Long-Term Adherence and Maintenance of Benefits in Pulmonary Rehabilitation

Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) is a comprehensive intervention in chronic lung diseases, including personalized special therapies, exercise training, education and behavioral changes to improve the physical and psychological status of the patients, and aims to promote behavior that helps improve health status in the long term. A personalized PR program administered by a multidisciplinary team is recently considered a standard and complementary treatment method in chronic lung diseases. After the PR program, dyspnea of COPD patients decreases and their exercise capacities increase. Their daily life activities and physical activities increase. Their functional dependence decreases and quality of life increases. It presents a perfect opportunity to provide self-management and independence for the patients and improve their quality of life. Studies have shown that, unless there is a structured maintenance program, after an average of 6–12 months following PR programs, the gains that are realized start to decrease. Decrease of gains due to causes like a decrease in compliance to exercises, disease progress, attacks and co-morbidities. Causes such as decreased compliance to exercise, progression of the disease, attacks and comorbidities play a role in reducing gains. Especially in advanced age and in the presence of severe disease, the gain in exercise tolerance is lost more rapidly. The methods used and the results obtained to ensure the continuation of the gains differ.

Changes in soil conservation service and its driving factors: case studies in global top five largest basins

<p>Soil conservation service is an important regulating ecosystem service. We estimated the soil conservation rate of the top five largest basins in the world from 2000 to 2018, classified the trend of conservation rate for each basin and each location as four types (i.e., significant decrease, decrease, increase and significant increase), and analyzed the relationships between soil conservation rate and driving factors. Results show that the Yangtze River basin produces the highest average soil conservation rate (with the value of 1429.68 t ha<sup>-1</sup> yr<sup>-1</sup>). The Yangtze, Mississippi and Yellow River basins show a generally increasing conservation trend. Partial principal component analysis between soil conservation rate and driving factors show that slope gradient has the greatest impact on soil conservation rate, followed by rainfall and NDVI. Vegetation greening (increasing NDVI) could partly offset the effect of increasing rainfall on soil conservation rate in the Mississippi and Yellow River basins. More direct and quantitative variables should be used to represent human activities to analyze the impact on soil conservation change.</p>

EFFECT OF BLACK RICE BRAN EXTRACT (Black Rice Bran) TO DECREASE DECREASE OF GLUCOSE LEVEL IN DIABETIC RATS

Black rice bran is one of processed foods derived from plants and has a decreasing effect of blood glucoselevels. Major component of anthocyanin in black rice bran that functions in lowering blood glucoseconcentration is cyanidin 3-glucoside. Fifteen male rats Sprague-Dawley strain were selected randomly anddivided into 5 groups with the same number in each groups. These groups were consisted of normal control,negative control, and black rice bran extract treatment with dose of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg of bodyweight(b.w.). Each of them were induced to experience diabetes by alloxan 150 mg/kg of b.w. Measurement ofblood glucose levels was done by using visible spectrophotometer at 546 nm. The samples were collectedbefore and after alloxan injection, and after 4, 7, and 10 days later to observe the changes of blood glucoselevels. The results showed that black rice bran at 200 mg/kg of b.w. was able to lower the glucose levels,which amounted for 131,33 ± 8,08 mg/dL after 10 days of injection.

Load Stress of Roller Compacted Concrete Base in Flexible Pavement

In order to analyze load stress of roller compacted concrete base of asphalt pavement, first of all, threedimension finite element model of the flexible pavement is established. The main objectives of the paper are investigated. One is calculation for stress of roller compacted concrete base in asphalt pavement, and the other is analysis for relationship between load stress of roller compacted concrete base and parameters, such as thickness, modulus. The results show that stress, which is caused by load that is located in the middle of longitudinal joint of roller compacted concrete base of asphalt pavement. Maximum load stress decrease, decrease and increase respectively with increase of the surfaces thickness, bases thickness and ratio of bases modulus to foundations modulus.

Study on Shearing Stress of Asphalt Surface on Lean Concrete Base

In order to study the shearing stress of asphalt surface on lean concrete base, first of all, three–dimension finite element model of the asphalt pavement is established. The main objectives of the paper are investigated. One is calculation for shearing stress of asphalt surface in transverse contraction joint of lean concrete base, and the other is analysis for relationship between load stress of asphalt surface and parameters, such as thickness, modulus. The results show that maximum shearing stress, which is caused by load, is evident in asphalt surface which is located in transverse contraction joint of lean concrete base of asphalt pavement. Maximum shearing stress decrease, decrease, decrease and increase respectively with increase of the surface’s modulus, the surface’s thickness, base’s thickness and ratio of base’s modulus to foundation’s modulus.

Mechanical Analysis for Asphalt Surface in Transverse Contraction Joint of Porous Concrete Base

In the field of asphalt pavement, the study has shown that porous concrete base has a good performance of drainage capacity. When porous concrete is used in asphalt pavement, problem of water damage for asphalt pavement can be settled effectively. Because of that, more and more porous concrete base have been applied to asphalt pavement construction in recent years. As a matter of fact, it is necessary to do mechanical analysis for asphalt surface, which is located in the middle of porous concrete base’s transverse contraction joint, in order to put forward theoretical basis for asphalt surface design. In the paper, three–dimension finite element model of asphalt pavement, which includes transverse contraction joint of porous concrete base and asphalt surface, is created for the aim of doing mechanical analysis of asphalt surface which is located in transverse contraction joint of porous concrete base. Based on numerical method, finite element software, such as ANSYS, is employed to do mechanical analysis for asphalt surface which is located in transverse contraction joint of porous concrete base of asphalt pavement. Mechanical analysis show that load stress is compressive stress, and maximum shearing stress, which is caused by load, is evident in asphalt surface which is located in transverse contraction joint of porous concrete base of asphalt pavement. Maximum shearing stress decrease, decrease, decrease and increase respectively with increase of the surface’s modulus, the surface’s thickness, base’s thickness and ratio of base’s modulus to foundation’s modulus. Meanwhile, maximum shearing stress, which is caused by thermal stress, increase and decrease respectively with increase of surface’s modulus and ratio of base’s modulus to foundation’s modulus.