Exposome

Question 1

What enhances precision medicine?

Answer 1

Learning about a person’s sectors of health from social to cultural to economical

Question 2

How can omics further precision medicine?

Answer 2

Omics will help by learning about a person’s protein and enzymatic function, detoxification, and susceptibility.

Question 3

What does a total exposure assessment measure?

Answer 3

The intensity, frequency, and duration of human exposures to an environmental agent through inhalation, absorption, and ingestion.

Question 4

What puts children more at risk to environmental hazards?

Answer 4

1. Children eat, drink, and breathe more per unit of their body weight (increased metabolism)
2. Children’s immune system is not fully developed
3. Children orally explore their environment, increasing hand-mouth exposure
4. Children have less paraoxonase

Question 5

What is paraoxonase?

Answer 5

An enzyme that hydrolyzes esters

Question 6

Epigenetics role

Answer 6

gene expression through the methylation of DNA sequences

Question 7

What happens to a methylated gene?

Answer 7

It is turned off

Question 8

In the mystery of the mice, why do they look different?

Answer 8

Difference in histone spacing from methyl supplements

Question 9

The three domains of the exposome have been identified. Match the correct definition to the term:

Answer 9

1. Internal: factors that are unique to the individual
2. Specific external: occupational exposures and lifestyle factors
3. General external: education level and financial status

Question 10

Environmental exposures have a much greater impact on health and disease than genetic factors alone

Answer 10

True

Question 11

Epigenetic mechanisms, like genetics, are irreversible

Answer 11

False

Question 12

Epigenetic mechanisms influence gene expression without changes in DNA sequences

Answer 12

True

Question 13

What is the exposome?

Answer 13

The culmination of exposures to environmental stressors throughout an individual’s entire lifespan (including conception)

Question 14

What are the Tools for exposome?

Answer 14

1. Biomarker measurements (urinary metabolites of xenobiotics, and sensors)
2. Omic biomarkers
3. Sensors for personal monitoring
4. Databases and geographic information systems
5. Survey instruments

Question 15

What are some challenges in exposome measurements?

Answer 15

1. Big data analysis needs
2. complex totality to monitoring
3. misinformation
4. impact varies person-person and over life stages
5. indicators of exposure may be transient
6. Complexity of a lifetime exposure difficult to determine
7. Evaluation of multiple variables for causation