@article{21764,
abstract = {Colloidal fluids can exhibit complex phase behavior and determining phase diagrams via experiments or computer simulations can be laborious. We demonstrate that the dispersion relation ω(k), obtained from dynamical density functional theory for the uniform density system, is a highly versatile tool for predicting where in the phase diagram complex crystals form. The sign of ω(k) determines whether density modes with wave number k grow or decay over time. We demonstrate the predictive power by investigating the complex phase behavior of particles interacting via core-shoulder pair potentials. With complementary Monte Carlo simulations, we show that regions of the phase diagram where ωðkÞ has one or several unstable (growing) wave numbers are also where crystalline phases occur. Going further, by tuning these
unstable wave numbers via the interaction-potential and state-point parameters, we design systems with quasicrystals in the phase diagram. We identify a system with a certain shoulder range exhibiting at least ten different phases. Our general approach accelerates considerably the mapping of complex phase diagrams, crucial for the design of new materials.},
author = {Wassermair, Michael and Kahl, Gerhard and Roth, Roland and Archer, Andrew J.},
issn = {1079-7114},
journal = {Physical Review Letters},
number = {14},
publisher = {American Physical Society},
title = {{Navigating complex phase diagrams in soft matter systems}},
doi = {10.1103/nbvt-fgjy},
volume = {136},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21765,
abstract = {Dielectric particles of the same material exchange electrical charge during collisions or sliding contacts, yet the underlying charge-exchange mechanism is still not understood. The fact that particles can become highly charged as a result of this effect has significant consequences for many settings, both in nature and industry, such as thunderstorms, volcanic eruptions, particle aggregation during meteorite and planet formation, and the clogging of industrial granular systems. Toward understanding these systems, great efforts have been made to develop precise in situ measurements for particle charge, e.g., to determine ensemble charge distributions or measure exchange during individual contacts. Here, we present experimental results concerning the particle size scaling of the stationary-state charge distributions of oxide particles in the sub-millimeter range. We measure the charge distributions for large ensembles of monodisperse ZrO2:SiO2 composite spheres, ranging from 172 to 545µm in diameter. These distributions are non-Gaussian and collapse to a single master curve when plotted as functions of the surface charge density Σ=𝑞/4𝜋𝑅2. X-ray fluorescence and atomic force microscopy measurements show that the differences in the measured charge distributions are not due to variations in chemical composition or surface roughness, but rather to size alone. Our findings provide constraints on microscopic models for charge exchange, namely that they should lead to steady-state distributions that are non-Gaussian and scale in a specific way with particle size.},
author = {Lara, Macarena and Flores, Marcos and Castillo, Gustavo and Tassara, Santiago and Waitukaitis, Scott R and Mujica, Nicolás},
issn = {2475-9953},
journal = {Physical Review Materials},
number = {4},
publisher = {American Physical Society},
title = {{Particle size scaling of non-Gaussian granular charge distributions}},
doi = {10.1103/qw6t-xqdw},
volume = {10},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21743,
abstract = {We present symplectic structures on the shape space of unparameterized space curves that generalize the classical Marsden–Weinstein structure. Our method integrates the Liouville 1-form of the Marsden–Weinstein structure with Riemannian structures that have been introduced in mathematical shape analysis. We also derive Hamiltonian vector fields for several classical Hamiltonian functions with respect to these new symplectic structures.},
author = {Bauer, Martin and Ishida, Sadashige and Michor, Peter W.},
issn = {1432-1467},
journal = {Journal of Nonlinear Science},
number = {2},
publisher = {Springer Nature},
title = {{Symplectic structures on the space of space curves}},
doi = {10.1007/s00332-026-10266-8},
volume = {36},
year = {2026},
}
@unpublished{21737,
