2015-01-01

Nanotechnology involves technology, science, and engineering in dimensions less than 100 nm. A virtually infinite number of potential nanoscale products can be produced from many different molecules and their combinations. The exponentially increasing number of nanoscale products will solve critical needs in engineering, science, and medicine. However, the virtually infinite number of potential nanotechnology products is a challenge for toxicologic pathologists. Because of their size, nanoparticulates can have therapeutic and toxic effects distinct from micron-sized particulates of the same composition. In the nanoscale, distinct intercellular and intracellular translocation pathways may provide a different distribution than that obtained by micron-sized particulates. Nanoparticulates interact with subcellular structures including microtubules, actin filaments, centrosomes, and chromatin; interactions that may be facilitated in the nanoscale. Features that distinguish nanoparticulates from fine particulates include increased surface area per unit mass and quantum effects. In addition, some nanotechnology products, including the fullerenes, have a novel and reactive surface. Augmented microscopic procedures including enhanced dark-field imaging, immunofluorescence, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and confocal microscopy are useful when evaluating nanoparticulate toxicologic pathology. Thus, the pathology assessment is facilitated by understanding the unique features at the nanoscale and the tools that can assist in evaluating nanotoxicology studies. PMID:23389777

Juvenile Toxicology: Relevance and Challenges for Toxicologists and Pathologists

PubMed Central

Remick, Amera K.; Catlin, Natasha R.; Quist, Erin M.; Steinbach, Thomas J.; Dixon, Darlene

2015-01-01

The Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP) Education Committee and the STP Reproductive Special Interest Group held a North Carolina regional meeting entitled, “Juvenile Toxicology: Relevance and Challenges for Toxicologists and Pathologists” on March 13, 2015, at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Toxicology Program in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The purpose of this regional meeting was to familiarize attendees with the topic of juvenile toxicity testing and discuss its relevance to clinical pediatric medicine, regulatory perspectives, challenges of appropriate study design confronted by toxicologists, and challenges of histopathologic examination and interpretation of juvenile tissues faced by pathologists. The 1-day meeting was a success with over 60 attendees representing industry, government, research organizations, and academia. PMID:26220944

TOXNET and Beyond: Using the National Library of Medicine's Environmental Health and Toxicology Portal

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Templin-Branner, W.

2010-10-20

The National Library of Medicine's Environmental Health and Toxicology Portal provides access to numerous databases that can help you explore environmental chemicals and risks. TOXNET and Beyond: Using NLM's Environmental Health and Toxicology Portal conveys the fundamentals of searching the NLM's TOXNET system of databases in chemistry, toxicology, environmental health, and related fields. In addition to TOXNET, the course will highlight various resources available through the Environmental Health and Toxicology Portal.

Cost analysis in the toxicology laboratory.

PubMed

Travers, E M

1990-09-01

The process of determining laboratory sectional and departmental costs and test costs for instrument-generated and manually generated reportable results for toxicology laboratories has been outlined in this article. It is hoped that the basic principles outlined in the preceding text will clarify and elucidate one of the most important areas needed for laboratory fiscal integrity and its survival in these difficult times for health care providers. The following general principles derived from this article are helpful aids for managers of toxicology laboratories. 1. To manage a cost-effective, efficient toxicology laboratory, several factors must be considered: the laboratory's instrument configuration, test turnaround time needs, the test menu offered, the analytic methods used, the cost of labor based on time expended and the experience and educational level of the staff, and logistics that determine specimen delivery time and costs. 2. There is a wide variation in costs for toxicologic methods, which requires that an analysis of capital (equipment) purchase and operational (test performance) costs be performed to avoid waste, purchase wisely, and determine which tests consume the majority of the laboratory's resources. 3. Toxicologic analysis is composed of many complex steps. Each step must be individually cost-accounted. Screening test results must be confirmed, and the cost for both steps must be included in the cost per reportable result. 4. Total costs will vary in the same laboratory and between laboratories based on differences in salaries paid to technical staff, differences in reagent/supply costs, the number of technical staff needed to operate the analyzer or perform the method, and the inefficient use of highly paid staff to operate the analyzer or perform the method. 5. Since direct test costs vary directly with the type and number of analyzers or methods and are dependent on the operational mode designed by the manufacturer, laboratory managers

Reproductive Toxicology Testing with EDCS

EPA Science Inventory

An introduction to reproductive toxicology: the basic approaches to testing chemicals for adverse effects using multigenerational studies with rats and how the regulatory agencies used the data in risk assessments. Case studies were presented of how endocrine or genomic data were...

Advanced Learning Technologies and Learning Networks and Their Impact on Future Aerospace Workforce

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noor, Ahmed K. (Compiler)

2003-01-01

This document contains the proceedings of the training workshop on Advanced Learning Technologies and Learning Networks and their impact on Future Aerospace Workforce. The workshop was held at the Peninsula Workforce Development Center, Hampton, Virginia, April 2 3, 2003. The workshop was jointly sponsored by Old Dominion University and NASA. Workshop attendees came from NASA, other government agencies, industry, and universities. The objectives of the workshop were to: 1) provide broad overviews of the diverse activities related to advanced learning technologies and learning environments, and 2) identify future directions for research that have high potential for aerospace workforce development. Eighteen half-hour overviewtype presentations were made at the workshop.

Advancing complementary and alternative medicine through social network analysis and agent-based modeling.

PubMed

Frantz, Terrill L

2012-01-01

This paper introduces the contemporary perspectives and techniques of social network analysis (SNA) and agent-based modeling (ABM) and advocates applying them to advance various aspects of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). SNA and ABM are invaluable methods for representing, analyzing and projecting complex, relational, social phenomena; they provide both an insightful vantage point and a set of analytic tools that can be useful in a wide range of contexts. Applying these methods in the CAM context can aid the ongoing advances in the CAM field, in both its scientific aspects and in developing broader acceptance in associated stakeholder communities. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Has Toxicity Testing Moved into the 21st Century? A Survey and Analysis of Perceptions in the Field of Toxicology.

PubMed

Zaunbrecher, Virginia; Beryt, Elizabeth; Parodi, Daniela; Telesca, Donatello; Doherty, Joseph; Malloy, Timothy; Allard, Patrick

2017-08-30

Ten years ago, leaders in the field of toxicology called for a transformation of the discipline and a shift from primarily relying on traditional animal testing to incorporating advances in biotechnology and predictive methodologies into alternative testing strategies (ATS). Governmental agencies and academic and industry partners initiated programs to support such a transformation, but a decade later, the outcomes of these efforts are not well understood. We aimed to assess the use of ATS and the perceived barriers and drivers to their adoption by toxicologists and by others working in, or closely linked with, the field of toxicology. We surveyed 1,381 toxicologists and experts in associated fields regarding the viability and use of ATS and the perceived barriers and drivers of ATS for a range of applications. We performed ranking, hierarchical clustering, and correlation analyses of the survey data. Many respondents indicated that they were already using ATS, or believed that ATS were already viable approaches, for toxicological assessment of one or more end points in their primary area of interest or concern (26-86%, depending on the specific ATS/application pair). However, the proportions of respondents reporting use of ATS in the previous 12 mo were smaller (4.5-41%). Concern about regulatory acceptance was the most commonly cited factor inhibiting the adoption of ATS, and a variety of technical concerns were also cited as significant barriers to ATS viability. The factors most often cited as playing a significant role (currently or in the future) in driving the adoption of ATS were the need for expedited toxicology information, the need for reduced toxicity testing costs, demand by regulatory agencies, and ethical or moral concerns. Our findings indicate that the transformation of the field of toxicology is partly implemented, but significant barriers to acceptance and adoption remain. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP1435.

77 FR 40358 - Meeting of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Alternative Toxicological Methods (SACATM)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-09

... Alternative Toxicological Methods (SACATM) AGENCY: Division of the National Toxicology Program (DNTP.../live ). SACATM advises the Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM), the NTP Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM...

IRIS Toxicological Review of Trimethylbenzenes (Final Report ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA has finalized the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) Assessment of Trimethylbenzenes (TMBs). This assessment addresses the potential non-cancer and cancer human health effects from long-term exposure to TMBs. Now final, this assessment will be the first IRIS assessment for TMBs that may be used by EPA’s program and regional offices to inform decisions to protect human health. The IRIS Toxicological Review of Trimethylbenzenes was originally released for a 60-day public comment period on June 29, 2012. EPA revised the toxicological review in response to the public comments received and released the finalized TMB assessment.

Recent trends in analytical procedures in forensic toxicology.

