@phdthesis{21423, author = {Dunajova, Zuzana}, isbn = {978-3-99078-076-3}, issn = {2663-337X}, pages = {110}, publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria}, title = {{Geometry-driven self-organization of migrating cells and chiral filaments}}, doi = {10.15479/AT-ISTA-21423}, year = {2026}, } @misc{21439, abstract = {These files contain supplementary movies accompanying the PhD thesis “Geometry-driven self-organization of migrating cells and chiral filaments” by Zuzana Dunajova (2026). The videos provide additional visual material supporting the experiments and results described in the thesis.}, author = {Dunajova, Zuzana}, publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria}, title = {{Supplementary movies to PhD thesis “Geometry-driven self-organization of migrating cells and chiral filaments”}}, doi = {10.15479/AT-ISTA-21439}, year = {2026}, } @article{21233, abstract = {Potential self-perpetuating dieback of the Amazon rain forest has been a topic of concern. The concern is that initial deforestation could critically impair the forest’s water recycling capacities, further harming the remaining forest through reduced annual precipitation. Many studies have focused on annual mean precipitation changes, due to its widespread perception as a central control on the Amazon rain forest’s stability. However, the impact of deforestation goes beyond changes in the annual mean precipitation. Yet, global coarse-resolution climate models are not well suited to investigate changes in short-duration and localized events due to their coarse resolution. Here, we circumvent these issues by analyzing a full-deforestation scenario simulated by a global storm-resolving model. We focus on changes in the tail of the hourly distribution of precipitation, temperature, and wind. Hourly precipitation becomes more extreme in the absence of the forest than in an intact forest, with an increased occurrence of both no rain and intense rainfall. These changes are driven by enhanced moisture convergence that strengthens vertical velocity. On average, the near-surface temperature rises significantly by about 3.84 °C, and the daily minimum temperature after deforestation becomes similar to the daily maximum temperature before deforestation. Except for wet-bulb temperature, human heat stress indicators shift to more severe levels, with implications for health and a significant reduction in work productivity. Finally, the mean 10 m wind speed intensifies by a factor of four, with the 99th percentile wind speed doubling. To summarize, our findings, while based on an idealized case, provide a stark warning of the effects of continuing deforestation of the Amazon.}, author = {Yoon, Arim and Hohenegger, Cathy and Bao, Jiawei and Brunner, Lukas}, issn = {2190-4987}, journal = {Earth System Dynamics}, number = {1}, pages = {167--179}, publisher = {Copernicus Publications}, title = {{Extreme events in the Amazon after deforestation}}, doi = {10.5194/esd-17-167-2026}, volume = {17}, year = {2026}, } @article{21160, abstract = {Context. AM Canum Venaticorum (AM CVn) stars are ultra-compact binary systems composed of a white dwarf primary accreting from a hydrogen-deficient donor. They play a crucial role in astrophysics as potential progenitors of Type Ia supernovae and as laboratories for gravitational wave studies. However, their formation and evolutionary history remain incomplete. Three formation channels have been discussed in the literature: the white dwarf, He-star, and cataclysmic variable channels. Aims. The chemical composition of the accretor atmosphere reflects the material transferred from the donor. In this work we took the first accurate measurements of the fundamental parameters of the accreting white dwarf in ZTF J225237.05−051917.4, including the abundances of key elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and silicon, by analysing ultraviolet spectra obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). These measurements provide new insight into the evolutionary history of the system and, together with existing optical observations, establish it as a benchmark to develop our pipeline, paving the way for its application to a larger sample of AM CVn systems. Methods. We determined the binary parameters through photometric analysis and constrained the atmospheric parameters of the white dwarf accretor, including its effective temperature, surface gravity, and chemical abundances, by fitting the HST ultraviolet spectrum with synthetic spectral models. We then inferred the system’s formation channel by comparing the results with theoretical evolutionary models. Results. According to our measurements, the accretor’s effective temperature (Teff) is 23 300 ± 600 K and the