Neutral Films Research Articles

Cue reactivity and opioid blockade in amphetamine dependence: A randomized, controlled fMRI study

BackgroundThe opioid antagonist, naltrexone, has been shown to reduce the risk of relapse in amphetamine dependence, but the mechanisms behind this effect are not well understood. We aimed to investigate if naltrexone attenuates cue reactivity and craving in amphetamine dependence. MethodsForty men with severe, intravenous amphetamine dependence were randomized to one dose of naltrexone (50 mg) or placebo. In a BOLD fMRI cue reactivity paradigm, they were exposed to drug-related and neutral films and gave subjective ratings of craving after each film. Twenty-nine patients left data of sufficient quality to be included in the final analysis. ResultsThe drug-related films elicited strong subjective craving and BOLD activations of the striatum, cingulate cortex, and occipito-temporal visual attention networks. Longer history of amphetamine use was associated with greater activations of the prefrontal cortex. Naltrexone as compared to placebo had no significant effects on brain activations or subjective ratings. ConclusionPatients with severe stimulant use disorder exhibit strong neural cue reactivity, the patterns of which are modulated by duration of drug use. In this sample, we found no evidence for any effects of naltrexone on cue reactivity.

Effects of exposure to erotica on disgust: A preliminary test among contamination-fearful individuals

Disgust has been implicated in the fear of contamination that is commonly observed in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, basic and treatment-oriented research has shown that disgust is resistant to extinction among those with a fear of contamination. Consequently, there is growing interest in discovering novel approaches to targeting heightened disgust responding among those with OCD. Recent experimental research suggests that sexual arousal may inhibit disgust responding. Accordingly, the present study examines the effects of exposure to erotica on verbal reports of disgust and behavioral avoidance in a contamination-fearful sample of adults. Participants viewed sexually arousing, positively arousing, or neutral films and participated in a series of sexually relevant and non-sexually relevant behavioral approach tasks. Participants also gave ratings of disgust before and after completing each behavioral task. Although no group differences were observed for the number of steps completed on the behavioral approach tasks, those who viewed sexually arousing films reported significantly less change in disgust throughout the behavioral approach task compared to those who viewed positively arousing and neutral films. The potential clinical implications of the effects of sexual arousal on disgust responding in contamination-based OCD are discussed.

The Effects of Partner Presence and Sexual Stimulation on the Appraisal of Vaginal Pressure and Sexual Arousal

BackgroundSex research lacks experimental studies in which both partners participate in a laboratory procedure. This is relevant in the context of genital pain because painful vaginal sensations often occur in the presence of the partner. AimTo examine the effects of partner presence, sexual stimulation, and vaginal pressure on the appraisal of vaginal sensations and sexual arousal, ultimately aiming to increase the ecologic validity of laboratory designs. MethodsA community sample of 42 women and their male partners watched sexual and neutral films while separated or together. We induced gradually increasing vaginal pressure in the women using an intravaginal inflatable rubber balloon. OutcomesWomen reported on pleasant and painful vaginal pressure and perceived genital arousal. Men and women reported on subjective sexual arousal. We also examined whether these appraisals were moderated by relationship satisfaction. ResultsThe appraisal of vaginal pressure varied as a function of relationship satisfaction. Less satisfied women reported more painful pressure than women who were highly satisfied and highly satisfied women appraised the pressure as more pleasant in the context of a sex film and in the presence (vs absence) of their partner. In men and women, although partner presence had a negative effect on subjective sexual arousal, the presence of the partner did increase women's perception of genital arousal when vaginal pressure was induced during a sex film, particularly when women felt highly satisfied with their relationship. Also, the effects on subjective sexual arousal were moderated by relationship satisfaction. For couples in which the woman was less satisfied, the induction of vaginal pressure resulted in higher subjective sexual arousal when the partner was absent compared with when he was present, whereas when the man felt less satisfied, partner presence had a positive effect on sexual arousal. Clinical ImplicationsInterventions need to focus on the importance of sexual arousal during vaginal pressure stimulation and the way this is shaped by partner and relationship variables. Our results indicate that enhancing the relationship climate is an important target of intervention. Strengths and LimitationsWe did not include physical indices of genital arousal and did not use a clinical sample of women with genital pain. ConclusionsThe appraisal of vaginal sensations and sexual arousal are context-dependent responses that vary as a function of partner presence and sexual stimulation. Including both partners in the laboratory setting is important to create more valid models on sexual responding.Dewitte M, Schepers J, Melles R. The Effects of Partner Presence and Sexual Stimulation on the Appraisal of Vaginal Pressure and Sexual Arousal. J Sex Med 2018;15:539–549.

