Correlation of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio and D-dimer with the severity of acute cholangitis / 中国基层医药

Objective:To correlate neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), and D-dimer (DD) with the severity of acute cholangitis.Methods:The clinical data of 96 patients with acute cholangitis who received treatment in Panjin Central Hospital from September 2019 to March 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. These patients were divided into three groups according to the severity of acute cholangitis: 36 patients with mild acute cholangitis (group A), 35 patients with moderate acute cholangitis (group B), and 25 patients with severe acute cholangitis (group C). The correlation between age, sex, NLR, PLR, DD, and the severity of acute cholangitis was compared among the three groups.Results:In groups A and B, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) showing the performance of DD, NLR, and PLR levels in predicting acute cholangitis was 0.800, 0.838, and 0.721, respectively, with the optimal cut-off value of 1.985 mg/L, 9.589, and 154.410, respectively. Among them, NLR had the largest AUC, and the highest sensitivity (82.9%), and had a high diagnostic value. In groups B and C, the AUC for DD, NLR, and PLR was 0.967, 0.915, and 0.543, respectively, with the optimal cut-off value of 6.000 mg/L, 22.390, and 264.220, respectively. DD and NLR had a diagnostic significance (both P < 0.05), but PLR had no diagnostic significance ( P > 0.05). The AUC for DD was the largest, and therefore DD had a great diagnostic significance. When NLR, PLR, and DD were jointly detected, the AUC was the highest and the diagnostic value was the highest. The AUC in groups A and B was 0.866, and that in groups B and C was 0.977. Conclusion:The levels of DD, NLR, and PLR increase in patients with acute cholangitis, which are related to the severity of the disease. DD, NLR, and PRL can be used as indicators to evaluate mild and moderate acute cholangitis, and NLR has the highest diagnostic value. DD and NLR can be used as indicators to evaluate moderate to severe acute cholangitis, and the effect of DD is superior to that of NLR. The combined detection of the three indicators can increase the value to evaluate the severity of acute cholangitis, and its effect is superior to that of a single detection. The combined detection of NLR, PLR, and DD is helpful for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of acute cholangitis.

Morphometric analysis of the elasmobranch olfactory rosette.

The olfactory rosettes of elasmobranchs vary in shape and structure among species, but the functional consequences of this diversity are unresolved. Our goal was to quantify rosette morphology on dissected as well as diffusible iodine-based contrast-enhanced computed tomography (diceCT)-imaged specimens to analyze the drivers of observed trends in a phylogenetic context and compare the methodologies. We hypothesized that lamellar count and rosette shape (fineness ratio) would not scale with animal size, but other rosette size variables would scale positively. We dissected rosettes from 14 elasmobranch species and collected morphometric data (fineness ratio, lamellar count, interlamellar distance, lamellar thickness, and raphe width). A subset of rosettes (five species) was used to analyze the effects of body size, while all 14 species were used for a phylogenetic principal component analysis (pPCA). We found that fineness ratio and lamellar counts varied significantly among species, and were positively correlated. The first two principal components of the pPCA explained 82% of the variation, with fineness ratio and lamellar count contributing most to the loadings, respectively. DiceCT was used for in situ imaging of four species of Carcharhiniformes. There were no significant differences between rosette structure or volume when comparing values from dissected specimens to values from in situ specimens obtained using diceCT. We also quantified the volume of the excurrent channel in the olfactory capsule. These data add to our understanding of how olfactory organ shape varies among species and can be used to create three-dimensional models for future olfactory hydrodynamic studies.

Phenotypic variation in metabolism and morphology correlating with animal swimming activity in the wild: relevance for the OCLTT (oxygen- and capacity-limitation of thermal tolerance), allocation and performance models.

