US20080228701A1 - Destiny Modification Using Attribute Combinations - Google Patents

Abstract

A method and system for computer based destiny modification are presented in which a set of attributes associated with an individual is compared against attribute combinations that are statistically associated with a query attribute, the query attribute representing an attribute which may desirable for the individual to have, or which may be undesirable for the individual have. Based on the comparison, changes to the set of attributes associated with the individual are indicated and can then be implemented to increase/decrease the potential of the individual to acquire (an association with) the query attribute.

Description

• This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60895236, which was filed on Mar. 16, 2007, and which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
• The following detailed description will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings, in which there is shown one or more of the multiple embodiments of the present invention. It should be understood, however, that the various embodiments are not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown in the drawings.
• FIG. 1 illustrates attribute categories and their relationships;
• FIG. 2 illustrates a system diagram including data formatting, comparison, and statistical computation engines and dataset input/output for a method of creating an attribute combinations database;
• FIG. 3 illustrates examples of genetic attributes;
• FIG. 4 illustrates examples of epigenetic attributes;
• FIG. 5 illustrates representative physical attributes classes;
• FIG. 6 illustrates representative situational attributes classes;
• FIG. 7 illustrates representative behavioral attributes classes;
• FIG. 8 illustrates an attribute determination system;
• FIG. 9 illustrates an example of expansion and reformatting of attributes;
• FIG. 10 illustrates the advantage of identifying attribute combinations in a two attribute example;
• FIG. 11 illustrates the advantage of identifying attribute combinations in a three attribute example;
• FIG. 12 illustrates an example of statistical measures & formulas useful for the methods;
• FIG. 13 illustrates a flow chart for a method of creating an attribute combinations database;
• FIG. 14 illustrates a 1st dataset example for a method of creating an attribute combinations database;
• FIG. 15 illustrates 2nd dataset and combinations table examples for a method of creating an attribute combinations database;
• FIG. 16 illustrates a 3rd dataset example for a method of creating an attribute combinations database;
• FIG. 17 illustrates a 4th dataset example for a method of creating an attribute combinations database;
• FIG. 18 illustrates a 4th dataset example for a method of creating an attribute combinations database;
• FIG. 19 illustrates a flowchart for a method of identifying predisposing attribute combinations;
• FIG. 20 illustrates a rank-ordered tabulated results example for a method of identifying predisposing attribute combinations;
• FIG. 21 illustrates a flowchart for a method of predisposition prediction;
• FIG. 22 illustrates 1st and 2nd dataset examples for a method of predisposition prediction;
• FIG. 23 illustrates 3rd dataset and tabulated results examples for a method of predisposition prediction;
• FIG. 24 illustrates a flowchart for a method of destiny modification;
• FIG. 25 illustrates 1st dataset, 3rd dataset and tabulated results examples for destiny modification of individual #113;
• FIG. 26 illustrates 1st dataset, 3rd dataset and tabulated results examples for destiny modification of individual #114;
• FIG. 27 illustrates 3rd dataset examples from a method of destiny modification for use in synergy discovery;
• FIG. 28 illustrates one embodiment of a computing system on which the present method and system can be implemented; and
• FIG. 29 illustrates a representative deployment diagram for an attribute determination system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
• Described herein are methods, computer systems, databases and software for identifying combinations of attributes associated with individuals that co-occur with key attributes, such as specific disorders, behaviors and traits. Also described are databases as well as database systems for creating and accessing databases describing those attributes and for performing analyses based on those attributes. The methods, computer systems and software are useful for identifying intricate combinations of attributes that predispose human beings toward having or developing specific disorders, behaviors and traits of interest, determining the level of predisposition of an individual towards such attributes, and revealing which attribute associations can be added or eliminated to effectively modify what may have been hereto believed to be destiny. The methods, computer systems and software are also applicable for tissues and non-human organisms, as well as for identifying combinations of attributes that correlate with or cause behaviors and outcomes in complex non-living systems including molecules, electrical and mechanical systems and various devices and apparatus whose functionality is dependent on a multitude of attributes.
