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Background – With the first layer-dependent Vascular-Space Occupancy (VASO) studies in humans in 2014/15, a huge breakthrough has been made. Since then, layer-functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) is an emerging method, permanently challenging cutting edge of technology in the neuroimaging field. Purpose – Here, we provide an exemplary layer-dependent whole-brain fMRI connectome acquired at ultra-high magnetic field of 7 Tesla (T), coming along with a quality assessment comprising metrics of skew, kurtosis, temporal Signal-to-Noise Ratio (tSNR) and sharpness. This dataset demonstrates consistency and reproducibility of a whole brain layer-fMRI connectome paving the way for novel research questions in the neuroscientific field. The purpose of this dataset is to 1.) characterize the prospects and challenges of whole brain layer-fMRI acquisition sequences in a test-retest setting and 2.) to provide a test bed for developing and benchmarking new layer-dependent analysis tools. Data Accessibility –This is an initial release of an ongoing study, published in line with the Brian Imaging Data Structure (BIDS) standard on OpenNeuro, a free and open platform for sharing research data. We are happy to share the data via SIEMENS C2P.

M.M. was part of the Graduate School IMPact-Vector funded by the Senate Competition Committee grant (SAW-2014-SGN-3) of the Leibniz Association. M.M. is also an associated doctoral student of the GRK2046 from the German Research Foundation (DFG). We are grateful for additional funding (Jagdabgabe) from the ‘Stiftung Naturschutz Berlin' (J0056 & J0088), the ‘Ministerium für ländliche Entwicklung, Umwelt und Landwirtschaft des Landes Brandenburg' (35-21340/7+5-51/16), the ‘Behörde für Wirtschaft, Verkehr und Innovation der freien Hansestadt Hamburg' (title: ‘Gesundheitsstatus und Ausbreitungsverhalten von Habichtnestlingen in Hamburg') and the ‘Ministerium für Energiewende, Landwirtschaft, Umwelt und ländliche Räume des Landes Schleswig-Holstein’ (V 542–42902/2016). By 2040, roughly two-thirds of humanity are expected to live in urban areas. As cities expand, humans irreversibly transform natural ecosystems, creating both opportunities and challenges for wildlife. Here, we investigate how the Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) is adjusting to urban environments. We measured a variety of behavioural and ecological parameters in three urban and four rural study sites. City life appeared related to all parameters we measured. Urban female goshawks were overall 21.7 (CI95.13-130) times more likely to defend their nestlings from humans than rural females. Urban goshawks were 3.64 (CI95.05-6.66) times more likely to feed on pigeons and had diets exhibiting lower overall species richness and diversity. Urban females laid eggs 12.5 (CI95.12-17.4) days earlier than rural individuals and were 2.22 (CI95.984-4.73) times more likely to produce a brood of more than three nestlings. Nonetheless, urban goshawks suffered more from infections with the parasite Trichomonas gallinae, which was the second most common cause of mortality (14.6, after collisions with windows (33.1. In conclusion, although city life is associated with significant risks, goshawks appear to thrive in some urban environments, most likely as a result of high local availability of profitable pigeon prey. We conclude that the Northern Goshawk can be classified as an urban exploiter in parts of its distribution. Publisher PDF

