The great demographic pressure brings tremendous volume of beef demand. The key to solve this problem is the growth and development of Chinese cattle. In order to find molecular markers conducive to the growth and development of Chinese cattle, sequencing was used to determine the position of copy number variations (CNVs), bioinformatics analysis was used to predict the function of ZNF146 gene, real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used for CNV genotyping and one-way analysis of variance was used for association analysis. The results showed that there exists CNV in Chr 18: 47225201-47229600 (5.0.1 version) of ZNF146 gene through the early sequencing results in the laboratory and predicted ZNF146 gene was expressed in liver, skeletal muscle and breast cells, and was amplified or overexpressed in pancreatic cancer, which promoted the development of tumour through bioinformatics. Therefore, it is predicted that ZNF146 gene affects the proliferation of muscle cells, and then affects the growth and development of cattle. Furthermore, CNV genotyping of ZNF146 gene was three types (deletion type, normal type and duplication type) by Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qPCR). The association analysis results showed that ZNF146-CNV was significantly correlated with rump length of Qinchuan cattle, hucklebone width of Jiaxian red cattle and heart girth of Yunling cattle. From the above results, ZNF146-CNV had a significant effect on growth traits, which provided an important candidate molecular marker for growth and development of Chinese cattle.

Gravitational waves from coalescing neutron stars encode information about nuclear matter at extreme densities, inaccessible by laboratory experiments. The late inspiral is influenced by the presence of tides, which depend on the neutron star equation of state. Neutron star mergers are expected to often produce rapidly rotating remnant neutron stars that emit gravitational waves. These will provide clues to the extremely hot post-merger environment. This signature of nuclear matter in gravitational waves contains most information in the 2–4 kHz frequency band, which is outside of the most sensitive band of current detectors. We present the design concept and science case for a Neutron Star Extreme Matter Observatory (NEMO): a gravitational-wave interferometer optimised to study nuclear physics with merging neutron stars. The concept uses high-circulating laser power, quantum squeezing, and a detector topology specifically designed to achieve the high-frequency sensitivity necessary to probe nuclear matter using gravitational waves. Above 1 kHz, the proposed strain sensitivity is comparable to full third-generation detectors at a fraction of the cost. Such sensitivity changes expected event rates for detection of post-merger remnants from approximately one per few decades with two A+ detectors to a few per year and potentially allow for the first gravitational-wave observations of supernovae, isolated neutron stars, and other exotica.

X-ray reference powder patterns and structures have been determined for a series of cobalt- and tungsten-containing cubic alkaline-earth perovskites, (BaxSr1–x)2CoWO6 (x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9). The structure of the end members of the series, Sr2CoWO6 and Ba2CoWO6, were tetragonal and cubic, respectively, agreeing with the literature data. From Rietveld refinements, it was found that when x = 0.1 and 0.2, the structure was tetragonal I4/m (a = 5.60481(6) and 5.62305(11) Å and c = 7.97989(12) and 7.9847(2) Å, respectively; Z = 2). When x > 0.2, the structure was cubic (Fm$\bar{3}$m, No. 225; Z = 4) (from x = 0.3 to 0.9, a increases from 7.98399(13) to 8.08871(10) Å). This tetragonal series of compounds exhibit the characteristics of a distorted double-perovskite structure. The bond valence sum values for the alkaline-earth (Ba, Sr) sites in all (BaxSr1−x)2CoWO6 members are greater than the ideal value of 2.0, indicating over-bonding situation, whereas for the W sites, as x increases, a change from under-bonding to slightly over-bonding situation was observed. Density functional theory calculations revealed that while Sr2CoWO6 is a semiconductor, Ba2CoWO6 and SrBaCoWO6 are half-metals. Powder X-ray diffraction patterns of this series of compounds (BaxSr1−x)2CoWO6, with x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.5, 0.7, and 0.9, have been submitted to be included in the Powder Diffraction File.

