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Most Penman-Monteith-Leuning (PML) evapotranspiration (ET) modeling studies are dominated by consideration of meteorological, energy, and land use information, etc., but the dynamic coupling of soil moisture content (SM), especially in terms of improving accuracy through assimilation, lacks sufficient attention. This paper proposes a research framework for the dynamic coupling simulation of PML model and SM based on data assimilation, i.e., the remote sensing monitored SM is combined with soil evaporation of PML to obtain high-precision time-continuous SM data through data assimilation; simultaneously, dynamical soil evaporation coefficients are generated based on the assimilated SM to improve the simulation accuracy of the PML model. The new scheme was validated at a typical irrigation zone in north China and showed obvious improvements in both SM and ET simulations. Moreover, the effect of the assimilation of SM on the simulation accuracy of ET for different crop growth periods is further analyzed. This research provides a new idea for the coupling simulation of the SM and PML models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although effects of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition on forest plants have been widely investigated, N interception and absorption effects by forest canopy should not be neglected. Moreover, how N deposition change the molecular biological process of understory dominant plants, which was easily influenced by canopy interception so as to further change physiological performance, remains poorly understood. To assess the effects of N deposition on forest plants, we investigated the effects of understory (UAN) and canopy N addition (CAN) on the transcriptome and physiological properties of Ardisia quinquegona, a dominant subtropical understory plant species in an evergreen broad-leaved forest in China. We identified a total of 7394 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Three of these genes were found to be co-upregulated in CAN as compared to control (CK) after 3 and 6 h of N addition treatment, while 133 and 3 genes were respectively found to be co-upregulated and co-downregulated in UAN as compared to CK. In addition, highly expressed genes including GP1 (a gene involved in cell wall biosynthesis) and STP9 (sugar transport protein 9) were detected in CAN, which led to elevated photosynthetic capacity and accumulation of protein and amino acid as well as decrease in glucose, sucrose, and starch contents. On the other hand, genes associated with transport, carbon and N metabolism, redox response, protein phosphorylation, cell integrity, and epigenetic regulation mechanism were affected by UAN, resulting in enhanced photosynthetic capacity and carbohydrates and accumulation of protein and amino acid. In conclusion, our results showed that the CAN compared to UAN treatment had less effects on gene regulation and carbon and N metabolism. Canopy interception of N should be considered through CAN treatment to simulate N deposition in nature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the shifting connotations of two key terms in propaganda texts on bilingual education policy in Inner Mongolia. The two terms are dumdadu-yin ündüsten (Ch.: Zhonghua minzu , Chinese nation) and ulus-un neidem hereglehü üge hel (Ch.: guojia tongyong yuyan , national common language). I examine how the meanings of these key terms have begun to shift as China strives to shed its multinational character and build a linguistically homogenous Chinese nation-state. The new prominence given to the term dumdadu-yin ündüsten (Chinese nation) and the gradual substitution of the terms neitelig hel (Ch.: putonghua) and khitad hel (Han language) with the term ulus-un neidem hereglehü üge hel (national common language) in propaganda texts in Inner Mongolia reflect and shape China's changing policies on its borderlands. In this brief exploratory article, I underline how the Mongolian terms referring to the Chinese nation and national common language undergo shifts in their meanings as what sits at the very core of these terms – the Han – irrepressibly exposes itself and subsumes other meaning potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sea surface temperature (SST), a critical parameter of the global ocean–atmosphere system, is an essential element in the study and in the application of marine science. Satellite–infrared observations currently represent the only available method for continuous, large-scale observation of SST. Although passive microwave observations are not blocked by clouds, allowing for data collection in all weather conditions, this technological tool is characterized by low spatial resolution. Conversely, infrared observations offer high resolution but are susceptible to cloud obscuration. Accordingly, a technique that effectively fuses microwave and infrared satellite observations into a high-resolution SST field with global coverage close to the actual distribution is of practical significance. This paper describes fusing MODIS infrared remote sensing and AMSR-2 microwave remote sensing SST data with an optimal interpolation (OI) approach to produce a high-resolution SST data. The study chose the coastal Kuroshio region of China to establish an appropriate scale for examining the spatial structure of SST and attaining a more realistic picture of SST observations and impacts. The included discussion of the sources of error in the fusion process provides a reference for improving the accuracy of fused marine remote sensing data. The study also compared the fused SST results and the current international mainstream multi-temporal resolution of the three using the OI algorithm. We compared the fusion product with ARGO data with and without typhoon impact to explore and practice the OI in SST fusion when evaluating the accuracy of different data in the case of external disturbance being present. The research results have great significance for improving regional SST forecast accuracy while ensuring the applicability of various approaches to fusing SST data by incorporating the influence of typhoons in the offshore region of the East China Sea (ECS). Implications for the future