Hintergrund: Patienten mit Aortenklappenstenose (AS) zeigen myokardiale Gewebereaktionen in Anpassung an die erhöhte Druckbelastung des linken Ventrikels. Diese kann ursächlich sein für die Entwicklung einer Herzinsuffizienz. Multiparametrisches T1-Mapping mittels kardialer Magnetresonanztomografie (CMR) soll diese subklinischen morphologischen Gewebeveränderungen quantitativ erfassbar machen. Dies setzt zunächst die Etablierung einer systematischen Methodik für den Umgang mit Störfaktoren beim T1-Mapping voraus, anhand welcher die Bildqualität objektiv bewertet werden kann. Methoden: Insgesamt wurden 33 Patienten mit AS und 60 Gesunde einer CMR- Untersuchung am 3-Tesla-MRT unterzogen. Für jeden wurden sechs T1-Maps in der sogenannten Modified Look-Locker Inversion Recovery Sequenz von der basalen, medialen und apikalen Ebene, jeweils vor und nach dem Kontrastmittel (KM) Gadobutrol erhoben. Die absoluten T1-Relaxationszeiten und der Verteilungskoeffizient des KM (Lambda) wurden segmentweise erhoben. Fokale Fibrose wurde mittels Late Gadolinum Enhancement Sequenzen (LGE) dargestellt. Zuvor erfolgte eine systematische qualitative Bewertung der T1-Maps nach zuvor erstellter Methodik. Ergebnisse: Die häufigtsen Ursachen einer eingeschränkten Map-Qualität waren eine ungenügende Bewegungskorrektur und Artefakte durch angrenzende Gewebe. Die T1-Zeiten nach KM waren bei Patienten mit AS basal (septal, inferolateral) vermindert, ein Hinweis auf das Vorliegen von Fibrose, unabhängig von LGE-Vorkommen. Die nativen T1-Zeiten zeigten sich apikal vermindert. Lambda war apikal und in den medialen Segmenten geringer als bei Gesunden. Mit zunehmendem AS-Schweregrad nahm auch die Anzahl der Segmente mit abnormalen Gewebeeigenschaften zu. Patienten mit positivem LGE-Befund hatten veränderte Gewebeparameter verglichen zu Patienten ohne LGE bereits in den nativen T1-Maps. Fazit: Hoch-gradige, jedoch auch bereits mittel-gradige AS zeigten segmentale myokardiale Auffälligkeiten im T1-Mapping. LGE-positive Patienten können als zusätzliche Risikogruppe beschrieben werden, da sie unabhängig von der Klappenöffnungsfläche abnormale Werte zeigten. Multiparamerisches T1-Mapping setzt eine systematische Betrachtung der Bildqualität im Vorfeld von quantitaiven Analysen voraus. Ist diese gegeben hat es das Potential myokardiale Schäden in einem Frühstadium aufzuzeigen., Background: Abnormal myocardial morphology of the left ventricle due to pressure overload may be relevant in patients with aortic stenosis (AS) for developing heart failure. We aimed to detect subclinical myocardial tissue changes by quantitative cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) T1 mapping. As there is no consensus on a systematic approach to assess T1 maps qualitatively, a methodology for how to identify and cope with confounding factors was set up before quantitative analysis. Methods: Thirty-three patients with AS and 60 healthy controls underwent a CMR examination with 3-Tesla CMR. T1 maps (in modified Look-Locker inversion recovery) were obtained in a basal, mid-ventricular and apical short-axis slice and repeated after the application of the contrast agent Gadobutrol. T1 relaxation times and the partition coefficient (Lambda) were determined for every segment. Focal fibrosis was assessed with late enhancement images (LGE). Beforehand all T1 maps were assessed from a qualitative perspective. Results: The most frequent factors that diminished image quality were a deficient motion correction and artefacts due to signals from adjoining tissue. A systematic approach to deal with those factors was introduced to qualitatively assess T1 maps. In AS, post-contrast T1 times were reduced at the base (septum, inferolateral) indicating fibrosis, even without the presence of LGE. Apical segments differed from controls by reduced native T1 times and lambda, indicating abnormal regional tissue composition. With increasing AS severity, the number of segments with abnormal tissue composition increased. Patients with positive LGE exhibited abnormal parameters compared to LGE-negative AS even in native maps without contrast agent. Conclusions: Severe AS, but also moderate AS show abnormal regional tissue composition. LGE-positive patients warrant a closer look, because they display regional deviations irrespective of the valve opening area. Multiparametric segmental mapping requires a systematic analysis of image quality, but has potential to detect organ damage at an early stage.