Sexual Dysfunction in Chronically Medicated Male Inpatients With Schizophrenia: Prevalence, Risk Factors, Clinical Manifestations, and Response to Sexual Arousal

BackgroundSexual dysfunction is a common symptom in patients with schizophrenia, especially in chronically medicated patients. However, the relationship between sexual dysfunction and emotional response to sexual arousal in male patients with schizophrenia remains unclear. This study aimed to assess the incidence, risk factors of sexual dysfunction in males, and their clinical correlations to sexual arousal in male patients with schizophrenia in China.MethodsA total of 162 male patients, aged 18–50 years, with schizophrenia were recruited from a psychiatric hospital in Ganzhou. The clinical symptoms were assessed by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). The Arizona Sexual Experience Scale was utilized to evaluate sexual dysfunction. Erotic images were selected from International Affective Picture System (IAPS). Sixty-eight out of the 162 subjects completed the erotic pictures reactivity task.ResultsOverall, 48 (29.6%) patients were measured as having global sexual dysfunction, 72 (44.4%) patients as having strength of sex drive dysfunction, 51 (31.5%) patients as having sexual arousal dysfunction, 55 (34.0%) patients as having penile erection dysfunction, 60 (37.0%) patients as having reached orgasm dysfunction, and 60 (37.0%) patients as having satisfaction with orgasm dysfunction. The sexual dysfunction patients had significantly higher scores on the negative symptoms of the PANSS. The only important predictor of sexual dysfunction was the severity of PANSS negative factor. The sense of pleasure and arousal post viewing erotic images in the sexual dysfunction group were lower compared to the non-sexual dysfunction group. The sense of pleasure and approach motivation were significantly negatively correlated with the severity of sexual dysfunction.ConclusionsThis study shows that nearly one-third of young and middle-aged chronically medicated male inpatients with schizophrenia suffer from sexual dysfunction. The negative factor of the PANSS can be regarded as the risk factor of sexual dysfunction. Schizophrenia patients with sexual dysfunction experienced lower pleasure and higher avoidance motivation than non-sexual dysfunction patients when exposed to erotic stimuli.

Response of OCT Biomarkers Based on New Diabetic Macular Edema Classification TCED-HFV to Anti-VEGF Therapy and Its Prognostic Role in Vision Benefits

Introduction. To investigate the association between OCT biomarkers and visual prognosis, based on TCED-HFV,and to explore whether these biomarkers have predictive value in visual prognosis of DME patients.Methods. The retrospective study included 166 eyes from 122 DME patients, who received 3 initial monthly intravitreal injections followed by PRN dosing. Results. The significant improvement of BCVA, as well as statistical decrement of CMT and HF, could be observed(p < 0.001, P=0.023, P=0.002, respectively). The BCVA in early and advanced DME is significantly better than that in severe DME in baseline (P=0.027, P=0.009, respectively) and 1 year (P=0.017, P=0.030, respectively). The broken EZ/ELM was generally accompanied by the existence of SF (P=0.032). The presence of DRIL and persistence SF were associated with negative visual effects (P＜0.001, P=0.045, respectively). At month 12 the mean BCVA was significantly improved in both intact and disrupted EZ/ELM groups (P=0.023, P=0.033, respectively). The number of the DME patients with ERM increases after treatment (P＜0.001).Conclusions. Intact EZ/ELM, the absence of DRIL and ERM might contribute to better response in patients. The persistence SF was a negative factor. Intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy was associated with ERM development and progression. It is not objective to consider only the OCT biomarkers but not the stages, and the indicators of different stages should be studied separately.

On the Meaning of the “P Factor” in Symmetrical Bifactor Models of Psychopathology: Recommendations for Future Research From the Bifactor-(S−1) Perspective

Symmetrical bifactor models are frequently applied to diverse symptoms of psychopathology to identify a general P factor. This factor is assumed to mark shared liability across all psychopathology dimensions and mental disorders. Despite their popularity, however, symmetrical bifactor models of P often yield anomalous results, including but not limited to nonsignificant or negative specific factor variances and nonsignificant or negative factor loadings. To date, these anomalies have often been treated as nuisances to be explained away. In this article, we demonstrate why these anomalies alter the substantive meaning of P such that it (a) does not reflect general liability to psychopathology and (b) differs in meaning across studies. We then describe an alternative modeling framework, the bifactor-( S−1) approach. This method avoids anomalous results, provides a framework for explaining unexpected findings in published symmetrical bifactor studies, and yields a well-defined general factor that can be compared across studies when researchers hypothesize what construct they consider “transdiagnostically meaningful” and measure it directly. We present an empirical example to illustrate these points and provide concrete recommendations to help researchers decide for or against specific variants of bifactor structure.

What’s in a “Username”? The Effect of Perceived Anonymity on Herding in Crowdfunding

This research investigates whether and how predecessors’ usernames—as evaluated from a perspective of perceived anonymity—affect successors’ herding momentum through the varying extent of perceived source credibility. Using a unique data set collected from a leading debt-based crowdfunding platform, we classify lenders’ usernames as either anonymous or real-seeming, with the latter referring to usernames that seem to reveal one’s legal name. We find that successors demonstrate weaker herding momentum toward predecessors who are presented with real-seeming usernames than anonymous ones. This finding, which we attribute to a lower extent of perceived credibility resulting from a nonconforming behavior, challenges the conventional wisdom that considers anonymity a negative factor for source credibility. Further, we demonstrate the importance of risk-related factors, in that the uncovered positive effect of perceived anonymity on herding is accentuated in the early stage of the fundraising period. Our findings provide actionable insights for platform owners to utilize the user heterogeneity with respect to perceived anonymity and hence perceived credibility in herding. These findings are also informative for borrowers who desire to exert effort to encourage participation from the crowd.