PubMed

Van Bocxlaer, Jan F

2005-12-01

Forensic toxicology is a very demanding discipline,heavily dependent on good analytical techniques. That is why new trends appear continuously. In the past years. LC-MS has revolutionized target compound analysis and has become the trend, also in toxicology. In LC-MS screening analysis, things are less straightforward and several approaches exist. One promising approach based on accurate LC-MSTOF mass measurements and elemental formula based library searches is discussed. This way of screening has already proven its applicability but at the same time it became obvious that a single accurate mass measurement lacks some specificity when using large compound libraries. CE too is a reemerging approach. The increasingly polar and ionic molecules encountered make it a worthwhile addition to e.g. LC, as illustrated for the analysis of GHB. A third recent trend is the use of MALDI mass spectrometry for small molecules. It is promising for its ease-of-use and high throughput. Unfortunately, re-ports of disappointment but also accomplishment, e.g. the quantitative analysis of LSD as discussed here, alternate, and it remains to be seen whether MALDI really will establish itself. Indeed, not all new trends will prove themselves but the mere fact that many appear in the world of analytical toxicology nowadays is, in itself, encouraging for the future of (forensic) toxicology.

In Vitro Developmental Toxicology Screens: A Report on the Progress of the Methodology and Future Applications.

PubMed

Zhang, Cindy; Ball, Jonathan; Panzica-Kelly, Julie; Augustine-Rauch, Karen

2016-04-18

There has been increasing focus on generation and assessment of in vitro developmental toxicology models for assessing teratogenic liability of chemicals. The driver for this focus has been to find reliable in vitro assays that will reduce or replace the use of in vivo tests for assessing teratogenicity. Such efforts may be eventually applied in testing pharmaceutical agents where a developmental toxicology assay or battery of assays may be incorporated into regulatory testing to replace one of the two species currently used in teratogenic assessment. Such assays may be eventually applied in testing a broader spectrum of chemicals, supporting efforts aligned with Tox21 strategies and responding to REACH legislation. This review describes the developmental toxicology assays that are of focus in these assessments: rodent whole embryo culture, zebrafish embryo assays, and embryonic stem cell assays. Progress on assay development as well as future directions of how these assays are envisioned to be applied for broader safety testing of chemicals are discussed. Altogether, the developmental model systems described in this review provide rich biological systems that can be utilized in better understanding teratogenic mechanisms of action of chemotypes and are promising in providing proactive safety assessment related to developmental toxicity. Continual advancements in refining/optimizing these in vitro assays are anticipated to provide a robust data set to provide thoughtful assessment of how whole animal teratogenicity evaluations can be reduced/refined in the future.

PREDICTING TOXICOLOGICAL ENDPOINTS OF CHEMICALS USING QUANTITATIVE STRUCTURE-ACTIVITY RELATIONSHIPS (QSARS)

EPA Science Inventory

Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) are being developed to predict the toxicological endpoints for untested chemicals similar in structure to chemicals that have known experimental toxicological data. Based on a very large number of predetermined descriptors, a...

Acute Toxicological Study of Ampicillin Anhydrate Microcapsules in Sprague-Dawley Rats.

DTIC Science & Technology

This document contains the results of an acute toxicological study to determine the toxicologic potential of ampicillin anhydrate microcapsules on...various organs of the rat. Keywords: Wound treatment; Antibiotic microcapsule ; Controlled release; Experimental data; Tables data. (aw)

76 FR 23323 - Meeting of the Scientific Advisory Committee on Alternative Toxicological Methods (SACATM)

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-04-26

... Alternative Toxicological Methods (SACATM) AGENCY: National Toxicology Program (NTP), National Institute of... the Validation of Alternative Methods (ICCVAM), the NTP Interagency Center for the Evaluation of Alternative Toxicological Methods (NICEATM), and the Director of the NIEHS and NTP regarding statutorily...

Career advancement opportunities and the ACVP/STP Coalition.

PubMed

Cockerell, Gary

2014-07-01

A new service to facilitate career advancement opportunities has been implemented by the American College of Veterinary Pathologists (ACVP)/Society of Toxicologic Pathology (STP) Coalition for Veterinary Pathology Fellows. This service will allow rapid communication of these opportunities between veterinary pathologists in academia, industry, and government, and will be useful to trainees as well as established pathologists. © 2014 by The Author(s).

Public Databases Supporting Computational Toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

A major goal of the emerging field of computational toxicology is the development of screening-level models that predict potential toxicity of chemicals from a combination of mechanistic in vitro assay data and chemical structure descriptors. In order to build these models, resea...

Terminal Behavioral Objectives for Teaching Clinical Toxicology to Clinical Pharmacists

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veltri, Joseph C.; And Others

1976-01-01

As a first step in the development of a competency-based clinical toxicology clerkship, a set of terminal behavioral objectives were developed that reflect the anticipated role that clinical pharmacists should play as part of the clinical toxicology team. The evaluation approaches used at the University of Utah are presented. (LBH)

Advanced European Network of E-Infrastructures for Astronomy with the SKA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massardi, Marcella

2017-11-01

Here, I present the AENEAS (Advanced European Network of E-infrastructures for Astronomy with the SKA) project has been funded in the Horizon 2020 Work Programme call "Research and Innovation Actions for International Co-operation on high-end e-infrastructure requirements" supporting the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). INAF is contributing to all the AENEAS working packages and leading the WP5 - Access and Knowledge Creation (WP leader M. Massardi IRA-ARC), participants from IRA (Brand, Nanni, Venturi) ,OACT(Becciani, Costa, Umana), OATS (Smareglia, Knapic, Taffoni)

Risk, Uncertainty and Precaution in Science: The Threshold of the Toxicological Concern Approach in Food Toxicology.

PubMed

Bschir, Karim

2017-04-01

Environmental risk assessment is often affected by severe uncertainty. The frequently invoked precautionary principle helps to guide risk assessment and decision-making in the face of scientific uncertainty. In many contexts, however, uncertainties play a role not only in the application of scientific models but also in their development. Building on recent literature in the philosophy of science, this paper argues that precaution should be exercised at the stage when tools for risk assessment are developed as well as when they are used to inform decision-making. The relevance and consequences of this claim are discussed in the context of the threshold of the toxicological concern approach in food toxicology. I conclude that the approach does not meet the standards of an epistemic version of the precautionary principle.

The U.S. "Tox21 Community" and the Future of Toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

In early 2008, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences/National Toxicology Program, the NIH Chemical Genomics Center, and the Environmental Protection Agency’s National Center for Computational Toxicology entered into a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate o...

Lightning Radio Source Retrieval Using Advanced Lightning Direction Finder (ALDF) Networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Koshak, William J.; Blakeslee, Richard J.; Bailey, J. C.

1998-01-01

A linear algebraic solution is provided for the problem of retrieving the location and time of occurrence of lightning ground strikes from an Advanced Lightning Direction Finder (ALDF) network. The ALDF network measures field strength, magnetic bearing and arrival time of lightning radio emissions. Solutions for the plane (i.e., no Earth curvature) are provided that implement all of tile measurements mentioned above. Tests of the retrieval method are provided using computer-simulated data sets. We also introduce a quadratic planar solution that is useful when only three arrival time measurements are available. The algebra of the quadratic root results are examined in detail to clarify what portions of the analysis region lead to fundamental ambiguities in source location. Complex root results are shown to be associated with the presence of measurement errors when the lightning source lies near an outer sensor baseline of the ALDF network. In the absence of measurement errors, quadratic root degeneracy (no source location ambiguity) is shown to exist exactly on the outer sensor baselines for arbitrary non-collinear network geometries. The accuracy of the quadratic planar method is tested with computer generated data sets. The results are generally better than those obtained from the three station linear planar method when bearing errors are about 2 deg. We also note some of the advantages and disadvantages of these methods over the nonlinear method of chi(sup 2) minimization employed by the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) and discussed in Cummins et al.(1993, 1995, 1998).

Regulatory assessment of reproductive toxicology data.

PubMed

Davidson, Elizabeth

2013-01-01

This chapter outlines a regulator's personal approach to the assessment of reproductive toxicology data in the context of the assessment of the overall nonclinical data package for pharmaceutical agents. Using as a framework the International Conference on Harmonisation Common Technical Document headings, guidance is provided on the expectations of regulators for the presentation and discussion of the data by the applicant to facilitate the risk assessment process. Consideration is given to the use of reproductive toxicology data in the assessment process for both clinical trial applications (CTAs) and marketing authorization applications (MAAs). Suggestions for some guiding principles in drafting of the various product information documents (for example the Investigator's Brochure (IB) for CTAs and the Nonclinical Overview and Summary of Product Characteristics for MAAs) are included.

SERS as a tool for in vitro toxicology.

PubMed

Fisher, Kate M; McLeish, Jennifer A; Jamieson, Lauren E; Jiang, Jing; Hopgood, James R; McLaughlin, Stephen; Donaldson, Ken; Campbell, Colin J

2016-06-23

Measuring markers of stress such as pH and redox potential are important when studying toxicology in in vitro models because they are markers of oxidative stress, apoptosis and viability. While surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy is ideally suited to the measurement of redox potential and pH in live cells, the time-intensive nature and perceived difficulty in signal analysis and interpretation can be a barrier to its broad uptake by the biological community. In this paper we detail the development of signal processing and analysis algorithms that allow SERS spectra to be automatically processed so that the output of the processing is a pH or redox potential value. By automating signal processing we were able to carry out a comparative evaluation of the toxicology of silver and zinc oxide nanoparticles and correlate our findings with qPCR analysis. The combination of these two analytical techniques sheds light on the differences in toxicology between these two materials from the perspective of oxidative stress.

