Longitudinal Associations Between Cognitive Functioning and Depressive Symptoms Among Couples in the Mexican Health and Aging Study

OBJECTIVE: To examine the bidirectional associations between older adult spouses\u27 cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms over time and replicate previous findings from the United States (US) in Mexico. DESIGN: Longitudinal, dyadic path analysis with the actor-partner interdependence model. SETTING: Data were from the three most recent interview waves (2012, 2015, and 2018) of the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS), a longitudinal national study of adults aged 50+ years in Mexico. PARTICIPANTS: Husbands and wives from 905 community-dwelling married couples (N = 1,810). MEASUREMENTS: The MHAS cognitive battery measured cognitive function. Depressive symptoms were assessed using a modified nine-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Baseline covariates included age, education, number of children, limitation with any activity of daily living, limitation with any instrumental activity of daily living, and pain. RESULTS: As hypothesized, there were significant within-individual associations in which one person\u27s own cognitive functioning and own depressive symptoms predicted their own follow-up cognitive functioning and depressive symptoms, respectively. In addition, a person\u27s own cognitive functioning predicted their own depressive symptoms, and a person\u27s own depressive symptoms predicted their own cognitive functioning over time. As hypothesized, there was a significant partner association such that one person\u27s depressive symptoms predicted more depressive symptoms in the partner. CONCLUSION: Findings from this study of older Mexican couples replicates findings from studies of older couples in the US, showing that depressive symptoms in one partner predict depressive symptoms in the other partner over time; however, there was no evidence for cognition-depression partner associations over time

Enfeeblement in Elders with Essential Tremor: Characterizing the Phenomenon and Its Role in Caregiver Burden

Background: Individuals with essential tremor (ET), a common movement disorder, experience functional impairment, which contributes to burden experienced by their loved ones and caregivers. Some burdened caregivers report their loved ones as seeming debilitated or prematurely old, a concept that we have called enfeeblement. Using the Essential Tremor Enfeeblement Survey (ETES), we seek to characterize enfeeblement in elders with ET and assess its contribution to caregiver burden. Methods: We administered the ETES (range = 8–40, higher scores indicating more enfeeblement) and other scales to 98 caregivers of individuals with ET. Individuals with ET were also queried regarding tremors, cognitive abilities, and overall health. We then identified demographic and clinical correlates of ETES and modeled the contribution of ETES to caregiver burden (assessed using the Zarit 12-item Burden Interview [ZBI-12]). Results: Mean ETES score was 14.2 ± 6.2 (median = 12.0, range = 8.0–32.0); 26.5% of respondents endorsed at least one of the eight ETES items. Older age, greater tremor severity and disability, more functional and gait disability, more cognitive difficulty, and more depressive symptoms were associated with higher ETES scores. ETES was the strongest contributor to caregiver burden (ZBI-12) and substantially increased the variance explained in models of caregiver burden. Discussion: Enfeeblement seems to describe a previously unexplained component of caregiver burden in elders with ET. The presence of enfeeblement may contribute to greater burden and should be factored into assessments of patient and caregiver needs

Interfaith Approach to Elder Abuse: Developing a Screening Tool to Assist Faith Leaders Reporting of Elder Abuse

Background: Elder abuse is a complex public health issue that is receiving more media attention. The National Academies of Sciences defined elder abuse as either creating intentional harm or serious risk of harm towards a vulnerable elder, or the failure to satisfy the basic needs of an elder and protect them from harm (2002).Lachs and Pillemer (2004) reviewed the clinical and legal reports on elder abuse and have identified five main types: physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual assault, material exploitation, and neglect. Previous research has demonstrated elders who have been abused to have higher rates of depression and chronic stress (Comijs et al., 1999), increased rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (Goldstein, 1996), increased helplessness, social isolation, and anxiety (Soloman, 1983; Booth, Bruno, and Marin, 1996), as well as decreased physical health outcomes (Lachs et al., 1998). Past research also demonstrates elders maintaining a strong relationship with their religious identity (Young and Dowling, 1987). Additionally, elders consider faith leaders at a high level of trust almost as important as the level of trust displayed toward their own family members (Daciuk, 2000). Main objectives: 1.) Provide basic information on elder abuse in Connecticut, 2.) Assess baseline knowledge and attitudes of elder abuse among faith leaders, 3.) Identify existing barriers that faith leaders may face when they suspect elder abuse, and 4.) Create a culturally relevant tool for faith leaders to detect elder abuse. Conclusion: The faith leader surveys and the semi-structured interview data collected on elder abuse detection and reporting and elder’s faith experiences in Southern Connecticut, respectively, is critical information to gain a deeper understanding of the complexity of elder justice. Future directions include pilot testing, reviewing, and eventually disseminating the Digital Detection Tool for Faith Leaders in Southern Connecticut to assist faith leaders in detecting and reporting elder abuse.https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysph_pbchrr/1046/thumbnail.jp

Estudio de las pesquerías de atún tropical a través de los casos de las conservas y el faux poisson en África Oriental

Este proyecto tiene como objetivos principales mejorar la comprensión del sistema alimentario global asociado a los recursos marinos a través del ejemplo de la lata de atún y de la pesquería de cerco de túnidos tropicales en África Oriental y dar a conocer los retos a los que se enfrenta la industria alimentaria para reducir su coste medioambiental y desigualdades norte-sur

