Preventing depression, which story does the evidence tell?

Depression implies both an individual suffering and high financial costs for society. Even though evidence shows that some forms of psychological treatment for depression could be effective, there is still a large potential for improvement because a significant proportion of the patients in treatment studies do not convalesce and many patients that do experience relapses at follow up. Lately the focus on preventing depression has increased and the present paper is a review of empirical studies related to prevention of depression among children and adolescents. Collectively the evidence points to larger effect sizes for targeted intervention programs rather than universal programs, both measured at post-treatment and at follow-up. There are also better results for interventions implemented by psychologists than for interventions implemented by teachers and other professions.Targeted programs do not have the effects one would expect, and generally the effects of these interventions seem short lived. Possible reasons for these results are discussed and further directions for research of this field are suggested. It is essential that future work on the prevention of depression among children and adolescents is based on evidence and empirical findings

Twisting to Abelian BF/Chern-Simons Theories

Starting from a $D=3$, $N=4$ supersymmetric theory for matter fields, a twist with a Grassmann parity change is defined which maps the theory into a gauge fixed, abelian $BF$ theory on curved 3-manifolds. After adding surface terms to this theory, the twist is seen to map the resulting supersymmetric action to two uncoupled copies of the gauge fixed Chern-Simons action. In addition, we give a map which takes the $BF$ and Chern-Simons theories into Donaldson-Witten TQFT's. A similar construction, but with $N=2$ supersymmetry, is given in two dimensions.Comment: 19 pages, CTP #2237, LaTe

Metacognitive Therapy for Depression in Adults: A Waiting List Randomized Controlled Trial with Six Months Follow-Up

This randomized controlled trial examines the efficacy of metacognitive therapy (MCT) for depression. Thirty-nine patients with depression were randomly assigned to immediate MCT (10 sessions) or a 10-week wait list period (WL). The WL-group received 10 sessions of MCT after the waiting period. Two participants dropped out from WL and none dropped out of immediate MCT treatment. Participants receiving MCT improved significantly more than the WL group. Large controlled effect sizes were observed for both depressive (d = 2.51) and anxious symptoms (d = 1.92). Approximately 70–80% could be classified as recovered at post-treatment and 6 months follow-up following immediate MCT, whilst 5% of the WL patients recovered during the waiting period. The results suggest that MCT is a promising treatment for depression. Future controlled studies should compare MCT with other active treatments

Brood Break-up and Juvenile Dispersal of Lesser Prairie-chicken in Kansas

Natal dispersal is critical for genetic interchange between subpopulations of birds and little is known about the timing and extent of lesser prairiechicken (Tympanuchus pallidicinctus) dispersal movements. We monitored movements of 51 transmitter-equipped female lesser prairie-chicken known to have hatched a nest. Average minimum daily brood movements differed (t = -2.94, df = 829, P \u3c 0.01) between the early (273 m; 0 to 14 days post-hatch) and late (312 m; 15 to 60 days post-hatch) brood rearing periods. We captured 71 juvenile lesser prairie-chicken from 10 broods at 3 to 11 days post-hatch and marked them with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags. We subsequently captured 41 chicks from 20 different broods and fitted them with necklace-style transmitters. Transmitter- equipped brood hens and individual chicks were monitored daily and the average date of brood break-up was September 13 (85 to 128 days post-hatch). Both males and females exhibited bimodal dispersal movements in the fall and spring. Autumn dispersal movements peaked between late October and early November for both sexes. Spring dispersal movement of males peaked during late February. Female dispersal movements in the spring peaked in late March and were much more extensive than fall dispersal movements. Natal dispersal distance for all marked males averaged 1.4 km (SE= 0.2, n = 9). The approximate dispersal distances of three transmitter-equipped females ranged from 1.5 to 26.3 km. Because of greater dispersal distances, females will contribute more to genetic exchanges between fragmented subpopulations. To ensure genetic connectivity, we recommend that a distance of less than 10 km be maintained between lesser prairie-chicken subpopulations through protection or establishment of suitable habitat

