Exploration on Ideological and Political Construction of Higher Vocational English Course in Southern Xinjiang from the Perspective of "Cultural Confidence"

At present,the lack of Chinese culture in higher vocational English teaching in southern Xinjiang is serious.The existing English curriculum system is not enough to support the goal of cultivating ethnic minority college students cultural confidence,and its curriculum ideological and political construction is still in the initial stage of exploration.The combination of the Chinese national culture and the ethnic culture of Xinjiang and the ideological and political elements organically integrated into cultural confidence have endowed the vocational English education in Xinjiang with the characteristics of the times.In this paper,from the perspective of China s"cultural confidence",ideological and political elements were explored,and the background of ideological and political construction in higher vocational English teaching course in southern Xinjiang was analyzed;it is expounded that the ideological and political construction is an inevitable requirement for the high-quality development of vocational English education in southern Xinjiang,and the content design and implementation path of higher vocational English course was explored to provide new ideas and new ways for the curriculum ideological and political construction of higher vocational English teaching in southern Xinjiang.

Research on Identification Method of Apple Diseases in Southern Xinjiang Based on Deep Learning and Its System Implementation

Apple disease samples were collected from the southern Xinjiang and annotated to design a convolutional neural network model based on deep learning.The accuracy and robustness of the model was improved through training and optimization algorithms,and a complete apple disease identification system was developed with the model as the core,and evaluated for its performance in terms of accuracy,recall rate and speed.This study provides a reliable AI-based apple disease diagnosis solution for the apple planting industry in the southern Xinjiang,hoping to help farmers better manage and protect crop health.

LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating of tuffites in the Sachakou Pb-Zn mining area, Karakorum, Xinjiang and its establishment of Early Triassic strata

1.Objective In the past decade,a group of medium to giant lead-zinc deposits,represented by Huoshaoyun,Sachakou,and Yuanbaoling,have been discovered in the Aksai Chin region of Karakoram,Xinjiang.They are all located in the Mesozoic carbonate and clastic rock formations.The Sachakou leadzinc mining area is adjacent to the northwest of the Huoshaoyun lead-zinc mining area and is in the same stratigraphic layer as Huoshaoyun.Although many scholars have been arguing about the type and age of Huoshaoyun lead-zinc mineralization,few scholars have paid attention to the classification of the ore-bearing strata in the area.The stratigraphy of the Lower Permian Shenxianwan Group to the Upper Cretaceous Tielongtan Group is exposed in the Sachakou area of Karakorum,Xinjiang,however,the Late Permian-Early Triassic stratigraphy is missing(Fig.1a).Due to the harsh natural conditions in the area and the low level of work,the stratigraphic delineation is not exhaustive,and the regional lithology is dominated by carbonates and clastic rocks,which makes it difficult to identify the age of the regional lithology and causes problems for the exploration and research of lead-zinc in the area.

Dynamics in the Prevalence of Insulin Resistance between 2005 and 2023 in Type 2 Diabetics in South Kivu in the East of the Democratic Republic of Congo: Cross-Sectional Studies

Aim: Sub-Saharan Africa is undergoing an epidemiological transition responsible for a change in the metabolic profile in favour of insulin resistance. The aim of this study was to assess the dynamics of the prevalence of insulin resistance and associated risk factors in diabetic patients in the Democratic Republic of Congo between 2005 and 2023. Method: We measured fasting blood glucose and insulin levels and looked for metabolic syndrome parameters (2009 criteria) in type 2 diabetes patients in 2005-2008 (n = 176) and in 2018-2023 (n = 303). The HOMA model was used to measure insulin sensitivity and islet β-cell secretory function. Results: Between 2005 and 2013, the trend was towards an increase in the prevalence of insulin resistance (from 13.1% to 50.8%;p Conclusion: This present study shows an increase in insulin resistance in Congolese urban areas and a persistence of atypical diabetes mellitus in Congolese rural areas, confirming the particularity of the pathophysiology of the disease in African areas currently influenced by the epidemiological transition. Further studies using an appropriate methodology are required.

