Recent ucb_postprints items

Forward modeling approach to nuclear reaction cross sections: Applications in neutron inelastic scattering

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The development of nuclear reaction models for the production of evaluated nuclear data has traditionally been performed by comparing measured cross sections with predictions from reaction model codes whose physical input parameters are adjusted to obtain the best agreement between measured and modeled results. To more directly probe reaction model inputs, this work introduces a forward modeling approach to experimental reaction cross-section determination, where the most important physical input parameters to reaction model calculations are obtained via minimization between measured and calculated observables. This was demonstrated using data collected by the Gamma Energy Neutron Energy Spectrometer for Inelastic Scattering (GENESIS) at the 88-inch cyclotron at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a detection array consisting of organic liquid scintillators and high-purity germanium (HPGe) detectors. Using a broad-spectrum neutron beam and a -enriched target, GENESIS...

Spin Polarization from Circularly Polarized Light Induced Charge Transfer

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We show how a spin polarization can be generated through the photoinduced electron transfer of an achiral donor-acceptor complex following chiral light excitation. In particular, we illustrate the basic energetic and symmetry requirements for chirality induced spin selectivity where the chirality emerges from the electronic degrees of freedom following excitation with circularly polarized light. We study this effect in a simple model of a metalloporphyrin complex with an axial acceptor ligand using quantum mechanical rate theories and numerical simulations. We find that the spin polarization emerges due to the selective excitation of a ring current within the porphryin, breaking the degeneracy of the two degenerate spin states. The resultant spin polarization increases with the spin orbit coupling between the metal in the porphyrin and the axial ligand, and is transient, with a lifetime dependent on the rate of dephasing from the Jahn-Teller distortion mode. This proposed effect...

Energy Emissions Accounting Methods Can Determine Whether Direct Air Capture with Storage Achieves Net Removal

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The voluntary carbon market within the United States has expanded rapidly in recent years and enabled private companies and other organizations to provide revenue streams to carbon dioxide removal (CDR) technologies. For a CDR technology to participate in the voluntary carbon market (VCM), the emissions associated with constructing and operating the technology must be less than the CO₂ captured from the atmosphere. Assessing the extent to which this is true for direct air capture with storage (DACS), a relatively energy-intensive CDR technology, strongly depends on the accounting method used to assess the emissions intensity of purchased energy. We simulate the hourly weather-dependent operation of sorbent- and solvent-based DACS in California, Louisiana, Texas, and Wyoming, representing a wide range of local weather and electric and natural gas grid compositions. In all cases, the single most important emissions accounting decision is the method used to estimate the...

Investigating charm quark energy loss in medium with the nuclear modification factor of D 0 -tagged jets

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The nuclear modification factor R AA of charm jets, identified by the presence of a D0 meson among the jet constituents, has been measured for the first time in Pb–Pb collisions at a centre-of-mass energy per nucleon pair s NN = 5.02 TeV with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The D0 mesons and their charge conjugates are reconstructed from the hadronic decay D 0 → K − π + . Jets are reconstructed from D0-meson candidates and charged particles using the anti-k T algorithm with jet resolution parameter R = 0.3 , in the jet transverse momentum (p T) range 5 < p T ch jet < 50 GeV/c and pseudorapidity |η ch jet| < 0.6. A hint of reduced suppression in the charm-jet R AA is observed in comparison to inclusive jets in central Pb–Pb collisions with a significance of about 2σ in 20 < p T ch jet < 50 GeV/c, suggesting the in-medium energy loss to depend on both the difference between quark and gluon coupling strength (Casimir colour-charge effect) and quark mass (dead-cone effect)....

A rapid embodied carbon assessment tool for priority materials

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Embodied carbon limits within building materials are a driving factor in global trade, generating new research and analysis tools in industry. These product assessments, which require utilizing life-cycle assessment (LCA) across broad supply chains, can be expensive, time and data-intensive, and subject to significant variations. Existing methods and tools, such as specific environmental product declarations, typically do not capture these variations and dynamics in supply and manufacturing. Moreover, models and tools must enable stakeholders to assess customized supply chains and future scenarios. In this study, we present the Rapid Embodied Carbon Assessment and Target-setting for Emissions-intensive Materials (REDuCE) tool for building materials. We developed a tool that allows users to select production technologies, transportation mode and distances, concrete carbonation, fuel sources, and regional electricity mixes to supply customization for cement and concrete produced...

Evidence for Neutrino Emission from X-Ray Bright Seyfert Galaxies in the Southern Hemisphere Using Enhanced Starting Track Events with IceCube

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

IceCube recently reported the observation of TeV neutrinos from the nearby Seyfert galaxy NGC 1068, and the corresponding neutrino flux is significantly higher than the upper limit implied by observations of GeV–TeV gamma rays. This suggests that neutrinos are produced near the supermassive black hole, where the radiation density is high enough to obscure gamma rays. We use a set of muon neutrinos with interaction vertices inside the detector, which have good sensitivity to sources in the southern sky, from IceCube data recorded between 2011 and 2021. We then search for individual and collective neutrino signals from 14 Seyfert galaxies in the southern sky selected from the Swift Burst Alert Telescope AGN Spectroscopic Survey. Using the correlations between keV X-rays and TeV neutrinos predicted by disk–corona models, and assuming production characteristics similar to NGC 1068, a collective neutrino signal search reveals an excess of 6.7−3.2+4.0 events, which is inconsistent with...

A photochargeable semiconductor for highly efficient dehydrogenative coupling of amines

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The development of materials with high photocatalytic efficiency is essential for sustainable chemical transformations. Here we introduce photochargeable zinc indium sulfide nanocrystals with notable charge storage capacity, enabling highly efficient photocatalytic dehydrogenative coupling of amines. Combined with a nickel cocatalyst, the nanocrystals deliver diamines and hydrogen at rates exceeding 120 mmol per gram of photocatalyst per hour, with > 95% selectivity and an apparent quantum efficiency of up to 39.4% under ambient conditions. The system exhibits excellent scalability, demonstrated by a reaction on a 20-g scale, and broad versatility in promoting amino acid ester coupling and polymerization reactions with concurrent hydrogen evolution. Mechanistic studies attribute the photocharging capability of zinc indium sulfide nanocrystals to in situ-generated trap states such as sulfur vacancies, which extend hydrogen production into the dark catalytic cycle and enhance...

pyDiSCaMB: enabling the use of multipolar scattering factors in Phenix

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Multipolar scattering models, such as the transferable aspherical atom model, account for atomic chemical interactions and provide a more accurate representation of experimental data. However, the simpler independent atom model (IAM), which assumes non-interacting atoms, is the only model available in the most widely used macromolecular refinement programs. This is primarily because IAM offers a hard-to-beat combination of computational efficiency and modelling power at typical macromolecular resolutions. By contrast, more accurate multipolar modelling has historically been limited due to its computational cost and the absence of an interface between software capable of calculating structure factors and gradients based on multipolar models and software designed for macromolecular refinement. This work introduces pyDiSCaMB, a Python software package designed to integrate between the computational crystallography toolbox (cctbx) and the quantum crystallography library DiSCaMB (Densities...