surface gravity (log g) is 8.4 ± 0.3, which imply an accretor mass (MWD) of 0.86 ± 0.16 M⊙. We find a high nitrogen-to-carbon abundance ratio by mass of > 153. Conclusions. The accretor is significantly hotter than previous estimates based on simplified blackbody fits to the spectral energy distribution, underscoring the importance of detailed spectral modelling for accurately determining system parameters. Our results show that ultraviolet spectroscopy is well suited to constraining the formation channels of AM CVn systems. Of the three proposed formation channels, the He-star channel can be excluded given the high nitrogen-to-carbon ratio. Our results are consistent with both the white dwarf and cataclysmic variable channels.}, author = {Yu, W. and Pala, A. F. and Kupfer, T. and Gänsicke, B. T. and Koester, D. and Belloni, D. and Wong, T. L.S. and Schreiber, M. R. and van Roestel, Joannes C and Brown, A. J. and Waagen, E. O. and González-Carballo, J. L. and Bednarz, S. and Bernacki, K. and De Martino, D. and Fernández Mañanes, E. and González Farfán, R. and Green, M. J. and Groot, P. J. and Hambsch, F. J. and Knigge, C. and Martin-Velasco, J. L. and Morales-Aimar, M. and Myers, G. and Naves Nogues, R. and Poggiani, R. and Popowicz, A. and Ramsay, G. and Reina-Lorenz, E. and Rodríguez-Gil, P. and Salto-González, J. L. and Sion, E. M. and Steeghs, D. and Szkody, P. and Toloza, O. and Tovmassian, G.}, issn = {1432-0746}, journal = {Astronomy & Astrophysics}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, title = {{The evolutionary history of ultra-compact accreting binaries: I. Chemical abundances and the formation channel of the eclipsing AM CVn system ZTF J225237.05-051917.4 from HST spectroscopy}}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/202557568}, volume = {706}, year = {2026}, } @article{21045, abstract = {The abundant population of little red dots (LRDs), compact objects with red UV to optical colors and broad Balmer lines at high redshift, is revealing new insights into the properties of early active galactic nuclei (AGN). Perhaps the most surprising features of this population are the presence of Balmer absorption and ubiquitous strong Balmer breaks. Recent models link these features to an active supermassive black hole (SMBH) cocooned in very dense gas (NH ∼ 1024 cm−2). We present a stringent test of such models using VLT/MUSE observations of A2744-45924, the most luminous LRD known to date (LHα ≈ 1044 erg s−1), located behind the Abell-2744 lensing cluster at z = 4.464 (μ = 1.8). We detect a moderately extended Lyα nebula (h ≈ 5.7 pkpc), spatially offset from the point-like Hα seen by JWST by ≈1.6 pkpc. The Lyα emission is narrow (FWHM = 270 ± 15 km s−1), and faint (Lyα = 0.07Hα) compared to Lyα nebulae typically observed around quasars of similar luminosity. We detect compact N IV]λ1486 emission, spatially aligned with Hα, and a spatial shift in the far-UV continuum matching the Lyα offset. We discuss that Hα and Lyα have distinct physical origins: Hα originates from the AGN, while Lyα is powered by star formation. In the environment of A2744-45924, we identified four extended Lyα halos (Δz < 0.02, Δr < 100 pkpc). Their Lyα luminosities match the expectations based on Hα emission, and show no evidence for radiation from A2744-45924 affecting its surroundings. The lack of strong, compact, and broad Lyα and the absence of a luminous extended halo, suggest that the UV AGN light is obscured by dense gas cloaking the SMBH with a covering factor close to unity.}, author = {Torralba Torregrosa, Alberto and Matthee, Jorryt J and Pezzulli, Gabriele and Urrutia, Tanya and Gronke, Max and Mascia, Sara and D’Eugenio, Francesco and Di Cesare, Claudia and Eilers, Anna Christina and Greene, Jenny E. and Iani, Edoardo and Ishikawa, Yuzo and Mackenzie, Ruari and Naidu, Rohan P. and Navarrete, Benjamín and Kotiwale, Gauri}, issn = {1432-0746}, journal = {Astronomy & Astrophysics}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, title = {{A weak Ly α halo for an extremely bright little red dot. Indications of enshrouded supermassive black hole growth}}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/202555596}, volume = {705}, year = {2026}, } @article{21658, abstract = {Dipolar (ℓ = 1) mixed modes have revealed a surprisingly weak differential rotation between the core and the envelope of evolved solar-like stars. Quadrupolar (ℓ = 2) mixed modes also contain information regarding internal dynamics but are very rarely characterised due to their low amplitude and the challenging identification of adjacent or overlapping rotationally split multiplets affected by near-degeneracy effects. We aim to extend the broadly used asymptotic seismic diagnostics beyond ℓ = 1 mixed