Ongoing climate change is affecting animal physiology in many parts of the world. Using metabolism, the oxygen- and capacity-limitation of thermal tolerance (OCLTT) hypothesis provides a tool to predict the responses of ectothermic animals to variation in temperature, oxygen availability and pH in the aquatic environment. The hypothesis remains controversial, however, and has been questioned in several studies. A positive relationship between aerobic metabolic scope and animal activity would be consistent with the OCLTT but has rarely been tested. Moreover, the performance model and the allocation model predict positive and negative relationships, respectively, between standard metabolic rate and activity. Finally, animal activity could be affected by individual morphology because of covariation with cost of transport. Therefore, we hypothesized that individual variation in activity is correlated with variation in metabolism and morphology. To test this prediction, we captured 23 wild European perch (Perca fluviatilis) in a lake, tagged them with telemetry transmitters, measured standard and maximal metabolic rates, aerobic metabolic scope and fineness ratio and returned the fish to the lake to quantify individual in situ activity levels. Metabolic rates were measured using intermittent flow respirometry, whereas the activity assay involved high-resolution telemetry providing positions every 30 s over 12 days. We found no correlation between individual metabolic traits and activity, whereas individual fineness ratio correlated with activity. Independent of body length, and consistent with physics theory, slender fish maintained faster mean and maximal swimming speeds, but this variation did not result in a larger area (in square metres) explored per 24 h. Testing assumptions and predictions of recent conceptual models, our study indicates that individual metabolism is not a strong determinant of animal activity, in contrast to individual morphology, which is correlated with in situ activity patterns.

Flowing water affects fish fast-starts: escape performance of the Hawaiian stream goby, Sicyopterus stimpsoni.

Experimental measurements of escape performance in fishes have typically been conducted in still water; however, many fishes inhabit environments with flow that could impact escape behavior. We examined the influences of flow and predator attack direction on the escape behavior of fish, using juveniles of the amphidromous Hawaiian goby Sicyopterus stimpsoni In nature, these fish must escape ambush predation while moving through streams with high-velocity flow. We measured the escape performance of juvenile gobies while exposing them to a range of water velocities encountered in natural streams and stimulating fish from three different directions. Frequency of response across treatments indicated strong effects of flow conditions and attack direction. Juvenile S. stimpsoni had uniformly high response rates for attacks from a caudal direction (opposite flow); however, response rates for attacks from a cranial direction (matching flow) decreased dramatically as flow speed increased. Mechanical stimuli produced by predators attacking in the same direction as flow might be masked by the flow environment, impairing the ability of prey to detect attacks. Thus, the likelihood of successful escape performance in fishes can depend critically on environmental context.

Morphological differentiation among migratory fish species from the Paraná River basin / Diferenciação morfológica entre espécies de peixes migradores da bacia do Rio Paraná

This study characterized the morphological differences among migratory fish species from the Paraná River Basin. A total of 177 adult fish of Leporinus elongatus, Leporinus macrocephalus, Prochilodus lineatus, Salminus brasiliensis, Pimelodus maculatus, Pinirampus pirinampu, Pseudoplatystoma corruscans, Pterodoras granulosus, and Rhaphiodon vulpinus were sampled in the Canal da Piracema, a fish passage system at Itaipu Dam, Paraná River. The migratory species were analyzed through 22 morphometric measurements and fineness ratio to identify morphological patterns related to swimming performance. Four species groups were indicated by the Cluster analysis: I) R. vulpinus; II) P. corruscans; III) L. macrocephalus, L. elongatus, P. lineatus, P. maculatus, and S. brasiliensis - measurements of head height and anal fin length formed this group; and IV) P. granulosus and P. pirinampu - measurements of maximum body width and caudal peduncle width contributed to form this group. The morphometric variables that most contributed to the distinction were head length and mouth width for groups I and II. The species R. vulpinus and P. granulosus differed from other species, showing fineness ratios of 9.4 and 3.7, respectively. Leporinus elongatus, L. macrocephalus, P. lineatus, P. maculatus, and S. brasiliensis showed significant differences from other species, with ratios ranging from 4.57 to 5.19, indicating that these species may be better swimmers. Long-distance migratory species using the Piracema Canal to ascend upstream areas differed morphologically, morphological characteristics such as a narrow caudal peduncle and maximum body length, besides to the values of the fineness ratio, were essential to differentiate the migratory species.