Effects of vinylene and azomethine bridges on optical, theoretical electronic structure and electrical properties of new anthracene and carbazole based π-conjugated molecules

Abstract This study aims to synthesize and characterize a new semi-conducting 2,7-distyrylcarbazole-based molecule (M1) and its Schiff-base analog (M2). Those two molecules were synthesized via Wittig-Horner and diamine condensation reactions, respectively. The effects of replacing the vinylene ( CH CH ) linkage between carbazole donor unit and anthracene acceptor unit in molecule M1 by an azomethine ( CH N ) bridge in molecule M2 on physicochemical and electrical properties are reported in this work. Thermal characterization shows a semi-crystalline morphology in solid state for the two organic materials and a good thermal stability up to 370 °C in the case of M2. The observed non-fluorescence character of the Schiff-base molecule has been related to the photo-induced electron transfer (PET) process from the imine receptor moiety to the anthracene fluorophore unit. The effect of the addition of trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) on optical properties of the Schiff base molecule revealed a significant blue shift of the absorption spectrum and a turn-on of the fluorescence as well as visual changes. Computational analyses by Density Functional Theory (DFT) and time-dependent (TD-DFT) were then used to obtain conformation and the energy distributions of the molecular orbitals of the two compounds. The electrochemical behaviors were investigated by cyclic voltammetry and showed a reduction of the band gap of M2 as compared to M1 du to the electron-withdrawing effect the azomethine (–CH N–) bond. Finally, the charge-carrier mobility of the two compounds were extracted from single-layer diodes in the space-charge limited current regime (SCLC) and organic field effect transistors (OFETs) demonstrating lower hole mobilities in the case of M2 based thin film devices. The hole effective mobility of M2 (measured by SCLC) was one order of magnitude higher after exposition to trifluoricacetic acid vapors than in neutral films.

Inside Back Cover: Fabrication of Neutral Supramolecular Polymeric Films via Post‐electropolymerization of Discrete Metallacycles (Chin. J. Chem. 2/2018)

The inside back cover picture shows the construction of neutral supramolecular polymeric films containing well‐defined metallacycles as the main scaffolds through combination of coordination‐driven self‐assembly with post‐electropolymerization. A new 120° triphenylamine substituted dicarboxylate donor ligand and the complementary 120° triphenylamine functionalized di‐Pt(II) acceptor were employed to build neutral multi‐triphenylamine functionalized 2‐D metallacycles with the well‐defined shape and size via the formation of oxygen‐to‐platinum coordination bonds. Subsequent post‐electropolymerization of the obtained neutral multi‐triphenylamine containing metallacycles allowed for fabrication of a new type of neutral polymeric film with well‐controlled cavity sizes and thickness, which may have potential applications in neutral molecule detection, separation, and capture. More details are discussed in the article by Yang et al. on page 134–138. image

Emotion Evaluation of Four Generations of Woman from a 104-Year Old Ancestress

Normal aging is associated with declines of perception and cognition. Inversely, emotions seem to be preserved compared to younger adults. Viewing, neutral, dramatic and comic films, emotions were evaluated in four generations of woman from a 104-year old ancestress. At the very old age, from this case report, emotions were differently expressed while arousal was still preserved. A constant emotion of scare was expressed during the viewing of these three films (p 0.001) with significant higher level of disgust (p ≤ 0.01). Only perceptual deficiency cannot explain this difference as cognitive tasks revealed a mild cognitive impairment detected by the Mini Mental State Examination and a substantial impairment on the executive functions by using the Delayed response tasks. These results emphasize that some emotions in a normal aging centenarian are still present, even if not appropriates, and different in comparison to a young adult control group. From this study, it is expected that emotion analysis in old adults viewing selected short films will predict longevity and could discriminate normal processes occurring during normal aging from neurodegenerative diseases.

