Resilient coping in the general population: standardization of the brief resilient coping scale (BRCS).

Background: There has been a marked tendency for researchers, clinicians, and policy makers to shift their focus from risk to resilience. This should be assessed by comparing the outcome to a context specific reference group. The objectives of the study were to generate normative data for the BRCS for different age groups for men and women and to further investigate the construct validity and factor structure in a general population.

An introduction to the 'Psycho-Physiological-Stress-Test' (PPST)-A standardized instrument for evaluating stress reactions.

Using a standardized instrument to evaluate patients' stress reactions has become more important in daily clinical routines. Different signs or symptoms of stress are often unilaterally explored: the physiological, psychological or social aspects of stress disorders are each viewed on a single dimension. However, all dimensions afflict patients who have persistent health problems due to chronic stress.

Alterations of circulating NUCB2/nesfatin-1 during short term therapeutic improvement of anxiety in obese inpatients.

In addition to its anorexigenic properties in the neuroendocrine regulation of hunger and satiety, mounting evidence indicates a role for NUCB2/nesfatin-1 in the regulation of emotional stress responses which seems to occur in a sex-specific way. In the present study, we investigated the association of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 plasma levels with anxiety, depressiveness and perceived stress in obese men and women and their alterations during inpatient treatment. We expected a decrease of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 levels in female and an increase in male patients reporting a relevant alleviation of anxiety.

Relaxation - Induced by Vibroacoustic Stimulation via a Body Monochord and via Relaxation Music - Is Associated with a Decrease in Tonic Electrodermal Activity and an Increase of the Salivary Cortisol Level in Patients with Psychosomatic Disorders.

Vibroacoustic stimulation by a Body Monochord can induce relaxation states of various emotional valence. The skin conductance level (SCL) of the tonic electrodermal activity is an indicator of sympathetic arousal of the autonomic nervous system and thus an indicator of the relaxation response. Salivary cortisol is considered to be a stress indicator of the HPA-axis.

Phoenixin is negatively associated with anxiety in obese men.

Phoenixin was recently identified in the rat hypothalamus and initially implicated in reproductive functions. A subsequent study described an anxiolytic effect of the peptide. The aim of the study was to investigate a possible association of circulating phoenixin with anxiety in humans.

Improvement in self-reported eating-related psychopathology and physical health-related quality of life after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: A pre-post analysis and comparison with conservatively treated patients with obesity.

Objective: The present study examined the effects of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on self-reported eating-related psychopathology and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Outcomes of the LSG group were compared with a group of conservatively treated (CT) patients, who underwent a 1-year multimodal weight reduction group program that included dietary advice, physical exercise, psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioral therapy, training in Jacobson's progressive muscle relaxation, and social group support. The setting was a multidisciplinary obesity center.

Plasma kisspeptin and ghrelin levels are independently correlated with physical activity in patients with anorexia nervosa.

While physical hyperactivity represents a frequent symptom of anorexia nervosa and may have a deleterious impact on the course of the disease, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Since several food intake-regulatory hormones affect physical activity, the aim of the study was to investigate the association of physical activity with novel candidate hormones (kisspeptin, ghrelin, oxyntomodulin, orexin-A, FGF-21, R-spondin-1) possibly involved in patients with anorexia nervosa. Associations with psychometric parameters and body composition were also assessed.

Changes in self-reported eating patterns after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy: a pre-post analysis and comparison with conservatively treated patients with obesity.

Background: Patients with severe obesity need to adapt to surgically induced changes in their eating behaviors to maintain treatment success.

Objectives: This study examined the effects of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) on weight loss and on 3 dimensions of eating behavior, namely, cognitive restraint, disinhibition, and hunger. Outcomes of the LSG group were compared with a group of conservatively treated (CT) patients, who underwent a 1-year multimodal weight-reduction group program that included dietary advice, physical exercise, psychoeducation, cognitive-behavioral therapy, training in Jacobson's progressive muscle relaxation, and social group support.

