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Background: Modern perioperative guidelines encourage drinking oral carbohydrates 2 h before management. Nevertheless, research on the safety of preoperative carbohydrate drinks, particularly in extremely elderly patients is lacking. We aimed to evaluate the safety of carbohydrate drinks 2 h before surgery in extremely elderly patients (≥ 80 years) using gastric ultrasonography. Methods: We conducted a randomized prospective comparative study of 70 patients aged over 80 years who were scheduled for total knee arthroplasty, hip fracture or humerus fracture surgery. These patients were randomly assigned to the carbohydrate group (n = 35), which fasted from midnight, except for drinking 355 mL of a carbohydrate-containing fluid 2 h before surgery, or the fasting group (n = 35), which fasted from midnight and drank no fluid before surgery. The primary outcome of the study was the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the gastric antrum in the right lateral decubitus position (RLDP) before surgery. The secondary outcomes included CSA in the supine position, intraoperative blood glucose levels and their variability coefficients, Perlas grade, and the visual analog scale of subjective feelings. Results: The CSA in the RLDP and supine positions revealed no differences between the carbohydrate and fasting groups at 0 h preoperatively (P > 0.05). In the qualitative assessment, preoperative 0-h Perlas grading did not differ significantly between the groups (P > 0.05). From 2 h before surgery to transfer out of the post-anesthesia care unit, the average blood glucose level of patients in the carbohydrate group was significantly higher than that in the fasting group (P < 0.001) but remained within the normal range. Moreover, the blood glucose variability coefficient was significantly lower in the carbohydrate group than in the fasting group (P = 0.009). Oral intake of 355 mL carbohydrates before surgery significantly relieved patients' feelings (P < 0.001). Conclusion: Preoperative consumption of carbohydrate drinks 2 h before surgery is safe in "healthy" extremely elderly patients. In addition, preoperative drinking has potential value in maintaining ideal blood glucose levels and stable blood glucose fluctuations perioperatively and improving subjective perceptions of preoperative preparation. This finding warrants further investigation in clinical practice. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Registration Number ChiCTR1900024812), first registered on 29/07/2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agricultural green revolution spectacularly enhanced crop yield through modification of gibberellin (GA) signaling. However, in cotton, the GA signaling cascades remain elusive, limiting our potential to cultivate new cotton varieties and improve yield and quality. Here, we identified that GA prominently stimulated fiber elongation through the degradation of DELLA protein GhSLR1, thereby disabling GhSLR1's physical interaction with two transcription factors, GhZFP8 and GhBLH1. Subsequently, the resultant free GhBLH1 binds to GhKCS12 promoter and activates its expression to enhance VLCFAs biosynthesis. With a similar mechanism, the free GhZFP8 binds to GhSDCP1 promoter and activates its expression. As a result, GhSDCP1 upregulates the expression of GhPIF3 gene associated with plant cell elongation. Ultimately, the two parallel signaling cascades synergistically promote cotton fiber elongation. Our findings outline the mechanistic framework that translates the GA signal into fiber cell elongation, thereby offering a roadmap to improve cotton fiber quality and yield. [Display omitted] • Gibberellins promotes fiber cell elongation by degrading GhSLR1 • GhSLR1 interacts with two transcription factors, GhZFP8 and GhBLH1 • GhBLH1 activates the transcription of GhKCS12 and enhances VLCFA biosynthesis • GhZFP8 activates the expression of GhPIF3 by upregulating GhSDCP1 in cotton He et al. identified two signaling cascades, GhSLR1-GhZFP8- GhSDCP1 - GhPIF3 and GhSLR1-GhBLH1- GhKCS12 , which translate the gibberellins signal to regulate cotton fiber cell elongation. This finding can be potentially used in the field to improve cotton fiber quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing S-scheme heterojunctions is an effective method to improve the charge localization on the surface of photocatalysts. Their effective charge transport routes can be enhanced with the help of interfacial noble metal nanoparticles. Herein, an Ag/CuO@ZnIn 2 S 4 plasma S-scheme heterojunction with heterogeneous interfacial covalent bonds was successfully designed. The 15% Ag/CuO@ZnIn 2 S 4 has promising photocatalytic performance and stability with the highest CO and CH 4 yields of 6.9 and 54.4 µmol g−1 h−1 and CH 4 selectivity of 92.8%. It is evidenced that the photogenerated charge can be efficiently separated and transported due to the influence of both the S-scheme electron migration mode and the Cu-S covalent bond. The process is further accelerated by using precious metals as cocatalysts, which can then selectively convert CO 2 into CH 4. This research is expected to provide helpful information for engineering S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts and investigating their charge transfer kinetics. [Display omitted] • Design of a S-scheme heterojunction to promote the separation of carriers. • Built the Cu-S bonds to accelerate the transfer of charges. • Utilizing the LSPR effect to generate hot electrons and enhance light absorption. • The Ag/CuO@ZnIn 2 S 4 photocatalysts can selectively reduce CO 2 to CH 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Co–CeO 2 was used to activate the PMS for degrading PET plastics. • The degradation rate reached 91.61 % in 6 h after adding 1 mL H 2 O 2 and 5 mM PMS. • Several factors, such as pH and anions, were considered. • SO 4 − played a crucial role in the degradation, compared to OH, O 2 −, and 1O 2. • The possible mechanism of photocatalysis/PMS degradation of PET was proposed. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic, widely used for packaging owing to its excellent properties, has become a major contributor to plastic waste, for which satisfactory recycling and upgrading treatment technologies are lacking. In this study, Co-doped CeO 2 was used as a photocatalyst to degrade PET plastics in water, and PET degradation was measured according to the weight loss rate. Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) addition to the photocatalytic system enabled the degradation of 53.82 ± 4.48 % of PET plastics, highlighting the excellent PET plastic degradation capability of the photocatalytic PMS system. The study investigated the effects of the catalyst-to-plastic ratio, PMS concentration, initial pH, inorganic anions, humic acid concentration, and hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2) addition on the catalytic oxidation system. Contrast experiments revealed that H 2 O 2 addition to the photocatalysis/PMS oxidation system further improved the PET plastic degradation efficiency (91.61 ± 1.50 %). Liquid product analysis, electron paramagnetic resonance, and free radical quenching experiments confirmed that SO 4 − played the most significant role in PET degradation. Finally, a possible mechanism for the degradation of PET plastics in water using the photocatalysis/PMS oxidation system was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]