A Pre-Adolescent and Adolescent Clinical Sample Study about Suicidal Ideation, Suicide Attempt, and Self-Harming

Suicide is the second cause of death among adolescents, and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is one of the main risk factors for suicidal behavior. However, the possible variables specifically associated with suicidal ideation and suicide attempt, as well as the psychopathological characteristics linked to the concomitant presence of suicidal ideation/attempt and NSSI are still under-investigated in youth. The current study aimed to address these issues in a sample of 174 young Italian inpatients (Mage = 14.3 years ± 1.93, 78.2% girls). Sociodemographic and clinical variables were assessed through psycho-diagnostic interviews and ad hoc questionnaires. A binomial logistic regression was performed to identify the predictors of suicidal ideation and suicide attempt. Then, Kruskal–Wallis tests were run to analyze the psychopathological differences between patients with suicidal ideation and suicide attempt considering the coexistence of NSSI. The results highlighted that previous access to child mental health services and general psychopathological problems significantly predicted suicidal ideation, while previous hospitalizations, borderline personality functioning, and affective disorders significantly predicted suicide attempt. In general, inpatients with also NSSI reported higher levels of internalizing, somatic and total problems, impulsiveness, alexithymia, and emotional dysregulation. The clinical implications of our findings in terms of primary and secondary preventive programs are discussed

Relationship between occupational exposure to cadmium, transaminases and γ-GT in workers exposed to urban stressors.

The exposure to Cd has been linked to many disease and liver is the major target organ of Cd toxicity following acute or chronic exposure.No study has ever evaluated the association between liver function tests and exposure to Cd present in urban air in outdoor workers. In order to assess the relationship between the exposure to urban Cd and the associated changes in liver functionality markers, we conducted a study on 110 municipal policemen divided into 2 groups according to their tasks: 60 traffic policemen and 50 drivers, underwent tests for the determination of the urinary values of Cd correlated with the blood levels of transaminases and ?-GT. Moreover we investigated the exposure to Cd in the air through a personal dosimetry on a subgroup of 40 subjects (20 traffic policemen 20 police drivers). The results showed that the average personal exposure to air Cd was significantly higher in traffic policemen than drivers. Furthermore, in the subset of 40 subjects and in the total sample of 110 subjects, the mean values of urinary Cd were significantly higher in traffic policemen rather than in the police drivers. No significant difference was observed in the mean values of liver functionality in both groups. Due to the few studies on the effects of the exposure to Cd in big cities, the results of the present study offers useful information about occupational exposure to Cd on the road and in the car and the lack of effects on liver function