Higher minimum wage, better labour market returns for rural migrants? Evidence from China

Using data from the 2013 China Household Income Project (CHIP), this study investigates the effects of minimum wages on labour market returns for rural migrants in China and sheds light on the potential underlying mechanisms of these effects. An instrumental variable estimation is used to address the endogeneity problem of minimum wages on labour market returns. Our empirical findings indicate that minimum wages have positive effects on migrants’ wages. Specifically, we observe higher effects for women and migrants who have higher education levels. Regarding the possible mechanisms through which minimum wages influence migrants’ labour market returns, we find that minimum wages tend to increase rural migrants’ working time but have no significant effects on allowances related to work. We could not obtain conclusive results for social insurance due to its potential endogeneity

Nutrition Transition with Accelerating Urbanization? Empirical Evidence from Rural China

Although rapid urbanization is often considered as one of the most important drivers for changing dietary patterns, little attention has been paid to rural areas despite the profound transformation they have undergone. Using longitudinal data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) for the period from 2004 to 2011, this study seeks to better understand the relationship between the urbanization of rural areas and dietary transition, with the focus on nutrition intake and dietary quality. Our results suggest that with increasing urbanization, rural residents tend to have on average lower calorie intakes but higher dietary quality. Specifically, increasing urbanization consistently reduces carbohydrate consumption and reduces fat consumption after a turning point; protein consumption first decreases and then increases after the turning point with increasing urbanization. Urbanization shows a significant and positive effect on the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). In addition to sociodemographic changes, we find that changing consumer preferences and knowledge serve as important determinants in explaining the dietary transition in rural China from 2004 to 2011. In our study, urbanization appears to positively affect rural residents' healthy food preferences and dietary knowledge. This study is a first attempt for better understanding the nutrition transition resulting from accelerating urbanization in rural China; several limitations and areas for future research have been highlighted

CMAS-resistance of a yttria graded thermal barrier coating fabricated by plasma activated EB-PVD

EB-PVD yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) are susceptible to calcia-magnesia-aluminum-silicate (CMAS) corrosion. The service lifetime of typical 8YSZ TBCs can be significantly reduced by CMAS attack. Currently, composition and microstructure modifications are the most commonly used methods for CMAS infiltration resistance. It has been reported by previous researchers that reactive elements, including Y, Gd, La, and etc., doped in TBCs can promote the formation of a dense protective layer by a sacrificing reaction with CMAS. It is therefore that the CMAS infiltration can be retarded. Besides, tailored columnar grains of TBCs are are also proved to be effective for CMAS mitigation. In this work, TBCs specimens with graded microstructure were fabricated by EB-PVD. The upper region of the TBC was doped with a higher Y2O3 content up to 25 wt.%, compared with the conventional 8YSZ composition. Besides, plasma activation was also introduced in the EB-PVD process to yield a tailored coating morphology and prosity. The coating specimens were tested at 1250 oC for evaluating CMAS resistance. Conventional YSZ coatings and graded coatings without plasma activation were also investigated for comparison

The Cutoff protein regulates piRNA cluster expression and piRNA production in the Drosophila germline

The identity and function of many factors involved in the piRNA pathway remain unknown. Here, in Drosophila, cutoff plays a role in regulating piRNA cluster transcript levels and biogenesis together with the heterochromatin protein Rhino