Plasma Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 Soluble Glycoprotein 120 Association With Correlates of Immune Dysfunction and Inflammation in Antiretroviral Therapy-Treated Individuals With Undetectable Viremia

BACKGROUND

Chronic inflammation persists in some people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) during antiretroviral therapy and is associated with premature aging. The glycoprotein 120 (gp120) subunit of HIV-1 envelope sheds and can be detected in plasma, showing immunomodulatory properties even in the absence of detectable viremia. We evaluated whether plasma soluble gp120 (sgp120) and a family of gp120-specific anti-cluster A antibodies, linked to CD4 depletion in vitro, contribute to chronic inflammation, immune dysfunction, and subclinical cardiovascular disease in participants of the Canadian HIV and Aging Cohort Study with undetectable viremia.

METHODS

Cross-sectional assessment of sgp120 and anti-cluster A antibodies was performed in 386 individuals from the cohort. Their association with proinflammatory cytokines and subclinical coronary artery disease was assessed using linear regression models.

RESULTS

High levels of sgp120 and anti-cluster A antibodies were inversely correlated with CD4+ T cell count and CD4/CD8 ratio. The presence of sgp120 was associated with increased levels of interleukin 6. In participants with detectable atherosclerotic plaque and detectable sgp120, anti-cluster A antibodies and their combination with sgp120 levels correlated positively with the total volume of atherosclerotic plaques.

CONCLUSIONS

This study showed that sgp120 may act as a pan toxin causing immune dysfunction and sustained inflammation in a subset of people living with HIV, contributing to the development of premature comorbid conditions.

Experiential Aspects of Participation in Employment and Mobility for Adults With Physical Disabilities: Testing Cross-Sectional Models of Contextual Influences and Well-Being Outcomes

OBJECTIVE

To use structural equation modeling to test research- and theory-informed models of potential predictors and outcomes of subjective experiences of employment and mobility participation in a national sample of people with physical disabilities.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional survey.

SETTING

Canada.

PARTICIPANTS

English or French-speaking adults with a physical impairment affecting mobility and restricting activities or participation, and who participated in employment (n=457) or mobility (n=711) life domains.

INTERVENTIONS

N/A.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Participants completed standardized measures of perceived health, and employment-specific and/or mobility-specific measures of perceived abilities, social support, accessibility and policies (predictor variables); the Measure of Experiential Aspects of Participation (MeEAP) in employment and/or mobility; and standardized measures of emotional well-being, social well-being and life satisfaction (outcome variables).

RESULTS

Analyses using structural equation modeling showed that in both employment and mobility domains, perceived health, abilities, social support, and accessibility were positively related to experiential aspects of participation. Participation experiences were positively related to social well-being, emotional well-being, and life satisfaction.

CONCLUSIONS

Results support and extend current theorizing on participation experiences among adults with physical disabilities. Intrapersonal and environmental factors may play a role in optimizing participation experiences in employment and mobility which, in turn, may lead to better well-being and life satisfaction. These results emphasize the importance of conceptualizing participation from an experiential perspective and provide a basis for advancing theory and practice to understand and improve the participation experiences and well-being of adults living with physical disabilities.

Plasmatic HIV-1 soluble gp120 is associated with immune dysfunction and inflammation in ART-treated individuals with undetectable viremia

Background

Chronic inflammation persists in some people living with HIV (PLWH), even during antiretroviral therapy (ART) and is associated with premature aging. The gp120 subunit of the HIV-1 envelope glycoprotein can shed from viral and cellular membranes and can be detected in plasma and tissues, showing immunomodulatory properties even in the absence of detectable viremia. We evaluated whether plasmatic soluble gp120 (sgp120) and a family of gp120-specific anti-cluster A antibodies, which were previously linked to CD4 depletion in vitro , could contribute to chronic inflammation, immune dysfunction, and sub-clinical cardiovascular disease in participants of the Canadian HIV and Aging cohort (CHACS) with undetectable viremia.

Methods

Cross-sectional assessment of plasmatic sgp120 and anti-cluster A antibodies was performed in 386 individuals from CHACS. Their association with pro-inflammatory cytokines, as well as subclinical coronary artery disease measured by computed tomography coronary angiography was assessed using linear regression models.

Results

In individuals with high levels of sgp120, anti-cluster A antibodies inversely correlated with CD4 count (p=0.042) and CD4:CD8 ratio (p=0.004). The presence of sgp120 was associated with increased plasma levels of IL-6. In participants with detectable atherosclerotic plaque and detectable sgp120, sgp120 levels, anti-cluster A antibodies and their combination correlated positively with the total volume of atherosclerotic plaques (p=0.01, 0.018 and 0.006, respectively).