abstract = {In calculus, l'Hopital's rule provides a simple way to evaluate the limits of quotient functions when both the numerator and denominator vanish. But what happens when we move beyond real functions on a real interval? In this article, we study when the quotient of two complex-valued functions in higher dimension can be defined continuously at the points where both functions vanish. Surprisingly, the answer is far subtler than in the real-valued setting. We provide a complete characterization for the continuity of the quotient function. We also point out why extending this result to smoother quotients remains an intriguing challenge.},
author = {Chern, Albert and Ishida, Sadashige},
booktitle = {arXiv},
keywords = {l’Hopital theorem, complex functions},
title = {{L'Hopital rules for complex-valued functions in higher dimensions}},
doi = {10.48550/ARXIV.2602.09958},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21767,
abstract = {The involvement of non-scientific staff in discussions about animal welfare and scientific quality is essential for biomedical research progress. In this study, we developed a survey to collect the self-perception of animal care staff (ACS) and laboratory technicians about their involvement in scientific planning and conduct. Participants were contacted to complete an anonymous online questionnaire. We obtained 850 responses, mainly from Europe: 564 from ACS and 286 from laboratory technicians. Job satisfaction was assessed as positive by ACS and laboratory technicians despite the low frequency of culture of care activities and mental health meetings. Both groups expressed their desire to be trained in research planning and conduct; however, regular training was not reported. In addition, the inability to act on animal welfare concerns owing to experimental reasons was reported by both groups. Over half of the participants felt valued and appreciated by the lead scientists or animal facility manager; however, it is not clear how they are acknowledged, as their names on the authors list or in the manuscript acknowledgments are barely included. Our results indicated that involvement of ACS and laboratory technicians in planning and conducting studies would improve their understanding of how experiments are done, and therefore communication processes, work satisfaction, animal welfare, and scientific quality. Finally, we provided recommendations to improve the engagement of ACS and laboratory technicians in discussions about animal research planning and conduct.},
author = {Gonzalez-Uarquin, Fernando and Jirkof, Paulin and Bert, Bettina and Hawkins, Penny and Angelovski, Ljupco and Baumgart, Jan and Baumgart, Nadine and Cevik, Özge S. and Franco, Nuno H. and Horata, Erdal and Kaura, Rohish and Neuhaus, Winfried and Riso, Brigida and Smith, Adrian J. and Sotiropoulos, Athanassia and Vitale, Augusto and Schober, Sophie},
issn = {1758-1117},
journal = {Laboratory Animals},
publisher = {SAGE Publications},
title = {{Building bridges: Involvement of animal care staff and laboratory technicians in experimental planning and conduct of animal studies for better job satisfaction and science}},
doi = {10.1177/00236772251400976},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21274,
abstract = {Many white dwarfs are observed in compact double white dwarf binaries, and through the emission of gravitational waves, a large fraction are destined to merge. The merger remnants that do not explode in a Type Ia supernova are expected to initially be rapidly rotating and highly magnetized. In this work, we present our discovery of the variable white dwarf ZTF J200832.79+444939.67, hereafter ZTF J2008+4449, as a likely merger remnant showing signs of circumstellar material without a stellar or substellar companion. The nature of ZTF J2008+4449 as a merger remnant is supported by its physical properties: it is hot (35 500 ± 300 K) and massive (1.12 ± 0.03 M
⊙
), rapidly rotating with a period of ≈6.6 minutes, and likely possesses exceptionally strong magnetic fields (∼400−600 MG) at its surface. Remarkably, we detect a significant period derivative of (1.80 ± 0.09)×10
−12
s/s, indicating that the white dwarf is spinning down, and a soft X-ray emission that is inconsistent with photospheric emission. As the presence of a mass-transferring stellar or brown dwarf companion is excluded by infrared photometry, the detected spin-down and X-ray emission could be tell-tale signs of a magnetically driven wind or of interaction with circumstellar material, possibly originating from the fallback of gravitationally bound merger ejecta or from the tidal disruption of a planetary object. We also detect Balmer emission, which requires the presence of ionized hydrogen in the vicinity of the white dwarf, showing Doppler shifts as high as ≈2000 km s
−1
. The unusual variability of the Balmer emission on the spin period of the white dwarf is consistent with the trapping of a half ring of ionized gas in the magnetosphere of the white dwarf.
