Can XunTian Tai Chi intervention improve the level of emotional regulation of crew members in the Controlled Ecological Life Support System?

To explore the appropriate exercise methods and means for astronauts in confined and small isolation conditions,a set of XunTian Tai Chi suitable for the spaceflight workforce was created,with the aim of discovering the practical effects of XunTian Tai Chi and providing a scientific basis for the subsequent development of new astronaut health maintenance techniques with Chinese characteristics.Using the Controlled Ecological Life Support System(CELSS)as a research platform,we observed the changes in a crew member’s emotion regulationrelated indexes during 180 days of working and living in a confined isolation chamber through periodic interventions of the XunTian Tai Chi and conducted statistical analyses.During the 180-day cabin mission,expression suppression,cognitive reappraisal,attention index,and relaxation index were all lower than those before entering the cabin,suggesting that the crew member’s emotion regulation ability decreased during the incabin mission.A single Tai Chi exercise could cause favorable changes in the indicators,positively affecting the crew member's emotional regulation.The attention and relaxation indices of the occupants were improved significantly by both single and periodic Tai Chi exercises.After the Tai Chi exercise cycle,the results of each index showed a certain degree of effect.The 180-day ground-based simulation of Tai Chi in the confinement of a space capsule positively affects the occupant’s emotional regulation.

2型糖尿病患者早期黄斑区视网膜亚层及脉络膜的光学相干断层扫描成像特征

目的:利用高分辨率光学相干断层扫描技术(OCT)探测2型糖尿病患者视网膜细微结构及脉络膜结构的早期变化特征。方法:系列病例研究。共纳入2015年12月至2017年4月在温州医科大学附属第二医院就诊的2型糖尿病患者67例(72眼),分为糖尿病无视网膜病变(NDR)组40例(40眼)和非增殖性糖尿病视网膜病变(NPDR)组27例(32眼)。招募年龄、性别及屈光度匹配的正常被检者39例(39眼)作为对照组。使用RTVue-OCT放射状扫描所有被检者黄斑区获得以黄斑中心凹为中心6mm范围的视网膜及脉络膜的三维图像,用本实验室自行编写的分析程序将视网膜分为8个亚层,并按照糖尿病视网膜病变早期治疗研究进一步将6mm圆形区域分为3分环(中央环、内环、外环)和9分区(C、S1、T1、I1、N1、S2、T2、I2、N2)。采用单因素方差分析以及两两比较LSD-t检验分析各组间各区域的平均厚度差异。结果:NDR组和NPDR组的黄斑区视网膜总厚度与对照组比较,差异均无统计学意义。NDR组视网膜神经纤维层的C、N1、T1和T2区较对照组显著变薄(均P<0.05),内核层的S2和T2区增厚(均P<0.05)。在NPDR组内核层的增厚更加明显,内环N1、I1区以及外环各区S2、T2、I2、N2均显著增厚(均P<0.05)。除中央区外,NPDR组的肌样体椭圆形区域层在内外环各区均出现显著变薄(均P<0.05)。此外,无论是NDR组还是NPDR组,黄斑区9个区域的脉络膜均较对照组显著变薄,差异有统计学意义(均P<0.05)。结论:OCT能有效检测2型糖尿病患者黄斑区视网膜亚层及脉络膜结构的早期改变。糖尿病患者在未出现显著视网膜结构改变时即已发生大范围脉络膜损害,推测脉络膜厚度可能是预测糖尿病患者出现早期视网膜病变的有效指标。

Reduced macular inner retinal thickness and microvascular density in the early stage of patients with dysthyroid optic neuropathy

Background:The goal was to investigate changes of the inner intra-retinal layer thicknesses and retinal capillary density(RCD)around the macula in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy(TAO)patients with or without dysthyroid optic neuropathy(DON).Methods:Forty-four TAO patients including 23 non-DON and 21 DON patients,and 38 healthy participants were enrolled.Spectral domain optical coherence tomography equipped with Angiovue was used to obtain threedimensional retinal thickness maps and microvascular images of the superficial and deep retinal capillary layers(SRCL and DRCL,respectively)around the macula.Quantitative analyses were performed using a custom automated algorithm.Results:The thicknesses of the nerve fiber layer,ganglion cell layer+inner plexiform layer,and ganglion cell complex(GCC)as well as the RCDs in the SRCL and DRCL in both TAO groups were significantly decreased compared to the controls.In addition,the RCDs in DRCL of the DON group were further decreased compared to the non-DON group.GCC thickness in both TAO groups was positively correlated with the RCDs of the SRCL in the total annular zone and in the temporal,inferior,and nasal sectors.The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for the GCC thickness combined with the RCD were generally larger than those of each single indicator.Conclusions:Thinned inner intra-retinal layers and decreased RCDs in the TAO patients without DON revealed that morphological changes might precede visual dysfunction.The composite index of the retinal structure and the microvascular density might be valuable in the diagnosing,monitoring,and intervention for early DON.

