Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “physical aging”

Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 127 records · Page 7

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to Assess Changes to Trabecular Microarchitecture (Trb µArch) of the Hip

BACKGROUND . Calculated loss rates in trabecular (Trb) volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), in astronauts after return from 6-month long-duration (LD) spaceflight, are rapid relative to menopause-induced loss rates and could contribute to the observed lack of recovery. Perforations in the Trb bony struts, skeletal fragility and fractures [5] have been associated with the rapid rate of bone loss in women due to menopause. The more rapid loss rate observed in astronauts could be inducing similar, irreversible losses of trabecular connectivity as seen in cadaver studies of female skeletons. These changes are not detectable by DXA technology and would not be discovered in astronauts during scheduled, triennial DXA testing for primary osteoporosis. High-resolution-peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) of the lower leg have detected losses in Trb vBMD (vBMD) and changes in Trb microarchitecture (µArch) in astronauts immediately following routine 6-month spaceflights and continuing in some individuals for 1 or more years postflight with no signs of recovery. Resolution of these microarchitectural changes by whole body QCT, especially in the deeply embedded hip bone, is prohibitive due to excessive and unsafe radiation exposures. While HR-pQCT has sufficient resolution to study Trb µArch at safe and lower radiation exposure testing is restricted only to the lower leg and wrist. Hence, a technology to detect detrimental changes to Trb µArch in astronauts, especially of the hip, is needed to inform type and timing of countermeasures to irreversible deficits (preflight, inflight and postflight). METHODS . This HRP-funded study (2023-2027) will verify the sensitivity of a protocol for MRI scanning (on a 3T Siemens Vida) to detect changes to hip Trb µArch in persons following spinal cord injury (SCI); skeletal immobilization below the spinal lesion will serve as an analog for non-weight-bearing during spaceflight. The study period has been extended by 1 yr due to delayed Richmond IRB approval in Y1. A 3T MRI protocol will characterize serial changes in hip Trb µArch in SCI patients from time of admission at the Richmond VA Medical Center to their scheduled annual exam 12-months later. SCI patients with age, sex, and physical characteristics like ISS astronauts will be consented. The ability of 3T MRI hip scan to discriminate loss of trabecular connectivity subjects with SCI will be compared to age- and sex-matched ambulatory controls. A comparison between HR-pQCT and MRI measurements at the ankle (distal tibia) of study subjects will also be performed. A modified DXA scan analysis (3D-Shaper) will also be verified as a potential method for monitoring concurrent changes in hip Trb bone over 12-month. SIGNIFICANCE . Deliverables: a surveillance method for assessing for irreversible losses of connectivity and how skeletal changes after LD spaceflight(s) would modify the terrestrial risk of primary osteoporosis.

Spinal Cord Injury↗

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to Assess Changes to Trabecular Microarchitecture (Trb µArch) of the Hip

