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The incidence of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases is increasing worldwide and also in Germany. The aim of the study was to assess the health literacy regarding these diseases in childhood and adolescence. Students of the 5 Diabetes-related questions were answered correctly by 56 % in 2007 as well as 53 % in 2019. Among others, 70 % (2007) as well as 75 % (2019) of the students stated "ate too much sugar" as a cause for type 1 diabetes. Further, questions about major risk factors for heart attack and stroke were answered correctly by only 33 % (for diabetes) and 43 %-53 % (for smoking) of students.Across all questions, a positive association indicated between the rate of correct answers and the educational level of the school institution; however, the differences remained marginal at 5-19 % between Gymnasium and Hauptschule or Realschule at both survey time points. A difference between genders was indicated in 2007 (girls: 59 % vs. boys: 52 %) and 2019 (girls: 56 % vs. boys: 51 %). Changes in health literacy regarding diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors among 5 Die Inzidenz des Diabetes mellitus und kardiovaskulärer Erkrankungen zeigt eine progrediente Entwicklung in Deutschland. Studienziel war es, die Gesundheitskompetenz zu diesen Erkrankungen im Kindes- und Jugendalter zu erfassen. Schüler der 5.–12. Klasse (Gymnasium, Real- und Hauptschule) wurden 2007 (n = 4383) und 2019 (n = 572) zum Thema Diabetes befragt. Zusätzlich wurden Fragen zu weiteren kardiovaskulären Risikofaktoren im Jahr 2019 gestellt. Diabetes-bezogene Fragen wurden mit 56 % im Jahr 2007 sowie 53 % (2019) richtig beantwortet. Unter anderem gaben 70 % (2007) sowie 75 % (2019) der Schüler*innen „zu viel Zucker gegessen“ als Ursache für Typ-1-Diabetes an. Des Weiteren wurden die Fragen zu den wesentlichen Risikofaktoren für Herzinfarkt und Schlaganfall nur von 33 % (für Diabetes) bzw. 43 %–53 % (für Rauchen) der Schüler*innen richtig beantwortet.Über alle Fragen hinweg deutet sich ein positiver Zusammenhang zwischen der Quote richtiger Antworten mit dem Bildungsgrad der Schuleinrichtung an; die Unterschiede blieben aber mit 5–19 % zwischen Gymnasium und Haupt- oder Realschule an beiden Erhebungszeitpunkten marginal. Ein Unterschied zwischen den Geschlechtern deutete sich zwischen 2007 (Mädchen: 59 % vs. Jungen: 52 %) und 2019 an (Mädchen: 56 % vs. Jungen: 51 %). Veränderungen in der Gesundheitskompetenz zu den Themen Diabetes und weiteren kardiovaskulären Risikofaktoren bei Schülern der 5.–12. Klasse im Verlauf von 12 Jahren konnten nicht beobachtet werden. Die angenommene Selbstverschuldung des Typ-1-Diabetes kann von den Betroffenen als Diskriminierung empfunden werden.

Myelin insulates neuronal axons and enables fast signal transmission, constituting a key component of brain development, aging and disease. Yet, myelin-specific imaging of macroscopic samples remains a challenge. Here, we exploit myelin’s nanostructural periodicity, and use small-angle X-ray scattering tensor tomography (SAXS-TT) to simultaneously quantify myelin levels, nanostructural integrity and axon orientations in nervous tissue. Proof-of-principle is demonstrated in whole mouse brain, mouse spinal cord and human white and gray matter samples. Outcomes are validated by 2D/3D histology and compared to MRI measurements sensitive to myelin and axon orientations. Specificity to nanostructure is exemplified by concomitantly imaging different myelin types with distinct periodicities. Finally, we illustrate the method’s sensitivity towards myelin-related diseases by quantifying myelin alterations in dysmyelinated mouse brain. This non-destructive, stain-free molecular imaging approach enables quantitative studies of myelination within and across samples during development, aging, disease and treatment, and is applicable to other ordered biomolecules or nanostructures., Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) combines the high tissue penetration of X-rays with specificity to periodic nanostructures. The authors use SAXS tensor tomography (SAXS-TT) on intact mouse and human brain tissue samples, to quantify myelin levels and determine myelin integrity, myelinated axon orientation, and fibre tracts non-destructively.

