Effect of foreign impurity and growth temperatures on hexagonal structure and fundamental properties of ZnO nanorods.

This study examined the influence of growth temperature and dopant concentration on the properties of Gd- and Ni-doped zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO NRs). ZnO seed layers were deposited on glass substrates using a sol-gel and dip-coating approach. Gd- and Ni-doped ZnO NRs were hydrothermally grown on the seed layers at different temperatures such as 75, 90, and 105°C for a constant growth time of 5 h. The crystal structure, optical, surface morphology views, and electrical properties of the NRs were extensively investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), UV-visible spectroscopy, and four probe experimental methods. The XRD analysis confirmed the successful substitution of Zn2+ ions by Gd3+ and Ni2+ within the ZnO main matrices. The reordering of hexagonal structures with varied electronegativity, ionic radius dimensions, and valence electron states of Gd and Ni dopants affected seriously the fundamental characteristic features of NRs. The SEM images showed that the ZnO NRs grown at 90°C possessed a more favorable surface morphology and well-defined hexagonal shape compared with those grown at other growth temperatures. Higher dopant concentration led to an increase in NR diameter but a decrease in density depending on the increase in the space between the NRs. Additionally, the optical transmittance was found to generally enhance with increasing dopant concentration. The results obtained highlighted the interplay between growth temperature, dopant type and concentration in tailoring the structural, morphological, and optical properties of Gd- and Ni-doped ZnO NRs, paving the way for the development of optimized nanomaterials for various applications. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: The XRD analysis confirmed the successful substitution of Zn2+ ions by Gd3+ and Ni2+ within the ZnO main matrices. The SEM images showed that the ZnO NRs grown at 90°C possessed a more favorable surface morphology and well-defined hexagonal shape compared with those grown at other growth temperatures. The optical transmittance was found to generally enhance with increasing dopant concentration. The results obtained highlighted the interplay between growth temperature, dopant type and concentration in tailoring the structural, morphological, and optical properties of Gd- and Ni-doped ZnO NRs, paving the way for the development of optimized nanomaterials for various applications.

The effects of paranoia and dopamine on perception of cohesion and conspiracy: a pre-registered, double-blind, placebo-controlled experiment.

Paranoia is a common symptom of psychotic disorders but is also present on a spectrum of severity in the general population. Although paranoia is associated with an increased tendency to perceive cohesion and conspiracy within groups, the mechanistic basis of this variation remains unclear. One potential avenue involves the brain's dopaminergic system, which is known to be altered in psychosis. In this study, we used large-N online samples to establish the association between trait paranoia and perceptions of cohesion and conspiracy. We further evaluated the role of dopamine on perceptions of cohesion and conspiracy using a double-blind, placebo-controlled laboratory experiment where participants received levodopa or a placebo control. Our results were mixed: group perceptions and perceptions of cohesion were higher among more paranoid individuals but were not altered under dopamine administration. We outline the potential reasons for these discrepancies and the broader implications for understanding paranoia in terms of dopamine dysregulation.

Perceived complexity of total hip arthroplasty: results of a survey of orthopedic surgeons.

OBJECTIVE: No analysis of the perception of the complexity of total hip arthroplasty (THA) has been performed so far. This study aimed to evaluate the perceived complexity of the disorders faced by orthopedic surgeons in the evaluation process prior to THA. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A three-part online survey was administered to orthopedic surgeons. In the first part, the participants were asked questions about demographic and academic knowledge, as well as their experiences with THA. In the second part, it was asked to rate the complexity of certain disorders, such as soft tissue abnormalities, ankylosis/arthrodesis, dysplastic hip, high dislocated hip, post-traumatic arthrosis, protrusio acetabuli, etc., on a scale of one to five. Perceived complexity was classified as mild if the calculated mean score was <1.67, moderate if it was between 1.67 and 3.34, and complex if it was >3.34. In the last section, the effects of perceived complexity on surgical preferences were investigated. RESULTS: THA administered for femoral neck fracture was graded as the least complex surgical challenge (mean score of 1.85±0.99), while high dislocated hip (Crowe III-IV) was scored with the highest mean score of 4.10±0.99. None of the disorders were evaluated as easy by orthopedic surgeons. Disorders of the high dislocated hip (Crowe III-IV) and protrusio acetabuli were identified as the most complicated cases by surgeons. CONCLUSIONS: Perception of complexity affected preference for surgical approach. Besides, the level of education after participating in a course related to THA may affect the preferences of orthopedic surgeons when planning an operation.