IRIS Toxicological Review and Summary Documents for Chloroethane (Peer Review Plan)

EPA Science Inventory

Toxicological data in the published literature on Chloroethane (CE) will be assimilated, reviewed, and integated into a Toxicological Review of CE (assessment document), which seeks to characterize the key cancer, and non cancer health effect hazards from environmental exposures...

Inhalation Toxicology. 11. The Effect of Elevated Temperature on Carbon Monoxide Toxicity

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

DOT/FAA/AM-90/16 Inhalation Toxicology : XI. The Effect of Elevated Temperature on Carbon Office of Aviation Medicine Washington, D.C. 20591 M onoxide...Accession No. 3. Recipient’s Catalog No. DOT/FAA/AM-90/16 4. Title and Subtitie S. Report Date INHALATION TOXICOLOGY : XI. THE EFFECT OF ELEVATED December...Statement Combustion toxicology , carbon monoxide, This document is available to the public heat, thermal effects, time-to- through the National Technical

International Recommendations for Training Future Toxicologic Pathologists Participating in Regulatory-Type, Nonclinical Toxicity Studies*

PubMed Central

Bolon, Brad; Barale-Thomas, Erio; Bradley, Alys; Ettlin, Robert A.; Franchi, Carla A.S.; George, Catherine; Giusti, Anna Maria; Hall, Robert; Jacobsen, Matthew; Konishi, Yoichi; Ledieu, David; Morton, Daniel; Park, Jae-Hak; Scudamore, Cheryl L.; Tsuda, Hiroyuki; Vijayasarathi, S.K.; Wijnands, Marcel V.W.

2010-01-01

The International Federation of Societies of Toxicologic Pathologists (IFSTP) proposes a common global framework for training future toxicologic pathologists who will support regulatory-type nonclinical toxicology studies. Trainees optimally should undertake a scientific curriculum of at least 5 years at an accredited institution leading to a clinical degree (veterinary medicine or medicine). Trainees should then obtain 4 or more years of intensive pathology practice during a residency and/or on-the-job “apprenticeship,” at least 2 years of which must be focused on regulatory-type toxicologic pathology topics. Possession of a recognized pathology qualification (i.e., certification) is highly recommended. A non-clinical pathway (e.g., a graduate degree in medical biology or pathology) may be possible if medically trained pathologists are scarce, but this option is not optimal. Regular, lifelong continuing education (peer review of nonclinical studies, professional meetings, reading, short courses) will be necessary to maintain and enhance one’s understanding of current toxicologic pathology knowledge, skills, and tools. This framework should provide a rigorous yet flexible way to reliably train future toxicologic pathologists to generate, interpret, integrate, and communicate data in regulatory-type, nonclinical toxicology studies. PMID:22272030

Love Canal: environmental and toxicological studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kim, C.S.

The New York State Department of Health has been involved at the Love Canal since 1978. The State has carried out numerous environmental and toxicological studies. The major purposes for these studies were to define how Love Canal contaminants might be escaping into the environment at large, what paths contaminant migration might take, and what toxicological effects Love Canal chemicals might have individually and together. Although underground contaminant migration was hypothesized along swales and underground utility bedding, these mechanisms have been proven not to be operative except for some migration along the utility bedding under Frontier Avenue. In general nomore » underground migration has occurred outside the confines of the three city blocks that contain the Love Canal referred to as the ''first ring''. Studies have been confused by apparent burial of waste materials in areas proximate but not directly connected to the Love Canal. Migration of Love Canal leachate has occurred through storm sewers. Love Canal contaminants have reached creeks to the north and the Niagara River to the south through storm sewer transport. In spite of finding 2, 3, 7, 8 tetrachlorodibenzoparadioxin (TCDD), toxicological studies in situ and through exposure to volatile components in Love Canal soils do not indicate unusual toxicity. Animal studies continue in an attempt to determine the teratogenic and fetotoxic potential of Love Canal chemicals under different routes of exposure.« less

Nails in Forensic Toxicology: An Update.

PubMed

Solimini, Renata; Minutillo, Adele; Kyriakou, Chrystalla; Pichini, Simona; Pacifici, Roberta; Busardo, Francesco Paolo

2017-01-01

The analysis of nails as a keratinized matrix to detect drugs or illicit substances has been increasingly used in forensic and clinical toxicology as a complementary test, especially for the specific characteristics of stably accumulating substances for long periods of time. This allows a retrospective investigation of chronic drug abuse, monitoring continuous drug or pharmaceutical use, reveal in utero drug exposure or environmental exposures. We herein review the recent literature investigating drug incorporation mechanisms and drug detection in nails for forensic toxicological purposes. Mechanisms of drug incorporation have not yet been fully elucidated. However, some research has lately contributed to a better understanding of how substances are incorporated into nails, suggesting three potential mechanisms of drug incorporation: contamination from sweat, incorporation from nail bed and incorporation from germinal matrix. In addition, numerous methods dealing with the determination of drugs of abuse, medications and alcohol biomarkers in nails have been reported in studies over the years. The latter methods could find application in clinical and forensic toxicology. The studies herein reviewed point out how important it is to standardize and harmonize the methodologies (either pre-analytical or analytical) for nails analysis and the optimization of sampling as well as the development of proficiency testing programs and the determination of cut-off values. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

Advanced microprocessor based power protection system using artificial neural network techniques

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Z.; Kalam, A.; Zayegh, A.

This paper describes an intelligent embedded microprocessor based system for fault classification in power system protection system using advanced 32-bit microprocessor technology. The paper demonstrates the development of protective relay to provide overcurrent protection schemes for fault detection. It also describes a method for power fault classification in three-phase system based on the use of neural network technology. The proposed design is implemented and tested on a single line three phase power system in power laboratory. Both the hardware and software development are described in detail.

Collaborative development of predictive toxicology applications

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

OpenTox provides an interoperable, standards-based Framework for the support of predictive toxicology data management, algorithms, modelling, validation and reporting. It is relevant to satisfying the chemical safety assessment requirements of the REACH legislation as it supports access to experimental data, (Quantitative) Structure-Activity Relationship models, and toxicological information through an integrating platform that adheres to regulatory requirements and OECD validation principles. Initial research defined the essential components of the Framework including the approach to data access, schema and management, use of controlled vocabularies and ontologies, architecture, web service and communications protocols, and selection and integration of algorithms for predictive modelling. OpenTox provides end-user oriented tools to non-computational specialists, risk assessors, and toxicological experts in addition to Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for developers of new applications. OpenTox actively supports public standards for data representation, interfaces, vocabularies and ontologies, Open Source approaches to core platform components, and community-based collaboration approaches, so as to progress system interoperability goals. The OpenTox Framework includes APIs and services for compounds, datasets, features, algorithms, models, ontologies, tasks, validation, and reporting which may be combined into multiple applications satisfying a variety of different user needs. OpenTox applications are based on a set of distributed, interoperable OpenTox API-compliant REST web services. The OpenTox approach to ontology allows for efficient mapping of complementary data coming from different datasets into a unifying structure having a shared terminology and representation. Two initial OpenTox applications are presented as an illustration of the potential impact of OpenTox for high-quality and consistent structure-activity relationship modelling of REACH

Collaborative development of predictive toxicology applications.

PubMed

Hardy, Barry; Douglas, Nicki; Helma, Christoph; Rautenberg, Micha; Jeliazkova, Nina; Jeliazkov, Vedrin; Nikolova, Ivelina; Benigni, Romualdo; Tcheremenskaia, Olga; Kramer, Stefan; Girschick, Tobias; Buchwald, Fabian; Wicker, Joerg; Karwath, Andreas; Gütlein, Martin; Maunz, Andreas; Sarimveis, Haralambos; Melagraki, Georgia; Afantitis, Antreas; Sopasakis, Pantelis; Gallagher, David; Poroikov, Vladimir; Filimonov, Dmitry; Zakharov, Alexey; Lagunin, Alexey; Gloriozova, Tatyana; Novikov, Sergey; Skvortsova, Natalia; Druzhilovsky, Dmitry; Chawla, Sunil; Ghosh, Indira; Ray, Surajit; Patel, Hitesh; Escher, Sylvia

