2011. A study of morphology and histology of the alimentary tract of Glyptosternum maculatum (Sisoridae, Siluriformes). -Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 92: 161-169.The structure of alimentary tract has been studied in a cold water fish Glyptosternum maculatum, an endemic teleost species of notable economic importance and with high potential for controlled rearing of the species in Tibet, by light and electron microscope. Glyptosternum maculatum has short oesophagus, large caecal-type stomach and short intestine, and the digestive tract with four layers: mucosa, submucosa, muscularis and serosa. Taste buds were found in the epithelium of lips, buccopharynx and oesophagus. The stratified epithelium of buccopharynx and oesophagus was located with numerous goblet cells. The U-shaped stomach has three parts, corresponding to mammalian cardiac, fundus and pyloric portion, lined with a single-layered columnar epithelium, and tubular gastric glands are present in cardiac and fundic portion, but absent in pyloric portion. No pyloric caeca was detected. The intestine is separated from the stomach by a loop valve. The intestine epithelium is composed of simple columnar cells with a distinct microvillus brush border and many goblet cells. Meanwhile, the intestinal coefficient was 0.898. At the ultrastuctural level, three type cells (mucous, glandular and endocrine cell) were found in the stomach, and glandular cell with a great amount of pepsinogen granules. The enterocytes of the intestinal mucosa display abundant endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria and well-developed microvilli.

ObjectiveThis retrospective study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and clinical efficacy of computed tomography (CT)-guided 125I seed interstitial brachytherapy for pelvic recurrent cervical cancer in patients with a history of pelvic radiotherapy.MethodsFrom March 2011 to December 2015, 35 pelvic recurrent lesions (33 patients) were reirradiated using this type of salvage therapy. The medical history, dose–volume histogram parameters, complications, local control, overall survival (OS), and affected factors were analyzed.ResultsAll patients were followed-up until expiration, and the median duration of follow-up was 16 months. The 1-, 3-, 6-, 12-, and 18-month local control rates were 84.5%, 74.2%, 60.0%, 55.5%, and 33.3%, respectively. The symptoms significantly improved after implantation. The median local tumor progression-free survival (LTPFS) and OS times were 7 months (range, 1–19 months) and 12 months (range, 2–42 months), respectively. The 1- and 2-year OS rates were 65.5% and 43.6%, respectively. In univariate analysis, a good performance status, a tumor diameter <4 cm, an interval time from last radiotherapy to seed implantation longer than 6 months and D90 (dose delivered to 90% of the target volume) ≥130 Gy were prognostic factors for LTPFS. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis revealed that tumor size and D90 were independent factors affecting LTPFS (P=0.033, hazard ratio [HR] =3.357, 95% CI =1.105, 10.212; P=0.035, HR =2.766, 95% CI =1.072, 10.212). Good performance status was identified as an independent factor affecting OS (P=0.001, HR =0.086, 95% CI =0.019, 0.387). Two patients showed grade 3–4 toxicity – 1 patient had rectovaginal fistula and 1 patient had incomplete intestinal obstruction – and 3 cases showed seed migration in our analysis. No grade 5 events occurred.ConclusionReirradiation with CT-guided 125I seed interstitial brachytherapy is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive method to treat patients with recurrent cervical cancer after radiotherapy.

PurposeWe investigated the role of computed tomography (CT)-guided Iodine-125 (125I) seed implantation in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of stage III non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC).Material and methodsThe data from 182 patients with stage III NSCLC who were treated with radioactive 125I seed implantation between June 2002 and June 2009, and who received sequential platinum-based combination chemotherapy using the most common combination of platinum and gemcitabine, were retrospectively reviewed. The 182 patients received a prescribed dose of 110.0 Gy, with a median radioactivity of 0.70 mCi (range, 0.64-0.78 mCi, 2.37-3.26 × 107 Bq). The median number of 125I seeds was 38 pellets (range, 6-105 pellets). The median post-operation dose covering 100% of the target volume (D100) was 94.5 Gy (range, 54.6-125.5 Gy). The median D90 was 143.0 Gy (range, 121.6-184.0).ResultsThe 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival rates were 83.35%, 25.57%, and 11.34%, respectively; the median survival time was 24.76 months. At 1, 3, and 5 years, the local control rates were 92.01%, 86.51%, and 76.45%, respectively; the median local control time was 25.28 months. For patients with stage IIIA and IIIB NSCLC, the median survival times were 26.67 and 24.59 months, respectively (p = 0.2). Pre-treatment hemoglobin level, tumor volume, and postoperative D100 were significantly associated with survival. A total of 24 patients experienced pneumothorax (incidence rate, 13.20%), and 17 patients experienced hemothorax (incidence rate, 5.0%).ConclusionsCT-guided 125I seed implantation combined with chemotherapy is an effective, minimally invasive method for the treatment of stage III NSCLC. Furthermore, hemoglobin levels before treatment, D100, and the maximum diameter of the tumor may be prognostic factors in patients with NSCLC treated sequentially with radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

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A collection of 514 Schizothorax o'connori was made between August 2008 and August 2009 from Yarlung Tsangpo River to assess the suitability of three bony structures for age estimation. The annulus characteristics of otolith, vertebra and opercular bone were described. Location of the first annulus was validated by daily growth increment (DGI) analysis in the otoliths. Annual periodicity was verified by marginal increment ratio (MIR) analysis in otoliths and edge analysis in vertebrae and opercular bones. Annuli formed, once a year, between March and May for all three bony structures. Otoliths, vertebrae and opercular bones were examined to determine which structure produced the most precise and accurate age estimates in S. o'connori. Vertebrae and otoliths matched closely for the first 21 years of life, while opercular bones appeared to underestimate age. For older fish, the counts diverged and otoliths consistently providing higher age estimates. Sectioned otoliths proved to be the most precise and accurate structure for age estimation. The oldest observed schizothoracine fish was 50, more than twice the longevity previously accepted in S. o'connori.