Objectives To compare ultra-low-dose CT (ULD-CT) of the osseous pelvis with tin filtration to standard clinical CT (CT), and to assess the quality of computed virtual pelvic radiographs (VRs). Methods CT protocols were optimized in a phantom and three pelvic cadavers. Thirty prospectively included patients received both standard CT (automated tube voltage selection and current modulation) and tin-filtered ULD-CT of the pelvis (Sn140kV/50mAs). VRs of ULD-CT data were computed using an adapted cone beam–based projection algorithm and were compared to digital radiographs (DRs) of the pelvis. CT and DR dose parameters and quantitative and qualitative measures (1 = worst, 4 = best) were compared. CT and ULD-CT were assessed for osseous pathologies. Results Dose reduction of ULD-CT was 84% compared to CT, with a median effective dose of 0.38 mSv (quartile 1–3: 0.37–0.4 mSv) versus 2.31 mSv (1.82–3.58 mSv; p < .001), respectively. Mean dose of DR was 0.37 mSv (± 0.14 mSv). The median signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of bone were significantly higher for CT (64.3 and 21.5, respectively) compared to ULD-CT (50.4 and 18.8; p ≤ .01), while ULD-CT was significantly more dose efficient (figure of merit (FOM) 927.6) than CT (FOM 167.6; p < .001). Both CT and ULD-CT were of good image quality with excellent depiction of anatomy, with a median score of 4 (4–4) for both methods (p = .1). Agreement was perfect between both methods regarding the prevalence of assessed osseous pathologies (p > .99). VRs were successfully calculated and were equivalent to DRs. Conclusion Tin-filtered ULD-CT of the pelvis at a dose equivalent to standard radiographs is adequate for assessing bone anatomy and osseous pathologies and had a markedly superior dose efficiency than standard CT. Key Points • Ultra-low-dose pelvic CT with tin filtration (0.38 mSv) can be performed at a dose of digital radiographs (0.37 mSv), with a dose reduction of 84% compared to standard CT (2.31 mSv). • Tin-filtered ultra-low-dose CT had lower SNR and CNR and higher image noise than standard CT, but showed clear depiction of anatomy and accurate detection of osseous pathologies. • Virtual pelvic radiographs were successfully calculated from ultra-low-dose CT data and were equivalent to digital radiographs.

Sediments in oxygen-depleted marine environments can be an important sink or source of bio-essential trace metals in the ocean. However, the key mechanisms controlling the release from or burial of trace metals in sediments are not exactly understood. Here, we investigate the benthic biogeochemical cycling of iron (Fe) and cadmium (Cd) in the oxygen minimum zone off Peru. We combine bottom water and pore water concentrations, as well as benthic fluxes determined from pore water profiles and from in situ benthic chamber incubations, along a depth transect at 12∘ S. In agreement with previous studies, both concentration–depth profiles and in situ benthic fluxes indicate a release of Fe from sediments to the bottom water. Diffusive Fe fluxes and Fe fluxes from benthic chamber incubations (−0.3 to −17.5 mmol m−2 yr−1) are broadly consistent at stations within the oxygen minimum zone, where the flux magnitude is highest, indicating that diffusion is the main transport mechanism of dissolved Fe across the sediment–water interface. The occurrence of mats of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria on the seafloor represents an important control on the spatial distribution of Fe fluxes by regulating hydrogen sulfide (H2S) concentrations and, potentially, Fe sulfide precipitation within the surface sediment. Rapid removal of dissolved Fe after its release to anoxic bottom waters hints at oxidative removal by nitrite and interactions with particles in the near-bottom water column. Benthic flux estimates of Cd suggest a flux into the sediment within the oxygen minimum zone. Fluxes from benthic chamber incubations (up to 22.6 µmol m−2 yr−1) exceed diffusive fluxes ( µmol m−2 yr−1) by a factor of more than 25, indicating that downward diffusion of Cd across the sediment–water interface is of subordinate importance for Cd removal from benthic chambers. As Cd removal in benthic chambers covaries with H2S concentrations in the pore water of surface sediments, we argue that Cd removal is mediated by precipitation of cadmium sulfide (CdS) within the chamber water or directly at the sediment–water interface. A mass balance approach, taking the contributions of diffusive and chamber fluxes as well as Cd delivery with organic material into account, suggests that CdS precipitation in the near-bottom water could make an important contribution to the overall Cd mass accumulation in the sediment solid phase. According to our results, the solubility of trace metal sulfide minerals (Cd ≪ Fe) is a key factor controlling trace metal removal and, consequently, the magnitude and the temporal and spatial heterogeneity of sedimentary fluxes. We argue that, depending on their sulfide solubility, sedimentary source or sink fluxes of trace metals will change differentially as a result of declining oxygen concentrations and the associated expansion of sulfidic surface sediments. Such a trend could cause a change in the trace metal stoichiometry of upwelling water masses with potential consequences for marine ecosystems in the surface ocean.

