Multi-centre normative brain mapping of intracranial EEG lifespan patterns in the human brain.

Understanding healthy human brain function is crucial to identify and map pathological tissue within it. Whilst previous studies have mapped intracranial EEG (icEEG) from non-epileptogenic brain regions, they often neglect age and sex effects. Further, they are limited by small sample sizes due to the modality's invasive nature.

From Bedside to Desktop: A Data Protocol for Normative Intracranial EEG and Abnormality Mapping.

Normative mapping is a framework used to map population-level features of health-related variables. It is widely used in neuroscience research, but the literature lacks established protocols in modalities that do not support healthy control measurements, such as intracranial electroencephalograms (icEEG). An icEEG normative map would allow researchers to learn about population-level brain activity and enable the comparison of individual data against these norms to identify abnormalities.

A combined in vitro approach to improve the prediction of mitochondrial toxicants.

Drug induced mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in organ toxicity and the withdrawal of drugs or black box warnings limiting their use. The development of highly specific and sensitive in vitro assays in early drug development would assist in detecting compounds which affect mitochondrial function. Here we report the combination of two in vitro assays for the detection of drug induced mitochondrial toxicity.

Predicting in vivo phospholipidosis-inducing potential of drugs by a combined high content screening and in silico modelling approach.

Drug induced phospholipidosis (PLD) is an adverse side effect which can affect registration of new drug entities. Phospholipids can accumulate in lysosomes, organelles essential in cellular biogenesis and if compromised can lead to cellular toxicity. Drug accumulation in lysosomes (lysosomotropism) is a known mechanism leading to PLD, however phospholipidosis can also occur indirectly by altering synthesis and processing of phospholipids.

Systems biology approach for evaluating the biological impact of environmental toxicants in vitro.

Exposure to cigarette smoke is a leading cause of lung diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cancer. Cigarette smoke is a complex aerosol containing over 6000 chemicals and thus it is difficult to determine individual contributions to overall toxicity as well as the molecular mechanisms by which smoke constituents exert their effects. We selected three well-known harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) in tobacco smoke, acrolein, formaldehyde and catechol, and established a high-content screening method using normal human bronchial epithelial cells, which are the first bronchial cells in contact with cigarette smoke.

Aflatoxin B1 transfer and metabolism in human placenta.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a common dietary contaminant, is a major risk factor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Early onset of HCC in some countries in Africa and South-East Asia indicates the importance of early life exposure. Placenta is the primary route for various compounds, both nutrients and toxins, from the mother to the fetal circulation.