Porosity of Rigid Dendrimers in Bulk: Interdendrimer Interactions and Functionality as Key Factors

The porous structure of second- and third-generation polyphenylene-type dendrimers was investigated by adsorption of N2, Ar, and CO2 gases, scanning electron microscopy and small-angle X-ray spectroscopy. Rigid dendrimers in bulk are microporous and demonstrate a molecular sieve effect. When using CO2 as an adsorbate gas, the pore size varies from 0.6 to 0.9 nm. This is most likely due to the distances between dendrimer macromolecules or branches of neighboring dendrimers, whose packing is mostly realized due to intermolecular interactions, in particular, π–π interactions of aromatic fragments. Intermolecular interactions prevent the manifestation of the porosity potential inherent to the molecular 3D structure of third-generation dendrimers, while for the second generation, much higher porosity is observed. The maximum specific surface area for the second-generation dendrimers was 467 m2/g when measured by CO2 adsorption, indicating that shorter branches of these dendrimers do not provide dense packing. This implies that the possible universal method to create porous materials for all kinds of rigid dendrimers is by a placement of bulky substituents in their outer layer.

Selective nitrate removal from aqueous solutions by a hydrotalcite-like absorbent FeMgMn-LDH

FeMgMn-LDH, a type of potential environmental remediation material, has been synthesized via a co-precipitation method, and its adsorption characteristics for nitrate were investigated in this study. It’s shown that the prepared FeMgMn-LDH is a promising adsorbent for anions removal, which has high buffer capacity (final pH remained between 9 and 10) and high reversibility, and can remove nitrate ions selectively though an anion-sieve effect. The maximum amount of nitrate adsorption is 10.56 N-mg g−1 at 25 ℃. The removal rate of nitrate ions can reach 86.26% with the adsorbent dose of 5 g/L in a real water. The competition order of coexisting anions on nitrate adsorption by FeMgMn-LDH is CO32− > PO43− > SO42−. The negative values of ΔG0 (from − 27.796 to − 26.426 kJ mol−1) and ΔH0 (− 6.678 kJ mol−1) indicate that the nitrate adsorption process on the FeMgMn-LDH is spontaneous and exothermic. The main adsorption mechanisms of nitrate removal from aqueous solutions by FeMgMn-LDH are electrostatic attraction and ion exchange.

Investigation of the mechanism of metal–organic frameworks preventing polysulfide shuttling from the perspective of composition and structure

The inhibition of polysulfides by a MOF composite separator with an ion sieve effect, and physical and chemical adsorption is illustrated.

Evidence for both Intermittent and Persistent Compartmentalization of HIV-1 in the Female Genital Tract

ABSTRACTHIV-1 has been shown to evolve independently in different anatomical compartments, but studies in the female genital tract have been inconclusive. Here, we examined evidence of compartmentalization using HIV-1 subtype C envelope (Env) glycoprotein genes (gp160) obtained from matched cervicovaginal lavage (CVL) and plasma samples over 2 to 3 years of infection. HIV-1 gp160 amplification from CVL was achieved for only 4 of 18 acutely infected women, and this was associated with the presence of proinflammatory cytokines and/or measurable viremia in the CVL. Maximum likelihood trees and divergence analyses showed that all four individuals had monophyletic compartment-specific clusters of CVL- and/or plasma-derived gp160 sequences at all or some time points. However, two participants (CAP177 and CAP217) had CVL gp160 diversity patterns that differed from those in plasma and showed restricted viral flow from the CVL. Statistical tests of compartmentalization revealed evidence of persistent compartment-specific gp160 evolution in CAP177, while in CAP217 this was intermittent. Lastly, we identified several Env sites that distinguished viruses in these two compartments; for CAP177, amino acid differences arose largely through positive selection, while insertions/deletions were more common in CAP217. In both cases these differences contributed to substantial charge changes spread across the Env. Our data indicate that, in some women, HIV-1 populations within the genital tract can have Env genetic features that differ from those of viruses in plasma, which could impact the sensitivity of viruses in the genital tract to vaginal microbicides and vaccine-elicited antibodies.IMPORTANCEMost HIV-1 infections in sub-Saharan Africa are acquired heterosexually through the genital mucosa. Understanding the properties of viruses replicating in the female genital tract, and whether these properties differ from those of more commonly studied viruses replicating in the blood, is therefore important. Using longitudinal CVL and plasma-derived sequences from four HIV-1 subtype C-infected women, we found fewer viral migrations from the genital tract to plasma than in the opposite direction, suggesting a mucosal sieve effect from the genital tract to the blood compartment. Evidence for both persistent and intermittent compartmentalization between the genital tract and plasma viruses during chronic infection was detected in two of four individuals, perhaps explaining previously conflicting findings. In cases where compartmentalization occurred, comparison of CVL- and plasma-derived HIV sequences indicated that distinct features of viral populations in the CVL may affect the efficacy of microbicides and vaccines designed to provide mucosal immunity.

