Giant proximity effect in a phase-fluctuating superconductor

When a tunneling barrier between two superconductors is formed by a normal material that would be a superconductor in the absence of phase fluctuations, the resulting Josephson effect can undergo an enormous enhancement. We establish this novel proximity effect by a general argument as well as a numerical simulation and argue that it may underlie recent experimental observations of the giant proximity effect between two cuprate superconductors separated by a barrier made of the same material rendered normal by severe underdoping.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures; version to appear in PRL (results of simulations in 3d added). For related work and info visit http://www.physics.ubc.ca/~fran

Assessment of the psychosocial predictors of health-related quality of life in a PTSD clinical sample

Although a wide array of the scientific literature explores the links between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, coping strategies, and social support and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) as an outcome variable, their connections remain unclear. It is unknown whether PTSD symptom severity, coping strategies, and social support explain each a unique portion of variance of HRQoL of individuals with PTSD. In the current study, based on pretreatment results of a broader study assessing a specific intervention for PTSD, 94 individuals with PTSD were screened for psychiatric disorders and completed several questionnaires concerning social support, coping strategies, PTSD symptoms, and HRQoL. Coping strategies, social support, and PTSD all appeared to be predictors of HRQoL; however, PTSD seemed to constitute the major predictor among these variables. Indeed, coping strategies and social support did not explain a unique share of variability of HRQoL beyond that of PTSD symptomatology. A causal pathway integrating these variables should be tested in future studies

Nightmare frequency, nightmare distress and the efficiency of trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy for post-traumatic stress disorder

Background: Up to 71% of trauma victims diagnosed with PTSD have frequent nightmares (NM), compared to only 2% to 5% of the general population. Objectives: The present study examined whether nightmares before the beginning of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) could influence overall PTSD symptom reduction for 71 individuals with PTSD and different types of traumatic events. Patients and Methods: Participants received a validated CBT of 20 weekly individual sessions. They were evaluated at five measurement times: at pre-treatment, after the third and ninth session, at post-treatment, and at 6 months follow-up. Results: The presence of nightmares did not impact overall CBT efficiency. Specific CBT components were efficient in reducing the frequency and distress of nightmares. Conclusions: Most participants no longer had PTSD but some still had nightmares

Relative efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy administered by videoconference for posttraumatic stress disorder : a six-month follow-up

Until recently, only one study was published on cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in individual therapy via videoconference (Germain, Marchand, Bouchard, Drouin, & Guay, 2009); however, it only assessed the posttreatment effect. This study presents the follow-up of Germain et al.’s (2009) study. The main goal was to compare the effectiveness after six months of CBT for PTSD either face-to-face (n = 24) or by videoconference (n = 12). Each participant received CBT for 16 to 25 weeks and completed various questionnaires before and after treatment and at a six-month follow-up. The two treatments had equivalent levels of symptom reduction (Modified PTSD Symptom Scale: η2 .05) and proportion of patients with a clinically significant change in symptoms (42% for face-to-face vs. 38% for videoconferencing, p > .05). Thus, CBT for PTSD via videoconference seems to be a viable alternative when adequate face-to-face treatments are less available

How do social interactions with a significant other affect PTSD symptoms? An empirical investigation with a clinical sample

Social support and coping are both related to posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, but the mechanisms underlying their relationships remain unclear. This study explores these relationships by examining the perceived frequency of supportive and countersupportive interactions with a significant other in PTSD patients. Ninety-six participants with PTSD were recruited and completed questionnaires assessing social interactions, ways of coping, and PTSD symptoms. Associations of social interactions (r2 = 4.1%–7.9%, p < .05) and coping (r2 = 15.9%– 16.5%, p < .001) with symptoms were independent, and suggested a direct association between social interactions and PTSD. Countersupportive interactions were more associated to symptoms than supportive interactions. Our findings suggest the development of psychotherapies that integrate social support interventions

A life-course and time perspective on the construct validity of psychological distress in women and men. Measurement invariance of the K6 across gender

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Psychological distress is a widespread indicator of mental health and mental illness in research and clinical settings. A recurrent finding from epidemiological studies and population surveys is that women report a higher mean level and a higher prevalence of psychological distress than men. These differences may reflect, to some extent, cultural norms associated with the expression of distress in women and men. Assuming that these norms differ across age groups and that they evolve over time, one would expect gender differences in psychological distress to vary over the life-course and over time. The objective of this study was to investigate the construct validity of a psychological distress scale, the K6, across gender in different age groups and over a twelve-year period.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This study is based on data from the Canadian National Population Health Survey (C-NPHS). Psychological distress was assessed with the K6, a scale developed by Kessler and his colleagues. Data were examined through multi-group confirmatory factor analyses. Increasing levels of measurement and structural invariance across gender were assessed cross-sectionally with data from cycle 1 (n = 13019) of the C-NPHS and longitudinally with cycles 1 (1994-1995), 4 (2000-2001) and 7 (2006-2007).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Higher levels of measurement and structural invariance across gender were reached only after the constraint of equivalence was relaxed for various parameters of a few items of the K6. Some items had a different pattern of gender non invariance across age groups and over the course of the study. Gender differences in the expression of psychological distress may vary over the lifespan and over a 12-year period without markedly affecting the construct validity of the K6.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>This study confirms the cross-gender construct validity of psychological distress as assessed with the K6 despite differences in the expression of some symptoms in women and in men over the life-course and over time. Findings suggest that the higher mean level of psychological distress observed in women reflects a true difference in distress and is unlikely to be gender-biased. Gender differences in psychological distress are an important public health and clinical issue and further researches are needed to decipher the factors underlying these differences.</p