Vitamin D, Parathyroid Hormone, Insulin Sensitivity and Islet β-Cell Secretory Function in Diabetic Patients from South Kivu in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The role of vitamin D and parathyroid hormone in the metabolic profile of type 2 diabetes mellitus in sub-Saharan Africa has not been adequately assessed. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of low vitamin D level and secondary hyperparathyroidism and their association with insulin sensitivity and β-cell secretory function among Congolese type 2 diabetics. Methodology: Fasting glycaemia, fasting insulin, 25OH D3 and human parathyroid hormone (hPTH) were measured in one hundred and eighty-four type 2 diabetic patients followed as outpatients in South Kivu. Levels of 25OH D3 65 pg/ml defined low vitamin D and elevated parathyroid hormone levels, respectively. The HOMA model was used to measure insulin sensitivity and β-cell secretory function. Results: Medians (IQR) were 25.3 (20.4 - 32.4) ng/ml for 25OH D3 and 53.7 (38.4 - 115.7) pg/ml for hPTH. 58.7% of diabetics had insulin resistance, 126 (68.5%) had low vitamin D and 80 (43.5%) had hyperparathyroidism. In multivariate analysis, hPTH (partial r = −0.28;p = 0.0002) and 25OH D3 (partial r = 0.16;p = 0.03) showed an independent association with insulin sensitivity after adjustment for body mass index and waist circumference. Finally, hPTH (partial r = 0.27;p = 0.0002) was the sole determinant of β-cell secretory function. Conclusions: This study confirms the high prevalence of low vitamin D level and secondary hyperparathyroidism and their association with insulin resistance and impaired islet β-cell secretory function among Congolese with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Vitamin D and calcium supplementation should be envisaged for cases of deficiency in this region.

Trace elements in magmatic and hydrothermal quartz:Implications on the genesis of the Xingluokeng Tungsten Deposit,South China

The Xingluokeng deposit is the largest gran-ite-related tungsten deposit within the Wuyi metallogenic belt in South China.The Xingluokeng intrusion primarily consists of porphyritic biotite granite,biotite granite,andfine-grained granite.The deposit is represented by veinlet-disseminated mineralization with K-feldspathization and biotitization,alongside quartz-vein mineralization with gre-isenization and sericitization.This study investigates in-situ analyses of quartz compositions from both the intrusion and hydrothermal veinlets and veins.Trace element correlations indicate that trivalent Al^(3+)and Fe^(3+)replace Si^(4+)within the quartz lattice,with monovalent cations(such as Li^(+),Na^(+),and K^(+))primarily serving as charge compensators.Low Ge/Al ratios(<0.013)of quartz from granites suggest a mag-matic origin.The low Al/Ti and Ge/Ti ratios,accompanied by high Ti contents in quartz,suggest that the porphyritic biotite granite and biotite granite are characterized by rela-tively low levels of differentiation and high crystallization temperatures.In contrast,thefine-grained granite exhibits a higher degree of fractionation,lower crystallization tem-peratures,and a closer association with tungsten miner-alization.Ti contents in quartz from quartz veins indicate Qz-Ⅰformed at temperatures above 400°C,while Qz-Ⅱto Qz-Ⅴformed at temperatures below 350°C.Variations in different generations of quartz,as indicated by Al content and(Al+Fe)/(Li+Na+K)ratio,suggest that Qz-Ⅰprecipi-tated from a less acidicfluid with a stable pH,whereas Qz-Ⅱto Qz-Ⅴoriginated from a more acidicfluid with notable pH variations.Consequently,alkaline alteration and acidic alteration supplied the essential Ca and Fe for the precipita-tion of scheelite and wolframite,respectively,highlighting a critical mechanism in tungsten mineralization at the Xin-gluokeng deposit.

