A Brief Body-Mind-Spirit Group Therapy for Chinese Medicine Stagnation Syndrome: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Background. Stagnation syndrome, a diagnostic entity in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), is characterized by mind-body obstruction-like symptoms. Although TCM has long-established symptom-relief treatments, a comprehensive mind-body intervention was called for. Purpose. The study evaluated the efficacy of a six-session body-mind-spirit (BMS) group therapy for persons with stagnation syndrome. Method. A 2-arm randomized controlled trial design was adopted. The control group received a parallel general TCM instruction course. Both groups completed a pretest (T0), posttest (T1), and 2-month follow-up assessment (T2). The measures included self-report scales on stagnation, depression, anxiety, physical distress, daily functioning, and positive and negative affect; the other measure was of salivary cortisol, a biological marker of stress. Results. Data on 111 adults with stagnation syndrome were included in the analysis. Completion rates were high (over 87%) for both the intervention and control groups. Repeated-measures multivariate MANOVA revealed a significant combined effect with large effect size (eta-squared = 0.42). Repeated-measures ANOVA further revealed that the intervention group showed significant improvements in stagnation, the primary outcome, with medium effect size (eta-squared = 0.11). The intervention group also showed significant improvements in depression, physical distress, everyday functioning, and negative affect (eta-squared = 0.06 to 0.13). Post hoc analysis revealed that the intervention group showed significant improvements over the control group in cortisol level at 2-month follow-up assessment (T0 versus T2) with small effect size (eta-squared = 0.05), but not at posttest (T0 versus T1). Conclusions. Overall, the findings indicate that our brief BMS group therapy intervention for stagnation syndrome is efficacious. Moreover, the intervention resulted in a number of substantial improvements in the physical and mental health domains

Statistical Characteristics of Raindrop Size Distributions and Parameters in Central China During the Meiyu Seasons

The rain parameters derived from the laser OTT second-generation Particle Size Velocity (Parsivel(2)), the two-dimensional video disdrometer (2DVD), and DZZ5 tipping-bucket rain gauge (RG) during the Integrative Monsoon Frontal Rainfall Experiment (IMFRE) in summer 2018 are compared. The total rainfall amounts observed by Parsivel, 2DVD, and RG during IMFRE were 178.07, 176.76, and 182.5 mm, while their total rainy hours were 113, 113, and 90. The meanD(m)(mass-weighted mean diameter) andLWC(liquid water content) values derived from Parsivel and 2DVD were 1.03 and 1.01 mm and 0.247 and 0.223 g m(-3). The rainy samples from six Parsivel sites over the middle reaches of the Yangtze River during the 2016-2018 Meiyu seasons have been collected and analyzed. The occurrence frequencies for rain rates (RR) 10 mm hr(-1)were 83.9% and 7.4%, respectively, but they contributed 30.5% and 52.1% of the total accumulated rainfall. Compared with the results over the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the total accumulated rainfall percentages forRR RR > 10 mm hr(-1)observed at XN site were higher and lower, respectively. The stratiform rain (SR) raindrop size increases withRRover both the middle and lower reaches, whereas theN(w)values over the middle reaches are much higher. Opposite to the SR results, the convective rain (CR) raindrops from this study are larger, while theirN(w)values are similar to one another. For gamma-type-size distribution, the mu - lambda andZ - Rrelations are strongly dependent on geographical location.National Key Research and Development Program of China6 month embargo; first published online 17 September 2020This item from the UA Faculty Publications collection is made available by the University of Arizona with support from the University of Arizona Libraries. If you have questions, please contact us at [email protected]

Evaluation of gas well productivity in low permeability gas reservoirs based on a modified back-pressure test method

In view of the long pressure stabilization time of low permeability gas reservoirs, the traditional backpressure test was modified based on the idea of isochronal test in order to evaluate gas well productivity accurately. Firstly, carry out continuous well startup using 3–4 incremental working systems at the same time interval without the bottom-hole flowing pressure reaching stability; then carry out a prolonged test using a reasonable working system which requires both the bottom-hole flowing pressure and the production reaching stability; finally shut in the well to allow the pressure recover to formation pressure. If the isochronal test productivity calculation method is borrowed for the modified backpressure test, the drawdown pressure will be overestimated, and calculated productivity will be underestimated. The “process conversion-flowing pressure correction” was used to convert the test process into an isochronal test process, and the bottom-hole flowing pressure correction equation was deduced based on pressure superposition principle to solve the productivity calculation problem with this method. The example indicates that the modified backpressure test method can not only shorten the test time significantly and avoid frequent well startup and shut-in, but also can ensure the accuracy of productivity calculation. Key words: low permeability gas reservoir, bottom-hole flowing pressure, modified backpressure test, “process conversion-flowing pressure correction”, productivity evaluatio