BACKGROUND . Calculated loss rates in trabecular (Trb) volumetric bone mineral density (vBMD), in astronauts after return from 6-month long-duration (LD) spaceflight, are rapid relative to menopause-induced loss rates and could contribute to the observed lack of recovery. Perforations in the Trb bony struts, skeletal fragility and fractures [5] have been associated with the rapid rate of bone loss in women due to menopause. The more rapid loss rate observed in astronauts could be inducing similar, irreversible losses of trabecular connectivity as seen in cadaver studies of female skeletons. These changes are not detectable by DXA technology and would not be discovered in astronauts during scheduled, triennial DXA testing for primary osteoporosis. High-resolution-peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT) of the lower leg have detected losses in Trb vBMD (vBMD) and changes in Trb microarchitecture (µArch) in astronauts immediately following routine 6-month spaceflights and continuing in some individuals for 1 or more years postflight with no signs of recovery. Resolution of these microarchitectural changes by whole body QCT, especially in the deeply embedded hip bone, is prohibitive due to excessive and unsafe radiation exposures. While HR-pQCT has sufficient resolution to study Trb µArch at safe and lower radiation exposure testing is restricted only to the lower leg and wrist. Hence, a technology to detect detrimental changes to Trb µArch in astronauts, especially of the hip, is needed to inform type and timing of countermeasures to irreversible deficits (preflight, inflight and postflight). METHODS . This HRP-funded study (2023-2027) will verify the sensitivity of a protocol for MRI scanning (on a 3T Siemens Vida) to detect changes to hip Trb µArch in persons following spinal cord injury (SCI); skeletal immobilization below the spinal lesion will serve as an analog for non-weight-bearing during spaceflight. The study period has been extended by 1 yr due to delayed Richmond IRB approval in Y1. A 3T MRI protocol will characterize serial changes in hip Trb µArch in SCI patients from time of admission at the Richmond VA Medical Center to their scheduled annual exam 12-months later. SCI patients with age, sex, and physical characteristics like ISS astronauts will be consented. The ability of 3T MRI hip scan to discriminate loss of trabecular connectivity subjects with SCI will be compared to age- and sex-matched ambulatory controls. A comparison between HR-pQCT and MRI measurements at the ankle (distal tibia) of study subjects will also be performed. A modified DXA scan analysis (3D-Shaper) will also be verified as a potential method for monitoring concurrent changes in hip Trb bone over 12-month. SIGNIFICANCE . Deliverables: a surveillance method for assessing for irreversible losses of connectivity and how skeletal changes after LD spaceflight(s) would modify the terrestrial risk of primary osteoporosis.

Risk Surveillance↗

A review of the influence of physical condition parameters on a typical aerospace stress effect: Decompression sickness

The study examines data on episodes of decompression sickness, particularly from recent Navy work in which the event occurred under multiple stress conditions, to determine the extent to which decompression sickness might be predicted on the basis of personal characteristics such as age, weight, and physical condition. Such information should ultimately be useful for establishing medical selection criteria to screen individuals prior to participation inactivities involving extensive changes in ambient pressure, including those encountered in space operations. The main conclusions were as follows. There is a definite and positive relationship between increasing age and weight and the likelihood of decompression sickness. However, for predictive purposes, the relationship is low. To reduce the risk of bends, particularly for older individuals, strenuous exercise should be avoided immediately after ambient pressure changes. Temperatures should be kept at the low end of the comfort zone. For space activities, pressure changes of over 6-7 psi should be avoided. Prospective participants in future missions such as the Space Shuttle should not be excluded on the basis of age, certainly to age 60, if their general condition is reasonably good and they are not grossly obese. (Modified author abstract)

West, V. R.↗

Impact experiments in viscous fluid media

Available phase and group velocity data are inverted by a procedure which includes the effects of transverse anisotropy, anelastic dispersion, sphericity, and gravity. The resulting models, for average Earth, average ocean, and oceanic regions divided according to the age of the ocean floor, are quite different from previous results which ignore the above effects. The models show a low-veocity zone with age dependent anisotropy and velocities higher than derived in previous surface wave studied. The correspondence between the anisotropy variation with age and a physical model based on flow aligned olivine is suggestive. For most of the Earth SHSV in the vicinity of the low-velocity zone. Near the East Pacific Rise, however, SVSH at depth, consistent with ascending flow. Anisotropy is as important as temperature in causing radial and lateral variations in velocity. The models have a high velocity nearly isotropic layer at the top of the mantle that thickens with age. This layer defines the LID, or seismic lithosphere. In the Pacific, the LID thickens with age to a maximum thickness of about 50 km. This thickness is comparable to the thickness of the elastic lithosphere. The LID thickness is thinner than derived using isotropic or pseudo-isotropic procedures A new model for Average Earth is obtained which includes a thin LID. This model extends the fit of a P.R.E.M. type model to shorter period surface waves.

