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Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals are at elevated risk of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). Consistent with the minority stress theory, interpersonal-level stigma has been identified as a risk factor for NSSI among western LGB individuals. It is unclear whether interpersonal-level stigma can increase the risk of NSSI among Chinese LGB individuals. Moreover, little is known about how interpersonal-level stigma increases the risk of NSSI. Based on the psychological mediation framework, the rejection sensitivity model, and several NSSI theories, the current study aims to examine a mediation model, exploring the mediating mechanisms and the subgroup differences underlying the relationship between interpersonal-level stigma and NSSI among Chinese LGB individuals. A total of 666 Chinese LGB individuals (64.0% males; mean age = 24.49 years, SD = 6.50) completed questionnaires of interpersonal-level stigma, rejection sensitivity, depression, anxiety, and NSSI. The results showed that interpersonal-level stigma was positively associated with NSSI. Interpersonal-level stigma did not affect NSSI through rejection sensitivity, but it affected NSSI through depression, anxiety, the serial mediation of rejection sensitivity and depression, and the serial mediation of rejection sensitivity and anxiety. Subgroup differences also existed in the hypothesized mediation model. The findings advance our understanding of how interpersonal-level stigma increases the risk of NSSI. Additionally, the findings highlight the need to de-stigmatize sexual orientation and could help develop effective prevention and intervention strategies targeting NSSI for LGB individuals., Author(s): Jiaqi Guo [sup.1] , Jiefeng Ying [sup.1] , Xinglin Zhou [sup.1] , Chuhan Wang [sup.1] , Nina Lin [sup.1] , Jianing You [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.263785.d, 0000 0004 [...]

Background Chronic inflammation is prevalent with antiretroviral therapy (ART)-suppressed human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and one immune cell subset putatively driving this phenomenon is TIGIT+ γδ T cells. Methods To elucidate γδ T-cell phenotypic diversity, spectral flow cytometry was performed on blood lymphocytes from individuals of a HIV and aging cohort and data were analyzed using bioinformatic platforms. Plasma inflammatory markers were measured and correlated with γδ T-cell subset frequencies. Results Thirty-nine distinct γδ T-cell subsets were identified (22 Vδ1+, 14 Vδ2+, and 3 Vδ1−Vδ2−Vγ9+) and TIGIT was nearly exclusively found on the Vδ1+CD45RA+CD27− effector populations. People with ART-suppressed HIV infection (PWH) exhibited high frequencies of distinct clusters of Vδ1+ effectors distinguished via CD8, CD16, and CD38 expression. Among Vδ2+ cells, most Vγ9+ (innate-like) clusters were lower in PWH; however, CD27+ subsets were similar in frequency between participants with and without HIV. Comparisons by age revealed lower 'naive' Vδ1+CD45RA+CD27+ cells in older individuals, regardless of HIV status. Plasma inflammatory markers were selectively linked to subsets of Vδ1+ and Vδ2+ cells. Conclusions These results further elucidate γδ T-cell subset complexity and reveal distinct alterations and connections with inflammatory pathways of Vδ1+ effector and Vδ2+ innate-like subsets during ART-suppressed HIV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundThe long-term impact of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) on human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) reservoirs in patients receiving combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) is largely unknown.MethodsWe studied the effects of a reduced-intensity conditioning allogeneic HSCT from donors with wild-type-CCR5(+) cells on HIV-1 peripheral blood reservoirs in 2 patients heterozygous for the ccr5Δ32 mutation. In-depth analyses of the HIV-1 reservoir size in peripheral blood, coreceptor use, and specific antibody responses were performed on samples obtained before and up to 3.5 years after HSCT receipt.ResultsAlthough HIV-1 DNA was readily detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) before and 2-3 months after HSCT receipt, HIV-1 DNA and RNA were undetectable in PBMCs, CD4(+) T cells, or plasma up to 21 and 42 months after HSCT. The loss of detectable HIV-1 correlated temporally with full donor chimerism, development of graft-versus-host disease, and decreases in HIV-specific antibody levels.ConclusionsThe ability of donor cells to engraft without evidence of ongoing HIV-1 infection suggests that HIV-1 replication may be fully suppressed during cART and does not contribute to maintenance of viral reservoirs in peripheral blood in our patients. HSCTs with wild-type-CCR5(+) donor cells can lead to a sustained reduction in the size of the peripheral reservoir of HIV-1.

Writing in postsecondary foreign language contexts in North America has received far less attention in the curriculum than the development of oral proficiency. This article describes one institution's process of confronting the challenges not only of recognizing the contribution of writing to students' overall linguistic development, but also of implementing a program-wide process of assessing writing proficiency. The article reports writing proficiency ratings that were collected over a 5-year period for more than 4,000 learners in 10 languages, poses questions regarding the proficiency levels that postsecondary learners achieved across 2 years of foreign language instruction, and relates writing proficiency scores to Simulated Oral Proficiency Interview ratings for a subset of students. The article also articulates the crucial relationship between professional development and writing as well as the role of technology in collecting and assessing writing samples.

Half of persons with HIV in the United States (US), many of whom are women, are over age 50. Aging women with HIV (WWH) face unique biopsychosocial challenges, including stigma, the physiological effects of aging, and illness-associated stressors. Resilience interventions can build awareness of such stressors and aid in facilitating the relaxation response; however, no existing interventions specifically cater to the needs of older WWH. The content of the Relaxation Response Resiliency Program, which teaches positive psychology strategies, relaxation techniques, and cognitive behavioral skills, was adapted for older WWH. Thirteen WWH over 50 participated in an open pilot of the adapted intervention to iteratively refine the program and its procedures. Participants attended either 8 or 10 weekly group sessions; three groups were conducted in total. Pre- and post-intervention assessments and qualitative exit interviews were conducted. Among completers, an increase in resilience was observed. Though significance testing was not conducted, social support also increased, and depression, anxiety, and HIV stigma decreased from pre- to post-intervention. Over half of eligible women enrolled; completers reported high satisfaction with the program. However, retention was difficult; six participants withdrew or were lost to follow-up. Mean number of sessions attended was 3.5 in the 8-session group and 5 in the 10-session groups. In this small sample, the adapted intervention led to a clinically meaningful increase in resilience, though recruitment and retention were challenging. Further refinements to the intervention are needed to minimize attrition and increase acceptability before additional testing is initiated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) 1 have increased inflammation, which has been associated with age-associated diseases. Plasma markers, cell-associated virus levels, and ability to stimulate RNA transcription in latently infected cell lines was examined in younger and older HIV-1-infected individuals with suppressed virus. Cell-associated RNA, but not intact provirus level, had positive correlation with plasma D-dimer levels. Compared with the younger group, the older group had higher D-dimer levels and a trend toward more cell-associated RNA but similar levels of intact proviruses. Even though all measured inflammatory markers were relatively higher in the older group, this greater inflammation did not induce more HIV-1 transcription in latently infected cell lines. Inflammation and HIV-1 RNA expression increase with age despite similar levels of intact infectious HIV DNA. While plasma inflammation is correlated with HIV-1 RNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, it does not induce HIV-1 transcription in latently infected cell lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]