Ecological and genomic variation in ectomycorrhizal fungal exploration types

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF) produce mycelia with variable extension and complexity, which can be classified according to soil 'exploration types' (ETs). ETs have received attention as one of the few mycorrhizal trait frameworks, but without an empirical classification of ET functional diversity and environmental preferences, understanding and interpreting EMF biogeographic patterns has been difficult. We conducted a synthesis combining: comparative EMF genomics to describe functional divergence in decomposition and nutrient cycling genes across ETs; and EMF trait distribution modeling across continental Europe, pairing soil and root EMF surveys to establish biogeographic ET niche profiles. We demonstrate a signature of ETs encoded in EMF genomes, which is independent from phylogeny and linked to biomass production strategies. EMF ET relative abundances were separated by soil, root, and dominant tree leaf type habitats and exhibited unique correlations with forest biotic (e.g....

Orbital-Dependent Coulomb Drag in Electron-Hole Bilayer Graphene Heterostructures

Fri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We report Coulomb drag studies in an electron-hole bilayer graphene heterostructure in a magnetic field, where the orbital, spin, and valley degrees of freedom are lifted by the combined effects of exchange interaction, Zeeman energy, and a vertical displacement field. Our device enables the application of a large vertical displacement field across both layers. In addition to the well-established strong Coulomb drag between the Landau levels with an orbital quantum number N=0, we observe a Coulomb drag signal between the N=1 Landau levels under a suitable vertical displacement field. As the vertical displacement field increases further, the Coulomb drag signal between N=1 Landau levels weakens, and a Coulomb drag signal emerges between the N=0 and N=1 Landau levels. These findings suggest the important roles of the orbital index and the vertical displacement field in interlayer Coulomb interaction within the quantum Hall regime of coupled bilayer systems.

Leveraging a synthetic biology approach to enhance BCG-mediated expansion of Vγ9Vδ2 T cells

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

There is an urgent need to develop a more efficacious anti-tuberculosis vaccine as the current live-attenuated vaccine strain BCG fails to prevent pulmonary infection in adults. In this study, we leverage a synthetic biology approach to engineer BCG to produce more (E)-4-hydroxy-3-methyl-but-2-enyl pyrophosphate (HMBPP), an intermediate of bacterial-but not host-isoprenoid biosynthesis via the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway. HMBPP strongly activates and expands Vγ9Vδ2 T cells, which are unique to higher-order primates and protect against Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. BCG has been engineered to produce specific ligands and antigens to some success; in contrast, our strategy exploits a self-nonself recognition mechanism in the host via HMBPP sensing, which has not been attempted before. To inform the design of our recombinant strains, we performed synteny analyses of >63 mycobacterial species and found that isoprenoid biosynthetic genes are not operonic across...

Identification of Solid-Electrolyte Interphase Species by Joint Characterization of Li-Ion Battery Chemistry by Mass Spectrometry and Electrochemical Reaction Networks.

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The formation and stability of the solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) play central roles in determining the long-term performance and safety of modern electrochemical energy storage systems. Despite decades of research, the SEI's heterogeneous, dynamic, and multiphase nature has defied comprehensive molecular-level characterization, creating a critical knowledge gap that limits rational battery design. In this work, we introduce a computational-experimental framework that integrates high-throughput quantum chemistry calculations, data-driven electrochemical reaction networks (eCRNs), stochastic algorithms, and laser desorption/ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (LDI-FTICR-MS) to unravel SEI formation in carbonate-based electrolytes without imposing predefined mechanisms. We constructed the most comprehensive eCRN to date, spanning over 10,000 species and 209 million reactions. Through stochastic network analysis, we successfully recovered 27...

Enhanced Interlayer Coupling and Excitons in Twin-Stacked Two-Dimensional Magnetic CrSBr Bilayers

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The degree of electronic coupling between individual layers in van der Waals heterostructures offers a route to engineer their magnetic, electronic, and optical functionalities. Using state-of-the-art first-principles calculations, we demonstrate that the electronic coupling between two monolayers of CrSBr─an anisotropic two-dimensional magnetic semiconductor─is highly nonlinear and nonmonotonic with respect to their relative twist angle, exhibiting a pronounced maximum at the twin-stacking configuration. The coupling strength scales with both the degree of overlap of Br orbitals adjacent to the van der Waals gap and the cosine of half of the interlayer spin angle. This enhanced interlayer electronic coupling leads to excitons delocalized across the two layers, with a polarization dependence that reflects the interlayer spin alignment. Our results reveal a sensitive interplay among twist angle, magnetism, and excitonic properties in twin-stacked CrSBr bilayers, suggesting twin...

Revealing short- and long-range Li-ion diffusion in Li 2 MnO 3 from finite-temperature dynamical mean field theory

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Li 2 MnO 3 is a key component of Li-excess layered cathodes of the form (1 − x ), LiMO 2 + x , Li 2 MnO 3 (M = Mn, Ni, Co, …), yet its role in setting Li-ion transport limitations remains under debate. Li 2 MnO 3 is a key component of Li-excess layered cathodes of the form (1 − x ), LiMO 2 + x , Li 2 MnO 3 (M = Mn, Ni, Co, …), yet its role in setting Li-ion transport limitations remains under debate. Here we combine DFT+U, finite-temperature DFT+DMFT with a continuous-time quantum Monte Carlo impurity solver, and nudged-elastic-band (NEB) calculations to study Li + migration in paramagnetic Li 2 MnO 3 in the presence of a single Li vacancy. Evaluating DMFT total energies along the DFT+U NEB geometries reveals that dynamical correlations strongly renormalize the lowest-barrier processes, reducing the activation energies to E a = 0.18 eV for the shortest-range hop and E a = 0.50 eV for the next-lowest (transport-controlling) step. The 0.18 eV barrier quantitatively reproduces...

What is quantum biology?

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Quantum biology is the field at the intersection of quantum-related physics and the biology of living systems. The goal of the field is to determine if quantum phenomena underpin biological function at the macroscale. Such results, supported by compelling experimental evidence, will be important because they will show how quantum effects can have functional relevance, even in very complex and nominally classical systems. Here, we attempt to define the scope of quantum biology with a forward-facing view to help focus the research agenda. To that end, we propose open questions fundamental to consolidating the field of quantum biology. These open questions highlight the importance of developing suitable probes at the quantum scale, the possibility that classical biological machinery might simply mimic quantum systems, and of elucidating the ways quantum function can be amplified to the macroscale.

Out-of-time-order correlators bridge classical transport and quantum dynamics.

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The out-of-time-order correlator (OTOC) has emerged as a central tool for quantifying decoherence across wide-ranging physical platforms. Here, we demonstrate its direct measurement in a classical ensemble using nuclear magnetic resonance with a modulated gradient spin echo sequence and extend the method into a multidimensional correlation to track exchange phenomena. Position is encoded through magnetic field gradients and momentum through the velocity autocorrelation function, enabling experimental access to OTOCs for proton motion confined within the self-similar lattice of the metal-organic framework MOF-808. Here, water confined to specified geometries within the MOF pores gives rise to spatially distinct diffusive eigenmodes with characteristic relative entropies. We demonstrate that periodic radio frequency driving combined with gradient modulation yields entropy evolution through the selection of distinct diffusion modes. Frequency-resolved diffusion spectra connect these...