• Previous methods have been largely unsuccessful in determining the complex combinations of attributes that predispose individuals to most disorders, behaviors and traits. The level of resolution afforded by the data typically used is too low, the number and types of attributes considered is too limited, and the sensitivity to detect low frequency, high complexity combinations is lacking. The desirability of being able to determine the complex combinations of attributes that predispose an individual to physical or behavioral disorders has clear implications for improving individualized diagnoses, choosing the most effective therapeutic regimens, making beneficial lifestyle changes that prevent disease and promote health, and reducing associated health care expenditures. It is also desirable to determine those combinations of attributes that promote certain behaviors and traits such as success in sports, music, school, leadership, career and relationships.
• Advances in technology within the field of genetics, provides the ability to achieve maximum resolution of the entire genome. Discovery and characterization of epigenetic modifications—reversible chemical modifications of DNA and structural modification of chromatin that dramatically alter gene expression—has provided an additional level of information that may be altered due to environmental conditions, life experiences and aging. Along with a collection of diverse nongenetic attributes including physical, behavioral, situational and historical attributes associated with an organism, the present invention provides the ability to utilize the above information to enable prediction of the predisposition of an organism toward developing a specific attribute of interest provided in a query.
• There are approximately 25,000 genes in the human genome. Of these, approximately 1,000 of these genes are involved in monogenic disorders, which are disorders whose sole cause is due to the properties of a single gene. This collection of disorders represents less than two percent of all human disorders. The remaining 98 percent of human disorders, termed complex disorders, are caused by multiple genetic influences or a combination of multiple genetic and non-genetic influences, still yet to be determined due to their resistance to current methods of discovery.
• Previous methods using genetic information have suffered from either a lack of high resolution information, very limited coverage of total genomic information, or both. Genetic markers such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) do not provide a complete picture of a gene's nucleotide sequence or the total genetic variability of the individual. The SNPs typically used occur at a frequency of at least 5% in the population. However, the majority of genetic variation that exists in the population occurs at frequencies below 1%. Furthermore, SNPs are spaced hundreds of nucleotides apart and do not account for genetic variation that occurs in the genetic sequence lying between, which is vastly more sequence than the single nucleotide position represented by an SNP. SNPs are typically located within gene coding regions and do not allow consideration of 98% of the 3 billion base pairs of genetic code in the human genome that does not encode gene sequences. Other markers such as STS, gene locus markers and chromosome loci markers also provide very low resolution and incomplete coverage of the genome. Complete and partial sequencing of an individual's genome provides the ability to incorporate that detailed information into the analysis of factors contributing toward expressed attributes.
• Genomic influence on traits is now known to involve more than just the DNA nucleotide sequence of the genome. Regulation of expression of the genome can be influenced significantly by epigenetic modification of the genomic DNA and chromatin (3-dimensional genomic DNA with bound proteins). Termed the epigenome, this additional level of information can make genes in an individual's genome behave as if they were absent. Epigenetic modification can dramatically affect the expression of approximately at least 6% of all genes.
• Epigenetic modification silences the activity of gene regulatory regions required to permit gene expression. Genes can undergo epigenetic silencing as a result of methylation of cytosines occurring in CpG dinucleotide motifs, and to a lesser extent by deacetylation of chromatin-associated histone proteins which inhibit gene expression by creating 3-dimensional conformational changes in chromatin. Assays such as bisulfite sequencing, differential methyl hybridization using microarrays, methylation sensitive polymerase chain reaction, and mass spectrometry enable the detection of cytosine nucleotide methylation while chromosome immunoprecipitation (CHIP) can be used to detect histone acetylation states of chromatin.
• In one embodiment, epigenetic attributes are incorporated in the present invention to provide certain functionality. First, major mental disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar mood disorder are thought to be caused by or at least greatly influenced by epigenetic imprinting of genes. Second, all epigenetic modification characterized to date is reversible in nature, allowing for the potential therapeutic manipulation of the epigenome to alter the course and occurrence of disease and certain behaviors. Third, because epigenetic modification of the genome occurs in response to experiences and stimuli encountered during prenatal and postnatal life, epigenetic data can help fill gaps resulting from unobtainable personal data, and reinforce or even substitute for unreliable self-reported data such as life experiences and environmental exposures.
