Eastern Xinjiang Research Articles

КЕРАМИЧЕСКАЯ ПОСУДА С "УШКАМИ" НА АЛТАЕ: КРАТКИЙ ОБЗОР ИССЛЕДОВАНИЙ, АНАЛИЗ ИСТОЧНИКОВ И ПЕРСПЕКТИВЫ ИЗУЧЕНИЯ

Ceramic dishes with handles appeared in Altai approximately in the 2nd half of the 6th century B.C. Their design is very peculiar and has no parallel in the cultures of the preceding period. This article investigates the results of the earlier studies and talks about the spread of ceramics with handles in China (in Gansu and Xinjiang) and its adjacent regions. The article also presents published opinions of scientists about the finds in the Pazyryk burials. Comparative analysis has allowed us to make the assumption that the presence of ceramics with handles in the Early Iron Age monuments in Central Asia is a reflection of migration during which people mastered the technologies of making such ceramic ware. Further comprehensive research of the existing data on these archaeological finds will provide a more detailed picture of the interaction between different ancient populations. Thus, this article describes the research lines which are ought to be carried out. Keywords: altai, Eastern Xinjiang, bronze age, early Iron Age, ceramics with handles, Pazyryk culture, migration, technology diffusion

Assessment of satellite-retrieved solar ultraviolet radiation in the Black Gobi desert of eastern Xinjiang

Assessment of satellite-retrieved solar ultraviolet radiation in the Black Gobi desert of eastern Xinjiang

CHRONOLOGY OF THE TIANSHANBEILU CEMETERY IN XINJIANG, NORTHWESTERN CHINA

ABSTRACTEurasian steppes experienced frequent cultural transfers, human migration, and diffusion of techniques during the Bronze Age. The Hami Oasis is one of the most dynamic areas and has attracted multiple cultural flows. It is an important area that connects various routes of the Tianshan Corridor with the Hexi Corridor in western China. The Tianshanbeilu cemetery is the largest Bronze Age cemetery in Hami. Thirty-seven new radiocarbon dates allowed us to establish a new and more accurate chronology for Tianshanbeilu. Our results showed that the Tianshanbeilu cemetery was used from approximately 2022–1802 cal BC and remained in use from 1093–707 cal BC. This indicates that Tianshanbeilu is the earliest and longest-used known cemetery in eastern Xinjiang. By incorporating the typology of artifacts and stratigraphic relationships, the development of the Tianshanbeilu cemetery was divided into four phases. The first phase was from 2011–1672 cal BC, the second phase was from 1660–1408 cal BC, the third phase was from 1385–1256 cal BC, and the fourth phase was from 1214–1029 cal BC.

ИСТОРИЧЕСКИЕ ПРИЧИНЫ ПЕРЕСЕЛЕНИЯ КАЗАХОВ ИЗ КИТАЯ В ТУРЦИЮ И ЕВРОПУ (НА ОСНОВЕ РУКОПИСИ СУ БЭЙХАЯ «ОБЩАЯ ИСТОРИЯ КАЗАХОВ»)

The article presents the reasons for the mass migration of the Kazakhs living in the People's Republic of China to foreign countries in 30`s of twentieth century, including India, Pakistan, Turkey and Europe. The study compares, examines, and correlates different data and the facts in Part IV of the comprehensive study by Chinese scholar Su Beihai General History of the Kazakhs, and the reasons, motivation, circumstances, and fate of the relocation were systematically recorded. Su Beihai saw the nomadic Kazakhs passing through Gansu and Qinghai provinces of China and collected a lot of material about them. Previously, due to strict censorship of the history of minorities in the People's Republic of China, the aforementioned four-volume book by Su Beihai, General History of Kazakhs, was banned for publication in China. In this work, the author, as a historian and representative of the ruling nation in the country, gives an objective assessment of the history of Kazakhs who moved from Kumil (Hami) and Barkol regions of Eastern Xinjiang. Unable to bear the national oppression of local Chinese rulers and the violence of communist authorities, people migrated to Eastern Anatolia in search of freedom. This is one of the greatest tragedies in human history, of which little is known until now. Therefore, the data of this period and the role of research on them in revealing historical truth are special. Much of the information we use in this article to uncover the facts of this history is taken from previously unpublished original data from Su Beihai's manuscript. Even today, the problem of minorities in China is not completely solved. Thousands of indigenous people born and raised in Xinjiang still live abroad.