Extended Rice–Thomson analysis and atomistic simulations revealing grain boundary effects on fracture in refractory high-entropy alloys

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Understanding how grain boundaries mediate fracture remains a critical challenge in designing ductile, high-performance refractory alloys. Here, we extend the Rice-Thomson criterion to account for the angle between cracks and the impinging grain boundaries (GBs), capturing the competition between intergranular fracture and dislocation-mediated plasticity. Using machine learning interatomic potentials, we performed molecular statics simulations to probe fracture mechanisms in nanocrystalline NbMoTaW and Nb₄₅Ta₂₅Ti₁₅Hf₁₅, each with two different grain sizes, revealing trends consistent with experimental observations and the extended Rice model. Comparison with averaged R-curves for bulk samples demonstrates that GBs enhance ductility in Nb₄₅Ta₂₅Ti₁₅Hf₁₅ in both grain sizes investigated. In contrast, GBs only locally improve fracture resistance in NbMoTaW when cracks are temporarily pinned at...

The Interplay of Pauli Repulsion, Electrostatics, and Field Inhomogeneity for Blueshifting and Redshifting Vibrational Probe Molecules

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Many molecules' vibrational frequencies are sensitive to intermolecular electric fields, enabling them to probe the field in complex molecular environments. However, it is often unclear whether the probe is responding to the local electric field or other types of intermolecular interactions, inhibiting interpretation of the frequency and effectiveness as probes. This is especially true for molecules whose vibrational frequencies blueshift instead of the more typical redshift in hydrogen bonding configurations. Here, we computationally investigate the causes of redshifting versus blueshifting over a range of vibrational reporters. First, we apply adiabatic energy decomposition analysis to a paradigmatic set of probes, finding that redshifting only occurs when electrostatic interactions are strong enough to overcome the dominant and large blueshifting contribution of Pauli repulsion. Furthermore, we demonstrate that field inhomogeneity can further shift the frequency of many probes...

CMIP7 data request: Earth system priorities and opportunities

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 7 (CMIP7) request for data pertaining to Earth systems science, and provides justification for the resources needed to produce this data. Topics within the CMIP7 Earth System (CMIP7-ES) theme centre around tracking of flows of energy, carbon, water and other fluxes across domains, and constraining feedbacks between these cycles and the climate system. These topics are summarized in this paper as scientific “opportunities” describing specific model intercomparison experiments and use cases for next-generation Earth System Model (ESM) output. These opportunities were submitted by modelling groups and scientific consortia following an extended public consultation process. Contained within each opportunity are requests for groups of Climate & Forecasting (CF) variables, which are bundled into variable groups representing all data required to address...

The DESI DR1 peculiar velocity survey: Growth rate measurements from the galaxy power spectrum

Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The large-scale structure of the Universe and its evolution encapsulate a wealth of cosmological information. A powerful means of unlocking this knowledge lies in measuring the auto-power spectrum and/or the cross-power spectrum of the galaxy density and momentum fields, followed by the estimation of cosmological parameters based on these spectrum measurements. In this study, we generalize the cross-power spectrum model to accommodate scenarios in which the density and momentum fields are derived from distinct galaxy surveys. The growth rate of the large-scale structures of the Universe, commonly represented as fσ 8 , was extracted by jointly fitting the monopole and quadrupole moments of the auto-density power spectrum, the monopole of the auto-momentum power spectrum, and the dipole of the cross-power spectrum. Our estimators, theoretical models, and parameter-fitting framework were tested using mocks, confirming their robustness and accuracy in retrieving the fiducial growth...

New Materials for Photoelectrochemical Energy Conversion

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This review concerns light-to-chemical energy conversion, focusing on approaches that could be driven by terrestrial sunlight to produce hydrogen and/or reduce carbon dioxide. Recent advances in photocatalytic (PC) and photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) materials are covered. In both approaches, the electron-hole pairs that are created by photon absorption must travel in specific directions to the sites that mediate multielectron bond making/breaking redox reactions. Thermodynamic requirements for materials stability are described, although some recently discovered materials appear to be exceptions. For PC materials, the importance of rate matching between reduction and oxidation processes and the mass transfer of intermediates and products is emphasized. Surprisingly, metal sulfides appear to be promising for PC carbon dioxide reduction. For PEC materials, recent work elucidating the elementary step mechanism for oxygen evolution on metal oxides and the discovery of chalcogen-based...

Effects of ejective stops on preceding vowel duration

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

One of the most widely studied observations in linguistic phonetics is that, all else being equal, vowels are longer before voiced than before voiceless obstruents. The causes of this phonetic generalization are, however, poorly understood and several competing explanations have been proposed. No studies have so far measured vowel duration before stops with yet another laryngeal feature: ejectives. This study fills this gap and presents results from an experiment that measures vowel duration before stops with all three laryngeal features in Georgian and models effects of both closure and voice onset time (VOT) on preceding vowel duration at the same time. The results show that vowels have significantly different durations before all three series of stops, voiced, ejective, and voiceless aspirated, even when closure and VOT durations are controlled for. The results also suggest that closure and VOT durations are inversely correlated with preceding vowel duration. These results...

Machine learning-enhanced MPC for demand flexibility in small commercial buildings: An experimental study

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Small- and medium-sized commercial buildings (SMCBs) represent the majority of U.S. commercial building stock and a significant share of peak electricity demand, yet they often lack centralized building automation systems, representing a significant untapped resource for urban energy management. This infrastructure gap makes advanced control implementation challenging, limiting the potential for widespread demand flexibility. Model Predictive Control (MPC) has shown strong potential for load shifting, peak demand reduction, and cost savings, but its effectiveness is hindered by unmeasured disturbances such as internal heat gains. This paper presents a Hybrid MPC framework that integrates a physics-based gray-box building thermal model, identified using a lumped disturbance (LD) approach, with a machine learning (ML) model for forecasting unmeasured disturbances. The hybrid approach is designed for buildings with multiple individually controlled heat pump and thermostat pairs,...

The phage nucleus synergizes with an anti-defense protein to resist bacterial immunity

Wed, 13 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Chimallivirus bacteriophages enclose their replicating genomes in a protein-based compartment termed the phage nucleus. While the phage nucleus segregates phage DNA from host immune proteins, it is not known if additional factors are required to protect against DNA-targeting host defenses. Here, we identify a chimallivirus-encoded DarG2-like antitoxin that localizes to the phage nucleus and provides protection against phage-targeting DarTG2 toxin-antitoxin systems. This protein, which we term AdfM (anti-darT factor macro), contains a macrodomain and removes DarT2-mediated ADP-ribose modifications from DNA. In the absence of AdfM, DarT2 modifies phage DNA and restricts chimallivirus replication despite being largely excluded from the phage nucleus. Increasing the nuclear concentration of DarT2 while decreasing the nuclear concentration of AdfM reduces phage replication. These results show that the phage nucleus is insufficient to completely protect the chimallivirus genome from...

Distinguishing Cognitive from Historical Influences in Phonology

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Distinguishing cognitive influences from historical influences on human behavior has long been a disputed topic in behavioral sciences, including linguistics. The discussion is often complicated due to empirical evidence being consistent with both the cognitive and the historical approach. This article argues that phonology offers a unique test case for distinguishing historical and cognitive influences on grammar, and it proposes an experimental technique for testing the cognitive factor which controls for the historical factor. The article outlines a model called CATALYSIS for explaining how learnability influences phonological typology and presents experiments that simulate this process. Central to this discussion are unnatural phonological processes, that is, those that operate against universal phonetic tendencies and require complex historical trajectories in order to arise. By using statistical methods for estimating historical influences, mismatches in predictions between...