Greeley, R.↗

Study on the Thermal Stabilizing Process of Layered Double Hydroxides in PVC Resin

Poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) is widely used in various fields and requires the use of thermal stabilizers to enhance its thermal stability during processing because of its poor thermal stability. Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) are widely considered to be one kind of highly efficient and environmentally friendly PVC thermal stabilizer. To investigate the thermal stabilizing process of layered double hydroxides (LDHs) in PVC resin, PVC and MgAl-LDHs powders with different interlayer anions (CO 3 2- , Cl - , and NO 3 - ) were physically mixed and aged at 180 °C. The structure of LDHs at different aging times was studied using XRD, SEM, and FT-IR. The results show that the thermal stabilizing process of LDHs on PVC mainly has three stages. In the first stage, the layers of LDHs undergo a reaction with HCl, which is released during the thermal decomposition of PVC. Subsequently, the ion exchange process occurs between Cl - and interlayer CO 3 2- , resulting in the formation of MgAl-Cl-LDHs. Finally, the layers of MgAl-Cl-LDHs react with HCl slowly. During the thermal stabilizing process of MgAl-Cl-LDHs, the peak intensity of XRD reduces slightly, and no new XRD peak emerges. It indicates that only the first step happens for MgAl-Cl-LDHs. The TG-DTA analysis of LDHs indicates that the interaction of LDHs with different interlayer anions has the following order: NO 3 - < CO 3 2- < Cl - , according to the early coloring in the thermal aging test of PVC composites. The results of the thermal aging tests suggest that LDHs with a weak interaction between interlayer anions and layers can enhance the early stability of PVC significantly. Furthermore, the thermal aging test demonstrates that LDHs with high HCl absorption capacities exhibit superior long-term stabilizing effects on PVC resin. This finding provides a valuable hint for designing an LDHs/PVC resin with a novel structure and excellent thermal stability.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Changes in Distal Tibial Microarchitecture During Eight Weeks of U.S. Army Basic Combat Training Differ by Sex and Race

ABSTRACT Basic combat training (BCT) is a physically rigorous period at the beginning of a soldier's career that induces bone formation in the tibia. Race and sex are determinants of bone properties in young adults but their influences on changes in bone microarchitecture during BCT are unknown. The purpose of this work was to determine the influence of sex and race on changes in bone microarchitecture during BCT. Bone microarchitecture was assessed at the distal tibia via high‐resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography at the beginning and end of 8 weeks of BCT in a multiracial cohort of trainees (552 female, 1053 male; mean ± standard deviation [SD] age = 20.7 ± 3.7 years) of which 25.4% self‐identified as black, 19.5% as race other than black or white (other races combined), and 55.1% as white. We used linear regression models to determine whether changes in bone microarchitecture due to BCT differed by race or sex, after adjusting for age, height, weight, physical activity, and tobacco use. We found that trabecular bone density (Tb.BMD), thickness (Tb.Th), and volume (Tb.BV/TV), as well as cortical BMD (Ct.BMD) and thickness (Ct.Th) increased following BCT in both sexes and across racial groups (+0.32% to +1.87%, all p < 0.01). Compared to males, females had greater increases in Tb.BMD (+1.87% versus +1.40%; p = 0.01) and Tb.Th (+0.87% versus +0.58%; p = 0.02), but smaller increases in Ct.BMD (+0.35% versus +0.61%; p < 0.01). Compared to black trainees, white trainees had greater increases in Tb.Th (+0.82% versus +0.61%; p = 0.03). Other races combined and white trainees had greater increases in Ct.BMD than black trainees (+0.56% and + 0.55% versus +0.32%; both p ≤ 0.01). Changes in distal tibial microarchitecture, consistent with adaptive bone formation, occur in trainees of all races and sexes, with modest differences by sex and race. Published 2023. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Hughes, Julie M.↗

Ethnic Differences in Physical Fitness, Blood Pressure and Blood Chemistry in Women (AGES 20-63)