Fabrication of Neutral Supramolecular Polymeric Films via Post‐electropolymerization of Discrete Metallacycles

Self‐assembly post‐modification has proven to be an efficient strategy to build higher‐order supramolecular architectures and functional materials. In this study, we successfully realized the construction of a new family of neutral supramolecular polymeric films containing well‐defined metallacycles as the main scaffolds through combination of coordination‐driven self‐assembly with post‐electropolymerization. The obtained neutral polymeric materials were fully characterized by the cyclic voltammogram (CV), SEM, and TEM. The thickness of the films was able to be well regulated by the number of scanning cycles. Moreover, we found that the shape of the metallacycles and the number of triphenylamine moieties played important roles in the formation of the final polymer films. We believe that the introduction of the neutral metallacycles into the final polymer structures not only enriches the library of supramolecular polymeric films but also provides a new platform to study neutral molecule detection, separation, and capture.

Attend or defend? Sex differences in behavioral, autonomic, and respiratory response patterns to emotion–eliciting films

Sex differences in emotional reactivity have been studied primarily for negative but less so for positive stimuli; likewise, sex differences in the psychophysiological response-patterning during such stimuli are poorly understood. Thus, the present study examined sex differences in response to negative/positive and high/low arousing films (classified as threat-, loss-, achievement-, and recreation-related, vs. neutral films), while measuring 18 muscular, autonomic, and respiratory parameters. Sex differences emerged for all films, but were most prominent for threat-related films: Despite equivalent valence and arousal ratings, women displayed more facial-muscular and respiratory responding than men and pronounced sympathetic activation (preejection period, other cardiovascular and electrodermal measures), while men showed coactivated sympathetic/parasympathetic responding (including increased respiratory sinus arrhythmia). This indicates a prototypical threat-related defense response in women, while men showed a pattern of sustained orienting, which can be understood as a shift toward less threat proximity in the defense cascade model. Clinical implications are discussed within a socio-evolutionary framework.

Neural activity during traumatic film viewing is linked to endogenous estradiol and hormonal contraception

Women are at higher risk for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and recent research has highlighted a modulating role of female sex hormones for cognitive and emotional processes potentially underlying PTSD symptoms. However, studies combining fMRI recordings of brain activity during trauma film viewing with assessment of female sex hormones are missing. The trauma film paradigm – a widely used experimental analogue for trauma exposure – confronts healthy participants with traumatic film clips and thus allows studying peritraumatic processing under laboratory conditions. Following this paradigm, the current fMRI study examined the role of endogenous estradiol and synthetic sex hormones for the neural processing of traumatic (i.e., depicting interpersonal violence) vs. neutral films in 53 healthy women (mean age 22.3 years; 23 using hormonal contraception, HC). As predicted, traumatic films strongly activated areas of the fear processing network, such as amygdala, insula, and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex. Estradiol levels in women not using HC were positively correlated with ventromedial prefrontal activity. Furthermore, women using HC as compared to women without HC demonstrated heightened insula and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex activity during traumatic film viewing. These experimental results highlight the effects of both gonadal hormone status and HC intake on peritraumatic processing in neural regions relevant for emotion generation and regulation that have been found to be abnormal in PTSD.

Canned Emotions. Effects of Genre and Audience Reaction on Emotions

Laughter is said to be contagious. Maybe this is why TV stations often choose to add so-called canned laughter to their shows. Questionable as this practice may be, observers seem to like it. If such a simple manipulation, assumingly by inducing positive emotion, can change our attitudes toward the film, does the opposite manipulation work as well? Does a negative sound-track, such as screaming voices, have comparable effects in the opposite direction? We designed three experiments with a total of 110 participants to test whether scream-tracks have comparable effects on the evaluation of film sequences as do laugh-tracks. Experiment 1 showed segments of comedies, scary, and neutral films and crossed them with three sound tracks of canned laughter, canned screams, and no audience sound. Observers had to rate the degree of their subjective amusement and fear as well as general liking and immersion. The sound-tracks had independent effects on amusement and fear, and increased immersion when the sound was appropriate. Experiment 2 was identical, but instead of canned sounds, confederates of the experimenter enacted the sound-track. Here, the effects were even stronger. Experiment 3 manipulated social pressure by explicit evaluations of the film clips, which were particularly influential in comedies. Scream tracks worked as well as laugh tracks, in particular when the film was only mildly funny or scary. The information conveyed by a sound track is able to change the evaluation of films regardless of their emotional nature.

