Beykent University

Men continue to underutilize and disengage from mental health services, highlighting the need to understand this pattern. This study explored Turkish men's experiences of discontinuing mental health treatment using a descriptive qualitative design. In-depth interviews were conducted with 13 men who had ended therapy. Thematic analysis revealed three themes: the process of initiating treatment, experiences in the treatment process, and reasons for discontinuing treatment. Findings showed that hegemonic masculinity shaped men's engagement with care, as masculine norms often conflicted with recognizing mental illness, seeking help, and engaging in emotional disclosure during treatment. Even when symptoms were acknowledged, doubts about treatment effectiveness, cost, stigma, difficulty accepting mental illness, fear of failure, and concerns about being negatively evaluated by clinicians contributed to disengagement. The study calls for gender-sensitive, accessible services, clinician training in relational and cultural responsiveness, and structured approaches that align with men's values and support sustained engagement.

This study investigates the relationship between knowledge-intensive employment and national innovation performance across European countries between 2015 and 2024. Utilizing harmonized Eurostat data and multivariate regression analysis, the research operationalizes innovation via European Patent Office (EPO) patent applications. Two core indicators—employment volume in knowledge-intensive activities (KIA) and its share in national labor markets—are examined. Results indicate a strong and statistically significant relationship between both employment scale and intensity and innovation output. Specifically, for every 1,000 additional knowledge-intensive employees, there is an associated increase of nearly one patent application. Furthermore, a 1% increase in the employment share of KIA workers corresponds to a rise of over 187 patent applications. These findings validate the systemic role of human capital within the National Innovation Systems (NIS) framework, where the integration of skilled labor enhances a country’s absorptive capacity and innovation efficiency. With an R² value of 0.953 and a Durbin-Watson statistic of 2.23, the regression model demonstrates robustness and reliability. From a policy standpoint, this evidence suggests that strategic labor force development—beyond R&D funding—is vital for strengthening innovation ecosystems. The study contributes to the literature by distinguishing between employment quantity and employment intensity, highlighting their independent effects on innovation outcomes. The results are particularly relevant for the EU’s Smart Specialisation Strategies, the European Green Deal, and Digital Transition initiatives.

An additional structural platform was designed to extend the operational length of a 49.90 m floating pontoon used as a wet cradle barge during ship launching operations at Tersan Shipyard. Instead of increasing the main pontoon volume, a modular additional structure was developed to reduce material usage and overall cost while ensuring structural safety. Within the scope of the study, the additional structure was modeled at full scale using Rhinoceros software. St37 structural steel with a yield strength of 241 MPa was selected as the construction material. The structure consists of two main sections with dimensions of 4000 mm × 4500 mm. Finite element analyses were conducted using the Rhinoceros Scan and Solve module under three different loading and boundary conditions, representing a design compression load of 250 tons occurring during stern launching operations. The analysis results indicated maximum Von Mises stress values of 167.5 MPa, 159.8 MPa, and 172.3 MPa, with corresponding maximum displacements of 15.99 mm, 12.51 mm, and 19.22 mm. All stress values remained below the yield strength of the selected material. Based on the obtained results, it was concluded that the designed additional structure satisfies strength and safety requirements and can be safely integrated with the floating pontoon for ship launching operations.

Abstract Surface contamination by pathogenic microorganisms poses a persistent challenge in healthcare, food processing, and public environments, where contaminated fomites serve as infection reservoirs. While most antimicrobial coatings aim to prevent contamination, the ability to actively decontaminate already-contaminated surfaces remains largely unmet. Here, a novel peelable gelatin-based silver nanoparticle (Ag@Gelatin) coating designed for post-contamination sterilization is reported. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized via a green method, yielding an average diameter of 55.3 ± 7.1 nm, and subsequently embedded within a gelatin matrix confirmed by morphological and chemical analyses. The coatings exhibited significant antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli , Staphylococcus aureus , and Candida albicans . Colloidal nanoparticles showed low minimal inhibitory concentrations (7.8–31.25 μg/mL), while the films achieved > 7 log reductions for all tested microorganisms. Time-resolved assays demonstrated complete surface decontamination within 4 h, characterized by a biphasic inactivation profile: an initial rapid phase (> 99% inhibition within 30 min) followed by a slower decline until full elimination. The coatings effectively sterilized various materials, including plastic, stainless steel, glass, ceramic, copper, and paper, and retained high efficacy over ten reusability cycles with minimal decline. Overall, Ag@Gelatin films represent a versatile, peelable, and reusable antimicrobial coating offering rapid and complete microbial eradication from contaminated surfaces.

