The photocatalytic activity of GaN nanowires was investigated for the use of GaN nanowires as photocatalysts in harsh environments. GaN nanowires with diameters of 20-50 nm and lengths of 4-6 microm were prepared by Ni catalyst-assisted metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. Comparisons of GaN nanowires with GaN submicron dot arrays and thin films showed that GaN nanowires exhibit much better photocatalytic activity, resulting from a high surface-to-volume ratio. In addition, GaN nanowires exhibited good ability to photodegrade organic dye at various pHs, even under strong acidity and alkalinity. The photocatalytic activity of GaN nanowires was also compared with that of ZnO and TiO(2) nanowires.
Recombinant proteins have emerged as promising building blocks for vesicle self‐assembly because of their versatility through genetic manipulation and biocompatibility. Vesicles composed of thermally responsive elastin‐like polypeptide (ELP) fusion proteins encapsulate cargo during assembly. However, vesicle stability in physiological environments remains a significant challenge for biofunctional applications. Here, incorporation of an unnatural amino acid, para‐azido phenylalanine, into the ELP domain is reported to enable photocrosslinking of protein vesicles and tuning of vesicle size and swelling. The size of the vesicles can be tuned by changing ELP hydrophobicity and ionic strength. Protein vesicles are assessed for their ability to encapsulate doxorubicin and dually deliver doxorubicin and fluorescent protein in vitro as a proof of concept. The resulting photocrosslinkable vesicles made from full‐sized, functional proteins show high potential in drug delivery applications, especially for small molecule/protein combination therapies or targeted therapies.
BackgroundThe elevation and dissipation of pollutants after the ignition of fireworks in different functional areas of a valley city were investigated.MethodsThe Air Quality Index (AQI) as well as inter-day and intra-day concentrations of various air pollutants (PM10, PM2.5, SO2, NO2, CO, O3) were measured during two episodes that took place during Chinese New Year festivities.ResultsFor the special terrain of Jinan, the mean concentrations of pollutants increased sharply within 2–4 h of the firework displays, and concentrations were 4–6 times higher than the usual levels. It took 2–3 d for the pollutants to dissipate to background levels. Compared to Preliminary Eve (more fireworks are ignited on New Year’s Eve, but the amounts of other human activities are also lesser), the primary pollutants PM2.5, PM10, and CO reached higher concentrations on New Year’s Eve, and the highest concentrations of these pollutants were detected in living quarters. All areas suffered from serious pollution problems on New Year’s Eve (rural = urban for PM10, but rural > urban for PM2.5). However, SO2 and NO2 levels were 20%–60% lower in living quarters and industrial areas compared to the levels in these same areas on Preliminary Eve. In contrast to the other pollutants, O3 concentrations fell instead of rising with the firework displays.ConclusionInteractions between firework displays and other human activities caused different change trends of pollutants. PM2.5 and PM10 were the main pollutants, and the rural living quarter had some of the highest pollution levels.
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