University of British Columbia

Zika virus produces two isoforms of the NS2A protein that play mutually exclusive roles in viral replication and virion assembly

Zika virus (ZIKV), dengue virus, and several other orthoflaviviruses cause disease outbreaks in human and animal populations worldwide. The orthoflaviviral nonstructural protein 2A (NS2A) is critical for both viral replication and virion assembly. However, due to its small size,...

A novel seismic connector for precast concrete shear walls

Abstract A critical aspect of the seismic performance of precast concrete walls is the deformation capacity of their connections, which can be limited by premature bar fracture, reinforcement buckling, or cyclic instability. This paper introduces and experimentally validates a ne...

Ketogenic Diet Therapy for Children and Youth With Epilepsy: Caregiver Perspectives and Experiences at Longer-Term Follow-up

This study examines caregiver perspectives on ketogenic diet (KD) therapy for children with drug-resistant epilepsy, focusing on experiences and children's eating habits after discontinuation. Fifteen caregivers in the KD group and twelve in a comparison group who were not treate...

Environmental Pollution in Food Production and Pathways for Mitigation through Sustainable and Circular Approaches

Abstract Global food production is under increasing pressure to meet global food security demands while simultaneously reducing environmental burdens. This review critically evaluates air emissions, greenhouse gas (GHG) contributions, water pollution, and solid waste generation a...

The Effect of Blindness on the Development of Fear Response in Chickens of Different Ages

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of blindness on the ontogeny of fear response. We used a genetically blind chicken model (rc chickens) and tested fear response based on tonic immobility (TI). There were four blind groups and four sighted groups of rc chicken...

Interaction of physical fitness and resting state functional connectivity on global cognitive function in older adults with mild cognitive impairment

Background Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) represents a prodromal stage of Alzheimer's disease. Physical fitness, including cardiorespiratory fitness and muscular strength, is associated with cognitive function in older adults. Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) is also...

Wearable Health-Tracking Devices and Adherence to Physical Activity Guidelines Among US Adults, Including Those with Elevated Anxiety Symptoms: A Nationally Representative Cross-Sectional Analysis of HINTS 7 (2024)

Physical activity is a pillar of lifestyle medicine, yet most US adults do not meet aerobic guidelines, and inactivity is especially common among people with anxiety. Wearables enable self-monitoring, but population-level evidence linking them to guideline adherence among distres...

Exploring the participation of people with lower limb absence or amputation: a mixed methods study

PURPOSE: People with lower limb absence or amputation (LLA) face challenges in their ability to participate in their communities. This study examines what influences how people with LLA participate in meaningful activities and social roles within the context of British Columbia....

Energy-Based Seismic Damage Assessment of Tunnels during the February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş Earthquake Sequence in Turkey

Abstract The February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş earthquake sequence (M7.7, M6.6, and M7.6) produced unprecedented ground-motion energy levels and caused extensive damage to both surface and subsurface infrastructure across southern Turkey. This study conducts a comprehensive, energy...

Citron kinase activity controls alternative splicing events that drive prostate cancer growth

Prostate cancer (CaP) remains a major cause of cancer death in men, underscoring the need for mechanistically novel therapies. We previously identified the action of the mitotic kinase citron (CIT) kinase as a key driver of CaP progression and promising therapeutic target, but se...

Shifting Dominant Air Pollution Sources in Sub-Saharan Africa’s Changing Urban Environment: Analysis of Elemental Composition and Source Contributions of Ambient Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Pollution in Accra, Ghana

Abstract Urban and economic expansion across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) may be shifting the relative contributions of dominant ambient air pollution sources, influencing both pollutant concentrations and composition, along with their associated health risks. However, city-scale dat...

Exploring Latent Profiles of Word-Reading and Reading Comprehension Skills Among English–French Bilingual Children in Grades 1 to 3

This study aimed to advance our understanding of the reading profiles of bilinguals who are struggling readers. To this end, 198 English–French bilinguals attending French immersion were followed from Grades 1 to 3. Latent profile and transition analyses were conducted with measu...

Shared patterns of human milk composition link mammary gland function to infant growth

The mammary gland produces nutrient-rich human milk (HM), yet how mammary functional state shapes HM composition and infant outcomes remains poorly understood. We used HM multi-omics - metabolomics, proteomics, micronutrients, macronutrients, and HM oligosaccharides - across 1,54...

The Longitudinal Association Between Shyness and Cognitive Biases Among Rural Chinese Children: A Three-Wave Cross-Lagged Analysis

This study investigated longitudinal relationships between shyness and three types of cognitive biases (i.e., probability judgment bias, cost judgment bias, and threatening interpretation bias) among rural Chinese children. A three-wave design (lasting 12-month) was employed with...

Exogenous ketosis in breath‐hold diving: Promise, paradox and physiological risk

Abstract Exogenous ketosis induced by ketone ester (KE) ingestion has attracted growing interest as a potential strategy to enhance physiological tolerance to reduced O 2 availability. Reported benefits arise largely from KE‐induced hyperventilation, which can improve systemic an...

Factors Associated with Experiences of Navigation and Support Among Indigenous, Black, and Asian Minority Adults Surviving Breast Cancer in British Columbia: Cross-Sectional Study

Social determinants of health, including socioeconomic status, education, employment, and residential location, are fundamental for survival. The aim was to assess the factors associated with experiences of navigation and support among Indigenous, Black and Asian Minority adults...

Challenges for the effectiveness of infectious disease interventions during global change

Global change, including climate change, land-use change, and increased human mobility, is expected to have complex effects on the transmission, evolution, and emergence of infectious diseases 1 , 2 . Current research agendas aim to understand how these environmental and anthropo...

Regulatory Policy Changes and Mifepristone Access Through Pharmacies in Australia

Importance In an effort to improve access, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration lifted prescribing and dispensing restrictions on mifepristone in August 2023. Mifepristone is approved for medication abortion up to 63 days’ gestation and is marketed in Australia in a co...

An Intensified Training Period Reduces REM Sleep but this Decline Can Be Mitigated by Ketone Ester Supplementation

Introduction: We previously showed that a strenuous training day disrupts sleep efficiency and REM sleep, and that these disturbances can be counteracted by ketone monoester (R)-3-hydroxybutyl-(R)-3-hydroxybutyrate (KE) supplementation. However, the impact of prolonged intensifie...

Learning experience and its associated risk factors during the post-pandemic period: a structural topic modelling analysis

Although ample research has assessed the learning experience of secondary school students during the pandemic, few studies were conducted in the immediate post-pandemic period, when remote learning was extensively operated alongside in-person learning in secondary education. As s...