The effect of demographic and clinical data on anxiety and depression levels in breast cancer patients receiving radiotherapy.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of sociodemographic and clinical data on depression and anxiety levels in patients who undergoing radiotherapy for breast cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 111 patients with breast cancer treated in the Radiation Oncology Department of Kayseri City Education and Research Hospital were included in this study. The study was planned prospectively as a survey research based study. Ethics committee approval was obtained. After obtaining the necessary consent for voluntary participation, patients were interviewed face-to-face. The research survey included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), as well as demographic and clinical information. Statistical analysis was performed with the collected data. RESULTS: According to the results of repeated measures analysis of variance, the mean difference between the 3-month and 6-month measurements of the depression scale values on the first day of radiotherapy was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Mean differences were statistically notable for age and marital status variables in anxiety and for age, education level, marital status, employment status, family history of cancer, menopause, surgery, chemotherapy and hormone therapy variables in depression. When the change in the presence (> 10 depression scale) or absence (< 10 depression scale) of depression at three different times of radiotherapy (first day, 3 and 6 months) was examined, a statistically notable difference was found between the depression scale values of patients receiving radiotherapy on the first day, 3 months after radiotherapy and 6 months after radiotherapy (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: According to the results of our study, the psychological health of women with breast cancer was affected during and after radiotherapy. As a response, psychiatric counseling should be considered as a part of the treatment for depression and anxiety that occur during and after treatment in breast cancer patients.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the orthopaedics outpatient clinic.

OBJECTIVE: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted orthopaedic practice since it started. In our study, we aimed to examine these effects on outpatient services. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The patients who applied to the orthopedic outpatient clinic (n=1,518) in six months period under the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic (September 2020-March 2021) and patients (n=1,207) who applied during the same period before the pandemic (September 2019-March 2020) were analyzed according to the demographic characteristics (age, gender), reasons for admission, duration of complaints, treatments applied, surgical acceptance rate, and compliance with treatment. RESULTS: The mean age in the pre-pandemic outpatient clinic admissions was 39.1 years (1-91 years), the gender ratio was 635/572 (Female/Male), the mean age of the patients was 38.1 years (1-95), and the sex ratio was 793/725 (F/M) during the pandemic. Admissions of patients with acute complaints decreased after the pandemic, and applications for subacute or chronic complaints increased. Applications for sports medicine, pediatrics, and hand surgery increased, applications for trauma, foot and ankle surgery decreased, and applications for oncology and spine did not change. Conservative treatment recommendations decreased, the surgical treatment recommendation did not change, and the rate of patients who were given only follow-up decisions increased. There was no significant difference in the treatment rejection and surgical acceptance rate. CONCLUSIONS: We observed that the number of traumas decreased, and the hospital admission duration extended. The increase in the consultation rate and follow-up preference indicates that the treatment is more conservative in this period. In this process, patients should be adequately informed about the precautions taken, and their treatment should not be interrupted.

Efficacy of combination of biofeedback therapy and pelvic floor muscle training in dyssynergic defecation.

BACKGROUND: It is now known that with appropriate exercises, the functions of the muscles in the body ameliorate and increase in strength. We applied pelvic floor muscle relaxation training and exercises that strengthen the abdominal and pelvic muscles in combination with biofeedback therapy (BFT) to patients with dyssynergic defecation (DD). METHODS: Patients who met the criteria for DD and had no underlying organic cause were included in this study. The electromyography (EMG) technique was used for BFT therapy. Patients had received at least six sessions of BFT. BFT was considered successful in patients when the DD pattern in anorectal manometry (ARM) disappeared and/or adequate anal relaxation was obtained following BFT and in patients who had full clinical recovery. RESULTS: Data of 104 patients (58 females [55.8%] and 46 males [44.2%]) was evaluated. Abdominal and rectal symptoms disappeared in 71 (68.26%) patients. Of the patients who achieved symptomatic improvement, 58 (55.76%) saw a disappearance of the dyssynergic defecation pattern. When the differences between anal sphincter pressures before and after treatment were compared in patients who responded to BFT and those who did not, no significant differences were observed, but significant changes were found in anal squeezing pressures. It was found that those who had high squeezing pressures before BFT, those who increased their squeezing pressures after BFT, and those who decreased their resting pressure responded better to BFT. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, BFT was found to be more effective in those with a high squeezing pressure and those that increased squeezing pressure after BFT. These findings will influence the treatment of patients with dyssynergic defecation who do not respond to treatment. A combination of abdominal and pelvic floor muscle exercises and BFT increases patient response.