This study examined the role of ethnicity on the aerobic fitness, blood pressure, and selected blood chemistry values of women. One hundred twenty-four females (mean age 41.37 +/- 9.0) were medically Examined at the NASA/Johnson Space Center occupational health clinic. Ethnic groups consisted of 23 Black (B), 18 Hispanic (H) and 83 Non-minority (NM). Each woman had a maximum Bruce treadmill stress test (RER greater than or = 1.1) and a negative ECG. Indirect calorimetry, skinfolds, self-report physical activity (NASA activity scale), seated blood pressure, and blood chemistry panel determined VO2max, percent fat, level of physical activity, blood pressure and blood chemistry values. ANOVA revealed that the groups did not differ (p greater than 0.05) in age, VO2 max, weight, percent fat, level of physical activity, total cholesterol, or HDL-C. However, significant differences (p greater than 0.05) were noted in BMI, diastolic blood pressure, and blood chemistries. BMI was 3.17 higher in H than in NM; resting diastolic pressures were 5.69 and 8.05 mmHg. lower in NM and H than in B; triglycerides were 48.07 and 37.21 mg/dl higher in H than in B and NM; hemoglobin was .814 gm/dl higher in NM than B; fasting blood sugar was 15.41 mg/dl higher in H than NM; The results of this study showed that ethnic groups differed in blood pressure and blood chemistry values but not aerobic fitness or physical activity. There was an ethnic difference in BMI but not percent fat.

Ayers, G. W.↗

Simulated aging processes of black carbon and its impact during a severe winter haze event in the Beijing-Tianjin- Hebei region

Black carbon (BC) can mitigate or worsen air pollution through perturbing meteorological conditions. BC aging processes are important for the evolution of particle size, concentration, and optical properties of BC that determines its influence on the meteorology. Here we use the online coupled Weather Research and Forecasting-Chemistry (WRF-Chem) model to quantify the role of BC aging processes, including physical processes (PP) and absorption enhancements (AE), in exerting BC-induced meteorological changes and the associated feedback to PM2.5 (particulate matter less than 2.5 µm in diameter) and O3 concentrations during a severe haze event in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (BTH) region during 21-27 February 2014. Our results show that, compared to the simulation without the PP treatment, the simulated near-surface BC concentration and BC mass loading in BTH region is lowered by 6.6 % and 12.1 %, respectively, during the haze event with the PP included. PP increases the proportion of large-size BC (particle diameter greater than 0.312 µm) from 28 %-33 % to 59 %-64 % below 1000 m in BTH region. Both PP and AE enhance the “dome effect” of BC. With both PP and AE considered, a reduction in PBL height due to BC-PBL interaction is 116.3 m (20.7 %), compared to 75.7 m (13.5 %) without AE and 66.6 m (11.9 %) without both PP and AE. However, during this haze event, anomalous northeasterly winds are produced by the direct radiative effect of BC, which further affects the mixing and transport of aerosols. When PBL height is decreased (from 10:00 to 21:00), combining all the impacts on multiple meteorological factors, BC effect without PP and AE, without AE, and with PP and AE, respectively, increases surface concentrations of PM2.5 by 8.3 µg m-3 (6.1 % relative to the mean value), 6.1 µg m-3 (4.5 %) and 9.6 µg m-3 (7.0 %) but decreases surface O3 concentrations by 2.8 ppbv (7.4 %), 4.0 ppbv (9.0 %) and 5.0 ppbv (10.8 %) in BTH region averaged over 21-27 February 2014. Our results highlight the importance of the aging processes and absorption enhancements of BC in simulating weather and air quality.