A RAPID Method for Blood Processing to Increase the Yield of Plasma Peptide Levels in Human Blood.

Research in the field of food intake regulation is gaining importance. This often includes the measurement of peptides regulating food intake. For the correct determination of a peptide's concentration, it should be stable during blood processing.

Cerebral Processing of Emotionally Loaded Acoustic Signals by Tinnitus Patients.

This exploratory study determined the activation pattern in nonauditory brain areas in response to acoustic, emotionally positive, negative or neutral stimuli presented to tinnitus patients and control subjects. Ten patients with chronic tinnitus and without measurable hearing loss and 13 matched control subjects were included in the study and subjected to fMRI with a 1.5-tesla scanner.

Work family conflict in its relations to perceived working situation and work engagement.

Background: These days physicians' work is characterized by an increase in economic demands, pressure and challenges in establishing a balance between work and family life. The current study investigates the relationship between physicians' job demands and resources, perceived job stress, work-family conflict, work engagement and job satisfaction.

Methods: 564 clinicians specialising in different medical fields participated in the cross-sectional study.

Peripheral and central localization of the nesfatin-1 receptor using autoradiography in rats.

Nesfatin-1 was recently identified and introduced as food intake-regulatory hormone. Soon thereafter, mounting evidence indicated a much broader role for nesfatin-1 with an involvement in the regulation of food intake, gastrointestinal motility, glucose homeostasis, blood pressure and stress. Despite the growing knowledge on the physiological regulation and functions of nesfatin-1, the receptor mediating these effects remains to be characterized.

Nesfatin-130-59 Injected Intracerebroventricularly Differentially Affects Food Intake Microstructure in Rats Under Normal Weight and Diet-Induced Obese Conditions.

Nesfatin-1 is well-established to induce an anorexigenic effect. Recently, nesfatin-130-59, was identified as active core of full length nesfatin-11-82 in mice, while its role in rats remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the effects of nesfatin-130-59 injected intracerebroventricularly (icv) on the food intake microstructure in rats.

Evaluation of a Portable Armband Device to Assess Resting Energy Expenditure in Patients With Anorexia Nervosa.

Background: In women with anorexia nervosa (AN), resting energy expenditure (REE) is decreased due to reduced energy intake and severe underweight. The assessment of REE allows estimating individual metabolic downregulation and better understanding body weight regulatory mechanisms in severely underweight patients with AN. However, REE predictive equations are known to have considerable shortcomings in patients with AN.

Evaluation of a Multicomponent Psychosocial Skill Training Program for Junior Physicians in Their First Year at Work: A Pilot Study.

Background: The present study was designed to gather preliminary information regarding the feasibility of implementing a psychosocial resilience program and to assess if the program would potentially promote protective factors (such as resiliency, self-efficacy) and job satisfaction as well as decreasing perceived stress among a sample of German junior physicians.

Methods: Eighty-two junior physicians in their first year after graduation took part in the project and were randomized in a controlled trial to either an intervention or a control group for 3 months. The intervention group was offered resilience training combined with cognitive behavioral and solution-focused counseling.

An Evaluation of a Multicomponent Mental Competency and Stress Management Training for Entrants in Surgery Medicine.

Objective: Stress occurs in surgeons with a significantly higher prevalence than in the general population. At the same time, learning of coping techniques and improving personal skills how to handle the daily workload are not integral parts of the medical education or during adjustment to the job as a surgeon. In this pilot study, we developed a training course to teach different stress management and coping techniques and analyzed individual conditions of the surgeons before and after the course.

NUCB2/nesfatin-1 Is Associated with Elevated Levels of Anxiety in Anorexia Nervosa.

Objective: NUCB2/nesfatin-1 is an anorexigenic hormone with elevated levels in obese and decreased levels in anorexia nervosa (AN) patients. Moreover, a role in the regulation of stress and emotions was suggested by several rodent and preliminary human studies. Since anxiety and depression are common comorbidities in AN, we investigated the association of NUCB2/nesfatin-1 with anxiety, depression and perceived stress in AN.