},
author = {Cristea, Andrei-Alexandru and Caiazzo, Ilaria and Cunningham, Tim and Raymond, John C. and Vennes, Stephane and Kawka, Adela and Desai, Aayush A and Miller, David R. and Hermes, J. J. and Fuller, Jim and Heyl, Jeremy and van Roestel, Jan and Burdge, Kevin B. and Rodriguez, Antonio C. and Pelisoli, Ingrid and Gänsicke, Boris T. and Szkody, Paula and Kenyon, Scott J. and Vanderbosch, Zach and Drake, Andrew and Ferrario, Lilia and Wickramasinghe, Dayal and Karambelkar, Viraj R. and Justham, Stephen and Pakmor, Ruediger and El-Badry, Kareem and Prince, Thomas and Kulkarni, S. R. and Graham, Matthew J. and Masci, Frank J. and Groom, Steven L. and Purdum, Josiah and Dekany, Richard and Bellm, Eric C.},
issn = {1432-0746},
journal = {Astronomy & Astrophysics},
publisher = {EDP Sciences},
title = {{A half ring of ionized circumstellar material trapped in the magnetosphere of a white dwarf merger remnant}},
doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/202556432},
volume = {706},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21485,
abstract = {Insulating oxides are among the most abundant solid materials in the universe1,2,3. Of the many ways in which they influence natural phenomena, perhaps the most consequential is their capacity to transfer electrical charge during contact4,5,6,7,8,9,10—which occurs even between samples of the same oxide—yet the symmetry-breaking parameter that causes this remains unidentified11,12. Here we show that adventitious carbonaceous molecules adsorbed from the environment are the symmetry-breaking factor in same-material oxide contact electrification (CE). We use acoustic levitation to measure charge exchange between a sphere and a plate composed of identical amorphous silicon dioxide (SiO2). Although charging polarity is random for co-prepared samples, we control it with baking or plasma treatment. Observing the charge-exchange relaxation afterwards, we see dynamics over a timescale of hours and connect this directly to the presence of adventitious carbon with time-of-flight mass spectrometry, low-energy ion scattering and infrared spectroscopy. Going further, we confirm that adventitious carbon can even determine charge exchange among different oxides. Our results identify the symmetry-breaking parameter that causes insulating oxides to exchange charge in settings ranging from desert sands4 to volcanic plumes5,6, while simultaneously highlighting an overlooked factor in CE more broadly.},
author = {Grosjean, Galien M and Ostermann, Markus and Sauer, Markus and Hahn, Michael and Pichler, Christian M. and Fahrnberger, Florian and Pertl, Felix and Balazs, Daniel and Link, Mason M. and Kim, Seong H. and Schrader, Devin L. and Blanco, Adriana and Gracia, Francisco and Mujica, Nicolás and Waitukaitis, Scott R},
issn = {1476-4687},
journal = {Nature},
number = {8106},
pages = {626--631},
publisher = {Springer Nature},
title = {{Adventitious carbon breaks symmetry in oxide contact electrification}},
doi = {10.1038/s41586-025-10088-w},
volume = {651},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21015,
abstract = {Early embryo geometry is one of the most invariant species-specific traits, yet its role in ensuring developmental reproducibility and robustness remains underexplored. Here we show that in zebrafish, the geometry of the fertilized egg—specifically its curvature and volume—serves as a critical initial condition triggering a cascade of events that influence development. The embryo geometry guides patterned asymmetric cell divisions in the blastoderm, generating radial gradients of cell volume and nucleocytoplasmic ratio. These gradients generate mitotic phase waves, with the nucleocytoplasmic ratio determining individual cell cycle periods independently of other cells. We demonstrate that reducing cell autonomy reshapes these waves, emphasizing the instructive role of geometry-derived volume patterns in setting the intrinsic period of the cell cycle oscillator. In addition to organizing cell cycles, early embryo geometry spatially patterns zygotic genome activation at the midblastula transition, a key step in establishing embryonic autonomy. Disrupting the embryo shape alters the zygotic genome activation pattern and causes ectopic germ layer specification, underscoring the developmental significance of geometry. Together, our findings reveal a symmetry-breaking function of early embryo geometry in coordinating cell cycle and transcriptional patterning.},