The PM10 (airborne particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter <10 mm) in Beijing has a distinct seasonality, with industrial, domestic and natural sources providing a heterogeneous cocktail of airborne particulate matter (PM). Collections were made during late winter, summer and high wind dust storms to determine composition and probable sources of this PM. The concentration of the PM during winter (174 μg m–3) was approximately four times higher than summer (37 μg m–3) with dust storms raising the concentration further (200 μg m–3). During the winter the PM was dominated by combustion products (66% filter area). During the summer combustion products and loess contributed ~35% to the filter area each, but during elevated wind speeds (>10 mph) loess completely dominated the collections (96% filter area). The majority of the PM10 collected was in the respirable (PM2.5) size range (winter 99.7%, summer 96.6%, dust storms 82.3%). The loess in Beijing comprises quartz, feldspar, calcite, chlorite and mica and is in the coarse silt to sand (20–60 mm) size range. The collections are therefore likely to be made up of finer silt and clay, primarily derived from of the erosion of cultivated land. Using a plasmid assay, the Beijing particulate matter was found to have little or no surface free radical activity.

Two middle Permian (Capitanian) to Early Triassic (Griesbachian) rugosochonetidae brachiopod genera, Fusichonetes Liao in Zhao et al., 1981 and Tethyochonetes Chen et al., 2000, have been regarded as two distinct taxa and used as such for a wide range of discussions including biostratigraphy, paleoecology, paleobiogeography, and the Permian-Triassic boundary mass extinction. However, the supposed morphological distinctions between the two taxa are subtle at best and appear to represent two end members of a continuum of morphological variations. In this study, we applied a range of quantitative and analytical procedures (bivariate plots, Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, categorical principle component analysis, and cladistic analysis) to a dataset of 15 quantified morphological variables, integrating both key external and internal characters, measured from 141 specimens of all well-known Fusichonetes and Tethyochonetes in order to test whether or not these two genera could be distinguished in view of the chosen characters. The results indicate that these two genera are morphologically indistinguishable and that the species classification previously applied to these two genera appears to represent polyphyletic groupings within the genus Fusichonetes. Consequently, Tethyochonetes is concluded to be a junior synonym of Fusichonetes. The diagnosis and key characteristics of Fusichonetes are clarified and refined based on a new suite of well-preserved specimens from the Permian−Triassic Xinmin section in South China.

We provide the first detailed systematic taxonomy and paleoecological investigation of late Paleozoic brachiopod faunas from Korea. Specifically, we focus on the brachiopods from the Geumcheon-Jangseong Formation, the lower part of the Pyeongan Supergroup in the Taebaeksan Basin. The formation yields a variety of marine invertebrate fossils, including brachiopods, molluscs, echinoderms, corals, fusulinids, and conodonts. Diverse brachiopods are described from six siliciclastic horizons of the formation at three localities, including 23 species belonging to 20 genera with two new species: Rhipidomella parva n. sp. and Stenoscisma wooi n. sp. Three brachiopod assemblages of the late Moscovian (Pennsylvanian) age are recognized based on their species compositions and stratigraphic distributions, namely the Choristites, Rhipidomella, and Hustedia assemblages. The brachiopod faunal composition varies within each assemblage as well as between the Assemblages, most likely reflecting local paleoenvironmental and hence paleoecological differences. The Choristites Assemblage includes relatively large brachiopods represented by Derbyia, Choristites, and Stenoscisma and may have inhabited open marine to partly restricted marine environments, whereas the Rhipidomella and Hustedia Assemblages consist of a small number of small-sized brachiopods living in lagoonal environments. The Choristites Assemblage shows a close affinity with Moscovian brachiopod assemblages in the eastern Paleo-Tethys regions, especially the Brachythyrina lata-Choristites yanghukouensis-Echinoconchus elegans Assemblage of North China, whereas the Rhipidomella and Hustedia assemblages both exhibit strong endemism.

Barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. # ECHCG] spikelets were collected from greenhouse-grown plants at various developmental stages. Caryopses contained in a single spikelet were dormant at maturity, but dormancy was overcome when the spikelets were dry afterripened at 23 C or were treated with high temperatures, acid scarification, or punctured with a scalpel. The season at which anthesis occurred affected the length of time for afterripening. Enhanced germination due to puncturing and scarification was not related to removal of a restriction to water entry. The effectiveness of puncturing in overcoming dormancy depended on moisture content of the spikelets at the time of puncturing. Above 18% moisture content germination percentage was low regardless of the dormancy-releasing treatment.

