Sudden Gain Research Articles

Sudden gains in the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder

The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence and timing of sudden gains over the course of brief, psychodynamically oriented treatment for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Data were used from two studies of brief (i.e., 16-session) supportive-expressive psychotherapy for GAD. Anxiety symptoms were measured at every weekly treatment session. Sudden gains in anxiety symptoms were defined to parallel previous research on sudden gains in major depressive disorder (MDD). Overall, sudden gains were found for 11 of 68 participants (16.2%), with 4 (36.4%) of these patients experiencing reversals of these gains and losing over 50% of the sudden gain during subsequent treatment sessions. Applying a baseline severity cutoff and a duration criteria similar to those used in previous studies of sudden gains resulted in 10 of 29 (34.5%) patients showing sudden gains. Of these sudden gainers, 4 (40.0%) experienced a reversal and 7 (70%) experienced an upwards spike in symptoms during their psychotherapy course. When defined in a parallel fashion, rates of sudden gains in GAD are similar to those found in MDD, although anxiety symptoms are highly variable.

Intergenerational family ties and the diffusion of cohabitation in Italy

Abstract Cohabitation has been spreading in the population during the last thirty years, and this is one of the most striking aspects of wider social changes that have taken place throughout the industrialized world. However, this change did not take place uniformly across Europe. The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the current debate around the compatibility of cohabitation experiences with the Italian cultural context. Using an individual-level diffusion approach we obtain results that are consistent with the crucial role that family ties play in the choice of cohabitation in place of (or before) marriage. 1. Introduction Cohabitation has been spreading in industrial societies during the last thirty years, and this is one of the most striking aspects of general social changes that have taken place throughout these countries. The sudden gain in the popularity of cohabitation at the beginning of the 1970s as an informal way of starting a union can be explained by several factors. Cultural elements, such as rising individualism and secularism (Lesthaeghe and van de Kaa 1986), as well as economic aspects, such as changes brought by industrialization, changes in gender roles, and rising female labor-market participation, may have contributed to its increase (for a review, see Smock 2000). At the same time, the sexual revolution helped in removing the stigma surrounding premarital sex (Bumpass 1990). However, this change did not take place uniformly across Europe, one large exception being the Southern European countries. In the mid-1990s, about one in three women aged 25-29 in Sweden and Denmark was cohabiting; this compares to more than one woman in four in France, about one woman in six in Germany and the Netherlands, and less than one woman in 20 in Italy (Kiernan 1999). Demographers disagree on whether the country differences in the prevalence of cohabitation are likely to disappear over time or whether they will persist, as there are fundamental structural and cultural differences between the societies (Bernhardt 2004). Recent results from an analysis on the adoption of cohabitation among young Italian and German women (Nazio and Blossfeld 2003) seem to support researchers who do not see the differences disappearing over time, claiming that the diffusion of cohabitation among broad groups of the population in Italy is blocked. This differs from the empirical evidence presented in other recent studies (Rosina 2002, Rosina and Billari 2003, Rosina et al. 2003, Barbagli 1997, Barbagli et al. 2003, Rosina and Micheli 2006). They show that cohabitation starts to spread also in Italy and they argue that mechanisms related to the relationship between generations - and specifically between Italian parents and their children - are at the basis of the adoption or rejection of new behaviors (Rosina and Fraboni 2004). The purpose of this paper is to contribute to the current debate around the compatibility of cohabitation experiences with the Italian cultural context. We show that in Italy, this relationship is not influenced solely by the characteristics of the country's young adults but also by some of their parents' characteristics. The strong ties between parents and children and a welfare state that provides very limited direct help to youth are at the basis of the relatively scarce diffusion of non-marital cohabitation in Italy (Rosina and Fraboni 2004). Using an individual level diffusion model, we obtain results that are consistent with the crucial role that family ties play in the choice of cohabitation instead of (or be-fore) marriage. The paper is organized as follows: The next section presents the theoretical back ground and argues that the study of cohabitation in Italy needs to consider the role of family ties. To test our hypothesis, we use an approach proposed by Nazio and Blossfeld (2003), and slightly modify it in order to catch adequately the specificity of the Italian context, as will be highlighted in Section 3. …

The Mechanisms of Sudden Gains in Supportive–Expressive Therapy for Depression

Abstract A sudden gain is a large symptom improvement in one between-session interval. Studies of cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) reported that many more cognitive changes occurred in pregain sessions (sessions immediately preceding sudden gains) than in control sessions. This study investigated sudden gains in supportive–expressive therapy (SE) for depression. Compared with control sessions, in these SE pregain sessions the authors found significantly greater therapist interpretation accuracy, better therapeutic alliance at a trend level, but an almost identical number of cognitive changes. Results from this SE study and past CBT studies suggest that sudden gains in different treatments may be associated with different mechanism factors: cognitive changes in CBT and accurate interpretations and possibly therapeutic alliance in SE. Zusammenfassung Die Mechanismen plotzlicher Gewinne in unterstutzend-expressiver Therapie bei Depression Ein plotzlicher Gewinn ist eine Symptomverbesserung in einem Interva...

