Revealing lost secrets about Yingpan Man and the Silk Road

Yingpan Man, is one of the most exquisitely preserved mummies found in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. Here links between Yingpan Man and the Silk Road are explored through a detailed isotopic and bioarchaeological investigation of his life history. Analytical techniques of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur stable isotope ratio analysis on hair, teeth, muscle and bones as well as associated animal and plant remains, radiocarbon dating and starch grain analysis of dental calculus are presented to visualize never before seen aspects of Yingpan Man’s life, including: environment, breastfeeding and weaning practices, adolescent and adult diet, disease and nutritional status as well as season of death. Furthermore, in combination with a detailed review of his associated grave goods, this research examines the social status and identity of Yingpan Man, and demonstrates the profound impact and cultural fusion that the Silk Road had upon the peoples of Xinjiang and Eurasia.

Struggles and Dilemmas of Uyghur Immigrants in Turkey

The social and economic integration of the Uyghurs into Turkish society reflects a problem to which policy makers have not yet found a response. Marginalized by the larger society and separated by linguistic differences and cultural and social life-styles, a significant proportion of Uyghurs, especially “newcomers” who have arrived since the 1980s, is in danger of becoming part of a “parallel society.” This is reinforced by exclusion, inferiorization and “otherness,” restricted educational achievements, uncertain citizenship, legal status limbo and low socioeconomic status. Pro-Uyghur, pro-independence and anti-Chinese government mobilization in Turkey has attracted the attention of Chinese authorities for a long time, and this attention has in turn affected and shaped mobilization in Turkey. The Turkey-China relationship is involved as well. The main goals of Chinese policy and strategy in Turkey are the security of “Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region” (a.k.a. East Turkistan), access to natural resources, security of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and economic and technological investment. It means that China believes it must consolidate its control of “Xinjiang” (East Turkistan) and restrain the Uyghur independence movement in Turkey. China’s economic and technological power and investments in Turkey are not just increasing its influence; they are making Turkey far more reticent to speak out about Beijing’s abuses, systematic oppression and atrocities in the “Xinjiang” (East Turkistan). China’s geo-economic strategy has resulted in political influence in Turkey that profoundly affects its Uyghur population.

Identity of Kazakhstan’s Uyghurs: Migration, Homeland, and Language

This article examines the ethno-national identity of Uyghurs in Kazakhstan, which, during the period of independence, has been undergoing a complex process of transformation from ‘Sovietness’ to ‘Kazakhstanness.’ This transformation is shaped by the ethnic policy of Kazakhstan, aiming for the consolidation of society and formation of a united Kazakhstani nation. Post-Soviet development not only produces threats to the Uyghur ethnic identity, but also creates new perspectives for it. The article focuses on some dimensions of the Uyghur identity determined by cross-border migration from the Xinjiang-Uyghur autonomous region of the neighboring People’s Republic of China and Soviet national policy, such as language, cultural institutions, and existence of the Uyghur district in the Almaty province. Analysis of the discourse of vätän (motherland) shows a shift to a perception of Kazakhstan as a homeland.

The Heart of Silk Road “Xinjiang,” Its Genetic Portray, and Forensic Parameters Inferred From Autosomal STRs

The Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China (XUARC) harbors almost 50 ethnic groups including the Uyghur (UGR: 45.84%), Han (HAN: 40.48%), Kazakh (KZK: 6.50%), Hui (HUI: 4.51%), Kyrgyz (KGZ: 0.86%), Mongol (MGL: 0.81%), Manchu (MCH: 0.11%), and Uzbek (UZK: 0.066%), which make it one of the most colorful regions with abundant cultural and genetic diversities. In our previous study, we established allelic frequency databases for 14 autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) for four minority populations from XUARC (MCH, KGZ, MGL, and UZK) using the AmpFlSTR® Identifiler PCR Amplification Kit. In this study, we genotyped 2,121 samples using the GoldenEye™ 20A Kit (Beijing PeopleSpot Inc., Beijing, China) amplifying 19 autosomal STR loci for four major ethnic groups (UGR, HAN, KZK, and HUI). These groups make up 97.33% of the total XUARC population. The total number of alleles for all the 19 STRs in these populations ranged from 232 (HAN) to 224 (KZK). We did not observe any departures from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) in these populations after sequential Bonferroni correction. We did find minimal departure from linkage equilibrium (LE) for a small number of pairwise combinations of loci. The match probabilities for the different populations ranged from 1 in 1.66 × 1023 (HAN) to 6.05 × 1024 (HUI), the combined power of exclusion ranged from 0.999 999 988 (HUI) to 0.999 999 993 (UGR), and the combined power of discrimination ranged from 0.999 999 999 999 999 999 999 983 (HAN) to 0.999 999 999 999 999 999 999 997 (UGR). Genetic distances, principal component analysis (PCA), STRUCTURE analysis, and the phylogenetic tree showed that genetic affinity among studied populations is consistent with linguistic, ethnic, and geographical classifications.

