Frequency of sexual dysfunction in outpatients with severe mental illness in Greece

INTRODUCTION: Patients with psychosis can develop sexual dysfunction, which may be related to the disease itself, psychosocial factors, somatic comorbidities, and the use of psychotropic medication. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the type and frequency of sexual dysfunction in patients diagnosed with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder in order to assess the side effects of antipsychotics in sexual function. METHODS: This is a multicenter, cross-sectional study, involving patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (79.3%) or bipolar disorder (20.7%) treated in the Department of Psychiatry and Community Mental Health Centers from November 2018 to December 2019. Patients were enrolled in the study after signed informed consent. Demographic and clinical data were collected from patients through a semi-structured interview. The Antipsychotics and Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (ASFQ) was administered to assess sexual function. RESULTS: A total of 87 outpatients on antipsychotics were recruited in the study. The mean age was 43.6 years, while the mean duration of the disease was 16.9 years. Overall, only 9.1% of patients spontaneously reported sexual dysfunction. Patients treated with oral first-generation antipsychotics had more difficulties in achieving orgasm and decreased erection capacity. In contrast, patients treated with oral second-generation antipsychotics had decreased ejaculation capacity. Patients on antipsychotic combination therapy were associated with higher rates of sexual anhedonia. DISCUSSION: These results suggest that sexual dysfunction is a side effect of antipsychotic treatment, which was spontaneously rarely reported by patients. It seems essential to obtain a psychosexual clinical history before initiating antipsychotic treatment to evaluate following changes and adopt an individualized strategy to manage sexual dysfunction induced by antipsychotics

Translation and Validation of the Greek Version of the Antipsychotics and Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (ASFQ)

Introduction Sexual dysfunction in patients with psychoses may be associated with the psychiatric illness itself (negative symptoms, such as apathy, and avolition), comorbid somatic health, psychosocial factors (stigmatization, discrimination), and the use of psychotropic drugs. In Greece, research into the study of antipsychotic-induced sexual dysfunction is not sufficient. Aim This study was conducted to translate and validate the Greek version of the Antipsychotics and Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (ASFQ) in a sample of patients receiving antipsychotic treatment. Methods A “forward-backward translation” method was applied. A pilot study was conducted with 15 outpatients with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder under antipsychotics treatment. Patients also completed the “Subjects’ Response to Antipsychotics (SRA)” questionnaire in order to assess the validity of the ASFQ. The ASFQ and the SRA questionnaire were completed twice within 2 weeks. Main outcome measures Reliability (internal consistency and test-retest) and validity were assessed. Results The Greek translation of ASFQ was reliable, with excellent internal consistency (Cronbach's a = 0.90 for men and 0.95 for women in both measurements). In addition, the Spearman correlation coefficient was 1 (P< .001) in all Likert-type questions in both assessments. Finally, Spearman correlation coefficients between ASFQ and SRA were moderately positive to strongly positive (between 0.25 and 1) in both assessments, demonstrating moderate to high validity. Conclusions The Greek version of the ASFQ has proved to be a reliable and valid clinical instrument, hence it can be used in further studies in the Greek population. Angelaki M, Galanis P, Igoumenou A, et al. Translation and Validation of the Greek Version of the Antipsychotics and Sexual Functioning Questionnaire (ASFQ). J Sex Med 2021;9:100334

Dolichopoda cave crickets from Peloponnese (Orthoptera, Rhaphidophoridae): molecular and morphological investigations reveal four new species for Greece

Three species belonging to the genus Dolichopoda (Orthoptera; Rhaphidopohoridae) are known so far from the Peloponnese, all endemic to the area. In particular, D. matsakisi is known from two mountains in the North, while D. dalensi is present in the east region. The third species, D. unicolor, is distributed in the southern part of the Peloponnese, inhabiting caves on Mt Taygetos and Mani Peninsula. Recently, extensive sampling work in most of the Peloponnese has led to the discovery of new taxa, morphologically differentiated by the above three known species. To investigate the delimitation of the Peloponnesian species of Dolichopoda, we performed both morphological and molecular analyses. Morphological analysis was carried out by considering diagnostic characters generally used to distinguish different taxa, as the shape of epiphallus in males and the subgenital plate in females. Molecular analysis was performed by sequencing three mitochondrial genes, 12S rRNA, 16S rRNA, and COI, and one nuclear gene, 28S rRNA. Results from both morphological and molecular analyses were used to revise the taxonomic arrangement of the Peloponnesian species. On the whole, we were able to distinguish seven lineages of Peloponnesian Dolichopoda species, of which D. kofinasi n.sp., D.epidavrii n.sp., D. poseidonica n.sp., and D. propanti n.sp. are described as new species

Quantum-mechanical calculation of Stark widths of Ne VII n=3, Δn=0\Delta n=0 transitions

The Stark widths of the Ne VII 2s3s-2s3p singlet and triplet lines are calculated in the impact approximation using quantum-mechanical Convergent Close-Coupling and Coulomb-Born-Exchange approximations. It is shown that the contribution from inelastic collisions to the line widths exceeds the elastic width contribution by about an order of magnitude. Comparison with the line widths measured in a hot dense plasma of a gas-liner pinch indicates a significant difference which may be naturally explained by non-thermal Doppler effects from persistent implosion velocities or turbulence developed during the pinch implosion. Contributions to the line width from different partial waves and types of interactions are discussed as well.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures; accepted by Phys. Rev.

Modern therapies in atopic dermatitis: biologics and small molecule drugs

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a frequent, chronic remittent skin disease. The pathophysiology of AD has been increasingly understood within the last years, which may help to identify different endotypes suitable for defined therapies in the future. A patient-oriented therapy considers phenotypical features in addition to genetic and biological markers. The most recent developments in biologics and small-molecule drugs for AD treatment are presented in this article. These molecules, if approved, could change the perspectives for future therapies. Dupilumab is the first approved biologic for the treatment of moderate to severe atopic dermatitis in adolescence and adulthood and has led to a significant improvement in the treatment of this chronic disease. In the present article we present real-life data on the efficacy of dupilumab in adult dermatitis patients. We also discuss other data relevant to the use of dupilumab, and address open questions important for the standard care of atopic dermatitis patients

Magnetization of polydisperse colloidal ferrofluids: Effect of magnetostriction

We exploit magnetostriction in polydisperse ferrofluids in order to generate nonlinear responses, and apply a thermodynamical method to derive the desired nonlinear magnetic susceptibility. For an ideal gas, this method has been demonstrated to be in excellent agreement with a statistical method. In the presence of a sinusoidal ac magnetic field, the magnetization of the polydisperse ferrofluid contains higher-order harmonics, which can be extracted analytically by using a perturbation approach. We find that the harmonics are sensitive to the particle distribution and the degree of field-induced anisotropy of the system. In addition, we find that the magnetization is higher in the polydisperse system than in the monodisperse one, as also found by a recent Monte Carlo simulation. Thus, it seems possible to detect the size distribution in a polydisperse ferrofluid by measuring the harmonics of the magnetization under the influence of magnetostriction.Comment: 23 pages, 4 figures. To be accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.