Prevalence of depression during the COVID-19 outbreak: A meta-analysis of community-based studies

Introduction: COVID-19 pandemic, declared on March 11, 2020, constitute an extraordinary health, social and economic global challenge. The impact on people''s mental health is expected to be high. This paper sought to systematically review community-based studies on depression conducted during the COVID-19 and estimate the pooled prevalence of depression. Method: We searched for cross-sectional, community-based studies listed on PubMed or Web of Science from January 1, 2020 to May 8, 2020 that reported prevalence of depression. A random effect model was used to estimate the pooled proportion of depression. Results: A total of 12 studies were included in the meta-analysis, with prevalence rates of depression ranging from 7.45% to 48.30%. The pooled prevalence of depression was 25% (95% CI: 18% - 33%), with significant heterogeneity between studies (I2 = 99.60%, p < .001). Conclusions: Compared with a global estimated prevalence of depression of 3.44% in 2017, our pooled prevalence of 25% appears to be 7 times higher, thus suggesting an important impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on people's mental health. Addressing mental health during and after this global health crisis should be placed into the international and national public health agenda to improve citizens’ wellbeing

Variación en asignación reproductiva temprana en ensayos multi-localidad de pino carrasco y pino negral

Life histories in Mediterranean pines are well known to be closely related to different fire and disturbance regimes. Variation in these factors is also reflected in reproductive strategies at the specific and intraspecific level. Specifically, the onset of reproduction is a crucial stage for any organism because it has profound implications on fitness. In this paper we focus on the intraspecific variation and plasticity in the threshold size for reproduction and reproductive allocation in two Mediterranean pines, assessed at the onset of reproduction, when trade-offs between reproduction and growth are expected to be greater. Replicated common garden provenance and progeny trials of Aleppo pine and Maritime pine were used to estimate genetic parameters for reproduction and vegetative growth, as well as variation in plasticity in reproductive strategies at the intraspecific level. In both species, high variation among populations was found for both threshold size for reproduction and for reproductive allocation. Reproductive allocation was also highly variable within populations and showed moderate to high values of heritability and high coefficients of additive genetic variation. These results indicate a high genetic control of these reproductive traits, while high additive genetic variation is maintained, allowing to face selective pressures. Moreover, reproductive strategies although plastic, showed low genotype × environment interaction, and intraspecific variation was highly consistent across trial sites both at the population and the family levels. The former data confirm the strong genetic control of reproductive traits in these species. Finally, the fact that Aleppo pine starts its reproductive phase as female while Maritime pine can start reproducing either as male or female deserves further attention.Las estrategias de historia vital en pinos mediterráneos están estrechamente ligadas a diversos regímenes de incendios y perturbaciones. A su vez, la variabilidad de esos factores también se ve reflejada en las estrategias reproductivas a niveles inter e intraespecíficos. Concretamente, el comienzo de la reproducción es una etapa crucial para cualquier organismo debido a su profunda influencia en su adaptación al medio. Este trabajo se enfoca en el estudio de la variabilidad intraespecífica y la plasticidad en el tamaño umbral de reproducción y la asignación reproductiva en dos pinos mediterráneos. El estudio se realizó durante el comienzo de la fase reproductiva, momento en que se estima que la compensación entre reproducción y crecimiento es de mayor importancia. Se utilizaron ensayos multi-sitio de procedencias y progenies de pino carrasco y pino negral para estimar los parámetros genéticos de caracteres reproductivos y de crecimiento vegetativo, así como para conocer la variabilidad en la plasticidad de las estrategias reproductivas a nivel intraespecífico. En ambas especies se halló una alta variabilidad entre poblaciones para el tamaño umbral de reproducción y para la asignación reproductiva. La asignación reproductiva también fue altamente variable dentro de poblaciones y mostró valores de heredabilidad de moderados a altos y altos coeficientes de varianza genética aditiva. Estos resultados indican un alto control genético de los rasgos reproductivos, mientras se mantiene una alta varianza genética, permitiendo afrontar futuras presiones selectivas. Además, a pesar de la existencia de plasticidad en las estrategias reproductivas, éstas mostraron una baja interacción genotipo × ambiente, y la variación intraespecífica fue acorde en los diferentes lugares de ensayo tanto a nivel poblacional como familiar. Los datos anteriores confirman el alto control genético de los rasgos reproductivos en estas especies. Finalmente, el hecho de que el pino carrasco comience su fase reproductora como hembra mientras que el pino negral pueda comenzar su reproducción bien como macho o bien como hembra, merece una atención más detallada.This research was developed as part of projects AT07-002 and INIA-RTA07-100 of INIA and PSS-310000-2008-4 of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation. Genetic trials reported in this paper form part of Genfored network of forest genetic trials in Spain, implemented mainly through project CC03-048 (DGB-INIA agreement). PMER and PCAV trials were installed as part of project TREESNIPS (QLK3-CT2002-01973). PRIA and PREB trials were established under the Genetic Breeding Program of Galicia by the Centro de Investigación Forestal de Lourizán. Luis Santos is supported by the Spanish Ministry of Education via a doctoral grant (FPU AP-2007-03302

