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We present a new, to the best of our knowledge, experimental method for assessing sub-micron level subsurface damage (SSD) on optical glass. The method correlates surface characteristics such as the fracture toughness and Young’s modulus via nanoindentation with the penetration depth into the tested surfaces at different overall penetration depths, as revealed by magnetorheological finishing spotting techniques. Our results on ground surfaces suggest that low surface roughness does not necessarily imply the absence of SSD. We also compared SSD on surfaces processed by deterministic microgrinding and femtosecond (fs) laser polishing. The fs-laser polished surfaces revealed no detectable SSD, thus establishing the feasibility of fs-laser polishing for precision optical manufacturing.

 

Accurate prediction of tropical cyclone (TC) intensity is quite challenging due to multiple competing processes among the TC internal dynamics and the environment. Most previous studies have evaluated the environmental effects on TC intensity change from both internal dynamics and external influence. This study quantifies the environmental effects on TC intensity change using a simple dynamically based dynamical system (DBDS) model recently developed. In this simple model, the environmental effects are uniquely represented by a ventilation parameterB, which can be expressed as multiplicative of individual ventilation parameters of the corresponding environmental effects. Their individual ventilation parameters imply their relative importance to the bulk environmental ventilation effect and thus to the TC intensity change. Six environmental factors known to affect TC intensity change are evaluated in the DBDS model using machine learning approaches with the best track data for TCs over the North Atlantic, central, eastern, and western North Pacific and the Statistical Hurricane Intensity Prediction Scheme (SHIPS) dataset during 1982–2021. Results show that the deep-layer vertical wind shear (VWS) is the dominant ventilation factor to reduce the intrinsic TC intensification rate or to drive the TC weakening, with its ventilation parameter ranging between 0.5 and 0.8 when environmental VWS between 200 and 850 hPa is larger than 8 m s⁻¹. Other environmental factors are generally secondary, with their respective ventilation parameters over 0.8. An interesting result is the strong dependence of the environmental effects on the stage of TC development.

 

Protein translation is tightly and precisely controlled by multiple mechanisms including upstream open reading frames (uORFs), but the origins of uORFs and their role in maize are largely unexplored. In this study, an active transposition event was identified during the propagation of maize inbred line B73. The transposon, which was named BTA for ‘B73 active transposable element hAT’, creates a novel dosage-dependent hypomorphic allele of the hexose transporter gene ZmSWEET4c through insertion within the coding sequence in the first exon, and results in reduced kernel size. The BTA insertion does not affect transcript abundance but reduces protein abundance of ZmSWEET4c, probably through the introduction of a uORF. Furthermore, the introduction of BTA sequence in the exon of other genes can regulate translation efficiency without affecting their mRNA levels. A transposon capture assay revealed 79 novel insertions for BTA and BTA-like elements. These insertion sites have typical euchromatin features, including low levels of DNA methylation and high levels of H3K27ac. A putative autonomous element that mobilizes BTA and BTA-like elements was identified. Together, our results suggest a transposon-based origin of uORFs and document a new role for transposable elements to influence protein abundance and phenotypic diversity by affecting the translation rate.

 

Abstract Previous studies have demonstrated the contribution of dissipative heating (DH) to the maximum potential intensity (MPI) of tropical cyclones (TCs). Since DH is a function of near-surface wind speed and thus TC intensity, a natural question arises as to whether DH contributes to the intensity dependence of TC potential intensification rate (PIR). To address this issue, an attempt has been made to include DH in a recently developed time-dependent theory of TC intensification. With this addition, the theory predicts a shift of the maximum PIR toward the higher intensity side, which is consistent with the intensity dependence of TC intensification rate in observed strong TCs. Since the theory without DH predicts a dependence of TC PIR on the square of the MPI, the inclusion of DH results in an even higher PIR for strong TCs. Considering the projected increase in TC MPI under global warming, the theoretical work implies that as the climate continues to warm, TCs may intensify more rapidly. This may not only make the TC intensity forecasting more difficult, but also may increase the threats of TCs to the coastal populations if TCs intensify more rapidly just before they make landfall. Significance Statement Previous studies have demonstrated that dissipative heating (DH) can significantly contribute to the maximum potential intensity (MPI) that a tropical cyclone (TC) can achieve given favorable environmental thermodynamic conditions of the atmosphere and the underlying ocean. Here we show that because DH is a function of near-surface wind speed and thus TC intensity, DH can also significantly contribute to the intensity dependence of TC potential intensification rate (PIR). This has been demonstrated by introducing DH into a recently developed time-dependent theory of TC intensification. With DH the theory predicts a shift of the maximum PIR toward the higher intensity side as observed in strong TCs. Therefore, as the climate continues to warm, TCs may intensify more rapidly and become stronger. 