Estimation of Potential Habitat of Caragana acanthophylla in Xinjiang Based on Maximum Entropy Model

[Objectives]To determine the potential habitat range of Caragana acanthophylla in Xinjiang.[Methods]The known distribution points of C.acanthophylla were used as samples,and a MaxEnt model was developed based on their climatic variables to identify key environmental factors affecting the potential habitats of C.acanthophylla through jackknife method and construction of a response relationship between representative variables and habitat suitability;the suitability of habitats for C.acanthophylla in Xinjiang was evaluated based on the output results of the model.[Results](i)The accuracy of the model verified by AUC curve was 0.971,indicating that the potential habitats of C.acanthophylla in Xinjiang predicted by MaxEnt model were highly credible.(ii)The optimum climatic characteristics for the distribution of C.acanthophylla in Xinjiang were:isothermality 18.8%-34%,minimum temperature of coldest month-30℃to-13℃,mean temperature of coldest quarter-18℃ to-4℃,annual precipitation 80-410 mm,precipitation of driest month 0-25 mm,precipitation of driest quarter 0-82 mm,and precipitation of coldest quarter 0-75 mm.(iii)The total potential distribution area of C.acanthophylla in Xinjiang was modeled to be 1.03×10^(5) km^(2),of which 8.54×10^(3)km^(2) was high suitability area,mainly in the front mountain belt of the north slope of Tianshan Mountain in Urumqi City,Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture,Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture,and Yili Kazak Autonomous Prefecture and the front mountain belt of Barluk Mountain in Tacheng Prefecture.[Conclusions]This study is of great significance for the future scientific management,regeneration,vegetation restoration and ecological protection of C.acanthophylla.

New record of the feather star Palaeocomatella hiwia(Echinodermata:Crinoidea:Comatulida)from Zhenbei Seamount in South China Sea:new insights into the taxonomic position of Palaeocomatella

One specimen belonging to the family Comatellinae was collected from the Zhenbei Seamount(332.5–478.2 m)in the South China Sea in July 2022.Based on the morphological characters,the specimen was identified as Palaeocomatella hiwia McKnight,1977.It is first recorded from China Sea and redescribed in detail.This specimen differs from the original description from New Zealand for never showing syzygy at br4+5 or br5+6 on interior and br1+2 on exterior arms.However,it is much conform to the redescription to specimens from Indonesia,with only differences in position of the second syzygy and distalmost pinnule comb.Specimen is deposited in the Institute of Oceanology,Chinese Academy of Sciences.Phylogenetic analyses based on the mitochondrial c oxidase subunit I(COI)and 16S rRNA genes indicated that P.hiwia was nested within the tribe Phanogeniini and clustered with Aphanocomaster pulcher.Furthermore,P.hiwia showed same morphological features in terms of mouth placement,comb location,and number of comb teeth rows as other genera of Phanogeniini.Therefore,we suggest that the genus Palaeocomatella should be put in the tribe Phanogeniini.

Morphological and Sulfur-Isotopic Characteristics of Pyrites in the Deep Sediments from Xisha Trough,South China Sea

Pyrite is one of the common authigenic minerals in marine sediments.Previous studies have shown that the morphological and isotopic characteristics of pyrite are closely related to the geochemical environment where it is formed.To better understand the for-mation mechanism of authigenic pyrite,we analyzed the isotopic composition,morphology,and distribution of pyrite in the sediment at 500m below the seafloor from Xisha Trough,South China Sea.Mineral morphologies were observed by scanning electron micros-copy and Raman spectrography.X-Ray computed tomography was applied to measure the particle size of pyrite.The size of pyrite crystals in the matrix sediment mainly ranged between 25 and 65µm(av.ca.40µm),although crystals were larger(av.ca.50μm)in the veins.The pyrites had a fine-grained truncated octahedral shape with occasionally well-developed growth steps,which implies the low growth rate and weak anaerobic oxidation of methane-sulfate reduction when pyrite was formed.Theδ^(34)S values of pyrites ranged from+20.8‰Vienna-defined Canyon Diablo Troilite(V-CDT)to+33.2‰V-CDT and from+44.8‰V-CDT to+48.9‰,which suggest two growth stages.In the first stage,with the continuous low methane flux,the pyrite possibly formed in an environment with good access to seawater.In the second stage,the pyrites mainly developed in sediment fractures and appeared in veins,probably due to the limited availability of sulfate.The less exposure of pyrite to the environment in the second stage was probably caused by sediment accumulation or perturbation.In this study,an episodic pyritization process was identified,and the paleoenvironment was reconstructed for the sediment investigated.

