Çamsarı, Ulaş Mehmet

Background Although clinically framed as a public health concern, the meanings of suicide are fundamentally shaped by cultural narratives and visual representations. Aims To examine the evolution of sculptural representations of suicide from antiquity to the present, and to interpret these works through psychiatric and sociological lenses relevant to contemporary clinical and public health discourse. Method A structured search across PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science (up to August 2025) was integrated with museum archives and art-historical catalogues. Selected sculptural works were analysed as interpretive case studies using iconographic, semiotic and contextual approaches. Interpretation focused on affective and relational processes such as psychological pain (psychache), shame, entrapment and social disconnection prioritising cultural formulation over retrospective diagnostic attribution in historical cases. Results Sculptural representations frame suicide through shifting moral and social logics: from honour-bound self-death in antiquity and virtue-coded narratives in the early-modern period to interiority and estrangement in modernity. Contemporary public installations shift this focus towards visibility, urban space and prevention. These works externalise private suffering and structural conditions (e.g. isolation, stigma), actively shaping collective imaginaries of self-destruction. Conclusions Sculpture provides a unique medium for the translation of individual suffering and the collective meanings of suicide into public form. An interdisciplinary reading of these works supports culturally informed clinical reflection and contributes to ethically attentive public communication and prevention strategies.

Abstract Objectives Acute mania is a serious medical condition that impacts men and women equally. Longtime presentation of manic symptoms is sex‐dependent; however, little is known about acute symptoms of mania. The objective of this study is to track and compare acute manic symptoms for sex differences during inpatient hospitalization. Methods All patients with bipolar mania admitted to a large university hospital between January and October 2017 were invited to participate in this longitudinal naturalistic follow‐up study. Manic (YMRS), depressive (MADRS), and psychotic (PAS) symptoms were tracked daily from admission to discharge. Results The total YMRS scores decreased significantly overtime ( p < .0001) in both male ( n = 34) and female ( n = 23) patients ( p = .7). However, male patients scored significantly higher in sexual interest ( p = .01), disruptive and aggressive behavior ( p = .01), and appearance ( p < .001) while females had better insight into their illness ( p = .01). Males and females received similar doses of lithium ( p = .1), but males received significantly higher doses of valproic acid (VPA) in comparison with females ( p = .003). However, plasma lithium and VPA concentrations at discharge were not significantly different between sexes. Conclusion Our results show sex differences in the progression of certain domains of manic symptoms in a cohort of 23 female and 34 male patients admitted to a large academic center in Turkey. Males, in this sample, exhibited more sexual interest, disruptive and aggressive behaviors, better grooming, and less insight compared to females. While these results are concordant with our preclinical findings and with anecdotal clinical observations, replication in larger samples is needed.

