Psychodynamic Guided Self-help for Adult Deperssion through the Internet: A Randomised Controlled Trial.

Abstract Background and aims: Psychodynamic psychotherapy (PDT) is an effective treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD), but not all clients with MDD can receive psychotherapy. Using the Internet to provide psychodynamic treatments is one way of improving access to psychological treatments for MDD. The aim of this randomised controlled trial was to investigate the efficacy of an Internet-based psychodynamic guided self-help treatment for MDD. Methods: Ninety-two participants who were diagnosed with MDD according to the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview were randomised to treatment or an active control. The treatment consisted of nine treatment modules based on psychodynamic principles with online therapist contact. The active control condition was a structured support intervention and contained psychoeducation and scheduled weekly contacts online. Both interventions lasted for 10 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Results: Mixed-effects model analyses of all randomised participants showed that participants receiving Internet-based PDT made large and superior improvements compared with the active control group on the BDI-II (between-group Cohen’s d = 1.11). Treatment effects were maintained at a 10-month follow-up. Conclusions: Internet-based psychodynamic guided self-help is an efficacious treatment for MDD that has the potential to increase accessibility and availability of PDT for MDD

Surface segregation in Nb-doped BaTiO₃ films

We have used in situ photoemission spectroscopy to investigate Niobium doping in polycristalline BaTiO3. The valence band maximum position progressively shifts from 2.5 eV for undoped to 2.84 eV for Nb-doped films. Ceramics and single crystal have been investigated for comparison with thin films. Nb-doped BaTiO3 ceramics and Nb-doped SrTiO3 single crystal show higher Fermi level position indicating that our doped films are less conducting regarding their bulk parents. This was confirmed by impedance spectroscopy under variable temperature. Large amount of niobium is clearly observable at surface but the amount of dopant is drastically reduced below the near-surface region, as evidenced by depth profile. Therefore, we provide evidence of surface segregation which would explain the contrasted resistivity values reported in literature for such donor-doped films

Barrier height at (Ba,Sr)TiO3/Pt interfaces studied by photoemission

The interface formation of Nb-doped SrTiO3 single crystals and (Ba,Sr)TiO3 thin films with Pt has been studied by using photoelectron spectroscopy with in situ sample preparation. For the single crystal sample, a Schottky barrier height for electrons of 0.5–0.6 eV is determined after deposition of Pt in vacuum environment. After annealing in 0.05 Pa oxygen pressure, a strong increase in the barrier height to >=1.2 eV is observed. X-ray induced photovoltages of up to 0.7 eV are observed in this case and have to be taken into account for a proper determination of the barrier height. A subsequent annealing in vacuum reduces the barrier again. Hence, the barrier height can be reversibly switched between an oxidized state with a large barrier height and a reduced state with a low barrier height. Quantitative analysis of the barrier heights indicates that the changes are related to the changes of interfacial defect concentration. Due to the occurrence of a Ti3+ related signal, the defects are identified as oxygen vacancies. The same effects are observed at interfaces between Pt and (Ba,Sr)TiO3 thin films with a smaller absolute value of the barrier height in the oxidized state of ~1 eV. Deposition of (Ba,Sr)TiO3 onto a metallic Pt substrate also results in a barrier height of 1.0 eV

Interface investigation in nanostructured BaTiO₃/silica composite ceramics

International audienceSilica-coated ferroelectric particles are promising building blocks for functional bulk composites such as dielectric resonators, supercapacitors, or multiferroics. The ferroelectric/silica interface was fully investigated by means of high-temperature in situ X-ray diffraction, high-resolution scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Mechanisms occurring at the interface were visualized using high-resolution postmortem and in situ transmission electron microscopy performed at different temperatures. On the light of this interface investigation, we have used advanced sintering processes such as spark plasma sintering and microwave sintering to obtain nanostructured composite ceramics and to evaluate their dielectric properties

Psychodynamic Guided Self-Help for Adult Depression through the Internet : A Randomised Controlled Trial

Abstract Background and aims: Psychodynamic psychotherapy (PDT) is an effective treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD), but not all clients with MDD can receive psychotherapy. Using the Internet to provide psychodynamic treatments is one way of improving access to psychological treatments for MDD. The aim of this randomised controlled trial was to investigate the efficacy of an Internet-based psychodynamic guided self-help treatment for MDD. Methods: Ninety-two participants who were diagnosed with MDD according to the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview were randomised to treatment or an active control. The treatment consisted of nine treatment modules based on psychodynamic principles with online therapist contact. The active control condition was a structured support intervention and contained psychoeducation and scheduled weekly contacts online. Both interventions lasted for 10 weeks. The primary outcome measure was the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II). Results: Mixed-effects model analyses of all randomised participants showed that participants receiving Internet-based PDT made large and superior improvements compared with the active control group on the BDI-II (between-group Cohen’s d = 1.11). Treatment effects were maintained at a 10-month follow-up. Conclusions: Internet-based psychodynamic guided self-help is an efficacious treatment for MDD that has the potential to increase accessibility and availability of PDT for MDD

The Swiss Brain Health Plan 2023–2033

The brain and its health are essential for our (physical mental, social, and spiritual) wellbeing, for being able to realize our potential as individuals, and also for a fair, well-functioning, and productive society. However, today the world is facing a healthcare crisis related to the very high (and increasing) burden of brain disorders. As a response to this crisis, the “Swiss Brain Health Plan” (SBHP) was conceptualized in the context of other initiatives launched to value, promote, and protect brain health over the entire life course. In the first section of this position paper, the following fundamental considerations of the SBHP are discussed: (1) the high (and increasing) burden of brain disorders in terms of prevalence (&gt;50% of the population suffers from a brain disorder), disability, mortality, and costs; (2) the prevention of brain disorders; (3) the operational definition of brain health; (4) determinants of brain health; (5) international initiatives to promote brain (including mental) health including the World Health Organization (WHO) intersectorial global action plan on epilepsy and other neurological disorders (NDs) (IGAP) and the WHO comprehensive mental health action plan. In the second section of the paper, the five strategic objectives of the SBHP, which has the vision of promoting brain health for all across the entire life course, are presented: (1) to raise awareness; (2) strengthen cross-disciplinary and interprofessional training/educational programs for healthcare professionals; (3) foster research on brain health determinants and individualized prevention of brain disorders; (4) prioritize a holistic (non-disease-specific), integrated, person-centered public health approach to promote brain health and prevent brain disorders through collaborations across scientific, health care, commercial, societal and governmental stakeholders and insurance providers; (5) support, empower, and engage patients, caregivers, and patient organizations, and reduce the stigma and discrimination related to brain disorders. In the third section of the paper, the first (2024) steps in the implementation of the SHBP, which will be officially launched in Zurich on 22 November 2023, are presented: (1) a definition of the overall organization, governance, specific targets, and action areas of the SBHP; (2) the patronage and/or co-organization of events on such specific topics as brain research (Lausanne), dementia (Geneva), stroke (Basel), neurohumanities (Bellinzona), sleep (Lugano), and psychiatry (Zurich); (3) the conduction of a new study on the global burden of brain disorders in Switzerland; (4) the launching of an international Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) on Brain Health at the University of Bern. In the fourth section of the paper, there is a concise executive summary of the SBHP.</p