Measuring Resilience in Long-term Sick-listed Individuals: Validation of the Resilience Scale for Adults

Return to work from long-term sick leave is influenced by personal and social factors, which can be measured by resilience, a construct that describe healthy adaptation against adversity. This study aimed to validate the validity and psychometric properties of the resilience scale for adults in a sample of long-term sick-listed individuals, and to investigate measurement invariance when compared with a university student sample. Confirmatory factor analysis was used on a sick-listed sample (n = 687) to identify the scale?s factor structure, and comparison with a university student sample (n = 241) was utilized to determine measurement invariance. Results show that a slightly modified factor structure, in accordance with previous research, achieved acceptable fit in the sick-listed sample, while comparisons with the student sample supported measurement invariance. This means that the study to a large degree support the factor structure of the resilience scale for adults in long-term sick-listed. Furthermore, the results indicate that the scale is similarly understood among long-term sick-listed as in a previously validated student sample. Thus, the resilience scale for adults can be a valid and reliable measure of protective factors in the long-term sickness absence and return to work context, and the subscale and total score can be interpreted similarly in long-term sick-listed as in other populations.publishedVersio

Densin-180 controls the trafficking and signaling of L-type voltage-gated Ca_v 1.2 Ca^(2+) channels at excitatory synapses

Voltage-gated Ca_v1.2 and Ca_v1.3 (L-type) Ca^(2+) channels regulate neuronal excitability, synaptic plasticity, and learning and memory. Densin-180 (densin) is an excitatory synaptic protein that promotes Ca^(2+)-dependent facilitation of voltage-gated Ca_v1.3 Ca^(2+) channels in transfected cells. Mice lacking densin (densin KO) exhibit defects in synaptic plasticity, spatial memory, and increased anxiety-related behaviors --phenotypes that more closely match those in mice lacking Ca_v1.2 than Ca_v1.3. Thus, we investigated the functional impact of densin on Ca_v1.2. We report that densin is an essential regulator of Ca_v1.2 in neurons, but has distinct modulatory effects compared to its regulation of Ca_v1.3. Densin binds to the N-terminal domain of Ca_v1.2 but not Ca_v1.3, and increases Ca_v1.2 currents in transfected cells and in neurons. In transfected cells, densin accelerates the forward trafficking of Ca_v1.2 channels without affecting their endocytosis. Consistent with a role for densin in increasing the number of postsynaptic Ca_v1.2 channels, overexpression of densin increases the clustering of Ca_v1.2 in dendrites of hippocampal neurons in culture. Compared to wild-type mice, the cell-surface levels of Ca_v1.2 in the brain as well as Ca_v1.2 current density and signaling to the nucleus are reduced in neurons from densin KO mice. We conclude that densin is an essential regulator of neuronal Ca_v1 channels and ensures efficient Ca_v1.2 Ca^(2+) signaling at excitatory synapses

Supersymmetric extensions of Schr\"odinger-invariance

The set of dynamic symmetries of the scalar free Schr\"odinger equation in d space dimensions gives a realization of the Schr\"odinger algebra that may be extended into a representation of the conformal algebra in d+2 dimensions, which yields the set of dynamic symmetries of the same equation where the mass is not viewed as a constant, but as an additional coordinate. An analogous construction also holds for the spin-1/2 L\'evy-Leblond equation. A N=2 supersymmetric extension of these equations leads, respectively, to a `super-Schr\"odinger' model and to the (3|2)-supersymmetric model. Their dynamic supersymmetries form the Lie superalgebras osp(2|2) *_s sh(2|2) and osp(2|4), respectively. The Schr\"odinger algebra and its supersymmetric counterparts are found to be the largest finite-dimensional Lie subalgebras of a family of infinite-dimensional Lie superalgebras that are systematically constructed in a Poisson algebra setting, including the Schr\"odinger-Neveu-Schwarz algebra sns^(N) with N supercharges. Covariant two-point functions of quasiprimary superfields are calculated for several subalgebras of osp(2|4). If one includes both N=2 supercharges and time-inversions, then the sum of the scaling dimensions is restricted to a finite set of possible values.Comment: Latex 2e, 46 pages, with 3 figures include

