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In rice (Oryza sativa), amylose content (AC) is the major factor that determines eating and cooking quality (ECQ). The diversity in AC is largely attributed to natural allelic variation at the Waxy (Wx) locus. Here we identified a rare Wx allele, Wx mw, which combines a favorable AC, improved ECQ and grain transparency. Based on a phylogenetic analysis of Wx genomic sequences from 370 rice accessions, we speculated that Wx mw may have derived from recombination between two important natural Wx alleles, Wx in and Wx b. We validated the effects of Wx mw on rice grain quality using both transgenic lines and near‐isogenic lines (NILs). When introgressed into the japonica Nipponbare (NIP) background, Wx mw resulted in a moderate AC that was intermediate between that of NILs carrying the Wx b allele and NILs with the Wx mp allele. Notably, mature grains of NILs fixed for Wx mw had an improved transparent endosperm relative to soft rice. Further, we introduced Wx mw into a high‐yielding japonica cultivar via molecular marker‐assisted selection: the introgressed lines exhibited clear improvements in ECQ and endosperm transparency. Our results suggest that Wx mw is a promising allele to improve grain quality, especially ECQ and grain transparency of high‐yielding japonica cultivars, in rice breeding programs., In the present study, a rare Wx allele, Wxmw which may have derived from recombination between two important natural Wx alleles in rice, was identified as a promising allele to improve grain quality, especially cooked rice taste and grain transparency of high‐yielding japonica cultivars, in rice breeding programs.

In rice grains, the Waxy (Wx) gene is responsible for the synthesis of amylose, the most important determinant for eating and cooking quality. The effects of several Wx alleles on amylose content and the taste of cooked rice have been elucidated. However, the relationship between artificial selection and the evolution of various Wx alleles as well as their distribution remain unclear. Here we report the identification of an ancestral allele, Wxlv, which dramatically affects the mouthfeel of rice grains by modulating the size of amylose molecules. We demonstrated that Wxlv originated directly from wild rice, and the three major Wx alleles in cultivated rice (Wxb, Wxa, and Wxin) differentiated after the substitution of one base pair at the functional sites. These data indicate that the Wxlv allele played an important role in artificial selection and domestication. The findings also shed light on the evolution of various Wx alleles, which have greatly contributed to improving the eating and cooking quality of rice.

In this study, a convection-allowing ensemble prediction experiment was conducted on a strong convective weather process, based on the local breeding growth mode (LBGM) method proposed according to the strongly local nature of the convective-scale weather system. A comparative analysis of the evolution characteristics of the initial perturbation was also performed, considering the results from the traditional breeding growth mode (BGM) method, to enhance understanding and application of this new initial perturbation generation method. The experimental results showed that LBGM results in the perturbation distribution exhibiting characteristics more evident of flow dependence, and an initial perturbation with greater definite kinetic significance was derived. Information entropy theory could well measure the amount of information contained in the perturbation distribution, indicating that the innovative initial perturbation generation method can increase the amount of local information associated with the initial perturbation. With regard to the physical perturbation quantities, the LBGM method can improve the dispersion of the ensemble prediction system, thereby solving the problem of insufficient ensemble spread of prediction systems obtained by the traditional BGM method. Simultaneously, the root-mean-square error of the prediction can be further reduced, and the predicted precipitation distribution is closer to the observed precipitation, thereby improving the prediction effect of the convection-allowing ensemble prediction. The LBGM method has advantages compared to the traditional method and provides a new theoretical basis for further development of initial perturbation technologies for convection-allowing ensemble prediction.

Arabidopsis thaliana transcriptomes have been extensively studied and characterized under different conditions. However, most of the current ‘RNA-sequencing’ technologies produce a relatively short read length and demand a reverse-transcription step, preventing effective characterization of transcriptome complexity. Here, we performed Direct RNA Sequencing (DRS) using the latest Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) with exceptional read length. We demonstrate that the complexity of the A. thaliana transcriptomes has been substantially under-estimated. The ONT direct RNA sequencing identified novel transcript isoforms at both the vegetative (14-day old seedlings, stage 1.04) and reproductive stages (stage 6.00–6.10) of development. Using in-house software called TrackCluster, we determined alternative transcription initiation (ATI), alternative polyadenylation (APA), alternative splicing (AS), and fusion transcripts. More than 38 500 novel transcript isoforms were identified, including six categories of fusion-transcripts that may result from differential RNA processing mechanisms. Aided by the Tombo algorithm, we found an enrichment of m5C modifications in the mobile mRNAs, consistent with a recent finding that m5C modification in mRNAs is crucial for their long-distance movement. In summary, ONT DRS offers an advantage in the identification and functional characterization of novel RNA isoforms and RNA base modifications, significantly improving annotation of the A. thaliana genome.

Perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) have emerged as highly promising optical gain materials for laser applications. Despite the recent surge of reports on their lasing performance, it remains a challenge to achieve PNCs-based single-mode vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs) because of their inhomogeneous gain saturation. Here, we successfully demonstrate high performance single-mode VCSELs using CsPbBr3 PNCs that were synthesized via a facile ligand-assisted reprecipitation strategy. The optical gain medium with wide crystal size range was fabricated, and the dense assembly of each individual PNCs was expected to offer a homogeneous optical continuum to reduce gain saturation inhomogeneity. The fabricated VCSELs exhibit excellent single-mode lasing at ~541 nm without mode hopping and high spontaneous emission coupling factor of ~0.24, which is one order of magnitude higher than those of nitride-based VCSELs. Through streak camera direct observations, the stimulated emission of the laser device exhibits an ultrafast decay of ~10 ps, and the electron hole plasma (EHP) mechanism is considered responsible for stimulated emission in the VCSELs. This work paves the way toward next-generation high performance PNC-based single-mode laser devices with reduced fabrication cost for practical application.

Under a declining trend of fog days in China, the duration of fog events since the 1990s reached a significant peak in the late autumn of 2018 over Eastern China. The average anomalous fog days were 4.74 d in November 2018 over Jiangsu Province in Eastern China, with a 1.73 standard deviation departure from climatology. Those fogs can thus be identified as a significantly abnormal climatic event with long duration, strong intensity, and extensive coverage. Based on the daily evolutions and correlations of atmospheric parameters, the dense fogs are revealed to be well configured by favorable metrological conditions such as weak dynamic progress, strong inversion in the lower troposphere and saturated air near the surface. If not disturbed, the intensification or duration of these conditions will further promote and maintain the development of fogs. The anomalous atmospheric background associated with those favorable meteorological conditions is revealed by composing the standardized anomalies of circulation fields during the fog days. Over the fog areas, vortex activities or cold air invasion is effectively hampered and the atmosphere inclines to be stable, due to the anomalous circulation pattern composed of the broadened jet stream, weakened jet core over Eastern China, undermined East Asian trough, declined East Asian winter monsoon, and enhanced anomalous southerly flows that transport abnormal warm and wet air to Eastern China. The vapor supplement is intensified by both sustained anomalous northward wind at the lower troposphere and anomalous westward wind in the near-surface. Overall, the numbers of standardized anomalies of 1000&ndash, 200-hPa height, temperature, wind, and moisture fields during these fog days all significantly depart from climatology for that locale and time of the season, further demonstrating that the persistent dense fogs over Eastern China in the late autumn of 2018 is an unusual weather event with extreme synoptic-scale departures from normal.

Obtaining whispering gallery mode (WGM) lasing with prominent stability and high quality optical cavities is extremely desirable but still a great challenge. Despite the recent surge of reports on microspheres, nanowires and nanoplatelets metal halide crystals, there has few reports on the morphology of Hemispheres (HSs) in the form of uniform, component-tunable microcrystals. Here, CsPbX3 (X = Cl/Br) HSs with smooth surface and regular geometry structure were synthesized on silicon substrates by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, and the wavelength of laser can be continuously tuned from blue to green (450–540 nm) at room temperature by varying the halide composition. WGM laser with polarization ratio of 0.70 and cavity quality factor Q of 2485 were realized in the CsPbBr3 HS cavity. Besides, the crystal cavity suggested a high photonic and thermal stability for the superb capability of continuous stable lasing output under ambient conditions. All these results illustrate that the synthesis of cesium lead halide perovskite HSs may provide an alternative solution for fundamental researches and applications in optical devices.

The middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin (MLRYB) are prone to flooding because their orientation is parallel to the East Asian summer monsoon rain belt. Since the East Asian summer monsoon presents pronounced intraseasonal variability, the subseasonal prediction of summer precipitation anomalies in the MLRYB region is an imperative demand nationwide. Based on rotated empirical orthogonal function analysis, 48 stations over the MLRYB with coherent intraseasonal (10–80-day) rainfall variability are identified. Power spectrum analysis of the MLRYB rainfall index, defined as the 48-station-averaged intraseasonal rainfall anomaly, presents two dominant modes with periods of 20–30 days and 40–60 days, respectively. Therefore, the intraseasonal (10–80-day) rainfall variability is divided into 10–30-day and 30–80-day components, and their predictability sources are detected separately. Spatial-temporal projection models (STPM) are then conducted using these predictability sources. The forecast skill during the period 2003–2010 indicates that the STPM is able to capture the 30–80-day rainfall anomalies 5–30 days in advance, but unable to reproduce the 10–30-day rainfall anomalies over MLRYB. The year-to-year fluctuation in forecast skill might be related to the tropical Pacific sea surface temperature anomalies. High forecasting skill tends to appear after a strong El Niño or strong La Niña when the summer seasonal mean rainfall over the MLRYB is enhanced, whereas low skill is apparent after neutral conditions or a weak La Niña when the MLRYB summer seasonal mean rainfall is weakened. Given the feasibility of STPM, the application of this technique is recommended in the real-time operational forecasting of MLRYB rainfall anomalies during the summer flooding season.