The brief group CBT intervention showed some superiority to the PE programme, which could be of considerable clinical and economical importance.

Although Quality of Life (QoL) is of growing interest in schizophrenia research, little is known about putative causal determinants of this multidimensional construct. The present study explored the utility of objective indicators, psychopathological symptoms and psychosocial concepts drawn from empirical findings in community samples and the vulnerability-stress-coping model of schizophrenia for predicting general subjective QoL in post acute patients with schizophrenia. The analyses were based on cross-sectional data from 66 post acute patients with schizophrenia. The relationships between QoL and possible determinants were investigated using correlational analysis, regression analysis and structural equation techniques. As a result no significant relationships between objective indicators and general QoL were found. The strongest significant determinants were depressive symptoms and the psychosocial concepts of negative coping, perceived social support and self-efficacy. The empirical causal modelling results indicated that depression led to a direct negative impact upon QoL, whereas the other determinants had direct negative or positive effects on depression and affected QoL indirectly. One could conclude that to enhance patients' QoL, improvements in depressive symptoms, negative coping style, social support and self-efficacy seem to be most effective.

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease of importance to public health and in livestock productions. It causes significant economic losses in pig breeding farms worldwide. However, actual transmission cycles and disease epidemiology in the pig population remain largely unknown. Despite the fact that the potential risk of venereal transmission of pathogenic Leptospira serovars in pigs has been a topic of discussion since the 1970s, reliable data are still lacking compared to other livestock species. Consequently, antibiotics are added to semen extenders to reduce bacterial contamination including pathogens like Leptospira. In view of the global threat of antimicrobial resistances, the routine use of antibiotics in porcine semen extenders is now under debate. Information about the prevalence of Leptospira infections in boar used for artificial insemination is needed for the development of novel antimicrobial concepts in pig insemination.This short report provides a summary of the state of knowledge, together with negative results from real-time PCR analyses for the detection of pathogenic Leptospira DNA in boar semen. Molecular analyses were performed on 96 raw and extended samples obtained from normospermic ejaculates of 58 boar housed in six different studs in Germany. In the absence of reliable data, it is important to raise the awareness for a subject that can represent a challenge for pig productions in keeping reproductive health and food safety at high levels. The present molecular results indicate that Leptospira might not be a common threat in boar semen. Conclusive evidence would require results from a systematic serological surveillance of boar, combined with seasonal molecular analyses of semen to identify potential carriers, and assess actual seroprevalences, associated Leptospira serovars and transmission events.

Background: Khat (Catha edulis) is a traditionally used substance in African and Arab countries that contains the amphetamine-like alkaloid cathinone. Khat use among Ethiopian students is a growing concern. This study aims to describe khat use, psychological problems, and motivation to change and to determine associated factors of khat use among students from Jimma University seeking psychological assistance.Methods: In a cross-sectional study, a sample of 717 students from Jimma University, southwestern Ethiopia, who seek assistance to reduce khat use were recruited. The study used Amharic and Afaan Oromoo language versions of common psychological instruments and employed them as part of a comprehensive tablet computer-delivered self-report assessment battery, comprising the SRQ-20, the PCL-5, the LEC-5, the AUDIT, and the SOCRATES-khat. In addition, socio-demographic, economic variables, and functioning problems due to severe mental disorders were assessed. The analysis relied on the data of the 575 included participants and used clinical cut-off values to describe this treatment-seeking sample and hierarchical regression models to determine variables associated with khat use.Results: The sample showed high khat use in the past month (M = 31.55 bundles, SD = 28.53, on M = 15.11 days, SD = 8.54); 17.0% showed highly problematic use. The sample was extremely burdened with comorbid psychiatric problems: 21.6% reported functioning problems due to past mental disorders, 60.2% scored above the cut-off for current common mental disorders, 37.9% screened positive for PTSD, and 47.1% reported hazardous alcohol use. Small to medium intercorrelations between variables were detected, and in hierarchical regression models, higher motivation to change khat use was associated with higher use of the substance.Conclusions: This study clearly shows the need to develop research instruments, screening methods, and assistance services for khat-using students at Jimma University. Study participants' high mental health burden shows the need for targeted intervention programs that go beyond brief interventions for khat use. Furthermore, the study highlights challenges for implementing such services: the barriers to utilization for females and khat users without comorbid mental health problems.

Zusammenfassung: Theoretischer Hintergrund: Das Verständnis der Antipsychotika-Adhärenz ist lückenhaft, obwohl sie ein Grundpfeiler der Schizophrenie-Behandlung darstellt. Die spezifische Erfassung der Wahrnehmung von Risiken bei Einnahme sowie Absetzen von Antipsychotika könnte zur Erklärung der Adhärenz beitragen. Fragestellung: Explorative Studie zur Entwicklung und ersten Evaluierung des Fragebogens zur Risikowahrnehmung von Antipsychotika (FRA). Methode: Basierend auf theoretischen Überlegungen wurde ein Itempool für die Risikowahrnehmung des Absetzens und Einnehmens von Antipsychotika generiert. Eingeschlossen wurden ambulante und stationäre F2-Patient_innen. Stichprobe 1 ( N = 120) diente zur Itemselektion und explorativen Faktorenanalyse (faktorielle Validität). Anhand Online-Stichprobe 2 ( N = 39) wurde die diskriminante und konvergente Validität analysiert. Ergebnisse: Die explorative Faktorenanalyse ergab die theoretisch erwartete zweifaktorielle Struktur. Die Korrelationen des FRA zu Adhärenzmaßen und spezifischen Medikamentenfragebögen unterstützten die konvergente und diskriminante Validität. Schlussfolgerungen: Der FRA als Erhebungsinstrument der Wahrnehmung von Antipsychotika-Risiken könnte das Verständnis von Antipsychotika-Adhärenz und von Behandlungsansätzen verbessern. Prospektive konfirmatorische Studien müssen durchgeführt werden.