“Thinking a Lot” Among the Khwe of South Africa: A Key Idiom of Personal and Interpersonal Distress

“Thinking too much”, and variations such as “thinking a lot”, are common idioms of distress across the world. The contextual meaning of this idiom of distress in particular localities remains largely unknown. This paper reports on a systematic study of the content and cause, consequences, and social response and coping related to the local terms |x’an n|a te and |eu-ca n|a te, both translated as “thinking a lot”, and was part of a larger ethnographic study among the Khwe of South Africa. Semi-structured exploratory interviews with community members revealed that “thinking a lot” refers to a common experience of reflecting on personal and interpersonal problems. Consequences were described in emotional, psychological, social, behavioral, and physical effects. Coping strategies included social support, distraction, and religious practices. Our contextualized approach revealed meanings and experiences of “thinking a lot” that go beyond a psychological state or psychopathology. The common experience of “thinking a lot” is situated in socio-political, economic, and social context that reflect the marginalized and displaced position of the Khwe. We argue that “thinking a lot” and associated local meanings may vary across settings, may not necessarily indicate psychopathology, and should be understood in individual, interpersonal, community, and socio-political dimensions.     

Remembering Collective Violence: Broadening the Notion of Traumatic Memory in Post-Conflict Rehabilitation

In the aftermath of war and armed conflict, individuals and communities face the challenge of dealing with recollections of violence and atrocity. This article aims to contribute to a better understanding of processes of remembering and forgetting histories of violence in post-conflict communities and to reflect on related implications for trauma rehabilitation in post-conflict settings. Starting from the observation that memory operates at the core of PTSD symptomatology, we more closely explore how this notion of traumatic memory is conceptualized within PTSD-centered research and interventions. Subsequently, we aim to broaden this understanding of traumatic memory and post-trauma care by connecting to findings from social memory studies and transcultural trauma research. Drawing on an analysis of scholarly literature, this analysis develops into a perspective on memory that moves beyond a symptomatic framing toward an understanding of memory that emphasizes its relational, political, moral, and cultural nature. Post-conflict memory is presented as inextricably embedded in communal relations, involving ongoing trade-offs between individual and collective responses to trauma and a complex negotiation of speech and silence. In a concluding discussion, we develop implications of this broadened understanding for post-conflict trauma-focused rehabilitation.     

Season,but not experimental warming,affects the activity and temperature sensitivity of extracellular enzymes

Climate change may affect the microbial production and temperature sensitivity of extracellular enzymes that release carbon (C) and nutrients from soil organic matter. We measured the response of six hydrolytic enzymes involved in C, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) degradation to experimental warming in a mixed-deciduous forest persisting on highly-weathered Ultisols (Whitehall Forest, Georgia, US). We found that warming produced no consistent enzyme response. However, we observed significant seasonal variation in enzyme activities, temperature sensitivities and elemental enzyme ratios (C:N and C:P). Seasonal differences in enzyme activity and temperature sensitivity were best explained by soil moisture and temperature. Our results suggest that seasonal dynamics in soil microclimate, organic matter supply, and microbial demand exert more control on enzyme dynamics than does a uniform increase in soil temperature.     

Aging exo-enzymes can create temporally shifting,temperature-dependent resource landscapes for microbes

The rate at which catalytic capacity of microbial exo-enzymes degrades post-exudation will influence the time during which return on microbes’ investment in exo-enzyme production can be realized. Further, if exo-enzyme degradation rates vary across exo-enzymes, microbial investment returns may vary by element across time. We quantify how aging of two soil organic matter (SOM)-decaying enzymes (β-D-cellobioside, BGase; and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminide, NAGase) influences enzyme-substrate V _max at multiple temperatures (5, 15, 25 °C), and compute how enzyme age influences relative availabilities of C and N. Both BGase and NAGase exhibited similar, exponential declines in catalytic rate with age at 25 °C (0.22 ± 0.02 and 0.36 ± 0.14 d^?1, respectively). At 15 °C, NAGase exhibited exponential declines in catalytic rates with age (0.79 ± 0.31 d^?1), but BGase exhibited no decline. Neither enzyme exhibited a decline in catalytic rate over 72 h at 5 °C. At 15 °C, the amount of C liberated from cellulose and chitin analogues relative to N increased, on average, by more than one order of magnitude. The ratio of C:N liberated from the two substrates remained constant across enzyme age at 25 and 5 °C, but for different reasons: no differences in decay rate across enzymes at 25 °C, and no observed decay at 5 °C. Thus, temperature-dependent decreases of catalytic activity over time may influence microbial resource allocation strategies and rates of SOM decomposition. Because the enzyme decay rates we observed differ considerably from values assumed in most models, such assumptions should be revisited when parameterizing microbial process models.     