development of SST fusion data are also included in the discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In two studies, we investigated how Hong Kong university students reacted to descriptions of China as multicultural vs. assimilatory, examining effects on emotions, prejudice toward Mainland Chinese, attitudes toward Hong Kong/China culture mixing, and cultural identities. Study 1 compared a multicultural priming condition to a control condition and found that the multiculturalism prime significantly reduced desire to socially distance from Mainland Chinese. Study 2 compared multiculturalism, assimilation, or control primes' effects, and found that the multiculturalism prime, through increased positive emotions, indirectly reduced social distancing from Mainland Chinese and disgust toward culture mixing, and increased Chinese ethnic identity and multicultural identity styles; the assimilation prime had the opposite indirect effects through increasing negative emotions. Results show new evidence of the importance of emotion in how non-immigrant regional groups, who are both minority and majority culture members, react to different diversity models. Multicultural frames increased positive emotions, with downstream positive effects on both intergroup attitudes and integrated identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the early history and evolution of the concept of jiaohua (教化 "educational transformation") as a reference to civilizing missions in China. It explores Ru (Confucian) concepts advocating the widespread education of the masses, showing how such concepts were linked to notions of ethnicity and moral attainment. Then it contextualizes the first uses of educational transformation in writings concerning statecraft. Xunzi emerges as a pivotal figure who helped adapt the statecraft rhetoric on educational transformation to the largely Ru goal of spreading a morally superior Huaxia culture among the masses and to peoples of other cultures. I then move beyond this conceptual history to examine a few civilizing missions in the Han era. My purpose is to link large-scale, civilizing missions in Chinese history with the early philosophical rhetoric and show how history was shaped by these underlying conceptual orientations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What accounts for name choices in a transnational context? What does the choice of ethnic or English names reveal about global identities and the desire to fit into a new culture? Drawing on the sociology of culture and migration, we examine the intersection of naming, assimilation, and self-presentation in light of international student mobility. Based on 25 semi-structured interviews with mainland Chinese students enrolled in an elite Midwestern university, we find that these students make name choices by engaging in both transnational processes and situated practices. First, Chinese international students negotiate between multiple names to deal with ethnic distinctions. While ethnic names can signal distance from other ethnic communities, they also distinguish individuals from others. For these students, names are multi-layered and temporal: their name choices evolve throughout school lives, shaped by power relations in American cultural contexts and channeled by images of their home country. Second, multiple names allow these students to practice situated performance, incorporating the reflective self, the distinctive self, and the imagined self. We address "cross-cultural naming" that accounts for identity in transnational social spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Weather forecasts play essential parts in economic activity. Assimilation of meteorological observations from aircraft improves forecasts greatly. However, global lockdown during the COVID‐19 pandemic (March to May 2020) has eliminated 50‐75% aircraft observations and imperiled weather forecasting. Here, we verify global forecasts against reanalysis to quantify the impact of the pandemic. We find a large deterioration in forecasts of surface meteorology over regions with busy air flights, such as North America, southeast China, and Australia. Forecasts over remote regions are also substantially worse during March to May 2020 than 2017–2019, and the deterioration increases for longer‐term forecasts. This could handicap early warning of extreme weather and cause additional economic damage on the top of that from the pandemic. The impact over Western Europe is buffered by the high density of conventional observations, suggesting that introduction of new observations in data‐sparse regions would be needed to minimize the impact of global emergencies on weather forecasts. Key Points: The COVID‐19 pandemic eliminated 50–75% of aircraft meteorological observationsAccuracy of weather forecast reduced significantly especially over southeast China and USA, and error develops as forecast goes longerThis could handicap early warning of extreme weather; establishing more meteorology stations can buffer the impact of global emergencies [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assimilation serves as a significant part during magma's evolution. Because of rapid cooling of mafic–ultramafic magma, assimilation between mantle‐derived magma and crustal rocks (wall rocks) is often neglected. The Beidaihe diabase dyke in North China Craton suggests that assimilation of the rapidly cooled mantle‐derived magma cannot be ignored. The diabase dyke is very thin (~1 m in width) with chilled margin. The dyke centre is porphyritic texture while the chilled margin is aphanitic texture, suggesting a rapid crystallization process. From the centre to margin of the dyke, contents of SiO2 (from 48.12–49.94 wt.% to 38.29–46.63 wt.%), MgO (from 7.46–9.17 wt.% to 3.39–4.71 wt.%), Ni (from 91.5–118 ppm to 6.5–45.8 ppm), and Cr (from 243–306 ppm to 1.7–80.5 ppm) are obviously decreased, but contents of Fe2O3T (from 8.71–9.39 wt.% to 9.21–12.30 wt.%), CaO (from 5.67–7.08 wt.% to 6.91–10.26 wt.%), and CO2 (from 0.25–1.92 wt.% to 4.52–6.58 wt.%) are distinctly increased. The dyke intruded discordantly into Ordovician limestone. Limestone far away from the dyke mainly consists of micro calcites with low MgO (0.55–0.77 wt.%) and FeO (0.07–0.09 wt.