New Rule in Vedic Metrics

Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In this paper I propose a new rule of Vedic meter. The glides *v and *y are regularly lost before the corresponding high vowels ū̆ and ̆ī in Vedic. I argue that the word-initial glides *v and *y before the short vowels ŭ and ĭ still “make position” and that they should be restored for metrical purposes. This means that word-final syllables of the shape -V̆ C should be scanned long if the following syllable begins with a u- or i- that goes back to *vu- or *yi-. This new rule has consequences for the general metrical shape of the Rigveda, as cadences previously scanned as irregular will be repaired to their canonical shape. The rule can also be employed as etymologically decisive for words that can potentially go back to forms with or without an initial glide.

Phages indirectly maintain tomato plant pathogen defense through regulation of the commensal microbiome

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

As parasites of bacteria, phages can regulate microbiome diversity and composition and may therefore affect susceptibility to pathogens and disease. Many infectious diseases are associated with altered bacteriophage communities, but observational studies alone do not allow us to determine when altered phage community composition is a contributor to disease risk, a response to infection, or simply an indicator of dysbiosis. To address this question directly, we used size-selective filtration to deplete plant-associated microbial communities of phages, then challenged plants with the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae. Plants with phage-depleted microbiomes were more susceptible to infection, an effect that could not be explained by direct effects of the phage communities on either P. syringae or the plant host. Moreover, the presence of phages was most impactful when the phage communities were isolated from neighboring field locations rather than from the same...

Causes and consequences of bacterial local adaptation via MGEs in the plant microbiome

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Adaptations that enable plant-associated bacteria to fill disparate niches comprise a critical component of microbial diversity. Genes that confer locally adaptive bacterial traits, ranging from heavy metal resistance to pathogen or symbiont infectivity, often reside within mobile genetic elements (MGEs) that can move between genomes. While MGEs may speed microbial adaptation, they also have selfish fitness interests and potentially separate evolutionary trajectories from their host genome. MGEs can also impose physiological burdens and be limited in the transmissibility of function across hosts, which likely constrains bacterial local adaptation. Given these constraints, the prevalence of adaptive loci on potentially exploitative MGEs poses a dilemma: how do fitness conflicts and alignments between MGEs and the main replicon shape bacterial local adaptation and impact plant hosts? We synthesize research on ways MGEs confer rapid, niche-specific fitness advantages to bacteria,...

Impact of phage treatment on fire blight disease outcome and floral microbiome composition

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

With the increasing importance of alternative pesticides for the control of bacterial pathogens in agricultural and clinical settings, the use of bacteriophage viruses (phages) to reduce bacterial growth and prevent disease is gaining in popularity. Phages have been shown to be highly effective in killing bacterial cells both in vitro and across plant and animal host systems, although many questions remain about the predictability of their success across more realistic ecological conditions and in light of natural strain variation of pathogens. Furthermore, as phage application becomes more common, it is imperative that we better understand the consequences of these treatments on the microbial communities associated with hosts (i.e., their microbiomes). Here, we leverage a recently developed phage cocktail targeting the causal agent of fire blight disease, Erwinia amylovora, to both test the efficacy of these phages in pear flowers inoculated with the pathogen and...

Distinguishing among evolutionary and ecological processes shaping microbiome dynamics

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Evolution is defined as the change in allele frequency over time as a result of either neutral processes, such as genetic drift, or as an adaptive process in response to selection. In contrast, ecological dynamics describe changes in population densities, species distributions, species interactions, and/or relative abundances within communities, all of which can also be the result of either stochastic or deterministic processes. Although the distinction between these patterns has long held for plants and animals, microbial community dynamics can blur the line between ecological and evolutionary processes, especially as they can occur on very similar timescales. Despite the importance of differentiating changes occurring within a population or strain from those occurring among populations, many common methodologies used to study microbiomes are not able to differentiate among them. In this review, we summarize the forces known to generate genetic diversity in bacterial genomes...

Operation-Induced BiVO4 Surface Reconstruction Modulates Photoelectrochemical Glycerol Photooxidation Stability and Activity

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Operation-Induced BiVO4 Surface Reconstruction Modulates Photoelectrochemical Glycerol Photooxidation Stability and Activity

How a Right-to-Know Law Shifts Industry away from Chemicals of Concern: The Case of California’s Proposition 65

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Since enactment of the major federal environmental statutes of the 1970s, U.S. toxics policy has departed from a primary goal of controlling pollution to increasingly focus on information transparency. One of the most prominent right-to-know laws, California's Proposition 65, has been in force since 1986, yet there is scant literature on its systemic impacts. We conducted 32 semi-structured interviews with business leaders representing some of the largest actors in their sectors to investigate Proposition 65's impacts. We found that Proposition 65 prompts changes to consumer product ingredients and improves supply chain transparency. Businesses (re)formulated products for national and even international markets based on this state law, highlighting the leverage of environmental regulations in a large state like California. Information-forcing laws can thus protect public health in ways that transcend the immediate impacts of transparency with the public about product ingredients....

An 8-Level Flying Capacitor Multi-Level Boost Converter for High-Voltage Power Distribution in Electric Aircraft

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Aviation is a rapidly growing transportation sector that has been seeing a shift towards more-electric and fully electric propulsion systems. Lightweight onboard DC-DC converters play a critical role in this transition by managing the varying DC voltages associated with battery charge and discharge, enabling the integration of diverse battery technologies onto a common DC bus, reducing high-voltage insulation mass by allowing lower battery voltages, and embedding fault protection directly within the converters. To support these applications, this work demonstrates an 8-level flying capacitor multilevel (FCML) converter designed and tested to boost an input battery voltage of 500-786 V to a 1000 V DC bus. The demonstrated system integrates embedded control, sensing, startup, and output disconnect. It achieves over 99.0% peak efficiency, as well as a gravimetric power density exceeding 100 kW/kg for the power stage.

Culture is Not Trivia: Sociocultural Theory for Cultural NLP

Thu, 7 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The field of cultural NLP has recently experienced rapid growth, driven by a pressing need to ensure that language technologies are effective and safe across a pluralistic user base. This work has largely progressed without a shared conception of culture, instead choosing to rely on a wide array of cultural proxies. However, this leads to a number of recurring limitations: coarse national boundaries fail to capture nuanced differences that lay within them, limited coverage restricts datasets to only a subset of usually highly-represented cultures, and a lack of dynamicity results in static cultural benchmarks that do not change as culture evolves. In this position paper, we argue that these methodological limitations are symptomatic of a theoretical gap. We draw on a well-developed theory of culture from sociocultural linguistics to fill this gap by 1) demonstrating in a case study how it can clarify methodological constraints and affordances, 2) offering theoretically-motivated...

Turning gold to stone: A case study in exchange value and cultural alloys

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In 1933, monuments from the Classic Maya site of Piedras Negras, Guatemala, were loaned to the Penn Museum for a temporary period. Twelve years later, the agreement was revisited at the request of the Guatemalan government, which sought to incorporate the monuments into its National Museum. In order for the Penn Museum to retain two monuments for longer, the two parties agreed upon a deal: a longer loan extension for two Piedras Negras monuments in exchange for a disparate assemblage of Central and South American gold pieces from the Penn Museum’s storage collections. I argue that in facilitating this agreement, archaeologists, government officials, and museum professionals layered monetary value onto disparate archaeological cultures. In trying to create a fair exchange, this valuation process also involved a balancing act, in which objects of Maya heritage were weighed against objects united only by their material: gold. I refer to this skewing of objects from Panamá, Colombia,...