The research project MGF-Ostsee deals with the consequences of the exclusion of mobile bottom-contact fishing in the southern Baltic Sea, specifically to assess its effects on the biogeochemistry of surface sediments and across the benthic-pelagic food chain. In Summer 2021, an in-situ monitored experiment was conducted at a coastal site in the region of Warnemünde/Rostock to investigate the short-term impacts of bottom trawling. Herein, we present first results on how this anthropogenic intervention affects biogeochemical processes and associated elemental cycling, as well as the resulting changes in geochemical mineral tracers. We analyzed porewater and sediment, as well as the water column for major, minor and trace elements, and the stable isotope composition (C, S, O) of dissolved and solid carbon and sulfur species. Porewater gradients are combined with lander-based oxygen-consumption- and radiotracer-based microbial sulfate reduction rates to elucidate how the disturbances by the fishing gear affect element (C, P, Mn, Fe, S) and mineral (re)distribution.The controlled trawling experiment generated a re-suspension plume that reached up to 2 m above the sea floor, with 4 NTU in the lowermost portion. In the central trawled area, short cores were taken with a MUC prior and one to two hours after the experiment, and on the following day. In addition, sediment cores were recovered by divers from furrows and mounds of recent trawl marks. First results suggest that in the trawled area, the coupled Fe-Mn-P cycle reacts most sensitively, as expressed by altered porewater gradients and element diffusion. In the trawl marks, pore waters are affected differently whether sediments are removed, as in trawl furrows (erosion), or added/topped, as in trawl mounds (burial). In general, the tentative results point towards a Mn loss in the trawling area and in the furrows, whereas in the mounds Mn becomes enriched. The observed short-term changes in geochemical patterns from the experiment in the Warnemünde region are compared to data from a monitored region in the Fehmarn Belt. There, the observed patterns are tentatively associated to meso-scale areas with a history of low or high trawling impact.

The ALKOR cruise AL547 represents a concluding milestone of the Helmholtz innovation project ARCHES (Autonomous Robotic Networks to Help Modern Societies). The aim was to implement a heterogeneous robotic sensing network to simultaneously monitor changes in the water column and at the seafloor. The network has been developed by a consortium of partners from AWI, DLR, GEOMAR and the University of Kiel. The participating sensing platforms allow for real-time data transfer and the entire network shall be able to autonomously respond to environmental changes in the ocean. The network comprised seven different mobile and stationary platforms. Tests were conducted at the Mittelgrund working area in the entrance of the Eckernförde Bay (western Baltic Sea). During 47 stations the various sensing platforms were deployed and recovered for maintenance. A total of 87853 messages were sent using hydro-acoustics, of which 71734 messages contained O 2 data, 15177 were status messages, 926 messages were commands to trigger a change of the measurement behavior of a platform and 16 messages represented broadcasts about the environmental status. We synoptically recorded short-term O 2 time series on the different platforms, which were placed along a depth gradient in the working area. As the Eckernförde Bay is known for sporadic fish kills by anoxia we hope to contribute to a better understanding of the O 2 dynamics in coastal areas. - (ALKOR-Berichte ; AL547)

The detection and assessment of cerebral lesions and traumatic brain injuries are of particular interest in forensic investigations in order to differentiate between natural and traumatic deaths and to reconstruct the course of events in case of traumatic deaths. For this purpose, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are applied to supplement autopsy (traumatic death) or to supplant autopsy (natural deaths). This approach is termed “virtual autopsy.” The value of this approach increases as more microlesions and traumatic brain injuries are detected and assessed. Focusing on these findings, this article describes the examination of two decedents using CT, 3-T, and 7-T MRI. The main question asked was whether there is a benefit in using 7-T over 3-T MRI. To answer this question, the 3-T and 7-T images were graded regarding the detectability and the assessability of coup/contrecoup injuries and microlesions using 3-point Likert scales. While CT missed these findings, they were detectable on 3-T and 7-T MRI. However, the 3-T images appeared blurry in direct comparison with the 7-T images; thus, the detectability and assessability of small findings were hampered on 3-T MRI. The potential benefit of 7-T over 3-T MRI is discussed.

