Comparative efficacy of face-to-face and internet-based cognitive behavior therapy for generalized anxiety disorder: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trial

ObjectiveThe study aimed to ascertain the comparative efficacy of these two forms on reducing anxiety scores of scales in patients with a generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) by examining the available evidence for face-to-face cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and internet-based cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT). Moreover, this study attempted to determine whether ICBT can obtain similar benefits as CBT for GAD patients during coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to the quarantine policy and the requirement of social distance.MethodsThis meta-analysis was registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) according to the guidelines in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses statement (registration number CRD42021241938). Therefore, a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) examining CBT or ICBT was conducted in this study to treat GAD patients diagnosed with DMS-IV. The researchers searched PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for relevant studies published from 2000 to July 5, 2022. Evidence from RCTs was synthesized by Review Manager 5.4 as mean difference (MD) for change in scores of scales through a random-effects meta-analysis.ResultsA total of 26 trials representing 1,687 participants were pooled. The results demonstrated that ICBT and CBT were very close in the effect size of treating GAD (MD = −2.35 vs. MD = −2.79). Moreover, they still exhibited a similar response (MD = −3.45 vs. MD = −2.91) after studies with active control were removed.ConclusionRegarding the treatment of GAD, ICBT can achieve a similar therapeutic effect as CBT and could be CBT's candidate substitute, especially in the COVID-19 pandemic era, since the internet plays a crucial role in handling social space constraints.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=241938, identifier CRD42021241938

Ground Ammonia Concentrations over China Derived from Satellite and Atmospheric Transport Modeling

As a primary basic gas in the atmosphere, atmospheric ammonia (NH3) plays an important role in determining air quality, environmental degradation, and climate change. However, the limited ground observation currently presents a barrier to estimating ground NH3 concentrations on a regional scale, thus preventing a full understanding of the atmospheric processes in which this trace gas is involved. This study estimated the ground NH3 concentrations over China, combining the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) satellite NH3 columns and NH3 profiles from an atmospheric chemistry transport model (CTM). The estimated ground NH3 concentrations showed agreement with the variability in annual ground NH3 measurements from the Chinese Nationwide Nitrogen Deposition Monitoring Network (NNDMN). Great spatial heterogeneity of ground NH3 concentrations was found across China, and high ground NH3 concentrations were found in Northern China, Southeastern China, and some areas in Xinjiang Province. The maximum ground NH3 concentrations over China occurred in summer, followed by spring, autumn, and winter seasons, which were in agreement with the seasonal patterns of NH3 emissions in China. This study suggested that a combination of NH3 profiles from CTMs and NH3 columns from satellite obtained reliable ground NH3 concentrations over China

Detecting Sulfuric and Nitric Acid Rain Stresses on Quercus glauca through Hyperspectral Responses

Acid rain, which has become one of the most severe global environmental issues, is detrimental to plant growth. However, effective methods for monitoring plant responses to acid rain stress are currently lacking. The hyperspectral technique provides a cost-effective and nondestructive way to diagnose acid rain stresses. Taking a widely distributed species (Quercus glauca) in Southern China as an example, this study aims to monitor the hyperspectral responses of Q. glauca to simulated sulfuric acid rain (SAR) and nitric acid rain (NAR). A total of 15 periods of leaf hyperspectral data under four pH levels of SAR and NAR were obtained during the experiment. The results showed that hyperspectral information could be used to distinguish plant responses under acid rain stress. An index (green peak area index, GPAI) was proposed to indicate acid rain stresses, based on the significantly variations in the region of 500–660 nm. Light acid rain (pH 4.5 SAR and NAR) promoted Q. glauca growth relative to the control groups (pH 5.6 SAR and NAR); moderate acid rain (pH 3.0 SAR) firstly promoted and then inhibited plant growth, while pH 3.0 NAR showed mild inhibitory effects during the experiment; and heavy acid rain (pH 2.0) significantly inhibited plant growth. Compared with NAR, SAR induced more serious damages to Q. glauca. These results could help monitor acid rain stress on plants on a regional scale using remote sensing techniques

Predicted source profiles of PMF for wet deposition data collected in China.

<p>The bars indicate source profiles (left y-axis), and the filled dots indicate percentage of species (right y-axis) attributed to that source. (Biomass burning (a), Fossil fuel combustion (b), Crust (c), Agriculture (d), Aged sea salt (e).).</p

A Review of Spatial Variation of Inorganic Nitrogen (N) Wet Deposition in China

<div><p>Atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition (N_dep), an important component of the global N cycle, has increased sharply in recent decades in China. Although there were already some studies on N_dep on a national scale, there were some gaps on the magnitude and the spatial patterns of N_dep. In this study, a national-scale N_dep pattern was constructed based on 139 published papers from 2003 to 2014 and the effects of precipitation (P), energy consumption (E) and N fertilizer use (F_N) on spatial patterns of N_dep were analyzed. The wet deposition flux of NH₄⁺-N, NO₃^--N and total N_dep was 6.83, 5.35 and 12.18 kg ha^-1 a^-1, respectively. N_dep exhibited a decreasing gradient from southeast to northwest of China. Through accuracy assessment of the spatial N_dep distribution and comparisons with other studies, the spatial N_dep distribution by Lu and Tian and this study both gained high accuracy. A strong exponential function was found between P and N_dep, F_N and N_dep and E and N_dep, and P and F_N had higher contribution than E on the spatial variation of N_dep. Fossil fuel combustion was the main contributor for NO₃^--N (86.0%) and biomass burning contributed 5.4% on the deposition of NO₃^--N. The ion of NH₄⁺ was mainly from agricultural activities (85.9%) and fossil fuel combustion (6.0%). Overall, N_dep in China might be considerably affected by the high emissions of NO_x and NH₃ from fossil fuel combustion and agricultural activities.</p></div

Comparison of N_dep (kg ha^-1 a^-1) with the results by Jia et al. [25] and Lu and Tian [14] at a provincial scale.

<p><b>Note</b>: a regression cofficient closer to 1.00, higher R² and small RMSE values indicate more reliable results of interpolation.</p

Comparison of N_dep (kg ha^-1 a^-1) monitored in 41 sites with the estimation results in this study, by Jia et al. [25] and Lu and Tian [14] (x-axis was the testing data in the work by Zhu et al. [4], y-axis was the results estimated in this study (a), by Jia et al. [25] (b), Lu and Tian [14] (c)).

<p><b>Note</b>: a regression cofficient closer to 1.00, a higher R² value indicate more reliable results of interpolation.</p

Comparison of PMF predictions with observations for NO3- (a) and NH4+ (b) concentrations (μeqL^{− 1}) in the wet deposition samples from 2003 to 2014 in China.

<p>Comparison of PMF predictions with observations for NO3- (a) and NH4+ (b) concentrations (μeqL^{− 1}) in the wet deposition samples from 2003 to 2014 in China.</p