Identification of the pygmy dipole resonance in a well deformed nucleus by combined isoscalar and isovector probes

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The low-energy electric dipole response in the axially deformed 154Sm nucleus was investigated for the first time using complementary probes. The isoscalar (IS) response was extracted from an (α, α′γ) coincidence experiment and the isovector (IV) response from polarization observables measured with the ( p → , p → ′ ) reaction at 0∘. Both the IS and IV responses exhibit a resonance-like structure at excitation energies 5.5-6 MeV identified as the pygmy dipole resonance. Its evolution with deformation is investigated by comparison to the spherical isotope 144Sm. The low-energy IV strength in 154Sm departs from the K-splitting picture that characterizes the IV giant dipole resonance in this nucleus. This finding is further supported by the absence of significant IS strength above 7 MeV.

Control of Vegetation and Temperature on Topsoil Water Losses

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Due to its location at the interface between land surface and atmosphere, soil moisture (SM) plays an important role in modulating energy, water and carbon fluxes. During periods of decreasing SM, SM loss is dependent on evapotranspiration (ET), drainage and changes in plant water storage. Investigating SM loss can give important insights into these processes. Here we use 25 years of global remote sensing data to investigate how SM loss is controlled by vegetation and temperature. We find that positive vegetation anomalies lead to slower SM loss in most areas, except for cold boreal forests. We hypothesize that these effects arise from competing effects of soil shading, transpiration and root water uptake by the vegetation. The effect whereby positive vegetation anomalies increase SM loss is limited to high SM conditions and disappears at lower SM, likely due to water stress limiting transpiration. By analyzing temperature and vegetation anomalies jointly we find...

Changes in Dietary Supplement Use Among Children and Adolescents in the United States, 2015–2016 to 2021–2023

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Changes in Dietary Supplement Use Among Children and Adolescents in the United States, 2015–2016 to 2021–2023

Probing the j dependence of angular distributions and N = 20 shell rigidity via the 36 S( p , d ) 35 S reaction

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Probing the j dependence of angular distributions and N = 20 shell rigidity via the 36 S( p , d ) 35 S reaction

Reduced visual acuity disrupts fixational stability but fails to fully capture amblyopic eye movements

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

PURPOSE: Amblyopia is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by diminished visual acuity (VA) and aberrant fixational eye movements (FEMs), affecting both the amblyopic and fellow eyes. While previous studies have established a strong correlation between impaired VA and increased fixational instability (FI), whether this reflects a causal relationship-or a shared downstream consequence of cortical dysfunction-remains unclear. We sought to determine whether reduced VA alone is sufficient to alter FEMs in the absence of developmental abnormalities. METHODS: To investigate whether reduced VA alone is sufficient to alter FEMs, we induced retinal defocus using convex lenses in neurotypical individuals (n = 5) and compared their FEM characteristics-microsaccade amplitude, latency, drift magnitude, and FI-with those of individuals with amblyopia (n = 7), under both monocular (nondominant eye only) and binocular viewing conditions. In addition to a control (0.0...

XAP5 CIRCADIAN TIMEKEEPER coordinates circadian rhythms and anthocyanin biosynthesis independently of splicing

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Circadian clocks provide plants with an adaptive advantage by enabling them to anticipate daily environmental changes. The periodicity of circadian clocks is regulated at multiple levels of gene expression, including transcription, mRNA processing, translation, and protein modification. Numerous mRNA splicing factors have been implicated in maintaining circadian period length. However, these factors often play additional roles in transcription, making it difficult to determine whether they affect the clock through splicing-dependent or -independent mechanisms. We and others have shown that XAP5 CIRCADIAN TIMEKEEPER (XCT) and components of the PRE-MRNA-PROCESSING FACTOR 19 (PRP19) complex, including the functionally redundant PRP19A and PRP19B, physically associate and regulate both splicing and circadian rhythms. Here, our transcriptome analyses reveal that the antagonistic regulation of circadian period length by XCT and PRP19 likely occurs through splicing-independent mechanisms....

Modeling Binary Lenses and Sources with the BAGLE Python Package

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Gravitational microlensing is a powerful tool that can be used to find and measure the mass of isolated and dark compact objects. In many microlensing events, the lens, the source, or both may be binary systems. In this work, we introduce binary source and lens models into the gravitational lensing formalism encoded in the Bayesian Analysis of Gravitational Lensing Events (BAGLE) Python software package. These new binary models in BAGLE account for Keplerian orbits. We also add binary models with fewer parameters that describe the binary orbital motion as acceleration, linear, or stationary motion of the secondary companion; these are useful when the orbit has a very low eccentricity or the orbital period is much longer than the microlensing timescale. The model parameterizations based on these binary lensing equations enable joint fitting of photometric and astrometric data sets. These binary models will be used to fit microlensing event data from the Vera C. Rubin Observatory,...

Real-time monitoring of growth of neon film for electron-on-neon qubits

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Electron-on-neon (eNe) charge states coupled to superconducting circuits are a promising platform for quantum computing. Control over the formation of these charge states requires techniques to track and control the growth of solid Ne films on the circuit surface. We demonstrate a real-time Ne film-growth monitor using high-transition-temperature (high-Tc) YBCO microwave resonators. The high Tc enables tracking of the film thickness near Ne’s triple temperature and below. Across more than 300 solidification experiments, we find that the final Ne thickness varies stochastically from a few nanometers to a few microns for films solidified from the liquid phase. By increasing the driving power in the resonator, we consistently reduce the final thickness to below 100 nm. These results represent an important step toward controlled formation of Ne films for eNe qubits and highlight the broader utility of high-Tc resonators for hybrid quantum systems.

Oxygen-tolerant CO 2 capture using protected redox-driven reverse bias bipolar membrane electrodialysis

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Electrochemical methods for carbon capture potentially have the advantage of low cost and low energy consumption. The practical applicability of pH-swing carbon capture processes driven by proton-coupled redox-active molecules has been limited by the sensitivity of reduced molecules to oxidation by O2. In those CO2 capture processes, the molecules are reduced, basifying the electrolyte; the electrolyte containing the reduced molecules is exposed to air or flue gas containing CO2 but also containing enough O2 to oxidize the molecules. O2 sensitivity would not be problematic if the electrolyte that captures CO2 contains the oxidized form of the molecule instead; this can be accomplished by switching from an electron-driven system to an ion-driven system. We report the development and performance of a two-chamber flow cell incorporating a reverse-bias bipolar membrane (BPM) and non-proton-coupled redox-active molecules for ion-driven pH-swing. When using ferri/ferrocyanide electrolytes...