Therapists' recall of early sudden gains in routine clinical practice

This study followed up one by Stiles et al. (2003), which identified sudden gains -- large reductions from one session to the next on a short form of clinical outcomes in routine evaluation outcome measure (CORE-SF) -- by some clients in routine clinical practice. We interviewed the therapists who had treated sudden gain and non-sudden gain clients. Results showed that therapists could retrospectively identify which clients had or had not experienced sudden CORE-SF gains at substantially better than chance rates, although they identified only about half of the clients who had experienced such gains.

Recovery of the High-Acceleration Vestibulo-ocular Reflex After Vestibular Neuritis

Vestibular neuritis (VN) usually leads to a sudden gain asymmetry of the high-acceleration horizontal vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR). We asked whether this asymmetry decreases over time indicating peripheral recovery and/or central compensation. The horizontal VOR during rapid rotational head impulses to both sides was recorded with search coils in 37 patients at different time periods (1-240 weeks) after the onset of VN. In ten patients, sequential measurements were performed. Gains of the VOR during head impulses toward the ipsilesional side significantly increased after the initial drop (average gains: < 1 week: 0.35; 1-4 weeks: 0.33; 4-40 weeks: 0.55; 40-240 weeks: 0.50). Gains on the contralesional side, however, were only slightly reduced and showed no significant change. We conclude that, in contrast to patients after hemilabyrinthectomy or unilateral vestibular neurectomy, the ocular response to ipsilesional rotations in patients after VN improves over time. This finding suggests that ipsilesional recovery is peripheral or, if central, depends on spared peripheral function. The physiology of linear and nonlinear VOR pathways predicts a considerable gain reduction for contralesional head impulses if central compensation mechanisms are not engaged. Thus, the relatively preserved gain on the contralesional side can be explained only by central "upregulation". Apparently, for high accelerations of the head, effective central compensation after VN does not aim to balance the gains of the VOR but tries to boost the contralesional gain close to normal.

High-spin structures and alignment properties in126Ce

Excited states in ${}^{126}\mathrm{Ce}$ have been observed with the GAMMASPHERE \ensuremath{\gamma}-ray detector array, used in conjunction with the MICROBALL charged-particle detector. The reaction ${}^{64}\mathrm{Zn}{(}^{64}\mathrm{Zn},\mathrm{xpn}\ensuremath{\alpha})$ (beam energy 260 MeV) was used to populate a wide range of nuclei in the neutron-deficient region with $A\ensuremath{\approx}120.$ ${}^{126}\mathrm{Ce}$ was populated via the $2p$ evaporation channel. The three previously observed bands have been extended to higher spins and some other structures have been identified. The yrast band shows evidence of a delayed neutron alignment occurring at a rotational frequency \ensuremath{\omega}\ensuremath{\approx}0.5 MeV/\ensuremath{\Elzxh} as observed in the neighboring odd-A nucleus ${}^{127}\mathrm{Pr}.$ One of the two excited bands shows evidence for a similar crossing at a slightly lower frequency and also exhibits a sudden gain in alignment at \ensuremath{\omega}=0.57 MeV/\ensuremath{\Elzxh}. The third band may involve the coupling of a \ensuremath{\gamma}-vibrational state. All three rotational bands are discussed in terms of standard and extended cranked shell model calculations.

Cushing's syndrome secondary to ACTH-secreting Wilms'Tumor

In a review of the literature we only found one case of Wilms'tumor associated with “ectopic ACTH syndrome”. We are reporting the second documented case. A girl, 7 1/2 years old, who 5 months ago presented a sudden gain in apetite and corporal weight. On admission she had the classical cushingoid appearance and a blood pressure of 160/120 mmHg. A large hard mass was palpable in the right side of the abdomen. The urography and renal arteriography demonstrated the presence of a right renal mass. Hormonal assays were consistent with Cushing'syndrome; the serum ACTH levels were extremely high. After surgical removal of the mass, we suspected it to be a stage I Wilms'tumor; this was confirmed through histopathological studies. Chemotherapy was initiated following the protocol of The National Wilms'Tumor Study Group. The girl quickly lost her cushingoid appearance and weight excess. Postoperative serum ACTH levels were normal. In order to explain the ectopic ACTH synthesis mechanism several theories are actually on discussion, such us loss of genetic depressor mechanisms, presence of abnormal DNA, and APUD system.