Abstract In a recent study by Wang et al. that introduced a dynamical efficiency to the intensification potential of a tropical cyclone (TC) system, a simplified energetically based dynamical system (EBDS) model was shown to be able to capture the intensity dependence of TC potential intensification rate (PIR) in both idealized numerical simulations and observations. Although the EBDS model can capture the intensity dependence of TC intensification as in observations, a detailed evaluation has not yet been done. This study provides an evaluation of the EBDS model in reproducing the intensity-dependent feature of the observed TC PIR based on the best track data for TCs over the North Atlantic and central, eastern, and western North Pacific during 1982–2019. Results show that the theoretical PIR estimated by the EBDS model can capture basic features of the observed PIR reasonably well. The TC PIR in the best track data increases with increasing relative TC intensity [intensity normalized by its corresponding maximum potential intensity (MPI)] and reaches a maximum at an intermediate relative intensity around 0.6, and then decreases with increasing relative intensity to zero as the TC approaches its MPI, as in idealized numerical simulations. Results also show that the PIR for a given relative intensity increases with the increasing MPI and thus increasing sea surface temperature, which is also consistent with the theoretical PIR implied by the EBDS model. In addition, future directions to include environmental effects and make the EBDS model applicable to predict intensity change of real TCs are also discussed. 

During meiosis, crossovers (COs) are typically required to ensure faithful chromosomal segregation. Despite the requirement for at least one CO between each pair of chromosomes, closely spaced double COs are usually underrepresented due to a phenomenon called CO interference. LikeMus musculusandSaccharomyces cerevisiae,Arabidopsis thalianahas both interference-sensitive (Class I) and interference-insensitive (Class II) COs. However, the underlying mechanism controlling CO distribution remains largely elusive. Both AtMUS81 and AtFANCD2 promote the formation of Class II CO. Using both AtHEI10 and AtMLH1 immunostaining, two markers of Class I COs, we show that AtFANCD2 but not AtMUS81 is required for normal Class I CO distribution among chromosomes. DepletingAtFANCD2leads to a CO distribution pattern that is intermediate between that of wild-type and a Poisson distribution. Moreover, inAtfancm,Atfigl1, andAtrmi1mutants where increased Class II CO frequency has been reported previously, we observe Class I CO distribution patterns that are strikingly similar toAtfancd2.Surprisingly, we found that AtFANCD2 plays opposite roles in regulating CO frequency inAtfancmcompared with either inAtfigl1orAtrmi1.Together, these results reveal that although AtFANCD2, AtFANCM, AtFIGL1, and AtRMI1 regulate Class II CO frequency by distinct mechanisms, they have similar roles in controlling the distribution of Class I COs among chromosomes.

 

Abstract In this study, a simple energetically based dynamical system model of tropical cyclone (TC) intensification is modified to account for the observed dependence of the intensification rate (IR) on the storm intensity. According to the modified dynamical system model, the TC IR is controlled by the intensification potential (IP) and the weakening rate due to surface friction beneath the eyewall. The IP is determined primarily by the rate of change in the potential energy available for a TC to develop, which is a function of the thermodynamic conditions of the atmosphere and the underlying ocean, and the dynamical efficiency of the TC system. The latter depends strongly on the degree of convective organization within the eyewall and the inner-core inertial stability of the storm. At a relatively low TC intensity, the IP of the intensifying storm is larger than the frictional weakening rate, leading to an increase in the TC IR with TC intensity in this stage. As the storm reaches an intermediate intensity of 30-40 m s -1 , the difference between IP and frictional weakening rate reaches its maximum, concurrent with the maximum IR. Later on, the IR decreases as the TC intensifies further because the frictional dissipation increases with TC intensity at a faster rate than the IP. Finally, the storm approaches its maximum potential intensity (MPI) and the IR becomes zero. The modified dynamical system model is validated with results from idealized simulations with an axisymmetric nonhydrostatic, cloud-resolving model.