Records of Anthicidae (Insecta: Coleoptera) from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, China, with new descriptions and records

New data on the Anthicidae (ant-like flower beetles) from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region are presented. Three new species are described and illustrated, namely Anthicus (s. str.) lobanovi sp. n., Nitorus uyghur sp. n. and Stricticomus kucha sp. n. Anthicus laetus L.Medvedev, 1974 is redescribed. Four new regional records are presented.

Association between Dietary Inflammatory Index and Type 2 diabetes mellitus in Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, China

Background Diet and inflammation have both been studied in relation to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The aim of this cross-sectional study was to examine the association between the Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII®) and T2DM. Methods Subjects were adults enrolled in the baseline study of the Xinjiang multi-ethnic natural population cohort and health follow-up study from January to May 2019. The study involved 5,105 subjects (58.7% men) between 35 and 74 years of age. The DII score was calculated from a data obtained via a food frequency questionnaire consisting of 127 food items. Results Logistic regression analyses were used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of DII in relation to T2DM. After adjusting for potential confounders, compared to subjects in the 1st DII quintile, subjects in the 5th quintile (i.e., with the most pro-inflammatory diet) had higher odds of T2DM (OR = 3.27, 95%CI:2.38,4.50; p < 0.001). Conclusions Our results suggest that a pro-inflammatory diet is associated with a higher risk of T2DM in this population of Chinese adults.

“End the Dominance of the Uyghur Ethnic Group”: An Analysis of Beijing’s Population Optimization Strategy in Southern Xinjiang

Chinese academics and politicians in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region have argued that the region’s “terrorism” problem can only be solved by “optimizing” southern Xinjiang’s ethnic population structure. High Uyghur population concentrations are deemed a national security threat. “Optimizing” such concentrations is achieved by embedding substantial Han populations. Scenarios that do not overburden the region’s population carrying capacity entail drastic reductions in ethnic minority natural population growth. The intent to “optimize” the population serves as a basis to assess the intent to destroy an ethnic minority population in part, as outlined in the 1948 U.N. Genocide Convention. The “destruction in part” is assessed as the difference between projected natural population growth without substantial government interference, and reduced growth scenarios in line with population “optimization” requirements. Based on population projections conducted by Chinese researchers, this difference could range between 2.6 and 4.5 million persons by the year 2040.

China – Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Regulation on De-Radicalization

In March 2017, Xinjiang, a territory in northwest China, enacted the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region Regulation on De-Radicalization (“2017 Regulation”), which designated fifteen types of statements and actions as “primary expressions of radicalization” and authorized punishment for nonconformity, including criminal penalties and forced participation in “individual and collective” education programs. Many of these designated statements and actions are not only common practices in Muslim communities but also mandated by traditional Islamic law. The 2017 Regulation, through restricting religious expression, has the effect of further stigmatizing the Islamic faith and dismantling the social infrastructure of Muslim communities in Xinjiang.

Molecular detection and identification of a ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’-related strain associated with pumpkin witches’ broom in Xinjiang, China

Pumpkin plants showing symptoms of witches’ broom (PuWB) were observed in Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region, China, in September 2018. A phytoplasma was detected in symptomatic plants by PCR amplifying portions of the 16S ribosomal and tuf genes. In addition, the phylogeny based on these genes sequencing indicated that the PuWB strain clusters with ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’ (subgroup 16SrXII-A). Furthermore, based on in silico and in vitro restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses, the PuWB phytoplasma was confirmed as a ‘Ca. P. solani’-related strain. This was the first record of the occurrence of phytoplasma presence in pumpkins in China, and the first record of 16SrXII phytoplasma infecting pumpkins in the world.

Taxonomy of the Neolycaena (Rhymnaria) davidi (Oberthür, 1881) species group, with the description of two new taxa from Russia and China (Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae)

Poorly known taxa of the Neolycaena (Rhymnaria) davidi (Oberthür, 1881) species group are reviewed in the light of modern findings. The taxon kozlovi Zhdanko, 1996 previously considered a subspecies of N. (R.) davidi is recognised here as a separate species, N. (R.) kozlovi Zhdanko, 1996, stat. rev., including the subspecies N. (R.) kozlovi namkhaidorji Churkin, 2004, comb. nov., based on morphological differences, the geographic isolation and ecological specialisation. A new species, N. (R.) markhasiovi sp. n., is described from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region in China (Eastern Tian Shan, the Karlik Mountains) on the basis of distinct genitalia morphology and features of the external morphology, including colouration of the female abdomen. Populations of the subgenus Rhymnaria from southern Tuva in Russia (the Tannu-Ola Mountains) are described as a separate subspecies, N. (R.) davidi tannuola ssp. n. A checklist of the taxa of the N. (R.) davidi species group including data on their distribution and host plants is presented, as well as a key to the species of the group.