Neighbor/Stranger Song Discrimination in White-Crowned Sparrows

by Simons. This probably reflects a real difference in size of the two chicks. The wing length plateaus seen in Figure 1 were possibly a result of different measuring techniques of the three observers in 1979. In 1979, wing length was measured to the end of the down, and to the end of the longest primary. The initial plate'au and sudden gain in length parallels the same trend in weight gain, and may be due to underfeeding. Observations of the chick and adults were made on the night of nest departure. On 16 August both parents came to the nest at twilight and called with the chick. It became very active, left the nest, and walked about on the ledge. All three murrelets remained at least as long as light permitted observation (22:00). The next day the nest site was deserted, suggesting that the chick had departed in the night or early morning. On 19 August we saw an adult with a juvenile in the cove within 0.5 km of the nest site. On 22 August six adults and four juveniles were on the ocean within 1 km of the same area, indicating the recent fledging of a small local population of ground-nesting murrelets. We thank the Office of Biological Services, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the University of Washington Wildlife Science Group for supporting this study. We are also grateful to George Divoky and an anonymous reviewer for their critiques of this note.

Striae in Normal Men

In a survey of 3,278 healthy young men reporting for physical examination at an Armed Forces Examining Station, 361 (11%) had striae. There was no significant difference in height, weight, and age between men with and without striae. Only a minority of those having striae recalled specific causative factors such as sudden weight gain or weight loss, heavy muscular exercise, or severe disease. The most common localization of striae was the presacral area. In about 10% of cases, multiple sites were involved.

DAWN ASCENT AND RE‐ORIENTATION OF SCANDINAVIAN THRUSHES (TURDUS spp.) MIGRATING AT NIGHT OVER THE NORTHEASTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN IN AUTUMN

DAWN ASCENT AND RE‐ORIENTATION OF SCANDINAVIAN THRUSHES (TURDUS spp.) MIGRATING AT NIGHT OVER THE NORTHEASTERN ATLANTIC OCEAN IN AUTUMN

Magnetic Moments and Eddy Currents in Spheres of Superconducting Tin

Experiments have been carried out to measure the "frozen in" magnetic moments produced in superconducting spheres of tin, through demagnetization from fields sufficient to completely or partially destroy their superconductivity. Moments were determined by measuring periods of a torsion pendulum made from the spheres. Both solid tin spheres and spheres filled with non-superconducting material were examined.Small permanent moments, fixed in magnitude and direction, and probably associated with traces of impurity, were observed for the solid spheres while considerably larger fixed moments were observed for the hollow spheres. The observed permanent moments, which amounted to one to three percent of the induced moments calculated for the critical field depended to a slight extent on the magnitude of the fields used to produce them and were also dependent on the size and geometry of the spheres and on the temperature.Entry of the spheres into the intermediate state was evidenced by a sudden gain in the total magnetic moment when the measuring field attained a value which was close to 2/3 of the critical field, ${H}_{c}$. This gain was best observed by measurements of this coefficient for eddy current damping. We interpret this effect as due to the formation of regions of normal metal in the intermediate state. We also interpret the permanent moments, which can only be changed by bringing the specimens into fields in excess of $\frac{2}{3} {H}_{c}$, as due to isolated regions of normal metal. The amounts of normal metal, in either the superconducting or the intermediate regions, can be evaluated either from measurements of magnetic moment or from measurements of coefficients of eddy current damping. Results obtained by the two methods are in agreement.The results can be explained in terms of Landau's theory of the intermediate state that postulates the presence of threads or plates of normal metal. Our results indicate that these regions of normal metal must have diameters or thicknesses which are quite small compared to their lengths and that the magnetic moments which they represent can be trapped in a particular direction for a considerable length of time.

Facts and Theories of Bird Flight

BE ESIDES the birds and their immediate ancestors, only certain insects and bats have succeeded in solving the problems of true flight. Many other forms, having derived sufficient momentum from another medium, can glide through the air for a considerable distance. True flight adds to this the ability of maintaining both altitude and speed by displacement of the air itself. Much has been written of the origin of bird flight but little is definitely known. It may be that it developed from the gliding leaps of the tree-living ancestors of the modern bird. Certain amphibians and mammals incapable of true flight but capable of gliding have been observed to terminate long glides with an upward turn. This sudden gain of altitude takes them up to a selected landing place, but at the cost of their momentum. It is quite conceivable that a successful glider would lengthen the span of flights by vigorous downward displacement of the air with movements of its gliding surfaces. The more generally accepted notion, however, is that the original flyers launched themselves into the air not from treetops but from the ground. It is assumed that these forms were capable of rapid bipedal locomotion which served no doubt as a means of escape. The forelimbs being released could, in moments of need for great speed, become primitive gliding surfaces, by means of which the animal's long strides could be lengthened. This view is supported by the discovery of extinct forms (Ornithischia) which resemble this hypothetical bird ancestor. Such forms may or may not have been close to the line of descent of the birds. It is not impossible that flight was achieved independently by several different reptilian forms, and that some approached flight by one means, some by another. Thomson (z5) has compiled a list of preconditions of flight, i.e., characteristics which it is assumed an organism must have possessed before it was capable of even brief sustained flight. To this he adds a list of accessory adaptations supposed to have occurred subsequent to the beginnings of flight. Inasmuch as the exact sequence of development of such characteristics is largely a matter of speculation and since our chief interest is in bird flight as it occurs to-day, we shall here make no effort to discuss the bird's characteristics in the order of their evolutionary origin.