Large scale dinoturbation in braided stream deposits: evidence from the Cretaceous Tugulu Group of the Hami area, Eastern Xinjiang, China

Large dinosaur tracks were recently reported from locations in the Pterosaur-Yadan National Geological Park situated about 100 km south of Hami in Xinjiang Province, China. The park comprises a substantial area in a much larger arid region comprising and extensive spectrum of Cretaceous, siliciclastic, Tugulu Group, lithofacies representing proximal, basin margin, alluvial fan and braided stream deposits, grading into alluvial plain, deltaic and lacustrine facies near the depocenter. Due to the difficulties of conducting detailed geological surveys in such a vast and inhospitable area, definitive resolution of the litho-, bio- and chrono-stratigraphy is challenging in some areas, and yet to be published in detail. Nevertheless, the occurrence of large dinosaur tracks and dinoturbated units, here interpreted as sauropodan, in association with root casts, dinosaur bone and fossil wood, points to the potential of this frontier area to yield valuable paleontological information, and show that flora and fauna were found in arid braided stream systems away from the lacustrine depocenters where body fossils are more abundant and better known.

Metallurgy at the Crossroads: New Analyses of Copper‐based Objects at Tianshanbeilu, Eastern Xinjiang, China

AbstractTianshanbeilu is the largest Bronze Age site in eastern Xinjiang, China. Stretching across the entire second millennium BC, it performed a prominent role in connecting the Hexi corridor, Central China and the steppe. A further insight into the metallurgical tradition and the metal supply network is of vital importance to improve our understanding of its multi‐connected nature. This paper offers a new set of chemical and isotopic data on the copper‐based objects at Tianshanbeilu, including alloying elements, trace elements (impurities) and lead isotopes. Combining the concentrations of arsenic and antimony reveals that arsenic was introduced to copper partially due to the use of specific minerals tethrahedrite‐tennantite. Lead isotopes demonstrate that multiple sources of copper were employed at Tianshanbeilu and a majority of them are characterized by common lead, which appears rather different from those of the Central Plains and the Hexi corridor, but highly consistent with local ores. Surprisingly, one object at Tianshanbeilu contains the well‐known highly radiogenic lead. This object undoubtedly marks the westernmost boundary of the distribution of the highly radiogenic lead. We also anticipate that more lead isotopic analyses in NW China will further contribute to the study of the highly radiogenic lead in Central China.

Temporal and spatial variability in snow cover over the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, from 2001 to 2015.

Xinjiang, China, is a typical arid and semi-arid region of Central Asia that significantly lacks freshwater resources, and the surface runoff in this region is mainly supplied by mountain glacier and snow cover meltwater. Based on the above background and issues of transnational water resources between Xinjiang and Central Asia along the Silk Road Economic Belt, which were highlighted in the major strategy of “The Belt and Road”, this study analysed the spatial and temporal variations in snow cover and snow cover days in the Xinjiang region from 2001 to 2015. The study area includes four subregions: Northern Xinjiang, Southern Xinjiang, Eastern Xinjiang and the Ili River Valley. Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) 8-day snow cover data were used after removing clouds by combining MOD10A2 and MYD10A2. The results showed that seasonal snow cover occurred from October to April in most regions of Xinjiang and that this snow cover consisted of two processes: snow accumulation and snow ablation. The maximum snow cover occurred in January, whereas the minimum snow cover occurred from July to August. During the seasonal snow cover period, the snowfall rates in Northern Xinjiang and the Ili River Valley were higher, while the other regions had a low snowfall probability. To study the relationship between altitude and snow cover, the normalized snow elevation correlation index (NSACI) was calculated. The NSACI showed a significant correlation between snow cover and elevation in most regions of Xinjiang and was classified into five grades. Snow cover days did not fluctuate obviously from 2001 to 2015, and a decreasing trend was observed in the four subregions except for the Ili River Valley (nonsignificant decreasing trend). We also observed a correlation between snow cover and temperature and found that the correlations between monthly snow cover and monthly temperature in the four subregions were strongly related to the underlying land type and global warming background, which also suggests that the special topography of Xinjiang greatly influences both snow cover and climate change.