Lights … action: Comparison of trauma films for use in the trauma film paradigm

Affective films are often used in emotion research and negative films are frequently used as an analogue for trauma (trauma film paradigm). However, different films are used with possibly distinct consequences. We aimed to investigate specific effects of four negative films covering distinct themes (physical, sexual, traffic and food), and tested neutral and positive films with matching content. Self-reported emotional responses and heart rate during the films were examined (immediate responses) as well as intrusions of the films in the subsequent week (delayed responses). Within each theme, negative films were rated as more unpleasant than the positive and neutral counterparts. They also evoked more negative emotions and more intrusive memories. Across themes, the four negative films did not differ in terms of valence and arousal, but clearly differed on immediate (e.g., disgust, embarrassment, heart rate) and delayed (intrusions) effects. Thus, we urge researchers to carefully select negative films for their studies, as different films seem to evoke distinct emotional responses. In addition, using positive films within the same themes is recommended in order to control for effects of arousal. In general, the specific film material should be considered when comparing effects across studies.

Kinetic control in the temperature-dependent sequential growth of surface-confined supramolecular copolymers.

We report the sequential growth of supramolecular copolymers on gold surfaces, using oppositely charged dendritic peptide amphiphiles. By including water-solubilising thermoresponsive chains in the monomer design, we observed non-linear effects in the temperature-dependent sequential growth. The step-wise copolymerisation process is characterised using temperature dependent SPR and QCM-D measurements. At higher temperatures, dehydration of peripheral oligoethylene glycol chains supports copolymer growth due to more favourable comonomer interactions. Both monomers incorporate methionine amino acids but remarkably, desorption of the copolymers via competing sulphur gold interactions with the initial monomer layer is not observed. The surface-confined supramolecular copolymers remain kinetically trapped on the metal surface at near neutral pH and form viscoelastic films with a tuneable thickness.

Solid-state NMR Study of Ion Adsorption and Charge Storage in Graphene Film Supercapacitor Electrodes.

Graphene film has been demonstrated as promising active materials for electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs), mainly due to its excellent mechanical flexibility and freestanding morphology. In this work, the distribution and variation pattern of electrolyte ions in graphene-film based EDLC electrodes are investigated with a 11B magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) spectroscopy. For neutral graphene films soaked with different amounts of electrolytes (1 M TEABF4/ACN), weakly and strongly adsorbed anions are identified based on the resonances at different 11B chemical shifts. Unlike other porous carbonaceous materials, the strongly adsorbed anions are found as the major electrolyte anions components in graphene films. Further measurements on the ion population upon charging are carried out with applying different charging voltages on the graphene films. Results indicate that the charging process of graphene-film based EDLCs can be divided into two distinct charge storage stages (i.e., ejection of co-ions and adsorption of counter-ions) for different voltages. The as-obtained results will be useful for the design and fabrication of high performance graphene-film based EDLCs.

Clitorally Stimulated Orgasms Are Associated With Better Control of Sexual Desire, and Not Associated With Depression or Anxiety, Compared With Vaginally Stimulated Orgasms