Association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in CXCR1, CXCR2 and CXCL5 with Behçet disease: a study in the Denizli province of Turkey.

BACKGROUND: Behçet disease (BD) is associated with the immune system, especially neutrophilic activity. The CXCR1, CXCR2 and CXCL5 genes mediate the activation and migration of neutrophils. AIM: To investigate CXCR1, CXCR2 and CXCL5 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and examine their association with BD. METHODS: We studied polymorphic sites in CXCR1 (four sites: rs16858811, rs9282752, rs16858809 and rs16858808), CXCR2 (three sites: rs2230054, rs1126579 and rs1126580) and CXCL5 (one site: rs352046) in 87 patients with BD and 111 healthy controls (HCs), using a PCR restriction-fragment length polymorphism-based approach for genotyping. RESULTS: We found that the CXCR2 rs2230054 TT genotype and the CXCL5 rs352046 polymorphism might be possible genetic factors responsible for BD. We did not find any association between the development of BD and any of the four CXCR1 polymorphisms or the other two CXCR2 SNPs. In addition, our haplotype analysis results indicated that the haplotypes of the CXCR2 and CXCR1-CXCR2 polymorphic loci were different between the BD and HC groups. CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that polymorphisms of CXCR1, CXCR2 and CXCL5 may affect susceptibility to BD and increase the risk of developing the disease. These loci need to be studied in larger groups of patients from different geographical areas around the world in order to clarify the genetic background for BD pathogenesis.

Focusing on functional knee parameter determination to develop a better clinical gait analysis protocol.

BACKGROUND: Attempts to improve protocol standards of marker-based clinical gait analysis (CGA) have been one of the main focuses of research to enhance robustness and reliability outcomes since the 1990s. Determining joint centres and axes constitutes an important aspect of those protocols. Although the hip joint is more prominent in such studies, knee joint center (KJC) and axis (KJA) directly affect all outcomes. RESEARCH QUESTION: What recommendations arise from the study of the scientific literature for determining knee joint parameters (KJP) for protocols of CGA? METHODS: A systematic, electronic search was conducted on November 2018 using three databases with the keyword combination ("functional approach" OR "functional method" OR "functional calibration") AND ("hip joint" OR "knee joint" OR "ankle joint") and analyzed by four reviewers. Given the existence of a recent review about the hip joint and the lack of material about the ankle joint, only papers about the knee joint were kept. The references cited in the selected papers were also screened in the final round of the search for these publications. The quality of the selected papers was assessed and aspects regarding accuracy, repeatability, and feasibility were thoroughly considered to allow for a comparison between studies. Technical aspects, such as marker set choice, KJP determination techniques, demographics, and functional movements, were also included. RESULTS: Thirty-one papers were included and on average received a rating of about 75 % according to the quality scale used. The results showed that functional methods are superior or equivalent to predictive methods to estimate the KJA, while a regression method was slightly better for KJC prediction. SIGNIFICANCE: Calibration methods should be applied to CGA whenever feasibility is reached. No study to date has focused on evaluating the in vivo RoM required to obtain reliable and repeatable results and future work should aim in this direction.

Relation between index of cardioelectrophysiological balance and stroke severity in patients with acute ischemic stroke.

BACKGROUND: The index of cardioelectrophysiological balance (iCEB), measured as QT interval divided by QRS duration, has recently been defined as a new risk marker for arrhythmias. Increased or decreased iCEB is associated with malignant ventricular arrhythmias. AIM: In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between iCEB and stroke severity in patients with acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: The study comprised 105 adult patients (males, 58; females, 47; 69 ± 15 years) with acute ischemic stroke. Nine patients were excluded. Patients were divided into two groups based on the calculated National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score (Group 1, NIHSS score <16; Group 2, NIHSS score ≥16). Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data for all patients were collected. Electrocardiography (ECG) was recorded from all patients on admission to the neurology care unit. iCEB (QT/QRS) was calculated from the 12-lead electrocardiogram. RESULTS: There were no significant differences among the demographic parameters of patients. iCEB score was significantly higher in Group 2 patients than Group 1 patients (3.97 ± 0.61 vs 3.43 ± 0.57, P = 0.0024). CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that iCEB is associated with stroke severity on admission in patients with acute ischemic stroke. It is known that high iCEB is associated with torsade de pointes (TdP), ventricular tachycardia.