Chen, Donglin↗

Modeling Chemo-Mechanics with Electrolyte Infiltration to Quantify Degradation of Cathode Particles

One of the main goals in modeling lithium-ion batteries is to improve/predict longevity and resilience of new chemistries. To that end, this talk investigates the formation of stress-induced fracture within polycrystalline cathode particles and the impact on capacity loss. Physically based cathode aging dynamics is simulated in a 3D, continuum-level chemo-mechanical model. The model captures anisotropic Li diffusion within a single polycrystalline particle comprised of hundreds to thousands of randomly oriented grains. A recent addition to this model includes electrolyte infiltration, which occurs when the electrolyte seeps into surface cracks within the particle. The model predicts that particle fracture is primarily due to non-ideal grain interactions with slight dependence on high-rate charge demands. Essentially, when neighboring grains are misaligned, they expand a different rates relative to one another leading to high stresses and ultimately the formation of intraparticle cracks. The model predicts that small particles with large grains develop significantly less damage than larger particles with small grains. Finally, the model predicts most of the chemo-mechanical damage accumulates in the first charge after formation. This chemo-mechanical "damage saturation" effect indicates that initial particle fracture occurs within the first few cycles, while long-term cathode degradation is not solely chemo-mechanically induced. The principle contribution of this research is the use of an anisotropic chemo-mechanical model to test how particle geometry affect capacity fade, which predicts that particle size has a stronger effect on capacity fade than grain size and ultimately that small particles with large grains have the least capacity fade.

cathode↗

Component Assessment of the Electric Transmission Grid to Hurricanes

The increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events from climate change necessitates understanding impacts on critical infrastructure, particularly electrical transmission grids. One of the foundational concepts of a grid's resilience is its robustness to extreme weather events, such as hurricanes. Resilience of the electric grid to high wind speeds is predicated upon the location and physical characteristics of the system components. Previous modeling assessments of electric grid failure were done at the systems level with assumptions on location and type of specific components. To facilitate more explicit adaptation metrics, accurate component-level information is needed. In this study, we build and utilize a data set of location, physical characteristics, and age of transmission structures for nine counties in the Florida Panhandle. These component characteristics were then simulated for failure under a variety of scenarios using fragility curves. Eight hurricanes were modeled using Hazus from the Federal Emergency Management Administration and the resulting impact to the network was assessed. The network was generated using the transmission lines and towers, showing increasing impacts to network efficiency with larger storms. Although modern transmission structures are built under the more stringent extreme wind loading construction standards, the prevalence of older, wooden transmission structures throughout the region poses a substantial risk to reliable electricity transmission during tropical cyclone events from the Gulf of Mexico.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

K/Ar dating of lunar soils. IV - Orange glass from 74220 and agglutinates from 14259 and 14163

Total fusion Ar-40 - A-39 analyses of orange glass from lunar soil 74220 combined with the sums of earlier stepwise heating data by other workers have yielded a precise K/Ar isochron with a slope corresponding to an age of 3.66 + or - 0.03 G.y. for the orange glass. The result is in marginal agreement with Huneke's (1978) age of 3.60 + or - 0.04 G.y. for 74220 glass. The Ar systematics in the agglutinates from 14259 and 14163 are dominated by volume correlated argon. Step-wise heating analyses yield data which define experimentally reproducible linear arrays in Ar-40/Ar-36 vs. K-40/Ar-36 diagrams. The slopes of these arrays correspond formally to very old ages, but it is not clear, however, that such ages have any physical significance.

Alexander, E. C., Jr.↗

Anisotropic models of the upper mantle

Long period Rayleigh wave and Love wave dispersion data, particularly for oceanic areas, were not simultaneously satisfied by an isotropic structure. Available phase and group velocity data are inverted by a procedure which includes the effects of transverse anisotropy, an elastic dispersion, sphericity, and gravity. The resulting models, for the average Earth, average ocean and oceanic regions divided according to the age of the ocean floor, are quite different from previous results which ignore the above effects. The models show a low velocity zone with age dependent anisotropy and velocities higher than derived in previous surface wave studies. The correspondence between the anisotropy variation with age and a physical model based on flow aligned olivine is suggested.

