Sexual interaction in digital contexts and its implications for sexual health: a conceptual analysis

Based on its prevalence, there is an urgent need to better understand the mechanisms, opportunities and risks of sexual interaction in digital contexts (SIDC) that are related with sexual arousal. While there is a growing body of literature on SIDC, there is also a lack of conceptual clarity and classification. Therefore, based on a conceptual analysis, we propose to distinguish between sexual interaction (1) through , (2) via , and (3) with digital technologies. (1) Sexual interactions through digital technologies are face-to-face sexual interactions that (a) have been started digitally (e.g., people initiating face-to-face sexual encounters through adult dating apps) or (b) are accompanied by digital technology (e.g., couples augmenting their face-to-face sexual encounters through filming themselves during the act and publishing the amateur pornography online). (2) Sexual interactions via digital technology are technology-mediated interpersonal sexual interactions (e.g., via text chat: cybersex; via smartphone: sexting; via webcam: webcam sex/camming). (3) Sexual interactions with digital technology occur when the technology itself has the role of an interaction partner (e.g., sexual interaction with a sex robot or with a media persona in pornography). The three types of SIDC and their respective subtypes are explained and backed up with empirical studies that are grouped according to two major mediators: consent and commerce. Regarding the causes and consequences of the three types of SIDC we suggest a classification that entails biological, psychological, social, economic, and technological factors. Regarding implications of SIDC we suggest to focus on both opportunities and risks for sexual health. The proposed conceptual framework of SIDC is meant to inform future research

Subliminal Semantic Priming in Speech

Numerous studies have reported subliminal repetition and semantic priming in the visual modality. We transferred this paradigm to the auditory modality. Prime awareness was manipulated by a reduction of sound intensity level. Uncategorized prime words (according to a post-test) were followed by semantically related, unrelated, or repeated target words (presented without intensity reduction) and participants performed a lexical decision task (LDT). Participants with slower reaction times in the LDT showed semantic priming (faster reaction times for semantically related compared to unrelated targets) and negative repetition priming (slower reaction times for repeated compared to semantically related targets). This is the first report of semantic priming in the auditory modality without conscious categorization of the prime

The neutron and its role in cosmology and particle physics

Experiments with cold and ultracold neutrons have reached a level of precision such that problems far beyond the scale of the present Standard Model of particle physics become accessible to experimental investigation. Due to the close links between particle physics and cosmology, these studies also permit a deep look into the very first instances of our universe. First addressed in this article, both in theory and experiment, is the problem of baryogenesis ... The question how baryogenesis could have happened is open to experimental tests, and it turns out that this problem can be curbed by the very stringent limits on an electric dipole moment of the neutron, a quantity that also has deep implications for particle physics. Then we discuss the recent spectacular observation of neutron quantization in the earth's gravitational field and of resonance transitions between such gravitational energy states. These measurements, together with new evaluations of neutron scattering data, set new constraints on deviations from Newton's gravitational law at the picometer scale. Such deviations are predicted in modern theories with extra-dimensions that propose unification of the Planck scale with the scale of the Standard Model ... Another main topic is the weak-interaction parameters in various fields of physics and astrophysics that must all be derived from measured neutron decay data. Up to now, about 10 different neutron decay observables have been measured, much more than needed in the electroweak Standard Model. This allows various precise tests for new physics beyond the Standard Model, competing with or surpassing similar tests at high-energy. The review ends with a discussion of neutron and nuclear data required in the synthesis of the elements during the "first three minutes" and later on in stellar nucleosynthesis.Comment: 91 pages, 30 figures, accepted by Reviews of Modern Physic

Botulinum Toxin Therapy for Psychiatric Disorders in Clinical Practice: A Retrospective Case Study

Inhibiting the facial expression of negative emotions via botulinum toxin A (BTX) has been shown to mitigate symptoms of clinical depression in randomized controlled trials. This retrospective case study sought to reproduce the beneficial effects of BTX in a naturalistic setting for major depressive disorder and collect casuistic data on its effect on other mental disorders. Moreover, we describe symptom development across multiple treatment cycles with BTX, and assess the implementation of additional injection targets in the lower face region. Participants were N = 51 adult psychiatric outpatients mainly seeking treatment for depression. Over 50% suffered from comorbid psychiatric conditions, predominantly generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) or borderline personality disorder (BPD). A pre–post case series design was adapted. All participants received BTX-injections in the glabellar region on at least one occasion. Some received additional injections in the mouth region and over multiple treatment cycles. Treatment response was followed up by self-rated scales at varying time intervals post treatment. The results showed that BTX may yield favorable outcomes across multiple and comorbid mental disorders, especially, however, for patients suffering from depression. It potentially prevents the recurrence of clinical symptoms if applied regularly. Adding additional regions of the face does not seem to be superior over applying it to the glabellar region alone. The results add to the growing evidence that BTX therapy is effective in alleviating symptoms of depression. Positive effects can be sustained and reinstated, when applied over multiple treatment cycles. Observed symptom reduction in other psychiatric disorders was less pronounced. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which BTX therapy reduces psychiatric symptoms