Highlights • Approaches for CO2 leakage detection, attribution and quantification monitoring exist. • Many approaches cover multiple monitoring tasks simultaneously. • Sonars and chemical sensors on ships or AUVs can cover large areas. • Newer, more specific technologies can detect, verify and quantify smaller, localised leaks. Environmental monitoring of offshore Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) complexes requires robust methodologies and cost-effective tools to detect, attribute and quantify CO2 leakage in the unlikely event it occurs from a sub-seafloor reservoir. Various approaches can be utilised for environmental CCS monitoring, but their capabilities are often undemonstrated and more detailed monitoring strategies need to be developed. We tested and compared different approaches in an offshore setting using a CO2 release experiment conducted at 120 m water depth in the Central North Sea. Tests were carried out over a range of CO2 injection rates (6 - 143 kg d−1) comparable to emission rates observed from abandoned wells. Here, we discuss the benefits and challenges of the tested approaches and compare their relative cost, temporal and spatial resolution, technology readiness level and sensitivity to leakage. The individual approaches demonstrate a high level of sensitivity and certainty and cover a wide range of operational requirements. Additionally, we refer to a set of generic requirements for site-specific baseline surveys that will aid in the interpretation of the results. Critically, we show that the capability of most techniques to detect and quantify leakage exceeds the currently existing legal requirements.

To demonstrate direct imaging of the white matter ultrashort TThe IR UTE technique suppresses long TA frequency shift of -1.2 ppm of the IR pulse (i.e. towards the fat frequency) provided a good suppression of artifacts. With this, an ultrashort compartment of (68 ± 6) % with a TThe quantification results indicate that the observed ultrashort components arise primarily from myelin tissue. Direct IR UTE imaging of the white matter ultrashort T

With the emergence of deep learning methods, new computational frameworks have been developed that mix symbolic expressions with efficient numerical computations. In this work, we will demonstrate how deterministic and stochastic dynamics on manifolds, as well as differential geometric constructions can be implemented in these modern frameworks. In particular, we use the symbolic expression and automatic differentiation features of the python library Theano, originally developed for high-performance computations in deep learning. We show how various aspects of differential geometry and Lie group theory, connections, metrics, curvature, left/right invariance, geodesics and parallel transport can be formulated with Theano using the automatic computation of derivatives of any orders. We will also show how symbolic stochastic integrators and concepts from non-linear statistics can be formulated and optimized with only a few lines of code. We will then give explicit examples on low-dimensional classical manifolds for visualization and demonstrate how this approach allows both a concise implementation and efficient scaling to high dimensional problems. With this paper and its accompanying code, we hope to stimulate the use of modern symbolic and numerical computation frameworks for experimental applications in mathematics, for computations in applied mathematics, and for data analysis by showing how the resulting code allows for flexibility and simplicity in implementing many experimental mathematics endeavors.

Carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage (CCS) has been discussed as a potentially significant mitigation option for the ongoing climate warming. Natural CO2 release sites serve as natural laboratories to study subsea CO2 leakage in order to identify suitable analytical methods and numerical models to develop best-practice procedures for the monitoring of subseabed storage sites. We present a new model of bubble (plume) dynamics, advection-dispersion of dissolved CO2, and carbonate chemistry. The focus is on a medium-sized CO2 release from 294 identified small point sources around Panarea Island (South-East Tyrrhenian Sea, Aeolian Islands, Italy) in water depths of about 40–50 m. This study evaluates how multiple CO2 seep sites generate a temporally variable plume of dissolved CO2. The model also allows the overall flow rate of CO2 to be estimated based on field measurements of pH. Simulations indicate a release of ∼6900 t y–1 of CO2 for the investigated area and highlight an important role of seeps located at >20 m water depth in the carbon budget of the Panarea offshore gas release system. This new transport-reaction model provides a framework for understanding potential future leaks from CO2 storage sites.

This paper introduces a factor-solve method that efficiently computes Thévenin equivalents for all buses in the power system. A range of real-time stability assessment methods relies on Thévenin equivalents, and it is therefore essential that these methods can be determined fast and efficiently. The factor-solve method has runtime for computing Thévenin voltage that scales linearly with system size resulting in runtime of only a few milliseconds even for systems with several thousand buses. The computations only need the sparse admittance matrix for the power system and a sparse factorization resulting in low memory requirements, and furthermore, Thévenin impedances can be determined in parallel. The factor-solve method is compared to a reference method that uses coefficients for super-position to determine the Thévenin equivalents. The reference method is shown to have unsatisfactory runtime and complexity. The factor-solve method is tested, parallelized, and analyzed, which shows a considerable speedup in computations of Thévenin equivalents enabling them to be computed in real time.