Associated risk factors in the early stage of diabetic retinopathy

Background:To investigate the retinal capillary density(RCD)of the macula using optical coherence tomography angiography(OCT-A)in type 2 diabetic patients and to further determine the association with risk factors.Methods:A total of 212 eyes from 212 subjects were recruited;subjects included diabetics with no retinopathy(NDR,n=90 eyes),diabetics with mild retinopathy DR(MDR,n=36 eyes),and healthy participants(Control,n=86 eyes).All participants underwent OCT-A scanning.RCD was quantified by superficial and deep retinal capillary layers(SRCL and DRCL)from OCT-A images.Results:RCD in SRCL and DRCL was lower in NDR(P<0.001)as well as in MDR(P<0.001)when compared with control eyes.Diabetic patients were subdivided according to individual risk factors,complications related to diabetes,and hyperglycemia.Diabetic patients showed lower RCD in both the SRCL and DRCL when compared with healthy controls.Diabetics with age>55y,HbA1c>7%had significantly reduced DRCL(P<0.05)when compared with the other group of diabetics(age<55y,HbA1c<7%).Diabetics with a blood urea nitrogen(BUN)>8.2 mmol/L had significantly reduced SRCL and DRCL when compared to the other group of diabetics.Conclusions:Risk factors including older age,higher level of HbA1c,LDL-C and BUN,were associated with lower RCDs found in type 2 diabetic patients with and without mild DR by OCT-A.The impairment of retinal capillary by OCT-A may play a key role in the early monitoring of management in diabetes.

Reduced macular inner retinal thickness and microvascular density in the early stage of patients with dysthyroid optic neuropathy

Background:The goal was to investigate changes of the inner intra-retinal layer thicknesses and retinal capillary density(RCD)around the macula in thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy(TAO)patients with or without dysthyroid optic neuropathy(DON).Methods:Forty-four TAO patients including 23 non-DON and 21 DON patients,and 38 healthy participants were enrolled.Spectral domain optical coherence tomography equipped with Angiovue was used to obtain three-dimensional retinal thickness maps and microvascular images of the superficial and deep retinal capillary layers(SRCL and DRCL,respectively)around the macula.Quantitative analyses were performed using a custom automated algorithm.Results:The thicknesses of the nerve fiber layer,ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer,and ganglion cell complex(GCC)as well as the RCDs in the SRCL and DRCL in both TAO groups were significantly decreased compared to the controls.In addition,the RCDs in DRCL of the DON group were further decreased compared to the non-DON group.GCC thickness in both TAO groups was positively correlated with the RCDs of the SRCL in the total annular zone and in the temporal,inferior,and nasal sectors.The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves for the GCC thickness combined with the RCD were generally larger than those of each single indicator.Conclusions:Thinned inner intra-retinal layers and decreased RCDs in the TAO patients without DON revealed that morphological changes might precede visual dysfunction.The composite index of the retinal structure and the microvascular density might be valuable in the diagnosing,monitoring,and intervention for early DON.

Visual acuity is correlated with ischemia and neurodegeneration in patients with early stages of diabetic retinopathy

Purpose:We investigated the effects of retinal ischemia,neurodegeneration,and subclinical edema on best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA)in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy(DR).Methods:Ischemia was evaluated by the microvascular parameters measured by optical coherence tomography angiography.Neurodegeneration and subclinical edema were identified by the intraretinal layer thickness obtained by optical coherence tomography.Eyes with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy(n=132)from 89 patients were analyzed.Eyes were classified as having normal BCVA(n=88[66.7%],Snellen equivalent≥20/20)or decreased BCVA(n=44[33.3%],Snellen equivalent<20/20).The prevalence of ischemia,neurodegeneration,and subclinical edema was explored in patients with and without decreased BCVA,and correlations between BCVA and these pathological pathways were determined.Results:Vessel density in the deep retinal capillary plexus(DRCP)and thickness of ganglion cell layer plus inner plexiform layer(GCL-IPL)were significantly lower in eyes with decreased BCVA compared with eyes with normal BCVA(both P<0.05).In the final multiple regression predictive model,age,DRCP vessel density,and GCL-IPL thickness(all P≤0.044)were predictors of BCVA.DRCP vessel density and GCL-IPL thickness have an interactive effect on visual acuity.The proportions of ischemia and neurodegeneration were significantly higher in eyes with decreased BCVA than in eyes with normal BCVA(P=0.001 and P=0.004,respectively).Conclusion:During the natural course of the early stages of DR,ischemia and neurodegeneration were the main disease pathways associated with visual acuity,and the mechanisms varied among patients.