Genomic Diversity among Beijing and non-Beijing Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates from Myanmar

Background: The Beijing family of Mycobacterium tuberculosis is dominant in countries in East Asia. Genomic polymorphisms are a source of diversity within the M. tuberculosis genome and may account for the variation of virulence among M. tuberculosis isolates. Till date there are no studies that have examined the genomic composition of M. tuberculosis isolates from the high TB-burden country, Myanmar. Methodology/Principle Findings: Twenty-two M. tuberculosis isolates from Myanmar were screened on whole-genome arrays containing genes from M. tuberculosis H37Rv, M. tuberculosis CDC1551 and M. bovis AF22197. Screening identified 198 deletions or extra regions in the clinical isolates compared to H37Rv. Twenty-two regions differentiated between Beijing and non-Beijing isolates and were verified by PCR on an additional 40 isolates. Six regions (Rv0071-0074 [RD105], Rv1572-1576c [RD149], Rv1585c-1587c [RD149], MT1798-Rv1755c [RD152], Rv1761c [RD152] and Rv0279c) were deleted in Beijing isolates, of which 4 (Rv1572-1576c, Rv1585c-1587c, MT1798-Rv1755c and Rv1761c) were variably deleted among ST42 isolates, indicating a closer relationship between the Beijing and ST42 lineages. The TbD1 region, Mb1582-Mb1583 was deleted in Beijing and ST42 isolates. One M. bovis gene of unknown function, Mb3184c was present in all isolates, except 11 of 13 ST42 isolates. The CDC1551 gene, MT1360 coding for a putative adenylate cyclase, was present in all Beijing and ST42 isolates (except 1). The pks15/1 gene, coding for a putative virulence factor, was intact in all Beijing and non-Beijing isolates, except in ST42 and ST53 isolates. Conclusion: This study describes previously unreported deletions/extra regions in Beijing and non-Beijing M. tuberculosis isolates. The modern and highly frequent ST42 lineage showed a closer relationship to the hypervirulent Beijing lineage than to the ancient non-Beijing lineages. The pks15/1 gene was disrupted only in modern non-Beijing isolates. This is the first report of an in-depth analysis on the genomic diversity of M. tuberculosis isolates from Myanmar

Spatial and temporal variations of aerosols around Beijing in summer 2006: Model evaluation and source apportionment

Regional aerosol model calculations were made using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF)-Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) and WRF-chem models to study spatial and temporal variations of aerosols around Beijing, China, in the summer of 2006, when the Campaigns of Air Quality Research in Beijing and Surrounding Region 2006 (CAREBeijing) intensive campaign was conducted. Model calculations captured temporal variations of primary (such as elemental carbon. (EC)) and secondary (such as sulfate) aerosols observed in and around Beijing. The spatial distributions of aerosol optical depth observed by the MODTS satellite sensors were also reproduced over northeast China. Model calculations showed distinct differences in spatial distributions between primary and secondary aerosols in association with synoptic-scale meteorology. Secondary aerosols increased in air around Beijing on a scale of about 1000 × 1000 km2 under an anticyclonic pressure system. This air mass was transported northward from the high anthropogenic emission area extending south of Beijing with continuous photochemical production. Subsequent cold front passage brought clean air from the north, and polluted air around Beijing was swept to the south of Beijing. This cycle was repeated about once a week and was found to be responsible for observed enhancements/reductions of aerosols at the intensive measurement sites. In contrast to secondary aerosols, the spatial distributions of primary aerosols (EC) reflected those of emissions, resulting in only slight variability despite the changes in synopticscale meteorology. In accordance with these results, source apportionment simulations revealed that primary aerosols around Beijing were controlled by emissions within 100 km around Beijing within the preceding 24 h, while emissions as far as 500 km and within the preceding 3 days were found to affect secondary aerosols. Copyright 2009 by the American Geophysical Union

Morphological transformation of the old city of Beijing after 1949

The old city of Beijing has been recognized as the greatest masterpiece of urban planning and urban design. However, since 1949 it has experienced extensive and fast constructions and demolitions, a large number of papers argued that physical and social structure of old city of Beijing has been fading away. In order to find a proper way to protect and redevelop the old Beijing city, it could be better to answer the questions that what is the essence of urban morphology of the Old Beijing (the city before 1950s) and further how it has been transformed during last 50 years since 1949. The paper tried to provide a whole spatial morphology of the old city of Beijing and its transformation from the perspective of space syntax, a syntactical and topological approach. Based on which, it argued syntactical representation of the Old Beijing could give the light on the dual spatial structures, both for ceremony and for everyday life. Further, it argued that the transformation of syntactical morphology of the old city of Beijing had been on the way to make the spatial configuration more intelligibility for every day life since 1949. However, the continued large scale regeneration and urban extension have begun to impair the vitality of the old city due to both weakening spatial synergy and damaging compactness

Packaging China for the Olympics

In order to put on the show known as the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the governmenthas enlisted the help of major foreign players to "package" China. Public relations and marketing firms are helping to present and brand Beijing for the Games, while legal firms have been hired by the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Games of the XXIX Olympiad (BOCOG) to protect their intellectual property. Following previous IR2008 updates covering the involvement of foreign companies as Olympic sponsors and partners, this update focuses on PR and legal services.Aside from bringing in foreign expertise, the Beijing government has also initiated large-scale campaigns to improve Beijing's image for the Games, including initiatives to encourage residents to clean up their manners. The Games are expected to draw 800,000 foreign visitors and one million domestic visitors to Beijing,3 making presentation, marketing and branding key goals for Chinese officials in anticipation of 2008

“Opening-Up” the WTO: What Does It Mean for China?

Text of speech delivered at China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), Beijing, October 9; Tsinghua Law School, Beijing, October 10; Wuhan University, WTO Center, October 12; Fudan University, Shanghai, October 13, 200

“Opening-Up” the WTO: What Does It Mean for China?

Text of speech delivered at China University of Political Science and Law (CUPL), Beijing, October 9; Tsinghua Law School, Beijing, October 10; Wuhan University, WTO Center, October 12; Fudan University, Shanghai, October 13, 200

R-values in Low Energy e^+e^- Annihilation

This presentation briefly summarizes the recent measurements of R-values in low energy e^+e^- annihilation. The new experiments aimed at reducing the uncertainties in R-values and performed with the upgraded Beijing Spectrometer (BESII) at Beijing Electron Positron Collider (BEPC) in Beijing and with CMD-2 and SND at VEEP-2M in Novosibirsk are reviewed and discussed.Comment: 17 pages, 10 figures, invited presentation at the XIX International Symposium on Lepton and Photon Interactions at High Energy, Stanford University, August 199

The IceCube Neutrino Observatory V: Future Developments

Proposed enhancements of the IceCube observatory. Submitted papers to the 32nd International Cosmic Ray Conference, Beijing 2011.Comment: Papers submitted by the IceCube Collaboration to the 32nd International Cosmic Ray Conference, Beijing 2011; part

Take Action: 2008 and Beyond

The Organizing Committee for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games issued the "Beijing Olympic Action Plan," which laid out guiding principles and a series of promises as part of Beijing's preparations to be host city.In 2003,Human Rights in China (HRIC) launched the Incorporating Responsibility 2008 Campaign to encourage Beijing to keep these promises.HRIC issued an initial assessment of Beijing's progress in a 2005 report entitled "Promises, Promises." This update focuses on what has happened over the past two years and what remains to be done before the Games open in August of 2008