%) but high CaO (53.82–55.51 wt.%) and CO2 (44.46–45.02 wt.%) contents. Limestone close to the dyke metamorphosed into marble, which mainly comprises of recrystallized calcite/dolomite and diopside, with high MgO (1.85–2.35 wt.%) and FeO (0.17–1.36 wt.%) but relatively low CaO (52.30–54.15 wt.%) and CO2 (38.77–41.04 wt.%). All these suggest an assimilation process of the mantle‐derived magma with wall rocks limestone. Based on the chemical balance at the interface between the diabase and limestone, CO2 exchange model is used to estimate the degree of assimilation. The calculated assimilation degree is about 8–12% at the dyke margin. There is obvious elements exchange between magma and wall rocks, and the transfer ability of Mg is greater than that of Ca. Meanwhile, Fe oxides quickly precipitated at the margins of the dyke for the increase of fO2. Therefore, even for mantle‐derived magma which chilled rapidly, it may also be obviously influenced by assimilation, especially when wall rocks are carbonate sediments. Simultaneously, this study provides a possible explanation for some mantle‐derived rocks in carbonate areas with high LOI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop yield monitoring and forecast has great impact on food security, ecological environment, and farmers’ incomes. Crop growth and yield monitoring and forecast by using crop growth model has the advantages of clear mechanism, high precision, and high monitoring frequency, but its monitoring scale is usually limited to land block level. Along with the fast development of remote sensing satellite technology, using remote sensing data combined with crop growth model to accurately monitor regional crop growth and yield in a large regional scale has gradually become an important means of regional level and even national level crop growth monitoring. However, due to differences in crop types, climatic conditions, soil conditions and monitoring areas, the regionalization and localization of crop growth model is the major bottleneck of crop growth monitoring by using crop growth model combined with remote sensing data, and it is urgent to conduct targeted studies on the identification of assimilation parameters of crop growth model, pre-processing of meteorological data, and the setting of crop parameters. Based on soil-water-atmosphere-plant model (SWAP), and by taking the major commodity grain production base of China, Northeast China Region as a study region, in this the paper, we conducted a study by taking the major crop of spring maize of the region as its target crop. Firstly, we used Landsat to obtain maize (Zea mays) planting area in the study area, and used it as the basic data for estimating the total maize yield in the study area. The overall accuracy of maize area classification was 93.2%, with R² of 0.951 2. By considering the influence of latitude and altitude on temperature, in the study, we used the coKriging method in crop growth model meteorological data interpolation acquisition, so as to improve the precision of input parameters of the model. The result showed that the average standard error of minimum temperature of coKriging method was 0.31 ℃, while that of the Kriging method was 1.51 ℃. The average standard error of maximum temperature of coKriging method was 0.30 ℃, while that of the Kriging method was 1.14 ℃. In the study, leaf area index (LAI) and evapotranspiration (ET) were used as assimilative remote sensing data sources, and we proposed a novel method to adjust the LAI product of MODIS to make it closer to actual value. By optimizing maize irrigation and crop emergence date, we obtained spatial distribution result of maize yield of the study area of 2013. The monitoring result was compared with the statistical data. The R² reached 0.939 4, with RMSE of 148 065 t, and MAE of 114 335 t. Moreover, the correlation coefficient of predicted yield and statistical yield reached 0.724 5, with RMSE of 598.5 kg/hm², and MAE of 531.5 kg/ hm²。The study result showed that, using SWAP model, taking meteorological data spatial interpolation results obtained by using coKriging method as input data and assimilation of LAI and ET remote sensing, can effectively conduct corn yield remote sensing monitoring of the study region, which provided reference for the remote sensing monitoring and forecast of crop growth and productivity of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the past decades, studies of acculturation and ideology have received great attention in social psychology, especially among western countries. But few such investigations have been conducted in Asia. In this study, we measured personal and normative support of three intergroup ideologies in the context of mainland China, and explored their mediating roles between social dominance orientation and prejudice. Surveys were conducted among 158 Chinese university students in Hangzhou, China. Results of the present study showed that the dominant societal ideology among Chinese respondents was multiculturalism, rather than assimilation or colorblindness. Moreover, based on the proposition that support for different ideologies was likely to have different effects in different countries, mediation model of personal support for ideologies was examined in the current context. As revealed, when the social norms were salient, personal support for multiculturalism mediated the relationship between social dominance orientation and prejudice, while personal support for assimilation or colorblindness did not. The present study provided additional evidence to the previous theory, implications and suggestions were further discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Developing a hybrid model reproducing daily variation of pan evaporation. • Using the hybrid model assimilates different pan evaporation into a consistent series. • Constructing a homogeneous pan evaporation dataset for 2000 stations over China. • Estimating the long-term trend of pan evaporation in China from 1961 to 2018. • Inhomogeneities exaggerated the downward trend of pan evaporation before the 1990s. Global warming is expected to increase the atmospheric evaporative demand and make more surface water for evapotranspiration, aggerating water sources' social and ecological