Toxicity Evaluation Module

Many chemicals have limited occupational health and toxicological data. A computerized fuzzy logic expert system module could synthesize information from diverse sources and support the assessment of a chemical's toxicity endpoints and associateduncertainty. The interdisciplinary team of toxicologists, chemists, and computer scientists will develop a fuzzy logic methodology and knowledge base for determining toxicity endpoints. The investigators will use this methodology to develop a prototypeweb-based fuzzy logic expert system, integrated with an interactive user interface and database. The investigators will create the knowledge base rules and facts from QSAR-related variables (i.e., chemical physical properties) and existing toxicologicaldata. This software will be evaluated and demonstrated with the adrenocortical endocrine disruption toxicity endpoint. Phase II will extend Phase I's methodology and technologies to develop a fully functional software prototype that will estimate healthhazards over a larger spectrum of toxicity endpoints relevant to the Air Force.The toxicology decision support module will have applications as an initial screening mechanism for industrial chemical manufacturers and their customers. An additional marketis as an educational tool for universities, hospitals, and emergency response agencies.