modes by developing an analogue asymptotic description of ℓ = 2 mixed modes while explicitly accounting for near-degeneracy effects that distort their rotational multiplets. We have derived a new asymptotic formulation of near-degenerate mixed ℓ = 2 modes that describes off-diagonal terms representing the interaction between modes of adjacent radial orders. This formalism, expressed directly in the mixed-mode basis, provides analytical expressions for the near-degeneracy effects. We implemented the formalism within a global Bayesian mode-fitting framework for a direct fit of all ℓ = 0, 1, 2 modes in the power spectrum density. We were able to asymptotically model the asymmetric rotational splitting present in various radial orders of ℓ = 2 modes observed in young red giant stars without the need for any numerical stellar modelling. We applied our formalism to the Kepler target KIC 7341231, and it yielded core and envelope rotation rates consistent with previous numerical modelling while providing improved constraints from the global and model-independent approach. We also characterised the new target, KIC 8179973, measuring its rotation rate and mixed-mode parameters for the first time. As our framework relies on a direct global fit, it allows for much better precision on the asteroseismic parameters and rotation rate estimates than standard methods, yielding better constraints for rotation inversions. We have placed the first observational constraints on the asymptotic ℓ = 2 mixed-mode parameters (ΔΠ2, q2, and εg, 2), thus paving the way towards the use of asymptotic seismology beyond ℓ = 1 mixed modes.}, author = {Liagre, Bastien Raymond Bernard and Desai, Aayush A and Einramhof, Lukas and Bugnet, Lisa Annabelle}, issn = {1432-0746}, journal = {Astronomy & Astrophysics}, publisher = {EDP Sciences}, title = {{Near-degeneracy effects in quadrupolar mixed modes: From an asymptotic description to data fitting}}, doi = {10.1051/0004-6361/202558023}, volume = {707}, year = {2026}, } @article{21896, abstract = {Redox-mediated flow batteries boost energy density by utilizing dissolved redox species as charge carriers for solid charge-storage materials. This strategy strongly depends on the thermodynamics and kinetics between the solid booster and dissolved redox species. Conventional electrochemical methods often convolute intrinsic reactivity with mass transport effects, introducing complexity in determining limiting steps. We propose a strategy that confines solid boosters within recessed microelectrodes and employs scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) to estimate reaction kinetics between booster and dissolved active redox species. Confining the solid booster in the recessed microelectrode overcomes mass transport limitations of dissolved redox species and enables controlled polarization of the booster material, allowing deconvolution of key rate-determining factors. As an initial model system, Prussian blue-ferricyanide/ferrocyanide [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− was used as solid booster and dissolved redox active species, respectively. The methodology was further explored for copper hexacyanoferrate with N,N,N-2,2,6,6-heptamethylpiperidinyl oxy-4-ammonium chloride and nickel hydroxide with [Fe(CN)6]3−/4− and extended to Mn-based Prussian blue analogues in combination with organic redox species. Our results demonstrate that SECM coupled with the proposed recessed microelectrode strategy provides a powerful platform to disentangle interfacial kinetics and guide the rational design of solid booster-dissolved redox species and electrolytes for high-performance redox-mediated flow batteries.}, author = {Santana Santos, Carla and Jiyane, Nomnotho and Quast, Thomas and Ibáñez, Maria and Rubio‐Presa, Rubén and Peljo, Pekka and Schuhmann, Wolfgang}, issn = {2566-6223}, journal = {Batteries & Supercaps}, number = {5}, publisher = {Wiley}, title = {{Evaluating reaction kinetics between solid booster and dissolved active species in redox‐mediated flow batteries using scanning electrochemical microscopy}}, doi = {10.1002/batt.70303}, volume = {9}, year = {2026}, } @article{22152, abstract = {We study off-diagonal Ramsey numbers 𝑟⁡(𝐻,𝐾(𝑘) 𝑛) of 𝑘-uniform hypergraphs, where 𝐻 is a fixed linear 𝑘-uniform hypergraph and 𝐾(𝑘) 𝑛 is complete on 𝑛 vertices. Recently, Conlon, Fox, Gunby, He, Mubayi, Suk, and Verstraëte disproved the folklore conjecture that 𝑟⁡(𝐻,𝐾(3) 𝑛) always grows polynomially in 𝑛. In this paper, we show that much larger growth rates are possible in higher uniformity. In uniformity 𝑘 ≥4, we prove that for any constant 𝐶 >0, there exists a linear 𝑘-uniform hypergraph 𝐻 for which 𝑟⁡(𝐻,𝐾(𝑘) 𝑛)≥twr𝑘−2⁢(2(log⁡𝑛)𝐶).