University of British Columbia

About: University of British Columbia is a education organization based out in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 89939 authors who have published 209679 publications receiving 9226862 citations. The organization is also known as: UBC & The University of British Columbia.

Human and mouse proteases: a comparative genomic approach

Abstract: The availability of the human and mouse genome sequences has allowed the identification and comparison of their respective degradomes--the complete repertoire of proteases that are produced by these organisms. Because of the essential roles of proteolytic enzymes in the control of cell behaviour, survival and death, degradome analysis provides a useful framework for the global exploration of these protease-mediated functions in normal and pathological conditions.

Socioeconomic status and health behaviors in adolescence: a review of the literature.

Abstract: Objective The goal of this review was to determine the direction of associations between SES and health behaviors during the period of adolescence. Method We searched the PsychInfo and Pubmed databases for studies that measured the association between SES and cigarette smoking, alcohol consumption, marijuana use, diet, and physical activity in adolescents between 10- and 21-years old. Results Associations between SES and health behaviors conformed to two patterns. First, low SES was associated with poorer diets, less physical activity, and greater cigarette smoking. Second, there was no clear pattern of associations between SES and alcohol consumption or marijuana use. Conclusion Results from this review indicate that, although some associations between SES and health behaviors exist during adolescence, the associations are not as robust as those in adulthood. Efforts to curb poor diet, inactivity, and smoking behaviors should target low SES adolescents, whereas efforts to curb teen drinking and marijuana use may be useful across the SES spectrum.

Pathological TDP-43 distinguishes sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis with SOD1 mutations

Abstract: Objective Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a common, fatal motor neuron disorder with no effective treatment. Approximately 10% of cases are familial ALS (FALS), and the most common genetic abnormality is superoxide dismutase-1 (SOD1) mutations. Most ALS research in the past decade has focused on the neurotoxicity of mutant SOD1, and this knowledge has directed therapeutic strategies. We recently identified TDP-43 as the major pathological protein in sporadic ALS. In this study, we investigated TDP-43 in a larger series of ALS cases (n = 111), including familial cases with and without SOD1 mutations. Methods Ubiquitin and TDP-43 immunohistochemistry was performed on postmortem tissue from sporadic ALS (n = 59), ALS with SOD1 mutations (n = 15), SOD-1–negative FALS (n = 11), and ALS with dementia (n = 26). Biochemical analysis was performed on representative cases from each group. Results All cases of sporadic ALS, ALS with dementia, and SOD1-negative FALS had neuronal and glial inclusions that were immunoreactive for both ubiquitin and TDP-43. Cases with SOD1 mutations had ubiquitin-positive neuronal inclusions; however, no cases were immunoreactive for TDP-43. Biochemical analysis of postmortem tissue from sporadic ALS and SOD1-negative FALS demonstrated pathological forms of TDP-43 that were absent in cases with SOD1 mutations. Interpretation These findings implicate pathological TDP-43 in the pathogenesis of sporadic ALS. In contrast, the absence of pathological TDP-43 in cases with SOD1 mutations implies that motor neuron degeneration in these cases may result from a different mechanism, and that cases with SOD1 mutations may not be the familial counterpart of sporadic ALS. Ann Neurol 2007;61:427–434

The self-report method.

Abstract: If you want to know what Waldo is like, why 20041, the effectiveness of introspection not just ask him? Such is the commonsense (Wilson, 2002), the degree of automaticity logic behind the self-report method of person(Mills & Hogan, 1978; Paulhus & Levitt, ality assessment. It remains the field's most 1986), and the meaning of nonresponding commonly used mode of assessment-by far (Tourangeau, 2004). (see Robins, Tracy, & Sherman, Chapter 37, The goal of this chapter is more limited: to this volume). Despite its popularity and demprovide a brief guide to nonexpert researchers onstrated utility, the self-report method has interested in using the self-report method to asbeen a frequent target of criticism from sess personality. We begin by delineating three the early days of psychological assessment categories of self-reports. We then review the (Allport, 1927) right up to the present advantages and the disadvantages of the self(Dunning, Heath, & Suls, 2005). report method. Next, we examine the converThe psychological processes underlying an gence of self-reports with other methods of act of self-reporting are now understood to assessing personality. Finally, we provide a be exceedingly complex (e.g., Hogan & practical guide to choosing a self-report instruNicholson, 1988; Johnson, 2004; Schwarz, ment. 1999; Tourangeau, Rips, & Rasinksi, 2001). Examination of these processes requires burrowing deep into the affective and cognitive 'I).pes of Self-Reports substrates of personality. Among the challenging issues are the role of motives in selfVariants of the self-report method are numerperception (Robins & John, 1997), the apous and could be organized in a number of plicability of performative models (Johnson, ways. We restrict ourselves to cases in which re-