Macroalgae have been used for nutritional and medicinal purposes in many cultures throughout history and they are an important part of traditional diets, especially in Asian countries. This narrative review provides an integrative overview of the effects of bioactive compounds present in brown macroalgae (Phaeophyceae) on nutrition and health. Brown macroalgae are rich in various bioactive compounds such as fucoxanthin, phlorotannin, fucoidan, alginate, and laminarin. These bioactive compounds have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, anticancer, and antihypertensive effects and may also exhibit immunoregulating or neuroprotective properties. Macroalgae contain high amounts of protein and polyunsaturated fatty acids, dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Their nutrient contents vary depending on factors such as species, environmental conditions, and harvest time. Pigment and polyphenol derivatives, especially fucoxanthin and phlorotannins, have protective effects against chronic diseases associated with oxidative stress by reducing the effects of free radicals. However, there are very few studies on the bioavailability and mechanisms of the nutrients, phenolics, and flavonoids in macroalgae. Since the metabolic transformations of these metabolites in humans are overlooked, their effects on health are also unclear. More in vivo and clinical studies are needed on the potential use of brown macroalgae in the field of health. Overall, the findings summarized in this narrative review suggest that brown macroalgae represent promising, sustainable, and natural sources of bioactive compounds for future nutritional and health-related applications.

ABSTRACT The growing environmental concerns and the urgent need for recycling PET waste have driven the development of value‐added products from these materials. This study reports the production of high surface area activated carbon (AC) from domestic PET bottle waste through carbonization and KOH activation. A box‐Behnken response surface design was applied to optimize the selected as independent variables such as carbonization temperature (500–600 °C), KOH impregnation rate (1–4 g/g) and activation temperature (600–800 °C). The optimum conditions (501 °C, 3.774 g/g, and 794 °C) yielded a maximum BET surface area of 894.769 m 2 /g with a pore volume of 0.485 cm 3 /g. Characterization by FTIR, TGA, XRD, and SEM confirmed the formation of amorphous, microporous, and highly porous carbon structures comparable to commercial AC. The study shows that environmentally friendly and high surface area adsorbent materials can be produced by recycling waste PET bottles. This can make a significant contribution to the sustainable use of plastic waste.

This study analyses the financial trajectory of higher education in Türkiye (2010-2022) and evaluates the influence of economic and financial factors on educational outcomes. Using Instrumental Variables (IV) and Difference-in-Differences (DiD) techniques, it isolates exogenous shocks —such as oil price fluctuations and the 2018 financial crisis —to establish the causal effects of public spending. The findings show that increased public expenditure as a share of GDP improves student enrolment, graduation rates, academic publications, and the presence of international students, whereas per capita GDP has no significant effect. The study offers policymakers empirical insights into strategic investments in higher education.

Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) is a common autoimmune disease with its unclear pathogenesis. HT, widely diagnosed in women, targets thyroid gland and its parenchyma. Thyroid gland is damaged by pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators due to an imbalanced immune system. Trace elements play vital roles in many physiological and pathological inflammatory process. Dysfunctions of reactive oxygen species production and anti-oxidant protective systems in HT effect alterations of trace/toxic element levels. The biological, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects of boron (B) on endocrine system have been pointed out in several studies. Arsenic (As) and aluminium (Al), as environmental toxic elements, induce oxidative stress and inflammation also including thyroid gland. The present pilot study was aimed to evaluate alterations of serum B, As and Al in patients with HT. The individuals were categorized in two groups; patients with HT (HT Group, n=30) and healthy controls (HC Group, n=30). Serum element levels were measured using ICP-OES. Serum B and As levels in HT Group were significantly higher than HC Group (p<0.001 and p<0.05; respectively). There was a significant positive correlation between serum As-Al levels in HT Group. The present study revealed that higher serum B levels in HT might present its re-distribution form tissues and the protective effect of B against inflammation due to oxidative stress. Otherwise, higher serum As and Al, and their positive correlation in HT express their hazardous effects on thyroid dysfunction. Further studies should be warranted to determine effects of a variety trace/toxic elements in HT by means of molecular and physiopathological pathways. Monitorization of serum elements should be considered as beneficial biomarkers for thyroid functions.