}, author = {He, Xiaoyu and Nie, Jiaxi and Wigderson, Yuval and Yu, Hung-Hsun}, issn = {1469-2163}, journal = {Combinatorics, Probability and Computing}, pages = {1--14}, publisher = {Cambridge University Press}, title = {{Off-diagonal Ramsey numbers for linear hypergraphs}}, doi = {10.1017/s0963548326100443}, year = {2026}, } @article{21161, abstract = {In many species, sex-biased expression is widespread and thought to contribute to sexual dimorphism. While bulk RNA-sequencing has been instrumental in identifying strongly sex-biased genes, it lacks resolution to assess variation across cell-types and tissue compartments. Using single-nucleus expression data from the Fly Cell Atlas, we investigate sex differences in adult Drosophila melanogaster. We find that differences in cell-type composition between the sexes are not a major source of sex-bias, as for the vast majority of genes, the degree of sex-bias is similar regardless of whether sex differences in cell-type composition are controlled for or not. Our analysis confirms a deficit of X-linked male-biased genes in the body’s somatic tissues that is widespread across cell-types. We also find the excess of X-linked female-biased genes to be associated with nervous system cells in the head but with epithelial cells in the body’s somatic tissues, showing that single-nucleus data crucially resolves sex-bias at the cell-type level. We investigate dosage compensation (DC) across 15 tissues and 17 cell-types. We observe that it varies throughout the body. Surprisingly, we observe a lack of DC in a cluster of main cells within the male accessory glands. This result highlights the importance of understanding context-dependent DC.}, author = {De Castro Barbosa Rodrigues Barata, Carolina and Vicoso, Beatriz}, issn = {1471-2954}, journal = {Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences}, number = {2063}, publisher = {Royal Society of London}, title = {{Single-nucleus resolution of sex-biased expression and dosage compensation in Drosophila melanogaster}}, doi = {10.1098/rspb.2025.2471}, volume = {293}, year = {2026}, } @article{22254, abstract = {The global rise of antimicrobial resistance has intensified the search for new microbial metabolites from underexplored environments and taxonomic groups. Extreme and geographically isolated habitats such as Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems represent promising reservoirs of biosynthetic diversity, particularly among rare and difficult-to-cultivate actinomycetes that may produce chemically diverse metabolites with potential biotechnological applications. Here, we report the characterization of kineochelins, a previously undescribed group of siderophores produced by the Antarctic isolate Actinokineospora sp. UV203, representing a difficult-to-cultivate actinomycete lineage. Structural elucidation revealed a set of closely related congeners with a mixed-ligand architecture consistent with metal-chelating activity. Genome mining combined with transcriptomic analysis identified a dedicated nonribosomal peptide synthetase-encoding biosynthetic gene cluster responsible for kineochelin production. Comparative genomic analyses indicated that, although kineochelin biosynthetic genes share limited similarity with known mixed-ligand siderophores, their gene content and organization differ substantially, suggesting a distinct biosynthetic lineage. Functional characterization of the culture supernatant and an enriched pre-purified kineochelin fraction demonstrated strong and selective iron chelation, with high affinity for ferric and ferrous iron. Crude culture extracts inhibited the growth of bacterial strains isolated from the same Antarctic environment, indicating that kineochelins may contribute to iron-mediated microbial competition. In addition, kineochelin-enriched pre-purified fractions showed moderate selective inhibitory activity against the opportunistic yeast pathogen Nakaseomyces glabratus and a clinical isolate of Saccharomyces cerevisiae associated with invasive infection. These findings expand the chemical and biosynthetic diversity known within the genus Actinokineospora and demonstrate that Antarctic rare actinomycetes represent valuable sources of previously unexplored natural products. The discovery of kineochelins highlights the potential of genome-guided exploration of polar microorganisms for identifying bioactive metabolites with relevance for antimicrobial discovery and biotechnology.