shortage. Pan evaporation, as a routine observation worldwide, is an excellent metric to indicate the response of terrestrial evaporation to global warming. However, several non-climatic effects, such as instrument upgrades, have destroyed the homogenization of pan evaporation and limited its applications. In China, 2400s meteorological stations have observed daily pan evaporation since 1951. The observed records became discontinuous and inconsistent due to the instrument upgrade from micro-pan D20 to large-pan E601. Here, combining the Penpan model (PM) and random forest model (RFM), we developed a hybrid model to assimilate different types of pan evaporation into a consistent dataset. Based on the cross-validation test, on a daily scale, the hybrid model has a lower bias (RMSE=0.41 mm day−1) and better stability (NSE=0.94) than the two sub-models and the conversion coefficient method. Finally, we produced a homogenized daily dataset of E601 across China from 1961 to 2018. Based on this dataset, we analyzed the long-term trend of pan evaporation. Pan evaporation showed a -1.23±0.57 mm a−2 downward trend from 1961-1993, primarily caused by decreased pan evaporation in warm seasons over North China. After 1993, the pan evaporation in South China increased significantly, resulting in a 1.83±0.87 mm a−2 upward trend across China. With better homogeneity and higher temporal resolution, the new dataset is expected to promote drought monitoring, hydrological modeling, and water resources management. Free access to the dataset can be found at https://figshare.com/s/0cdbd6b1dbf1e22d757e. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we conducted investigations in the Changjiang (Yangtze) River estuary and adjacent waters (CREAW) in June and November of 2014. We collected water samples from different depths to analyze the nitrogen isotopic compositions of nitrate, nutrient concentrations (including inorganic N, P, and Si), and other physical and biological parameters, along with the vertical distribution and seasonal variations of these parameters. The compositions of nitrogen isotope in nitrate were measured with the denitrifier method. Results show that the Changjiang River diluted water (CDW) was the main factor affecting the shallow waters (above 10 m) of the CREAW, and CDW tended to influence the northern areas in June and the southern areas in November. $$\delta ^{15} N_{NO_3 } $$ values in CDW ranged from 3.21‰-3.55‰. In contrast, the deep waters (below 30 m) were affected by the subsurface water of the Kuroshio Current, which intruded into the waters near 31°N in June. The $$\delta ^{15} N_{NO_3 } $$ values of these waters were 6.03‰-7.6‰, slightly higher than the values of the Kuroshio Current. Nitrate assimilation by phytoplankton in the shallow waters of the study area varied seasonally. Because of the favorable temperature and nutrient conditions in June, abundant phytoplankton growth resulted in harmful algae blooms (HABs). Therefore, nitrate assimilation was strong in June and weak in November. The $$\delta ^{15} N_{NO_3 } $$ fractionations caused by assimilation of phytoplankton were 4.57‰ and 4.41‰ in the shallow waters in June and November, respectively. These results are consistent with previous laboratory cultures and in situ investigations. Nitrification processes were observed in some deep waters of the study area, and they were more apparent in November than in June. The fractionation values of nitrification ranged from 24‰-25‰, which agrees with results for Nitrosospira tenuis reported by previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Yield estimation is performed on the perennial fruit tree Chinese wolfberry. • Simulation accuracy of the WOFOST model before and after assimilation is compared. • The time-series LAI data can significantly improve yield estimation. Previous research about crop growth simulation and yield prediction mainly focused on annual crops with very few such studies relating to perennial fruit tree crops. In this study, field experiments were conducted in different growth periods of Lycium barbarum L. in Gansu province, China to determine and improve the initial WOFOST model parameters with combination of the time-series leaf area index (LAI) obtained from Sentinel-2 satellite and predict yields for L. barbarum shrubs at a field scale for summer fruit (SF) and autumn fruit (AF). The results showed that the performance of initial parameters established by previous research and partial measured data was relatively poor, with a relative error (RE) of 20.95% for annual yield. The simulation after model parameter calibration significantly improved model prediction accuracy. The predicted SF was 2588 kg/ha and AF was 601 kg/ha with a RE of -5.51%. This study provided a strategy to improve modelled yield for fruit tree crops through utilization of remote sensed and field measured data in model parameter calibration, which on the other hand provides useful information for regional development planning and crops marketing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dual isotopes of dissolved NO 3 - (n = 43) has been used to delineate the nitrate sources and N-cycling processes in the Ganga river. The proportional contribution of nitrate from different sources has been estimated using the Bayesian mixing model. The seasonal NO 3 - concentration in the lower stretch of the river Ganga varied between 4.1 and 64.1 μM with higher concentration during monsoon and post-monsoon season and lower concentration during the pre-monsoon and winter season. The temporal variation in the isotopic values ranged between +0.0 and +9.6‰ for δ 15 N NO3 - and -1.2 to +11.0‰ for δ 18 O NO3 -. The spatial NO 3 - concentration during the post-monsoon season varied between 23.2 and 57.7 μM, with higher values from the middle and lower values from the lower stretch of the river Ganga. The isotopic ratio during the post-monsoon season varied between -1.0 and +11.3‰ for δ 15 N NO3 - and -4.6 to +5.2‰ for δ 18 O NO3 -. The temporal dataset from the lower stretch of the river Ganga showed the dominance of nitrate derived from the nitrification of soil organic matter (SOM) (average ∼53.4%). The nitrate contribution from synthetic fertilizers was observed to be higher during