author = {Mishra, Nikhil and Li, Yuting I and Hannezo, Edouard B and Heisenberg, Carl-Philipp J},
issn = {1745-2481},
journal = {Nature Physics},
pages = {139--150},
publisher = {Springer Nature},
title = {{Geometry-driven asymmetric cell divisions pattern cell cycles and zygotic genome activation in the zebrafish embryo}},
doi = {10.1038/s41567-025-03122-1},
volume = {22},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21382,
abstract = {The exceptional energy-harvesting efficiency of lead-halide perovskites arises from unusually long photocarrier diffusion lengths and recombination lifetimes that persist even in defect-rich, solution-grown samples. Paradoxically, perovskites are also known for having very short exciton decay times. Here, we resolve this apparent contradiction by showing that key optoelectronic properties of perovskites can be explained by localized flexoelectric polarization confined to interfaces between domains of spontaneous strain. Using birefringence imaging, electrochemical staining, and zero-bias photocurrent measurements, we visualize the domain structure and directly probe the associated internal fields in nominally cubic single crystals of methylammonium lead bromide. We demonstrate that localized flexoelectric fields spatially separate electrons and holes to opposite sides of domain walls, exponentially suppressing recombination. Domain walls thus act as efficient mesoscopic transport channels for long-lived photocarriers, microscopically linking structural heterogeneity to charge transport and offering mechanistically informed design principles for perovskite solar-energy technologies.},
author = {Rak, Dmytro and Lorenc, Dusan and Balazs, Daniel and Zhumekenov, Ayan A. and Bakr, Osman M. and Alpichshev, Zhanybek},
issn = {2041-1723},
journal = {Nature Communications},
publisher = {Springer Nature},
title = {{Flexoelectric domain walls enable charge separation and transport in cubic perovskites}},
doi = {10.1038/s41467-026-68660-5},
volume = {17},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21488,
abstract = {Human height is a model for the genetic analysis of complex traits, and recent studies suggest the presence of thousands of common genetic variant associations and hundreds of low-frequency/rare variants. Here, we develop a new algorithmic paradigm based on approximate message passing (genomic vector approximate message passing [gVAMP]) for identifying DNA sequence variants associated with complex traits and common diseases in large-scale whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data. We show that gVAMP accurately localizes associations to variants with the correct frequency and position in the DNA, outperforming existing fine-mapping methods in selecting the appropriate genetic variants within WGS data. We then apply gVAMP to jointly model the relationship of tens of millions of WGS variants with human height in hundreds of thousands of UK Biobank individuals. We identify 59 rare variants and gene burden scores alongside many hundreds of DNA regions containing common variant associations and show that understanding the genetic basis of complex traits will require the joint analysis of hundreds of millions of variables measured on millions of people. The polygenic risk scores obtained from gVAMP have high accuracy (including a prediction accuracy of ∼46% for human height) and outperform current methods for downstream tasks such as mixed linear model association testing across 13 UK Biobank traits. In conclusion, gVAMP offers a scalable foundation for a wider range of analyses in WGS data.},
author = {Depope, Al and Bajzik, Jakub and Mondelli, Marco and Robinson, Matthew Richard},
issn = {2666-979X},
journal = {Cell Genomics},
publisher = {Elsevier},
title = {{Joint modeling of whole-genome sequencing data for human height via approximate message passing}},
doi = {10.1016/j.xgen.2026.101162},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21759,