Terahertz (THz) properties of seventeen types of wood typically growing within the European area are investigated. The samples include both coniferous and deciduous timbers. The determined properties can be useful for further THz studies on samples consisting completely or partially of wood, for example, art objects. Especially in the field of art conservation, THz spectroscopy is an excellent non-destructive evaluation method, which shows considerable analysis potential.

The study of mammals has promoted the development and testing of many ideas in contemporary ecology. Here we address recent developments in foraging and habitat selection, source–sink dynamics, competition (both within and between species), population cycles, predation (including apparent competition), mutualism, and biological invasions. Because mammals are appealing to the public, ecological insight gleaned from the study of mammals has disproportionate potential in educating the public about ecological principles and their application to wise management. Mammals have been central to many computational and statistical developments in recent years, including refinements to traditional approaches and metrics (e.g., capture-recapture) as well as advancements of novel and developing fields (e.g., spatial capture-recapture, occupancy modeling, integrated population models). The study of mammals also poses challenges in terms of fully characterizing dynamics in natural conditions. Ongoing climate change threatens to affect global ecosystems, and mammals provide visible and charismatic subjects for research on local and regional effects of such change as well as predictive modeling of the long-term effects on ecosystem function and stability. Although much remains to be done, the population ecology of mammals continues to be a vibrant and rapidly developing field. We anticipate that the next quarter century will prove as exciting and productive for the study of mammals as has the recent one.

Highlights • The largest Baltic dataset of in situ measured benthic DIC fluxes is presented. • 96% of the POC delivered to Baltic sediments is recycled back to the water column. • OC recycling rates are much higher and burial rates lower than previously reported. • C budgets for the Baltic Sea should be revised taking into account these new rates. In situ measured benthic fluxes of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), a proxy for organic carbon (OC) oxidation or recycling rates, are used together with burial rates based on measured sediment accumulation rates (SAR) and vertical distribution of OC in the sediment solid phase to construct a benthic OC budget for the Baltic Sea system. The large variability in recycling rates (4.3 ± 0.87–33 ± 17 mmol C m−2 d−1) and burial rates (1.2 ± 0.8–5.9 ± 1.8 mmol C m−2 d−1) between different sub-basins and between different depositional areas within the basins is accounted for in the budget. Our results indicate that sediments in the Baltic Sea have much higher recycling rates and lower burial rates of OC than previously found. The sediment budget calculations show that 22 ± 7.8 Tg C yr−1 of OC is recycled to the water column due to organic matter oxidation, while long term burial amounts to 1.0 ± 0.3 Tg C yr−1. For the Baltic Sea as a whole, 96% of the particulate OC (POC) deposited on the sea floor (23 ± 7.8 Tg C yr−1; the sum of recycling and burial) is recycled back to the water column. However, the burial efficiency (i.e. the fraction buried of the total deposition) shows large variability between the different basins (2.5–16%). The total benthic POC deposition is approximately 20% higher than the estimated POC source originating from primary production in the water column and riverine input. This difference is likely within the uncertainty range of our budget calculations, however it indicates that the POC sources might be underestimated. The results from this study enhance the understanding of OC delivery, deposition and cycling in the Baltic Sea, and help improving existing Baltic OC budgets.

Bacterial sulfate reduction (SR) is often determined by radiotracer techniques using 35S‐labeled sulfate. In environments featuring simultaneous sulfide oxidation, SR can be underestimated due to re‐oxidation of 35S‐sulfide. Recycling of 35S‐tracer is expected to be high in sediment with low concentrations of pore‐water sulfide and high abundance of giant filamentous sulfur‐oxidizing bacteria (GFSOB). Here, we applied a sulfide‐spiking method, originally developed for water samples, to sediments along a shelf‐slope transect (72, 128, 243, 752 m water depth) traversing the Peruvian oxygen minimum zone. Sediment spiked with unlabeled sulfide prior to 35S‐sulfate injection to prevent radiotracer recycling was compared to unspiked sediment. At stations characterized by low natural sulfide and abundant GFSOB (128 and 243 m), the method revealed 1–3 times higher SR rates in spiked sediment. Spiking had no effect on SR in sediment with high natural sulfide despite presence of GFSOB (72 m). Bioturbated sediment devoid of GFSOB (752 m) showed elevated SR in spiked samples, likely from artificial introduction of sulfidic conditions. Sulfide oxidation rates at the 128 and 243 m station, derived from the difference in SR between spiked and unspiked sediment, approximated rates of dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium by GFSOB. Gross SR contributed considerably to benthic dissolved inorganic carbon fluxes at the three shallowest station, confirming that SR is an important process for benthic carbon respirations within the oxygen minimum zone. We recommend to further explore the spiking method to capture SR in sediment featuring low sulfide concentrations and high sulfur cycling by GFSOB.