IntroductionMost women report that clitoral stimulation is an integral aspect of their orgasm experience. Thus, recent claims that vaginal stimulation and vaginally generated orgasms are superior to clitoral stimulation and clitorally generated orgasms pathologize most women and maintain a clitoral vs vaginal dichotomy that might not accurately reflect the complexity of women's sexual experience. AimTo have women report on their experienced source of orgasm, including combinations of vaginal and clitoral stimulation, the solo or partnered context of the stimulation, and the intensity of the orgasms from different sources and to predict indicators of mental health and sexual health using the orgasm source. MethodsEighty-eight women 18 to 53 years old answered detailed questions about their usual and recent orgasm experiences, sexual history, depression, and anxiety. Then, they viewed a series of neutral and sexual films. They were instructed to increase or decrease their sexual arousal or respond “as usual” to the sexual films. They reported their sexual arousal after each film. Main Outcome MeasuresOutcomes assessed included mental health (depression and anxiety) and sexual health (orgasm quality, ability to regulate sexual response to sex films). Reported sexual arousal was analyzed for the regulation task. ResultsMost women (64%) reported that clitoral and vaginal stimulation contributed to their usual method of reaching orgasm. Women who reported that clitoral stimulation was primarily responsible for their orgasm reported a higher desire to self-stimulate and demonstrated greater control over their self-reported sexual arousal. The primary stimulation site for orgasm was unrelated to measurements of depression or anxiety despite sufficient statistical power. ConclusionMost women reported that clitoral and vaginal stimulation is important in orgasm. Women experience orgasms in many varied patterns, a complexity that is often ignored by current methods of assessing orgasm source. The reported source of orgasm was unrelated to orgasm intensity, overall sex-life satisfaction, sexual distress, depression, or anxiety. Women who reported primarily stimulating their clitoris to reach orgasm reported higher trait sexual drive and higher sexual arousal to visual sexual stimulation and were better able to increase their sexual arousal to visual sexual stimulation when instructed than women who reported orgasms primarily from vaginal sources.

Neutral defects MBE films CdHgTe

Electro–physical and optical investigations of defect structure of CdHgTe films grown by molecular–beam epitaxy (MBE) were carried out. It was shown that the films contained neutral defects, which were formed at the stage of the growth and were specific to MBE–grown material. It is suggested that the defects in question are tellurium nanocomplexes. Under ion milling, these defects are activated by interstitial mercury and form donor centers with concentration of ~1017 cm-3, which makes it possible to detect them with the use of electrical measurements. It is shown also, that under arsenic doping of CdHgTe with high–temperature cracking, the dimers As2 in the arsenic flux block formation of neutral Te nanocomplexes with formation of As2Te3 donor complexes. The results of electro–physical investigations are compared to these of micro–Raman spectroscopy.

Microsurgical Foraminotomy via Wiltse Paraspinal Approach for Foraminal or Extraforaminal Stenosis at L5-S1 Level : Risk Factor Analysis for Poor Outcome.

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to present the outcome of the microsurgical foraminotomy via Wiltse paraspinal approach for foraminal or extraforaminal (FEF) stenosis at L5–S1 level. We investigated risk factors associated with poor outcome of microsurgical foraminotomy at L5–S1 level.MethodsWe analyzed 21 patients who underwent the microsurgical foraminotomy for FEF stenosis at L5–S1 level. To investigate risk factors associated with poor outcome, patients were classified into two groups (success and failure in foraminotomy). Clinical outcomes were assessed by the visual analogue scale (VAS) scores of back and leg pain and Oswestry disability index (ODI). Radiographic parameters including existence of spondylolisthesis, existence and degree of coronal wedging, disc height, foramen height, segmental lordotic angle (SLA) on neutral and dynamic view, segmental range of motion, and global lumbar lordotic angle were investigated.ResultsPostoperative VAS score and ODI improved after foraminotomy. However, there were 7 patients (33%) who had persistent or recurrent leg pain. SLA on neutral and extension radiographic films were significantly associated with the failure in foraminotomy (p<0.05). Receiver-operating characteristics curve analysis revealed the optimal cut-off values of SLA on neutral and extension radiographic films for predicting failure in foraminotomy were 17.3° and 24°s, respectively.ConclusionMicrosurgical foraminotomy for FEF stenosis at L5–S1 level can provide good clinical outcomes in selected patients. Poor outcomes were associated with large SLA on preoperative neutral (>17.3°) and extension radiographic films (>24°).