Impacts of warming on outdoor worker well-being in the tropics and adaptation options

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Over a billion outdoor workers live in the tropics, where nearly a fifth of all hours in the year are hot and humid enough to exceed recommended safety thresholds for workers conducting heavy labor. Reviews have focused on heat impacts on worker health, well-being, and productivity, but synthesis on how to increase resilience to heat for outdoor workers is lacking. Here we assess current and future heat exposure in the tropics and review four bodies of literature on heat impacts on workers. We also synthesize knowledge about mitigation and adaptation uncertainties as well as the actions that can be taken to strengthen worker resilience. We show that under an additional 1°C of warming, ∼800 million people in the tropics will live in areas where heavy work should be limited for over half of the hours in the year. Our review provides primary, secondary, and tertiary solutions that will inform policies and practices as well as research that is needed to bolster worker resilience and...

hashin_shtrikman_mp: a package for the optimal design and discovery of multi-phase composite materials

Wed, 6 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

hashin_shtrikman_mp: a package for the optimal design and discovery of multi-phase composite materials

Measurement of coherent exclusive J/ψ → μ+μ− production in ultraperipheral Pb+Pb collisions at sNN=5.36 TeV with the ATLAS detector

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The ATLAS experiment has performed a measurement of coherent exclusive J/ψ → μ+μ− production in ultraperipheral Pb+Pb collisions at sNN=5.36$$ \sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}}=5.36 $$ TeV. The data was recorded at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) during 2023, and corresponds to an integrated luminosity of 79 μb−1. Exclusive J/ψ candidates were selected with a dedicated track-sensitive trigger based on the ATLAS transition radiation tracker. The analysis involves reconstruction of the dimuon invariant mass based on muon tracks from the inner detector, as the muon transverse momentum range of interest precludes the use of the standard muon reconstruction and identification algorithms. Differential cross sections are measured as a function of J/ψ rapidity and are compared with theoretical predictions. After extrapolation to sNN=5.02$$ \sqrt{s_{\textrm{NN}}}=5.02 $$ TeV, they are also compared with previous measurements performed by other experiments using data from LHC Run 2. While the results...

Measurement of the azimuthal anisotropy of charged particles in sNN=5.36TeV O16+O16 and Ne20+Ne20 collisions with the ATLAS detector

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This paper presents the first measurements of the azimuthal anisotropy coefficients , which quantify the -order Fourier modulation of charged-particle azimuthal distributions, for in and collisions recorded with the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider in 2025. The coefficients are measured as a function of transverse momentum ( ), collision centrality, and event multiplicity. They are extracted using two complementary methods: two-particle correlations with a template-fit subtraction of short-range nonflow contributions, and four-particle subevent cumulants, which intrinsically suppress nonflow effects and provide sensitivity to flow fluctuations. The results show a clear hierarchy and a nonmonotonic dependence on , reaching a maximum around , consistent with trends observed in heavy-ion collisions. Detailed comparisons between the two collision systems reveal an enhanced in central collisions, consistent with theory expectations based on the predicted...

The Simons Observatory: forecasted constraints on primordial gravitational waves with the expanded array of Small Aperture Telescopes

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We present updated forecasts for the scientific performance of the degree-scale (0.5 deg FWHM at 93 GHz), deep-field survey to be conducted by the Simons Observatory (SO). By 2027, the SO Small Aperture Telescope (SAT) complement will be doubled from three to six telescopes, including a doubling of the detector count in the 93 GHz and 145 GHz channels to 48,160 detectors. Combined with a planned extension of the survey duration to 2035, this expansion will significantly enhance SO's search for a B-mode signal in the polarisation of the cosmic microwave background, a potential signature of gravitational waves produced in the very early Universe. Assuming a 1/f noise model with knee multipole ℓknee = 50 and a moderately complex model for Galactic foregrounds, we forecast a 1σ (or 68% confidence level) constraint on the tensor-to-scalar ratio r of σr = 1.2 × 10-3, assuming no primordial B-modes are present. This forecast assumes that 70% of the B-mode lensing signal can ultimately...

The Transition From Melt Accumulation to Eruption Initiation Recorded by Orthopyroxene Fe‐Mg Diffusion Timescales in Late Holocene Rhyolites, South Sister Volcano, Oregon Cascade Range

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract South Sister volcano, Oregon Cascade Range, USA, has repeatedly erupted rhyolite since ca. 40 ka. The youngest such eruptions are the ca. 2 ka Rock Mesa and Devils Chain rhyolites, erupted several hundred years apart from two multi‐vent complexes separated by 3–6 km. Fe‐Mg interdiffusion models of orthopyroxene rims from both rhyolites produce timescales up to several‐thousand years, but dominantly decades‐to‐centuries. Notably, the timescales of step‐normal zoned orthopyroxene rims (i.e., normally zoned with a steep chemical gradient) from the Rock Mesa rhyolite are longer than those of reversely zoned crystals, whereas the Devils Chain produced mostly decadal timescales for both zoning types. Despite the proximity and broadly similar products of these episodes, their respective timescales indicate distinct sequences of events leading up to each eruption. The Rock Mesa timescales record centuries of magma chamber growth followed by decades of predominantly...

Mango Doula

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Mango Doula

Processing-Dependent Structure and Poroelasticity of Nafion in Liquid Water

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Ionomers act as the solid polymer electrolyte membrane in many modern electrochemical devices, yet the role of their nanostructure in modulating the poroelastic response remains poorly understood, especially in liquid water, where few techniques can measure simultaneous transport-mechanical properties. Poroelastic Relaxation Indentation (PRI) is uniquely suited for measuring time-dependent transport-mechanical properties of porous solids, specifically hydraulic diffusivity, elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio, and intrinsic permeability, for porous solids. While ionomers such as Nafion are not porous in the typical sense, Nafion has a nanophase-segregated structure that, when fully swollen in liquid water, behaves as a poroelastic solid with a coupled mechanical-transport response. Using a poroelastic framework, we investigate how casting and pretreatment of Nafion membranes alter their poroelastic response in liquid environments. We characterize both extruded and dispersion-cast...

Data Release 1 of the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In 2021 May the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) collaboration began a 5 yr spectroscopic redshift survey to produce a detailed map of the evolving three-dimensional structure of the Universe between z = 0 and z ≈ 4. DESI’s principal scientific objectives are to place precise constraints on the equation of state of dark energy, the gravitationally driven growth of large-scale structure, and the sum of the neutrino masses, and to explore the observational signatures of primordial inflation. We present DESI DR1, which consists of all data acquired during the first 13 months of the DESI main survey, as well as a uniform reprocessing of the DESI Survey Validation data, which were previously made public in the DESI Early Data Release. The DR1 main survey includes high-confidence redshifts for 18.7M objects, of which 13.1M are spectroscopically classified as galaxies, 1.6M as quasars, and 4M as stars, making DR1 the largest sample of extragalactic redshifts ever assembled....

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: DR6 maps

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We present Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) Data Release 6 (DR6) maps of the Cosmic Microwave Background temperature and polarization anisotropy at arcminute resolution over three frequency bands centered on 98, 150 and 220 GHz. The maps are based on data collected with the AdvancedACT camera over the period 2017–2022 and cover 19,000 square degrees with a median combined depth of 10 μK arcmin. We describe the instrument, mapmaking and map properties and illustrate them with a number of figures and tables. The ACT DR6 maps and derived products are available on LAMBDA at https://lambda.gsfc.nasa.gov/product/act/actadv_prod_table.html. We also provide an interactive web atlas at https://phy-act1.princeton.edu/public/snaess/actpol/dr6/atlas and HiPS data sets in Aladin (e.g. https://alasky.cds.unistra.fr/ACT/DR4DR6/color_CMB).

