Exploring Women's State-Level Anxiety in Response to Virtual Reality Erotica.

Virtual Reality (VR)-based treatments for anxiety disorders are efficacious but there is a lack of research examining anxious responses to VR erotica, which could innovate treatments for sexual difficulties. We examined erotica features that elicited anxiety and sexual presence in women. Thirty-eight women viewed erotic videos from different modalities (2D, VR) and points of view (1, 3 person) and completed anxiety and sexual presence measures before and after each video.

#DebunkingDesire: Sexual Science, Social Media, and Strategy in the Pursuit of Knowledge Dissemination.

Approximately 1 in 3 women experience low sexual desire. Despite this being a common concern, many women never seek professional help for their difficulties and will instead turn to online resources for information. We sought to address this need for digitally-accessible, evidence-based information on low sexual desire by creating a social media Knowledge Translation (KT) campaign called #DebunkingDesire.

The Impact of Loosening COVID-19 Restrictions and Live-in Partner Status on Sexual and Mental Health in a Canadian Sample.

Objectives: We examined changes in frequency of sexual behaviors, dyadic sexual desire, relationship satisfaction, and COVID-19 stress in Canadians across the pandemic, considering partner status.

Methods: Participants completed online questionnaires.

Results: Participants with live-in partners and single participants decreased in dyadic sexual behaviors.

Examining the Treatment Relevance of the Approach-Avoidance Motivation Model for Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder in Women and Non-Binary Individuals.

Up to 8% of cisgender women meet diagnostic criteria for Female Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (SIAD), a diagnosis in the , yet treatment research for SIAD remains scarce, particularly for transgender women and non-binary individuals. The treatment relevance of the Approach-Avoidance Motivation Model for SIAD was tested in a sample of cis- and transgender women, and non-binary individuals, who either met criteria for SIAD (n = 45) or reported no sexual concerns (n = 76). Participants completed an online writing exercise previously found to increase the salience of approach or avoidance sexual motivation, or a control writing task.

Mindfulness and Sex Education for Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder: Mediators and Moderators of Treatment Outcome.

Sexual Interest/Arousal Disorder (SIAD) is a common sexual dysfunction in women. Both mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) plus psychoeducation and sex therapy, education, and support (STEP; which contains the same educational information as in the MBCT arm but also integrates supportive-expressive therapy), are effective. We tested mediators and moderators of improvements.

Virtual Reality Erotica: Exploring General Presence, Sexual Presence, Sexual Arousal, and Sexual Desire in Women.

Virtual reality (VR) media using a three-dimensional (3D) camera facilitates an immersive experience compared to traditional two-dimensional (2D) formats. In this novel study, we used high quality, women-centered erotica and examined whether stimulus modality (VR vs. 2D) and point of view (POV: first-person vs.

A randomized trial comparing group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy with group supportive sex education and therapy for the treatment of female sexual interest/arousal disorder.

Sexual interest/arousal disorder (SIAD) is the most prevalent sexual dysfunction in women. Our goal was to compare (a) group mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) plus sex education with (b) group supportive sex education and therapy (STEP) for women with SIAD. Eight-session treatments were delivered weekly and participants completed the measures of sexual desire and arousal, sexual distress, relationship satisfaction, rumination, and global impressions of change, at baseline, immediately posttreatment, and at 6- and 12-month posttreatment.

Impact of COVID-19 Related Stress on Sexual Desire and Behavior in a Canadian Sample.

Objectives: We evaluated various facets of sexual health in Canadians across phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Online questionnaires every four weeks from April-August 2020.

Results: Higher COVID-19 stress predicted higher baseline dyadic sexual desire, lower relationship satisfaction, higher desire for solitary sexual behavior, and higher likelihood of experiencing sexual coercion among people with a live-in romantic partner.

Structure of intact IgE and the mechanism of ligelizumab revealed by electron microscopy.

Background: IgE is the central antibody isotype in TH2-biased immunity and allergic diseases. The structure of intact IgE and the impact of IgE-targeting molecules on IgE however remain elusive. In order to obtain insights into IgE biology and the clinical impact, we aimed for structure determination of IgE and the complex of IgE with the anti-IgE antibody ligelizumab.

ATTACK, a novel bispecific T cell-recruiting antibody with trivalent EGFR binding and monovalent CD3 binding for cancer immunotherapy.

The redirection of T cell activity using bispecific antibodies is one of the most promising cancer immunotherapy approaches currently in development, but it is limited by cytokine storm-related toxicities, as well as the pharmacokinetics and tumor-penetrating capabilities of current bispecific antibody formats. Here, we have engineered the ATTACK (), a novel T cell-recruiting bispecific antibody which combines three EGFR-binding single-domain antibodies (V; clone EgA1) with a single CD3-binding single-chain variable fragment (scFv; clone OKT3) in an intermediate molecular weight package. The two specificities are oriented in opposite directions in order to simultaneously engage cancer cells and T cell effectors, and thereby promote immunological synapse formation.

Trapping IgE in a closed conformation by mimicking CD23 binding prevents and disrupts FcεRI interaction.

Anti-IgE therapeutics interfere with the ability of IgE to bind to its receptors on effector cells. Here we report the crystal structure of an anti-IgE single-domain antibody in complex with an IgE Fc fragment, revealing how the antibody inhibits interactions between IgE and the two receptors FcεRI and CD23. The epitope overlaps only slightly with the FcεRI-binding site but significantly with the CD23-binding site.

Phospholipase A1-based cross-reactivity among venoms of clinically relevant Hymenoptera from Neotropical and temperate regions.

Molecular cross-reactivity caused by allergen homology or cross-reactive carbohydrate determinants (CCDs) is a major challenge for diagnosis and immunotherapy of insect venom allergy. Venom phospholipases A1 (PLA1s) are classical, mostly non-glycosylated wasp and ant allergens that provide diagnostic benefit for differentiation of genuine sensitizations from cross-reactivity. As CCD-free molecules, venom PLA1s are not causative for CCD-based cross-reactivity.

Human IgE is efficiently produced in glycosylated and biologically active form in lepidopteran cells.

TH2-biased immunity to parasites and allergens is often associated with increased levels of antigen-specific and high affinity IgE. The role in reacting against minute amounts of target structures and to provoke severe anaphylactic reactions renders IgE a mechanistically outstanding isotype. IgE represents the least abundant serum antibody isotype and exhibits a variety of peculiarities including structure, extensive glycosylation and effector functions.