2010-08-31

OpenTox provides an interoperable, standards-based Framework for the support of predictive toxicology data management, algorithms, modelling, validation and reporting. It is relevant to satisfying the chemical safety assessment requirements of the REACH legislation as it supports access to experimental data, (Quantitative) Structure-Activity Relationship models, and toxicological information through an integrating platform that adheres to regulatory requirements and OECD validation principles. Initial research defined the essential components of the Framework including the approach to data access, schema and management, use of controlled vocabularies and ontologies, architecture, web service and communications protocols, and selection and integration of algorithms for predictive modelling. OpenTox provides end-user oriented tools to non-computational specialists, risk assessors, and toxicological experts in addition to Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) for developers of new applications. OpenTox actively supports public standards for data representation, interfaces, vocabularies and ontologies, Open Source approaches to core platform components, and community-based collaboration approaches, so as to progress system interoperability goals.The OpenTox Framework includes APIs and services for compounds, datasets, features, algorithms, models, ontologies, tasks, validation, and reporting which may be combined into multiple applications satisfying a variety of different user needs. OpenTox applications are based on a set of distributed, interoperable OpenTox API-compliant REST web services. The OpenTox approach to ontology allows for efficient mapping of complementary data coming from different datasets into a unifying structure having a shared terminology and representation.Two initial OpenTox applications are presented as an illustration of the potential impact of OpenTox for high-quality and consistent structure-activity relationship modelling of REACH

IRIS Toxicological Review and Summary Documents for N ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA's assessment of the noncancer health effects and carcinogenic potential of n-hexane was last prepared and added to the IRIS data base in 1990. The IRIS program is updating the IRIS assessment for n-hexane; this update will incorporate health effects information published since the last assessment was prepared as well as new risk assessment methods. The IRIS assessment for n-hexane will consist of a Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary. The Toxicological Review is a critical review of the physicochemical and toxicokinetic properties of the chemical and its toxicity in humans and experimental systems. The assessment will present reference values for noncancer effects of n-hexane (RfD and RfC) and a cancer assessment, where supported by available data. The Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary will be subject to internal peer consultation, Agency review, and external scientific peer review. EPA is undertaking an update of the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) health assessment for n-hexane. The outcome of this project is an updated Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary for n-Hexane that will be entered into the IRIS database. IRIS is an EPA data base containing Agency scientific positions on potential adverse human health effects that may result from chronic (or lifetime) exposure to chemicals in the environment. IRIS contains chemical-specific summaries of qualitative and quantitative health information in support of two steps of the risk assessment

FORUM - FutureTox II: In vitro Data and In Silico Models for Predictive Toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

FutureTox II, a Society of Toxicology Contemporary Concepts in Toxicology workshop, was held in January, 2014. The meeting goals were to review and discuss the state of the science in toxicology in the context of implementing the NRC 21st century vision of predicting in vivo resp...

Distance learning in toxicology: Resident and remote; Scotland, IPCS, IUPAC, and the world

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Duffus, John H.

2005-09-01

Globally, very few college or university chemistry courses incorporate toxicology although public perception of chemicals and the chemical industry as threats to health and the environment has had an adverse effect on chemistry and on the use of its products. The International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) through its Commission on Toxicology recognized this and, with the support of the Committee on the Teaching of Chemistry has used the IUPAC web site to promote distance learning in toxicology for chemists. After preparation of a thoroughly refereed consensus Glossary of Terms for Chemists of Terms Used in Toxicology, amore » textbook Fundamental Toxicology for Chemists and a set of educational modules entitled Essential Toxicology were compiled and put through the normal thorough review procedure of IUPAC before being approved by the organization. There is now an additional Glossary of Terms Used in Toxicokinetics. The modules are freely downloadable in Adobe PDF format and are designed to be used both by educators and by students. Educators are asked to select whatever is appropriate to their students and to use the material as they wish, adding content specifically relevant to their circumstances. For self-study, the web modules have self-assessment questions and model answers. Currently the original Glossary for Chemists of Terms Used in Toxicology is being revised and it is expected that this will lead to further developments. The currently available components of the IUPAC programme may be accessed through the IUPAC website at the Subcommittee on Toxicology and Risk Assessment page: http://www.iupac.org/divisions/VII/VII.C.2/index.html.« less

IRIS Toxicological Review of Tetrachloroethylene ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA conducted a peer review of the scientific basis supporting the human health hazard and dose-response assessment of tetrachloroethylene that will appear on the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) database. Peer review is meant to ensure that science is used credibly and appropriately in derivation of the toxicological characterization and dose-response assessments. This draft health assessment addresses both non-cancer and cancer human health effects that may result from chronic exposure to tetrachloroethylene (also called Perchloroethylene or Perc) . This is an update of an existing assessment posted on IRIS in 1988. This draft Toxicological Review includes a chronic Reference Concentration (RfC) and carcinogenicity assessment, which are not currently available on IRIS, as well as an update of the 1988 IRIS Reference Dose (RfD). Tetrachloroethylene is a chemical solvent that is widely used for dry cleaning of fabrics, metal degreasing, and in making some consumer products and other chemicals.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Tert-Butyl Alcohol (Tert-Butanol) ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On April 29, 2016, the Toxicological Review of tert-Butyl Alcohol (tert-Butanol) (Public Comment Draft) was released for public comment. The draft Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and the Executive Office of the President during Step 3 (Interagency Science Consultation) before public release. As part of the IRIS process, all written interagency comments on IRIS assessments will be made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments with EPA's response and the interagency science consultation drafts of the IRIS Toxicological Review of tert-Butanol and charge to external peer reviewers are posted on this site. EPA is undertaking a new health assessment for t-butyl alcohol (tert-butanol) for the Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS). The outcome of this project will be a Toxicological Review and IRIS and IRIS Summary of TBA that will be entered on the IRIS database. IRIS is an EPA database containing Agency scientific positions on potential adverse human health effects that may result from chronic (or lifetime) exposure to chemicals in the environment. IRIS contains chemical-specific summaries of qualitative and quantitative health information to evaluate potential public health risks associated with environmental contaminants. The IRIS database is relied on for the development of risk assessments, site-specific environmental decisions, and rule making.

Underwater Acoustic Wireless Sensor Networks: Advances and Future Trends in Physical, MAC and Routing Layers

PubMed Central

Climent, Salvador; Sanchez, Antonio; Capella, Juan Vicente; Meratnia, Nirvana; Serrano, Juan Jose

2014-01-01

This survey aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current research on underwater wireless sensor networks, focusing on the lower layers of the communication stack, and envisions future trends and challenges. It analyzes the current state-of-the-art on the physical, medium access control and routing layers. It summarizes their security threads and surveys the currently proposed studies. Current envisioned niches for further advances in underwater networks research range from efficient, low-power algorithms and modulations to intelligent, energy-aware routing and medium access control protocols. PMID:24399155

Underwater acoustic wireless sensor networks: advances and future trends in physical, MAC and routing layers.

PubMed

Climent, Salvador; Sanchez, Antonio; Capella, Juan Vicente; Meratnia, Nirvana; Serrano, Juan Jose

2014-01-06

This survey aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current research on underwater wireless sensor networks, focusing on the lower layers of the communication stack, and envisions future trends and challenges. It analyzes the current state-of-the-art on the physical, medium access control and routing layers. It summarizes their security threads and surveys the currently proposed studies. Current envisioned niches for further advances in underwater networks research range from efficient, low-power algorithms and modulations to intelligent, energy-aware routing and medium access control protocols.

Targeted agents for patients with advanced/metastatic pancreatic cancer: A protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis.

PubMed

Di, Baoshan; Pan, Bei; Ge, Long; Ma, Jichun; Wu, Yiting; Guo, Tiankang

2018-03-01

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a devastating malignant tumor. Although surgical resection may offer a good prognosis and prolong survival, approximately 80% patients with PC are always diagnosed as unresectable tumor. National Comprehensive Cancer Network's (NCCN) recommended gemcitabine-based chemotherapy as efficient treatment. While, according to recent studies, targeted agents might be a better available option for advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer patients. The aim of this systematic review and network meta-analysis will be to examine the differences of different targeted interventions for advanced/metastatic PC patients. We will conduct this systematic review and network meta-analysis using Bayesian method and according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement. To identify relevant studies, 6 electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of science, CNKI (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure), and CBM (Chinese Biological Medical Database) will be searched. The risk of bias in included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) will be assessed using the Cochrane Handbook version 5.1.0. And we will use GRADE approach to assess the quality of evidence from network meta-analysis. Data will be analyzed using R 3.4.1 software. To the best of our knowledge, this systematic review and network meta-analysis will firstly use both direct and indirect evidence to compare the differences of different targeted agents and targeted agents plus chemotherapy for advanced/metastatic pancreatic cancer patients. This is a protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis, so the ethical approval and patient consent are not required. We will disseminate the results of this review by submitting to a peer-reviewed journal.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Libby Amphibole Asbestos (Interagency Science Consultation Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

On August 25, 2011, the draft Toxicological Review of Libby Amphibole Asbestos and the charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies an...

Implications of gender differences for human health risk assessment and toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

This paper from The Human Health working group of SGOMSEC 16 examines a broad range of issues on gender effects in toxicology. Gender differences in toxicology begin at the gamete and embryo stage, continuing through development and maturation and into old age. Sex influences exp...

IRIS Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane (Interagency Science Consultation Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

On September 9, 2011, the Toxicological Review of 1,4-Dioxane (with inhalation update) (External Review Draft) was posted for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House...