Este estudo caracterizou as diferenças morfológicas entre espécies de peixes migradores da bacia do rio Paraná. Um total de 117 peixes adultos das espécies Leporinus elongatus, Leporinus macrocephalus, Prochilodus lineatus, Salminus brasiliensis, Pimelodus maculatus, Pinirampus pirinampu, Pseudoplatystoma corruscans, Pterodoras granulosus e Rhaphiodon vulpinus foram capturados no Canal da Piracema, um sistema de transposição para peixes na barragem de Itaipu, rio Paraná. As espécies migradoras foram analisadas através de 22 medidas morfométricas e razão fineza para identificar padrões morfológicos relacionados à capacidade natatória. Quatro grupos de espécies foram evidenciados pela Análise de Cluster: I) R. vulpinus; II) P. corruscans; III) L. macrocephalus, L. elongatus, P. lineatus, P. maculatus e S. brasiliensis, medidas de altura de cabeça e comprimento da nadadeira anal formaram este grupo; e IV) P. granulosus e P. pirinampu - medidas de largura máxima do corpo e largura do pedúnculo caudal contribuíram para a formação deste grupo. As variáveis morfométricas que mais contribuíram para distinção dos grupos I e II foram comprimento da cabeça e largura da boca. As espécies R. vulpinus e P. granulosus diferiram das demais, apresentando razão de fineza de 9,4 e 3,7, respectivamente. Leporinus elongatus, L. macrocephalus, P. lineatus, P. maculatus, S. brasiliensis diferiram significativamente das demais espécies com valores de razão fineza que variaram entre 4,57 a 5,19, indicando que estas espécies podem apresentar melhor desempenho natatório. As espécies migradoras de longa distância que utilizam o Canal da Piracema para ascender áreas a montante diferiram morfologicamente, características morfológicas como pedúnculo caudal estreito e largura máxima do corpo, bem como os valores de razão de fineza foram determinantes na diferenciação das espécies aqui analisadas.

The use of morphometric analysis to predict the swimming efficiency of two Neotropical long-distance migratory species in fish passage

This study investigated the external body morphology (based on morphometric data) and the swimming efficiency in fish passages (based on the ascent time in a fish ladder) of two Neotropical long-distance migratory species. The fish were collected in the fish ladder of the Porto Primavera Hydroelectric Power Plant (known as Engenheiro Sergio Motta), upper Paraná River, Brazil. The species differ in several morphometric ratios related to swimming performance. Prochilodus lineatus exhibited a higher muscle ratio and caudal fin length ratio. However, Leporinus elongatus showed higher values for the fineness ratio, a higher length from snout to pectoral fin base ratio, and a higher caudal peduncle depth factor. Although both species show good swimming performance, the characteristics listed above may enable L. elongatus to apply greater power and propulsion, allowing it to reach a high swimming speed and to exhibit greater efficiency than P. lineatus. Leporinus elongatus moves faster than P. lineatus and has a lower mean ascent time (1.39 hours) than P. lineatus (3.76 hours). Prochilodus lineatus would require a somewhat longer time to pass through the fish ladder.

Este estudo investigou a relação entre a morfologia externa do corpo (baseado em dados morfométricos) e eficiência de natação em passagem para peixes (baseado no tempo de ascensão em uma escada para peixes) de duas espécies neotropicais migradoras de longas distâncias. Os peixes foram coletados na escada para peixes da Usina Hidrelétrica de Porto Primavera (conhecida como Engenheiro Sérgio Motta), alto Rio Paraná, Brasil. As espécies diferem em algumas razões morfométricas referentes ao desempenho de natação: Prochilodus lineatus apresentou valores mais elevados para razão muscular e razão do comprimento da nadadeira caudal. No entanto, Leporinus elongatus apresentou valores mais elevados para razão fineza, para razão do comprimento do focinho à base da nadadeira peitoral e para fator de largura do pedúnculo caudal. Embora ambas as espécies tenham um bom desempenho natatório, essas características podem permitir a L. elongatus aplicar uma maior potência e propulsão, permitindo atingir velocidades de natação elevadas e apresentar uma melhor eficiência em relação a P. Lineatus. Leporinus elongatus movimenta-se mais rápido, com um tempo médio de ascensão (1,39 horas) inferior ao de P. lineatus (3,76 horas), que requer um tempo um pouco maior para passar através da escada para peixes.