Intersectional social control: The roles of incarceration and police discrimination in psychological and HIV-related outcomes for Black sexual minority men.

Rationale: Although Black gay, bisexual, and other sexual minority men face disproportionately high levels of incarceration and police discrimination, little research examines how these stressors may drive HIV and psychological health inequities among these men.

Objective: In this study we examined associations between incarceration history, police and law enforcement discrimination, and recent arrest with sexual HIV risk, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) willingness, and psychological distress among Black sexual minority men.

Method: Participants were a U.

Enhancing Gender-Affirming Provider Communication to Increase Health Care Access and Utilization Among Transgender Men and Trans-Masculine Non-Binary Individuals.

This study was designed to enhance health care providers' abilities to engage transgender men and trans-masculine non-binary individuals (TMNBI) in sexual and reproductive health care conversations by identifying preferences for provider communication and terminology related to sexual and reproductive anatomy and associated examinations. From May to July 2017, we conducted a cross-sectional online survey with a convenience sample of TMNBI ( = 1788) in the United States. We examined participants' provider communication experiences and preferences related to sexual and reproductive anatomy, and preferred terminology for sexual and reproductive anatomy and associated examinations.

Testing Mindful Awareness as a Moderator in the Association Between HIV-Related Stress and Drug and Alcohol Use Problems Among People Living with HIV.

Objectives: People living with HIV (PLWH) are disproportionately affected by stressful life events. HIV-related stress adds to general life stressors to increase health risks among this population. Stress has not only been associated with HIV progression but it is also linked to HIV transmission risk behavior (e.

OTX2 represses sister cell fate choices in the developing retina to promote photoreceptor specification.

During vertebrate retinal development, subsets of progenitor cells generate progeny in a non-stochastic manner, suggesting that these decisions are tightly regulated. However, the gene-regulatory network components that are functionally important in these progenitor cells are largely unknown. Here we identify a functional role for the OTX2 transcription factor in this process.

Two fatty acid-binding proteins expressed in the intestine interact differently with endocannabinoids.

Two different members of the fatty acid-binding protein (FABP) family are found in enterocyte cells of the gastrointestinal system, namely liver-type and intestinal fatty acid-binding proteins (LFABP and IFABP, also called FABP1 and FABP2, respectively). Striking phenotypic differences have been observed in knockout mice for either protein, for example, high fat-fed IFABP-null mice remained lean, whereas LFABP-null mice were obese, correlating with differences in food intake. This finding prompted us to investigate the role each protein plays in directing the specificity of binding to ligands involved in appetite regulation, such as fatty acid ethanolamides and related endocannabinoids.

Needle in a haystack: Antibacterial activity-guided fractionation of a potato wound tissue extract.

Erwinia carotovora is a major cause of potato tuber infection, which results in disastrous failures of this important food crop. There is currently no effective antibiotic treatment against E. carotovora.

A Review of Small Molecule Inhibitors and Functional Probes of Human Cathepsin L.

Human cathepsin L belongs to the cathepsin family of proteolytic enzymes with primarily an endopeptidase activity. Although its primary functions were originally thought to be only of a housekeeping enzyme that degraded intracellular and endocytosed proteins in lysosome, numerous recent studies suggest that it plays many critical and specific roles in diverse cellular settings. Not surprisingly, the dysregulated function of cathepsin L has manifested itself in several human diseases, making it an attractive target for drug development.

Broadband chiral hybrid plasmon modes on nanofingernail substrates.

There is significant interest in the utility of asymmetric nanoaperture arrays as substrates for the surface-enhanced detection, fluorescence, and imaging of individual molecules. This work introduces obliquely-cut, out-of-plane, coaxial layered structures on an aperture edge. We refer to these structures as nanofingernails, which emphasizes their curved, oblique, and out-of-plane features.

Psychosocial Well-Being and HIV-Related Immune Health Outcomes among HIV-Positive Older Adults: Support for a Biopsychosocial Model of HIV Stigma and Health.

Evidence suggests that psychosocial stress negatively impacts immunological health in HIV-positive individuals. However, few studies have explored this association in substance-using older adults living with HIV (OALWH). We evaluated the effect of depression, loneliness, substance use problems, and HIV stigma on primary markers of immune function in a sample of 120 OALWH with substance-related issues.

Preparation of Enantioenriched Alkylcarbastannatranes via Nucleophilic Inversion of Alkyl Mesylates for Use in Stereospecific Cross-Coupling Reactions.

We report the preparation of enantioenriched secondary alkylcarbastannatranes via a stereoinvertive S2 reaction of enantioenriched alkyl mesylates and carbastannatranyl anion equivalents. Using this process, enantioenriched secondary alcohols may be converted into highly enantioenriched alkylcarbastannatranes, which are useful in stereospecific cross-coupling reactions.

What is the Role of the Community? Examining Minority Stress Processes among Gay and Bisexual Men.

Gay and bisexual men suffer from higher rates of mental health disorders than their heterosexual counterparts. Minority stress theory provides the framework for much research that seeks to explain this discrepancy. Recently, several studies have also examined the role of connection with the gay community with mixed results.

A Comparison of Individual Learning and Social Learning in Zebrafish Through an Ethorobotics Approach.

