Attitudes of Health Care Professionals towards Female Obese Patients

ObjectiveThe health care setting has been reported to be one main source of weight stigma repeatedly; however, studies comparing different professions have been lacking.Methods682 health care professionals (HCP) of a large German university hospital were asked to fill out a questionnaire on stigmatizing attitudes, perceived causes of obesity, and work-related impact of obesity. Stigmatizing attitudes were assessed on the Fat Phobia Scale (FPS) based on a vignette describing a female obese patient.ResultsOnly 25% graded current health care of obese patients to be ‘good’ or ‘very good’. 63% of all HCPs ‘somewhat’ or ‘strongly’ agreed that it was often difficult to get the resources needed in order to care for obese patients. The mean FPS score was comparable to that in the general public (M = 3.59), while nursing staff showed slightly more positive attitudes compared to physicians and therapists. Higher age, higher BMI, and ascribing personal responsibility for obesity to the individual were associated with a higher level of stigmatizing attitudes. The nursing staff agreed on obesity as an illness to a greater extent while physicians attributed obesity to the individual.ConclusionsIn summary, by making complex models on the causes of obesity known among health care professionals, stigmatizing attitudes might be reduced. Ongoing further education for health care professionals ought to be part of anti-stigma campaigns in the medical field.Key Words: Health care professionals, Obesity, Care, Stigma     

Tantalum(v) 1,3-propanediolate β-diketonate solution as a precursor to sol–gel derived,metal oxide thin films

Tantalum oxide is ubiquitous in everyday life, from capacitors in electronics to ion conductors for electrochromic windows and electrochemical storage devices. Investigations into sol–gel deposition of tantalum oxide, and its sister niobium oxide, has accelerated since the 1980s and continues to this day. The aim of this study is to synthesize a near UV sensitive, air stable, and low toxicity tantalum sol–gel precursor solution for metal oxide thin films – these attributes promise to reduce manufacturing costs and allow for facile mass production. By utilizing 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance, this study shows that by removing ethanol from the precursor solution at a relatively low temperature and pressure, decomposition of the photosensitive complex can be minimized while obtaining a precursor solution with sufficient stability for storage and processing in the atmosphere. The solution described herein is further modified for inkjet printing, where multiple material characterization techniques demonstrate that the solution can be utilized in low temperature, photochemical solution deposition of tantalum oxide, which is likely amorphous. Tested substrates include amorphous silica, crystalline silicon wafer, and gold/titanium/PET foil. The hope is that these results may spark future investigations into electronic, optical, and biomedical device fabrication with tantalum oxide, and potentially niobium oxide, based films using the proposed synthesis method.

Synthesis of tantalum(v) 1,3-propanediolate β-diketonate solution and use in photochemical solution deposition to form tantalum oxide films.     

Attitudes Towards Bariatric Surgery in the General Public

Background

Prevalence rates of obesity are still rising. Weight loss surgery (WLS) is the most invasive but also most effective treatment option when behavioral modification has failed. Research indicates that health care professionals hold ambivalent views on bariatric surgery, while views of the general public have not yet been investigated.

Methods

In a German representative sample of n?=?3,003 respondents in a computer-assisted telephone interview, n?=?1,008 persons were interviewed on their views of the effectiveness of bariatric surgery and other interventions for obesity. Also, willingness to recommend a treatment was assessed.

Results

Lifestyle-based interventions were viewed as most effective in terms of weight loss. About 50 % of the population stated that WLS is “very effective” while still a quarter of respondents did not ascribe effectiveness to WLS. Higher age was associated with lower expectations of effectiveness while higher stigmatizing attitudes and genetic attributes for obesity were associated with higher expectations of effectiveness. Seventy-two percent would not recommend WLS or undergo it, if applicable, themselves. Higher educated respondents and those that viewed WLS as effective were more likely to recommend WLS.

Conclusions

The German general public seems to be rather cautious regarding bariatric surgery. It may be assumed that false beliefs on the effectiveness and risk patterns of bariatric surgery are still very common, despite rising surgery numbers. Our results further emphasize the need for providing evidence-based information on bariatric surgery to the general public.     