Supersymmetric extensions of Schr\"odinger-invariance

The set of dynamic symmetries of the scalar free Schr\"odinger equation in d space dimensions gives a realization of the Schr\"odinger algebra that may be extended into a representation of the conformal algebra in d+2 dimensions, which yields the set of dynamic symmetries of the same equation where the mass is not viewed as a constant, but as an additional coordinate. An analogous construction also holds for the spin-1/2 L\'evy-Leblond equation. A N=2 supersymmetric extension of these equations leads, respectively, to a `super-Schr\"odinger' model and to the (3|2)-supersymmetric model. Their dynamic supersymmetries form the Lie superalgebras osp(2|2) *_s sh(2|2) and osp(2|4), respectively. The Schr\"odinger algebra and its supersymmetric counterparts are found to be the largest finite-dimensional Lie subalgebras of a family of infinite-dimensional Lie superalgebras that are systematically constructed in a Poisson algebra setting, including the Schr\"odinger-Neveu-Schwarz algebra sns^(N) with N supercharges. Covariant two-point functions of quasiprimary superfields are calculated for several subalgebras of osp(2|4). If one includes both N=2 supercharges and time-inversions, then the sum of the scaling dimensions is restricted to a finite set of possible values.Comment: Latex 2e, 46 pages, with 3 figures include

Supersymmetric extensions of Schr\"odinger-invariance

The set of dynamic symmetries of the scalar free Schr\"odinger equation in d space dimensions gives a realization of the Schr\"odinger algebra that may be extended into a representation of the conformal algebra in d+2 dimensions, which yields the set of dynamic symmetries of the same equation where the mass is not viewed as a constant, but as an additional coordinate. An analogous construction also holds for the spin-1/2 L\'evy-Leblond equation. A N=2 supersymmetric extension of these equations leads, respectively, to a `super-Schr\"odinger' model and to the (3|2)-supersymmetric model. Their dynamic supersymmetries form the Lie superalgebras osp(2|2) *_s sh(2|2) and osp(2|4), respectively. The Schr\"odinger algebra and its supersymmetric counterparts are found to be the largest finite-dimensional Lie subalgebras of a family of infinite-dimensional Lie superalgebras that are systematically constructed in a Poisson algebra setting, including the Schr\"odinger-Neveu-Schwarz algebra sns^(N) with N supercharges. Covariant two-point functions of quasiprimary superfields are calculated for several subalgebras of osp(2|4). If one includes both N=2 supercharges and time-inversions, then the sum of the scaling dimensions is restricted to a finite set of possible values.Comment: Latex 2e, 46 pages, with 3 figures include

On logarithmic extensions of local scale-invariance

Ageing phenomena far from equilibrium naturally present dynamical scaling and in many situations this may generalised to local scale-invariance. Generically, the absence of time-translation-invariance implies that each scaling operator is characterised by two independent scaling dimensions. Building on analogies with logarithmic conformal invariance and logarithmic Schr\"odinger-invariance, this work proposes a logarithmic extension of local scale-invariance, without time-translation-invariance. Carrying this out requires in general to replace both scaling dimensions of each scaling operator by Jordan cells. Co-variant two-point functions are derived for the most simple case of a two-dimensional logarithmic extension. Their form is compared to simulational data for autoresponse functions in several universality classes of non-equilibrium ageing phenomena.Comment: 23 pages, Latex2e, 2 eps figures included, final form (now also includes discussion of KPZ equation