THE USE OF STEM CELLS FOR TOXICOLOGY STUDIES AND RISK ASSESSMENTS

EPA Science Inventory

In general terms, toxicology studies are used in support of risk assessments of adverse health outcomes as a result of exposures to chemical and physical agents. In particular, toxicological data are used to provide information that aids in the assessment of disease outcomes at e...

A Directory of Information Resources in the United States, General Toxicology.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Library of Congress, Washington, DC. National Referral Center for Science and Technology.

Listed are institutions and organizations which can serve as information sources on toxicology. Each entry gives the toxicology-related interests of the institution, holdings (of publications), publications of the institution, and information services provided. Poison control centers are listed separately as an appendix. Other appendices list some…

IRIS Toxicological Review of Benzo[a]pyrene (Interagency Science Consultation Draft)

EPA Science Inventory

On August 21, 2013, the draft Toxicological Review of Benzo[a]pyrene and the draft charge to external peer reviewers were released for public review and comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offi...

Evidence-based toxicology for the 21st century: opportunities and challenges.

PubMed

Stephens, Martin L; Andersen, Melvin; Becker, Richard A; Betts, Kellyn; Boekelheide, Kim; Carney, Ed; Chapin, Robert; Devlin, Dennis; Fitzpatrick, Suzanne; Fowle, John R; Harlow, Patricia; Hartung, Thomas; Hoffmann, Sebastian; Holsapple, Michael; Jacobs, Abigail; Judson, Richard; Naidenko, Olga; Pastoor, Tim; Patlewicz, Grace; Rowan, Andrew; Scherer, Roberta; Shaikh, Rashid; Simon, Ted; Wolf, Douglas; Zurlo, Joanne

2013-01-01

The Evidence-based Toxicology Collaboration (EBTC) was established recently to translate evidence-based approaches from medicine and health care to toxicology in an organized and sustained effort. The EBTC held a workshop on "Evidence-based Toxicology for the 21st Century: Opportunities and Challenges" in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA on January 24-25, 2012. The presentations largely reflected two EBTC priorities: to apply evidence-based methods to assessing the performance of emerging pathway-based testing methods consistent with the 2007 National Research Council report on "Toxicity Testing in the 21st Century" as well as to adopt a governance structure and work processes to move that effort forward. The workshop served to clarify evidence-based approaches and to provide food for thought on substantive and administrative activities for the EBTC. Priority activities include conducting pilot studies to demonstrate the value of evidence-based approaches to toxicology, as well as conducting educational outreach on these approaches.

Recent advancements towards green optical networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davidson, Alan; Glesk, Ivan; Buis, Adrianus; Wang, Junjia; Chen, Lawrence

2014-12-01

Recent years have seen a rapid growth in demand for ultra high speed data transmission with end users expecting fast, high bandwidth network access. With this rapid growth in demand, data centres are under pressure to provide ever increasing data rates through their networks and at the same time improve the quality of data handling in terms of reduced latency, increased scalability and improved channel speed for users. However as data rates increase, present technology based on well-established CMOS technology is becoming increasingly difficult to scale and consequently data networks are struggling to satisfy current network demand. In this paper the interrelated issues of electronic scalability, power consumption, limited copper interconnect bandwidth and the limited speed of CMOS electronics will be explored alongside the tremendous bandwidth potential of optical fibre based photonic networks. Some applications of photonics to help alleviate the speed and latency in data networks will be discussed.

[Analysis and toxicological evaluation of hazardous gases in sealed cabin].

PubMed

He, Z; Shi, J; Yu, B; Liang, H; Yu, F

1998-10-01

82 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) of eight organic sorts and 3 target inorganic compounds in a sealed cabin that simulating the flying spaceship were identified and quantified for 5 d, the law of hazardous gas concentration variation was discussed, and the atmosphere toxicology was evaluated preliminarily. It provides a basis for detecting gas compounds and evaluating the atmosphere toxicology in the spaceship.

Special-purpose fiber type 475--toxicological assessment.

PubMed

Bernstein, D M

2007-02-01

Type 475 special-purpose glass fiber is rather unique among the family of synthetic mineral fibers. It is used not for insulation but for "high-end" filtration products designed for high and ultra-high purity filtration of air and liquids. The designation for these types of filters varies with country and includes HEPA, ULPA, EU 10-13, EN1822, and S3. In its evaluation, type 475 has been grouped together with E-glass another special-purpose fibre often with little distinction made in terms of its chemistry and corresponding toxicological response. The detailed review of the available toxicology data on type 475 glass fibers clearly shows that following inhalation of this fiber even at relatively high doses, which likely exceed that at which lung overload in the rat is known to occur, type 475 glass fibers are not fibrogenic and do not cause tumors. These data clearly show an important differentiation in potency between type 475 glass fibers and E-glass and support treating these two types of fibers independently and not equating them though the term "special-purpose fibers." Analysis of the intraperitoneal studies taking into account fibre dimensions shows that at 109 fibers injected, there was a 0.3 tumor incidence. While these studies indicate according to the European Commission (EC) classification criteria that 475 should not be fully exonerated as a carcinogen, the results of the inhalation study fully support classification in category 3. The IP results are more difficult to interpret, however, the IP study itself provides no toxicological basis for determining what range of dose-response should correspond to EU category 3 or 2. Following the EC classification criteria, the toxicological data clearly indicate that 475 fibers are appropriately classified in EC category 3.

Molecular dynamics simulations and applications in computational toxicology and nanotoxicology.

PubMed

Selvaraj, Chandrabose; Sakkiah, Sugunadevi; Tong, Weida; Hong, Huixiao

2018-02-01

Nanotoxicology studies toxicity of nanomaterials and has been widely applied in biomedical researches to explore toxicity of various biological systems. Investigating biological systems through in vivo and in vitro methods is expensive and time taking. Therefore, computational toxicology, a multi-discipline field that utilizes computational power and algorithms to examine toxicology of biological systems, has gained attractions to scientists. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of biomolecules such as proteins and DNA are popular for understanding of interactions between biological systems and chemicals in computational toxicology. In this paper, we review MD simulation methods, protocol for running MD simulations and their applications in studies of toxicity and nanotechnology. We also briefly summarize some popular software tools for execution of MD simulations. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

20180129 - Computational Embryology: Translational Tools for Modeling in vitro Data (Toxicology Forum)

EPA Science Inventory

Integrative models are needed to "decode the toxicological blueprint of active substances that interact with living systems" (Systems toxicology). Computational biology is uniquely positioned to capture this connectivity and help shift decision-making to mechanistic pre...

Battery-free Wireless Sensor Network For Advanced Fossil-Fuel Based Power Generation

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yi Jia

2011-02-28

This report summarizes technical progress achieved during the project supported by the Department of Energy under Award Number DE-FG26-07NT4306. The aim of the project was to conduct basic research into battery-free wireless sensing mechanism in order to develop novel wireless sensors and sensor network for physical and chemical parameter monitoring in a harsh environment. Passive wireless sensing platform and five wireless sensors including temperature sensor, pressure sensor, humidity sensor, crack sensor and networked sensors developed and demonstrated in our laboratory setup have achieved the objective for the monitoring of various physical and chemical parameters in a harsh environment through remotemore » power and wireless sensor communication, which is critical to intelligent control of advanced power generation system. This report is organized by the sensors developed as detailed in each progress report.« less

The Aggregate Exposure Pathway (AEP): A conceptual framework for advancing exposure science research and applications

EPA Science Inventory

Historically, risk assessment has relied upon toxicological data to obtain hazard-based reference levels, which are subsequently compared to exposure estimates to determine whether an unacceptable risk to public health may exist. Recent advances in analytical methods, biomarker ...

Implementation of a light-route TDMA communications satellite system for advanced business networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanson, B.; Smalley, A.; Zuliani, M.

The application of Light Route TDMA systems to various business communication requirements is discussed. It is noted that full development of this technology for use in advanced business networks will be guided by considerations of flexibility, reliability, security, and cost. The implementation of the TDMA system for demonstrating these advantages to a wide range of public and private organizations is described in detail. Among the advantages offered by this system are point-to-point and point-to-multipoint (broadcast) capability; the ability to vary the mix and quantity of services between destinations in a fully connected mesh network on an almost instantaneous basis through software control; and enhanced reliability with centralized monitor, alarm and control functions by virtue of an overhead channel.

Advanced local area network concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grant, Terry

1985-01-01

Development of a good model of the data traffic requirements for Local Area Networks (LANs) onboard the Space Station is the driving problem in this work. A parameterized workload model is under development. An analysis contract has been started specifically to capture the distributed processing requirements for the Space Station and then to develop a top level model to simulate how various processing scenarios can handle the workload and what data communication patterns result. A summary of the Local Area Network Extendsible Simulator 2 Requirements Specification and excerpts from a grant report on the topological design of fiber optic local area networks with application to Expressnet are given.

Toxicological and ecotoxicological assessment of water tracers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behrens, H.; Beims, U.; Dieter, H.; Dietze, G.; Eikmann, T.; Grummt, T.; Hanisch, H.; Henseling, H.; Käß, W.; Kerndorff, H.; Leibundgut, C.; Müller-Wegener, U.; Rönnefahrt, I.; Scharenberg, B.; Schleyer, R.; Schloz, W.; Tilkes, F.