Age, sediment source and tectonic setting of the ore-hosting Jinwozi Formation at the Jinwozi gold deposit in Beishan Orogen, NW China: Evidence from detrital zircon U–Pb ages and Lu–Hf isotopes

The Jinwozi deposit is the most economically important gold (Au) deposit in the Beishan Orogen (Eastern Xinjiang, NW China). The Au orebodies occur as quartz veins or altered lodes in the Jinwozi Formation clastic rocks and the Jinwozi granite. The age, detrital source and tectonic setting of the Jinwozi Formation, however, have not been well understood. In this paper, we reported new LA–ICP MS detrital zircon U–Pb ages and Lu–Hf isotopes of ore-hosted clastic rock of the Jinwozi Formation. Detrital zircons from three samples yield 334 U–Pb ages varied from 330 to 2598 Ma, showing complex detrital sources. The youngest detrital zircon population suggests that the Jinwozi Formation deposited no earlier than 330 Ma in the Late Carboniferous or Permian. The majority of the detrital zircons (291 out of 334) have ages between 330 and 533 Ma, suggesting a dominant Paleozoic detrital source. Much of these age data (282 out of 334) range from 470 to 370 Ma, broadly coeval with the zircon U–Pb ages of the Jinwozi granite. Zircon Hf isotope data also implicate their similar origin to the Jinwozi granite. The source rocks, as well as the Jinwozi granite, may have formed in the Early Paleozoic Caledonian Orogeny, during which the supercontinents of Gondwana and Laurasia assembled. This orogeny process may have provided plenty of detritus for the clastic rocks of the Jinwozi Formation. Precambrian detrital zircon ages from the Jinwozi Formation cluster around 2400–2600 Ma, 1800–2100 Ma, 800–1300 Ma, which corresponds to the supercontinent assembly events of Kenor, Columbia and Rodinia, respectively. The age populations of 2200–2300 Ma and 600–660 Ma are possibly related to the breakup of Kenor and Rodinia supercontinents. This understangding is supported by zircon Hf isotope data.

The formation of a magmatic Cu[sbnd]Ni sulfide deposit in mafic intrusions at the Kalatongke, NW China: Insights from amphibole mineralogy and composition

The early Permian Kalatongke CuNi sulfide deposit in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB) is the most important CuNi deposit in northern Xinjiang, NW China. It is hosted mainly by mafic intrusions, which is in contrast to deposits in the Eastern Tianshan area of eastern Xinjiang that are hosted mainly by ultramafic intrusions. The controls on sulfide mineralization in the Kalatongke mafic intrusions are poorly constrained relative to the ultramafic intrusions. Here we use amphibole compositions to trace the nature, oxygen fugacity, and water content of the Kalatongke magmas. The results, together with data for other NiCu mineralized magmas in Eastern Tianshan, are used to clarify the formation mechanism of sulfide mineralization in mafic intrusions. Amphiboles in the Kalatongke intrusions are divided into three types based on petrographic features: poikilitic amphiboles in olivine norite and norite (Type 1), which formed by reactions between olivine and pyroxene and interstitial residual melt; zoned amphiboles in norite (Type 2), generated by contamination processes; and needle-shaped amphiboles in diorite (Type 3), which indicate rapid cooling during the early stage of magma evolution. Modeled results show that the melts in equilibrium with amphiboles and clinopyroxenes exhibit enrichment in Th, U, and light rare earth elements (LREE) over heavy REE (HREE). Combined with amphibole and clinopyroxene chemistry, this indicates that the parental magma of the Kalatongke intrusions was strongly contaminated by continental crust during ascent. The oxygen fugacity of the magma during fractionation was evaluated using amphibole chemistry and olivine–sulfide equilibration. The oxygen fugacity of the magmas varied during their evolution, with the Kalatongke deposit magma showing relatively little variation compared with the deposits related to ultramafic intrusions in Eastern Tianshan. The oxygen fugacity of ore-forming magma thus varied significantly during the early stages of magma emplacement. Moreover, the calculated water content of melts in equilibrium with Kalatongke amphibole and clinopyroxenes averages 4.37 wt% in. These lines of evidence indicate that a highly hydrous and relatively oxidized magma favors the formation of sulfide deposits in mafic intrusions. It is inferred that sulfide saturation was delayed to the onset of mafic magma crystallization, rather than trapped in the early crystallized olivine cumulate within the staging magma chamber.