the post-monsoon season (34.7 ± 23.4%) compared to that in the monsoon (25.5 ± 19.5%) and pre-monsoon (22.2 ± 19.6%) season. No significant seasonal variations were observed in the nitrate input from manure/sewage (∼13.9%). Spatial samples collected during the post-monsoon season showed higher contribution of synthetic fertilizer in the lower stretch (34.6 ± 22.7%) compared to the middle stretch (21.1 ± 18.2%), which indicates greater influence of the agricultural activity in the lower stretch. The dual isotope study of dissolved NO 3 - established that the nitrate in the Ganga river water is mostly derived from the nitrification of incoming organic compounds and is subsequently removed via assimilatory nitrate uptake. The study also emphasises significant nitrification and assimilatory nitrate removal processes operating in the mixing zone of the Ganga river and Hooghly estuary., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Dr. Anurag Kumar reports financial support was provided by DST INSPIRE (Ref no. DST/INSPIRE Fellowship/2015/IF150177). Prof Prasanta Sanyal reports financial support was provided by International Atomic Energy Agency (F32007, 20398/R0). Prof. Prasanta Sanyal reports financial support was provided by National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research (NCAOR/2018/HiCOM/07). Prof. Punyasloke Bhadury reports financial support was provided by Swarnajayanti Fellowship of Department of Science & Technology, Govt of India (DST/SJF/E&ASA-01/2017-18)., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Following China's economic reforms in the early 1990s, the wave of internal North-to-South, West-to-East and rural-to-urban migration has still not subsided. The purpose of this study was to investigate how a local community in Shanghai supported migrants from other provinces in China in the process of their re-socialisation. By examining the component parts of re-socialisation (integration, assimilation and culturalisation), this paper analyses how the learning programmes and services provided in Shanghai's Zhabei District played a role in migrants' adaptation to their new community environment. The author conducted interviews with migrants of both rural and urban origin at two migrant clubs, and complemented her respondents' statements with formal and informal background research. Her findings indicate that participation in educational activity is only one aspect of migrants' re-socialisation. She demonstrates how educational activities merge into a larger community context and are mingled simultaneously with other activities which relate to employment, healthcare, setting up a business, etc. She argues that educational activity loses its backbone if the initial entry-level support given to migrants is not followed up with advanced development activities, such as providing migrants with lifelong learning opportunities tailored to their aptitudes and needs, motivating them to engage in learning which can serve as a pathway towards their career goals, and helping them improve their life circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive nitrate (NO 3 - ) input to reservoirs is a global concern. However, the dynamics and sources of NO 3 - under thermal stratification in deep reservoirs were rarely explored. In this study, multi-stable isotopes (δ 15 N/δ 18 O-NO 3 - , δ 15 N-particulate nitrogen (PN), δ 15 N-dissolved total nitrogen (DTN), and δ 2 H/δ 18 O-H 2 O) and a Bayesian mixing model were applied to reveal the biogeochemical processes and sources of NO 3 concentration was related to the enhancement of assimilation by thermal stratification. Meanwhile, the positive linear correlations between δ - in a deep reservoir with obvious nitrogen pollution. The results showed that the reservoir was thermally stratified in July while vertically mixed in October. The distribution of δ 2 H-H 2 O suggested that riverine nitrogen migrated to the epilimnion and metalimnion during stratification in the reservoir. In the epilimnion and metalimnion, the significant reduction in NO 3 - dynamics were mainly controlled by nitrogen inflow, in-reservoir nitrification, and assimilation during thermal stratification. The results of the Bayesian mixing model showed that manure and sewage, and soil nitrogen were the dominant NO 18 O-NO 3 - and δ 18 O-H 2 O suggested that in-reservoir nitrification occurred, with its depth confined above the hypolimnion. In the hypolimnion, denitrification processes were absent due to the aerobic environment. Overall, NO 3 - dynamics were mainly controlled by nitrogen inflow, in-reservoir nitrification, and assimilation during thermal stratification. The results of the Bayesian mixing model showed that manure and sewage, and soil nitrogen were the dominant NO 3 - sources of the reservoir. This study provides new insights and data to help manage and restore deep waters worldwide in tackling a similar situation of nitrogen contamination., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study investigated how family context affect poverty disparities between young children of immigrants from the Mainland China and children of local families whose parents were born in Hong Kong using 2006 bicensus data. 12,609 and 12,753 children of immigrant and local families were included in our data analyses. We find higher child poverty rates in immigrant families than in local families. Moreover, we found that family structure (single-parent vs. 2-parent), assimilation (first vs. second generation children of immigrant families), and parental human capital characteristics are significantly associated with the child poverty risk. Surprisingly, the impact of immigrant status on child poverty rates is stronger in 2-parent households than in single-parent households while child poverty declines associated with increasing assimilation defined by generational status of children are greater in 2-parent immigrant families than the corresponding declines in single-parent immigrant families. The implications of our results in intergenerational poverty are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to find out preferences in acculturation strategies among Chinese students in Germany and provide insights into their cultural awareness in terms of the