Reduction of Risk Factors for Pedophilic Sexual Offending

Introduction: Exploratory analysis of characteristics and reduction of risk factors for child sexual abuse (CSA) in a sample treated in the Prevention Projects Dunkelfeld Hannover and Regensburg. Aim: To evaluate a treatment program aimed at reducing dynamic risk factors (DRF) for CSA. Methods: Using a psychometric test battery based on self-report questionnaires, intergroup analysis between treatment group (TG, n = 35), treatment refusers (TR, n = 51), and drop-out group (DO, n = 14) was conducted with pretreatment data. Intragroup analysis compared data of TG from pre- and posttreatment. The test battery included sociodemographic and sociosexual data, as well as questionnaires measuring DRF. Main Outcome Measure: This study investigated effects of treatment on pedophilic men who are at risk for offending and observed reductions in important risk factors for CSA. Results: TG, TR (consisting of persons who were offered but refused therapy), and DO did not differ regarding sociodemographic and sociosexual variables before therapy. There were no significant differences in education, relationship status, living solitarily, and being a father/stepfather. TR and DO lived farther away from treatment site than TG. In the TG, a reduction in offense-supportive attitudes, coping self-efficacy deficits, and child identification were revealed at second assessment. In TG no participants started the consumption of child abuse content during the course of the study. Clinical Implications: Future treatment concepts should focus on the reduction of empirically relevant risk factors for child sexual offending. Strength & Limitations: The present article is the first that compares TG to TR and DO before assessment regarding DRF and sociosexual variables. Moreover, it is only the second study that investigated treatment effects on a population of pedophilic men who are at risk for offending. These preliminary findings are limited by moderate group size and a missing control group. Conclusion: A reduction in some but not all assessed risk factors for sexual offending against minors could be seen within the time frame of therapy. Findings are in line with results from a previous evaluation study. Copyright (C) 2018, International Society for Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Determinants of severe QTc prolongation in a real-world gerontopsychiatric setting.

INTRODUCTION QTc prolongation carries the risk of ventricular tachyarrhythmia (Torsades de Pointes) and sudden cardiac death. Psychotropic drugs can affect ventricular repolarization and thus prolong the QTc interval. The present study sought to investigate the risk factors (pharmacological and non-pharmacological) of severe QTc prolongation in gerontopsychiatric patients. METHODS Electrocardiograms of patients on a gerontopsychiatric ward were screened for QTc prolongation. Medication lists were examined utilizing the AzCERT classification. Potential drug interactions were identified with the electronic drug interaction program mediQ. RESULTS The overall prevalence of QTc prolongation was 13.6%, with 1.9% displaying severe QTc prolongation (≥ 500 ms). No statistically significant differences between patients with moderate and severe QTc prolongation were identified; however, patients with severe QTc prolongation tended to take more drugs (p = 0.063). 92.7% of patients with QTc prolongation took at least one AzCERT-listed drug, most frequently risperidone and pantoprazole. Risperidone and pantoprazole, along with pipamperone, were also most frequently involved in potential drug interactions. All patients displayed additional risk factors for QTc prolongation, particularly cardiac diseases. CONCLUSION In addition to the use of potentially QTc-prolonging drugs, other risk factors, especially cardiac diseases, appear to be relevant for the development of QTc prolongation in gerontopsychiatric patients. Pantoprazole was frequently involved in potential drug interactions and should generally not be used for more than 8 weeks in geriatric populations. As clinical consequences of QTc prolongation were rare, potentially QTc-prolonging drugs should not be used overcautiously; their therapeutic benefit should be considered as well. It is paramount to perform diligent benefit-risk analyses prior to the initiation of potentially QTc-prolonging drugs and to closely monitor their clinical (side) effects

Mathematical Modeling and Simulation Provides Evidence for New Strategies of Ovarian Stimulation

New approaches to ovarian stimulation protocols, such as luteal start, random start or double stimulation, allow for flexibility in ovarian stimulation at different phases of the menstrual cycle. It has been proposed that the success of these methods is based on the continuous growth of multiple cohorts (“waves”) of follicles throughout the menstrual cycle which leads to the availability of ovarian follicles for ovarian controlled stimulation at several time points. Though several preliminary studies have been published, their scientific evidence has not been considered as being strong enough to integrate these results into routine clinical practice. This work aims at adding further scientific evidence about the efficiency of variable-start protocols and underpinning the theory of follicular waves by using mathematical modeling and numerical simulations. For this purpose, we have modified and coupled two previously published models, one describing the time course of hormones and one describing competitive follicular growth in a normal menstrual cycle. The coupled model is used to test ovarian stimulation protocols in silico. Simulation results show the occurrence of follicles in a wave-like manner during a normal menstrual cycle and qualitatively predict the outcome of ovarian stimulation initiated at different time points of the menstrual cycle