Synthesis and Characterization of New Dithienosilole Based Copolymers

2-Ethylhexyl substituted dithienosilole based soluble polymers including thiophene (1) and bithiophene (2) units were synthesized via Stille coupling reaction. The presence of 2-ethylhexyl substituents on the silole ring gave solubility property to the polymers in common solvents. According to gel permeation chromatography measurements, the weight average molecular weights of the polymers 1 and 2 were found to be as 70,977 with a polydispersity index of 2.30 and 110,439 with a PDI of 1.42, respectively. Fluorescent polymers in toluene solution have maximum emisssion bands at 634 nm for the polymer 1 and 613 nm for the polymer 2. Chemical and electrochemical doping of the polymers in the solution and in the film forms were monitored by using ultraviolet-visible spectroscopic technique. The polymers exhibited chromic (chemochromic and electrochromic) properties. While the colors of the neutral polymer films are purple for the polymer 1 and reddish brown for the polymer 2, both polymers are transparent sky blue at their oxidized states. The bandgaps of polymers in film forms were calculated as 1.81 eV for the polymer 1 and 1.92 eV for the polymer 2. Also, electrochromic device applications of the polymers were done. Electrochemical and optical behaviors of the polymers demonstrated that they can be good candidates for optoelectronic applications.

A Streetcar Named “Derousal”? A Psychophysiological Examination of the Desire–Arousal Distinction in Sexually Functional and Dysfunctional Women

Research indicates that desire and arousal problems are highly interrelated in women. Therefore, hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) and female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD) were removed from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), and a new diagnostic category, female sexual interest/arousal disorder (FSIAD), was created to include both arousal and desire difficulties. However, no research has tried to distinguish these problems based on psychosocial-physiological patterns to identify whether unique profiles exist. This study compared psychosocial-physiological patterns in a community sample of 84 women meeting DSM-IV (American Psychiatric Association, 2000) criteria for HSDD (n = 22), FSAD (n = 18), both disorders (FSAD/HSDD; n = 25), and healthy controls (n = 19). Women completed self-report measures and watched neutral and erotic films while genital arousal (GA) and subjective arousal (SA) were measured. Results indicated that GA increased equally for all groups during the erotic condition, whereas women with HSDD and FSAD/HSDD reported less SA than controls or FSAD women. Women in the clinical groups also showed lower concordance and greater impairment on psychosocial variables as compared to controls, with women with FSAD/HSDD showing lowest functioning. Results have important implications for the classification and treatment of these difficulties.

Startle modulation during violent films: Association with callous–unemotional traits and aggressive behavior

The current study examined the unique and interactive associations of callous–unemotional (CU) traits, impulsive and premeditated aggression with startle modulation to violent films. Eighty-five participants (Mage = 20.52) at differential risk of CU traits, selected from a sample of 1105 young adults, participated in the physiological experiment. Startle eye-blink responses to acoustic probes were recorded during violent, comedy and neutral films. Self-report ratings of valence and arousal were also collected. Findings from regression analysis documented that CU traits were associated with diminished startle potentiation to violent films, whereas impulsive aggression was associated with increases in startle potentiation. Further, the negative association between CU traits with startle potentiation, valence, and arousal ratings to violent films was moderated by impulsive aggression. At the group level, individuals high on impulsive aggression without CU traits were the ones showing the highest levels of startle potentiation to violent films, and scored on the opposite extreme compared to individuals high on both CU traits and impulsive aggression.

Sexual desire, not hypersexuality, predicts self-regulation of sexual arousal

A person's ability to control their own sexual arousal is important both to reduce the risks associated with some sexual behaviours and to respond sexually with intimate partners. A lack of control over sexual urges is a proposed feature of “hypersexual disorder”, though some evidence suggests that sexual desire predicts the self-regulation of sexual arousal better than hypersexuality. In the current study, a sample (N = 116) of men and women recruited from community ads viewed a series of 20-second neutral and sexual films. Before each sexual film, participants were instructed to increase their sexual arousal, decrease their sexual arousal or respond as usual. Higher levels of desire for sex with a partner consistently predicted failures to downregulate sexual arousal. Hypersexuality was unrelated. These findings replicate Winters et al.'s study and extend their findings by including upregulation, women, a new measure of hypersexuality and a higher-trial design.