• In addition to genetic and epigenetic attributes, numerous other attributes likely influence the development of traits and disorders. The remaining attributes can be classified as either physical, behavioral, situational or historical. FIG. 1 displays one embodiment of the attribute categories and their interrelationships according to the present invention and illustrates that physical and behavioral attributes can be collectively equivalent to the broadest classical definition of phenotype, while situational attributes can be equivalent to those typically classified as environmental. In one embodiment, historical attributes can be viewed as a separate category containing a mixture of genetic, epigenetic, physical, behavioral and situational attributes that occurred in the past. Alternatively, historical attributes can be integrated within the genetic, epigenetic, physical, behavioral and situational categories provided they are made readily distinguishable from those attributes that describe the individual's current state. In one embodiment, the historical nature of an attribute is accounted for via a time stamp or other time based marker associated with the attribute. As such, there are no explicit historical attributes, but through use of time stamping, the time associated with the attribute can be used to make a determination as to whether the attribute is occurring in what would be considered the present, or if it has occurred in the past. Traditional demographic factors are typically a small subset of attributes derived from the phenotype and environmental categories and can be therefore represented within the physical, behavioral and situational categories.
• In the present invention the term ‘attributes’ rather than the term ‘factors’ is used since many of the entities are characteristics associated with an individual that may have no influence on the vast majority of their traits, behaviors and disorders. As such, there may be many instances during execution of the methods described herein when a particular attribute does not act as a factor in determining predisposition. Nonetheless, every attribute remains a potentially important characteristic of the individual and may contribute to predisposition toward some other attribute or subset of attributes queried during subsequent or future implementation of the methods described herein. An individual possesses many associated attributes which may be collectively referred to as an attribute profile associated with that individual. In one embodiment, an attribute profile can be considered as being comprised of the attributes that are present (i.e., occur) in that profile, as well as being comprised of the various combinations (i.e., combinations and subcombinations) of those attributes. The attribute profile of an individual is preferably provided to embodiments of the present invention as a dataset record whose association with the individual can be indicated by a unique identifier contained in the dataset record. An actual attribute of an individual can be represented by an attribute descriptor in attribute profiles, records, datasets, and databases. Herein, both actual attributes and attribute descriptors may be referred to simply as attributes. In one embodiment, statistical relationships and associations between attribute descriptors are a direct result of relationships and associations between actual attributes of an individual. In the present disclosure, the term ‘individual’ can refer to an individual group, person, organism, organ, tissue, cell, virus, molecule, thing, entity or state, wherein a state includes but is not limited to a state-of-being, an operational state or a status. Individuals, attribute profiles and attributes can be real and/or measurable, or they may be hypothetical and/or not directly observable.
• In one embodiment the present invention can be used to discover combinations of attributes regardless of number or type, in a population of any size, that cause predisposition to an attribute of interest. In doing so, this embodiment also has the ability to provide a list of attributes one can add or subtract from an existing profile of attributes in order to respectively increase or decrease the strength of predisposition toward the attribute of interest. The ability to accurately detect predisposing attribute combinations naturally benefits from being supplied with datasets representing large numbers of individuals and having a large number and variety of attributes for each. Nevertheless, the present invention will function properly with a minimal number of individuals and attributes. One embodiment of the present invention can be used to detect not only attributes that have a direct (causal) effect on an attribute of interest, but also those attributes that do not have a direct effect such as instrumental variables (i.e., correlative attributes), which are attributes that correlate with and can be used to predict predisposition for the attribute of interest but are not causal. For simplicity of terminology, both types of attributes are referred to herein as predisposing attributes, or simply attributes, that contribute toward predisposition toward the attribute of interest, regardless of whether the contribution or correlation is direct or indirect.
• It is beneficial, but not necessary, in most instances, that the individuals whose data is supplied for the method be representative of the individual or population of individuals for which the predictions are desired. In a preferred embodiment, the attribute categories collectively encompass all potential attributes of an individual. Each attribute of an individual can be appropriately placed in one or more attribute categories of the methods, system and software of the invention. Attributes and the various categories of attributes can be defined as follows:
• • a) attribute: a quality, trait, characteristic, relationship, property, factor or object associated with or possessed by an individual;
  • b) genetic attribute: any genome, genotype, haplotype, chromatin, chromosome, chromosome locus, chromosomal material, deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), allele, gene, gene cluster, gene locus, gene polymorphism, gene marker, nucleotide, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), variable tandem repeat (VTR), genetic marker, sequence marker, sequence tagged site (STS), plasmid, transcription unit, transcription product, ribonucleic acid (RNA), and copy DNA (cDNA), including the nucleotide sequence and encoded amino acid sequence of any of the above;
  • c) epigenetic attribute: any feature of the genetic material—all genomic, vector and plasmid DNA, and chromatin—that affects gene expression in a manner that is heritable during somatic cell divisions and sometimes heritable in germline transmission, but that is nonmutational to the DNA sequence and is therefore fundamentally reversible, including but not limited to methylation of DNA nucleotides and acetylation of chromatin-associated histone proteins;
  • d) pangenetic attribute: any genetic or epigenetic attribute;
  • e) physical attribute: any material quality, trait, characteristic, property or factor of an individual present at the atomic, molecular, cellular, tissue, organ or organism level, excluding genetic and epigenetic attributes;
  • f) behavioral attribute: any singular, periodic, or aperiodic response, action or habit of an individual to internal or external stimuli, including but not limited to an action, reflex, emotion or psychological state that is controlled or created by the nervous system on either a conscious or subconscious level;
  • g) situational attribute: any object, condition, influence, or milieu that surrounds, impacts or contacts an individual;
  • h) historical attribute: any genetic, epigenetic, physical, behavioral or situational attribute that was associated with or possessed by an individual in the past. As such, the historical attribute refers to a past state of the individual and may no longer describe the current state.