A novel score for predicting alzheimer’s disease risk from late life psychopathological and health risk factors

With the increasing size of the aging population, dementia risk reduction has become a main public health concern. Dementia risk models or indices may help to identify individuals in the community at high risk to develop dementia. We have aimed to develop a novel dementia risk index focused on the late-life (65 years or more) population, that addresses risk factors for Alz-heimer’s disease (AD) easily identifiable at primary care settings. These risk factors include some shown to be associated with the risk of AD but not featured in existing indices, such as hearing loss and anxiety. Our index is also the first to account for the competing risk of death. The Zaragoza Dementia and Depression Project (ZARADEMP) Alzheimer Dementia Risk Score predicts an indi-vidual´s risk of developing AD within 5 years. The probability of late onset AD significantly in-creases in those with risk scores between 21 and 28 and, furthermore, is almost 4-fold higher for those with risk scores of 29 or higher. Our index may provide a practical instrument to identify subjects at high risk of AD and to design preventive strategies targeting the contributing risk factors

Prevalence of anxiety in medical students during the covid-19 pandemic: A rapid systematic review with meta-analysis

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has brought a great deal of pressure for medical students, who typically show elevated anxiety rates. Our aim is to investigate the prevalence of anxiety in medical students during this pandemic. This systematic review and mini meta-analysis has been conducted following the PRISMA guidelines. Two researchers independently searched PubMed on 26 August 2020 for cross-sectional studies on medical students during the COVID-19 outbreak, with no language restrictions applied. We then performed a manual search to detect other potentially eligible investigations. To the 1361 records retrieved in the initial search, 4 more were added by manual search on medRxiv. Finally, eight studies were finally included for qualitative and quantitative analysis, which yielded an estimated prevalence of anxiety of 28% (95% CI: 22–34%), with significant heterogeneity between studies. The prevalence of anxiety in medical students is similar to that prior to the pandemic but correlates with several specific COVID-related stressors. While some preventive and risk factors have been previously identified in a non-pandemic context, knowledge and cognitions on COVID-19 transmission, treatment, prognosis and prevention negatively correlate with anxiety, emerging as a key preventive factor that may provide a rationale for why the levels of anxiety have remained stable in medical students during the pandemic while increasing in their non-medical peers and the general population. Other reasons for the invariability of anxiety rates in this population are discussed. A major limitation of our review is that Chinese students comprised 89% the total sample, which could compromise the external validity of our work

Clinically significant anxiety as a risk factor for dementia in the elderly community

