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Scientific analysis of excavated pottery reveals critical archaeological insights, yet data on Han Dynasty pottery remains limited. This study focuses on pottery artifacts excavated from the Daqu burial site in Beijing, renowned for their polychrome decorations and size. Utilizing optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), this study examined five substrate samples sourced from fragments of pottery towers and ellipse-shaped dishes. All samples exhibited similar inclusions and the same firing atmosphere. The mineralogical analysis indicated that quartz and feldspar are predominant components, with minor constituents like chlorite and kaolinite observed in the coarse pottery of the ellipse-shaped dish. Minor mineral variations suggest differences in firing temperatures. The resemblance between low-value pottery cups and delicate polychrome towers suggests they were crafted locally. These findings advance our understanding of ceramic materials and techniques in late Eastern Han Dynasty Beijing, providing crucial insights for future studies on ancient Chinese economy and society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is highly endemic in mainland China, and has extended from rural areas to cities recently. Beijing metropolis is a novel affected region, where the HFRS incidence seems to be diverse from place to place. Methodology/Principal Findings: The spatial scan analysis based on geographical information system (GIS) identified three geo-spatial ''hotspots'' of HFRS in Beijing when the passive surveillance data from 2004 to 2006 were used. The Relative Risk (RR) of the three ''hotspots'' was 5.45, 3.57 and 3.30, respectively. The Phylogenetic analysis based on entire coding region sequence of S segment and partial L segment sequence of Seoul virus (SEOV) revealed that the SEOV strains circulating in Beijing could be classified into at least three lineages regardless of their host origins. Two potential recombination events that happened in lineage #1 were detected and supported by comparative phylogenetic analysis. The SEOV strains in different lineages and strains with distinct special amino acid substitutions for N protein were partially associated with different spatial clustered areas of HFRS. Conclusion/Significance: Hotspots of HFRS were found in Beijing, a novel endemic region, where intervention should be enhanced. Our data suggested that the genetic variation and recombination of SEOV strains was related to the high risk areas of HFRS, which merited further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single nueleotide variations (SNVs) at 5 loci (17564, 21721, 22222, 23823, and 27827) were used to define the molecular epidemiologic characteristics of severe acute respiratory syndrome-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) from Beijing patients. Five fragments targeted at the SNV loci were amplified directly from clinical samples by using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), before sequencing the amplified products. Analyses of 45 sequences obtained from 29 patients showed that the GGCTC motif dominated among samples collected from March to early April 2003; the TGTTT motif predominanted afterwards. The switch from GGCTC to TGTTT was observed among patients belonging to the same cluster, which ruled out the possibility of the coincidental superposition of 2 epidemics running in parallel in Beijing. The Beijing isolates underwent the same change pattern reported from Guangdong Province. The same series of mutations occurring in separate geographic locations and at different times suggests a dominant process of viral adaptation to the host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Important active faults for seismic hazard assessment in Beijing and nearby cities. [•] Fault parameters necessary for the calculations are known from field investigations. [•] Modeling all strong (M >5.0) shocks in Hebei Province since the beginning of the 20th century. [•] Calculation of probabilities after examining every possible scenario of fault failure (76 characters). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]