Statics and dynamics of polymeric droplets on chemically homogeneous and heterogeneous substrates.

We present a molecular dynamics study of the motion of cylindrical polymer droplets on striped surfaces. We first consider the equilibrium properties of droplets on different surfaces, we show that for small stripes the Cassie-Baxter equation gives a good approximation of the equilibrium contact angle. As the stripe width becomes nonnegligible compared to the dimension of the droplet, it has to deform significantly to minimize its free energy; this results in a smaller value of the contact angle than the continuum model predicts. We then evaluate the slip length and thus the damping coefficient as a function of the stripe width. For very small stripes, the heterogeneous surface behaves as an effective surface, with the same damping as a homogeneous surface with the same contact angle. However, as the stripe width increases, damping at the surface increases until reaching a plateau. Afterwards, we study the dynamics of droplets under a bulk force. We show that if the stripes are large enough the droplets are pinned until a critical force. The critical force increases linearly with stripe width. For large enough forces, the average velocity increases linearly with the force, we show that it can then be predicted by a model depending only on droplet size, contact angle, viscosity, and slip length. We show that the velocity of the droplet varies sinusoidally as a function of its position on the substrate. However, for bulk forces just above the depinning force we observe a characteristic stick-slip motion, with successive pinnings and depinnings.

Protective effects of caffeic acid phenethyl ester and thymoquinone on toluene induced liver toxicity.

Toluene is an organic solvent that is toxic to humans. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) and thymoquinone (TQ) exhibit antioxidant and antitoxic effects. We investigated the protective effects of CAPE and TQ on toluene induced hepatotoxicity. Wistar albino rats were divided into seven groups of eight. The animals were injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) with 0.1 ml/10 g/day corn oil (control I), 0.1 ml/10 g/day corn oil + 2 ml/kg/day 10% ethanol (control II), 20 mg/kg/day TQ dissolved in 0.1 ml/10 g corn oil (TQ), 10 µmol/kg/day CAPE dissolved in 10% ethanol (CAPE), 500 mg/kg/day toluene (T), toluene and TQ together (T + TQ), or toluene and CAPE together (T + CAPE). All rats were sacrificed on day 15. Liver samples were obtained for histological analysis. Serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were measured to evaluate liver function. Liver sections from the control I and TQ groups exhibited normal histology. Sections from the T group exhibited sinusoid dilation, hemorrhage, vacuolization and necrosis. TQ and CAPE protected against toluene induced histopathological changes. AST and ALT levels were increased significantly in T group compared to both control groups. CAPE decreased significantly the toluene induced increase in AST and ALT levels, while TQ did not. CAPE and TQ exhibited some antitoxic and hepato-protective effects on toluene induced liver damage.

The effects of chronic smoking on lung tissue and the role of alpha lipoic acid.

We investigated the effects of alpha lipoic acid (ALA) on blood and lung tissue exposed chronically to cigarette smoke (CS). Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups. Group 1 was the control group (CON): fresh air was supplied twice daily and 0.1 ml physiological saline was given orally for 8 weeks. Group 2 was exposed to CS: 12 cigarettes were smoked daily at two sessions for 1 h and 0.1 ml saline was given orally for 8 weeks. Group 3 (CS + ALA) was exposed to 12 cigarettes daily in two sessions for 1 h and 100 mg/kg/day ALA was given orally for 8 weeks. DNA damage was assessed using comet analysis; oxidative damage was assessed using ischemia-modified albumin (IMA) from blood; and total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS) and oxidative stress index (OSI) were measured in blood and lung tissue. Histopathological and immunohistochemical evaluation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, and -2α, caspase-3, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) were conducted using lung tissue. The oxidative markers, TOS, OSI and IMA, and the comet analysis score were increased and the TAS level was decreased in the blood of the CS group compared to the CON group. IMA levels in blood, and TOS and OSI levels in the lung were decreased significantly in the CS + ALA group compared to the CS group. We observed increased septal wall thickness, marked and diffuse inflammatory reaction, emphysema, and necrotic cell debris in bronchial and bronchiolar lumens in the CS group. HIF-1α, HIF-2α, caspase-3 and FGF2 expressions were increased, while VEGF expression decreased in the lung tissues of the CS group compared to the CON group. ALA slightly ameliorated the damage caused by chronic exposure to CS in the lungs, but further investigation is needed to determine its possible protective effects at different dosages.

