ABSTRACT
Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1), a pernicious constituent of the aflatoxin family, predominantly contaminates cereals, oils, and their derivatives. Acknowledged as a Class I carcinogen by the World Health Organization (WHO), the expeditious and quantitative discernment of AFB1 remains imperative. This investigation delineates that aluminum ions can precipitate the coalescence of iodine-modified silver nanoparticles, thereby engendering hot spots conducive for label-free AFB1 identification via Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS). This methodology manifests a remarkable limit of detection (LOD) at 0.47 fg/mL, surpassing the sensitivity thresholds of conventional survey techniques. Moreover, this method has good anti-interference ability, with a relative error of less than 10% and a relative standard deviation of less than 6% in quantitative results. Collectively, these findings illuminate the substantial application potential and viability of this approach in the quantitative analysis of AFB1, underpinning a significant advancement in food safety diagnostics.
ABSTRACT
Matching the thickness of the graphitic carbon nitride (CN) nanolayer with the charge diffusion length is expected to compensate for the poor intrinsic conductivity and charge recombination in CN for photoelectrochemical cells (PEC). Herein, the compact CN nanolayer with tunable thickness is in situ coated on carbon fibers. The compact packing along with good contact with the substrate improves the electron transport and alleviates the charge recombination. The PEC investigation shows CN nanolayer of 93 nm-thick yields an optimum photocurrent of 116 µA cm-2 at 1.23 V versus RHE, comparable to most micrometer-thick CN layers, with a low onset potential of 0.2 V in 1 m KOH under 1 sun illumination. This optimum performance suggests the electron diffusion length matches with the thickness of the CN nanolayer. Further deposition of NiFe-layered double hydroxide enhanced the surface water oxidation kinetics, delivering an improved photocurrent of 210 µA cm-2 with IPCE of 12.8% at 400 nm. The CN nanolayer also shows extended potential in PEC organic synthesis. This work experimentally reveals the PEC behavior of the nanometer-thick CN layer, providing new insights into CN in the application of energy and environment-related fields.
ABSTRACT
Background: The obesity epidemic has been on the rise due to changes in living standards and lifestyles. To combat this issue, sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has emerged as a prominent bariatric surgery technique, offering substantial weight reduction. Nevertheless, the mechanisms that underlie SG-related bodyweight loss are not fully understood. Methods: In this study, we conducted a collection of preoperative and 3-month postoperative serum and fecal samples from patients who underwent laparoscopic SG at the First Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University (Jinan, China). Here, we took an unbiased approach of multi-omics to investigate the role of SG-altered gut microbiota in anti-obesity of these patients. Non-target metabolome sequencing was performed using the fecal and serum samples. Results: Our data show that SG markedly increased microbiota diversity and Rikenellaceae, Alistipes, Parabacteroides, Bactreoidales, and Enterobacteraies robustly increased. These compositional changes were positively correlated with lipid metabolites, including sphingolipids, glycerophospholipids, and unsaturated fatty acids. Increases of Rikenellaceae, Alistipes, and Parabacteroide were reversely correlated with body mass index (BMI). Conclusion: In conclusion, our findings provide evidence that SG induces significant alterations in the abundances of Rikenellaceae, Alistipes, Parabacteroides, and Bacteroidales, as well as changes in lipid metabolism-related metabolites. Importantly, these changes were found to be closely linked to the alleviation of obesity. On the basis of these findings, we have identified a number of microbiotas that could be potential targets for treatment of obesity.