Sex-specific regulation of NUCB2/nesfatin-1: Differential implication in anxiety in obese men and women.

Nesfatin-1 is cleaved from nucleobindin2 (NUCB2) and implicated in the regulation of hunger and satiety as anorexigenic peptide hormone. Circulating NUCB2/nesfatin-1 is elevated in obesity and decreased in anorexia nervosa. In addition, a role in the regulation of stress, anxiety and depression has been demonstrated.

Associations of physical activity with depressiveness and coping in subjects with high-grade obesity aiming at bariatric surgery: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Reduced physical activity is supposed to be associated with depressiveness and more passive coping patterns. For further evaluation of this assumed relation we studied energy expenditure due to physical activity - usually referred to as activity thermogenesis (AT) - together with depressiveness (clinical diagnosis, depression module of the Patient Health Questionnaire), and coping behaviours (Brief COPE Inventory) in 50 patients with high-grade obesity (42 ± 12 years; 9 with II° and 41 with III° obesity) aiming at bariatric surgery.

Methods: AT was assessed with a portable armband device (SenseWear™ armband).

Plasma bile acids show a positive correlation with body mass index and are negatively associated with cognitive restraint of eating in obese patients.

Bile acids may be involved in the regulation of food intake and energy metabolism. The aim of the study was to investigate the association of plasma bile acids with body mass index (BMI) and the possible involvement of circulating bile acids in the modulation of physical activity and eating behavior. Blood was obtained in a group of hospitalized patients with normal weight (BMI 18.

Managing work-family conflict in the medical profession: working conditions and individual resources as related factors.

Objectives: This study developed and tested a research model that examined the effects of working conditions and individual resources on work-family conflict (WFC) using data collected from physicians working at German clinics.

Material And Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of 727 physicians working in German hospitals. The work environment, WFC and individual resources were measured by the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire, the WFC Scale, the Brief Resilient Coping Scale and the Questionnaire for Self-efficacy, Optimism and Pessimism.

Surgically and conservatively treated obese patients differ in psychological factors, regardless of body mass index or obesity-related co-morbidities: a comparison between groups and an analysis of predictors.

Objective: For the treatment of obesity, both conservative and surgical procedures are available. Psychological factors are likely to influence the choice of treatment; however, to date, systematic studies that investigate these factors are few in number. The aim of our study was to analyze whether patients who undergo a surgical treatment differ from those who require a conservative treatment in regard to psychological factors, regardless of their somatic conditions.

Evaluation of Computerized Adaptive Tests (CATs) for longitudinal monitoring of depression, anxiety, and stress reactions.

Background: Computerized adaptive testing (CAT) based on Item Response Theory, (IRT) offers an efficient way for accurate measurement of patient reported outcomes. The efficiency lies within a minimal response burden and a high measurement precision over a broad measurement range. The objective of the study was to evaluate and compare the responsiveness of CATs measuring anxiety, depression, and stress reaction to standard static self-assessment tools.

Biological correlates of tinnitus-related distress: an exploratory study.

During the process of tinnitus diagnostics, various psychometric instruments are used to measure tinnitus-related distress. The aim of present work was to explore whether candidates for biological correlates of the tinnitus-related distress could be found in peripheral blood of patients and if so, whether there was association between them and psychometric scores that reflect tinnitus-related distress. The concentrations of interleukin-1β (IL1β), interleukin-6 (IL6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) and a brain-derived neutrotrophic factor (BDNF) were measured in serum of 30 patients diagnosed with chronic tinnitus and tested for correlation with psychometric scores collected on the same day.

Obese patients have higher circulating protein levels of dipeptidyl peptidase IV.

Dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) is a protease with broad distribution involved in various homeostatic processes such as immune defense, psychoneuroendocrine functions and nutrition. While DPPIV protein levels were investigated in patients with hyporectic disorders, less is known under conditions of obesity. Therefore, we investigated DPPIV across a broad range of body mass index (BMI).