Diverticular disease and posture during defecation : a prospective comparative study.

BACKGROUND AND STUDY AIMS: Although several factors are thought to be responsible for the development of colonic diverticulosis (CD), the underlying pathogenesis is still obscure and needs clarification. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence, location and clinical features of CD and especially to detect whether there is an association between CD and postures during defecation. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This prospective study enrolled 757 patients. The subjects were divided into two groups as a diverticulosis group (D group, n:95) and non-diverticulosis group (non-D group, n:662). RESULTS: The median patient age was 54.9±13.2 years. CD frequency was 12.5% (n:95). The most commonly involved part of the colon was the sigmoid colon (56.8%). Diverticula location was on the left in 45.3% (n:43), on the right in 24.2% (n:23) and on both sides of the colon in 30.5% (n:29). Patients in the D group were older (p<0.001) and were predominantly female (p:0.04). The frequency of sitting during defecation (Western type toilet) was higher in the D group compared to the non-D group (72.2% vs 53.5%; p:0.007). The use-time of a Western-type toilet was longer in the D group compared to the non-D group (p:0.04). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, age and toilet type were independent risk factors for the development of diverticulosis. CONCLUSION: Sitting during defecation seems to increase the risk of CD.

Treatment of resistant idiopathic hiccups with pulse radio frequency on phrenic nerve and gabapentin: A case report.

Hiccups affect life quality, career and family life when they become persistent. We present here a 54-year-old man who worked as a mason and a blacksmith with hiccups complaint for nearly one and a half years. In this period, he was admitted to emergency service ten times with fainting or almost fainting, cold sweating and hand stretching complaints. The patient expressed that he frequently threw up when he had hiccups and his social life was negatively affected. He reported that he was treated with baclofen, esomeprazole and hyoscine-n-butyl bromur without relief. He used escitalopram and chlorpromazine for a short time and quit because they negatively affected his sleeping. As he did not have any relief from medications, he refused any oral medical therapy including gabapentin and started to seek remedy from paramedical treatments resulted with no benefit. The patient was referred to algology department and an intervention on phrenic nerve with pulse radio frequency (8 minutes, 45 Volts, 20 milliseconds wavelength) was performed. Symptoms stopped immediately after the procedure but one week later, although the patient reported a significant decline in symptoms he still had hiccups. The patient was offered oral medical therapy again. With considerable relief from symptoms, the patient accepted oral therapy this time. Gabapentin 300 mg bid was prescribed. The symptoms were completely recovered and the patient reported no hiccups after 30 days of Gabapentin administration. Our case suggests that administration of gabapentin after pulsed radiofrequency might be effective for the treatment of persistent hiccups.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Surgery Anti-Adhesion Gel Is Effective?

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The purpose of the current study is to assess the efficacy of anti-adhesion gel on the symptom severity and functional outcomes after mini incision open surgery for carpal tunnel syndrom (CTS). MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 200 CTS patients (154 women, 46 men) were included in this study. Group I (n = 100; 78 women, 22 men) did not receive local administration of anti-adhesion gel, while anti-adhesion gel consisting of hyaluronic acid-carboxymethylcellulose (Seprafilm®, SanofiBiosurgery, Bridgewater, NJ, USA) was locally applied to patients in Group II (n = 100; 76 women, 24 men). All patients recruited in this study had received conservative treatment comprised of non-steroidal antiinflammatory drugs, steroid injection, replacement of vitamin B and stabilization with splints. Cases that did not benefit from these therapeutic options during one year were assigned as candidates for surgical treatment. RESULTS There was no significant difference between two groups in terms of mean age, gender distribution, preoperative and postoperative Boston questionnaire (BQ) scores, difference of BQ scores after the operation, and the presence of the disease on the left or right side. According to postoperative 1. Year results, there was no significant difference between two groups. CONCLUSIONS Results of the current study demonstrated that use of anti-adhesion gel during mini incision open surgery for CTS did not bring about significant advantages in terms of functional or symptomatic outcomes. Further, controlled trials on larger series are warranted to understand the beneficial effects of anti-adhesive materials during the surgical treatment of CTS. Key words: anti-adhesion gel, Boston questionnaire, carpal tunnel syndrome.