KRAS mutations predict better response to first-line monotherapy with pembrolizumab for patients with PD-L1high metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: a retrospective study

Background: Pembrolizumab, a humanized antibody targeting Programmed Cell Death 1 (PD-1), is used as first-line therapy for patients with metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) expressing Programmed Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1). However, not all PD-L1 expressing patients respond to pembrolizumab. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify new predictive biomarkers for response to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy. KRAS mutational status has been suggested to affect treatment outcome, but no clear consensus could be drawn for previous studies. Methods: All consecutive patients diagnosed between 2016-2018 with metastatic NSCLC (stage IV) in the region of West Sweden with molecular characterization available were included in this multi-centers retrospective study. Primary study outcome was overall survival (OS). Baseline patients characteristics, histology type, mutational status, PD-L1 expression and first-line treatment were collected from patient charts and the Swedish Lung Cancer registry. Results: Out of 580 stage IV NSCLC patients, 35.5% harbored a mutation in the KRAS gene (KRASMUT). Compared to KRAS wild-type (KRASWT), KRASMUT was a negative factor for OS (p = 0.014). On multivariate analysis, KRASMUT persisted as a negative factor for OS (HR 1.288, 95% CI 1.091-1.521, p = 0.003). When treated with first-line platinum doublet, KRASMUT (n = 219) is a significant (p = 0.001) negative factor for survival with median OS 9 months vs KRASWT 14 months. Patients on KRAS mutational status and PD-L1 expression levels had a significant better OS in KRASMUT with increased PD-L1 expression (p = 0.036) but not for KRASWT. On first-line ICB, KRASMUT had a significant (p = 0.006) better outcome than KRASWT with a median OS 23 vs 6 months. On multivariable Cox analysis, KRASMUT status and Performance Status (PS) 0-1 were independent prognostic factors for better OS (HR 0.349, 95%CI 0.148-0.822, p = 0.016 and HR 0.398, 95 % CI 0.165-0.963, p =0.041). Conclusions: KRAS mutations combined with PD-L1high is a better predictive marker for response to first-line monotherapy with pembrolizumab than only PD-L1high in patients with metastatic NSCLC.

Main Factors That Facilitate Second Language Learning With Learning and Teaching Experience

There are many factors that influence and promote second language learning and this research examines how to promote second language learning and teaching by exploring three main individual factors, namely motivation, anxiety and enjoyment. By understanding students' extrinsic motivation, teachers can use rewards or foster a sense of responsibility in learners to stimulate their latent interest. Although anxiety is generally regarded as a negative factor in learning, it can be reduced and language learning facilitated by studying the mechanisms of anxiety. The opposite of anxiety is enjoyment, and teachers can find a rewarding and enjoyable way to encourage students to make progress. Second language learning can therefore be facilitated through a range of research into the three important individual differences in motivation, anxiety and enjoyment.

Productive Contribution of Public Spending and Human Capital in Developing Countries Revisited: The Role of Trade Openness

This study examines the catalytic role of trade openness in the relationships between human capital and public spending and total factor productivity (TFP) growth in 44 developing countries over the 1980–2014 period. Applying various estimation techniques to deal with autocorrelation, heteroscedasticity and cross-section dependence, the study finds that (a) the effect of human capital on TFP is nonlinear, (b) government consumption positively affects TFP but military spending is a negative factor and (c) trade openness significantly improves the positive influences of these factors on TFP. The results imply the important role of trade liberalisation in productivity evolution in developing countries. JEL Codes: F43, H52, O47

Ratio of structural impurity distribution in diamond crystals and kimberlite pipe diamond potentiak (case study of Arkhangelsk region and Yakutia)

IR spectroscopy was used to compare diamonds from 12 pipes, Arkhangelsk region. Based on positive correlation between average N and H values in diamonds from various deposits, it was found that crystals from low-grade diamond pipes are relatively enriched in hydrogen compared with diamonds from Lomonosov and Grib deposits. In terms of structural impurity distribution, Arkhangelsk deposit diamonds differ from Yakutian diamonds; it could be due to various composition of compared diamonds’ source matter and thermodynamic conditions of their growth. It is shown that hydrogen is a negative factor of diamond potential in both Yakutian and Arkhangelsk diamonds. This can partly be explained by impuri-ty blocking effect on diamond crystal growth.

The evolution of the criminalization of corruption crimes: from ancient times to the present

Crimes of corruption are the crimes that are part of the category of the most dangerous facts for society. Once committed in objective reality, they directly affect the good and legitimate activity of both the public and private spheres. Thus, in the following, we propose as a desideratum, the analysis of the legal incriminations of corruption crimes in order to inform the general public about the essence of this negative factor that is encountered at the current stage in society.

Distribution of creative works protected by copyright

This article addresses possible structural alternatives for the dissemination of the results of intellectual activity (RIA), which reflect setting of optimal price and level of technical protection. The paper argues that digital piracy is not always a negative factor for the author or copyright owner but may be a signal indicating an inefficiently of RIA distributing method. The developed model demonstrates the choice of RIA distribution strategy depending on various factors: author's popularity, the difference in quality between the original RIA and pirated copy, legal protection level. The findings regarding the possibilities of combining legal and technical protection, consumer behavior and the positive effects of digital piracy will help the regulator to apply more effective measures. The article is written on the basis of the RANEPA state assignment research program.