social and psychosocial adaptation factors. The acculturation strategies investigated in the study were assimilation, integration, marginalization and separation. Data were collected from questionnaires. The data reveal that both integration and separation are the preferred acculturation strategies. Males prefer separation while females predominantly choose integration. The findings suggest that the acculturation patterns of Chinese students in Germany are characterized by unique cross-cultural traits due to the social and psychological distances of the two countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Singapore currently makes it impossible in the male descent line, departing from Chineseness has been a common phenomenon in Southeast Asian history. In modern nationalist times the paucity of alternative terms in Southeast Asian and European language has made the overused Cina a problematic label, impossible to detach from a very large northern neighbour and from many cultural stereotypes. Naturally many local-born and culturally hybrid citizens have sought to escape from it. The best documented mass case is the nineteenth century Philippines. Peranakan Indonesians have not found it so easy to shed this inappropriate label even though it has occasionally been wielded as a death threat. 'Outsider' status also has its uses. This presentation will be chiefly concerned with the obstacles for Peranakan in departing from Chineseness. It will argue nevertheless that many Indonesians are quietly succeeding in taking this path. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In major texts on bilingualism and bilingual education, one often finds such notions as biculturalism, multiculturalism, pluralism or interculturalism that are used interchangeably as concepts - as opposed to monoculturalism or cultural assimilation - to address political and sociocultural dimensions in language learning and teaching. Recently, some scholars have begun to make distinctions between them as processes or outcomes of bilingual education. They compare the terms conceptually and evaluate the implications these concepts might have for bilingual education. The notion of 'acting interculturally', for example, is such an attempt that aims to shed light on the conceptual perplexity between being bicultural and being intercultural and to argue for learning outcomes that are attainable and desirable in bilingual education. On the basis of an overview of conceptual discussions on these notions and an analysis of key guiding ideas and research on bilingual education in China, this paper argues that a conceptual distinction between these terms is not only necessary for advancing theories of bilingualism in general but also crucial for addressing multifaceted issues in bilingual education, including sociopolitical concerns, in a country like China whose language education policies and curricula are determined by the government's political agenda for maintaining an unwavering state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The educational attainments of Beijing's permanent ethnic minority population out perform or are on par with the dominant, local Hans. Yet, the Han demographic disproportionately dominates the high-wage, education-intensive employment sectors. What accounts for this paradox? What does this signify regarding the management of ethnic difference in the capital city? And how do we improve this situation? Drawing upon recent research, this paper will offer sociological explanations to answer these questions. Moreover, it will further suggest strategies for enhancing the development of ethnic minorities in Beijing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Watson's view that culture held late imperial China together appears to be problematic with regard to standardization and insightful with regard to social theory. Ethnographic evidence about the assimilation of non-Han minority peoples to Han identity shows that orthopraxy led to many nonstandard cultural practices and beliefs. Theoretical implications include reassessment of the canonical interpretive assumption that cultural ideas are the primary motivations for human actions. Additionally, the concept of a culturally unified China appears to be an ideology that benefits the Chinese state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The permeable boundaries of the major components of Chinese religion (Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism) and the relatively tolerant pluralism of the religious milieu are important factors in accounting for the religious acculturation of the Jewish community in the Chinese city of Kaifeng. A comparison of the acculturation of Chinese Jews with that of Muslims in Imperial China shows that, though the small size of the Jewish community and its lack of contact with other Jewish communities for a long period made it particularly susceptible to the influence of the Chinese milieu, this milieu was conducive to the acculturation of even a large minority. The unwillingness of the Catholic Church to compromise with the syncretistic milieu and its demand for an exclusive commitment from Chinese converts led to the expulsion of its missionaries. A comparison of Buddhism and Islam in China indicates that an important social structural basis for the long survival of the Kaifeng Jewish community was the combination of communal and congregational religion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Solon tribes, including the Oroqen, the Ewenk and the Daur, have lived in Heilongjiang (North Manchuria) for millennia. For centuries, the Solon led a hunting life in the mountains and along the rivers. Their constant migration earned them a reputation as nomads. Russian penetration into the region in the late nineteenth century Russified many of the Solon, which alarmed the Chinese government into action. The Chinese persistently embraced every opportunity to win them over. The principal policy adopted by both the Qing dynasty and the Chinese Republic was to turn Solon nomads into sedentary farmers. The government erected villages for the Solon, helped them to adapt to new life, and educated them to be Chinese citizens. These paternalistic yet preferential measures, however, rapidly