Conclusion

Soluble gp120 may act as a pan toxin causing immune dysfunction and sustained inflammation in a subset of PLWH, contributing to the development of premature comorbidities. Whether drugs targeting sgp120 could mitigate HIV-associated comorbidities in PLWH with suppressed viremia warrants further studies.

Key points

Soluble gp120 is detected in the plasma of people living with HIV-1 with undetectable viremia. The presence of soluble gp120 and anti-cluster A antibodies is associated with immune dysfunction, chronic inflammation, and sub-clinical cardiovascular disease.

The Effects of Self-Compassion and Self-Esteem Writing Interventions on Women’s Valuation of Weight Management Goals, Body Appreciation, and Eating Behaviors

In this study, we examined the effects of body-focused daily self-compassion and self-esteem expressive writing activities on women’s valuation of weight management goals, body appreciation, bulimic symptoms, and healthy and unhealthy eating behaviors. One-hundred twenty-six women, recruited from the community and a university participant pool ( Mage = 29.3, SD = 13.6), were randomly allocated to one of the three writing conditions: body-focused self-compassion, body-focused self-esteem, or control. Women reflected on a moment within the past 24 hours that made them feel self-conscious about their bodies, eating, or exercise habits (self-compassion and self-esteem conditions) or on a particular situation or feeling that occurred in the past 24 hours (control condition) for 4–7 days. At post-treatment (24 hours after the intervention), women in the self-compassion group demonstrated decreased bulimic symptoms, while women in the self-esteem and control conditions did not. Furthermore, clinically significant changes in bulimic symptoms were associated with being in the self-compassion condition but not in the self-esteem or control conditions. Results suggest that body-focused writing interventions may be more effective in temporarily reducing eating disorder symptoms in women if they focus on harnessing self-compassion. Additional online materials for this article are available on PWQ ’s website at http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/suppl/10.1177/03616843211013465

The symbiotic complex of Dendroctonus simplex: implications in the beetle attack and its life cycle

The eastern larch beetle (Dendroctonus simplex Le Conte) is recognized as a serious destructive forest pest in the upper part of North America. Under epidemic conditions, this beetle can attack healthy trees, causing severe damages to larch stands. Dendroctonus species are considered as holobionts, as they engage in multipartite interactions with microorganisms, such as bacteria, filamentous fungi, and yeasts, which are implicated in physiological processes of the insect, such as nutrition. They also play a key role in the beetle's attack, as they are responsible for the detoxification of the subcortical environment and weaken the tree's defense mechanisms. The eastern larch beetle is associated with bacteria and fungi, but their implication in the success of the beetle remains unknown. Here, we investigated the bacterial and fungal microbiota of this beetle pest throughout its ontogeny (pioneer adults, larvae and pupae) by high-throughput sequencing. A successional microbial assemblage was identified throughout the beetle developmental stages, reflecting the beetle's requirements. These results indicate that a symbiotic association between the eastern larch beetle and some of these microorganisms takes place and that this D. simplex symbiotic complex is helping the insect to colonize its host tree and survive the conditions encountered.

Starting Off on the Best Foot: A Review of Message Framing and Message Tailoring, and Recommendations for the Comprehensive Messaging Strategy for Sustained Behavior Change

Health promotion programs represent a salient means through which physical activity promoters can cultivate positive health behavior change and maintenance. The messages communicated within these programs serve as an essential component as they are often used to convey valuable information, resources, or tools that facilitate health behavior initiation and sustained engagement. Identifying the most effective way to communicate health promotion information is, therefore, of considerable importance to ensuring that people not only attend to these messages, but also connect with and internalize the information conveyed within them. This paper was written to (1) summarize and evaluate the most prominent reviewed research approaches of message framing and tailoring to message design; and (2) offer a comprehensive messaging strategy to promote sustained health behavior change. A review of the literature demonstrated that a messaging strategy that has consistently led to healthy behavior change has yet to be identified. Furthermore, scholars have articulated that a multi-theoretical approach that places emphasis on facilitating motivation and healthy behavior change needs to be employed. Thus, this paper proposes and provides recommendations for employing the Comprehensive Messaging Strategy for Sustained Behavior Change (CMSSBC), which advocates tailoring messages to peoples' stage of change and framing them to focus on self-determined motives and intrinsic goals.