Carboniferous Highly Fractionated I‐type Granites from the Kalamaili Fault Zone, Eastern Xinjiang, NW China: Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implications

Carboniferous magmatism is one of the most important tectonothermal events in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt (CAOB). However, the final closure time of the Kalamaili Ocean between East Junggar and Harlik Mountain is still debated. Early Carboniferous (332 Ma) and late Carboniferous (307–298 Ma) granitic magmatism from Kalamaili fault zone have been recognized by LA‐ICP‐MS zircon U‐Pb dating. They are both metaluminous highly fractionated I‐type and belong to the high‐K calc‐alkaline. The granitoids for early Carboniferous have zircon εHf(t) values of –5.1 to +8.5 with Hf model ages (TDM2) of 1.78–0.83Ga, suggesting a mixed magma source of juvenile material with old continental crust. Furthermore, those for late Carboniferous have much younger heterogeneous zircon εHf(t) values (+5.1 to +13.6) with Hf model ages (TDM2=1.03–0.45 Ga) that are also indicative of juvenile components with a small involvement of old continental crust. Based on whole‐rock geochemical and zircon isotopic features, these high‐K granitoids were derived from melting of heterogeneous crustal sources or through mixing of old continental crust with juvenile components and minor AFC (assimilation and fractional crystallization). The juvenile components probably originated from underplated basaltic magmas in response to asthenospheric upwelling. These Carboniferous highly fractionated granites in the Kalamaili fault zone were probably emplaced in a post‐collisional extensional setting and suggested vertical continental crustal growth in the southern CAOB, which is the same or like most granitoids in CAOB. This study provides new evidence for determining the post‐accretionary evolution of the southern CAOB. In combination with data from other granitoids in these two terranes, the Early Carboniferous Heiguniangshan pluton represents the initial record of post‐collisional environment, suggesting that the final collision between the East Junggar and Harlik Mountain might have occurred before 332 Ma.

The Spatial-temporal Variation of Precipitation and Temperature in Xinjiang in Recent 50 Years

Abstract. Research purpose: To master the spatial-temporal evolution of precipitation and temperature in Xinjiang, and to provide reference for industrial, agricultural and transportation industries in the study area. Date and Rrsearch methods: Based on monthly precipitation and temperature data of 64 weather stations in Xinjiang in recent 50 years，the spatial-temporal variation of precipitation and temperature were analyzed by the methods of simple linear regression, 5-year moving average, radial basis function interpolation, sliding -t test, accumulated variance analysis, Mann-Kendall and morlet wavelet transform.Research conclusion:(1) The annual average precipitation (8.65 mm/10 a) in Xinjiang showed a significant increasing trend, and the increasing trend in local areas was:Northern Xinjiang (14.83 mm/10 a) > Southern Xinjiang(7.76 mm/10 a) > Eastern Xinjiang (3.37 mm/10 a).(2) The spatial distribution of tendency rate of annual precipitation is basically the same as the spring, summer and autumn in Xinjiang, the tendency rate decreases from northwest to southeast, but the tendency rate of winter precipitation decreases from north to south.(3) The precipitation of Xinjiang changed abruptly in 1989, Southern Xinjiang was relatively earlier (1986), Northern Xinjiang (1991) and Eastern Xinjiang (1990) were relatively delay.(4) The main cycle of precipitation was 26–30 a in Xinjiang and local areas, which predicts that the next 10 years will be a wet season.(5) The annual average temperature (0.44 °C / 10 a) in Xinjiang is very significant, and the temperature increase trend in local areas is: Eastern Xinjiang (0.58 °C / 10 a) > Northern Xinjiang (0.45 °C / 10 a) > Southern Xinjiang (0.31 °C / 10 a).(6) The spatial distribution of tendency rate of annual average temperature is basically the same as the four seasons in Xinjiang, and the tendency rate showed a decreasing trend from northeast to southwest.(7) The temperature change of Xinjiang occurred in 1988,Northern Xinjiang was 1988 （relatively earlier), Southern Xinjiang and Eastern Xinjiang were 1992 (relatively delay).(8) The main cycle of temperature in Xinjiang and local areas was 25–30 a. It was predicted that the next 10 years would be high temperature period.