}, author = {Kralova, Stanislava and Spacek, Peter and Gafriller, Johannes and Bezdicek, Matej and Medvedcova, Viktoria and Séneca, Joana and Osvatic, Jay and Grienke, Ulrike and Rattei, Thomas and Sekurova, Olga N. and Zotchev, Sergey B. and Zehl, Martin and Loy, Alexander}, issn = {1751-7915}, journal = {Microbial Biotechnology}, keywords = {Actinokineospora, Antarctica, antimicrobial discovery, biosynthetic gene cluster, genome mining, microbial competition, nonribosomalpeptide synthetase, siderophores}, number = {6}, publisher = {Wiley}, title = {{Kineochelins - A new group of siderophores from an antarctic bacterium}}, doi = {10.1111/1751-7915.70386}, volume = {19}, year = {2026}, } @article{22263, abstract = {Recent studies at high redshift have revealed an enigmatic class of little red dots (LRDs) with extreme Balmer breaks, stronger than in any stellar atmosphere. However, it is unclear whether such objects exist at lower redshift, especially given the low number of LRDs reported at z ≲ 2. Here, we report the discovery of PAN-BH*-1, an LRD with an extreme Balmer break at z = 1.73, identified from JWST/NIRCam pure-parallel imaging taken by the PANORAMIC survey, and confirmed by deep VLT/X-Shooter spectroscopy. The rest-optical to near-infrared spectral energy distribution of PAN-BH*-1 is consistent with a photospheric continuum with effective temperature Teff ≈ 4800 K. The broad Hα emission line shows remarkably deep absorption, stronger than previously measured in any LRD. The absorption trough spans from −520 to +267 km s−1 with respect to the systemic redshift. The presence of blue- and red-shifted absorption suggests complex dynamics of the obscuring gas along the line of sight. We speculate that the absorption trough can be produced by a thick wind launched from a thick, rotating photospheric disk, the latter being the source of the red optical continuum. While the source is unresolved in the rest-optical JWST data (reff < 47 pc), the rest-near-UV Hubble Space Telescope imaging shows an extended morphology with (formular displayed) kpc, which we interpret as a host galaxy with a stellar mass of ∼10^8 M⊙, in line with the narrow Hα emission. The discovery of this object at cosmic noon highlights the feasibility of systematic searches for extreme LRDs with wide-area facilities such as Euclid and Roman.}, author = {Torralba Torregrosa, Alberto and Matthee, Jorryt J and Weibel, Andrea and Naidu, Rohan P. and Ma, Yilun and Cloonan, Aidan P. and Desai, Aayush A and De Graaff, Anna and Greene, Jenny E. and Jespersen, Christian Kragh and Kramarenko, Ivan and Mascia, Sara and Oesch, Pascal A. and Sun, Wendy Q. and Williams, Christina C.}, issn = {2041-8213}, journal = {The Astrophysical Journal Letters}, number = {2}, publisher = {IOP Publishing}, title = {{A black hole star at cosmic noon: Extreme Balmer break, photospheric continuum, and broad absorption by thick winds in a Little Red Dot at z = 1.7}}, doi = {10.3847/2041-8213/ae7bfd}, volume = {1005}, year = {2026}, } @article{22264, abstract = {The correlation between galaxy stellar mass and gas-phase metallicity, known as the mass–metallicity relation (MZR), gives key insights into the processes that govern galaxy evolution. However, unquantified observational and selection biases can result in systematic errors in attempts to recover the intrinsic MZR, particularly at higher redshifts. We characterize the MZR at z ∼ 3–6 within a fully Bayesian framework using JWST/NIRSpec spectra of 191 galaxies from the RUBIES survey. We forward model the observed mass–metallicity surface using prospector-generated spectra to account for two selection biases: the survey selection function and the success in observing high signal-to-noise ratio emission lines. We demonstrate that the RUBIES selection function, based on F444W magnitude and F150W – F444W color, has a negligible effect on our measured MZR. A correct treatment of the non-Gaussian metallicity uncertainties from strong-line calibrations lowers the derived MZR normalization by 0.2 dex and flattens the slope by ∼20%; forward modeling the effect of emission line observability steepens the slope by ∼15%. Both of these biases must be taken into account in order to properly measure the intrinsic MZR. This novel forward-modeling process motivates careful consideration of selection functions in future surveys, and paves the way for robust, high-redshift chemical enrichment studies that trace the evolution of the MZR across cosmic time.}, author = {Lewis, Zach and Maseda, Michael V. and De Graaff, Anna and Leja, Joel and Wang, Bingjie and Rix, Hans Walter and Mcconachie, Ian and Cleri, Nikko J. and Bezanson, Rachel and Boogaard, Leindert A. and Brammer, Gabriel and Greene, Jenny E. and Hirschmann, Michaela and Katz, Harley and Labbé, Ivo and Matthee, Jorryt J and Miller, Tim B. and Naidu, Rohan P. and Oesch, Pascal A. and Setton, David J. and Suess, Katherine A. and Weibel, Andrea and Whitaker, Katherine E. and Williams, Christina C.