Various surgical cuts were used to induce germination of dormant barnyardgrass [Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv. # ECHCG] caryopses. Greater percentages of germination were obtained when the cuts were made closer to the embryo. However, removal of only the caryopsis coat covering the coleoptile or midembryo axis induced up to 10% germination compared to 70% germination for caryopses with the coat covering the radicle removed. Dormancy of barnyardgrass was not caused by the inability of the embryo to imbibe, imposed mechanical resistance of the caryopsis coat, or presence of an inhibitor. A wounding response, other than ethylene production, by the cut caryopses was possibly responsible for stimulating germination. Similar responses to cutting observed in afterripened caryopses were consistent with the suggested hypothesis.

Induction of germination in dormant barnyardgrass seeds by wounding was investigated. Previous research indicated that a volatile compound was emitted during imbibition of wounded caryopses. When wounded caryopses were submerged in agar, total germination and speed of germination were stimulated, and the stimulation was dependent upon the concentration of agar. A twofold increase in germination occurred in 1% agar versus water, and a fivefold increase with caryopses placed in 5% agar. When wounded caryopses were imbibed, there was a fourfold increase in respiration over that of intact caryopses after 1 h. This increased rate of respiration of wounded caryopses continued for 7 h, while there was a gradual increase in respiration of intact caryopses. Carbon dioxide induced intact dormant caryopses to germinate but was not effective in stimulating germination of the seed (spikelet). High levels of abscisic acid found in the hulls of dormant seeds may have prevented the action of carbon dioxide. These results suggest that increased respiration resulting from wounding provides elevated levels of carbon dioxide in the microenvironment of the seed, thus stimulating germination. Removal of the hulls is necessary for germination even in high levels of carbon dioxide.

This paper describes 19 brachiopod species (including six indeterminate species) in 15 genera and one indeterminate genus from the basal Itaituba Formation at the Caima Quarry 1 section of Itaituba, Amazon Basin, Brazil. The faunal correlations of the brachiopods and the associated fusulinids and conodonts indicate a late Chesterian (late Serpukhovian) age for the described fauna, therefore confirming for the first time the presence of uppermost Mississippian rocks in the Amazon Basin. A new species, Composita caimaensis, is created, and two species, Inflatia cf. gracilis and Marginovatia cf. catinulus, are described for the first time from the Amazon Basin. The Amazon brachiopods appear to be of strong affinity with coeval faunas of the North American midcontinent.

An enteletid brachiopod genus Peltichia Jin and Liao, 1981, is reviewed and emended based on specimens from the Permian sequences of Japan, South China, Vietnam, and Transcaucasia. New and revised taxa are Peltichia akasakensis (Ozawa), P. kwangtungensis (Zhan), P. ruzhencevi (Sokolskaja), P. sinensis (Huang), P. subtriangularis new species, P. transversus (Huang), and P. zigzag (Huang). The genus Peltichia, consisting of 10 species, ranges from Kungurian to Changhsingian, and is distributed geographically in the Tethyan Realm and its surrounding areas and probably as well as in the western Panthalassan region.

A brachiopod fauna of 16 species belonging to 11 genera and three genera and species indeterminate from the middle and upper parts of the Juripu Formation in the Yarlung-Zangbo (Indus-Tsangbo) Suture zone (=Yarlung-Zangbo River zone), southern Tibet, is described and figured for the first time. A new species, Taeniothaerus zhongbaensis, is described. The fauna is comparable with that in the Kalabagh Member of the Wargal Formation of the Salt Range, Pakistan, and is considered to be most likely Capitanian (late Guadalupian/Middle Permian) to Wuchiapingian (early Lopingian/early Late Permian) in age, as indicated by the majority of the brachiopod species and by being constrained by an underlying fusulinacean fauna (Parafusulina Zone) and an overlying ammonite fauna (Cyclolobus fauna).