Monitoring the long-term desertification process and assessing the relative roles of its drivers in Central Asia

Desertification is one of the main ecological environmental problems in Central Asia. To prevent and eradicate this problem, it is extremely urgent to monitor the long-term desertification process and assess the relative roles of its drivers. Based on an analytical hierarchy process, in this research, the spatiotemporal features of the desertification process were surveyed from 1982 to 2012 using four indicators. Further analysis was focused on determining the relative importance of multiple driving factors causing desertification in different ecosystems. The results revealed significant desertification expansion in the western part of Central Asia, with the most severe desertification occurring in eastern Xinjiang Province and the Ustyurt Plateau, with mean desertification indexes (DIs) as high as 0.8. According to a change-year analysis, mutation years of desertification were observed from 1993 to 2002 for most vegetation types. The desertification process for different vegetation types results from different major driving factors. Climatic factors, including decreased precipitation, increased temperature and drought, were the main drivers of desertification, especially for grasslands, forests and sparse vegetation. The desertification process of sparse vegetation and croplands was expanded and triggered by human activities: oil and gas exploration in the southern Ustyurt Plateau and agricultural abandonment in northern Kazakhstan. The results also indicated that after the collapse of the Soviet Union, rangeland abandonment in eastern Kazakhstan triggered desertification reversion in grasslands. Furthermore, due to inefficient irrigation water use, severe salt accumulation in croplands of the Amu Darya River delta resulted in desertification expansion in this region. In Central Asia, the desertification process in forests and areas of sparse vegetation was extremely sensitive to climatic variations, while that in croplands and grasslands was vulnerable to human activities. Therefore, regional governments should strive to reverse desertification to protect and improve this fragile, arid ecological environment.

Identification of Drought Events and Correlations with Large-Scale Ocean–Atmospheric Patterns of Variability: A Case Study in Xinjiang, China

This research analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of drought in Xinjiang (northwestern China) between 1961 and 2015 using the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI). Furthermore, the correlations between Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO)/El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events and drought were explored. The results suggested an obvious trend toward aggravated drought, with a significant inflection point in 1997, after which the frequency of drought increased sharply. Spatially, the increase in drought occurred largely in southern and eastern Xinjiang, where occurrences of moderate and extreme drought have become more frequent during the last two decades, whereas northwestern Xinjiang and the Pamir Plateau showed wetting trends. Empirical orthogonal function analysis (EOF) of drought patterns showed a north–south antiphase and an east–west antiphase distribution. The positive (negative) phase of the AMO was related to increased (decreased) drought in Xinjiang, particularly after 1997. During a warm phase (El Niño), major droughts occurred over northern Xinjiang, but they lagged by 12 months. However, not all El Niño and La Niña events were responsible for drought events in northern Xinjiang during this period, and other drivers remain to be identified. This study suggests the possibility of AMO and ENSO links to drought in Xinjiang, but further analysis is needed to better understand such mechanisms.

The perchlorate record during 1956–2004 from Tienshan ice core, East Asia

Perchlorate concentration in a shallow ice core at Tienshan, East Asia ranged between 0.55 and 52.1 ng L−1, with significant temporal variations during 1956–2004. Since the 1980s, a clear increasing trend of perchlorate was observed in the Miaoergou ice core, possibly the result of elevated stratospheric chlorine levels caused by emissions of anthropogenic volatile chlorine compounds. Although differences in trends and amounts were observed, the 1956–2004 perchlorate data from this study compares well with the perchlorate data from the High Arctic ice cores. The spatial and temporal differences of the perchlorate in Miaoergou ice core may be due to differences in anthropogenic sources. Such as, the nitrate ore field in Turpan-Hami Basin in eastern Xinjiang, China, may be the primary anthropogenic source. From the organic chlorine species emission data, HCFC-141b, HCFC-142b and HCFC-124 were identified as the primary anthropogenic sources responsible for the two perchlorate spikes observed for 1980–1996 and 1997–2001. The Miaoergou ice core covering the 1956–2004 period provides further evidence for the perchlorate deposition variations between mid-latitudes and the High Arctic regions.