Regan, J.↗

Anisotropic models of the upper mantle

Long period Rayleigh wave and Love wave dispersion data, particularly for oceanic areas, were not simultaneously satisfied by an isotropic structure. Available phase and group velocity data are inverted by a procedure which includes the effects of transverse anisotropy, an elastic dispersion, sphericity, and gravity. The resulting models, for the average earth, average ocean and oceanic regions divided according to the age of the ocean floor, are quite different from previous results which ignore the above effects. The models show a low velocity zone with age dependent anisotropy and velocities higher than derived in previous surface wave studies. The correspondence between the anisotropy variation with age and a physical model based on flow aligned olivine is suggested.

Regan, J.↗

Images in the rocket ultraviolet - The stellar population in the central bulge of M31

Imagery of the bulge of M31 obtained with a rocket-borne telescope in two broad bands centered at 1460 A and 2380 A is discussed. The UV spatial profiles over a region about 200 arcsec wide are identical with those at visible wavelengths. The absence of detectable point sources indicates that main-sequence stars hotter than B0 V are not present in the bulge. It is suggested that the far-UV flux in old stellar populations originates in post-AGB stars. The UV flux from such stars is extremely sensitive to age and the physics of their previous mass loss.

Bohlin, R. C.↗

Distributions and motions of nearby stars defined by objective prism surveys and Hipparcos data

Material and objective prism spectral classification work is used to determine the space density distribution of nearby common stars to the limits of objective prism spectral surveys. The aim is to extend the knowledge of the local densities of specific spectral types from a radius of 25 pc from the sun, as limited in the Gliese catalog of nearby stars, to 50 pc or more. Future plans for the application of these results to studies of the kinematic and dynamical properties of stars in the solar neighborhood as a function of their physical properties and ages are described.

Hemenway, P. D.↗

Insulin secretion and sensitivity in space flight: diabetogenic effects

Nearly three decades of space flight research have suggested that there are subclinical diabetogenic changes that occur in microgravity. Alterations in insulin secretion, insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, and metabolism of protein and amino acids support the hypothesis that insulin plays an essential role in the maintenance of muscle mass in extended-duration space flight. Experiments in flight and after flight and ground-based bedrest studies have associated microgravity and its experimental paradigms with manifestations similar to those of diabetes, physical inactivity, and aging. We propose that these manifestations are characterized best by an etiology that falls into the clinical category of "other" causes of diabetes, including, but not restricted to, genetic beta-cell defects, insulin action defects, diseases of the endocrine pancreas, endocrinopathies, drug or chemically induced diabetes, infections, immune-mediated metabolic alteration, and a host of genetic related diseases. We present data showing alterations in tumor necrosis factor-alpha production, insulin secretion, and amino acid metabolism in pancreatic islets of Langerhans cultured in a ground-based cell culture bioreactor that mimics some of the effects of microgravity. Taken together, space flight research, ground-based studies, and bioreactor studies of pancreatic islets of Langerhans support the hypothesis that the pancreas is unable to overcome peripheral insulin resistance and amino acid dysregulation during space flight. We propose that measures of insulin secretion and insulin action will be necessary to design effective countermeasures against muscle loss, and we advance the "disposition index" as an essential model to be used in the clinical management of space flight-induced muscle loss.