abstract = {Promoters and enhancers are cis-regulatory elements (CREs), DNA sequences that bind transcription factor (TF) proteins to up- or down-regulate target genes. Decades-long efforts yielded TF-DNA interaction models that predict how strongly an individual TF binds arbitrary DNA sequences and how individual binding events on the CRE combine to affect gene expression. These insights can be synthesized into a global, biophysically realistic, and quantitative genotype-phenotype (GP) map for gene regulation, a ‘holy grail’ for the application of evolutionary theory. A global map provides a rare opportunity to simulate the long-term evolution of regulatory sequences and pose several fundamental questions: How long does it take to evolve CREs de novo? How many non-trivial regulatory functions exist in sequence space? How connected are they? For which regulatory architecture is CRE evolution most rapid and evolvable? In this article, the second of a two-part series, we review the application of evolutionary concepts — epistasis, robustness, evolvability, tunability, plasticity, and bet-hedging — to the evolution of gene regulatory sequences. We then evaluate the potential for a unifying theory for the evolution of regulatory sequences and identify key open challenges.},
author = {Mascolo, Elia and Körei, Reka E and Borst, Noa O. and Barton, Nicholas H and Crocker, Justin and Tkačik, Gašper},
issn = {1879-0380},
journal = {Current Opinion in Genetics and Development},
publisher = {Elsevier},
title = {{Long-term evolution of regulatory DNA sequences. Part 2: Theory and future challenges}},
doi = {10.1016/j.gde.2026.102472},
volume = {98},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21766,
abstract = {We provide a new characterisation of the decades old open problem of extending bilipschitz mappings given on a Euclidean separated net. In particular, this allows for the complete positive solution of the open problem in dimension two. Along the way, we develop a set of tools for bilipschitz extensions of mappings between subsets of Euclidean spaces.},
author = {Dymond, Michael and Kaluza, Vojtech},
issn = {2737-114X},
journal = {Annales Fennici Mathematici},
keywords = {Lipschitz, bilipschitz, extension, separated net.},
number = {1},
pages = {237--260},
publisher = {Finnish Mathematical Society},
title = {{Extending bilipschitz mappings between separated nets}},
doi = {10.54330/afm.181562},
volume = {51},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21006,
abstract = {Modern experimental methods in programmable self-assembly make it possible to precisely design particle concentrations, shapes and interactions. However, more physical insight is needed before we can take full advantage of this vast design space to assemble nanostructures with complex form and function. Here we show how a substantial part of this design space can be quickly and comprehensively understood by identifying a class of thermodynamic constraints that act on it. These thermodynamic constraints form a high-dimensional convex polyhedron that determines which nanostructures can be assembled at high equilibrium yield and reveals limitations that govern the coexistence of structures. We validate our predictions through detailed, quantitative assembly experiments of nanoscale particles synthesized using DNA origami. Our results uncover physical relationships underpinning many-component programmable self-assembly in equilibrium and form the basis for robust inverse design, applicable to various systems from biological protein complexes to synthetic nanomachines.},
author = {Hübl, Maximilian and Videbæk, Thomas E. and Hayakawa, Daichi and Rogers, W. Benjamin and Goodrich, Carl Peter},
issn = {1745-2481},
journal = {Nature Physics},
publisher = {Springer Nature},
title = {{A polyhedral structure controls programmable self-assembly}},
doi = {10.1038/s41567-025-03120-3},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21760,