Sinicized the Solon in just three decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suburban Chinatowns are intriguing subjects for study and comparison. These ethnic suburbs, or ethnoburbs, have emerged to coexist or compete with the older downtown Chinatowns traditionally found in American central cities. Their growth since the 1960s challenges many traditional assumptions regarding the spatial and cultural assimilation of immigrants in U.S. society, namely that ethnicity would decline with the geographic and socioeconomic mobility of immigrants from the inner city into the suburbs. We examined recent growth trends in the Chinese ethnoburb of the San Gabriel Valley region of Greater Los Angeles, through analysis and mapping of U.S. Census data, and discovered ethnic persistence rather than spatial and cultural assimilation. We also discovered the ethnoburb is differentiated between a lower-class core and two middle-to-upper class fringe districts. Though there is some linguistic assimilation on the northwest fringe, the majority of the ethnoburban population continues to speak Chinese. Linguistic isolation is not a barrier to achieving a higher socioeconomic class position in the Chinese ethnoburb of Los Angeles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accuracy of the rain distribution could be enhanced by assimilating the remotely sensed and gauge-based precipitation data. In this study, a new nonparametric general regression (NGR) framework was proposed to assimilate satellite- and gauge-based rainfall data over southeast China (SEC). The assimilated rainfall data in Meiyu and Typhoon seasons, in different months, as well as during rainfall events with various rainfall intensities were evaluated to assess the performance of this proposed framework. In rainy season (Meiyu and Typhoon seasons), the proposed method obtained the estimates with smaller total absolute deviations than those of the other satellite products (i.e., 3B42RT and 3B42V7). In general, the NGR framework outperformed the original satellites generally on root-mean-square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE), especially on Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient of efficiency (NSE). At monthly scale, the performance of assimilated data by NGR was better than those of satellite-based products in most months, by exhibiting larger correlation coefficients (CC) in 6 months, smaller RMSE and MAE in at least 9 months and larger NSE in 9 months, respectively. Moreover, the estimates from NGR have been proven to perform better than the two satellite-based products with respect to the simulation of the gauge observations under different rainfall scenarios (i.e., light rain, moderate rain and heavy rain). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the Weather Research and Forecasting model coupled with chemistry (WRF-Chem) is employed to simulate a dust process in Northwest China during May 2018. The model's ability to simulate the dust process in Northwest China is firstly evaluated using various satellite-retrieved and observational data, including satellite-retrieved aerosol optical depth (AOD), extinction coefficient and dust index, as well as observational wind field, precipitation and particulate matter with particle size below 10 mic (PM10) mass concentration at surface. The four-dimensional assimilation method is also used to optimize meteorological data and effectively improve the simulation of the dust process. The comparisons between the simulations based on five dust emission schemes within WRF-Chem and the observations show that, the Shao01 scheme overall has good performance in simulating the emission flux, the spatial pattern of source region, as well as the spatiotemporal variation of dust mass concentration, during this dust process. In comparison to Shao01, the GOCART AFWA and Shao04 schemes can also produce quite similar spatial pattern of dust source region, but tend to overestimate or underestimate dust emission and mass concentration. The Shao11 scheme fails to simulate the dust process since the importance of the fully disturbed particle size distribution is omitted. It is also noted that the GOCART scheme can well reproduce dust emission processes under weak wind erosion but underestimate dust emission flux under strong wind erosion. In addition, the GOCART scheme has produced some spurious emissions and thus blurred the distribution of dust source region. The Shao01 simulation was found to reasonably reproduce the spatial distribution and magnitude of the satellite-retrieved AOD and vertical profile of extinction coefficient, as well as the PM10 mass concentration at surface. Northwest China is covered by mountains, basins, deserts and other landforms, thus the complex terrain is one of the key factors to influence the dust process over the region. Our study shows that after being emitted, the airborne dust transported toward the east and west. The dust to the east was diffused rapidly, but the portion toward the west was blocked and accumulated at the edges of the mountains and thus produced dust weather characterized by high dust concentration and long lifetime. The dust accumulated at the edges of the mountains could reach an altitude of more than 6 km due to wind and thermal effect, and finally arrive at Tibetan Plateau and eastern China. • Evaluation of the effect of four-dimensional assimilation in WRF-Chem • Systematically analysis of the five dust emission schemes within WRF-Chem • Evaluation of the model's ability to simulate the dust process in Northwest China • Detailed analysis of the dust process [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coastal eutrophication has become a serious ecological problem in China and around the world. Examining biogeochemical nitrogen cycles may help to provide insights into the mechanism of the problem. Here, we mapped the spatial and temporal characteristics of the dual stable isotopes of nitrate (δN18O 3 − and δ15NO 3 −), nitrogen isotopes within particulates, and the hydrological parameters and nutrients in the South Yellow Sea during spring, summer and autumn. We further considered the nitrogen biogeochemical processes that are revealed by these nutrient and isotope signals in the area of the