• The methods, systems, software, and databases described herein apply to and are suitable for use with not only humans, but for other organisms as well. The methods, systems, software and databases may also be used for applications that consider attribute identification, predisposition potential and destiny modification for organs, tissues, individual cells, and viruses in vitro and in vivo. For example, the methods can be applied to behavior modification of individual cells being grown and studied in a laboratory incubator by providing pangenetic attributes of the cells, physical attributes of the cells such as size, shape and surface receptor densities, and situational attributes of the cells such as levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the incubator, temperature of the incubator, and levels of glucose and other nutrients in the liquid growth medium. Using these and other attributes, the methods, systems, software and databases can then be used to predict predisposition of the cells for such characteristics as susceptibility to infection by viruses, general growth rate, morphology, and differentiation potential. The methods, systems, software, and databases described herein can also be applied to complex non-living systems to, for example, predict the behavior of molecules or the performance of electrical devices or machinery subject to a large number of variables.
• FIG. 2 illustrates system components corresponding to one embodiment of a method, system, software, and databases for compiling predisposing attribute combinations. Attributes can be stored in the various datasets of the system. In one embodiment, 1st dataset 200 is a raw dataset of attributes that may be converted and expanded by conversion/formatting engine 220 into a more versatile format and stored in expanded 1st dataset 202. Comparison engine 222 can perform a comparison between attributes from records of the 1st dataset 200 or expanded 1st dataset 202 to determine candidate predisposing attributes which are then stored in 2nd dataset 204. Comparison engine 222 can tabulate a list of all possible combinations of the candidate attributes and then perform a comparison of those combinations with attributes contained within individual records of 1st dataset 200 or expanded 1st dataset 202. Comparison engine 222 can store those combinations that are found to occur and meet certain selection criteria in 3rd dataset 206 along with a numerical frequency of occurrence obtained as a count during the comparison. Statistical computation engine 224 can perform statistical computations using the numerical frequencies of occurrence to obtain results for strength of association between attributes and attribute combinations and then store those results in 3rd dataset 206. Statistical computation engine 224, alone or in conjunction with comparison engine 222, can create a 4th dataset 208 containing attributes and attribute combinations that meet a minimum or maximum statistical requirement by applying a numerical or statistical filter to the numerical frequencies of occurrence or the results for strength of association stored in 3rd dataset 206. Although represented as a system and engines, the system and engines can be considered subsystems of a larger system, and as such referred to as subsystems. Such subsystems may be implemented as sections of code, objects, or classes of objects within a single system, or may be separate hardware and software platforms which are integrated with other subsystems to form the final system.
• FIGS. 3A and 3B show a representative form for genetic attributes as DNA nucleotide sequence with each nucleotide position associated with a numerical identifier. In this form, each nucleotide is treated as an individual genetic attribute, thus providing maximum resolution of the genomic information of an individual. FIG. 3A depicts a known gene sequence for the HTR2A gene. Comparing known genes simplifies the task of properly phasing nucleotide sequence comparisons. However, for comparison of non-gene sequences, due to the presence of insertions and deletions of varying size in the genome of one individual versus another, markers such as STS sequences can be used to allow for a proper in-phase comparison of the DNA sequences between different individuals. FIG. 3B shows DNA plus-strand sequence beginning at the STS#68777 forward primer, which provides a known location of the sequence within the genome and can serve to allowing phasing of the sequence with other sequences from that region of the genome during sequence comparison.