Objective: To evaluate whether clinically significant anxiety is an independent risk factor for dementia, taking into account both depression among potentially confounding factors and the competing risk of death. Method: During the Zaragoza Dementia and Depression (ZARADEMP) study, a random sample of community dwellers aged 55 years or older was assessed (n = 4803), and a two-wave, 4.5-year follow-up was completed. Geriatric Mental State (GMS)-AGECAT criteria were used to diagnose anxiety and DSM-IV criteria were applied to diagnose incident dementia. The multivariate Fine and Gray regression model was implemented to calculate dementia risk. Results: Compared with non-cases (GMS-AGECAT criteria), the incidence rate of dementia was significantly higher in subcases of anxiety, and particularly significant in the cases of anxiety (incidence rate ratio (IRR): 2.77; P = 0.010). Cases of anxiety, but not subcases, at baseline were significantly associated with dementia risk (adjusted subdistribution hazard ratio (SHR): 2.7; P = 0.019). Conclusion: Clinically significant anxiety is associated with an almost threefold increase in the risk of dementia in the population, even when controlling for depression and considering mortality in the competing risks model

Clinically relevant anxiety and risk of Alzheimer's disease in an elderly community sample: 4.5 years of follow-up.

Objectives: To investigate whether clinically relevant anxiety increased the risk for developing Alzheimer''s disease (AD) while controlling for the presence of depression and other confounders; and to report the population attributable fraction (PAF) associated with anxiety disorder. Method: We used data from the longitudinal, community-based Zaragoza Dementia and Depression (ZARADEMP) study. A random sample of 4057 dementia-free community dwellers aged =55 years were followed for 4.5 years. The Geriatric Mental State-Automated Geriatric Examination for Computer Assisted Taxonomy package was used for the diagnosis of clinically significant cases and subcases of anxiety; and AD was diagnosed by a panel of research psychiatrists according to DSM-IV criteria. Multivariate survival analysis with competing risk regression model was performed. Results: We observed a significant association between anxiety cases at baseline and AD risk in the univariate analysis that persisted in the fully adjusted model (SHR: 3.90; 95% CI: 1.59–9.60; p = 0.003), with a PAF for AD of 6.11% (95% CI: 1.30%–16.17%). No significant association between ‘subcases’ of anxiety at baseline and AD risk was found. Limitations: Data on apolipoprotein E were not available. The hospital-based diagnosis was not completed in all cases of dementia. Conclusion: Late-life, clinically significant anxiety (but not subclinical anxiety) seems to increase the risk of AD, independently of the effect of several confounders, including depression. Taking into account the high prevalence of anxiety among the elderly, future studies are warranted to determine potential risk reduction of AD

Prevalence of anxiety in the COVID-19 pandemic: An updated meta-analysis of community-based studies

Background: The unprecedented worldwide crisis caused by the rapid spread of COVID-19 and the restrictive public health measures enforced by some countries to slow down its transmission have severely threatened the physical and mental wellbeing of communities globally. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the prevalence of anxiety in the general population during the COVID-19 pandemic. Two researchers independently searched for cross-sectional community-based studies published between December 1, 2019 and August 23, 2020, using PubMed, WoS, Embase, and other sources (e.g., grey literature, manual search). Results: Of 3049 records retrieved, 43 studies were included. These studies yielded an estimated overall prevalence of anxiety of 25%, which varied significantly across the different tools used to measure anxiety. Consistently reported risk factors for the development of anxiety included initial or peak phase of the outbreak, female sex, younger age, marriage, social isolation, unemployment and student status, financial hardship, low educational level, insufficient knowledge of COVID-19, epidemiological or clinical risk of disease and some lifestyle and personality variables. Conclusions: As the overall global prevalence of anxiety disorders is estimated to be 7.3% normally, our results suggest that rates of anxiety in the general population could be more than 3 times higher during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings suggest a substantial impact on mental health that should be targeted by individual and population-level strategies

Intraspecific Variation in Pinus Pinaster PSII Photochemical Efficiency in Response to Winter Stress and Freezing Temperatures

As part of a program to select maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) genotypes for resistance to low winter temperatures, we examined variation in photosystem II activity by chlorophyll fluorescence. Populations and families within populations from contrasting climates were tested during two consecutive winters through two progeny trials, one located at a continental and xeric site and one at a mesic site with Atlantic influence. We also obtained the LT50, or the temperature that causes 50% damage, by controlled freezing and the subsequent analysis of chlorophyll fluorescence in needles and stems that were collected from populations at the continental trial site