}, issn = {1538-4357}, journal = {The Astrophysical Journal}, keywords = {Galaxy evolution, Chemical enrichment, Metallicity, Galaxy abundances, Scaling relations}, number = {2}, publisher = {IOP Publishing}, title = {{The mass–metallicity relation and its observational effects at z ∼ 3–6}}, doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/ae7bfc}, volume = {1005}, year = {2026}, } @article{22262, abstract = {Mixed modes are observed in many low-mass evolved stars. They provide information about core rotation rates of these stars, which are lower than predicted by stellar evolution models. The mixed modes themselves have been invoked as an angular momentum (AM) transport mechanism, but estimating their transport efficiency requires knowledge of their amplitudes. We constrain, for the first time, the mixed-mode amplitudes in 2D hydrodynamical simulations of a 1.3M⊙ red giant using the code MUSIC. We perform two simulations with outer radial truncations at fractional radii ro/r⋆ = 0.90 and 0.98. We compare the modes in the simulation with those found using both GYRE and a Dedalus eigenvalue solver. Excellent frequency agreement is found for all p-dominated modes, with minor discrepancies for g-dominated modes, especially in the frequency range [60, 240] μHz. We find excellent eigenfunction agreement for all modes except those in this frequency range. According to empirical predictions, the largest kinetic energies are located around Vmax= 312.μHz, but in both simulations, the modes with frequencies of ν < 50 μHz have the largest kinetic energies. In the simulation with r/r⋆ = 0.98, the simulated modes have extrapolated surface velocities comparable to the empirical predictions, with the highest surface velocities in a bell-shaped curve peaking around ν = 700 μHz. The extrapolated surface velocities of the low-frequency modes are small and thus hard to observe, but their large kinetic energies deeper in the interior could significantly impact AM transport, which has not yet been investigated.}, author = {De Vries, Nils B. and Le Saux, Arthur and Baraffe, Isabelle and Guillet, Thomas and Townsend, Richard H.D. and Leclerc, Armand and Morison, Adrien}, issn = {1538-4357}, journal = {The Astrophysical Journal}, keywords = {Stellar physics, Stellar interiors, Asteroseismology, Stellar oscillations, Hydrodynamical simulations}, number = {2}, publisher = {IOP Publishing}, title = {{Revealing mixed modes in compressible hydrodynamical simulations of red giant stars}}, doi = {10.3847/1538-4357/ae7a3c}, volume = {1005}, year = {2026}, } @article{22261, abstract = {Climate change is significantly altering regional precipitation patterns across Europe and the Mediterranean. We analyze daily precipitation distribution changes in a 15-member Euro-CORDEX ensemble, through a diagnostic framework that separates occurrence changes, wet-days intensity shifts and distortions. At +4 ∘C global warming, Northern Europe shows a robust intensification of precipitation, driven by both higher occurrence and stronger events. Conversely, the Mediterranean exhibits a dominant drying signal, primarily due to fewer wet-days, which impacts daily precipitation distribution even for heavy rainfall. Transitional zones in the northern Mediterranean reveal “U-shape” regimes, with rising extremes but declining moderate rain. Comparing with ERA5 reanalysis over the past, low model agreement in the south highlights higher uncertainty in the Mediterranean region. The timing of robust signal emergence varies: Northern Europe shows robust patterns from +1 ∘C, while the Mediterranean exhibits delays until +3-4 ∘C. These findings are essential for informing risk-based adaptation strategies.}, author = {André, Julie and Chiabrando, Nicolas and Muller, Caroline J and Drobinski, Philippe and D’Andrea, Fabio}, issn = {2662-4435}, journal = {Communications Earth and Environment}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, title = {{Distinct regimes of precipitation changes across Europe and the Mediterranean under global warming}}, doi = {10.1038/s43247-026-03519-7}, volume = {7}, year = {2026}, } @article{22270, abstract = {The explosion of a white dwarf (WD) in a close binary can launch a surviving runaway star at velocities of ≳ 1000 km s−1 . Such runaways provide a direct probe of thermonuclear supernovae (SNe) in double-degenerate binaries. Several candidate runaways are known, but their evolutionary states and the demographics of the broader population are uncertain. To enable robust population inference, we carry out a systematic survey for hypervelocity runaways with a simple selection function, selecting candidates based on large Gaia-inferred tangential velocities and blue colors. We classify 100% of the resulting 92 candidates using a combination of spectroscopic follow-up and