OBJECTIVES Through-slice chemical shift artifacts in state-of-the-art turbo-spin-echo (TSE) images can be significantly more severe at 7 T than at lower field strengths. In musculoskeletal applications, these artifacts appear similar to bone fractures or neoplastic bone marrow disease. The objective of this work was to explore and reduce through-slice chemical shift artifacts in 2-dimensional (2D) TSE imaging at 7 T. MATERIALS AND METHODS This prospective study was approved by the local ethics board. The bandwidths of the excitation and refocusing radiofrequency (RF) pulses of a prototype 2D TSE sequence were individually modified and their effect on the slice profiles and relative slice locations of water and fat spins was assessed in an oil-water phantom. Based on these results, it was hypothesized that the combination of matched and increased excitation and refocusing RF pulse bandwidths ("MIB") of 1500 Hz would enable 2D TSE imaging with significantly reduced chemical shift artifacts compared with a state-of-the-art sequence with unmatched and moderate RF pulse bandwidths ("UMB") of 1095 and 682 Hz.A series of T1-weighted sagittal knee examinations in 10 healthy human subjects were acquired using the MIB and UMB sequences and independently evaluated by 2 radiologists. They measured the width of chemical shift artifacts at 2 standardized locations and graded the perceived negative effect of chemical shift artifacts on image quality in the bones and in the whole gastrocnemius muscle on a 5-point scale. Similar knee, wrist, and foot images were acquired in a single subject. Signal-to-noise ratios in the femoral bone marrow were computed between the UMB and MIB sequences. RESULTS Phantom measurements confirmed the expected spatial separation of simultaneously affected water and fat slices between 40% and 200% of the prescribed slice thickness for RF pulse bandwidths between 2500 and 500 Hz. Through-slice chemical shift artifacts at the bone-cartilage interface were significantly smaller with MIB than with UMB (location 1: 0.35 ± 0.20 mm vs 1.27 ± 0.27 mm, P < 0.001; location 2: 0.25 ± 0.13 mm vs 1.48 ± 0.46 mm, P < 0.001; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.98). The negative effect of chemical shift artifacts on image quality was significantly smaller with MIB than with UMB (bone: 2 ± 0 vs 4 ± 1, P < 0.004 [both readers]; muscle: 3 ± 0 vs 2 ± 0, P < 0.004 [both readers]; κ = 0.69). The signal-to-noise ratio of the UMB and MIB sequences was comparable, with a ratio of 99 ± 7%. Images acquired using the UMB sequence displayed numerous artifactual hyperintensities and diffuse, as well as locally severe, fat signal loss in all examined regions, whereas the MIB sequence consistently yielded high image quality with bright T1-weighted fat signal and excellent depiction of fine tissue structures. CONCLUSIONS On 7 T systems, the selection of high and matched RF bandwidths for excitation and refocusing pulses for 2D TSE imaging without fat suppression showed consistently better image quality than state-of-the-art sequences with unmatched lower RF pulse bandwidths.

The availability of major nutrients, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), largely controls primary productivity in eastern boundary upwelling systems. The oxygen minimum zone (OMZ) on the Namibian shelf is characterized by high productivity and extraordinarily high particulate organic carbon (POC) contents (up to 19 % dry weight) in the surface sediments. The anaerobic degradation of POC by bacterial sulfate reduction leads to the production of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) that supports extensive communities of large sulfur bacteria Thiomargarita namibiensis in surface shelf sediments. These bacteria oxidize sulfide by reducing nitrate (NO3-) to either ammonium (NH4+) or dinitrogen (N2). Thiomargarita also affect phosphorus cycling by intracellular incorporation of polyphosphates and extracellular formation of hydroxyapatites. In order to understand and quantify the complexity of the coupled benthic cycles of C, N, P, S, Fe in the Benguela Upwelling System, a reaction-transport model (RTM) was used to simulate sediment biogeochemical data collected from the RV Meteor cruise (M157, August 4th-September 16th 2019) off Namibia. This allowed deeper insights into the role of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria on P and N fluxes across the sediment surface. Results are presented that point toward potentially strong feedbacks by Thiomargarita on primary production in response to ongoing global warming and ocean deoxygenation.