Yellow Sea cold water mass (YSCWM). The results indicated that nitrate assimilation was the main biogeochemical process in the upper layer of the YSCWM area. Nitrification was the main process that occurred at the interior of the YSCWM, which resulted in increasing concentrations of nitrate and decreasing values of δ15NO 3 − in the bottom layer from spring to autumn. The values of δN18O 3 − and the calculation of the apparent oxygen utilization (AOU)-nitrate stoichiometry relationship indicated that, in addition to nitrification, nitrate losses also occurred in the interior of the YSCWM, particularly from summer to autumn. Through field observation and theoretical calculations, we observed that the stable nitrogen isotope values from samples of surface particulate nitrogen in spring (δ15N p) mirrored the bottom δ15NO 3 − signatures that regenerated in autumn and winter, taking into consideration the shift due to uptake fractionation (ε = 4.92‰). This relationship supports the hypothesis that several key nitrogen processes in the YSCWM have important ecological effects. Specifically, as the YSCWM became weak in winter and the vertical mixture takes place thoroughly, nitrate generated from nitrification in the interior of the YSCWM is mixed upwards to the surface and becomes an important source, providing nutrients for primary production in the upper layers, especially in the following spring. This research provided a new perspective for primary production and its nutrient sources, especially in a coastal area where a typical water mass was located. Image 1 • Characterized a full seasonal variations of nitrogen processes of the YSCWM area. • Firstly observed that YSCWM provided nutrient for upper primary production. • New perspective of coastal nutrient sources when a typical water mass existed. • Conclusion is helpful in managing coastal eutrophication in China and other areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrate pollution in water is a common environmental problem worldwide. The Qinhe Basin (QHB) faces with the risk of eutrophication. To clarify nitrate pollution of river water, water chemical data, water isotope values (δD and δ 18 O-H 2 O), and dual nitrate isotope values (δ 15 N-NO 3 - and δ 18 O-NO 3 - ) were used to discern sources and transformation mechanisms of nitrogen in the QHB. The nitrate concentrations of river water ranged from 0.71 to 20.81 mg L -1 . The δD and δ 18 O-H 2 O values of river water varied from - 74 to -52‰ and from - 10.8 to - 7.2‰, with an average value of - 60‰ and - 8.2‰, respectively. The δ 15 N-NO 3 values of nitrate ranged from - 6.7 to + 14.8‰ and from - 6.0 to + 5.6‰, with a mean value of + 4.6‰ and - 0.6‰, respectively. Assimilation by algae and the mixing of soil nitrogen, chemical fertilizer, sewage, and industrial wastewater could account for increasing δ - and δ 18 O-NO 3 - values of nitrate ranged from - 6.7 to + 14.8‰ and from - 6.0 to + 5.6‰, with a mean value of + 4.6‰ and - 0.6‰, respectively. Assimilation by algae and the mixing of soil nitrogen, chemical fertilizer, sewage, and industrial wastewater could account for increasing δ 15 N-NO 3 - values. There was neither significantly positive nor negative correlation between δ 15 N-NO 3 - and δ 18 O-NO 3 - in river water, indicating that no obvious denitrification shifted isotopic values of nitrate in the QHB. Based on the dual isotopic values of nitrate and land use change in the watershed, it could be concluded that intensive nitrification dominated in the QHB, and dissolved nitrate was mainly derived from nitrification of ammonium in fertilizer, soil nitrogen, and domestic sewage. As the primary nitrate sources identified in the QHB, effective fertilization and afforestation can be taken to protect water resource from nitrate pollution.

We evaluated whether duration of time in the US is associated with obesity risk in NYC Chinese immigrants. We analyzed cross-sectional survey data on 2072 men and women. Duration of US residence was categorized into ≤5, 6-15, and 15 years and over. Obesity was defined using WHO Asian standards: BMI of 27.5 kg/m(2) or greater. Diet and physical activity (PA) were assessed as potential explanatory variables. After adjusting for covariates, increased time in the US was associated with an increased obesity risk (OR 1.49; 95 % CI 1.06, 2.08 for 15 years or more vs. ≤5 years); and in separate analysis, with having reported no work related PA (OR 0.76; 95 % CI 0.59, 0.99). Findings suggest that increased time living in the US is associated with an increased obesity risk, a finding possibly explained by a shift to more sedentary lifestyle characteristic of the transition of immigrants to the US.

The great spatial and temporal variability in hydrological conditions and nitrogen (N) processing introduces large uncertainties to the identification of N sources and quantifying N cycles in plain river network regions. By combining isotopic data with chemical and hydrologic measurements, we determined the relative importance of N sources and biogeochemical N processes in the Taige River in the East Plain Region of China. The river was polluted more seriously by anthropogenic inputs in winter than in summer. Manure and urban sewage effluent were the main nitrate (NO3-) sources, with the nitrification of N-containing organic materials serving as another important source of NO3-. In the downstream, with minor variations in hydrological conditions, nitrification played a more important role than assimilation for the decreasing ammonium (NH4+-N) concentrations. The N isotopic enrichment factors (ε) during NH4+ utilization ranged from -13.88‰ in March to -29.00‰ in July. The ratio of the increase in δ18O and δ15N of river NO3- in the downstream was 1.04 in January and 0.92 in March. This ratio indicated that NO3- assimilation by phytoplankton was responsible for the increasing δ15N and δ18O values of NO3- in winter. The relationships between δ15N of particulate organic nitrogen and isotopic compositions of dissolved inorganic nitrogen indicated that the phytoplankton in the Taige River probably utilized NH4+ preferentially and mainly in summer, while in winter, NO3- assimilation by phytoplankton was dominant., (Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.)