Late Triassic Intracontinental Deformation of South Tianshan,Central Asia:Evidence from Syn-tectonic Sedimentation and Detrital Zircon Provenances of the Kuqa Depression

The Tianshan range,a Paleozoic orogenic belt in Central Asia,has undergone multiple phases of tectonic activities characterized by the N-S compression after the early Mesozoic,including the far-field effects of the Cenozoic Indian-Asian collision.However,there are limited reports on the tectonic deformation and initiation of Triassic intracontinental deformation in the Tianshan range.Understanding this structural context is crucial for interpreting the early intracontinental deformation history of the Eurasian continent during the early Mesozoic.Growth strata and syn-tectonic sediments provide a rich source of information on tectonic activities and have been extensively used in the studies of orogenic belts.Based on detail fieldwork conducted in this study,the middle-late Triassic Kelamayi Formation of the northern Kuqa Depression in the southern Tianshan fold-thrust belt has been identified as the typical syn-tectonic growth strata.The youngest detrital zircon component in two lithic sandstone samples from the bottom and top of the Kelamayi growth strata yielded U-Pb ages of 223.4±3.1 and 215.5±2.9 Ma,respectively,indicating that the maximum depositional age of the bottom and top of the Kelamayi growth strata is 226-220 and 218-212 Ma.The geochronological distribution of detrital samples from the Early-Middle Triassic and Late Triassic revealed abrupt changes,suggesting a new source supply resulting from tectonic activation in the Tianshan range.The coupling relationship between the syn-tectonic sedimentation of the Kelamayi Formation and the South Tianshan fold-thrust system provides robust evidence that the Triassic intracontinental deformation of the South Tianshan range began at approximately 226-220 Ma(during the Late Triassic)and ended at approximately 218-212 Ma.These findings provide crucial constraints for understanding the intraplate deformation in the Tianshan range during the Triassic.

U-Pb zircon geochronology of basaltic pyroclastic rocks from the basement beneath the Xisha Islands in the northwestern South China Sea and its geological significance

As one of the micro-blocks dispersed in the South China Sea(SCS), the basement of the Xisha Islands has rarely been drilled because of the thick overlying Cenozoic sediments, which has led to a confused understanding of the pre-Cenozoic basement of the Xisha Islands. Well CK-1, a kilometer-scale major scientific drill in the Xisha Islands in the northwestern SCS, penetrated thick reefal limestone(0–888.4 m) and the underlying basement rocks(888.4–901.4 m). In this study, we present the zircon U-Pb ages of basement basaltic pyroclastic rocks from Well CK-1 in the Xisha Islands of the northwestern SCS to investigate the basement nature of the Xisha microblock. The basement of Well CK-1 consists of basaltic pyroclastic rocks on the seamount. The zircon grains yielded apparent ages ranging from ca. 2 138.9 Ma to ca. 36 Ma. The old group of zircon grains from Well CK-1 was considered to be inherited zircons. Two Cenozoic zircons gave a weighted mean 206Pb/238U age of(36.3 ± 1.1) Ma,Mean Squared Weighted Deviations(MSWD) = 1.2, which may represent the maximum age of the volcano eruption. The Yanshanian inherited zircons(116.9–105.7 Ma and 146.1–130.2 Ma) from Well CK-1 are consistent with the zircons from Well XK-1, indicating that the basement of Chenhang Island may be similar to that of Well XK-1. We propose that the Xisha micro-block may have developed on a uniform Late Jurassic metamorphic crystalline basement, intruded by Cretaceous granitic magma.