Examining fat talk and self-compassion as distinct motivational processes in women's eating regulation: A self-determination theory perspective

This study examined whether pursuing intrinsic versus extrinsic goals was associated with distinct motivational processes in eating regulation and with healthy versus unhealthy eating. Path analysis demonstrated that appearance goals were associated with fat talk, whereas health goals were associated with self-compassion. Fat talk was positively associated with non-self-determined motivation and unhealthy eating, whereas self-compassion was positively associated with self-determined motivation and healthy eating, and negatively associated with unhealthy eating. Findings emphasize the negative effects of pursuing appearance goals and engaging in fat talk and the benefits of pursuing health goals and being self-compassionate.

Examining fat talk and self-compassion as distinct motivational processes in women's eating regulation: A self-determination theory perspective

This study examined whether pursuing intrinsic versus extrinsic goals was associated with distinct motivational processes in eating regulation and with healthy versus unhealthy eating. Path analysis demonstrated that appearance goals were associated with fat talk, whereas health goals were associated with self-compassion. Fat talk was positively associated with non-self-determined motivation and unhealthy eating, whereas self-compassion was positively associated with self-determined motivation and healthy eating, and negatively associated with unhealthy eating. Findings emphasize the negative effects of pursuing appearance goals and engaging in fat talk and the benefits of pursuing health goals and being self-compassionate.

Why do women engage in fat talk? Examining fat talk using Self-Determination Theory as an explanatory framework

This study used Self-Determination Theory to examine the motivational processes involved in individuals' engagement in fat talk and its association with unhealthy eating behaviors. Female undergraduate students (N=453) completed an online questionnaire, which assessed general and contextual motivation, importance placed on goals, fat talk, and unhealthy eating behaviors. Structural equation modeling revealed that being generally non-self-determined and placing more importance on extrinsic goals, such as thinness, was associated with fat talk. Fat talk was further associated with non-self-determined motivation for eating regulation, which in turn was associated with unhealthy eating. General self-determination and placing more importance on intrinsic goals, such as health, were not associated with fat talk, but instead, were associated with more adaptive forms of eating regulation and diet quality. Findings further current knowledge on the respective roles of motivation and goals on the engagement in fat talk, and its consequences on eating regulation and behavior.

Homeostasis balance, homeostasis imbalance or distinct motivational processes? Comments on Marks (2015) 'Homeostatic Theory of Obesity'

In his article, 'Homeostatic theory of obesity', Marks suggested that imbalances in homeostatic processes could explain weight gain and obesity. He proposes that over-consumption of high-caloric, low-nutrient and low satiating foods, combined with a stressful environment, is the origin of weight gain. Once weight gain occurs, individuals may develop body dissatisfaction and negative affect, leading to continued over-consumption, which sets in motion a system of feedback loops that leads to a Circle of Discontent and further weight gain. In this article, we attempt to clarify certain problematic aspects of Marks framework and identify specific directions that researchers should pursue to address these shortcomings.

The role of motivation and the regulation of eating on the physical and psychological health of patients with cardiovascular disease

This study tested a longitudinal motivation model for healthy eating in patients with cardiovascular disease, using self-determination and social-cognitive theories. A total of 513 patients completed measures of eating habits, global motivation, motivation for eating, self-efficacy for eating and life satisfaction, immediately after a major cardiac incident and at three times during a year (e.g. 2008–2009). Physiological indicators were measured to examine how they predicted the participants’ physical health. Results found participants with self-determined motivation were more likely to develop a sense of self-efficacy towards eating and a healthy diet, which had beneficial effects on their physical health and life satisfaction.

Susceptibility of Cabbage Maggot Larvae (Diptera: Anthomyiidae) to Hypocreales Entomopathogenic Fungi

The pathogenicity of six Metarhizium spp., four Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin, and four Tolypocladium cylindrosporum Gams (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) fungal pathogens exposed to third-instar Delia radicum L. was evaluated in laboratory bioassays. The presence of intra- and intergeneric variations concerning the pathogenicity of the isolates was investigated. Results show that all Metarhizium spp. and T. cylindrosporum isolates caused a noteworthy mortality to the third instar and consequently reduced adult eclosion. The well-known standard, F52 strain (identified as Metarhizium brunneum), resulted in up to 79% reduction in D. radicum eclosion. The other Metarhizium isolates including UAMH 9197 (Metarhizium anisopliae) and UAMH 2801 (M. brunneum), as well as T. cylindrosporum DAOM 167325 and DAOM 183952, produced a mean eclosion reduction of >50%. While the pathogenicity of Metarhizium spp. and T. cylindrosporum is similar, the B. bassiana isolates are undoubtedly less pathogenic. Based on the results obtained with the selected isolates, no intrageneric differences relative to the pathogenicity of the isolates appeared to be present. Globally, this study deepened the knowledge about D. radicum susceptibility toward Hypocreales entomopathogenic fungi, chiefly T. cylindrosporum. The implications of this study regarding the development of a biological control agent are discussed.

