Enhancing Community Suicide Risk Assessment and Protective Intervention Action Plans Through a Bystander Intervention Model-Informed Video

Aim: The effects of a bystander intervention model (BIM)-informed intervention (video) for the general community on participant risk of suicide assessment ability (ROSAA) and protective intervention ability (PIA) were compared with an active control (non-BIM-informed video). Method: Video interventions with 628 participants ( Mage = 47.99, SDage = 17.34, range = 18–85 years) were conducted online. ROSAA and PIA were assessed immediately preintervention, postintervention, and at 2 months follow-up ( n = 126). Results: Linear mixed model analyses indicated that the experimental and control conditions improved on both outcome variables postintervention/Time 2 (T2); however, the former yielded better outcomes than the latter (moderate ESs in both variables). Follow-up/Time 3 (T3) experimental ROSAA scores were higher than Time 1 (T1) and lower than T2 scores. Follow-up experimental PIA scores were higher than T1 and lower than T2 scores. Follow-up control ROSAA scores were higher than those of T1 and similar to T2. Follow-up control PIA scores were similar to T1 and T2 scores. Limitations: Limitations of the study include: sample homogeneity, small n at follow-up, self-report data only (no observable behavior was tested), fair inter-rater reliability, and a brief follow-up time frame. Conclusion: Current community information increased ROSAA and PIA. A BIM-informed intervention significantly enhanced these effects, which seemed to wane somewhat over time with the effect being lower at follow-up compared with postintervention. The BIM should be explored further as a basis for community suicide prevention interventions.

Glycemic management via fasting-induced decrease in blood glucose concentration: A protective intervention against COVID-19?

According to the literature, uncontrolled glycemia can be a strong predictor of severe morbidity and mortality in different types of viral infections. Hyperglycemia can make the condition worse in diabetic and nondiabetic patients infected with sever acute respiratory syndrome 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Therefore, maintaining blood glucose levels low (within the safe range of 70-100 mg/ mg/dl) seems to be beneficial in our battle against Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2.

Exercise Training Attenuates Obesity-Induced Skeletal Muscle Remodeling and Mitochondria-Mediated Apoptosis in the Skeletal Muscle

Obesity is characterized by the induction of skeletal muscle remodeling and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis. Exercise has been reported as a positive regulator of skeletal muscle remodeling and apoptosis. However, the effects of exercise on skeletal muscle remodeling and mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in obese skeletal muscles have not been clearly elucidated. Four-week-old C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned into four groups: control (CON), control plus exercise (CON + EX), high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD plus exercise groups (HFD + EX). After obesity was induced by 20 weeks of 60% HFD feeding, treadmill exercise was performed for 12 weeks. Exercise ameliorated the obesity-induced increase in extramyocyte space and a decrease in the cross-sectional area of the skeletal muscle. In addition, it protected against increases in mitochondria-mediated apoptosis in obese skeletal muscles. These results suggest that exercise as a protective intervention plays an important role in regulating skeletal muscle structure and apoptosis in obese skeletal muscles.

In Conversation… Parental Mental Illness

In this podcast, Dr Alan Cooklin and Jessica Streeting discuss the impact of parental mental illness, how family psychiatry has developed, how everyone has a key role to play, and the power of explanation and understanding as a protective intervention.