Characteristics of the treatments for each severity of major depressive disorder: A real-world multi-site study.

Purpose: In the treatment guidelines for major depressive disorder (MDD), the recommended treatment differs based on the severity. However, the type of treatment provided based on the severity of MDD in real-world clinical practice has not been investigated. In this study, we clarified the actual situation of MDD treatment in clinical practice and compared the treatment based on the severity of MDD.

Trajectories for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms Among Local Disaster Recovery Workers Following the Great East Japan Earthquake: Group-based Trajectory Modeling.

Background: As many local municipality and medical workers were involved in disaster recovery duties following the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) on March 11, 2011, the aim of this work was to elucidate the distinct trajectories for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and associated factors among these personnel. They confronted a diverse range of stressors both as survivors and as relief workers; however, little is known about their longitudinal PTSD symptoms.

Methods: The participants were 745 local municipality and hospital medical workers [average age: 43.

Construction of a Triangle-Shaped Trimer and a Tetrahedron Using an α-Helix-Inserted Circular Permutant of Cytochrome c.

Highly-ordered protein structures have gained interest for future uses for biomaterials. Herein, we constructed a building block protein (BBP) by the circular permutation of the hyperthermostable Aquifex aeolicus cytochrome (cyt) c , and assembled BBP into a triangle-shaped trimer and a tetrahedron. The angle of the intermolecular interactions of BBP was controlled by cleaving the domain-swapping hinge loop of cyt c and connecting the original N- and C-terminal α-helices with an α-helical linker.

Increase in the number of admissions to psychiatric hospitals immediately after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Introduction: Major natural disasters have a significant impact on the mental health of survivors in affected communities. Although it has been speculated that the number of survivors requiring admission to psychiatric hospital increases immediately after a major disaster, few studies have examined the issue.

Methods: On March 11, 2011, the Great East Japan Earthquake and subsequent tsunami devastated the relatively isolated city of Kesennuma.

Criticism by community people and poor workplace communication as risk factors for the mental health of local welfare workers after the Great East Japan Earthquake: A cross-sectional study.

After a large-scale natural disaster, demand for social welfare services increases, and the mental health of local social welfare workers becomes a matter of great concern because of their dual role as support providers and disaster survivors. We examined whether work-related social stressors, including criticism by community people and poor workplace communication, were associated with increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, or psychological distress 20-22 months after the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE; March 11, 2011) in local social welfare workers. Demographic characteristics, disaster-related risk factors (near-death experience, dead/missing family members, loss of housing), and work-related social risk factors (criticism, lack of communication) were obtained 20-22 months after the GEJE from 822 local workers.

Psychological trauma after the Great East Japan Earthquake.

The Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) struck the northeastern part of Japan on 11 March 2011 and triggered a devastating tsunami, causing widespread destruction along the coast of northeastern Japan. The tsunami also led to an accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. Incidents occurring in such major disasters are known to lead to psychological trauma.

Post-traumatic stress disorder and depression prevalence and associated risk factors among local disaster relief and reconstruction workers fourteen months after the Great East Japan Earthquake: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Many local workers have been involved in rescue and reconstruction duties since the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) on March 11, 2011. These workers continuously confront diverse stressors as both survivors and relief and reconstruction workers. However, little is known about the psychological sequelae among these workers.

[Activity to prevent mental diseases after the Great East Japan Earthquake].

Following the Great East Japan Earthquake, we have been supporting psychiatric hospitals and mental health and welfare centers in Miyagi Prefecture. In October 2011, with a grant from Miyagi Prefecture, the Department of Preventive Psychiatry was established in Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine. The institute aims to promote the prevention of and early intervention for mental diseases.

[Challenges faced by psychiatric services in Miyagi Prefecture after the Great East Japan Earthquake].

Following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami, the number of patients with onset, relapse, and exacerbation of mental disorders was expected to increase in Miyagi Prefecture, one of the worst affected areas. The functioning of almost all psychiatric hospitals sharply declined or even ceased. This situation worsened with traffic congestion and crippled public transportation, hindering many patients with psychiatric disorders from accessing mental health services.