• Conversion/formatting engine 220 of FIG. 2 can be used in conjunction with comparison engine 222 to locate and number the STS marker positions within the sequence data and store the resulting data in expanded 1st dataset 202. In one embodiment, comparison engine 222 has the ability to recognize strings of nucleotides with a word size large enough to enable accurately phased comparison of individual nucleotides in the span between marker positions. This function is also valuable in comparing known gene sequences. Nucleotide sequence comparisons in the present invention can also involve transcribed sequences in the form of mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, and cDNA sequences which all derive from genomic DNA sequence and are handled in the same manner as nucleotide sequences of known genes.
• FIGS. 3C and 3D show two other examples of genetic attributes that may be compared in one embodiment of the present invention and the format they may take. Although not preferred because of the relatively small amount of information provided, SNP polymorphisms (FIG. 3C) and allele identity (FIG. 3D) can be processed by one or more of the methods herein to provide a limited comparison of the genetic content of individuals.
• In a preferred mode of comparison between nucleotide sequences, a direct sequence comparison that that requires two or more sequences to be the same at the nucleotide sequence level is performed. To increase efficiency at the cost of loosing information contained in non-gene-coding regions of the genome, a direct sequence comparison between genomic sequences may use only gene coding and gene regulatory sequences since these represent the expressed and expression-controlling portions of the genome, respectively. In embodiments where computing power and time are available, a comparison of the whole genome can be used as opposed to comparison of only the 2% which encodes genes and gene regulatory sequences since the noncoding region of the genome may still have effects on genome expression which influence attribute predisposition.
• In one embodiment, comparison engine 222 is permitted some degree of flexibility in comparison of nucleotide sequences, so that the exact identity within protein encoding regions is not always required. For example, when a single nucleotide difference between two sequences is deemed unlikely to result in a functional difference between the two encoded proteins, it is beneficial to make the determination that the two sequences are the same even though they are actually not identical. The reason for allowing non-identical matches being that since the nucleotide difference is functionally silent it should not have a differential effect on attribute predisposition. A number of rules can be provided to comparison engine 222 to guide such decision making. These rules are based on the knowledge of several phenomena. For example, a single nucleotide difference in the 3rd nucleotide position of a codon—termed the wobble position—often does not change the identity of the amino acid encoded by the codon, and therefore may not change the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein. Determination of whether or not a particular nucleotide change in a wobble position alters the encoded protein amino acid sequence is easily made based on published information known to those in the art. Other exemplary types of changes that are unlikely to affect protein function are those that are known to be silent, those that result in conservative amino acid changes particularly in non-enzymatic, non-catalytic, nonantigenic or non-transmembrane domains of the protein, and those that simply alter the location of truncation of a protein within the same domain of one protein relative to another.
• Allowing flexibility in sequence matching can increase the number of sequences determined to be identical, but may also reduce the sensitivity of the invention to detect predisposing attributes. There may be sequence changes which are thought to be innocuous or inconsequential based on current scientific knowledge that in actuality are not. For example, nucleotide changes in the wobble codon position that do not change the amino acid sequence may appear to be inconsequential, but may actually impact the stability of the intermediary RNA transcript required for translation of nucleotide sequence into the encoded protein, thus having a significant effect on ultimate levels of expressed protein. Therefore, application of the rules can be left to up the user's discretion or automatically applied when comparing small populations where the low opportunity for exact matches resulting from small sample size increases the probability of obtaining an uninformative result.
• In one embodiment, when a particular set of rules fails to provide sufficient detection of predisposing attributes, the rules can be modified in order to provide higher granularity or resolution for the discovery of predisposing attributes. As such, nucleotide changes in the wobble codon position may be examined in certain applications. Similarly, the brand of cigarettes smoked may be a required attribute to discover some predisposing attributes, but not others. By varying the rules, the appropriate level of granularity or resolution can be determined. In one embodiment, the rules are varied on a test population (which can be comprised of both attribute-positive and attribute-negative individuals) in an effort to determine the most appropriate rules for the greater population.
