The Turkish National Assembly authorized the establishment of the University of Bahçeşehir by the Bahçeşehir Uğur Education Foundation in 1998. An academic and strategic protocol was signed shortly after (February 1998) with San Diego State University in California, USA. The enrollment of the first students was made after the first placement exam (ÖSYS) in the 1999–2000 academic year. The university is one of the few universities in Turkey which has its lectures in English and therefore students applying to BAU are required to have high English proficiency.The university consists of 8 faculties, 1 school of languages and 2 vocational schools. Four institutes provides post-graduate education. There are 17,048 registered students studying at the university. The number of undergraduate students is 10,137 and the number of graduate students is 4,716. The number of associate degree students is 1072. Some 1047 academicians lecture at the university and 506 administrative personnel work at the university. There are 4 campuses in Istanbul. Bahçeşehir University Library, which is established on a 1400-meter-square field renders service with 250,000 publications, books and electronic books. Five different café and restaurants render service on the campus. The total audience capacity of the conference hall is 1000.Bahçeşehir University was given the "Superbrands of Turkey" award in 2007.Bahçeşehir Uğur Educational Institutions own 35 kindergartens, 18 elementary and 47 high schools, and 177 private educational centers in Turkey.The current rector is Prof. Dr. Şirin Karadeniz.
Medicinal plants are widely used worldwide for ear, nose, and throat (ENT) disorders and have a long history of traditional application. This review aims to summarize current experimental and clinical evidence on medicinal plants used for ENT conditions such as otitis externa/media, tinnitus, vertigo, allergic rhinitis, pharyngitis, and laryngitis, and to support the identification of new plant species with antimicrobial potential against ENT pathogens. This review thoroughly summarizes recent developments from 2020 to 2025 and was conducted using electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, with predefined ENT and medicinal plants-related keywords. Frequently used species include Lavandula angustifolia, Thymus vulgaris, Curcuma longa, Zingiber officinale, Origanum vulgare, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Mentha piperita, Matricaria chamomilla, and Syzygium aromaticum, many of which show In vitro antibacterial, antifungal, or antiviral activity relevant to upper airway and oral/ENT infections. Evidence indicates that selected medicinal plants and their extracts or essential oils inhibit key ENT-related pathogens, including multidrug-resistant respiratory and pharyngeal bacteria. The compiled data, structured in comparative tables, highlight promising taxa and preparation types, and underscore gaps in clinical validation, standardization, and safety assessment. Overall, this review provides an evidence-based overview of ENT-related phytotherapy and a framework for future pharmacological and phytochemical studies aimed at developing novel plant-derived antimicrobials for ear, nose, and throat diseases.
Brain–heart interactions have garnered considerable interest in the landscape of traumatic brain injury (TBI). This scoping review focused on bradycardia caused by high intracranial pressure (ICP), brainstem injury, autonomic imbalance, hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis disruption, or massive bleeding. The latter condition is attributed to a physiological phenomenon called relative bradycardia (RB). True bradycardia results from underlying physiological or pathological cardiac disorders, whereas RB has different definitions and implications in medical and surgical settings. The former reflects pulse-temperature dissociation, while the latter reflects pulse-pressure dissociation. However, it can reflect an abnormal neurological response called the Cushing reflex. Therefore, bradycardia may indicate imminent shock after TBI associated with torso injuries or high ICP following severe isolated TBI. RB is underrecognized and underappreciated in emergency settings. This review investigated whether RB affects patient survival and neurological function. Physicians should approach patients presenting with RB with a high index of suspicion and timely management.
The study explores the interaction between topoisomerase IIβ (topo IIβ) and α-synuclein aggregation in Parkinson’s disease (PD) using an in vitro model overexpressing A53T mutant α-synuclein, revealing key pathological features. The overexpression of A53T mutant α-synuclein was associated with impaired neuronal differentiation, accompanied by delayed neurite outgrowth and reduced levels of MAP2 and NF-L. Transcriptomic study during differentiation revealed substantial gene expression changes, with 57 of 84 PD-associated genes exhibiting differential regulation on days 8 and 12. Dopaminergic markers like TH, BDNF, NR4A2 (Nurr1), PINK1, and SYNGR3 were notably upregulated in differentiated cells, whereas A53T mutant α-synuclein overexpression was associated with significant downregulation of 22 genes associated with PD, including TH, NR4A2, BDNF, and PINK1, suggesting alterations in neuroprotective signaling pathways. Topo IIβ expression diminished during differentiation in the presence of pathogenic α-synuclein and was associated with changes in the proposed topo IIβ-Nurr1 regulatory axis potentially contributing to early neurodevelopmental abnormalities and dopaminergic vulnerability observed in PD.
The literature reports that pre-optimization achieved within the scope of Accelerated Recovery After Spine Surgery (ERAS) improves patients’ physiological functions and satisfaction. This study aims to examine the effect of preoperative education and counseling, implemented within the scope of ERAS in spinal surgery, on pre-optimization of patients. In this single centered prospective study, 102 patients scheduled for spine surgery were included and divided into two groups: n = 51 in the control group and n = 51 in the intervention group. The control group received standard care according to hospital protocol. The intervention group received a structured preoperative education program including information on surgical preparation, fasting duration, expected surgery time, potential risks, the importance of nutrition, early mobilization, and the negative effects of smoking and alcohol on recovery. Visual materials demonstrating operating room admission and postoperative transfer were also presented. Data were collected with the “Individual Characteristics Information Form”, “Riker Sedation-Agitation Scale”, “Peri Anesthesia Comfort Scale” and “Visual Comparison Scale”. The primary outcome was emergence agitation. Secondary outcomes included recovery unit stay, hospital length of stay, pain, hemodynamic parameters, and comfort. The incidence of emergence agitation over time was lower in the intervention group, however, this difference was not statistically significant. Patients in the intervention group had significantly (p < 0.05) shorter recovery unit stay, hospital stay, anesthesia duration (p < 0.05). Comfort scores were higher and pain scores in all measured times were lower in the intervention group (p < 0.05). The findings of this study demonstrate that preoperative education and counseling based on ERAS protocols optimize patient outcomes, accelerates postoperative recovery, and increases patient satisfaction for patients undergoing spinal surgery.
Post-appendectomy intra-abdominal abscess remains a common complication following pediatric appendicitis. Although drainage has traditionally been considered standard treatment, increasing evidence suggests selected patients may be successfully managed with antibiotics alone. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251075191). PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched through June 20, 2025. Eligible studies included pediatric patients (0–18 years) with post-appendectomy abscess managed with antibiotic vs. invasive drainage. The primary outcome was failure of first-line treatment requiring escalation. Secondary outcomes included recurrence and length of hospital stay. Ten observational studies involving 363 pediatric patients were included (152 drainage, 211 conservative). Treatment success was 80.9