Review↗

Two-Armed, Mobile, Sensate Research Robot

The Anthropomorphic Robotic Testbed (ART) is an experimental prototype of a partly anthropomorphic, humanoid-size, mobile robot. The basic ART design concept provides for a combination of two-armed coordination, tactility, stereoscopic vision, mobility with navigation and avoidance of obstacles, and natural-language communication, so that the ART could emulate humans in many activities. The ART could be developed into a variety of highly capable robotic assistants for general or specific applications. There is especially great potential for the development of ART-based robots as substitutes for live-in health-care aides for home-bound persons who are aged, infirm, or physically handicapped; these robots could greatly reduce the cost of home health care and extend the term of independent living. The ART is a fully autonomous and untethered system. It includes a mobile base on which is mounted an extensible torso topped by a head, shoulders, and two arms. All subsystems of the ART are powered by a rechargeable, removable battery pack. The mobile base is a differentially- driven, nonholonomic vehicle capable of a speed >1 m/s and can handle a payload >100 kg. The base can be controlled manually, in forward/backward and/or simultaneous rotational motion, by use of a joystick. Alternatively, the motion of the base can be controlled autonomously by an onboard navigational computer. By retraction or extension of the torso, the head height of the ART can be adjusted from 5 ft (1.5 m) to 6 1/2 ft (2 m), so that the arms can reach either the floor or high shelves, or some ceilings. The arms are symmetrical. Each arm (including the wrist) has a total of six rotary axes like those of the human shoulder, elbow, and wrist joints. The arms are actuated by electric motors in combination with brakes and gas-spring assists on the shoulder and elbow joints. The arms are operated under closed-loop digital control. A receptacle for an end effector is mounted on the tip of the wrist and contains a force-and-torque sensor that provides feedback for force (compliance) control of the arm. The end effector could be a tool or a robot hand, depending on the application.

Engelberger, J. F.↗

Astronaut Preflight Cardiovascular Variables Associated with Vascular Compliance are Highly Correlated with Post-Flight Eye Outcome Measures in the Visual Impairment Intracranial Pressure (VIIP) Syndrome Following Long Duration Spaceflight

The detection of the first VIIP case occurred in 2005, and adequate eye outcome measures were available for 31 (67.4%) of the 46 long duration US crewmembers who had flown on the ISS since its first crewed mission in 2000. Therefore, this analysis is limited to a subgroup (22 males and 9 females). A "cardiovascular profile" for each astronaut was compiled by examining twelve individual parameters; eleven of these were preflight variables: systolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, body mass index, percentage body fat, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, use of anti‐lipid medication, fasting serum glucose, and maximal oxygen uptake in ml/kg. Each of these variables was averaged across three preflight annual physical exams. Astronaut age prior to the long duration mission, and inflight salt intake was also included in the analysis. The group of cardiovascular variables for each crew member was compared with seven VIIP eye outcome variables collected during the immediate post‐flight period: anterior-posterior axial length of the globe measured by ultrasound and optical biometry; optic nerve sheath diameter, optic nerve diameter, and optic nerve to sheath ratio‐ each measured by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), intraocular pressure (IOP), change in manifest refraction, mean retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) on optical coherence tomography (OCT), and RNFL of the inferior and superior retinal quadrants. Since most of the VIIP eye outcome measures were added sequentially beginning in 2005, as knowledge of the syndrome improved, data were unavailable for 22.0% of the outcome measurements. To address the missing data, we employed multivariate multiple imputation techniques with predictive mean matching methods to accumulate 200 separate imputed datasets for analysis. We were able to impute data for the 22.0% of missing VIIP eye outcomes. We then applied Rubin's rules for collapsing the statistical results across our 200 multiply imputed data sets to assess the canonical correlation between the eye outcomes and the twelve astronaut cardiovascular variables available for all 31 subjects. Results: A highly significant canonical correlation was observed among the canonical solutions (p<.00001), with an average best canonical correlation of.97. The results suggest a strong association between astronauts' measures of cardiovascular health and the seven eye outcomes of the VIIP syndrome used in this analysis. Furthermore, the "joint test" revealed a significant difference in cardiovascular profile between male and female astronauts (Prob > F = 0.00001). Overall, female astronauts demonstrated a significantly healthier cardiovascular status. Individually, the female astronauts had significantly healthier profiles on seven of twelve cardiovascular variables than the men (p values ranging from <0.0001 to <0.05). Male astronauts did not demonstrate significantly healthier values on any of the twelve cardiovascular variables measured

Otto, Christian↗