2001-06-01

Uncertainties regarding possible negative effects on the environment or on human health of authorizing tracing experiments in groundwater and surface waters led to the establishment of a Working Group at the German Federal Environmental Agency (Umweltbundesamt - UBA) for conducting a toxicological and ecotoxicological assessment. A total of 17 water tracers was assessed by the Working Group on the basis of the results of toxicological tests, the available literature, and the group's expert knowledge. In the future, tracers that pose a risk to the environment or to human health should no longer be used. Nevertheless, there are a number of tracers that could be used in hydrogeological and hydrological investigations for water-pollution-control purposes with no adverse environmental impact.

Foundation and progress of Japanese society of toxicologic pathology*.

PubMed

Konishi, Yoichi; Enomoto, Makoto; Hayashi, Yuzo

2011-03-01

The Japanese Society of Toxicologic Pathology (JSTP) has a differing conceptual framework from the Japanese Society of Pathology (JSP) and Japanese Society of Toxicology (JST) and was founded in 1985 by the leadership of late Dr. Yasukazu Nishiyama with the cooperation of several founding members and the support of JSP. The aim of the JSTP is to improve the human and animal health using an interdisciplinary scientific approach based on pathology and toxicology. In its development as a professional society, the JSTP has established society rules and activities. The JSTP has grown in terms of membership and financial aspects and is now recognized not only domestically but also internationally as a well-organized scientific society. To maintain the high professional standard and visibility of JSTP, we here provide the historical background of the society as a basis for current members to contribute to the continued improvement of our scientific organization.

A Graduate Program in Toxicology: Administrative and Educational Benefits of Interdepartmental Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Masten, Lawrence W.

1979-01-01

The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy's Department of Pharmacology offers masters and doctoral programs in toxicology. Its programs and toxicology courses are described, and the administration of these interdisciplinary programs within one department is discussed. (JMD)

Physiological evaluation of men wearing three different toxicological protective systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Levine, L.; Cadarette, B.S.; Sawka, M.N.

1989-08-01

This study examined the physiological responses of seven volunteers exercising in the heat while wearing three different toxicological protective systems. The Toxicological Agent Protective (TAP) suit has been available for use for more than 30 years while the other two protective systems are developmental efforts. The Self-Contained Toxicological Environmental Protection Outfit (STEPO) includes either a backpack-rebreather (with CO{sub 2} scrubber) and ice-cooling vest (STEPO-R), or a tether system which supplies breathing/cooling air inside the suit (STEPO-T). After the volunteers were heat acclimated, the three toxicological protection systems were evaluated utilizing a counter-balanced experimental design initially in a hot and thenmore » in a cool environment while subjects walked at 1.12 m/s, 0% grade for an attempted two hours. There was no statistical advantage of any one system in terms of exercise time in the cool environment. While evaporated sweating rate was greater for the STEPO-T in the cool environment compared to both STEPO-R and TAP. Development efforts to improve the STEPO system designs continue, and physiological evaluation of new developmental models is underway.« less

Comparative BioInformatics and Computational Toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

Reflecting the numerous changes in the field since the publication of the previous edition, this third edition of Developmental Toxicology focuses on the mechanisms of developmental toxicity and incorporates current technologies for testing in the risk assessment process.

MINING ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY INFORMATION WEB RESOURCES

EPA Science Inventory

Environmental toxicology is the study of the ecological effects of anthropogenic substances released into the environment. It is a relatively diverse field addressing impacts to aquatic and terrestrial organisms and communities. The determination of potential risk associated with...

Resolution of aviation forensic toxicology findings with the aid of DNA profiling.

PubMed

Chaturvedi, Arvind K; Craft, Kristi J; Kupfer, Doris M; Burian, Dennis; Canfield, Dennis V

2011-03-20

Body components of aviation accident fatalities are often scattered, disintegrated, commingled, contaminated, and/or putrefied at accident scenes. These situations may impose difficulties in victim identification/tissue matching. The prevalence of misidentification in relation to aviation accident forensic toxicology has not been well established. Therefore, the Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI) toxicology database was searched for the 1998-2008 period for those cases wherein DNA profiling was performed to resolve identity issue of the samples submitted to CAMI for toxicological evaluation. During this period, biological samples from the casualties of a total of 3523 accidents were submitted to CAMI. The submitted samples were primarily from pilots. Out of the 3523 accidents, at least, one fatality had occurred in 3366 (≈ 96%) accidents; thus, these accidents were considered fatal accidents. Accordingly, biological samples from 3319 pilots (3319 of the 3366 accidents) were received at CAMI for toxicological testing. Of these 3319 pilots, 3275 (≈ 99%) were fatally injured. DNA profiling was performed in 15 (≈ 0.5%) of the 3319 accidents. The profiling was conducted upon the requests of families in two accidents, accident investigators in three, and pathologists in four. In six accidents, contradictory toxicological findings led CAMI to initiate DNA profiling. The requests made by families and investigators were primarily triggered by inconsistency between the toxicological results and the history of drug use of the victims, while by pathologists because of commingling of samples. In three (20%) of the 15 accidents, at least one submitted sample was misidentified or mislabeled. The present study demonstrated that the number of aviation accident cases requiring DNA profiling was small and this DNA approach was effectively applied in resolving aviation toxicology findings associated with those accidents. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Building bridges between clinical and forensic toxicology laboratories.

PubMed

Martin, Bernardino Barcelo; Gomila, Isabel; Noce, Valeria

2018-05-09

Clinical and forensic toxicology can be defined as the two disciplines involved the detection, identification and measurement of xenobiotics in biological and non-biological specimens to help in the diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, prevention of poisonings and to disclose causes and contributory causes of fatal intoxications, respectively. This article explores the close connections between clinical and forensic toxicology in overlapping areas of interest. An update has been carried out of the following seven areas of interest in analytical toxicology: doping control, sudden cardiac death (SCD), brain death, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) and Munchausen syndrome by proxy (MSBP), prenatal exposure to drugs and fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS), drug-facilitated crimes (DFC) and intoxications by new psychoactive substances (NPS). While issues such as SCD, SIDS or doping control are investigated mainly in forensic laboratories, other as prenatal exposure to drugs or FAS are mainly treated in clinical laboratories. On the other hand, areas such MSBP, DFC or the intoxications by NPS are of interest in both laboratories. Some of these topics are initially treated in hospital emergency departments, involving clinical laboratories and sometimes lately derived to forensic laboratories. Conversely, cases with initial medical-legal implications and fatalities are directly handled by forensic toxicology, but may trigger further studies in the clinical setting. Many areas of common interest between clinical and forensic laboratories are building bridges between them. The increasing relationships are improving the growth, the reliability and the robustness of both kind of laboratories. Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.org.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Ammonia (Interagency Science ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

On June 1, 2012, the draft Toxicological Review of Ammonia and the draft charge to external peer reviewers were released for external peer review and public comment. The Toxicological Review and charge were reviewed internally by EPA and by other federal agencies and White House Offices before public release. Consistent with the May 2009 IRIS assessment development process, all written comments on IRIS assessments submitted by other federal agencies and White House Offices are made publicly available. Accordingly, interagency comments and the interagency science consultation materials provided to other agencies, including interagency review drafts of the IRIS Toxicological Review of Ammonia and the charge to external peer reviewers, are posted on this site. EPA is undertaking an Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) health assessment for ammonia. IRIS is an EPA database containing Agency scientific positions on potential adverse human health effects that may result from chronic (or lifetime) exposure to chemicals in the environment. IRIS contains chemical-specific summaries of qualitative and quantitative health information in support of two steps of the risk assessment paradigm, i.e., hazard identification and dose-response evaluation. IRIS assessments are used in combination with specific situational exposure assessment information to evaluate potential public health risk associated with environmental contaminants.

IRIS Toxicological Review of Thallium and Compounds ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Thallium compounds are used in the semiconductor industry, the manufacture of optic lenses and low-melting glass, low-temperature thermometers, alloys, electronic devices, mercury lamps, fireworks, and imitation germs, and clinically as an imaging agent in the diagnosis of certain tumors. EPA's assessment of noncancer health effects and carcinogenic potential of thallium compounds was last prepared and added to the IRIS database between 1988 and 1990. The IRIS program is preparing an assessment that will incorporate current health effects information available for thallium and compounds, and current risk assessment methods. The IRIS assessment for thallium compounds will consist of a Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary. The Toxicological Review is a critical review of the physiochemical and toxicokinetic properties of a chemical, and its toxicity in humans and experimental systems. The assessment will present reference values for the noncancer effects of thallium compounds (RfD and Rfc), and a cancer assessment. The Toxicological Review and IRIS Summary have been subject to Agency review, Interagency review, and external scientific peer review. The final product will reflect the Agency opinion on the overall toxicity of thallium and compounds. EPA is undertaking an Integrated Risk Information System (IRIS) health assessment for thallium and compounds. IRIS is an EPA database containing Agency scientific positions on potential adverse human health effec

[Interest of toxicological analysis for poisonings].

