1,721,023 research outputs found
The Sexual Long COVID (SLC): Erectile Dysfunction as a Biomarker of Systemic Complications for COVID-19 Long Haulers
Full text linkIntroduction: Long term complications of COVID-19, the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2, involve many organ systems, dramatically worsening the quality of life, and finally contributing to impaired physical functioning. Despite the presence of well-identified pathogenetic mechanisms, the effect of "Long COVID" on sexual health has been only marginally addressed. Objectives: To provide coverage of the current literature on long COVID, its epidemiology, pathophysiology, and relevance for erectile function. Methods: Comprehensive review of literature pertaining to the epidemiology and pathophysiology of long COVID, and its relevance for erectile function. Results: Symptoms of long COVID are highly prevalent and involve almost all systems of the human body, with a plethora of clinical manifestations which range from minor nuisances to life-threatening conditions. "Brain fog" and fatigue are the most common complaints, although other neuropsychiatric complications, including sensory dysfunctions, anxiety, depression, and cerebrovascular events have also been reported. The respiratory and cardiovascular systems are also affected, with dyspnea, pulmonary fibrosis, endothelial dysfunction, and myocarditis occurring in some COVID long haulers. A subset of patients might develop endocrine manifestations, including onset of diabetes, thyroid dysfunction, and hypogonadism. Overall, long COVID features many complications which can impair erectile function by multiple pathogenetic mechanisms, and which could require tailored treatment: (i) careful investigation and management from the sexual medicine expert are therefore much needed, (ii) and future research on this topic is warranted. Conclusion: in COVID-19 long haulers, several complications can adversely affect erectile function which, upon future tailored studies, could be used as biomarker for the severity of the long COVID disease and for its follow-up. Sansone A, Mollaioli D, Limoncin E et al. The Sexual Long COVID (SLC): Erectile Dysfunction as a Biomarker of Systemic Complications for COVID-19 Long Haulers. Sex Med Rev 2021;XX:XXX-XXX
Sessualità nella disabilità psichica
No full textLa sessualità, o più nello specifico una buona qualità di vita sessuale, rappresenta uno fra i maggiori diritti dell’essere umano. Non solo essa permette all’individuo e alla coppia di ottenere una buona qualità di vita generale e relazionale, ma anche di segnalare, nel momento in cui sopraggiungono difficoltà in questa sfera, problematiche di varia natura, siano esse organiche o psicologiche. Tuttavia, se per la popolazione generale avere la possibilità di vivere la propria vita sessuale nel modo in cui più ci appartiene sembra
essere quasi una cosa scontata, per le persone diversamente abili, e soprattutto per quelle affette da disabilità intellettiva, il vivere e condividere con gli altri gli affetti, i sentimenti, o pur semplicemente il piacere sessuale, sembra quasi un’impresa. Permane, infatti, ancora un preconcetto sociale, secondo il quale da una parte l’individuo diversamente abile è asessuato e, dall’altra, una persona attratta sessualmente dalle persone affette da disabilità è necessariamente una persona affetta da parafilia. Sebbene in letteratura sia stata studiata l’attrazione sessuale verso le disabilità, che prende il nome di “devotismo”, questa attrazione “non convenzionale” non assume necessariamente le caratteristiche di un comportamento parafilico. Solo una parte di questa popolazione sembra manifestare
comportamenti e interessi sessuali estremi, che vanno a ledere proprio i diritti a una sessualità sicura delle persone diversamente abili. In questi casi, poiché la persona diversamente abile può presentare difficoltà nell’incontrare le persone, instaurare rapporti e
comprendere le intenzioni altrui, l’assistenza sessuale sembra configurarsi come un servizio utile, o potremmo dire anche necessario alla persona diversamente abile per vivere la propria intimità. Al contrario, l’inibizione dell’istinto sessuale, così come previsto da molti
programmi riabilitativi attuali, può mettere a rischio la persona diversamente abile, al punto di farla trovare in situazioni dove comportamenti sessuali inappropriati per un certo contesto vengono letti come perseguibili dalla legge. Pertanto, se la sessualità è un diritto per tutte le persone, allora la possibilità di viverla nel rispetto delle esigenze e volontà di chiunque, garantendo la propria incolumità, è altrettanto un diritto. In questi casi, se la persona manifesta difficoltà nella comprensione delle intenzioni altrui, nonché nella gestione delle relazioni interpersonali, l’assistente sessuale, adeguatamente formato da associazioni che attuano corsi professionalizzanti, può rappresentare una valida alternativa
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
“Mask up to keep it up”: Preliminary evidence of the association between erectile dysfunction and COVID-19
Full text linkBackground: Erectile dysfunction (ED), as the hallmark of endothelial dysfunction, could be a short- or long-term complication of COVID-19. Additionally, being ED a clinical marker and predictor of non-communicable chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular, subjects with ED could potentially have a higher risk of contracting COVID-19. Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of ED among subjects with a reported diagnosis of COVID-19 and to measure the association of COVID-19 and ED. Materials and methods: We reviewed data from the Sex@COVID online survey (performed between April 7 and May 4, 2020, in Italy) to retrieve a sample of Italian male sexually active subjects with reported SARS-CoV-2 infection. A matching sample of COVID-19-negative male sexually active subjects was also retrieved using propensity score matching in a 3:1 ratio. The survey used different standardized psychometric tools to measure effects of lockdown and social distancing on the intrapsychic, relational, and sexual health of Italian subjects. Results: One hundred subjects were included in the analysis (25 COVID-positive; 75 COVID-negative). The prevalence of ED, measured with the Sexual Health Inventory for Men, was significantly higher in the COVID+ group (28% vs. 9.33%; p = 0.027). Logistic regression models confirmed a significant effect of COVID-19 on the development of ED, independently of other variables affecting erectile function, such as psychological status, age, and BMI [OR 5.66, 95% CI: 1.50–24.01]. Likewise, subjects with ED were more likely to have COVID-19, once corrected for age and BMI [OR 5.27, 95% CI: 1.49–20.09]. Discussion and conclusion: On top of well-described pathophysiological mechanisms, there is preliminary evidence in a real-life population of ED as a risk factor of developing COVID-19 and possibly occurring as a consequence of COVID-19. Universal vaccination against the COVID-19 and the personal protective equipment could possibly have the added benefit of preventing sexual dysfunctions
Harm Reduction in Sexual Medicine
No full textIntroduction: Strategies of harm reduction (HR) include policies and community-based measures aimed to reduce the risk of self-harm while continuing potentially hazardous behaviors, such as illegal drug, alcohol, and tobacco use.Objectives: To assess whether and to which extent strategies of HR could have beneficial, or harmful, effects on sexual and reproductive health, for general and at-risk populations.Methods: A literature research was performed between July 2020 and January 2021, investigating the associa-tion between harm reduction strategies and sexual and reproductive health.Results: HR strategies are mostly aimed at providing support to at-risk population, such as injection drug users or sex workers. Alcohol and drug use, smoking and high-risk sexual behaviors are among the main targets for HR strategies. Barriers to access, such as stigma, marginalization or lacking awareness, are often present as negative risk factors and require attention from professionals. Preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs), early/ unwanted pregnancies and violence are the most important results HR programs could provide for sexual and reproductive health. However, evidence is limited and often qualitative, rather than quantitative.Conclusion: HR strategies are important measures to improve sexual and reproductive health in at-risk popula-tions. Increasing personal and social awareness is a key factor for the success of HR programs. Copyright (C) 2021, International Society of Sexual Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved
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