Efficacy of an eHealth self-management program in reducing irritable bowel syndrome symptom severity: a randomized controlled trial.

This study aimed to verify whether an eHealth-based self-management program can reduce irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) symptom severity. An open-label simple randomized controlled trial was conducted that compared an intervention group (n = 21) participating in an eHealth self-management program, which involved studying IBS-related information from an established self-help guide followed by in-built quizzes, with a treatment-as-usual group (n = 19) that, except for pharmacotherapy, had no treatment restrictions. Participants were female Japanese university students.

Development and Validation of a Japanese-Language Questionnaire to Screen for Tension-Type Headaches and Migraines.

Introduction Migraine and tension-type headache (TTH) are chronic diseases associated with significant socioeconomic losses and social and psychological impact (current global prevalence: 10% and 38%, respectively). Thus, they require accurate identification and classification. In clinical practice, validated screening tools able to quickly determine migraine and TTH with high sensitivity and specificity help provide an objective and multifaceted understanding of patients' headache symptoms.

Prevalence of Irritable Bowel Syndrome in Japan, China, and South Korea: An International Cross-sectional Study.

Background/aims: Symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a common gut-brain interaction disorder, deteriorate patients' quality of life and increase medical needs; therefore, IBS represents a significant global burden. The estimated global prevalence is approximately 10%; however, accumulated evidence shows international heterogeneity. In this study, we have described and compared the prevalence of IBS in 3 East Asian countries: Japan (Tokyo and Fukuoka), China (Beijing), and South Korea (Seoul).

Effects of work-family life support program on the work-family interface and mental health among Japanese dual-earner couples with a preschool child: A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: This study examined the effectiveness of a newly developed work-family life support program on the work-family interface and mental health indicators among Japanese dual-earner couples with a preschool child(/ren) using a randomized controlled trial with a waitlist.

Methods: Participants who met the inclusion criteria were randomly allocated to the intervention or the control groups (n = 79 and n = 85, respectively). The program comprised two 3-h sessions with a 1-month interval between them and provided comprehensive skills by including self-management, couple management, and parenting management components.

Preventive Effects of Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in First-Year University Students at Risk for Depression: A Non-Randomized Controlled Trial.

High scores on Harm Avoidance (HA) on Cloniger's Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) have been identified as a risk factor for depression. Group cognitive-behavioral therapy (GCBT) has been found effective in preventing depression and improving depressive symptoms among university students. However, no randomized controlled trials of GCBT have been conducted with university students with high HA.

Association of primary focal hyperhidrosis with anxiety induced by sweating: A cross-sectional study of Japanese university students focusing on the severity of hyperhidrosis and site of sweating.

Hyperhidrosis significantly reduces patients' quality of life, with many reporting feeling highly anxious. However, the relationship between hyperhidrosis and anxiety induced by sweating has not been examined in detail. The current study examined the relationship between: (1) the presence of hyperhidrosis symptoms, (2) hyperhidrosis severity, and (3) the sites of the most sweating and anxiety induced by sweating.

A Method of Generating a Classifier that Determines the Presence or Absence of IBS Symptoms by Supervised Learning from the Frequency Analysis of Electroencephalogram Data.

Background: Young adults with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) occasionally exhibit specific abdominal symptoms, including abdominal pain associated with brain activity patterns. Decoded neural feedback (DecNef) is a biofeedback exercise that allows symptomatic people to exercise self-control over their brain activity patterns relative to those without symptoms. Thus, DecNef can be used to self-control abdominal pain in patients with IBS.

Effect of internet-based attention bias modification on the anxiety of Japanese workers: A randomized controlled trial.

Objectives: This study comprised a randomized controlled trial to examine the effect of internet-based attention bias modification (iABM) on reducing workers' anxiety.

Methods: In total, 300 eligible participants were randomized according to sex and age; 180 were assigned to the intervention group and 120 to the control group. The word stimuli used in the iABM included eight positive words and eight neutral words.

Correction: The effects of locomotor activity on gastrointestinal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome among younger people: An observational study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.

A Cross-sectional Study of Attention Bias for Facial Expression Stimulation in Patients with Stroke at the Convalescence Stage.

Background: Post-stroke depression increases the likelihood of adverse physical symptoms. Attentional bias (AB) for negative stimuli is important in depression onset, maintenance, and remission. Stroke is more likely in older adults, who can have reduced cognitive function.

Relationship Between Attention Bias and Psychological Index in Individuals With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Preliminary Event-Related Potential Study.