archival data. The search yields ten suspected D6 stars and three LP 40-365 stars. Three D6 stars are new discoveries, including two hot (Teff ≳ 50,000 K) objects and one cool (Teff ≈ 7,000 K) object. We forward-model our survey under several proposed D6 star evolutionary models, coupling each to a Galactic model and the survey selection function. No single model reproduces the observed diversity of D6 stars, which likely reflects a range of remnant masses, ages, and heating mechanisms. Models in which runaway companions are heated by SN shocks alone are too faint and short-lived to explain most of the observed sample, while fully reheated models are too luminous and long-lived. Models with intermediate heating, as occurs in some simulations of violent mergers and partially disrupted remnants, best match the observed magnitude, distance, and kinematic-age distributions. The inferred D6 star birth rate is model dependent, but the models that best match the observed population require rates of only a few percent of the Galactic SN Ia rate, perhaps implying that most SNe Ia result from WD binaries in which both components explode. If most SNe Ia do produce surviving runaways, these must be fainter or shorter-lived than the currently known runaways.}, author = {El-Badry, Kareem and Werner, Klaus and Shen, Ken J. and Strader, Jay and Rodriguez, Antonio C. and Han, Jiwon Jesse and Chandra, Vedant and Chomiuk, Laura and Vanderbosch, Zachary P. and Blomberg, Lisa and Yamaguchi, Natsuko and Nagarajan, Pranav and Caiazzo, Ilaria and van Roestel, Joannes C and Glanz, Hila and Wong, Tin Long Sunny and Bhat, Aakash and Hollands, Mark A.}, issn = {2565-6120}, journal = {The Open Journal of Astrophysics}, keywords = {white dwarfs, binaries: close, stars: chemically peculiar}, publisher = {Maynooth Academic Publishing}, title = {{A systematic survey for hypervelocity runaways from thermonuclear supernovae}}, doi = {10.33232/001c.164326}, volume = {9}, year = {2026}, } @article{22269, abstract = {The divisome apparatus synthesizes septal peptidoglycan (PG) during bacterial division. In Escherichia coli, the class A penicillin-binding protein (aPBP) called PBP1b has been implicated in division, but its role in the process has remained unclear. Here we show using in situ cryo-electron tomography, genetics and other imaging methods that PBP1b is required to produce a wedge-like density of PG at the division site and that loss of this structure weakens the division site, making it hypersusceptible to osmotic lysis. Surprisingly, the activator LpoB needed for general PBP1b function was not required for its role in division. Of the two PBP1b isoforms produced in cells, we show that the one with an extended cytoplasmic N terminus localizes to and functions at the division site, probably via recruitment by the FtsA component of the divisome. The conservation of aPBPs with extended cytoplasmic N termini suggests that other Gram-negative bacteria may use similar mechanisms for division site reinforcement.}, author = {Navarro, Paula P. and Vettiger, Andrea and Hajdu, Roman and Ananda, Virly Y. and López-Tavares, Alejandro and Schmid, Ernst W. and Walter, Johannes C. and Loose, Martin and Chao, Luke H. and Bernhardt, Thomas G.}, issn = {2058-5276}, journal = {Nature Microbiology}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, title = {{The penicillin-binding protein PBP1b fortifies the Escherichia coli division site against osmotic rupture}}, doi = {10.1038/s41564-026-02403-6}, year = {2026}, } @article{22288, abstract = {Soft solids and their surface deformations control the response of many natural and artificial systems. Yet, their underlying properties are vigorously debated, particularly for polymer networks. While molecular-scale theories predict no interfacial changes with macroscopic deformation, multiple experiments suggest otherwise. To settle this issue, we measure displacement fields near the interface of a silicone gel, in the limit of small deformations. We discover an unexpected multiscale response. The shear modulus decreases smoothly by half with 20  μ⁢m of the interface. At the same time we observe a surface excess elasticity, that depends on history and outer medium composition. These results reveal the fundamentally multiscale nature of polymeric surfaces, and call for further experimental and theoretical investigations into the basic understanding of soft solid interfaces.}, author = {Bain, Nicolas and Wilen, Lawrence A. and Gerber, Dominic and Zu, Mengjie and Goodrich, Carl Peter and Duraivel, Senthilkumar and Varma, Kaarthik and Koganti, Harsha and Style, Robert W. and Dufresne, Eric R.