The Impacts of Taklimakan Dust Events on Chinese Urban Air Quality in 2015

Aerosols are an important factor affecting air quality. As the largest source of dust aerosol of East Asia, the Taklimakan Desert in Northwest China witnesses frequent dust storm events, which bring about significant impacts on the downstream air quality. However, the scope and timing of the impacts of Taklimakan dust events on Chinese urban air quality have not yet been fully investigated. In this paper, based on multi-source dust data including ground observations, satellite monitoring, and reanalysis products, as well as air quality index (AQI) and the mass concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 at 367 urban stations in China for 2015, we examined the temporal and spatial characteristics of the impacts of the Taklimakan dust events on downstream urban air quality in China. The results show that the Taklimakan dust events severely affected the air quality of most cities in Northwest China including eastern Xinjiang, Hexi Corridor and Guanzhong Basin, and even northern Southwest China, leading to significant increases in mass concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 in these cities correlating with the occurrence of dust events. The mass concentrations of PM10 on dust days increased by 11–173% compared with the non-dust days, while the mass concentration of PM2.5 increased by 21–172%. The increments of the mass concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 on dust days decreased as the distances increased between the cities and the Taklimakan Desert. The influence of the Taklimakan dust events on the air quality in the downstream cities usually persisted for up to four days. The mass concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 increased successively and the impact duration shortened gradually with increasing distances to the source area as a strong dust storm progressed toward the southeast from the Taklimakan Desert. The peaks of the PM10 concentrations in the downstream cities of eastern Xinjiang, the Hexi Corridor and the Guanzhong Basin occurred on the second, third and fourth days, respectively, after the initiation of the Taklimakan dust storm.

Genetic homogeneity between populations of cotton bollworm from Xinjiang, China

We studied the population structure of cotton bollworm (CBW), Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), in Xinjiang, the largest cotton-growing region in China, using a fragment of cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) gene. Alignments of all 192 COI sequences revealed 28 haplotypes including 23 in southern Xinjiang, 5 in eastern Xinjiang and 13 in northern Xinjiang. Negative and significant values of neutrality tests for the Tajima's D and Fu's FS parameters, combined with the high values of haplotype diversity (Hd), low values of nucleotide diversity (π) and a high number of low frequency haplotypes indicated a recent demographic expansion of Xinjiang CBW populations. Analysis of molecular variation (AMOVA) indicated low and non-significant genetic structure, regardless of geographical scale or crop, with most of genetic variation occurring within local CBW populations. Pairwise FST analyses also indicated low genetic differentiation. This demographic event and high gene flow could be responsible for the low genetic structure currently found. CBW populations in Xinjiang need to be considered as one panmictic unit in its management, especially for the design of refuges to delay the development of resistance by this migratory pest to transgenic Bt (Bacillus thuringiensis) cotton.

Monitoring dynamics and driving forces of lake changes in different seasons in Xinjiang using multi-source remote sensing

ABSTRACTLakes are important for ensuring the development of the regional economy and ecological security. Based on MODIS and Landsat TM/OLI remote sensing images captured in 2005-2015 and a Combined Water Index (CWI), this paper extracted information on changes in the temporal and spatial characteristics and driving forces for lake areas in Xinjiang during past 11 years in different seasons (April, July and September). The results showed that over this time period, the area of the lakes exhibited an increasing trend. The largest surface area usually occurred in April, and the lowest value was measured in September. The lake shrinkage area in Xinjiang occurred mainly in Northern Xinjiang and the northeastern region of Southern Xinjiang, whereas the lake expansion area was concentrated in Eastern Xinjiang. Seasonal changes in Manas, Kanas, Barkol, Arkatag, Arik and Ebinur Lakes showed higher trends. Extracted the lake area based on the MODIS and TM/OLI image were analyzed, and both had a good corresponding relationship. The minimum R2 was 0.548, and maximum RMSE was 44.1km2. Therefore, it was feasible to use MODIS to extract lake area. These changes in lake area resulted from both natural factors and human activities, and coupled effects greatly accelerated local environmental changes.

Occurrence, Distribution, and Risk Assessment of Perfluoroalkyl Acids (PFAAs) in Muscle and Liver of Cattle in Xinjiang, China.