Variation in the susceptibility of the forest tent caterpillar (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) to Bacillus thuringiensis variety kurstaki HD-1: effect of the host plant

Host-mediated effect on the efficacy of Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner against larvae of the forest tent caterpillar. Malacosoma disstria Hübner, was investigated under controlled conditions. Host plants used in this study were quaking aspen, Populus tremuloides Michx., a preferred host, and sugar maple, Acer saccharum Marsh., a secondary host. Larvae were reared in the laboratory on leaves of these hosts, and upon reaching the third, fourth, and fifth instar, they were fed leaves treated with one of a range of concentrations of B. thuringiensis variety kurstaki HD-1 suspensions. Larvae were tested on the host on which they were feeding before the 4-d bioassays. The estimated LC50s were 100-fold greater on quaking aspen than on sugar maple. Also, there was a decrease in efficacy over the whole ranges of concentrations with larval age on both hosts. LC50s varied approximately two-fold between third and fifth instar. These results indicate that host-mediated effects on B. thuringiensis efficacy warrant more interest. In particular, they strongly indicate that the host plant modifies the interaction between B. thuringiensis and a target insect, and offer the opportunity to investigate the mechanism(s) that may be involved in the enhancement of B. thuringiensis toxicity.

Choristoneura fumiferana granulovirus: sequence analysis and 5' characterization of ORF891

A gene located immediately upstream of the granulin gene of Choristoneura fumiferana (ChfuGV) granulovirus was identified, sequenced and named ORF891. The determined, putative open reading frame (ORF) of 891 bp encodes an estimated 34.6 kDa protein. The 5' end transcript of the gene was mapped and analysed. A putative promoter region organization of ChfuGV ORF891 contains a consensus late baculovirus promoter element, TAAG, and two putative early TATA boxes similar to the promoters of ORF909 of Cryptophlebia leucotreta granulovirus (ClGV). Sequence comparisons of ChfuGV ORF891 with ClGV ORF909 and Cydia pomonella granulovirus (CpGV) ORF124R showed respective homologies of 60.9 and 63.9% for nucleotides and 46.3% and 49.3% for amino acids. Homology of ChfuGV ORF891 with ME53 ORF of Autographa californica multicapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) was 68.2% for nucleotides but a total lack of homology for amino acid sequences. Two zinc finger motifs are also associated with ChfuGV ORF891.

Identification and sequence analyses of the granulin gene of Choristoneura fumiferana granulovirus

The nucleotide sequence of the granulin gene of Choristoneura fumiferana granulovirus (CfGV) was determined. The gene encodes a protein of 248 amino acids with a predicted Mr of 29.299 kDa. The granulin genes of Trichoplusia ni, Pieris brassicae and Cryptophlebia leucotreta granuloviruses showed homologies ranging from 76.7-80.5% for nucleotide sequences and 84.2-88.3% for amino acid sequences when compared to CfGV. The secondary structure of CfGV granulin protein, including the hydrophilic (polar) and hydrophobic (basic) regions, was predicted and found to be similar to other granulins. A very late baculovirus promoter motif, ATAAG, was found within the putative promoter region of the CfGV granulin gene.

Sequence analysis and expression of the polyhedrin gene of Choristoneura fumiferana cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (CfCPV)

The segmented double-stranded RNA genome of Choristoneura fumiferana cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (CfCPV) was extracted, polyadenylated, reverse-transcribed into cDNA and cloned. The cDNA clones that hybridized to the smallest genomic segment (segment 10) were identified, and its nucleotide sequence was determined. Genome segment 10 of CfCPV was found to be 1171 nucleotides in length with a single open reading frame in one strand capable of coding a predicted protein of 258 residues (Mr of 29,795), consistent with an apparent Mr of 30.5 kDa determined by SDS-PAGE of purified polyhedrin. Comparison of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the polyhedrin gene of CfCPV with those of other CPVs and with several nuclear polyhedrosis viruses revealed no particular homology. Analysis of the hydrophilic profiles and predicted secondary structures of Bombyx mori (BmCPV), Euxoa scandens (EsCPV) and CfCPV indicated the presence of seven similar regions located at the amino terminus of the polyhedrin polypeptide of the three viruses. The expression of the cloned CfCPV polyhedrin gene in Escherichia coli demonstrated that this polyhedrin has the property of self-assembly, since the production of crystal-like occlusion with a well-defined crystalline lattice structure was observed.