The nature of the redshift and directly observed quasar statistics

The nature of the cosmic redshift is one of the most fundamental questions in modern science. Hubble's discovery of the apparent Expansion of the Universe is derived from observations on a small number of galaxies at very low redshifts. Today, quasar redshifts have a range more than 1000 times greater than those in Hubble's sample, and represent more than 100 times as many objects. A recent comprehensive compilation of published measurements provides the basis for a study indicating that quasar observations are not in good agreement with the original predictions of the Expanding Universe theory, but are well fit by the predictions of an alternative theory having fewer adjustable parameters.     

酸雨和SO2对蔬菜生长和产量的影响

应用开顶式熏气装置,以油菜和白菜为材料,分别将其暴露于模拟酸雨(pH2.8—5.6)和模拟酸雨与0.1ppmSO_2环境中,测定单独污染与复合污染对蔬菜生长反应和产量的影响。结果表明,酸雨(pH2.8)和酸雨(pH4.6)与0.1ppmSO_2复合处理均对LAR有明显抑制,LAR最多可减少37.5%。模拟酸雨(pH2.8,3.6)使蔬菜减产1.4—8.7%,而模拟酸雨与SO_2复合污染可使蔬菜产量减少7.9—28.9%(P<0.05)。     

Sanfilippo D syndrome: Correction of glucosamine-6-sulphatase deficiency following fibroblast culture in chang's media

The de-O-sulphation of α-linked glucosamine-6-sulphate residues in heparan sulphate requires a specific sulphatase, glucosamine-6-sulphatase, which has been shown to be deficient in tissues of Sanfilippo D, or mucopolysaccharidosis type IIID (MPS IIID), patients. MPS IIID fibroblasts cultured in Basal Eagle's medium supplemented with either fetal calf serum or heat-inactivated fetal calf serum, MDCB or Ultraserg media had residual glucosarnine-6-sulphatase activities towards a heparin-derived trisaccharide substrate, O-(α-N-acetylglucosamine-6-sulphate)-(1→4)-L -O-(α-iduronic acid-2-sulphate)-(1→4)-D -O-2,5-anhydro [1-³H]mannitol-6-sulphate, GlcNAc6S-IdoA2S-anM6S, which were less than 1 per cent of the normal range for fibroblasts cultured in Basal Eagle's medium supplemented with fetal calf serum. However, the glucosamine-6-sulphatase activities of MPS IIID fibroblasts grown in Chang's medium were similar to the activities in normal control fibroblasts which were cultured in Basal Eagle's medium. These results indicate that caution is required for prenatal diagnosis of MPS IIID patients using chorionic villi or amniotic cells cultured in Chang's medium.