Most HIV transmissions among men who have sex with men (MSM), the group that accounted for 67% of new US infections in 2014, occur via exposure to the rectal mucosa. However, it is unclear how the act of condomless receptive anal intercourse (CRAI) may alter the mucosal immune environment in HIV negative MSM. Here, we performed a comprehensive characterization of the rectal mucosal immune environment for the phenotype and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by CD4 and CD8 T cells, global transcriptomic analyses, and the composition of microbiota in HIV negative MSM. Our results show that compared to men who had never engaged in anal intercourse, the rectal mucosa of MSM engaging in CRAI has a distinct phenotype characterized by higher levels of Th17 cells, greater CD8+ T cell proliferation and production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, molecular signatures associated with mucosal injury and repair likely mediated by innate immune cells, and a microbiota enriched for the Prevotellaceae family. These data provide a high-resolution model of the immunological, molecular, and microbiological perturbations induced by CRAI, will have direct utility in understanding rectal HIV transmission among MSM, and will enhance the design of future biomedical prevention interventions, including candidate HIV vaccines.

Although T cells are likely players in SARS-CoV-2 immunity, little is known about the phenotypic features of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells associated with recovery from severe COVID-19. We analyze T cells from 34 COVID-19 patients with severities ranging from mild (outpatient) to critical culminating in death. Relative to patients that succumbed, individuals that recovered from severe COVID-19 harbor elevated and increasing numbers of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells capable of homeostatic proliferation. In contrast, fatal COVID-19 displays elevated numbers of SARS-CoV-2-specific regulatory T cells and a time-dependent escalation in activated bystander CXCR4+ T cells as assessed by longitudinal sampling. Together with the demonstration of increased proportions of inflammatory CXCR4+ T cells in the lungs of severe COVID-19 patients, these results support a model whereby lung-homing T cells activated through bystander effects contribute to immunopathology, while a robust, non-suppressive SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell response limits pathogenesis and promotes recovery from severe COVID-19.

An approach to study the mechanism of mining-induced subsidence, using a combination of phase-stacking and sub-pixel offset-tracking methods, is reported. In this method, land subsidence with a small deformation gradient was calculated using time-series differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (D-InSAR) data, whereas areas with greater subsidence were calculated by a sub-pixel offset-tracking method. With this approach, time-series data for mining subsidence were derived in Yulin area using 11 TerraSAR-X (TSX) scenes from 13 December 2012 to 2 April 2013. The maximum mining subsidence and velocity values were 4.478 m and 40 mm/day, respectively, which were beyond the monitoring capabilities of D-InSAR and advanced InSAR. The results were compared with the GPS field survey data, and the root mean square errors (RMSE) of the results in the strike and dip directions were 0.16 m and 0.11 m, respectively. Four important results were obtained from the time-series subsidence in this mining area: (1) the mining-induced subsidence entered the residual deformation stage within about 44 days; (2) the advance angle of influence changed from 75.6° to 80.7°; (3) the prediction parameters of mining subsidence; (4) three-dimensional OPEN ACCESSRemote Sens. 2015, 7 9167 deformation. This method could be used to predict the occurrence of mining accidents and to help in the restoration of the ecological environment after mining activities have ended.

Although T cells are likely players in SARS-CoV-2 immunity, little is known about the phenotypic features of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells associated with recovery from severe COVID-19. We analyzed T cells from longitudinal specimens of 34 COVID-19 patients with severities ranging from mild (outpatient) to critical culminating in death. Relative to patients that succumbed, individuals that recovered from severe COVID-19 harbored elevated and increasing numbers of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells capable of homeostatic proliferation. In contrast, fatal COVID-19 displayed elevated numbers of SARS-CoV-2-specific regulatory T cells and a time-dependent escalation in activated bystander CXCR4+ T cells. Together with the demonstration of increased proportions of inflammatory CXCR4+ T cells in the lungs of severe COVID-19 patients, these results support a model whereby lung-homing T cells activated through bystander effects contribute to immunopathology, while a robust, non-suppressive SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell response limits pathogenesis and promotes recovery from severe COVID-19.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to elucidate recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL)-associated psychosocial effects and sexual functions of Chinese men whose partners experience a history of RPL.MethodsQuestionnaire data from a total of 236 men whose partners experience RPL(RPL group) and another 236 non-RPL male volunteers(control group) were analyzed. The self-administered questionnaires included anxiety and depression measures (SAS & SDS), the Index of Sexual Satisfaction (ISS) and the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5) for evaluating psychological burden, sexual satisfaction and erectile function, respectively.ResultsThe mean age of the RPL group and control group was 29.8 ± 8.6 and 28.2 ± 7.3, respectively. The incidence of erectile dysfunction was significantly higher in the RPL group than in the control group (19.07 % vs. 7.63 %, P < 0.001). Anxiety and depression were also more prevalent in RPL group than in the control group (anxiety: 36.90 % vs. 19.08 %, P < 0.001; depression: 26.30 % vs. 7.63 %, P < 0.001). Furthermore, after adjusting for age in the RPL group, negative relationships were observed between the IIEF-5 score and anxiety and depression (P < 0.001), and a positive correlation was found between the ISS and anxiety and depression (P < 0.001). In addition, history of RPL, anxiety and depressive symptoms were significantly associated with a higher risk of ED.ConclusionsPsychological functioning, sexual satisfaction and erectile function are impaired in infertile men with RPL partners. These men should be targeted for psychological consultation.