GI was capable of decreasing tension, anxiety, and sympathetic nervous system activity pre- or post-centrifugation.

Objective. To study the changes of macular retinal thickness and microvascular system in children with monocular hyperopic anisometropia and severe amblyopia using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and to explore the value of OCTA in the diagnosis and treatment of amblyopia. Methods. Thirty-two children with monocular hyperopic anisometropia and severe amblyopia who were treated in the Department of Ophthalmology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Gannan Medical College from January 2020 to December 2020 were included in the study. Eyes with amblyopia ( n = 32 ) served as the experimental group, and the contralateral healthy eyes ( n = 32 eyes) served as the control group. All children underwent comprehensive ophthalmological examination including slit lamp, eye position, visual acuity, optometry, eye movement, intraocular pressure, ocular axis, and fundus examination to rule out organic lesions. Macular 6   mm × 6   mm scans were performed on both eyes of all subjects by the same experienced clinician using an OCTA instrument. After ImageJ processing, the vessel density, inner layer, and full-layer retinal thickness (RT) of superficial retinal capillary plexus (SCP) were obtained. All data were analyzed by SPSS21.0 software, and a paired t -test was used for comparison between groups. P < 0.05 was considered to indicate statistical significance. Results. The vessel densities of macular SCP in the amblyopia and control groups were 47.66 ± 2.36 % and 50.37 ± 2.24 % in the outer superior, 49.19 ± 2.64 % and 51.44 ± 2.44 % in the inner inferior, 49.63 ± 2.51 % and 51.41 ± 3.03 % in the outer inferior, and 45.56 ± 3.44 % and 50.44 ± 3.52 % in the outer temporal regions, respectively. The vessel density of macular SCP in the amblyopia group was significantly lower than that in contralateral healthy eyes in the outer superior, inner inferior, outer inferior, outer temporal, and central regions. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the inner superior, inner nasal, outer nasal, and inner temporal regions. The macular RT in the amblyopia group and the control group is 90.38 ± 6.09  μm and 87.56 ± 5.55  μm in the outer temporal, respectively. The RT in the macular inner layer in the outer temporal region of the amblyopia group was thicker than that of the control group ( P < 0.05 ). There was no significant difference in the other eight regions between the two groups. The whole macular RT in the amblyopia group was thicker than that in the control group in nine regions, and the central area of macular RT in the amblyopia and control groups was 229.06 ± 6.70  μm and 214.50 ± 10.36  μm, respectively. Conclusion. The OCTA results showed the overall RT of macula in 9 areas in the amblyopia group was thicker than that in the control group, which could show that the macular retinal thickness can be a potential way to distinguish the children with monocular hyperopic anisometropia and severe amblyopia.

Objectives. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of guided imagery training on heart rate variability in individuals while performing spaceflight emergency tasks. Materials and Methods. Twenty-one student subjects were recruited for the experiment and randomly divided into two groups: imagery group (n = 11) and control group (n = 10). The imagery group received instructor-guided imagery (session 1) and self-guided imagery training (session 2) consecutively, while the control group only received conventional training. Electrocardiograms of the subjects were recorded during their performance of nine spaceflight emergency tasks after imagery training. Results. In both of the sessions, the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), the standard deviation of all normal NN (SDNN), the proportion of NN50 divided by the total number of NNs (PNN50), the very low frequency (VLF), the low frequency (LF), the high frequency (HF), and the total power (TP) in the imagery group were significantly higher than those in the control group. Moreover, LF/HF of the subjects after instructor-guided imagery training was lower than that after self-guided imagery training. Conclusions. Guided imagery was an effective regulator for HRV indices and could be a potential stress countermeasure in performing spaceflight tasks.

Objective. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a modified seamless endoscopic dacryocystorhinostomy (EN-DCR) with chronic dacryocystitis. Methods. This study included 54 patients (54 eyes) with chronic dacryocystitis treated in our hospital from 2019 to 2021, including 32 patients (32 eyes) who underwent modified and 22 patients (22 eyes) who underwent routine EN-DCR. In the modified EN-DCR, the nasal cavity was filled 30 min before the operation by injection of 1 mg/ml adrenaline hydrochloride and application of ephedrine hydrochloride and nitrofurazone nasal drops. Before the operation, the lacrimal passages were rinsed with a 1 : 2 mixture of dilute methylene blue and normal saline. The “I”-shaped incision was replaced by a “C“-shaped incision near the lateral bone window. In place of suturing, a gelatin sponge was applied at the confluence of the lacrimal sac and nasal mucosa. After the end of the operation, the lacrimal sac was filled with tapered expansion sponge for 1 week. In routine EN-DCR, the nasal cavity was filled with 1 mg/ml epinephrine hydrochloride, and nitrofurazone nasal drops were provided for 5 minutes after the beginning of the operation; and a “I”-shaped incision was made in the nasal mucosa, with one stitch for each anterior and posterior flap. Operation time, intraoperative bleeding, and postoperative lacrimal duct irrigation were compared, with the curative effect evaluated after a follow-up of 6 months. Results. Operation time was significantly shorter (41.3 ± 12.1 min vs. 65.4 ± 11.6 min; χ2 = 7.312, P < 0.05 ) and intraoperative bleeding was significantly lower (12.5 ± 5.2 ml vs. 60.3 ± 8.9 ml; χ2 = 24.883, P < 0.05 ) in the modified group than in the routine EN-DCR group. After follow-up for 6 months, the effective cure rate was significantly higher in the modified group than in the routine group (96.9% vs. 68.2%; χ2 = 6.383, P < 0.05 ). Conclusion. Compared with routine EN-DCR, modified seamless EN-DCR can achieve better surgical outcomes, shorten operation time, and reduce intraoperative bleeding.