ABSTRACT Background: Cannabis is widely used among patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) in Colorado. Despite increasing use of cannabis among patients with T1D, the frequency and characteristics of unhealthy cannabis use are unknown. We investigated the differences in unhealthy cannabis use in recreational and medical cannabis users with T1D. Methods: Adult cannabis users with T1D completed an in-person questionnaire regarding their cannabis use patterns. They further divided into 2 categories; recreational and medical users. Cannabis Use Disorder Identification Test-Revised (CUDIT-R) was used to identify unhealthy cannabis use (CUDIT-R ≥ 8). Characteristics of cannabis users and unhealthy cannabis use between recreational and medical cannabis users were compared using unpaired t test. Results: Out of 117 patients, 85 patients reported recreational and 32 patients reported medical cannabis use. Based on CUDIT-R scores, 37.6% of adults with T1D had unhealthy cannabis use. Frequency of cannabis use ≥4 times a week was higher among medical users compared to recreational users (59.4% vs 28.2%, P < 0.01). There was no difference between the groups in duration of cannabis use. There was no difference in mean overall CUDIT-R score (7.14 vs 7.5, P = 0.76) between recreational and medical cannabis users. There were also no significant differences in mean CUDIT-R score between recreational and medical users within the nonhazardous use category (3.70 vs 4.4, P = 0.15) and unhealthy cannabis use category (12.84 vs 12.67, P = 0.92). Conclusions: Our study showed no difference in unhealthy cannabis use among recreational and medical cannabis users with T1D. Unhealthy cannabis use should be considered among users with T1D regardless of the reason for its use. Contexte: Le cannabis est largement utilisé chez les patients atteints de diabète de type 1 (DT1) au Colorado. Malgré l’augmentation de la consommation de cannabis chez les patients atteints de DT1, la fréquence et les caractéristiques d’une consommation de cannabis malsaine sont inconnues. Nous avons étudié les différences entre la consommation de cannabis malsaine chez les consommateurs de cannabis récréatifs et médicaux atteints de DT1. Méthodes: Les consommateurs de cannabis adultes atteints de DT1 ont rempli un questionnaire personnel sur leurs habitudes de consommation de cannabis. Ils ont été ensuite divisés en deux catégories; utilisateurs récréatifs et médicaux. Le Test d’identification des troubles liés à l’utilisation du cannabis révisé (CUDIT-R) a été utilisé pour identifier une utilisation malsaine du cannabis (CUDIT-R ≥8). Les caractéristiques des consommateurs de cannabis, ainsi que ceux d’une consommation de cannabis malsaine, entre les consommateurs de cannabis récréatifs et médicaux ont été comparées en utilisant un test t non apparié. Résultats: Sur 117 patients, 85 patients ont signalé des activités récréatives et 32 patients ont déclaré avoir utilisé du cannabis à des fins médicales. D’après les scores CUDIT-R, 37,6% des adultes atteints de DT1 avaient une consommation de cannabis malsaine. La fréquence de consommation de cannabis ≥ 4 fois par semaine était plus élevée chez les utilisateurs de médicaments que chez les utilisateurs récréatifs (59,4% contre 28,2%, p < 0,01). Il n’y avait pas de différence entre les groupes quant à la durée de consommation de cannabis. Il n’y avait pas de différence dans le score CUDIT-R global moyen (7,14 vs 7,5, p = 0,76) entre les utilisateurs de cannabis à des fins récréatives et médicales. Il n’existait pas non plus de différence significative entre le score CUDIT-R moyen entre les utilisateurs récréatifs et les utilisateurs à des fins médicales dans la catégorie d’usages non dangereux (3,70 contre 4,4, p = 0,15) et dans la catégorie d’abus de cannabis (12,84 contre 12,67, p = 0,92). Conclusions: Notre étude n’a montré aucune différence dans la consommation de cannabis malsaine chez les consommateurs de cannabis récréatifs et médicaux atteints de DT1. Une consommation de cannabis malsaine doit être envisagée chez les utilisateurs atteints de DT1, quelle que soit la raison de sa consommation.

Background. It is well known that diabetes mellitus may cause testicular damage. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and nerve growth factor beta (NGF-β) are important neurotrophic factors for male reproductive system.Objective. We aimed to investigate the correlation between testicular damage and testicular VEGF and NGF-βlevels in diabetic rats.Methods. Diabetes was induced by streptozotocin (STZ, 45 mg/kg/i.p.) in adult rats. Five weeks later testicular tissue was removed; testicular VEGF and NGF-βlevels were measured by ELISA. Testicular damage was detected by using hematoxylin and eosin staining and periodic acid-Schiff staining, and apoptosis was identified by terminal-deoxynucleotidyl-transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). Seminiferous tubular sperm formation was evaluated using Johnsen’s score.Results. In diabetic rats, seminiferous tubule diameter was found to be decreased; basement membrane was found to be thickened in seminiferous tubules and degenerated germ cells. Additionally, TUNEL-positive cells were increased in number of VEGF+ cells and levels of VEGF and NGF-βwere decreased in diabetic testes. Correlation between VEGF and NGF-βlevels was strong.Conclusion. These results suggest that the decrease of VEGF and NGF-βlevels is associated with the increase of the apoptosis and testicular damage in diabetic rats. Testis VEGF and NGF-βlevels could be potential novel biomarkers for diabetes induced testicular damage.