The Experience of Essential Tremor Caregivers: Burden and Its Correlates

BackgroundEssential tremor (ET) is associated with physical and cognitive impairments, as well as embarrassment, avoidance of social settings, and related difficulties that negatively impact the lives of patients. In similar disease contexts, burden on friends and relatives acting as caregivers has been noted and has well-documented implications. There has been no study examining caregiver burden related to ET.MethodsData were gathered from 55 ET participants enrolled in a clinical study and their caregivers. The Zarit Burden Interview was used to assess caregiver burden. To assess clinical features that may be associated with burden, we collected several variables including the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, self-reported tremor disability, a videotaped neurological examination, questionnaires assessing ET participants’ suffering, caregivers’ perceptions of that suffering, and both caregiver and ET participant depressive symptoms. Spearman’s correlations were performed between caregiver burden and clinical features, and we created a multivariate linear regression model predicting caregiver burden.ResultsMany ET caregivers provide little to no care and experience little to no burden. However, some caregivers (11%) provide over 25 h of care/week, and 13% experience high levels of burden. Caregivers most commonly provided assistance with writing and cooking. Increased burden was associated with the ET participants’ decreased cognition, more caregiving tasks, more hours/week of caregiving activities, a longer duration of care, more ET participant falls/year, more medications taken by the ET participant, and more depressive symptoms in both the ET participant and the caregiver (all p < 0.05). ET participants’ suffering and their caregivers’ perceptions of suffering were both associated with increased burden. Neither tremor severity score nor self-reported tremor disability score was associated with increased caregiver burden. Using a multivariate linear regression model, we found that caregivers’ increased perception of their partners’ suffering was the best predictor of caregiver burden.ConclusionWhile not all relatives and friends of ET patients provide extensive care or experience high burden, there is a group reporting high levels of caregiver burden that requires the attention and counseling of clinicians. This burden is associated with primarily non-tremor symptoms of ET and with caregivers’ perception that their partners are suffering

Vers la cartographie et localisation visuelles, avec détection et suivi d'objets mobiles par un robot mobile (une approche géométrique et probabiliste)

In this thesis we solve the problem of simultaneously reconstructing a representation of the world geometry, the observer trajectory, and the moving objects trajectories, with the aid of vision. We proceed by dividing the problem into three steps. First, we give a solution to the Simultaneous Localization And Mapping problem (SLAM) for monocular vision that is able to adequately perform in the most ill-conditioned situations : those where the observer approaches the scene in straight line. Second, we incorporate instantaneous 3D observability by duplicating vision hardware with monocular algorithms. This eliminates inherent drawbacks of classic stereo systems. Third, we add detection and tracking of moving objects by making use of this full 3D observability. We choose a sparse, punctual representation of both the world and the moving objects. The computational payload of the perception algorithms is alleviated focusing the attention to those image regions with the highest interest.Dans cette thèse, nous résolvons le problème de construire simultanément une représentation de la géométrie du monde, de la trajectoire de l'observateur, et de la trajectoire des objets mobiles à l'aide de la vision. Nous divisons le problème en trois étapes. D'abord nous donnons une solution au problème de la cartographie et localisation simultanées pour la vision monoculaire qui fonctionne dans les situations les moins bien conditionnées géométriquement. Ensuite, nous incorporons l'observabilité 3D instantanée en dupliquant le matériel de vision avec traitement monoculaire. Ceci élimine des inconvénients inhérents aux systèmes stéréo classiques. Nous ajoutons enfin la détection et suivi des objets mobiles proches en nous servant de cette observabilité 3D. Nous choisissons une représentation éparse et ponctuelle du monde et ses objets. La charge calculatoire des algorithmes de perception est allégée en focalisant activement l'attention aux régions de l'image avec plus d'intérêt.TOULOUSE-ENSEEIHT (315552331) / SudocSudocFranceF

Undelayed Initialization in Bearing Only SLAM

International audienceMost solutions to the SLAM problem in robotics have utilized Range and Bearing sensors as the provided perception data is easy to incorporate, allowing immediate landmark initialization. This is not the case when using Bearing-Only information because the distance to the perceived landmarks is not directly provided. A whole estimate of a landmark position will only be possible via a set of measurements taken from different points of view. The vast majority of contributions to this problem utilize a parallel task to get this estimate, and hence the landmark initialization is delayed. We give a new insight to the problem and present a method to avoid this delay by initializing the whole ray that defines the direction of the landmark. We utilize a minimal and computationally efficient form to represent this ray and a new strategy for the subsequent updates. Simulations have been carried out to validate the proposed algorithms

The role of compassion, suffering, and intrusive thoughts in dementia caregiver depression

Objectives: Exposure to suffering of a relative or friend increases the risk for psychological and physical morbidity. However, little is known about the mechanisms that account for this effect. We test a theoretical model that identifies intrusive thoughts as a mediator of the relation between perceived physical and psychological suffering of the care recipient and caregiver depression. We also assess the role of compassion as a moderator of the relation between perceived suffering and intrusive thoughts. Methods: Hispanic and African American caregivers (N = 108) of persons with dementia were assessed three times within a one-year period. Using multilevel modeling, we assessed the mediating role of intrusive thoughts in the relation between perceived physical and psychological suffering and CG depression, and we tested moderated mediation to assess the role of caregiver compassion in the relation between perceived suffering and intrusive thoughts. Results: The effects of perceived physical suffering on depression were completely mediated through intrusive thoughts, and compassion moderated the relation between physical suffering and intrusive thoughts. Caregivers who had greater compassion reported more intrusive thoughts even when perceived physical suffering of the CR was low. For perceived psychological suffering, the effects of suffering on depression were partially mediated through intrusive thoughts. Discussion: Understanding the role of intrusive thoughts and compassion in familial relationships provides new insights into mechanisms driving caregiver well-being and presents new opportunities for intervention