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How to detect and recover Cr(III) (Cr3+) from contaminated water through an economical and environmental way is not negligible but significant to solve serious pollution of heavy metal ions. Herein, a spiropyran [1′-(n -butyl)-3′,3′-dimethyl-6-nitrospir[chromene-2,2′-indoline] (SPBU) with negative photochromism is exploited as a visual detector for Cr3+. In contrast to positive photochromism of spiropyran derivatives, the synthesized SPBU can isomerize from colorless form spiropyran (SP) to the corresponding colored merocyanine (MC) form and further complex with Cr3+ under darkness without essential UV irradiation, providing a facile strategy enable visual detection of Cr3+ in aqueous solution. Importantly, we have synthesized SPBU-Polyethylene glyol (SPBU-PEG) hydrogels with negative photochromism via physical blending. Evidence from practical performance confirms that Cr3+ can be captured from aqueous solution under darkness and repelled from the hydrogel effectively upon visible light irradiation to achieve the regeneration of the designed adsorbent with a save-energy manner, avoiding any desorbent and secondary contamination. Additionally, the SPBU-PEG hydrogels have excellent Cr3+ selectivity and reproducibility. This work provides a significant greener way to exploit visible light responsive materials for reversible recovery of heavy metal ions from contaminated water with preferable performance, broadening sustainable development for purification systems. [Display omitted] • The SPBU has a low limit of detection for Cr3+ ions in aqueous solutions (0.64 μM). • The SPBU-PEG hydrogels used for the reversible light-driven recovery of Cr3+ ions. • SPBU-PEG hydrogels can be regenerated by light control. • The whole process avoids secondary pollution caused by chemical desorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A multiplex PCR (mPCR) assay was established to detect five pathogenic Vibrio species and Plesiomonas shigelloides. Twelve genes were included: ompW , ctxA , rfbN , and wbfR from V. cholerae ; tl , tdh, and trh from V. parahaemolyticus ; toxR and vmhA from V. mimicus ; toxR from V. fluvialis ; vvhA from V. vulnificus ; and the 23S rRNA gene from P. shigelloides. The specificity of the mPCR assay was 100% for the detection of 136 strains and the limits of detection (LoD) were 12.5–50 pg/reaction. The assay exhibited higher sensitivity than cultivation methods in the detection of APW cultures of 113 diarrhea samples. In the analysis of 369 suspected Vibrio populations from estuarine water samples, the specificity of the mPCR for V. cholerae and V. parahaemolyticus was 100% for both, while the sensitivities were 100% and 96.1%, respectively. The assay can be applied to screen enrichment cultures and suspected colonies from environmental and clinical samples. • The multiplex PCR can detect five Vibrio species and Plesiomonas shigelloides. • The limits of detection for the 12 genes were 12.5–50 ng/reaction. • It was more sensitive than culture by screening the APW cultures of samples. • It can identify suspected Vibrio populations from estuarine water samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, chemical compositions of fatty oils and bioactivity of crude extracts from Holotrichia diomphalia larvae as Chinese materia medica were investigated for the first time. The chemical compositions of the fatty oils were obtained by two different methods and determined by GC/MS. In total, the petroleum ether extract produced 21 compounds (96.3%) while the supercritical fluid extract produced six compounds (99.53%) for identification. The effect of petroleum ether and other crude extracts on Pyricularia oryzae was also examined. Results indicated that ethanol and petroleum ether extracts had excellent antifungal activities. These findings demonstrated that fatty oils from H. diomphalia larvae had great potential to be used as a source for natural health products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An abstract of the article on the catalyzed one-pot synthesis of pyrrolo is presented.

Various quinoxaline systems are obtained by a one-pot, two-step oxidation/cyclization sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continued observations of Sw J1644+57 in X-ray and radio bands accumulated a rich data set to study the relativistic jet launched in this tidal disruption event. The X-ray light curve of Sw J1644+57 from 5-30 days presents two kinds of quasi-periodic variations: a 200 s quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO) and a 2.7 day quasi-periodic variation. The latter has been interpreted by a precessing jet launched near the Bardeen-Petterson radius of a warped disk. Here we suggest that the ∼200 s QPO could be associated with a second, narrower jet sweeping the observer line-of-sight periodically, which is launched from a spinning black hole in the misaligned direction with respect to the black hole's angular momentum. In addition, we show that this two-component jet model can interpret the radio light curve of the event, especially the re-brightening feature starting ∼100 days after the trigger. From the data we infer that inner jet may have a Lorentz factor of Γj ∼ 5.5 and a kinetic energy of Ek, iso ∼ 3.0 × 1052 erg, while the outer jet may have a Lorentz factor of Γj ∼ 2.5 and a kinetic energy of Ek, iso ∼ 3.0 × 1053 erg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In Taiwan, DNA-based newborn screening showed a surprisingly high incidence of a cardiac Fabry mutation (IVS4 + 919G > A). The prevalence of this mutation is too high to be believed that it is a real pathogenic mutation. The purpose of this study is to identify the cardiac pathologic characteristics in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and this mutationMethods and Results: Endomyocardial biopsies were obtained in 22 patients (Median age: 61, males: 17; females: 5) with left ventricular hypertrophy and the IVS4 + 919G > A mutation; five patients had not received enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) before biopsy, while the other 17 patients had received ERT from 8 months to 51 months. Except for three patients who had received ERT for more than 3 years, all other patients showed significant pathological change and globotriaosylceramide (Gb3) accumulation in their cardiomyocytes. In contrast to classical Fabry patients, no Gb3 accumulation was found in the capillary endothelial cells of any of our patients. Fourteen patients (63.6%) were found to have myofibrillolysis.Conclusions: All of the untreated and most of the treated IVS4 + 919G > A patients showed typical pathological changes of Fabry disease in their cardiomyocytes. No endothelial accumulation of Gb3 was found, which is similar to the findings of several previous reports regarding later-onset Fabry disease. This result highly suggests that the IVS4 + 919G > A is a real pathogenic later-onset Fabry mutation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Well-sampled optical light curves of 146 gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are compiled from the literature. By empirical fitting, we identify eight possible emission components and summarize the results in a “synthetic” light curve. Both optical flare and early shallow-decay components are likely related to long-term central engine activities. We focus on their statistical properties in this paper. Twenty-four optical flares are obtained from 19 GRBs. The isotropic R-band energy is smaller than 1% of Eγ, iso. The relation between the isotropic luminosities of the flares and gamma rays follows LFR, iso∝L1.11 ± 0.27γ, iso. Later flares tend to be wider and dimmer, i.e., wF ∼ tFp/2 and LFR, iso∝[tFp/(1 + z)]–1.15 ± 0.15. The detection probability of the optical flares is much smaller than that of X-ray flares. An optical shallow-decay segment is observed in 39 GRBs. The relation between the break time and break luminosity is a power law, with an index of –0.78 ± 0.08, similar to that derived from X-ray flares. The X-ray and optical breaks are usually chromatic, but a tentative correlation is found. We suggest that similar to the prompt optical emission that tracks γ-rays, the optical flares are also related to the erratic behavior of the central engine. The shallow-decay component is likely related to a long-lasting spinning-down central engine or piling up of flare materials onto the blast wave. Mixing of different emission components may be the reason for the diverse chromatic afterglow behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]