Geochemical prerequisites for the formation of oil and gas accumulation zones in the South Turgay basin,Kazakhstan

This study predicts favorable oil and gas source-rock formation conditions in the Aryskum Depression of the South Turgay Basin,Kazakhstan.This study assesses the thermal maturity and characteristics of organic matter by determining its environmental conditions using data from geochemical analysis of core(pyrolysis)and oil(biomarkers and carbon isotopic compositions)samples.According to the geochemical parameters obtained by pyrolysis,the oil generation potential of the original rocks of most studied samples varies from poor to rich.The facies–genetic organic matter is predominantly humic and less frequently humus–sapropel,indicating organic matter accumulation in the studied samples were under moderately reducing conditions(kerogenⅢand Ⅱ types)and coastal–marine environments(kerogen typeⅠ).The carbon isotopic compositions of oils derived from the Jurassic deposits of the Aryskum Depression also indicate the sapropelic and mixed humic–sapropelic type of organic matter(kerogenⅡandⅠ).Biomarker analysis of oils indicates original organic matter formation in an anoxic environment.

Coral records of Mid-Holocene sea-level highstands and climate responses in the northern South China Sea

High-resolution sea-level data and high-precision dating of corals in the northern South China Sea(SCS)during the Holocene provide a reference and historical background for current and future sea-level changes and a basis for scientific assessment of the evolutionary trend of coral reefs in the SCS.Although sporadic studies have been performed around Hainan Island in the northern SCS,the reconstructed sea level presents different values or is controversial because the indicative meaning of the sea-level indicators were neither quantified nor uniform criteria.Here,we determined the quantitative relationship between modern living coral and sea level by measuring the top surfaces of 27 live Porites corals from the inner reef flat along the east coast of Hainan Island and assessed the accuracy of results obtained using coral as sea-level indicators.Additionally,three in situ fossil Porites corals were analyzed based on elevation measurements,digital X-ray radiography,and U-Th dating.The survey results showed that the indicative meanings for the modern live Porites corals is(146.09±8.35)cm below the mean tide level(MTL).It suggested that their upward growth limit is constrained by the sea level,and the lowest low water is the highest level of survival for the modern live Porites corals.Based on the newly defined indicative meanings,6 new sea-level index points(SLIPs)were obtained and 19 published SLIPs were recalculated.Those SLIPs indicated a relative sea level fluctuation between(227.7±9.8)cm to(154.88±9.8)cm MTL between(5393±25)cal a BP and(3390±12)cal a BP,providing evidences of the Mid-Holocene sea-level highstand in the northern SCS.Besides that,our analysis demonstrated that different sea-level histories may be produced based on different indicative meanings or criteria.The dataset of 276 coral U-Th ages indicates that coral reef development in the northern SCS comprised the initial development,boom growth,decline,and flourishing development again.A comparison with regional records indicated that synergistic effects of climatic and environmental factors were involved in the development of coral reefs in the northern SCS.Thus,the cessation of coral reef development during the Holocene in the northern SCS was probably associated with the dry and cold climate in South China,as reflected in the synchronous weakening of the ENSO and East Asian summer monsoon induced by the reduction of the 65°N summer insolation,which forced the migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone.

Apatite Fission Track Thermochronology of Granite from the Xiazhuang Uranium Ore Field,South China:Implications for Exhumation History and Ore Preservation

Xiazhuang uranium ore field,located in the southern part of the Nanling Metallogenic Belt,is considered one of the largest granite-related U regions in South China.In this paper,we contribute new apatite fission track data and thermal history modeling to constrain the exhumation history and evaluate preservation potential of the Xiazhuang Uranium ore field.Nine Triassic outcrop granite samples collected from different locations of Xiazhuang Uranium ore field yield AFT ages ranging from 43 to 24 Ma with similar mean confined fission track lengths ranging from 11.8±2.0 to 12.9±1.9μm and Dpar values between 1.01 and 1.51μm.The robustness time-temperature reconstructions of samples from the hanging wall of Huangpi fault show that the Xiazhuang Uranium ore field experienced a time of monotonous and slow cooling starting from middle Paleocene to middle Miocene(~60-10 Ma),followed by relatively rapid exhumation in the late Miocene(~10-5 Ma)and nearly thermal stability in the Pliocene-Quaternary(~5-0 Ma).The amount of exhumation after U mineralization since the Middle Paleogene was estimated as~4.3±1.8 km according to the integrated thermal history model.Previous studies indicate that the ore-forming ages of U deposits in the Xiazhuang ore field are mainly before Middle Paleocene and the mineralization depths are more than 4.4±1.2 km.Therefore,the exhumation history since middle Paleocene plays important roles in the preservation of the Xiazhuang Uranium ore field.