Genetic origin of Behçet's disease population in Denizli, Turkey; population genetics data analysis; historical demography and geographical perspectives based on ß-globin gene cluster haplotype variation.

In our study, we aimed to investigate the possible genetic drift, relationships, expansion and historical origin based on haplotype frequencies of the ß-globin gene cluster of normal and Behçet's disease (BD) population in Denizli, Turkey. We examined blood DNA samples obtained from our DNA bank. The association of population genetic parameters such as haplotypes, diversity, differentiation, Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and demographic analysis for two populations was performed by Arlequin ver. 3.5. Our results show that both populations have high similarity in genetic parameters in terms of development and expansion based on haplotype diversity through the history. We found that historical levels of gene flow were significantly higher between the two populations. According to historical population, growth parameter of τ values for normal and BD populations dated approximately 42 000 to 38 000 ybp, respectively. In conclusion, historically, two populations show similar genetic parameters and unimodal growth distribution. Our results are consistent with the view that the BD may have occurred in area, independent from Silk Road.

Can rs3767140 SNP of the perlecan (HSPG2) gene affect the diabetes mellitus through the dyslipidemia?

Perlecan (HSPG2) play an important role in the lipoprotein metabolisms. The G allele of the HSPG2-rs3767140 may affect the binding of heparan sulfate (HS) chains and hence cause loss of HS from the basement membrane. HSPG2-rs3767140 was studied in 60 T2DM patients and 109 healthy controls. In diabetic patients HSPG2-rs3767140 T variant allele carriers (TT+GT) have decreased fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and serum LDL-C levels (p=0.071 and p=0.060, respectively) versus GG genotype carriers. Moreover, in both of the two groups in which the T allele carriers HDL-cholesterol levels tend to be high. We investigated that the HSPG2-rs3767140 promoted to the dyslipidemic phenotype in the type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. We suggest that the HSPG2-rs3767140 might be associated with the decreased FPG and LDL-C and with the increased HDL-C in diabetics. Therefore, the HSPG2-rs3767140 might be a protective for the diabetes mellitus due to its ameliorating effect on the dyslipidemic phenotype.

The Effect of the iNOS Inhibitor S-Methylisothiourea and Hyperbaric Oxygen Treatment on Radiation Colitis in Rats.

INTRODUCTION: External radiotherapy is one of the main treatment modalities for a variety of malignancies. However, the lower gastrointestinal tract is sensitive to the ionizing radiation. Hyperbaric oxygen treatment (HOT) has been suggested as a viable treatment for refractory radiation colitis, but the effect of S-Methylisothiourea (SMT) in the radiation colitis have not reported. To investigate the effect of SMT, HOT and the combination of both in an acute radiation-induced enterocolitis model. METHODS: Sixty Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into five equal groups. A single dose of gamma irradiation (25 Gy) was administered through the colorectal region to anesthetized rats. In the control group, we applied 2 ml of saline solution intraperitoneally for five days. In the HOT group, 100-per-cent oxygen at 2.5 atm pressure was applied for five days. In the SMT group, 10 mg/kg/day of SMT was applied intraperitoneally for five days. In the HOT+SMT group, HOT and SMT were both applied in the same dosages as in the preceding two groups. At the end of five days, the rats were sacrificed and colon samples were collected for histological grading. Blood samples were collected to test for : tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-10 (IL-10), IL-1ß, transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) mRNA. RESULTS: The TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-10 and TGF-ß levels were reduced by SMT, HOT and HOT+SMT applications (p < 0.05). However ICAM-1 mRNA levels were not significantly lower (p:0.19). The microscopic scores differed significantly between the SMT, HOT and HOT+SMT groups and the control group. There was significant improvement histologically, especially in the HOT+SMT group. When we compared the weight of the rats before and after the study, weight loss was significantly lower in the SMT, HOT and HOT+SMT groups compared with the control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: HOT and SMT together were significantly more effective in preventing weight loss and in reducing inflammation and the severity of colitis histology when compared with HOT and SMT separately.