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: Mitigating the Impact of Extragalactic Foregrounds for the DR6 Cosmic Microwave Background Lensing Analysis

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We investigate the impact and mitigation of extragalactic foregrounds for the cosmic microwave background (CMB) lensing power spectrum analysis of Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) data release 6 (DR6) data. Two independent microwave sky simulations are used to test a range of mitigation strategies. We demonstrate that finding and then subtracting point sources, finding and then subtracting models of clusters, and using a profile bias-hardened lensing estimator together reduce the fractional biases to well below statistical uncertainties, with the inferred lensing amplitude, A lens, biased by less than 0.2σ. We also show that another method where a model for the cosmic infrared background (CIB) contribution is deprojected and high-frequency data from Planck is included has similar performance. Other frequency-cleaned options do not perform as well, either incurring a large noise cost or resulting in biased recovery of the lensing spectrum. In addition to these simulation-based...

Patterned, Low-Temperature Growth of Transition Metal Dichalcogenides for Low Resistance Raised Contacts

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) monolayers are promising channel materials for next-generation electronic devices. A challenge is the high contact resistance between monolayer TMDs and metal contacts, especially for holes. In this regard, raised source/drain contacts are promising. However, the direct, patterned growth of raised contacts at CMOS-compatible temperatures remains largely unresolved. We present plasma-free selenization and sulfurization of metal oxides at substrate temperatures down to 400 °C, compatible with back-end-of-line thermal budgets. To achieve growth at such temperatures, gas-phase chalcogen precursors are first thermally activated at 950 °C. Films grown on single-crystal monolayer TMDs exhibit high crystal quality, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Raised contacts on WSe2 monolayers fabricated using this approach yield a low hole contact resistance of 0.3 kΩ·μm after chemical doping. This process is shown to be applicable to growing...

Unified and Consistent Structure Growth Measurements from Joint ACT, SPT, and Planck CMB Lensing

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We present the tightest cosmic microwave background (CMB) lensing constraints to date on the growth of structure by combining CMB lensing measurements from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT), the South Pole Telescope (SPT), and . Each of these surveys individually provides lensing measurements with similarly high statistical power, achieving signal-to-noise ratios of approximately 40. The combined lensing band powers represent the most precise CMB lensing power spectrum measurement to date with a signal-to-noise ratio of 61 and an amplitude of with respect to the theory prediction from the best-fit CMB -ACT cosmology. The band powers from all three lensing datasets, analyzed jointly, yield a 1.6% measurement of the parameter combination . Including dark energy spectroscopic instrument baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) data improves the constraint on the amplitude of matter fluctuations to (a 1.1% determination). When combining with uncalibrated supernovae from , we present...

Search for Higgs bosons produced in association with a high-energy photon via vector-boson fusion and decaying to a pair of b-quarks in the ATLAS detector

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

A search for Standard Model Higgs bosons produced in association with a high-energy photon and decaying to b b ¯ is performed using 133 fb − 1 of s = 13 TeV pp collision data collected with the ATLAS detector at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN. The photon requirement reduces the multijet background, and the H → b b ¯ decay is the dominant decay mode. Event selection requirements target events produced by vector-boson fusion, the dominant production mode in this channel. Several improvements enhance the search sensitivity compared to previous measurements. These improvements include better background modelling and characterization, the use of a neural-network classifier, and an updated signal extraction strategy adopting a direct binned-likelihood fit to the classifier output. With these improvements, the Higgs boson signal strength is measured to be 0.2 ± 0.7 relative to the Standard Model prediction. This corresponds to an observed significance of 0.3 standard deviations, compared...

Erratum: The environmental impact, carbon emissions and sustainability of computing in the ATLAS experiment

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The worldwide distribution of ATLAS computing, based on the amount of CPU provided, in HS23 (see Sect. 4.1 for the precise definition of HS23), on average in 2023–2024. Countries in gray did not contribute significant CPU One correction is noted for the paper [1], which does not affect the results reported. The vertical axis range of the legend of Fig. 1 is corrected as it was reversed in the original publication.

Addressing Tensions in ΛCDM Cosmology by an Increase in the Optical Depth to Reionization

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Recent baryonic acoustic oscillation (BAO) measurements from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) are mildly discrepant (2.2σ) with the cosmic microwave background (CMB) when interpreted within ΛCDM. When analyzing these data with extended cosmologies this inconsistency manifests as a ≃3σ preference for subminimal neutrino mass or evolving dark energy. It is known that the preference for subminimal neutrino mass from the suppression of structure growth could be alleviated by increasing the optical depth to reionization τ. We show that, because the CMB-inferred τ is negatively correlated with the matter fraction, a larger optical depth resolves a similar preference from geometric constraints. Optical depths large enough to resolve the neutrino mass tension (τ∼0.09) reduce the preference for evolving dark energy from ≃3σ to ≃1.5σ and increase the CMB-inferred values of ns and H0 to 0.968±0.004 and 67.94±0.44 km/s/Mpc, respectively. Conversely, within ΛCDM the combination...

The Atacama Cosmology Telescope: DR6 constraints on extended cosmological models

Tue, 5 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

We use new cosmic microwave background (CMB) primary temperature and polarization anisotropy measurements from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) Data Release 6 (DR6) to test foundational assumptions of the standard cosmological model, ΛCDM, and set constraints on extensions to it. We derive constraints from the ACT DR6 power spectra alone, as well as in combination with legacy data from the Planck mission. To break geometric degeneracies, we include ACT and Planck CMB lensing data and baryon acoustic oscillation data from DESI Year-1. To test the dependence of our results on non-ACT data, we also explore combinations replacing Planck with WMAP and DESI with BOSS, and further add supernovae measurements from Pantheon+ for models that affect the late-time expansion history. We verify the near-scale-invariance (running of the spectral index dns /d ln k = 0.0062 ± 0.0052) and adiabaticity of the primordial perturbations. Neutrino properties are consistent with Standard Model predictions:...

Throwing curveballs: A language‐based model of curveball questions in quarterly earnings calls uncovers their consequences and antecedents

Mon, 4 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Abstract Research Summary In evaluative contexts, evaluatees typically seek to present themselves in a favorable light, while evaluators ask penetrating questions to assess these claims. Here we develop a framework to identify curveball questions : ones that are on‐topic yet perplexing (i.e., difficult to predict) relative to past discourse. We develop a language‐based measure of curveball questions and apply it to a corpus of quarterly earnings calls. After validating this question‐level measure, we next demonstrate that a call‐level curveball measure predicts absolute returns, absolute abnormal returns, and changes in a firm's average analyst rating. Finally, we identify the types of analysts who are most likely to pose curveball questions, the types of firms that are most likely to receive them, and the conditions under which they tend to arise. Managerial Summary Even a carefully crafted presentation can be derailed by a challenging question. What makes a question challenging...

Friends on the Other Side: Receptiveness to Opposing Views Predicts Formation of Politically Heterogeneous Relationships.

Mon, 4 May 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Growing evidence points to the corrosive influence of partisanship on society. We examine the relationship between "receptiveness to opposing views" (i.e., an individual difference in the willingness to engage with information from opposing perspectives) and the propensity to form positive and close collaborative relationships with ideologically opposed others. Across three studies varying in sampling and methodological approaches-a retrospective network study, a time-lagged field study, and an experiment-we find that individual and mutual receptiveness mitigate the negative influence of ideological opposition on relationship formation and willingness to collaborate. We find evidence that receptiveness is distinctively influential as compared to related personality characteristics (e.g., extraversion, self-monitoring, agreeableness, openness, and intellectual humility). These findings contribute to our understanding of how individual differences shape social network formation...