Magmatic-tectonic response of the South China Craton to the Paleo-Pacific subduction during the Triassic:a new viewpoint based on Well NK-1

The Nansha Block(NB)is one of the blocks separated from the southern margin of the South China Craton(SCC)by the western Pacific subduction,which contains rich information of geodynamic and tectonic transformation.To reveal the essence of western Paleo-Pacific subduction during the Triassic period,Well NK-1 in this block was selected for petrographic study,and published research data from other cooperative teams were compared.A double-cycle pattern of basic to neutral magmatic volcanism was established,and 36 lithological rhythmic layers and representative cryptoexplosive breccia facies and welded tuff bands were identified.Combined with a reanalysis of published geochronological data,geochemical elements,and isotope geochemistry,we found that the rock assemblages could be divided into an intermediate-acid dacite(DA)series(SiO_(2)>65%)and basaltic(BA)series(Co<40μg/g),which was formed during the early Late Triassic((218.6±3.2)–(217.9±3.5)Ma).BA exhibits obvious calc-alkaline island-arc magmatic properties:(^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr)_i ratio ranging 0.70377–0.71118(average:0.70645),^(147)Sm/^(144)Nd ratio ranging 0.119–0.193(average:0.168),and chondrite-normalized rare earth element(REE)curves being flat,while DA exhibits remarkable characteristics of subducted island-arc andesitic magma:(^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr)_i ratio(0.70939–0.71129;average:0.71035),εNd(t)value(-6.2–-4.8;average:-5.6)andε_(Hf)(t)value(-2.9–-1.7,average:-2.2)show obvious crust-mantle mixing characteristics.BA and DA reveal typical characteristics of island-arc magma systems and typeⅡenriched mantle(EM-Ⅱ)magma.BA magma was likely resulted from the process whereby the continental crust frontal accretionary wedge was driven by the Paleo-Pacific slab subduction into the deep and began to melt,resulting in a large amount of melt(fluid)joined the asthenosphere on the side of the continental margin.In contrast,DA magma was likely resulted from the process whereby the plate front was forced to bend with increasing subduction distance,which triggered the upwelling of the asthenosphere near the continent and subsequently led to the partial melting of the lithospheric mantle and lower crust due to continuous underplating.The lithospheric thinning environment in the study area at the end of Triassic created suitable conditions for the separation between the NB and SCC,which provided an opportunity for the formation of the early intracontinental rift during the later expansion of the South China Sea(SCS).

Early Cretaceous Metasomatized Lithospheric Mantle beneath the Central Jiangnan Orogen in South China:Geochemical and Sr-Nd Isotope Evidence from the Tuanshanbei Dolerite

