The High-Acceptance Dielectron Spectrometer HADES

HADES is a versatile magnetic spectrometer aimed at studying dielectron production in pion, proton and heavy-ion induced collisions. Its main features include a ring imaging gas Cherenkov detector for electron-hadron discrimination, a tracking system consisting of a set of 6 superconducting coils producing a toroidal field and drift chambers and a multiplicity and electron trigger array for additional electron-hadron discrimination and event characterization. A two-stage trigger system enhances events containing electrons. The physics program is focused on the investigation of hadron properties in nuclei and in the hot and dense hadronic matter. The detector system is characterized by an 85% azimuthal coverage over a polar angle interval from 18 to 85 degree, a single electron efficiency of 50% and a vector meson mass resolution of 2.5%. Identification of pions, kaons and protons is achieved combining time-of-flight and energy loss measurements over a large momentum range. This paper describes the main features and the performance of the detector system

The Ocean Sampling Day Consortium

Ocean Sampling Day was initiated by the EU-funded Micro B3 (Marine Microbial Biodiversity, Bioinformatics, Biotechnology) project to obtain a snapshot of the marine microbial biodiversity and function of the world’s oceans. It is a simultaneous global mega-sequencing campaign aiming to generate the largest standardized microbial data set in a single day. This will be achievable only through the coordinated efforts of an Ocean Sampling Day Consortium, supportive partnerships and networks between sites. This commentary outlines the establishment, function and aims of the Consortium and describes our vision for a sustainable study of marine microbial communities and their embedded functional traits

Minor depression in older, long-term unemployed people seeking vocational support

Abstract Background Prevalence rates of minor and major depression vary from 0.7 to 6.8 (minor) and 3.8 to 10.9 (major) for the general population. Twenty-two percent of older, long-term unemployed people suffer from major depression. However, the prevalence rate of minor depression (depression on a subthreshold level with less than 5, but more than 1 depression symptom) in this population is unknown. The first aim of this study is to identify that prevalence rate, because we already know that minor depression increases the risk of developing a major depression and this in turn reduces the chances of reemployment what increases social and individual costs at the same time. The second aim is to find out whether there are symptoms that distinguish the different groups “no depression”, “minor depression” and “major depression” in this population. In contrast to the general population, the most frequent symptoms within major and minor depression in older, long-term unemployed people are unknown so far. Methods A total of 234 long-term unemployed people (response rate 59%) were included in a study within a project of the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the University of Leipzig and an unemployment agency. Based on the results of the Patient Health Questionnaire, the participants were classified as non depressive, minor depressive or major depressive. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were performed to identify whether there are symptoms stated by the participants that are more frequent than others, and if the classified groups differ in this regard. Results Fifty percent had no depression, 15.6% had a minor depression and 34.4% were suffering from major depression. Difficulty with concentration is the symptom that differentiated the last two groups the most. Fatigue, depressed mood and anhedonia were the symptoms that distinguished participants with minor depression the most from participants with no depression. Main limitations are: The sample was determined by programme conditions, e.g. not all potentially available people participated. The sample may therefore not be representative for the general long-term unemployed. Due to limited resources the PHQ 9 was used instead of a clinical interview to assess minor and major depression. Conclusions Results indicate that minor depression in older, long-term unemployed persons is significant, as, almost 16% of the participants were affected in the study. Especially when fatigue is present for a period of more than 2 weeks, people should be informed about the option to consult a primary care physician or professionals from the unemployment agency in order to prevent the possible onset of major depression

Deployment of a dynamic penetrometer from manned submersibles for fine-scale geomorphology studies

Dynamic penetrometers reveal information about seafloor strength, stratification, stability, and sediment remobilization. However, positioning is often limited to a range of meters making it difficult to target small-scale geomorphologic features. Deployments from submersed vessels (manned or remotely operated) can extend the possibilities of in situ geotechnical surveying in areas of complex bathymetry. The lightweight dynamic penetrometer Nimrod was modified to enable its deployment from the MIR submersibles, and was deployed during two dives in the Rhône Delta and Vidy Bay (both Lake Geneva). In the Rhône Delta, five positions at the floor/levee complex of a submarine canyon were sampled with ~1 m spacing, with good reproducibility of the results. In Vidy Bay, socalled pillow-hollow structures on the lake bottom with dimensions of about 50 cm were targeted. At both sites, the penetrometer was released from a height of about 1-2 m above the lake bottom using the starboard robotic arm of the MIRs leading to impact velocities of ~ 3 m s–1. The probe reached penetration depths of up to 80 cm with maximum decelerations of up to 2.9 g. Stratification in the deceleration versus penetration depth profiles hinted at recent sediment remobilization processes. Pressure transducer results of the probe were suitable to determine water depth, and estimate trends of excess pore pressure. This article describes the modification of the dynamic penetrometer Nimrod for deployments from the MIR submersibles, assesses the deployment performance, validates the results, and gives an outlook on the application of this technique and the results

Additional file 1: of Minor depression in older, long-term unemployed people seeking vocational support

Dataset of the study. Table with all variables, their labels and their values. (XLS 439 kb