abstract = {3I/ATLAS is the third interstellar object discovered to date, following 1I/‘Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. Its unusually high excess velocity and active cometary nature make it a key probe of the Galactic population of icy planetesimals. Understanding its origin requires its past trajectory through the Galaxy to be traced and the possible role of stellar encounters to be assessed, both as a potential origin and a perturber to its orbit. We integrated the orbit of 3I/ATLAS backward in time for 10 Myr, together with a sample of Gaia DR3 stars with high-quality astrometry and radial velocities, to identify close passages within 2 pc. We identify 93 nominal encounters, 62 of which are significant at the 2σ level. However, none of these encounters produced any meaningful perturbation. The strongest perturber Gaia DR3 6863591389529611264 at 0.30 pc and with a relative velocity of 35 km s−1, imparted only a velocity change of ∣Δv∣ ≃ 5 × 10−4 km s−1 to the orbit of 3I/ATLAS. Our results indicate that no stellar flybys within the past 10 Myr and 500 pc contained in Gaia DR3 can account for the present trajectory of 3I/ATLAS or be associated with its origin. We further show that 3I/ATLAS is kinematically consistent with a thin-disk population, despite its large peculiar velocity.},
author = {Pérez-Couto, X. and Torres Rodriguez, Santiago and Villaver, E. and Mustill, A. J. and Manteiga, M.},
issn = {1538-4357},
journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
number = {2},
publisher = {IOP Publishing},
title = {{3I/ATLAS: In search of the witnesses to its voyage}},
doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/ae56ff},
volume = {1001},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21761,
abstract = {Neural tube closure is a critical morphogenetic process in vertebrate development, and failure to close cranial regions such as the hindbrain neuropore (HNP) leads to severe congenital malformations. While mechanical forces such as actomyosin purse-string contraction and directional cell crawling have been implicated in driving HNP closure, how these forces organize local cell shape and motion to produce large-scale tissue remodeling remains poorly understood. Using live and fixed imaging of mouse embryos combined with cell-based biophysical modeling, we show that these force-generating mechanisms are insufficient to explain the reproducible patterns of cell elongation and nematic alignment observed at the HNP border. Instead, we show that local anisotropic stress and cytoskeletal organization are required to generate these patterns and promote midline cell motion. Our model captures key features of cell shape dynamics and emergent nematic order, which we confirm experimentally, including the alignment of actin fibers with cell shape and enhanced midline cell speed. Comparative analysis with chick embryos, which lack supracellular purse strings, supports a conserved link between tension generation and cellular patterning. These findings establish a physical framework connecting force generation, cell shape anisotropy, and tissue morphodynamics during epithelial gap closure.},
author = {Perez Verdugo, Fernanda L and Maniou, Eirini and Galea, Gabriel L. and Banerjee, Shiladitya},
issn = {1879-0445},
journal = {Current Biology},
number = {8},
pages = {1903--1917.e5},
publisher = {Elsevier},
title = {{Mechanosensitive feedback organizes cell shape and motion during hindbrain neuropore morphogenesis}},
doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2026.02.068},
volume = {36},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21762,
abstract = {Bacteria, like eukaryotes, use conserved cytoskeletal systems for intracellular organization. The plasmid-encoded ParMRC system forms actin-like filaments that segregate low–copy number plasmids. In multicellular cyanobacteria such as Anabaena sp., we found that a chromosomally encoded ParMR system has evolved into a cytoskeletal system named CorMR with a function in cell shape control rather than DNA segregation. Live-cell imaging, in vitro reconstitution, and cryo–electron microscopy revealed that CorM formed dynamically unstable, antiparallel double-stranded filaments that were recruited to the membrane by CorR through an amphipathic helix conserved in multicellular cyanobacteria. CorMR filaments were regulated by MinC, which excluded them from the poles and division plane. Comparative genomics indicated that the repurposing of ParMR and Min systems coevolved with cyanobacterial multicellularity, highlighting the evolutionary plasticity of cytoskeletal systems in bacteria.},
author = {Springstein, Benjamin L and Javoor, Manjunath and Megrian, Daniela and Hajdu, Roman and Hanke, Dustin M. and Zens, Bettina and Weiss, Gregor L. and Schur, Florian Km and Loose, Martin},
issn = {1095-9203},
journal = {Science},