Social learning is ubiquitous across the animal kingdom, where animals learn from group members about predators, foraging strategies, and so on. Despite its prevalence and adaptive benefits, our understanding of social learning is far from complete. Here, we study observational learning in zebrafish, a popular animal model in neuroscience.

Attachment as a Predictor of Psychological and Sexual Wellbeing Among Transgender Women in New York City.

Transgender women are disproportionately affected by HIV and experience high rates of depression and anxiety. The importance of secure attachment in buffering against negative sexual and mental health outcomes is well established. However, few studies have examined attachment among transgender women.

Green Infrastructure Design Influences Communities of Urban Soil Bacteria.

The importance of natural ecosystem processes is often overlooked in urban areas. Green Infrastructure (GI) features have been constructed in urban areas as elements to capture and treat excess urban runoff while providing a range of ancillary benefits, e.g.

Differences Between Groups of Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) Using Couples in HIV-Negative/Unknown Relationships.

Background: Epidemiology research is limited on the characteristics of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) using couples.

Setting: US nationwide sample recruited online in 2017.

Methods: HIV negative/unknown gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men with HIV negative/unknown partners (n = 3140) were asked about individual and main partner PrEP uptake.

Trajectories of sexual identity development and psychological well-being for highly sexually active gay and bisexual men: A latent growth curve analysis.

Objective: Examining sexual identity development-the process through which sexual minorities discover and disclose their sexual orientations-within a minority stress framework may help to contextualize sexual and mental health disparities among gay and bisexual men. Research on sexual identity development has typically focused on ages of achieving specific milestones (i.e.

Tunable Supramolecular Gel Properties by Varying Thermal History.

The possibility of using differential pre-heating prior to supramolecular gelation to control the balance between hydrogen-bonding and aromatic stacking interactions in supramolecular gels and obtain consequent systematic regulation of structure and properties is demonstrated. Using a model aromatic peptide amphiphile, Fmoc-tyrosyl-leucine (Fmoc-YL) and a combination of fluorescence, infrared, circular dichroism and NMR spectroscopy, it is shown that the balance of these interactions can be adjusted by temporary exposure to elevated temperatures in the range 313-365 K, followed by supramolecular locking in the gel state by cooling to room temperature. Distinct regimes can be identified regarding the balance between H-bonding and aromatic stacking interactions, with a transition point at 333 K.

The Effects of Intersecting Stigma: A Longitudinal Examination of Minority Stress, Mental Health, and Substance Use among Black, Latino, and Multiracial Gay and Bisexual Men.

Objective: Although Black, Latino, and multiracial gay and bisexual men (GBM) are disproportionately affected by health inequities facing GBM more broadly in the United States (CDC, 2017), there is a dearth of research examining how intersectional stigma affects psychological and behavioral outcomes such as depressive and anxiety symptoms and substance use. Based in minority stress and intersectionality theories, this study examined the main and intersectional effects of racial discrimination and gay rejection sensitivity on emotion regulation difficulties, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and later drug use and heavy drinking.

Method: We collected longitudinal data from 170 GBM of Black, Latino, or multiracial descent.

Decisional Balance and Contemplation Ladder to Support Interventions for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Uptake and Persistence.

Fewer than 60,000 males-inclusive of all sexual identities-were prescribed HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) by mid-2017 in the United States. Efforts to increase PrEP uptake among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM), in particular, are ongoing in research and practice settings, but few tools exist to support interventions. We aimed to develop and validate tools to support motivational interviewing interventions for PrEP.

Declines in northern forest tree growth following snowpack decline and soil freezing.

Changes in growing season climate are often the foci of research exploring forest response to climate change. By contrast, little is known about tree growth response to projected declines in winter snowpack and increases in soil freezing in seasonally snow-covered forest ecosystems, despite extensive documentation of the importance of winter climate in mediating ecological processes. We conducted a 5-year snow-removal experiment whereby snow was removed for the first 4-5 weeks of winter in a northern hardwood forest at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire, USA.

A three-city comparison of drug use and drug use before sex among young men who have sex with men in the United States.

High rates of drug use have been documented among young men who have sex with men (YMSM). However, updated prevalence data are needed to understand current trends, especially for drug use before sex. We used baseline data from an HIV prevention trial to examine demographic differences in drug use (in general and before sex) among YMSM in Atlanta, Chicago, and NYC.

Determining the Roles that Club Drugs, Marijuana, and Heavy Drinking Play in PrEP Medication Adherence Among Gay and Bisexual Men: Implications for Treatment and Research.

Researchers have established that substance use interferes with anti-retroviral medication adherence among gay and bisexual men (GBM) living with HIV. There is limited parallel examination of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence among HIV-negative GBM. We conducted retrospective 30-day timeline follow-back interviews and prospective semi-weekly diary data for 10 weeks with 104 PrEP-using GBM, half of whom engaged in club drug use (ketamine, ecstasy, GHB, cocaine, or methamphetamine)-generating 9532 days of data.

Club drug users had higher odds of reporting a bacterial STI compared with non-club drug users: results from a cross-sectional analysis of gay and bisexual men on HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis.

Objectives: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can reduce HIV transmission risk for many gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men. However, bacterial STI (BSTI) associated with decreasing condom use among HIV PrEP users is a growing concern. Determining the characteristics of current PrEP users at highest BSTI risk fills a critical gap in the literature.