}, issn = {2160-3308}, journal = {Physical Review X}, number = {2}, publisher = {American Physical Society}, title = {{Multiscale interfacial mechanics of soft solids}}, doi = {10.1103/8msx-l8s7}, volume = {16}, year = {2026}, } @article{22286, abstract = {Plants are remarkable organisms. Unlike animals, they cannot flee and, rooted in one place, they must cope with whatever challenges arise — nutrient scarcity, drought, shade, wind or obstacles in the soil. Their extraordinary ability to survive in such unstable environmental conditions lies in their capacity to adapt. In response to environmental signals, plants can rapidly adjust the rate of organ growth, change the direction of growth, bend toward resources, or remodel their body architecture by promoting or suppressing the formation of new organs such as lateral roots, branches, leaves, or flowers. This unique developmental plasticity depends on chemical signals, plant hormones that serve as regulators and coordinators of endogenous molecular and cellular processes. Chief among these signals is auxin, a plant hormone central to nearly every aspect of plant life.}, author = {Leitner, Valentin and Benková, Eva}, issn = {0960-9822}, journal = {Current Biology}, number = {13}, pages = {R739--R744}, publisher = {Elsevier}, title = {{Auxin and the control of plant growth and development}}, doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2026.04.047}, volume = {36}, year = {2026}, } @article{22291, abstract = {Persistent homology is a fundamental tool in Topological Data Analysis. The associated algebraic structure is the persistence module, a sequence of vector spaces connected by linear maps. Persistence modules admit a complete and fast-to-compute invariant known as the persistence diagram. However, this is no longer the case for maps between persistence modules (i.e. persistence maps). We propose a new invariant for persistence maps, consisting of a partial matching between the persistence diagrams of the domain and codomain modules. We show that this invariant is additive with respect to the direct sum decomposition of persistence maps, is more discriminative than the image module, and is computable in cubic time. Furthermore, we provide an implementation and demonstrate its efficiency by integrating it with edge collapse techniques for flag complexes (e.g., Vietoris–Rips complexes). As a key technical contribution, we describe how to induce a persistence map between two flag complexes that have been independently simplified via edge collapses, even when a direct simplicial map between them is no longer available.}, author = {Gonzalez-Diaz, Rocio and Soriano Trigueros, Manuel and Torras-Casas, Alvaro}, issn = {1095-855X}, journal = {Journal of Symbolic Computation}, keywords = {Persistence module, Persistence map, Persistent homology}, publisher = {Elsevier}, title = {{Additive partial matchings induced by persistence maps}}, doi = {10.1016/j.jsc.2026.102598}, volume = {138}, year = {2026}, } @article{22289, abstract = {Single-stranded, helically folded aromatic oligoamides bearing anionic phosphonate side chains have been shown to bind to some DNA-binding proteins better than DNA itself. However, these DNA mimic foldamers have until now mainly consisted of a single repeat motif, like a poly(dA:dT) DNA duplex, and contained limited sequence information. Here, we introduce new monomers designed to display different chemical functionalities in the major groove of the DNA mimics. Four new Fmoc-protected amino acid monomers have been synthesized and incorporated into oligomers. Sixteen foldamer sequences were prepared on solid phase. Their conformations in solution and in the solid state and their conformational dynamics were investigated using nuclear magnetic resonance, circular dichroism, molecular modeling, and X-ray crystallography. The results show that three of the four new monomers behaved as designed and that their introduction enhances the conformational dynamics of the DNA mimic foldamers. In a fourth case, conformational behavior proved to be more complex than expected. The modified sequences retained the ability to bind to the bacterial histone-like protein HU. These results showcase design strategies to manipulate large molecular biomimetics in which not only side chains but also main chain components are varied. The new monomers pave the way to complex DNA mimic foldamer sequences targeting proteins that recognize sequence-selective DNA-binding proteins such as transcription factors or restriction enzymes.}, author = {Wu, Jiaojiao and Corvaglia, Valentina and Chakrabortty, Tulika and Mandal, Pradeep K and Huc, Ivan}, issn = {2041-6539}, journal = {Chemical Science}, publisher = {Royal Society of Chemistry}, title = {{Tailoring the major groove of DNA mimic foldamers}}, doi = {10.1039/d6sc00798h}, year = {2026}, }