• Based on this knowledge, the following additional rules can be applied by comparison engine 222 when comparing two nucleotide sequences:
• • a) a direct sequence comparison may determine two protein-encoding nucleotide sequences to be the same if they encode the same protein and differ only by one or more nucleotides within the open reading frame that do not alter the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein;
  • b) a direct sequence comparison may determine two protein-encoding nucleotide sequences to be the same if they encode the same protein and differ only by one or more nucleotides that result in conservative amino acid substitutions within the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein;
  • c) a direct sequence comparison may determine two protein-encoding nucleotide sequences to be the same if they encode the same protein and differ only by one or more nucleotides that result in conservative amino acid substitutions anywhere within the amino acid sequence of the encoded protein except for enzymatic, transmembrane or antigen-recognition domains;
  • d) a direct sequence comparison may determine two protein-encoding nucleotide sequences to be the same if they encode the same protein and differ only by one or more nucleotides that result in silent amino acid substitutions;
  • e) a direct sequence comparison may determine two nucleotide sequences that do not encode amino acid sequences to be the same if they differ only by the identity of nucleotide mutations occurring at the same position within both sequences;
  • f) a direct sequence comparison may determine two protein-encoding nucleotide sequences to be the same if they encode the same protein and differ only by one or more conservative missense mutations within the open reading frame of the encoded protein;
  • g) a direct sequence comparison may determine two protein-encoding nucleotide sequences to be the same if they encode the same protein and differ only by one or more conservative missense mutations anywhere within the open reading frame of the encoded protein except for those regions of the open reading frame that encode enzymatic, transmembrane or antigen-recognition domains of the protein;
  • h) a direct sequence comparison may determine two protein-encoding nucleotide sequences to be the same if they encode the same protein and differ only by one or more silent mutations;
  • i) a direct sequence comparison may determine two protein-encoding nucleotide sequences to be the same if they encode the same protein and differ only by the locations of nonsense mutations within the same domain of the encoded protein;
  • j) a direct sequence comparison may determine two protein-encoding nucleotide sequences to be the same if they encode the same protein and differ only by the locations of frameshift mutations within the same respective domain of the encoded protein.
• FIGS. 4A and 4B show examples of epigenetic data that can be compared, the preferred epigenetic attributes being methylation site data. FIG. 4A represents a format of methylation data where each methylation site (methylation variable position) is distinguishable by a unique alphanumeric identifier. The identifier may be further associated with a specific gene, site or chromosomal locus of the genome. In this embodiment, the methylation status at each site is an attribute that can have either of two values: methylated (M) or unmethylated (U). Other epigenetic data and representations of epigenetic data can be used to perform the methods described herein, and to construct the systems, software and databases described herein, as will be understood by one skilled in the art.
• As shown in FIG. 4B, an alternative way to organize the epigenetic data is to append it directly into the corresponding genetic attribute dataset in the form of methylation status at each candidate CpG dinucleotide occurring in that genomic nucleotide sequence. The advantage of this format is that it inherently includes chromosome, gene and nucleotide position information. In this format, which is the most complete and informative format for the raw data, the epigenetic data can be extracted and converted to another format at any time. Both formats (that of FIG. 4A as well as that of FIG. 4B) provide the same resolution of methylation data, but it is preferable to adhere to one format in order to facilitate comparison of epigenetic data between different individuals. Regarding either data format, in instances where an individual is completely lacking a methylation site due to a deletion or mutation of the corresponding CpG dinucleotide, the corresponding epigenetic attribute value should be omitted (i.e., assigned a null).