Flexible thermally treated 3D PIM-CD molecular sieve membranes exceeding the upper bound line for propylene/propane separation

The flexible thermally treated 3D PIM-CD cross-linking networks have narrow gates and better molecular sieve effect for propylene/propane separation exceeding the upper bound line.

THE SIEVE EFFECT : South Africa’s conviction rates in perspective

Figures that suggest that only six out of every 100 violent crimes recorded by the South African Police Service result in a conviction are cause for concern. But every country experiences a ‘sieve effect’ – most reported crimes never even make it to court. Comparing South Africa’s success rates to those of England and the United States suggests that the country’s criminal justice system is not as dysfunctional as one might think.

The shift of microbial population composition accompanying the injected water flowing in the water-flooding petroleum reservoirs

In water-flooding petroleum reservoir, microbial populations in injected water are expected to migrate into oil-bearing strata and reach production wells. To demonstrate this, we firstly investigated microbial compositions in a homogeneous sandstone reservoir. The results indicated that the injected water harbored more microbial cells than produced water, and the shared populations and their abundance accounted for a minor fraction in injected water, while dominated in produced water, suggesting that most populations in injected water did hardly reach production wells in this reservoir. We further investigated microbial communities in water samples collected from wellhead and downhole of injection wells and production wells in a heterogeneous conglomerate reservoir. The results indicated that, except for the community reconstruction mainly resulted from dissolved oxygen, most populations were simultaneously detected in the wellhead and downhole of injection wells and production wells, suggesting that most microbial populations in injected water reached the production wells. This study suggest that microbial populations in injected water can pass through reservoir strata and reach production wells, but the reservoir heterogeneity, interwell spacing, sieve effect of strata and dissolved oxygen exert significant influence on microbial migration and distribution in reservoirs.

Low Multiplicity of HIV-1 Infection and No Vaccine Enhancement in VAX003 Injection Drug Users

Background. We performed human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) transmitted/founder (T/F) virus analysis of the VAX003 vaccine efficacy trial participants to characterize the transmission bottleneck and test for vaccine-associated reduction or enhancement of infection in this injection drug user (IDU) cohort. Methods. We performed single genome sequencing of plasma vRNA from 50 subjects sampled in early HIV infection. Sequences were analyzed phylogenetically, T/F viruses enumerated, and a sieve analysis performed. Results. Eight of 19 (42%) placebo recipients were productively infected by more than 1 virus (range 1–5, median 1, mean 1.7). This frequency of multiple virus transmission was greater than reported for heterosexual cohorts (19%, P = .03) but not statistically different from vaccine recipients (22.6%, P > .05), where the range was 1–3, median 1, and mean 1.3 (P > .05 for all comparisons). An atypical sieve effect was detected in Env V2 but was not associated with reduction or enhancement of virus acquisition. Conclusions. The number of T/F viruses in IDUs was surprising low, with 95% of individuals infected by only 1–3 viruses. This finding suggests that a successful vaccine or other prevention modality generally needs to protect against only one or a few viruses regardless of risk behavior. T/F analysis ide.jpegied an atypical genetic sieve in the V2 region of Envelope and found no evidence for vaccine-mediated enhancement in VAX003.