University of Konstanz

The extraction of work from hidden degrees of freedom

Abstract Thermodynamics establishes that information acquired through measurement can be converted into work, as exemplified by Maxwell’s demon and Szilard engines. Most experimental realizations of information engines, however, implicitly assume Markovian environments, in which...

Airflows redefine the cost of aerial transport in the wild

Fuel economy matters to both animals and machines, as the cost of transport can determine where, when, and how far locomotion is possible. However, established estimates of these values for animal flight come from laboratories and treat the atmosphere as constant, even though fre...

How volant seabirds benefit from sub-surface predators during multi-predator feeding aggregations

Abstract Multi-predator feeding aggregations are common in marine ecosystems and frequently involve seabirds. Often labelled opportunistic ‘scroungers’, volant seabirds derive diverse benefits from the association with sub-surface predators (such as cetaceans, pinnipeds, Teleosts...

Allosteric Communication in the Tubulin Dimer Revealed through Molecular Dynamics and Network Analysis

Abstract Microtubules are dynamic polymers essential for intracellular organization, with basic constituents being αβ-tubulin dimers. Microtubule growth and shrinkage is tightly regulated by GTP hydrolysis in β-tubulin, yet how the information about the bound nucleotide propagate...

Support as a Service: Building the bwFDM-Helpdesk for and with the RDM community in Baden-Württemberg

The state initiative for research data management (RDM) in Baden-Württemberg bwFDM [1] is advancing RDM support on the state level by implementing a new helpdesk system that will provide faster, more efficient support for researchers and staff at research institutions in Baden-Wü...

Visible Light-Harvesting Dinuclear Chromium(III) Complex with Anthracene-Based Phosphorescence for Photon Upconversion and Photocatalysis

Abstract Luminescent 3d3 chromium(III) complexes are emerging as highly attractive, earth-abundant alternatives to precious 4d or 5d metal complexes in photophysical and photochemical applications. However, the Laporte-forbidden nature of their d–d transitions in the visible regi...

Electron Modulation and Ultrafast Near-Field Imaging with Vectorial Laser Fields

Abstract Controlled interaction of laser light with electron beams is fundamental for ultrafast electron microscopy and electron-based quantum optics, yet their direct coupling is forbidden in free space. Here, we use longitudinally polarized light on a thin membrane and show tha...

Gendered Effects of the Minimum Wage

ABSTRACT Women work disproportionately in low‐hours jobs, which pay lower wages and are more exposed to minimum‐wage policies. We estimate an equilibrium search model with worker and firm heterogeneity, jobs differing in wages and hours, and imperfect compliance. Applied to Germa...

Representation Theorems for Convex Expectations and Semigroups on Path Space

The objective of this paper is to investigate the connection between penalty functions from stochastic optimal control, convex semigroups from analysis, and convex expectations from probability theory. Our main result provides a one-to-one relation between these objects. As an ap...

Curriculum for Bioimaging Data Stewardship: A Systematic Review of Existing Training Resources

Abstract The increasing complexity and volume of biological imaging data require structured and sustainable research data management to ensure reproducibility, reusability, and compliance with FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable) principles. In this context, D...

What's in it for me? An introduction to research data management

In recent years, research data management (RDM) has gained significant momentum. Even though researchers may occasionally perceive it as burdensome, research data management offers significant advantages – not just for the researchers themselves, but, on a larger scale, for resea...

Biomimetic Confined Crystallization of Large‐Sized Single‐Crystalline Multicomponent Mesoporous Metal Oxides

ABSTRACT The performance of mesoporous metal oxides (MMOs) depends strongly on the composition, crystallinity, and size. However, soft‐templating synthesis of multicomponent systems is typically constrained by poor structural control arising from phase separation, uncontrolled nu...

WorldCuP: A database of checklists documenting the World's Cultivated Plants and their distributions

Societal Impact Statement Human life would be unrecognizable without the benefits of cultivated plants, including crops, ornamentals, or plants with other uses. Despite their importance in daily life and prevalence across landscapes, we know surprisingly little about global culti...

On the maximum likelihood degree of Gaussian graphical models

Abstract In this paper we revisit the likelihood geometry of Gaussian graphical models. We give a detailed proof that the ML‐degree behaves monotonically on induced subgraphs. Furthermore, we complete a missing argument that the ML‐degree of the cycle is larger than 1 for any , t...

Snakebite Community Map Announcement: Find Research Groups, Clinicians & Organizations Worldwide

Snakebite envenoming remains a neglected tropical disease affecting millions of people annually, yet relevant expertise is scattered and complicated to identify. We introduce a community driven global map connecting researchers, clinicians and organizations across health, researc...

Snakebite Community Map Announcement: Find Research Groups, Clinicians & Organizations Worldwide

Snakebite envenoming remains a neglected tropical disease affecting millions of people annually, yet relevant expertise is scattered and complicated to identify. We introduce a community driven global map connecting researchers, clinicians and organizations across health, researc...

Chimpanzee food calls provide information about the value and type of food: a playback study

Abstract Functionally referential signals are taxonomically widespread but vary greatly in the specificity of information they convey to receivers. Chimpanzee food calls indicate the relative preference value of the eliciting food in a way that is intelligible to receivers, but w...

Microbiome-host communication via vaccenic acid modulates LRH-1/NR5A2 activity and ameliorates metabolic liver disease

Abstract Interactions between microbiota and the host can profoundly affect human health. In particular, microbiota-derived metabolites influence liver physiology and contribute to the development of metabolic diseases, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying microbiome-host comm...

Eco-evolutionary dynamics and environmental detoxification jointly shape bacterial community response to antibiotic perturbation

Microbial communities frequently encounter recurrent antibiotic disturbance, yet how ecological, evolutionary, and environmental processes jointly shape community responses remains unresolved. Here, we use priming to describe the history-dependent effect whereby prior exposure al...

The Local Least Action Criterion Fails as a Selection Criterion for Weak Solutions of the Compressible Euler Equations

Abstract It is now well known that the classical notion of admissible weak solutions (also known as weak entropy solutions) does not restore uniqueness for the multi-dimensional compressible Euler equations. Indeed, convex integration has shown that admissible weak solutions are...