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Introduction: Experience of bullying may be a significant risk factor for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Objectives: This study had three aims: to systematically investigate the association between bullying and NSSI, to analyze the possible mechanisms underlying the two phenomena, and to evaluate any differences between bullying victimization and bullying perpetration with respect to NSSI. Methods: A systematic search about the association between bullying victimization and perpetration and NSSI was conducted using specific databases (PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct). The following keywords were used in all database searches: "bullying" AND "NSSI" OR "peer victimization" and NSSI. Results: The searches in PubMed, Scopus and Science Direct revealed a total of 88 articles about bullying or peer victimization and NSSI. However, only 29 met our inclusion criteria and were used for the present review. Overall, all studies examined victimization; 4 studies also evaluated the effects of perpetration and 1 included bully-victims. According to the main findings, both being a victim of bullying and perpetrating bullying may increase the risk of adverse psychological outcomes in terms of NSSI and suicidality in the short and the long run. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review to systematically evaluate the relation between bullying victimization/perpetration and NSSI. The main results support a positive association. Future research should evaluate the possible role of specific mediators/moderators of the association between experience of bullying and NSSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Stressful life events (SLE) may influence the illness course and outcome. Objectives: The present study aimed to characterize sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of euthymic major depressive disorder (MDD) outpatients with SLE relative to those without. Methods: This sample included 628 (mean age=55.1 ± 16.1) currently euthymic MDD outpatients, among them 250 (39.8%) reported SLE and 378 (60.2%) did not. Results: After univariate analyses, outpatients with SLE were most frequently widowed and lived predominantly with friends/others. Furthermore, compared to outpatients without SLE, those with SLE were more likely to have a family history of suicidal behavior, manifested melancholic characteristics and higher Coping Orientation to the Problems Experienced (COPE) positive reinterpretation/growth and less likely to manifest a comorbid panic disorder, residual interepisodic symptoms, have used psychiatric medications, and use current antidepressant medications. After regression analyses, having a family history of suicide (OR=9.697; p=≤.05), history of psychotropic medications use (OR=2.888; p=≤.05), and reduced use of antidepressants (OR=.321; p=.001) were significantly associated with SLE. Mediation analyses demonstrated that the association between current use of antidepressants and SLE was mediated by previous psychiatric medications. Conclusions: Having a family history of suicide, history of psychotropic medications use, and reduced use of antidepressants may confer a specific "at risk" profile related to the enhanced vulnerability to experience SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Differential characteristics related to first illness episode in bipolar disorder (BD) have been identified based on the current literature; however, evidence are currently inconsistent across studies. Objectives: Thus, this study aimed to identify whether first depressive episode (FDE) was associated with specific clinical correlates in a large sample of BD outpatients. Methods: The sample included 364 euthymic bipolar outpatients (mean age= 53.9±16.05) of which 229 (62.9%) with FDE and 135 (37.1%) with first non-depressive episode (FNDE). A detailed data collection was performed and illness histories were retraced through clinical files and lifetime computerized medical records. Results: Compared to patients with FNDE, those with FDE significantly differ regarding age (p ≤.001), educational level (p ≤.05), working status (p ≤.01), and body mass index (p ≤.05). They were also more likely to have a older age at illness onset (p ≤.005) and first treatment (p≤.001), recent melancholic characteristics (p≤.05) and more lifetime suicide attempts (p ≤.05), use of non psychiatric medications in the past (p ≤.05), and have experienced a recent manic episode (p ≤.05). After logistic regression analysis adjusting for age, educational level, and working status, FDE was associated with recent melancholic features (OR≤.065, p≤.01), and lifetime suicide attempts (OR≤8.334, p≤.05). Conclusions: The identification of early targets for treatment may be very useful in the stratification of different BD phenotypes in the clinical practice. The presence of FDE seems to identify a specific subgroup of BD outpatients exhibiting differential clinical characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The industrial prototype of a superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES), sized to deliver l MW for 1 s, was designed and constructed as the result of a research project, partly funded by the Italian Ministry of Education, University and Research. After successfully undergoing factory tests, the SMES was installed at the Elettra Synchrotron Light facility in Trieste-I and is there under commissioning and testing as protecting device from temporary voltage dips and interruptions, the most frequent grid malfunctions causing faults of the beam magnetic confinement system. The innovative part of the prototype, which also includes several sophisticated power electronics items, is a 2.6 MJ stored energy magnet, wound with a new low-losses Nb Ti cable, cooled by liquid helium at 4.2 K and adopting an electric insulation design solution to withstand 8 kV and obtain very close contact between coolant and coil. New design hybrid current leads, made of a resistive copper stage and a high temperature superconducting one, cooperate together with a set of three cryocoolers and a multi-shield cryostat to keep the helium loss amount negligible. Electrical insulation of the most critical components and the quench detection system is extremely accurate, because the voltage at coil-ends rises up to 2.500 V. The experimental results obtained at Elettra during the beginning of the SMES commissioning phase are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the design and properties of high temperature superconductor current leads use for superconducting magnetic energy storage. Cooling by cryocooler; Electrical insulation between current leads and cryocooler; Thermal contact; Thermal transport properties; Mechanical structure.

A time-evolution model of seafloor scatter is numerically implemented and experimentally evaluated. The model is based on analytically expressing the elementary time-backscattered response of every seafloor surface and every seafloor volume infinitesimal element. The implementation of the model is based on a statistical realization of the seabed interface and volume inhomogeneities, from which the time series are computed by coherent summation of the scatter from small elements over the insonified area and volume. The analytical expressions and the implementation are evaluated for the image solution case, for which an almost perfect agreement is found. Examples are shown of how the beam width and seabed roughness affect the time-series return from both the surface and from the volume. The results of the model are compared with data from two different bottom types recorded with a parametric sonar. Reasonable accordance is found between the model and the data. © 1999 Acoustical Society of America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Suicidal behavior, which is frequently linked to mood disorders, is amajor public health concern associatedwith significant disability and psychosocial impairment worldwide. Inflammatory mediators seem to play a fundamental role in the pathophysiology of bothmood disorders and suicidal behavior. In particular, a specific correlation between abnormally elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines and depression severity has been identified. Objectives: The present systematic review aimed to explore the nature of the association between increased inflammatory cytokines and suicidal behavior. Methods: This is a systematic review of the current literature about the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines in suicidal behavior. Only articles from peer-reviewed journals were selected for inclusion in the present review. Results: The cytokine profile of patients at risk for suicidal behavior significantly differed from that of patients who are not at suicide risk. Importantly, there may be an important imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines in individuals who die by suicide. Most studies reported the link between suicidal behavior and specific pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL2, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-a. Differences regarding the inflammatory cytokine profile emerged between subjects with active suicidal ideation and/or history of prior suicide attempts when compared to those without suicidal ideation/attempts. However, the existence of a causal association between suicidal behavior and neuronflammation needs to be further explored. Conclusions: Based on most of the studies included in the present review, neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the pathophysiology of suicidal behavior. Additional studies should elucidate the molecular mechanisms of the immune activation pathways underlying suicidality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]