Effort–Reward Imbalance and Mental Health Problems in 1074 German Teachers,Compared with Those in the General Population

High degrees of premature retirement among teachers warrant investigating the occupational burden and the mental health status of this profession. A sample of 1074 German teachers participated in this study. Two samples of the general population (N = 824 and N = 792) were used as comparison groups. Work distress was assessed with the Effort–Reward‐Imbalance questionnaire, and mental health problems were measured with the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ‐12). Teachers reported more effort–reward imbalance (M = 0.64) compared with the general population (M = 0.57), and they perceived more mental health problems (GHQ: M = 12.1) than the comparison group (M = 9.5). School type was not associated with work stress and mental health. Teachers with leading functions perceived high degrees of effort and reward, resulting in a moderate effort–reward ratio and no heightened mental health problems. Teachers working full time reported more effort than teachers working part time, but the reward mean values of both groups were similar. This results in a somewhat unfavourable effort–reward ratio of teachers working full time. Moreover, teachers working full time reported more mental health problems. The results support the appropriateness of the effort–reward conception, applied to the profession of teachers. The higher degree of effort–reward imbalance and the level of mental health problems warrant preventive measures. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of delayed CSF storage on concentrations of phospho-tau protein (181), total tau protein and beta-amyloid (1-42)

It is generally accepted that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers such as tau protein, phosphorylated tau protein (threonine 181) and beta-amyloid (1-42) can facilitate early and differential diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Since the respective concentrations can only be measured in a number of specialized centers, time to CSF specimen work-up has been considered as crucial for the stability of the respective biomarkers. When shipping of CSF samples is needed for biomarker measurement and immediate freezing of samples is not available, an overnight delay of up to 24h frequently occurs. Therefore, we investigated the potential impact of a 24h delayed freezing on CSF biomarker concentrations and compared it to 2h storage (room temperature, 20 degrees C) and an immediate freezing. First, storage at room temperature for 2h had only marginal, non-significant effects on the concentrations of CSF total tau protein and phospho-tau protein (181) compared to immediate freezing. Second, storage at room temperature for 24h did not significantly affect total tau protein or phospho-tau protein but beta-amyloid (1-42) concentrations which increased significantly compared to the samples frozen immediately. These results indicate that CSF samples for the evaluation of total tau and phospho-tau protein may be kept at room temperature for up to 24h whereas CSF samples for beta-amyloid (1-42) need to be frozen immediately.     

Expression of transforming growth factor-beta receptor type 1 and type 2 in human sporadic vestibular Schwannoma

Expression of the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) protein family in the peripheral nervous system is well established, but the role of their cognate receptors TGF-beta receptor type 1 (R1) and type 2 (R2) has been less well studied. TGF-beta plays an essential role in Schwann cell proliferation and differentiation, and is involved in neurotrophic effects of several neurotrophic substances. TGF-beta is also expressed in benign peripheral nervous system tumors such as vestibular schwannomas. In the present study, we aimed to detect TGF-beta R1 and R2 in a total of 40 sporadic vestibular schwannomas using immunohistochemistry, and correlated the findings to essential clinicopathologic data. TGF-beta, TGF-beta R1, and TGF-beta R2 mRNA was further analyzed by RT-PCR in six vestibular schwannomas. TGF-beta R1 immunoexpression was found in about 95% of the tumors. TGF-beta R1 was equally present in Antoni A and Antoni B areas of the tumors. TGF-beta R2 was found immunohistochemically in 77%. In addition, all tumors showed strong expression of TGF-beta. No correlation between TGF-beta R1 or R2 expression and clinicopathologic parameters such as age, sex, clinical symptoms, growth pattern, and proliferation acitivity as measured by Ki-67 (MIB-1) staining was found. Moreover, all schwannomas studied contained TGF-beta, TGF-beta R1, and TGF-beta R2 mRNA. Therefore, the TGF-beta/TGF-beta R1 and -R2 system is present in human schwannomas, but its biologic role for tumor development and growth remains unclear.