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Item type:Item, An empirical three-dimensional metric field for color space(2026) Koenderink, Jan J.; van Doorn, Andrea J.; Braun, Doris I.; Gegenfurtner, Karl R.A complete empirical characterization of color discrimination in three dimensions has long remained out of reach. Classical studies, beginning with MacAdam's ellipses, provided local measurements in restricted chromatic planes, but a spatially dense and internally consistent mapping of discrimination structure across full color space has not yet been achieved. Here, we present such a systematic three-dimensional measurement of color discrimination in the standardized sRGB stimulus space. Eight observers measured discrimination regions at 35 reference colors distributed on a body-centered cubic lattice within the RGB cube. At each location, color differences were probed along seven orientations, yielding 14 directional extents. These measurements defined centrally symmetric convex regions that were fitted with minimum-volume ellipsoids, providing a compact description of local discrimination structure. Ellipsoids were represented as symmetric positive-definite matrices and analyzed using a Frobenius geometry, enabling normalization across observers and smooth interpolation to arbitrary locations. The resulting metric field is spatially smooth, highly structured, and remarkably consistent across observers up to an individual global scale factor. Grain size increases along the achromatic axis and exhibits systematic chromatic asymmetries. Comparison with CIEDE2000 reveals substantial agreement in overall scale variation but systematic differences in local anisotropy. Because the metric field is defined geometrically, it can be transformed into linear RGB or any other color representation through the corresponding coordinate transformations. Together, these data provide a coherent three-dimensional empirical mapping of color discrimination across a large ecologically relevant volume of color space and establish an empirical framework for perceptual color metrics.Item type:Item, Methodological factors affecting canine vaginal cytology : the influence of sampling site, swab condition, and fixation method(2026) Plato, Katrin von; Sendag, Sait; Yildiz, Mehmet; Wehrend, AxelBackground: Vaginal cytology is widely used for cycle staging in bitches because of its practicality and low cost; however, its diagnostic reliability is strongly infuenced by methodological variability. The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of sampling site, swab type, and fxation method on the interpretation of exfoliative vaginal cytology. Materials and Methods: Exfoliative vaginal cytology samples were obtained from 332 clinically healthy bitches representing all stages of the estrous cycle. Samples were collected from diferent locations (vestibulum vs. vagina) using either dry or saline- moistened swabs and prepared as air-dried or spray-fxed smears, followed by eosin–thiazine staining. Clinical examination and serum progesterone concentrations served as the reference method for cycle staging. Results: The proportions of diferent cell types were signifcantly infuenced by the sampling location. Vestibular smears contained higher proportions of keratinized and intermediate cells (p < 0.0001), whereas basal cells (p = 0.0078) and anuclear superfcial cells (p < 0.0001) were more frequently observed in vaginal smears. Overall, sampling location signifcantly afected the distinction between proestrus and estrus. Swab condition signifcantly infuenced smear quality and cellular presentation but had minimal impact on cycle stage classifcation. Smears obtained using saline-moistened swabs showed signifcantly higher cellular yield per microscopic feld (p < 0.0001). Bacteria, cellular debris, and secretory material were less frequently observed in moistened smears (p < 0.0001), whereas free nuclei were detected more frequently (p < 0.0001). Cotton fbers were more common in dry swab preparations (p < 0.0001). Cellular arrangement also difered between sampling methods (p = 0.003). The fxation method infuenced certain morphological features but did not afect cytological stage classifcation. No signifcant diferences in total cellular yield were observed between air-dried and spray-fxed smears. Conclusion: Among the factors evaluated, only the sampling location exerted a clinically relevant efect on cycle stage determination, particularly for distinguishing proestrus from estrus.Item type:Item, Preparation of cleared whole-mount urethra and urinary bladder from transcardially perfused mice for immunolabeling and analysis by CLSM(2026) Pfeil, Uwe; Dettler, Felix; Perniss, Alexander; Anekal, Praju Vikas; Bankova, Lora; Montero LIopis, Paula; Deckmann, KlausThe distribution of cells within organs, their involvement in tissue structure, and their organization in three-dimensional networks are important aspects in the analysis and understanding of biological processes. Here, we present a protocol for preparing whole-mount urethra and urinary bladder from transcardially perfused mice for immunolabeling and analysis by confocal laser scanning microscopy. We describe steps for perfusion, preparation, tissue clearing, and analysis using confocal laser scanning microscopy. We then detail procedures for three-dimensional processing of the murine urethra and urinary bladder.Item type:Item, Renal recovery patterns and long-term kidney function decline in pulmonary hypertension(2026) Hintz, Lukas; Stampouloglou, Anastasios; Rangaswami, Janani; Lo, Kevin Brian; Seeger, Werner; Ghofrani, Hossein-Ardeschir; Gall, Henning; Tello, Khodr; Husain-Syed, FaeqPulmonary hypertension (PH) is frequently accompanied by a decline in kidney function. In this retrospective cohort, worsening PH was associated with long-term eGFR decline only when accompanied by transition from acute kidney injury (AKI) to acute kidney disease (AKD), defined as persistent kidney dysfunction beyond 7 days after AKI onset, whereas early AKI reversal was not. These findings suggest that renal recovery patterns, rather than transient changes in kidney function, may determine longitudinal kidney outcomes in PH and warrant further prospective investigation.Item type:Item, Cross-species R-DeeP profiling reveals a conserved core of RNA-dependent proteins in yeast(2026) Wäber, Nadine Bianca; Seidler, Johanna Franziska; Thelen, Fabienne; Kot, Palina; Schreiner, Silke; Timm, Thomas; Lochnit, Günter; Sträßer, Katja; Kilchert, CorneliaDelineating the constituents and structural composition of RNA-associated protein complexes is essential to mapping the molecular machinery driving RNA metabolism and its impact on cellular function. Here, we present a comprehensive dataset of RNA-dependent proteins and complexes in the phylogenetically distant yeasts Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Using R-DeeP—a density gradient-based method that uses quantitative mass spectrometry to profile protein sedimentation in the presence and absence of RNA—we introduce an RNA dependence index (RDI) as a descriptive framework for RNA dependence, enabling the robust comparative analysis of RNA dependence across proteins in both species and relative to existing data from their human counterparts. This identifies a conserved core of RNA-dependent proteins shared across both yeasts, alongside distinct, organism-specific adaptations in complex behaviour. The data further support the analysis of co-sedimentation behaviour of protein complexes with known RNA-directed functions. For instance, we find that the five subunits of the S. cerevisiae THO complex only co-sediment in the absence of RNA, pointing to an underappreciated structural modularity of the well-characterized pentameric complex. The two datasets, available at https://yeast-r-deep.computational.bio/, provide a resource for hypothesis-driven research in RNA biology and establish R-DeeP as a broadly applicable tool for comparative analysis of RNA–protein interactions.