PubMed

Mégarbane, Bruno; Baud, Frédéric J

2008-04-30

The clinical approach of the poisoned patients is mainly based on the analysis of the circumstances of intoxication and the search for toxidromes. Toxicological analysis aims to detect the toxicants or measure their concentrations, in order to confirm the hypothesis of poisoning, to evaluate its severity and to help the follow-up regarding the treatment efficiency. Emergent toxicological analysis appears only useful if the method is specific and the results rapidly obtained. Therefore, systematic screening using immunochesmistry-based tests is not recommended in the situation of emergency. Measurement of blood concentrations of the toxicants is only indicated if it may influence the patient management. However, in the perspective of research, the study of toxicokinetic/toxicodynamic relationships, i.e. the relationships between the toxicant effects and its blood concentrations, may be helpful to understand the inter-individual variability of the response to a toxicant.

Toxicology Testing in Fatally Injured Workers: A Review of Five Years of Iowa FACE Cases

PubMed Central

Ramirez, Marizen; Bedford, Ronald; Sullivan, Ryan; Anthony, T. Renee; Kraemer, John; Faine, Brett; Peek-Asa, Corinne

2013-01-01

Toxicology testing of fatally injured workers is not routinely conducted. We completed a case-series study of 2005–2009 occupational fatalities captured by Iowa’s Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program. The goals of our research were to: (1) measure the proportion of FACE cases that undergo toxicology testing, and describe the factors associated with being tested, and (2) measure the rate of positive toxicology tests, the substances identified and the demographics and occupations of victims who tested positive. Case documents and toxicology laboratory reports were reviewed. There were 427 occupational deaths from 2005 to 2009. Only 69% underwent toxicology testing. Younger workers had greater odds of being tested. Among occupational groups, workers in farming, fishing and forestry had half the odds of being tested compared to other occupational groups. Of the 280 cases with toxicology tests completed, 22% (n = 61) were found to have positive toxicology testing. Commonly identified drug classes included cannabinoids and alcohols. Based on the small number of positive tests, older victims (65+ years) tested positive more frequently than younger workers. Management, business, science, arts, service and sales/office workers had proportionately more positive toxicology tests (almost 30%) compared with other workers (18–22%). These results identify an area in need of further research efforts and a potential target for injury prevention strategies. PMID:24240727

Accelerating the Development of 21st-Century Toxicology: Outcome of a Human Toxicology Project Consortium Workshop

PubMed Central

Stephens, Martin L.; Barrow, Craig; Andersen, Melvin E.; Boekelheide, Kim; Carmichael, Paul L.; Holsapple, Michael P.; Lafranconi, Mark

2012-01-01

The U.S. National Research Council (NRC) report on “Toxicity Testing in the 21st century” calls for a fundamental shift in the way that chemicals are tested for human health effects and evaluated in risk assessments. The new approach would move toward in vitro methods, typically using human cells in a high-throughput context. The in vitro methods would be designed to detect significant perturbations to “toxicity pathways,” i.e., key biological pathways that, when sufficiently perturbed, lead to adverse health outcomes. To explore progress on the report’s implementation, the Human Toxicology Project Consortium hosted a workshop on 9–10 November 2010 in Washington, DC. The Consortium is a coalition of several corporations, a research institute, and a non-governmental organization dedicated to accelerating the implementation of 21st-century Toxicology as aligned with the NRC vision. The goal of the workshop was to identify practical and scientific ways to accelerate implementation of the NRC vision. The workshop format consisted of plenary presentations, breakout group discussions, and concluding commentaries. The program faculty was drawn from industry, academia, government, and public interest organizations. Most presentations summarized ongoing efforts to modernize toxicology testing and approaches, each with some overlap with the NRC vision. In light of these efforts, the workshop identified recommendations for accelerating implementation of the NRC vision, including greater strategic coordination and planning across projects (facilitated by a steering group), the development of projects that test the proof of concept for implementation of the NRC vision, and greater outreach and communication across stakeholder communities. PMID:21948868

Prevalence of gabapentin in drug overdose postmortem toxicology testing results.

PubMed

Slavova, Svetla; Miller, Alison; Bunn, Terry L; White, Jessica R; Kirschke, David; Light, Tom; Christy, Daniel; Thompson, Gary; Winecker, Ruth

2018-05-01

The goal of this study was to establish and compare baseline data on the prevalence of gabapentin identified through postmortem toxicology testing among drug overdose decedents in several geographically diverse states/jurisdictions with differing levels of drug overdose fatality burdens in 2015. Death certificates and postmortem toxicology result reports from five U.S. jurisdictions were used to identify residents who died from drug overdoses in year 2015 and to calculate prevalence rates of gabapentin in postmortem toxicology by jurisdiction. On average, 22% of all drug overdose decedents in our study tested positive for gabapentin. The percentage of gabapentin-positive overdose deaths varied significantly among jurisdictions: 4% in Northeast Tennessee, 7% in Maricopa County, 15% in West Virginia, 20% in North Carolina, and 41% in Kentucky (p < 0.0001). Among the drug overdose decedents who tested positive for opioids (including heroin), 26% also tested positive for gabapentin, with significant variation among states/jurisdictions (p < 0.0001). There was a significant difference in the gender distribution among drug overdose decedents who tested positive for gabapentin (46% male) vs. those who tested negative for gabapentin (65% male) (p < 0.0001). In Kentucky, gabapentin was listed as a contributing drug on the death certificate in 40% of the overdose deaths with gabapentin-positive toxicology; in North Carolina this percentage was 57%. Routine gabapentin postmortem testing and linking of death certificate, medical examiner, coroner, toxicology, and prescription history data will provide more reliable information on the extent of gabapentin misuse, diversion, and implications for clinical care. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Use of Accelerator Mass Spectrometry in Human Health and Molecular Toxicology.

PubMed

Enright, Heather A; Malfatti, Michael A; Zimmermann, Maike; Ognibene, Ted; Henderson, Paul; Turteltaub, Kenneth W

2016-12-19

Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) has been adopted as a powerful bioanalytical method for human studies in the areas of pharmacology and toxicology. The exquisite sensitivity (10 -18 mol) of AMS has facilitated studies of toxins and drugs at environmentally and physiologically relevant concentrations in humans. Such studies include risk assessment of environmental toxicants, drug candidate selection, absolute bioavailability determination, and more recently, assessment of drug-target binding as a biomarker of response to chemotherapy. Combining AMS with complementary capabilities such as high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) can maximize data within a single experiment and provide additional insight when assessing drugs and toxins, such as metabolic profiling. Recent advances in the AMS technology at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory have allowed for direct coupling of AMS with complementary capabilities such as HPLC via a liquid sample moving wire interface, offering greater sensitivity compared to that of graphite-based analysis, therefore enabling the use of lower 14 C and chemical doses, which are imperative for clinical testing. The aim of this review is to highlight the recent efforts in human studies using AMS, including technological advancements and discussion of the continued promise of AMS for innovative clinical based research.

Possibilities and pitfalls for modern biotechnology in the development of African genetic toxicology.

PubMed

Anwar, Wagida A

2005-09-01

Developing countries are currently going through a transitional phase facing the new challenges of globalization and its potential negative impact. Research policy should highlight the need to mobilize resources for human resource development, networking, improved research culture, information sharing, and pragmatic use of research findings. Advancement in molecular genetics whether at the educational or research level should greatly progress in developing countries so as to improve diagnosis, treatment, understanding of disease risk factors, and prevention. Currently, there is a growing interest to genetic toxicology research, the use of different biomarkers, and genetic susceptibility testing, which can contribute effectively in risk assessment. Africa has unique environmental exposures and public health circumstances, which make it ideal for environmental mutagenicity and carcinogenicity research. There are exposures to chemical genotoxicants (e.g., automobile exhaust, pesticides, metals, and cytotoxic drugs) and to lifestyle factors (e.g., consumption of tobacco products) that have been linked to the expression of biological effects and to increased risk for cancer. Infections can be associated with cancer development when the environmental factors interact with the infection and lead to the enhancement of the carcinogenic process. The high prevalence of viral pathogens and the improper use of pesticides may endanger biological functions beyond those for which they originally manufactured. Biomarkers are used to detect the effects of pesticides before adverse clinical health occurs. The scientific community plays a crucial role in understanding the environmental causes of human health problems and through its collaboration with communities, industries, and government agencies can help in resolving health problems.

Possibilities and pitfalls for modern biotechnology in the development of African genetic toxicology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Anwar, Wagida A.