Research opportunities to advance cardiovascular health through a planetary health lens

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Cardiovascular health (CVH) across the life course requires stable, nurturing environments and a healthy planet. Increasing human demands on the earth’s resources destabilize our world’s ecosystems, compromising CVH. Unique research opportunities for cardiovascular researchers exist at the intersection of planetary and CVH.Using systems thinking can reveal cardiovascular and planetary health connections and mechanisms of action. For example, meeting global demands for water, food and energy threatens food, water and air quality at the local level, and with it, cardiovascular health. A refined understanding of planetary-CVH interconnections is urgently needed to guide decision making. Emerging, cutting-edge research methodologies include the use of spatial indicators and urban analytics to reveal relationships between physical environments and health outcomes; advanced causal inference methods and modeling simulations; studying human exposure patterns and the exposome – the totality...

Respirable Aerosol Production and Reduction of Avian Influenza Transmission Risk during Chicken Processing, Bangladesh.

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

In Bangladesh, influenza A(H5N1) viruses are endemic in poultry. Processing infected chickens can aerosolize viruses, increasing the risk for human infections. We evaluated particulate matter (PM_2.5) mass concentration during slaughtering and defeathering methods used in live bird markets in Bangladesh to identify solutions to reduce aerosol exposure. We slaughtered 675 chickens using cones and barrels with 3 lid types and defeathered 45 chickens using a defeathering machine with 5 lid types. We interviewed 3 slaughterers to understand method preference. For slaughtering, barrels with a solid or star-cut lid reduced PM_2.5 mass concentrations by 65%-73% compared with uncovered barrels. For defeathering, machines fully covered by a solid lid or lid with a hole and pivot door reduced PM_2.5 mass concentrations by 50% compared with machines with no lid. Slaughterers preferred barrels covered with solid lids and defeathering machines covered with solid...

A Survival Guide for the STEM Research and Education Enterprise at US Universities

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The paper reviews the increased global competition facing US research universities and the degree to which universities have increased internal resources directed to research. This is context for the Trump Administration’s 2025 broad but scattershot reduction in Federal research funding at universities. This has turned an unsustainable path into a crisis at many institutions. The paper recommends four ways in which US research universities need to respond to this crisis even as they prepare to make longer term strategic choices. This is followed by five actions to cope with reduced Federal research funding, all of which will require exceptional intentionality from most university leadership and boards. The paper closes with supporting policy and practice changes needed to enable adaptive strategic action.

Urban Science Beyond Samples: Up-to-Date Street Network Models and Indicators for Every Urban Area in the World

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Urban planners need up-to-date, global, and consistent street network models and indicators to measure resilience and performance, model accessibility, and target local quality-of-life interventions. This article presents up-to-date street network models and indicators for every urban area in the world. It uses 2025 urban area boundaries from the Global Human Settlement Layer, allowing users to join these data to hundreds of other urban attributes. Its workflow ingests 180 million OpenStreetMap nodes and 360 million OpenStreetMap edges across 10,351 urban areas in 189 countries. The code, models, and indicators are publicly available for reuse. These resources unlock worldwide urban street network science beyond samples as well as local analyses in under-resourced regions where models and indicators are otherwise less-accessible.

Home sharing as affordable housing for all? Revealing the exclusionary language of shared rental listings through AI

Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Shared renting offers affordability opportunities in unaffordable neighborhoods, but uniquely impels existing and prospective tenants to match on both unit and personal characteristics—creating new opportunities for discrimination and segregation. This study investigates how this matching unfolds. Do existing tenants construct “idealized co-tenants” to signal their selection criteria and signal who is and is not welcome to apply? We analyze online rental listings in Los Angeles, California through a mixed-methods research design, leveraging both quantitative deep learning models of listing language and qualitative content analysis of how listers present selection criteria. We find that, relative to whole unit listings, shared unit listings uniquely emphasize personal characteristics, rental rules, and privacy concerns. Although selection criteria describing behaviors—rather than personal traits—dominate, references to several protected classes appear. Listers often operationalize...

Universal Effective Charges in the sd and fp Shells

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

The 247-keV state in ^{54}Sc, populated in the β decay of ^{54}Ca, is reported here as a nanosecond isomer with a half-life of 26.0(22) ns. The state is interpreted as the 1^{+} member of the πf_{7/2}⊗νf_{5/2} spin-coupled multiplet, which decays to the 3^{+},πf_{7/2}⊗νp_{1/2} ground state. The new half-life corresponds to a pure E2 transition with a strength of 1.93(16) W.u., providing the most precise, unambiguous B(E2) value in the neutron-rich fp region to date for a nucleus with valence protons above Z=20. Notably, it is roughly 4 times larger than the B(E2;1/2^{-}→5/2^{-}) value in ^{55}Ca. The results, as compared to semiempirical and ab initio shell-model calculations, indicate (1) a weak N=34 subshell gap relative to N=32, (2) a large E2 enhancement in Sc as compared to Ca due to 1p-1h proton excitations across Z=28, and (3) empirical effective proton and neutron charges e_{π}=1.30(8)e and e_{ν}=0.452(7)e, respectively, that are in contrast...

Analysis and Implementation of a Series-Capacitor Zero Bias Trans-Inductor Voltage Regulator

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Analysis and Implementation of a Series-Capacitor Zero Bias Trans-Inductor Voltage Regulator

Throwing Curveballs: Unpacking Surprising Questions in Evaluative Settings and Probing their Origins

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Throwing Curveballs: Unpacking Surprising Questions in Evaluative Settings and Probing their Origins

Design and Implementation of a Three-Phase Eight-Level Flying Capacitor Multilevel Rectifierfor Future Data Center Power Delivery

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Design and Implementation of a Three-Phase Eight-Level Flying Capacitor Multilevel Rectifierfor Future Data Center Power Delivery

Comprehensive review of carbon quantification by improved forest management offset protocols

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Comprehensive review of carbon quantification by improved forest management offset protocols

Where are managers needed? How culture and coordinative complexity predict the evolution of reporting relationships in organizations

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Organization redesign often raises a central question: Where are managers needed? A potential substitute for formal supervision by managers is interpersonal cultural alignment, which can ease coordination between colleagues. Yet prior research suggests cultural alignment may also complement formal structure. We theorize that the balance depends on coordinative complexity: Whether culturally aligned individuals benefit from common supervision hinges on how broadly they depend on others to get work done. Cultural alignment can function as a substitute for formal structure when coordinative complexity is low and as a complement when coordinative complexity is high. Focusing on one of the most tangible and consequential forms of cultural alignment—the degree to which individuals are linguistically aligned with their peers in everyday communications—we make predictions about which pairs of colleagues organizational designers will tend to bring together under, versus separate from,...

Compensation-Winding-Current-Based Constant On-Time Control of Trans-Inductor Voltage Regulators (TLVRs)

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Compensation-Winding-Current-Based Constant On-Time Control of Trans-Inductor Voltage Regulators (TLVRs)

Electronic Structure Tuning of Lanthanidocene Photocatalysts for C–F Bond Cleavage