Despite risks associated with perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in many regions, little is known about their prevalence in Xinjiang. We determined the presence of 13 PFAAs in 293 beef muscle and liver samples collected in 22 cities covering northern, southern, and eastern Xinjiang using liquid chromatography, coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. Overall, the average values for PFAAs were relatively low compared with previous studies. Liver presented higher mean levels of total PFAAs at 1.632 ng/g, which was over 60-fold higher than in muscle (0.026 ng/g). Among the PFAAs analyzed, medium-chain compounds were dominant, accounting for more than 70% of the total. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was highly prevalent in the liver with the highest mean concentration (0.617 ng/g) and detection frequency (80%). When comparing the three regions of Xinjiang, we found differences in PFAA profiles, with the northern region showing the highest levels. Furthermore, the average daily intake and hazard ratios of PFOS and perfluorooctanoic acid varied by region, urban/rural environment, gender, ethnicity, and age. The highest risk value of 13 PFAAs was estimated to be 0.837 × 10−3, which is far below 1, indicating that there is no health risk posed by eating beef muscle and liver in Xinjiang.

Clinicopathological analysis of 114cases of typical Kaposi's sarcoma in Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, China.

The present study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological features of cases of classic Kaposi's sarcoma (CKS) in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China, and analyze its etiology and treatment. A total of 114 patients, who were clinicopathologically diagnosed with CKS at the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University (Urumqi, China) between 1980 and 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. The clinicopathological features of CKS were summarized, and its demographic distribution, pathogenesis, etiology and treatment were examined. The results revealed that, among the 114 patients with CKS, 100 patients were men and 14 patients were women, with a respective ratio of 7:1. The average age of these patients was 57.5 years old, and 97 of the patients were from the Uygur Autonomous Region (85.1%). Among the 114 patients, 60 patients (52.6%) were from Southern Xinjiang, 50 patients (43.9%) were from Northern Xinjiang and four patients (3.5%) were from Eastern Xinjiang. It was found that CKS in the Uygur ethnic group of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region had unique clinicopathological features. The occurrence of CKS in Xinjiang may be associated with human herpes virus 8 infection, ethnicity-based susceptibility and lifestyle.

Zircon U–Pb geochronology and geochemistry of the post-collisional volcanic rocks in eastern Xinjiang Province, NW China: implications for the tectonic evolution of the Junggar terrane

ABSTRACTWe report zircon U–Pb geochronologic and geochemical data for the post-collisional volcanic rocks from the Batamayineishan (BS) Formation in the Shuangjingzi area, northwestern China. The zircon U–Pb ages of seven volcanic samples from the BS Formation show that the magmatic activity in the study area occurred during 342–304 Ma in the Carboniferous. The ages also indicate that the Palaeo-Karamaili Ocean had already closed by 342 Ma. Moreover, the volcanic rocks also contained 10 inherited zircons with ages ranging from 565 to 2626 Ma, indicating that Precambrian continental crust or microcontinents with accretionary arcs are two possible interpretations for the basement underlying the East Junggar terrane. The sampled mafic-intermediate rocks belong to the medium-K to high-K calc-alkaline and shoshonitic series, and the formation of these rocks involved fractional crystallization with little crustal contamination. These Carboniferous mafic-intermediate rocks show depletions in Nb and Ta and enrichments in large ion lithophile elements (e.g. Rb, Ba, U, and Th) and light rare earth elements. The low initial 87Sr/86Sr values (0.7034–0.7042) and positive εNd(t) values (+2.63 to +6.46) of these rocks suggest that they formed from depleted mantle material. The mafic-intermediate rocks were most likely generated by 5–10% partial melting of a mantle source composed primarily of spinel lherzolite with minor garnet lherzolite that had been metasomatized by slab-derived fluids and minor slab melts. In contrast, the felsic rocks in the BS Formation are A-type rhyolites with positive εNd(t) values and young model ages. These rocks are interpreted to be derived from the partial melting of juvenile basaltic lower crustal material. Taken together, the mafic-intermediate rocks formed in a post-collisional extensional setting generated by slap breakoff in the early Carboniferous (342–330 Ma) and the A-type rhyolites formed in a post-collisional extensional setting triggered by the upwelling asthenosphere in the late Carboniferous (330–304 Ma).