Four new Early Carboniferous athyridid species in three genera, including one new genus, Bruntonathyris, are described from the Qaidam Basin, northwest China: Lamellosathyris qaidamensis, Bruntonathyris amunikeensis, Bruntonathyris? heijianshanensis, and Lochengia qinghaiensis. Based on the new material and also on published information, we also reviewed the taxonomic composition and the stratigraphic and paleogeographic distributions of the three genera. As a result, Lamellosathyris is considered to be indicative of late Famennian to Viséan age, originating in late Famennian in central North America and Armenia of Russia, respectively. Later, the genus appears to have two migratory directions: one branch rapidly dispersed over Mississippi Valley, Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico of central North America in Tournaisian; alternatively, another branch from Armenia migrated westerly to Belgium, France, Spain, Britain, Ireland, via the Moscow Basin and Ural seaway, eastward to the Tienshan Mountains and Qaidam Basin of northwest China during the Tournaisian to Viséan, and easterly along the southern shelves of the Paleo-Tethys to Iran and western Yunnan of southwestern China in Tournaisian. Both Bruntonathyris and Lochengia are restrictedly Tournaisian to Viséan in age, and probably originated in the Qaidam Basin. Later, Bruntonathyris migrated easterly to South China and Japan, and westerly to Urals, Moscow Basin, Donetsk Basin and Britain; Lochengia migrated easterly to South China and westerly to the Urals seaway and the adjoined Russian Platform (i.e., both the Moscow and Donetsk Basins).

Spatial and temporal variations in biological diversity are critical in understanding the role of biogeographical regulation (if any) on mass extinctions. An analysis based on a latest database of the stratigraphic ranges of 89 Permian brachiopod families, 422 genera, and 2059 species within the Boreal, Paleoequatorial, and Gondwanan Realms in the Asian–western Pacific region suggests two discrete mass extinctions, each possibly with different causes. Using species/family rarefaction analysis, we constructed diversity curves for late Artinskian–Kungurian, Roadian–Wordian, Capitanian, and Wuchiapingian intervals for filtering out uneven sampling intensities. The end-Changhsingian (latest Permian) extinction eliminated 87–90% of genera and 94–96% of species of Brachiopoda. The timing of the end-Changhsingian extinction of brachiopods in the carbonate settings of South China and southern Tibet indicates that brachiopods suffered a rapid extinction within a short interval just below the Permian/Triassic boundary.

In comparison, the end-Guadalupian/late Guadalupian extinction is less profound and varies temporally in different realms. Brachiopods in the western Pacific sector of the Boreal Realm nearly disappeared by the end-Guadalupian but experienced a relatively long-term press extinction spanning the entire Guadalupian in the Gondwanan Realm. The end-Guadalupian brachiopod diversity fall is not well reflected at the timescale used here in the Paleoequatorial Realm because the life-depleted early Wuchiapingian was overlapped by a rapid radiation phase in the late Wuchiapingian. The Guadalupian fall appears to be related to the dramatic reduction of habitat area for the brachiopods, which itself is associated with the withdrawal of seawater from continental Pangea and the closure of the Sino-Mongolian seaway by the end-Guadalupian.

Although there is a generally accepted framework for the Permian marine biogeography of Australia, significant uncertainties remain concerning the temporal biogeographical changes closely related to the timing of Permian glacial–interglacial events. Several recent studies along these research lines demonstrate the importance of a reliable high-resolution biostratigraphical timescale for paleobiogeographical and paleoclimatic reconstructions. This paper provides, for the first time, a full taxonomic and biostratigraphical study of the brachiopod fauna from the Wasp Head Formation, southern Sydney Basin, southeastern Australia. The fauna is associated with deposits of the first Permian glacial interval suggested for eastern Australia. Three brachiopod assemblages are recognized. The lower and middle assemblages contain scarce brachiopods although associated bivalves are comparatively more common. Despite very low diversity and low abundance, these two brachiopod assemblages contain characteristic species of the Strophalosia concentrica and Strophalosia subcircularis brachiopod zones, both considered of late Asselian age. The third assemblage, occurring in the uppermost part of the formation, contains more brachiopods than bivalves and is referred to early Sakmarian in age. The species diversity and stratigraphic occurrences of the brachiopod assemblages in relation to sedimentary facies suggest that the lower two assemblages may represent an intra-glacial interval while the younger third assemblage, characterized by abundant occurrences of Trigonotreta and Tomiopsis species, accompanied by the bivalve Eurydesma, is more indicative of a post-glacial benthic marine fauna comparable to coeval brachiopod faunas found elsewhere in Gondwana.