Multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment model based on a retrospective cohort study: Pulmonary function and prognosis quality of life in severe COPD.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a common chronic respiratory disease worsening airflow limitation. OBJECTIVE: To explore pulmonary function rehabilitation, life quality and prognosis in patients with severe COPD. METHODS: Between February 2018 and August 2021, 150 patients with severe COPD cured in our hospital were arbitrarily assigned into the control group (n= 75) and study group (n= 75). The control group received routine treatment and the research group received multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment. The body mass index, airflow obstruction, dyspnea and exercise (BODE), pulmonary function, the number of acute attacks, 6-minute walking distance (6MWD), Borg score and life quality were compared. RESULTS: There was no remarkable difference in BODE score before treatment (P> 0.05). During the 2- and 6-month following treatment, the BODE score of the study group was lower (P< 0.05). In the study group, FEV1 percentage of the predicted value, forced expiratory volume in one second (PPO-FEV1) and the percentage of forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) in the first second were higher (P< 0.05). In the study group, there were fewer acute attacks (P< 0.05). After treatment, the 6MWD of the study group following 2- and 6-month treatment was higher (P< 0.05). The Borg scores of the study group at 2- and 6-months after treatment were lower (P< 0.05). There were no remarkable differences in the score of life quality before treatment (P> 0.05), however, the symptom score, activity score, influence score and total score of the study group were lower after the treatment (P< 0.05). CONCLUSION: The application of multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment model can promote the rehabilitation of pulmonary function of patients with severe COPD, improve their prognosis, slow down the development of the disease and enhance their life quality.

Autotrophic denitrification of high-salinity wastewater using elemental sulfur: batch tests.

The feasibility of autotrophic denitrification of a high-salinity wastewater using sulfur-oxidizing autotrophic denitrificants was studied. These autotrophic bacteria oxidize elemental sulfur to sulfate while reducing nitrate to elemental nitrogen gas, thereby eliminating the need for the addition of organic carbon compounds. A series of bench-scale batch tests was performed with synthetic and actual flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater to examine the effects of various environmental and operational factors such as temperature, pH, high salinity, and potentially toxic substances on the rate of autotrophic denitrification using elemental sulfur. Specific denitrification rates of 6 to 8 mg nitrate-nitrogen (NO3- -N)/g volatile suspended solids (VSS) x h were obtained. The highest denitrification rates were found between pH 7.0 and 8.0 and a temperature of 30 degrees C. The denitrification rate started to decrease above an osmotic pressure of 19 atm (approximately 70% of seawater), independent of the type of salt ions, and amounted to approximately 70% activity at the concentration of seawater. Polyphosphate or pyrophosphate could be used as the source of phosphorus instead of orthophosphate because the latter caused immediate calcium phosphate precipitation in the FGD wastewater. Inhibiting factors attributed to inorganic or organic compounds originating from coal combustion were discussed.