number = {6795},
publisher = {AAAS},
title = {{Repurposing of a DNA segregation machinery into a cytoskeletal system controlling cell shape}},
doi = {10.1126/science.aea6343},
volume = {392},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21755,
abstract = {Tropical shallow clouds are a major source of uncertainty in Earth's climate sensitivity, especially through their spatial arrangement, which global climate models do not represent. Efforts to understand their organization have partly relied on classifying observed scenes, identifying four patterns as archetypal regimes. Here we analyze geostationary satellite imagery of the western tropical Atlantic using the L‐function, a tool based on point pattern theory that quantifies cloud organization across spatial scales. Classical examples of the four patterns show distinct L‐function fingerprints, revealing their characteristic clustering and regularity scales and aiding physical interpretation. Yet, when evaluating many scenes at fixed spatial scales, the L‐function distribution lacks the distinct modes expected from discrete regimes. This is corroborated by analyses of other organization indices employing diverse approaches, from inter‐cloud nearest‐neighbor distances to fractal analysis. Implications for the parameterization of mesoscale cloud organization in climate models are discussed.},
author = {Biagioli, Giovanni and Mandorli, Giulio and Freischem, Lilli Johanna and Casallas Garcia, Alejandro and Tompkins, Adrian Mark},
issn = {1944-8007},
journal = {Geophysical Research Letters},
number = {8},
publisher = {Wiley},
title = {{Spatial patterns of shallow clouds: Challenging the concept of defined regimes}},
doi = {10.1029/2025gl119921},
volume = {53},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21752,
abstract = {Epithelial tissues function as multicellular communities that preserve tissue integrity while adapting to diverse environmental stresses by altering cell behaviors. A striking manifestation of such adaptability is cell plasticity, the ability of differentiated cells to revert to stem-like states or adopt alternative fates. Once considered rare and confined to highly regenerative species, cell plasticity is now recognized across the metazoan tree. In early-branching animals such as sponges and cnidarians, transdifferentiation and dedifferentiation are integral to life-cycle transitions and regeneration, whereas in more complex organisms, these processes typically emerge under stress, including stem cell loss or environmental perturbations. Here, we examine epithelial cell plasticity through evolutionary, cellular, and molecular perspectives. Focusing on the intestinal epithelium, we explore findings from mammalian and Drosophila models showing that progenitors and even terminally differentiated cells can dedifferentiate in response to external stimuli that disrupt homeostasis, such as pathogen infection and nutrient fluctuations. We further discuss conserved mechanisms involving intercellular signaling (e.g., Notch, EGFR, and JAK-STAT) and chromatin states primed for reprogramming, modulated by metabolic cues. Together, these insights position cell plasticity as an ancient environmental adaptation strategy, shaped by conserved molecular toolkits and refined by species- and cell lineage-specific innovations.},
author = {Nagai, Hiroki and Nakajima, Yu Ichiro},
issn = {1096-3634},
journal = {Seminars in Cell and Developmental Biology},
publisher = {Elsevier},
title = {{Epithelial cell plasticity in metazoans: Evolutionary insights into roles and mechanisms}},
doi = {10.1016/j.semcdb.2026.103670},
volume = {179-180},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21705,