• FIG. 5 illustrates representative classes of physical attributes as defined by physical attributes metaclass 500, which can include physical health class 510, basic physical class 520, and detailed physical class 530, for example. In one embodiment physical health class 510 includes a physical diagnoses subclass 510.1 that includes the following specific attributes (objects), which when positive indicate a known physical diagnoses:

• 	510.1.1 Diabetes
  	510.1.2 Heart Disease
  	510.1.3 Osteoporosis
  	510.1.4 Stroke
  	510.1.5 Cancer
  	510.1.5.1   Prostrate Cancer
  	510.1.5.2   Breast Cancer
  	510.1.5.3   Lung Cancer
  	510.1.5.4   Colon Cancer
  	510.1.5.5   Bladder Cancer
  	510.1.5.6   Endometrial Cancer
  	510.1.5.7   Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
  	510.1.5.8   Ovarian Cancer
  	510.1.5.9   Kidney Cancer
  	510.1.5.10  Leukemia
  	510.1.5.11  Cervical Cancer
  	510.1.5.12  Pancreatic Cancer
  	510.1.5.13  Skin melanoma
  	510.1.5.14  Stomach Cancer
  	510.1.6 Bronchitis
  	510.1.7 Asthma
  	510.1.8 Emphysema

• The above classes and attributes represent the current condition of the individual. In the event that the individual (e.g. consumer 810) had a diagnosis for an ailment in the past, the same classification methodology can be applied, but with an “h” placed after the attribute number to denote a historical attribute. For example, 510.1.4 h can be used to create an attribute to indicate that the individual suffered a stroke in the past, as opposed to 510.1.4 which indicates the individual is currently suffering a stroke or the immediate aftereffects. Using this approach, historical classes and attributes mirroring the current classes and attributes can be created, as illustrated by historical physical health class 510 h, historical physical diagnoses class 510.1 h, historical basic physical class 520 h, historical height class 520.1 h, historical detailed physical class 530 h, and historical hormone levels class 530.1 h. In an alternate embodiment historical classes and historical attributes are not utilized. Rather, time stamping of the diagnoses or event is used. In this approach, an attribute of 510.1.4-05FEB03 would indicate that the individual suffered a stroke on Feb. 5, 2003. Alternate classification schemes and attribute classes/classifications can be used and will be understood by one of skill in the art. In one embodiment, time stamping of attributes is preferred in order to permit accurate determination of those attributes or attribute combinations that are associated with an attribute of interest (i.e., a query attribute or target attribute) in a causative or predictive relationship, or alternatively, those attributes or attribute combinations that are associated with an attribute of interest in a consequential or symptomatic relationship. In one embodiment, only attributes bearing a time stamp that predates the time stamp of the attribute of interest are processed by the methods. In another embodiment, only attributes bearing a time stamp that postdates the time stamp of the attribute of interest are processed by the methods. In another embodiment, both attributes that predate and attributes that postdate an attribute of interest are processed by the methods.
• As further shown in FIG. 5, physical prognoses subclass 510.2 can contain attributes related to clinical forecasting of the course and outcome of disease and chances for recovery. Basic physical class 520 can include the attributes age 520.1, sex 520.2, height 520.3, weight 520.4, and ethnicity 520.5, whose values provide basic physical information about the individual. Hormone levels 530.1 and strength/endurance 530.4 are examples of attribute subclasses within detailed physical class 530. Hormone levels 530.1 can include attributes for testosterone level, estrogen level, progesterone level, thyroid hormone level, insulin level, pituitary hormone level, and growth hormone level, for example. Strength/endurance 530.4 can include attributes for various weight lifting capabilities, stamina, running distance and times, and heart rates under various types of physical stress, for example. Blood sugar level 530.2, blood pressure 530.3 and body mass index 530.5 are examples of attributes whose values provide detailed physical information about the individual. Historical physical health class 510 h, historical basic physical class 520 h and historical detailed physical class 530 h are examples of historical attribute classes. Historical physical health class 510 h can include historical attribute subclasses such as historical physical diagnoses class 510.h which would include attributes for past physical diagnoses of various diseases and physical health conditions which may or may not be representative of the individual's current health state. Historical basic physical class 520 h can include attributes such as historical height class 520.1 h which can contain heights measured at particular ages. Historical detailed physical class 530 h can include attributes and attribute classes such as the historical hormone levels class 530.1 h which would include attributes for various hormone levels measured at various time points in the past.
• In one embodiment, the classes and indexing illustrated in FIG. 5 and described above can be matched to health insurance information such as health insurance codes, such that information collected by health care professionals (such as clinician 820 of FIG. 8, which can be a physician, nurse, nurse practitioner or other health care professional) can be directly incorporated as attribute data. In this embodiment, the heath insurance database can directly form part of the attribute database, such as one which can be constructed using the classes of FIG. 5.
• FIG. 6 illustrates classes of situational attributes as defined by situational attributes metaclass 600, which in one embodiment can include medical class 610, exposures class 620, and financial class 630, for example. In one embodiment, medical class 610 can include treatments subclass 610.1 and medications subclass 610.2; exposures class 620 can include environmental exposures subclass 620.1, occupational exposures subclass 620.2 and self-produced exposures 620.3; and financial class 630 can include assets subclass 630.1, debt subclass 630.2 and credit report subclass 630.3. Historical medical class 610 h can include historical treatments subclass 610.1 h, historical medications subclass 610.2 h, historical hospitalizations subclass 610.3 h and historical surgeries subclass 610.4 h. Other historical classes included within the situational attributes metaclass 600 can be historical exposures subclass 620 h, historical financial subclass 630 h, historical income history subclass 640 h, historical employment history subclass 650 h, historical marriage/partnerships subclass 660 h, and historical education subclass 670 h.