2005-09-01

Developing countries are currently going through a transitional phase facing the new challenges of globalization and its potential negative impact. Research policy should highlight the need to mobilize resources for human resource development, networking, improved research culture, information sharing, and pragmatic use of research findings. Advancement in molecular genetics whether at the educational or research level should greatly progress in developing countries so as to improve diagnosis, treatment, understanding of disease risk factors, and prevention. Currently, there is a growing interest to genetic toxicology research, the use of different biomarkers, and genetic susceptibility testing, which can contribute effectively in riskmore » assessment. Africa has unique environmental exposures and public health circumstances, which make it ideal for environmental mutagenicity and carcinogenicity research. There are exposures to chemical genotoxicants (e.g., automobile exhaust, pesticides, metals, and cytotoxic drugs) and to lifestyle factors (e.g., consumption of tobacco products) that have been linked to the expression of biological effects and to increased risk for cancer. Infections can be associated with cancer development when the environmental factors interact with the infection and lead to the enhancement of the carcinogenic process. The high prevalence of viral pathogens and the improper use of pesticides may endanger biological functions beyond those for which they originally manufactured. Biomarkers are used to detect the effects of pesticides before adverse clinical health occurs. The scientific community plays a crucial role in understanding the environmental causes of human health problems and through its collaboration with communities, industries, and government agencies can help in resolving health problems.« less

Data communication requirements for the advanced NAS network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levin, Eugene; Eaton, C. K.; Young, Bruce

1986-01-01

The goal of the Numerical Aerodynamic Simulation (NAS) Program is to provide a powerful computational environment for advanced research and development in aeronautics and related disciplines. The present NAS system consists of a Cray 2 supercomputer connected by a data network to a large mass storage system, to sophisticated local graphics workstations, and by remote communications to researchers throughout the United States. The program plan is to continue acquiring the most powerful supercomputers as they become available. In the 1987/1988 time period it is anticipated that a computer with 4 times the processing speed of a Cray 2 will be obtained and by 1990 an additional supercomputer with 16 times the speed of the Cray 2. The implications of this 20-fold increase in processing power on the data communications requirements are described. The analysis was based on models of the projected workload and system architecture. The results are presented together with the estimates of their sensitivity to assumptions inherent in the models.

Evolution of Computational Toxicology-from Primitive ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Presentation at the Health Canada seminar in Ottawa, ON, Canada on Nov. 15. 2016 Presentation at the Health Canada seminar in Ottawa, ON, Canada on Nov. 15. 2016 on the Evolution of Computational Toxicology-from Primitive Beginnings to Sophisticated Application

FISH PHYSIOLOGY, TOXICOLOGY, AND WATER QUALITY:

EPA Science Inventory

Twenty-one participants from Europe, North America and China convened in Chongqing, China, October 12-14, 2005, for the Eighth International Symposium in Fish Physiology, Toxicology and Water Quality. The subject of the meeting was "Hypoxia in vertebrates: Comparisons of terrestr...

High Throughput Transcriptomics @ USEPA (Toxicology Forum)

EPA Science Inventory

The ideal chemical testing approach will provide complete coverage of all relevant toxicological responses. It should be sensitive and specific It should identify the mechanism/mode-of-action (with dose-dependence). It should identify responses relevant to the species of interest...

Studies in the behavioral toxicology of environmental contaminants.

PubMed Central

Weiss, B; Levine, T E

1976-01-01

Behavioral toxicology represents a relatively new research area in the West, and a new source of information pertinent to standard setting. Despite this abbreviated history, however, it can call on a rather advanced technology, largely provided by the rapid and extensive development of behavioral pharmacology during the past two decades. As exemplified by the U.S. contribution to the joint study of carbon disulfide, the approach derived from this background relies on the acquisition of dose--effect data with a preparation yielding stable baseline performance. The first study in this collaborative series employed pigeons trained to peck a response device consisting of a transilluminnated plastic disk. Various relationships between this response and the occasions on which it led to the delivery of food were explored in order to ascertain which behavioral variables were most sensitive to acute exposures. In addition, a central nervous system drug, whose neurochemical mode of action is believed to parallel that of carbon disulfide, was tested in the same preparations. Further research on these questions is being continued with monkeys. Images FIGURE 1. FIGURE 2. PMID:1269505

Advanced Optical Burst Switched Network Concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nejabati, Reza; Aracil, Javier; Castoldi, Piero; de Leenheer, Marc; Simeonidou, Dimitra; Valcarenghi, Luca; Zervas, Georgios; Wu, Jian

In recent years, as the bandwidth and the speed of networks have increased significantly, a new generation of network-based applications using the concept of distributed computing and collaborative services is emerging (e.g., Grid computing applications). The use of the available fiber and DWDM infrastructure for these applications is a logical choice offering huge amounts of cheap bandwidth and ensuring global reach of computing resources [230]. Currently, there is a great deal of interest in deploying optical circuit (wavelength) switched network infrastructure for distributed computing applications that require long-lived wavelength paths and address the specific needs of a small number of well-known users. Typical users are particle physicists who, due to their international collaborations and experiments, generate enormous amounts of data (Petabytes per year). These users require a network infrastructures that can support processing and analysis of large datasets through globally distributed computing resources [230]. However, providing wavelength granularity bandwidth services is not an efficient and scalable solution for applications and services that address a wider base of user communities with different traffic profiles and connectivity requirements. Examples of such applications may be: scientific collaboration in smaller scale (e.g., bioinformatics, environmental research), distributed virtual laboratories (e.g., remote instrumentation), e-health, national security and defense, personalized learning environments and digital libraries, evolving broadband user services (i.e., high resolution home video editing, real-time rendering, high definition interactive TV). As a specific example, in e-health services and in particular mammography applications due to the size and quantity of images produced by remote mammography, stringent network requirements are necessary. Initial calculations have shown that for 100 patients to be screened remotely, the network

The Biological and Toxicological Activity of Gases and Vapors

PubMed Central

Sánchez-Moreno, Ricardo; Gil-Lostes, Javier; Acree, William E.; Cometto-Muñiz, J. Enrique; Cain, William S.

2010-01-01

A large amount of data on the biological and toxicological activity of gases and vapors has been collected from the literature. Processes include sensory irritation thresholds, the Alarie mouse test, inhalation anesthesia, etc. It is shown that a single equation using only five descriptors (properties of the gases and vapors) plus a set of indicator variables for the given processes can correlate 643 biological and non-lethal toxicological activities of ‘non-reactive’ compounds with a standard deviation of 0.36 log unit. The equation is scaled to sensory irritation thresholds obtained by the procedure of Cometto-Muñiz, and Cain, and provides a general equation for the prediction of sensory irritation thresholds in man. It is suggested that differences in biological/toxicological activity arise primarily from transport from the gas phase to a receptor phase or area, except for odor detection thresholds where interaction with a receptor(s) is important. PMID:19913608

Toxicology profiles of chemical and radiological contaminants at Hanford

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harper, B.L.; Strenge, D.L.; Stenner, R.D.

1995-07-01

This document summarizes toxicology information required under Section 3.3 (Toxicity Assessment) of HSRAM, and can also be used to develop the short toxicology profiles required in site assessments (described in HSRAM, Section 3.3.5). Toxicology information is used in the dose-response step of the risk assessment process. The dose-response assessment describes the quantitative relationship between the amount of exposure to a substance and the extent of toxic injury or disease. Data are derived from animal studies or, less frequently, from studies in exposed human populations. The risks of a substance cannot be ascertained with any degree of confidence unless dose-response relationsmore » are quantified. This document summarizes dose-response information available from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The contaminants selected for inclusion in this document represent most of the contaminants found at Hanford (both radiological and chemical), based on sampling and analysis performed during site investigations, and historical information on waste disposal practices at the Hanford Site.« less

The meaning and validation of social support networks for close family of persons with advanced cancer.

PubMed

Sjolander, Catarina; Ahlstrom, Gerd

2012-09-17

To strengthen the mental well-being of close family of persons newly diagnosed as having cancer, it is necessary to acquire a greater understanding of their experiences of social support networks, so as to better assess what resources are available to them from such networks and what professional measures are required. The main aim of the present study was to explore the meaning of these networks for close family of adult persons in the early stage of treatment for advanced lung or gastrointestinal cancer. An additional aim was to validate the study's empirical findings by means of the Finfgeld-Connett conceptual model for social support. The intention was to investigate whether these findings were in accordance with previous research in nursing. Seventeen family members with a relative who 8-14 weeks earlier had been diagnosed as having lung or gastrointestinal cancer were interviewed. The data were subjected to qualitative latent content analysis and validated by means of identifying antecedents and critical attributes. The meaning or main attribute of the social support network was expressed by the theme Confirmation through togetherness, based on six subthemes covering emotional and, to a lesser extent, instrumental support. Confirmation through togetherness derived principally from information, understanding, encouragement, involvement and spiritual community. Three subthemes were identified as the antecedents to social support: Need of support, Desire for a deeper relationship with relatives, Network to turn to. Social support involves reciprocal exchange of verbal and non-verbal information provided mainly by lay persons. The study provides knowledge of the antecedents and attributes of social support networks, particularly from the perspective of close family of adult persons with advanced lung or gastrointestinal cancer. There is a need for measurement instruments that could encourage nurses and other health-care professionals to focus on family members

The meaning and validation of social support networks for close family of persons with advanced cancer