Future challenges in coupled C–N–P cycle models for terrestrial ecosystems under global change: a review

Climate change has consequences for terrestrial functioning, but predictions of plant responses remain uncertain because of the gaps in the representation of nutrient cycles and C–N–P interactions in ecosystem models. Here, we review the processes that are included in ecosystem models, but focus on coupled C–N–P cycle models. We highlight important plant adjustments to climate change, elevated atmospheric CO₂, and/or nutrient limitations that are currently not—or only partially—incorporated in ecosystem models by reviewing experimental studies and compiling data. Plant adjustments concern C:N:P stoichiometry, photosynthetic capacity, nutrient resorption rates, allocation patterns, symbiotic N₂ fixation and root exudation (phosphatases, carboxylates) and the effect of root exudation on nutrient mobilization in the soil rhizosphere (P solubilization, biochemical mineralization of organic P and priming effect). We showed that several plant adjustments could be formulated and calibrated using existing experimental data in the literature. Finally, we proposed a roadmap for future research because improving ecosystem models necessitate specific data and collaborations between modelers and empiricists.     

Onderwijs in het Nationaal Programma Ouderenzorg

The Netherlands Organisation of Health Research and Development started in 2008 the Dutch National Care for the Elderly Programme (in Dutch abbreviated as NPO) with the aim to improve the quality of life for the frail older people through better quality of care (health, social, community) which is tailored to the needs and wants of older people. The delivery of good care is related with competent professional behaviour which is inextricably linked to the education of professionals. This article presents an overview of 32 educational programmes developed within the NPO. Within the NPO different educational programmes were developed on relevant themes to improve elderly care. However, the programmes focused mainly on professionals in health care, especially those working in primary care. For nurses and nursing assistants and more or less for physicians also different educational programmes were developed. Educational programmes for paramedics or professionals working in social care, housing or in the municipalities were scarce. This is also the case for specific themes in elderly care like loneliness or (domestic) violence. Moreover, none of the experiments focused on older people or informal care givers. Although 22 of the 32 projects developed educational programmes for different groups, multi – or interdisciplinary education is rare in these programmes. Based on the overview we advise the development of more educational programmes on: target groups which were less or not addressed in the NPO, like professionals in social care and paramedics; multi- or interdisciplinary collaboration; and themes, like loneliness in older people and elder abuse.     

Omgaan met somberheid op oudere leeftijd: een kwalitatieve studie

Background

To gain new insights for support for older people with low mood, we explored the perceptions of ‘screenpositive’ older people on underlying causes and possible solutions.

Design and method

We conducted two in-depth interviews with 38 participants (≥77 years) who screened positive for depressive symptoms in general practice. To investigate the influence of the presence of complex health problems, we included 19 persons with and 19 without complex problems. Complex problems were defined as a combination of functional, somatic, psychological or social problems.

Results

All participants used several cognitive, social or practical coping strategies. Four patterns emerged: mastery, acceptance, ambivalence, and need for support. Some participants, especially those with complex problems, were ambivalent about possible interventions.

Conclusion

Most older participants perceived their coping strategies as sufficient. General practitioners can support self-management by exploring the (effectiveness of) personal coping strategies, providing information, elaborating on perceptions of risks and discussing alternative options with older persons.

     

Effects of glaciers on nutrient concentrations and phytoplankton in lakes within the Northern Cascades Mountains (USA)

We compared nitrate concentrations, phytoplankton biomass, and phytoplankton community structure in lakes fed by glacier melt and snowmelt (GSF lakes) and by snowmelt only (SF lakes) within North Cascades National Park (NOCA) in Washington State, USA. In the U.S. Rocky Mountains, glacier melting has greatly increased nitrate concentrations in GSF lakes (52–236 µg NO₃–N L^?1) relative to SF lakes (1–14 µg NO₃–N L^?1) and thereby stimulated phytoplankton changes in GSF lakes. Considering NOCA contains approximately one-third of the glaciers in the continental U.S., and many mountain lakes that receive glacier meltwater inputs, we hypothesized that NOCA GSF lakes would have greater nitrate concentrations, greater phytoplankton biomass, and greater abundance of nitrogen-sensitive diatom species than NOCA SF lakes. However, at NOCA nitrate concentrations were much lower and differences between lake types were small compared to the Rockies. At NOCA, nitrate concentrations averaged 13 and 5 µg NO₃–N L^?1 in GSF and SF lakes, respectively, and a nitrate difference was not detectable in several individual years. There also was no difference in phytoplankton biomass or abundance of nitrogen-sensitive diatoms between lake types at NOCA. In contrast to the Rockies, there also was not a significant positive relationship between watershed percent glacier area and lake nitrate at NOCA. Results demonstrate that biogeochemical responses to global change in Western U.S. mountain lake watersheds may vary regionally. Regional differences may be affected by differing nitrogen deposition, climate, geology, or microbial processes within glacier environments, and merit further investigation.