• In one embodiment, commercial databases such as credit databases, databases containing purchase information (e.g. frequent shopper information) can be used as either the basis for extracting attributes for the classes such as those in financial subclass 630 and historical financial subclass 630 h, or for direct mapping of the information in those databases to situational attributes. Similarly, accounting information such as that maintained by the consumer 810 of FIG. 8, or a representative of the consumer (e.g. the consumer's accountant) can also be incorporated, transformed, or mapped into the classes of attributes shown in FIG. 6.
• Measurement of financial attributes such as those illustrated and described with respect to FIG. 6 allows financial attributes such as assets, debt, credit rating, income and historical income to be utilized in the methods, systems, software and databases described herein. In some instances, such financial attributes can be important with respect to a query attribute. Similarly, other situational attributes such as the number of marriages/partnerships, length of marriages/partnership, number jobs held, income history, can be important attributes and will be found to be related to certain query attributes. In one embodiment a significant number of attributes described in FIG. 6 are extracted from public or private databases, either directly or through manipulation, interpolation, or calculations based on the data in those databases.
• FIG. 7 illustrates classes of behavioral attributes as defined by behavioral attributes metaclass 700, which in one embodiment can include mental health class 710, habits class 720, time usage class 730, mood/emotional state class 740, and intelligence quotient class 750, for example. In one embodiment, mental health class 710 can include mental/behavioral diagnoses subclass 710.1 and mental/behavioral prognoses subclass 710.2; habits class 720 can include diet subclass 720.1, exercise subclass 720.2, alcohol consumption subclass 720.3, substances usage subclass 720.4, and sexual activity subclass 720.5; and time usage class 730 can include work subclass 730.1, commute subclass 730.2, television subclass 730.3, exercise subclass 730.4 and sleep subclass 730.5. Behavioral attributes metaclass 700 can also include historical classes such as historical mental health class 710 h, historical habits 720 h, and historical time usage class 730 h.
• As discussed with respect to FIGS. 5 and 6, in one embodiment, external databases such as health care provider databases, purchase records and credit histories, and time tracking systems can be used to supply the data which constitutes the attributes of FIG. 7. Also with respect to FIG. 7, classification systems such as those used by mental health professionals such as classifications found in the DSM-IV can be used directly, such that the attributes of mental health class 710 and historical prior mental health class 710 h have a direct correspondence to the DSM-IV. The classes and objects of the present invention, as described with respect to FIGS. 5, 6 and 7, can be implemented using a number of database architectures including, but not limited to flat files, relational databases and object oriented databases.
• Unified Modeling Language (“UML”) can be used to model and/or describe methods and systems and provide the basis for better understanding their functionality and internal operation as well as describing interfaces with external components, systems and people using standardized notation. When used herein, UML diagrams including, but not limited to, use case diagrams, class diagrams and activity diagrams, are meant to serve as an aid in describing the embodiments of the present invention but do not constrain implementation thereof to any particular hardware or software embodiments. Unless otherwise noted, the notation used with respect to the UML diagrams contained herein is consistent with the UML 2.0 specification or variants thereof and is understood by those skilled in the art.
• FIG. 8 illustrates a use case diagram for an attribute determination system 800 which, in one embodiment, allows for the determination of attributes which are statistically relevant or related to a query attribute. Attribute determination system 800 allows for a consumer 810, clinician 820, and genetic database administrator 830 to interact, although the multiple roles may be filled by a single individual, to input attributes and query the system regarding which attributes are relevant to the specified query attribute. In a contribute genetic sample use case 840 a consumer 810 contributes a genetic sample.
• In one embodiment this involves the contribution by consumer 810 of a swab of the inside of the cheek, a blood sample, or contribution of other biological specimen associated with consumer 810 from which genetic and epigenetic data can be obtained. In one embodiment, genetic database administrator 830 causes the genetic sample to be analyzed through a determine genetic and epigenetic attributes use case 850. Consumer 810 or clinician 820 may collect physical attributes through a describe physical attributes use

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