It is well established that Cretaceous magmatism in the South China Block(SCB)is related to the Paleo-Pacific subduction.However,the starting time and the associated deep crust-mantle processes are still debatable.Mafic dike swarms carry important information on the deep earth(including mantle)geodynamics and geochemical evolution.In the Jiangnan Orogen(South China).there is no information on whether the Mesozoic magmatic activities in this region are also directly related to the Pacific subduction or not.In this study,we present detailed zircon U-Pb geochronological,wholerock element and Sr-Nd isotope data for Early Cretaceous Tuanshanbei dolerite dikes,and provide new constraints on the condition of the lithospheric mantle and mantle dynamics of the SCB during that time.LA-ICP-MS zircon U-Pb dating suggests that this dolerite erupted in the Early Cretaceous(~145 Ma).All samples have alkaline geochemical affinities with K_(2)O+Na_(2)O=3.11-4.04 wt%,K_(2)O/Na_2O=0.50-0.72,and Mg^(#)=62.24-65.13.They are enriched in LILE but depleted in HFSE with higher initial^(87)Sr/^(86)Sr ratio(0.706896-0.714743)and lower ε_(Nd)(t)(-2.61 to-1.67).They have high Nb/U,Nb/La,La/Sm and Rb/Sr,and low La/Nb,La/Ta,Ce/Pb,Ba/Rb,Tb/Yb and Gd/Yb ratios.Such geochemical signatures suggest that the fractional crystallization is obvious but crustal contamination play a negligible role during magmatic evolution.Tuanshanbei dolerite were most likely derived from low-degree(2%-5%)partial melting of a phlogopite-bearing mantle material consisted of~85% spinel peridotite and~15% garnet peridotite previously metasomatized by asthenospherederived fluids/melts with minor subduction-derived fluids/melts.Slab-rollback generally lead to the upwelling of the hot asthenosphere.The upwelling of asthenosphere consuming the lithospheric mantle by thermo-mechanical-chemical erosion.The lithospheric mantle may have partially melted due to the heating by the upwelling asthenosphere and lithospheric extension.It is inferred that the Tuanshanbei dolerite might be associated with the initial slab rollback and corresponding lithospheric extension occurred potentially at ca.145 Ma.

Studying History to Understand the Future International scholars discuss Xinjiang's past,present and future

In October 1995,a Sino-Japanese joint archaeological team unearthed the tomb of anaristocrat from the Han Dynasty(206 B.C.-A.D.220)in Hotan Prefecture in south Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region.The tomb yielded a wealth of burial artifacts imbued with Chinese cultural elements.Among them,a brocade arm protector has since become a national treasure.Its vibrant hues remain intact even two millennia after it was made,and it is adorned with eight Chinese characters that,when translated into English,read"The five stars rise from the East,benefiting Zhongguo(China)."

A case study of continental shelf waves in the northwestern South China Sea induced by winter storms in 2021

This study aims to investigate characteristics of continental shelf wave(CSW)on the northwestern continental shelf of the South China Sea(SCS)induced by winter storms in 2021.Mooring and cruise observations,tidal gauge data at stations Hong Kong,Zhapo and Qinglan and sea surface wind data from January 1 to February 28,2021 are used to examine the relationship between along-shelf wind and sea level fluctuation.Two events of CSWs driven by the along-shelf sea surface wind are detected from wavelet spectra of tidal gauge data.The signals are triply peaked at periods of 56 h,94 h and 180 h,propagating along the coast with phase speed ranging from 6.9 m/s to18.9 m/s.The dispersion relation shows their property of the Kelvin mode of CSW.We develop a simple method to estimate amplitude of sea surface fluctuation by along-shelf wind.The results are comparable with the observation data,suggesting it is effective.The mode 2 CSWs fits very well with the mooring current velocity data.The results from rare current help to understand wave-current interaction in the northwestern SCS.

Empowering Xinjiang

EARLY in the morning,Hankiz Ablimit leaves her home in Aksu Prefecture,southern Xinjiang,takes a train to Urumqi,capital of China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,and then transfers to another train bound for her final destination,Bole in northwestern Xinjiang.The journey takes one day and one night to complete.Bole,capital city of Bortala Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture,houses the prefecture’s only formal institution of higher learning-Bortala Polytechnic.Hankiz studies in this university,with 10 colleges.Most of the teachers working here come from Hubei Province in central China.

TUNING INTO UYGUR TRADITION Xinjiang Muqam melodies resonate through the corridors of time

As dawn breaks over the ancient Silk Road lands of China’s Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region,Dilixiati Parhati is gearing up for yet another busy day.He juggles multiple roles:musician,scholar,leader of a Muqam art troupe and,most recently,a voice in China’s National People’s Congress(NPC)-the country’s top legislature.In all these roles,safeguarding the soul-stirring music of Uygur Muqam,often dubbed“the mother of Uygur music,”for future generations is his mission.