: Attention bias towards pain-related information exists in patients with chronic pain, and recently, attention bias modification (ABM) training has been administered to patients with chronic pain. In this study, we conducted an attention bias modification task in conjunction with event-related potential measurements for individuals with chronic low back pain (LBP) and investigated the relationship between attention bias and psychological assessment. : Eleven women and two men with chronic LBP participated in the study.

Intra-abdominal fat accumulation is an important predictor of metabolic syndrome in young adults.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS), mainly caused by intra-abdominal fat (IAF) accumulation, is an important risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of MetS increases rapidly after the age of 40 years, and it is presumed that there is a substantial proportion of MetS in younger age groups. However, the association of IAF with MetS in adults aged 20 to 30 years has not been fully investigated.

The effects of locomotor activity on gastrointestinal symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome among younger people: An observational study.

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common bowel disorder that manifests as unexplained abdominal pain or discomfort and bowel habit changes in the form of diarrhea, constipation, or alternating patterns of the two. Some evidences demonstrate that increased physical activity improves IBS symptoms. Hence, daily exercise is recommended in these patients.

Gambling symptoms, behaviors, and cognitive distortions in Japanese university students.

Background: This study was conducted to investigate the relationship between symptoms of gambling problems, gambling behaviours, and cognitive distortions among a university student population in Japan ages 20 to 29 years. We aimed to address the gap in knowledge of gambling disorders and treatment for this population.

Methods: Data were obtained from 1471 Japanese undergraduate students from 19 universities in Japan.

Factors associated with preschool workers' willingness to continue working.

In industrialized countries, the turnover rate of preschool workers is extremely high and now represents a social problem. Consequently, it has become important to promote stable early care and educational environments for this population. Several factors related to working environments are known to affect turnover intention; however, the specific factors related to turnover intention among preschool workers have not yet been identified.

Anxiety, fatigue, and attentional bias toward threat in patients with hematopoietic tumors.

Cancer patients with hematopoietic tumors exhibit particularly high rates of anxiety disorders and depression, and often develop negative affect. In addition, psychological problems experienced by cancer patients impair their quality of life. When cancer patients feel anxious, they tend to direct their attention toward stimuli associated with threat in the surrounding environment.

Item response theory-based validation of a short form of the Eating Behavior Scale for Japanese adults.

Obesity has become a serious social problem in industrialized countries in recent years. Clinically, although the evaluation of dietary behavior abnormalities is as important as any method of risk assessment for obesity, almost all the existing scales with many items may have numerous practical clinical difficulties. In this study, we aimed to prepare a short questionnaire to assess the dietary behavior abnormalities related to obesity.

Psychological effects of Helicobacter pylori-associated atrophic gastritis in patients under 50 years: A cross-sectional study.

Background: While gastrointestinal function is known to be closely related to psychological status, the influence of Helicobacter pylori-associated atrophic gastritis is currently unknown. We aimed to determine whether atrophic gastritis status or H. pylori infection is associated with psychological distress or depressed mood.

Impact of Helicobacter pylori Immunoglobulin G Levels and Atrophic Gastritis Status on Risk of Metabolic Syndrome.

Background: Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is implicated in gastric and extra-gastric diseases. While gastritis-related chronic inflammation represents a known trigger of metabolic disturbances, whether metabolic syndrome (MetS) is affected by gastritis status remains unclear. We aimed to clarify the effect of HP-related gastritis on the risk of MetS.

Intra-abdominal fat accumulation is a hypertension risk factor in young adulthood: A cross-sectional study.

Accumulation of intra-abdominal fat is related to hypertension. Despite this, a relationship between hypertension and intra-abdominal fat in young adulthood is not clear. In this study, we verify whether intra-abdominal fat accumulation increases a hypertension risk in young adult subjects.

Validation of the Japanese Version of the Body Vigilance Scale.

The Body Vigilance Scale is a self-report measure of attention to bodily sensations. The measure was translated into Japanese and its reliability, validity, and factor structure were verified. Participants comprised 286 university students (age: 19 ± 1 years).

Salt intake and mental distress among rural community-dwelling Japanese men.

Background: Activated mineralocorticoid receptors influence the association between daily salt intake and blood pressure. A relatively low mineralocorticoid receptor function is reported to be a risk for mental distress such as depression. Since mental distress is also a known risk for hypertension and cardiovascular disease, understanding of the association between estimated daily salt intake and mental distress contributing to hypertension is important for risk estimation for cardiovascular disease.