abstract = {We report the discovery of ATLAS J101342.5−451656.8 (hereafter ATLAS J1013−4516), an 8.56 minute orbital-period mass-transferring AM Canum Venaticorum (AM CVn) binary with a mean Gaia magnitude of G = 19.51, identified via periodic variability in light curves from the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) of Gaia white dwarf candidates. Follow-up with the Large Lenslet Array Magellan Spectrograph shows a helium-dominated accretion disk, and high-speed ULTRACAM photometry reveals pronounced primary and secondary eclipses. We construct a decade-long timing baseline leveraging light curves from the ATLAS and Gaia surveys, as well as the high-speed imagers ULTRACAM on the New Energy Telescope and proto-Lightspeed on the Magellan Clay telescope. From this timing baseline, we measure an orbital period derivative of P 1.60 0.07 10 = ± × 12 s s−1. Interpreted in the context of stable mass transfer, the magnitude and sign of P indicate that the orbital evolution is governed by the interplay between gravitationalwave-driven angular-momentum losses and mass transfer, directly probing the donor’s structural response to mass loss. We constrain the accretor and donor mass based on stable mass-transfer arguments assuming angularmomentum loss dominated by gravitational-wave emission, allowing us to infer the characteristic gravitational
wave strain of the binary for future space-based GW observatories such as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). We predict a characteristic strain corresponding to a 4 yr LISA signal-to-noise ratio ≳10, establishing ATLAS J1013−4516 as a strong prospective LISA source that will probe long-term orbital evolution in the mass-transferring regime.},
author = {Chickles, Emma T. and Chakraborty, Joheen and Burdge, Kevin B. and Dhillon, Vik S. and Draghis, Paul and El-Badry, Kareem and Green, Matthew J. and Householder, Aaron and Hughes, Sarah and Layden, Christopher and Littlefair, Stuart P. and Munday, James and Pelisoli, Ingrid and Redden, Maya S. and Tonry, John and van Roestel, Joannes C and Angile, Francesco Elio and Brown, Alex J. and Segura, Noel Castro and Dinsmore, Jack and Dyer, Martin and Furesz, Gabor and Gabutti, Michelle and Garbutt, James and García-Mejía, Juliana and Jarvis, Daniel and Kennedy, Mark R. and Kerry, Paul and Mccormac, James and Mo, Geoffrey and Osip, Dave and Parsons, Steven and Pike, Eleanor and Piotrowski, John J. and Romani, Roger W. and Sahman, David and Simcoe, Rob},
issn = {1538-4357},
journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
number = {2},
publisher = {IOP Publishing},
title = {{An eclipsing 8.56 minutes orbital period mass-transferring binary}},
doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/ae4871},
volume = {1000},
year = {2026},
}
@article{21709,
abstract = {JWST’s “little red dots” (LRDs) are increasingly interpreted as active galactic nuclei (AGN) obscured by dense thermalized gas rather than dust as evidenced by their X-ray weakness, blackbody-like continua, and Balmer line profiles. Key questions are how LRDs connect to standard UV-luminous AGN, whether transitional phases exist, and whether they are observable. We present the “X-ray dot” (XRD), a compact source at z = 3.28 observed by the NIRSpec Wide Guaranteed Time Observation survey. The XRD exhibits LRD hallmarks: a blackbody-like (Teff ≃ 6400 K) red continuum, a faint but blue rest-UV excess, falling mid-IR emission, and broad Balmer lines (FWHM ∼ 2700–3200 km s−1). Unlike LRDs, however, it is remarkably X-ray luminous (L2−10 keV = 1044.18 erg s−1) and has a continuum inflection that is blueward of the Balmer limit. We find that the red rest-optical and blue mid-IR continuum cannot be reproduced by standard dust-attenuated AGN models without invoking extremely steep extinction curves, nor can the weak mid-IR emission be reconciled with well-established X-ray–torus scaling relations. We therefore consider an alternative scenario: the XRD may be an LRD in transition, where the gas envelope dominates the optical continuum but optically thin sight lines allow X-rays to escape. The XRD may thus provide a physical link between LRDs and standard AGN, offering direct evidence that LRDs are powered by supermassive black holes and providing insight into their accretion properties.},
author = {Hviding, Raphael E. and De Graaff, Anna and Liu, Hanpu and Goulding, Andy D. and Ma, Yilun and Greene, Jenny E. and Boogaard, Leindert A. and Bunker, Andrew J. and Cleri, Nikko J. and Franx, Marijn and Hirschmann, Michaela and Leja, Joel and Matthee, Jorryt J and Naidu, Rohan P. and Setton, David J. and Übler, Hannah and Venturi, Giacomo and Wang, Bingjie},
issn = {2041-8213},
journal = {The Astrophysical Journal Letters},
number = {1},
publisher = {IOP Publishing},
title = {{The X-ray dot: Exotic dust or a late-stage Little Red Dot?}},
doi = {10.3847/2041-8213/ae4c88},
volume = {1000},
year = {2026},
}